I called and asked PTC if there is anything in the immediate future for more readily creating various types of coil springs. The answer was NO, other than the helical sweep, or using trajpar to create a spring around a non-linear trajectory.
I desire a dialogue box (similar to HOLE feature creation) that will allow me to define the spring with a specific direction, and pitch or windings (coils per inch) that is consistent whether the spring is in the free length or extended/compressed state.
I would like to define appropriate sets of constraints: outside diameter and wire thickness, or inside and outside diameter, or inside diameter and material thickness; whether the material is solid or hollow; whether the cross section is standard circle or some type of (fancy) sketched cross section.
When I design the spring, I know the distance I have to span as a gap or the gap I have to cushion. The spring coil(s) is a secondary concern to the attachment features. The ends are yet another comprehensive effort that should be simultaneously defined. Which variety is the spring: plain end, squared and/or ground end(s), squared or closed end(s)? If the spring of the extension type, what type of loop might be on the end?
Is it a machine hook, machine loop end, double loop end, cross over loop end, elongated hook end, or what? Is the hook/loop on one end in phase or out of phase with the other end.
Then there is another distinct type of spring for use in torsion.
When I design a spring, I know the k factor and the estimated/required forces. The material assigned should allow me to output expected deformations (without Pro/MECHANICA) through relations or family tables.
Creating curves in 3D space and connecting them to finish the helical sweep to better represent a 3D spring is not many Pro/E users' definition of fun. PTC should (already) offer a Pro/Program or a dialogue box for these (spring) features.
I had hoped that Wildfire may have been my salvation for creating a finished part called a SPRING not a jumble of FEATURES that represent a spring.
I need to submit an enhancement request, and let PTC give it the full consideration they feel it deserves.
Does anyone have a (various) template part(s) available to share with possible configurations of extension, torsion or compression springs with the described features? From your possible model(s), I (we) could Save As and rescale the model to fit our applications.
Pro/Program seems to be the way to go since it involves a combination of features. But, I would like to see more flexibility without the expected parent-child failures as you begin to modify aspects of the (template) model.
Again, this all falls in the WISH LIST category.
Thanks for reading!
Jon
I desire a dialogue box (similar to HOLE feature creation) that will allow me to define the spring with a specific direction, and pitch or windings (coils per inch) that is consistent whether the spring is in the free length or extended/compressed state.
I would like to define appropriate sets of constraints: outside diameter and wire thickness, or inside and outside diameter, or inside diameter and material thickness; whether the material is solid or hollow; whether the cross section is standard circle or some type of (fancy) sketched cross section.
When I design the spring, I know the distance I have to span as a gap or the gap I have to cushion. The spring coil(s) is a secondary concern to the attachment features. The ends are yet another comprehensive effort that should be simultaneously defined. Which variety is the spring: plain end, squared and/or ground end(s), squared or closed end(s)? If the spring of the extension type, what type of loop might be on the end?
Is it a machine hook, machine loop end, double loop end, cross over loop end, elongated hook end, or what? Is the hook/loop on one end in phase or out of phase with the other end.
Then there is another distinct type of spring for use in torsion.
When I design a spring, I know the k factor and the estimated/required forces. The material assigned should allow me to output expected deformations (without Pro/MECHANICA) through relations or family tables.
Creating curves in 3D space and connecting them to finish the helical sweep to better represent a 3D spring is not many Pro/E users' definition of fun. PTC should (already) offer a Pro/Program or a dialogue box for these (spring) features.
I had hoped that Wildfire may have been my salvation for creating a finished part called a SPRING not a jumble of FEATURES that represent a spring.
I need to submit an enhancement request, and let PTC give it the full consideration they feel it deserves.
Does anyone have a (various) template part(s) available to share with possible configurations of extension, torsion or compression springs with the described features? From your possible model(s), I (we) could Save As and rescale the model to fit our applications.
Pro/Program seems to be the way to go since it involves a combination of features. But, I would like to see more flexibility without the expected parent-child failures as you begin to modify aspects of the (template) model.
Again, this all falls in the WISH LIST category.
Thanks for reading!
Jon