Orientation of a mechanical welding profile

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Hello

I am developing an add-in for Solidworks to make the optimized baring of mechanically welded elements.

So far, no particular problem.

But a stupid idea came to me...

I would like to add for non-symmetrical profiles (cut with an angle different from 0°) if they are cut on the edge or flat and if they need to be rotated in the case of two non-parallel cuts.

I tried to go through the bounding box of a body but the information doesn't change depending on the orientation.

At worst, I'll look for a way to create a miniature of the body, but they still have the problem of orientation.

If anyone has an idea, I'm all for it.

FYI, I'll put the add-in up for download once it's finished and tested.

Kind regards.

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Hi @ Yves.T

I think the problem is the number of columns on the nomenclature 

It will be necessary to create columns for the sections and that the value of the angles be indicated 

either 0 / 360 or + and -

I'm looking forward to this new add-in

@+

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A little thing off topic but the add ins you create you make tutorials? It would be nice to have a place to share them.

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To display the image, I don't really have a problem, in the add-in, I go through a tooltip that displays the image when hovering over the profile in a list. In the export to excel, I add a column and paste the image into it.

I found a solution to recover a miniature of the body. I isolate it, put it in wireframe with hidden lines, activate the iso view and save in jpeg. It works more or less well but I'll come back to it.

Another solution I thought of is to create a MEP with three identical views of each body, to see if we can save the views in an image format. (I haven't tested)

@Ac cobra 427: No, I didn't do a tutorial, it's long to code and long to test. But it's an idea.

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It seems very nice to follow 

@+ ;-)

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Hello

I currently use an Excel that I have to fill in by hand. Now your thing seems to be rocking.

If you need the excel, say so.

may the force be with you.

 

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That's also how the company I just joined works...

I just made a welded construction of 784 bodies (sheet metal and profiles included), I can't see myself going to sort through all this knowing that no profile has the same lengths and cutting angles:)

I would have done modules but the model is parametric. It is a wall covering in a vehicle ramp that also serves as a railing on the ground floor.

Then when I see the clarity of the excel file of the bar setting, you have to have done 10 years of studies to know which piece to put in which bar:)

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Small parenthesis, for complicated or very large chassis, or with complex sheet metal shapes, there is indeed the method of going through an ASM, and managing each body in a PRT.

 

But there is also the "Hybrid (ASM and PRT)" method,

which allows the profiles to be kept parametric (Const.Welded function),

and manage each important part in a PRT,

with in the end a nomenclature (tablutation type) and auto registration (flat or not).

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I use axemble's Cuttingoptimization.

For the operation, it works like this:

To import the flows, click on a welded construction table.

The software retrieves the different sections of tube or profile.

We tick the box of the tube to be recovered.

It imports all the flows, quantities and cuts.

On the other hand, for the orientation, you have to click on each line and choose the orientation for the cut

I'm attaching the help of this Axemble software if it can help you develop what you want or if you prefer you subscribe to the Axemble tools!

I'm an Axemble reseller but there are many very nice softwares.


cuttingoptimization_fr.chm
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Just to keep you updated:

I'm almost done with the add in.

I haven't yet found a solution to automatically retrieve the orientation of a mechanically welded element (I just create thumbnails in iso view)

I only coded one algorithm for optimization (greedy algorithm by descending sorting)

I added the export in DWG and/or DXF for the flat sheet metal

I've created a function that names the bodies in the welded parts list and adds this information to their custom properties.

And finally, I added an export function in STL or other format of the bodies for laser tube.

In due course, I will ask 2 people from the site to please test the add-in to check how it works.

See you :)

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Hello

After a long period of absence, I didn't take the time to move forward on the subject.

I'll try to get back to it soon.