Mirror Feature In Solidworks

alloy

Dan, Retired old fart
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Not much activity in this forum, but I thought I would ask anyway.

I am taking a Solidworks class using 2015-2016 student software and have drawn a part that we are supposed to mirror. But I need to mirror and rotate the mirror. The instructor told us to use any resources we could come up with. Well, everyone here is a resource to me.

Here is a screen shot of the file. It would be easy to just build the part from both sides, but where is the fun in that. The instructor knows how we made the part, so no fooling him on it.

I would appreciate any help I can get. I am hoping to get my CSWA at the end of the class.




bonus 1-3.PNG
 
Can you show the plane or face that your using to mirror the part?
 
20160626_180239.jpg

It is drawn on the top plane. I have a center line to mirror around.

The pic above is what I am trying to achieve.
 
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I don't have my computer in front of me to verify, but I think you can only mirror about a plane. If you select the top plane and mirror the part, you should have several options which control orientation:
  • Orientation 1: Translation over mirror plane, no rotations
  • Orientation 2: Translation over mirror plane, rotated 180 degrees about the Y-axis of the part file
  • Orientation 3: Translation over mirror plane, rotated 180 degrees about the X axis of the part file
  • Orientation 4: Translation over mirror plane, rotated 180 degrees about the Z axis of the part file
 
Should probably add that I'm using an older version of SolidWorks so might be different than the version your using.
 
Here is a screen shot of what choices are available to me. It may be that this is educational software and does not have the full features.

features.PNG

It is easy to mirror, just no option for rotation that I can see.

mirror1.PNG
 
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You may need to create a vertical axis through the center of the part. In the "mirror/face plane" box, try selecting the top plane as well.
 
If you haven't figured it out by tomorrow, I can play around with it at work (don't have SolidWorks at home).
 
Thank you for all your help. I have been looking for this answer since Friday, so I did my homework, but no answer to this. All my other homework has been pretty easy. We just finished the first week of class and I turned in my homework that is due by the end of week 4. This is a bonus part. I figure why hang back with all the others when I can move forward and hopefully learn even more.

I created a constructi0n line on the right plane, but I do not have the option to mirror around it.
 
Hmm...I'm just a hobby SW user but I cannot see a way to (1-step) mirror that topside feature to the opposing underside like that. Mostly because I can't envision a plane that would satisfy how mirroring works. So I'm going to chock this one up to A) my inexperience B) 'trick question' :) I do have a solution but its not mirroring, its a circular pattern. Here are the screen grabs FWIW.
- make an axis between 2 planes
- invoke circular pattern of the desired feature using this axis
- specify 4 pattern instances & delete the offending 2
- you are left with a single instance something like your desired end result

Hope this helps. Make sure & tell me what the answer is so I don't die without ever knowing.

6-26-2016 0003.jpg 6-26-2016 0002.jpg 6-26-2016 0001.jpg 6-26-2016 0000.jpg
 
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