Creating the Back Plate in xDesign

Advance your skills by learning how to use more of the feature tools like slots and cuts.

What is covered?

• Creating a new component: The tutorial begins by showing you how to create a new component called "back plate" and save it to a collaborative space. [00:21]
• Sketching on the ZX plane: The initial sketch is created on the ZX plane, and an open profile is drawn for a thin extrusion. [00:35]
• Using the thin extrude tool: The "thin extrude" tool is used to create a 5mm thick and 100mm wide back plate. [01:12]
• Creating symmetric cutouts: A center line is sketched to create symmetric rectangular cutouts on the faceplate. [01:33]
• Using the mirror entities tool: The "mirror entities" tool is used to mirror the rectangular cutout, maintaining symmetry. [02:19]
• Applying fillets with the design assistant: The "fillet" tool and the "design assistant" are used to add fillets to the front corners and cutouts. [03:21]
• Creating a revolve feature: A round bulb is created on the back of the plate using the "revolve" tool. [04:49]
• Creating a hole: A hole is created to accept a pin for the assembly. [07:09]
• Creating guides for the arms: A positioning sketch is used to create guides for the arms using the "slot sketch" tool. [07:37]
• Renaming sketches: The video shows how to rename sketches in the design manager for better organization. [08:42]
• Saving the model: The model is saved in an isometric view. [09:02]

Step-by-Step Instructions (AI-generated from video transcript):

Based on the video at https://youtu.be/t0UNvhzCFRQ, Based on the video, here are the step-by-step instructions for creating the phone holder back plate in SOLIDWORKS xDesign:

Part 1: Creating the Base Plate

1. New Component: Start a new component and name it "back plate."
2. Sketch: Create the initial sketch on the ZX plane, drawing an open profile for a thin extrusion.
3. Extrusion: Use a thin extrusion with a thickness of 5 mm and a width of 100 mm. Set the direction to "midplane" to keep it centered.

Part 2: Making Cutouts for the Arms

1. New Sketch: Start a new sketch on the front face of the back plate.
2. Symmetry: Draw a centerline to maintain symmetry.
3. Rectangles: Sketch two solid rectangles for the cutouts.
4. Mirroring: Use the mirror tool to create a symmetrical cutout on the other side.
5. Extrude Cut: Use the "extrude cut" feature to create the cutouts.

Part 3: Adding Fillets to the Edges

1. Design Assistant: Use the design assistant to add fillets to the front corners.
2. Manual Fillets: Manually add fillets to the cutouts to smooth the edges.
3. Final Fillets: Add the final four fillets using the design assistant again.

Part 4: Creating the Swivel Holder Interface

1. Revolve Sketch: Sketch a profile on the ZX plane to create a round bulb on the back.
2. Revolve Feature: Use the revolve tool to create the solid bulb.
3. Hole: Create a hole through the bulb to accept a pin.

Part 5: Adding Guides for the Arms

1. Positioning Sketch: Use a pre-created positioning sketch as a reference.
2. New Sketch: Start a new sketch on the back face and add center point slots at the specified locations.
3. Equal Relationship: Add an "equal" relationship to all the arcs to ensure they are the same size.
4. Extrude: Create a solid extrude of the sketch with a thickness of 5 mm.
5. Renaming: Rename the sketch to "guide position" for clarity.
6. Saving: Finally, save the model in an isometric view.

More Info

Roles: 
SOLIDWORKS xDesign 
Tags:
beginners guide 3DEXPERIENCE platform Browser Based CAD 

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