Frameworks/Weldment Exercise

Frameworks are an assembly of

standard metal sections, joined by a
variety of means, such as welding etc.

The standard nature of the process

facilitates ease of automation in CAD.
This has been done in SOLIDWORKS
using the ‘Weldment’ module.

The Weldment module allows the user to construct a framework in ‘skeleton’

form using a sketch. Standard sections are then applied to the sketch
elements and corner treatments (how they connect to adjacent elements) are
applied.
Although perceived as an assembly, frameworks are actually constructed in
the part environment. This is to facilitate, among other things, the interaction
between members at junctions.
In this exercise you will construct the framework shown above.

Drawing the sketch geometry

To start construct the 2d sketch 600 x
800mm on the top plane as shown
opposite. Internal sketch elements to
be added as follows.
 Line A to be one continuous
line the full width of the frame.
 Line B to be comprised of 2
separate segments.

Next add the leg detail. The entire

sketch geometry can be constructed
as a single 3d sketch or as 2 x 2d
sketches.

N.B. When applying corner treatments

later, these can only be applied to
corners created by 2 elements within
the same sketch.

Also corner treatments can only be applied between 2 elements.

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The weldments toolbar
Frameworks/Weldment commands are accessed
through the weldments toolbar. (above).
If not visible right click over the toolbars section and
select Weldments form bottom of the available list.

Alternately, weldment command may be

accessed from the Insert, Weldments
menu.

Weldment:
Weldment mode is activated on commencement of a frameworks part by
selecting the weldments icon

This designates the current part as a framework and adds the item
‘Weldment’ item to the feature manager.

Weldment must be activated in order to access the

remaining weldment features.

Structural member
Structural member becomes available once sketch
geometry is present. It allows standard sections to
be applied to each sketch element.

The remaining items will be covered in turn as you work through the tutorial.

Commencing the frame

In the following step you will create the first four elements of the frame and
determine how they connect at the junctions. Before commencing:

 Activate the weldment toolbar if you have not already

done so.

 Switch Solid Works to weldment mode by selecting

the weldment tool.

 Next create structural members by selecting the

structural members icon…

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Then select the 4 elements
which form the top of the
table as shown.

For the section specify:

Standard: ISO
Type: Rectangular tube
Size: 60x40(x4)

This applies four structural elements to the

sketch applying the default corner treatment.

In order to change the corner treatment at

any particular corner. Right click on the
Frame and select edit feature icon.

This causes the frame to turn yellow and

purple ‘edit point’ appear at each junction.

To change the type of corner treatment at

any corner, select each ‘edit point’ in turn
and choose the appropriate treatment from
the options available.

Modify the frame so the right hand member runs the full width of the frame
with the longitudinal members terminated as shown.
Leave the left hand end bevelled (the default setting).

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Adding the Leg.
Again using structural member add the leg as
shown.

Examine the preview from above…

On examining the preview from above it may be found

that the orientation of the cross section is incorrect as
it extents past the edges of the upper frame.

If this is the case; adjust the angle of the section by 90

degrees. Using the angle specification dialog box
under the settings section.

On closer examination it will be noticed that the leg overlaps with the upper
frame. This is because the structural member extends the full length of the
sketch.

This can be rectified by using the upper

frame to trim the leg.
This is achieved as follows.
 Select the trim extend command

.
 For bodies to be trimmed select the
leg (no specific surface need to be
selected)
 For trimming boundary select the
upper frame (in this case you must
select the under surface of the frame

Adding the Angle braces

Using the same approach add the angle
members. This time you will use a smaller
section.
Standard: ISO
Type: Square tube
Size: 40x40(x3.2)

Again trim at both ends to produce the

results shown opposite.
Discard or Keep as appropriate.

4
Adding the Base-plate.
Using the end of the leg as the sketch plane create
a sketch 80 x 80mm and locate symmetrically in
both direction.
Then using the regular extrude command give the
base-plates a thickness of 10mm.

Adding a weld.
To create a weld select: Insert,
Weldment, Fillet bead or select insert

weld icon .
Accept the defaults of ‘Full Length’ and
specify a fillet size of 6mm.
For ‘Face Set 1’ select the top of the
base plate.
For ‘Face Set 2’ select one face of the
leg. Tangent propagation will ensure
that weld goes all the way around.

This produces a representation of the weld and

displays the weld symbol. Turn off the weld
symbol by selecting Tools, Options, Document
Properties, Annotation Display and deselect
Welds.

Duplicating the legs.

Structural members can be mirrored and
patterned in the same way as any other
solid body.

Mirror the legs, base-plates and angle

braces using appropriate reference
planes. (If appropriate reference planes
do not exist, create them using the
parallel reference plane tool).

When select the items to mirror ensure

that they are selected under ‘bodies to
mirror’.

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Adding gussets
Gussets are commonly used to re-enforce a
frame work. The process of inserting a gusset
has been significantly simplified in the
weldment module.
To add a Gusset, select the gusset icon or
select Insert, Weldment, Gusset.

Under supporting faces select Faces A and B.

For the profile select the triangular option and

specify distances of 80mm each way.

The gusset plate can be placed near the top,

near the bottom or in the middle (as shown).

This is determined by the location parameter.

Try each option to see its effect, then select
the middle option.
Finally add the 3 remaining gussets.

Adding end caps

One of the members has opened ends. For neatness
and corrosion prevention etc it is preferable to cap
these holes. Again this is automated in the
Frameworks/Weldments module.

To cap an open ended section:

 Select cap from the weldments toolbar
 Select Insert, Weldments, End Cap

For the face to be capped select flat face at the end of

the section. Thickness is the thickness of the plate,
accept the default of 5mm.

Offset determines the size of the endcap relative to

overall dimension of the section. A value of 0 will result
in the cap being equal to the outside dimension. A
value of 1 will leave the cap equal to the inside
dimension.
A value of 0.5 is preferable as it leave sufficient
overlay while still a sufficient recess for welding.
As the section being capped will usually have fillets it
is desirable to ‘knock the corners off’ the end caps.
This is achieved by applying chamfers. Accept the
default value of 3mm.
The capped section should now look as shown above.

Add the remaining end cap on the other side.

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Adding cross members
Add 40 x 40 mm structural member to
the table top centre lines.

Note the effect of the lines being

broken into two separate segments.

Adding diagonal members

Return to the original sketch and add
the diagonal shown. Once complete,
select rebuild to return to the complete
frame.

Insert a 40 x 40 structural member

along this sketch element.

The member needs to be trimmed,

however in this case it needs to be
trimmed against two members at end.
However, when trimming using the
face option, as before, the second
trim, cancels the first. So in this case
use the ‘Bodies’ option.

Complete the trimming of the diagonal

element by trimming at both ends.

The frame works should now look as

shown.