In this article, we will define this hub shape and use a diameter dimension tool to help control the overall dimensions. I’m going to start by editing the sketch and adding a few dimensions. A couple of these, I know, are not your typical diameter dimensions, but I will add a few of the ones that I do know to get started. I also know that I want this to be a certain overall dimension. Let’s get started and see how it’s done.
The dynamic dimension comes into play whenever we’re going to revolve around certain sketch entities. In this case, we have the hub of the handwheel, and I want to revolve around the centerline in the hub. To revolve around the centerline, I can place a diameter dimension on that centerline. In this case, I’m going to pick the endpoint for this line. The second click must be the centerline. You can see that when we can place the standard dimension just as you would predict. But since our second click was that centerline, if I hover out to the right, SOLIDWORKS will let me add it as a diameter dimension. So, if we change things on the fly outside of the SOLIDWORKS realm, SOLIDWORKS will let us add it as a diameter dimension.
Let’s go ahead and utilize this now by coming in and creating a simple revolved boss/base. I will quickly add another one because we need a rim for this handwheel. I will add a simple diameter dimension to this hub at the same time. I can now change the dimensions to something a little more appropriate for what I want and start to lock it down.
The last dimension that I’m going to add is the diameter dimension. As I mentioned before, it must be to a centerline. The height of the centerline is not important at this point. If I want to fully define what’s going to be my rim, I can select the center point of that and my second click being that centerline, again. Depending on where I place it, SOLIDWORKS lets me add that as a diameter dimension. Of course, when we revolve this, we end up with a rim and a hub.
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