Generating a proper weld for a weldolet is something I run into on a frequent basis. There may be better solutions out there but what has worked for me is this:
On the trunk pipe:
- Generate a sketch for the connection desired, including a point for drilling a hole and a circle for the OD of the weld. (One may alternately use a circle for the "hole" if no penetration of the trunk is desired.)
- Create the hole using the Center point method, selecting the point from the sketch.
- Share the sketch, if consumed.
- Extrude the circle as a surface, not a solid, such that it intersects the trunk pipe's outer surface at the desired location. Assuming only one weldolet is being attached, do not extrude right through to the other side. (Kinda depends how you set up your sketch plane. If you're working from the center of the pipe outwards, you should be fine.)
- Split the trunk's surface using the extruded surface as the cutting tool. (If you are not drilling the hole, use this same technique for the ID of the weld.)
In the assembly:
- Assemble as usual.
- Generate a groove weld, selecting the bottom side cone of the weldolet as one surface and the "cut" surface on the trunk pipe as the other surface. Check both "full surface" tick boxes. (This should generate a preview of the weld without the need for a weld direction or a Radial option.) If the weld does not preview, switch the order of surface selection. (Yeah, it shouldn't matter and yet occasionally it does.)
