How do you model your frames?

[UkraineTrain]

I'm getting ready to do some design work and I'm considering what the best way to model a tube chassis is. I could model each tube as a separate part and then put them all together in an assembly. Or I was thinking I could draw the whole frame as one part and then do different drafting views of each "plane" in order to get accurate prints. I think I'd like an individual file for each tube to make it easier to keep track of everything but I don't know if that'll cause headaches some other way. What do you guys think? I'm using UG NX5 but have access to SolidWorks also.

[nutz4sand]

Bend tech maybe? They got a screaming deal on it right now. Check the links.

Offroad Fabrication Network

If you aint heard of it this site above is pretty cool.

Bend-Tech deal [never seen before] - OFN Forums

This link above shows the smoking deal on Bend Tech Pro. You get the Bend Tecj Pro and The Header Design software AND the spring back charts AND a years subrscription (or extension if alreay a paying member) for the cost of JUST the Bend Tech Pro! ($275.00 plus ten bucks shipping. You can Down laod the program immediatly AND they send you the CD's with it in the mail a few days later.

http://www.bend-tech.com/video/pro_bt_cage_demo01c.wmv

This link shows a sweet demo on how you can set it up and layout the cage.

This helps to not waste any tube and can be pivoted 3-d so you can see its shape from other angles. The program also makes tube notching templates and soooooo much more. I just bought mine for that deal.

If you been thinking about it nows the time to jump!

[RickS.]

I would do each tube as a seperate part in an assembly.
Then create a seperate detail print for each tube.

[IceFyre13th]

Originally Posted by RickS.

I would do each tube as a seperate part in an assembly.
Then create a seperate detail print for each tube.

I add to the above "in SolidWorks"

[UkraineTrain]

Bend Tech is a great program, I've used it at work. However, I model just about every part I build, not just tubing, so I like to model the chassis in UG so it's in the same layout as my suspension, steering, seats, drivetrain, etc. In UG I can get XYZ coordinates of all bends in my tubes and translate them to Bend Tech quickly to get my bend locations and angles.

[minibajaman]

I'm not familiar with UG.

I use SolidWorks. My frame is done the quick and dirty way which is use a combination of 2D and 3D sketches to draw the frame, then put tubes on it using the Weldments - Structural member feature. However, this way the whole frame is one part and you can't make nice drawings for each tube.

Making each tube as a separate part then assembling it together would certainly be the neatest and most accurate method, but more time consuming. I would still recommend using the Weldments - Structural member feature to make each tube as it is much quicker than doing sweeps or extrusions.

[yoshi]

wooden dowels always worked for me....

[LiveWire]

I have done the individual tubes put into an assembly. I just watched the video on Bend Tech site for Pro. It takes a completely different approach that looks to be far faster at laying out the tubes. My concern is that I want it as an assembly after so I can put tabs on it among other things. The export option only supports DXF. I guess I would have to export every tube, import, sweep them, then assemble again.

[UkraineTrain]

I asked the guy at Bend Tech about exporting and importing cad files and he said the SE version will do it (step files I think). It's like $400, though.

[LiveWire]

Reading on the site, the export says it only does DXF. Import is DXF and DWG. The Import/Export module is an option on top of SE so you are looking at $500.

I don't see having the DXF much of a time saver if any over just having the numbers. I can set up baseline drawings for tubes with 1, 2, 3 bends, etc, make a copy then just plug in the lengths and angles. So I don't see the value in the extra money spent.