TUTORIAL: Create Spring using Helical Sweep in Pro/ENGINEER

Version: Pro/E 2001, Wildfire, Wildfire2.0, Wildfire3.0, Wildfire4.0

There are a few methods to model spring in Pro/ENGINEER. Below is a tutorial shows you how to create a spring using the Helical Sweep tool.

Helical sweep tool is still using the pre-wildfire interface in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3.0. So, for those who start using Pro/E from Wildfire version, the interface may not too friendly to you. To create a helical sweep feature, you will need to define the attributes, spring profile, pitch and spring coil section.

This tutorial shows you how to model spring by using the helical sweep tool.

1. Create a new file . From the drop down menu, click Insert > Helical Sweep > Protrusion

2. A feature definition dialog box appears. This dialog box works similar to the dashboard in Pro/E Wildfire. For this tutorial, we are going to create a constant pitch, thru an axis and a right handed helical spring. Click Done to proceed.

3. The system is now asking you for the profile input. To define, choose a sketching datum plane to start a sketch. Remember, don’t click the OK or Cancel button in the small dialog box. Pick a datum with the select dialog box open. For this tutorial, I pick Front datum plane as my sketching plane.

4. Next, you are about to choose the direction. Click the Okay button to continue 

5. Apply the Default option when the system is asking for the view orientation. 

6. You are now entering the sketch mode. Draw a sketch as shown in the image below as the spring profile.

When you are done, click the sketch mode check mark   to confirm.

7. Next, input the pitch value for your spring. I put an 8 mm pitch for this tutorial

8. After that, you are entering the sketch mode again. You need to sketch the spring coil section. I sketch a 3 mm circle as my spring coil section.

Click the sketch mode check mark   when you are done.

9. Finally, click the OK button on the helical sweep dialog box. You will get your spring as below

Download the tutorial result file (spring.prt) for reference.