Spinal Bend, loosing model data

[ptc-4501949]

Hi,

I am trying to bend a solid piece of wire using the spinal bend feature. I have my model drawn flat on the top plane, and need to bend the end down, to accomodate a hanging chain. When I complete the bend I loose the round that keeps my wire form one piece. Any ideas on how to correct?

Before:

After:

As you can see I loose the radius portion of my piece. Any ideas on what to change to make it work?

I have 4 pieces that I need to do this to, so I am kind of stuck with my design right now.

Thanks for any help.

Matt

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[Patriot_1776]

Looks like your spinal bend "spine" curve isn't long enough, and as such the geometry is being cut off where the spine ends. Try making the spine longer than the part.

[ptc-4501949]

Thanks Frank, I tried it and the legs of my wire just get longer..??

[Patriot_1776]

Hmmm, attach the file and maybe I can get a look into it.

Also, I noticed that the start of the spine is not coincident with the end of the rod, so, that might be it also. Without the model it's hard to tell.

[ptc-4501949]

Thanks for the help. I have only taken a couple Pro-E classes and we never got into some of the more advanced features. I found out about this option looking at youtube videos, so there is a chance I missed a step somewhere in the function.

Let me know if you come up with anything.

[Patriot_1776]

It's been a while since I did one, they're not used often. Here's some things about them that they don't teach you:

1. You are required to define 2 planes whithin which the geometry is to be bent. This distance must be EXACTLY the length of your part, otherwise, you get what happened to you, OR if it's too long, a part with distorted geometry on the loop.

2. You CAN bend greater than 90deg (didn't test the limit), but the example you see in the embedded online help was scanned in from what looks like one of the old books (discontinued long ago in v20 I believe), and it's now WRONG as there is no longer a "tweak" menu.

3. I created a curve to make sure the length I got after the spinal bend equaled the length before the spinal bend. It did, and I didn't see any distortion.

I didn't look at your part, but if you follow what I did in my attached part, you should get yours to work.

Good luck!

[Patriot_1776]

Oh, and just a FYI, your "student edition" parts can't be opened by us regular guys.

[ptc-4501949]

Hi Frank,

I tried a couple of other things and still can't get it to bend properly. So what I did was change the length of my scetch curve to just short of the bend and then protrude the feature back on.

Thanks for all the help, can't get it, but my work around will do just fine for what I need. Here is what the final sub-assy looks like.

Matt

[Patriot_1776]

Hmmm, PM me the dimensions. I'm using WF4, not Creo, but I could try it in Creo too. Like I said, the 2 planes defining the volume to bend must exactly equal the length of the part (to the tangency of the loop). Did you open the file I attached, or is it incompatible with your student version?

I managed to get this to work, so i'm not sure why your model is having issues:

[ptc-4501949]

I kept messing with it over lunch and got it to work. I was choosing my bend plane, not my end plane. My confusion. So I have it working now and the parts look great.

Thanks again for all the help.

[Patriot_1776]

Ahh, I figured that was it. Like I said, everything you want to bend has to be between the 2 planes. I got it to do something I didn't think it would, so that's good.

Glad you got it to work. That's the thing with CAD, it's not knowing the commands, it's knowing the work-arounds. Keep trying different things.

[ptc-4501949]

Frank, one more question. Can I do a seconday spinal bend on just one feature of a model? I also tried to do a warp on just this area. All the warp funtions modified the entire part. Just can't seem to get one to work.

If not, no big deal, but just want a more realistic look to what final product will be.

Let me know, thanks.

Matt

[Patriot_1776]

That's gonna be a little tougher. I'll have to look into that.

[ptc-4501949]

Hi Frank, don't put too much effort into this. After I sent the reply last night I contiued playing with the warp and got the spline tool to move just the top feature. This will work for my presentation, and the flat model will be used for manufacturing so I should be all set.

If you do come up with another way, let me know, just for future knowledge.

Thanks

[Patriot_1776]

A "Warp" (bend, etc.) feature will distort the part, which is shown above in your vertical lines that are not parallel, and I'm sure the cross section is distorted and no longer circular as well. You can do multiple spinal bends, but they must be in the correct order. I'm also going to try and use quilts first, bend them individually, then make the solid.

[David_M]

What about using Bend Solid instead?

[Patriot_1776]

I haven't played with that, but I believe you can get the geometry you want without the distortion you experience using warp (which is why I don't use those commands) by using 2 spinal bends, in the proper sequence. Lay out your curves, and some datum planes, sweep only the section you want to bend into a cylinder (near axis A_5), and do a spinal bend on that. Then create the other sweep(s) required, and bend that and it should work. Me, I might not even go that route. If you need both a "flat pattern" and the "formed state", I'd lay out the curves as needed, and use a family table to sweep either in one shot, and use the instances for your drawing.