General Concept for Angle of Projection

Engineering drawings follows two type of angle of projection: First angle of projection and Third angle of projection. In first angle of projection, object is assumed to be kept in the first quadrant, see Figure 1 and viewer viewing the object from the direction shown in Figure 1. As the object is kept in the first quadrant, its views projections are on the planes as shown in Figure 1. Now, on unfolding the planes of projections, the front view appears at the upper side and the top views appears at the bottom side in a drawing. Also, the right side view appears at the left and left side view appears at right side of the front view, see Figure 2. 

Drawing Spline driven by mathematical equations using the Equation Driven Curve tool of SOLIDWORKS

You can create spline driven by two type of mathematical equations: Explicit and Parametric by using the Equation Driven Curve tool of SOLIDWORKS.

Procedure to Draw  mathematical equations driven Spline by using the Explicit equation type

1. Invoke the Equation Driven Curve PropertyManager by clicking on the Equation Driven Curve tool in the Spline flyout.

2. Make sure that the Explicit radio button is selected in the Equation Type rollout of the Equation Driven Curve PropertyManager.

3. Enter the equation for Y as the function of x in the Yx field of the Parameters rollout. For example, enter the equation 2* sin(x)^12 in the Yx field.

Creating Torsion Sprig using Composite curve

In this tutorial you will create a model of Torsion spring shown in Figure given next.

Section 1: Starting SOLIDWORKS

1. Double click on the SOLIDWORKS icon on your desktop to start SOLIDWORKS.

Section 2: Invoking Part Modeling Environment
1. Click on the New tool in the Standard toolbar, the New SOLIDWORKS Document dialog box appears.

2. In this dialog box, the Part button is activated by default. Click on the OK button.
 Once the Part modeling environment is invoked, you can set the unit system and create the base/first feature of the model.

Section 3: Specifying Unit Settings

1.      Make sure that the MMGS (millimeter, gram, second) unit system is set for the current opened part document.

Section 4: Creating First Curve - Helical Curve
1. Invoke the Sketching environment by selecting the Right Plane as the sketching plane and then create a circle of diameter 60 mm which defines the diameter of helical curve, see Figure 1.

2. Exit from the Sketching environment by clicking on the Exit Sketch button.

Difference between First order (Draft Quality) and Second order (High Quality) Elements

First order (draft quality) elements has four nodes (all in corners) which are connected linearly with each other. When a geometry is meshed with first order tetrahedral elements, all edges and faces of the geometry are mapped with the tetrahedral element having linear straight edges which in result curved edges can not be mapped properly. However, the second order (high quality) elements has ten nodes (four corner nodes and six mid side nodes). As the second order elements has mid side nodes, it mapped properly at the curved edges of the geometry and give you better results.

Meshing in FEA Software

Meshing is a process of divide entire geometry into small elements, see Figure, and for each element a matrix will be created in the solution phase of analysis process which solved by the solver in order to calculate the analysis results.