I read this on CATIA in PopSci...

Hi All,

I was reading PopSci and learned that CATIA can change a side by side
fuel cell configuration to a stacked one when the width of the car
becomes too narrow. How would you do it in SWX? Would it involve
programming?

Thanks,

Stephen

 

Actually I think it can be done I haven't tried it yet but you could enter
equations into your design table to control the config according to a
compared value. I have used equations in design tables for values but not
for configuration changes. Maybe if I have some time I will create a
scenario.

Corey

 

I just did it with component patterns and equations. Nothing too
difficult. Just remember to hit rebuild.

 

Thanks for all the inputs!

Regarding the equation and pattern method, would the equation just be
WidthofCar/WidthofFuelCell then somehow rounded down to the largest
integer? The vertical stack count would just be (2 - the integer)?
What if I want to first shrink the size of the fuel cell until a
minimum size, then change to a vertical stack? What would that
involve?

Thanks again,

Stephen

 

I think you will find that when you do

A/B as input to a count it rounds down I believe.

3/3=1 3/2=1

iif(boolean, value if true, value if false)

You can also use loose lines as global variables in the above
equation.

Writing a macro for this can't be that hard either. Just record the
motions you go through to change the configuration.

 

stephen wrote...

It would involve something like this...
http://www.mikejwilson.com/misc/fuel-cell.zip

It's about as simple as it gets and could of course be made as an assembly
if desired.

Mike Wilson

PS: Don't buy into the hype about "Global Variables new for 2005!".
SolidWorks has had that ability for many years, and is utilized in this
2004 file.

 

Mike,

This problem has my creative juices going. Suppose you had x number of
fixed sized boxes. Find the least volume container for them with the
distance d between each box.

 

I'm confused! How can I find the container with the least amount of
volume if they are all one fixed size?

Or is it that each fixed size box is a different size from each other?

I'm thinking Macro Feature to find the mass and do calculations?

I'd be interested in more details!

Mike