I created the spring with sweep feature (twist along path option & 10 turns) and cut off the top and bottom part to make it flat on those two places. How should I dimension this spring in a drawing? Thanks!
I think usually a spring drawing would include the free length (what you have there), the OD, wire thickness, ID (as reference maybe), number of turns, and material.
What do you mean by OD? And when I hover over the coil nothing shows to be able to click on except for the straight lines on two ends so i guess i have to insert some points?
Agree, these values are common to put in a table or note and not as dimension lines connected to the 2D drawing view.
I would also state the force per milimeter (N/mm) and also state with text how the ends should be. The ends is sometimes hard to understand with the 3D view / 2D views.
(N/mm is for sure given by material and all of the other properties. But my experience tells me that it is good to have that state if it is important for the function. I even sometimes stated the required force for a specific amount of compression. Then may the battle about overdefined spring start....)
If you need to apply actual dimensions rather than in a table, you will have to add sketch geometry to the model and dimension to that. The sketch can be hidden and the dimensions will appear to be attached to the solid geometry.
OD = Outside Diameter
ID = Inside diameter
I wanted to add that there is an "easier" + perhaps more-correct way to model helical springs like that. Also, in your Sweep feature's properties, the "twist" + "number of turns" options have nothing to do with the twist of your spring, rather how the sketch profile spins about it's sketch plane as the profile is swept along the profile. Since your profile is a circle, "spinning" it produces no geometry (but causes unnecessary overhead/complexity in the software). If you changed your profile to, say, a square, then you can easily see the effect of such twist.
Anyways...
First, use the "Helix/Spiral" feature under the Insert --> Curve menu. You can define your helix very easily using several parameters, such as pitch + # of turns.
Then create a plane at one of the helix endpoints, sketch a circle on it and sweep that circle along the helix. Do not input any "twist" options.
i used to create springs like this until i saw other people creating springs with the twist because it takes less time to create a simple spring like this.
Well if it works for you, then go for it. Just seems like the helix curve was made with this idea in mind and it allows a lot more control over the specifics (including taper, etc...). Plus you can use that base circle sketch to get the nominal center diameter dimension to show up on a drawing...
1000 ways to skin a cat though...
Don't forget to add the direction of wind if it is important (Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise)
Chris
If you need a custom spring, my recommendation is to call a company that makes custom springs, give them a spec with tolerances, let them design it, they send you a customer drawing, you slam a cover sheet on it and check it in.
