CAD Forum

Hi all. I am trying to do a simple revolve cut and Solidworks is telling me that "The line defining the axis is not valid." I'm not really sure what this is all about.

In the attached picture, the sketch plane that I have sketched on is NOT through the center of the part; it is offset from the right plane (which is centered through the part). The construction line that I want to use as the axis of revolution should be visible through the center axis of the hole in the middle of the part. The aforementioned construction line was done using a 3D sketch, however I tried the same thing with a reference axis in the same location and it also did not work.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Any revolved feature must have the axis of revolution on the same plane as the sketch used for cutting/extruding. I can't tell for sure from the screenshot, but it looks like yours violates that rule. Best practice is to put everything in the same sketch.

Yes, as I stated, the sketch plane does not bisect the part. The problem is that the sketch that I need to revolve cut is not normal to the surface of the cylinder. I'm having trouble figuring out how to make this cut happen given that design requirement.

dale.smith wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:28 pm Yes, as I stated, the sketch plane does not bisect the part. The problem is that the sketch that I need to revolve cut is not normal to the surface of the cylinder. I'm having trouble figuring out how to make this cut happen given that design requirement.

I'm not sure I'm understanding your issue, I can do a revolve cut without being normal to the axis of the cylindrer


Heck. I think I somewhat created a ZTG without SolidWorks actually freaking out lol

Do you want your cut to revolve around the existing axis? Then you will need to move your sketch onto a plane that intersects that centerline, and adjust the sketch geometry accordlingly.

If that isn't what you are hoping to accomplish, then you need to create an axis of revolution in your sketch, and have it revolve around that.

Yes, but it appears that you still used an axis located on the same plane as the sketch you revolved it around. In my picture, the sketch of the square that you see (the thing I want to revolve cut with) is NOT a bisecting plane, meaning that the central axis of the part (the construction line you see in the center of the screenshot) does not lie on the sketch plane. I want to revolve the sketch around the center of the part (the construction line axis). In this case, the sketch would not be normal to the surface of the cylinder as it rotates, it would be at a slight angle with respect to the axis of rotation.

dale.smith wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:59 pm Yes, but it appears that you still used an axis located on the same plane as the sketch you revolved it around. In my picture, the sketch of the square that you see (the thing I want to revolve cut with) is NOT a bisecting plane, meaning that the central axis of the part (the construction line you see in the center of the screenshot) does not lie on the sketch plane. I want to revolve the sketch around the center of the part (the construction line axis). In this case, the sketch would not be normal to the surface of the cylinder as it rotates, it would be at a slight angle with respect to the axis of rotation.

What does the sketch represent? Is it a section view thru a cut at that position like shown in red? If so then you could do the revolve by developing the section in the blue.

Or do you want something like this where it's more of a swept path which can't be done with a revolve?

You can't do a revolve like that. The axis has to be on the same plane. Use a swept cut.

MJuric wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 5:25 pm What does the sketch represent? Is it a section view thru a cut at that position like shown in red? If so then you could do the revolve by developing the section in the blue.
image.png

Or do you want something like this where it's more of a swept path which can't be done with a revolve?

image.png

It is like section in red. The "wall" that would be created doing the revolve cut would have to be parallel to a bisecting plane, but just offset. Based on many of these comments, it looks like I'm going to have to do a sweep.