You can also create a curved or tapered pressure spring like the example here on the right. This tuotorial will show you how to create this kind of springs.
Create the contour
First you’ll need to sketch something like this on the front plane. Please note that all the dimension lines are centre lines and the poly line is not. The vertical line is our axis in the next step.
You can also add this sketch is a part that you have inserted like I described in the previous article about springs Pressure springs in SolidWorks.
For the next step you’ll need the surfaces toolbar. If you don’t see this toolbar in your interface you can add this by right clicking on a empty space in the upper command bar and select the surfaces tool bar.
Add a Revolved Surface to the sketch.
Line 1 is the centre line we’ve defined in the sketch.
This is what we have now
Create the path
Add another sketch on the front plane (or the same plane you’ve created the first sketch).
Draw a simple line in this sketch from top do bottom.
Add another sketch on the front plane an this one contains a horizontal line. The length of this line is not important, as long as it intersects the cup we’ve already made with the revolved surface.
Now we need a surface sweep. Select this feature in the surface toolbar. Sketch 2 is the rotation axis, Sketch 3 is the profile that needs to be swept. Choose in the options ‘Twist Along Path’ and specify the turns.
This is what we have at the moment. Two surfaces that are totally a mess, but there is a logic behind these two surfaces. The first one is the contour of the spring and the second one is the path of the spring.
Project path on contour
We’re almost done and we’re up to the point were the magic happens. Now we need to project the path of the spring on the contour. Select the two surfaces.
And choose ‘Intersection Curve’ and select the contour (cup) and the inner line of the path.
You’ll get a curved 3D sketch that looks like this. Select the two surfaces and hide them for a better overview.
Create the profile
Create a sketch on the front plane and draw the profile of the spring.
Make sure that the centre of the circle is pierced by the 3D sketch.
At last we’ve got to add a swept boss/base to these two sketches.
Define the profile and the path and you’ll have a tapered or curved pressure spring!
The result
