Step 6C1.3: Edit 3D-Cam; Save as STEP; Export directly to SOLIDWORKS®

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner > Tutorial 6: Cams: Flat, Barrel, Globoidal, 'Slot' > 6C: Barrel-Cams & Globoidal-Cams > 6C1: Oscillating-Follower Barrel-Cam >

Step 6C1.3: Edit 3D-Cam; Save as STEP; Export directly to SOLIDWORKS®

Edit the 3D-Cam with the 3D-Cam dialog

Use the 3D-Cam dialog to edit the parameters that control the properties before you save or export the 3D-Cam in a different data formats.

Save the Cam as different file-types. We recommend the STEP file-type. Open the STEP file in SolidWorks®, or your other 3D-CAD.

GST-6C1-301-Cam-Part

Frequently, you cannot see the 3D-Cam in the graphics-area.

STEP 1: Find the Cam-Part

The 3D-Cam is a child to the Cam-Part.

1.Click the Mechanism-name-tabRed-14-1 that has the Cam-Part as a child.

2.Click the Cam-PartRed-14-2 that has the 3D-Cam as a child.

 

STEP 2: In the Assembly-Tree

The Cam-Part (Cam-Shaft1)

Red-14-3
is selected in the Assembly-Tree

The 3D-Cam is a child to the Cam-Part.

1.Explore the Cam-Part(Cam-Shaft1)

Red-14-4
to show the child elements

2.Right-click the 3D-Cam element

In the shortcut menu:

3.Click Edit Element

Red-14-5
in the shortcut menu

The 3D-Cam dialog is now open.

 

The 3D-Cam dialog has three tabs:

CAM tab - the design parameters

DISPLAY tab - color, display as 'solid', or as a 'mesh', ...

EXPORT tab - to export directly to SolidWorks.

It also has two buttons:

Rebuild-48 button

SaveCam-48 button

Use the Cam tab to increase the:

•number-of-Points along each Rim

•number of Rims along the Cam-Flanks, Floor, and Top surfaces.

•clearances for the Follower-Roller.

Experiment.
GST-6C1-302-3D-Cam
3D-Cam dialog-box

3D-Cam dialog-box
btn_addkeywordSTEP file - recommended

STEP 1: MechDesigner - Save the 3D-Cam to a STEP file-type.

1.Click Rebuild button at the top of the 3D-Cam dialog

2.Click Save button

In the Windows Save as dialog, make sure the file-type is *.STP, and save the 3D-Cam as, e.g. Cam.STP

STEP 2: In SOLIDWORKS - Convert Cam.STP to a Cam.SLDPRT.

1.Open the Cam.STEP file in SolidWorks®

2.Agree to do: Import Diagnostics.

3.Close Import Diagnostics command

In the Feature Manager, the feature is Cam.stp<1> - >

Depending on your SolidWorks® user settings, you may also need to:

a)Right-Click Cam.stp<1> -> in the Feature Manager.

In the shortcut-menu:

b)Click Break Link, and, in the pop-up, select Yes, break the link

In the Feature Manager, the feature is Surface-Imported1.

c)Right-Click the feature in the Feature-Manager, again

In the contextual menu,

d)Click Import Diagnostic

In the Import Diagnostics dialog

e)Click the Attempt to Heal All button, and then close the Import Diagnostics command.

In the Feature Manager, the feature is Imported1.

4.Save your model as a SolidWorks Part document, with file-type (SLDPRT) E.g. Cam.SLDPRT.

STEP 3: In SOLIDWORKS

1.Do File menu > New > Part document

2.Do File menu > Save as > Cam-Blank.SLDPRT

STEP 4: In MechDesigner

1.Click 3D-Cam dialog > Export tab > SolidWorks Data Transfer > Transfer Cam-Blank button.

We export for you to SolidWorks the sketch of the Cam-Blank and the Rotation-Axis.

We instruct SolidWorks for you to add a Revolved Boss/Base feature from the sketch of the Cam-Blank and Rotation-Axis.

STEP 5: In SOLIDWORKS

SolidWorks receives the Cam-Blank sketch and

1.Do File menu > Save as > Cam-Blank.SLDPRT

STEP 6: In SOLIDWORKS continued ...

Combine the Cam.SLDPRT and the Cam-Blank.SLDPRT

The Cam-Blank.SLDPRT is the active SolidWorks document.

1.Insert menu > Part...  

2.Select the Cam.SLDPRT (See STEP 2.4)

3.Click OK in the feature manager.

In Feature Manager, there are now 2 Solid Bodies:

•Revolve

•<Cam><imported>

Do:

4.Insert menu > Feature > Combine.

5.Select Subtract as the Operation Type and, in the Bodies to Combine box, select Cam-Blank as the Main-Body and Cam<imported> as the Body to Subtract.

You should now see the Cam-Track cut into the Cam-Blank.

It is possible that the Solid Body Cam<imported> is not in the correct place relative to Cam-Blank. Most typically, Cam<imported> and Cam-Blank.SLDPRT are defined on different Planes.

In this case, you can redefine the sketch-planes of Cam.Blank (easiest method) or move Cam<imported>.

To move Cam<imported>, do:

1.Insert menu > Feature > Move/Copy... and select Cam.SLDPRT as the body to move.
btn_delkeywordEXPORT the Raw data to SOLIDWORKS®

Note: We recommend you save the cam as a STEP file-type - see above.

Export the XYZ coordinates to SOLIDWORKS®.

GST-6C1-304-3DCAM-SWTransfer

Open the 3D-Cam dialog > Export tab

1.Click

We instruct SolidWorks to Extrude > Revolve the sketch of the Cam-Blank around the Rotation-Axis

2.Click

We instruct SolidWorks to create a Curve feature from the XYZ coordinates of each Rim that we export.

We instruct SolidWorks to create Surface features from the Curve features.

We instruct SolidWorks to create Surface-Knit feature from the Surface features.

3.Click

We instruct SolidWorks to Cut the Surface features from the Cam-Blank

You may need to hide the Surface Knit feature in SolidWorks.

This method creates a heavy (large) model in SOLIDWORKS®.

Do you have the correct Type-Libraries installed?

To transfer the Cam-Data to SOLIDWORKS® you must have the correct Type-Libraries in your installation directory that match your installation of SOLIDWORKS®.

Look in Help menu > About > Type-Libraries tab. The year of the SOLIDWORKS® Version and the year Type-Libraries should be the same.

If the years are not the same, then:

1.Save your SolidWorks Part document, exit SolidWorks, restart SolidWorks

2.Save your MechDesigner model, exit MechDesigner, restart MechDesigner.

3.Look in Help > About > Type-Libraries again.

4.Email PSMotion if the years do not agree.