How to add a taper/draft angle
I need to add a draft angle of 5 degrees to the upper part of the object (the top part that is slightly larger in the picture). The top face needs to get smaller so that the molds pulls away from this face (top face in the picture). The draft angle needs to continue all around the part. The top face is a straight plane but the side around the plane has different heights making sweeps and drafts impossible to use.
4 Answers
Here is the basic Step by Step tutorial for how to add a draft in SolidWorks
Answered with a tutorial: https://grabcad.com/tutorials/how-to-add-a-taper-draft-angle
I made a plane at the lowest point of the surfaces to be drafted. Then I deleted upper half of the split surfaces of the boss (Draft doesn't like it when you have split surfaces like that). I then patched the surfaces and made it a solid part again. I made a split line on the full length surface and applied a 5º draft using the "Draft" feature and the plane I made in the beginning as the neutral plane for the draft.
Attached is the part file and screenshots explaining the process.
Scott, can you try a tutorial view to answer this questions. Take a look of one example: http://grabcad.com/questions/convert-normal-map-to-bump-map
Couple of "tips".
To get better control of the draft, you may wish to use parting line option rather than face - you could select the upper or lower edges of the faces being drafted to add draft or remove draft (add or remove material) to suit needs.
Also to aid manufacturing - de-fillet, then draft, and finally add the fillets back in. If you draft a fillet it becomes a more complex surface that requires smaller cutting tools etc if manufacturing the mould tools. You may like the look of the tapered fillets, so ignore me ;)
