Catia Assembly DEsign Journaling

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Assembly Design Journaling

Preface

Basic Tasks

Glossary

Index

Dassault Systmes 1994-2000. All rights reserved.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/CATEnglish/commain.doc/src/spenot.htmhttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/CATEnglish/commain.doc/src/conventions.htm


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Preface

e CATIA - Ass embly Design Jo urnal ing Guidehas been designed to show you how toeate assembly constraint starting from a CATIA script document. This book aims at illustrae several stages of creation you may encounter.

e information contained in this guide is specific to Version 5Release 5 of the CATIA -ssembly Designworkbench, which operates in a WINDOWS or UNIX workstation

vironment under the AIX, IRIX, SUN OS and HP-UX operating system.


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Basic Tasks

CATProductDocument

AssemblyBasics

AssemblyConstraints


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CATProduct Document

NewCATProduct

OpenCATProduct


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Create a CATProduct Document

efinition

eates a new assembly.

Methods

ocuments.Add

eates a document object and adds it to the documents collection.is document becomes the active one, and a window is created to accomodate it whichcomes the active window.

yntax

Documents.Add ( iDocType ) as DocumentocType as String

The type of the document to be created, here a CATProduct.= "Product"

xample

CATIA.Documents.Add ( "Product" )

unning The MacroOpen CATIA.1.

Load the CreateCATProduct1.CATScript macro.2.

Run the macro.3.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/CreateCATProduct1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/CreateCATProduct1.CATScript


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Open a CATProduct Document

efinition

pen an existing product.

Methods

ocuments.Open

pens and reads a document stored in a file, displays it in a new window, adds the documene documents collection and the window to the windows collection, and makes both thecument and the window the active ones.

yntax

Documents.Add ( iFileName ) as DocumentleName as String

The string containing the document name and path to be opened.

xample

CATIA.Documents.Open ( "C:\ProductDirectory\UserProduct.CATProduct " )

unning The Macro

Open CATIA.1.

Check in OpenCATProduct.CATScript the path to the Assembly Design Journaling Gudirectory sample.

2.

Load the OpenCATProduct1.CATScript macro.3.

Run the macro.4.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/OpenCATProduct1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/OpenCATProduct1.CATScript


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Assembly Basics

Properties

Reference

Update


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Properties

efinition

sembly properties.

roperties

onnections

eturns the collection object containing the constraints of the product.

yntax

Product.Connections as Constraints

xample

AssemblyConstraintsCollection = UserAssembly.Connections

roduct

mensions an object as assembly.

xample

Dim UserAssembly as Product

roductDocument

mensions an object as assembly document.

xample

Dim UserAssemblyDocument as ProductDocument
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Reference

efinition

eferences features in a assembly.

Methods

reateReferenceFromName

eturns a reference from a name.reference is an object that can stand for any geometrical object.eating references is mandatory for adding constraints between two components using Bre

ements of the representations of these components.

yntax

CreateReferenceFromName ( iLabel) as Reference

abelas String

The GenericNaming identification for an object.This is a cryptic form for "the edge surrounded by the face extruded from line.12 ofsketch.4 and the face...").

xample

Set UserReference = CATIA.ActiveDocument.Product.CreateReferenceFromName ( )

roperties

eference

mensions an object as reference.

xample

Dim UserReference as Reference

eferences

mensions an object as a references collection.

xample

Dim UserReferencesCollection as References
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Update

efinition

pdates an assembly.

Methods

pdate

pdates the assembly.

yntax

Update

xample

UserAssembly.Update


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Assembly Constraints

Constraints

CoincidenceConstraint

ContactConstraint

AngleConstraint

FixConstraintDeactivateActivateConstraint


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Constraints

efinition

onstraints assembly components.

Methods

ddMonoEltCst

eates a new constraint applying to a single geometric element and adds it to the constrainllection.

yntax

AddMonoEltCst ( iConstraintType, iElement) as Constraint

onstraintType as LongThe constraint type.See Type syntax.

ementas Reference

The geometric element to be constrained.

xample

Set UserConstraint = CATIA.ActiveDocument.Product.Constraints.AddMonoEltCst ( 0,UserReference )

ddBiEltCst

eates a new constraint applying to two geometric elements and adds it to the constraintsllection.

yntax

AddBiEltCst ( iConstraintType, iFirstElement, iSecondElement) as Constraint

onstraintType as Long

The constraint type.

See Type syntax.

rstElementas Reference

The first geometric element to be constrained.

econdElementas Reference

The second geometric element to be constrained.

xample

Set UserConstraint = CATIA.ActiveDocument.Product.Constraints.AddBiEltCst ( 0,UserReference1, UserReference2 )
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ddTriEltCst

eates a new constraint applying to three geometric elements and adds it to the constraintsllection.

yntax

AddTriEltCst ( iConstraintType, iFirstElement, iSecondElement, iThirdElement) asConstraint

onstraintType as Long

The constraint type.See Type syntax.

rstElementas Reference

The first geometric element to be constrained.

econdElementas Reference

The second geometric element to be constrained.

hirdElementas Reference

The second geometric element to be constrained.xample

Set UserConstraint = CATIA.ActiveDocument.Product.Constraints.AddTriEltCst ( 0,UserReference1, UserReference2, UserReference3 )

ctivate

tivates a constraint. activated constraint is take into account during the update process.

yntaxActivate

xample

UserConstraint.Activate

eactivate

eactivates a constraint. deactivated constraint is not take into account during the update process.

yntaxDeactivate

xample

UserConstraint.Deactivate

Inactive

dicates if a constraint is take into account during the update process.

yntax

IsInactive as Boolean
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= True, the constraint is not active= False, the constraint is active.

xample

ConstraintActivity = UserConstraint.IsInactive

etConstraintElement

ets a constraint's element.

yntaxGetConstraintElement ( iElementIndex) as Reference

ementIndexas Long

The index of the element of the constraint to be returned.

= 1 for the first element.

= 2 for the second element.

Notice it must not exceed the total number of elements of the constraint. See Type syn

xample

UserReference = UserConstraint.GetConstraintElement ( 1 )

etConstraintElement

ets a constraint's element.

yntax

SetConstraintElement ( iElementIndex, iElement) as Reference

ementIndexas Long

The index of the element of the constraint to be replaced.= 1 for the first element.

= 2 for the second element.

Notice it must not exceed the total number of elements of the constraint. See Type syn

ementas Reference

The element to be constrained.

xample

UserConstraint.GetConstraintElement ( 2, UserReference )

etConstraintVisuLocation

eturns the constraint's visualisation location.hen displayed on screen, the constraint is visualized as a dimension positioned close to thnstrained geometric elements.is method retrieves the data used to position this representation within the 3D space.

yntax

GetConstraintVisuLocation ( oAnchorPoint, oAnchorVector)

AnchorPointas Double


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A safe array with three elements : x, y, z point coordinates where the constraint value displayed.The array must be previously initialized.

AnchorVectoras Double

A safe array with three elements : x, y, z vector normal to the plane coordinates onto wthe constraint value is displayed.The array must be previously initialized.

xample

Dim ConstraintAnchorPoint ( 2 ), ConstraintAnchorVector ( 2 ) As DoubleDim xp, yp, zp, xv, yv, zv As Double

UserConstraint.GetConstraintVisuLocation ( ConstraintAnchorPoint,ConstraintAnchorVector )

xp = ConstraintAnchorPoint ( 0 )yp = ConstraintAnchorPoint ( 1 )zp = ConstraintAnchorPoint ( 2 )

xv = ConstraintAnchorVector ( 0 )yv = ConstraintAnchorVector ( 1 )zv = ConstraintAnchorVector ( 2 )

etConstraintVisuLocation

ets the constraint's visualisation location.

yntax

SetConstraintVisuLocation ( iX, iY, iZ)

iY, iZas Double

Origin point x, y, z absolute coordinates.

xample

UserConstraint.SetConstraintVisuLocation 10.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000

em

eturns a constraint using its index or its name from the Constraints collection.yntax

Item ( iIndex) as Constraint

dexas Long

The index or the name of the constraint to retrieve from the collection of constraints.As a numerics, this index is the rank of the constraint in the collection.The index of the first constraint in the collection is 1, and the index of the last constrainCount.:

xample
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Set UserConstraint = CATIA.ActiveDocument.Part.Constraints.Item ( 1 )

emove

eturns a constraint using its index or its name from the Constraints collection.

yntax

Remove ( iIndex) as Constraint

dexas Long

The index or the name of the constraint to remove from the collection of constraints.As a numerics, this index is the rank of the constraint in the collection.The index of the first constraint in the collection is 1, and the index of the last constrainCount.:

xample

Set UserConstraint = CATIA.ActiveDocument.Part.Constraints.Remove ( 1 )

ropertiesngleSector

ets or sets the constraint's angle (or angular) sector, for angle constraint only, Type = 6.

e geometric elements of an angle constraint (e.g. : 2 lines or 2 planes) divide the space ingions which are called angle or angular sectors, numbered from 0 to 3. default, the constraint is created in the sector number 0.

ne angle sector corresponds exactly to particular values ofDimension.Value, Side and

ientation.hen changing the angle sector, Dimension.Value, Side and Orientation are also modified.

yntax

AngleSector as Long= 0, Dimension.Value = angle, Orientation = 0, Side = 0

= 1, if angle>180: Dimension.Value= angle-180, otherwise: Dimension.Value=

abs(angle)+180, Orientation = 1, Side = 0.

= 2, if angle>180: Dimension.Value = abs(540-angle), otherwise: Dimension.Value =

180-abs(angle), Orientation = 1, Side = 1.

= 3, Dimension.Value = 360-abs(angle), Orientation = 0, Side = 1.

xample

ConstraintAngleSector = UserConstraint.AngleSectorUserConstraint.AngleSector = 0

rokenConstraintsCount

ets the number of broken constraints from the constraints collection.

yntax
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BrokenConstraintsCount as Long

xample

BrokenConstraints = UserConstraintsCollection.BrokenConstraintsCount

onstraint

mensions an object as constraint.

xample

Dim UserConstraint as Constraint

onstraints

mensions an object as a constraints collection.

xample

Dim UserConstraintsCollection as Constraints

imension.Value

ets or sets the constraint's dimension.e dimension may be meaningless for some types of constraints such as tangency constraif the constraint is not currently checked, see Status syntax.

yntax

Dimension.Value as Double

xample

ConstraintDimension = UserConstraint.Dimension.Value

UserConstraint.Dimension.Value = 50.00000

istanceConfig

ets or sets the constraint's distance configuration, for distance constraint only, Type = 1.

stance constraints between lines and cylinders offer often more degrees of freedom toometry than acually desired.is property allows user to limit these degrees of freedom without having to redefine additionstraints.

yntax

DistanceConfig as Long= 0, no additional condition is set on the constraint.

= 1, in addition to being positioned at a specified distance, constrained elements arerequired to be parallel.Their orientation can be the same or opposite.= 2, in addition to being positioned at a specified distance, constrained elements arerequired to be parallel, and their orientations are required to be the same.= 3, in addition to being positioned at a specified distance, constrained elements arerequired to be parallel, and their orientations are required to be opposite.

xample


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ConstraintDistanceConfiguration = UserConstraint.DistanceConfigUserConstraint.DistanceConfig = 0

istanceDirection

ets or sets the distance's constraint direction.is property is useless for constraints whose type is not Distance, Type =1.

stance constraints may be measured along a particular direction.

is property will be used if the direction is a reference axis.yntax

DistanceDirection as Long= 0, no direction has been specified. The constraint is measured as usual.

= 1, the constraint is measured along the X axis.= 2, the constraint is measured along the Y axis.= 3, the constraint is measured along the Z axis.

xample

ConstraintDistanceDirection = UserConstraint.DistanceDirection

UserConstraint.DistanceDirection = 0

ode

ets or sets the constraint's driving mode.r constraint types supporting the concept of value, such as distance constraints, the drivin

ode tells whether the constraint value actually drives the geometry position, or, converselyven by it.

yntax

Mode as Long= 0, the constraint mode, the value assigned to the constraint drives the actual positionthe constrained geometry.

= 1, the measure mode, the constraint value only reflects what can be observed from tactual position of the constrained geometry.

xample

ConstraintMode = UserConstraint.ModeUserConstraint.Mode = 1

rientation

ets or sets the constraint's orientation.is is used for constraints that involve two geometric elements and specifies the orientation

e second geometric element with regard to the first one, when several possible orientationsatisfying the constraint.

yntax

Orientation as Long= 0, the characteristic vectors associated to the constrained elements have same

orientation.
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= 1, the characteristic vectors associated to the constrained elements have oppositeorientation.= 2, the relative orientation of the characteristic vectors associated to the constrainedelements is not specified.

xample

ConstraintOrientation = UserConstraint.OrientationUserConstraint.Orientation = 0

deets or sets the constraint's side.ome constraint types need to relatively position the constrained geometries, when severalssible configurations are all satisfying the constraint.

yntax

Side as Long= 0, the first constrained element characteristic vector points towards the secondconstrained element.

Arithmetic sign of constraint value is ignored, only its absolute value is taken into acco= 1, the first constrained element characteristic vector points is opposite to the secondconstrained element.

Arithmetic sign of constraint value is ignored, only its absolute value is taken into acco

= 2, the arithmetic sign of constraint value specifies where the second element lies witregard to the first one: a positive value means in the direction of first constrained elemecharacteristic vector, a negative value in the opposite direction.= 3, Arithmetic sign of constraint value specifies where second element lies with regardfirst one: a negative value means in the direction of first constrained element character

vector, a positive value in the opposite direction.= 4, the relative positionning of constrained elements is not defined.

xample

ConstraintSide = UserConstraint.SideUserConstraint.Side = 1

tatus

ets the constraint's status.e constraint's status is a diagnosis if the constraint is checked.

yntax

Status as Long= 0, the constraint is checked.

= 1, the constraint is strongly not checked (e.g. distance constraint between two planeswhich are not currently parallel).

= 2, the constraint is not checked because of the wrong orientation or side of its geomeelements (e.g. planes are parallel and at the specified distance, but their orientation isinverted with respect to the one specified by the constraint).

= 3, the constraint is not checked because of its value (e.g. planes are parallel and at t


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specified orientation and side but not at the specified distance).

= 4, the constraint is not checked because of the wrong type of its geometric elements(e.g. angle between a point and a plane).

= 5, the constraint is not checked because a geometric element is missing.

xample

ConstraintStatus = UserConstraint.Status

ype

ets or sets the constraint's type.

yntax

Type as Long= 0, Fix only withAddMonoEltCst.

= 1, Distance only withAddBiEltCst.

= 2, Coincidence only withAddBiEltCst.

= 6, Angle only withAddBiEltCst.

= 7, Planar Angle only withAddTriEltCst .

= 8, Parallelism only withAddBiEltCst.

= 11, Perpendicularity only withAddBiEltCst.

= 20, Surfacic Contact only withAddBiEltCst.

= 21, Lineic Contact Angle only withAddBiEltCst .

= 22, Point Contact only withAddBiEltCst.

= 25, Annular Contact only withAddBiEltCst.

xample

ConstraintType = UserConstraint.TypeUserConstraint.Type = 1

nUpdatedConstraintsCount

ets the number of not updated constraints from the constraints collection.

yntax

BrokenConstraintsCount as Long

xample

BrokenConstraints = UserConstraintsCollection.BrokenConstraintsCount
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Coincidence Constraint

efinition

eates a coincidence constraint between two assembly components.

unning The MacroOpen the CoincidenceConstraint.CATProduct document.1.

Load the CoincidenceConstraint2.CATScript macro.2.

Run the macro.3.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/CoincidenceConstraint1.CATProducthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/CoincidenceConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/CoincidenceConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/CoincidenceConstraint1.CATProduct


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Contact Constraint

efinition

eates a contact constraint between two assembly components.

unning The MacroOpen the ContactConstraint1.CATProduct document.1.

Load the ContactConstraint1.CATScript macro.2.

Run the macro.3.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/ContactConstraint1.CATProducthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/ContactConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/ContactConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/ContactConstraint1.CATProduct


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Angle Constraint

efinition

eates an angle constraint between two assembly components.

unning The MacroOpen theAngleConstraint1.CATProduct document.1.

Load theAngleConstraint1.CATScript macro.2.

Run the macro.3.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/AngleConstraint1.CATProducthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/AngleConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/AngleConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/AngleConstraint1.CATProduct


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Fix Constraint

efinition

eates a fix constraint on one assembly component.

unning The MacroOpen the FixConstraint1.CATProduct document.1.

Load the FixConstraint1.CATScript macro.2.

Run the macro.3.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/FixConstraint1.CATProducthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/FixConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/FixConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/FixConstraint1.CATProduct


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Deactivate Activate Constraint

efinition

eactivates or activates an assembly constraint.

unning The MacroOpen the DeactivateActivateConstraint1.CATProduct document.1.

Load the DeactivateConstraint1.CATScript macro.2.

Run the macro.3.
http://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/DeactivateActivateConstraint1.CATProducthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/DeactivateConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/macros/DeactivateConstraint1.CATScripthttp://e%7C/www/awsAsm/AsmEnglish/asmjg.doc/src/samples/DeactivateActivateConstraint1.CATProduct


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Load theActivateConstraint1.CATScript macro.4.

Run the macro5.
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Glossary

A

ctive component A selected component currently being edited. This component is

underlined in the specification tree.

ctive object An object currently being edited.

ngle constraint A constraint used to define an angle or parallelism between two

geometric elements.

ssembly An entity composed of various components which have been position

relative to each other.

Bill of material A list of data about the properties of the components contained in the

active component.

C

hild component One or more components originating from a single component. Comp

parent component.

oincidenceonstraint

A constraint used to align two geometric elements, or get them to

coincide.

omponent A reference integrated in an assembly. A component possesses

characteristics related to how it is integrated in an assembly (forexample, its relative location in an assembly).

onstraint A geometrical or dimensional relation between several geometric

elements of different components. It may be used to define the

positioning of components.

ontext-specificepresentation

A hierarchical design of an assembly in a specific context (for exampl

engineering or manufacturing).

ontact constraint A constraint used to define a contact area between two elements

(tangent or coincident).


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Fxed component A component for which all degrees of freedom are locked, in relation t

the parent component.

G

eometric element The geometric elements which can be constrained in the Assemblyworkbench are:

pointlineplane (or plane surface from a model)

sphereconecylinder

L

af component The last component at the end of each branch of the specification tree

M

manipulation A freehand translation or rotation of a component with the mouse.

model A CATIA Version 4 model.

O

ffset constraint A constraint used to define a distance or an offset between two

geometric elements.

Parent component A component that is hierarchically just above one or more component

Compare child component

art Within the Assembly workbench, it is either a part of the Part Designworkbench, or a 3D entity whose geometry is contained in a model.

rimary childomponent

One or more components originating from the first level under the act

component.


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roduct A 3D entity which contains several components.

R

eference A product orpart with its own characteristics. Compare component.

epresentation See context specific representation.

S

earch order A hierarchical set of paths used when searching for the files included the assembly. The search begins with the first path, and stops when t

file is found.

nap Projects a geometric element onto another one.

ubassembly An assembly contained within another assembly.

U

pdate In the Assembly workbench, updates the position of the constrainedcomponents so as to satisfy the constraint requirements.


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Index

A

Activate

AddBiEltCst

AddMonoEltCst

AddTriEltCst

AngleSector

B

BrokenConstraintsCount

C

Connections

Constraint

Constraints

CreateReferenceFromName

D

Deactivate

Dimension.Value

DistanceConfig

DistanceDirection

Documents.Open

G

GetConstraintElement

GetConstraintVisuLocation
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IsInactive

Item

M

Mode

O

Orientation

PProduct

ProductDocument

R

Reference

References

Remove

S

SetConstraintElement

SetConstraintVisuLocation

Side

Status
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T

Type

U

UnUpdatedConstraintsCountUpdate
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