Gooday,

I am using Solidworks 2012-2013 Student/Education edition. I can not set a pierce of coincident relation between the guide curves and the elliptical shape of body. I get the error message their is no pierce or implicit pierce relation to the guide curve.

Steps I used to get to where I am stuck.

1) I have imported the files with the tables describing the profiles of the front and side views of a bottle (eg dishwahsing detergent). The bottle is wider in the front view than it is side view (essentially has been squashed). The curves appear to import ok as two curves are placed in the drawing when importing them using "Curves through XYZ" and using the browse function.

2) In the front plane insert a vertical line from the origin equal to the height of the bottle that represents the axis of the sweep. The top of this line is equal in height to the guide curves. The two guide curves and the axis of the sweep all start in the top plane that goes through the origin.

3) Insert a elipse in the top plane. At this point I can not set a pierce or coincident relation between guide curve one and the major axis of the elipse or a pierce or coincident relation between guide curve 2 and the minor axis of the elipse. The instructions I have instruct to set the pierce or coincident relations at this point.

4) Next step in my instruction is to select the sweep icon then select the path, the section and the guide curves. I have done this in the appropriate boxes. Then I select ok. This is where I get the message that no pierce relation exists.

I have a test using this aspect of solidworks next week and we are on holidays this week. Any help would be appreciated.

In addition the instructions given to me indicate you have to set the initial orientation of the elipse the setting a horizontal relation to the pionts at the ends of the major axis. When I select the origin and the marker for the major axis on the elipse the horizontal relation does not come up as an option.

Thanks

James McLeay