2D Machining Tools (Single Parts)

2D Machining Tools (Single Parts)

As of Microvellum Toolbox 2020 | Build 15.6.228, there are two significant changes to the way the 2D Machining Tools operate.

Updating Machine Token Values

The program now updates existing machine tokens differently. 

Previously, if you drew a part in 2D and then updated it, any existing machine token values were converted to hard locked values. For example, suppose you had a PLINE token with formula-driven vector points. If that part was drawn in 2D and then modified in some way, or even just updated without any modifications, those vector points were no longer generated by formulas. Instead, they were converted into hard locked values, losing the formulas used in the original calculation. 


Fig. 1 - Previous Build Showing Hard-Locked Values After Updating the Part in 2D

Currently, the program determines if the entity has been modified. If a specific machining operation has been adjusted in some way, we update the values resulting from the formula with hard locked values. One of the conditions that the program interprets as modifying the machining operation is when the vector point values returned from AutoCAD don’t match the values from the token. When that occurs, we assume that the entity has been modified and we overwrite the formula with hard locked values. The typical indication of this condition is a token point list formula that results in values with more than five decimal places. The rule of thumb is that the more decimal places there are, the higher the chance of having mismatching coordinate values and thus overwriting the formula with a hard locked value. As you can see in the two examples below, after updating the 2D part, the formula is overwritten with hard locked values in the current version, and the signal for this are the values with up to 14 decimal places.

Formula sample and resulting values prior to updating the 2D part:

=OFFSETPOLYLINE(S_PNT_List_L,0&";"&0&";"&-Bulge&";"&0&";"&Bulge&";"&0&";"&0,Cabinet_Body_Edgeband_Thickness,"","",0,0,0)

16.76;4.02;0|16.5;4.02;0.757|15.7500007999348;4.02000077092114;0.757|15.4178574801791;3.90013198241095;0.757|10.917727102826;0.130691414489956;0.757|10.6111;0.02;0.757|0;0.02;0.757|-0.26;0.02;0

Formula sample and resulting values after updating the 2D part:

16.76;4.02;0|16.5;4.02;0.757|15.7500007999348;4.02000077092114;0.757|15.4178574801791;3.90013198241095;0.757|10.917727102826;0.130691414489956;0.757|10.6111;0.0199999999999996;0.757|0;0.0199999999999996;0.757|-0.26;0.0199999999999996;0

16.76;4.02;0|16.5;4.02;0.757|15.7500007999348;4.02000077092114;0.757|15.4178574801791;3.90013198241095;0.757|10.917727102826;0.130691414489956;0.757|10.6111;0.0199999999999996;0.757|0;0.0199999999999996;0.757|-0.26;0.0199999999999996;0

In all cases where the vector point values from AutoCAD match the token values, our users can now draw a part in 2D and retain the machine token formula values if those machining entities were not modified.


Fig. 2 - Current Build Showing Sample Formula Retention After Updating the Part in 2D


Displaying Associative Machine Operations

In previous versions, it was possible to mistakenly modify the machining resulting from associative machine tokens. We now alert the user to the fact that certain entities originate from associative machine operations.

In previous builds, we identified all machining entities within the 2D part drawing in green and red colors of the same intensity.


Fig. 3 - A Previous Build Showing All Machining Operations with the Same Color Intensity

In the current builds, we display the 2D entities (circles, lines, rectangles, and other polygons) resulting from associative machining in green or red colors of reduced intensity. In contrast, non-associative machining is displayed in more intense green or red colors. This color variation identifies the machine operations that have been generated as a result of associative machine tokens; this alerts you to the fact that it is ineffective to modify the 2D entities representing that machining in the 2D Machining Tools either by copying, moving, or deleting them. This is because the modifications will not be applied to the updated 3D product. That 3D product contains associative machining taken from the token itself and not the 2D part. In other words, the associative token parameters override any modified entities in the 2D Machining Tools.

Fig. 4 - The Current Build Showing Formula Retention from the Same Part Modification

The associative machining includes dados, shelf holes, dowel machining, and similar types of associative operations.

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