Description

Solid Model Analyzer is a powerful tool included in certain product levels of Microvellum. The design and manufacturing industry is steadily moving closer to the adoption of 3D design for its verification and visualization abilities. The woodworking industry is no different. 

Microvellum gives you several ways to interact with your products in 3D. 

1. Model 3D solid objects in AutoCAD and manipulate those objects to verify their construction and design. Then, analyze those models with SMA (Solid Model Analyzer). 
   
2. Download and import solids from third-party software such as Inventor or Solid Works into an AutoCAD drawing. Then, analyze those solids with SMA (Solid Model Analyzer). 
   
3. Draw 3D extruded products using the Solid Modeling Extruded Tools. 
   
4. Draw 3D solid products using the Solid Modeling Custom Tools. 
   

Solid Model Analyzer (SMA) is different from the other tools Microvellum provides to work with 3D solids. Microvellum Extruded Tools and Custom Tools are intended to aid a user as he creates solids, while SMA is intended to function with solid models that already exist. You may create these models using standard AutoCAD, Microvellum OEM, or they may be acquired from other sources. 

SMA analyzes a 3D solid model to create a Microvellum product. The 3D model must contain objects defining the machining that is desired in the end product. 

For example, if you intend to assemble the product using dowels, your 3D model must contain holes in each location of the part where you want the dowels to be located in the final product. If you intend to assemble the product using cam locks, your 3D model must contain holes representing the cam lock, the cam bolt machining, and the mounting hole for the cam bolt. 

Once SMA analyzes the solid model and produces a Microvellum product, you are ready for the next step in the development and verification process. 

1. The Microvellum product created from analyzation by SMA must be thoroughly reviewed for accuracy and quality before sending them out to be manufactured. An engineer must comprehensively check the Microvellum product to ensure that it correctly represents the intended product. If this examination reveals errors or inconsistencies, the source 3D model must be modified and then again analyzed. 
   

The information in this article explains Microvellum's ability to scan or analyze an existing solid model object to generate a Microvellum product. This product is then ready for processing to produce manufacturing data, both G-Code and Reporting data. 

Work Flow

1. Create or acquire solid objects to be analyzed by SMA. 
   
1. You have two options for the solid objects that SMA requires to produce Microvellum products. One is to draw them in the AutoCAD version you're using with Microvellum. The other is to import them. 
   
1. The procedure to create solid objects in AutoCAD is beyond the scope of this article. You will find those articles elsewhere on the internet. 
   
1. See About Modeling 3D Objects for a basic overview of modeling objects in 3D. 
   
2. See Commands for Working with 3D Models for a list of basic AutoCAD commands and system variables for working with 3D models. 
   
3. See Box (Command) for an explanation of an AutoCAD command to create a 3D solid box. This command is useful for creating cabinet parts such as sides, stretchers, nailers, backs, etc. 
   
4. See Cylinder (Command) for an explanation of an AutoCAD command to create a 3D solid cylinder. This command is useful for creating dowel machining objects that are later subtracted from another object, etc. 
   
5. See Presspull (Command) for an explanation of an AutoCAD command to dynamically modify objects by extrusion and offset. This command works with both closed polylines, as does EXTRUDE, but also with closed boundaries. This command is useful for stretching or shrinking existing solids. 
   
6. See Union (Command) for an explanation of an AutoCAD command to combine two or more 3D solids into a single, composite 3D solid. 
   
7. See Subtract (Command) for an explanation of an AutoCAD command to create a new object by subtracting one overlapping 3D solid from another. 
   
2. See Using Solids from 3rd Party Software with SMA (Overview) in the Microvellum Knowledge Network for a general description of importing solids from third-party software such as Inventor or Solid Works. 
   
3. See Using Solids from 3rd Party Software with SMA (Tutorials) in the Microvellum Knowledge Network for the procedure to use when importing solids from third-party software such as Inventor or Solid Works. 
   
2. Modify the solid objects to match the section for approved and unapproved uses, as found in the article Solid Model Analyzer - SMA (Reference) in the Microvellum Knowledge Network. 
   
3. Analyze the solid objects with Microvellum SMA. 
   
1. Set the default routers during the process if you have not already done so. 
   
4. Click on the drawing to select a location for the Microvellum product. 
   
5. Verify the accuracy of the Microvellum product before sending it out to manufacturing. 
   
1. After verification of the Microvellum product produced by SMA, it is quite likely that you will need to modify the source 3D model so that it correctly produces the necessary results in the Microvellum product. Make those adjustments to the solid model and re-analyze with SMA. 
   
6. When the Microvellum product is accurate, create a work order containing that new product and process it to the necessary stations. 
   
7. Run the G-Code on your CNC machine and/or print reports. 
   

SMA is not intended to replace the functionality of the existing 2D Machining Tools. SMA is intended for use in leveraging the power of 3D design for visualization. The 2D Machining Tools are to be used when adding machining to single parts, assigning tooling, macros, etc. 

See 2D Machining Tools (Overview) for more details about the use of this set of tools.  

See Solid Model Analyzer - SMA (Reference) in the Microvellum Knowledge Network for a reference article explaining how to work with various types of products in SMA, as well as the options of the software.

See Solid Model Analyzer - SMA (Tutorial) in the Microvellum Knowledge Network for a tutorial demonstrating the use of SMA.