Creating a Diabolo

This command is only available with the Generative Shape Optimizer or Automotive Body in White Templates product.

This task shows how to include a seat surface onto a base surface.

Open the Diabolo1.CATPart document.

  1. Click Diabolo in the BiW Templates toolbar.

    The Diabolo Definition dialog box is displayed.

  2. Select the Seat Surface.
    The seat surface must have a closed contour and belong to one domain.

  3. Select the Base Element.
    If the Base Element selected is a plane it is considered as a creation feature, while if it is a surface, it is considered as a modification feature.
    When you click OK, the reversal of Base Element from plane to surface or vice versa is not allowed.
  4. Optional: In the Faces to Modify box, select one or multiple faces to split the base surface and to determine an intermediate base surface.
    •  The faces should lie on the base surface and should be connected to each other so that they form a single domain when joined together.
    • When joined together, the boundary should be able to cut the base surface into two parts.
    • If the faces overlap with other faces of the base element after extrapolation, you will get a warning message.

  5. Select the Draft Direction.

    To define this direction, you can select either a plane, a line or an axis X, Y, Z.
    The draft direction is not mandatory: the default direction is the normal direction to the seat surface.

  6. Select the Draft Angle.

    There are three ways to define the draft angle under the following tabs:
    • Wholly defined: the draft angle is applied to all the edges of the seat surface boundary.
      In addition, you can also specify the angle by clicking Law. This law is applied along the seat surface boundary.
      The Law type that can be specified is Constant or Advanced.
    • G1-Constant: separate draft angles are applied to each set of edges continuous in tangency.
    • Location values: the draft angle is specified at different vertices along the seat surface boundary. The seat boundary should be continuous in tangency.
    The default draft angle value is five degrees.

  7. Click Preview.

  8. Click Reverse Direction to invert the orientation of diabolo.

    • The Reverse Direction button is enabled only if there are multiple solutions possible to create the diabolo. If there is only one solution possible, this button is disabled.
    • You can also click the red arrow in the geometry to change the orientation.

  9. Click Preview again.

     

  10. Click OK.

    The diabolo (identified as Diabolo.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
    Diabolo with a 5 degrees as draft angle Diabolo with a 30 degrees as draft angle
       

Diabolo on Volume
You can now create a diabolo with a volume or a solid feature as the Base Element.
Here is an example with a volume.

Open the Diabolo2.CATPart document.

  1. Click Diabolo in the BiW Templates toolbar.

    The Diabolo Definition dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Seat Surface.

    • The seat surface must have only one boundary and belong to one domain.

    • The seat surface should not completely cross the base element, otherwise an error message is issued.

  3. Set the volume as the Base Element.

  4. Click Reverse Direction to invert the orientation of diabolo.

    This button is enabled only if there are multiple solutions possible to create the diabolo. If there were only one solution possible, this button is disabled.

  5. Click OK to create the diabolo on volume.