Creating Connection Points for Pathways

You can add a pathway connection point to a shape. Pathway connection point is a published axis system, which connects the volumes to a pathway network.

Before you begin: Create a volume and add a 3D shape.
  1. Select the 3D shape.

    Notes:
    • The selected 3D shape must be under a volume.
    • The 3D shape and the parent volume must not be in read-only mode.

  2. From the Volume section of the action bar, click Create Pathway Connection Point .
  3. Optional: In the Pathway Connection Point dialog box, select the type of pathway connection point to be created.

    Notes:
    • The Systems 3D Architecture Pathway Connection Point is the default type.
    • If any customization is detected, the button to choose type is enabled.

  4. Optional: Enter a new name for the pathway connection point.

    Note: The name is computed based on the number of the existing pathway connection points in the volume.

  5. To select a classification ID and a discipline, click Specification Browser and select a row.
    The values for the Classification ID and the Discipline box are filled based on your selection in the Classification Table.
  6. To select or create an axis system to be published by the pathway connection point, do the action a or b:
    1. Click to open the Axis System Definition dialog box.
      The Axis System Definition dialog box appears. The axis system's parameters Origin, X axis, Y axis, and Z axis are automatically computed, and Default (Computed) appears in the boxes.

      The following axis system types are available:

      • Standard: Defines the axis system by a point of origin and three orthogonal directions.
        • If an axis system is defined as current, the new axis system is a copy of this current axis system.
        • If an axis system is selected, the new axis system is a copy of this preselected axis system.
        • If no axis system is selected or defined as current, the new axis system is a copy of the absolute axis system.
        • If the Robot is attached to the 3D geometry, the new axis system's orientations are the same as the Robot's.
      • Axis rotation: Defines a standard axis system with an angle computed from a selected reference.
      • Euler angles: Defines an axis system using three angle values.
        • Angle 1 (= X, N): Rotation about the Z axis transforming vector X into vector N.
        • Angle 2 (= Z, W): Rotation about vector N transforming the Z axis into vector W.
        • Angle 3 (= N, U): Rotation about vector W.

    2. Click the editor for axis system and select one of the following elements:
    • A 3D point
    • The face of a volume
    • An axis system that is not yet published
    If the selection is a 3D point or the face of a volume, an axis system is created.

    When selecting a 3D point, the coordinate of the 3D point is used as the origin and the Axis system is aligned with the local axis system of volume.

    If you select a face volume, the 3D coordinate of the selected point is used as the origin and the normal direction from the selected face is the X axis of the created axis system.

    Note: The created axis system does not have any link with the selected face.

  7. Click OK.

A pathway connection point is created under the parent volume of the selected 3D shape.

The pathway connection point is linked to the new or selected axis system. Nothing changes if you have selected an existing axis system.

The created axis system is renamed after the name of the pathway connection point and is no longer visible.

Note: The edition of the pathway connection point can be done only using the commands for port edition in Product Modification section of the action bar.