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Unigraphics NX8 Sweep
Unigraphics NX8 Sweep
Unigraphics NX8 Sweep
Sweep
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Swept
Variational Sweep
Tube
1. Swept
Use the Swept command to create a solid body or a sheet by sweeping one or more sections along one,
two, or three guide strings. You can:
Control the shape of the swept body by aligning section strings along the guide strings.
Control the orientation of sections as they sweep along the guide strings.
Scale the swept body.
Use a spine string to make the isoparametric curves on the surface uniform.
Modeling
Toolbar
SurfaceSwept
Menu
InsertSweepSwept
1.1.
This example shows how to create a swept surface using two curves to guide the section.
Sweep
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or choose InsertSweepSwept.
6. Click the middle mouse button to accept the first guide string.
7. Click the second guide string.
Sweep
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1.2.
Section to sweep
First guide
Second guide
Third guide
Swept surface
1.3.
Sections
Select Curve
Lets you select up to 150 section strings.
Sweep
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Specify
Origin Curve
Lets you change the origin curve in a closed loop.
Adds your current selection to the List box in the Sections group and creates a new,
empty section.
You can also add a new set by pressing the middle mouse button when you select the
section.
List
Lists existing sets of section strings. The sequence of selecting the string sets determines the resulting
sweep.
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Guide
Remove
Removes the selected string from the list.
Move Up
Reorders the sequence of string sets by moving the selected string up in the list.
Move Down
Reorders the sequence of string sets by moving the selected string down in the list.
Guides (3 Maximum)
Select Curve
Specify
Origin Curve
Lets you change the origin curve in a closed loop.
List
Sweep
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Select Curve
Constructs section planes that are perpendicular to the spine and intersect the
guide strings.
Aligns the isoparametric curves on which the sweep is based, to these planes. For
more information, see **Unsatisfied xref title**.
No spine used
Spine used
Anywhere along Guides sweeps on both sides of the section along the guide.
Ends of Guides sweeps along the guide in only one direction, starting from the
section.
Section
Location
Ends of Guides
Sweep
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Linear makes the surface transition from one section to the next following a
linear distribution. NX creates a separate face between each pair of section
strings.
Cubic makes the surface transition from one section to the next following a cubic
distribution. NX creates a single face across all section strings.
Blend makes the surface transition from one section to the next so that the
consecutive segments are G1 continuous. NX creates a single face across all
section strings.
Alignment Method
Defines the alignment of isoparametric curves between the defining curves.
Alignment
Parameter spaces the points through which the isoparametric curves pass at
equal parameter intervals along the defining curves. NX uses the entire length of
each curve.
Arc Length spaces the points through which the isoparametric curves will pass at
equal arclength intervals along the defining curves. NX uses the entire length of
each curve.
By Points aligns points between section strings that have different shapes. If the
section strings contain any sharp corners, it is recommended that you use By
Points to preserve them.
Note By Points is available when you use more than one section strings to
Sweep
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define the swept surface.
Specify Point
option is available.
Orientation Method
Available when you use a single guide string.
Controls the orientation of the section as it moves along the guide.
Fixed maintains a fixed orientation of the section string as it moves along the
guide, and the result is a simple parallel or translational sweep.
Face Normals aligns the second axis of the local coordinate system with the
normal vector of one or more faces that specify a common base at every point
along the guide. This constrains the section string to maintain a consistent
relationship to the base faces or faces.
Select Face
option is available.
Vector Direction aligns the second axis of the local coordinate system with a
vector you specify over the length of the guide string.
Note The Vector Direction method is non-associative. If you select a vector for
the orientation direction, and then later change that vector's direction, the
Swept feature is not updated to the new direction.
Orientation
Specify Vector
options are available.
Another Curve uses the second axis of the local coordinate system obtained by
joining corresponding points on the guide and the other curve (as though a ruled
sheet had been constructed between them) to orient the section.
Select Curve
A Point is similar to Another Curve, except the second axis is obtained with the
equivalent of a three-sided ruled sheet between the guide string and the point.
Specify Point
option is available.
Angular Law lets you use Law Subfunction to define a law that controls the
orientation. For more information, see Law Types.
Note Orientation control for the rotate angle law has a maximum of 100
revolutions, and 36000 degrees.
Sweep
Angular Law is available only for sweeps with one section string.
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Law Type options are available.
Forced Direction lets you fix the orientation of the section plane with a vector as
the section string is swept along the guide string.
Specify Vector
Fixed Orientation
Scaling Method
Increases or decreases the size of the section as it is swept along the guide.
The following options are available when you use one guide.
Scaling
Constant specifies a scale factor that remains constant along the entire guide.
Blending Function allows linear or cubic scaling between specified starting and
ending scale factors, which correspond to the start and end of the guide string.
Another Curve similar to the Another Curve method in the Orientation
Method group. This Scaling method bases the scale at any given point on the
length of the ruling between the guide string and the other curve or solid edge.
A Point is the same as Another Curve, except it uses a point instead of a curve.
Choose this method when you also use the same point for orientation control to
construct a three sided sweep.
Area Law lets you use the Law Subfunction to control the cross-sectional area of
the swept body.
Perimeter Law is similar to Area Law, except that it lets you control the cross
sectional perimeter of the swept body instead of its area.
Sweep
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Another Curve uses a curve as a scaling reference for controlling the height of a
swept surface.
This scaling method does not control surface orientation. Use this method to
avoid surface distortion problems that can occur when you use three guides to
create the swept surface.
3 Guides
1. Section rectangle
2. Guides (3)
Another Curve
1. Section
2. Guides (2)
3. Another Curve
Lets you specify a value to scale the section string before sweeping it.
The section string is scaled about the point at the start of the guide.
Available when Scaling is set to Blending Function.
Blending
Function
Sweep
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Settings
Lets you specify either a sheet body or a solid body for the swept feature.
Body Type
Solid
Sheet
To get a solid body, the section strings must form closed loops.
Available only when Alignment is set to Parameter or By Points.
Preserve
Shape
Preserves sharp corners by forcing a tolerance value of 0.0. When you clear this option,
NX approximates all the curves in a section to a single spline and sweeps the
approximation.
All Rebuild options are available for both section strings as well as guide strings. Click
the Guides or Sections tab in the Settings group to select Rebuild options for Guides or
Strings respectively.
Note The Sections tab is not available in the following cases:
Rebuild
Constructs a high-quality surface by redefining the degree and/or segments of the section
or guide curves. The strings may represent a desired shape, but if they have poor knot
placement or there are differences in degree between them, the output surface may be
more complex than necessary, or the isoparameteric lines may be too wavy. This may
produce incorrect highlighting and prevent continuity between surfaces.
Auto Fit creates the smoothest possible surface within the required tolerances.
Specify Maximum Degree and Maximum Segments. NX tries to rebuild the
surface without adding segments up to the maximum degrees. If the surface is out
of tolerance, NX adds segments up to the maximum number you specify. If the
surface is still out of tolerance, NX creates it and displays an error message.
Tolerance
Specifies the maximum distance between the input geometry and the resulting body.
(G0) Position
Specifies the value of Distance Tolerance. For more information, see Modeling
Preferences General.
(G1) Tangent Specifies the value of Angle Tolerance. For more information, see Modeling Preferences
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General.
1.4.
Guide strings control the orientation and scaling of the body in the sweeping direction.
A guide string can consist of one or more objects, and each object can be a curve, a solid edge, or a solid
face. All the objects in each guide string must be smooth and contiguous.
If all the guide strings form closed loops, you can reselect the first section string as the last section string.
You can select one, two, or three guides.
One guide
Use one guide for simple translational sweeps.
You can control the orientation and scale of the section string along the sweep using the
orientation and scaling options.
Section swept with one guide and scaled using constant area law
Two guides
Use two guides when you want to orient a section along the sweep.
When you use two guides, the section string is oriented along the second guide. You can scale the
section using scaling options.
Scaling can be lateral or uniform.
Section swept with one Section swept with two guides and Section swept with two guides and
guide
scaled laterally
scaled uniformly
Three guides
Sweep
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Use three guides when you want to shear the body on an independent axis.
When you use three guides, the first and second guide define the orientation and scaling of the
body. The third guide shears the body.
Section swept with one guide Section swept with two guides Section swept with three guides
2. Variational Sweep
Use the Variational Sweep command to create a body by sweeping a cross section along a path where
the shape of the section varies along the path.
You can do the following:
Sweep faces that are coincident, tangent, or normal to other curves and faces.
Add secondary sections to vary dimensions at specific locations.
Extend the body beyond the length of the path or limit it.
Modeling
Toolbar
SurfaceVariational Sweep
Sweep
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Menu
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InsertSweepVariational Sweep
2.1.
This example shows how to sweep a section along a path to create a tongue that is oriented relative to the
edges of a solid body.
or choose InsertSweepVariational
2. In the Variational Sweep dialog box, in the Section group, click Sketch Section
4. In the Plane Location group, in the % Arc Length box, type a value.
In this example, the sketch plane is at the start of the selected path where % Arc Length is 0.
Sweep
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Sweep
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2.2.
15
This example shows how to use the Variational Sweep command to sketch a section and sweep it along
two paths.
or choose InsertSweepVariational
2. In the Variational Sweep dialog box, in the Section group, click Sketch Section
5. In the Create Sketch dialog box, click OK to accept the sketch plane.
A point is created automatically at the intersection of the path and the sketch plane.
6. In the sketch, use the Intersection Point command to create another point at the intersection of
the second path and the sketch plane.
Sweep
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2.3.
You can add secondary sections to a variational sweep feature to control dimensions at specific locations.
This example shows how to edit an existing variational sweep feature and add a secondary section to
control a dimension.
Sweep
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1. In the graphics window, right-click the variational sweep feature and choose Edit with Rollback.
2. In the Variational Sweep dialog box, in the Secondary Sections group, click Add New Set
The List box has a start section, an end section, and the new secondary section.
3. From the Position Method list, select Through Point.
4. In the graphics window, select a point to define the new section location.
In this example, an end point is selected.
5. In the graphics window, select the dimension on the secondary section to change.
In this example, the dimension is changed to 80.
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6. In the Secondary Sections group, from the List, select End Section.
7. In the graphics window, select the dimension in the end section to change.
In this example, the dimension is changed to 80.
2.4.
This example shows how to edit the limits of a variational sweep feature so that it can be trimmed to a
datum plane. The existing feature was created by sweeping a section that is oriented normal to a path but
it does not intersect the intended trim plane.
Sweep
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1. In the graphics window, right-click the variational sweep feature and choose Edit with Rollback.
2. In the Variational Sweep dialog box, in the Limits group, specify the start and end limits.
In this example, the End is set to % Arc Length and the value is changed to 110.
3. Click OK to complete the edit.
The feature extends beyond the datum plane.
4. Use the Trim Body command to trim the sheet body to the datum plane.
Sweep
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2.5.
20
Section
Lets you create an internal sketch on a curve as the primary section for the variational
sweep.
The point you select on the path for the sketch defines the origin of the sketch, and the
path acts as a guide. You can add optional curves or edges to serve as guides for the
master section as it sweeps along the path using the Intersection Point command in the
Sketch task environment.
Select Curve
For more information on sketch functions, see Sketch in Place and Sketch on Path.
When you exit the Sketch task environment, your sketch is automatically selected as the
section to sweep, and the curve is the guide. You can deselect any of the curves in the
sketch to form the section.
For more information on internal sketches, see Internal and External Sketches.
Limits
Let you specify the start and end points of the sweep.
The guide can be closed or open. For an open loop, if you specify limits beyond the end
of an open path in either direction, NX extends the path to create the sweep.
Start/End
% Arc Length starts the sweep at the specified percentage along the length of the
guide curve.
Arc Length starts or ends the sweep at the specified length along the guide curve.
Through Point starts or ends the sweep at the specified point on the guide curve.
Specify Point
Secondary Sections
Secondary sections are copies of the primary section. You can change the dimensions, but not the shape,
of secondary sections.
If you reattach a multi-section sweep to a different path, NX maps the primary and secondary sections to
the new path automatically.
Creates secondary sections that you can use to adjust the sweep dimensions.
NX automatically creates new expressions for secondary section dimensions and sets
each dimension equal to the corresponding variable in the primary section.
To display secondary section dimensions, click the section in the List box.
You can edit dimensions in these ways:
Sweep
In the graphics window while you are working with the Variational Sweep
feature.
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In the Expressions dialog box.
In the Part Navigator Details pane.
Use % Arc Length, Arc Length, and Specify Points options to position secondary
sections along the path.
Boolean
Lets you choose the Boolean options to control how the new sweep interacts with other
bodies that it comes in contact with, after it is created.
Boolean
You can also move the cursor over the variational sweep preview in the graphics window,
and right-click to choose a Boolean option.
For more information, see Boolean operations and Sew.
Settings
Minimizes the number of faces where possible, by merging faces along the path direction.
When this box is cleared, the resulting sweep has multiple faces, each corresponding to a
segment of the guide curve.
Merge Faces
if Possible
Merge Faces on
Note To display the dimensions of a secondary section, select the secondary section in
the List box in the Secondary Sections group.
Lets you specify the variational sweep as a solid body or a sheet body.
Body Type
You can specify a sheet body only when the section or the guide curve is a closed loop.
The default is set in the Modeling Preferences dialog box. For more information, see
Modeling Preferences General.
Lets you specify a maximum distance between the input geometry and the resulting body.
Distance
Tolerance
Sweep
The default value is set in the Modeling Preferences dialog box. For more information,
see Modeling Preferences General for more information.
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Angular
Tolerance
2.6.
22
Lets you specify the tolerance used to ensure that the created surfaces are within the
specified angle in relation to neighboring surfaces.
The default value is set in the Modeling Preferences dialog box. For more information,
see Modeling Preferences General for more information.
The section of a variational sweep can change based on the path and the sketch constraints. If the sketch
is constrained so that a curve is coincident to an intersection point, the boundary of the sweep will be
coincident with the corresponding guide.
You can control the variational sweep by adding or removing constraints from the primary section.
Note Although a simple variational sweep may not need any constraints, it is recommended that the
sketch be fully constrained.
In this example, an intersection point is created from a second guide. The sketch is constrained so the
ends of the lines are coincident with the point on the first guide at the sketch origin and the intersection
point on the second guide. The lines are also constrained to be collinear with the tangent vectors.
The dimensions you add to constrain the sketch also affect the resulting sweep. In the example below,
dimensions are added to different lines to maintain their length in the sweep.
Sweep
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If you want to select multiple sections, multiple guides, or control the interpolation, scale, and orientation
of the sweep, use the Swept command.
Where do I find it?
Application
Modeling
Toolbar
Menu
Sweep
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3.1.
24
3. In the Guide group click Select Curve, and then select the guide curves in the graphics window.
5. Click OK.
3.2.
Section
Lets you select a curve, an edge or a chain of curves or edges for the section.
Select curve
Sweep
Note If the section curves are far from the guide curves, you may not get results that
you want.
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Guide
Lets you select a curve, an edge or a chain of curves or edges for the guide. All the
curves in a guide string must be contiguous.
Note the following:
Select Curve
Lines in the guide path are extruded. The sweep direction is the line direction
and the sweep distance is the line length.
Arcs in the guide path are revolved. The axis of revolution is the arc axis
located at the arc center and normal to the arc plane. The angle of rotation is
the difference between the start and end angles of the arc.
For 2D and smooth guide strings constructed by lines and arcs, lateral faces
are planar or cylindrical faces.
Exact geometry is created for non-smooth conics, splines, and B-splines.
If you sweep along a guide string which has closed, sharp corners, it is
recommended that you place the section string away from a sharp corner.
You cannot create a Sweep feature if two adjacent lines in the guide path meet
in an acute angle, or if an arc in the guide path has a radius too small for the
size of the section curve. The path must be smooth with a continuous tangent.
Offsets
First Offset
Second Offset
Offsets the base of the Sweep feature away from the section string.
No offsets specified Only first offset specified First and second offsets specified
Boolean
Boolean
Specifies the Boolean operation to use to combine the Sweep feature with a target
solid.
Settings
Specifies whether the Sweep feature is a solid body or a sheet body when the section
is closed.
Body Type
The default depends on the option selected in the Modeling Preferences dialog box,
General tabBody Type.
For more information, see Modeling Preferences General.
Sweep
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Chaining
Tolerance
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Distance
Tolerance
4. Tube
Use the Tube command to create a single solid body by sweeping a circular cross section along a
centerline path with options for outer and inner diameter. You can create wire bundles, harnesses, tubing,
cabling, or piping components with this command.
Modeling
Toolbar
SurfaceSweep Drop-downTube
Menu
InsertSweepTube
4.1.
Create a tube
1. Choose InsertSweepTube.
In the Tube dialog box, in the Path group, Select Curve
is active.
Sweep
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4.2.
Path
Specifies a centerline path for the tube.
You can select multiple curves or edges.
Select
Curve
The path must be smooth and tangent continuous. The path cannot include gaps or sharp
corners.
If the path is a spline, it is approximated using the specified value in Tolerance.
Cross Section
Outer
Diameter
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Inner
Diameter
This value cannot be more than the value specified in Inner Diameter.
Boolean
Specifies the Boolean operation to use to combine the feature with a target solid.
Boolean
For more information, see Boolean operations.
Settings
If the path includes a spline or conic, specifies whether that portion of the tube is created as
a single segment or multiple segments.
Multiple
Segments
Output
Single
Segments
Creates one face for the portion of the path containing a spline or
conic. The surfaces are B-surfaces.
Two faces are created if there is an inner diameter.
Multiple Segments
Single Segments
Specifies a distance tolerance. This is the maximum distance between the input geometry
and the centerline of the resulting body.
Tolerance
The default value is taken from the Modeling Preferences. For more information, see
Modeling Preferences General for more information.
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Mc lc
Sweep ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
Swept ................................................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1.
1.2.
1.3.
1.4.
2.2.
2.3.
2.4.
2.5.
2.6.
3.2.
Tube ................................................................................................................................................................ 26
4.1.
4.2.
Sweep
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