Analyzing the Draft Angle

You can analyze the draft angle on a surface to ensure its manufacturing feasibility.

Before you begin:
  • Open an existing 3D shape.
  • Set the discretization to a maximum: Select Me > Preferences > Common Preferences > 2D 3D View Display > Performance, 3D Accuracy section, select Fixed and enter a value of 0.01.
  • Disable the highlight of geometry selection: Select Me > Preferences > Common Preferences > 2D 3D View Display > Selection > Selection section, clear the Highlight faces and edges check box.
  • Select Me > Preferences > App Preferences > 3D Modeling > Styling > Freestyle Shape Design, General tab, Mapping Analysis option section, and select No warning message if material mode is not ON.
  1. From the section of the action bar, click Feature Draft Analysis .
    By default, Quick Analysis Mode and Show/Hide color scale are selected.
  2. Select a surface.
    The quick analysis is displayed on the surface. The color scale shows the corresponding values.

    The draft direction is the w/z axis of the Robot.



  3. Select Full Analysis Mode .
    The color scale and range of values are expanded.

  4. Optional: To modify the colors and/or values in the color scale, right-click a color or value.
  5. Optional: To save color scale settings as a variant, use the options in the Color Scale variant area.
  6. Select On the Fly and move the pointer over the surface.
    The following information at the current pointer location is updated dynamically:
    • Green arrow (N): Normal to the surface.
    • Red arrow (D): Draft direction.
    • Blue arrow (T): Tangent to the surface .
    • Circles: Plane tangent to the surface.
    • Value (reverse highlighted): Angle between the draft direction and the tangent to the surface.
    • Cone.
    • Value (unhighlighted): Angle between the axis of the cone and the draft direction D (cone angle).


    Notes:
    • The On the Fly analysis can only be performed on the elements of the current part.
    • You can select the On the Fly option even if the materials are not visualized. It gives you the tangent plane and the deviation value.
  7. Click to remove the highlight representations.
  8. Click to add light effect.
  9. Optional: Click Reverse to reverse the draft direction of all selected elements.


    Tip: The pulling direction defined in a Part Design's Draft is not taken into account. In case of any inconsistency with the draft analysis orientation, click Reverse .
  10. Right-click the cone angle to edit this value.
    The value is automatically updated in the color scale and on the geometry.
    Note: You cannot edit the angle below the minimum value or above the maximum value.


  11. Right-click the red arrow (draft direction D) to display a context menu.

    You can:

    • Hide/show the cone.
    • Hide/show the angle.
    • Hide/show the tangent.
    • Lock/unlock the analysis position.
    • Keep the point at this location.
  12. Define a new draft direction and lock the direction:
    1. Click Robot .
      The Robot is placed in the work area.
    2. Drag and rotate the Robot until the w/z axis is aligned with the required draft direction.
      The draft direction changes its direction accordingly.
    3. Click Lock draft direction .
      The draft direction is locked in the new direction. It will remain unchanged whenever you make subsequent adjustments to the Robot.
  13. Click OK. The analysis is added to the tree and will be updated automatically whenever you modify any of the input elements.

Notes:
  • Settings are saved when you exit the command, and redisplayed when you select Feature Draft Analysis again.
  • In case the analysis results are not visible, even though the rendering style is properly set, check that the geometry is up-to-date, or perform an update on the involved elements.
  • The analysis results depend of the current object. If you want to change the scope of the analysis, use the Define in Work object contextual command.
  • If you have created several draft analyses on the same surface element, you can put any of them on top of the others for the visualization. Select the Set on top contextual command of the required analysis in the tree.
  • If a partbody is selected for analysis the following behavior is observed:
    • The result is same as the result displayed if the last modified/created solid in the part body is selected.
    • Any changes made in the partbody are taken into account for analysis.
    • If the solid above the last updated solid is an in-work object, the analysis is not displayed.