T-FLEX CAD User Manual. Fundamentals. 2D Design

T-FLEX Parametric CAD FUNDAMENTALS. TWO-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN

USER MANUAL

Top Systems Moscow, 2008

Copyright 2008 Top Systems This Software and Related Documentation are proprietary to Top Systems. Any copying of this documentation, except as permitted in the applicable license agreement, is expressly prohibited. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Top Systems who assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions that may appear in this documentation. Trademarks: T-FLEX Parametric CAD, T-FLEX Parametric Pro, T-FLEX CAD, T-FLEX CAD 3D are trademarks of Top Systems. Parasolid is a trademark of Siemens PLM Software. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Edition 11.2

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .........................................................................................................17 Features and Area of Application.................................................................................................................18 Conventions Adopted in the T-FLEX CAD Guidelines.............................................................................. 20

System Fundamentals. Customization .............................................................23 Getting Started ............................................................................................................................................... 24

System Requirements..................................................................................................................................24 Hardware Requirements........................................................................................................................................ 24 Software Requirements ......................................................................................................................................... 24

T-FLEX CAD System Setup.......................................................................................................................25 Running Installation .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Installing Hardware Protection Key ...................................................................................................................... 25 What is Going on in Setup?................................................................................................................................... 25 The T-FLEX CAD Main Window Layout ............................................................................................................ 25 Service Windows and Elements of Control of T-FLEX CAD .............................................................................. 27 Working with Tool Windows................................................................................................................................ 29

Drawing Basic Terms..................................................................................................................................32 Construction Entities ............................................................................................................................................. 32 Graphic Entities..................................................................................................................................................... 33 Auxiliary Elements................................................................................................................................................ 36

Drawing Techniques ...................................................................................................................................36 Creating Parametric Drawing in T-FLEX CAD.................................................................................................... 37 Creating Non-Parametric Drawing (Sketch) in T-FLEX CAD ............................................................................. 38 Fast Drawing Creation. Automatic Parametrics .................................................................................................... 38

Quick Reference on User Interface .............................................................................................................38 Getting Help.......................................................................................................................................................... 38 Mouse Interface. Context Menu............................................................................................................................ 38 Calling a Command............................................................................................................................................... 40 Canceling a Command .......................................................................................................................................... 43 Starting System, Saving Drawing, Exiting System ............................................................................................... 43 Function Keys ....................................................................................................................................................... 45

Brief Introductory Course.............................................................................................................................47 Creating Parametric Drawing......................................................................................................................47 Creating Sketch, Non-parametric Drawing.................................................................................................60 Creating a parametric drawing in the automatic parameterization mode....................................................68

Main Concepts of System Operation............................................................................................................79 Document Management ..............................................................................................................................79

Creating New Document....................................................................................................................................... 79 Opening Document ............................................................................................................................................... 80 Panning and Zooming in Active Drawing Window .............................................................................................. 81 Status Bar .............................................................................................................................................................. 83 Toolbars ................................................................................................................................................................ 83 Birds Eye View Window ..................................................................................................................................... 87 Using Model Menu ............................................................................................................................................... 88

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Rulers .................................................................................................................................................................... 88 Property Window .................................................................................................................................................. 88 Automenu .............................................................................................................................................................. 89 Dynamic Toolbar................................................................................................................................................... 90

Active Drawing Window.............................................................................................................................91 Document tabs....................................................................................................................................................... 91 Document Window View with Turned on/off Document Tabs............................................................................. 91 Selection of active window ................................................................................................................................... 93 Drawing Window Scrollbars ................................................................................................................................. 94 Arranging document windows with turned on document tabs .............................................................................. 94 Arranging Document Windows with Turned off Tabs.......................................................................................... 96 Additional window of document ........................................................................................................................... 99 Splitting Drawing Window.................................................................................................................................. 100 Closing document window.................................................................................................................................. 101 Flagged Commands............................................................................................................................................. 102 Managing Multi-Page Documents....................................................................................................................... 102

Information Window .................................................................................................................................102 Creating and Editing Drawing Elements...................................................................................................103

Snapping Mode. Snap Types............................................................................................................................... 104 Using Grid ........................................................................................................................................................... 108 General Concepts of Element Creation ............................................................................................................... 109 General Concepts of Editing Elements................................................................................................................ 111 Copying element properties through clipboard ................................................................................................... 115 Limiting Element Selection. Using Selector and Filter ....................................................................................... 115 Element Search.................................................................................................................................................... 119 Moving, Copying, Transforming Elements. Working with Clipboard ................................................................ 120 Undoing User Actions ......................................................................................................................................... 121 General Principles of Assigning Parameters. Assigning Variables to Parameters .............................................. 121

Setting Common Parameters of System Elements ....................................................................................124 Color.................................................................................................................................................................... 124 Layer ................................................................................................................................................................... 125 Level.................................................................................................................................................................... 126 Priority................................................................................................................................................................. 127

Controlling Element Visibility ..................................................................................................................128 Checking spelling for drawing ..................................................................................................................130

Customizing System .....................................................................................................................................131 Setting Options. Dialog of Set System Options Command ...................................................................131

User Info Tab ................................................................................................................................................... 131 Preferences Tab................................................................................................................................................ 132 Files Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 134 Save Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 135 Colors Tab ....................................................................................................................................................... 135 Fragments Tab ................................................................................................................................................. 136 Snap Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 137 Windows Tab................................................................................................................................................... 138 Folders Tab ...................................................................................................................................................... 139 BOM Tab ......................................................................................................................................................... 140 3D Tab ............................................................................................................................................................. 140

Customizing Toolbars and Keyboard........................................................................................................144 Controlling Toolbar Visibility ............................................................................................................................. 145 Toolbars Tab .................................................................................................................................................... 145

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Commands Tab................................................................................................................................................ 146 Keyboard Tab .................................................................................................................................................. 147 Main toolbar tab............................................................................................................................................... 148 Environment Tab ............................................................................................................................................. 149 Options tab....................................................................................................................................................... 151 3D Input Device Tab ....................................................................................................................................... 152

Saving User Settings. Environments.........................................................................................................153 Adding user's commands ..........................................................................................................................154

Customizing Drawing ..................................................................................................................................157 Customizing Drawing. Dialog of Set Model Status Command.............................................................157

General Tab ..................................................................................................................................................... 158 Font Tab........................................................................................................................................................... 160 Dimensions Tab............................................................................................................................................... 161 Alternative Dimensions Tab ............................................................................................................................ 163 Lines Tab ......................................................................................................................................................... 164 Preferences Tab ............................................................................................................................................... 165 Colors Tab ....................................................................................................................................................... 167 Screen Tab ....................................................................................................................................................... 168 Preview Tab..................................................................................................................................................... 169 Symbols Tab.................................................................................................................................................... 170 3D Tab ............................................................................................................................................................. 171

Default Parameters ....................................................................................................................................172 Libraries........................................................................................................................................................ 174

Library Configurations and Model Menus................................................................................................174 Context Menu of Model Menu Window ...............................................................................................174 Library Configuration Management Commands ......................................................................................178

Pages ..............................................................................................................................................................180 General Information..................................................................................................................................180 Managing Document Pages.......................................................................................................................181

Working with Page Tabs. Tabs Control .............................................................................................................. 181 Creating New Pages ............................................................................................................................................ 182 Working with Dialog Pages ............................................................................................................................ 183 Modifying Page Parameters ................................................................................................................................ 184

Special Handling of Multi-Page Documents.............................................................................................185

Drawing Creation ..............................................................................................187 Construction Entities............................................................................................................ 188

Lines ..............................................................................................................................................................188 Constructing Lines ....................................................................................................................................188

Line Construction Techniques ............................................................................................................................ 191 Lines Created from 2D Projection, 2D Fragment, or Copy................................................................................. 198

Line Parameters.........................................................................................................................................199 Truncated Lines................................................................................................................................................... 199 Using Numerical Parameters............................................................................................................................... 200

Editing Lines .............................................................................................................................................202 Modifying Relations between Construction Lines .............................................................................................. 204 Deleting Construction Lines................................................................................................................................ 204

Circles............................................................................................................................................................205 Circle Construction Examples...................................................................................................................205


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Constructing Circles ..................................................................................................................................208 Various Ways of Constructing Circles ................................................................................................................ 210 Circles Constructed Based on 2D Projection, 2D Fragment or Copy.................................................................. 216

Circle Parameters ......................................................................................................................................216 Editing Circles...........................................................................................................................................217

Ellipses...........................................................................................................................................................218 Constructing Ellipses.................................................................................................................................218

Ellipses Construction Techniques ....................................................................................................................... 218 Ellipses Created from 2D Projection, 2D Fragment or Copy .............................................................................. 222

Ellipse Parameters .....................................................................................................................................223 Editing Ellipses .........................................................................................................................................223

Nodes..............................................................................................................................................................225 Creating Nodes..........................................................................................................................................225 Nodes Based on Construction Entities ......................................................................................................227 Free Nodes .............................................................................................................................................230 Nodes from Fragment. Node Names .........................................................................................................231 Nodes from 2D Projections .......................................................................................................................233 Nodes Lying on Characteristic Points of Entities......................................................................................233

Splines............................................................................................................................................................234 Main Concepts...........................................................................................................................................234 Constructing Splines .................................................................................................................................235 Spline Parameters ......................................................................................................................................237 Editing Splines ..........................................................................................................................................237

Offset Curves ................................................................................................................................................239 Creating Offset Curves..............................................................................................................................239 Offset Parameters ......................................................................................................................................241 Editing Offsets...........................................................................................................................................241

Functions .......................................................................................................................................................243 Defining the Function................................................................................................................................243 Evolvent Creation Example.......................................................................................................................247 Editing Function Spline.............................................................................................................................248

Paths ..............................................................................................................................................................249 Constructing 2D Paths...............................................................................................................................249 2D Path Parameters ...................................................................................................................................252 Editing 2D Paths........................................................................................................................................252

Editing the Type of a Particular Path Segment.................................................................................................... 252 Deleting a Node inside Path Contour .................................................................................................................. 253 Modifying a Node Position within Path Contour ................................................................................................ 254 Creation of Additional Nodes on a Path Contour ................................................................................................ 254 Displaying the Contour Point Numbers............................................................................................................... 255

Creating Drawing Lines........................................................................................................256 Graphic Lines ...............................................................................................................................................256

Creating Graphic Lines .............................................................................................................................256 Switching Drawing Mode. Free and Constrained Drawing Modes.............................................................. 258 Graphic Line Parameters ..................................................................................................................................... 258 Using Construction Entity Selection Options...................................................................................................... 260 Example of Creating a Chain of Graphic Lines................................................................................................... 263 A Few Tips on Creating Graphic Lines............................................................................................................... 264

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Basic Rules of Graphic Line Creation................................................................................................................. 264 Using Grid in Free Drawing Mode .................................................................................................................. 264

Editing Graphic Lines ...............................................................................................................................265 Sketch. Creating a Non-parametric Drawing. Automatic parameterization mode ...............................270

Creating Lines in a Drawing .....................................................................................................................270 Two working modes of the command SK: Create Sketch............................................................................. 270 Using Property Window...................................................................................................................................... 271 Continuous Line Input......................................................................................................................................... 271 Using Offset from Node...................................................................................................................................... 272 Creating Line Segments ...................................................................................................................................... 272 Constructing Arcs................................................................................................................................................ 275 Creating a Circle ................................................................................................................................................. 278 Creating Polygons ............................................................................................................................................... 280 Creating Ellipses and Elliptical Arcs................................................................................................................... 281 Constructing Splines ........................................................................................................................................... 283 Creating Fillets and Chamfers............................................................................................................................. 284 Center Lines ........................................................................................................................................................ 285 Creating Offsets .................................................................................................................................................. 285 Manipulations with Line Segments..................................................................................................................... 286 Graphic Line Parameters..................................................................................................................................... 288

Working in the Automatic Parameterization Mode ..................................................................................288 Editing Sketch ...........................................................................................................................................291

Editing a Line Segment ....................................................................................................................................... 292 Editing a Circle, Ellipse, Arc and Elliptical Arc ................................................................................................. 293 Editing Spline...................................................................................................................................................... 293

Detailing Elements............................................................................................................... 295 Hatches and Fills ..........................................................................................................................................295

Applying Hatches......................................................................................................................................295 Hatch Parameters ......................................................................................................................................296

Filling Tab ....................................................................................................................................................... 296 Outline Tab...................................................................................................................................................... 299 Defining Hatch Parameters on the System Toolbar ............................................................................................ 299

Defining Hatch Contour............................................................................................................................299 Automatic Hatch Contour Search Mode ............................................................................................................. 299 Manual Hatch Contour Input Mode .................................................................................................................... 300

Editing Hatches and Fills ..........................................................................................................................303 Modifying Hatch or Fill Parameters.................................................................................................................... 303 Deleting the Whole Hatch or Fill ........................................................................................................................ 303 Adding a Contour to a Hatch or Fill.................................................................................................................... 304 Redefining Hatch Contour .................................................................................................................................. 304 Defining the Hatch Start Point ............................................................................................................................ 304 Displaying the Contour Point Numbers of a Hatch............................................................................................. 304 Editing a Particular Contour................................................................................................................................ 305

Dimensions .................................................................................................................................................... 311 Applying Dimensions ...............................................................................................................................311

Dimensions between Two Straight Lines or between Line and Node................................................................. 312 Dimensions between Two Nodes ........................................................................................................................ 315 Angular Dimension by Four Nodes..................................................................................................................... 316 Linear Dimension by Three Nodes ..................................................................................................................... 317 Creating Arc Length Dimension ......................................................................................................................... 318


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Creating Dimension by Cone .............................................................................................................................. 319 Dimensioning a Single Graphic Entity ................................................................................................................ 320 Creating Dimension Chains................................................................................................................................. 320 Creating Ordinate Dimensions (Level Markers) ................................................................................................. 322 Dimensioning a Circle......................................................................................................................................... 323 Creating Radial Dimension with Jog on Leader Line.......................................................................................... 324 Drawing Leader Dimension ................................................................................................................................ 325

Dimension Parameters...............................................................................................................................326 Value section ................................................................................................................................................... 326 Strings section ................................................................................................................................................. 328 Tolerance section............................................................................................................................................. 329 Style section .................................................................................................................................................... 330 Arrows section................................................................................................................................................. 331 Units section .................................................................................................................................................... 331 Alternative dimension section ......................................................................................................................... 332 Options section ................................................................................................................................................ 333 Special about Defining Angular Dimension Parameters ..................................................................................... 333 Special about Defining Parameters for Dimensions on Circles........................................................................... 334 Special about Defining Parameters of Ordinate Dimensions .............................................................................. 334 Working with the dimension parameters dialog.................................................................................................. 334 Parameters for New Dimensions (Default Parameters) ....................................................................................... 334 Copying Parameters from Existing Dimensions.................................................................................................. 335

Editing Dimensions ...................................................................................................................................336 Working with dimensions in the 3D window............................................................................................338

Text ................................................................................................................................................................340 Creating Text.............................................................................................................................................340 Default Text Parameters ............................................................................................................................341

Style Tab.......................................................................................................................................................... 341 Font Tab........................................................................................................................................................... 342

Creating String Text ..................................................................................................................................343 Subscript and Superscript Text. Use of Variables in Text ........................................................................345 Editing String Text ....................................................................................................................................346 Creating Paragraph Text............................................................................................................................348

Defining Text Position and Size.......................................................................................................................... 348 Inputting Text Contents....................................................................................................................................... 349

Editing Paragraph Text..............................................................................................................................356 Creating and Editing Multiline Text .........................................................................................................360 Creating and Editing Tables ......................................................................................................................361

Table Properties................................................................................................................................................... 364 Working with Dictionary...........................................................................................................................366

Inserting Text from Dictionary............................................................................................................................ 368 Creating New Records in the Dictionary............................................................................................................. 369

Leader Notes .................................................................................................................................................371 Creating Leader Notes...............................................................................................................................371 Leader Note Parameters ............................................................................................................................373

Coordinates Section......................................................................................................................................... 373 Leader Section................................................................................................................................................. 374 Arrow Section.................................................................................................................................................. 374 Multiple Leader Section .................................................................................................................................. 375 Options Section ............................................................................................................................................... 375

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Leader Note Examples ........................................................................................................................................ 375 Leader Note Parameters Dialog .......................................................................................................................... 376 Defining Default Parameters ............................................................................................................................... 376

User's Defined Leader Notes.....................................................................................................................376 Editing Leader Notes ................................................................................................................................377

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Symbols. Datum symbols .................................................... 380 Creating Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing and Datum Symbols...............................................380

Creating GD&T Symbol ..................................................................................................................................... 380 Creating Leader or GD&T Symbols with Leader ............................................................................................... 382 Creating Leader or Datum with Leader............................................................................................................... 383

GD&T Symbol Parameters .......................................................................................................................384 Editing GD&T Symbols............................................................................................................................386

Roughness Symbols ...................................................................................................................................... 388 Creating Roughness Notation ...................................................................................................................388 Roughness Parameters ..............................................................................................................................391

Roughness Parameters Dialog............................................................................................................................. 392 Defining Default Parameters ............................................................................................................................... 392

Editing Roughness Symbol .......................................................................................................................393 Section View.................................................................................................................................................. 395

Creating Section View ..............................................................................................................................395 Two-Point Section............................................................................................................................................... 395 Multiple-Point Section ........................................................................................................................................ 396 Section Properties................................................................................................................................................ 397 Arrow View......................................................................................................................................................... 398 View Notation ..................................................................................................................................................... 400

Editing View Notation ..............................................................................................................................401 Axes Creation ............................................................................................................................................... 402

Axes Creation............................................................................................................................................402 Parameters of Axes ...................................................................................................................................403 Editing Axes..............................................................................................................................................403

Chamfers....................................................................................................................................................... 404 Chamfer Creation......................................................................................................................................404

Chamfer Creation by a Node through which the Hatch Contour is Passing........................................................ 404 Chamfer Creation by Graphic Lines ................................................................................................................... 405

Chamfer Parameters ..................................................................................................................................406 Supplementary Drawing Elements ...................................................................................... 408

Drawing Views. Detail Views ......................................................................................................................408 Main Concepts ..........................................................................................................................................408 Creating Drawing Views...........................................................................................................................409

Working with Draggers of Drawing View .......................................................................................................... 410 Creating Drawing View ...................................................................................................................................... 411 Creating Detail View........................................................................................................................................... 412 Creating Detail View with Caption ..................................................................................................................... 414

Particulars of Scaling Drawing Views ......................................................................................................416 Editing Drawing Views.............................................................................................................................417

Editing a Drawing View...................................................................................................................................... 417 Editing the Image on a Drawing View................................................................................................................ 418


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Pictures and OLE Objects ...........................................................................................................................422 Pictures ......................................................................................................................................................422

Connection with Source File. Links Mechanism................................................................................................. 422 Methods of Fixing on Drawings.......................................................................................................................... 422 Creating Picture................................................................................................................................................... 423 Creating Internal Picture with Preserved Connection with Source File .............................................................. 425 Setting Transparent Color.................................................................................................................................... 425 Repeated Picture Insertion................................................................................................................................... 426 Editing Pictures ................................................................................................................................................... 426 Editing Single Picture.......................................................................................................................................... 426 Editing Several Pictures ...................................................................................................................................... 428 Updating Internal Pictures................................................................................................................................... 428

Inserting OLE Objects...............................................................................................................................428

Drawing Editing.................................................................................................431 Moving and Copying Drawing Elements. Arrays. Use of Clipboard.......................................................432

Moving, Copying and Array Creation Commands....................................................................................432 Calling the Commands ........................................................................................................................................ 432 The Common Options of the Moving, Copying and Array Creation Commands ............................................... 434 Common Options of Moving Commands............................................................................................................ 436 Common Options of Copying and Array Creation Commands........................................................................... 438 Translation........................................................................................................................................................... 439 Rotation ............................................................................................................................................................... 440 Scaling................................................................................................................................................................. 441 Symmetry ............................................................................................................................................................ 442 Linear Array ........................................................................................................................................................ 442 Circular Array...................................................................................................................................................... 443 Calling the Commands in Transparent Mode...................................................................................................... 444

Editing Copy or Array...............................................................................................................................444 Copying via Clipboard ..............................................................................................................................447

Element Replacement...................................................................................................................................451 Drawing Modification via Dimensions .......................................................................................................454

Dimension value modification command..................................................................................................454 "Recalculate Dimensions to middle of tolerance field" command............................................................455

Relations ........................................................................................................................................................458 Using Relations when Working with Drawings........................................................................................458 Creating Relations with the Command REL: Element Relations ..........................................................460 Managing Relations Visibility outside REL: Element Relations Command.........................................462 Displaying Relations in the Info Command Window............................................................................462

Variables and Related Parametric Tools.........................................................463 Variables........................................................................................................................................................464

Main Concepts...........................................................................................................................................464 Creating Variables............................................................................................................................................... 464 Variables Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................... 464

Work in Variables Editor ..........................................................................................................................468 Window of Variables Editor................................................................................................................................ 468 Creating Variable ................................................................................................................................................ 469

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Properties of Variable. Creating List of Variable's Values ................................................................................. 470 Removing Variable ............................................................................................................................................. 473 Diagnostics of Errors........................................................................................................................................... 474 Canceling Operations in Variables Editor........................................................................................................... 474 Customizing Window of Variables Editor .......................................................................................................... 474 Grouping Area. Grouping of Variables ............................................................................................................... 476 Sorting Variables................................................................................................................................................. 479 Finding Variables ................................................................................................................................................ 480 Copying Variables............................................................................................................................................... 480 Writing Variables to External File ...................................................................................................................... 481 Printing List of Variables .................................................................................................................................... 482

Working with Variables Editor in Transparent Mode...............................................................................483 Editing External Variables ........................................................................................................................484 Use of Variables in T-FLEX CAD............................................................................................................484

Variables and Construction Lines ....................................................................................................................... 484 Variables and Visibility Levels ........................................................................................................................... 486

Variable Dependency................................................................................................................................487 Attachment I. Rules for Writing Expressions. Functions for Working with Variables ............................489

Expression........................................................................................................................................................... 489 Members of Expressions ..................................................................................................................................... 489 Instructions (Operations) Used in Expressions ................................................................................................... 489 Logical Operations .............................................................................................................................................. 491 Standard Mathematical Functions ....................................................................................................................... 492 T-FLEX CAD Functions..................................................................................................................................... 493 Database Management Functions........................................................................................................................ 495

Attachment II. Examples of Using Some Functions .................................................................................497 Using Functions ATOT (), LTOT (), SATOT (), SLTOT () ............................................................................... 497 Using Function GET ()........................................................................................................................................ 498 Using Functions DISTANCE() and MEASURE().............................................................................................. 503 Using Function CHECK () .................................................................................................................................. 505

Measure Elements and Relations between Them......................................................................................506 Conducting Measurements........................................................................................................................506

Measuring Parameters of Single Element ........................................................................................................... 506 Measuring Relations between Two Elements ..................................................................................................... 507

Additional Methods of Calling Command................................................................................................508 Calling Command from Context Menu............................................................................................................... 508 Calling Command in Transparent Mode when Defining Parameters of 2D or 3D Elements.............................. 508

Measurable Parameters and Relations ......................................................................................................509 Measurable Parameters ....................................................................................................................................... 509 Measured Relations............................................................................................................................................. 511

Global Variables...........................................................................................................................................513 Databases ...................................................................................................................................................... 515

Creating Internal Database........................................................................................................................516 Functions for Getting Values from Internal Databases.............................................................................518

Function REC...................................................................................................................................................... 518 Function FREC ................................................................................................................................................... 518 Function VAL ..................................................................................................................................................... 519 Function FIND .................................................................................................................................................... 519

Database Editor Commands......................................................................................................................520 Databases by Reference ............................................................................................................................523


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Creating and Editing External Databases ..................................................................................................524 Functions for Getting Values from External Databases: DBF () and DBFWIN () .............................................. 524 Function for Getting Values from External Databases: MDB()........................................................................... 525

Control Elements. Creating User Defined Dialog Boxes...........................................................................526 General Information ..................................................................................................................................526

Types of control elements ................................................................................................................................... 526 Dialog pages........................................................................................................................................................ 528 Multipage dialogs ................................................................................................................................................ 528 General principles of creating control elements .................................................................................................. 528 Parameters of control elements ........................................................................................................................... 529

Dialog Box Creation..................................................................................................................................531 Use of the Dialog.......................................................................................................................................536 Parametricity of Custom Dialogs ..............................................................................................................538 Working with Multiple Dialogs ................................................................................................................539 Control Elements Modification .................................................................................................................544

Optimization .................................................................................................................................................547 Main Concepts...........................................................................................................................................547 Optimization Task Definition....................................................................................................................547 Examples of Using Optimization ..............................................................................................................549

Idler Roller Positioning Task............................................................................................................................... 549 Bottle Volume Optimization Task....................................................................................................................... 551

Assembly Drawings ..........................................................................................553 Basic Fundamentals and Concepts of Working with Assemblies ............................................................554

Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................554 Specifics of Handling Assembly Drawings...............................................................................................555

Assembly Drawing Creation Techniques ............................................................................................................ 555 Ways of Attaching the Fragment Image to the Assembly Drawing .................................................................... 555 Use of Fragment Variables.................................................................................................................................. 557 Visibility Management of Fragment Drawing Elements ..................................................................................... 558 Hidden Line Removal in Assembly Drawing...................................................................................................... 559 Snapping the Fragment Elements ........................................................................................................................ 559 Assembly BOM Creation .................................................................................................................................... 560 Detailing Drawings Based on Fragments ............................................................................................................ 560 Exploding Fragments .......................................................................................................................................... 561 Use of Connectors ............................................................................................................................................... 561

Composition Document. Embedded Fragments........................................................................................563 List of Commands Used in Assembly Design...........................................................................................563

Bottom-Up Design ....................................................................................................................................566 Ways of Attaching Fragments ...................................................................................................................566

Fixing Vectors. Connectors ................................................................................................................................. 567 Fixing Points ....................................................................................................................................................... 571

Inserting Fragments into a Drawing..........................................................................................................573 Selecting Fragment File....................................................................................................................................... 576 Selecting Fragment from Library ........................................................................................................................ 576 Defining Fragment External Variables................................................................................................................ 576 Defining Fragment Placement in the Assembly Drawing ................................................................................... 580 Repetitive Fragment Insertion ............................................................................................................................. 584 Fragment Parameters ........................................................................................................................................... 585

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Top-Down Design .....................................................................................................................................589 Managing Fragments in Assembly Context ........................................................................................................ 590 Extracting Fragment from Assembly Drawing ................................................................................................... 591

Editing Fragments........................................................................................................................................593 General Information about Fragment Editing ...........................................................................................593 Ways to Edit Fragments ............................................................................................................................596

Modifying Fragment Attachment........................................................................................................................ 596 Clipping Fragment by Hatch ............................................................................................................................... 597 Editing External Variables Using Draggers ........................................................................................................ 597 Variables Editing for Several Fragments ............................................................................................................ 597 Using Clipboard for Fragment Variables ............................................................................................................ 598 Editing Fragment in Assembly Context .............................................................................................................. 598 Updating Fragments Files ................................................................................................................................... 599

Bill of Materials .................................................................................................601 Bill of Materials ............................................................................................................................................ 602

Working with BOM ..................................................................................................................................602 BOM Composition....................................................................................................................................604 Preparing Data for BOM...........................................................................................................................606 Creating BOM...........................................................................................................................................609

Creating BOM on New Drawing Page or New Document ................................................................................. 610 Creating BOM on Existing Drawing Page .......................................................................................................... 611 Creating BOM from Empty Prototype ................................................................................................................ 612 Switching Between the Assembly and BOM Document..................................................................................... 613 Filling in BOM Title Block................................................................................................................................. 613

Editing BOM Groups ................................................................................................................................614 BOM Properties ........................................................................................................................................615

BOM Tab......................................................................................................................................................... 615 Groups Tab ...................................................................................................................................................... 617 Columns Tab.................................................................................................................................................... 618 Sort Tab ........................................................................................................................................................... 620 Sum Tab........................................................................................................................................................... 622

Editing BOM.............................................................................................................................................622 Deleting BOM...........................................................................................................................................625

Deleting Whole BOM ......................................................................................................................................... 625 Deleting Empty BOM Pages ............................................................................................................................... 625

Setting Positions in Assembly...................................................................................................................626 Editing Positions .......................................................................................................................................629 Creating and Editing BOM Prototype.......................................................................................................630

Creating BOM Prototype Based on Existing Prototype ...................................................................................... 631 Creating BOM Prototype Based on Empty Template...................................................................................... 631

Printing Documents..........................................................................................639 Printing Documents .....................................................................................................................................640

Printing a Single Document ......................................................................................................................640 Printing Several Documents......................................................................................................................642

Forming the Structure of Documents Pack ......................................................................................................... 643 Print Module Options.......................................................................................................................................... 646


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Auto Layout of the Documents Pack................................................................................................................... 647 Manual Layout of Documents Pack................................................................................................................. 648 Change of Parameters for Pages of Base Document. Adding/Deleting Pages .................................................... 651 Printing Composed Pack of Documents .............................................................................................................. 652

Service Commands and Tools .........................................................................653 Animation......................................................................................................................................................654

Animating Model by Command "Animate Model" ..................................................................................654 "Animation Screenplay" Application ........................................................................................................657

Creating New Diagram........................................................................................................................................ 658 Adding/Modifying Diagram Points ..................................................................................................................... 659 Selecting Diagram Nodes .................................................................................................................................... 661 Deleting Diagram Nodes ..................................................................................................................................... 661 Smoothing Diagram ............................................................................................................................................ 661 Grid ..................................................................................................................................................................... 662 Driven Diagrams ................................................................................................................................................. 663 General Animation Parameters............................................................................................................................ 663 Zooming Diagram Window................................................................................................................................. 664 Manipulating Animation ..................................................................................................................................... 665

Example: Clock Ticking Animation..........................................................................................................666 Example: Disassembling a Pyramid..........................................................................................................668

Preview/Slide.................................................................................................................................................671 Creating Preview .......................................................................................................................................671 Creating Icons ...........................................................................................................................................672

Exporting and Importing Documents.........................................................................................................675 Exporting Documents................................................................................................................................676 Importing Documents................................................................................................................................684

Links. Managing Composite Documents....................................................................................................691 Links Management ....................................................................................................................................691 Moving Assemblies...................................................................................................................................693

Creating Custom Lines and Hatches ..........................................................................................................694 Graphic Lines ............................................................................................................................................694

Creating Line Pattern........................................................................................................................................... 694 Working with Custom-type Line......................................................................................................................... 695 Example of Creating Custom Line ...................................................................................................................... 695

Hatches ......................................................................................................................................................697 Creating Hatch Template..................................................................................................................................... 697 Working with Custom Hatches ........................................................................................................................... 697 Examples of Creating Simple Hatches ................................................................................................................ 697 Example of Creating Woody Hatch................................................................................................................. 699

Creating Libraries of Parametric Elements...............................................................................................700 Creating Parametric Library Elements ......................................................................................................700

Creating a Database............................................................................................................................................. 701 Creating Variables Relying on Databases ............................................

T-FLEX CAD User Manual. Fundamentals. 2D Design

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Transcript of T-FLEX CAD User Manual. Fundamentals. 2D Design