Has anybody done a chain in Solidworks?

The tangent mate is sometimes a bit quirky, tough to solve. Why don't you just use a sketch for the path of the centerlines of the rollers and mate the center points to the sketch. Much simpler for SW to solve.

Hi JF

I model chains as a part. Sketch the centre line, model a link then use a curve pattern to attach to centre line, you have to make the length of the centre line divisable by the pitch obviously. I have examples if you like.

steve

JF wrote:

Keep in mind that a lot of the time a full complete chain is not necessary and unnecessarily taxes the system. If you can accept it, put a sketch around the sprockets and then sweep the chain profile. That way it looks like it's going real fast!! Seriously, though, it shows a representation of the envelope that the chain occupies in its travels around the sprockets.

WT

I would like to have one... once had some time to play with chains, but tried the assembly approach...

arto (dot) kvick (at) gmail (dot) com works OK...

Great idea Wayne!

I made each chain part, then a sub-assembly, then I made it flexible, then a main assembly. It took forever to re-build, and when I moved it, the parts flew all over the place!, lol

Your idea seems a lot easier. :-)