MODELLING, ASSEBMLING AND RENDERING AMERICAN CHOPPER USING SOLIDWORKS

DESIGN OF AMERICAN CHOPPER

INTRODUCTION:

In this project we will be modelling the American Chopper model from the sketch. All the parts were modelled separately using the Solidworks part modelling workbench and they will be assembled in Solidworks assembly workbench. Finally, to make the chopper model realistic some of the decals were added and the rendered in HDR environment which will show how the model looks in real time.

MODELLING:

Transmission Belt:

Transmission belt is a part which transfer the output power from the Engine to the input of the transmission. Matte rubber appearance is provided for the belt.

Kick Stand:

Kick stand is part which supports the bike when it is in unused condition by supporting it with the ground.

Fender:

Fender is the part which prevents the body parts from damages caused by stones and debris thrown by the rotating wheel. In this model we have front fender and rear fender.

a. Front Fender:

Image below shows the front fender of the American chopper model. It is created by revolving the profile of the fender and trimming the excess portion from the model. Further fillet is added to avoid the sharp edges in the model.

b. Rear Feder:

Similar to the front fender rear fender also modelled by sketching and revolving the sketch about the axis. In the rear fender some decals were added to make the fender stylish and good aesthetic on road.

Pedal:

Pedal is the part which acts as a footrest on the bike which basically acts as a support for the legs and parallelly helps to keep our foot near the brakes and gear shifting levers.

Extruded Boss is mostly used command in this pedal modelling. Along with that dome, Chamfer and fillets were used enhance the aesthetics of the model.

Drive Chain:

This is an assembly of the Rollers, Inner link, and Outer link. Drive chain is one of the power transmitting parts of the chopper from the output shaft of the transmission box to the driving wheels (Rear wheel in this case).

This model is created by sketching and extruding the parts as a separate block. Then the extruded parts were patterned along the line of the chain profile which is sketched already. The blocks need to be placed and extruded at different curvature paths of the profile.

Front Wheel:

Front wheel is the part which provides the support for the model from the front side and enables to slide the bike on the road while the rear wheels actually drive the vehicle.

Revolve is the mostly used feature on this model. The hub, tyre, and rim were created by revolving the model about the centre axis. The web features were creating by extruding the sketches and the circular pattern feature is used to transform the web feature around the wheel. Brake disk is created by extruding and the first set of holes were created using extrude cut feature and the remaining were patterned using circular pattern feature. Type thread patterns were created by extrude cut with “from surface” option in it.

Rear Wheel:

Rear wheel is the driving wheel which also acts as a connecting part between the chassis and the ground. It consists also has the driving chain sprocket which drives the wheels and the brake disc.

Like front wheel modelling rear wheel modelling also contains revolve and circular pattern feature as the primary features. The hub, tyre, and rim were created by revolving the model about the centre axis. The web features were creating by extruding the sketches and the circular pattern feature is used to transform the web feature around the wheel. Brake disk is created by extruding and the first set of holes were created using extrude cut feature and the remaining were patterned using circular pattern feature. Chain sprocket is created is creating a U-shaped cut on the extruded feature with fillets on the edge of U cuts and circular patterning around the extruded feature. Type thread patterns were created by extrude cut with “from surface” option in it. 

Front Fork:

Front fork is a part which acts as a bridge between the chassis and the front wheel. It also used to control the direction of the vehicle and encloses the front suspension of the vehicle.

As this part is symmetrical one half of the fork is modelled and mirrored with the mid plane. Handlebars and the brake wires profile were created using the combine curve option. In combine curve option any two views were sketched in corresponding planed and they were combined to make profile which has various curvatures as various planes. Head lights were created by using revolve feature and the head lights outer profile is made convex shape using dome feature.

Oil Tank:

Oil tank is the part which stores the oil which serves as a lubricant and the cooling of the transmission and moving parts.

This model is created by extruding the two sketches and combining them using intersect option. Sharp edges were filleted, and the model is made as a shell with a thickness of 3mm.

Chassis:

Chassis is a main frame of the bike which acts as a support for the entire vehicle.

The chassis is created using the sketch of the vehicle as a reference. Bottom side bars were created by using the composite curve options and the circular profiles were swept along the curves. Once all the features were modelled, they were joined using add option in combine feature.

Engine and Transmission box:

Engine is the part which converts chemical energy into mechanical energy which in turn drives the vehicle through the transmission box. Transmission box is the part which provides various combinations of the power and the torque as required. It can be manual or automatic.

Engine oil reservoir, Starter motor and the transmission box were created using extruded boss option. Then the driving and driven pulleys which transmits power from the engine to the transmission box were created by using revolve option. The tooths on the pulleys by circular pattern feature where the parent teeth are created by Extrude boss feature. End faces of the pulleys were made as convex shape using the dome feature. One of the engine blocks is created by extruding the rectangular sketch along with draft. The fins on the engine block were created by patterning a fin which is created by the Extruded cut. Then the engine block is transformed using symmetry option. Exhausts were created with composite curve option and sweeping the circular profile along the composite curves. Further the spark plugs were added to make the engine block more realistic.

Fuel Tank:

Fuel tank is a part which is a fuel reservoir to drive the vehicle. It also acts as a seat.

Fuel tank is created by creating the outer surfaces first and filling it to make it as a solid. Some of the decals were added on the sides and top of the fuel tank. Finally, it is converted into a shell using Shell feature.

Now we have completed modelling all the parts of the American chopper and we can move to the assembly part.

ASSEMBLY:

As we know the base of the model is the chassis first, we have to import the chassis model into the assembly file.

Then the engine is imported and assembled with the coincide mate with supports and mid planes of the models.

The pedal model is placed into the hole using concentric mate and fixed by coincide mate with face of chassis and the pedal.

The kick stand model is imported, and the movement of the kick stand is limited by providing the angle limitation.

Now the transmission belt is mounted on the pulley using concentric mate and width mate.

Oil tank is imported and placed over the transmission box. It is arrested by using the planes.

Rear wheel is mounted on the chassis using the coincide mate with the axle with the chassis, Coincide mate with mid planes.

Rear fender is placed in position using the parallel mate between the vertical planes, Concentric mate between the edges of the wheel and the fender. Coincident mate between the mid planes arrest it completely.

Drive chain is assembled using the concentric and width mate at driven sprocket and Parallel mate between the horizontal planes which planes chain in driving sprocket.

Gas tank is placed using the coincide and distance mate between the vertical, Horizontal and the Midplanes.

Front fork is assembled with the concentric and width mate with the hole in the chassis. Complete rotation of the handlebar is controlled by limiting the rotation angle of the handlebar.

Front wheel is assembled to the front fork using the concentric mate between the hole and the axle in the front fork. Mid plane of the fork and the front wheel is made coincident to make sure that the wheels rotate along with the front fork.

Front fender is kept in its place by coinciding all the planes with corresponding planes of the front wheel model.

Once all the parts were arrested to make the chopper leaning over the ground first the wheels were made into tangent contact with the bottom plane of the assembly then the kick stand model also made into tangent contact with the bottom plane of the assembly. Now the model will look like that it is leaning on the ground.  

Orientations of the model:

Front View:

Side View:

Top View:

Isometric View:

Camera View:

RENDERING:

Rendering is the process of presenting the model in such a way that how model looks in real world environment, Solidworks visualize provides aids for creating a real-life environment with all details such as lighting, shadows, reflections as it was in real life which comes handy when we need the view of the product in real life even before is manufactured

Image below shows the rendered model of the American chopper assembly in one of the HDR environments in Solidworks visualize.

CONCUSION:

Thus, the modelling, Assembling, and rendering of the American chopper model using Solidworks.