Lesson 7:
Loft Features
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Loft Feature Overview
Blends multiple profiles together. A Loft feature can be a base, boss, or cut.
To Create a Simple Loft Feature:
1. Create the planes required for the profile sketches Each sketch should be on a different plane.
Lesson 7: Loft Features
REPRODUCIBLE
321
322
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Creating a Simple Loft Feature:
2. Sketch a profile on the first plane. 3. Sketch the remaining profiles on their corresponding planes. 4. Click Loft on the Features toolbar.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Creating a Simple Loft Feature:
5. Select each profile. 6. Examine the preview curve.
REPRODUCIBLE
323
7. Click OK.
Preview curve
Lesson 7: Loft Features
324
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Additional Information About Lofts:
Neatness counts!
Select the profiles in order. Click corresponding points on each profile. The vertex closest to the selection point is used.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
A preview curve connecting the profiles is displayed. Review the curve in order to address adjustments.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Neatness Counts!
Unexpected results occur when you dont pick corresponding points on each profile.
REPRODUCIBLE
Lesson 7: Loft Features 325
326
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Neatness Counts!
Rebuild errors can occur if you select the profiles in the wrong order.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
To Create an Offset Plane:
1. Select Plane1. 2. Click on the Reference Geometry toolbar, or click Insert, Reference Geometry, Plane.
REPRODUCIBLE
Lesson 7: Loft Features
3. Click Offset for Step 1 of 2. 4. Click Next.
327
328
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Creating an Offset Plane:
5. Enter 25mm for Distance. 6. Look at the preview on the screen to verify that the offset is going in the correct direction. If it is not, click Reverse direction. 7. Click Finish.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Creating an Offset Plane Results
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
329
330
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Setting up the Planes
Additional offset planes are required.
Plane5 is offset 25mm from Plane4. Plane6 is offset 40mm from Plane5.
Verify the positions of the planes.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Click View, Planes. Double-click the planes to see their offset dimensions.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Sketch the Profiles
The Base-Loft feature is created with 4 profiles. Each profile is on a separate plane.
To Create the First Profile:
1. Open a sketch on Plane1. 2. Sketch a square.
Lesson 7: Loft Features
REPRODUCIBLE
331
3. Exit the sketch.
332
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Best Practice
There is a better way to sketch a centered square:
1. Sketch a rectangle. 2. Sketch a centerline from corner to corner. 3. Relate the centerline to the origin with a Midpoint relation. This keeps the rectangle centered. 4. Add an Equal relation to one horizontal and one vertical line. This makes the rectangle a square. 5. Dimension one side of the square.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Sketch the Remaining Profiles:
1. Open a sketch on Plane4. 2. Sketch a circle and dimension it. 3. Exit the sketch. 4. Open sketch on Plane5. 5. Sketch a circle whose circumference is coincident with the corners of the square. 6. Exit the sketch.
REPRODUCIBLE
333
Lesson 7: Loft Features
334
Lesson 7: Loft Features
To Copy a Sketch:
1. Select Sketch3 in the FeatureManager design tree or graphics area. 2. Click Copy toolbar. on the Standard
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
3. Select Plane6 in the FeatureManager design tree or graphics area. 4. Click Paste .
Sketch4
A new sketch, Sketch4, is created on Plane6.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
More About Copying Sketches
External relations are deleted. For example, when you copied Sketch3, the geometric relations locating the center and defining the circumference were deleted. Therefore, Sketch4 is underdefined. To fully define Sketch4, add a Coradial relation between the copied circle and the original. If you sketch a profile on the wrong plane, move it to the correct plane using Edit Sketch Plane. Do not copy it.
Lesson 7: Loft Features
REPRODUCIBLE
335
336
Lesson 7: Loft Features
To Move a Sketch to a Different Plane:
1. Right-click the sketch in the FeatureManager design tree.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
2. Select Edit Sketch Plane from the shortcut menu.
3. Select a different plane. 4. Click Apply.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Base-Loft Feature
The Base-Loft feature blends the 4 profiles to create the handle of the chisel.
1. Click Loft on the Features toolbar.
REPRODUCIBLE
337
Lesson 7: Loft Features
338
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Creating the Base-Loft Feature:
2. Select each profile. Click on each sketch in the same relative location the right side. 3. Examine the preview curve. The preview curve shows how the profiles will be connected when the loft feature is created.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Preview curve
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Creating the Base-Loft Feature:
4. The sketches are listed in the Profiles box. The Up/Down arrows are used to rearrange the order of the profiles.
REPRODUCIBLE
339
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Creating the Base-Loft Feature:
5. Click OK.
340
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
A Second Loft Feature Creates the Bit of the Chisel:
The Boss-Loft Feature is composed of two profiles: Sketch5 and Sketch6.
REPRODUCIBLE
341
To Create Sketch5:
1. Select the square face. 2. Open a sketch. 3. Click Convert Entities 4. Exit the sketch. .
Lesson 7: Loft Features
342
Lesson 7: Loft Features
To Create Sketch6:
1. Offset Plane7 behind Plane1. Press and hold Ctrl, and drag Plane1 to create the new plane. 2. Double-click Plane7 to display its offset dimension. 3. Double-click the dimension, change the value to 200mm, and click Rebuild .
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
To Create Sketch6:
4. Open a sketch on Plane7. 5. Sketch a narrow rectangle. 6. Dimension the rectangle. 7. Exit the sketch.
REPRODUCIBLE
343
Lesson 7: Loft Features
344
Lesson 7: Loft Features
To Create the Boss-Loft Feature:
1. Click Loft on the Features toolbar. 2. Select Sketch5 in the lower right corner of the square. 3. Select Sketch6 in the lower right corner of the rectangle. 4. Examine the preview curve. 5. Click OK.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Sketch6
Preview Sketch5
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Finished Chisel
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
345
346
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Tips and Tricks
Remember best practices:
Only two dimensions are required for the narrow rectangle. Use a centerline and a Midpoint relation to center the rectangle. This technique eliminates two dimensions and it captures the design intent.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Tips and Tricks
You do not need Sketch5 (the sketch with the converted edges of the square face). Loft can use the face as a profile. Select the face near the corner.
REPRODUCIBLE
347
Lesson 7: Loft Features
Lesson 8:
Visualization
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
What is PhotoWorks?
A software application that creates realistic images from SolidWorks models. PhotoWorks uses rendering effects such as:
REPRODUCIBLE
363
Materials Lights
Shadows Backgrounds
Lesson 8: Visualization
364
Lesson 8: Visualization
Shaded Rendering
The basis for images in PhotoWorks. Shaded Rendering requires a material. The default material is Polished Plastic.
To display the Shaded Rendering:
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
Click Render
on the PhotoWorks toolbar.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Materials
Materials specify the properties of a models surface.
Properties are:
REPRODUCIBLE
365
Color Texture Reflectance Transparency
Lesson 8: Visualization
366
Lesson 8: Visualization
Materials
Categorized as:
Procedural materials defined by a series of steps that determine:
Color Reflectance Displacement (roughness)
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Texture mapped materials wraps a 2D image around the selected surface(s) of the model.
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Stock Procedural Material Metal
To apply the Chrome material:
1. Click Materials
REPRODUCIBLE
367
on the PhotoWorks toolbar.
2. Double-click Stock Procedural. 3. Click Metals. 4. Select Chrome. 5. Click Apply, Close.
Lesson 8: Visualization
6. Click Render
Lesson 8: Visualization
Materials Editor Chrome
368
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Stock Procedural Material Brick
The Primary color determines the brick color. The Secondary color determines the mortar color between the bricks.
REPRODUCIBLE
369
The Pattern scale modifies the size of the bricks.
To customize the properties for Brick:
1. Click Materials on the PhotoWorks toolbar.
Lesson 8: Visualization
2. Double-click Stock Procedural. 3. Click Stones, and then click Brick.
370
Lesson 8: Visualization
Customizing the Properties for Brick:
4. Click the Color tab. 5. Click Edit for the Primary color (bricks). 6. Select a color from the color palette, and click OK. 7. Click Edit for the Secondary color (mortar). 8. Select a color from the color palette, and click OK. 9. Enter 0.5 in the Pattern scale box. 10. Click Apply, and then click Close. 11. Click Render .
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
Lesson 8: Visualization
Materials Editor Brick
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
371
372
Lesson 8: Visualization
Image Background
The portion of the graphics area not covered by the model.
Background styles vary in complexity and rendering speed. Background styles controlled by Scene Editor. Incorporate advanced rendering effects into a PhotoWorks Scene.
Shadows Reflections
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Lesson 8: Visualization
Scene Editor Clouds
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
373
374
Lesson 8: Visualization
To Change the Background Style to Clouds:
1. Click Scene on the PhotoWorks toolbar. 2. Click the Background tab. 3. Select Clouds from the Style list. 4. Enter 2 for Scale. 5. Click OK
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
To Save the Image File
1. Click Options on the PhotoWorks toolbar. 2. Click the Image Output tab.
REPRODUCIBLE
375
3. Click Render to file.
The image file name is based on the model name. The default file type is *.bmp.
4. Enter a file name and click OK. 5. Click Render .
Lesson 8: Visualization
376
Lesson 8: Visualization
SolidWorks Animator Application
What is SolidWorks Animator?
SolidWorks Animator animates and captures motion of SolidWorks parts and assemblies. SolidWorks Animator generates Windows-based animations (*.avi files). The *.avi file uses a Windows-based Media Player. SolidWorks Animator can be combined with PhotoWorks.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Renderer Options
The Renderer affects the quality of the saved image. There are two options:
SolidWorks screen PhotoWorks buffer
REPRODUCIBLE
377
Lesson 8: Visualization
378
Lesson 8: Visualization
Factors Affecting File Size
Number of frames per second Renderer used
PhotoWorks buffer creates a larger file than SolidWorks screen
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
If using PhotoWorks buffer:
Materials Background Shadows Multiple-light sources
Video compression Key frames
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
To Create an Exploded View:
1. Click Open on the Standard toolbar, and open the assembly, Tutor.
REPRODUCIBLE
2. Click Insert, Exploded View...
Lesson 8: Visualization
The Assembly Exploder dialog box appears.
379
380
Lesson 8: Visualization
Creating an Exploded View:
3. Click New on the Step Editing toolbar to begin a new explode step. The dialog box expands to show selection lists for:
Direction to explode along Components to explode Distance
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Creating an Exploded View:
4. Click the flat face on the front of the Tutor1 component. An arrow appears that is perpendicular to the selected face and the name Face of Tutor1<1> appears in the Direction to explode along list.
REPRODUCIBLE
381
Lesson 8: Visualization
382
Lesson 8: Visualization
Creating an Exploded View:
5. Select the Tutor1 component. The component name appears in the Components to Explode list. 6. Set the Distance to 70mm and click Apply on the Step Editing toolbar. 7. Since there is only one component to explode, this completes making the exploded view. Click OK to close the Assembly Exploder dialog box.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
Creating an Exploded View:
8. Results. Note: Exploded views are related to and stored in configurations. You can only have one exploded view per configuration.
REPRODUCIBLE
383
Lesson 8: Visualization
384
Lesson 8: Visualization
Collapsing an Exploded View:
Right-click in the FeatureManager design tree, and select Collapse from the shortcut menu.
To Explode an Existing Exploded View:
1. Switch to the ConfigurationManager. 2. Expand the configuration that contains the exploded view. 3. Right-click the exploded view, and select Explode from the shortcut menu.
REPRODUCIBLE
SolidWorks 2001 Teacher Guide
