Variable Radius Filleting in Solidworks, comments

SW actually has a lot of nifty filleting stuff - For variable radius fillets, you have three options:

1) The variable radius fillet - specify radii at verteces or points you prescribe 2) Face fillet with hold line - automatically varies the radius of the fillet to keep it in contact with an edge that you create and control with a 'split line'(very, very nice for aesthetic fillets) 3) Curvature continuous fillet with two hold lines - changes the radius and shape of the fillet to keep it in contact with boundaries on both sides. You create and control these boundaries with a 'split line'.

I don't know what other packages you are looking at, but SW has done a lot with filleting without fanfare - things have been happening behind the scenes to allow many more fillets to work that would have failed even a year ago. Overt improvements are also impressive - for instance, filleting 'features' instead of just edges and faces is mind-blowingly powerful.

Also, since SW became 'essentially' a hybrid surface/solid modeller (I'm sure Jon Banquer will chime in with his thoughts on that one), the occasional filleting problem is worked around without a ton of pain. If you decide to give SW a shot, take a look at the 'filleting' tutorial at

- go to the tutorials, then go to Curvy Stuff 102, then look for the filleting module. Multi-bodies are often quite handy to work through problems, and 'Atomic bomb' filleting will get you through just about anything.

Edward, Thank you very much for the link, I will explore it. I know Jon, I sent him an email last week about something but I suppose his email address has changed or something. I use Rhino, Alibre, TrueSpace, ZBrush, Smartcam and Visualmill. I am still looking for a bit more than those packages "presently" offer. Rhino has been my main modeler since it's inception, but the V3 "difficulties" and as of this week yet another year before the variable fillet capability get worked on, well what do I do? I look at is as their dilemma not mine. Anyway, I am looking to get this Variable Radius filleting impass behind me as well as looking for a stable piece of software that I don't get patches for every few days and "hope" that things remain stable. Care to comment on stability of SW and file Import/Export translation? I export my models into cnc mills and routers, tell me, what are the translation capabilities of SW like? I know that Rhino has never translated to/from SW very well at all. Over the years I usually cringe when someone says they want to move files between SW & Rhino. I have a 20 gigabytes model base, what would SW offer to deal with moving files between Rhino and SW?

Regards, Michael Gailey

No disagreement, Ed.

IMO, Michael would best be served by IronCAD for the following reasons:

1. IronCAD uses both Parasolid and ACIS for it's modeling kernels.
2. IronCAD has far better integration of Rhino than SolidWorks. See the IronCAD website for a decent Flash presentation of how this works.
3. Michael can try IronCAD for 90 days free. It's downloadable and has no limitations.
4. I know for a FACT that the next release of IronCAD due in the 2nd quarter of 2005 major focus will be on adding surfacing.

jon

Michael,

Sorry. I have not been using the old e-mail with a underscore between my first and last name. The new one does not use an underscore. If I have not addressed your e-mail in what I wrote above to Ed feel free to e-mail me at my new Yahoo account.

As I said above to Ed, IMO IronCAD will best offer you the integration with Rhino that I think you need. I have IronCAD installed on this machine and if you want me to test something for you feel free to get a hold of me by e-mail.

I would be glad to download files, bring them into IronCAD and send you back an ACIS or Parsolid file.

jon

Ed,

"I don't know what other packages you are looking at, but SW has done a lot with filleting without fanfare - things have been happening behind the scenes to allow many more fillets to work that would have failed even a year ago. Overt improvements are also impressive - for instance, filleting 'features' instead of just edges and faces is mind-blowingly powerful."

I guess the real question is why were they failing in the first place ? Parasolid is exceptionally strong with filleting and always has been. Whatever the reason, I'm glad that you see progress and that it's helpful to you.

Obviously, I would rather see more balance in Solidworks but in the absence of balance I'm glad that other areas are being improved to your satisfaction.

If you can't answer Michael's questions on any filleting problem that Michael would come across in SolidWorks, I don't know of another SolidWorks user who could.

jon

Inovate is just a 60 day eval, but that is plenty. I can use it a few days and find what I need to know. Inovate was the download I got. What kind of price is VX Mold & Die? It appears to be pretty good but their eval doesn't download. Also where is a SW eval download? Michael

IMO, you should forget about Inovate and download IronCAD.

They show it for $5,500 but I think you can do better from an aggressive VX VAR.

It should. Contact Mike Lynch at VX if you continue to have a problem.

You would not need to use Rhino if you go with Vision. VX will also listen to what you have to say. They are a small but very responsive company.

IMO, Vision is every bit Unigraphics equal at part modeling. Vision is used by Newport Tool and Die in Road Island who does a ton of work for Stanley Products.

Don't know but SolidWorks Corp is really generous about letting students / unemployed engineers / etc. use the product to learn it at no charge. They are a very progressive and good company in this way.

jon

Why don't YOU try?

Sort of reminds me of the ASD surface package in CADDS 4X circa 1983 .

Nope. That's not it's function. Buy some clues someday.

I just did a little search to find jb's first post to mention Parasolid. He's learned not one single thing. since then.

Anybody recall "King of all CAD modeling ( snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net)" from the 1996 - 97 timeframe?

"Take a look at this PTC web site press release, I had to wait for it to come out before I could say exactly what I thought "

No clues at all about variable radius fillets I note .... and I'm certain that the 2nd quarter of ****2005**** will help a lot ......

Any more BS?

SWX does offer a free "Personal" edition to just about anybody. I believe it is limited to 90 days.

What is the link? Michael

Micheal,

-As far as stability, '04 seems to be quite stable. I have had less crashes with SP0, than I ever had with '03 SP whatever.

-Files being imported have definately gotten better. IMO the real problem is that most of these companies dont want their programs to "play" with anyone else. Go figure.

Michael,

Have you tried Power Solids for Rhino?

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Michael wrote:

Real filleting as an optional add-on ???

Where does the B.S. end ????

The developers of PowerSolids / PowerBooleans are extremely nice and competent people. Nothing but good things to say about Gary Crooker and how responsive he is.

Gary and his partner should be directly on McNeel's payroll but Bob McNeel is too narrow minded and too cheap.

Why not raise the price of Rhino and offer a more complete product instead of the incomplete one it is now.

After all these years Bob McNeel is still totally lost as the ship drifts at sea. Perhaps an accountant turned salesman does not have the proper vision needed to deliver what the market wants ?

LOL

jon

Paul, Yes, I bought both NPower Booleans and NPower Solids. Still, on some complex fillets even then it isn't enough. It is much better, but still not a lock for complex solutions every time. Michael

Michael,

I remember your work... if you recall,..

You will definitely have to trial out the modelers which have been suggested and see what works best. You're going to find all of them easy and restrictive since you are a Rhino user, and that is more related to workflow than anything else. You will be thinking or working differently using some of the modelers and that can be good or bad.

So, if you have time to trail them, you may be in for a lot of perspective changing. I'm sure it will not be easy.

If/when you do have an example, I'm sure someone here will help.

..

Michael wrote:

"You're going to find all of them easy and restrictive since you are a Rhino user, and that is more related to workflow than anything else."

Michael posted in the Rhino newsgroup that he uses Alibre.

If Michael goes with IronCAD and still uses Rhino why would this be "restrictive" ????

IronCAD is one of the less restrictive solid modelers on the market.

Name another solid modeler or even a hybrid modeler that has better integration with Rhino than IronCAD.

Name an easier transition for Michael than IronCAD.

jon

... cut bs....

Wow, you're buddies. Say no more,... but why is Michael asking here if you are his buddy,...? Surely with you as his friend he should be able to get all the answers that he would ever need from you??

I don't know, maybe??

Please, show your work (no marketing bs, your work) using IronCad and why it would be a better solution for Michael? You must have examples from your demo's backing your claims, right?? No excuses, show the variable fillet radii which you are supporting and post them, ok? Oh, don't spin this into IC with surfacing is not released until next year bs because we are talking about variable fillet radii now... not next year promises from an advert.

I have no association with or will I ever have an association with Joe Dunne. Ah, but he did say you were the guy, he really wanted to work with you!!! Go for it, you guys are perfect for eachother!!

Makes you go..... HMMMMMMMMM, doesn't it!????

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