CATIA software is the mainstream of the automobile industry, the world's top 20 auto enterprise at 18 using CATIA as the core design software, in shortening the period of the development of new models plays an important role. If using CATIA software itself provide full interactive function while it is possible to complete design tasks, but some of the routine work is repetitive, need a lot of repetitive operation to complete, it will cost a lot of time. Previously, someone proposed a sideline repair based on UG software secondary development technique, and using CATIA software as mainstream software haven't this aspect of the development of precedent. If under the environment of CATIA software to realize the automatic formation of sideline repair will no doubt greatly enhance the working efficiency of the design engineer.
CATIA secondary development technology
Secondary development is to make software customization and specialization of effective means, it can make the software better service for the user, to raise the work efficiency and product quality of having the effect that cannot be underestimated. Figure 1 for the CATIA software provides users with a variety of secondary development interface.
Figure 1 secondary interface using CATIA software
1. The Automation API
Automation API is to use the Automation application interface (API) Automation of macros, for Automation components, log (Journaling), and the development of Visual Basic and JavaScript/Html, custom is a way of interaction. The custom mode allows the user to obtain the CATIA data model. By providing interactive way, let the user record operation process, through the VB Script or Java Script to record macros, which automatically generated code.
Have compatible with any OLE Automation API platform's ability to communicate. Automation technology is based on COM, and its core technology is to allow an application to another application. Automation technology is not acquiring and processing data directly, but indirectly through the exposure of the objects and attributes, use the object's methods and properties to capture, setting and process the data. Introduction to this method function limit is larger, but easily, restricted by CATIA version is smaller.
2. The KnowledgeWare
KnowledgeWare intelligent component is a kind of reactive, rule-based, goal-oriented custom way. It is a highly efficient reuse of specification, like application formula simply achieve group guidelines set, knowledge base and the V5 close integration in order to enhance processing capacity. It can be done by relevant stable specification defines knowledge capture of interaction. Intelligent component is a set of predefined is easy to use the service, it drives the management and reuse from function, standard step by step to the component and system implementation. It allows you to customize and integration of external code. It is used in three aspects: knowledge advisors, expert knowledge and product engineering optimization. Consultants are used to participate in design of the definition of embedded knowledge, contains a rule set, check, review and predefined Behavior (behaviors). The process of expert knowledge is based on rules, rules can be set, check and report. Product engineering optimization design goal oriented, it includes the optimization goal, criteria and the solving scheme.
3. The Interactive User Defined Feature
Interactive User Defined Feature Interactive User Defined features, is a type of custom development. By aggregating interaction to define new data types of the existing features, collecting the existing specification, the specified input, thus creating a "IUDF" (user defined features). "IUDF" can be by reference (Catalog) stored in a directory file. CATPart documents, it can be used interaction by the customer.
4. The CAA V5 c + + and Java API
C + + and Java application of CAA V5 interface, which is based on the component of custom development. That is what we call CAA (Component Application Architecture). It has the characteristics of strong interaction, integration and user defined functions, and has its own architecture. CAA CATIA is a set of c + + libraries, the libraries in CATIA runtime loading, the user can through the RADE module programming under vc + + programming environment, communicate with CATIA. This method can be the most efficient application development, but the entry difficult, restricted by CATIA version, technical information on this relatively rare in the country.
Stamping die sideline repair design principle
In the CAD software to calculate the sideline repair although accuracy is high, but the manual drawing a lot of work, some parts need to manually draw hundreds of trimming points, then in turn connected to get an accurate sideline repair, often take several days time.
As shown in figure 2 engine cover plate, for example illustrates stamping die sideline repair design principle.
Figure 2 sideline repair three-dimensional principle
1. The trimming points
As shown in figure 2, the "process supplement and flanging MBB line" (and product and process added surface boundary) on a certain point calculating method to the surface, and then calculate the normal plane respectively with "complement" and "flanging side" lines are shown in figure 2 "craft supplementary plane section line" and "flanging plane section line"; Trimming points on "technology supplementary plane section line" position as shown in figure 3, "trim" to "process supplement and flanging MBB line" line length is equal to "flanging plane section line" line length, line length in CATIA software can be calculated by measuring or formula. In this way can according to need to calculate the number of trimming, trimming points, the greater the density, the more the number of the sideline repair precision is higher.
Figure 3 sideline repair two-dimensional principle
2. The sideline repair
As shown in figure 2 "sideline repair" is in front of the "process added surface will calculate the trimming points sequence connected spline curve. Sideline repair directly affects the accuracy of the stamping parts of the drawing die and trimming die design and manufacturing cycle.
The program development process
In accordance with the above principle, we using CATIA software Automation application interface (API) Automation of secondary development method, using the Visual Basic programming language to implement the automatic drawing line. This procedure will be drawn sideline repair is divided into three functional interface to accomplish: (1) the choice method of curve, surface parts by way of creating trimming function interface. System requires user interaction in the interface selection reference curve (as shown in figure 1 "process supplement and flanging MBB line"), pick out "process added face" (as shown in figure 2), select inside (as shown in figure 2 "flange face"), set to face number (i.e., number of trimming points need to generate), set up after the click create, produce a corresponding number of trimming points; Choosing the way of two (2) create trimming function interface. The interface is the first step has been produced by regenerative between any two trimming points into several trim points, have the effect of local increase trimming point density, this interface increased interactive selecting starting point and end point of the operation, other operating the same as the first operation. (3) create trimming curve of the interface. This interface interaction choice only fix the edge of the surface (select "process added surface"), what we need are available on line.
Through the above three functions can be a few hours or even days of work to be done in a few minutes, usually only need described above (1) and (3) the two functions can get a satisfactory sideline repair, (2) use when necessary.
Figure 4 engine cover plate
Examples of application
This procedure applies to all of the white body to design the sideline repair stampings, embodied in the large complicated stampings efficiency is especially obvious. In figures 4 a vehicle engine cover plate as an example, half of the line length is 2500 mm, if you want to get a precise sideline repair requires 300 ~ 500 points, hand-painted complicated degree. For 300 trim points, for example (see chart), use of hand-painted and the efficiency of the automation design program made a contrast.
Operational efficiency contrast
Statistics in the table of manual operating time is in the continuous operation under the condition of complete the required time, usually a skilled engineer need two days time to complete the hand-painted, and using the secondary development program operating only takes 1 min, hundreds of trimming point is the automatic computer calculation, the calculation time is associated with the computer configuration, also only need 10 min or so commonly, improving the efficiency of design.
conclusion
Using CATIA software provides a good secondary development interface. Automation object programming (V5 Automation) easy to entry mode of secondary development, and can carry on the corresponding development according to their own needs, so as to greatly improve the work efficiency and therefore more suitable for the enterprise used as a secondary development. Described in this article the stamping die sideline repair automatic drawing design engineers from tedious manual operation, not only improve the efficiency, and ensure the accuracy.