About Collecting Data
RevWorks provides a variety of
methods for collecting data that are designed to give you great control and
flexibility over the digitizing and model creation processes. Some tools are
intended for capturing edge geometry, even when you cannot reliably access the
edge being profiled. The sketch plane collection tools achieve this by
projecting to the active sketch plane any data you to collect, even if it is off
of the surface. By setting the working sketch on a part face you can easily
collect profile geometry where features intersect the plane. Using the RevWorks
scan point mode of data collection, you can accurately sample
data along a part section where no visible edge exists. This method is well
suited for creating section profiles to be used in lofting surfaces or to
generate reference geometry that can be compared to the part model to
assess dimensional correctness at a critical location. RevWorks also provides
methods for creating standard SOLIDWORKS 3D features and planes.
In addition to collecting data
with external digitizing devices you can also select point data already existing
in your model using the MousePoints interface. MousePoints allows you
to use the mouse cursor to select existing model point data and incorporate it
into a feature you are collecting with your digitizer or to create best-fit
features entirely from model data. In fact, there is an option to turn off
digitizing devices and work with MousePoints alone.
DirectSurf technology allows
you to directly create smooth surface patches from a random set of
points. The base reference surfaces may be used in SOLIDWORKS in any way that an
internally generated surface can. Taking it one step further, DirectSurf
provides the option to automatically generate a readily editable parametric
surface.
To collect data in RevWorks you
must first have a properly initialized digitizing device connected to your
computer or choose to use MousePoints
alone. For more information on how to
set up and start your digitizing device, see About
Digitizers.
In order to use data that you collect, you must be able to perform the following procedures: