Managing User Features in Pocketing Operations through Machining Process Instantiation

Machining	Prismatic Machining	Managing User Features in Pocketing Operations through Machining Process Instantiation Implementing the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing interface
Use Case

Abstract

This article discusses the CAAPmiUdfForPocketing use case and explains how to implement the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing manufacturing interface.

What You Will Learn With This Use Case
The CAAPmiUdfForPocketing Use Case
Step-by-Step
In Short
References

What You Will Learn With This Use Case

This use case is intended to help you to execute the geometrical mapping of a User Defined Feature to a Pocketing operation through the Machining Process instantiation functionality, by implementing the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing manufacturing interface. This involves the following:

Overviewing the User Defined Features functionality in a manufacturing context
Implementing some methods of CATIMfgMappingForPocketing to:
- To machine a User Defined feature by using a Pocketing operation,
- See how to use the methods of the CATIUdfFeatureInstance interface in a manufacturing context.

[Top]

The CAAPmiUdfForPocketing Use Case

CAAPmiUdfForPocketing is a use case of the CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu framework in the CAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature.m module that illustrates ManufacturingInterfaces framework capabilities.

[Top]

What Does CAAPmiUdfForPocketing Do

CAAPmiUdfForPocketing illustrates an implementation of CATIMfgMappingForPocketing interface for the User Defined Features identified by the UdfFeature type. This implementation enables to machine any design feature by using a pocketing operation, but it cannot answer to the all industrial cases.

[Top]

How to Use CAAPmiUdfForPocketing

To use CAAPmiUdfForPocketing, you will need to:

Set up the build time environment, then compile CAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature.m module along with its prerequisites [1]

Edit the interface dictionary, that is, the CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu.dico file located in:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu\CNext\code\dictionary\`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu/CNext/code/dictionary/`

where InstallRootDirectory is the directory where the CAA CD-ROM is installed, and decomment the following line by removing the '#CAA#' character:

UdfFeature CATIMfgMappingForPocketing libCAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature

Set up the run time environment
Launch a CATIA V5 session

Open the CAAPmiDoublePocketUdfInstance.CATProcess file located in:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu\CNext\resources\graphic\`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu/CNext/resources/graphic/`

Open the CAAPmiMachiningProcessesForDoublePocket.catalog catalog and navigate to select the DoublePocketByPocketing machining process inside the PocketingMachiningProcesses family.
Select as Geometrical Input the DoublePocket.1 feature, then select the OK command
Replay the toolpath and verify that the 2 pockets are well computed.

[Top]

Where to Find the CAAPmiUdfForPocketing Code

The CAAPmiUdfForPocketing use case is made of a class named CAAPmiUdfForPocketing located in the CAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature.m module of the CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu framework:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu\`CAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature`.m`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu/`CAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature`.m`

where InstallRootDirectory is the directory where the CAA CD-ROM is installed.

[Top]

Step-by-Step

There are three logical steps in CAAPmiUdfForPocketing:

Implementing the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing Interface for UdfFeature Types: the Coding Step
Creating a User Feature Template and Associated Machining Processes: the Build Time Step
Creating User Feature Instances and Applying the Dedicated Machining Processes on these User Feature Instances: the Run Time Step

Note that the the coding step and the build time step are linked (see below).

We now comment each of those sections by looking at the code.

[Top]

Implementing the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing Interface for UdfFeature Types

The CAAPmiUdfForPocketing.cpp file uses the "CATIUdfFeatureInstance.h" interface to access to the User Feature information. Then, the right data is accessed by its right role name. Refer also to the CATIMfgDesignHoleParameters documentation for detailed documentation on this interface.

The CAAPmiUdfForPocketing.cpp file uses the "CATIMfgMappingRuleName.h" interface to find the right input defining the driving curve for a given pocketing operation: This interface enables to access to the Mapping Rule name associated to the pocketing operation.

...
CATUnicodeString role = "";
CATBaseUnknown_var spInputGeom;

//----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Read the Inputs number: this is the geometrical inputs of your Udf
// defined when creating the Udf template
//----------------------------------------------------------------------
int InputNb = 0;
RC = piUdfFeatureInstance->GetInputsNumber(InputNb);

//----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Read the mapping rule name associated to the Pocketing operation 
//----------------------------------------------------------------------
CATUnicodeString MappingRuleName = "";
CATIMfgMappingRuleName *piMappRuleName = NULL;
RC = this->QueryInterface(IID_CATIMfgMappingRuleName,(void **)&piMappRuleName);
if (SUCCEEDED(RC) && NULL != piMappRuleName) 
{
  MappingRuleName = piMappRuleName->GetMappingRuleName();
  piMappRuleName->Release();
  piMappRuleName = NULL;
}

//----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Scan all the Udf Inputs to find the right input 
// identified by their role names are well defined. This right role
// name is "Drive" or "Upper_Drive" if either the mapping rule name is "Upper_Drive" or
// not defined
//----------------------------------------------------------------------
int i =1;
if (MappingRuleName == "Upper_Drive_Rule" || MappingRuleName == "")
{
  while (SUCCEEDED(RC) && i <= InputNb && (role != "Drive" && role != "Upper_Drive"))
  {
    RC = piUdfFeatureInstance->GetInputRole(i, role);
    if (role == "Drive" || role == "Upper_Drive")
    {
      RC = piUdfFeatureInstance->GetInput(i,spInputGeom);
    }
    i++;
  }
  //----------------------------------------------------------------------
  // The right Input is found
  //----------------------------------------------------------------------
  if (SUCCEEDED(RC) && (role == "Drive" || role == "Upper_Drive"))
  {
    oGuidingCurves.Append(spInputGeom);
    RetCode = S_OK;
  }
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------
// The right role name is "Lower_Drive" in case of "Lower_Drive_Rule" mapping rule name
//----------------------------------------------------------------------
else if (MappingRuleName == "Lower_Drive_Rule")
{
  while (SUCCEEDED(RC) && i <= InputNb && role != "Lower_Drive")
  {
    RC = piUdfFeatureInstance->GetInputRole(i, role);
    if (SUCCEEDED(RC) && role == "Lower_Drive")
    {
      RC = piUdfFeatureInstance->GetInput(i,spInputGeom);
    }
    i++;
  }
  //----------------------------------------------------------------------
  // The right Input is found
  //----------------------------------------------------------------------
  if (SUCCEEDED(RC) && role == "Lower_Drive")
  {
    oGuidingCurves.Append(spInputGeom);
    RetCode = S_OK;
  }
}
    ...

Update the interface dictionary, that is a file named, for example in this case, CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu.dico, whose directory's pathname is concatenated at run time in the CATDictionaryPath environment variable, and containing the following declaration to state that the UdfFeature feature implements the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing interface, and whose code is located in the libCAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature shared library or DLL. Pay attention to remove the comment (#) in the supplied dictionary.

UdfFeature CATIMfgMappingForCOntouring libCAAPmiUserDefFeatureMappedWithMfgFeature

The CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu.dico file is located in:

Windows InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu\CNext\code\dictionary\

Unix InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAPrismaticMachiningItf.edu/Cnext/code/dictionary/

[Top]

Creating a User Feature Template and Associated Machining Processes

Here, you will find specific informations according to the implementation of the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing interface. You can access to the User Feature functionalities under the Part Design or Shape Design Workbench, then create a DoublePocket under the UserFeatures tree, and display the different tab-pages, specially Inputs, Outputs and Parameters one:

The User Feature template Inputs are defined and identified to easily access to the geometry. In this case, the feature must have two necessary inputs: Lower_Drive and Upper_Drive inputs which are used in the CAAPmiUdfForPocketing.cpp file to extract the support plane (defining the bottom and relimiting elements) and to define the right drive element according to the defined Mapping Rule name
The necessary attributes are published and identified by a specific name : these are not necessary for the CAA sample, but for the manufacturing expressions computations (Formulas, Checks and Tool Queries)
Creation of a Machining Process with two pocketing operations: A Mapping Rule name is associated to each pocketing operation: "Upper_Drive_Rule" to the first one, "Lower_Drive_Rule" to the second one which will be used to return the right driving curve when instantiating the Machining Process ("Mapping Rule Name" contextual menu item of the operation).

[Top]

Creating User Feature Instances and Applying a Dedicated Machining Process

Open the "Manufacturing Features View" of a CATProcess file referencing a Product containing a DoublePocket User Feature
Open the catalog containing a machining process dedicated to your feature
Select either in the model, or in the Manufacturing View, your User Feature.
Select the "OK" command: Note that two pocketing operations are created in the Machining Program
Replay the Tool Path.

[Top]

In Short

This article provides an example on how to use the manufacturing interface classes, to machine User Features. It shows how to implement the CATIMfgMappingForPocketing interface to be authorized to machine any geometry by using a pocketing operation. This is an elementary step to do this.

[Top]

References

[1]	Building and Launching a CAA V5 Use Case

[Top]

History

Version: 1 [April 2001]	Document created
[Top]

Machining

Prismatic Machining