Interference Detection

Discussion in 'SolidWorks' started by Tom Chasteen, Oct 17, 2003.

  1. Tom Chasteen

    Tom Chasteen Guest

    How do you guys handle fasteners when doing interference checking. I have
    found that the nuts and bolts interfere do to max, min thread diam
    representation in the nuts. I bore out all nuts so that I don't have to
    worry about multiple interferences when checking assemblies.

    Any other approaches?? Do you just suppress all fasteners?

    Tom
     
    Tom Chasteen, Oct 17, 2003
    #1
  2. Tom,

    I just go surface to surface, a #10 screw and a #19 tapped hole are both
    ..190 dia. Likewise with nuts/bolts, etc.

    Dennis
     
    dennis deacon, Oct 17, 2003
    #2
  3. Tom Chasteen

    kellnerp Guest

    This is a big problem. One solution is to go to the configuration manager
    and use the selection tool hidden there to select all the hardware and
    suppress it. It isn't too hard to set up a rule to do this and then save it
    for future use.

    There should be an option in interference detection to disregard fasteners.
     
    kellnerp, Oct 17, 2003
    #3
  4. Tom Chasteen

    Tom Chasteen Guest

    My current procedure in large assemblies is to insert a fastener group(assy
    w/ bolt, washers, and nut) in an appropriate subassy so that when all
    subassy's are mated, all fasteners are already installed. This prevents me
    from having to install fasteners forever. My last assy had over 1800
    fasteners. Yet, I only inserted maybe 30 fastener groups into subassy's.

    I try to have as few config's as possible. It seems to help reduce overhead
    and increase speed. That's why I've been boring out nuts and saving them.

    I'll have to learn the advanced selection tool. That sounds like it may be
    a better option.

    Tom
     
    Tom Chasteen, Oct 17, 2003
    #4
  5. I wrote a macro that generates an Excel file that keeps a list of
    interferences that you want to ignore (two components plus the
    interference volume). So you end up with two lists -- valid
    interferences, and interferences you want to ignore. It's slower than
    the standard interference function, but overall it can be faster since
    you don't have to eliminate all spurious interferences. I haven't
    tried it yet with 2004. Drop me a line if you want me to email it.

    Eric
     
    Eric Zuercher, Oct 17, 2003
    #5
  6. Tom Chasteen

    Arlin Guest

    I have used that method in the past. Works very well, but I am not sure
    this could be incorporated with Toolbox.
     
    Arlin, Oct 17, 2003
    #6
  7. Tom Chasteen

    Tom Chasteen Guest

    Kman,

    That is basically what I do now, except I drill out the nuts instead of
    changing the bolts. This way the nuts always measure the specified thread
    diam. (i.e. 1/4-20 unc).

    I've been doing this for a while. I was just curious if there were better,
    or easier approaches.

    SW always seems to have 90+% solutions. It's just that I wish we didn't
    have to always make up the rest of the percentage manually.

    You would think that the guy doing the library and the guy doing
    interference detection would realize that they would eventually detect each
    other (1000's of times in a large assembly) and try to resolve their
    differences.

    Tom
     
    Tom Chasteen, Oct 17, 2003
    #7
  8. Tom Chasteen

    Tom Chasteen Guest

    Kman,

    Good point, I add drill & tap notes to cover them. Not the best, but it
    works. SW still needs to address this issue so that we all don't have to
    develop our own work-arounds.

    The only reason that I do it this way is that all measured sizes are the
    named thread size and as Mike said this makes things kind of obvious to
    others. Having the actual min and max thread diam's on the parts is
    accurate, but seems to cause more work than it prevents. I ,almost, always
    check for interferences just to prevent accidents.

    Tom
     
    Tom Chasteen, Oct 18, 2003
    #8
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