Part Design Feature Recognition -...

Part Design Feature Recognition

Overview

Conventions

What's New?

Getting Started

Entering the Workbench Recognizing a Hole Manually Recognizing a Fillet Manually Editing the Part

User Tasks

Recognizing Features Manually Recognizing a Fillet Recognizing a Hole Recognizing a Chamfer Recognizing a Groove Recognizing a Shaft Recognizing a Pocket or a Pad Recognizing a Boolean Feature Recognizing a Draft

Recognizing Features Automatically Recognizing Fillets, Chamfers and Holes Automatically Recognizing Features Automatically Using the Local Mode Working on Complex Parts

Identifying the Constant Fillets and Rounds of a Part Analyzing the Constant Fillets and Rounds of a Part Simplifying a Part Reworking a Part Making the Most of the Application

Workbench Description

Part Design Feature Recognition Toolbar

Index

Overview

This book is intended for the user who needs to become quickly familiar with Part Design Feature Recognition product. The Part Design Feature Recognition User's Guide has been designed to show you how to recreate intelligent specifications of solids and how to create or modify a part.

This overview provides the following information:

● Part Design Feature Recognition in a Nutshell

● Before Reading this Guide

● Getting the Most out of This Guide

● Accessing Sample Documents

● Conventions Used in this Guide

Part Design Feature Recognition in a Nutshell

The Part Design Feature Recognition application makes it possible to modify solids although their initial specifications have been lost or are not available. The application enables you to recreate locally the specification tree specifications, which then lets you design precise 3D mechanical parts with an intuitive and flexible user interface.

This application, which combines the power of feature-based design with the flexibility of a Boolean approach, offers a highly productive and intuitive design environment with multiple design methodologies, such as post-design and local 3D parameterization.

Before Reading this Guide

Before reading this guide, you should be familiar with basic Version 5 concepts such as document windows, standard and view toolbars. Therefore, we recommend that you read the Infrastructure User's Guide that describes generic capabilities common to all Version 5 products. It also describes the general layout of V5 and the interoperability between workbenches.

You may also like to read the following complementary product guides:● Sketcher User's Guide: explains how to sketch 2D elements.

● Part Design User's Guide: explains how to create wireframe geometry and surfaces.

Getting the Most out of this Guide

To get the most out of this guide, we suggest you start reading and performing the tutorial Getting Started. This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to manually recreate the specifications of a solid then how to edit this simple part.

Once you have finished, you should move on to the next sections that deal with the handling of CATPart data, then the creation and modification of various types of features you will need to construct or modify parts. This guide also presents other Part Design Feature Recognition capabilities allowing you to design complex parts. You can also take a look at the sections describing the Part Design Workbench at the end of the guide.

Accessing Sample Documents

To perform the scenarios, you will be using sample documents contained in the online/fr1ug/samples folder.

For more information about this, refer to Accessing Sample Documents in the Infrastructure User's Guide.

Conventions Used in this Guide

To learn more about the conventions used in this guide, refer to the Conventions section.

ConventionsCertain conventions are used in CATIA, ENOVIA & DELMIA documentation to help you recognize and understand important concepts and specifications.

Graphic Conventions

The three categories of graphic conventions used are as follows:

● Graphic conventions structuring the tasks

● Graphic conventions indicating the configuration required

● Graphic conventions used in the table of contents

Graphic Conventions Structuring the Tasks

Graphic conventions structuring the tasks are denoted as follows:

This icon... Identifies...

estimated time to accomplish a task

a target of a task

the prerequisites

the start of the scenario

a tip

a warning

information

basic concepts

methodology

reference information

information regarding settings, customization, etc.

the end of a task

functionalities that are new or enhanced with this release

allows you to switch back to the full-window viewing mode

Graphic Conventions Indicating the Configuration Required

Graphic conventions indicating the configuration required are denoted as follows:

This icon... Indicates functions that are...

specific to the P1 configuration



Graphic Conventions Used in the Table of Contents

Graphic conventions used in the table of contents are denoted as follows:

This icon... Gives access to...

Site Map

Split View mode

What's New?

Overview

Getting Started

Basic Tasks

User Tasks or the Advanced Tasks

Workbench Description

Customizing

Reference

Methodology

Glossary

Index

Text Conventions

The following text conventions are used:

● The titles of CATIA, ENOVIA and DELMIA documents appear in this manner throughout the text.

● File -> New identifies the commands to be used.

● Enhancements are identified by a blue-colored background on the text.

How to Use the Mouse

The use of the mouse differs according to the type of action you need to perform.

Use thismouse button... Whenever you read...

● Select (menus, commands, geometry in graphics area, ...)

● Click (icons, dialog box buttons, tabs, selection of a location in the document window, ...)

● Double-click

● Shift-click

● Ctrl-click

● Check (check boxes)

● Drag

● Drag and drop (icons onto objects, objects onto objects)

● Drag

● Move

● Right-click (to select contextual menu)

What's New?

New Functionalities

Simplifying a PartGenerally, creating features makes the part more and more complex because it gradually adds faces to the resulting geometry. You can now simplify a part using a specific option, so as to make FEM analyses easier and faster.

Reworking a PartIt is now possible to work on big parts without having to study or modify the part's history.

Automatic RecognitionIt is now possible to recognize pads, pockets, shafts, grooves and Boolean features automatically.

Identifying the Constant Radius Fillets and Rounds of a PartThe Part Analysis command lets you graphically identify the fillets and rounds of a part.

Analyzing the Constant Radius Fillets and Rounds of a PartThe Part Analysis command detects the number of fillets and rounds of your part but also details them through different categories you define by setting radius values or polarities.

Enhanced Functionalities

Manual Feature RecognitionSelecting geometry is now much more easier prior to recognizing Boolean features: to recognize a negative volume, it is no longer necessary to select all its faces.

Automatic Local RecognitionThe Local Feature Recognition option lets you recognize several features automatically from a local region you determine yourself by selecting faces in that zone.

Manual RecognitionThe Show Labels option lets you display annotations attached to the selected geometry.

Getting Started

Before getting into the detailed instructions for using Part Design Feature Recognition, the following tutorial aims at giving you a feel as to what you can do with the product.

It will guide you step-by-step through a simple scenario composed of the following tasks:

Entering the WorkbenchRecognizing a Hole ManuallyRecognizing a Fillet Manually

Editing the Part

All together, the tasks should take about ten minutes to complete.

Entering the Workbench

This first task shows you how to enter the Part Design Feature Recognition workbench.

1. Select File -> New and then select Part from the dialog box, or click the Part Design icon from

the Welcome to CATIA V5 dialog box.

The Part Design Feature Recognition workbench is displayed.

2. Select File -> Open then select the GettingStarted.CATPart document.

This document contains a part whose specifications are not available. In our present example,

Body.1 has been obtained by using the Copy as result command. For more about this command,

refer to Handling Parts in a Multi-Document Environment in the Part Design User's Guide.

In the next task, you are going to recreate the specifications used to build up some faces of the part.

Recognizing a Hole Manually

Recognizing a feature means recreating the initial specifications for this feature. In this task you will learn how to manually recreate the cavity specifications.

1. Click the Manual Feature Recognition icon .

The Feature Recognition dialog box that appears displays a list of features you can

recognize.

Using this product release, the features you can recognize are the following ones:

❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

2. Check the Hole option.

3. Select the inner face of the cavity as the feature which specifications you wish to recognize.

In the "Selected Objects" field, "Face<1>" is displayed.

4. Click Apply to perform the operation.

Once the operation has been performed, Hole.1 is added to the specification tree, meaning

that it is now possible to access the hole's specifications and therefore edit it.

● The application now does no longer show the hole because Solid.1 is automatically defined as the current object.

● To see the whole geometry, you simply need to close the dialog box and set Body.1 as the new current object.

More About the Recognition Process● Annotations, publications and constraints are not recognized during a recognition operation.

● Sketches are created as positioned and they are not associative. To make them associative, you need to associate to them a planar face or a plane as a support.

Recognizing a Fillet Manually

This task will show you how to manually recreate the specifications of a set of faces.

1. In the Feature Recognition dialog box still displayed, check the Fillet option.

2. Select the front face as the face which specifications you wish to recreate.

As Chain Faces is the default option, the application includes propagated faces in the

selection. This is why the Selected Objects field shows a list of faces. All selected faces are

highlighted in the geometry area too.

3. Click OK to confirm and close the dialog box.

An edge fillet feature has been recognized. EdgeFillet.1 has been added to the specification

tree, meaning that it is now possible to edit this feature.

4. Select Body.1 and use the Define in Work Object contextual command to display the

whole geometry.

The CATPart document now includes both the geometry and the specifications of some

geometric elements of the part.

Editing the Part

Now that some specifications are provided, you can edit both features. In this task, you are going to edit the fillet so as to obtain a larger feature, then the hole to reduce its diameter.

1. Double-click EdgeFillet.1 in the tree to display the Edge Fillet Definition dialog box.

2. Enter 12mm as the new radius value.

3. Click OK to confirm.

4. Double-click Hole.1 to display the Hole Definition dialog box.

5. Enter 32mm as the new diameter value, then click OK to confirm.

The part now looks like this:

You have finished the tutorial. Let's take a closer look at the application!

User Tasks

This section provides a certain number of tasks showing you how to recognize features. Each task corresponds to a type of feature.

After performing theses scenarios, we recommend you to read "Making the Most of the Application" providing different remarks for a better use of the product.

Recognizing Features ManuallyRecognizing Features Automatically

Identifying the Constant Fillets and Rounds of a PartAnalyzing the Constant Fillets and Rounds of a Part

Simplifying a PartReworking a Part

Making the Most of the Application

Recognizing Features Manually

Recognizing a Fillet

Recognizing a Hole

Recognizing a Chamfer

Recognizing a Groove

Recognizing a Shaft

Recognizing a Pocket or a Pad

Recognizing a Boolean Feature

Recognizing a Draft

Recognizing a Fillet

This task shows you how to recognize a fillet.

Open the Tasks.CATPart document.



recognize.

2. Using this product release, the features you can recognize are the following ones:

❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

Keep the Fillet option.

3. Select the face as shown.

As the Chain Faces option is on by default, the application includes propagated faces in the

selection. This is why the Selected Objects field shows two faces. The selected faces are

highlighted in the geometry area too.

Notice that not all of the propagated faces are included in the selection. Here, the Chain

Faces operation has stopped on the fillet intersection. Therefore, you need to select the

remaining faces manually.

4. Select the other non-planar faces of the part.

The Selected Objects field now includes seven faces.


A fillet feature has been recognized. EdgeFillet.1 has been added to the specification tree,

meaning that it is now possible to edit this feature.

The application can recognize several fillets in a single step.

Recognizing a Hole

This task shows you how to recognize two holes in a single step.

Perform the previous task using the Tasks.CATPart document.


The Feature Recognition dialog box that appears displays a list of features you can recognize. Using this product

release, the features you can recognize are the following ones:

❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

2. Check the Hole option.

3. Select both faces as shown.

4. As the Chain Faces option is activated, the application includes propagated faces in the selection. This is why the

Selected Objects field shows a list of ten faces. All selected faces are highlighted in the geometry area too.


Two hole features have been recognized. Hole.1 and Hole.2 have been added to the specification tree, meaning

that it is now possible to edit these features.

Recognizing Complex Holes If you want to recognize complex holes (holes more complex than countersunk, counterbored, or counterdrilled holes), we

recommend you use the Manual Feature Recognition command , instead of the Automatic Feature Recognition

one . This avoids solving ambiguous cases, as illustrated in the following example.

Here, the hole is counterbored at both ends and therefore can be defined in two different ways:● as 3 simple holes

● as 1 counterbored hole and 1 simple hole

For more information about the different types of holes, refer to Hole, from the Part Design User's Guide.

Recognizing a Chamfer

This task shows you how to recognize a chamfer.

Perform the previous tasks using the Tasks.CATPart document.


The Feature Recognition dialog box that appears displays a list of features you can recognize.


❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

2. Check the Chamfer option.



A chamfer feature has been recognized. Chamfer.1 has been added to the specification tree.

The application can recognize several chamfers in a single step.

Recognizing a Groove

This task shows you how to recognize a groove.

Perform the previous tasks using the Tasks.CATPart document or open the Groove.CATPart document.



recognize.


❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

2. Check the Groove option.



A groove feature has been recognized. Groove.1 has been added to the specification tree,


Recognizing a Shaft

Actually, there are different ways of recognizing a given set of faces. This task illustrates the fact that a set of faces can be recognized as a shaft, or as a pad.

Open the Groove.CATPart document and perform the previous task Recognizing a Groove.



recognize.


❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

Check the Shaft option.


As the Chain Faces option is activated, the application includes propagated faces in the

selection. This is why the Selected Objects field shows a list of several faces. All selected

faces are highlighted in the geometry area.

The application displays textual indications in the geometry to help identify all selected faces

or edges.

Clearly, some of these faces do not belong to the shaft, which would make the recognition fail

if you clicked OK to confirm the operation. Actually, at this point you can choose between

three options. You can:

❍ Deselect the faces that do not belong to the groove by selecting them in the geometry area

❍ Deselect the faces by selecting them in the Selected Objects field, and then using the RemoveSel contextual command .

❍ Remove the whole selection by using the RemoveAll contextual command, then uncheck the "Chain Faces" option, and then manually select all the faces belonging to the groove.

4. Multi-select all unnecessary faces in the dialog box then right-click to select the RemoveSel

contextual command.

The new selection now must include this face only:


A shaft feature has been recognized. Shaft.1 has been added to the specification tree,


Perform the scenario again, using the Pad option this time. You can notice that the same selected faces can be recognized as a pad too.

Recognizing a Pocket or a Pad

This task shows you how to recognize a pocket.

Open the Groove.CATPart document, and recognize the groove as described in the task.



recognize.


❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

2. Check the Pocket option.


To recognize pockets (or pads), the application does not let you select several faces. You can

notice that the Chain Faces option is grayed out.

4. Click OK to confirm and close the dialog box. A pocket feature has been recognized.

Pocket.1 has been added to the specification tree, meaning that it is now possible to edit this

feature.

Depending on the shape of the part, you will sometimes have to consider several possible solutions for recognizing pockets (or pads). This is the case of this part:

There are two possible solutions for recognizing a pocket whose bottom face is green. You can either specify the blue face as the top face, or the yellow face as the top face.

Open the Pocket.CATPart document.

1. Click the Manual Feature Recognition icon to display the Feature Recognition

dialog box.

2. Select the green face as the bottom face of the pocket.

3. Click the Recognize Up to face field and select the yellow face as the top face for the

pocket.


A pocket feature has been recognized. The "Pocket.1" entity has been added to the

specification tree, meaning that it is now possible to edit this feature. If you do not specify

the limiting face you want, the application uses the face that is nearer to the bottom face as

the top face. In our example, it would be the blue face.

Recognizing Pockets or Pads by Selecting Edges

Instead of selecting faces, you can select edges to recognize pockets or pads. This method lets you

recognize a smaller region. To perform this scenario, use Solid2 in the Pocket.CATPart document.

More About Recognizing Pockets or Pads

Several Possible Solutions

1. Click the Manual Feature Recognition icon to display the Feature Recognition

dialog box and check the Pocket option.

2. Select the bottom face as the bottom face of the pocket.

If you recognize the pocket, the simplified solid looks like this:

In this case, the profile includes four elements only: two lines and two circular arcs.

3. Now, instead of selecting the bottom face, replay the scenario and select the edge as shown:

4. After recognizing the pocket, the simplified solid looks like this:

In this case, the profile includes only one element, that is a circular arc.

The colors defined for faces prior to the recognition process, are kept afterwards as illustrated in the above example.

Both faces and edges cannot be selected at the same time, that is, if a face is selected, edge selection is disabled, and vice-versa.

Recognizing a Boolean Feature

These tasks shows you how to recognize Boolean features. You will recognize this type of features when the initial geometry is composed of complex shapes as illustrated in the first scenario but you can also use this capability when the recognition of standard features fails. The second scenario illustrates how to recognize positive volumes from two sets of disjoint faces.

Boolean features can be recognized as Remove (negative volumes) or Add (positive volumes) entities.

Open the Tasks_3.CATPart document.

Recognizing a Negative Volume

1. Because the cavity of this part is not easily identifiable, you need to use the Boolean option. Click the

Manual Feature Recognition icon .

The Feature Recognition dialog box that appears displays a list of features you can recognize.


❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

2. Check Boolean and select the bottom inner face. The face turns purple, indicating that it will be

removed. By default, the application includes tangent and adjacent faces in the selection. This is why

four additional faces also appear in purple.

Because the Show Labels option is on, a textual indication designating the selected face appears

attached to the selected geometry.

3. Click the Chain up to faces field and select the upper face.

The upper face turns blue indicating that this is the face to be kept. 17 faces are included in the selection

as indicated in the Selected Objects field.

Note that three creation options are available:

❍ Parametric only: only recognized features are created (default option)

❍ RemoveFace only: recognized geometry is removed.

❍ Both: Parametric only and RemoveFace options are on

Keep the default option on.


Remove.1 has been created and added to the specification tree.

❍ Using the RemoveFace option, you would obtain this result:

❍ Using the Both option, you would obtain this result:


Recognizing Positive Volumes

1. To recognize the brown and the red volumes, click the Manual Feature Recognition icon .

2. Check the Boolean option.

3. First, we recommend to click the Chain up to faces field.


The face turns blue indicating that this is the face to be kept.

5. As the brown and red volumes are two disjoint sets of faces, you need to recognize both volumes

successively. So, to recognize the brown volume, click the Selected Objects field and select its upper

face. 5 faces are now selected as well as displayed in the Selected Objects field.


Add.1 has been added to the specification tree.

To recognize a positive volume, you can also select all its faces manually, just as you used to do prior to using

Version 5 Release 14.

Textual indications designating the selected faces appear in the geometry to help identify the selection.

6. To recognize the red volume, check the Boolean option again, then select the upper face.

7. Click the Chain up to faces field and select the face parallel to the face previously selected.

The face turns blue indicating that this is the face to be kept. 5 faces are included in the selection as

indicated in the Selected Objects field.


Add.2 has been created and added to the specification tree.

Recognizing a Draft

This task shows you how to recognize a basic draft in a single step.




recognize.


❍ Pad

❍ Pocket

❍ Hole

❍ Fillet

❍ Chamfer

❍ Shaft

❍ Groove

❍ Boolean

❍ Draft

Check the Draft option. This product release lets you recognize constant angle drafts.

3. Select all the green faces.

4. Check the Neutral Element field and select the yellow face as the neutral planar element.


A draft feature has been recognized. Draft.1 has been added to the specification tree.

If your part contains drafted filleted features, you need to recognize fillets prior to recognizing drafts.

Recognizing Features Automatically Recognizing Fillets, Chamfers and Holes Automatically

Recognizing Features Automatically Using the Local Mode

Working on Complex Parts

Recognizing Fillets, Chamfers and Holes Automatically

This scenario shows you how to recognize three different types of features very quickly. As illustrated in this task, generally speaking, we recommend you recognize fillets and chamfers before recognizing holes.

This page deals with the following items:

● Recognizing Fillets and Chamfers Automatically

● Canceling Recognition

● More About Automatic Recognition of Fillets and Chamfers

● Recognizing Holes Automatically

● Recognizing Complex Holes


Recognizing Fillets and Chamfers Automatically

1. Click the Automatic Feature Recognition icon .

The Feature Recognition dialog box that appears displays the Automatic tab as the default tab.

Using this product release, the features you can recognize automatically are the following ones:

● Holes

● Fillets

● Chamfers

2. Check the Fillets and Chamfers options.

3. Click Apply to recognize the fillets and chamfers of the part.

A progress bar displays to let you see how the operation progresses: the estimated remaining time is displayed as well as the number of features being recognized.

Once the operation is complete, the specification tree displays all recognized features.

If needed, you can stop the operation by clicking the Cancel button.● If you do that before even a single feature is recognized, then the message 'Feature recognition canceled. No

feature was recognized.' is displayed. The document is then in the state it was in, when you had fired the command; except that if the In Work Object was set to an isolated solid by the Feature Recognition command, then this change remains. You can use Undo to get back to the previous state.

● If some features are recognized before pushing the Cancel button, a dialog box displays asking you if you accept to create the features recognized till then.

❍ If you click Yes then the recognized features are created, the progress bar continues to show progress of the process, but then you are not be able to cancel it again.

❍ If you click NO then again the document will be in the state that it was in, when you had launched the command; except that if the In Work Object was set to an isolated solid by the command, then this change will remain. You can use Undo to get back to the previous state.

Recognizing Holes Automatically

4. Check the Holes option.

5. Click Apply to recognize the holes of the part.

A progress bar displays to let you see the estimated time remaining before all holes are recognized. Note that you

can cancel the operation if it takes too long time.

6. When done, click Close.

The dialog box is closed. Once the operation is complete, the specification tree displays all recognized holes.

Canceling Recognition

In some simple cases, the automatic recognition of fillets or chamfers fail. This is due to the fact that Automatic Feature

Recognition is closely related to geometric properties such as angularity, proportion (in case of chamfers) etc.

In the example below, the red colored fillet cannot be recognized automatically because the angle value is too small. The

work around to solve this case, is to use the Manual Feature Recognition command .

Recognizing Complex Holes If you want to recognize complex holes (holes more complex than countersunk, counterbored, or counterdrilled holes), we

recommend you use the Manual Feature Recognition command , instead of the Automatic Feature Recognition

one . This avoids solving ambiguous cases. For more information, this is explained in Recognizing Complex Holes.

More About Automatic Recognition of Fillets and Chamfers

Recognizing Features Automatically Using the Local Mode

Now, you can carry out automatic feature recognitions in local mode i.e. you can select a region of a solid by selecting faces in that zone and can run automatic feature recognition only in that region locally.

This is very useful when you want to recognize multiple features from a local region. Currently that can be achieved by using manual feature recognition, but then you will have to select and recognize one feature at a time or by using automatic feature recognition, but then you will have to run it on the complete solid body, which will unnecessarily take more time and will recognize also feature which are of no interest. Both of these approaches cause either considerable selection effort and/or time consumption. Automatic feature recognition over a selected region, known as Local Feature Recognition, makes it very easy. The advantages of this type of recognition are:

● it saves time and effort, when you do not want all features in the part to be recognized.

● It also recognizes pads, pockets, grooves, shafts and Boolean features whereas in automatic mode only holes, fillets and chamfers can be recognized.

This scenario shows you how to use automatic feature recognition in local mode.

Open the LocalFR.CATPart document.


The Feature Recognition dialog box appears.

2. Check the Local Feature Recognition (LFR) option.

Now all feature types are available for recognition.

3. If you want to recognize all features in the yellow region, first click Chain Up To faces field

and then select the three faces as shown in cyan color:

4. Click the Selected Faces field and select any yellow face.

5. Select the All option to recognize all features.

All feature types are then checked in the dialog box.

6. To improve visibility, deselect Show Labels.

7. Click OK to compute the result.

The features corresponding to the selected purple faces are now recognized.

Face Selection ModesThe following selection modes are available for recognizing features locally:

❍ Limited by Up To faces (default mode): selects all faces from the faces you selected to

Up To faces. For this mode, it is advisable to first select Up To faces and then to select

selected faces.

❍ Internal loops on Up To faces: selects all faces which form internal loops on Up To

faces.

❍ Tangency: selects all tangent faces to the faces you selected as Selected faces.

❍ Adjacency: selects faces which are adjacent to the faces picked by user as Selected faces.

These selection modes are available via contextual commands from the the Selected Faces

list and these are available only for local feature recognition.

Using the Internal loops on Up to Faces Selection Mode

In the second part of our scenario you will see how the Internal loops on Up To faces

selection mode helps in selecting faces for local feature recognition.

8. Launch again the Automatic Feature Recognition and select the Local Feature

Recognition option.

9. Right-click on the Selected Faces list and select the Internal loops on Up To faces

contextual command.

10. Click the Chain Up To faces field and select the upper face of the pad as shown by cyan

color below, then all the magenta colored faces as shown in the image below get selected.

11. Deselect the Show Labels option to improve visibility.

12. Select All to recognize all types of features.

13. Click OK to obtain this result: all features are recognized.

Working on Complex Parts

Depending on the parts you are working on, especially if they are complex parts, the application may recognize additional features if you re-launch the operation.

For instance, you run Automatic Feature Recognition , but some features are not recognized. This happens because one of these unrecognized features is the parent of the other unrecognized features. In other words, unless it gets recognized, the other unrecognized features cannot be recognized. Since automatic recognition failed to recognize this parent feature, you need to use

the Manual Feature Recognition command on it. If it succeeds, then running automatic recognition again will yield more features.

Identifying the Constant Radius Fillets and Rounds of a Part

This task shows you how to graphically identify the different constant fillets and rounds of the part you are working on. The Part Analysis capability lets you see both fillets and rounds at a time or fillets or rounds separately.

● Identifying All Rounds and Fillets at a Time

● Identifying All Rounds (or Fillets) Only

Additional options let you see:

● variable fillets as explained in Identifying Variable Fillets.

● vertex rounds and fillets as explained in

Open the GettingStarted.CATPart document.

1. Click the Part Analysis icon .

The Part Analysis dialog box appears.

It is divided into two areas: the left one is dedicated to rounds analysis, the right one to fillets

analysis.

Identifying All Rounds and Fillets at a Time2. Select Body.1 as the body which fillets and rounds you want to see. You can select it either by

clicking on a node of the specification tree, or by selecting one of its face, edge or vertex in the

geometry area. Note that only one body can be analyzed at a time.

Body.1 is now displayed in the Body to analyze field.

3. By default, the application displays rounds and fillets in grey. For the purpose of our scenario,

keep the grey color to identify rounds, but set the orange color for fillets. To do so, set the

orange color in the color combo boxes in front of the Max and Min types of the Fillets frame. By

doing this, all rounds then, no matter what their radius values are, will be shown in grey and

fillets in orange.

4. Check Interpolate colors at the left bottom of the dialog box sothat all rounds and filletsgetcolored

5. Click OK to compute the results.

An informative window appears, detailing the number and the composition of of detected

rounds and fillets.

6. Click OK to close the informative window.

All the rounds and fillets of Body.1 are graphically identified by the grey or orange colors

respectively:

Using the Same Colors for Rounds and Fillets

If you wish to use the same colors for rounds and fillets, you just need to define the colors for

rounds (if the default color is not satisfactory) and then select the Import Rounds Rules

option.

Identifying All Rounds (or Fillets) Only

7. Now, if you wish that only rounds should be colorized, click the Part Analysis icon again.

8. Select the Do not colorize fillets option in the Fillets frame if you want to identify only rounds

or vice versa.

9. To improve the visualization of rounds, change the grey default color to blue for example. To do

so, set the light blue color in the color combo boxes in front of the Max and Min types. By

doing this, all rounds, no matter what their radius values are, will be shown in blue.

10. Click OK to compute the results.

The informative window appears, displaying the same information as at step 4 of our scenario.


All the rounds of Body.1 are graphically identified by the light blue color you set:

To know how to display the different categories of fillets and rounds according to their

different radius values, refer to Analyzing the Fillets and Rounds of a Part.

Identifying Variable FilletsBy default, the option for coloring variable fillets and rounds is set to Automatic, meaning that

it is not active. If you wish to identify this type of fillet, set the color of your choice.

Identifying Vertex Rounds/FilletsBy default, the option for coloring fillets and rounds at vertices is set to Automatic, meaning

that it is not active. If you wish to identify them, set the color of your choice.

Note that the application detects them when radii of all edge fillets meeting at the vertex are

the same.

To know how to display the different categories of fillets and rounds according to their different

radius values, refer to Analyzing the Constant Radius Fillets and Rounds of a Part.

Analyzing the Constant Radius Fillets and Rounds of a Part

This task shows you how to identify the different categories of fillets and rounds the part you are working on includes according to polarities or radius values you determine yourself.

To determine values, you can set single values or ranges of values.

● Detecting Fillets and Rounds by Setting Single Radius Values

● Detecting Fillets and Rounds by Specifying Ranges of Radius Values

Open the GettingStarted.CATPart document.

1. Click the Part Analysis icon .

The Part Analysis dialog box appears.

It is divided into two areas: the left one is dedicated to rounds analysis, the right one to fillets

analysis.

2. Select Body.1 as the body to be analyzed. You can select it either by clicking on a node of the

specification tree, or by selecting one of its face, edge or vertex in the geometry area. Note that

only one body can be analyzed at a time.

Detecting Fillets and Rounds by Setting Single Radius Values

3. First, you are going to detect the number of rounds and fillets which radius value is 8mm your

part contains. For that, first you need to add colorization rules.

Rounds

4. At the bottom of the Colorization rules frame, there is a rule you can define and then add. For

the single value rule, keep the rule type option as Single.

5. To the left of Single, click the color combo box.

A list appears containing:

❍ a blank color field

❍ a list of default colors from the color palette, ready for use

❍ the More Colors... option

6. For example select the blue color. This is the color chosen for showing all rounds of the part

with 0mm as radius value.

The selected color is now displayed in the field in the combo box. Pointing the cursor over the

combo box displays the name of the selected color.

7. Enter 8 in the radius field next to the Single combo box.

8. Click Add to validate and add the rule.

The Rounds frame now looks like this:

Note that:

❍ The rules will be added in the order of sorting. So even if you change the radius value for

the rule, it may get rearranged in the sorting order.

❍ The rule can be deactivated by setting its color as Automatic.

❍ All colorization rules and colors for other options are saved (only when you click OK to close

the dialog box) and are restored when launch the capability again.

Fillets

9. Repeat the previous operations for fillets, just choose a distinct color to identify them. Red, for

example.

You must obtain this:

10. Set the yellow color as the background color. This means that all the faces of the selected body

that do not follow any rule are colored in yellow.

11. Once done, click OK to compute the results.

An informative window appears, detailing the number and the composition of of detected

rounds and fillets.


The result now appears. 8 rounds identified by the blue color and 5 fillets identified by the red

color, which radius values are 8mm were recognized.

Detecting Fillets and Rounds by Specifying Ranges of Radius Values

1. Click the Part Analysis icon again.

The Part Analysis dialog box appears. You can notice that the values and colors defined in the

previous steps are still displayed in the dialog box.

Rounds

2. To colorize rounds or fillets as per range of radius value, you need to add colorization rules of

the range type: set the Range option.

The second radius field is activated.

3. Enter a value in each range field. Range type rule means, fillets/rounds within that range are

colored with that rule

4. Set a color. For example select the brown color.

5. Click Add to validate the rule.

The dialog box must look like this:

6. Once done, click OK to compute the results and close the dialog box.

Fillets

7. If you wish to define ranges of values for recognizing fillets, just repeat the same previous

steps, paying attention to defining distinct colors.

Deleting Colorization RulesYou can delete rules whenever you wish to. For this you, just need to right-click on the added

rule to select the Delete rule contextual command that appears.

Simplifying a Part

Generally, creating features makes the part more and more complex because it gradually adds faces to the resulting geometry.

This task shows you how to quickly simplify a part so as to make FEM analyses easier and faster.




2. Simplifying a part means removing some of its faces created by fillets, holes or chamfers. For

the purpose of our scenario, select Holes and Fillets.

3. Select RemoveFace only.

4. Click OK to confirm the operation.

All the fillets and holes have been removed. Four RemoveFace features appear in the

specification tree.

Reworking a Part

Associative Part Design Feature Recognition enables you to modify locally a part by removing faces and redefining features from these faces. It enables quick associative modifications of a complex part without having to find out the localization of the previous specifications in the design tree.

It can be a way to change locally the specifications of the part:

● by adding new specifications to a set of faces

● by changing a feature type

● by breaking feature dependency

For example, as shown in the first scenario, if you have a pattern of holes and want to edit only one or two holes out of it, then you can re-specify that hole with Part Rework. The new hole definition is available if you want to edit it.

Part Rework is shown in manual mode in this task but it is also available in local feature recognition mode.

Open the HolePattern.CATPart document.



2. In this scenario we will break dependency of circular pattern of holes, so that one hole can be

edited without affecting other holes in the pattern. To use Feature Recognition as Part

Rework, just check the Both option at the bottom of the dialog.

Apart from isolated solid, Part Rework can also be used with any part design feature as In

Work Object.

When any part design feature is in Work Object and not an isolated solid, then Feature

Creation Options is by default set to Both i.e. for Part Rework mode.

3. Check Hole in the dialog box and select the red face of the hole as shown:


RemoveFace.1 and Hole.2 features are created as shown in the specification tree:

This newly defined holes can be edited without affecting other holes in the pattern.

Now, if you want to get original specification tree, you can easily get it by deleting

RemoveFace.1 and Hole.2. Thus Part Rework ensures that you obtain desired results without

changing original specification tree.

Breaking Face Continuity

Part Rework can even be used to break face continuity as illustrated in the example below. To

perform the scenario, create a pad as shown here.

If you try to draft the yellow face, then the green face and blue fillet face will also get drafted

with the same angle value, because of tangency. So if you want to draft these two faces with

different angles, it is not possible with this specification tree, but Part Rework makes it

possible.


6. First recognize the blue fillet. To do so, check Fillet in the dialog box and select the blue fillet.

7. Check the Both option at the bottom of the dialog.


RemoveFace.1 and EdgeFillet.1 features are created as shown in the specification tree:

9. Now set RemoveFace.1 as In Work Object and then draft the two (yellow and green) faces

with different angles as desired and then again set EdgeFillet.1 as In Work Object, you will

obtain the desired results.

Making the Most of the Application

The following paragraphs deal with ways of improving your use of the application.● Order of Feature Recognition

● Identifying Multiple Solutions

● Chaining Faces for Boolean Operations

● Selecting Faces

● Handling Deactivated Features Created by Part Design Feature Recognition

Order of Feature Recognition

The order in which you should recognize features must be the reverse of one of the possible orders of feature creation. For instance, if you try to recognize a pad after selecting this face, the operation will fail.

To recognize the pad, first of all you must recognize the pocket so as to remove the faces, and then, you will be able to recognize the pad.

Identifying Multiple Solutions

The application provides a fine control over the way a set of faces is recognized as a given feature. For instance, you can control the feature to be recognized by using options such as Up to face or by selecting edges instead of faces for pad or pocket recognition. However, there are still cases where there are different ways in which faces can be removed.

This is the case of this part:

There are several ways of recognizing the green face. You can recognize it as a groove, as a hole or as a pocket. If you decide to recognize it as a pocket, again you can choose between two solutions. The final simplified solid you can obtain is either a pocket whose profile is a complete circle or an arc as illustrated here:

Which is the best solution?

To answer this question, you need to consider different factors many of which depend on the context. Giving a general answer is therefore not possible. However, the application attempts to provide the solution that represents the most intuitive way of creating the part. Thus, in our example, the second solution is the solution provided by the application.

Chaining Faces for Boolean Operations Since there is no chaining for Boolean recognition, you can make use of the chaining functionality of

other feature types. For instance, if the Boolean feature to be recognized is somewhat like a groove, then you can choose Groove and pick a face with the Chain Faces optionon. This will lead to several faces getting selected. If now you switch the feature type to Boolean, the faces will still be selected, and can be used for Boolean recognition.

Selecting Faces

● It might be sometimes difficult to select the faces you need for recognition. Some parts may require that you hide bodies prior to selecting the faces.

● Only faces and edges belonging to the In Work Object can be selected.

● You can select only faces that are appropriate for the feature type being recognized. For instance, you cannot select planar faces for fillet recognition.

Handling Deactivated Features Created by Part Design Feature Recognition

Most often, deactivated features are not due to the application failures, it is just that whenever the application cannot create the features it recognizes, it deactivates those features. This behavior is valid for any feature type. What you need to do, is edit the feature and add the right specifications as much as possible.

Workbench DescriptionThe Part Design Feature Recognition window looks like this:

Click the sensitive Feature Recognition icon to see the related documentation or refer to the Part Design Workbench Description to access information about the other toolbars.



See

● Entering the Workbench

● User Tasks

See Recognizing Features Automatically

See Identifying the Constant Radius Fillets and Rounds of a Part

Index

Aannotations

automatic recognition

Bblue

Boolean features Both

option

Ccanceling recognition

chaining faces

chamfer command

copy as result constant fillet

fillet

constraints contextual command

Define in Work Object

Delete rule

RemoveAll

RemoveSel copy as result

command

counterbored hole

counterdrilled hole

countersunk hole

current object

DDefine in Work Object

contextual command Delete rule

contextual command

draft

Eedge entering

Part Design Feature Recognition workbench

Ffaces

selection

fillet

constant fillet

variable fillet

Ggroove

Hhole

LLocal Feature Recognition (LFR)

Mmanual recognition

Ooption

Both

Parametric only

RemoveFace only

Show Labels order

selection

Ppad Parametric only

option

Part Analysis

part analysis Part Design Feature Recognition workbench

entering

Part Rework

pocket

publications

purple

RRemoveAll

contextual command RemoveFace only

option RemoveSel

contextual command

round

Sselection

faces

order

set of faces

shaft Show Labels

option

specifications

Uup to face

variable fillet

fillet

V

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