Draw a Curved Helix / curved spring

Curver helix / curved spring / swept spring is quite a complex structure to be accomplished by simple helix. We need to use surface modeling & other techniques to achieve this.

Step 1) Draw an arc of radius 8inch on the front plane using sketch

Step2) Draw a horizontal line of 1inch in length from one end of the arc as shown in another sketch.

Step3) Go to Surface tool bar and click on swept surface

Select the horizontal line for profile and the arc for path as shown

Expand the options menu and select Twist along path in Orientation / Twist type selection: and in Defined by option select turns and in no of turns enter: 12

and click ok now.

Step 4) Now create a circle of dia 1.25 inch on the top plane with center as origin,

and we are going to use the same swept surface now to create a curved tubular surface along the same arc. Click on swept surface button and select the circle of the profile and the arc for the path of sweep.

Step 5)

The intersecting curve of these two surfaces is a curved helix.

Now to create the intersection curve go to tools –> sketch t00ls –> intersection curve

and select the two swept surfaces and click ok.

you will see a 3D sketch with the curved helix. Now hide the two swept surfaces.

Step 5) Now draw a circle on the front plane of size .25 inch in diameter on a reference plane. To create a reference plane click on reference plane command

Select the 3d sketch as first reference and any one of the end of the helix as second reference and click ok.

Now draw a circle of .25 in diameter on this plane.

Press control button, select the center of the circle and select the 3d curved helix and create a pierce relation as shown

Exit the sketch and now we will be using swept boss/ base feature to create the spring.

Select the circle as the profile to sweep and the 3D sketch as the path.

click ok to see the final structure. You can right click and hide the plane plane1.

Finally Download the solidworks part file