SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 7: Selecting Features

Straight versus smooth transitions .................................................................

Variable radius fillets have an option for either a straight transition or a smooth transition. This

works like the two-profile lofts that were mentioned earlier in this chapter. The names may be

somewhat misleading because both transitions are smooth. The straight transition goes in a straight

line, from one size to the next, and the smooth transition takes a swooping S-shaped path between

the sizes. The difference between these two transitions is demonstrated in Figure 7.41.

FIGURE 7.41

Straight versus smooth transitions of a variable radius fillet

Smooth transition

Straight transition

Other reasons to use the variable radius fillet ................................................

Variable radius fillets use a different method to create the fillet geometry than the default constant

radius fillet. Sometimes using a variable radius fillet can make a difference where a constant radius

fillet does not work. This is sometimes true even when the variable radius fillet uses constant

radius values. It is just another tool in the toolbox.

Using face Fillets

Face Fillets may be the most flexible type of fillet because of the range of what they can do. Face

Fillets start as simply an alternate selection technique for a constant radius fillet and extend to the

extremely flexible double hold line face fillet, which is more of a blend than a fillet.

Under normal circumstances, the default fillet type uses the selection of an edge to create the fillet.

An edge is used because it represents the intersection between two faces. However, there can

sometimes be a problem with the edge not being clean or being broken up into smaller pieces, or

any number of other reasons causing a constant radius fillet using an edge selection to fail. In cases

like this, SolidWorks displays the error message, “Failed to create fillet. Please check the input

geometry and radius values or try using the ‘Face Fillet’ option.”