3D Modeling Techniques
ZW3D vs Solidworks Lesson Sixteen Primitive
Shape Design Streamlined Sketching/Feature Based Modeling
Modeling note:
It is funny,
you may not realize how you model because you have many ingrained
processes from the past. I have been doing Boolean (direct edit)
design since the beginning of solid modeling in CAD. As I have been doing these comparisons I
realized that I design in shapes. ZW3D has primitive shapes and
robust direct edit functionality. I look at the drawing and pick out
the basic shapes of the part instead of creating a sketch. You can see that in this part.
I saw some Fusion 360 exercises online and I decided to compare
ZW3D. It quickly turned into a study in modeling techniques. I have created
many comparisons to Fusion 360, Onshape, Solid Edge, NX, Creo,
Catia and Inventor lessons to show the difference
between ZW3D and my modeling techniques. I found the presenters working
identically wasting massive amounts of time
with overly complex constrained sketching procedures. I was so unimpressed that
I decided to model the parts or assemblies showing my modeling techniques plus 's superb design system.
Many of these modeling techniques can easily be implemented even
within their existing system. I call it Streamlined Sketching and
Feature Based Modeling. Please review a few of the above ZW3D
comparison lessons, there are some very stark differences.
While creating 3D models from drawings is the very best
way to learn 3D CAD and maybe some design techniques it does not
expose the designer to the design flexibility necessary in design. IronCAD is all top down due to the single model environment.
Creating mating parts is a cruise. But modeling is just one aspect of a
well designed productive 3D CAD system.
Solidworks
is a marginal 3D CAD system based on the dated Pro/e history
based modeling system released in 1988. I sold Pro/e years ago
and found it not productive enough
for our engineering department. We use what we sell. That gives us
the experience to effectively support our user base.
I would do a
video, but I really am not good at it. So I will show you step by
step. I will try and get ZW3D support to create one. They are
very good.
The modeling technique is hugely responsible for
the level of productivity. Those of you that are only trained in the
sketch, sketch, constrain, constrain world are truly limited by not
using the freedom of feature based design, that is available in even
the most Solidworks-ish of CAD systems. If your
designers are designing in these very unproductive and time
consuming processes it might be time to review your standard design
processes. Don't have any do you?
These lessons have actually turned into exercises in
modeling techniques as compared to showing a more productive CAD
systems. Again, I say, there are many different ways to model a part.
I see with my exposure to direct edit modelers like CADKEY, I
rarely sketch like you see the Solidworks fellow doing. I have always
created my basic sketches by mostly creating offsets and extending
and trimming or. It seems to be much easier. I never put in a fillet that
can be created later. What do you think?
Since ZW3D
is a sketch based product with a primitive shape option I will
create the model in both processes. The sketched based model will be
done with StreamLined Sketching to show the incredible simplicity
and productivity over the de facto constrained sketching.
I
first go do configuration and set the units to MM.
I
create a new Part/Assembly file.
Note: When doing production
design you can use the Multi-Object file to create a part file under
a top file. You then could keep a legacy of modifications or similar
parts in a single file
Modeling with Primitive Shapes
We are already in millimeters so lets get started.
We create a sketch on the YZ plane with Z selected as up.
I select a block from the primitive
shapes and locate and size the block. Notice I have located it from
the XOY0Z0 to making locating the features easier. I just put the
information in the appropriate boxes on the left.
We will now select cylinder from the
primitive shapes, align it with the front faces and set it to X0Y0ZO
and size it just imputing the information and set it to add.
Now for the center hole, we again select cylinder from the primitive
shapes and align it with the existing cylinder, size it and set it
to remove.
We
need to clean up the bottom. We select block from the primitive
shapes and locate other front faces using the corners. We again size
and and set to remove.
I know you are probably seeing this
feature based design for the first time. Realize ZW3D is basically a
sketch based system and we could do this part just like the
Solidworks fellow! But working working with features gives you a
more real world design experience.
We
again select cylinder and locate and size the front boss and set to
add.
Now for the upper cylinder. We select cylinder an locate it from
X0Y0Z0 168 in Z and -20 in X and size it set it to add.
We need to create a sketch for the rib. But we notice we have to
create trim the cylinder to make sure the rib matches the cylinder!
I think that is the design intent. We will create a sketch to trim
the cylinder!
We reference the top of the cylinder create a
center line and offset the line 10mm.
We
unlink the reference create the cut line and delete the construction
lines and trim.
We exist the sketch and extrude the profile setting to remove.
We
create a datum off set 60mm from the YZ plane to set up our sketch.
We then create our sketch. We create the necessary reference
entities from the existing features.
We unlink the reference entities and trim as required.
We
exit the sketch and extrude it. We set the extrude command the the
symmetric option and put in 10mm and set to add.
We
will put a hole in the boss and cylinder using cylinder primitives
aligned with face and center size and set to remove.
Now
for the fillets.
We
will use the hole command for the two holes. That way we can put
them in with one step. We locate them at the center of the fillets.
The part is done. I find feature base
design much more fun!
Here is the drawing if you would like to
create the 3D model.
You can see the two process that ZW3D offers are both hugely
more productive than the tedious constrained based sketching. You
can see more on modeling techniques here.
Give me a call if you have any
questions. I can set up a skype or go to meeting to show this part
or answer any of your questions on the operation of ZW3D. It
truly is the Ultimate CAD/CAM System.
If you are interested in adding professional
hybrid modeling capabilities or looking for a new solution to
increase your productivity, take some time to download a fully
functional 30 day evaluation and play with these packages. Feel free
to give me a call if you have any questions or would like an on-line
presentation.
