Creating a Ply Book in 2D Layout for 3D Design

In 2D Layout for 3D Design, you can generate a ply book from the manufacturing Composites Design data structure.

Since the 2D Layouts views are projections of the 3D model done by the video card, with visualization options and ply display managed by a filter, the computation, and update of the model views occur in real time, saving time and avoiding memory problems.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin:
  • Access to 2D Layout for 3D Design is required.
  • The Reference Sheet must display only one Composites Design element.

Create a Reference Sheet

To create a ply book, you must first create a Reference Sheet.

  1. Open the Composites Design part.
  2. Go to 2D Layout for 3D Design.
  3. Click New View .

    See 2D Layout for 3D Design: View Creation: Design Views: Creating a Projection View for more information.

    All items of the part are visible in the views.

    To display only one ply, you must create and apply a filter, as explained below;

  4. To create the filter:
    1. Select Me > Layout View Filters.
    2. In the dialog box that appears, click Display filter.
    3. In the dialog box that appears, click Add mode, select the elements corresponding to the ply you want to display.

      See 2D Layout for 3D Design: View Filters for more information.

  5. To apply the filter:
    1. Select Me > Layout View Filters.
    2. Select the filter you have created.
    Only one ply is displayed in the view.

  6. Repeat this step for each view of the sheet.
    Only one ply is displayed on all the views of the sheet. The reference sheet is ready for the generation of the ply book.

Generate the Ply Book

Once the reference sheet contains filters on only one Composites Design element, you can generate the ply book.

  1. In 2D Layout for 3D Design, click New Ply Book .
  2. Select a Generation Level: A default Cartridge VBScript file is proposed. Click ... and browse your directories to select another file.

    • You can modify the cartridge using a VBScript macro. A sample Drawing_Cartridge_PlyBook.CATScript is provided under C:\Program Files\DassaultSystemes\Bxx\intel_a\VBScript\FrameTitleBlock
    • You can add specific data to the cartridge in new lines or columns.
    • You cannot modify the macro input method signature, that is, you cannot avoid Composites Design data generation in the cartridge.
    • To create a cartridge with a macro or interactively, you must respect the following naming conventions:
      • F the ply: TitleBlock_Text_PlyName
      • For the material: TitleBlock_Text_PlyMaterial
      • For the direction: TitleBlock_Text_PlyDirection
      • For the thickness: TitleBlock_Text_PlyThickness
      • For the sequence: TitleBlock_Text_PlySequence
      • For the ply group: TitleBlock_Text_PlyGroup

  3. Select the Generate from reference sheet for the following entities check box, and select the required entities from the tree.

    Notes:
    • You can select the stacking or a group of plies, sequences, or individual plies, cut-pieces you want to export.
    • One sheet per sequence prevents the selection of individual plies or cores.

  4. With your selection highlighted in the dialog box, click OK.
    • The sheets are created according to the Generation Level option selected.
    • Sheets are named by sequence name, ply name and cut-piece.
    • The reference sheet is taken as a sample for the projection view and filter pattern. If the same composite element is selected for the plybook generation, a new sheet is generated.


    Note: Annotations propagation is not supported.

Update a Ply Book

You need to update the ply book when names of plies or sequences or cut-pieces have changed, or plies or sequences or cut-pieces have been reordered.

You cannot use a new macro. To change a macro, you must generate a new ply book.

  1. In 2D Layout for 3D Design, click New Ply Book .
  2. Select Update current ply book (names, order).
    New Ply Book
    • Scans the existing sheets and verifies that the sheet names and cartridge information are exact for each sheet,
    • Scans the Composites Design part stacking and check if plies/sequences/cut-piece have been reordered compared to the ply book sheets,
    • Does not take into account the Generation Level.

    After an update:

    • The 2D Layout for 3D Design tree is updated,
    • The corresponding cartridges are updated.