‘surface design’

Model Your Wicked Cool Organic Design in T-Splines, Win an iPad

06 Aug, 2010 by in CONTESTS

BEEEEHOLD!!! Oh, ouch! Ok, muscles have tensed cracking most of the bones in my upper torso, but… (deep breath) No worries, because the endorphins are kicking in and some good ol’ modeling fun approacheth.

T-Splines is holding a contest. Yes, a modeling contest using T-Splines for Rhino. The winner will be chosen from the best models in the categories of consumer products, architecture, marine, jewelry, toys, and vehicular design. It can be submitted as a T-Splines, Rhino, SolidWorks, Pro/E, Spaceclaim or Inventor file.

The Prize? An iPad and V-ray for Rhino. Ready?

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Flattening a Non-linear Conical Surface in SolidWorks. Is it Possible?

15 Dec, 2009 by in CAD

So, last week I was bending up strips of sharp sheet metal with nothing but loud screams and occasional spewing of coffee from my nostrils when I got an email from a very cool ID chap asking about flattening an imported conical surface in SolidWorks.

I thought, this should be a cinch, opened it up in SolidWorks, hit a very large wall and spewed some more coffee… the surface was non-linear. Non-linear, meaning curved. Now what? Well there is an easy way to flatten this shape, but you may not like the results if you want a curved surface.

So, I ask you. How would you approach it? Here’s the sample part and the solution I came up with to flatten the conical surface very fast.

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Two Super Sizzlin’ Ways to Shape… Using SolidWorks Loft to Point

03 Nov, 2009 by in CAD

I’m judging by that look in your eye and the 50 lb sledge hammer in your hand that you’re aimin’ to beat something into shape. But before you pin me down, let me throw something sizzlin’ your way.

How does this sound? Two ways to shape the shapes you love to shape using SolidWorks to get those lovely, lovely shapes. Now, before this sinks too much further into a gurgling mire of Suessville shenanigans, lets take a look at some interesting methods to form and fit and fit and form points of lofts and lofts of points… rrrrrrrrrrgh.

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Prepare Your Tentacles. How To Loft a Surface To a Point in SolidWorks

21 Oct, 2009 by in CAD

A horn, a tentacle. Who knows what you may need to model these days. Why just the other day I had to model the pinnacle of perfection, and let me tell you, it had the sharpest point within a five and a half mile radius.

Whatever it is, if it needs to come to a sharp point, you’re in luck. SolidWorks can do that and it’s really, super easy. A profile, a path, a point. Three steps and you have a loft that traverses to the finite limits of your sanity and imagination. Sounds cool huh. Here’s the process.

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Three Skull Crushing Methods to Recess a Curved Surface in SolidWorks *Updated*

16 Sep, 2009 by in CAD

Five minutes from now, you will know two ways to recess a surface in SolidWorks. They won’t necessarily crush your skull, but they may expand it slightly by enriching your mind with the power of sketch, surface and split face features.

It seems like there should be one feature to recess a surface in SolidWorks. It’s simple on a flat surface, a cut with a draft. But for a curved surface? Now, that’s a whole other beast and requires much more than one feature to create. Fortunately, you have at least two methods. Let’s Rock.

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