Solid Modeling Tools - How to use the Smart Layer Manager (Tutorial 1: Part 3)
This article continues from
Solid Modeling Tools - How to Start Designing an SMT Product and provides information for using the Smart Layer Manager.
It is time to set up the layers for the parts in your active section. This action links parts of your section drawing to a specific material of a specific thickness. This link will carry through to your manufacturing data and is, therefore, an important step. In preparation for this, make sure you have your entire section drawing visible in the left viewport.
- Click the Tree View tab in the SMT palette, right-click on Extruded Parts in the tree structure, and click Add. Window the entire section drawing just created.
- The Smart Layer Manager is displayed, and one of the parts in the section is highlighted. That highlighted shape tells you which part you are assigning a layer. Notice that the Smart Layer Manager is divided vertically into two segments, the top segment is layers to assign to vertical entities, and the lower segment is layers to assign to extruded entities. Select a layer and click Apply. The program will take you to the next part that needs to be assigned. Continue until all parts have been assigned.
- After you assign a smart layer to all the parts in your active section, the program will draw the custom product in 3D. When complete, save the drawing.
If you find that in the process of assigning smart layers, you don’t have a layer you need, right-click at any time for access to the Smart Layer context menu. With the commands on this menu, you may Add new layers, Edit an existing layer that you have highlighted in the list, or Copy an existing layer that you have highlighted in the list. It provides a quick and easy way to work with the layers without leaving the Smart Layer Manager screen. Use the Edit Material(s) command to work in a materials interface that is similar to the one displayed from the spec group interface when editing material files. Use it to create new materials by searching for a material or select a material type Sheet Stock, Solid Stock, or Buyout, to determine if it already exists.
Fig. 1 - Smart Layer Context Menu
Continue on to
Solid Modeling Tools - How to Work with the Construction Path.
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