Dialog: Function-Block: Design-Set

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Dialog: Function-Block: Design-Set

Design-Set FB

See Add Design-Set

Use Design-Sets to edit a number of dimensions and parameters in one place - the Design-Set.

Add to a Design-Set those dimensions and parameters that you believe to be important to the outcome of a design-objective. You can add more than one Design-Set to the model.

Question:

Why use a Design-Set?

Answers: Three(3) good reasons:

A.Frequently, you will edit many times the same dimensions and parameters to improve a design objective. With a Design-Set, you can edit them to the Design Set interface, and edit them continually.

B.If you need to open the model after a period of time, the Design-Set will remind you of which dimensions and parameters are important to your design. Also, you can give your model to a different engineer, and tell him to ONLY edit the dimensions and parameters in the Design-Set.

C.When dimensions are in a Design-Set, you cannot edit them in the model. A Design-Set can prevent accidental changes to the model. Also, you can edit those dimensions to a Design-Set specifically to prevent you editing them.

IMPORTANT

After you add a dimension to a Design-Set, you CAN ONLY use the Design-Set to edit that dimension.

To edit a dimension in the Part-Editor again, you must delete the dimension from the Design-Set.

A dimension that is in the Design-Set is gray in the Part-Editor - to indicate you cannot edit it.

Top-Tip:

1.Rename each Dimension to a function-name, to help you recognize it in the Design-Set. Rename each Design-Set to remind of its design-objective.

See Show Dimension-Names , and Show Function-Block Names

2.You cannot edit dimensions and parameters in the normal way when they are in the Design-Set. Thus, why not add dimension and parameters that you want to protect in the model - and rename it Do NOT edit, as a warning!

How to open the Design-Set FB dialog-box

MD-Icon-FB-DesignSet

Edit the Design-Set FB

1.Double-click the Design-Set FB in the graphic-area

- or -

1.See How to Open a Dialog-Box  

The Design-Set dialog-box is now open.

Design-Set dialog-Box

tog_minusDesign-Set toolbar
Design-Set - LOCKED

Design-Set - LOCKED

Design-Set - UNLOCKED

Design-Set - UNLOCKED

When you open the Design-Set dialog-box, the toolbar is locked. It is NOT active.

The Design-Set toolbar icons - when active -are:

Red-14-1 : Add element-row

Red-14-2 : Delete element-row

Red-14-3 : Padlock : Lock / Unlock Toggle

Red-14-4 : Rebuild Model

Red-14-5 : MD-Ok-Bar-16 OK, Close, Undo Edits, Help

To enable the Design-Set toolbar icons

1.Click the Padlock iconRed-14-3.

The icons and the Design-Set in the toolbar become colorized and active.
btn_delkeywordAdd or Delete Element-Rows
Design-Set - 2 Element Rows

Design-Set - 2 Element Rows

To add Element-Rows

1.Click the PadlockRed-14-3 - the toolbar is now colorized.

2.Click Add Element-RowRed-14-1 one time for each dimension or parameter you want to add to the Design-Set.

In the image above, there are two Element-RowsRed-14-6Red-14-7.

The active Element-Row.

The active Element-rowRed-14-6 has a white box around its perimeter.

To make a different Element Row the active Element-Row:

1.Click in the Select in graphicsRed-14-7 label - or the parameter name

To delete an Element-Row

1.Click the Select in Graphics label to make it the active Element-Row

2.Click Delete Element-RowRed-14-2
btn_delkeywordLink a Dimension to an Element-Row
MD-Dialog-DesignSet-DimSelected

1.If necessary, open the Design-Set dialog-box

2.Click the Select in graphics label of an Element-Row, so that it becomes the active Element-Row.

3.Edit a Part

4.Click the arrowhead of a dimension in the Part-Editor

Result:

The Dimension nameRed-14-1 replaces the Select in graphics (DimPtoP4)

The Dimension Units name replace the Property Value (DimUnits)

The Dimension valueRed-14-2 replaces the Property Value (42.87580515)

The Locked PadlockRed-14-3 becomes colorized. In this state, you cannot overwrite this Element-Row.

The next Element-Row becomes the Active Element-Row (a white box is around the Element-Row)
tog_minusMaximum and Minimum 'Hard-Limits'

Maximum and Minimum 'Hard-Limits'

It is frequently useful to set maximum and minimum limits for each dimension or parameter in the Design-Set.

MD-Dialog-DesignSet-DimSelected-Min-Max Limits

To set the Maximum and Minimum limits:

1.Click the up/down arrow Min-Max buttonRed-14-4 - see image above

The Minimum and Maximum data-boxes becomes active.

2.Edit the Minimum and Maximum values.

3.Continue to edit the DimensionRed-14-2 - but now it cannot be less-than or more-than the Minimum or Maximum values, respectively...
tog_minusReplace a Dimension or Parameter

To replace a Dimension or Parameter in an Element-Row with a different Dimension or Parameter.

1.Click the Dimension name to make it the Active Element-Row.

2.Click the Locked PadlockRed-14-3 so that it becomes Grey Unlocked Padlock.

3.Click a different Dimension in the graphic-area.

4.Click the Grey Unlocked Padlock so it be becomes the Locked PadlockRed-14-3 again.

Parameter Lists in different Element-Types:

In addition to dimensions, you can link parameters from dialog-boxes for different element types.

For example: Parameters for FBs, Parameters for a Gear-Pair, Parameters for a CAD-Line, and more.

btn_delkeyword        Link a Parameter (from a dialog-box) with an Element-Row

Select the Element-Type:

1.Open the Design-Set dialog-box

2.Click the Element-Row to make it the Active Element-Row

3.Click the Padlock icon, to unlock the Design-Set.

4.Click the element-type in the graphic-area or the Assembly-Tree

If the Element-Type has only one(1) Parameter

The Parameter passes immediately into the Element Row.

If the Element-Type has two(2) or more Parameters:

A box opens with a list of Parameters that you can select.

See below: 'Parameter Lists in different-elements' below. If you cannot identify the Parameter from its name, then do not use it.

1.Click the Parameter in the list

2.Click the OK-tiny-13-17 button to close the Parameter box

The Parameter name and its value shows in the Element-Row in the Design-Set.

Available Element-Types and their Parameters

btn_delkeywordLinear-Motion Function-Block

When you click a Linear Motion FB, you add:

•Linear Motion as the Element Name

•OutputStart_Units as the parameter.

OutputStart_Units ≡ Start-Angle parameter in the Linear-Motion dialog-box.
btn_delkeywordMotion-Dimension Function-Block

When you click a Motion-Dimension FB, you add:

Mot-Dim Rocker (or Slider) as the Element Name

BaseUnits as the parameter

BaseUnits ≡ Base-Value in the Motion-Dimension dialog-box.
btn_delkeywordGearing Function-Block
MD-Dialog-DesignSet-GearingFBParameters
btn_delkeywordGear-Pair
MD-Dialog-Design-Set-GearPairParameters

Do not select Phase1 or Phase2 for the Design-Set.
btn_delkeywordRack-Pinion / Ball-Screw
MD-Dialog-Design-Set-Parameters-RackPinion
btn_addkeywordCAD-Line
MD-Dialog-Design-Set-Parameters-CADLine
btn_addkeywordPulley

When you click a Pulley, you add

•Path Joint as the Element Name

•Tooth-Count as the parameter.

Tooth-count ≡ number of Pulley teeth parameter in the Pulley dialog-box.