At the end of these activities (activity 3.0-3.
18), the student is able to:
3-20 Helix Curves and Springs
SolidWorks allows you to draw springs by drawing a helix and then sweep-
ing a circle along the helical path.
To Draw a Helix
See Figure 3-36. All dimensions are in inches.
Figure 3-36
Origin
1. Click the Helix/Spiral tool located under the Curves tool
on the Features menu.
6. Click check mark
2. Click on
3. Set Pitch
Helix
4. Set the number of revolutions
5. Define the Start angle The diameter
of the original
circle
1 Start a new drawing, select the Top plane, and click the Sketch tab.
2 Draw a Ø1.50 circle.
In this example the circle was centered about the origin. The diameter
of this circle will determine the diameter of the helix.
3 Click the View Orientation tool and select the Trimetric view orientation.
4 Click the Features tab, and click the Helix tool.
The Helix and Spiral tool is a flyout from the Curves tool on the
Features panel.
The Helix/Spiral PropertyManager box will appear along with a pre-
view of the default helix.
5 Enter a Pitch of .375, Revolutions of 6, Clockwise direction, and
Start angle of 0.00°.
Note how the Ø1.50 diameter sizes the helix.
6 Click the green OK check mark.
To Draw a Spring from the Given Helix
See Figure 3-37. The helix shown is the one that was created in Figure 3-36.
1 Click the endpoint of the helix and click the Right plane option in the
FeatureManager.
The endpoint of the helix had its start point at 0°; therefore, it is located on
the front plane. The centerpoint of the Ø1.50 circle was located on the Origin.
2 Right-click the plane and select the Sketch option.
Click Sketch
2. Click Right
1. Click the end
of helix
Sketch a Ø.375
circle
Figure 3-37
Profile
Spring
Path
Figure 3-37
(Continued )
3 Draw a Ø.375 circle on the front plane centered on the endpoint of the
helix.
The diameter of the circle defines the wire diameter for the spring.
4 Exit the Sketch mode, click the Features tab, and click the Swept
Boss/Base tool.
5 Click the circle as the profile and the helix as the path.
A preview will appear.
6 Click the green OK check mark.
7 Save the spring.
3-21 Compression Springs
Compression springs are designed to accept forces that squeeze them
together. They often include ground ends that help them accept the loads
while maintaining their position; that is, they don’t pop out when the load
is applied.
Figure 3-38 shows a spring. It has the following parameters. Dimen-
sions are in inches.
Diameter 5 1.00
Pitch 5 .25
Number of coils 5 10
Start angle 5 0.00
Wire diameter 5 .250
It was created using the procedure described in Section 3-20.
Figure 3-38
Helix
Preview
Set the required
parameters
Spring
Contour
Path
Ø.250 circle centered on the endpoint
of the helix
To Create Ground Ends
See Figure 3-39.
1 Orient the spring in the Trimetric orientation.
2 Click the Top plane option in the FeatureManager Design tree and
click the Plane option in the Reference Geometry tool on the
Features tab.
Figure 3-39
Plane 1
Top plane
Offset distance
3. Use the Extruded Cut tool, create a
distance greater than the spring
length, and cut the spring
1. Make Plane 2
a sketch plane
2. Sketch a large
rectangle covering
the spring
Cut spring—create a ground end
1. Make Plane 1
2. Sketch a large a sketch plane
rectangle covering
the spring
3. Remove the bottom end
of the spring using the
Extruded Cut tool
Figure 3-39
(Continued )
Hide planes 1 and 2
A spring with ground ends
3 Create an offset plane .50 from the top plane and click the green OK
check mark.
This is Plane 1.
4 Create a second offset plane 2.00 from the top plane. This is Plane 2.
5 Right-click Plane 2 and select the Sketch option.
6 Sketch a large rectangle on Plane 2.
Any size larger than the spring is acceptable.
7 Click the Features tab and select the Extruded Cut tool.
8 Create a distance that exceeds the end of the spring.
9 Click the green OK check mark.
The top portion of the spring will be cut off, simulating a ground end.
10 Repeat the procedure for the bottom end of the spring.
11 Hide Planes 1 and 2.
The distance between Planes 1 and 2 will be the final height of the
spring before compression.
3-22 Torsional Springs
Torsional springs are designed to accept a twisting load. They usually
include extensions. See Figure 3-40.
To Draw a Torsional Spring
1 Draw a spring using the following parameters. All dimensions are in
inches. See Figure 3-41.
Figure 3-40
A torsional spring
Spring
1. Right-click the
end surface 2. Select the Sketch
option
Diameter = 1.50
Pitch = .375
Number of coils = 10
Wire diameter = .25
Figure 3-41
Figure 3-41
(Continued ) 2. Click the Features tab
and click the Boss
Extrude tool
4. Click the check mark
3. Define the length
of the extension
Circle
Extension
1. Use Circle and Sketch
a Ø.25 circle.
Use Smart Dimension to
size the circle
Click Edit Feature
1. Right-click
Revise this number to 9.5
Figure 3-41 Revise number of coils
(Continued )
1. Sketch a circle
2. Extrude an extension
Diameter 5 1.50
Pitch 5 .375
Number of coils 5 10
Start angle 5 0°
Wire diameter 5 .25
2 Zoom the bottom endpoint of the spring, right-click the end surface,
and select the Sketch tool.
3 Click the Sketch tab and sketch a circle that exactly matches the exist-
ing end diameter.
In this example Ø.250, the wire diameter, was used.
4 Click the Features tab and select the Extruded Boss/Base tool.
5 Extrude the circle a distance of 1.75 and click the green OK check mark.
6 Right-click the Helix/Spiral heading in the Manager box and select the
Edit Feature option.
7 Change the Revolutions value to 9.5 and click the green OK check mark.
This revision is necessary to make both extensions face the same direction.
8 Right-click the new top end surface of the spring, create a sketch
plane, sketch a Ø.25 circle, and draw a 1.75 extension as shown.
9 Click the green OK check mark and save the spring.
3-23 Extension Springs
Extension springs are designed for loads that pull them apart, that is, ten-
sion loads. Extension springs usually have hooklike ends.
To Draw an Extension Spring
See Figure 3-42
Figure 3-42
Draw a spring
based on the
given parameter
3. Changing the revolutions to
9.5 will point the end surface
in the same direction
2. Edit Feature
End surface
Note that the
end surface point
in opposite direction
1. Click
1. Create an offset Front plane
centered on the circle’s
centerpoint.
2. Make the offset plane
a sketch plane.
3. Use the Centerpoint
Arc tool and sketch a 90°
arc of radius .25.
2. Create an offset Right
plane through the centerpoint
of the circle.
3. Make the
offset plane a
Use the Sweep tool sketch plane.
to sweep the circle
along the arc.
1. Sketch a circle
on the end surface.
Use the Centerpoint Arc
tool and sketch a 180°
arc of radius .50.
Figure 3-42
(Continued )
Use the Sweep tool
An extension spring
Figure 3-42
(Continued )
1 Draw a spring as defined below. All dimensions are in inches.
Diameter 5 1.00
Pitch 5 .25
Number of coils 5 10
Start angle 5 0.00
Wire diameter 5 .125
Clockwise
2 Align the ends of the spring by editing the pitch of the spring from 10
to 9.5.
3 Sketch a Ø.125 circle on the end surface of the spring as shown.
4 Use the Plane option under the Reference Geometry tool and create
an offset Front plane offset .50, that is, through the centerpoint of the
circle created in Step 1.
5 Right-click the mouse and select the Sketch tool, turning the offset
plane into a sketch plane.
6 Use the Centerpoint Arc tool and sketch an arc from the center of the
sketch circle a distance of 90°.
Use the Smart Dimension tool to define the radius of the arc as .25.
7 Use the Swept Boss/Base tool and sweep the circle along the arc path;
click the green OK check mark. Hide the planes and the sketches.
8 Sketch a circle on the arc’s end surface.
9 Use the Plane option under the Reference Geometry tool and create
an offset Right plane through the centerpoint of the circle created in
Step 3.
10 Use the Centerpoint Arc tool and sketch a 180° arc with a radius
of .50.
11 Use the Swept Boss/Base tool and sweep the circle through the arc.
12 Click the OK check mark.
13 Hide the planes.
14 Repeat the procedure for the other end surface of the spring.
The spring shown represents one possible type of extension spring.
