AM1 Wildfire

INTRODUCTION to Draft Pro/ENGINEER WildfireTM

Subject: Draft Lesson # 1 – Simple Draft Features Topics: • • • •

What is draft and when is it needed Terms and definitions of draft Creating a basic draft feature Understanding Neutral Planes

FroTime Tutorials – Copyright 2004 – Do Not Duplicate Find More FroTime Tutorials at www.frotime.com

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Tutorial Guidelines How to Read This Tutorial Below is a quick outline of how to read this tutorial. Underneath each item is an example of how it might be used throughout the document. All menu picks in Wildfire are designated by #this text. • Part menu: #Feature, #Create, #Datum, #Plane, #Default. Explanation or comments about what you’re doing are noted by this text ** To begin, we will create a new part with default datum planes ** Any file selection is noted by • File menu: #Open, Name: , #OK. Any input into Wildfire will be displayed with [this text]. • File menu: #New, Name: [surf_1], #OK.

Disclaimer and Terms of Use All material written in this document has been thoroughly reviewed for accuracy and tested for the release designated on the title page. However, FroTime is not responsible for any information that is incorrect or does not operate correctly when the tutorial instructions are followed. Pro/ENGINEER , Wildfire and the related modules discussed within this tutorial, as well as all screen captures, are registered trademarks of PTC. For more information, please consult their web site at www.ptc.com


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Table of Contents I.

Introduction....................................................................................................... 4

II.

TUTORIAL LESSON – Creating A Simple Draft ........................................... 5

III.

Summary ......................................................................................................... 11


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I. Introduction Terms You Need to Know What is a Draft? Draft is a feature that adds a taper to any tabulated plane or cylinder, which is pivoted about a plane or curve at a specific angle. The most common use of this type of feature is for adding taper to your part for moldability. Why use Draft? This is a good question, just think of how you would ad draft to a part without this type of functionality? What if you had to model that 1°- 5° draft in each feature of your part? With draft functionality you can quickly add draft to multiple surfaces in a part with one feature. This is a way to make your life easier. What can I Draft? This follows the definition of a draft. Any tabulated plane or cylinder can be drafted with Pro/ENGINEER. This means all of your planar surfaces. As for the tabulated cylinders, these are basically defined at being rounds and any feature that is created using a circle or arc. To follow along this line, things that you will not be able to draft include advanced surfaces. A good example of this would be a surface that is changing in two directions at the same time. What types of parts would I Draft? The most common uses of this type of feature would be for any part that is going to be molded. This includes any plastic molded part or cast metal part. A draft is essential for these parts since a completely vertical wall would have a chance of locking the part in the tool. Keep in mind that the less draft on the part the quicker the part will wear out the tool. There will be a limiting factor, of course, as to how much draft you can add to certain parts and features depending on your design intent.


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II. TUTORIAL LESSON – Creating A Simple Draft ** To begin, we will retrieve a part ** •

FILE menu: #Open, , #Open.

** Now you should see the model as shown below. This is the part that we will use for this lesson. First we will start by drafting some basic surfaces. This will be done in three steps. First the bottom four perimeter surfaces, then the top rectangle with the rounds, finally the slot on top. **

** First we will create the draft feature on the four bottom perimeter surfaces. ** •

INSERT drop down menu: #Draft… or FroTime Tutorials – Copyright 2004 – Do Not Duplicate Find More FroTime Tutorials at www.frotime.com

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**Then this dash board will show**

•

Dashboard: #References

** A pop up window will appear (as shown below) **

**Draft surfaces are apparently the surfaces to be drafted at a desire angle. Draft hindges is a DTM plane or surface that does not change as the surface propagate. Pull direction is typically is the direction of the mold to be pulled. **


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** Select the four outer surfaces on the bottom of the part as shown below for the Draft surfaces. (Surfaces will not mesh when selected. This is for tutorial display purposes only.) **

** Select the datum plane named [TOP] for draft hindges and for the pull direction. (See selection below)**

•

Dashboard: #Angles: Enter angle <5>, select

.

** This will complete the first draft feature. The part should now look like the picture below. The taper starts at the top and decreases the size of the rectangle as it moves down. To have the draft taper in the opposite direction the draft angle entered would be negative or right of the angle value, select changes) **

to flip angle direction. (see how it


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** Now we will add draft to the rectangle surfaces with the rounded corners. This will follow the same procedures as the previous example. ** • •

INSERT drop down menu: #Draft… or Dashboard: #References

** Select the four flat surfaces and the four rounded surfaces on the top of the part as Draft surfaces and select the top surface for draft hindges and for the pull direction. (Surfaces will not mesh when selected. This is for tutorial display purposes only.) ** ** Selected surface as shown below **

•

Dashboard: #Angles: Enter angle <-5>, select

.


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** The finished part should look like the following picture. The base of the rectangle remains the same and gets smaller as it goes up. **

** Now for the final draft feature lets add draft to the slot cut in the top of the part. ** • •

INSERT drop down menu: #Draft… or Dashboard: #References

** Select the four inner flat surfaces of the slot cut as shown below. (Surfaces will not mesh when selected. This is for tutorial display purposes only.) ** ** Selected surface as shown below **

** Select the bottom flat surface of the slot cut for the draft hindges and for the pull direction** •

Dashboard: #Angles: Enter angle <-10>, select

.


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** The part should now look like the one pictured below. **


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III. Summary After completing the above tutorial, you should be able to do the following: • •

Creating a basic draft feature Changing the neutral plane

When using draft, it is important to consider how your part is going to be manufactured. This determines which surfaces will need to be drafted and in which direction. When defining the neutral plane it is good to keep in mind what parts of the feature are important. A rib, for instance, could be a support feature which needs to be modeled very thin and then drafted to make it slightly bigger at the base. The next tutorials in this series will cover split drafts, using neutral curves, and how to apply it to actual plastic parts. This concludes the 1st Frotime Advanced Assembly tutorial. To continue your training please obtain the 2nd Tutorial in the Frotime Advanced Assembly series at www.frotime.com!


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NOTES


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NOTES


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AM1 Wildfire

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