3D Sketch

[dbolden]

My company has recently switched from Solid Works to Creo 2.  In SW you can crete a 3D sketch by simply drawing lines and arcs and then constraining them to lock location.  We then use a Sweep feature to create cores through a casting.  The only way I know to do this in Creo is to create a series of points and connect the dots.  This seems like a LOT of trial and error on location.  Is there another way to create 3D sketches on the fly?

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[dbolden]

Here is an example of a 3D sketch which would be used to create a core similar to the completed ones you see.  We make the in inner and then offset or create outers from the inner.  We then do a subtract to leave us the outer housing.

[TomD.inPDX]

This is a little different mindset from SW.  Edges are as good as curves for sweep paths.

The surface can be hidden or managed with layers.

Creo has some powerful ways to help "nullify" reference geometry using intelligent layer rules.

[TomD.inPDX · Accepted solution]

I really like the 3D sketch capability in SW.  I really miss this capability in Creo.  The closest you come to this in parametric is intersects, or just make surface features and use their edges to define sweep paths.  For instance, the example you provided can be a curves surface with a vertex round.

You also want to use reference curves.  These can be an otherwise unrelated set of curves that become a single feature for features such as sweep.  I've found this useful when you have multiple intersects that need a single contiguous path for the sweep that may only be parts of intersected curves.