Helix Command

[Anonymous]

Good Day,

I'm fairly new to Inventor and I'm trying to 'learn' how to create a helix. I have a 3D sketch and I'm trying to 'attach' the two different ends, on two different planes with a helix. I just need a little push to get me over this hump. Spending 3 hours trying to get the end result is insane! Anyone have a video or basic helix command (in 3D Sketch) they care to share???

TIA,

TJ

[JDMather]

I would never use the 3D sketch helix - you don't need it and it is difficult to control.

You can do the same thing (only easier and better) with the Coil command.

Attach your ipt file here if you can't figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Okay, thanks! I'll try the 'coil' command this am and report back with a JPEG.

[JDMather]

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@Anonymous wrote:
.... report back with a JPEG

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An ipt would get you more feedback.

[Anonymous]

Attached is the hacked up part. Any advice would be appreicated.

TIA,

[JDMather]

Oh boy!  Where to start.

I hope you stick around for a while, because that part is pretty much a disaster and this might take a couple of weeks.

Unfortunately I am busy in meetings the rest of this week - hopefully someone will come along and help out.

One quick suggestion - forget you ever saw the UCS command (at least for the next 6 months or so).

I will try to get back here soon, but you are using an early release (2011?) and Inventor files aren't backward compatible, so not sure how I would communicate my technique.

Coil Surface (or maybe solid if flat transition, which it looks like might be the case here, otherwise the tube cross-section is not true).

3D sketch created from 2d sketches for the rest of it  - see http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/content/DSG322/Inventor%20Tutorials/Inventor%2011%20Tutorial%207.pdf

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the constructive critisim... I think (Haha).

I wasn't sure about placing planes, and dimensioning to them and grounding them, etc.

I do have 2014 loaded on a laptop, just post a file for me and I'll grab it.

Thanks,

[JDMather]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the constructive criticism... I think (Haha).

I do have 2014 loaded on a laptop, just post a file for me and I'll grab it.

Thanks,

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In the meantime - just know that there is an easier way, that you are doing too much work.
A lot of users come here, get the constructive (or not) criticism and disappear and never take advantage of the community to learn more.  99% of what I know came from the users here.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I await your 'teachings'.... Thanks again for the help!

J