Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

Following a blog post by Craig Bshor (http://mfgin3d.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/sweeping-around.html) but I'm having some trouble keeping the swept/cut profile parallel with the outer surface of the part.

See the below screen capture. What I'm after is like what I have drawn in the lower circle. I have tried using the parallel function of the sweep but it complains with something like "you can''t have a closed profile path" so that is whay I have an open profile, but still it does not work. Looking for any input to acheive the cut parallel path required.

Part also attached with EOP rolled up.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Sweep with Guide Surface and select the cylinder as the surface.

Also, in Sketch3 I would use equal (=) constraints rather than repeating dimensions,

and I would never ever use zero (0) dimensions, use Coincident constraint instead.

[#3]

Thanks JD. Works a treat.

mental note to self - dig deeper before posting.

Re the dimensions in Sketch 3, yep I'll try more EQUAL. The zero dim (should have been deleted) was a left over from an attempt to offset the path relative to the sweep cut profile to see the effect it would have on the sweep.

Thanks again.