Working with 2D and 3D support in catia

[eliou]

Hey guys,

First of all,sorry about my other post, I accidentally hit submit. But here's my question:

I've been working with Catia lately and noticed the "work on 2d support" and "work on 3d support" options within GSD. I know how to use these features, but I cannot figure out why someone would use them. Would it simply be to ensure clearance between parts.

Thanks!

Regards,

Edwin Liou

 

[Azrael]

I use them as advances sketches, for instance creating a controlled connection between two curves with spline, which gives me a good start and end point control with direction and also control points along the connection. Note that most of the 3d curve creation feature are much easier to use when having an active support (1 degree less)

 

[jackk]

I think the WORK ON 2D SUPPORT is there as a carry-over from V4's 2D mode. It's not used as much in V5 because of Sketches, but it still is very handy when you have to do a lot of wireframe construction outside of a sketch.

 

[jackk]

I was just playing around with the WORK ON SUPPORT with a surface. It's similar to the old GEODESIC funtion in V4.

Again, it's probably not used much, but much easier to create wireframes directly on the surface compared to creating in a plane and then projecting onto the surface.

I remember talking to some tire guys and they said they do all their tread design with WORK ON SUPPORT.

 

[catiajim]

We do a lot of lofting work and tooling work using this function. It works great for defining skin trims and part layups.

 

[CATPart]

Catiajim,

Please can you post one picture of skin trim, to better understand what you mean by lofting work.

Thks,
Damir

 

[catiajim]

The outlines of an aircraft window or door. Or the shape of a wing skin "waffle" doubler (a thin sheet of metal bonded to the aircraft skin that has a large number of rectangular holes in it - it looks like a waffle). There are other features on the skin of the aircraft that this function works well for.

 

[eliou]

hi catiajim, is the function you are talking about "work with support 3D", or the work on support with a surface that jackk is using?

Thanks

 

[jackk]

aren't they the same thing?

(where is WORK WITH SUPPORT 3D ?)

 

[eliou]

work with support 3d is available in the GSD workbench, it creates a grid structure on screen. If I'm not mistaken you were refering to using a surface as a support and not the generated grid. Am I interpreting it correctly?

Thanks

 

[jackk]

"you learn something new everyday"

You are correct Eliou - I was refering to using a surface as a 2D Support. (and I think Jim was also) This is the WORK ON SUPPORT command with the blue grid icon

The other command is called WORK ON SUPPORT 3D and it has a red & green icon of 3 grids.

According to the Help files, the WORK ON SUPPORT 3D is to be used with the automotive workbenches, such as BIW.

It seems to turn on the grids in front/top/side viewports, which I imagine would be a big help if you're normally used to working with automotive grid systems. It also activates the WORK ON SUPPORT mode for a plane (based on a local axis). Both commands create Working Supports in the tree, although they have slightly different names.

thanks for making me aware of something new in CATIA!