Knitting surfaces in SolidWorks is an essential skill that every designer should master. It allows you to create complex and realistic 3D models by combining multiple surfaces seamlessly. In this tutorial, we will explore the step-by-step process of knitting surfaces in SolidWorks.
What is surface knitting?
Surface knitting is a technique used in SolidWorks to merge or join multiple adjacent surfaces into a single, continuous surface. It is particularly useful when working with complex geometries or when creating organic shapes.
Step 1: Creating the surfaces
The first step in knitting surfaces is to create the individual surfaces that you want to merge. You can create these surfaces using various tools like extrude, loft, or boundary surface, depending on your design requirements.
TIP:
- Ensure that the individual surfaces overlap or intersect each other at some points to enable the knitting process.
- You can use reference geometry or sketches as guides while creating these individual surfaces for better accuracy.
Step 2: Selecting the surfaces for knitting
Once you have created the required surfaces, select them all by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking each surface individually. Alternatively, you can use the selection filters in SolidWorks to select multiple faces at once.
TIP:
- You can use selection filters like “Select Tangency” or “Select Loop” to make it easier to select adjacent faces.
Step 3: Knitting the surfaces
After selecting all the desired surfaces, right-click on any of them and choose “Knit Surface” from the context menu. This will open the Knit Surface PropertyManager, where you can adjust the settings for the knitting operation.
Within the Knit Surface PropertyManager, you can choose options like:
- Merge result: Select this option to merge all the selected surfaces into a single surface. This is usually the desired outcome.
- Create solid: If your surfaces enclose a volume, selecting this option will create a solid body instead of a surface.
- Delete original faces: Enabling this option will delete the original individual surfaces after knitting, cleaning up your feature tree.
- Try to form solid: Activate this option if you want SolidWorks to attempt to create a solid body even if some of the surfaces do not completely enclose a volume.
TIP:
- If your knit operation fails due to gaps or inconsistencies between surfaces, use tools like “Trim Surface” or “Extend Surface” to modify and fix them before attempting to knit again.
Step 4: Verifying and editing the knitted surface
Once you click “OK” in the Knit Surface PropertyManager, SolidWorks will attempt to knit the selected surfaces based on your chosen settings. It may take some time depending on the complexity of your model.
After successfully knitting the surfaces, SolidWorks will display a message confirming that it has created a new surface or solid body. Verify that the resulting knitted surface meets your design requirements and make any necessary adjustments using tools like “Offset Surface” or “Delete Face”.
TIP:
- Always double-check the resulting knitted surface for any anomalies or irregularities, especially if you plan to use it for further operations like filleting or shelling.
That’s it! You have successfully learned how to knit surfaces in SolidWorks.
This powerful tool opens up endless possibilities for creating intricate and realistic 3D models. Remember to practice and experiment with different surface creation techniques to enhance your skills and achieve stunning results.
So go ahead, unleash your creativity, and start knitting surfaces in SolidWorks!