Smoothing an irregular surface on a solid

[Spurs]

I have used a cavity technique to create a complex surface geometry on a SW 2009 model.

Due to the cavity technique that was used, the surface geometry has tiny scallops (roughly .005 mm) which is similar to cutter marks on a machined part.

In real mold building techniques, cutter marks would be hand polished out of the mold, similar to sand paper smoothing a wood surface.

I am trying to create a model with a smoothed surface to make it easier to convert the model for CNC machining techniques.

Are there any tools or techniques in SW2009 that would smooth or heal or blend very complex surfaces similar to what can be done by sanding or polishing?

 

[ctopher]

Looks like cavities from other features.
My suggestion is to use the mold commands and not the cavity command. The cavity features may bring along junk from the model and is not as clean.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Spurs]

ctopher
The model was created using cavity command representing a cutter cutting a mold surface. Its not really "junk" its akin to cutter marks where the cutter can only move in incremental positions leaving behind "extra" material.

I am trying to find a convenient way to remove this "extra" material.

 

[AnnaWood]

Why did you use the technique you used?

Seems a bit backwards to me.

Model what you want the end product to be in the first place.

Let you CAM software figure out the cutter paths later.

I think you are making WAY more work then neeeded with the workflow you have chosen.

FWIW,

Anna Wood
Core i7 EE965, FirePro V8700, 12 Gb RAM, OCZ Vertex 120 Gb SSD, Dell 3008WFP 30" Monitor
SW2010 SP2ev, Windows 7

http://www.solidmuse.com

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[Spurs]

AnnaWood

The reason is that it is a very specialized geometry that can only be defined by the steps one uses in machining. The machining operation also requires specialized cutting tools that would be very expensive and have delivery times of more than 6 months. In effect, I am creating a solid model based on the complicated movments during a machining operation with highly specialized machines and cutting tools.

The intent is that once the solid with complicated surface is created, one could more easily CNC machine the geometry using more conventional CNC techniques in a matter of days not months.

So the intent isn't backwards - I believe that it is quite progressive.

 

[AnnaWood]

Interesting.....

Not sure I agree with you, but I do not have the benefit of seeing the complete project.

Good Luck,

Anna Wood
Core i7 EE965, FirePro V8700, 12 Gb RAM, OCZ Vertex 120 Gb SSD, Dell 3008WFP 30" Monitor
SW2010 SP2ev, Windows 7

http://www.solidmuse.com

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[ctopher]

I agree with Anna.
Model the how you want the finished product, the CNC software/machine does the rest. The programmer should be programming the marks, paths, bumps, etc.
It is much too labor intensive to add these processes to the models.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[TheTick]

Instead of making a zillion cavities, unite all the cavity-producing solids into a single shape and use that as a template for the surface you need.

 

[Eltron]

My gut says you'd probably be better off using surfaces, but that's without seeing the actual file...and I've got a pretty big gut.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[Spurs]

ctopher

Please read my response to Anna as to why I cannot model the surface as an "As Finished" surface. The surface is a very complex shape which is "Generated" by a series of manupulations of the tool and cutter. The result is a surface which is not easily calculated or modeled directly by other means. It is difficult to explain - but take my word for it - if I knew a different way to generate the correct surface quickly.. I would use it.

So the problem remains.. based on this generating method - we still need to deal with the "cutter marks".


Tick
I actually did at one time unite all of the cavity producing surfaces into a single shape and then used a single cavity command.. but of course the result is the same because the size of the "cutter marks" is really dependant on the number of cavity-producing solids used.

In this case - 48 cavity producing solids were combined to result in a "cutter mark" of about .015 mm in depth. Adding another 48 may cut it down to about .0075 mm but the "cutter mark" will still remain - just be smaller and more frequently occuring.

Eltron
I have looked at some of the surface commands but am not familiar enough with them to figure out how to use them in this particular model. - Any help would be appreciated

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Spurs ... can you post a non-proprietary sample, or even a portion of the part.

 

[Spurs]

CorBlimeyLimey

Attached is a different non-proprietary model with broken references to give you an idea.

I am trying to smooth out the "scallops"

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[ctopher]

I know of no easy way to smooth those areas.
I suggest making your product with surfaces, then create the mold from it. The model you have is too complicated...even for CNC work.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[TheTick]

I don't think you fully understood my suggestion. I'm not taling about uniting all the solids before making the cavity. I'm talking about not making a cavity fom the solids at all.

Instead of just hacking out a cavity, use the combined solid as a template. The template would be used for contructing whatever surfaces or features are needed to make your final shape.

 

[rgrayclamps]

Hi, Spurs:

I agree with both Annawood and Ctopher.

You are doing a bit backwards to me too. Solidworks generates 3D math data. It is up to you to define your product.

What you need to do is to create your design intent of your product using both solid modelling and surface modelling tools. And then you create tools to make the product.

If you want to smooth your product, you need to design it in such a fashion, i.e. "smoothing" is one of your design intents. This "smoothing" can be best handled with surface modelling technique.

Good Luck!

Alex

 

[rollupswx]

Have you had any training in surface modeling? Looks like you are doing too much work to me.

 

[IanLougheed]

I have to agree with the others. What it sounds like is that you have a geometry that was created using a specific machining process. How was this geometry determined in the first place to dictate the tool paths?

You clearly have a final shape that you want, which results from machining and finishing. This final shape is what you should be modeling. When you model the final shape, you can dictate machining processes on the CAM side of things.

I think you need to define what your design intent is, as rgrayclamps said, with the model. Define your CAM process seperately.