Thicken feature breaking up on helical curve

[viniciusfortes]

Hi all,

I've been having this problem with a Helical curve template I've made and I can't seem to find a solution.

Two helical curves inside a 3D Sketch control the behaviour of the curve, a Loft Surface feature between them create the surface and then a Thicken feature with central (symmetric) direction behaviour thickens the surface into a solid.

Works fine and for a while I've had no problem at all.

And all of a sudden I came across a failed surface feature when I specify a certain length:

So far, I couldn't find an explanation and a way to fix it. 

Just to make it even more disturbing, at other lenghts the error appears when zooming out and disappears when zooming in.

I appreciate enormously if someone could help me on this.

The file is attached below.

Using Inventor 2023 Build 359, release 2023.3.1 and all parts in mm.

Thanks,

Vinicius.

 

[kacper.suchomski]

Looks like an error. I checked with a different method and got the same bug. @johnsonshiue 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! The flat pattern will not work for this case. I tried using Guide Rail Sweep but the result was not better. The odd shape is bad faceting. It can be mitigated by splitting the faces using YZ or XZ plane. Unwrap can be used to flatten the faces.

Many thanks!

[viniciusfortes]

Hi @johnsonshiue,

Thanks for giving it a look.

I'm not interested in flattening it, I just want to use it without this odd geometry.

This is a parametric template that adjusts it's length by a giver numeric parameter.

How exactly can I fix it by splitting the faces?

By splitting it I wouldn't I be misrepresenting the real geometry?

 

 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! The split is only on the faces, not separating the body. It is like adding additional edges.  The bad faceting will go away.

Many thanks!

[viniciusfortes]

Hi @johnsonshiue!

Thanks for the tip, but I couldn't manage to get the bad faceting to go away.

Maybe I did something wrong. By any chance could you send the file you managed to do it?

Many thanks

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I use origin planes to split the faces. It seems to work for me. Please take a look at the attached part.

Many thanks!

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi,
I've made a modification to the spiral. The extended ends did the trick, which you can see in de mp4. Hope this helps you. Marco
Thicken feature breaking up repair suggestion