Creating Cosmetic Threads

Showing the physical thread geometry of custom parts, threaded holes, and purchased components is a great way to make your model look aesthetically pleasing. However, while all of the extra geometry in your parts may look nice, it can be extremely taxing on your computer’s processing speed while modeling. Adding in cosmetic threads is a great way to show threads on your components without losing any of your processing speed! This blog will demonstrate just how easy it is to apply cosmetic threads to any model. 

Command Location

The location of the cosmetic thread command can be a little tricky to find but there are multiple ways to reach it. You can find it by clicking on the Insert tab on the upper toolbar and expanding the menu next to annotations, see Image 1 below. The command can also be found by searching for “Cosmetic Thread” in the search bar in the upper right-hand corner of the screen while under the commands filter.

Image 1: Command Location

Applying Cosmetic Threads

After clicking on the command, the cosmetic thread command manager will pop up. This will ask you to select the edge that you would like the cosmetic threads to be applied to. The command manager will also ask you to select a face or plane to have the threads start at. See Image 2 below for example image of the cosmetic thread command manager.

Image 2: Example Command Manager

Selecting Threads

The cosmetic thread command will only allow you to choose thread sizes that are the exact size of the edge you selected or smaller. For example, if you have a ¼” rod you cannot apply ½” threads to it, you could only apply ¼” threads or smaller. In the example image below, Image 3, you will see the thread options for a ¼” rod under ANSI inch thread standards. After selecting the thread size, you can then choose a blind length for the threads to travel, have the threads run-up to the next surface, or have them run through any geometry along the edge/face that was selected.

Image 3: Selecting Thread Size and Distance

Troubleshooting

A common problem when applying cosmetic threads is that they don’t show up visually on the model after applying the command. This can be fixed by adjusting your annotation options. By right-clicking on the annotations folder in your feature tree you can then select the details option. After selecting the details option a pop up will appear with multiple checkboxes and annotation options. Under the “Display Filter” options make sure “Shaded Cosmetic Threads” is checked. Typically, this box is unchecked, and the threads will not be visible on the model. See image 4 below for the annotations folder options location.

Image 4: Annotations Folder Options Location

Conclusion

Applying cosmetic threads to your models is a great way to keep the look of threads while eliminating all the complex geometry.

Thanks for reading, for any inquiries or contracting services, please don't hesitate to reach out to us!