Direction Analysis : Options and Results

Access: Open this function from one of the following locations:

Select Analysis > Main Tools > Direction Analysis from the menu bar.
Select Parting > Draft Angle Tools > Direction Analysis from the menu bar.
Select Parting Analysis Tools > Direction Analysis from the Mold Design Guide Toolbar or Parting Guide Toolbar.
Select the Optional Step 1 in the New Direction function.

Analyze selected faces and visualize their draft angle with reference to a defined direction.

Required Step 1

PickPick(left mouse button) faces or objects of a part for draft angle analysis (or in the Assembly environment, from the activated part). If there are internal areas that you want to exclude, only select the faces that you want to include in the analysis.

Component	All faces selected

Press exitexit(middle mouse button) when you have finished the selection.

Note: Faces from parts that have not been activated will be ignored during the picking operation.

Required Step 2

Step 2 is automatically activated after exitingexiting(middle mouse button) Required Step 1 and displays a set of screen parameters that allow you to set the analysis parameters. See the Parameters section below for a detailed description of all the available screen parameters for this function.
Select Settings to display either the Draft Angle Analysis or Settings color dialog, depending on the analysis method selected. For example, if the 1 Opening Direction toggle option is selected, the Draft Angle Analysis dialog appears when Settings is selected. If the 2 Opening Directions toggle option is selected, the Settings dialog appears (see the images below).

Note that the draft angle is displayed when moving the cursor over the faces selected for assignment. Also, note that the direction arrow is displayed with the default direction Z of the active UCS of the activated part.

1 Opening Direction The draft angles are color coded and can be modified by selecting Settings to display the Draft Angle Analysis dialog.


2 Opening Directions The draft angles are color coded and can be modified by selecting Settings to display the Settings dialog.

Note that the each draft angle when displayed includes a colored circle that corresponds to its direction (as indicated in the Settings dialog).

Select Close in the Feature Guide to complete the function.

When completed, if the orientation of the selected geometry was changed, the Change Orientation feature will appear in the Feature Tree.

Parameters

1 Opening Direction /
2 Opening Directions

This toggle option determines the analysis method.

1 Opening Direction

Analyze the part from one direction.

This option divides the part into multiple colors, depending on the draft angles.

ExampleExample

To display the local draft angle on the faces selected for the analysis (in Step 1), move the cursor over the appropriate faces. The cursor changes to and the local angle is displayed at the cursor location against the split direction of that face.

The presented angle is between the direction arrow and the tangential line on the cursor point. Faces that were not picked for analysis (in Step 1) are ignored - the local draft angle is not displayed.

See the dialog displayed for this option in the Settings parameter described below.

2 Opening Directions

Analyze the part from two pull directions. This finds and manages the primary opening direction and also allows you to see faces assigned to the core and cavity as well as undercuts.

This option divides the part into the following color-coded sections:

- 1st Direction (selected primary opening direction)

- Under Cut (for lifters, sliders,etc.)

- 2nd Direction (opposite opening direction - for core or cavity)

Vertical areas are assigned to one of the 2 directions, as defined below.

ExampleExample

In 2 Opening Directions mode, there are no negative values, as every face refers to the relevant opening direction (negative values are presented as positive since they are positive values when looking from the 2nd side). In addition, the text color changes according to the opening direction.

This option is not available in the NC environment.

See the dialog displayed for this option in the Settings parameter described below.

This functionality is license dependent; it is available if you have the appropriate license. Contact your Reseller if you require this functionality.

Settings

Display the Draft Angle Analysis or the Settings dialog, depending on the analysis method selected – 1 Opening Direction or 2 Opening Directions. The draft angle of the model is automatically color coded according to the default color map values based on zone thresholds.

1 Opening Direction – Draft Angle Analysis

Cimatron runs the Draft Angle Analysis on the selected faces according to the selected direction. You can change the arrow direction and the analysis will be updated automatically.

Display the Draft Angle Analysis dialogDraft Angle Analysis dialog. See below for additional information.

In Part and Assembly files, the Draft Angle Analysis dialog is displayed in Draft Angle (Mold Design) mode.	In NC files, the Draft Angle Analysis dialog is displayed in Slope Analysis (NC) mode.

2 Opening Directions – Settings

The Settings dialog is displayed.

The Settings dialog displays the color coding of the part:

1st Direction (the selected opening direction indicated by the direction arrow)
Undercut
Vertical Areas (vertical triangle areas)
2nd Direction (the opposite opening direction to the direction arrow)

You can add the vertical areas to either the 1st or 2nd opening directions.

Notes:

The Settings default colors can be changed in Tools > Preferences > Modeling > General.
You can also change the colors from within the Settings dialog by clicking on the color square adjacent to the listed item. The Color Picker appears. Select another color from the color scheme.
The displayed color changes are only temporary. Once exiting the function, the original colors of the objects are displayed.

Show Partial Undercut /
Don't Show Partial Undercut

This is a toggle option Show Partial Undercut / Don't Show Partial Undercut to enable you to show partial undercuts for analysis, or not to show them.

For all system calculations, there is a correlation between the required accuracy level and the duration of the calculations; setting a higher accuracy level will extend the calculation time.

Show Partial Undercut

Show partial undercuts. These faces are displayed in yellow with marking points to indicate the undercut edges, as shown in the example below. This operation may take slightly longer to calculate, however, the results are more comprehensive.
ExampleExample

Don't Show Partial Undercut

Don't show partial undercuts.
ExampleExample

This is the default.

This option is displayed if the 1 Opening Direction option is selected.

Vertical Areas - Show Different Color /
Vertical Areas - Add to 1st Direction /
Vertical Areas - Add to 2nd Direction

Toggle option that allows you to add vertical areas to the 1st Direction, 2nd Direction, or assign them to a separate color. This toggle parameter is only available for selection when the 2 Opening Directions option is selected.

Vertical Areas - Show Different Color

Assign a separate color to vertical areas (than 1st Direction or 2nd Direction).
Vertical Areas - Add to 1st Direction

Assign vertical areas to 1st opening direction.
Vertical Areas - Add to 2nd Direction

Assign vertical areas to 2nd opening direction

ExamplesExamples

Show Different Color All vertical areas are assigned a different color (than the 1st Direction or 2nd Direction). This is the default option.

Add to 1st Direction All vertical areas are assigned to the 1st Direction.	Add to 2nd Direction All vertical areas are assigned to the 2nd Direction.

Remove All Figures

Click the Remove All Figures button to remove all the angle value labels from the display. This option is grayed out if there are no angle value labels in the display.

Normal Accuracy

This is a dropdown list of options to define the accuracy level of the faceting tolerances. The following options with their corresponding tolerances are available:

Low Accuracy	Tolerance = 0.5
Normal Accuracy	Tolerance = 0.1 This is the default option.
High Accuracy	Tolerance = 0.02
Very High Accuracy	Tolerance = 0.01

This option is displayed if the 2 Opening Directions option is selected.

Resolution as Display /
High Resolution

Use this toggle option to determine the resolution on which the analysis will be based.

For all system calculations, there is a correlation between the required accuracy level and the duration of the calculations; setting a higher accuracy level will extend the calculation time.

Resolution as Display	The analysis is based on the current display triangulation. This is the default.
High Resolution	The analysis is based on an improved triangulation algorithm. When you exit this function, the resolution is returned to the Resolution as Display default. This operation may take slightly longer to calculate, however, the results are more comprehensive.

This option is displayed if the 1 Opening Direction option is selected.

Create UCS

Create a new UCS at the center of the bounding box of the selected object/faces. This creates a UCS named Opening Direction Analysis #<index number>.

The Z direction of the created UCS is the same as the current arrow direction.

A feature for the new UCS is created in the Feature Tree.
ExampleExample

This option is displayed if the 1 Opening Direction option is selected; however, the UCS may be used to set an direction for the 2nd opening direction.

Orientate Part

Orientate the part to review the opening direction (on Z) and also undercuts.

This may be used for parts that are hard to position in the mold. In this mode, you can rotate the part by dragging it freely, providing an instant analysis of the core, cavity, and undercuts to help you to find the right orientation.

When this parameter is selected, the Orientate Part mode displays a separate set of parameters dedicated to orientation.

This option is displayed if the 2 Opening Directions option is selected.

Publish to PDF

Publish to PDF to create 3D PDF files that include parts and assemblies from Cimatron. When the Publish to PDF button is selected, a dialog is displayed giving you additional controls before the selected entities are exported to PDF.

Selected Entities Only /
Entire Part

Publish selected entities only or publish the entire part.

Suggest Direction

Let the system find the optimum orientation direction.

When this option is selected, the system analyzes the best orientation for the mold's opening direction (a crucial initial step of mold design) with the least amount of undercuts. This is especially useful for parts with an ambiguous or hard to find parting line (for example, automotive pipes).

This option also appears in the Orientate Part mode described above.

If Suggest Direction is invoked in step 2 of the function, the direction arrow will indicate the optimal opening direction (the part orientation remains, the direction arrow changes). In addition, the By Angle direction function is displayed, enabling the direction angle to be fine tuned. The By Angle function does not appear in the Orientate Part mode.

If Suggest Direction is invoked within the Orientate Part mode, this will rotate the part so that the optimal opening direction in on the Z direction (the part orientation changes, the direction arrow remains).

Examples showing the different Suggest Direction resultsExamples showing the different Suggest Direction results

These examples show the differing results depending on where the Suggest Direction operation is invoked to find the orientation direction with the least amount of undercuts

Part before Suggest Direction	Result in step 2 Part orientation remains, direction arrow changes	Result in Orientate Part mode Part orientation changes, direction arrow remains

A progress bar is displayed indicating the progression of the operation. Press ESC to interrupt/stop the operation.

Note: To change the actual orientation of the part, click Orientate Part and use the Suggest Direction option there.

This option is displayed if the 2 Opening Directions option is selected.

Set the required accuracy level in the adjacent option.

Normal Accuracy

Set the accuracy level for the orientation calculation.

For all system calculations, there is a correlation between the required accuracy level and the duration of the calculations; setting a higher accuracy level will extend the calculation time.

This option is displayed if the 2 Opening Directions option is selected.

Additional information on the Draft Angle Analysis dialogAdditional information on the Draft Angle Analysis dialog

Draft Angle Analysis Dialog

Select Settings in the screen parameters. The Draft Angle Analysis dialog is displayed.

Displaying draft angle analysis

The draft angle of the model is automatically color coded according to the default color map values based on zone thresholds. As shown above, the opening directional arrow is in the +Z direction, clearly showing the faces that are considered vertical and horizontal.

An example of an analysis showing an under cut area can be seen hereseen here. In this case, the opening directional arrow is in the -X direction.

The color map values (based on zone thresholds) can be modified (see Changing the Colors section below) and are divided into the following zones:
- Horizontal
- 10° < a° < 90° for Draft Angle Analysis
  (in the Cimatron MoldDesign application)
  0° < a° < 15° for Slope Analysis
  (in the Cimatron Numerical Control (NC) application)
- 2 user-definable thresholds
- Vertical
- 1 user-definable threshold
- Undercut
Cimatron runs the Draft Angle Analysis on the selected faces according to the selected direction. You can change the arrow direction and the analysis will be updated automatically.

The draft angles of points can also be displayed (see Displaying the draft angles of points below).
Notes:
- Default colors and their values can be defined in Tools > Preferences > Modeling > General.
- The displayed color changes are only temporary. Once the function is exited, the original colors of the objects are displayed.
- The default color of objects that are not split is defined in Tools > Preferences > Modeling > Color > Geometry (objects).
Changing the colors

Select the color to be changed and select the required color from the Color Palette dialog.

The new color is immediately displayed in the color button of the relevant angle segment. When you click ApplyApply in the Draft Angle Analysis dialog, the color of all appropriate faces in the model that match the zone thresholds are changed.

Displaying the draft angles of points

To display the local draft angle at any point on a face, move the cursor over the appropriate face. The cursor changes to and the local angle at the point indicated by the cursor is displayed in a label (if required, pick the face to attach the label to it).

The presented angle is between the direction arrow and the tangential line on the cursor point. As shown below, the opening directional arrow is in the +Z direction. Also, note that the Remove All Figures option is available (not grayed out) as angle value labels are attached to faces (select this option to remove these labels from the display).
Modify the threshold values on the dialog by entering new values manually or by clicking the arrows to increase or decrease the values by increments of 0.5.
Either click Restore DefaultsRestore Defaults to restore the default colors and values from Preferences, ApplyApply to apply the new draft angle color ranges, or CancelCancel to exit the function.
Notes:
- Each operation that changes any of the objects (split, attach faces, delete, etc.) is followed with an immediate recalculation of the draft angle analysis.
- If a Parting Surface exists, it is also included in the draft angle analysis.