98

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

Exercise 10
Transition Pipe

10-1 Introduction
The transition pipe is used to connect two pipe segments. In this exercise, we'll create a 3D solid model for the
transition pipe, of which the details are shown in the multiview drawings below. A global coordinate system is also
shown in the figure.


The main purpose of this exercise is to introduce another modeling tool: <Sweep>, which takes a sketch as the
path and another sketch as the profile; the profile then "sweeps" along the path to create a 3D solid body.


Note that it is possible to create the curved pipe by using of <Revolve> tool (Exercise 9), however, as an
exercise, we decide to create the curved pipe by using <Sweep>.

R1/16"

2 D3.50
2 D2.50
8 D0.25
R3.50

Unit: in.
D1.00
R1/8"
R2.50

2 0.25
X

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

10-2 Start Up DesignModeler

[1] Launch ANSYS
Workbench and create a
<Geometry> system.

[2] Double-click <Geometry>

cell to start up the
DesignModeler. Select <Inch> as
the length unit.

10-3 Create a Sketch for the Path

[1] On the XYPlane, draw an

arc like this . This sketch will
be used as the sweeping path
of the curved pipe.

10-4 Create a Sketch for the Profile

[1] Select
<ZXPlane> (or
click ZXPlane in
the model tree).

[1] On the ZXPlane, draw two

concentric circles like this. This
sketch will be used as the
profile of the curved pipe.

99

100

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

10-5 Create a Body Using <Sweep>

[3] Click
<Generate>.

[1] Click
<Sweep> on the
<Toolbar>.

[2] Select <Sketch2>

(from the model tree)
for the <Profile> and
select <Sketch1> (from
the model tree) for the
<Path>.

10-6 Create a Plane on One End of the Pipe

[1] Click <New

Plane>.
[2] Select <From
Face>.

[4] Click this face. Note that

the local Z-axis (blue) points
out of the face, and the local
X-axis (red) points to the
global -Z direction.

[5] Click
<Apply>

[3] Click the yellow

color area to bring
up <Apply/Cancel>
buttons.

[6] Click
<Generate>.

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

10-7 Create an End Plate

[1] On the new plane
(Plane4), create a sketch like
this (see next two steps).
Remember to impose two
<Symmetry> constraints to
make the four small circles
symmetric about X-axis and
about Y-axis.

[2] The sketch

includes a circle
that overlaps with
the inner circle of
the plane outline.

[3] The sketch doesn't

include this circle, which is
the outer circle of the
plane outline.

[4] Click
<Extrude>.
[6] Click
<Generate>.

[5] Select <Add

Frozen>. This
generates a
separate body.

101

102

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

10-8 Create Another End Plate by Duplication

[4] Click this face.
Note that the local
Z-axis (blue) points
out of the face.

[1] Click <New

Plane>.

[2] Select <From

Face>.

[5] Click
<Apply>.

[6] Click
<Generate>.
<Plane5> is
created.

[3] Click the yellow

color to bring up
<Apply/Cancel>
buttons.

[8] Select
<Move>.
[9] Select the
existing end plate.

[10] Select <Plane4>

from the model tree.

[11] Select <Plane5>

from the model tree.

[7] Select <Create/

Body Operation>.
[12] Click
<Generate>.

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

103

10-9 Unite All Bodies into One Body

[2] <Unite> is the
default <Operation>.

[3] Control-select all

three bodies.

[4] Click
<Generate>.
[1] Select <Create/
Boolean>.

10-10 Create Fillets

[2] Controlselect these two
edges.
[1] Select <Blend/
Fixed Radius>.

[3] Click <Apply>.

[4] Click
<Generate>.

104

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

10-11 Create Rounds

[1] Select <Blend/

Fixed Radius>.
[2] Controlselect these two
edges.

[3] Click <Apply>.

[4] Click
<Generate>.

10-12 Turn Off Edges

[1] Select <View/Shaded

Exterior> to turn off
the edges display.

Wrap Up
Close DesignModeler, save the project as "Pipe," and exit
the Workbench.

Exercise 10. Transition Pipe

105

10-13 Review
Modeling Tool <Sweep>
The <Sweep> can be thought of a generalization of the <Extrude>. <Sweep> takes a sketch as the path and another
sketch as the profile; the profile then "sweeps" along the path to create a 3D solid body (10-5). The <Sweep> also can
be used to create spiral shapes, which will be demonstrated in Exercise 12.

Add Frozon
A body is either in a state of active or frozen. The default state is active. Two overlapped active bodies would
automatically join together to form a single body. If either of them is frozen, they wouldn't join together. Therefore,
the only way to avoid overlapped bodies joining together is to make at least one of them frozen. In 10-7, we create the
end plate as frozen body (separating it from the curved pipe), so that, in 10-8, we can copy the end plate alone without
the curved pipe.

<Body Operation/Move>
This tool moves a body (or a group of bodies) to another position and orientation in the same way that the source
plane is move to coincide with the destination plane (10-8). If the <Reserve Bodies?> option is <Yes>, it essentially
copies the bodies. This tool is useful for "assembling" parts together to form an assembly.

<Create/Boolean>
Using boolean operations, bodies can be united, intersected, and subtracted.