Project: HiCAD Sheet Metal

Example - How to Create Your Own Moulding Tool

HiCAD offers a library of moulding tools to which you can add your own tools if desired.

In this example a moulding tool for beadings is to be created. Processings by moulding tools are created in two steps: First, a (parameterized) sketch is used to create a subtraction on the sheet: Then, an (also parameterized) part is inserted an added to the sheet.

To define your own moulding tool, you need to take the following steps:

1. Step 1: Create a part used for the processing,
2. Step 2: Create a sketch for the subtraction
3. Step 3: Enter the new tool into the catalogue
4. Step 4: Apply the new tool to the sheet

A completed model drawing showing both the result of Steps 1 and 2 as well as a finished sheet can be found in the drawing file FORMWERKZEUG_BEISPIEL.SZA. If you have installed a local version of the Help, you can also find this model drawing in the docu\examples folder.

Step 1: Create a part used for the processing

The part used for the processing is created as a C-edge sweep from a parameterized sketch.

1. Create a new HiCAD drawing file.
2. Create a new sketch via Sketch > New > Create new sketch in plane, as main part .
3. The following sketch serves as the starting point:

4. Now apply positional and dimensional constraints to the sketch:

Through the positional constraints the sketch is completely defined. The utilized variables have the following meaning: t stands for the thickness of the sheet to be processed. h stands for the height of the beading, and d for the width.

5. In addition, the sketch contains a named point ! in the origin and is placed, by means of coincidence and distance constraints, relative to the origin.

Perpendicular to this sketch, another sketch is now created, as a guideline for the C-edge sweep:

Here, the variables d for the width of the beading and x1 for the length are used again.

Now, the first sketch is used as a cross-section and the second sketch as the guideline of a C-edge sweep:

The actual processing has now been completed. Now, 3 named points must be specified according to which HiCAD will later determine the orientation of the processing:

One point with the point number 1 in the origin; one point with the point number 2 which, together with point 1, will represent the X-axis, and a point with the point number 3, which defines the orientation of the Y-axis.

6. Choose 3-D Standard > Tools > Point > New point .Use point option 0 0 0 to place the point in the origin. Choose 3-D Standard > Tools > Point > New point number , identify the point that you just created and assign point number 1 to it.

7. Proceed likewise to place a point with point number 2 at the coordinates A 50 0 0 , and another point with point number 3 at the coordinates A 0 50 0.

Save the part.

8. Now, choose Drawing > Save/Reference > Reference part, Save, Detail drawing . Specify the options in the dialogue window as shown below and confirm with OK.

9. Save the file to the sub-folder Kataloge\Werksnormen\Formwerkzeuge of your HiCAD installation directory. Call the file BEADING.KRA.

Step 2: Create a sketch for the subtraction

The sketch for the subtraction is readily available, allowing us to reuse the guideline of the C-edge sweep:

1. Choose Drawing > Save/Reference > Reference part, Save, Detail drawing . In the dialogue window, choose the options Without referencing, Save as part and Without database. Confirm with OK.
2. Save the file to the sub-folder Kataloge\Werksnormen\Formwerkzeuge of your HiCAD installation directory. Call the file BEADING_SKETCH.KRA.

Step 3: Enter the new tool into the catalogue

1. Start the Catalogue Editor by double-clicking CATEDITOR.EXE in the HiCAD EXE directory.
2. In the Catalogue Editor, choose Factory standards > User-defined moulding tools. There you will find a table called ISD Moulding tool. Right-click the table and choose New table with template.

3. In the New table... dialogue window, enter BEADING in the Table name field and Beading in the Representation field.

The created new table will then be displayed.

At this point, additional columns for the variables x1, d, h and t must be created: To do this, right-click on the column header at the far right and choose New column. Enter the parameter name in the Designation field, and Floating point number in the Data type field. If desired, you can enter an additional Comment in the same-named field.

4. Now you can fill the new table with entries: Choose Edit > New record.

• In the row for the new record, enter Sicke 20/20/5/2 into the BZ (=Designation) field.
• WZNR (=Tool number): Enter SI_20/20/5/2 here.
• NAME refers to the file name relative to the folder Kataloge\Werksnormen. Enter Formwerkzeuge\BEADING.KRA here.
• SKETCH refers to the sketch for the subtraction; enter Formwerkzeuge\BEADING_SKETCH.KRA here.
• TYP needs to be set to 1 for moulding tools.
• IMAGE can contain a reference to a sketch with a preview which will be displayed upon selection of the moulding tool; in this example this field can be left empty.
• Enter the following values for the variables:
  • x1 = 20,
  • d = 20,
  • h = 5,
  • t = 2. The other variables were not used for this parameterisation.

8. Create two more data records - Beading 50/50/10/2 and Beading 100/80/15/2 .

9. Save the changes via File > Save.

After creating the new table, close and restart HiCAD for the changes to take effect.

Step 4: Apply the new tool to the sheet

After restarting HiCAD the new Beading tools will be available to you:

Moulding Tools (3-D SM)