Table of Contents:

Welcome
Draft
Thickness
Waterlines
Undercuts

Thickness Analysis

In this section, you will learn how to perform a thickness analysis with 2 methods: the documented method (2D sections thickness check), and the undocumented one (3D thickness check).

 

Hidden CONFIG.PRO

The following config option was never fully tested and released, but you may use it at you own risk as it provides a more complete picture of the thickness issues on the model.

3d_thickness_check yes

This option allows the use of the 3D thickness analysis in the list of Mold Analysis.

  • Open the Attached Model HUB_BOTTOM.PRT
  • Change from the top menu to Applications > Mold/Casting
  • Then select Analysis > Mold Analysis...
  • As we want to check a 1.5 mm thickness part, we could set the minimum and maximum thicknesses to 1.4 mm and 1.6 mm.
  • Then press COMPUTE: be careful might take some time


    Cyan: the thickness is OK
    Magenta: This is TOO THIN
    Yellow    : This is TOO THICK
  • Now uncheck the OK Button and press COMPUTE again...


    Only the TOO THIN and TOO THICK colors are displayed.

Close the analysis window.

 

Parallel Cross Sections

This is the standard technique; it has some limits as it calculates thickness in a cross section plane.

  • Open the Attached Model THICKNESS.PRT
  • Select Analysis > Model > Thickness...
  • Complete the analysis as follows:
    • Pick in the "Select items" box for "From Slices", then double-click PNT0 on the model. (Note: you may either create a datum point feature for PNT0 and PNT1, or you may simply select the desired vertex rather than a datum point.)
    • Then pick PNT1 as the "To Slices" point
    • Pick the Right datum plane as the Direction reference
    • Pick the direction arrow to flip the direction if necessary
    • Offset is 2 mm (we will check one slice every 2 mm)
    • Keep Max checked and enter the value 2; we want to highlight what is thicker than 2 mm



  • Press  to view the results; all cross sections are calculated, and then they are erased to only display the first one.


     

  • The list of all cross sections is presented and you may pick one of the sections in the list to review the results.
    • NOTE: a YES in the column named >MAX" means that the thickness is larger that the maximum defined.
  • You may input a MIN value (1.6) and uncheck the MAX.
  • Press  to view where the part is thinner than the minimum value


  • You may check both MAX and MIN values at the same time, if desired.

Next >