SOLIDWORKS: Lesson II – Revolutions, Fillets, & Chamfers

SOLIDWORKS: Lesson II –

Revolutions, Fillets, & Chamfers

UCF Engineering

SolidWorks Review

� Recall that in the last lesson we started

building basic parts in SolidWorks using only

extruded solids (boss/base) and extruded

cuts.cuts.

� This lesson we will be learning about three

new features that are typically used for

modeling basic parts.

Revolutions

� The first feature that we are going to look at

is the revolution.

� Revolutions can either be used to add � Revolutions can either be used to add

material (Revolved Boss/Base) or remove

material (Revolved Cut), either way the

mechanisms are the same.

Revolutions

The basic idea is that a revolution takes a closed cross section and revolves about some axis of revolution to produce a solid object:

Revolutions

Although there are certainly cases where you can only produce a particular geometry using revolutions, oftentimes geometry can be produced by using either revolutions or extrudes.

Revolutions

� So, if there are so many different ways to build a particular geometry…how do we decide what the correct one is?

Although there is no right answer (there are � Although there is no right answer (there are definitely wrong ways to model something), it is always important to consider the one that:

– Provides the proper representation of your part

– Uses the least number of features

Revolutions

For example, say you wanted to model the

simple part that we have been looking at so

far: As 2 extrudes we would create:

Revolutions

� Now, what would happen if we wanted to change the diameter of the cut hole?

� We would either need to change it in both of our extrudes…or we would need to have set up the extrudes…or we would need to have set up the proper relationships so that it would be automatically changed for both.

� The problem is to change the diameter of one feature, we need to change 2 dimensions

Revolutions

What about if we used revolutions?

Here we draw one cross

section, and we can easily

change the primary features by

controlling only one dimension.controlling only one dimension.

Revolutions ExerciseLet’s begin by opening

SOLIDWORKS and making a NEW PART. Let’s choose REVOLVED BOSS/BASE from the dynamic toolbar.

Under properties manager you will be

asked to chose a plane.

Revolutions ExerciseChoose the FRONT

PLANE.

As soon as you click on it, it will rotate the plane so that you can view so that you can view looking into the plane.

Begin by drawing a rectangle. Once drawn ( size

doesn’t matter yet) hit escape to exit the rectangle

tool.

Revolutions ExerciseYou should now see the properties manager for

REVOLVE and a green rectangle. The dashed line in properties manager is called the axis of rotation of which it is looking for one. So lets click the left vertical line to see what happens.

Revolutions ExerciseSo now you should see a

cylinder with the chosen line as the axis of rotation. Go ahead and hit OK to accept this cylinder.

But let’s say we want to CHANGE our sketch.

Revolutions ExerciseIn the features tab,

expand the REVOLVE selection and click sketch.

Then RIGHT CLICK on

sketch and choose

EDIT SKETCH.

Revolutions Exercise

You will see your basic sketch

so then change the view to

normal view.

The view now allows us The view now allows us

to look at the front face

of our sketch.


In our original picture, we saw a line(axis) outside of our shape. We call this a center line. The center line button is located on the dynamic toolbar. Click it and toolbar. Click it and then draw a normal line starting at the origin parallel to your sketch upward. Then hit escape. Then Exit sketch.


What happened? Nothing!

Because we need to tell

Solidworks to USE the

centerline as our axis for

revolve.

Whereas before we right-Whereas before we right-

clicked on the sketch in

features manager to edit the

sketch. Here we simply right

click on REVOLVE and

CHOOSE EDIT FEATURE.

Revolutions ExerciseSo you can see that once you

edit the feature that the object still rotates around the left vertical line of the rectangle we just drew. Our centerline is visible, but the object does not rotate around it.

In the properties manager, click on the axis box

highlighted in pink where you see that the

current axis is line 2. We want to change this to

the center line. So after clicking in the box, click

on the center line. Then exit the sketch.


We now see the changes evident in making the object rotate around a center line.

NOTE: If we had drawn the center

line FIRST, Solidworks would have

automatically chosen the centerline

as the axis of revolution as it

assumes that is what we want to

do.

Fillets and Chamfers

� Fillets and Chamfers are finishing features

that are used to smooth or corner sharp

edges on your part.

� As a rule of thumb, these types of finishing

techniques should always be the last features

that you apply to your model


Fillets and Chamfers are PART BASED features whereas EXTRUDE and REVOLVE are SKETCH BASED SKETCH BASED features.

Fillets and Chamfers Exercise

Click on fillet. You should see that it is asking you to select an EDGE. Lets click the top face.

You should see a yellow wire frame and if you don’t, select FULL PREVIEW

from the properties manager.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseAs you can see, you get a

preview of what it is going

to do. Click on the inside

hole edge. You should see

the yellow wire frame there

as well. Click, EXIT

SKETCH. You get a nice

rounded edge.rounded edge.Chamfers as well

give you nice part

features. Click

Chamfer, then select

the bottom edge of

your part.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseThere are 2 different ways

to define a Chamfer.

You can define by

using an ANGLE or a

specific DISTANCE.

Lets do a chamfer on the inside

hole too. Choose distance-distance

then check the equal distance box.

Then Click OK.


You should now see the part with beveled outside and inside edges.


� As you can see, adding fillets and chamfers to models is a very straightforward process.

� Oftentimes applying these types of features will reveal problems with your modeling practice reveal problems with your modeling practice (because of poor edge mating, tolerances, etc).

� This is why we try to always place these features on the model last.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseLets use what we have learned to model the following

part:

What is the BEST way to model this

part with the LEAST amount of

features?

Extrudes? Revolve?Extrudes? Revolve?

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseLet’s save our current part. Then exit out.

Click NEW, choose Part, then OK. Now careful inspection of our design we see that we are possibly NOT using meters as a unit. Let’s change the units to millimeters.

Start by right clicking on the “PART” name in the feature manager and choose DOCUMENT PROPERTIES.

A window will open and you should see the

DOCUMENT PROPERTIES tab. In the left

pane, find UNITS.


You should notice that after you click UNITS that we are in the MKS system of measurement using meters, kilograms, and seconds. Let’s change seconds. Let’s change that to the MMGS system to that we can design our part in millimeters. Click OK at the bottom to finish.

NOTE: If you design a part using

meters originally and it is 1 x 1 x 1

meters, then change the units to

millimeters the dimensions WILL

CHANGE to 1000x1000x1000 mm.


Let’s start by choosing the REVOLVE boss/base, then choose the front planar surface.

Once again, the part will rotate Once again, the part will rotate

around to give you a front view.

Let’s begin by just drawing the

“general shape”. Click on the LINE

button at the top.


Using the line drawing feature,

sketch out the basic shape

which appears to be a stair

step design as shown. Try

to sketch within the ballpark

of the length you are

suppose to model.suppose to model.

Also, apply a centerline

upwards from the origin.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseClick on the centerline, then under property

manager check the box that says INFINITE LENGTH.

One problem is that

our sketch is not

fully defined and

our centerline can

be moved around.

We need to fix the We need to fix the

centerline on to the

origin. Click the

centerline, then

press CTRL, then

click the origin. In

property manager

add the relation,

Coincident.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseYou should notice your centerline is black meaning it is fully

defined. Now let’s define the bottom part of our sketch. Click the

bottom left corner, press CTRL, click on the origin, then in

property manager choose “horizontal” and they will line up.

We are now ready to dimension our sketch. Choose SMART DIMENSION.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseDimension each of the heights as

shown in our original sketch.

We then start to dimension the widths.

Now it may seem tedious to dimension

each individual width, divide by 2 , and

try to consider the distance from the

centerline. The fact is that you don’t

have to do all of that.have to do all of that.

Solidworks knows you are revolving

around the centerline and will be using

a diameter. So click on the top right

vertical line and drag your dimension to

the left of the centerline. You will see

that is automatically sets your position

for you.


Set the diameter to 60. You may notice some overlap with the far left vertical line and that is because we have yet to dimension it to the dimension it to the centerline. Dimension that line with a diameter of 20 as shown.


Complete the rest of the dimensioning. Keep in mind you dimension the vertical lines to the centerline, then move past to make a diameter past to make a diameter setting. Once finished you will see you are FULLY DEFINED at the bottom.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseExit the sketch and notice

that it automatically revolves the sketch for you around the centerline.

Click OK in property manager and the final part will be shown.


If you click on the feature, you should notice it automatically draws the diameters in for you. You can click to drag You can click to drag them out to see them

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseNow we are ready to apply the fillets.

Notice that all fillets are to have a radius of 6, which is a global setting unless otherwise noted, which we see is noted as 8 for the top face.

Choose FILLET on the toolbar and set your

radius to 8.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseAll we need to do is click on

the top edge. Then click on OK in properties manager to finish the fillet.


Now for the inside fillets of radius 6. These can be done together by clicking BOTH inside surfaces. Choose OK in property manager to finish.

Fillets and Chamfers ExerciseLastly we need to Chamfer. Click chamfer.

In our original drawing they wanted 6x6 chamfers,

which are distance-distance parameters. Since they

are equal make sure EQUAL distance is checked

then set the distance to 6.


Select the top 2 edges, then EXIT SKETCH to view the finished part.

Documents

SOLIDWORKS: Lesson II – Revolutions, Fillets, & Chamfers