Rib : Options and Results

Access: Open this function from the following location:

  • Select Solid > Creation > Rib from the menu bar.

Create a rib to strengthen regions of the part. The rib is based on a 2D wireframe with a defined thickness, draft angle, direction, and a flat or rounded top.

Required Step 1

  1. Pick the rib centerline curves from which the rib is to be created. 

Note: You can select multiple rib curves as required for your work results.

  1. The rib will be created on both sides of the selected reference geometry. In the image below, the DARK GREEN contours represent the selected reference geometry.



    A smooth 3D contour or a 2D contour may be picked, where the direction of the latter is also parallel to the 2D contour plane.
    ExamplesExamples

    3D reference contour examples

    2D reference contour example, where the direction (Step 2 of the function) is parallel to the 2D contour plane

  2. ExitExit(middle mouse button) to proceed to Step 2.

Required Step 2

  1. Set the parameters and define the rib direction. The image below shows the screen parameters that are displayed for the Rib function. 

 

Note: See the Parameters table below for more information on the available Rib parameters and how they can be used to produce the desired work results.

Note that the Invert Active Object parameter is only displayed for open objects and deals with issues of object direction. Cimatron automatically displays this parameter if open objects are detected. See the Parameters table below for more information on the this and other parameters.

  1. To define the rib direction, a direction arrow is displayed. The rib direction can be parallel or normal to the plane of the picked contour or less than 45° from the normal direction. See the Top Thickness parameter defintion for possible effects of the rib direction.

Optional Step 1

  1. Change the active object.
    A toggle parameter is displayed, Keep Original Active Object / Activate Selected Object. Select the appropriate option as required for your work results.

Keep Original Active Object

Keep the active object originally used in the function.
This is the default option.

Activate Selected Object

Change the active object to the selected object. Pick an object as required.

  1. When you have completed the steps, click OK or Apply in the Feature Guide to complete the function.
    When completed, the Rib feature will appear in the Feature Tree.

Using the Conflict Solver to successfully apply a Rib

There may be instances where the Rib function fails to produce the desired result due to geometric limitations involving extrudes, tapers, rounds, or other features that comprise a rib. In these cases, the Conflict Solver will automatically open, providing you with helpful information to achieve the correct results, such as recommending that some rib curves be unselected for example.

For more information on the Conflict Solver and its use with the Rib function, see the Complete Result / Partial Result parameter definition in the Parameters table below.

The Conflict Solver dialog displays a warning that the Rib function will fail as it is currently defined. The Conflict Information area also lists recommendations for successfully generating the rib. In this example, Conflict Solver recommends:

  • Selecting the Partial Result option from the Complete Result / Partial Result toggle parameter to generate a partial result or

  • Modifying the Rib parameters to successfully produce the rib (in this example, removing the Draft Angle or changing its value).

See Conflict Solver for more information.

Note: The Conflict Solver will appear whenever there is a rib curve failure, regardless if the Complete Result or Partial Result option is selected from the Rib parameters.

Ribs with draft angles

A rib with a small inside corner can be created with no taper; however, when applying a draft angle, Cimatron may have issues creating the rib due to difficulty analyzing the geometry. In this case, Cimatron creates one or more inside corners with a constant radius value. 

Cimatron displays the partial results as well as a warning message. Click OK and modify the rib curve as necessary or modify the draft angle options.

Parameters

Add /
New

This toggle option allows you to add a rib as a new solid object or add it to an existing solid object.

Add

Add a rib to an existing solid object.

This is the default option.

New

Add a rib as a new solid object, separate from the existing solid object.

When this option is selected, the Invert to Active Object parameter is disabled (if it has been enabled due to Cimatron detecting open objects). In addition, the Feature Guide's Optional Step 1 - Pick Reference Object is also disabled.

Note: Selecting the option to create a New rib allows Cimatron to generate a partial result, which is beneficial in cases where the rib would otherwise fail due to a problem merging with the existing object. 

Additional Delta Height

Use this parameter to increase or decrease the rib's delta height. A positive value increases the rib's height and a negative value decreases it. The default value is 0.

Note: Positive and negative values are permitted with this parameter.

  • A positive value moves the Rib curve opposite to the Rib's direction arrow, making the Rib taller.

  • A negative value moves the rib curve in the direction of the arrow, making the Rib shorter.

ExampleExample

In the examples below, Additional Delta Height (with a value of 30) is applied to the ribbed parts on the right, which have been moved opposite of the direction arrow.

Additional Delta Height = 0

Additional Delta Height = 30

When this option is used with a Tapered draft angle, the Top Thickness value is measured at the plane of the reference contour selected in Step 1.

In the example below, the rib thickness at the reference contour plane is defined as 15. If the resultant thickness of the top of the rib is zero or less (as a result of a change in the parameter values of either the Top Thickness, Tapered (Draft Angle), or Additional Delta Height), the Top Thickness and Additional Delta Height values are displayed in RED and the function does not execute.

ExampleExample

The parameter values above
produce the result on the right.

When either the Top Thickness, Tapered (Draft Angle), or Additional Delta Height values are changed to produce a zero or negative TOP thickness, the Top Thickness and Additional Delta Height values are displayed in RED, and the function does not execute.

By Delta /
By Reference /
By Closest

The toggle options enabled for this parameter depend on the option selected for the Add / New parameter listed above. 

By Delta

This option allows you to create a rib by Delta (by a given value or direction).

This option is only available if New as been selected for the Add / New toggle parameter.

When this option is selected, the Delta = parameter appears. Enter a value. The default value is 100 mm or 1.00 inches.

By Reference

This option allows you to create a rib by Reference (from a reference face, plane, or point). 

This option is only available if New as been selected for the Add / New toggle parameter.

When this option is selected, the Offset from Ref. = parameter appears. Enter a value. The default value is 0.00 mm or 0.00 inches.

By Closest

This option allows you to create a rib on the closest face of an active object, according to a defined direction.

This option is available for both Add and New; however, if Add is selected for the Add / New toggle parameter, this parameter is selected by default, and all other options (By Delta and By Reference) are disabled.

Close Gaps between Ribs and Object /
Create Ribs Exact to Curves

This toggle option allows you to select the method for closing gaps between ribs and faces.

Close Gaps between Ribs and Object

This option extends the ends of the ribs to meet the closest faces of the active object and merges the full rib height to the faces.

This is the default option.

Create Ribs Exact to Curves

This option performs a basic extend operation that closes edge gaps to prevent small gaps in the solids.

ExampleExample

The image above shows the results of the Create Ribs Exact to Curves option.

Complete Result /
Partial Result

This toggle option instructs the system to generate a complete or partial result for the rib creation.

Complete Result

When this option is selected, Cimatron generates and displays a complete result of the rib. If any aspect of the Rib function fails based on the selected rib curve(s), the Conflict Solver is automatically opened. For more information on the Conflict Solver as it is used with the Rib function, see the Conflict Solver section above.

This is the default option.

Partial Result

When this option is selected, Cimatron generates and displays a partial result of the rib.

If Cimatron detects a rib curve failure during this process, it automatically changes the Rib parameters as required to successfully generate a result. For example: 

  • The Add parameter (add the rib to an existing solid object) is automatically changed to New (add the rib as a new solid object).

    Note: The rib curves that did not fail are created as an "Add" and not as a "New" (new solid object).

 

  • The To Closest parameter is automatically changed to By Delta to create the rib by delta to the lowest bounding box point in that direction.

If Cimatron still detects a rib curve failure, the Conflict Solver is automatically opened with recommendations for creating the rib successfully.

Flat Top /
Rounded Top

This toggle option allows you to create ribs with flat or rounded tops. 

Flat Top

The rib is created with flat tops.
This is the default option.

ExampleExample

Rounded Top

The rib is created with rounded tops.

ExampleExample

Invert Active Object

This parameter is only displayed for open objects and deals with issues of object direction.

ExampleExample

Open object contour selected

Resulting rib for an open object

No Draft Angle /
Tapered

This toggle option allows you to create straight or tapered rib walls.

No Draft Angle

Straight rib walls.
This is the default option.

ExampleExample

Tapered

Tapered rib walls. If this option is selected, an adjacent Draft Angle parameter is displayed to set the taper angle. The draft angle is tapered outside with the bottom base of the rib being wider than the top.

Draft Angle Default = 1°
Minimum: 0°
Maximum: 89°

ExampleExample

In the image below, the tapered Draft Angle = 16.

Top Thickness

Use this parameter to set the thickness of the created rib.

Default = 5 mm or 0.2 inches
Minimum: 0.001
Maximum: 1000

ExampleExample

Top Thickness = 5

Top Thickness = 10

If the rib direction is not exactly normal to the plane of the picked contour (with an angle up to 45° from the normal), the top thickness may not be uniform. To highlight this possibility, the Top Thickness parameter and value are displayed in RED.

ExampleExample

Some functionality may be dependent on the product package. Contact your Reseller if you require a license.