TIPS: Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Variable Section Sweep

Version: Pro/E Wildfire, Wildfire 2.0, Wildfire 3.0, Wildfire 4.0

What is Variable Section Sweep in Pro/ENGINEER? How it is different compared to the normal sweep tool? From its name, we can roughly know that Variable Section Sweep is a sweep tool with variable section capability. Pretty straight forward isn’t it?

For Wildfire user, one of the main observable different is the Graphic User Interface (GUI). Sweep feature is still using pre-wildfire interface while Variable Section Sweep has been modernize and using the dashboard interface since Pro/E Wildfire 1.0 version.

Both Variable Section Sweep feature and the sweep feature allow us to create solid, cut, thin protrusion and surface feature. However, there are not many options / controls in the Sweep feature compare to the Variable Section Sweep feature. Variable Section Sweep tool extend its functionality from the normal sweep tool and provide us the capability of advanced modeling and advanced surfacing in Pro/ENGINEER.

Sweep feature can only create a sweep using a single entity trajectory, constant section and section always normal to trajectory.

Variable Section Sweep feature can create a sweep using a multiple trajectories, variable and constant section and provide with section plane control (Normal to Trajectory, Normal to Projection and Constant Normal Direction).

Pro/E Variable Section Sweep feature with Multiple Trajectories
TUTORIAL: Pro/E Wildfire Variable Section Sweep - Multiple Trajectories

Variable Section Control in Pro/E Variable Section Sweep feature with Evalgraph
TUTORIAL: Create CAM profile using Graph feature in Pro/E

Variable Section Control in Pro/E Variable Section Sweep feature with TRAJPAR equation
TUTORIAL: Pro/E Wildfire Variable Section Sweep - TRAJPAR equation

Section Plane Control in Pro/E Variable Section Sweep feature
TIPS: Pro/E Wildfire Variable Section Sweep – Section Plane Control