Tutorial:How to model a universal coupling in SolidWorks and show design intent

Krutin Rajani

13 May, 2013 04:52 PM

this is the tutorial
to view the model click here: Universal Coupling

1. Step 1:

   Open a new part and create a circle and extrude it.
   

   

2. Step 2:

   In a sketch on the face create the following drawing and cut it.
   

   

3. Step 3:

   Create circle on the side of the face and cut through.
   

   

4. Step 4:

   To make a handle create a circle on the opposite face and extrude it
   

   

5. Step 5:

   Create a slot on the face and extrude it.
   

   

6. Step 6:

   Now click on the view button on the view panes and select temporary axis. Or you can select view -> Temporary axis.
   

   

7. Step 7:

   Then on the plane passing through the central axis take a point and make it coincident with the central axis of the part and also with the axis of the holes. This point will be useful during mate.
   

   

8. Step 8:

   That designs our coupler. Now lets design a disc to hold the coupler. For that in a new part make two concentric circles with smaller with diameter as that of the circular part of the handle of the coupler, and exrtrude it.
   

   

9. Step 9:

   Now we will create the center pin.it is not necessary for the coupling in solidworks but it is a necessary part to make the coupling look real.for that make a new part and create a circle with the diameter same as that of the holes in the coupler.and extrude it mid of the plane. Note that the length should be equal to that of the distance between two holes.
   

   

10. Step 10:

    On a plane passing through the central axis make a similar circle and extrude it similarly.
    

    

11. Step 11:

    Now create a new assembly and insert two couplers and two discs.
    

    

12. Step 12:

    Mate one of the disc with the coupler.for that I will use smart mating. Click on the edge of the disc and hold Alt key. This will make the disc transparent.
    

    

13. Step 13:

    Now drag the disc holding the alt key to the edge of the coupler and keep it till it automatically appears.
    

    

14. Step 14:

    Note that two mates will be automatically be created.you can also use the normal style of mating but the one before is really helpful and time saving.also mate the other disc with the other coupler.
    

    

15. Step 15:

    Now mate the point of one coupler with the other one.
    Fix one of the disc, adjust the other to the desired angle and fix it too.

    

16. Step 16:

    Now universal mate can be done using two ways. For one of the way, make the temporary axis visible and mate the axis of the two holes of different coupler with perpendicular mate.
    

    

17. Step 17:

    Or the other way is to select mate feature and select the universal joint mate under mechanical mates and select two faces of the couplers. Notice that the face merge into one another and to make it correct you will have to make faces perpendicular before mating yourself. So I prefer to use the first way.
    

    

18. Step 18:

    Now that your universal coupling is ready you can check by rotating one of the handle.

19. Step 19:

    To make it look real insert the pin which we created and mate one of the face with one of the face of the hole of a coupler with concentric mate.
    

    

20. Step 20:

    Now mate the perpendicular face of the pin with the face of the hole of another coupler.
    

    

21. Step 21:

    You can make the coupler more featuring and add new feature to make it look realistic. to view the modified u joint model click here: Universal Joint-modified