DTV Shredder Part Two: Part Design with 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS
In the previous blog we introduced the goal and challenges of the DTV Shredder design project. For this installment, we’ll design a platform (or “board”) for the rider to stand on using 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS. It’s SOLIDWORKS connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. That means secure cloud storage, built-in collaboration and data management, and low IT overhead installation and upgrades.
Opening the DTV shredder assembly in lightweight mode reduces load time and increases performance. But there’s still work to do. The rider needs a place to stand! We’ll design the new board in the context of the assembly, referencing other components for size and position.
We have some hand-sketched ideas for the new platform that can be inserted as Sketch Pictures. As we trace over the image, SOLIDWORKS makes the conversion to precise lines, arcs, and more.
The ergonomics of the board are key to providing an enjoyable rider experience. We can visualize the curvature of the board by enabling curvature combs. A simple spline describes the board shape, but converting to a style spline provides even finer control over the curvature.
Some basic surface modeling is the quickest way to take the idea from Sketch to Solid. Still working in the context of the assembly, we can reference the attachment points on the shredder frame to create mounting bosses for a perfect fit.
Rider safety is always a top concern. What’s the best way to provide traction? Conventional grip tape, like on a skateboard, would be a cost effective solution. But is the curvature of the deck too extreme for a flat sticker? We can use Surface Flattening to evaluate any areas where the sticker might not stretch enough, bunch up, or otherwise not lay flat.
Another option is to create a bumpy surface texture that can be incorporated into the injection-molded part. This would be hard to do with typical extrude and pattern features and might impact rebuild time. The 3D Texture tool simplifies the design of complex patterns with low system overhead. This is perfect.
The design is ready to be saved to the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. This way, our data is always safe and up to date. Built in collaboration tools keep team members notified of changes. Integrated data management such as revisions and maturity states are ready to use out of the box.
Designing with 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS gives us all the power of the SOLIDWORKS software while also providing built-in project management and collaboration capabilities. To see this design workflow in more detail, watch the video or go to shredder.solidworks.com for more information. To read the third blog in this series, go here.
