Occasionally when modifying a routing sketch (or other 3D sketch) you may run into a scenario where a spline tangent needs to be flipped or reversed. See the image below.
Spline before flip
Well, thankfully there is a way to quickly flip it. Read More »
This method assumes that you have a list of points that you wish to sketch to. Start a 3D sketch as usual. Using the “point” tool on the sketch toolbar, drop in the needed number of points. Click on each point in turn in the model window and set the point location in the PropertyManager, once the point coordinates are set, add a fix relation to each point. Once all the coordinates are set, you can now start the line or spline tool and click on each point to achieve the desired sketch path.
Connect the Dots method
Use the command: Insert -> Curve, Curve through XYZ points. Either enter the values into the table manually or open a text file that you have created earlier. Once all of the coordinates are entered into the dialog, Click OK to insert the curve. The created curve is a separate entity in the Feature Tree, however it can be copied into a 3D sketch through the use of the “convert entities” sketch tool.
Start the tool
Although a 3D sketch in SolidWorks does allow us to draw in 3D, we are more or less limited to sketching in 2D planar directions (XY, YZ, ZX) at any one time. Here’s what I mean: If you have attempted to sketch in 3D in your model using any sort of Isometric view orientation, you’ll know that it can occasionally be a challenge to accurately place your sketch points in space. A simple solution is to sketch normal to a plane contained within the model. When you are done sketching in one plane, switch to another as needed. The sketch is then only created in two directions at a time in this scenario. This is a much more predictable method. Splitting the model window into 4 viewports accomplishes the same thing and allows you to click in a viewport that is at the orientation desired for the sketch. Three of the four viewports can be linked as orthogonal projections to make it simpler.
Viewports Tool
When using SolidWorks Routing, a simple way to have a coil of tubing for strain relief or packaging reasons, is to create the helix outside of the 3D Route sketch and then use convert entities to copy the helix into the Route sketch.
The basic steps are:
Coil Needed
Dan Johnson asks this question in the SolidWorks Forum:
I am trying to create a handle that is part of a scanner body and I made my curves using a 3D sketch. When I try and make either a loft or boundary surface, I try to grab just one curve in my 3DSketch, but it wants to grab the entire 3DSketch. How do I select just 1 curve for my profile? I tried the right mouse click, selection filter, but it grabs the entire 3d sketch too. Can anyone help?
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