Pardon me Glen, but being CATIA lovers we have to disagree with your
information. We create large, complex CATIA solids every day and our
service bureau get others from all over the world, there is not an
intrinsic problem here. CATIA is a very good SOLIDS package and one of the
few that allows going back and forth between solids and surfaces as well as
using hybrids. It sounds to me like you are using CATIA parameters out of
the box and with a limited model size. The problems you're referring to
can all be solved by changing your environment parameters.
Quoting from your e-mail:
"Stuff as much RAM and Graphics/Video memory as possible into your computer
for one. "
One always benefits by using powerful hardware, but this is not necessary.
Catia runs very well on conservative hardware configurations.
"Without enough graphics memory, visualization can be a problem in shaded
mode, even though the soilds are there."
You can do to things to clear this up: modify your graphics "DISCRETIZAT
ION" (as the French spell it) values to suit yourself. And you can set the
"LONBUF" graphic parameter in your user declaration file as large as you
like.
"You will have to be as efficient as possible in solids creation (e.g. use
cuboids instead of prisms
where possible to create soilds because prisms have to maintain the
creation
geometry which increases the size of the index file). You will have to
watch the size of the index file (under the Erase, Pack function) because
when it reaches 100%, the model is full. Periodic use of the Catia "/M
CLN"
macro will also help to eliminate temporary elements and pack the model.
You may not be able to have all of the model in one file. You may have to
have different sections in different models and then use an overlay or a
series of overlay models (which you can save as a "session model") to view
it as one solid.
Again, there is some truth here, but if you're filling up your models why
not increase the maximum data size parameter in your user declaration file?
CATIA comes with a default model size limitation of 4MB which will be very
limiting, but if you would increase the max limit to 20 or 30MB there will
be very few components that will not fit and when this occurs go even
higher. There is no software limit to the parameter. Splitting a part
across several model files is very combersome and not necessary.
"If visualization is more important than model accuracy you may be able to
use mock-up solids (SOLM elements), which can be converted to exact soilds
(SOLE elements) later but then you may run into file memory problems when
attempting the conversions. "
If my guys did this they'd be fired.
"Good Luck, I've had to do quite a few large solids in Catia and it can be
quite painful!"
So can sex be .... but if you do it right, its very pleasant!
_____________________________________________________________
Bruce Okkema, Vice President
Eagle Design & Technology, Inc.
2437 84th Avenue
Zeeland, Michigan 49464
Ph: 616-748-1022 Fx: 616-748-1032
email: bruceo@eagledesign.com web: www.eagledesign.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Monica & Glenn Whiteside [SMTP:SiderWhite@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 09, 1999 4:17 PM
To: Rapid Prototype Mailing List; PEDRO SANTOS
Subject: Re: Catia Solids
Pedro:
Stuff as much RAM and Graphics/Video memory as possible into your computer
for one. Without enough graphics memory, visualization can be a problem in
shaded mode, even though the soilds are there. You will have to be as
efficient as possible in solids creation (e.g. use cuboids instead of
prisms
where possible to create soilds because prisms have to maintain the
creation
geometry which increases the size of the index file). You will have to
watch the size of the index file (under the Erase, Pack function) because
when it reaches 100%, the model is full. Periodic use of the Catia "/M
CLN"
macro will also help to eliminate temporary elements and pack the model.
You may not be able to have all of the model in one file. You may have to
have different sections in different models and then use an overlay or a
series of overlay models (which you can save as a "session model") to view
it as one solid.
If visualization is more important than model accuracy you may be able to
use mock-up solids (SOLM elements), which can be converted to exact soilds
(SOLE elements) later but then you may run into file memory problems when
attempting the conversions. From what I've heard there is a new Catia
"lite" soild which is used for visualization purposes only, I believe
Chrysler has extensively used it for protoypes, mock-ups, factory
simulations, etc. (available in version 4.2?).
Good Luck, I've had to do quite a few large solids in Catia and it can be
quite painful!
Glenn Whiteside
-----Original Message-----
From: PEDRO SANTOS <pedro_santos@goodyear.com>
To: rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi <rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi>
Date: Friday, January 08, 1999 1:15 PM
Subject: Catia Solids
Does anyone have any tips on modeling large complex Catia Solids?
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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