COE Ask The Expert

Welcome to the COE Ask the Expert Webinar Presented by Jeff Roark Our next Ask the Expert will be August 29th at 10:00 am Central Presented by Ed Ladzinski Visit http://www.coe.org/events/experts.cfm for event details!

KBE Tips and Tricks

Speakers: Jeff Roark

KBE Topics KWA Rules, Reactions and Checks Topology Control in Power Copies Knowledge Pattern

Design of a simple rib

Every design consideration is complex What is there to consider? Function

Structural Aesthetic

Constraints: Draft
Function Material Thickness

Manufacturing Quality Time Assembly Material

ABS Polypro Nylon

Texture Function
Thickness
Base Material Rib Thickness Material Selection

Basic Rib Design Rules

Basic Rib Design Rules

Basic Rib Design Rules

How can all these rules be captured?

KWA: Rules
If Then conditions Unchanging facts or conditions

Reactions Dynamically overload values

Multiple rules can modify a parameter

For While looping

Checks Testing the state of a parameter for

True or False

Parameters

Rib To Wall Reaction

Rib Height Reaction

Top Of Length Reaction

Rib To Wall Rule

How it works
Modify Parameters
The Rule Overloads Rib_To_Wall_Max

Checks are evaluated

Reactions evaluate If they need to fire or not

Checks are evaluated

The Part Updates

Resolving Rules/Reactions

Rib Height Reaction Fired

Top Of Rib Reaction Fired

Rib To Wall Reaction Fired

Top Of Rib Reaction Re-fires

Before

After

Comparison
Before After

Topology Control in PowerCopies

David Burke Johnson Controls Inc.

Overview Background of Topology Problem/Solution Scenario Example #1 Example #2 Advantages/Disadvantages

Topology Control in PowerCopies What is topology?

A boolean that describes the orientation of an object. Could be known as positive/negative, true/false,

up/down, etc.

Why is it important?
Topology of objects help control many actions in

CATIA. The default direction of a split, offset plane, start/end of a line, etc. are all determined by the topology of their reference object. PowerCopies rely on topology to be defined on the fly from a user since all of their reference objects are being replaced upon instantiation.

Problem: Users trying to instantiate PowerCopies accidentally use the wrong orientation (flipping of arrows) which causes the PowerCopy to fail or the result is undesirable.
Arrows Dont Match
Result is undesirable or part fails

Solution: Use Knowledge Advisor (KWA) to test for orientation and control it so a desirable result is achieved every time. Intended result is
still achieved.

Arrows Dont Match

Example #1 Using a measure to test a planes orientation

A PowerCopy with a plane and a point for inputs The arrow always needs to point towards the point input

How Does it Work? A KWA rule controls the topology

Declare some variables to be used later.
Create the test plane to measure off of and control its direction with a boolean. Make two measures to be compared.

Evaluate the measures and decide if the reference should be set to the original plane the user selected or an inverse of that plane.

All of the geometry in the PowerCopy should reference the plane created as a formula instead of the plane selected by the user. This way the reference plane is swapped to the correct orientation by the rule before any geometry can fail.

How Does it Work? Now the user can select either orientation and the PowerCopy will still work as intended.

Example #2 Another strategy to test a surfaces orientation

A PowerCopy with three planes and a surface for inputs. The surface will trim the part, and the side with the least

amount of material must be removed.

How Does it Work? First some geometry is created to measure from

A line that is as long as the entire part without the trim is created. The aforementioned line is trimmed with the input surface. These lines will be evaluated later in the KWA rule

How Does it Work? The lines are evaluated in a KWA rule.

Measurement variables declared in the rule. Set one distance to the entire length and the other to the length of the split line. If the NormalDist is less than the MeasuredDist, the split must be OK since the larger amount of material is left over. Otherwise the split must be flipped by swapping surfaces because the smaller amount of material would be left over.

The geometry is swapped by the rule just as in the first example.

How Does it Work?

Now no matter what the user sets for the orientation of the surface, the larger part of the material will be left over.

Some Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages:

Users can use PowerCopies much easier The intended result is generated every time The PowerCopy is more robust The creator of the PowerCopy can make more assumptions about the result since it will be the same every time There are many ways to test for topology, only a couple are shown here

i.e. center of gravity, volume, area, etc

Some Advantages and Disadvantages Disadvantages:

It is difficult to come up with a solution for each

PowerCopy, since each solution will be different Extra geometry needs to be created, which could be a problem with large and/or complicated surfaces.
Note that instead of swapping the surface, one could activate

and deactivate two splits that split in the opposite direction

There needs to be an input that acts as a reference

(something to measure off of perhaps) It can become confusing to try to control more than one input since one input switching could affect another

Knowledge Pattern
Anthony Pulcini Johnson Controls Inc.

Contents
What is Knowledge pattern
Advantages Where is knowledge pattern Knowledge pattern interface

Example 1 Knowledge Language Notes Example 2 Knowledge Language Notes Capability Speaker Grill Example Conclusion

What is a Knowledge Pattern Creates a pattern of datums (points, lines, planes) or udf templates in an associative way using the knowledgeware language.
Associative is key

Advantages of using a Knowledge Pattern Allows user to make a pattern of datums that are controlled by parameters. Allows user to bring in the same template many times with different results (instances). Allows user to bring in multiple templates in the same pattern. Automates UDF instantiation (no user interaction).

Where is Knowledge Pattern Located in Product Knowledge Template (PKT) workbench

Knowledge Pattern Interface Highlights

Execution Mode List Editor Pattern

Definition Parameter Dictionary Language Browser Panel

Example 1 Parameters drive number of planes and spacing in pattern

Example 1 Add lists For while loop Set variable p Name p

Tip: List will

automatically populate upon execution

Knowledge Language Notes

CreateOrModifyDatum
Creates the planes and populates the list

planeoffset
Offsets the plane a certain length (l)

Example 2 Bring in a UDF using the planes as inputs.

Example 2

UDF inputs that need to be defined.

Example 2 For while loop

Finds UDF in

Catalog Sets inputs Names UDF

Knowledge Language Notes

CreateOrModifyTemplate
Finds UDF in a catalog and populates list

udf_cylinder.height_plane
Sets first input of UDF to a plane in the list Planes2

Planes2.GetItem(i)
Gets plane from list at index I

Capability

Automatic execution upon any change affecting the pattern

Capability A simple if else statement can change which template is brought in

Speaker Grill Example Design requirements

Holes need to be in

die draw Two types of holes: through holes and blind holes Speaker grill is normally not perfect circle Each hole is unique based on the surface

Speaker Grill Example Due to design requirements a typical pattern cannot be used This process was automated by projecting points onto a surface and using a knowledge pattern The same process works for every speaker grill and spacing can be modified quickly Before automation designers would have to manually use the draft command more than 1000 times in some cases Automation reduced design time from 40hrs to 3hrs

Conclusion Knowledge Pattern Can bring in the same UDF with different instances that depend on the inputs the creator sets. Can bring in totally different UDFs that may require different inputs. Parameters can modify which UDF comes in, and the inputs of the UDF, which allows the ability to make quick and easy modifications.