Applying Weldments for a Bolted Structure

Owner - Designer

Enterprise Design and Innovations

Chris Scarlett

Applying Weldments for a Bolted Structure • Using 2D and 3D Sketches and Weldment

Structural Members to Bolt Together a Powerline Tower (as an example)

• Introduction to a method for designing and managing a complex structure that uses fasteners

• Techniques include: • Multibody modeling – for assembly design

• Design Sketches – basic size and shape of model

• Sketch Blocks – for references and alignment

Introduction: Chris Scarlett Educator - Designer - Product Developer

• Educator • SOLIDWORKS, AutoCAD and Revit Architecture at

CWU, YVCC • Content provider for Pluralsight, Digital Tutors

• Design, consulting and training services through Enterprise Design and Innovations

• Experience: mechanical & architectural design, product development, patent drawings, proof of concept – prototype creation, image and video production.

• Catnip – TECH DAY special 1/3rd off - use code KITTYC33

Session Summary: • A Completed Model Tour

• Background & Advantages

• Demonstration • 2D and 3D “Design Sketches”

• Main Tower Leg – first Weldment Structural Member

• Support Leg – Coplanar to Main Tower Leg

• intro to “Reference Geometry - Sketch Block” method

• coordinated Horizontals, Diagonals and Holes

• summary and conclusion

Weldments – A Background • Weldment derived structures can be complex

• tons of choices, huge feature manager but a well defined model

• Typical application, 2D and 3D sketch skeleton, all of the Structural Members are trimmed, extended and welded. • creates a cut list of Solid Bodies instead of parts

• This session will show you how to apply similar techniques to create a bolted structure, • Similar with a sketch frame - driving Structural

Members • Differs with non-axially symmetric profiles

• unconnected terminations • stacked and bolted

Advantages with this method: "Reference Geometry - Sketch Block" on Path Segment - controls Structural Members to:

• resolve odd angles

• control non-continuous and connected Structural Members

• place stacked non-axially symmetric Structural Members

• Coordinate related members, holes, connectors

• Create visible and modifiable sketch geometry • when you modify a component - related members,

holes and connectors adjust too

Applying Weldments for Bolted Structures

•Demo: Completed Model Tour

• Client wanted a SolidWorks design that would update for a variety of custom sizes

• needed to be able to produce modified drawings for the shop floor quickly

Background and Problem:

• Problems: • Structural Members would sometimes flip when model dimensions

changed

• hard to control how some Structural Members would coordinate with each other

• hard to define offsets on angled designs

Applying Weldments for a Bolted Structure

• Demo: 2D – 3D Design Sketch

• Demo: Main Tower Leg - with alignment

• Demo: Support Leg – with sketch blocks

“Reference Geometry - Sketch Block”

Method Summary

• sketch the Structural Member - Path Segment on related adjacent surface • create “Reference Geometry - Sketch Block”

for:

• visual reference to confirm size

• references for alignment and holes

• reference for member “Alignment”

• Sketch Color, to quickly select and modify

• make modifications in modeling area without opening the feature or sketch • automatically rebuilds!

Applying Weldments for a Bolted Structure

• Demo: Horizontals, Diagonals and Holes

Session Summary and Conclusion:

• 2D and 3D “Design Sketches”

• Main Tower Leg – first Structural Member

• for the next Structural Member:

• sketch the Structural Member - Path Segment and “Reference Geometry - Sketch Block” for:

• visual reference to confirm size

• references for alignment and holes

• reference for member “Alignment”

• Sketch Color, to quickly select and modify

• make modifications in modeling area without opening the feature or sketch

TEST (break) THE MODEL

Automate even further with Javelin Technologies - Steel Detailer

For additional information please visit this course and others at Pluralsight.com

Or contact me, Chris Scarlett

Thank You!

Applying Weldments for a Bolted Structure