Positioning the Part

You can create the layout of several parts inside a stamping press.

This task shows you how to:

Position the Design
Nest Part
Specify the Press Table

Position the Design

You can define a stamping direction for each input, select additional elements, and define a symmetry in the design position.

Note: To avoid wrong manipulations when nesting a part or positioning it in the press line, the X and Y rotations of the Robot are disabled.

From the Analysis & Preparation section of the action bar, click Part Positioning .
Press a section in the wizard to access the corresponding dialog box.
1. Press Close to revert to the wizard and close the current dialog box.
2. Press the small icon on the right of the screen to revert to the wizard without closing the current dialog box.
In the Design Position tab, select the surfaces to position.
Part Positioning
- Lists input surfaces under Design Position
- Analyzes the selected surfaces and creates a stamping direction on the center of gravity of the selection, with the same Z-Axis as the part. These are the reference surfaces and axis system.
  Note: Edit the stamping direction under Design Position.
- Creates a target axis system on the part axis system.
  Note: Edit the stamping direction under Part Nesting.
- Creates an axis-to-axis transformation feature: The reference surfaces move from their initial position to the target axis system, without rotation. The moved surfaces are the positioned surfaces.
- Lists positioned surfaces as Surfaces to Nest under Part Nesting, with the prefix Positioned.
- Creates a Positioning feature. It is the join of all the axis-to-axis features.
Select an input surface and press Edit Stamping Direction to start the stamping direction analysis and edition on the reference part.
Only a correct reference stamping direction ensures that the axis-to-axis result is correctly positioned to use the Z-Axis of the part as the stamping direction.
For more information, see Creating Stamping Directions
Select an input surface and press Z View.
A reframe is done on the selected surface. The Z Axis of the stamping direction becomes the view normal.
Add elements to the surfaces to position.
1. Select a surface in the table.
2. Select Planned Additional Elements, if planning is requested.
  The elements reuse the specified positioning and appear as elements to be planned.
3. Select Other Additional Elements if planning is not requested.
  The elements reuse the specified positioning but do not appear as elements to be planned.
4. Choose the elements to add, for example an insert.
Define a symmetric part.
1. Select a surface as a symmetric surface.
2. Define a symmetry plane.
  A symmetry of the reference axis system is computed using the specified symmetry plane.
  Note: By default, the symmetry plane is the YZ plane.

Nest Part

You can define the relative position of each input and define a symmetry in layout position.

Note: To avoid wrong manipulations when nesting a part or positioning it in the press line, the X and Y rotations of the Robot are disabled.

Select a surface to nest, and press Edit Target Axis Coordinates.
You can edit the target axis system, and define a rotation of the Robot.
Select a surface to nest, and press Z Rotation
A 90° rotation around the Z Axis is applied to the surface.
Select a surface to nest and press Z View .
A reframe is done on the selected surface. The Z Axis of the stamping direction becomes the view normal.
Click Two parts on each side of Press X Axis to align the first selected part (left) and the last selected part (right) to each side of the press X axis.
Click Two parts on each side of Press Y Axis to align the first selected part (left) and the last selected part (right) to each side of the press Y axis.
Define a symmetry in the layout position for the surface to nest.
1. Select a surface to nest.
2. Select a symmetry plane.
A symmetry of the target axis system is computed using the specified symmetry plane.
If at least two positioned surfaces exist, press Compute Minimum Distances .
The minimum distances between all positioned surfaces are computed and displayed.
Double-click the computed distance and enter a target distance instead.
The surfaces move by the target distance, along the direction that represents the minimum distance between them.
Edit the Robot from the context menu.
1. Enter rounding thresholds as required.
2. Select a linear element to align one axis of the Robot with it.
3. Select a set of faces to align a direction using the mean value of the faces normals.

Specify the Press Table

You can define the global position of all the surfaces as a single element on the press table.

Press Z View.
A reframe is done. The Z Axis of the stamping direction becomes the view normal.
Specify the press table representation.
1. Select a face of any feature that represents the press table.
  It can be a mechanical tool or a surface.
  
  The face is centered on the part axis, with its center normal aligned on the part Z-axis.
2. Select the press table axis.
  The default orientation of the press table and the reference axis for axis-to-axis transformation of the press table are specified.

A Part Positioning node is created. It contains

The Positioned Group feature with
- The Stamping Direction
- The Target Axis and its computation parameters.
A Positioned Result Surface node is also created, with its Result Surface Stamping Direction feature and Result Surface Target Axis.
To ensure a good visualization of the layout position even when the press position has been customized, additional elements are created with 2 axis to axis features:
- Nested Additional Element, from the start position to the layout position
- Additional Element, from the layout position to the press position.

Note: All axis systems used as reference or target for axis to axis transformation are driven axis systems, enabling you to quickly define symmetry.