Tgs Managing Large Assemblies

8/17/2019 Tgs Managing Large Assemblies

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July 13, 2006

Managing Large Assemblies in CATIA V5 Pat Coulehan

Application Consultant


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Agenda• Discuss different options available for

working with large amounts of data inCATIA V5

• Discuss techniques for designing incontext when working with largeassemblies

• Discuss new functionality when creatingdrawings from large assemblies


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What Do all these options do?• Many options available in the contextual

menu of the product


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5 Ways of managing data in CATIA V5

• Show vs. No-Show

• Node Activation vs. Node Deactivation• Activate component vs. Deactivate

component

• Visualization Mode vs. DesignMode

• Load vs. Unload


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1. Show vs No-Show• A tool to hide unwantedgeometry

No-Show

Show

Advantages: Improves Graphic Performance, Geometry still editable

Disadvantages: Ignored by drafting workbench, not used in DMU applications, used to

measure mass properties


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2. Activate Node Vs. Deactivate Node

• Manages graphic representation

• Node deactivation – No graphicrepresentation at all is loaded

• Hide/Show – Hide graphic

representation of specific elements inmodel

• Node Deactivation – Hide graphicrepresentaton of entire model


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Activate Node vs. Deactivate Node

Red Axis White Axis

Advantages: Better graphic performance, create/update assembly constraints

Disadvantages: Loaded in memory but geometry not modifiable, not used by drawings

ingored by DMU applications


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Node activation / deactivation• Use contextual menu

Activate/Deactivate Node –

Select a part instance

Activate/Deactivate Terminal

Node – Select a product

instance. All parts under the

product will be

activated/deactivated


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Options for Node Activations

• Sets initial behavior when loaded intoCATIA

DEMO


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3. Activate vs Deactivate Components

• Don’t confuse with Node Activation/Deactivation

• Hides the graphic representation of thecomponent


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Activate vs Deactivate Components

Activated

Component

Deactivated

Component

Advantages: Better graphic performance, Can be accessed by knowledgeware

Disadvantages: Loaded into memory, can’t update or edit geometry, ingnored by DMU

applications and the drafting workbench


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• Can use contextual menu, not recommended

• Use rules to have CATIA automatically togglecomponent activation


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Using a Rule to control

the activation of a

component

DEMO


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4. Visualization vs. Design Mode

• Improves performance by not loading

the mathematical data of the part intomemory, only a visual of the geometryis loaded into memory.


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Visualization Mode• First Time a part is loaded into CATIA using

visualization mode:

CATIA creates a “lighter” version of the model andsaves it to the hard drive.

Because it creates this light version the first time,it takes longer to load.

Successive loads of this model, read the “light”version, which results in a quicker load time andbetter performance

• File type .cgr – CATIA Graphic Representation


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CGR Files• Not Downward Compatible (Cgr files created

in V5R14 cannot be read by CATIA V5R13 or

lower)• Upward compatibility

Files are upward compatible.

However, in V5R14 cgr files were optimized• Recommend rebuild the cgr files if upgrading to V5R14

• Sharable

Set storage directory to server

Also called Released Cache


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Accessing Visualization Mode• Tools+Options

Activate Visualization Mode

• Turn on the Cache

• Requires a restart


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Additional OptionsCache Location – Place CATIA creates and savesthe cgr files

•Read/write to the local cache first

•Read/write to the released cache last

•Released cache setup by administrator.Should be read-only

Cache Size – sets a limit for the size of the cache

directory. If limit is exceeded, cgr files are

deleted, with oldest being deleted first, until

directory size is below maximum size.

CATIA uses timestamps to see if the cgr

represents the latest version of the part.

If not, a new cgr is created.


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Cache Location

Recommend not using the default location

C:\Documents and Settings\”user”\Local Settings\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATCacheDefault Cache Location

Sample File LocationC:\Documents and Settings\”user”\My Documents\CATIA\Oil Pump drive.CATPart

CGR File LocationC:\Documents and Settings\”user”\Local Settings\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATCache\cgr\#2\Documents and

Settings\”user”jcosta\My Documents\CATIA\Oil Pump drive.CATPart.2004-04-22-15.45.42.cgr

Windows Limits: 255 characters for file name, including

directory. Typical file uses 193 characters and filename is

only 14 characters long.


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Cache Options


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Cgr Options

Save lineic Options – CGR saves wireframe geometry


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Cgr Options

•Loads only a subset of the cgr file

•Loads the entire cgr file when needed •Only works for cgr files built in V5R14 or higher


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Cgr Options

Note: a cgr file is only updated when the CATPart it

relates to is modified, so making changes to these cgroptions does not automatically update the cgr

document. Delete the old cgr file and then CATIA

will generate the new file


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Loading in Visualization Mode


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Loading in Visualization Mode

Visualization ModeDesign Mode

Tesselated data

No Part History

Document

NameInstance Name


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Tesselated image• Quality of tesselated image controlled by accuracyparameters. Tools+options – General-Display-Performances


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Visualization Mode

• Advantages

Use less memory than Design Mode

• Better Performance

• Loads faster

Perform Clash Analysis

Perform Section Analysis Retrieve Inertia properties


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Visualization Mode• Perform Clash Analysis


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Visualization Mode• Perform Section Analysis


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Visualization Mode

• Retrieve Inertia properties

Cgr’s must be created with this

option on. Otherwise, the inertia is

calculated with the default density

DEMO


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Visualization Mode

• Disadvantages

Cannot edit the geometry

Cannot use to Design-in-Context

Cannot use Assembly constraints toposition

Some measurements are approximate. Accuracy is based on the tesselation of thecgr file

Ignored by drawing documents


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Switching between design and

visualization mode• 3 methods to convert from visualization to

design mode

Use the contextual menu- only optionavailable with this option turned off

Double click on the geometry or specification tree

Open the specification tree of the part

• Must use contextual menu to switch fromdesign mode to visualization mode

Can only switch from design mode tovisualization mode if the cache is turned on


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visualization mode• Use the contextual menu (right mouse button)

Multi-selection is available

• Only way to switch from design to visualization mode


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visualization mode• Double click on the geometry or

specification tree

Double click


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visualization mode• Open the specification tree of the part

Expand the tree


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visualization mode• CATIA automatically switches to design mode

when it needs to access the geometric data

Based on options• To update the assembly• For Design in Context

Always

• When creating a drawing


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• Update the Assembly

• Recommend keeping this option turned offfor large assemblies

• Advantage

Only the components which are manually

loaded into design mode are updated.

• Result: much better performance

Automatic switching between design

and visualization mode


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• Update the Assembly

Constraints cannot be updated in visualization mode,

automatically switch to design mode


and visualization mode


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and visualization mode• Design in Context

Case.1 is in visualization mode

Create a sketch in screw CATPart

Sketch references geometry in Case.1

Case.1 automatically switches to design

mode

DEMO


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and visualization mode• Create a drawing

A component must be in design mode to beprocessed by a drawing

Several options available to manage largeassemblies


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Drawings and visualization mode• Before creating a view, CATIA displays a

preview

• Stay in Visualization mode

• Previews quickly

• Optimizes memory consumption

• Recommended for large assemblies

• Converts all components to design mode

• Takes longer to preview

• Uses more memory

• recommended for small assemblies or

individual parts


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Drawings and visualization mode

• To create a view

• Loads all components into memory

• uses more memory and CPU

• Generates view more quickly

• Loads only the necessary components

into memory

• Uses less CPU and Memory

• Takes longer to generate the view

• recommended for Large Assemblies


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• View Generation Mode

Exact• Recommended. Try this first

CGR

• Uses the CGR to generate the views.

• Tesselated view, not as accurate• Uses less memory

• Takes longer to generate


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• View Generation Mode

Approximate• Uses less memory than cgr• Is faster than cgr

• Set LOD to control accuracy

Raster

• Generates the view as an image

• Quickest

• No dimensioning available


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• View Generation Mode -Summary

Exact CGR Approximate Raster

Memory Usage Maximu

m

Less less minimum

Generation Time Short Long Long Quickest

Create all views Yes No No No

Create Dimensions All Some (No

radius/diameter

s)

Some (No

radius/diameter

s)

None

Associative dimensions Yes No No N/A

Dressup Elements available Yes Yes Yes No


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Improving Graphic Performance in

Visualization Mode• Tools + Customize

Add two commands to a toolbar

Affect Dynamic movements only Not persistent


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Visualization Mode• Dynamic Level of detail

Varies from 0 – 40.0

Higher number = better performance• Dynamic Pixel Culling

Varies from 0 to 40

Higher number = better performance

Objects disappear when zooming in, reappearwhen zooming out

• Dynamic options only for current CATIAsession

• Use defaults from settings at next login


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Visualization Mode• Dynamic Pixel Culling


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Visualization Mode• Dynamic Level of Detail


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Improving Graphic Performance

• Options can be set under tools-options

DEMO


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5. Unload Vs Load

• Whether or not component is loaded intomemory

• No visualization• No Geometric information is loaded

• Only thing visible is a node in the

specification tree


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Load Vs Unload

Load Unload


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Options for Load Vs Unload • Sets initial behavior when loaded into CATIA


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Load/Unload component

• Use contextual menu

• Can unload Parts and Products


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• Disadvantages Not Graphically visible Not used in DMU Not used in Drafting Can’t update Can’t be accessed by knowledgeware

• Advantage

Not loaded into memory Can see the assembly structure

• Why is this Useful?

Load vs Unload


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Load vs Unload

• Use when designing components in thecontext of a large assembly.

• Components being designed only need toreference data from several of thecomponents in the assembly

• Load these components• Unload everything else

• Significant performance improvement


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Load vs Unload • 2 components loaded

• 227 components unloaded


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Summary Norm

al

Hidde

n

Node

Deactivated

Visualizatio

n

Unload Deactivatecomponent

Loaded in Memory Fully Fully Fully Limited No Yes

Display

Performance

Norm

al

Faste

r

Faster Normal Faster Faster

Visible in Show or No Show

Yes Yes No Yes No No

Visible in drafting Yes No No No No No

Create Assembly

Constraints

Yes Yes Yes No No No

Update Assembly

Constraints

Yes Yes Yes No No No

Calculate in

interference

Yes No No Yes No No

Calculate Mass Yes Yes No Depends No No

Take Measures Yes Yes No Approxima

te

No No

Geometry Editable Yes Yes No No No No


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Summary – Which mode to use• Hide/Show

Temporarily hide model

Hide a partial model

• Visualization mode

DMU Analysis

Creating Drawings

• Node Deactivation

Update BOM

Update Assembly constraints

• Unload

Design in context

• Deactivate Component

Using knowledgeware rules


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• Best to use a skeleton model to drive design

Manage Design Changes

• Without a Skeleton Model

Build a design loop

Difficult to control changes

Design in Context

Skeleton model

PartA

PartB PartC

PartA PartB PartC


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Content of Skeleton Model

• Any information that will be shared bymultiple components

• Geometry – planes, lines, surface etc• Parameters – radii of circles, lengths, etc

• This information will be published

• Access to this file should be restricted.


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Skeleton Model Content

Parameters

Geometry

Tools+Publication


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Setting up the options

Allows external references

Displays dialog box beforecreating external links

Strongly recommended.

Increases stability of models


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Design in Context • When designing, use the

geometry/parameters as if it were in theactive part.

The data is copied into the active part with a linkto the original data

Green Gear and link =

Design in context

Green P = External

Geometry is published

and updated


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Updating External References

• These external links can only be updated inthe context of the current assembly.

• If out of context, links will not update

Brown Gear + Lightning

Bolt = Out of context


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Changing the context

• Change the context using the contextual menus

• Only works if all external links are publishedelements


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Modifying the skeleton model

• Change the skeleton model, and the changeswill propagate down to the design in context

models

The Yellow P indicates that this

geometry needs to be updated in

the part

Modify the geometry in the

Skeleton model, and the Design in

context models will need an update


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Modifying the skeleton model

• Making the change in one location, theskeleton model, modified 4 components


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Design in Context Summary

• Use Skeleton Models

• External geometry can be geometry orparameters

• Only work with Published Geometry

DEMO


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THANK YOU!

• Recap Improve Graphic Performance

• Good = Hide Component

• Better = Deactivate Node, Visualization Mode

• Best = Unload unneeded components

Improve CPU Performance• Unload unneeded components

Use Deactivate component viaKnowledgeware

You can only modify geometry when it is