Defining a Method Plan

Start Process Method Plan

1. Click Process Method Plan  in the Process Definition toolbar.
   If the check box Display detailed text in dialog in Tools/Options/Mechanical Design/Die Face Design is cleared, the dialog box looks like this:
   
   If the check box Display detailed text in dialog in Tools/Options/Mechanical Design/Die Face Design is selected, the dialog box looks like this:
   
   When required, click Open to access the dialog boxes.

Define General Inputs and Parameters

1. Select the press axis system to define the press direction of the method plan.
   It is usually the part axis system.

2. Select the process result geometry, that is the surface that represents the output part of the whole process (Design Part).

3. Select the blank axis.
   The blank axis is the reference to manipulate the blank position. It is usually the press position translated to center of gravity of the blank or output part.
   If the blank axis is not defined, Process Mathod Plan computes one from the press direction and the center of gravity of the output geometry, or uses the one defined as output geometry in the Part Positioning feature.

4. Select the blank geometry (Sketch of surface) to define the initial sheet of metal geometry.
   Click Blank Properties to edit the blank partition that is automatically created from  the selected input.

5. Select the part axis.
   An axis system is required for each domain of the result geometry to define each part position independently from the others in Process Step (Positioning section).
   If the part axis is not defined, Process Method Plan computes one from the press direction and the center of gravity of each part, or uses the one defined as output geometry in the Part Positioning feature.

6. Select the Check Process Result check box to check that the output geometry of Process Method Plan is the same as the selected Process Result Geometry.

7. Select the Force Concept Mode check box to ignore all specified detailed geometries and revert to the concept view of the process.
   An update is required after each modification.

Edit the Method Plan

1. Add , edit or remove tools.

2. Enter user values.

3. Create or remove user attributes.

Define the Default Step Positioning

1. Define the process display direction, that is the translation direction for each process step.
   If the process display direction is not defined, the X-Axis of the part is used.

2. Enter the distance between step, that is the translation value of each process step.

Define the Default Step Naming

1. Enter the initial step name index.

2. Enter the step name interval.

3. Select or clear the Display OP Name check box.

The default index of a process step is defined by this formula:
Initial Step Name Index + (Step numer -1)*Step Name Interval.
For example, if
Initial Step Name Index = 15
Step Name Interval = 5
the index of step 3 is : 15+(3-1)*5=25, i.e. OP25.

Manage Scrap Geometries

1. Select the elements to add.
   For more information, see Manage Scraps.

Define the Default Analysis Parameters

1. Click an analysis button to configure it.
   For more information, see Configure Analyses.