PartDesign AdditiveHelix

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PartDesign AdditiveHelix

Menu location
PartDesign → Create an additive feature → Additive helix
Workbenches
PartDesign
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
0.19
See also
None

Description

The Helix tool creates a solid by sweeping a selected sketch or 2D object along a helix path.

File:Helix overview.png

The profile (B), is swept around axis (A) in order to produce the solid helix (C)

Usage

  1. Select the sketch to be swept into a helix. A face on the existing solid can alternatively be used.
  2. Press the File:PartDesign Additive Helix.svg AdditiveHelix button.
  3. Set the Helix parameters (see next section).
  4. Press OK.

Options

When creating an Additive Helix, the Helix parameters dialogue offers several parameters specifying how the sketch should be swept.

Axis

This option specifies the axis about which the sketch is to be swept.

  • Vertical sketch axis: selects the vertical sketch axis.
  • Horizontal sketch axis: selects the horizontal sketch axis.
  • Construction line: selects a construction line contained in the sketch used by the Helix. The drop down list will contain an entry for each construction line. The first construction line created in the sketch will be labelled Construction line 1.
  • Base (X/Y/Z) axis: selects the X, Y or Z axis of the Body's Origin;
  • Select reference...: allows selection in the 3D view of an edge on the Body, or a datum line.

Angle

This controls the angle through which the revolution is to be formed, e.g. 360° would be a full, contiguous revolution. The images in the examples section demonstrate some of the possibilities with specifying different angles. It is not possible to specify negative angles (use the Reversed option instead) or angles greater than 360° .

Symmetric to plane

If checked, the revolution will extend half of the specified angle in both directions from the sketch plane.

Reversed

If checked, the direction of revolution is reversed from default clockwise to counterclockwise.

Properties

Below are properties which can be defined after creation of the feature. Data properties Base and Axis are uneditable.

  • DataAngle: angle of rotation. See Angle.
  • DataLabel: label given to the operation, can be changed at convenience.
  • DataMidplane: true or false. See Symmetric to plane.
  • DataReversed: true or false. See Reversed.
  • DataRefine: true or false. If set to true, cleans the solid from residual edges left by features. See Part RefineShape for more details.

Examples

Example helix using a periodic B-spline in the sketch