I'm trying to use the Belt/Chain feature. I can select the pulleys and create the "belt" just fine. Except the "belt" is nothing but a visible "string." I would like to model the actual belt for visual aesthetics, as well as interference or mass properties.
The help and posts I've found mention that you can select "Create Belt Part" when the belt is created and then you are suppose to be able to create the belt part using the Belt/Chain feature's sketch as a sweep to generate a swept part.
But the problem is SolidWorks won't let me create a sweep without two curves existing. You need one curve for the profile and one for the sweep, Otherwise the option to create a sweep is grayed-out. I already figure you need two sketches and I can create a sketch representing the profile of the belt. The problem is sweeps have to be created from two sketches within the same part. The pre-created belt sweep is in the feature, where I can't create a a profile sketch. So even if I create a profile sketch in the part I can't select the feature's sketch as the sweep.
Basically, where do I create the profile sketch and how do I select to make a sweep from profile sketch and the Belt/Chain feature's pre- created sweep? It's driving me nuts!
Thanks, Jeff