Feedscrew [ Scroll] dialog-box
See Add Scroll
We have labelled the dialog as Feedscrew and Scroll because they are both very common terms.
Other terms include: Worms, Infeed Screws, Gusanos, and Tortillas sin fin.
Use the Feedscrew [Scroll] dialog box to:
| • | Set the number-of-points along the feedscrew surface for each 'rim' |
| • | Set the Start and End - the 'range' - of the 3D-Cam |
| • | Edit the display of the feedscrew in the graphic-area |
| • | Export the feedscrew to SolidWorks® |
| • | Rebuild the feedscrew with the current or active settings. |
| • | Save the feedscrew data that defines the surface mesh. |
To Open the Feedscrew dialog-box
| 1. | Click the Mechanism name-tab in which you have added the Feedscrew |
| 2. | Double-click the Feedscrew in the graphic-area or Assembly-Tree |
- or -
| 2. | Click the Feedscrew in the graphic-area or Assembly-Tree |
In the Selection-Window:
| 3. | Right-click the Feedscrew element |
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Feedscrew dialog-box
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Buttons at top of dialog-box
Rebuild and Save Data buttons
| • | Use the Rebuild button to |
| o | re-calculate the points along each 'rim' when you change a parameter |
| o | before you use the Save Data button |
| o | before you transfer the Feedscrew to SolidWorks |
| • | Use the Save Cam button to save the feedscrew mesh data as text files. |
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Number of Points
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Preamble:
| • | We specify a Feedscrew with a surface. |
| • | There are a number of lines, that we call Rims, along the feedscrew surface. |
| • | There is one Rim for each Motion-Point as defined by the Motion-Path FB. |
| • | There are a number-of-points along each Rim. |
Parameters:
Number-of-Points:
Number-of-points along each Rim. - 860 in dialog to left
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Screw Start/End
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Preamble:
When you add a Feedscrew, MechDesigner will calculate its surface for a complete cycle of the MMA : 0 – 360
Use this separator to edit the range of the MMA for which you want to calculate the feedscrew.
The Number-of-Points along each rim does not change.
Parameters:
Feedscrew Start-Angle
Feedscrew End-Angle
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Display
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Preamble:
The 'MechDesigner Display' edits how the surface of the Feedscrew shows in the graphic-area.
Controls:
'Surfaces' ; 'Rims' check-boxes
Use the check-boxes to Show or Hide Surface, and Show or Hide Rims.
Solids: show or hide, with the colour in the 'colour' control, and with the Transparency given by the 'Slider'.
Rims: show or hide the Rims along the Feedscrew.
Color
| • | Use the Windows color picker to select a color for the Feedscrew and Rims. |
Transparency
| • | Use the slider to change the Transparency of the Feedscrew. |
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SOLIDWORKS Data Transfer
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Preamble: When you have set the correct parameters in this dialog: Number-of-Point and Start/End Angles, then you can export the Feedscrew to SolidWorks. To do this
| 2. | Add and Save a new Part |
| 3. | Make sure the new Part is the 'active' document in SolidWorks |
Buttons:
Create Feedscrew Blank in SolidWorks
| • | MechDesigner exports the sketch of the Feedscrew Blank and its Axis-of-Rotation' |
| • | MechDesigner instructs SolidWorks to use the Feedscrew Blank and Axis to add a 'Revolved' feature |
Create Feedscrew Surface in SolidWorks
| • | MechDesigner exports the XYZ data of each Rim to a 'Curve' feature |
| • | MechDesigner instructs SolidWorks to use the Curves to Insert a Boundary Surface feature. |
Cut Feedscrew Surface into Blank.
| • | MechDesigner instructs SolidWorks to cut the Revolved feature with the Boundary Surface |
See Troubleshooting below.
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SOLIDWORKS Paths
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Preamble:
After you have sent the Feedscrew to SolidWorks, it is often useful to link the its file-name in SolidWorks with the Feedscrew element in MechDesigner. At a later date, when you open this Feedscrew dialog again, you can reopen the part in SolidWorks.
Buttons:
Get Cad Part Path button: Click this button to link the CAD file-name in SolidWorks with the Feedscrew.
The file-name, with its full path, is put into the 'Path of Feedscrew in SolidWorks is :
Open Cam Part button: Click this button to open the part with the file-name in the 'Path of Feedscrews in SolidWorks is' box.
Before this is possible:
| 1. | You have previously transferred a Feedscrew to SolidWorks and saved the file, |
AND
| 2. | You have already clicked the button 'Get Cad Part Path' button. |
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The last command: 'Cut Feedscrew Surface into Blank'  may not work, or appear not, to work.
CHECK 1: In SolidWorks, inspect the length of the Scroll Blank relative to the Scroll-Surface .
In the image to the left, the left-side of the Scroll-Blank is to the left of the end of the Scroll-Surface.
In this case, the 'Cut Scroll Surface from Blank' [button in dialog] will not work.
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You must, in SolidWorks, or MechDesigner
| 1. | Edit the sketch of the Scroll-Blank |
I prefer to edit the sketch in SolidWorks.
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| 2. | Move the end of the sketch to the right-side of the end of the Scroll-Surface. |
In this sketch, I have added a dimension between the end of the Scroll-Surface and the left-side of the Sketch-Blank.
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To help, I have, in SolidWorks, dragged the 'Revolve' feature to below 'Feed-Screw Scroll Boundary-Surface'.
Then, as I edit the sketch for the Sketch-Blank I can see the end of the Scroll-Surface.
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CHECK 2: After you close the sketch and rebuild the model. the Surface-Cut feature in SolidWorks might cut to the incorrect side of the Scroll-Surface - see image to the left. In this case:
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| 1. | Edit the Feed-Screw Scroll Boundary-Surface feature in SolidWorks |
| 2. | Click the direction arrow - see image- to reverse the direction of the Cut. |
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In the image, you can see the Scroll-Blank has been cut correctly by the Scroll-Surface.
However, the Feed-Screw Scroll Boundary-Surface feature is still shown in the model
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CHECK 3: Edit the Feed-Screw Scroll Boundary-Surface feature to hide it from the display.
See image.
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Finally, the scroll is correct.
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Trouble-shooting the Feedscrew in SOLIDWORKS