Design Variants

Feature Technology enables a rapid and convenient derivation of Design Variants. The main advantage of Design Variants is that it provides entire assemblies and processings that are required for a construction. Their parameters are automatically adapted to the fitting situation, which even works for non-parameterised parts (e.g. in case of data imports from other CAD systems).

Once executed, the construction sequences - whether part creations or processings - can be re-used for other drawings and by other users at any time. The Design Variants can be processed or modified further in a fitted state without any problems.

The difference to the classical feature variant is that assemblies and processings are fitted in their entirety into the drawing via Design Variant technology, where they can be processed and modified with a few mouse clicks, or deleted from the drawing if required. The corresponding feature parameters and constraints of the processings and modifications are automatically adapted or, if the variant is deleted, removed from the complete drawing.

There are variables and formulas for identifying elements (e.g. edges). In other words, formulas can be entered for elements (e.g. for the edge to which a flange is added (see Feature Parameter Formulas) in the same way as the value parameters (e.g. the length of a cuboid). The element variables are used in the design variant for the references of feature steps in the variant to parts in the drawing.

Please note:

• When saving a design variant, HiCAD checks whether there are parameters referring to elements (facets, edges, points) which are not created by the variant during a fitting process. Such feature parameters are indicated in the feature log by an exclamation mark and an appropriate message text. This information will disappear upon recalculation.
• If you select Create design variant (right-click on main part), a dialogue will be displayed, in which you save the file name and designation of the variant. Please note that this menu item can only be displayed if the context menu item Design variant base body is set to YES (Default setting is NO, the status is changed by a simple mouse-click).
• If desired, you can Break up variants using the same-named function.
• It is not recommended to delete individual parts from the variant, as this could cause problems during recalculation. If you want to delete a part from the design variant, but continue to work in the drawing, you should break up the variant first (see above).
• Furthermore, you can choose whether you want to create a CSV file (the values of the variant in a table), a fitting script and/or a modification script (macros for the fitting or modification of the variant) together with the variant.

Examples

• Design Variant with Blind Hole and Thread

• Design Variant with Sketch
• Design Variant for Sheet Metal Processing
• Design Variant for Steel Engineering
• Insert Script Execution Example
• Macro for the changing of a Design Variant

Feature Technology: Index • Feature Variant