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Help using sweep to design a marble run
nicholas_hammond089
Member Posts: 5 ✭
in Drawings
I'm trying to use the sweep function to make a U shape go around a spiral. I drew the U shape at the bottom of the spiral and then used sweep and chose Helix 1 as the sweep path, but instead of climbing up the helix like i expected, it seems to have swept my sketch both forward and backward from the face of the drawing, instead of just in one direction. I don't see an option in my Sweep1 feature to change this. There is probably something simple I am missing if anyone can help
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Comments
Try creating your U-profile on the spiral's end point. Place a mate connector there (use Multi Mate Connector FS) and then sketch on that mate connector. That'll give you best control over your sweep operation. Keep in mind that the U is only a true U if aligned to the spiral at any point (As opposed to a defaut plane).
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4068916ebe62962a577a8d71/w/deaeda2b55dc869ff8664048/e/2074f8f1a480a4464baaa1b4?renderMode=0&uiState=67754280b9705c2ce55fa967
A sweep will use all the edges contained in a Curve that you select as the path, if you indeed select a Curve. You can use Select other to partially select certain edges, but in your case the Helix is already just 1 edge. To show partial selection I added a quick example here https://cad.onshape.com/documents/49af509f4b10a18019649477/w/1625b8f46caeabab0427d28a/e/4a6cb75297e4fb7a3342e4bf
Using a Mate connector as the sketch plane is always a great idea, and just FYI the built-in Mate connector is perfectly appropriate (no need for Custom feature) to create one at the ends of or at mid point of a curve By default the Primary axis will be tangent to the curve at that location (A nice 2024 enhancement, so last year…) A Mate connector can also be realigned (e.g. Secondary axis) to suit, so it is a really powerful way to set up a parametrically changeable sketch plane with zero other construction items.
Finally, the Sweep feature has a number of Profile control options:
The "None" option will maintain the orientation of the sketch plane (Mate connector) with respect to the Sweep path normal (look at a curvature combs plot for the Routing curve in this example) https://cad.onshape.com/documents/49af509f4b10a18019649477/w/1625b8f46caeabab0427d28a/e/af7037e2ebcbeae84c687474
The other options are not so appropriate in your situation, but will be for others!!