Part Design

Preface

About this Product

More Information

What's New?
Getting Started

Entering the Part Design Workbench

Creating a Pad
Drafting a Face
Filleting an Edge
Editing the Pad
Mirroring the Part
Sketching a Circle from a Face
Creating a Pocket
Shelling the Part

Basic Tasks

Opening a New CATPart Document

Sketch-Based Features

Pad
Sub-Elements of a Sketch
Up to Next Pads
Up to Last Pad
Up to Plane Pad
Up to Surface Pad
Not Normal to Sketch Pad
Multi- Pad
Drafted Filleted Pad
Pocket
Multi-Pocket
Drafted Filleted Pocket
Shaft
Groove
Hole
Locating Holes
Threaded Hole
 Rib
Slot
Stiffener
Loft
Remove Loft

Dress-Up Features

Edge Fillet
Variable Radius Fillet
Face-Face Fillet
Tritangent Fillet
Chamfer
Basic Draft
Advanced Draft
Draft with Parting Element
Draft from Reflect Lines
Variable Angle Draft
Shell
Thickness
Thread

Surface-Based Features

Split
Thick Surface
Close Surface
Sew Surface

Transformation Features

Translation
Rotation
Symmetry
Mirror
Rectangular Pattern
Circular Pattern
User Pattern
Exploding Patterns
Scaling

Reference Elements

Creating Points
 Creating Lines
Creating Planes

Modifying Features

Editing Part, Bodies and Features

Reordering Features
Updating Parts
Deleting Features

Constraints

3D Constraints
Setting Constraints Defined in Dialog Box
Modifying Constraints
Renaming Constraints
Deactivating/Activating Constraints
Changing Constraint Appearance
Mean Dimensions

Replacing Elements

Replacing a Surface
Replacing a Body
Changing Sketch Support
Moving Sketches

Properties

Part Properties
Bodies Properties
Features Properties

Annotations

Textual Annotations
Flag Notes

Advanced Tasks

Associating Bodies

Inserting a Body
Assembling Bodies
Intersecting Bodies
Adding Bodies
 Removing Bodies
Trimming Bodies
Remove Lump
Changing a Boolean Operation into Another one.

Tools

Draft Analysis
Curvature Analysis
Tap-Thread Analysis
Define an Axis System
Create Datums
Scanning the Part and Defining Local Objects
Parent and Children
Extracting Geometry
Apply a Material
Publish an Element

Measuring

Measure Minimum Distances and Angles

Measure Properties
Measure Inertia

Multi-Document
PowerCopy

Creating PowerCopies
Instantiating PowerCopies
Saving PowerCopies into a Catalog

Reusing your Design

Cut, Copy, Paste

Part D. Workbench

Part Design Menu Bar

Sketch-Based Features
Dress-Up Features
Surface-Based Features
Transformation Features
Reference Elements
Boolean Operations
Sketcher Toolbar
 Measure
Constraints
Analysis
Annotations
Tools

Customizing

Constraints
Tree and Geometry Views
General Settings
CATPart Document

Glossary
Index
 Preface
The Version 5 Part Design application makes it possible to design precise 3D mechanical
parts with an intuitive and flexible user interface, from sketching in an assembly context to
iterative detailed design. Version 5 Part Design application will enable you to accommodate
design requirements for parts of various complexities, from simple to advanced.
This new application, which combines the power of feature-based design with the flexibility of a
Boolean approach, offers a highly productive and intuitive design environment with multiple
design methodologies, such as post-design and local 3D parameterization.
As a scalable product, Part Design can be used in cooperation with other current or future
companion products such as Assembly Design and Generative Drafting. The widest application
portfolio in the industry is also accessible through interoperability with CATIA Solutions Version
4 to enable support of the full product development process from initial concept to product in
operation.
The Part Design User's Guide has been designed to show you how to create a part. There
are several ways of creating a part and this book aims at illustrating the several stages of
creation you may encounter.

About this Product

More Information
 About This Product
This book is intended for the user who needs to become quickly familiar with Part Design
Version 5 Release 8 product. The user should be familiar with basic Version 5 concepts such
as document windows, standard and view toolbars.
To get the most out of this guide, we suggest you start reading and performing the step-by-step
tutorial Getting Started. This tutorial will show you how to create a basic part from scratch.

The next sections deal with the handling of CATPart data, then the creation and modification of
various types of features you will need to construct parts. This guide also presents other Part
Design capabilities allowing you to design complex parts. You may also want to take a look at
the sections describing the Part Design Workbench at the end of the guide.
 Where to Find More Information
Prior to reading this book, we recommend that you read the Infrastructure User's guide Version
5 and Dynamic Sketcher User's Guide Version 5.
The Assembly Design User's Guide Version 5 , the Wireframe and Surface User's Guide
Version 5, the Generative Drafting User's Guide Version 5 and the Product Knowledge
Template User's Guide Version 5 may prove useful too.
See also the Conventions used in this guide.
 Conventions
Certain conventions are used in CATIA, ENOVIA & DELMIA documentation to help you
recognize and understand important concepts and specifications. The following text
conventions may be used:
The titles of CATIA documents appear in this manner throughout the text.
File -> New identifies the commands to be used.
The use of the mouse differs according to the type of action you need to perform.
Use this
mouse button, whenever you read

Select (menus, commands, geometry in graphics area, ...)

Click (icons, dialog box buttons, tabs, selection of a location in the document window,
...)
Double-click
Shift-click
Ctrl-click
Check (check boxes)
Drag
Drag and drop (icons onto objects, objects onto objects)
Drag
Move
Right-click (to select contextual menu)

Graphic conventions are denoted as follows:

indicates the estimated time to accomplish a task.

indicates a target of a task.

indicates the prerequisites.

indicates the scenario of a task.

indicates tips
indicates a warning.

indicates information.

indicates basic concepts.

indicates methodological information.

indicates reference information.

indicates the end of a task.

indicates functionalities that are new or enhanced with this Release.

Enhancements can also be identified by a blue-colored background in the left-hand
margin.

indicates functionalities that are P1-specific.

indicates functionalities that are P2-specific.

indicates functionalities that are P3-specific.

 What's New?
This table identifies new or improved capabilities documented in Version 5 Release 8 of CATIA
Part Design product.

Sketch-Based Features

New: Multi-Pad

New: Multi-Pocket

Dress-Up Features

New: Extracting geometry to solve difficulties when drafting

Boolean Operations

Enhanced: Union Trim

Enhanced: Assemble

Enhanced: Add

Enhanced: Remove

Solving Update Errors

New: Shell

New: Thickness

New: Union Trim

Powercopy

Enhanced: Creating Powercopies

Enhanced: Instantiating Powercopies
 Constraints

Enhanced: Constraint appearance

New: The name of a constraint displays when passing the mouse over that constraint.

Tools

Enhanced: Axis system type

Enhanced: Publication

Enhanced: Apply a Material

Measuring

Enhanced: Measure Minimum Distances and Angles

Enhanced: Measure Properties

Enhanced: Measure Inertia

 Getting Started
Before getting into the detailed instructions for using CATIA Version 5 Part Design, the
following tutorial aims at giving you a feel as to what you can do with the product. It provides a
step-by-step scenario showing you how to use key functionalities.
The main tasks described in this section are:

Entering the Part Design Workbench

Creating a Pad
Drafting a Face
Filleting an Edge
Editing the Pad
Mirroring the Part
Sketching a Circle from a Face
Creating a Pocket
Shelling the Part

All together, the tasks should take about ten minutes to complete.

The final part will look like this:

Now, let's get to sketching the profile!

Entering the Part Design Workbench

This first task shows you how to enter the Part Design workbench.
1.
Select the File -> New commands (or click the New icon).
The New dialog box is displayed, allowing you to choose the type of document you
need.
2. Select Part in the List of Types field and click OK.
The Part Design workbench is loaded and an empty CATPart document opens.
The commands for creating and editing features are available in the workbench
toolbar. Now, let's perform the following task Creating a Pad.
 Creating a Pad

This task will show you how to create a pad, that is extrude a profile sketched in the
Sketcher workbench. For more about this workbench, please refer to CATIA-Dynamic
Sketcher User's Guide Version 5.

Open the GettingStarted1.CATPart document to open the required profile.

Your profile was created on plane xy. It looks like this:

1.
Select the profile if not already selected and click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears. Default options allow you to create a basic
pad.
2. As you prefer to create a larger pad, enter 60 mm in the Length field.
The application previews the pad to be created.

3. Click OK.
The pad is created. The extrusion is performed in a direction which is normal to
the sketch plane. CATIA displays this creation in the specification tree:

CATIA lets you control the display of some of the part components. To know more
about the components you can display or hide, refer to Customizing the Tree and
Geometry Views.

For more about pads, refer to Pads, 'Up to Next' Pads, 'Up to Last' Pads, 'Up to
Plane' Pads, 'Up to Surface' Pads, Pads not Normal to Sketch Plane.
 Drafting a Face

This task will show you how to draft a face.

1.
Click the Draft Angle icon .
The Draft Definition dialog box appears. The application displays the default pulling
direction on the part.

2. Select the face as shown by the arrow as the face to be drafted.

CATIA detects all the faces to be drafted. The selected face is now in dark red
whereas the other faces are in a lighter red.

3. Click the Selection field of the Neutral Element frame and select the upper face.

The neutral element is now displayed in blue, the neutral curve in pink.
4.
Enter 9 degrees in the Angle field.
5. Click OK. The part is drafted:

For more about drafts, please refer to Basic Draft, and to Draft with Parting Element.
 Filleting an Edge

In this task you will learn how to use one of the fillet commands designed to fillet edges.

1.
Click the Edge Fillet icon .
The Edge Fillet Definition dialog box appears. It contains default values.

2.
Select the edge to be filleted, that is, to be rounded.

Clicking Preview lets you see what the default fillet would look like.

3. Enter 7 mm as the new radius value and click OK.

Here is your part:

For more about fillets, please refer to Edge Fillet, Face-Face Fillet, Tritangent Fillet ,
Variable Radius Fillet.
 Editing the Pad

Actually, you would like the pad to be thicker. This task shows you how to edit the pad,
then how to color the part.

1. Double-click Pad.1.
You can do it in the specification tree if you wish.

2. In the Pad Definition dialog box that appears, enter 90 mm as the new length value.

3. Click OK.
The part is modified accordingly.
4. Now select Part Body.

5. Select the Edit -> Properties command and click the Graphic tab to change the color
of your part.

6. Set the color of your choice in the Color combo box and click OK.

To have details about how to change graphic properties, please refer to CATIA
Infrastructure User's Guide Version 5.

The part now looks like this:

 Mirroring the Part

Now, you are going to duplicate the part using the Mirror capability. This task will show
you how easy it is.

1. Select the reference face you need to duplicate the part. Select the face as shown:

2.
Click the Mirror icon .
The name of this face appears in the Mirroring element field.

3. Click OK.
The part is mirrored and the specification tree indicates this operation.
For more about mirror, please refer to Mirror.
 Sketching a Circle from a Face

In this task, you will learn how to:

sketch a circle on an existing face
use this circle in order to create a pocket

1. Select the upper face to define the working plane.

2.
Click the Sketcher icon to enter the Sketcher workbench.

3.
Once in the Sketcher workbench, click this Circle icon to create a basic circle.

4. Click the circle center in the middle of the face and drag the cursor to sketch the
circle.
5. Click once you are satisfied with the size of the circle.

6. to return to the 3D world. This is your part:

Click the Exit Sketcher icon

For more about Sketcher elements, please refer to CATIA-Dynamic Sketcher User's
Guide Version 5.
 Creating a Pocket
In this task, you will learn a method to create a pocket using the profile you have just
created.
1. Select the circle you have just sketched, if it is not already selected.

2.
Click the Pocket icon .
The Pocket Definition dialog box is displayed and CATIA previews a pocket with
default parameters.

3. Set the Up to last option to define the limit of your pocket.

The application will limit the pocket onto the last possible face, that is the pad bottom.

4. Click OK.
This is your pocket:
For more about pockets, please refer to Pocket.
 Shelling the Part

To end the scenario, you will learn how to shell the part.

1. Select the bottom face of the part.

2.
Click the Shell icon .
The Shell Definition dialog box appears.

3. Enter 5mm as the inner thickness value.

4. Click OK to shell the part.

You have defined a positive value, which means that the application is going to enter
a thin part thickness.
For more about shells, please refer to Shell.

You have finished the scenario. Now, let's take a closer look at the application.
 Basic Tasks
The basic tasks you will perform in the Part Design workbench are mainly the creation of
features and surfaces you will use to create your part. To create features you will sometimes
sketch profiles first or use existing features.
This section will explain and illustrate how to create various kinds of features and surfaces. The
table below lists the information you will find.

Opening a New CATPart Document

Sketch-Based Features
Dress-Up Features
Surface-Based Features
Transformation Features
Reference Elements
Modifying Features
Constraints
Replacing Elements
Properties
Annotations
 Opening a New CATPart Document

This task shows you how to open a new CATPart document.

1.
Select the File -> New commands (or click the New icon).
The New dialog box is displayed, allowing you to choose the type of document you
need.

2. Select Part in the List of Types field and click OK.

The Part Design workbench is loaded and a CATPart document opens.
The Part Design workbench document is divided into:

the specification tree

the geometry area
specific toolbars : refer to Part Design Workbench
a number of contextual commands available in the specification tree and in the
geometry. Remember that these commands can also be accessed from the
menu bar.
You will notice that CATIA provides three planes to let you start your design. Actually,
designing a part from scratch will first require designing a sketch. Sketching profiles is
performed in the Sketcher workbench which is fully integrated into Part Design. To

open it, just click the Sketcher icon and select the work plane of your choice.
The Sketcher workbench then provides a large number of tools allowing you to sketch
the profiles you need. For more information, refer to CATIA-Dynamic Sketcher User's
Guide Version 5.
 Sketch-Based Features
Features are entities you combine to make up your part. The features presented here are
obtained by applying commands on initial profiles created in the Sketcher workbench (See
CATIA-Dynamic Sketcher User's Guide Version 5 ) or in the Generative Shape Design
workbench (See CATIA Generative Shape Design User's Guide Version 5) .

Some operations consist in adding material, others in removing material. In this section, you
will learn how to create the following features:

Create a Pad: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded and enter the parameters
you need in the dialog box.

Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch: right-click the Selection field from the Pad or
Pocket dialog box and select the Go to Profile Definition contextual command to display
the Profile Definition dialog box.

Create an 'Up to Next' Pad: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded, set the
Type option to `Up to next' and enter the parameters you need in the dialog box.

Create an 'Up to Last' Pad: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded, set the
Type option to `Up to last' and enter the parameters you need in the dialog box.

Create an 'Up to Plane' Pad: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded, enter the
parameters you need, set the Type option to `Up to plane' in the dialog box and select
the required plane.

Create an 'Up to Surface' Pad: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded, enter
the parameters you need, set the Type option to Up to surface in the dialog box and
select the required surface.

Create a Pad not Normal to Sketch Plane: Click this icon, select the profile to be
extruded, expand the dialog box, enter the required parameters, define a new
reference for the extrusion direction.

Create a Multi-Pad: Click this icon, select the sketch to be extruded and specify a
length value for each domain.
Create a Drafted Filleted Pad: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded and enter
the parameters you need in the dialog box.

Create a Pocket: Click this icon, select the profile and enter the parameters you need in
the dialog box.

Create a Multi-Pocket: Click this icon, select the sketch to be extruded and specify a
length value for each domain.

Create a Drafted Filleted Pocket: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded and
enter the parameters you need in the dialog box.

Create a Shaft: Click this icon, select the profile to be revolved about the axis and enter
angle values.

Create a Groove: Click this icon, select the profile to be revolved about the axis and
enter angle values.

Create a Hole: Click this icon, select the face to locate the hole to be created and enter
the required parameters in the dialog box.

Create a Threaded Hole: Click this icon, select the face to locate the hole, define the
hole shape, check Threaded, click Specifications and enter the required values in the
Thread dialog box..
Create a Rib: Click this icon, select the profile to be swept along a center curve, select
this center curve and set the position option in the dialog box.

Create a Slot: Click this icon, select the profile to be swept along a center curve, select
this center curve and set the position option in the dialog box.

Create a Stiffener: Click this icon, select the profile to be extruded, and specify whether
this extrusion is to be done in two or three directions.

Create a Loft: Click this icon, select the section curves, the guide curves and if
necessary the spine of your choice.

Remove Lofted Material: Click this icon, select the section curves, the guide curves, the
closing points and if necessary the spine of your choice.
 Pad
Creating a pad means extruding a profile in one or two directions. CATIA lets you
choose the limits of creation as well as the direction of extrusion.
This task shows you how to create a basic pad using a closed profile, the Dimension
and Mirrored extent options.

Open the Pad1.CATPart document.

1. Select Sketch.1 as the profile to be extruded.

You can use profiles sketched in the Sketcher or planar geometrical elements
created in the Generative Shape Design workbench (except for lines).

You can also select diverse elements constituting a sketch. For more information,
refer to Using the Sub-Elements of a Sketch.

If you launch the Pad command with no profile previously defined, just click the icon

to access the Sketcher and sketch the profile you need.

By default, if you extrude a profile, CATIA extrudes normal to the plane used to
create the profile. To see how to change the extrusion direction, refer to Pad not
Normal to Sketch Plane .

If you extrude a geometrical element created in Generative Shape Design

workbench, you need to select an element defining the direction because there is no
default direction.

2.
Click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews the pad to be created.
 If you are not satisfied with the profile you selected, note that you can click the
Selection field and select another sketch.

You will notice that by default, CATIA specifies the length of your pad. But you can
use the following options too:
Up to Next
Up to Last
Up to Plane
Up to Surface

3. Enter 40 in the Length field or select LIM1 and drag it upwards to 40 to increase the
length value.
 Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then edit the profile. Once you
have done your modifications, you just need to quit the Sketcher. The Pad dialog box
then reappears to let you finish your design.

The new button Reverse side applies for open profiles only. This option lets you
choose which side of the profile is to be extruded.

4. Click the Mirrored extent option to extrude the profile in the opposite direction using
the same length value.
If you wish to define another length for this direction, you do not have to click the
Mirrored extent button. Just click the More button and define the second limit.

5. Click Preview to see the result.

6. Click OK.
The pad is created. The specification tree indicates that it has been created.

A Few Notes About Pads

CATIA allows you to create pads from open profiles provided existing geometry can trim
the pads. The pad below has been created from an open profile which both endpoints
were stretched onto the inner vertical faces of the hexagon. The option used for Limit 1
is "Up to next". The inner bottom face of the hexagon then stops the extrusion.
Conversely, the "Up to next" option could not be used for Limit2.

Preview Result
Pads can also be created from sketches including several profiles. These profiles must
not intersect.

In the following example, the sketch to be extruded is defined by a square and a

circle. Applying the Pad command on this sketch lets you obtain a cavity:

Preview Result
Using the Sub-Elements of a Sketch
This task shows you how to select different elements belonging to the same sketch for
creating pads.

The steps described here also apply for pockets and since CATIA V5R7 for shafts,
grooves, stiffeners, ribs and slots.

Sketch three rectangles in a Sketcher session.

1.
Click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. Click the Selection field from the dialog box.

3. Right-click and select the Go to Profile Definition contextual command.

The Profile Definition dialog box is displayed.

4. You can define whether you need the Whole geometry, that is the whole sketch, or
sub-elements only. For the purposes of our scenario, check Sub-elements if not
already done.
5. Select an edge.
 The sketch name as well as the edge name appear in the dialog box. The application
also previews the pad.

6. Click Add to add another element.

7. Select an edge belonging to another profile.

The application now previews this pad too.
8. Repeat steps 4 and 5 using an edge belonging to the third profile.

9. Select edge2 from the starting elements field and click Remove to remove the
associated profile from the selection.

10. Click OK to validate your selection.

The Pad Definition dialog box reopens. You then just have to enter the parameters of
your choice to extrude two profiles.

Optionally click Preview before confirming the creation.

If you encounter complex profiles causing ambiguity cases, the application lets you
determine which lines you want to use as illustrated below:

CATIA detects an ambiguity as shown by the The user has defined the line he needs
red symbol : the user can determine three to end the selection.
different lines from this point.
 'Up to Next' Pads

This task shows you how to create a pad using the 'Up to Next' option. This creation
mode lets the application detect the existing material to be used for trimming the pad
length.
Open the Pad2.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to be extruded, that is the circle.

2. .
Click the Pad icon
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews a pad with a default
dimension value.

3. Click the arrow in the geometry area to reverse the extrusion direction (or click the
Reverse Direction button).

4. In the Type field, set the Type option to 'Up to next'.

This option assumes an existing
face can be used to limit the pad.
CATIA previews the pad to be
created. The already existing
body is going to limit the
extrusion.

Optionally, click Preview to see the result.

5. Click OK.
The pad is created. The
specification tree indicates this
creation.

By default, the application extrudes normal to the plane used to create the profile. To
learn how to change the direction, refer to Pad not Normal to Sketch Plane .
 'Up to Last' Pads

This task shows how to create pads using the `Up to last' option.

Open the Pad3.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to be extruded, that is the circle.

2.
Click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews a pad with 10 mm as the
default dimension value.

3. Click the arrow in the geometry area to reverse the extrusion direction (or click the
Reverse Direction button).

4. In the Type field, set the Type option to 'Up to last'.

 The last face encountered by the extrusion is
going to limit the pad.

Optionally, click Preview to see the result.

5. Click OK.
The pad is created. The specification tree indicates this creation.
By default, CATIA extrudes normal to the plane used to create the profile. To see
how to change the direction, refer to Pad not Normal to Sketch Plane .
 'Up to Plane' Pads

This task shows how to create pads using the Up to plane option.

Open the Pad4.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to be extruded.

2.
Click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews a pad with 10 mm as the
default dimension value.

3. In the Type field, set the Type option to 'Up to plane'.

An Offset option is now available.

4. Select Plane.1.CATIA previews the
pad to be created. The plane is
going to limit the extrusion.

Enter -20 as the offset value. This offset is the distance between the plane and the
5.
top face of the pad to be created.

Optionally click Preview to see the result.

6. Click OK.
The pad is created. The
specification tree indicates this
creation.

By default, CATIA extrudes normal to the plane used to create the profile. To see how
to change the direction, refer to Pad not Normal to Sketch Plane .
 'Up to Surface' Pads

This task shows how to create pads using the 'Up to surface' option.

Open the Pad5.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to be extruded.

2.
Click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews a pad with a default
dimension value.

In the Type field, set the Type option to 'Up to surface'.

3.
An Offset option now appears in the dialog box.
4. Select the vertical circular face. This face belongs to the same body as the existing
pad.

Using the 'Up to surface' option, you can select a face belonging to the same body as
the sketch or a face belonging to Part Body.

The face is going to limit the extrusion.

5. Enter -30 as the offset value. This offset is the distance between the plane and the top
face of the pad to be created.

Optionally click Preview to see the result.

6. Click OK.
The pad is created. The specification tree indicates this creation.

By default, the application extrudes normal to the plane used to create the profile. To
see how to change the direction, refer to Pad not Normal to Sketch Plane .
 Pad not Normal to Sketch Plane
This task shows how to create a pad using a direction that is not normal to the plane used
to create the profile.

Open the Pad6.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile you wish to extrude.

2.
Click the Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews the pad to be created.

3. Set the Up to plane option and select plane yz. For more about this type of creation,
refer to Up to Plane Pads.

4. Click the More button to display the whole dialog box.

 Uncheck the Normal to profile option and select the line as shown to use it as a
5.
reference.

CATIA previews the pad with the new creation

direction.

6.
Click OK to confirm the creation.
The pad is created. The specification tree indicates this creation.
 Multi-Pad

This task shows you how to extrude multiple profiles belonging to a same sketch using
different length values. The multi-pad capability lets you do this at one time. At the end of
the task you will see how to edit the resulting feature.

Open the Pad1.CATPart document.

1. Click the Multi-Pad icon .

2. Select Sketch.2 that contains the profiles to be extruded. Note that all profiles must be
closed and must not intersect.
The Multi-Pad Definition dialog box appears and the profiles are highlighted in green.
For each of them, you can drag associated manipulators to define the extrusion value.

The red arrow normal to the sketch indicates the proposed extrusion direction. To
reverse it, you just need to click it.
The Multi- Pad Definition dialog box displays the number of domains to be extruded. In
our example, the application has detected seven extrusions to perform, as indicated in
the Domains section.
3. Select Extrusion domain.1 from the dialog box.
Extrusion domain.1 now appears in blue in the geometry area.

4. Specify the length by entering a value. For example, enter 10mm.

5. You need to repeat the operation for each extrusion domain by entering the value of
your choice. For example, select Extrusion domain.2 and Extrusion domain.7 and enter
30mm and 40mm respectively.

For complex sketches, the Preview button proves to be quite useful.

6. Note that you can
multi-select extrusion
domains from the list before
defining a common length:
multi-select Extrusion
domain.3, Extrusion
domain.4, Extrusion
domain.5 and Extrusion
domain.6, then enter 50 as
the common length value.

One length value is now defined for each profile of Sketch.2.

7. Click the More button to expand the dialog box.

8. In the Second Limit field, you can specify a length value for the opposite direction. For
example, select Extrusion domain.1 and enter 40mm in the length field.
Note that the Thickness section displays the sum of the two lengths. Extrusion
domain.1 's total length is 50 mm.
 Unchecking the Normal to sketch option lets you specify a new extrusion direction. Just
select the geometry of your choice to use it as a reference.

9. Click OK to create the multi-pad.

The multi-pad (identified as Multi-Pad.xxx) is added to the specification tree.

Editing the Multi-Pad

The rest of the scenario shows you what happens when :

Adding an Extrusion Domain

Deleting an Extrusion Domain

Adding an Extrusion Domain

Example 1: the new profile is sketched outside existing extrusion domains

10. Double-click Sketch.2 to

edit it: for example, sketch a
closed profile outside
Extrusion domain.1.
11. Quit the Sketcher. A warning message informs you that the application has detected
that the initial geometry has been modified. Close the window.
12. Double-click MultiPad.1. The Feature Definition Error window displays, providing the
details of the modification.

13. Click OK to close the

window. The Multi-Pocket
Definition dialog box
reappears.
The new extrusion domain
"Extrusion domain.8" is
indicated.
Select it and define the
value of your choice.

14. Click OK to confirm. Multi-pad.1 is now composed of eight pads.

 Example 2: the new profile is sketched inside an existing extrusion domain

15.Double-click the sketch and

for example, add a closed
profile inside Extrusion
domain.2.

Quit the Sketcher. A warning message informs you that the application has detected
16.
that the initial sketch has been modified. Close this window.

Double-click MultiPad.1. The Feature Definition Error window displays, providing the
17.
details of the modification.
 When sketching a profile inside an existing extrusion domain, the application deletes
that existing domain and replaces it with a new one. This is why the message window
displays :
-1 extrusion domain deleted (Extrusion domain.2)
-2 extrusion domains created (Extrusion domain.9, which replaces Extrusion domain.2
and Extrusion domain.10)

18. Click OK to close the

window. The Multi-Pad
Definition dialog box
reappears.
"Extrusion domain.2" is no
more displayed.
On the contrary, two new
extrusion domains
"Extrusion domain.9"
"Extrusion domain.10" are
indicated with 0mm as their
default thickness.

19.
Select "Extrusion domain.9" if not already done and define 30mm as the length value.
20.
Select "Extrusion domain.10", that is the circle, and define 60mm as the length value.
21.
Click OK to confirm. Multi-pad.1 is now composed of nine pads.
Deleting an Extrusion Domain

Double-click Sketch.2 and

22. for example, delete
Extrusion Domain.6.

Quit the Sketcher: the application has detected that the initial sketch has been
23.
modified:
24. To tackle the problem, you can:
edit or delete MultiPad.1.
or you can edit or delete Extrusion domain.6

Make sure that MultiPad.1 is selected and click the Edit button. The Feature Definition
Error window displays, providing the details of the modification.

25. Click OK to close the

window. The Multi-Pad
Definition dialog box
reappears. Only eight
extrusion domains are
indicated in the Domains
category.

26. Click OK to confirm. The new multi-pad feature is composed of eight pads.
 Drafted Filleted Pad

This task shows you how to create a pad while drafting its faces and filleting its edges.

We recommend you the use of this new command to speed up your design.

Open the Hole1.CATPart document and sketch a profile similar to the one below.

1. Quit the Sketcher and select the profile to be extruded.

2.
Click the Drafted Filleted Pad icon .
The Pad Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews the pad to be created.
3. Enter 30 as the length value.

4. Selecting a second limit is mandatory. Select Pad1 top face as the second limit.

Note that planes can define second limits too.

5. Let's go on with the draft definition. Enter 7 as the draft angle value.

Drafting faces is optional. If you do not wish to use this capability, just uncheck the
Angle option.

6. Check the Second limit option to define the neutral element. So, Pad1 top face is also
used as the neutral element.

7. Enter a radius value for each edge type to define the three fillets.
Lateral radius: defines the fillets on vertical edges
First limit radius: defines the round corner fillets
Second limit radius: defines the filets on the edges of the second limit.

Filleting edges is optional too. If you do not wish to use this capability, just uncheck
the options.

Clicking Preview previews the pad, the draft and the fillets and display them in the
specification tree. If you have deactivated the draft or fillet options, the draft or the
fillets are then displayed as deactivated features in the tree, i.e. with red parentheses.

8. Click OK to create the features.

If you look at the specification tree, you will note that you have created:
one pad
one draft
three fillets

This means that for edition purposes, you need to double-click the appropriate
feature.
This is your new part:
 Pocket
Creating a pocket consists in extruding a profile and removing the material resulting from
the extrusion. CATIA lets you choose the limits of creation as well as the direction of
extrusion. The limits you can use are the same as those available for creating pads. To
know how to use them, see Up to Next Pockets , Up to Last Pads , Up to Plane Pads ,
Up to Surface Pads.

This task first shows you how to create a pocket, that is a cavity, in an already existing
part, then you will edit this pocket to remove the material surrounding the initial profile.
Open the Pocket1.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to extrude, that is Sketch.2.

You can use profiles sketched in the Sketcher or planar geometrical elements
created in the Generative Shape Design workbench (except for lines).

You can now create pockets from sketches including several closed profiles. These
profiles must not intersect.

You can select diverse elements constituting a sketch too. For more information,
refer to Using the Sub-Elements of a Sketch.

2.
Click the Pocket icon .
The Pocket Definition dialog box is displayed and CATIA previews a pocket.

If you launch the Pocket command with no profile previously defined, just click the

icon to access the Sketcher and sketch the profile you need.
 You can define a specific depth for your pocket or set one of these options:
up to next
up to last
up to plane
up to surface

If you wish to use the Up to plane or Up to surface option, you can then define an
offset between the limit plane (or surface) and the bottom of the pocket. For more
information, refer to Up to Surface Pad.

3. To define a specific depth, set the Type parameter to Dimension, and enter 30mm.
Alternatively, select LIM1 and drag it downwards to 30.
 If you are not satisfied with the profile you selected, note that you can click the
Selection field and select another sketch.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then edit the profile to modify your
pocket. Once you have done your modifications, you just need to quit the Sketcher.
The Pocket dialog box reappears to let you finish your design.

By default, if you extrude a profile, CATIA extrudes normal to the plane used to
create the profile. To specify another direction, click the More button to display the
whole Pocket Definition dialog box, uncheck the Normal to sketch option and select a
new creation direction.

If you extrude a geometrical element created in Generative Shape Design, you need
to select a direction.

Optionally click Preview to see the result.

4. Click OK to create the pocket.

The specification tree indicates this creation.
This is your pocket:

5. Double-click Pocket.1 to edit it. As the application now lets you choose the portion of
material to be kept, you are going to remove all the material surrounding the initial
profile.
The option Reverse side lets you choose between removing the material defined
within the profile, which is the application's default behavior, or the material
surrounding the profile.

6. Click the Reverse side button or alternatively click the arrow as shown:
7. The arrow now indicates the opposite direction.
8. Click OK to confirm. The application has removed the material around the profile.

A Few Notes About Pockets

CATIA allows you to create pockets from open profiles provided existing geometry can
trim the pockets.

If your insert a new body and create a pocket as the first feature of this body, CATIA
creates material:
 Pockets can also be created from sketches including several profiles. These profiles
must not intersect.

In the following example, the initial sketch is made of eight profiles. Applying the
Pocket command on this sketch lets you create eight pockets:

The 'Up to next' creation mode behaves differently depending on the release of the
product you are using. Using CATIA Version 5 Release 2, the 'up to next' limit is the very
first face the application detects while extruding the profile. This is an example of what
you can get:
 Preview Result
Since CATIA Version 5 Release 3, the 'up to next' limit is the first face the application detects
while extruding the profile. This face must stops the whole extrusion, not only a portion of it,
and the hole goes thru material, as shown in the figure below:

Preview Result

When using the 'Up to Surface' option, remember that if the selected surface partly
stops the extrusion, the application continues to extrude the profile until it meets a
surface that can fully stop the operation.
 Multi-Pocket

This task shows you how to create a pocket feature from distinct profiles belonging to a
same sketch and this, using different length values. The multi-pocket capability lets you do
this at one time. At the end of the task, you will see how to edit the resulting multi- pocket.

Open the Pocket1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Multi-Pocket icon .
2. Select Sketch.4 that contains the profiles to be extruded. Note that all profiles must be
closed and must not intersect.
The Multi-Pocket Definition dialog box appears and the profiles are highlighted in
green. For each of them, you can drag associated manipulators to define the extrusion
value.

The red arrow normal to the sketch indicates the proposed extrusion direction. To
reverse it, you just need to click it.
The Multi-Pocket Definition dialog box displays the number of domains to be removed.
In our example, the application has detected six domains, as indicated in the Domains
section.
3. Select Extrusion domain.1 from the dialog box.
Extrusion domain.1 now appears in blue in the geometry area.

4. Specify the length by entering a value. For example, enter 10mm.

5. You need to repeat the operation for each extrusion domain by entering the value of
your choice. For example, select Extrusion domain.2 and Extrusion domain.6 and enter
30mm and 40mm respectively.

For complex sketches, the Preview button proves to be quite useful.

6. Note that you can multi-select

extrusion domains from the list
before defining a common
length: multi-select Extrusion
domain.3, Extrusion domain.4,
and Extrusion domain.5, then
enter 50 as the common length
value.
7. Click the More button to expand the dialog box.

In the Second Limit field, you can specify a length value for the direction opposite to the
direction previously defined.
Note that the Thickness section displays the sum of two lengths defined for a given
extrusion domain.

Unchecking the Normal to sketch option lets you specify a new extrusion direction. Just
select the geometry of your choice to use it as a reference.

8. Click OK to create the multi-pocket.

The multi-pocket (identified as Multi-Pocket.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
Editing the Multi-Pocket
The rest of the scenario shows you what happens when :
Adding an Extrusion Domain
Deleting an Extrusion Domain

Adding an Extrusion Domain

Example 1: the new profile is sketched outside existing extrusion domains
9. Double-click Sketch.4 to edit it:
for example, sketch a closed
profile outside Extrusion
domain.1.

10. Quit the Sketcher. A warning message informs you that the application has detected
that the initial geometry has been modified. Click OK to close the window.
11. Double-click MultiPocket.1. The Feature Definition Error window displays, providing the
details of the modification.

12. Click OK to close the window.

The Multi-Pocket Definition
dialog box reappears.
The new extrusion domain
"Extrusion domain.7" is
indicated.
Select it and define the value of
your choice.

13. Click OK to confirm. Multi-pocket.1 is now composed of seven pockets.

Example 2: the new profile is sketched inside an existing extrusion domain

14. Double-click the sketch to edit

it: for example, add a closed
profile inside Extrusion
domain.2.

15. Quit the Sketcher. A warning message informs you that the application has detected
that the initial geometry has been modified. Close the window.

16. Double-click MultiPocket.1. The Feature Definition Error window displays, providing the
details of the modification:

When sketching a profile inside an existing extrusion domain, the application deletes
that existing domain and replaces it with a new one. This is why the message window
displays :
-1 extrusion domain deleted (Extrusion domain.2)
-2 extrusion domains created (Extrusion domain.8 and Extrusion domain.9, that
replaces Extrusion domain.2)
17. Click OK to close the window.
The Multi-Pocket Definition
dialog box reappears.
"Extrusion domain.2" is no
more displayed.
On the contrary, two new
extrusion domains "Extrusion
domain.8" "Extrusion domain.9"
are indicated with 0mm as their
default thickness.

18. Select "Extrusion domain.8" and define 40mm as the length value.

19. Select "Extrusion domain.9", that is the circle, and define 30mm as the length value.

20. Click OK to confirm. Multi-pocket.1 is now composed of eight pockets.

Deleting an Extrusion Domain

21. Double-click Sketch.4 and

delete Extrusion Domain.5.

22. Quit the Sketcher: the application has detected that the initial geometry has been
modified:

23. To tackle the problem, you can:

edit, deactivate or even delete MultiPocket1.
or you can edit or delete Extrusion domain.5

Make sure that MultiPocket.1 is selected and click the Edit button. The Feature
Definition Error window displays, providing the details of the modification.
24. Click OK to close the window.
The Multi-Pocket Definition
dialog box reappears. Only
seven extrusion domains are
indicated in the Domains
category.

25. Click OK to confirm. The new multi-pocket feature is composed of seven pockets.
 Drafted Filleted Pocket

This task shows you how to create a pocket while drafting its faces and filleting its edges.

We recommend you the use of this new command to speed up your design.

Open the Pocket1.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to be extruded, that is Sketch.2.

2.
Click the Drafted Filleted Pocket icon .
The Drafted Filleted Pocket Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews the
pocket to be created.
3. Enter 22 as the pocket depth value.

4. Selecting a second limit is mandatory. Select Pad1 top face as the second limit.
Your specifications for creating the pocket are now defined.

5. Let's go on with the draft definition. Enter 7 as the draft angle value.

Drafting faces is optional. If you do not wish to use this capability, just uncheck the
Angle option.

6. Check the Second limit option to define the neutral element. So, note that the pad
top face is also used as the neutral element.
7. Enter 4 as the radius value to define the three fillets.
Lateral radius: defines the fillets on vertical edges
First limit radius: defines the round corner fillets
Second limit radius: defines the filets on the edges of the second limit.

Filleting edges is optional too. If you do not wish to use this capability, just uncheck
the options.

Clicking Preview previews the pocket, the draft and the fillets and display them in the
specification tree. If you have deactivated the draft or fillet options, the draft or the
fillets are then displayed as deactivated features in the tree, i.e. with red
parentheses.

8. Click Preview to check if the application can compute the fillets properly.

In the specification tree red

parentheses appear on EdgeFillet.1,
meaning that it cannot be computed
by the application. Looking more
closely at this fillet you can see that
due to the shape of the initial
sketch, it is effectively impossible to
compute that fillet.

Note that there is a priority in the order of appearance of the fillets (from top to
bottom) in the specification tree. The first fillet corresponds to the Lateral radius
option in the dialog box, the second fillet to the First limit radius option and the last
fillet to the Second limit radius option.

9. Click OK to create the features.

If you look at the specification tree, you will note that you have created:
one pocket
one draft
two fillets
This means that for edition purposes, you need to double-click the appropriate
feature.
This is your new part:
 Shaft

This task illustrates how to create a shaft, that is a revolved feature, by using an open
profile.

You need an open or closed profile, and an axis about which the feature will revolve.

Note that you can use wireframe geometry as your profile and axes created with the
Local Axis capability.

Open the Shaft1.CATPart document.

1. Select the open profile. For the purposes of our scenario, the profile and the axis
belong to the same sketch.

You can now create shafts from sketches including several closed profiles. These
profiles must not intersect and they must be on the same side of the axis.

Moreover, you can define whether you need the whole sketch, or sub-elements only.
For more information, refer to Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch.

2.
Click the Shaft icon .
The Shaft Definition dialog box is displayed. A message is issued warning you that the
application cannot find any material to trim the shaft to be created. This means that
you need to edit one or more default parameters.

3. Click OK to close the warning message and display the Shaft Definition dialog box.
 CATIA displays the name of the selected sketch in the Selection field from the Profile
frame. In our scenario, the profile and the axis belong to the same sketch.
Consequently, you do not have to select the axis.
If needed, you can change the sketch by clicking the field and by selecting another
sketch in the geometry or in the specification tree.

But you can also edit your sketch by clicking the icon that opens the Sketcher.
Once you have done your modifications, the Shaft Definition dialog box reappears to
let you finish your design.

If you launch the Shaft command with no profile previously defined, just click the icon

and select a plane to access the Sketcher, then sketch the profile you need.

The Selection field in the Axis frame is reserved for the axes you explicitly select.

CATIA previews limits LIM1 that corresponds to the first angle value, and LIM2 that
corresponds to the second angle value. The first angle value is by default 360
degrees.

4. The option Reverse side lets you choose between creating material between the axis
and the profile or between the profile and existing material. You can apply this new
option to open or closed profiles.
In our scenario, as our open profile cannot be trimmed if we use the default direction,
that is in the direction of the axis, click the Reverse side button or alternatively click the
arrow as shown:
 The application previews the new shaft: the extrusion will be done in the direction
opposite to the the axis and it will be trimmed to existing material.

5. Select LIM1 and drag it onto 180.

Alternatively, you can directly enter the values of your choice in the fields First angle
and Second angle.
6. Click Preview to see the result.
7. Click OK to confirm.
The shaft is created. The
specification tree mentions it has
been created.
 Groove
Grooves are revolved features that remove material from existing features. This task
shows you how to create a groove, that is how to revolve a profile about an axis (or
construction line).

You can use wireframe geometry as you profile and axes created with the Local Axis
capability.
Open the Groove1.CATPart document.
1.
Click the Groove icon .
You can now create grooves from sketches including several closed profiles.
These profiles must not intersect and they must be on the same side of the axis.

Moreover, you can define whether you need the whole sketch, or sub-elements
only. For more information, refer to Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch.

2. Select the profile.

The Groove Definition dialog box is displayed
 CATIA displays the name of the selected sketch in the Selection field from the
Profile frame.
The Selection field in the Axis frame is reserved for the axes you explicitly select.
For the purposes of our scenario, the profile and the axis belong to the same
sketch. Consequently, you do not have to select the axis.

CATIA previews a groove entirely revolving about the axis.

If needed, you can change the sketch by clicking the Selection field and by
selecting another sketch in the geometry or in the specification tree.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then edit the profile. Once
you have done your modifications, the Groove Definition dialog box reappears to
let you finish your design.

If you launch the Shaft command with no profile previously defined, just click the

icon and select a plane to access the Sketcher, then sketch the profile you
need.
3. CATIA previews the limits LIM1 and LIM2 of the groove to be created. You can
select these limits and drag them onto the desired value or enter angle values in
the appropriate fields. For our scenario, select LIM1 and drag it onto 100, then
enter 60 in the Second angle field.
4. Examine the preview.
Just a portion of
material is going to be
removed now.

Optionally click Preview to see the result.

5. Click OK to confirm
the operation.
CATIA removes
material around the
cylinder. The
specification tree
indicates the groove
has been created.
This is your groove:

6. The option Reverse side lets you choose between creating material between the
axis and the profile, which is the default direction, or between the profile and
existing material. You can apply this option to open or closed profiles.
Double-click the groove to edit it. Now, you are going to remove the material
surrounding the profile.

7. Click the Reverse side button or alternatively click the arrow in the geometry.

8. Enter 360 as the first angle value and 0 as the second angle value. The
application previews the new groove.

9. Click OK to confirm.
The material surrounding the profile has been removed.
 Hole
Creating a hole consists in removing material from a body. Various shapes of standard holes can
be created. These holes are:

Simple Tapered Counterbored Countersunk Counterdrilled

If you choose to create a...

Counterbored hole: the counterbore diameter must be greater than the hole diameter and
the hole depth must be greater than the counterbore depth.

Countersunk hole: the countersink diameter must be greater than the hole diameter and
the countersink angle must be greater than 0 and less than 180 degrees.

Counterdrilled hole: the counterdrill diameter must be greater than the hole diameter, the
hole depth must be greater than the counter drill depth and the counterdrill angle must be
greater than 0 and less than 180 degrees.

Whatever hole you choose, you need to specify the limit you want. There is a variety of limits:

Blind Up to Next Up to Last Up to Plane Up to Surface

The 'Up to next' creation mode behaves differently depending on the release of the product you
are using. In CATIA Version 5 Release 2, the 'Up to Next' limit is the very first face the application
detects while extruding the profile.

Preview Result

Since CATIA Version 5 Release 3, the 'Up to Next' limit is the first face the application detects
while extruding the profile, but this face must stops the whole extrusion, not only a portion of it,
and the hole goes thru material.

Preview Result
If you wish to use the Up to Plane or Up to Surface option , you can then define an offset
between the limit plane (or surface) and the bottom of the hole. For more information, refer to Up
to Surface Pad.

You can also choose the shape of the end hole (flat or pointed end hole) and specify a threading.

CATIA always limits the top of the hole using the Up to Next option. In other words, the
next face encountered by the hole limits the hole.

In the following example, the hole encounters a fillet placed above the face initially
selected. The application redefines the hole's top onto the fillet.
Creating a Hole

This task illustrates how to create a counterbored hole while constraining its location.

Open the Hole1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Hole icon
.
2. Select the circular edge and upper face as shown.

CATIA can now define one distance constraint to position the hole to be created. The
hole will be concentric to the circular edge.

For more about locating holes, please refer to Locating a Hole .

 The Hole Definition dialog box appears and CATIA previews the hole to be created. The
Sketcher grid is displayed to help you create the hole. By default, CATIA previews a
simple hole whose diameter is 10mm and depth 10mm.
Contextual creation commands are available on the BOTTOM text.

3. Now, define the hole you wish to create. Enter 24mm as the diameter value and 25mm
as the depth value.

The Limit field is available if you set the "Up to Plane" or Up to Surface" option.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then constrain the point defining the
hole position.

Once you have quit the Sketcher, the Hole Definition dialog box reappears to let you
define the hole feature.

4. Set the Bottom option to V-Bottom to create a pointed hole and enter 110 in the Angle
field.
 By default, CATIA creates the hole normal to the sketch face. But you can also define a
creation direction not normal to the face by unchecking the Normal to surface option and
selecting an edge or a line.

You can also define a threaded hole by checking the Thread Definition tab and click the
Specifications button to access the parameters you need to define.

Now, click the Type tab to access the type of hole you wish to create. You are going to
5.
create a counterbored hole.

You will notice that the glyph assists you in defining the desired hole.
6. Enter 30mm in the Diameter field and 8mm as the depth value .
The preview lets you see the new diameter.

Optionally click Preview to see the result.

7. Click OK.
The hole is created. The specification tree indicates this creation.
You will notice that the sketch used to create the hole also appears under the hole's
name. This sketch consists of the point at the center of the hole.
 Locating a Hole

This task shows how to constrain the location of the hole to be created without using the Sketcher
workbench `s tools.

Open the Hole1.CATPart document.

1. Multi-select both edges as shown and the upper face which is the face on which you wish to
position the hole.

2.
Click the Hole icon .
The preview displays two constraints defining the distances between the hole's center and the
edges.

3. Define the parameters in the dialog box to create the desired hole (see Creating a Hole).

CATIA previews the constraints you are creating.

4. To access the constraint values, double-click the constraint of interest. This displays the
Constraint Definition dialog box in which you can edit the value..

5. Click OK to create the hole.

CATIA positions the hole using constraints.
 The alternative way of accessing the constraints consists in double-clicking the sketch in the
specification tree to enter the Sketcher workbench. You can then edit the constraints if you wish
to reposition the hole.

Remember That...

The area you click determines the location of the hole, but you can drag the hole onto desired
location during creation using the left mouse button. If the grid display option is activated, you
can use its properties.

Selecting a circular face makes the hole concentric with this face. However, CATIA creates no
concentricity constraint.
Multiselecting a circular edge and a face makes the hole concentric to the circular edge. In this
case, CATIA creates a concentricity constraint.

Remember that the Sketcher workbench provides commands to constrain the point used for
locating the hole. See Setting Constraints.
 Selecting a line and a face positions the hole along the line.

Editing the line modifies the hole accordingly.

Selecting an edge and a face allows the application to create one distance constraint. While
creating the hole, you can double-click this constraint to edit its value.
 Threaded Holes
The Thread capability removes material surrounding the hole. To define a thread, you
can enter the values of your choice, but you can use standard values or personal values
available in files too.
This task shows you how to create a threaded hole using values previously defined in a
file.

Open the Hole1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Hole icon .

2. Select the face on which you wish to create the hole.

3. In the Hole Definition dialog box that displays, define the hole shape and enter the
parameters of your choice. For more information, refer to Hole.

4. Click the Thread tab.

5. Check Threaded to access the thread definition options.

You can define three different thread types:
No Standard: uses values entered by the user
Metric Thin Pitch: uses AFNOR standard values
Metric Thick Pitch: uses AFNOR standard values

Metric Thin Pitch: AFNOR standard

Refer to (NF E03-053-1970). This normative reference is linked to NF

E03-051-1982)
The application uses the minimum standard values.
 Nominaldiam Pitch Minordiam M

8.0 1.0 6.917

9.1 1.0 7.917

10.0 1.25 8.647

12. 1.25 10.647

14.0 1.5 12.376

16.0 1.5 14.376

18.0 1.5 16.376

20.0 1.5 18.376

22.0 1.5 20.376

24.0 2.0 21.835

27.0 2.0 24.835

30.0 2.0 27.835

33.0 2.0 30.835

36.0 3.0 32.752

39.0 3.0 35.752

Metric Thick Pitch: AFNOR standard

Refer to (NF E03-053-1970). This normative reference is linked to NF
E03-051-1982)
The application uses the minimum standard values.
Nominaldiam Pitch Minordiam M

1 0.25 0.729
1.1 0.25 0.829
1.2 0.25 0.829
1.4 0.3 1.075
1.6 0.35 1.221
1.8 0.35 1.221
2.0 0.4 1.567
2.2 0.45 1.713
2.5 0.45 2.013
3.0 0.5 2.459
3.5 0.6 2.850
4.0 0.7 3.242
4.5 0.75 3.688
5.0 0.8 4.134
6.0 1.0 4.917
7.0 1.0 5.917
8.0 1.25 6.647
9.0 1.25 7.647
10.0 1.5 8.376
12.0 1.75 10.106
14.0 2.0 11.835
16.0 2.0 13.835
18.0 2.5 15.294
20.0 2.5 17.294
22.0 2.5 19.294
24.0 3.0 20.752
27.0 3.0 23.752
30.0 3.5 26.211
33.0 3.5 29.211
36.0 4.0 31.670
39.0 4.0 34.670
 42.0 4.5 37.129
45.0 4.5 40.129
48.0 5.0 42.587
52.0 5.0 46.587
56.0 5.5 50.046
60.0 5.5 54.046
64.0 6.0 57.505
68.0 6.0 61.505
72.0 6.0 65.505
76.0 6.0 69.505
80.0 6.0 73.505
85.0 6.0 78.505
90.0 6.0 83.505

6. Keep the option No Standard.

7. As you wish to use values already defined in an file, click Add to access this file.
Otherwise, you could directly enter values in the fields.
A dialog box displays, in which you can navigate to reach the file containing your own
values. This file may be of one of the following types:
Excel files (general format)
Lotus files
tabulated files (in Unix environment)

8. Navigate to STANDARD1.txt file and click Open to get the values it contains.

The Hole Definition dialog box reappears.

Your file was created as follows:
Nominal diameter Pitch Minor Diameter Key
the first row contains no numerical values
the other rows below are reserved for numerical values
the mandatory items are keys that define the names associated with the
values.

Moreover, the name of the standard is the same as the name of the file without the
 extension.
Remember these recommendations for creating your own personal files.

9. Set the Type option to STANDARD1.

10. Define the nominal diameter: set the Thread Diameter to a value. For example, set
USR1.9.
You can note that the Hole diameter as well as the Pitch values are then provided in
the corresponding fields. The Pitch field defines the distance between each crest.

11. If necessary, edit the Hole Diameter value if you need to modify the value you had
previously set in the Extension tab. This value must not exceed the thread diameter
value.

12. Repeat the operation for editing the thread depth if necessary too.

13. Check the Left-Threaded option.

14. Click OK to confirm your operation and close the Hole Definition dialog box.
 The application displays the hole in the geometry area but not the thread. Note also
that an icon specific to this feature is displayed in the specification tree.

A Few Words About Removing Files

The Remove button removes files containing user-defined values. You cannot
remove files containing standard values. Clicking the Remove button displays the list
of user-defined files. You then just need to select or multi-select (using ctrl key) the
files and click OK to confirm the operation.

Note also that you cannot remove a standard file if it is used for a hole created in the
CATPart document.
 Rib
To define a rib, you need a center curve, a planar profile and possibly a reference element or a pulling
direction.
Ribs can also be created from sketches including several profiles. These profiles must be closed and must
not intersect.
For example, you can easily obtain a pipe by using a sketch composed of two concentric circles:

Profiles Result

You can create ribs by combining the elements as follows:

Open profile Closed profile Pulling direction

Open center curve

Closed planar
center curve

Closed 3D center
curve

Moreover, the following rules should be kept in mind:

3D center curves must be continuous in tangency
if the center curve is planar, it can be discontinuous in tangency.

This task shows you how to create a rib, that is how to sweep a profile along a center curve to create
material.

Open the Rib1.CATPart document.

 1.
Click the Rib icon .
The Rib Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the profile you wish to sweep, i.e. Sketch.2 . Your profile has been designed in a plane
normal to the plane used to define the center curve. It is a closed profile.

In some cases, you can now define whether you need the whole sketch, or sub-elements only. For
more information, refer to Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then edit the profile. Once you have done your
modifications, you just need to quit the Sketcher. The Rib Definition dialog box then reappears to
let you finish your design.

If you launch the Rib command with no profile previously defined, just click the icon to access
the Sketcher and then sketch the profile you need.

You can use an open profile provided existing material can trim the rib.
3.
Select the center curve, i.e. Sketch.1.
The center curve is open. To create a rib you can use open profiles and closed center curves too.
3D Center curves must not be discontinuous in tangency.

You can also use planar wireframe geometry as your profile or center curve.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher to let you edit the center curve. Once you have done your
modifications, you just need to quit the Sketcher. The Rib Definition dialog box then reappears to
let you finish your design.
The application now previews the rib to be created.

You can control its position by choosing one of the following options:
Keep angle: keeps the angle value between the sketch plane used for the profile and the
tangent of the center curve.
Pulling direction: sweeps the profile with respect to a specified direction. To define this
direction, you can select a plane or an edge.

For example, you need to use this option if your center curve is a helix. In this case, you
will select the helix axis as the pulling direction.
Reference surface: the angle value between axis h and the reference surface is constant.
4. To go on with our scenario, let's maintain the Keep angle option. Remember, the angle value is 90
degrees.

5. Click OK.
The rib is created. The specification tree mentions this creation.
 The Merge ends option is to be used in specific cases. It create materials between the ends of the
rib and existing material provided that existing material trims both ends.

6.
Delete this rib to create another one by using the Pulling direction option. After setting this option,
select plane xy to define z axis as the pulling direction. The plane used to define the profile will
remain normal to plane xy.
The preview looks like this:
 And the rib like this:

7.
Delete this rib to create another rib by using the Reference surface option.
First, display the loft in the Show space, then set the Reference surface option and select the loft
as the reference surface. The angle value between h axis and the surface equals 0. It remains
constant.
The preview looks like this:
 And the rib like this:

A Few Words about the Keep Angle Option

The position of the profile in relation to the center curve determines the shape of the resulting rib. When
sweeping the profile, the application keeps the initial position of the profile in relation to the nearest point of
the center curve. The application computes the rib from the position of the profile.
In the example below, the application computes the intersection point between the plane of the profile and
the center curve, then sweeps the profile from this position.
 Slot
To define a slot, you need a center curve, a planar profile, a reference element and possibly a pulling
direction.
Slots can also be created from sketches including several profiles. These profiles must be closed and
must not intersect.

You can create slots by combining the elements as follows:

Open profile Closed profile Pulling direction

Open center curve

Closed planar
center curve

Closed 3D center
curve

Moreover, the following rules should be kept in mind:

3D center curves must be continuous in tangency.
if the center curve is planar, it can be discontinuous in tangency.

This task shows you how to create a slot, that is how to sweep a profile along a center curve to
remove material .

Open the Slot1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Slot icon .
The Slot Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the profile, i.e. Sketch.2.

In some cases, you can now define whether you need the whole sketch, or sub-elements only.
For more information, refer to Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch.
 If you launch the Slot command with no profile previously defined, just click the icon to
access the Sketcher and then sketch the profile you need.

The profile has been designed in a plane normal to the plane used to define the center curve. It
is closed. Note that you can use wireframe geometry as your profile.

3.
Click the icon to open the Sketcher. This temporarily closes the dialog box.

4. Edit the profile. For example, enlarge it.

5. Quit the Sketcher. The Slot Definition dialog box reappears.

 You can control the profile position by choosing one of the following options:
Keep angle: keeps the angle value between the sketch plane used for the profile and
the tangent of the center curve.
Pulling direction: sweeps the profile with respect to a specified direction.

For example, you need to use this option if your center curve is a helix. In this case,
you will select the helix axis as the pulling direction.

Reference surface: the angle value between axis h and the reference surface is
constant.
6. To go on with our scenario, let's maintain the Keep angle option.

Now, select the center curve along which CATIA will sweep the profile.
The center curve is open. To create a rib you can use open profiles and closed center curves
too. Center curves can be discontinuous in tangency.
The application previews the slot.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher to let you edit the center curve.

The Merge ends option is to be used in specific cases. It lets the application create material
between the ends of the slot and existing material.
7. Click OK.
The slot is created. The specification tree indicates this creation.
 Stiffener

This task shows you how to create a stiffener by specifying creation directions.

Open the Stiffener1.CATPart document.

1. Select the profile to be extruded, that is Sketch.6.

This open profile has been created in a plane normal to the face on which the stiffener
will lie.

You can use wireframe geometry as your profile.

In some cases, you can now define whether you need the whole profile, or
sub-elements only. For more information, refer to Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then edit the profile. Once you have
done your modifications, the Stiffener Definition dialog box reappears to let you finish
your design.

If you need to use an open profile, make sure that existing material can fully limit the
extrusion of this profile
2.
Click the Stiffener icon .
The Stiffener Definition dialog box is displayed, providing a default thickness value.
CATIA previews a stiffener
which thickness is equal to
10mm.
The extrusion will be made in
three directions, two of which
are opposite directions. Arrows
point in these directions.
3. Uncheck the Mirrored extent
option.
The extrusion will be made in
two directions only.
To obtain the directions you
need, you can also click the
arrows. Note that you can
access contextual commands
on these arrows. These
commands are the same as
those available in the dialog
box.

4. Check the Mirrored extent option again.

5. Enter 12 as the thickness value.

Optionally click Preview to see the result.

6. Click OK.
The stiffener is created. The specification tree indicates it has been created.
If you click the Selection field and select another sketch, CATIA immediately creates
the Stiffener.

Clicking the icon opens the Sketcher. You can then edit the profile to modify your
stiffener. Once you have done your modifications, you just need to quit the Sketcher.

The dialog box is closed and the icon is activated.

 Loft

This task shows how to create a loft feature.

You can generate a loft feature by sweeping one or more planar section curves along
a computed or user-defined spine. The feature can be made to respect one or more
guide curves. The resulting feature is a closed volume.

Open the Loft1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Loft icon .
The Loft Definition dialog box appears.

2. Select the three section curves as shown:

They are highlighted in the geometry area.
 In P1 mode, you can select two sections only.

The Loft capability assumes that the section curves to be used do not intersect.

3. Click Apply to preview the loft to be created.

You can note that by default, tangency discontinuity points are coupled:
 Several coupling types are available in the Coupling tab:
Ratio: the curves are coupled according to the curvilinear abscissa ratio.
Tangency: the curves are coupled according to their tangency discontinuity
points. If they do not have the same number of points, they cannot be coupled
using this option.
Tangency then curvature: the curves are coupled according to their curvature
discontinuity points. If they do not have the same number of points, they
cannot be coupled using this option.
Vertices: the curves are coupled according to their vertices. If they do not
have the same number of vertices, they cannot be coupled using this option.

4. For the purpose of our scenario, you are going to use guide curves. Click the Guide
field and select the four joins. The curves to be used must be joined.
They are highlighted in the geometry area.

It is possible to edit the loft reference elements by first selecting a curve in the dialog
box list then choosing a button to either:
Remove the selected curve
Replace the selected curve by another curve.
Add another curve.

By default, the application computes a spine, but if you wish to impose a curve as the
spine to be used, you just need to click the Spine tab then the Spine field and select
the spine of your choice in the geometry.

The Relimitation tab lets you specify the loft relimitation type. You can choose to limit
the loft only on the Start section, only on the End section, on both, or on none.
when one or both are checked: the loft is limited to corresponding section
when one or both are when unchecked: the loft is swept along the spine:
if the spine is a user spine, the loft is limited by the spine extremities
if the spine is an automatically computed spine, and no guide is
selected: the loft is limited by the start and end sections
if the spine is an automatically computed spine, and guides are
selected, the loft is limited by the guides extremities.
5. Click OK to create the
volume.
The feature (identified as
Loft.xxx) is added to the
specification tree.
 Remove Lofted Material

This task shows how to remove lofted material.

The Remove Loft capability generates lofted material surface by sweeping one or more
planar section curves along a computed or user-defined spine then removes this
material. The material can be made to respect one or more guide curves.

Open the RemoveLoft1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Remove Loft icon .
The Remove Loft Definition dialog box appears.
2. Select both section curves as shown Sketch.3 and Sketch.4):
They are highlighted in the geometry area.

In P1 mode, you can select two sections only.

3. Select Closing Point 2 as shown on Section 2 to redefine the closing point.

4. Click Closing Point 2 arrow to reverse the direction.

It is possible to edit the loft reference elements by first selecting a curve in the dialog
box list then choosing a button to either:
Remove the selected curve
Replace the selected curve by another curve.
Add another curve.

By default, the application computes a spine, but if you wish to impose a curve as
the spine to be used, you just need to click the Spine tab then the Spine field and
select the spine of your choice in the geometry.

The Relimitation tab lets you specify the loft relimitation type. You can choose to
limit the loft only on the Start section, only on the End section, on both, or on none.
when one or both are checked: the loft is limited to corresponding section
when one or both are when unchecked: the loft is swept along the spine:
if the spine is a user spine, the loft is limited by the spine extremities
if the spine is an automatically computed spine, and no guide is
selected: the loft is limited by the start and end sections
if the spine is an automatically computed spine, and guides are
selected, the loft is limited by the guides extremities.
5. Click OK to create the lofted surface.
The feature (identified as Loft.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
 Dress-Up Features
Dressing up features is done by applying commands to one or more supports. CATIA provides
a large number of possibilities to achieve the features meeting your needs. The application lets
you create the following dress-up features:

Create an Edge Fillet: Click this icon, select the edge to be filleted, enter the radius
value and set the propagation mode in the dialog box.

Create a Variable Radius Fillet: Click this icon, select the edge to be filleted, enter new
radius values for both of the detected vertices, click as many points as you wish on the
edge and enter appropriate radius values for each of them. If needed, define a new
variation mode.

Create a Variable Radius Fillet Using a Spine: Click this icon, select the edges to be
filleted, enter an angle value for both vertices at the corner, check the Circle Fillet
option and select the spine.

Create a Face-Face Fillet: Click this icon, select the faces to be filleted and enter the
radius value in the dialog box.

Create a Tritangent Fillet: Click this icon, select the faces to be filleted then the face to
be removed.

Create a Chamfer: Click this icon, select the edge to be chamfered, set the creation
mode then define the parameters you have set.

Create a Basic Draft : Click this icon, set the Selection by neutral face selection mode
or select the face to be drafted, then enter the required parameters.

Create a Draft with a Parting Element: Click this icon, set the Selection by neutral face
selection mode or select the face to be drafted, expand the dialog box then enter the
required parameters.

Create a Draft from Reflect Lines: Click this icon, select the face to be drafted, then
enter the required parameters.

Create a Shell : Click this icon, select the faces to be shelled and enter the thickness
values.
Create a Thickness: Click this icon, select the faces to be shelled and enter the
thickness value.

Create a Thread/Tap: Click this icon, select the cylindrical surface you wish to thread,
the planar limit face and enter the required values.
 Edge Fillet
A fillet is a curved face of a constant or variable radius that is tangent to, and that joins,
two surfaces. Together, these three surfaces form either an inside corner or an outside
corner.
In drafting terminology, the curved surface of an outside corner is generally called a round
and that of an inside corner is normally referred to as a fillet.
Edge fillets are smooth transitional surfaces between two adjacent faces.

The purpose of this task is to fillet several edges. First you will fillet nine edges, then you
will fillet a face and trim this fillet to a plane. The cases illustrated here are simple. They
use a constant radius: the same radius value is applied to the entire edges. To see more
complex fillets, refer to Variable Radius Fillet or Variable Radius Fillet Using a Spine.

Open the Edge_Fillet1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Edge Fillet icon .
The Edge Fillet Definition dialog box
appears.

2. Select the edge as shown.

3. The edge selected then appears in the Objects to fillet field. CATIA displays the radius
value.
Clicking Preview previews the fillet to be created. This capability is supported on Part
Design P2 only.
4. Two propagation modes are available:
Minimal: CATIA does not take any tangencies into account. The fillet will be
computed only on a portion of the edge as shown below:

Tangency: tangencies are taken into account so as to fillet the entire edge and
possible tangent edges.

5. For the purpose of our scenario, set the Tangency option again. The preview clearly
shows that the whole edge will be filleted.
 If you set the Tangency mode, the new option "Trim ribbons" becomes available: you
can then trim the fillets to be created. For more, refer to Trimming ribbons.

6. Enter 15mm as the new radius value. The radius value is updated in the geometry
area.
7. Select the eight vertical edges.

8. Click OK.
The edges are filleted. The creation of this fillet is indicated in the specification tree.

9.
Click the Edge Fillet icon again and select the upper face as the new element to
be filleted.
10. Enter 5mm as the radius value.
11. Click More to access two additional options.

To know how to use the Edges to keep option, refer to Keeping Edges.

12. Click the Limiting element field and select Plane.1 as the plane that will intersect the
fillet.
An arrow appears on the plane to indicate the portion of material that will be kept.
Clicking this arrow reverses the direction and therefore indicates that the portion of
material that will be kept will be the opposite one.
This capability is supported on Part Design P2 only.

13. Click OK.

The second fillet is trimmed to Plane.1.Both fillets are displayed in the specification
tree. The final part looks like this:
Keeping Edges

When filleting an edge, the fillet may sometimes affect other edges of the part,
depending on the radius value you specified. In this case, the application detects
these edges and stops the fillet to these edges, as illustrated in the example below:

Edge to be filleted The upper edge is not filleted

When it comes to round corner fillets, you need to explicitly indicate the edges you do
not have to fillet. To do so, click the Edges to keep field from the dialog box and select
the edge in the geometry. CATIA then displays the selected edge in pink: that edge
will not be filleted.
Trimming Ribbons

If you choose to use the Tangency propagation mode, you can also trim overlapping
fillets. To do so, simply check the option "Trim ribbons".

Selected edges

Overlapping fillets are not

trimmed

Both fillets are trimmed

Compare the above results to the fillets created with the Minimal propagation mode:
The fillets are only trimmed.
 Variable Radius Fillet

Variable radius fillets are curved surfaces defined according to a variable radius. A
variable radius corner means that at least two different constant radii are applied to two
entire edges.
This task shows how to create a standard variable radius fillet. After performing the
scenario, see also Variable Radius Fillets Using a Spine.

Open the VariableRadiusFillet1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Variable Radius Fillet icon .
The Variable Radius Fillet Definition dialog box appears.

2. Select the edge to be filleted. You can define variable radius fillets on closed edges.
See Variable Radius Fillets Using Closed Edges.

CATIA detects both vertices and displays two identical radius values.

3. Click Preview to see the fillet to be created.

4. Enter a new radius value to simultaneously change the radius of both vertices. For
example, enter 12mm.

The new radius value is displayed on both vertices. The preview is modified
accordingly.
 Two propagation modes are available:
Minimal: the application does not take any tangencies into account. If filleted
edges overlap, the application trims the fillets and creates a sharp edge.
Tangency: tangencies are taken into account so as to fillet entire edges.

If you set the Tangency mode, the new option "Trim ribbons" becomes available:
you can then trim the fillets to be created. For more, refer to Trimming ribbons.

5. To add a point on the edge to make the variable radius fillet more complex, click the
Points: field.
You can also add points by selecting planes. For more information, refer to the end
of the task.
You can add as many points as you wish.

6. Click a point on the edge to be filleted.

CATIA displays the radius value on this point.
Note that to remove a point from the selection, you just need to click this point.

7. Enter a new radius value for this point: enter 4. The new radius value is displayed.
This is your preview:
8. The propagation mode is set to Cubic: keep this mode. To see the Linear
propagation mode, refer to "More About Variable Radius Fillets".

9. Click OK to confirm the operation.

The edge is filleted. The specification tree
indicates this creation.

10. To edit this fillet, double-click EdgeFillet.1 in the specification tree.

11. Expand the dialog box by clicking More.

Three additional options are available.

To know how to use the Edges to keep option, refer to Keeping Edges.
12. Click the Limiting element field and select Plane.1as the plane that will trim the fillet.
An arrow appears on the plane to indicate the portion of material that will be kept.
This capability is supported on Part Design P2 only.

13. Click this arrow to reverse the direction and therefore specify that the portion of
material to be kept will be the opposite one.

14. Click OK.

The variable radius fillet is trimmed to Plane.1. The final part looks like this:
More About Variable Radius Fillets

This is the fillet you would obtain using the Linear

propagation mode. Examine the difference!

To add additional points on the edge to be filleted, you can select planes. CATIA
computes the intersections between these planes and the edge to determine the useful
points.

In this example, three planes were selected.

Now, if you move these planes later, CATIA will compute the intersections again
and modify the fillet accordingly.
 Points can be added too by selecting 3D points.

You can use the radius value R=0 to create a variable radius fillet.

Variable Radius Fillets Using a Spine

There may be times when you need to fillet consecutive edges with no tangent
continuity but which you want to treat as a single edge logically. You can do
this by using a spine. Compare the fillets below:

Standard Fillet

Fillet Using a Spine

To fillet the edge, the application uses circles contained in planes normal to the
spine. It is then possible to control the shape of the fillet.
The spine can be a wireframe element or a sketcher element.
The Generative Shape Design product license is required to access this
capability.
Variable Radius Fillets Using Closed Edges
The application defines a default vertex on closed edges when applying the Edge Fillet
command. To define your fillet, first of all you need to remove this vertex, and then use
3D points or planes only.
The Linear propagation mode is not valid for closed edges and edges continuous in
tangency.
 Face-Face Fillet
You generally use the Face-face fillet command when there is no intersection between
the faces or when there are more than two sharp edges between the faces.

This task shows how to create a face-face fillet.

Open the FaceFillet1.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Face-Face Fillet icon .
The Face-Face Fillet Definition dialog box
appears.

2. Select the faces to be filleted.

3. Click Preview to see the fillet to be created.

4. Enter a radius value in the Radius field if you are not satisfied with the default one.
For example, enter 31mm.

5. Click the More button to access the Limiting element option.

6. Click the Limiting element field and select plane zx as the trimming plane.
An arrow appears on the plane to indicate the portion of material that will be kept.

7. As you wish to keep the opposite portion of material, click this arrow to reverse the
direction.

8. Click OK.
The faces are filleted. The fillet is trimmed by plane zx. This creation is indicated in
the specification tree.
 Tritangent Fillet
The creation of tritangent fillets involves the removal of one of the three faces selected.
This task shows how to create a tritangent fillet.

You need three faces two of which are supporting faces.

Open the TritangentFillet1.CATPart document.
1.
Click the Tritangent Fillet icon .
The Tritangent Fillet Definition dialog box appears.

2. Select the faces to be filleted.

3. Select the face to be removed, that is the

upper face. The fillet will be tangent to this
face.
This face appears in dark red.

Optionally, click Preview to see the fillet to be created.

 You can now trim tritangent fillets to a plane, face or surface. To do so, expand the
dialog box and click the Limiting element field.

4. Select Plane.2 as the trimming element.

An arrow appears on the plane to indicate the portion of material that will be kept.
Clicking this arrow reverses the direction and therefore indicates the opposite portion
of material.

5. Click OK.
The faces are filleted. The fillet is trimmed to
Plane.2.
The creation of this fillet is indicated in the
specification tree.

Multiselecting three faces then clicking the Tritangent Fillet icon tells the
application to remove the third face.
 Chamfer
Chamfering consists in removing or adding a flat section from a selected edge to create a
beveled surface between the two original faces common to that edge. You obtain a
chamfer by propagation along one or several edges.

This task shows how to create two chamfers by selecting two edges. One case illustrates
how material is added, the other case shows how material is retrieved.
Open the Chamfer1.CATPart document.
1.
Click the Chamfer icon .
The Chamfer Definition dialog box appears. The default parameters to be defined
are Length1 and Angle. You can change this creation mode and set Length1 and
Length2.
2. Select the edges to be chamfered.
Chamfers can be created by selecting a face: the application chamfers its edges.

3. Click Preview to see the chamfers to be created.

3. Keep the default mode: enter a length value and an angle value.
 CATIA previews the chamfers with the given values.

4. Click OK.

The specification tree indicates this

creation.
These are your chamfers:
 Basic Draft
Drafts are defined on molded parts to make them easier to remove from molds.

The characteristic elements are:

pulling direction: this direction corresponds to the reference from which the
draft faces are defined.

draft angle: this is the angle that the draft faces make with the pulling direction.
This angle may be defined for each face.

parting element: this plane, face or surface cuts the part in two and each portion
is drafted according to its previously defined direction. For an example, please
refer to Draft with Parting Element.

neutral element: this element defines a neutral curve on which the drafted face
will lie. This element will remain the same during the draft. The neutral element
and parting element may be the same element, as shown in Draft with Parting
Element.

There are two ways of determining the objects to draft. Either by explicitly
selecting the object or by selecting the neutral element, which makes CATIA
detect the appropriate faces to use.
This task shows you how to create a basic draft by selecting the neutral element.

Open the Draft2.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Draft Angle icon .

The Draft Definition dialog box is displayed and an arrow appears on a plane,
indicating the default pulling direction.
 This dialog box displays the constant angle draft option as activated. If you
click the icon to the right, you then access the command for creating variable
angle drafts.

2. Check the Selection by neutral face option to determine the selection mode.

3. Select the upper face as the neutral element. This selection allows CATIA to
detect the face to be drafted.
The neutral element is now displayed in blue, the neutral curve is in pink. The
faces to be drafted are in dark red.
The Propagation option can be set to:
None: there is no propagation
Smooth: the application integrates the faces propagated in tangency
onto the neutral face to define the neutral element.

For more about the neutral element, refer to A Few Notes about Drafts.
 The pulling direction is now displayed on top of the part. It is normal to the
neutral face.
The Controlled by reference option is now activated, meaning that whenever
you will edit the element defining the pulling direction, you will modify the draft
accordingly.

Note that when using the other selection mode (explicit selection), the selected
objects are displayed in dark pink.
4. The default angle value is 5. Enter 7 degrees as the new angle value.
CATIA displays the new angle value in the geometry.

5. Click Preview to see the draft to be created. The draft appears in blue.

6. Click OK to confirm the operation.

The faces are drafted. You can notice that material has been added.
 This task does not explain how to use the options available when the dialog
box is expanded. To know how to use these options, refer to Draft with Parting
Element.

A Few Notes about Drafts

Editing Drafts

If you edit the sketch used for defining the

initial pad, CATIA integrates this modification
and computes the draft again. In the following
example, a chamfer was added to the profile.

You can now transform a constant angle draft into a variable angle draft. To do so,
double-click your draft, then click the variable angle draft option in the dialog box to
access the appropriate options. For more, refer to Variable Angle Draft.

Neutral Elements
It is possible to select several faces to define the neutral element. By default, the
pulling direction is given by the first face you select. This is an example of what
you can get:
 Draft Definition Result

You can use neutral elements that do not intersect the faces to be drafted. This is
an example of what you can get:

Draft Definition Result

Methodology

If you need to draft several faces using a pulling direction normal to the neutral
element, keep in mind the following operating mode that will facilitate your design:

Click and first select the neutral element of your choice. The pulling direction
that appears is then normal to the neutral element. Select the face to be drafted
and click OK to create your first draft.
Now, to create the other drafts in the same CATPart document, note that by
default the application uses the same pulling direction as the one specified for
creating your first draft. As designers usually use a unique pulling direction, you do
not need to redefine your pulling direction.
If you perform a difficult drafting, for example if you obtain twisted faces, use the
Deactivate and Extract Geometry commands to solve your difficulties. For more
information, refer to Extracting Geometry.
 Advanced Draft

The Advanced Draft command lets you draft basic parts or parts with reflect lines but it
also lets you specify two different angle values for drafting complex parts.
This task shows you how to draft two faces with reflect lines, and this by specifying two
different angle values and by using both modes available.

We recommend the use of this command to users already familiar with draft
capabilities.
Open the Draft4_R07.CATPart document..
1. Select the View -> Toolbars -> Advanced Draft command to access the Advanced
Draft toolbar.

2.
Click the Advanced Draft icon .
The Draft Definition (Advanced) dialog box is displayed and you can see a default
pulling direction (xy plane) in the geometry.
3. Specify that you wish to draft two
faces with reflect lines by clicking both
icons as shown:

Note that two modes are available :

Independent: you need to specify two angle values
Driving/Driven: the angle value you specify for one face affects the angle
value of the second face.

For the purposes of our scenario, ensure that the Independent option is on.

4. In the Neutral Element frame, click No Selection from the combo list and select the
fillet as shown.
 The application displays the reflect line in pink.

5. In the Pulling Direction frame, click xy plane and select the part's bottom face to
specify a new pulling direction.

6. Enter 10 as the angle value.

7. Click the Parting Element tab to define the parting element.

8. Check the option Parting Element and select the green surface as the parting
element.
9. Click the 2nd Side tab to define the second face to be drafted.

10. In the Neutral Element frame, click No Selection from the combo list and select the
second fillet.
Both faces to be drafted are now selected.
11. Enter 6 as the angle value.

12. Click OK to confirm.

Both faces are drafted using a distinct angle value, as specified.

Due to the use of the angle values you have set, this operation results in a "step"
where both drafted faces meet. To avoid such a result, you can use the option
Driving/Driven as explained hereafter.

Using the Driving/Driven option

13. Double-click Draft.1 in the specification tree to edit it.

The Advanced Draft dialog box appears.
14. Set the Driving/Driven option. You can note that the Driving Direction option is
checked, meaning that the angle value you specified for the first face you selected
(10 degrees) is the driving value.
If you click 2nd side tab, you can notice that the angle value field is no longer
available.
In concrete terms, the application will compute the value for the second face so as
to avoid the "step effect".

15. Click OK to confirm the operation.

The application has adjusted the second drafted face.

If you prefer to set the angle value you specified for the second face you selected
(6 degrees) as the driving value, just click the 2nd side tab and check Driving
Direction.
 Draft with Parting Element
This task shows how to draft a part by using a parting element.

Prior to performing this task, refer to Basic Draft, then open the Draft1.CATPart document.

1. Select the face to be drafted.

2.
Click the Draft Angle icon .
The Draft Definition dialog box displays and an arrow appears on the part, indicating the
default pulling direction. The selected face is red and highlighted. The application
detects that other faces are to be drafted and displays them in light red.

3. Click the Selection field and select plane xy to define the neutral element.
The application displays the neutral curve in pink.

4. Enter 13 degrees as the new angle value. For more information, see Angle Values.

5. Now click the More button to display the whole dialog box and access the Parting
Element capability.
6. To define the parting element, you can check:
Parting = Neutral to reuse the plane you selected as the neutral element,
or Define parting element and then explicitly select a plane or a planar face as the
parting element.

Keep Parting =Neutral. You then can also check the option Draft both sides as illustrated
at the end of the scenario.

To get information about the Draft form option, refer to Angle Values.

7. Click Preview: the draft is displayed in blue.

 8. Click OK.
Material has been removed, the face is drafted.

9. Double-click the draft to edit it.

10. Check the option Draft both sides to draft the pad in both opposite directions from the
parting element.

11. Click OK to confirm.

The pad now looks like this:
Angle Values

You can draft faces using a negative value.

If the chosen angle value exceeds the angle value of the faces adjacent to the face to
be drafted, an error message is issued. To perform the draft, you then need to
activate the Square option available from the Draft form drop list.

Here is an example of a drafted face

obtained using the Square option:

The use of the Square option does not guarantee that parts will be easily removed from
their molds.

Methodology
If you perform a difficult drafting, for example if you obtain twisted faces, use the
Deactivate and Extract Geometry commands to solve your difficulties. For more
information, refer to Extracting Geometry.
 Draft from Reflect Lines

This task shows you how to draft a face by using reflect lines as neutral lines from which
the resulting faces will be generated. In this scenario, you will also trim the material to be
created by defining a parting element.

Open the Draft3.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Draft from Reflect Lines icon .
The Draft from Reflect Lines Definition dialog box is displayed and an arrow appears,
indicating the default pulling direction.

Clicking the arrow reverses the direction.

2. Select the cylinder.

The application detects one reflect line and displays it in pink. This line is used to
support the drafted faces.

3. Enter an angle value in the Angle field. For example, enter 11. The reflect line is
moved accordingly.

4. Click Preview to get an idea of what the draft will look like.
5. Click the More button to expand the dialog box.

6. Check the Draft with parting element option and select plane zx as the parting
element.

7. Click OK to create the draft.

 Using the command described in this task, you can now draft faces after filleting
edges, as illustrated in the example below:

CATIA detects the reflect line on the

The face is drafted.
selected fillet.
 Variable Angle Draft

Sometimes, you cannot draft faces by using a constant angle value, even if you set the
Square mode. This task shows you an another way of drafting: by using different angle
values.

Open the Draft2.CATPart document..

1.
Click the Variable Angle Draft icon .

As an alternative, you can use the Draft Angle command , then click the Variable
Angle Draft icon available in the dialog box. For more, see Basic Draft.

The Draft Definition dialog box that appears, displays the variable angle draft option
as activated. If you click the icon to the left, you then access the command for
performing basic drafts.
2. Select the face to be drafted.
Multiselecting faces that are not continuous in tangency is not allowed for this
command.

3. Select the upper face as the neutral element.

An arrow appears on the part, indicating the default pulling direction. CATIA detects
two vertices and displays two identical radius values.

4. Increase the angle value: only one value is modified accordingly in the geometry.

5. To edit the other angle value, select the value in the geometry and increase it in the
dialog box. For instance, enter 9.

Alternatively, double-click this

value to display the Parameter
Definition dialog box, then edit the
value.
6. Click Preview to see the draft to be created.

7. To add a point on the edge, click the Points: field.

8. Click a point on the edge.

You can add as many points as you wish. You can also add points by selecting 3D
planes or 3D points. In this case, CATIA computes the intersections between these
planes and the edge to determine the useful points or the projections onto the edge.
If after clicking the points of interest, you decide to change the faces to draft or the
neutral element, the application removes the points and lets you define points again.
Note that to remove a point from the selection, you just need to click this point.
CATIA displays the angle value on this point.

9. Enter a new angle value for this point: for example, enter 17. The new radius value is
displayed.
 10. Click OK to confirm.
The final drafted part looks like this:

More About Variable Angle Drafts

Closed Edges

The application defines a default vertex on closed edges when applying the
Variable Angle Draft command. To define your draft, first of all you need to remove
this vertex, and then use 3D points or 3D planes only.
 Shell
Shelling a feature means emptying it, while keeping a given thickness on its sides.
Shelling may also consist in adding thickness to the outside. This task shows how to
create a cavity.

Open the Shell1.CATPart document.

1. Select the face to be removed.

2.
Click the Shell icon . The Shell Definition dialog box appears.

The selected face becomes

purple.
3. Enter 15mm in the Default inside
thickness field.

4. Click OK.
The feature is shelled: the
selected face is left open. This
creation appears in the
specification tree.

5. Double-click the shell to edit it.

6. Decrease the inside thickness value. Enter 4mm and click OK.
The cylinder is now hollowed:
7. Double-click the shell again and click the Other thickness faces field.

8. Select the face as shown.

9. Double-click the thickness value displayed on this face.

10. In the dialog box that appears, enter 10mm and click OK.
The length between the selected face and the shell is 10mm.
A Few Notes About Shells

In some specific cases, you may need to perform two shell operations consecutively. To
avoid problems, the value for the second shell should be lower by half than the value of
the first shell.

If you need to shell a multi-domain body, perform only one Shell operation : select one
face by domain to avoid problems. The specification tree then includes only one Shell
feature as illustrated below.
 Thickness

Sometimes, some thickness has to be added or removed before machining the part. The
thickness command lets you do so.
This task shows you how to add thickness to a part.

Open the Thickness1.CATPart document..

1.
Click the Thickness icon .
The Thickness Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the faces to thicken, i.e. both faces as shown:

The faces become red and CATIA displays the thickness value in the geometry.

3. Enter a positive value. For example, enter 15 mm.

4. Click OK.
The part is thickened
accordingly. This creation
appears in the specification
tree.

5. Double-click the thickness to edit it.

6. Click the Other thickness faces

field and select the lateral face
as shown.

7. Double-click the thickness value displayed on this face.

8. In the dialog box that appears, enter 25mm and click OK.
The length between the selected face and the resulting face is 25mm.
 Thread/Tap
The Thread/Tap capability creates threads or taps, depending on the cylindrical entity of
interest.
This task shows you how to thread a cylindrical pad.

Open the Thread.CATPart document..

1.
Click the Thread/Tap icon .
The Thread/Tap Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the cylindrical surface you wish to thread, that is Face.1.

3. Select the upper face as the limit face. Limit faces must be planar.
The application previews the thread.

In the dialog box, the Geometrical Definition frame displays the name of the faces you
have selected. The Reverse Direction button (as well as the arrow in the geometry
area) lets you reverse the thread direction if needed.

The Numerical Definition frame provides three different thread types:

No Standard: uses values entered by the user
Metric Thin Pitch: uses AFNOR standard values
Metric Thick Pitch: uses AFNOR standard values
 Metric Thin Pitch: AFNOR standard

Refer to (NF E03-053-1970). This normative reference is linked to NF

E03-051-1982)
The application uses the minimum standard values.

Nominaldiam Pitch Minordiam M

8.0 1.0 6.917

9.1 1.0 7.917
10.0 1.25 8.647
12. 1.25 10.647
14.0 1.5 12.376
16.0 1.5 14.376
18.0 1.5 16.376
20.0 1.5 18.376
22.0 1.5 20.376
24.0 2.0 21.835
27.0 2.0 24.835
30.0 2.0 27.835
33.0 2.0 30.835
36.0 3.0 32.752
39.0 3.0 35.752

Metric Thick Pitch: AFNOR standard

Refer to (NF E03-053-1970). This normative reference is linked to NF

E03-051-1982)
The application uses the minimum standard values.
Nominaldiam Pitch Minordiam M

1 0.25 0.729
1.1 0.25 0.829
1.2 0.25 0.829
1.4 0.3 1.075
1.6 0.35 1.221
1.8 0.35 1.221
2.0 0.4 1.567
2.2 0.45 1.713
2.5 0.45 2.013
3.0 0.5 2.459
3.5 0.6 2.850
4.0 0.7 3.242
4.5 0.75 3.688
5.0 0.8 4.134
6.0 1.0 4.917
7.0 1.0 5.917
8.0 1.25 6.647
9.0 1.25 7.647
10.0 1.5 8.376
12.0 1.75 10.106
14.0 2.0 11.835
16.0 2.0 13.835
18.0 2.5 15.294
20.0 2.5 17.294
22.0 2.5 19.294
24.0 3.0 20.752
27.0 3.0 23.752
30.0 3.5 26.211
33.0 3.5 29.211
36.0 4.0 31.670
39.0 4.0 34.670
42.0 4.5 37.129
45.0 4.5 40.129
48.0 5.0 42.587
52.0 5.0 46.587
56.0 5.5 50.046
 60.0 5.5 54.046
64.0 6.0 57.505
68.0 6.0 61.505
72.0 6.0 65.505
76.0 6.0 69.505
80.0 6.0 73.505
85.0 6.0 78.505
90.0 6.0 83.505

4. For the purposes of our scenario, keep No Standard. As you are creating a thread,
you cannot modify the thread diameter value. If you were creating a tap, you could
modify it.

When creating taps, if you wish to use values already defined in one of your files,
click the Add button to access this file. A dialog box displays, in which you can
navigate to reach the file containing your own values. This file may be of one of the
following types:
Excel files (general format)
Lotus files
tabulated files (in Unix environment)

For more about using predefined values, refer to Threaded Holes, steps 7 and 8. The
operating mode described in this task is valid for threads and taps too.

5. Enter 49 mm as the thread depth.

Note that the Support Diameter and Support height fields are grayed. They are
merely informative.
6. Enter 1.5 mm as the pitch value. The Pitch field defines the distance between each
crest.
7. Check the Left-Threaded option.

8. Click Preview.
Red lines provide a simplified representation of the thread.
9. Click OK to confirm.
There is no geometrical representation is the geometry area, but the thread (identified
as Thread.xxx) is added to the specification tree. The corresponding icon is specific to
this feature.
Diameter, depth and pitch values appear below the Thread entity in the specification
tree.

If you create a tap, CATIA identifies it as Thread.XXX too in the specification tree, but
displays a specific icon as shown below:
You can extract drawings from threads and taps in the Generative Drafting
workbench. For more, see Generative Drafting User's Guide Version 5.

Cavities on cylindrical surfaces

If the cavity is a hole, proceed using the options available in the Hole Definition
dialog box as described in Threaded Holes.
If the cavity is a groove or a pocket defined on a cylindrical surface, you must
use a plane tangent to the surface as the limit face.
 Surface-Based Features

Create a Split: Click this icon, select the body to be split then the splitting element.

Create a Thick Surface: Click this icon, select the object to be thickened, define the
offset directions and enter offset values.

Create a Close Surface: Click this icon, select the body and select the object to be
closed.

Create a Sew Surface: Click this icon, select the body and the surface to be sewn.
 Split
You can split a body with a plane, face or surface. The purpose of this task is to show
how to split a body by means of a surface.

Open the Split1.CATPart document.

1. Select the blue pad as the body to be split.

2.
Click the Split icon .

3. Select the splitting surface.

The Split Definition dialog box is displayed, indicating the splitting element.

An arrow appears indicating the portion of body that will be kept. If the arrow points in
the wrong direction, you can click it to reverse the direction.
4. Click OK.
The body is split. Material has been removed.
The specification tree indicates you performed the operation.
 Thick Surface
You can add material to a surface in two opposite directions by using the Thick Surface
capability. This task shows you how to do so.

Open the ThickSurface1.CATPart document.

1. Select the object you wish to thicken, that is the extrude element.

2. Click the Thick Surface icon .

The Thick Surface Definition dialog box is
displayed.

In the geometry area, the arrow that

appears on the extrude element indicates
the first offset direction. If you need to
reverse the arrow, just click it.
3. Enter 10mm as the first offset value and
6mm as the second offset value .

4.
Click OK.
The surface is thickened. The specification
tree indicates you performed the
operation.
Note that the resulting feature does not
keep the color of the original surface.
 Close Surface
This task shows you to close surfaces.

Open the CloseSurface1.CATPart document.

1. Select the surface to be closed, i.e. Trim.3.

Click the Close Surface icon .

2.
The Close Surface Definition dialog box is
displayed.

3. Click OK.
The surface is closed . The specification tree
indicates you performed the operation.
 Sew Surface

Sewing means joining together a surface and a body. This capability consists in
computing the intersection between a given surface and a body while removing useless
material. You can sew all types of surfaces onto bodies. This task shows you how to do
it.
Open the SewSurface1.CATPart document.

1. Select the surface you wish to sew onto the body, that is the orange surface.

2.
Click the Sew Surface icon .
The Sew Surface Definition
dialog box is displayed,
indicating the object to be
sewn.

An arrow appears indicating the portion of material that will be kept. Click the arrow
3.
to reverse the direction. The arrow must point in the direction as shown:
4. Click OK.
The surface is sewn onto the body. Some material has been removed. The
specification tree indicates you performed the operation.
 Transformation Features

Create a Translation: Click this icon, select the body to be translated, define the
translation direction and enter the distance value.

Create a Rotation: Click this icon, select the body to be rotated, define the rotation axis
and enter the angle value.

Create a Symmetry: Click this icon, select the body to be duplicated and define the
symmetry reference.

Create a Mirror: Click this icon, select the body to be mirrored and define the reference.

Create a Rectangular Pattern: Click this icon, select the feature to be duplicated,
define the creation directions, choose the parameters you wish to define and set these
parameters.
Create a Circular Pattern: Click this icon, select the feature to be duplicated, define the
axial reference, the creation direction, choose the parameters you wish to define and
set these parameters.

Create a User Pattern: Click this icon, select the feature to be duplicated, set whether
you keep the original specifications or not and define the positions.

Exploding Patterns: Right-click the pattern you want to explode and select the
RectPattern.1object -> Explode... contextual command.

Create a Scaling: Click this icon, select the body to be scaled, define the reference and
enter a factor value.
 Translation
The Translate command applies to current bodies.
This task shows you how to translate a body.

To perform this task, open the CATPart of your choice.

1.
Click the Translate icon .
The Translate Definition dialog box appears

2. Select a line to take its orientation as the translation direction or a plane to take its
normal as the translation direction. For example, select zx plane.
You can also specify the direction by means of X, Y, Z vector components by using the
contextual menu on the Direction area.

3. Specify the translation distance by entering a value or using the Drag manipulator. For
example, enter 100mm.

4. Click OK to create the translated element.

The element (identified as Translat.xxx) is added to the
specification tree
 Rotation

This task shows you how to rotate geometry about an axis. The command applies to
current bodies.
Open the Rotate1.CATPart document.
1.
Click the Rotate icon .
The Rotate Definition dialog box appears.

2. Select an edge as the rotation axis.

3. Enter a value for the rotation angle.

The element is rotated. You can drag it by using the graphic manipulator to adjust the
rotation.
4. Click OK to create the rotated element.
The element (identified as Rotate.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
 Symmetry
This task shows how to transform geometry by means of a symmetry operation. The
Symmetry command applies to current bodies.

Open the Symmetry1.CATPart document.

1. Click the Symmetry icon .

The Symmetry Definition dialog box appears.

2. Select a point, line or plane as reference element. For the purpose of our scenario,
select plane zx.
3. Click OK to create the symmetrical element.
The original element is no longer visible but remains in the specification tree.
The new element (identified as Symmetry.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
 Mirror

Mirroring a body or a list of features consists in duplicating these elements using a

symmetry. You can select a face or a plane to define the mirror reference.

This task shows how to mirror a list of features.

Open the EdgeFillet3.CATPart document.

1. Multi-select both pads as the features to be mirrored.

2.
Click the Mirror icon .
The Mirror Definition dialog box
appears.

3. Select the lateral face to define the mirror reference.

The application previews the material to be created.
4. Click OK to confirm the operation.
The pads are mirrored.
The specification tree mentions this
creation.

Using a plane to mirror a body lets you obtain two independent portions of
material in a same body. The following mirror is obtained by using plane zx as
the reference.
 Rectangular Pattern
You may need to duplicate the whole geometry of one or more features and to position this
geometry on a part. Patterns let you do so.
CATIA allows you to define three types of patterns: rectangular, circular and user patterns. These
features accelerate the creation process.

This task shows you how to duplicate the geometry of one pocket right away at the location of
your choice using a rectangular pattern. Then, you will learn how to modify the location of the
initial feature.

Open the RectangularPattern1.CATPart document.

1. Select the feature you wish to copy, that is the pocket as shown:

2.
Click the Rectangular Pattern icon .
The Rectangular Pattern Definition dialog box that appears displays the name of the
geometry to pattern.

If you click the Rectangular Pattern icon prior to selecting any geometry, by default,
the object to be patterned is the current solid. For more information, refer to Patterning
Current Solids.
 If you change your mind and decide to pattern the current solid, click the object field and
use the "Get current solid" contextual command.

Each tab is dedicated to a direction you will use to define the location of the duplicated
feature. In this task, you will first set your specifications for the first direction.

Checking the Keep specifications option creates instances with the limit Up to Next ( Up to
Last, Up to Plane or Up to Surface) defined for the original feature. In the example below,
the limit defined for the pad, i.e. the "Up to surface" limit, applies to all instances. As the
limiting surface is not planar, the instances have different lengths.
 But for the purposes of our scenario, as the pocket's height is specified, activating the
Keep specifications option is meaningless.

3. Click the Reference element field and select the edge as shown below to specify the first
direction of creation.

An arrow is displayed on the pad. If needed, check the Reverse button or click the arrow to
modify the direction.

To define a direction, you may select an edge or a planar face.

4. Let the Instances & Spacing options to define the parameters you wish to specify.
The parameters you can choose are:
Instances & Length
Instances & Spacing
Spacing & Length

Choosing Instances & Spacing dims the Length field because the application no longer
needs this specification to space the instances.

If you set Instances & Length or Spacing & Length parameters, note that you cannot
define the length by using formulas.

5. Enter 3 as the number of instances you wish to obtain in the first direction.

Deleting the instances of your choice is possible when creating the pattern. In the pattern
preview, just select the points materializing instances. Conversely, selecting these points
again will make CATIA create the corresponding instances.

6. Define the spacing along the grid: enter 14 mm.

Defining the spacing along the grid and length of your choice would make the application
compute the number of possible instances and space them at equal distances.

7. Now, click the Second Direction tab to define other parameters.

Note that defining a second direction is not compulsory. Creating a rectangular defining
only one direction is possible.
8. Click the Reference element field and select the edge to the left to define the second
direction.

9. Check the Reverse option to make the arrow point in the opposite direction.

10. Let the Instances & Spacing option: enter 3 and 10 mm in the appropriate fields.

11. Click Preview to make sure the pattern meets your needs.
Additional pockets will be aligned along this second direction.
12. Click OK to repeat the pocket's geometry nine times.
This is the resulting pattern. The feature "RectPattern.1" is displayed in the specification
tree.

13. Let's now edit the pattern to make it more complex: double-click the pattern to display the
dialog box.

14. Click the More button to display the whole dialog box.
The options available makes it possible to position the pattern.
15. To modify the position of the pockets, enter -5 degrees as the rotation angle value.

16. Click Preview.

You will notice that all pockets have moved slightly:

17. Now, modify the location of the initial pocket. To do so, enter 2 in the Row in Direction 1
field.
The application previews how the pattern will be moved. It will be moved along the
direction as indicated:
18. Finally, enter 2 in the Row in Direction 2 field.
The application previews how the pattern will be moved. It will be moved along these two
directions defined in steps 17 and 18:

The option "Simplified representation" lightens the pattern's geometry. What you need to
do is just check the option and double-click the instances you do not want to see. The
instances are then represented in dashed lines during the pattern definition and then are
no longer visible after validating the pattern creation. The specifications remain
unchanged, whatever the number of instances you view. This option is particularly used for
patterns including a large number of instances.

Remember that clicking an instance once removes the instance from the specifications.
Clicking once or double-clicking an instance does not lead to the same result then.
19. Click OK.
The application has changed the location of all pockets. Only four of them remain on the
pad.

CATIA Version 5 provides the capability of creating Cartesian patterns with variable steps.
To do so, define formulas. More explicitly, act on parameters i and j. For more information,
refer to CATIA- Knowledge Advisor User's Guide Version 5.

During your design, you may need to rework instances specifically. You will then have to
use the Explode contextual command to delete your pattern while keeping geometry. For
more information, refer to Exploding Patterns.

Complex Patterns

You can pattern a list of Part Design features by proceeding as follows:

1. Multi-select the features to be duplicated.

These features must belong to the same body.

2. Click the Rectangular Pattern

icon .
The features are indicated in the
Object field.
3. Set the parameters you need as shown in the task above.

These rules are to be kept in mind before patterning a list of features.

When multi-selecting, the first feature you select must not be a dress-up feature.
Your list of features cannot include any transformation features, nor shells, nor
splits, nor associated bodies.
Your list of features cannot include any body.

Editing a List of Features

Editing a list of features consists in adding or removing features from the list. To do so,
you just have to click the Object field and select the feature of interest to add it or remove
it from the list.
Note however that adding a feature to a pattern is possible only if your pattern is already
based on a feature list. In other words, you cannot add any feature to a basic pattern
created using a single feature.
Patterning Current Solids
A current solid is composed of one or more features belonging to the same body. It is the
result of the operations as mentioned in the specification tree, the last operation being the
current one. For more about current features, see Scanning a part and defining local
objects.

To pattern a current solid, just click the Rectangular Pattern icon . There is no need to
select any geometry. By default, the object to pattern is the current solid. You then just
have to enter your specifications in the dialog box.
Note that if you change your mind and decide to pattern a feature, you just have to click
the object field and select the feature of your choice.
In the following example, the current solid is the result of one pad and one hole.

The instances created via the Pattern command are composed of pads and holes only.

You cannot transform a patterned list of features into a patterned current solid and
vice-versa.
 Circular Pattern

This task will show you how to duplicate geometry of one or more features right away at the location of your
choice using a circular pattern.

Make sure the item you wish to duplicate is correctly located in relation to the circular rotation axis.
Open the CircularPattern1.CATPart document.

1. Select the pad which geometry you wish to copy.

2.
Click the Circular Pattern icon .
The Circular Pattern Definition dialog box is displayed and the feature's name appears in the Object
field.

If you change your mind and decide to pattern the current solid, click the object field and use the "Get
current solid" contextual command. For more information, refer to Patterning Current Solids.

Checking the Keep specifications option creates instances with the limit Up to Next ( Up to Last, Up to
Plane or Up to Surface) defined for the original feature. The example below shows you that the limit
defined for the pad, that is the "Up to surface" limit, applies to all instances. As the limiting surface is
not planar, the instances have different lengths.

But for the purposes of our scenario, as the pad is going to be repeated on a planar surface, activating
the Keep specifications option is meaningless.
 The Parameters field lets you choose the type of parameters you wish to specify so that CATIA will be
able to compute the location of the items copied.
These parameters are:
Instances & total angle
Instances & angular spacing
Angular spacing & total angle
Complete crown

If you set Instances & total angle or Angular spacing & total angle parameters, note that you cannot
define the total angle when using formulas.
3. Set the Instances & Angular spacing options to define the parameters you wish to specify.

Choosing Instances & Angular spacing dims the Total angle field because the application no longer
needs this specification to space the instances.

4. Enter 7 as the number of pads you wish to obtain.

5. Enter 50 degrees as the angular spacing.

6. Click the Reference element field and select the upper face to determine the rotation axis. This axis will
be normal to the face.
Clicking the Reverse button reverses the direction.
 Two arrows are then displayed on the pad.

To define a direction, you can select an edge or a planar face.

If you modify the angular spacing, CATIA previews the result: arrows 1 and 2 are moved accordingly.

8. Click Preview.: the pad will be repeated seven times. The instances are green, just like the original
feature.

9. Now, you are going to add a crown to your part. To do so, click the Crown Definition tab.

10. Set the Circle & Circle spacing options to define the parameters you wish to specify.

11. Enter 2 in the Circle(s) field.

12. Enter -18 mm in the Circle spacing field.

This figure may help you to define your parameters:

13. Click OK.
These are your new instances:

14. Now, you are going to modify the position of the initial pad. Such a modification will affect all instances
too. To do so, click the More button to display the whole dialog box.
15. Enter 20 in the Rotation angle field.
CATIA previews the rotation.

Applying the Delete command on one instance deletes the whole pattern. However, deleting the
instances of your choice is possible when creating or editing the pattern. To do so, just select the points
materializing instances in the pattern preview. Selecting these points again will enable CATIA maintain
the corresponding instances.
 The option "Simplified representation" lets you lighten the pattern geometry. What you need to do is just
check the option and double-click the instances you do not want to see. The instances are then
represented in dashed lines during the pattern definition and then are no longer visible after validating
the pattern creation. The specifications remain unchanged, whatever the number of instances you view.
This option is particularly used for patterns including a large number of instances.

Remember then that clicking once or double-clicking an instance does not lead to the same result.

16. Click OK.

All instances are moved accordingly.

The scenario above does not show the use of the "Radial alignment of instances" option. In addition
to performing the steps described, you could have used this option that allows you to define the
instance orientations.

The option is checked: all instances have The option is unchecked: all instances are normal to the
the same orientation as the original feature. lines tangent to the circle.

CATIA offers the capability of creating polar patterns (for example, spiral patterns). To do so, define
formulas using parameters i and j. For more information about formulas, refer to the CATIA-
Knowledge Advisor User's Guide Version 5.

During your design, you may need to rework instances specifically. You will then have to use the
Explode contextual command to delete your pattern while keeping geometry. For more information,
refer to Exploding Patterns.
Complex Patterns

You can pattern a list of Part Design features by proceeding as follows:

1. Multi-select the features to be duplicated.

These features must belong to the same body.

2.
Click the Circular Pattern icon .
The features are indicated in the Object field.

3. Set the parameters you need as shown in the task above.

These rules are to be kept in mind before patterning a list of features.

When multi-selecting, the first feature you select must not be a dress-up feature.
Your list of features cannot include any transformation feature, nor shell, nor split, nor
associated bodies.
Your list of features cannot include any body.

Editing a List of Features

Editing a list of features consists in adding or removing features from the list. To do so, you just
have to click the Object field and select the feature of interest to add it or remove it from the list.
Note however that adding a feature to a pattern is possible only if your pattern is already based
on a feature list. In other words, you cannot add any feature to a basic pattern created using a
single feature.
 User Pattern
The User Pattern command lets you duplicate a feature, a list of features or a body
resulting from an association of bodies. as many times as you wish at the locations
of your choice.
Locating instances consists in specifying anchor points. These points are created in
the Sketcher.

This task shows you how to duplicate a feature list including a pocket and a fillet at
the points defined in a same sketch plane.

Open the UserPattern1.CATPart document.

1. Select the filleted pocket you wish to duplicate.

Note that whenever you are using a feature list, you need to multi-select the
features in the order they were created.

2.
Click the User Pattern icon .
The User Pattern dialog box is displayed. The pocket and the fillet appear in the
Object field.

If you click the User Pattern icon prior to selecting any geometry, by
default, the object to be patterned is the current solid. For more information,
refer to Patterning Current Solids.
 If you change your mind and decide to pattern the current solid, click the
object field and use the "Get current solid" contextual command.

Checking the Keep specifications option creates instances with the limit Up to
Next ( Up to Last, Up to Plane or Up to Surface) defined for the original feature.
In our scenario, the hole was created using the Up to Next option, but as the
support for holes is a pad of an even thickness (20 mm), this makes the use of
the option meaningless.
The option "Keep specifications" is not available for feature lists.

3. Select 'Sketch 4' in the specification tree and

click Preview. The sketch includes the nine
points you need to locate the duplicated
holes.
 As you just need eight points, click both points
4.
you do not need to unselect them.

By default, the application positions each instance with respect to the center of
gravity or the element to be duplicated. To change this position, use the anchor
field: click the anchor field and select a vertex or a point.
5. Click OK.
The pockets and fillets are created at the points of the sketch. The specification
tree indicates this creation.

Editing a List of Features

Editing a list of features consists in adding or removing features from the list. To
do so, you just have to click the Object field and select the feature of interest to
add it or remove it from the list.
Note however that adding a feature to a pattern is possible only if your pattern is
already based on a feature list. In other words, you cannot add any feature to a
basic pattern created using a single feature.
Exploding Patterns
During your design, you may need to rework instances specifically. You will then
have to use the Explode contextual command to delete your pattern while
keeping geometry. For more information, refer to Exploding Patterns.
 Exploding Patterns

During your design you may decide to perform specific operations on a certain number of
instances created via the Pattern command. Before performing such operations, you
need to explode your pattern, which makes each instance independent.
This task shows you how to delete a pattern while keeping geometry.

The Explode command can be applied to patterns created with features and feature lists,
not with bodies.
Open the RectangularPattern1.CATPart document and perform a basic pattern.

1. Right-click the pattern you want to explode.

2. Use the RectPattern.1object -> Explode... contextual command.

You obtain as many features in the specification tree as there were instances. The
geometry remains unchanged.
 Note that:

if the original element you patterned contains a dress-up feature, for instance
a fillet, exploding the pattern does not delete the fillet defined on each
instance.
However, if a dress-up feature has been defined on a pattern instance,
exploding the pattern will delete this dress-up feature.

3. You can now edit pockets individually. For example, you can move them to the
location of your choice.
 Scaling
Scaling a body means resizing it to the dimension you specify.

This task shows how to scale a body in relation to a point.

Open the Scaling1.CATPart document.

1. Select the body to be scaled.

2.
Click the Scaling icon .
The Scaling Definition dialog box appears.

3. Select the reference point located on the body.

A graphic manipulator is displayed on the body.

4. Enter a value in the Ratio field or select the manipulator and drag it. The ratio
increases as you drag the manipulator in the direction pointed by the right end arrow.
5. Click OK.
The body is scaled. The specification tree indicates you performed this operation.

You can also resize a body in relation to a face or plane. In the example below, the
plane zx is the reference element and the ratio is 1.6. You obtain then an affinity.
 Reference Elements
You can display the Reference Elements toolbar using the View -> Tool bars -> Reference
Elements (extended/compact) command.

Create a Point: Click this icon, choose the creation method then define the required
parameters.

Create a Line: Click this icon, choose the creation method then define the required
parameters.

Create a Plane: Click this icon, choose the creation method then define the required
parameters.
 Creating Points
This task shows the various methods for creating points:
by coordinates
on a curve
on a plane
on a surface
at a circle center
tangent point on a curve
between

Open the Points3D-1.CATPart document.

1. Click the Point icon .

The Point Definition dialog box

appears.
2. Use the combo to choose the desired
point type.

Coordinates

Enter the X, Y, Z coordinates in the current axis-system.

Optionally, select a reference point.

The corresponding point is displayed.

When creating a point within a user-defined axis-system, note that the Coordinates in
absolute axis-system check button is added to the dialog box, allowing you to be define,
or simply find out, the point's coordinates within the document's default axis-system.
On curve

Select a curve

Optionally, select a reference point.

If this point is not on the curve, it

is projected onto the curve.
If no point is selected, the
curve's extremity is used as
reference.
Select an option button to determine whether the new point is to be created:
at a given distance along the curve from the reference point
a given ratio between the reference point and the curve's extremity.

Enter the distance or ratio value.

If a distance is specified, it can be:
a geodesic distance: the
distance is measured along
the curve
an Euclidean distance: the
distance is measured in
relation to the reference point
(absolute value).

The corresponding point is displayed.

You can also:

click the Nearest extremity button to display the point at the nearest extremity of
the curve.
click the Middle Point button to display the mid-point of the curve.
use the Reverse Direction button to display:
the point on the other side of the reference point (if a point was selected
originally)
the point from the other extremity (if no point was selected originally).
click the Repeat object after OK if you wish to create equidistant points on the
curve, using the currently created point as the reference, as described in Creating
Multiple Points in the Wireframe and Surface User's Guide .
 You will also be able to create
planes normal to the curve at
these points, by checking the
Create normal planes also
button, and to create all
instances in a new Open Body
by checking the Create in a new
open body button.
If the button is not checked the
instances are created in the
current Open Body.

If the curve is infinite and no reference point is explicitly given, by default, the
reference point is the projection of the model's origin
If the curve is a closed curve, either the system detects a vertex on the curve that
can be used as a reference point, or it creates an extremum point, and highlights it
(you can then select another one if you wish) or the system prompts you to
manually select a reference point.
On plane

Select a plane.
Optionally, select a point to define a reference for computing coordinates in the
plane.

If no point is selected, the projection of the model's origin on the plane is

taken as reference.
Furthermore, the reference direction (H and V vectors) is computed as
follows:
With N the normal to the selected plane (reference plane), H results from the
vectorial product of Z and N (H = Z^N).
If the norm of H is strictly positive then V results from the vectorial product of
N and H (V = N^H).
Otherwise, V = N^X and H = V^N.
Would the plane move, during an update for example, the reference direction
would then be projected on the plane.

Click in the plane to display a point.

On surface

Select the surface where the point is

to be created.
Optionally, select a reference point.
By default, the surface's middle point
is taken as reference.
You can select an element to take its
orientation as reference direction or a
plane to take its normal as reference
direction.
You can also use the contextual
menu to specify the X, Y, Z
components of the reference
direction.
Enter a distance along the reference
direction to display a point.

Circle center

Select a circle, circular arc, or ellipse.

A point is displayed at the center

of the selected element.

Tangent on curve

Select a planar curve and a direction

line.

A point is displayed at each

tangent.

The Connexity Management dialog box is displayed because several points

are generated.
Click YES: you can then select a reference element, to which only the closest point
is created.
Click NO: all the points are created.
Between

Select any two points.

Enter the ratio, that is the percentage

of the distance from the first selected
point, at which the new point is to be.
You can also click Middle Point
button to create a point at the exact
midpoint (ratio = 0.5).

Use the Reverse direction button to

measure the ratio from the second
selected point.

If the ratio value is greater than 1, the point

is located on the virtual line beyond the
selected points.
3. Click OK to create the point.
The point (identified as Point.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
 Creating Lines
This task shows the various methods for creating lines:
point to point
point and direction
angle or normal to curve
tangent to curve
normal to surface
bisecting.

Open the Lines1.CATPart document.

1. Click the Line icon .

The Line Definition dialog box

appears.
2. Use the combo to choose the
desired line type.

A line type will be proposed automatically in some cases depending on your first element
selection.
Point - Point

Select two points.

A line is displayed between the two points.
Proposed Start and End points of the new line are shown.
If needed, select a support surface.
In this case a geodesic line is created, i.e. going from one point to the other
according to the shortest distance along the surface geometry (blue line in the
illustration below).
If no surface is selected, the line is created between the two points based on the
shortest distance (pink line in the illustration below).
 Specify the Start and End points of the new line, that is the line endpoint location in
relation to the points initially selected. These Start and End points are necessarily
beyond the selected points, meaning the line cannot be shorter than the distance
between the initial points.
Check the Mirrored extent option to create a line symmetrically in relation to the
selected Start and End points.
Point - Direction

Select a reference Point and a Direction line.

A vector parallel to the direction line is displayed at the reference point.
Proposed Start and End points of the new line are shown.
Specify the Start and End points of the new line.
The corresponding line is displayed.
Angle or normal to curve

Select a reference Curve and a

Support surface containing that
curve.
Select a Point on the curve.
Enter an Angle value.

A line is displayed at the given angle with respect to the tangent to the
reference curve at the selected point. These elements are displayed in the
plane tangent to the surface at the selected point.
You can click on the Normal to Curve button to specify an angle of 90
degrees.
Proposed Start and End points of the line are shown.
 Specify the Start and End points of the new line.
The corresponding line is displayed.

Click the Repeat object after OK if

you wish to create more lines with
the same definition as the currently
created line.
In this case, the Object Repetition
dialog box is displayed, and you key
in the number of instances to be
created before pressing OK.

As many lines as indicated in

the dialog box are created,
each separated from the initial
line by a multiple of the angle
value.

You can select the Geometry on Support check box if you want to create a geodesic line
onto a support surface.
The figure below illustrates this case.
Geometry on support option not checked

Geometry on support option checked

Tangent to curve

Select a reference Curve and a

point or another Curve to define the
tangency.
if a point is selected
(mono-tangent mode): a
vector tangent to the curve is
displayed at the selected
point. Line tangent to curve at a given point

If a second curve is selected

(or a point in bi-tangent
mode), you need to select a
support plane. The line will
be tangent to both curves.
When several solutions are
possible, you can choose
one (displayed in red) directly
in the geometry, or using the
Next Solution button.
Line tangent to two curves

Specify Start and End points to define the new line.

The corresponding line is displayed.
Normal to surface

Select a reference Surface and a

Point.
A vector normal to the surface is
displayed at the reference point.
Proposed Start and End points of
the new line are shown.
Specify Start and End points to
define the new line.
The corresponding line is displayed.

Bisecting
Select two lines. Their bisecting line
is the line splitting in two equals
parts the angle between these two
lines.
Select a point as the starting point
for the line. By default it is the
intersection of the bisecting line and
the first selected line.
Select the support surface onto
which the bisecting line is to be
projected, if needed.
Specify the line's length in relation
to its starting point (Start and End
values for each side of the line in
relation to the default end points).
The corresponding bisecting line, is
displayed.
You can choose between two
solutions, using the Next Solution
button, or directly clicking the
numbered arrows in the geometry.
3. Click OK to create the line.
The line (identified as Line.xxx) is added to the specification tree.

Regardless of the line type, Start and End values are specified by entering
distance values or by using the graphic manipulators.
Check the Mirrored extent option to create a line symmetrically in relation to the
selected Start point.
In most cases, you can select a support on which the line is to be created. In this
case, the selected point(s) is projected onto this support.
You can reverse the direction of the line by either clicking the displayed vector or
selecting the Reverse Direction button (not available with the point-point line type).
 Creating Planes
This task shows the various methods for creating planes:
tangent to a surface
from its equation
through three points normal to a curve
through two lines offset from a plane
through a point and a line parallel through point
through a planar curve at an angle to a plane
mean plane through several points.

Open the Planes1.CATPart document.

1. Click the Plane icon .

The Plane Definition dialog

box appears.
2. Use the combo to choose the
desired Plane type.

Once you have defined the plane, it is represented by a red square symbol, which you
can move using the graphic manipulator.
Equation

Enter the A, B, C, D components of the Ax + By + Cz = D plane equation.

Through three points

Select three points.

The plane passing through the three points is displayed. You can move it
simply by dragging it to the desired location.
Through two lines

Select two lines.

The plane passing through

the two line directions is
displayed.
When these two lines are not
coplanar, the vector of the
second line is moved to the
first line location to define the
plane's second direction.

Through point and line

Select a Point and a Line.

The plane passing through

the point and the line is
displayed.

Through planar curve

Select a planar Curve.

The plane containing the

curve is displayed.

Tangent to surface

Select a reference Surface and a

Point.

A plane is displayed tangent

to the surface at the specified
point.
Normal to curve

Select a reference Curve.

You can select a Point. By default,
the curve's middle point is
selected.

A plane is displayed normal

to the curve at the specified
point.

Offset from plane

Select a reference Plane then

enter an Offset value.

A plane is displayed offset

from the reference plane.

Use the Reverse Direction

button to reverse the change
the offset direction, or simply
click on the arrow in the
geometry.

Click the Repeat object after OK if

you wish to create more offset
planes .
In this case, the Object Repetition
dialog box is displayed, and you
key in the number of instances to
be created before pressing OK.

As many planes as indicated

in the dialog box are created
(including the one you were
currently creating), each
separated from the initial
plane by a multiple of the Offset value.
Parallel through point

Select a reference Plane and a

Point.

A plane is displayed parallel

to the reference plane and
passing through the selected
point.

Angle or normal to plane

Select a reference Plane and a

Rotation axis.
This axis can be any line or an
implicit element, such as a
cylinder axis for example. To
select the latter press and hold
the Shift key while moving the
pointer over the element, then
click it.

Enter an Angle value.

A plane is displayed passing

through the rotation axis. It is
oriented at the specified
angle to the reference plane.

Click the Repeat object after OK if you wish to create more planes at an angle from
the initial plane.
In this case, the Object Repetition dialog box is displayed, and you key in the
number of instances to be created before pressing OK.
 As many planes as indicated
in the dialog box are created
(including the one you were
currently creating), each
separated from the initial
plane by a multiple of the
Angle value.
Here we created five planes
at an angle of 20 degrees.

Mean through points

Select three or more points to

display the mean plane through
these points.

It is possible to edit the plane

by first selecting a point in
the dialog box list then
choosing an option to either:
Remove the selected
point
Replace the selected
point by another point.

3. Click OK to create the plane.

The plane (identified as Plane.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
 Modifying Parts

Redefine Feature Parameters Select the object to be edited, double-click it, then enter
new parameters in the dialog box that is displayed.

Reorder Features: Select the feature to be reordered, the Edit -> xxx.object ->
Reorder...command and the feature after which you wish to position your object.

Update Parts: Click this icon. To resolve possible difficulties, click the Edit, Deactivate
or Delete button in the dialog box that appears.

Delete Features: Select the feature to be deleted and the Edit -> Delete... command.
Optionally, delete its exclusive parents or its children by checking the corresponding
options.

For reference information, please refer to Specification Tree.

 Editing Parts, Bodies and Features
Editing a part may mean for example modifying the density of the part (See Displaying and
Editing Properties ), but most often editing consists in modifying the features composing the
part. This operation can be done at any time.
There are several ways of editing a feature. If you modify the sketch used in the definition of a
feature, CATIA will take this modification into account to compute the feature again: in other
words, associativity is maintained.
Now, you can also edit your features through definition dialog boxes in order to redefine the
parameters of your choice.

Redefining Feature Parameters

This task shows how to edit a draft and a pad. The process described here is valid for any
other feature to be edited.

Open the Edit1.CATPart document.

1. Double-click the draft to be edited (in the specification tree or in the geometry area).

The Draft Definition dialog box appears and CATIA shows the current draft angle
value. Generally speaking, CATIA always shows dimensional constraints related to
the feature you are editing. Concerning sketch-based features, CATIA also shows
the sketches used for extrusion as well as the constraints defined for these sketches.

Instead of double-clicking the element you wish to edit, you can also click this
element and select the XXX.object -> Definition... command which will display the
edit dialog box.
2. Enter a new draft angle value.
3. Click OK.
This is your new feature:

4. Now, double-click the pad.

The Pad Definition dialog box appears
and CATIA shows the pad only, not the
next operation.
You will notice that the pad was created
in symmetric extent mode and that CATIA
displays information about the initial
profile.

5. Enter a new length value.

6. Uncheck the Mirrored extent option.

7.
Enter a length value for the second limit in the Length field.
CATIA previews the new pad to be created.
8. Click OK.
The modifications are taken into account.
Your part now looks like this:
1. You can also access the parameters you wish to edit in the following way:
Select the feature in the specification tree and use the feature.n object -> Edit
Parameters contextual command.
You can now view the feature parameters in the geometry area.

2. Double-click the parameter of interest.

A small dialog box appears displaying the
parameter value:

3. Enter a new value and click OK.

 Reordering Features
The Reorder capability allows you to rectify design mistakes. This task shows how to
reorder, that is move a pad.

Open the Reorder1.CATPart document.

1. Your initial data consists of a pad that was mirrored and a second pad created
afterwards. As the order of creation is wrong, you are going to reorder the second
pad so as to mirror the whole part. Position your cursor on Pad.2. and select Edit ->
Pad.2 object -> Reorder...

2. The Feature Reorder dialog box appears.

Select Pad.1 to specify the new location of the feature.
This name appears in the After: field.
3. Click OK.
The part rebuilds itself. The mirror feature appears after the creation of the second
pad, which explains why this second pad is now mirrored.
 Updating Parts
The point of updating a part is to make the application take your very last operation into
account. Indeed some changes to a sketch, feature or constraint require the rebuild of the part.
To warn you that an update is needed, CATIA displays the update symbol next to the part's
name and displays the geometry in bright red.

To update a part, the application provides two update modes:

automatic update, available in Tools -> Options -> Mechanical Design . If checked, this
option lets the application update the part when needed.
manual update, available in Tools -> Options -> Mechanical Design: lets you control the

updates of your part. What you have to do is just click the Update icon whenever
you wish to integrate modifications. The Update capability is also available via Edit ->
Update and the Update contextual command. A progression bar indicates the evolution
of the operation.
Note that you can cancel or interrupt updates.

What Happens When the Update Fails?

Sometimes, the update operation is not straightforward because for instance, you
entered inappropriate edit values or because you deleted a useful geometrical
element. In both cases, CATIA requires you to reconsider your design. The following
scenario exemplifies what you can do in such circumstances.
Open the Update3.CATPart document.

The part is shelled in this way:

1. Enter the Sketcher to replace the circular edge of the initial sketch with a line, then
return to Part Design.
CATIA detects that this operation affects the shell. A yellow symbol displays on the
feature causing trouble i.e. the shell in the specification tree. Moreover, a dialog box
appears providing the diagnosis of your difficulties and the preview no longer shows the
shell:

To resolve the problem, the dialog box provides the following options. If you wish to
rework Shell.1, you can:
edit it
deactivate it (for more about deactivated features, refer to Feature Properties)
delete it

2. For the purposes of our scenario that is rather simple, click Shell.1 if not already done,
then Edit.
The Feature Definition Error window displays, prompting you to change specifications.
Moreover, the old face you have just deleted is now displayed in yellow.

The text "Removed Face" is displayed close to the face, thus giving you a better
indication of the face that has been removed. Such a graphic text is now available for
Thickness and Union Trim features too.
3. Click OK to close the window. The Shell Definition dialog box appears.

Click the Faces to remove

4. field if not already done and
select the replacing face.

Click OK to close the Shell Definition dialog box and obtain a correct part. The shell
feature is rebuilt.

Canceling Updates
You can cancel your updates by clicking the Cancel button available in the
Updating...dialog box.
Interrupting Updates

This scenario shows you how to update a part and interrupt the update operation on a
given feature by means of a useful message you previously defined.

Open the Update1.CATPart document.

1.
Right-click Hole.1 as the feature from which the update will be interrupted and select
the Properties contextual command.
The Properties dialog box is displayed.
2. Check the option Associate stop update. This option stops the update process and
displays the memo you entered in the blank field.

3.
Enter any useful information you want in the blank field. For instance, enter "Fillet
needs editing".
4. Click OK to confirm and close the dialog box.
The entity Stop Update.1 is displayed in the specification tree, below Hole.1, indicating
that the hole is the last feature that will be updated before the message window
displays.
5. Edit Sketch.1, which will invoke an update operation.

When quitting the Sketcher, the part appears in bright red.

6.
Run the Update operation by clicking the icon.
The Updating... as well as the Stop Update message windows are displayed. The Stop
Update windows displays your memo and lets you decide whether you wish to stop the
update operation or continue it.

7. Click Yes to finish.

The part is updated. You can now edit the fillet if you consider it necessary.
8. If you decide not to use this capability any longer, you can either:

right-click Hole.1, select the Properties contextual command and check the
Deactivate stop update option: the update you will perform will be a basic one.
To show that the capability is deactivated for this feature, red parentheses
precede Hole.1 in the specification tree.

right-click Stop Update.1 and select the Delete contextual command to delete
the capability.
 Deleting Features
Whenever you will have to delete geometry, you will not necessarily have to delete the elements used to
create it. CATIA lets you define what you really want to delete.

This task shows how to delete a sketch on which geometry has been defined and what this operation
involves.

Open the Delete1.CATPart document.

1. Select the rectangle you wish to delete.

2. Select the Edit -> Delete... commands.

The Delete dialog box is displayed, showing the element to be deleted and two options.

Delete exclusive parents: deletes the geometry on which the element was created. This
geometry can be deleted only if it is exclusively used for the selected element
Children: deletes the geometry based upon the element to be deleted, in other words,
dependent elements
Here, the first option cannot be used because the rectangle has no parents.
3. Click More.
Additional options and the elements affected by the deletion are displayed. If you can delete the sketch,
you can also replace it with another element.

4. Click ...PartBody\Sketch.2 to display Sketch.2 from the Replace section.

Sketch.2 appears in the Replace field.
5. Select Sketch4, that is the hexagon to replace Sketch 2 .
This operation is now displayed in the dialog box.

6. Click OK.
The sketch is deleted as well as its children : two pads one of which is filleted.
A Few Notes About Deletion

Deleting Features Built upon Dress-up Features

If you delete a feature (dress-up or not) previously used to create a dress-up feature, the dress-up
feature is recomputed.

In this example, thickness was added to the pad, then material was removed from the whole part
using the shell capability. In other words, the existence of the shell depends upon the existence of the
thickness.

You will notice that only the thickness has been deleted. CATIA keeps the shell feature.

Keep in mind you can apply the Undo command if you inadvertently deleted a feature.

You are not allowed to delete a profile used to define a feature, unless you delete the profile to construct
another one.

Patterns

Concerning patterns, applying the Delete command on one instance deletes the whole pattern.
 Setting Constraints

Set Constraints: Click this icon, select the elements to be constrained then
click where you wish to position the constraint value.

Set Constraints Defined in Dialog Box: Multi-select the elements to be

constrained, click this icon and check the constraint type in the dialog box
that appears.

Modify Constraints: Double-click the constraint to be modified and modify

related data in the Constraint Definition dialog box that displays.

Rename Constraints: Select the constraint to be renamed, the xxx.n.object ->

Rename contextual command.

() Deactivate/Activate Constraints: Select the constraint to be (de)activated and

the xxx.n.object -> Rename parameter contextual command and enter the
desired name in the dialog box that appears.

Change Constraint Appearance: Select your constraint and choose one of the
contextual commands changing the display mode.

Mean Dimensions: Click this icon, then update the part.

 Setting Constraints
3D constraints are defined by means of one of the two constraint commands
available in this workbench. Depending on the creation mode chosen for creating
wireframe geometry and surfaces (see CATIA Wireframe and Surface User's Guide),
constraints set on these elements may react in two ways. You create references if
support elements were created with the Datum mode deactivated. Conversely, you create
constraints if you constrain datums. For more about datums, please refer to Creating
Datums.

The constraints you can set in Part Design workbench are:

Distance

Length

Angle

Fix/Unfix

Tangency

Coincidence

Parallelism

Perpendicularity
This task shows you how to set a distance constraint between a face and a plane, then a
reference between the face and another plane.
Open the Constraint1.CATPart document.

1. Select the face you wish to constrain and Plane.1. This plane is a datum (there are no
links to the other entities that were used to create that plane).

2.
Click the Constraint icon .
CATIA detects the distance value between the face and the plane. Moving the cursor
moves the graphic symbol representing the distance.

3. Click where you wish to position the constraint value.

The constraint is created.
The name of a constraint displays when passing the mouse over that constraint.

4. Now, set another constraint between the same face and Plane.2. Plane.2 is not a
datum. Repeat the instructions described above using the face and Plane.2.
CATIA creates a reference. Creating a reference means that each time CATIA
integrates modifications to the geometry, this reference reflects the changes too.
The reference is displayed in parentheses as shown below:
You cannot set a distance constraint between two faces belonging to Part Design
features linked by their specifications. In the example below, CATIA creates a
reference between the faces, not a driving constraint.

To know how to modify a constraint, refer to Modifying Constraints.

Setting Constraints Defined in Dialog
Box
This task shows you how to use this constraint command which detects
possible constraints between selected elements and lets you choose the constraint
you wish to create. You are going to constrain a hole.
Open the Hole1.CATPart document and create a hole anywhere on the pad top
face.
1. Select the circular face and use the Other Selection contextual command to
select the hole axis.

2. Use the Ctrl button to select the face as shown:

3.
Click the Constraint Defined in Dialog Box icon .
The Constraint Definition dialog box is displayed.

The constraints you can set in Part Design workbench are:

Distance

Length

Angle

Fix/Unfix
 Tangency

Coincidence

Parallelism

Perpendicularity

CATIA detects six possible constraints between the axis and the face:
Distance
Angle
Fix/Unfix
Coincidence
Parallelism
Perpendicularity

The other constraints are grayed out indicating that they cannot be set for the
elements you have selected.
3. Check the Distance option. You can check only one constraint.

4. Click OK to confirm. The distance constraint is created.

 Modifying Constraints
Editing Constraints
You can edit constraints by:

double-clicking on the desired constraints and modify related data in the Constraint Definition dialog box
that displays.

selecting the desired constraints and use the XXX.N.object -> Definition... contextual command...

...to display the Constraint Definition dialog box and modify related data.

About Diameter and Radius Constraints

You can obtain a radius constraint by editing a diameter constraint. You just need to double-click the
diameter constraint and choose the radius option in the dialog box that displays.
 If you need to create a formula remember that :
- the parameter corresponding to the radius or diameter constraint is referred to as "RadiusX.object"
- this parameter always contains the radius value.
For more about formulas, refer to CATIA-Knowledge Advisor User's Guide Version 5

Renaming Constraints
You can rename a constraint by selecting it and by using the XXX.N.object -> Rename parameter contextual
command.... In the dialog box that appears, you just need to enter the name of your choice.

Deactivating or Activating Constraints

You can deactivate a constraint by selecting it and by using the XXX.N.object -> Deactivate contextual
command. Deactivated constraints appear preceded by red parentheses ( ).
Conversely, to activate a constraint, use the Activate contextual command.

Changing Constraint Appearance

When setting constraints, four display mode are available as explained in Customizing Constraint
Appearance. Later, you can change display modes by selecting the constraint of interest and choose one
of the following contextual commands
- 'Value Display': only the constraint (or parameter) value is displayed.
- 'Name Display': only the constraint (or parameter) name is displayed.

- 'Name/Value Display': the constraint (or parameter) name and value are both displayed.
- 'Name + Value (formula)': the constraint (or parameter) name and value are displayed as well as the
possible formula defined for this constraint.
 Mean Dimensions
This task shows you how to compute the mean dimensions of a part.
You must define the tolerances that you want before computing mean dimensions. For
more about tolerances, refer to CATIA- Infrastructure User's guide Version 5.

Open the Mean_Dimensions.CATPart document.

1. Before computing mean dimensions, apply the Edit Parameters contextual command
to Pad.1 to display parameters, then take a look at the part you have just opened. The
part includes three toleranced parameters as shown below.

Remember that to access tolerance values, you need to double-click the parameter of
interest, then use the Tolerance -> Edit... contextual command.

2.
Click the Mean Dimensions icon .
A dialog box appears informing you that the operation is performed. You then just
need to update the part to observe the result.

3.
Click the Update icon to integrate the modifications to the part. Note that the
update options set for your session (for more see General Settings) do not affect the
Mean Dimensions command behavior: you always have to explicitly update your part.
Mean dimensions are displayed around the part.
 Please bear in mind that if parameters are driven by formulas, CATIA deactivates
these formulas to compute mean dimensions.
4.
If you wish to go back to the previous state, click the Mean Dimensions icon
again.
A dialog box appears informing you that the part will be resized to nominal dimensions.

5. Click Ok to confirm.
An additional message appears to inform you that the operation is performed and
prompts you to update the part.

6. Click Ok to close the message window.

7.
Click the Update icon to resize the part to nominal dimensions.
 Replacing or Moving Elements

Replace a Surface: Select the surface to be replaced and the Replace... contextual command.
Select the replacing surface and optionally, check the Delete option to delete the replaced
element as well as its exclusive parents.

Replace a Body: Select the attached body and the Replace... contextual command. Select the
replacing body.

Change the Sketch Support: Select the Sketchx.object -> Change Sketch Support command
then the replacing plane or face.

Move Sketches from a Body: Select the element to be moved then choose the xxx.object ->
Change Body contextual command
 Replacing a Surface

The Replace command lets you replace sketches, faces, planes and surfaces by
other appropriate elements.
This task shows you how to replace a surface used for creating geometry with
another surface.
The operating mode described here is valid for replacing the geometrical elements
used in the definition of any Part Design features.

Open the Replace1.CATPart document.

1. Select Extrude.1, that is the red surface used for trimming both the pocket and
the hole.

2. Right-click to display the contextual menu and select the Replace... command.
The Replace dialog box is displayed, indicating the name of the surface to be
replaced.
3. Select Extrusion 2 as the replacing surface. Extrusion 2 now appears in the With
field of the dialog box.
4. Check the Delete option to delete Extrusion1.

5. Click OK to confirm the operation.

The pocket and the hole are

now trimmed by Extrusion 2.
Extrusion 1 has been deleted.
 Replacing a Body
You can replace only bodies that underwent Boolean operations (for more see
Associating Bodies).

This task shows you how to replace a trimmed body with a basic body. As this basic
body is not trimmed, during the operation you will have to redefine the Union Trim
operation.
Open the ReplaceBody.CATPart document.

1. Select Body 3 as the body to be replaced.

2.
Right-click and select the Replace... contextual command.
A message window appears informing you will have to replace missing elements.
3.
Click OK to close the dialog box.
The Replace dialog box is displayed.

4. Select Body 4 as the replacing body.

Note that:
replacing bodies cannot be used for previous Boolean operations.
they can belong to the Part under study or to an external part.

5. Click ..\Pad.2\Face\ and select Face.3 as the replacing face.

6. Click Ok to confirm and close the dialog box.

Body 3 has been replaced with body 4.
 Changing Sketch Supports

You can replace sketch planes with new planes or planar surfaces. Replacing a sketch
plane with another one is a way of moving a sketch but it may also be a way of modifying
design specifications. This task shows you how to do so.

Open the ChangeSketch1.CATPart document.

1. The initial data is composed of a green open body and a gray pad. You are going to
replace the plane used for the sketch of this pad with another plane. Select Sketch1
in the specification tree.

2. Select the Sketch1.object -> Change Sketch Support command.

3. Select the replacing plane.

The operation is immediately performed. You will notice that the bottom side of the
pad adjusts itself to the open body shape. Actually, the original profile of the pad

was partially created with the Intersect command , which explains why the pad
integrates the open body shape.
 Moving Sketches from a Body
After reordering sketch-based features, you very often need to move their corresponding
sketches. This task shows you how to do so.

Open the ChangeBody.CATPart document.

1. From the specification tree, reorder Pad.4

and move it to Body.1.

2. You can notice that Sketch.4 remains in PartBody. Select Sketch.4 then choose the
xxx.object -> Change Body contextual command. The Change Body command lets
you move a sketch from a body to the body of your choice.
 Multi-selection of sketches is supported. However, note that in this case, the
contextual menu is not available, and that you can access this capability using the
Edit -> Change Body menu item.

The Change Body dialog box is displayed.

3. Click Destination and select Body 1 or use the combo list from the dialog box.
4. Click OK to confirm.
Sketch.4 is moved to its new location, that is below Pad.4, but geometry remains
unchanged.

Using the Change Body command, you can also move a sketch from an open body
to another body and vice-versa. To know how to use the Change Body command
when dealing with open bodies, refer to CATIA Generative Shape Design User's
Guide.
If you are moving sketches having
parents, for instance sketches
created on planes obtained via the
Plane command , you can
move the parents of the selected
sketch to its new location by
checking the Change body
unshared parents option. Note
however that this is allowed only if
these parents are not shared by
any other element of the initial
body.
In this case, all the unshared
parents are highlighted prior to the
move.
 Displaying and Editing Properties

Displaying and Editing Parts Properties: Select the part then the Edit -> Properties
contextual command. Click the Mass tab, edit the density, click the Product tab and
enter information describing the part.

Displaying and Editing Bodies Properties : Select the body then the Edit -> Properties
contextual command. Click the Feature Properties tab, edit the name and click the
Graphic tab to change the color of the body.

Displaying and Editing Features Properties : Select the feature then the Edit ->
Properties contextual command. Check Deactivate to deactivate the feature and define
the impacted elements to keep activated. Click the Feature Properties tab and edit the
feature's name. Click the Graphic tab to change the color of the feature.
 Displaying and Editing the Part
Properties
Gathered in a same dialog box, the part properties consist of different indications you will
have sometimes to refer to. This task explains how to access and if needed, edit this
information.

To perform this scenario, for example you can open the Stiffener1.CATPart document.

1. Select 'Part1' in the

specification tree.

2. Select the Edit->Properties command or select the Properties command on the

contextual menu.
The Properties dialog box displays, containing the two tabs dealing with the part:
Mass
Product

3. Click the Mass tab to display technical information.

You can edit the density and the volume of the Part Body if you have applied a
material to the part. If no material is applied to the part but if a material is applied to
the PartBody, this material will be taken into account for the density calculation. If both
the part and the PartBody have a material applied, the part material will have priority.

To know how to apply materials to parts, please refer to CATIA- Real Time Rendering
User's Guide Version 5.
4. Click the Product tab.
5. Enter a new name for the part 'Stiffener' in the Part Number field.
The new name appears in the specification tree.

6. The other fields allow you to freely describe the part. Enter the information describing
your part in the context of your company.

7. Set the Source option. You can choose between Unknown, Made or Bought. Use the
Description frame to enter additional information.

8. Once you are satisfied with your operation, click OK to confirm the operation and
close the dialog box.
Displaying and Editing Bodies Properties

This task shows how to display and edit bodies properties. To know how to edit the
graphic properties of a body refer to the Infrastructure documentation, Displaying and
Editing Graphic Properties.
To perform this scenario, for example you can open the Assemble1.CATPart
document.

1. Select Body.1 in the specification tree.

2. Select the Edit->Properties command or select the Properties command on the

contextual menu.
The Properties dialog box displays, containing two tabs concerning bodies:
Feature Properties
Graphic

3. The Feature Properties tab displays the name of the body. This name is editable if
the part is not read only. Enter 'Assemble1' in the Name field. The new name
appears in the specification tree.
The application also displays the date of creation and of the last modification.
4. Click the Graphic tab to change the color of the body.
The graphic properties available for editing are:

Fill Color (colors the current object) and transparency

Edge Color, Line type and Weight
Line and Curve Color, Line type and Weight
Point Color and Symbol
Show and Pick attributes
Set as default

To have details about how to change graphic properties, please refer to CATIA-
Infrastructure User's Guide Version 5.

Before applying a color to a body, remember that:

The features you create within a body take on the color of this body,
whatever it is.
When applying a color to a feature, all the faces of this feature take on this
color.
The color you apply to a face prevails over the other colors defined for
features and bodies.
The faces generated by any transformation take on the color of the body,
as shown in the following example.

Before After
The body is composed of a pink pad Both faces the pattern has generated, i.e.
and of a yellow pocket the front face and the cylindrical face take
on the color of the body which was CATIA
default color.
 The first three rules mentioned above apply when associating bodies.
5. Click OK.
CATIA takes these modifications into account and displays the new body name.
 Displaying and Editing Features
Properties

This task shows how to display and edit the properties of a pad.

To perform this scenario, for example you can open the Properties.CATPart document.

1. Select the feature in the specification tree, that is Pad2.

2. Select the Edit->Properties command or select the Properties command on the

contextual menu.
The Properties dialog box displays, containing these tabs:
Mechanical
Feature Properties
Graphic

The Mechanical tab displays the Update status of the pad.

The following attributes characterize features:
 Deactivated: checking this option will prevent
CATIA from taking deactivated features into
account during an update operation.
To Update: indicates that the selected
feature is to be updated.
Unresolved: indicates that the selected
feature cannot be computed by the
application.
You cannot control the last two options. The
symbol displayed in front of each attribute
may appear in the specification tree in some
circumstances.
For more about updates, refer to Updating
Parts.

3. Check the Deactivated option to deactivate the pad.

You will note that a new frame is displayed, providing additional information. CATIA
actually warns you that the operation will affect the only child of the pad, that is the
hole.
In certain cases, features may have several children. What you need to do is select
the children in the list and check the first option if you wish to deactivate them or just
check the second option to deactivate all of the children affected.

4. Click the Feature Properties tab.

5. Enter "NewPad" as the new name for the pad in the Name: field.

6. Click Apply to display the new name in the specification tree.

7. Click the Graphic tab to change the color of the feature.

The graphic properties available for editing are:
Fill Color (colors the current object) and transparency
Edge Color, Line type and Weight
Line and Curve Color, Line type and Weight
Point Color and Symbol
Show and Pick attributes
Set as default

To have details about how to change graphic properties, please refer to CATIA-
Infrastructure User's Guide Version 5.
8. Press OK to confirm the operation and close the dialog box.
The geometry no longer shows the deactivated features and the specification tree
displays red parentheses on them to symbolize their status.
 Annotations

Creating Textual Annotations: click this icon, select a face and enter your text in the dialog
box.

Creating Flag Notes: click this icon, select the object you want to represent the hyperlink,
enter a name for the hyperlink and the path to the destination file.
 Creating Textual Annotations

This task shows you how to attach a text to a part. This text is assigned an unlimited
width text frame. You can set graphic properties (anchor point, text size and justification)
after you create the text.

Open the DraftAnalysis.CATPart document.

1.
Click the Text icon .
2. Select a face or a set of faces to define a location for the arrow end of the leader.
If the active view is not valid, a message appears informing you that you cannot use
the active view. Therefore, the application is going to display the annotation in an
annotation plane normal to the selected face. You then just need to click OK to close
the message window.

The Text Editor dialog box is now displayed.

3. Enter your text, for example "Surface treatment" in the dialog box.
4. Click OK to end the text creation. You can click anywhere in the geometry area too.
The textual annotation appears in the geometry.
 The textual annotation (identified as Text.xxx) is added below "Tolerancing Set.x" in
the specification tree.

5. Right-click the text and select the Properties contextual command.

The Properties dialog box is displayed.
6. Click the Font tab and set a new style and a larger size for the text.

7. Click the Text tab. This tab displays options for defining the following:

Frame: new shapes for the text frame,

Color: new colors for the leader line,
Thickness and Line Type: new thickness for the text frame and the leader
line,
Position: new positions for the text and the text frame
Justification, Word wrap and Mirroring: new display for the text
8. Set a new frame and a new color.

9. Click OK to confirm.
The textual annotation is modified accordingly.
 Creating Flag Notes

You can add hyperlinks to your document and then use them to jump to a variety of
locations, for example to a marketing presentation, a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or a
HTML page on the intranet.
You can add hyperlinks to models, products and parts as well as to any constituent
elements.
This task shows you how to add hyperlinks.

Open the WeldPlanner.CATProduct document (or GreenPartCATPart document) and prepare

a document that you want to see displayed via a hyperlink.
1.
Click the Flag Note with Leader icon .

2. Select the object you want to represent the hyperlink. For the purposes of our
example, select the face as shown:

The Manage Hyperlink dialog box appears.

3. Enter a name for your hyperlink. For example, "marketing presentation".

4. Enter the path to the destination file in the URL field then press Enter.
Or,
Click Browse... and select the destination file in the Link to File dialog box.
Note: You can add more than one link. Simply enter another path or click Browse...
and select another file. All links created are listed in the Link to file or URL box.
● Select a link then click Go to to follow the link to the destination file.

● Select a link then click Remove to remove existing links.

5. Click OK in the Manage Hyperlink dialog box when satisfied.

The hyperlink is created and is identified as Flag Note.xxx (name of the document)
in the specification tree.

6. If you wish to edit the display of the note, use the Properties contextual command.
 Advanced Tasks

This section will explain and illustrate how to perform operations on bodies and will provide
recommendations about how to optimize the use of the application. The table below lists the
information you will find.
Associating Bodies
Tools
Measuring
Multi-Document
PowerCopy
Reusing your Design
 Associating Bodies
You must use bodies as entities you will eventually associate to the Part Body using the
capabilities described below to finish the design of your part.

Insert a New Body: Select the Insert -> Body command.

Assemble Bodies: Select the required body, the Insert -> Boolean Operations ->
Assemble command and the target body.

Intersect Bodies: Select the first body, the Insert -> Boolean Operations -> Intersect
command and the second body.

Add Bodies: Select the body to be added, the Insert -> Boolean Operations -> Add
command and the target body.

Remove Bodies: Select the body to be removed, the Insert -> Boolean Operations ->
Remove command and the target body.

Trim Bodies: Select the body to be trimmed and the Insert -> Body.1.object -> Union
Trim... command. Click the Faces to remove field and select the desired faces. Click
the Faces to keep field and select the desired faces.
Remove Lumps: Select Part Body and Part Body object -> Remove Lump... contextual
command. Click the Faces to remove field and select the desired faces.

Change a Boolean Operation into Another One contextual command

 Inserting a New Body

This task shows you how to insert a new body into the part.

For example, open the Add1.CATPart document.

This is the initial part, composed of Part Body and two bodies:

1.
Click the Insert Body icon.
If the icon is not visible in the application, you can display it by using the View ->
Toolbars -> Insert command.
The result is immediate. CATIA displays this new body referred to as "Body.3" in the
specification tree. It is underlined, indicating that it is the active body.
You can now construct this new body using the diverse commands available in this
workbench or in other workbenches.

You will notice that Part Body and Body.3 are autonomous. The operations you
would accomplish on any of them would not affect the integrity of the other one. Now,
if you wish to combine them, refer to the tasks showing the different ways of
attaching bodies: Adding Bodies, Assembling Bodies, Intersecting Bodies, Removing
Bodies, Trimming Bodies.
 Assembling Bodies

Assembling is an operation integrating your part specifications. This task shows you two
assemble operations. You will see then how the resulting parts look different depending
on your specifications.

When working in a CATProduct document, it is not necessary to copy and paste the
bodies belonging to distinct parts before associating them. You can directly associate
these bodies using the same steps as described in this task.

Open the Assemble1.CATPart document and make sure Part Body is the current body.

First, you are going to assemble a pocket to Part Body. You will note that as this pocket is
the first feature of the body, material has been added (see Pocket).

1. .
To assemble them, select Body 2 and click the Assemble...icon

Assembling a set of bodies (multi-selected via the Ctrl key) is now possible. This
capability will increase your productivity.
 The Assemble dialog box displays to let you determine the operation you wish to
perform. By default, CATIA proposes to assemble the selected body to Part Body.

2. As you wish to perform this operation, click OK.

During the operation, CATIA removes the material defined by the pocket from Part
Body.
This is your new Part Body:
3. Now delete the assemble operation to go back to the previous state. You are going to
perform the second assemble operation.

4.
Select Body.2 and the Edit -> Body2.object -> Assemble command.
The Assemble dialog box displays again.

5. Select Body.1 in the specification tree to edit the After: field. Pad.2 appears in the field,
indicating that you are going to assemble Body.2 to Body.1.

6. Click OK.
The material defined by the pocket from Body1 has been removed during the
operation.

You cannot re-apply Assemble, Add, Trim, Intersect, Remove and Remove Lump
commands to bodies already associated to other bodies. However, if you copy and
paste the result of such operations elsewhere in the tree you can then use these
commands.
Structuring Your Design

Generally speaking, using Boolean Operations is a good way of structuring your part.
Prior to designing, you can actually define the part's structure by associating a body
containing geometry with empty bodies. Once these specifications are done, you can
then concentrate on the geometry.
 Intersecting Bodies
The material resulting from an intersection operation between two bodies is the material
shared by these bodies. This tasks illustrates how to compute two intersections.

When working in a CATProduct document, it is no longer necessary to copy and paste

the bodies belonging to distinct parts before associating them. You can now directly
associate these bodies using the same steps as described in this task.

Open the Intersect1.CATPart document.

1. The initial part is composed of three bodies. Each body contains one pad. To compute
the intersection between the Part Body and Body 2, select Body.2.
Intersecting a set of bodies (multi-selected via the Ctrl key) is now possible. This
capability will increase your productivity.
2.
Click the Intersect... icon.
The Intersect dialog box displays to let you determine the second body you wish to
use. By default, the application proposes to intersect the selected body to Part Body.

3. As you wish to perform this operation, click OK.

CATIA computes the intersection between the two bodies.

Part Body now looks like this:

4. Now delete the intersection to go back to the previous state. You are going to create a
new intersection.

5.
Select Body 2 and right-click to select the Edit -> Body2.object -> Intersect
contextual command. This displays the Intersect dialog box.

6. Select Body1 in the specification tree to edit the After field.

7. Click OK. Body1 now looks like this:

 You cannot re-apply Assemble, Add, Trim, Intersect, Remove and Remove Lump
commands to bodies already associated to other bodies. However, if you copy and
paste the result of such operations elsewhere in the tree you can then use these
commands.

Structuring Your Design

Generally speaking, using Boolean Operations is a good way of structuring your part.
Prior to designing, you can actually define the part's structure by associating a body
containing geometry with empty bodies. Once these specifications are done, you can
then concentrate on the geometry.
 Adding Bodies
This task illustrates how to add a body to another body. Adding a body to another one
means uniting them.

When working in a CATProduct document, it is no longer necessary to copy and paste

the bodies belonging to distinct parts before associating them. You can now directly
associate these bodies using the same steps as described in this task.

Open the Add1.CATPart document and make sure Part Body is the current body.
This is your initial data: the Add part is composed of three bodies. Each body
includes a pad. These pads are therefore independent.

1. To add Body.1 to Part Body, select Body.1.

Adding a set of bodies (multi-selected via the Ctrl key) is now possible. This
capability will increase your productivity.
2.
Click the Add icon .

The Add dialog box that appears displays the name of the selected body and the
Part Body. By default, the application proposes to add the selected body to Part
Body.
For the purpose of our scenario, we keep this location. Note however that you could
add Body.1 to Body.2 one just by selecting Body.2.

3. Click OK.
The specification tree and Part Body now looks like this:
 You will note that:
the material common to Part Body and Body.1 has been removed
both pads keep their original colors.

You cannot re-apply Assemble, Add, Trim, Intersect, Remove and Remove Lump
commands to bodies already associated to other bodies. However, if you copy and
paste the result of such operations elsewhere in the tree you can then use these
commands.

Structuring Your Design

Generally speaking, using Boolean Operations is a good way of structuring your

part. Prior to designing, you can actually define the part's structure by associating a
body containing geometry with empty bodies. Once these specifications are done,
you can then concentrate on the geometry.
 Removing Bodies

This tasks illustrates how to remove a body from another body.

When working in a CATProduct document, it is no longer necessary to copy and paste

the bodies belonging to distinct parts before associating them. You can now directly
associate these bodies using the same steps as described in this task.

Open the Remove1.CATPart document.

1. The part is composed of two bodies. To remove Body.1 from Part Body, select
Body.1.

Removing a set of bodies (multi-selected via the Ctrl key) is now possible. This
capability will increase your productivity.

2.
Click the Remove... icon .
The result is immediate. However, if the specification tree is composed of several
bodies, a dialog box displays to let you determine the second body you wish to use.
By default, the application proposes to remove the selected body from Part Body.
The cylinder is removed from Part Body:

You cannot re-apply Assemble, Add, Trim, Intersect, Remove and Remove Lump
commands to bodies already associated to other bodies. However, if you copy and
paste the result of such operations elsewhere in the tree you can then use these
commands.
Structuring Your Design

Generally speaking, using Boolean Operations is a good way of structuring your part.
Prior to designing, you can actually define the part's structure by associating a body
containing geometry with empty bodies. Once these specifications are done, you can
then concentrate on the geometry.
 Trimming Bodies

Applying the Union Trim command on a body entails defining the elements to be kept or
removed while performing the union operation.
The following rules are to be kept in mind:

Rule 1
REMOVE: Selected bodies ONLY are removed

Rule 2
KEEP: selected body is kept. All other bodies are removed
Rule 3
REMOVE is not necessary if KEEP specification exists

Concretely speaking, you need to select the required bodies and specify the faces you wish to
keep or remove.

This task illustrates how to use the Union Trim capability.

When working in a CATProduct document, it is no longer necessary to copy and paste the
bodies belonging to distinct parts before associating them. You can now directly associate
these bodies using the same steps as described in this task.

Open the UnionTrim1.CATPart document.

1. Select the body you wish to trim, i.e. Body.2.

2.
Click the Union Trim icon .
The Trim Definition dialog box is displayed. The faces you cannot select are
displayed in red.

3. Click the Faces to remove field and select Body.2 's inner face.

The selected face now appears in pink, meaning that the application is going to
remove it.

4.
Click the Faces to keep field and select Part Body. 's inner face.
This face becomes blue, meaning that the application is going to keep it.
 Clicking the Preview button lets you check if your specifications meet your needs or

not. To restore the view, you simply need to click the Undo command .

5. Click OK to confirm.
The application computes the material to be removed. The operation (identified as
Trim.xxx) is added to the specification tree.

You cannot re-apply Assemble, Add, Trim, Intersect, Remove and Remove Lump
commands to bodies already associated to other bodies. However, if you copy and
paste the result of such operations elsewhere in the tree you can then use these
commands.
 Keeping and Removing Faces

The Remove Lump command lets you reshape a body by removing material. To remove
material, either you specify the faces you wish to remove or conversely, the faces you
wish to keep. In some cases, you need to specify both the faces to remove and the faces
to keep.
Using this command is a good way to get rid of cavities you inadvertently created.

This task illustrates how to reshape a body by removing the faces you do not need.
Depending on the faces you select for removal, you will obtain two distinct bodies.

Open the RemoveLump1.CATPart document.

1. Select the body you wish to reshape, that is Part Body.

2.
Click the Remove Lump icon .
The Remove Lump dialog box appears. The application prompts you to specify the
faces you wish to remove as well as the faces you need to keep.
3. Click the Faces to remove field and select the
colored face.
The selected face now appears in pink, meaning
that it will be removed during the operation.

4. Click OK.
The new body looks like this :

Now, delete Trim.1 in the specification tree and

5. repeat steps 1 and 2.
In the dialog box that appears, click the Faces to
remove field and select the bottom face.
6.
This face appears in pink.

The faces selected as the faces to be kept are displayed in blue.

7. Click OK.
The new body looks like this :
You cannot re-apply Assemble, Add, Trim, Intersect, Remove and Remove Lump
commands to bodies already associated to other bodies. However, if you copy and
paste the result of such operations elsewhere in the tree you can then use these
commands.

Cavities

The Remove Lump command allows you to delete cavities, which is a good way to
control the quality of the part. As shown in the example below, the initial part includes
a cavity resulting from a shell operation.

Applying the Remove Lump command and selecting the face to be kept...
reshapes the part. CATIA has removed the faces that are not adjacent to the
selected face.
 Changing a Boolean Operation into
Another One

This task shows you how to change a Boolean operation (Add, Assemble, Remove and
even Union Trim) into another one and this, very quickly. This new capability largely
increases your productivity, since it is no longer necessary to restructure your design from
scratch.

Open the Intersect1.CATPart document.

1. The initial part is composed of three bodies. Assemble Body.1 to Part Body.

2. Remove Body.2 from Assemble.1.You obtain Remove.1:

3. Fillet Pad.3 's top edge.

4.
Select Remove.1 and the Remove.1 object -> Change to Assemble... contextual
command.

The Change to Add...contextual command is available too.

You obtain Assemble.2. Note that the fillet is still defined on Pad.3's top edge.
5.
Select Assemble.2 and the Assemble.2 object -> Change to Union Trim...
contextual command.

The Change to Add... and Change to Remove...contextual commands are

available too.
You obtain Trim.1:
 You obtain Trim.1:

6. Double-click Trim.1 and select the cylinder's top face as the face to keep. You obtain
this part :
 Tools
Analyze Draft: Define a direction using the compass, click this
icon, select the part, and enter the minimum draft angle value
in the field below the green frame.
Analyze Curvature: Select a body, click this icon and enter
new values in the color range.

Analyze Thread/Tap: Click this icon and check or uncheck

display options.
Define an Axis System: Click this icon, enter coordinates or
select geometry to define the three axes.

Create Datums: Click this icon to deactivate the History

mode.

Scan the Part and Define Local Objects: Select the the Edit
-> Scan or Define in Work Object... command, click the
buttons to move from one local feature to the other, then the
Exit button.

Display Parent and Children: Select the feature under study,

the Tools -> Parent / Children... command and use the
diverse contextual commands to display parents and children.

Extracting Geometry: the capability is proposed when an

update operation detects difiiculties in building the part.

Apply a Material: Select the element on which the material

should be applied, click this icon, select any material and click
Apply Material.

Publish an Element: Select the Tools -> Publication

command, select the element to be published then rename it.
 Performing a Draft Analysis

The Draft Analysis command lets you analyze the draft angle on a surface.
This task explains how to detect if the part you drafted will be easily removed from the associated
mold. For more about drafts, please refer to Basic Draft.
This type of analysis is performed based on color ranges identifying zones on the analyzed
element where the deviation from the draft direction, represented by the normal to the surface at
a given point, corresponds to specified values:

These values are expressed in the unit as specified in Tools -> Options -> General ->Parameters
-> Unit tab.

You can modify them by clicking on their corresponding arrow or by entering a value directly in
the field.
The precision for entering values is 0.01.
The cursor manipulation for colors is limited to -20 and 20 but the analysis is performed between
-90 and 90 degrees.

Make sure that the view mode is set to a material mode (View -> Render Style -> Customize
View -> Materials).
Open the DraftAnalysis1CATPart document.
1. Prior to analyzing the draft, you need to define
a direction by using the compass. This
direction is supposed to be the pulling
direction used for removing the part from its
mold.
Drag the compass and drop it onto plane zx.
Y axis always indicates the direction of
analysis.
Once the compass is snapped to the plane,
you can begin to start using the Draft Analysis
command.
2.
Click the Draft Analysis icon .
3.

Select the part. Selecting a face is enough for taking the whole part into account. To improve
the display, drag the compass away from the plane and drop it.
The Draft Analysis dialog box is displayed, and the analysis is visible on the part. The part
has three colors: red, light blue and green. Each color is defined in the dialog box. Each color
is associated to a range of draft angle values, as specified in the fields below. The values
range from -20 to 20 degrees. However, these colors defined for minimum and maximum
ranges apply to values inferior to -20 or superior to 20 degrees too.
4.
You can customize these colors. For example, double-click the light blue arrow to display a
color palette you are going to use for creating your own yellow.

5.
In the palette that appears, drag the cross inside the spectrum to instantaneously change the
color in the small box below the spectrum. Drag the cross so as to obtain a yellow color.

6.
If needed, move the arrow up or down to vary the brightness of the custom color and click
OK to create your own color.
The Color palette closes and the Draft Analysis displays the yellow color instead of the light
blue one.

To get the most out of colors, use the View + Lighting capability, as explained in the CATIA-
Infrastructure User's guide Version 5.

7.

Keep the Sharp left option. The different displays for the color range are:
linear,
sharp left,
sharp center (reserved for surfaces, see the CATIA Free Style Shaper & Optimizer
User's Guide),
sharp right (reserved for surfaces, see the CATIA Free Style Shaper & Optimizer
User's Guide)

The linear option is available too for analyzing drafted faces. Depending on the complexity of
the part, it may sometimes be more efficient.

8. Enter 2.0 in the field associated to the green arrow. Note that you can manipulate the draft
angle values by clicking on the arrows too. This value is the minimum draft angle value which
makes the removal of the part possible.
The dialog box now looks like this...
.. and the part like this:

Using the values and colors set and the direction defined at the beginning of this task, you
can analyze the results as follows:
- the red areas cannot be removed from the mold. These areas are assigned a draft angle
value set between -90 and 0 degrees.
- the yellow areas cannot be removed from the mold either. These areas are assigned a draft
angle value set between 0 and 2 degrees.
- the green areas can be removed from the mold. These areas are assigned a draft angle
value set between 2 and 90 degrees.
9. Click the Invert analysis direction to automatically reverse the analysis:

10. Check the On the fly analysis option and move the pointer over a yellow area.
Arrows are displayed under the pointer, identifying the normal to the face at the pointer
location (green arrow). As you move the pointer over the surface, the normal display is
dynamically updated.
The displayed value indicates the angle between the draft direction and the normal to the
surface at the current point.

Furthermore, circles are displayed indicating the plane tangent to the surface at this point.

11. If you move the pointer over the green arrow (Normal) the inverted normal is displayed in
dotted line.
 If you click the red arrow, it freezes the location for the arrow allowing general manipulations
12.
according to the compass.

By default the analysis is locked, meaning it is done according to a specified direction: the
compass w axis

13. Uncheck the Locked direction option, and select a direction (a line, or plane which normal is
used) , or use the compass manipulators, when available.
14. Once you have finished analyzing the draft, click Close. Otherwise click Reset to come back
to default values for the color range.

If you have moved to another capability, you need to redisplay the Draft Analysis

dialog box by clicking the Draft Analysis icon then to click Reset to remove the
draft analysis from the element.
Note that settings are saved when exiting the command, and redisplayed when you
select the Draft Analysis icon again.
When the Locked direction option is unchecked, the On the fly

In some cases, even though the rendering style is properly set, it may happen that the
analysis results are not visible. Check that the geometry is up-to-date, or perform an
update on the involved geometric element(s).
 Curvature Analysis

This task explains how to analyze the Gaussian curvature of a body.

The visualization mode should be set to Shading with Texture and Edges, and the
discretization option should be set to a maximum (the 3D Accuracy -> Fixed option should be
set to 0).
1. Select the body.

2.
Click the Curvature Analysis icon .
The Curvature Analysis dialog box is displayed, and the analysis is visible on the selected
element.

3. Choose the Limited option, this activates the Limited Radius spinner.
This allows you to display the surface areas that are below or over a specified curvature
radius value.
The Min Radius and Max Radius help you determine the extreme values to set the Limited
Radius value.
You can enter a positive or negative radius value. If you key in a positive value, only
convex radii are displayed, whereas with a negative value, only the concave radii are
displayed.
 This value is expressed in the same unit as set in the Tools -> Options -> General
->Parameters -> Units tab, Length parameter.
In this mode, the color range is inactive.

4. Similarly, choose the Inflection Area analysis type to identify the curvature orientation:
In green: the areas where the minimum and maximum curvatures present the
same orientation
In blue: the areas where the minimum and maximum curvatures present opposite
orientation

5. Set the Gaussian type again and choose the Linear option from the dialog box:
Available options to display the color range are: linear or sharp left.
The values are ranging from 0 to 1, corresponding to the minimum and maximum
Gaussian curvature respectively.

6. Modify the values in the color range to highlight specific areas of the selected surface.
To do this, click and drag the arrows delimiting the colors, or directly key in the values.

7. Change the analysis type to Minimum or Maximum, to display the minimum or maximum
curvature value respectively.

8. Check the Global Analysis button to activate the analysis on the several elements at a
time.
In this case, be careful as if the curvature on different elements may be very different, the
global analysis will level the colors. You simply need to redefine the values using the
pointers in the Curvature Analysis dialog box.
For example, still with the same values, and having selected a planar surface, the
curvature, taking into account the planar surface, is less pronounced.

9. Click Close to exit the analysis capability, or Reset to come back to default values for the
color range.

Double-click the arrows from the color range to display the color chooser allowing
you to redefine the color range.
 The Curvature and Radius values are dynamically displayed according to the
pointer location and expressed in the units set in using the Tools -> Options ->
General ->Parameters -> Units tab.

In some cases, even though the rendering style is properly set, it may happen that the
analysis results are not visible. Check that the geometry is up-to-date, or perform an
update on the involved geometric element(s).
 Thread-Tap Analysis
This task shows you how to display and filter out information about threads and taps
contained in a CATPart document.
Open the ThreadAnalysis.CATPart document.

1. Click the Tap/Thread Analysis icon .

The Thread/Tap Analysis dialog box is displayed, providing display options already
checked by default:
Show symbolic geometry: shows the representations of the threads and taps in
the geometry area. The representation's color can be customized via the Tools ->
Options -> General (Display) command (you just need to access the Visualization
tab and the Selected elements option).
Show numerical value: shows three values defined for threads and taps as
follows: diameter x depth x pitch

The dialog box also displays the total number of threads and taps contained in your
document. Two threads and one tap have been detected, as indicated in the Numerical
Analysis frame.

2.Click Apply to display the representations and the values of the threads and tap
contained in the document.
The representations and the values (diameter x depth x pitch) are displayed in orange
and yellow respectively:
Unchecking "Show symbolic geometry" lets you display numerical values only. In the
same way, unchecking "Show numerical values" lets you display representations only.

3. Click More to access display filters.

4. By default, the options "Show thread" and "Show tap" are on. Uncheck "Show thread"
to display taps only.

5. Click Apply to run the analysis.

Only one tap has been detected and is therefore displayed:

6. Check "Show thread" again to continue the scenario.

7. Check the option "Diameter" and enter 70 as the diameter value in the Value field.

8. Click Apply.
The application displays only one thread with 70 as diameter value.
9. Click Close when done.
 Axis System
This task explains how to define a new three-axis system locally. There are two ways of defining it: either by
selecting geometry or by entering coordinates.

Open the AxisSystem.CATPart document.

1.
Select the Insert -> Axis System command or click the Axis System icon .
The Axis System Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. An axis system is composed of an origin point and three orthogonal axes. For instance, you can start by
selecting the vertex as shown to position the origin of the axis system you wish to create. The application then
computes the remaining coordinates. Both computed axes are then parallel to those of the current system. The
axis system looks like this:

You can choose from different types of axis system:

 ● Standard: defined by a point of origin
and three orthogonal directions (by
default the current directions of the
compass).
Here only the point was selected and
nothing specified for the axes.

● Axis rotation: defined as a standard axis

system and a angle computed from a
selected reference.
Here the Y axis was set to the standard
axis system Y axis, and a 15 degrees
angle was set in relation to an edge
parallel to the X axis.

● Euler angles: defined by three angle

values computed from the initial X, Y, and
Z directions.
Here, the Angle 2 and Angle 3 were set
to 30 degrees.

3. If you are not satisfied with x axis, for instance click the X axis field and select the edge as shown to define a
new direction for x axis.
The x axis becomes colinear with this edge.
4. Check the Reverse option to reverse the x axis direction. Clicking the axis reverses its direction too.

Note that there are two types of axis systems, right-handed and left-handed. The dialog box indicates the type
close to the Current option.

5. The application also lets you define axes through coordinates. Right-click the Y Axis field and select the
Coordinates contextual command. The Y Axis dialog box appears.

6. Keep X=0, Y=0 and enter Z= -1 as the coordinates of the Y axis.

The axis system is modified accordingly. The application has computed the coordinates of the X axis.
 You can control coordinates by defining formulas. For more information, refer to CATIA Knowledge Advisor
User's Guide.

If needed, you can also define new points, lines or planes through contextual commands available in each field
of the Axis System Definition dialog box.
● Create Point: for more information, refer to Points

● Create Line: for more information, refer to Lines

● Create Plane: for more information, refer to Planes

7. Click OK to confirm the operation and close the dialog box.

8. Click More to expand the Axis System Definition dialog box.

The first rows contains the coordinates of the origin point. The coordinates of X axis are displayed in the
second row. The coordinates of Y axis are displayed in the third row. The coordinates of z axis are displayed in
the fourth row.

As you are defining your axis system, the application detects if its axes are orthogonal or not. Inconsistencies
are revealed via the Update diagnosis dialog box.

9. Uncheck the Current option if you do not want to set your axis as the reference. The absolute axis at the
bottom right of the document then becomes the current three axis system.
10.
Click OK.
The axis system is created. It is displayed in the specification tree. When it is set as current, it is highlighted as
shown below.

Local axes are fixed. If you wish to constrain them, you need to isolate them (using Isolate contextual
command) before setting constraints otherwise you would obtain over-constrained systems.

The display mode of the axes is different depending on whether the three-axis system is right-handed or
left-handed and current or not.

THREE-AXIS SYSTEM CURRENT AXIS DISPLAY MODE

right-handed yes solid
right-handed no dashed
left-handed yes dotted
left-handed no dot-dashed

11. Right-click Axis System.1 and select the Set as current contextual command. Axis System.1 is now current.
You can then select plane xy for instance, to define a sketch plane.

Editing an Axis System

You can edit your axis system by double-clicking it and entering new values in the dialog box that appears.
You can also use the compass to edit your axis system. For more about the compass, refer to CATIA-
Infrastructure User's guide Version 5.
Note also that editing the geometrical elements selected for defining the axes or the origin point affects the
definition of the axis system accordingly.
Right-clicking Axis System.Xobject in the specification tree lets you access the following contextual
commands:
● Definition...:redefines the axis system

● Isolate: sets the axis system apart from the geometry

● Set as Current/Set as not Current: defines whether the axis system is the reference or not.
Creating an Axis System when Creating a New Part
An option lets you create an axis system when you are creating a new part. To know how to access this option,
refer to Customizing a CATPart document.
 Creating Datums

This task shows how to create geometry with the History mode deactivated.
In this case, when you create an element, there are no links to the other entities that were used to
create that element.

1. Click the Create Datum icon to deactivate the History mode.

It will remain deactivated until you click on the icon again.

If you double-click this icon, the Datum mode is permanent. You only have to click
again the icon to deactivate the mode.
A click on the icon activates the Datum mode for the current or the next command.

The History mode (active or inactive) will remain fixed from one session to another: it is in fact a
setting.
 Scanning a Part and Defining Local
Objects
In Part Design, you can access, view and operate all features or bodies locally. The Scan
and Define in Work Object capability allows you to design part features without taking the
complete part into account.

This task shows how to scan the part and define a local object.

Open the Active1.CATPart document.

1. Select the Edit -> Scan or Define in Work Object... command.

The Scan toolbar appears enabling you to navigate through the structure of your part.
You actually need to click the buttons allowing you to move from one local feature to
the other. Sketches are not taken into account by the command.
2. Click the Backwards button to move to the previous feature, that is a pocket.
The application highlights the feature in question in the specification tree as well as in
the geometry area.

3. Click the Backwards arrow once more to move to the previous feature, that is a
mirror.
4. Now that you have accessed the feature of your choice, that is the mirror, isolate it
from the current part by clicking the Exit button.
In the geometry area, the application displays the local object only. In the
specification tree, this local object is underlined.
You are now ready to work on this feature.

Defining a feature as local without scanning the whole part is possible using the
Define in Work Object contextual command on the desired feature.
 Parent and Children
The Parent and Children command enables you to view the genealogical relationships
between the different components of a part.

It also shows links to external references and explicitly provides the name of the
documents containing these references.

If the specification tree already lets you see the operations you performed and re-specify
your design, the graph displayed by the Parent and Children capability proves to be a
more accurate analysis tool. We recommend the use of this command before deleting
any feature.

Open the Parent1.CATPart document.

1. Select the feature of interest, that is Pad1.

2. Select the Tools -> Parent/Children... command (or the Parent/Children... contextual
command).
A new window appears containing a graph. This graph shows the relationships
between the different elements constituting the pad previously selected.
 If you cannot see the element of interest in the specification tree because you have
created a large number of elements, right-click this element in the graph then select
the Center Graph contextual command: the element will be more visible in the
specification tree.

3. Position the cursor on Pad 1 and select the Show All Children contextual command.

You can now

see that
Sketch 2
and Sketch
3 have been
used to
create two
additional
pads.

Here is the exhaustive list of the diverse contextual commands allowing you to hide
parents and children. These commands may prove quite useful whenever the view is
overcrowded.
Show Parents and Children
Show Children
Show All Children
Hide Children
Show Parents
Show All Parents
Hide Parents

4. Now, select EdgeFillet1 in the graph.

The application highlights the fillet in the specification tree, in the graph and in the
geometry area.
5. Position the cursor on EdgeFillet1 and select the Show Parents and Children
contextual command.
The parent Pad1 is displayed as well as the sketch upon which the pad and therefore
the edge fillet depend.

6. To see all of the parents, position the cursor on EdgeFillet1 and select the Show All
Parents contextual command.
The sketch plane is displayed.

Double-clicking on the components alternately shows or hides parents and children.

Note that you can use the Reframe graph contextual command and the zoom
capability to improve the visualization of your graph, but also the Print whole
contextual command to obtain a paper document. For information on printing, please
refer to Printing Documents.
7. The Edit contextual command can be accessed from any element. For example,
right-click EdgeFillet.1 and select Edit.
The Edge Fillet dialog box appears.

8. Enter 2 as the new radius fillet and confirm.

The application closes the Edge Fillet dialog box and the fillet is updated accordingly.
 Extracting Geometry

The Extract capability lets you generate separate elements from initial geometry, without
deleting geometry. This operation may be especially useful to solve drafting difficulties,
as illustrated below.

The angle value used for drafting the face generates a twisted face. The application then
informs you via an error message window that the operation cannot be properly
performed.

Closing the error message window displays a new dialog box providing with a solution:
you can deactivate the draft and extract its geometry.

After clicking Yes to confirm these operations,Draft.1 appears as deactivated in the

specification tree. A node "Extracted Geometry (Draft.1)" is displayed in the tree too. This
category includes the elements created by the application, namely two surfaces.
You then just have to fillet these surfaces (for more information, refer to Generative
Shape Design User's Guide) and use Thick Surface, Split and Add capabilities available
in Part Design workbench to complete the draft.
 Applying a Material

This tasks explains how to apply a pre-defined material as well as to interactively re-position the
mapped material.
A material can be applied to:
● a PartBody, Surface, Body or OpenBody (in a .CATPart document).
Note: you can apply different materials to different instances of a same CATPart.
● a Product (in a .CATProduct document)
● instances of a .model, .cgr, .CATPart (in a .CATProduct document).

Within a CATProduct, you should not apply different materials to

different instances of a same Part because a material is part of the
specific physical characteristics of a Part. Therefore, this could
lead to inconsistencies.
Open the ApplyMaterial.CATProduct document.

Select the View ->Render Style->Apply Customized View command to make sure that the
"Shading" and "Materials" options are on. The Custom View Modes dialog box is not displayed if
it has been previously activated during the session.
1. Select the element on which the material should be applied.

Note: you can also apply a material simultaneously to several elements. To do so,
simply select the desired elements (using either the pointer or the traps) before
applying the material.

2. Click the Apply Material icon .

The Library dialog box opens. It contains several pages of sample materials from
which to choose. Each page is identified by a material family name on its tab (each
material being identified by an icon) if you select the Display icons mode...
 ...or each page is identified by a material family name in a pulldown list if you select
the Display list mode:

3. Select a material from any family, by a simple click.

 You can also double-click on a material to display its properties for analysis
purposes.

4. Click the Link to file checkbox if you want to map the selected material as a linked object
and have it automatically updated to reflect any changes to the original material in the
library.

Two different icons (one with a white arrow and one without ) identify
linked and non-linked materials respectively in the specification tree.
Note: You can edit linked materials. Doing so will modify the original material in the
library. If you want to save changes made to the original material, use the File->Save
All command.

When no object is selected in the specification tree, you can

select the Edit->Links... command to identify the library
containing the original material. You can then open this
library in the Material Library workbench if desired.

You can also use the Paste Special... command to paste material as a linked object.
You can copy both unlinked and linked materials. You can, for example, paste a
linked material on a different element in the same document as well as on an element
in a different document. For more information, see Copying & Pasting Using Paste
Special... in this guide.

5. Click Apply Material to map the material onto the element.

The selected material is mapped onto the element and the specification tree is
updated. In our example, the material was not mapped as a linked object.
 A yellow symbol may be displayed to indicate the material inheritance mode. For
more information, refer to Setting Priority between Part and Product in this guide.
Material specifications are managed in the specification tree: all mapped materials
are identified. To edit materials (for more information, see Modifying Materials),
simply right-click the material and select Properties from the contextual menu or
double-click the material. You can also run searches to find a specific material in a
large assembly (for more information, see Finding Materials in this guide) as well as
use copy & paste or drag & drop capabilities.

Unless you select in the specification tree the desired location

onto which the material should be mapped, dragging &
dropping a material applies it onto the lowest hierarchical
level (for instance, dragging and dropping onto a part will
apply the material onto the body and not onto the part itself).
However, note that a material applied onto a body has no
impact on the calculation of the part physical properties (mass,
density, etc.) since only the physical properties of the part, and
not those of the body, will be taken into account.

6. Click OK in the Library dialog box.

The object looks the following way:
 Note: applying materials to elements affect the physical and mechanical properties,
for example the density, of elements.

7. Right-click the material just mapped in the specification tree and choose the Properties
item.
The Properties dialog box is displayed:
 8. Choose the Rendering tab to edit the rendering properties you applied on the element.

9. If necessary; change the material size to adjust the scale of the material relative to the
element.
10. Click OK in the Properties dialog box, when you are satisfied with the material mapping on
the element.
Note: Appropriate licenses are required to use the Analysis and Drafting tabs.
11. Use the 3D compass to interactively position the material:

● Double-click the material in the specification tree:

The compass is automatically snapped and the mapping support (in this
case, a cylinder) appears, showing the texture in transparency.
If necessary, zoom in and out to visualize the mapping support which
reflects the material size.
● Pan and rotate the material until satisfied with the result. You can:
❍ Pan along the direction of any axis (x, y or z) of the compass (drag any
compass axis)
❍ Rotate in a plane (drag an arc on the compass)

❍ Pan in a plane (drag a plane on the compass)

❍ Rotate freely about a point on the compass (drag the free rotation handle
at the top of the compass):
● Use the mapping support handles to stretch the material texture along u- and v-
axes (as you can do it with the slider in the Scale U, V fields displayed in the
Texture tab):

For more information on manipulating objects using the 3D

compass, see the Infrastructure User's Guide.
 Publishing Elements

This task shows you the method for making elements publicly available. You will publish a
plane then a sketch.

Open the Publish_R07.CATPart document or if you are working in Assembly Design, for
example open the AssemblyTools01.CATProduct document, and ensure that the
component containing the element you wish to publish is active.

1. Select Tools -> Publication.

The Publication command lets you:
publish a geometric element
edit the default name given to the published element
replace the geometric element associated with a name
create a list of published elements
import a list of published elements

delete a published element.

The Publication dialog box appears.

2. Select the element to be published. For example, select Plane.1.

 You can publish the following elements:
points, lines, curves, planes
sketches
bodies (selecting a feature selects the body it belongs to)
Generative Shape Design features (Extrudes Surfaces, Offsets, Joins etc.)
Free Style Features (Planar patches, curves etc.)
sub-elements of geometrical elements: when switched on, the option "Publish a
face, edge, vertex or extremity" lets you directly select faces, edges, vertices. axes.
extremities.

The dialog box displays the name and status of the selected element as well as
"Plane.1", that is the default name given to the published element
3. Click "Plane.1" in the
dialog box. The plane is
highlighted in the
geometry.

4. Rename it as "New plane".

The plane is published as "New plane". However, you can notice that the geometric
element Open_body.1/Plane1 has not been renamed.
5. Before publishing another
element, click Options to
access rename options.
When using the
Publication command,
you can actually decide
to rename or not the
elements you are
publishing. Prior to
renaming, you can set
one of the three following
work modes:
Never: the
application will not
allow you to
rename the
published element.
This is the default
option.
Always: the
application will
always allow you
to rename the
published element
Ask: the
application will ask
you what you
decide to do,
namely rename or
not the published
element
You can rename any
elements except for axes,
edges and faces.

6. Check "Ask" and click OK to exit.

7. Prior to selecting the element to be published, deselect "New plane" if not already done.

8. Select "Sketch.1" as the new element to be published.

9. Rename it as "New sketch". A message is issued asking you whether you wish to
rename the published element "Sketch.1" as "New sketch".
10. Click YES to confirm. The published element's name is "New sketch" and the geometric
element is renamed too.

Replacing a Published element

11. Click "Open_body.1/Plane.1" to replace it with another geometric element.

12. Select "Plane.2" as the

replacing element.

The orientation of both

elements is displayed.
The green arrow
indicates the orientation
for the new element, the
red arrow indicates the
orientation of the
published element.

A message is issued asking you to confirm the change.

13. Click YES to confirm.

Plane.2 has been
published.Plane.1 is not
published any more.
The dialog now displays
the following information:
 Importing and Exporting Published Names

Published names can be gathered in ASCII .txt files.

To export published names to an ASCII .txt file,

click the Export button.
enter a name for the file you are creating in the Export dialog box that displays.
click Save : the file is created: it contains the list of all published elements as
specified in the Publication dialog box.

To import published names to an ASCII .txt file,

click the import button.
navigate to the file of interest in the Import dialog box that displays.
select the file containing the list of published elements.
click Open: the names are added to the list of the Publication dialog box

14. Click OK when satisfied.

The entity "Publication" has been added to the specification tree. Both published
elements are displayed below " Publication':

What Happens When Deleting a Published

Element?
When deleting a published element, CATIA informs you that this element is published.
What you need to do is confirm the deletion (Yes) or cancel it (No).
 Measuring

Measure Minimum Distances and Angles: Click this icon, set the desired measure
type, the measure mode and select a surface, edge or vertex.

Measure Properties: Select the desired item and click this icon.

Measure Inertia: Click this icon and select the desired item
 Measuring Minimum Distances & Angles between
Geometrical Entities or Points
This task explains how to measure distances and angles between geometrical entities (surfaces, edges, vertices and entire
products) or between points.
Insert all sample model files in the samples folder. They are to be found in the online documentation folder under
cfyug\samples.

Restriction: Neither Visualization Mode nor cgr files permit selection of individual vertices.
1. Click the Measure Between icon.

In DMU, you can also select Analyze-> Measure Between from the menu bar.
The Measure Between dialog box appears.

You can measure distances and angles with respect to the absolute axis system (default value) or with respect
to a local V5 axis system.
A Keep Measure option in the dialog box lets you keep the current and subsequent measures as features. This
is useful if you want to keep the measures as annotations for example.
Measures kept as features are associative and can be used as parameters.
Note: This option is not available in the Drafting workbench.
The Measure Item command is accessible from the Measure Between dialog box. Simply click the Measure Item
icon in the Definition box to switch to the Measure Item command.

An image in the dialog box helps you identify which command you are in.
P1 Functionalities

The Measure Tools toolbar also appears.

This toolbar has two icons:

Measure Dialogs : lets you show or hide the associated dialog box.
Exit Measure : lets you exit the measure. This is useful when the dialog box is hidden.
2. Select the desired measure type.
Notice that the image in the dialog box changes depending on
the measure type selected.

Defining Measure Types

Between (default type): measures distance and angle between selected items.
Chain: lets you chain measures with the last selected item becoming the first selection in the next measure.
Fan: fixes the first selection as the reference so that you always measure from this item.
3. Set the desired mode in the Selection 1 and Selection 2 mode drop-down list boxes.

Defining Selection 1 & Selection 2 Modes

Any geometry (default mode): measures distances and angles between defined geometrical entities (points,
edges, surfaces, etc.).
Note: The Arc center mode is activated in this selection mode.
This mode recognizes the axis of cylinders and lets
you measure the distance between two cylinder axes
for example.

Any geometry, infinite: measures distances and angles between the infinite geometry (plane or line) on which
the selected geometrical entities lie. The Arc center mode is activated and this mode also recognizes cylinder
axes. For all other selections, the measure mode is the same as any geometry.
Any geometry, infinite Any geometry
 Picking point: measures distances between points selected on defined geometrical entities. Always gives an
approximate measure.
Point only: measures distances between points. Dynamic highlighting is limited to points.
Edge only, Surface only: measures distances and angles between edges and surfaces respectively. Dynamic
highlighting is limited to edges or surfaces and is thus simplified compared to the Any geometry mode.
Picking axis: measures distances and angles between an entity and an infinite line perpendicular to the screen.
Simply click to create infinite line perpendicular to the
screen.

Intersection: measures distances between intersection points between two edges or an edge and a surface. In
this case, two selections are necessary to define selection 1 and selection 2 items.
Edge limits: measures distances between endpoints or midpoints of edges. Endpoints only are proposed on
curved surfaces.
Arc center: measures distances between the centers of arcs.
Coordinate: measures distances between coordinates entered for selection 1 and/or selection 2 items.

4. Set the desired calculation mode in the Calculation mode drop-down list box.

Defining the Calculation Mode

Exact else approximate (default mode): measures access exact data and wherever possible true values are
given. If exact values cannot be measured, approximate values are given (identified by a ~ sign).
Exact: measures access exact data and true values are given. A warning dialog box informs you if the exact
measure could not be made.
Approximate: measures are made on tessellated objects and approximate values are given (identified by a ~
sign).
Note: You can hide the display of the ~ sign using the Tools -> Options command (General -> Parameters -> Measure
Tools).
5. Click to select a surface, edge or vertex, or an entire product (selection 1).
Notes:
The appearance of the cursor has changed to reflect the measure command you are in. A number (1 for the
selection 1 and 2 for the selection 2) also helps you identify where you are in your measure.

Dynamic highlighting as you move your cursor over surfaces, faces and vertices helps you locate items to click
on.
6. Click to select another surface, edge or vertex, or an entire product (selection 2).
A line representing the minimum distance vector is drawn between the selected items in the geometry area.
Appropriate distance values are displayed in the dialog box.
 The overall minimum distance as well as distance vector components between the selected items are given in the
Measure Between dialog box.
The number of decimal places, the display of trailing zeros and limits for exponential notation is controlled by the Units
tab in the Options dialog box (Tools ->Options, General ->Parameters). For more information, see the Infrastructure
User's Guide.
7. Select another selection and, if desired, selection mode.
8. Set the Measure type to Fan to fix the first selection so that you can always measure from this item.
9. Select the second item.

10. Select another item.

Using the Other Selection... command in the contextual menu, you can access the center of spheres.
11. If necessary, adjust the presentation of the measure:
You can move the lines and text of the measure.

The Properties command (Graphics tab) lets you change the background color as well as the color, linetype and
thickness of measure lines.

Customizing Your Measure

You can, at any time, customize the display of the results in both
the geometry area and the dialog box. To do so, click
Customize... in the Measure Between dialog box and set your
display in the Measure Between Customization dialog box. By
default, all results are displayed.
Point 1 and point 2 give the coordinates of the two points
between which the minimum distance is measured.

Measuring in a Local Axis System

For this part of the task, you will need a V5 axis system.
12. Click Customize... and check Point 1 and Point 2 options in the Measure Between Customization dialog box, then click
OK.
13. Check the Other Axis option in the dialog box.
14. Select a V5 axis system in the specification tree or geometry area.
15. Make your measure.

Same measure made with respect to absolute axis system:

 All subsequent measures are made with respect to the selected axis system. To change the axis system, click
the Other Axis field and select another axis system. To return to the absolute axis system, uncheck the Other
Axis option.

This type of measure is associative: if you move the axis system, the measure is impacted and can be updated.
16. Click OK when done.

Double-clicking an existing measure in the specification tree lets you re-edit the presentation of the measure, review
information in the dialog box or delete measures.

Associative Measures that can be Used as Parameters

If you checked the Keep Measure option in the Measure Between

dialog box, your measures are kept as features and your
specification tree will look something like this.
Measures:
Are persistent
Are associative:
If you modify a part or move a part in a product structure
context and the measure is impacted, it will be identified
as not up-to-date. You can then update it locally.
Valid in Design mode.

Can be used as parameters:

A set of parameters (length, angle, etc.) is associated to
each measure feature in the specification tree. Parameters
can then be used in formulas or to create geometry.
 Measuring Properties
This task explains how to measure the properties associated to a selected item (points,
edges, surfaces and entire products).
This command lets you choose the selection mode, the calculation mode and axis system
when measuring properties.
Insert all the sample model files in the samples folder. They are to be found in the online
documentation folder under cfyug\samples.
Restriction: Neither Visualization Mode nor cgr files permit selection of individual vertices.

1. Switch to Design Mode (Edit ->Representations ->Design Mode).

2. Set View -> Render Style to Shading with Edges.

Note: You cannot use this command, if Shading only is selected.
3. Click the Measure Item icon.

In DMU, you can also select Analyze -> Measure Item from the menu bar.
The Measure Item dialog box appears.

By default, properties are measured with respect to the absolute axis system.
You can also measure properties with respect to a local V5 axis system.
 The Keep Measure option lets you keep current and subsequent measures as
features. This is useful if you want to keep measures as annotations for
example.
Measures kept as features are associative and can be used as parameters.
Note: This option is not available in the Drafting workbench.
The Measure Between command is
accessible from the Measure Item dialog
box. Simply click one of the Measure
Between icons in the Definition box to
switch to the Measure Between
command.

An image in the dialog box helps

identify which command you are in.

P1 Functionalities

The Measure Tools toolbar also appears.

This toolbar has two icons:

Measure Dialogs : lets you show or hide the associated dialog box.
Exit Measure : lets you exit the measure. This is useful when the dialog box
is hidden.

4. Set the desired measure mode in the Selection 1 mode drop-down list box.

Defining the Selection 1 Mode

Any geometry (default mode): measures the properties of the selected item
(point, edge, surface or entire product).
Point only: measures the properties of points. Dynamic highlighting is limited to
points.
Edge only: measures the properties of edges.
Surface only: measures the properties of surfaces.

In the last three modes, dynamic highlighting is limited to points, edges or

surfaces depending on the mode selected, and is thus simplified
compared to the Any geometry mode.
5. Set the desired calculation mode in the Calculation mode drop-down list box.
 Defining the Calculation Mode

Exact else approximate (default mode): measures access exact data and
wherever possible true values are given. If exact values cannot be measured,
approximate values are given (identified by a ~ sign).
Exact: measures access exact data and true values are given. A warning
dialog box informs you if the exact measure could not be made.
Approximate: measures are made on tessellated objects and approximate
values are given (identified by a ~ sign).

Note: You can hide the ~ sign using the Tools -> Options command (General ->
Parameters -> Measure Tools).
6. Click to select the desired item.
Note: The appearance of the cursor has changed to reflect the measure command

you are in.

 The dialog box gives information about the selected item, in our case a surface and
indicates whether the result is an exact or approximate value. The surface area is also
displayed in the geometry area.
7. Click Customize... in the Measure Item dialog box to see the properties the system
can detect for the various types of item you can select. By default, you obtain:

Note: The center of gravity of surfaces is visualized by a point. In the case of non
planar surfaces, the center of gravity is attached to the surface over the minimum
distance.
8. Set the display of results in both the geometry area and the Measure Item dialog box
as follows, then click Apply.

The Measure Item dialog box is updated and now gives the surface perimeter.
Note: Visualization mode does not permit the measure of surface perimeter.

9. Try selecting other items to measure associated properties.

10. If necessary, adjust the presentation of the
measure:
You can move the lines and text of the measure.

The Properties command (Graphics tab) lets you change the background color as well
as the color, linetype and thickness of measure lines.
11. Click an edge:
The system detects whether the edge is a line, curve or arc, taking model accuracy
into account and displays the properties as set in the Measure Item Customization
dialog box.
12. Click Plane (under Surface) in the Measure
Item Customization dialog box, then click OK.

13. Click a planar face to obtain the equation of the plane.

A plane is recognized and is identified in the dialog box. The equation of a plane is: Ax
+ By + Cz + D=0.
 The Measure Item command lets you access the radius of an exact cylinder or
sphere.
The Measure Item command also recognizes ellipse-type conic sections.

Using the Other Selection... command in the contextual menu, you can access
the axis of a cylinder as well as the center of a sphere to, for example, measure
between two cylinder axes.
The number of decimal places, the display of trailing zeros and limits for
exponential notation is controlled by the Units tab in the Options dialog box
(Tools-> Options, General-> Parameters). For more information, see the
Infrastructure User's Guide.
Measuring Properties in a Local Axis System
For this part of the task, you will need a V5 axis system.
14. Check the Other Axis option in the Measure Item dialog box.
15. Select a V5 axis system in the specification tree or geometry area.
16. Make your measure.
Measure made with respect to local axis Same measure made with respect to
system: absolute axis system:
 All subsequent measures are made with respect to the selected axis system.
To change the axis system, click the Other Axis field and select another axis
system. To return to the main axis system, uncheck the Other Axis option.

This type of measure is associative: if you move the axis system, the measure
is impacted and can be updated.
17. Click OK when done.
Double-clicking an existing measure lets you re-edit the presentation of the measure,
review information in the dialog box or delete measures.

Associative Measures that can be Used as

Parameters

If you checked the Keep Measure option in the

Measure Item dialog box, your measures are
kept as features and your specification tree will
look something like this.
Measures:
Are persistent
Are associative:
If you modify a part or move a part in a
product structure context and the
measure is impacted, it will be identified
as not up-to-date. You can then update it
locally.
Valid in Design mode.
Can be used as parameters:
A set of parameters (area, center of
gravity, length, angle, etc.) is associated
to each measure feature in the
specification tree. Parameters can then
be used in formulas or to create
geometry.
 Measuring Inertia
This task explains how to measure the inertia properties of an object.
You can measure the inertia properties of both surfaces and volumes, as well as retrieve the density or surface
density if valuated from V4 model type documents. You can also retrieve inertia equivalents set in
Knowledgeware formulas.
The area, density, mass and volume (volumes only) of the object are also calculated.
Measures are persistent: a Keep Measure option in the Measure Inertia dialog box lets you keep the current
measure as a feature in the specification tree.
Note: This option is not available in the Drafting workbench.
For examples showing inertia properties measured on surfaces.

Insert the Valve.cgr document from the samples folder. It is to be found in the online documentation folder under
cfyug\samples.

1. Click the Measure Inertia icon.

In DMU, you can also select Analyze -> Measure Inertia from the menu bar.
The Measure Inertia dialog box appears:

Note: When you move the cursor over the geometry or specification tree, its appearance changes to reflect

the measure command you are in.

2. Click to select the desired item in the specification tree, for example Valve.
Selecting Items

In the geometry area, you can select individual faces and edges on cgr files and in Visualization mode.
Ctrl-click in the geometry area or the specification tree to add other items to the initial selection.
Shift-click in the specification tree to make a multiple selection.
Drag (using the left mouse button) to select items using the bounding outline.
Items must be completely inside the bounding outline; if not, they will not be selected.
Use the Group command to make your multiple selection.

Note: Only items of the same type can be included in a multiple selection or a bounding outline;
you cannot mix volumes and surfaces.
The Dialog Box expands to display the results
for the selected item.
The measure is made on the selection, geometry
or assembly. To measure the inertia of individual
sub-products making up an assembly and see
the results in the document window, you must
select the desired sub-product.
In our example, the item selected has no
sub-products.
 In addition to the center of gravity G, the principal
moments of inertia M and the matrix of inertia
calculated with respect to the center of gravity,
the dialog box also gives the area, volume
(volumes only), density and mass of the selected
item.
You can also compute and display the principal
axes A. To do so, you must first activate the
appropriate option in the Measure Inertia
Customization dialog box.

The density is that of the material, if any, applied to the part:

If no density is found, a default value is displayed. You can, if desired, edit this value. If you do so, all
the other inertia values are re-calculated. The default value is 1000 kg/m3 for volumes and 10 kg/m2 for
surfaces.
If sub-products have different densities, the wording Not uniform is displayed.

Notes:

You must be in design mode to access the density of parts to which materials have been
applied.
Density is a measure of an item's mass per unit volume expressed in kg/m3; surface
density is a measure of an item's mass per unit area expressed in kg/m2.
In the Geometry Area, axes of inertia are
highlighted and a bounding box parallel to the
axes and bounding the selected item also
appears.
Color coding of axes:
Red: axis corresponding to the first
moment M1
Green: axis corresponding to the second
moment M2
Blue: axis corresponding to third moment
M3.

3. Click Customize... to customize the inertia computation and define what will be exported to the text file.
 Customizing Your Measure

You can, at any time, define what will be

computed and displayed in the geometry area and
the dialog box. To do so, click Customize... in the
Measure Inertia dialog box.
Note: The inertia properties checked here are also
the properties exported to a text file.
Click the appropriate options to compute and
display the:

Inertia equivalents
Principal axes
Inertia matrix with respect to the origin O
Inertia matrix with respect to a point P
Inertia matrix with respect to an axis
system
Moment of inertia about an axis

4. Click OK in the Measure Inertia Customization dialog box when done.

5. Click Close in the Measure Inertia dialog box.
The number of decimal places, the display of trailing zeros and limits for exponential notation is controlled by
the Units tab in the Options dialog box (Tools ->Options, General ->Parameters).
6. Insert the Body1.cgr and the Body2.cgr documents from the samples folder.
7. Select the root product and click the Measure Inertia icon.
8. Click Export to write the results to a text (*.txt) file.
Results shown in the Measure Inertia dialog box only are exported. Exported results are given in current
units.

9. Identify the file name and location in the Export Results dialog box that appears.
Note: If the item selected comprises sub-products, individual results for all sub-products are also exported
and written to the text file. An example is shown below.
 If the principal axes A are exported, bounding box values are also exported.

where BBOx,y,z defines the origin and BBLx,y,z

the length along the corresponding axis.

Note: When importing the text file into an Excel spreadsheet, do not forget to identify the pipe character (|)
used as separator in the Text Import Wizard dialog box.
10. Click Close when done.
You can write a macro script to automate your task. See Space Analysis on the Automation Documentation
Home Page.
Associative Measures that can be Used as Parameters

If you checked the Keep Measure option in the

Measure Inertia dialog box, your measures are
kept as features and your specification tree will
look something like this.
Measures:
Are persistent
Are associative:
If you modify a part or move a part in a
product structure context and the measure
is impacted, it will be identified as not
up-to-date. You can then update it locally.
Valid in Design mode and for measures on
products selected in the specification tree
in Visualization mode.
Can be used as parameters:
A set of parameters (area, volume, mass,
center of gravity, etc.) is associated to
each measure feature in the specification
tree. Parameters can then be used in
formulas or to create geometry.
Handling Parts in a Multi-Document
Environment
In this task, you are going to copy a part body from one CATPart document to another,
then edit the initial part body. This scenario shows you how the application harmonizes
this type of ulterior modifications. Thanks to the underlying methodology, you can work in
concurrent engineering.

Open the MultiDocument1.CATPart document.

This scenario assumes there are two CATPart documents. Part2.CATPart is the
target document, Part1.CATPart contains the part body that will be copied, then
edited in Part2.
The part body to be copied looks like this:

1. Select Part Body.

2. Select the Edit -> Copy command to copy the part body.

Open a new CATPart document 'Part2.CATPart' and position the cursor anywhere in
3.
the specification tree.
4. Select the Edit -> Paste Special... command.
The Paste Special dialog box appears. Three paste options are available:
As specified in Part document: the object is copied as well as its design
specifications
As Result With Link: the object is copied without its design specifications and
the link is maintained between the reference and the copy.
As Result: the object is copied without its design specifications and there is no
link between the reference and the copy.

5.
For our scenario, select the As Result With Link option if not already selected, and
click OK .
Part Body is copied into the Part2.CATPart document. You will notice that the
specification tree displays it under the name of `Solid.1'.

A cube represents this solid.

6.
Now, if you wish, you can fillet four edges. You can actually perform any modification
you need.

7. Return into Part1.CATPart.

8. Use the Remove command to remove material from the part body.
9.
In the Part2.CATPart document, the cube graphic symbol used for Solid.1 in the tree
now contains a red point. This means that the initial Part Body underwent
transformations.

You can also notice that the update symbol is displayed next to Part2.

10. What you need to do is update the copied object. Just click Solid.1 in the specification
tree.

11. Select the Update command to update the whole part.

The Solid.1 object -> Update Link command lets you update the link between the
original part body and the new body.

The solid is updated to reflect the change: material is removed.

The specification tree indicates that the part body has integrated the modifications
made to the original part body.
 Powercopy

Create Powercopies: Select the Insert ->Advanced Replication Tools -> Powercopy
Creation command, select the elements making up the Powercopy from the
specification tree, define a name for the Powercopy and its reference elements then
choose an icon for identifying it.

Instantiate Powercopies: Select the Insert -> Advanced Replication Tools ->
PowerCopy Instantiate From Document... command, select the document or catalog
containing the powercopy, complete the Inputs within the dialog box selecting
adequate elements in the geometric area.

Save Powercopies into a Catalog: Select the Powercopy from the specification tree,
select the Insert -> Advanced Replication Tools -> Powercopy Save In Catalog...
command, enter the catalog name and click Open.
 Creating PowerCopies
This task shows how to create PowerCopy elements, to be reused later.
A PowerCopy is a set of features (geometric elements, formulas, constraints and so forth)
that are grouped in order to be used in a different context, and presenting the ability to be
completely redefined when pasted.
This PowerCopy captures the design intent and know-how of the designer thus enabling
greater reusability and efficiency.

Open the PowerCopyStart.CATPart document.

1. Select the Insert ->Advanced Replication Tools -> PowerCopy Creation menu item.
The Powercopy Definition dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the elements making up the PowerCopy from the specification tree. For the
purposes of our scenario, select "Part Body".
 The dialog box is automatically filled with information about the selected elements.

3. Define the PowerCopy as you wish to create it:

The Definition tab lets you assign a name to the powercopy and presents its
components in the 3D viewer. For example, enter "Test" in the Name: field.
4. The Inputs tab lets you define the reference elements making up the PowerCopy. You
can rename these elements for a clearer definition by selecting them in the viewer and
entering a new name in the Name field. In parentheses you still can read the elements'
default name based on its type. For example, select xy plane and rename it as
"Plane1".

The Parameters tab lets you define which of the parameter values used in the
PowerCopy you will be able to modify at instantiation time. This can be a value, or a
formula for example.
5. Simply select the parameters and check the Published button. In case of a formula,
you can set it to false or true. For example, select PartBody\Hole.1\Diameter
Use the Name field to give a more explicit name to this element. For example, enter
"Hole.1".

The Documents tab shows the complete path and role of Design tables that are
referenced by an element included in the Power Copy.

6. The Icon tab lets you modify the icon identifying the PowerCopy in the specifications
tree. A subset of icons is available from the Icon choice button. If you click ... the Icon
Browser opens, showing all icons loaded on your CATIA session. Click the envelope

icon .
7.
The Grab screen button lets you capture an image of the PowerCopy to be stored with
its definition. Click the Grab screen button. You can zoom in or out the image to adjust
it.

8.
Click the Remove preview button if you do not need this image.

9.
Click OK to create the PowerCopy.
The PowerCopy is displayed close to the top of the specification tree.
 Double-click "Test" in the specification tree to display the PowerCopy Definition dialog
box and edit its contents.

A Few Recommendations

As far as possible, minimize the number of elements making up the Powercopy.

When defining Powercopies including sketches, use profiles constrained with respect to
edges or faces rather than to planes. Additionally, set the option Create geometrical
constraints off before sketching. Generally speaking, it is always preferable to use
profiles both rigid and mobile.

Avoid constraining your 2D elements with respect to HV absolute axis. The result you
obtain after instanciating the powercopy could be unstable. Actually, you cannot control
the position of the origin of the absolute axis nor its orientation.
It is preferable to constrain elements with respect to external references such as faces,
edges, reference or explicit planes:

It is preferable not to use projections nor intersections in your sketch if you want to use
your sketch in a Powercopy.
Avoid constraints defined with respect to reference planes.

Before creating your powercopies, make sure that your sketch is not over-constrained.

Generally speaking, it is always preferable to use profiles both rigid and mobile. Make
sure that your sketch is iso-constrained (green color). You can use non-iso-constrained
sketches, but it will be more difficult to understand and control the result after
instantiation.
 Instantiating PowerCopies

This task shows how to instantiate Power Copies once they have been created as
described in Creating PowerCopies.
There are two ways of doing this:
using the PowerCopy Instantiate From Document command
using a catalog

Open the PowerCopyDestination.CATPart document.

Using the PowerCopy Instantiate From Document command

1. Select the Insert -> Instantiate From Document... command.

The Select PowerCopy dialog box is displayed allowing you to navigate to the
document or catalog where the powercopy is stored. Navigate to C:\Program
Files\Dassault Systemes\B08doc\online\prtug\samples directory.

2. Select the document containing the Powercopy, i.e. PowerCopyResults.CATPart.

The Insert Object dialog box is displayed.
Use the Reference list to choose the correct PowerCopy when several have been
defined in the document.
3.
Complete the Inputs within the dialog box by selecting the adequate element in the
geometric area: select Pad1's upper face as the planar element replacing Plane1.
4. Click on the Use identical name button to automatically select all the elements with the
same name. Here, zx plane and yz plane are selected.
This is especially useful when the input is the same one repeated several time.

5.
Click on the Parameters button to display the Parameters dialog box.

6. Enter 18mm as the new diameter value.

 You can use the Create formulas button to automatically create a formula on every
parameters with the same name provided there are any.

7. Click OK to confirm the operation and close the dialog box.

The Documents button lets you access the list of documents (such as design tables)
pointed by one of the elements making up the Power copy.
If there are documents, the Documents dialog box opens and you can click the
Replace button to display the File Selection dialog box and navigate to a new design
table to replace the initial one.
When no document is referenced, the Documents button is grayed within the Insert
Object dialog box.

8. Click OK to create the PowerCopy instance.

The PowerCopy is instantiated in context, meaning its limits are automatically

re-defined taking into account the elements on which it is instantiated.

Check the Repeat option to be able to repeat the instantiation. In this case,
once you have clicked OK in the Insert Object dialog box, the latter remains
open, the PowerCopy's Inputs are listed and ready to be replaced by new
inputs, as described above. To exit the command, uncheck the Repeat button
or click Cancel.
 Once instantiated, powercopies are no more linked to the original PowerCopies used
to define them.

Using a catalog

You need to have a catalog available, created either:

using the Catalog capability, see CATIA- Infrastructure User's guide Version 5
using the Insert -> Advanced Replication Tools -> PowerCopy Save In
Catalog... Instantiation menu item.
1.
Click the icon.
If accessing a catalog for the first time, you need to navigate to the catalog location.
This location is stored in the settings for faster access later on.

2. Select the catalog containing the PowerCopy you wish to instantiate.

3. Select the PowerCopy to be instantiated, then you can:
drag and drop it onto the reference element
double-click the PowerCopy
or right-click on the PowerCopy in the dialog box and use the Instantiate
contextual menu.

From then on, you instantiate the PowerCopy as described above starting on step 3.
Saving Power Copies into a Catalog
This task shows you how to store Power Copy elements into a catalog, for later use as
described in Instantiating a PowerCopy.

Open the PowerCopyResults.CATPart document.

1. Select the PowerCopy from the specification tree for example.

2. Choose the Insert -> Advanced Replication Tools -> PowerCopy Save In Catalog...
menu item.
The Catalog Save dialog box is displayed:

When creating a catalog for the first time, click the ... button to display the Open
dialog box, and navigate to the location where you wish to create a catalog.
Then simply key in the catalog name and click Open.

If you wish to add a PowerCopy to an existing catalog, simply activate the Update an
existing catalog option in the Catalog Save dialog box.
By default, the Catalog Save dialog box recalls the catalog accessed last.

3. Click OK.
The PowerCopy has been stored in the catalog.
 Reusing Your Design

Capabilities Purposes

Provides a quick way of reusing simple features or

Copy and Paste bodies. This command is to be used when you need to
rework one specification or no specifications at all.
Provides a quick way of reusing simple features or
Cut and Paste bodies. This command is to be used when you need to
rework one specification or no specifications at all.

Drag and Drop Provides a quick way of copying simple features or

bodies at different locations.

Paste Special Reuses bodies with or without their specifications.

Paste as Result with Link If this option is used, only the geometry is copied, not
the specifications. Pasted bodies reflect the changes to
the initial bodies. This command is mostly used in a
multi-model environment.
As specified in Part If this option is used, bodies are pasted as well as their
Document design specifications. The capability is the same as the
commonly used Copy and Paste command

Creates several identical features from one feature or

Rectangular Pattern more or even from bodies, and simultaneously
positions them on an part.
Circular Pattern You position instances with respect to a rectangular or
circular grid, or using sketched points.
User Pattern
 Creates a set of features (geometric elements,
PowerCopy formulas, constraints and so on) that are grouped in
order to be used in a different context. You can
completely redefine these entities when you paste
them. As it captures the design intent and know-how of
the designer, it enables greater reusability and
efficiency.We recommend you to use this command for
bodies, features, sketches and design tables that
require new specifications.
To benefit from the best level of performance in the
long term, use this capability to enrich your feature
catalogs.

User Defined Feature Creates hybrid features, intended to be stored in

catalogs and instantiated later on. For more
information, please refer to CATIA-Product Knowledge
Template User's Guide Version 5.
 Cutting, Copying and Pasting

The steps below describe how to cut and paste or how to copy and paste Part Design
features.
We recommend you to use these commands when you do not need to re-specify the
features you paste or if you do so, these features should not require too many
specifications. Basically, you should use these commands for simple features.

1. Select the object you want to cut or copy.

2. To cut, you can either:

click the Cut icon

select the Edit->Cut command
select the Cut command in the contextual menu, or
in the geometry area or the specification tree, drag the selection (although not a
graphical cut, this is equivalent to the cut operation).

This places what you cut in the clipboard.

To copy, you can either:

click the Copy icon

select the Edit->Copy command
select the Copy command in the contextual menu or
in the geometry area or the specification tree, press and hold down the Ctrl key
and drag the selection.

This places what you cut in the clipboard.

3. To paste, you can either:

click the Paste icon

select the Edit->Paste command
select the Paste command in the contextual menu, or
in the geometry area or the specification tree, drop what you are dragging (see
above).
Dragging and dropping objects (features or bodies) onto objects (features or bodies) is
a quick way to copy objects too. Note however, that the option Enable Drag-Drop must
be on to use the capability.

In the example below, the second body is a copy of Part Body. The user just modified
the profile.
 Part Design Workbench
The Part Design 5 window looks like this:
Click the sensitive areas to see the related documentation.
 Part Design Menu Bar
Sketch-Based Features
Dress-Up Features
Surface-Based Features
Transformation Features
Reference Elements
Boolean Operations
Sketcher Toolbar
Measure
Constraints
Analysis
Annotations
Tools

Symbols Used in the Specification Tree

 Part Design Menu Bar
This section presents the main menu bar tools and commands dedicated to Part Design.

Start File Edit View Insert Tools Windows Help

Edit

For... See...

Update Updating Parts

Cut Cutting, Copying, Pasting

Copy
Paste

Handling Parts in a Multi-Document

Paste Special... Environment

Specification Tree

Delete Deleting Features

Properties Displaying and Editing Properties

Scan or Define in Work Scanning the Part and Defining Local

Object... Objects
XXX object... Redefining Feature Parameters
Displaying and Editing Properties

Reordering Features
Insert
For... See...

Body Inserting a New Body

Annotations Annotations

Constraints Setting Constraints

Sketcher... Sketcher User's Guide

Axis System... Axis System

Sketch-Based Features Creating Sketch-Based Features

Dress-Up Features Creating Dress-Up Features

Creating Surface-Based
Surface-Based Features
Features
Creating Transformation
Transformation Features
Features

Boolean Operations Associating Bodies

Advanced Replication Tools PowerCopy

CATIA-Product Knowledge
User Feature
Template User's Guide

Instantiate From Document... Instantiating PowerCopies

Tools
For... See...

Parent/Children Parent and

Children

Options... Customizing

Publication... Publish an
Element:
 Sketch-Based Features Toolbar

The Sketch-Based features toolbar is available in extended or compact display mode. To

choose your display mode, use the View -> Toolbars -> Sketch-Based Feature
(Extended/Compact) command.

See Groove
See Pad

See Drafted Filleted Pad See Hole

See Pocket See Rib

See Slot
See Drafted Filleted Pocket

See Shaft See Stiffener

See Multi-Pad See Loft

See Multi-Pocket See Remove Loft

 Dress-Up Features Toolbar

See Edge Fillet See Draft from Reflect Lines

See Variable Radius Fillet See Variable Angle Draft

See Face-Face Fillet See Advanced Draft

See Tritangent Fillet See Shell

See Chamfer See Thickness

See Basic Draft See Thread

 Surface-Based Features Toolbar

This toolbar is available in extended or compact display mode. To choose your display mode,
use the View -> Toolbars -> Surface-Based Feature (Extended/Compact) command.

See Split See Close Surface

See Thick Surface See Sew Surface

Transformation Features Toolbar

See Translation See Rectangular Pattern

See Rotation See Circular Pattern

See Symmetry See User Pattern

See Mirror See Scaling

 Reference Elements Toolbar

You can display the Reference Elements toolbar using the View -> Tool bars -> Reference
Elements (extended/compact) command.

See Points

See Lines

See Planes
 Boolean Operations Toolbar

These toolbars are optional. You can display it using the View -> Toolbars commands.

See Assembling Bodies See Trimming Bodies

See Adding Bodies See Keeping and Removing Faces

See Removing Bodies See Inserting a New Body

See Intersecting Bodies

 Sketcher Toolbar

See CATIA-Dynamic Sketcher User's Guide Version 5.

 Measure Toolbar

See Measure Minimum Distances and Angles

See Measure Elements

See Measure Inertia:

 Constraints Toolbar

See Setting Constraints

See Setting Constraints Defined in Dialog Box

 Analysis Toolbar

See Performing a Draft Analysis

See Curvature Analysis

See Tap-Thread Analysis

 Annotations Toolbar

See Creating Textual Annotations

See Creating Flag Notes

 Tools Toolbar

See Updating Parts

See Axis System

See Mean Dimensions

See Creating Datums

See Infrastructure User's guide Version 5 (Browsing a Catalog)

 Customizing
This section describes the different types of setting customization you can perform. All tasks
described here deal with permanent setting customization. These tasks are:

Constraints

Tree and Geometry Views

General Settings

CATPart Document
Customizing Constraint Appearance
This task shows you how to customize the display and style of the constraints defined in
your document.

1. Select the Tools->Options command.

The Options dialog box is displayed.

2. Click General category, then the Parameters category, then click the tab Symbols.
This tab lets you customize:

Constraint Style
Dimension Style
Display at Creation

Note that a Preview glyph displays your preferences as you are specifying them.
Constraint Style
3. To set the colors where
appropriate, click the arrow of
the constraint type combo box.
A list appears containing the
current color and the colors
available by default.
You can define a personal color
too. See CATIA for more
information.
4. Choose any of these colors.

5. To choose between the constraints you wish to see or not in the geometry area, click
the Filter button.
The Constraint Filter dialog box contains filter options available for all the constraints that
can be defined for the geometry.
The Filter frame contains three options:
Show all: shows all the constraints
Hide all: hides all the constraints
Conditional Filter: once activated, it makes the options of the Status Filter frame
available. You can then decide whether you wish to display the constraint status or
not, or display unverified or verified constraints. It also makes the Filter by Type
options available. You can then decide the constraint types you wish to display by
checking the appropriate options.

The Product frame contains the Show on active product option. If activated, this option
displays the constraints defined on the active product. This option is specific to Assembly
Design workbench.
6. Uncheck the constraints you do not wish to display and click OK to confirm.
Dimension Style
7. Set the Scale option to Large. This defines the size of the symbols for tangency and
parallelism constraints. You can set:

Small
Medium
Large

8. Check Displays iconified constraint elements. This option increases the number of
graphic symbols you can see in the geometry area. For example, you can see symmetry
axes.

9. Check Highlight pointed elements to make sure the application highlights the
constrained elements when their constraints are pointed to.

10. Enter a value to define the gap between construction lines and geometric elements.
For example, enter 5mm.

The default gap is 2mm. The glyph previews the new gap.

11. Enter a value to define the overrun between construction lines and geometric
elements. For example, enter 9mm.

The glyph previews the new

overrun.
 Display at Creation

12. The Display mode option lets you choose between four options:

- 'Value': only the constraint (or

parameter) value is displayed.

- 'Name': only the constraint (or

parameter) name is displayed.
- 'Name + Value': the constraint
(or parameter) name and value
are both displayed.

- 'Name + Value (formula)': the

constraint (or parameter) name
and value are displayed as well
as the possible formula defined
for this constraint.

Whatever mode you choose, it applies to all constraints you are creating. However, you
can edit each constraint individually by using the contextual commands available
(xxxobject -> Value Display or Name Display or Name/Value Display).

12. Click OK to confirm the operation and quit the Options dialog box.
Customizing the Tree and Geometry
Views
This task shows you how to control the display of the elements you create in the
specification tree. It also shows you how to control the display of features in the geometry
area.

1. Select the Tools -> Options command.

The Options dialog box is displayed.

2. Click the Mechanical Design category, then the Part Design subcategory, then the
Display tab.
The tab appears, containing two categories of options:

Specification tree
Geometry
 Specification tree

There are six options available for customizing the Specification tree display.
External References
Constraints
Parameters (created using the Knowledge Advisor capability. If you
wish to know what parameters and relations are, refer to the CATIA
Knowledge Advisor Users Guide Version 5
Relations
Bodies under operations (operations attaching bodies in different ways
(Add, Assemble, Remove, Intersect, Union Trim). This option is
available only with Part Design application. For more, refer to
"Associating Bodies" in the CATIA Part Design Users Guide Version 5.
Sketches (If the Sketches option is checked, the sketches are
displayed in the specification tree during creation. If unchecked,
sketches are present in the tree but you need to use the expand
capability)

Geometry

There is one option available for customizing the geometry display. The Only the current
operated solid option is used when editing features belonging to attached bodies only. It
lets you display only the features of the current body. This option is available only with
Part Design application.
 Customizing General Settings
This task shows you how to set general settings.

1. Select the Tools -> Options... command.

2. Click the Mechanical Design category, then the Part Design subcategory, then the
General tab.

The tab appears, containing three categories of options:

External References
Update
Delete Operation
 External References

- Checking the Keep link with selected object option lets you maintain the links between
external references, copied elements for example, and their origins when you are editing
these elements. This option is used as you are editing parts included in assemblies. For
more about designing parts in assembly context, refer to the CATIA Assembly Design
Users Guide Version 5.
If later you need to cut the link between external references and their origin, you just
need to use the Isolate command.
- Check Create external references in Show mode to define the visualization mode for
the elements while they are being created.
- Check Confirm when creating a link with selected object
- Check Only use published elements for external selection if you want to make only
published elements valid for selection.

Update

- Check Manual: you wish to control your update operations.

- Check Automatic: parts are updated automatically
-
- Check Synchronize all external references for update to make sure that CATIA updates
elements copied from other parts. Synchronizing assumes that all modifications to the
other parts affect external references included in your part. If this option is deactivated,
the application will update your part only.

Delete Operation

- Check Display the Delete dialog box if you wish to access filters for deletion (see
"Deleting Features" in the CATIA Part Design Users Guide Version 5).
- Check Delete referenced sketches if you wish to delete sketches associated to features
while you are deleting those features. Sketches will be deleted only if they are exclusive,
which means that if they are shared by other features, they will not be deleted.
 Customizing a CATPart document

This task shows you how to set general settings.

1. Select the Tools -> Options... command.

2. Click the Mechanical Design category, then the Part Document subcategory, then the
General tab.

The tab appears, containing two categories of options:

New Part
CGR previsualization

New Part

Check Create an Axis System when creating a new part if you wish to create a
three-axis system which origin point is defined by the intersection of the three default
planes that is plane xy, plane yz, and plane zx. When the CATPart is open, the axis
system is displayed both in the geometry and in the specification tree. For more
information about the Axis System capability, refer to CATIA - Part Design User's Guide.
 CGR previsualization

- Check Save a CGR previsualization if you wish to save the CGR format whithin the
CATPart format when you are saving your part. This option lets you improve
performance when working in Assembly Design workbench. It also ensures that the data
contained in the CGR format and the data contained in the CATPart format are similar at
a given time.
- Conversely, check Don't save a CGR previsualization if you do not wish to save the
data contained in the CATPart document in CGR format. You can then choose to remove
the existing CGR previsualization or not by checking Clean existing CGR
previsualization.
 Glossary
B
body See part body.

C
chamfer A cut through the thickness of the feature at an angle, giving a sloping edge.
child A status defining the genealogical relationship between a feature or element and
another feature or element. For instance, a pad is the child of a sketch. See also
parent.
constraint A geometric or dimension relation between two elements.

D
draft angle A feature provided with a face with an angle and a pulling direction.

F
feature A component of a part. For instance, shafts, fillets and drafts are features.
fillet A curved surface of a constant or variable radius that is tangent to, and that joins
two surfaces. Together, these three surfaces form either an inside corner or an
outside corner.

G
groove A feature corresponding to a cut in the shape of a revolved feature.

H
hole A feature corresponding to an opening through a feature. Holes can be simple,
tapered, counterbored, countersunk, or counterdrilled.

M
mirror A feature created by duplicating an initial feature. The duplication is defined by
symmetry.
 P
pad A feature created by extruding a profile.
parent A status defining the genealogical relationship between a feature or element and
another feature or element. For instance, a pad is the parent of a draft.
part A 3D entity obtained by combining different features.
part body A component of a part made of one or several features.
pattern A set of similar features repeated in the same feature or part.
pocket A feature corresponding to an opening through a feature. The shape of the opening
corresponds to the extrusion of a profile.
profile An open or closed shape including arcs and lines created by the profile command
in the Sketcher workbench.

R
reorder An operation consisting in reorganizing the order of creation of the features.
rib A feature obtained by sweeping a profile along a center curve.

S
scaling An operation that resizes features to a percentage of their initial sizes.
shaft A revolved feature
shell A hollowed out feature
sketch A set of geometric elements created in the Sketcher workbench. For instance, a
sketch may include a profile, construction lines and points.
slot A feature consisting of a passage through a part obtained by sweeping a profile
along a center curve.
split A feature created by cutting a part or feature into another part or feature using a
plane or face.
stiffener A feature used for reinforcing a feature or part.
 Index

A
Activate
contextual command
Add
command
Advanced Draft
command
AFNOR
Analysis
toolbars
angle
annotations
Annotations
toolbars
Apply Material
command
Assemble
command
associating
body
automatic
Update
B
blue
body
associating
editing
name
Boolean operation
Boolean Operations
toolbars

C
canceling
Update
catalog
CATPart documents
cavity
Chamfer
command
Change Body
contextual command
Change Sketch Support
contextual command
Change to XXX
contextual command
children
Circular Pattern
command
Close Surface
 command
coincidence
command
Add
Advanced Draft
Apply Material
Assemble
Chamfer
Circular Pattern
Close Surface
Constraint
Constraint Defined in Dialog Box
Copy
Create Datum
Curvature Analysis
Cut
Deactivate
Draft Analysis
Draft Angle
Draft from Reflect Lines
Drafted Filleted Pad
Drafted Filleted Pocket
Edge Fillet
Extract
Face-Face Fillet
Flag Note
Groove
Hole
Insert Body
Intersect
Local Axis
Loft
Mean Dimensions
Measure Inertia
Mirror
Multi-Pad
Multi-Pocket
Pad
Parent/Children
Paste
Pocket
PowerCopy Creation
PowerCopy Instantiate From Document
PowerCopy Save in Catalog
Publication
Rectangular Pattern
Remove
Remove Loft
Remove Lump
Rib
Rotate
Scaling
Scan or Define in Work Object
Sew Surface
Shaft
Shell
 Slot
Split
Stiffener
Symmetry
Tap/Thread Analysis
Thick Surface
Thickness
Thread/Tap
Translation
Tritangent Fillet
Union Trim
Update
User Pattern
Variable Radius Fillet
compass
complex profile
concentricity constraint
Constraint Defined in Dialog Box
command
Constraint
command
constraint
deactivating/activating
editing
hole
name
reference
renaming
 setting
type
Constraints
toolbars
contextual command
Activate
Change Body
Change Sketch Support
Change to XXX
Deactivate
Definition
Definition...
Delete...
Edit Parameters
Explode Pattern
Go to Profile
Hide Children
Hide Parents
Paste Special
Properties
Reorder
Replace
Show All Children
Show All Parents
Show Children
Show Parents
Show Parents and Children
Update Link
 controlled by reference
Copy
command
counterbored
Hole
counterdrilled
Hole
countersunk
Hole
Create Datum
command
creating
feature
cube
Curvature Analysis
command
customizing
Part Design workbench
Cut
command

D
datum
Deactivate
command
contextual command
deactivated
feature
deactivating/activating
 constraint
Definition...
contextual command
Definition
contextual command
Delete...
contextual command
deleting
feature
pattern
density
part
difficulties
Draft Angle
distance
Draft Analysis
command
Draft Angle
command
difficulties
neutral element
parting element
pulling direction
Draft from Reflect Lines
command
parting element
Drafted Filleted Pad
command
drafting
filleting
 neutral element
Drafted Filleted Pocket
command
drafting
filleting
drafting
Drafted Filleted Pad
Drafted Filleted Pocket
dress-up features
Dress-Up Features
toolbars

E
Edge Fillet
command
inside corner
Edit Parameters
contextual command
editing
body
constraint
feature
part
pattern
entering
Part Design workbench
Explode Pattern
contextual command
exploding
 User Pattern
external reference
Extract
command
extrusion

F
Face-Face Fillet
command
feature list
feature
creating
deactivated
deleting
editing
parameter
positioning
file
filleting
filleting
Drafted Filleted Pad
Drafted Filleted Pocket
Fix/Unfix
Flag Note
command
flat end
Hole
formula
G
Gaussian curvature
Go to Profile
contextual command
Groove
command

H
Hide Children
contextual command
Hide Parents
contextual command
Hole
command
hole
constraint
Hole
counterbored
counterdrilled
countersunk
flat end
locating
pointed end
simple
tapered
threading
 up to next
up to plane
up to surface
V-bottom

I
Insert Body command
Insert Body
command
inside corner
Edge Fillet
instance
interrupting
Update
Intersect
command

L
length
Local Axis
command
locating
Hole
Loft
command
M
manual
Update
material mode
Mean Dimensions
command
Measure Inertia
command
Measure
toolbars
Mirror
command
multi-document environment
Multi-Pad
command
Multi-Pocket
command

N
name
body
constraint
part
neutral element
Draft Angle
Drafted Filleted Pad
nominal dimension
not normal
 Pad

O
offset
open profiles
Pocket
Rib

P
Pad
command
not normal
up to last
up to next
up to plane
up to surface
parallelism
parameter
feature
Parent/Children
command
parentheses
parents
Part Design workbench
customizing
entering
part
 density
editing
name
parting element
Draft Angle
Draft from Reflect Lines
Paste Special
contextual command
Paste
command
pattern
deleting
editing
perpendicularity
pink
Pocket command
Pocket
command
open profiles
up to next
pointed end
Hole
positioning
feature
PowerCopy Creation
command
PowerCopy Instantiate From Document
command
PowerCopy Save in Catalog
command
 profile
properties
Properties
contextual command
Publication
command
pulling direction
pulling direction
Draft Angle

R
Rectangular Pattern
command
red
reference element
Reference Elements
toolbars
reference
constraint
Remove Loft
command
Remove Lump
command
Remove
command
renaming
constraint
rendering style
Reorder
 contextual command
Replace
contextual command
Rib
command
open profiles
Rotate
command

S
Scaling
command
Scan or Define in Work Object
command
setting
constraint
Sew Surface
command
Shaft
command
Shell
command
Show All Children
contextual command
Show All Parents
contextual command
Show Children
contextual command
Show Parents and Children
contextual command
Show Parents
contextual command
simple
Hole
sketch
sketch-based features
Sketched-Based Features
toolbars
Sketcher
Sketcher command
Sketcher
toolbars
Slot
command
solid
specification tree
spine
Variable Radius Fillet
Split
command
standards
Stiffener
command
surface-based features
Surface-Based Features
toolbars
symbols
Symmetry
command
T
tangency
Tap/Thread Analysis
command
tapered
Hole
text
Thick Surface
command
Thickness
command
Thread/Tap
command
threading
Hole
tolerance
toolbar
Tools
toolbars
Analysis
Annotations
Boolean Operations
Constraints
Dress-Up Features
Measure
Reference Elements
Sketched-Based Features
Sketcher
 Surface-Based Features
Transformation Features
Tools
toolbar
transformation features
Transformation Features
toolbars
Translation
command
Tritangent Fillet
command
type
constraint

U
Union Trim
command
up to last
Pad
up to next
Hole
Pad
Pocket
up to plane
Hole
Pad
up to surface
Hole
Pad
 Update Link
contextual command
Update
automatic
canceling
command
interrupting
manual
User Pattern
command
exploding

V
Variable Radius Fillet
command
spine
V-bottom
Hole

W
wireframe geometry