Use Case: Creating an Engine Head and its Mold

This scenario illustrates how Collaborative Design is typically used.

It describes design changes made to a part by a designer and the creation of a mold based on this part by another designer.

Two different designers take part in this scenario.

This task shows you how to:

Part designer

This task shows you the actions of the part designer

  1. Access Collaborative Design.
  2. Double-click the shape representation, then from the Compass, select Functional Plastic Parts.
  3. In the tree, right-click Base Profile located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.


  4. Click Shellable Feature .
  5. Select the base profile sketch.

    The Shellable Feature dialog box appears and a preview is shown in the geometry area

    1. In the dialog box, select the Draft tab, then select Intrinsic to feature in the Draft behavior list.
    2. Click OK when done.


  6. In the tree, right-click Mold Block Profile located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.


  7. In your PLM workplace, double-click the name of the mold designer to share your design changes with this person.
  8. In the Heads-Up Display, click Design Share.
  9. Select the Mold Block Profile in the tree and click the Tick icon at the bottom of the HUD to send the data to the mold designer.


  10. In the tree, right-click Top Cut Surface and select Hide/Show.


  11. Click Cut .

    The Cut dialog box appears.

    1. Select the main body in the geometry area: Shellable Prism.1 appears in the Features to cut box.
    2. Select the top cut surface: Top Cut Surface appears in the Cutting element box.
    3. Click the arrow located on the top cut surface to reverse the direction.
    4. Select the Intersection radius check box and set the radius to 8mm, then click OK when done.
  12. Right-click the top cut surface in the 3D area and select Hide/Show to hide it.


  13. Right-click mold block profile and select Hide/Show to hide it.
  14. In the HUD, click Design Share.
  15. Select Main Body in the tree.
  16. Click Validate to send this data to the mold designer.


Mold designer

This task shows you the actions of the mold designer

  1. Switch to the Functional Plastic Parts app.
  2. Access Collaborative Design.
    Your Message Board indicates that you have received shared data.
  3. In the Message Board, click See Received Data to view the data sent by the part designer.
  4. Double-click the first line corresponding to the mold block profile then click the Tick icon at the bottom of your HUD to accept changes and integrate them into your work.


  5. In the Message Board, double-click the second line corresponding to the main body then click the Tick icon at the bottom of your HUD to accept changes.


  6. Insert a solid functional set Body.1, and name it Mold Block.
  7. Right-click Mold Block and select Define In Work Object.
  8. Click Added Feature .

    The Added Feature dialog box appears:

    1. Select the mold block profile in the geometry area.
    2. Set First Length to 50 mm.
    3. Set Second Length to 10 mm.
    4. Click OK when done.


  9. Right-click Mold Block and select Hide/Show to hide it.

Part designer

This task shows you the actions of the part designer.

  1. In the tree, double-click Shell Properties.1 located below Solid Functional Set.1.

    The Shell Properties dialog box appears.

    1. Select the solid functional set: Cut.1\Face.1 appears in the Faces to remove box.
    2. Change the thickness to 1.2mm.


    3. In the Advanced tab, change the thickness to 4mm, and select bottom face of the main body, then click OK when done.


  2. Send the shell properties to the mold designer.
  3. In the tree, right-click Bottom Pocket Sketch located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.
  4. In the Functional Features toolbar, click Pocket .

    The Pocket dialog box appears.

    1. Select the bottom pocket sketch in the 3D area.
    2. Set the Floor length to 10mm in the Distance tab.
    3. In the Fillet tab, select the Floor radius check box and set the radius to 2mm.
    4. Select the Protected volume check box.
    5. In the Wall list, select the Enter thickness option.
    6. Set the thickness to 2mm.
    7. In the Draft tab, select Intrinsic to feature in the Draft behavior list. Click OK when done.


  5. Send the pocket to the mold designer.

Mold designer

This task shows you the actions of the mold designer

  1. In the Message Board, click See Received Data to view the data sent by the part designer.
  2. Right-click the line corresponding to the shell properties then click the Tick icon at the bottom of your HUD to accept changes and integrate them into your work.
  3. Do the same for the pocket.


  4. Switch to the Generative Shape Design app.
  5. Zoom in to enlarge your part.
  6. Right-click Sketches and select Define In Work Object.
  7. Select the bottom face of the pocket (see graphic below) and click Offset .


  8. Click OK to close the Offset Surface Definition dialog box
  9. Select the side face of the pocket (see graphic below) and click Offset .


  10. Click OK to close the Offset Surface Definition dialog box.
  11. Select the remaining pocket face and create a third offset surface.
  12. Click Join .

    The Join Definition dialog box appears.

    1. In the tree, select Offset.1, Offset.2, and Offset.3.
    2. Click OK when done.
  13. In the tree, right-click Mold Block Profile (below the Mold Block/Solid Functional Set.2 node) and select Hide/Show.
    The profile appears.
  14. Select the mold block profile in the geometry area and click Fill .
  15. Click OK in the Fill Surface Definition dialog box that appears.
  16. Right-click Main Body in the tree and select Hide\Show.
  17. Zoom out, right-click Mold Block Profile and select Hide\Show.
  18. Click Trim .

    The Trim Definition dialog box appears.

    1. Select Join.1 in the tree.
    2. Select Fill.1 in the tree.
    3. Click OK when done.


  19. Switch to the Functional Plastic Parts app.
  20. Right-click Mold Block in the tree and select Hide/Show.
    The mold block appears.
  21. Right-click Mold Block in the tree and select Define in Work Object.
  22. In the Multi-body Features toolbar, click Divide .

    The Divide dialog box appears. Mold Body is selected in the Body to divide box.

    Divide Body.2 and Divide Body.3 are created.

    1. Select Trim.1 from the tree for Divide element.
    2. Click OK when done.
  23. Rename Divide Body.2 and Divide Body.3 to Upper Mold Block and Lower Mold Block.
  24. Right-click Mold Block in the tree and select Hide/Show to hide the mold block.
  25. Right-click Lower Mold Block in the tree and select Hide/Show to hide the lower mold block.



  26. In the tree, right-click Upper Mold Block and select Hide/Show to hide the upper mold block, then right-click Lower Mold Block and select Hide/Show to display the lower mold block.


  27. Right-click Lower Mold Block in the tree and select Hide/Show.
  28. Right-click Main Body and select Hide/Show.

    The main body appears.

Part designer

This task shows you the actions of the part designer

  1. In the tree, right-click Middle Ribs located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.
    The ribs sketch appears.
  2. Click Rib .

    The Rib dialog box appears:

    1. Select the ribs in the 3D area.
    2. In the Distance tab, set First limit to To shell.
    3. Click Reverse Direction.
    4. In the Thin Solid list, select Enter thickness and set the thickness to 3mm.
    5. In the Draft tab, set Draft behavior to Intrinsic to feature.
    6. Click OK when done.


  3. In the tree, right-click Outer Ribs Sketch located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.
    The outer ribs sketch appears.
  4. Click Rib .

    The Rib dialog box appears:

    1. Select the outer ribs in the 3D area.
    2. In the Distance tab, set First limit to To shell.
    3. Click Reverse Direction.
    4. In the Thin Solid list, select Enter thickness and set the thickness to 20mm.
    5. In the Draft tab, set Draft behavior to Intrinsic to feature.
    6. Click OK when done.


  5. Select Rib.1 and Rib.2 in the tree and send to the mold designer.
  6. In the tree, right-click Center Hole located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.
    The center hole sketch appears.
  7. Click Cutout .

    The Cutout dialog box appears.

    1. Select the center hole sketch in the 3D area.
    2. In the Distance tab, set Floor to Through All.
    3. Set Wall to Enter thickness and set the thickness to 0.
    4. Click OK when done.


  8. Select the cutout you have just created in the tree and send it to the mold designer.
  9. In the tree, right-click Side Cutout Sketch and Center Cutout Sketch located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.
    The sketches display.
  10. Click Cutout .

    The Cutout dialog box appears.

    1. Select the center cutout sketch in the 3D area.
    2. In the Distance tab, set Floor length to 28mm.
    3. Click Reverse Direction.
    4. In the Draft tab, set Draft behavior to Intrinsic to feature.
    5. Click OK when done.
  11. Click Cutout .

    The Cutout dialog box appears.

    1. Select the side cutout sketch in the 3D area.
    2. In the Distance tab, set Floor length to 36mm.
    3. Click Reverse Direction.
    4. In the Draft tab, set Draft behavior to Intrinsic to feature.
    5. Click OK when done.


  12. Select the two cutouts you have just created in the tree and send them to the mold designer.
  13. In the tree, right-click Bolt Hole located below the Sketches node and select Hide/Show.
    The bolt hole Sketch appears.
  14. Click Cutout .

    The Cutout dialog box appears.

    1. Select the bolt hole sketch in the 3D area.
    2. In the Distance tab, set Floor to Through All.
    3. Click OK when done.
  15. Select the cutout you have just created (Cutout.4) in the tree and send to the mold designer. You are done with the design.

Your final part looks something like this:



Mold designer

This task shows you the actions of the mold designer

  1. In the Message Board, click See Received Data to view the data sent by the part designer.
  2. Right-click each line then click the Tick icon at the bottom of your HUD to accept the ribs, center hole, center-side cutouts and bolt hole, and integrate them into your work.
  3. Expand the Solid Functional Set node, then right-click Cutout.4 and select Cutout.4 object > Deactivate.
  4. Right-click Cutout.1 and select Cutout.1 object > Deactivate.
  5. Select Lower Mold Block in the tree, and select Hide/Show to display the lower mold block.
  6. Right click Lower Mold Block and select Define in Work Object.
  7. Click Fitting .

    The Fitting dialog box appears.

    1. Select Main Body in the tree. Main Body appears in the Tool body box.
    2. Set Clearance to 1mm.
    3. Click OK when done.
  8. Right-click Upper Mold Block and select Define in Work Object.
  9. Right-click Lower Mold Block and select Hide/Show.
  10. Right-click Main Body under the Lower Mold Block and select Hide/Show.
  11. Click Fitting .

    The Fitting dialog box appears

    1. Select Main Body in the tree. Main Body appears in the Tool body box.
    2. Leave the same clearance.
    3. Click OK when done.
  12. Right-click Upper Mold Block and select Hide/Show. Hide it again.


  13. Right-click Lower Mold Block and select Hide/Show. The lower mold block appears.