I’m designing a curved channel for a fluid to flow through. At one point, the channel needs to change depth as it curves round a corner. I’d like to make this transition between depths as smooth as possible. What’s the best way to do this?
Best,
Tom
I’m designing a curved channel for a fluid to flow through. At one point, the channel needs to change depth as it curves round a corner. I’d like to make this transition between depths as smooth as possible. What’s the best way to do this?
Best,
Tom
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your reply.
My problem is essentially that I have two extruded cuts with different depths. Where the cuts meet there is a vertical step, which I want to smooth out. Things are slightly complicated by the fact that the step occurs as the two cuts curve around a corner. I'm trying to figure out what the best way of smoothing out this transition is.
Best,
Tom
Hi Thomas,
Sorry I hadn't quite grasped that.you may want to use 1 or two fillets to smoothen this very simply. Or create a small gap and add a loft.
Michael
Dear Michael,
Normally, I'd use a pair of fillets as you suggest. However, the problem is that the junction between the two cuts occurs as they bend around a corner and I need the smoothed transition between the two levels to follow the curve around.
Tom
Hi Tom,
In that case you may want to use a sweep, following the curve as a path. The profile of the sweep could be made to be tangent also. - you may need to use a swept cut for the top cut.
Michael
Perhaps you could provide an image?
Hi Thomas,
To make this as smooth as possible you should use a tangency relation in either the sketch or loft which you are applying.
The best way to check for this once created is to use deviation analysis, this will tell you the angle change on the edge between the two faces: 2015 SOLIDWORKS Help - Deviation Analysis
Michael