solidworks help

[Kidpaint]

Hi everyone. Im designing a sissy bar for my motorcycle. I am wanting to put my company logo across the top. Problem is im self taught in solidworks and have met a road block. I dont know how to get it on the curve of the top. Ive attached a pic of the sissy bar and the font im wanting to add. How can I sketch and get it to match the curve?





thanks in advance

[Marty Comstock]

Are you manufacturing this as a finished piece, or are you doing it flat, then bent to shape? That to me seems the best route. Is your machine even capable of such axis control?

[Kidpaint]

It will be made as a flat piece cut from .25" SS. Then bent to shape. I am not sure how to flatten this part out in SW to design it.

[Marty Comstock]

Solidworks should have a feature to bend. you might need to start over with that in mind. I haven't gone that far into it myself. If it were me, I would either look in the book or find a forum that caters to solidworks. I will do just that next semester, If it gets this deep.

[Kidpaint]

Ive been pondering taking some classes for this at the local community college here. I think it will help a lot. Ill try to do some more searching on specific forums and see what I can come up with.

[toreadorxlt]

you can use the deform tool with two reference sketches to bend the logo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPjOWXizC2M

[cwilliamrose]

You might try making this formed part as a sheet metal part. That will allow you to bend or unbend the part. You could then try applying the logo on the flattened part which may or may not re-bend when you're done. SWx can be fussy about what happens in the bend areas. If you haven't done any sheet metal parts now is a good time to learn the basics.

[Kidpaint]

thanks for the help guys. I have been meaning to give the sheet metal portion a try. Great video thanks!

[James. V. D. W]

Hi Kidpaint. Have you considered flattening the part first an then adding your text in Solidworks? You would need a planar surface to do this, but from your drawings it appears the lower ends are planar. I am also self taught and have had some serious frustrations with similar problems.

[tbody321]

you can do it by creating the text on a plane and extrude into the part as a solid body. Then create a sketch with the curvature of sissy bar but below the surface the depth of the text you want. You then extrude this sketch as a tool body and subtract from text sketch.. now subtract text sketch from sissy bar sketch..

there are easier ways im sure, this is a dirty method but it does work.