Helix with a square profile

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to create a helix with a square cross section.

My work flow from a previous enquiry is to create a coil, and select an edge and project including 3D data, and use this to create a pipe.  The issue I have now is that the square profile I need to wrap along the surface of an actual pipe. and the surface generated has some twist to it that you can see from the top view in the included file.

Is there a work flow that can produce what I'm looking for that isn't too contrived?

[davebYYPCU]

If the coil profile was normal to the path, all would be ok, but it's not Pipe,

Sweep with Path and Guide Surface.

Plane on Path,

Sketch aligned to the required position and the coil, 

Sweep profile with the same path, but select the guide surface as one of the coil faces.

Might help....

[Anonymous]

I'll have a look at this later as I'm not at my machine right now.

But thanks for the reply.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

How about this?

[HughesTooling · Accepted solution]

How about the attached. One bit of advice, don't use project include 3d as the spline generated is not as accurate as the actual edge of the coil. Just use the edge of the coil as the path and you end up with one less sketch.

To stop the twist use a vertical line as the guide rail. This line needs to be at least as long as the height of the coil and start at the same level the coil edge starts.

Mark

[HughesTooling · Accepted solution]

Edit, updated attached file. The first gave warnings when inserted into another file.

And here's another way without using coil. The angle of the section plane is calculated using parameters then sweep with twist. You can reuse this by Copy Paste New into another design or insert then break link. Then just edit the cross section sketch to the profile you want and edit the parameters for length, diameter and turns etc.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Thanks for having a look. But that still has the square profile twisted as it moves up the profile.

[Anonymous]

Thanks.  This workflow achieves what I'm looking to do.  Really helpful.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mark, That is another way to skin this cat. Can I mark multiple posts as solutions here?