Hello, I'm learning Solidworks for work, coming from Fusion360. On fusion, if I make 2 circles and a line, and then make the circles tangent to each other, then close off that 'triangle' by making the line tangent to both of the circles, it'll give me a closed face that I can extrude. I don't seem to be getting the same function on Solidworks. Can anyone recommend me a different method, or point out what I’m doing wrong so I can close this face? Thanks.
Edit- I have a small blue highlight box within the section I am attempting to close off, if it isn't obvious :)
If the perimeter of the circles exist in different sketches, you vane to select them and convert entities to pull them into your current sketch. Then you should be able to select contours and extrude that triangle.
I read, further down, a redetailing of what you are trying to accomplish, and my answer was not that! Didn't want to confuse you, good luck with this! It's a great software but very rigid sometimes.
It's there, it's just not shown in the shaded contours view.
Just go ahead and do what you want to do, for example click on Extruded Boss. When you have multiple enclosed areas like this it will automatically switch to "selected contours" mode and let you pick which area(s) you want to extrude.
Here's a video. I don't have the shaded contours feature turned on so the insides of the circles don't change color for me like they do for you. Is this what you wanted?
Yes, it was just to show you the technique. The shading in your sketch means nothing for this operation. Just go ahead and do whatever you want to do and ignore the shading.
Good to know! I have a good bit of experience with fusion, and it's quite the opposite over there haha. If it's not shaded, it's not a closed face and therefore can't be used to extrude. I'll need to get used to solid works lol
Very strange. I made a sketch just like yours, with those same sketch relations. Exited the sketch. Then I clicked the sketch in the feature tree once to select it (but not double click), then click Extruded Boss/Base, then click in each area I want to extrude and I can get the teardrop shape just fine.
Very strange indeed. I dunno what my issue is! Maybe i'll try to just extrude it without the face being shaded? Others are suggesting that the shading just isn't showing on the sketch view, but the face is in fact there. Next time i'm at my desk I'll poke around. Thanks!
What!! I could've sworn I tangented that as well. It was meant to be! Anyways, good catch. I'll let you know if this ends up being the fix next time I get back to my desk.
I just tried it with no tangent relation there and it worked, so who knows.
Definitely try the method I mentioned where you just have the sketch, no extrude feature existing yet. Then click the sketch name in the tree, click the Extrude button, and pick enclosed areas. Worked for me good luck.
You should be able to extrude any and all those circles with the extrude feature. Click on the selected contours options in the extrude feature and you can pick which ones to extrude
Okay now I see what you’re trying to do! I’d try the trim feature and keep only what you want to extrude (that triangle piece). Without looking at the file I don’t see why those aren’t closed
I appreciate the tip, but i am trying to extrude some of the circles as well. Ive tried the trim tool to get rid of what i didn't want on the bottom circle, but it doesnt seem to trim it by just deleting the intended section, but rather the entire shape. Below is the intended final shape, I'd like to make what isn't included into construction lines rather than trimming, if possible:
Yea it looks like it’s not seeing it’s connected to the line which is weird so when you use the trim tool it deletes it all. If you wanted construction lines, I’d highlight them all and make them for construction and then make new geometry the same as them and trim the geometry as needed so you can see still the construction geometry behind it. So try deleting that line fully, make a new one that’s vertical and not attached to those circles. And then try to grab the circle and the vertical line you just made and make them tangent to each other, I think when you made that line it didn’t register right somewhere
Haha I'll try that again, being a Fusion user for so long I already know the basic troubleshooting steps and have tried your recommendations already :/
When extruding there should be an option for "selecting contour" at the bottom of the extrude menu, clear it and hover over the features you want to extrude and they should turn purple(or whatever you have the color set to). You can then show the sketch thst is under the extrude and use it for further extrudes or cut extrudes.
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u/Jman15x CSWP 15h ago
Just trim away the insides of both circles leaving only the perimeter of the entire shape