Need help dimensioning holes

I have a plate with 43 holes in it. The plate is flat and the holes
round. However, because the holes where produced by cutting the plate
with surfaces in the context of another part the usual tools for
dimensioning holes don't work. The only accurate way I have found to
locate the holes is with a construction.

 

Dimensioning for documentation purposes or to actually drive the size and
location of the holes?

-Martin

 

Do you have SolidWorks Office?
If you do, try this:
1. Save the part as a .step file.
2. Open the .step file and save, with a different name, as a SolidWorks
part.
3. Turn on the Add-In, FeatureWorks.
4. Have FeatureWorks recognize the part and it will use the Hole Wizard to
create the Holes.
5. Save this new part.
Best Regards,
Devon T. Sowell
www.3-ddesignsolutions.com

 

Thanks Devon. I gave it a try and no luck. Too bad FeatureWorks doesn't
have a tolerance on recognition of holes that is adjustable. I tried
STEP and IGES. What really frosts me is that the holes where cut in
sheet metal when it was flattened. The "round" holes are no longer
considered round after SW gets through them.

 

Some wild thoughts...

do you have the option to go back and redefine how you make the holes?
Why are you cutting the holes in the way you did? For example, can you
access the sketch that created the other parts holes or features? If
yes, show the sketch, and duplicate that in the plate part, or enough
of it that you can recreate your pattern.

another technique if you have access to the original sketch for the
pattern in the first part is to drag and drop the sketch into the plate
part - redefine the datum point and use the sketch there.


I have had the same problem with imported parts, and often use the
construction line process when I can get decent opposing points on the
hole edge.

Just some ideas... maybe totally off base.

Cheers,
Daniel

 

I cut the holes the way I did to get my intent. The holes were
originally made in a flattened sheet metal part and then patterened so
when I flatten the part I am trying to dimension they should be round.
However, even the flattened sheet metal part doesn't consider the holes
round although there I can get at the sketch.

I really shouldn't have to use any technique simply because SW decides
to represent a round hole with a spline. Arrrgh.

Thanks for the ideas guys. At least I am not going insane. ...yet.

 

I agree, that is annoying.

 

I feel your pain, but Solidworks is doing it right--if you drill a round
hole in sheetmetal and then bend it, the hole doesn't stay
round....Solidworks is accurately representing physical reality. Your
current method is asking the impossible--you want to treat the model like
sheet metal, but not exactly like sheet metal...

This is a question of matching your modelling method to your design
intent--if you're working from sheetmetal, then dimension the holes in the
flat. In the flat view, the holes are round, and you can use standard
dimensioning techniques. If you want round holes in 3d, then cut them as
extrusions or something like that.

 

You said you created the holes in context. Is it possible that you are
actually cutting them at a slight angle. Check your sketch plane. Do the
holes have centerlines check and see if they are actually perpendicular to
the surface of the part. I always use sketches to cut holes especially
round ones. Make sure everything was square.

Corey

 

I don't know about 2005 just yet but in 2004 SW only distorts holes that are
actually within the bend radius(this would include rolled parts though)