Creating Points on CATIA surfaces 1

[wingstress]

CATIA V5 R18. Does anyone know how to create multiple points on multiple surfaces quickly? I need to be able to create 50-500 points and extract them into a text file. I have found a few threads that reference extracting XYZ of points, but I can't create them quickly. Is there a script I could run or a macro?

 

[itsmyjob]

Mesh your surface, then export mesh as bulk and edit the file. after some trick in word/excel you have XYZ of mesh node.

Eric N.
indocti discant et ament meminisse periti ​

 

[itsmyjob]

voila

Eric N.
indocti discant et ament meminisse periti ​

 

[wingstress]

Thats a pretty slick idea. However, I doubt I'll be able to create a mesh. I'm limited on licenses. see photo and elaborate if you think I can still do it...Thanks!

 

[solid7]

That doesn't tell much of anything. Those are just the place holders for any real licensing that you may have. Many workbenches fall under those categories.

There are infinite ways to "easily" create multiple points on multiple surfaces. What does your geometry look like? Are your surfaces able to be joined? What exactly is your license configuration? (Go to Tools->Options->General->Licensing, and see what is checked)

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Catia Design|Catia Design News|Catia V5 blog

 

[wingstress]

Thanks solid7, I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not experienced with CATIA (I use NX more often). I have an MD2 license along with an FTA license. My files are solid bodies that I translate into NX5. My customer requires that I verify the translation. By creating points on the CATIA body, I can export them to a txt file then I can bring the text file into NX5 and run a Point-to-body script to measure the distance from each point to the translated body. If they all come out as zero deviation, then I know the translation is good. I have everything in this process written except how to create points quickly in CATIA and to export them to a txt file. Right now I'm creating each point manually and it sucks! I attached a picture of what the MD2 license includes. Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[solid7]

Create a series of planes along the U and V directions, and use them to create intersect curves. From there, intersect the curves and you have points....



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Catia Design|Catia Design News|Catia V5 blog

 

[ferdo]

Coming to support solid7 suggestion....

Copy-Paste in a CATScript next code and run it (you can modify according to your needs - this code will create 20 planes along Z and Y axis at 30 mm distance, starting from 0,0,0 point)

Language="VBSCRIPT"
Sub CATMain()

Dim partDocument1 As Document
Set partDocument1 = CATIA.ActiveDocument

Dim part1 As Part
Set part1 = partDocument1.Part

Dim hybridBodies1 As HybridBodies
Set hybridBodies1 = part1.HybridBodies

Dim hybridBody1 As HybridBody
Set hybridBody1 = hybridBodies1.Add()

Dim hybridShapeFactory1 As Factory
Set hybridShapeFactory1 = part1.HybridShapeFactory

Dim axisSystems1 As AxisSystems
Set axisSystems1 = part1.AxisSystems

Dim axisSystem1 As AxisSystem
Set axisSystem1 = axisSystems1.Item("Absolute Axis System")

For j = 30 to 600 step 30 'added
Dim reference1 As Reference
Set reference1 = part1.CreateReferenceFromBRepName("RSurFaceBrpAxisSystem.1;1);None);Cf11));WithPermanentBody;WithoutBuildError;WithSelectingFeatureSupport;MFBRepVersion_CXR15)", axisSystem1)
Dim hybridShapePlaneOffset1 As HybridShapePlaneOffset
Set hybridShapePlaneOffset1 = hybridShapeFactory1.AddNewPlaneOffset(reference1, j, False)
hybridBody1.AppendHybridShape hybridShapePlaneOffset1
part1.InWorkObject = hybridShapePlaneOffset1
Next


For j = 30 to 600 step 30 'added
Dim reference2 As Reference
Set reference2 = part1.CreateReferenceFromBRepName("RSurFaceBrpAxisSystem.1;3);None);Cf11));WithPermanentBody;WithoutBuildError;WithSelectingFeatureSupport;MFBRepVersion_CXR15)", axisSystem1)
Dim hybridShapePlaneOffset2 As HybridShapePlaneOffset
Set hybridShapePlaneOffset2 = hybridShapeFactory1.AddNewPlaneOffset(reference2, j, False)
hybridBody1.AppendHybridShape hybridShapePlaneOffset2
part1.InWorkObject = hybridShapePlaneOffset2
Next

part1.Update

' --- Screen "Fit all"
Set specsAndGeomWindow1 = CATIA.ActiveWindow
Set viewer3D1 = specsAndGeomWindow1.ActiveViewer
viewer3D1.Reframe
Set viewpoint3D1 = viewer3D1.Viewpoint3D

End Sub




Regards
Fernando

 

[ferdo]

Better an attachment...

Regards
Fernando

 

[gbaerg]

Ferdo, I tried your script but get an error when it tries to execute the following line:

Set axisSystem1 = axisSystems1.Item("Absolute Axis System")

see attached error message.

Any idea why?

 

[ferdo]

Hi,

Because you delete the reference...so planeoffset can't be created....see attachment...

Dim reference1 As Reference
Set reference1 = part1.CreateReferenceFromBRepName("RSurFaceBrpAxisSystem.1;1);None);Cf11));WithPermanentBody;WithoutBuildError;WithSelectingFeatureSupport;MFBRepVersion_CXR15)", axisSystem1)
Dim hybridShapePlaneOffset1 As HybridShapePlaneOffset
Set hybridShapePlaneOffset1 = hybridShapeFactory1.AddNewPlaneOffset(reference1, j, False)

Regards
Fernando

 

[gbaerg]

Thanks Ferdo,

I was able to successfully create the planes in a new CATpart, but not in an existing CATpart in which I must create a new axis.

see attachment...

 

[ferdo]

I know you cannot do it, so copy-paste the geometrical set from the new part in your CATPart.

Regards
Fernando

 

[itsmyjob]

plane system in GSD works well to create plane...

Eric N.
indocti discant et ament meminisse periti ​

 

[5050t]

hello wingstress!

do this using your GSD lic!

To get points:
1. Create planes (click Repeat object after OK)
2. specify number of Instances
3. Intersect the new GeometricalSet with your surface
4. You can now create planes in the other direction and repeat the process or use Points and Planes Repetition.

Extract into text file:
Ask Eric

1. Copy paste points into new catia file
2. run excel script availbale from DS Docs!

Hope this helps!
Peter

P.S. I am sure solid7 has a better way