SOLIDWORKS How to Model a Flex Cable in an Assembly

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Learn how to model a flex cable at the assembly level of a design using in context modelling techniques such that the cable is able to adapt/reshape itself to the position of the moving components to which it is attached in SOLIDWORKS. Quick Tip presented by Miguel de Villa of GoEngineer.
About GoEngineer: GoEngineer delivers software, technology and expertise that enable companies to unlock innovation and deliver better products faster. With more than 30 years experience and thousands of customers in high-tech, medical, machine design, energy and other industries, GoEngineer provides best-in-class design solutions from SOLIDWORKS, Stratasys, CAMWorks and Agile PLM.
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[@claudev4162]

Thanks so much. Well explained and you didn't wiz by the commands. It was easy and clear for a very useful tool.

[@ghazwanalwan4303]

This, by far, is the best lesson in the history of humanity.

[@XzzVttll]

maybe if you are 10 yo. this is the same principle as for the moving spring

[@PerpetualWane]

@@XzzVttlldont be rude, we’re learning

[@XzzVttll]

@@PerpetualWane it's incredible how incompetent you are to learn on you own. This is text book from tutorials in sw

[@PerpetualWane]

@@XzzVttll this is the tutorial!

[@XzzVttll]

@@PerpetualWane it's a tutorial for a 10yo kid as I stated before

[@pablofedericoobregon293]

Muy buen explicado! Gracias.- Can you do a belt conveyor with motion study?

[@darkrulier]

Guys at work have been using the sheet metal feature for flex cables 😂. One advantage though is that you can have an installed and a flat configuration for 2d drawings.

[@khalonen]

Thanks, so helpfull. Need to desing and model hyd.hoses for telescopic chute with multiple cylidenders. This makes it straightforward.

[@goengineer]

We are so glad it was helpful.

[@oleksandrroshko7536]

Thanks you very much, it did help me absolitely

[@kandasamyrajan]

Thanks

[@romeinkadir9599]

good stuff..

[@rublie1426]

how would you do the same for a cable that runs around a pulley?

[@sriramkodey9411]

Could you do a motion analysis for this? and see if the belt is actually moving.

[@allanpennington]

I want to know the answer to this too. What about a cable drum or winch?

[@sagardhaybar6648]

Nice

[@goengineer]

Thank you!

[@aeroboi2862]

Hi, I loved the the video. Just had a little question Can we make it an automated motion? Meaning making a video out of this demonstrating the motion shown above. or maybe having it automatically rebuild without me telling it? Thanks again.

[@motoxjosh29]

you can try this with the new flexible part mode and have it auto refresh!

[@edwilliams9914]

Nice, but does this work in 3D, e.g., with a round cable that flexes in more than 1 direction like the FLAT Flex cable you show?

[@goengineer]

Indeed! Instead of creating a 2D sketch as shown in the video, you could absolutely create a 3D sketch instead and use 3D sketch entities(Lines and Arcs) to define said path, such as we do in Routing, and use the Sweep function with a round cross section. However, 3D Sketch entities typically require a bit more work than 2D Sketch entities to properly constrain and dimension, so you need to take that into account as well.

[@serdaraytemiz9978]

will it update automatically if it was not fixed?

[@nsizwazonkecedricknkosi8443]

questions is, can you use this for a spring?

[@goengineer]

We have the virtual part fixed in place because the overall shape is determined by the sketches and their in-context references to the other components in the assembly and their positions at the assembly level. While yes, we can unfix/float the cable to move it to new locations, the design intent behind these in context references of the cable may cause it to break/error out when attempting to rebuild in a new position where those in-context references may not solve in the same way.

[@IAmTheVector]

No, this is not the way, constraints are wrong.