About Design Range Management

Normal range, large range, small range, design range management, and design limits components play a prominent role in adjusting the computer capacity to properly model all elements at their real size.

Design Range Definition

The following figure illustrates the design range system expressed in metric units of measure:

Design Range Management

Covers the usage of normal, small and large range. You can combine normal and large range, or normal and small range options for various objects within the same product structure to ensure the object model is consistent with the real physical model you envision. The specification vary from model to model depending on the industry. As an example, a bridge product is created in large range and the pillar parts of the bridge in normal range. The design range option is stored at the product or representation level (Physical Product, Product, 3D Shape).

Handling multiple design ranges involves modifying the design range either at creation of an object or in the Design Limits tab that can be accessed through Me > Preferencesin Parameters and Measures sub-category.

Design Limits

A determined range system in which you can create products in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. The lower and upper bounds vary from small to large range. Normal range is the default option and is sufficient in the majority of cases. Design limits are relevant in specific situations and accounted for in the calculation.

Tolerant resolution (TR)

Maximum size of gap for tolerant modeling.

Model size (MS)

Maximum coordinate value of topological elements.

Small range

Enables to create objects ranging from 0.00001 mm to 0.01 km.

Normal range (NR)

Enables to create objects ranging from 0.001mm to 1km. This standard design range is selected by default when you create an object.

Large range

Enables to upscale dimensions of models by creating objects from 0.1mm to 100 km.

Extra large range

Enables to upscale dimensions of models by creating objects from 10mm to 10.000km.

Extending the design limits has become a key requirement to address specific industries and handle 3D modeling of large models.

Specifying design ranges plays a prominent role in 3D modeling design calculations. The need for developing large range found its origin in computer numerical constraints: 3D modeling and part positioning could be guaranteed within a 10e9 ratio between smallest and biggest dimensions a model. Going "larger" implies not only new modeling techniques but also upscaling of dimensions to build reliable large structures such as bridges. The large range mode extends smaller and bigger dimensions of a model by ratio of 100.

The large range mode is supported in most apps. The design range option is available when:

• Creating objects: To enable the design range selection at creation, the Set attributes at creation for all types option must be selected.
• Displaying Object Properties
• Using relational design in a multiple design range product including:
  • Checking geometry to ensure it complies with the design range specified for the part to which it belongs at creation of external references (relational design).
  • Checking instantiation in the tree to guarantee consistency and avoid the instantiation of an object under an object of a smaller design range.

Small range has become a key requirement to address specific industries that require small scale 3D design and modeling such as watchmaking, injection molding, etc.

Small range support in 3DEXPERIENCE apps allows you to better handle numerical tolerances in geometry- oriented apps (such as Drafting and 3D Modeling apps) and to adjust the 3D Accuracy option with respect to the design range specified for the object.

Comparing Normal Range and Small Range Display

Consider the figure above where:

• In the left figure, a normal range part is displayed.
• in the right figure, a small range part is displayed.
• The 3D Accuracy result for the small range part is accurate.

Using small range lets you cover a wide range of scenarios:

• Create small range assemblies with small range parts
• Create hybrid range assemblies with normal and small range parts
• Create drawings from small range assemblies, normal range assemblies with small range parts

For more information, see the dedicated User's Guides.

Modeling very large linear infrastructures such as roads and railways requires a wider design range extending beyond 100 km. Sometimes more than 1000 km

Extra large range (10 mm to 10,000 km) can be applied to design the center curve and its context (Terrain). Subsequent design requires a lower design range. you can design an hybrid product with alignment elements as well as conceptual and detailed elements.

Large range applies to elements that fit in a 200km box centered on the origin such as bridges, dams, tunnels, airports and water plants.

All geometry elements that fit inside a 2 km cube centered on the origin can be designed in a normal range representation. For bigger geometry elements or models, use large range mode. Design in large range all elements at the size of the project (overall project definition, terrain representation for example).

You can define a set of units for each design range used within a same product structure either using the Units tab accessible from Me > Preferences or the Change Display Unit available in the Formula command.

In the 3DEXPERIENCE, dimensions are displayed according to the preferences set in Me > Preferences > Parameters and Measure > Units. Each magnitude has a given display unit, and provides various display options. In some cases, you may want to use more than one display unit for a given magnitude. It is the case in the large range context when you want to express some length parameters in kilometers and other ones in meters for example.

You can modify the current unit along with its symbol for each magnitude parameter in a specific range. As an example, you can use meters for length dimension parameter and tons for mass parameters in large range, and millimeters and kilograms in normal range.

You can also specify a display unit for a single parameter only. Consider the following example:

• The tower of a bridge is designed in large range; the length parameter is expressed in meters. The current display unit for length parameter in large range is set to meters in Me > Preferences.
• The girder element is designed in normal range. The parameter that drives the elevation of the girder needs to be defined in milliliters.
• To change the unit display in normal range, you can select the Change Display Unit option available in the Formula command. For more information, see Knowledge Basics User's Guide: Changing the Display Unit of a Parameter.