Creating and Using Prismatic Machining Areas

You can create a Prismatic Machining Area and then use this feature in Pocketing and Profile Contouring operations.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Material removal simulation is used in this task. To enable this simulation, reference the Design Part in the Part Operation editor.
See Also
Defining a Virtual Bottom Plane
Prismatic Machining Area Features
Creating a Prismatic Rework Area for Corners and Channels

Creating and Using Prismatic Machining Areas with the Legacy User Interface

  1. Activate the Manufacturing Program and click Prismatic Machining Area in the Prismatic Machining section of the action bar.
    The Prismatic Machining Area dialog box includes a sensitive icon to help you specify the geometry. Areas of the icon are colored red indicating that this geometry is required.
  2. Click the red Bottom in the sensitive icon then select the pocket bottom in the work area.

    The pocket boundary (Guide.1) is automatically deduced from the pocket bottom.



  3. Click OK to create the feature called Prismatic machining area.1.
    This feature references the selected pocket geometry.
  4. Make a machining activity current in the Activities tree, then click Pocketing in the Prismatic Machining section of the action bar.
    1. Select Prismatic machining area.1 in the Feature list, in the Pocketing dialog box.

      The operation geometry shows the elements referenced by the feature (pocket bottom, guide, and so on).

      Note: Any modification to this geometry in the operation also modifies the geometry of the feature. However, if the feature is used by another operation, it is impossible to modify its geometry in the machining operation editor.

    2. Go to the Tool tab to select a tool, in the Pocketing dialog box.

      See Assigning a Tool Element to a Machining Operation.

    3. Go to the Macros tab to specify a Retract macro with a linear retract path of 50mm.

      See Defining Macros on Milling Operations.

    4. Simulate the tool path to verify the Pocketing operation.


      The pocketing operation leaves some unmachined material in the corners.

    5. Click OK to create the Pocketing operation.
  5. Click Profile Contouring in the Prismatic Machining section of the action bar.
    1. In the Profile Contouring dialog box, select Prismatic machining area.1 in the Feature list.
      The operation geometry is initialized with the pocket bottom and guide elements referenced by the feature.
    2. Select a tool with a 5mm nominal diameter.

      See Assigning a Tool Element to a Machining Operation

    3. Select the Macros tab to specify an Approach macro with a linear approach path of 50mm.

      See Defining Macros on Milling Operations

    4. Simulate the tool path to verify the Profile Contouring operation.


    5. Click OK to create the Profile Contouring operation.
  6. Click Manufacturing View to display the Manufacturing View.

    In the context menu, select the Sort by Machining Features item to see how the Prismatic machining area is referenced by the Pocketing and Profile Contouring operations.



    Notes:
    • The tool entry direction for a Prismatic machining area is the normal to the selected bottom. When the same Prismatic machining area is used in another operation, the tool axis takes precedence and the computation is done based on the tool axis.
    • In addition to Pocketing and Profile Contouring operations, Prismatic Machining Areas can also be used for Creating a Prismatic Rework Area for Corners and Channels.
    • It is impossible to reuse a Prismatic Machining Area created in a machining operation. To reuse a Prismatic Machining Area, create the area using Global Feature Recognition, Local Feature Recognition, or Prismatic Machining Area commands.

Creating and Using Prismatic Machining Areas with the 3DEXPERIENCE User Interface

  1. Click Prismatic Machining Area in the Prismatic Machining section of the action bar.
    The Prismatic Machining workflow appears in the work area.
  2. Follow the workflow instructions to create a machining pattern.
    The Prismatic Machining Area dialog box appears.
  3. Click in the title bar of the dialog box to edit the name of the manufacturing pattern, such as PrismaticMachiningArea.x.
  4. In the Mandatory section, verify the mandatory input parameters.

    Note: The following icons are used to describe the status of a parameter:
    Icon Description
    Parameter defined.
    Mandatory parameter not defined.
    Optional parameter not defined.
    Parameter not up to date.
    Broken link.

  5. Optional: Do any of the following:
    1. Select to remove the input parameter.
    2. Select to display additional information on the parameter in the work area.
    3. Select to display the parameter's context menu.
  6. In the Optional section, verify the optional input parameters.
  7. Click OK to validate and exit the dialog box.