CATIA User Interface

Lets review the following key features:

Multi-document support Standard and specific menus & toolbars (File, Edit, Insert, ) Standard manipulation (Copy-Paste, Drag & Drop, ) Intuitive (Highlight, copilot, cursor shapes, ) Contextual menu (Mouse Button 3) Specification Tree (including all technological features, constraints, relationships, ) Workbenches and associated toolbars

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CATIA User Interface

IMPORTANT
The next pages are very important to use CATIA correctly. You MUST READ these pages and refer to them if you dont remember how to use some of the functionalities. First, open a CATIA file. 8Launch CATIA if it is not already launched 8Click on the Close button 8Maximize the CATIA window 8Close the Product1 window 8Open the file polepiece.CATPart under the \DATA\Assembly Design\ directory 8Select the polepiece.CATPart file 8Click on the Open button

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CATIA User Interface

CATIA window Use the Window menu to list & swap Icons to minimize, maximize or close window open windows

Menus Window of active document Tree & Geometry Toolbars of active workbench Icon of active workbench

Use this icon to quit a function

Tree scrollbar Toolbars Prompt zone

Double arrows indicate more toolbars Drag the >> sign to move unseen toolbars

Undo icon to cancel actions

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CATIA User Interface

Dialog boxes provide parameters for the definition of features. They are standardized across all functions.
EX: if you double-click on a hole you will get the Hole Definition dialog box.
Name of the task Select a tab to define particular attributes Select an option from the drop down list Key in a value or click up and down arrows Fields not selectable (locked) Click the question mark and select a field to get help Click the cross to close the dialog box

Select button to activate the option Click check box to activate the option Inactive field

Click OK to confirm Click Apply to pre-visualize the result Click Cancel to leave the function

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CATIA User Interface

Using the Mouse Function MB2
To manipulate objects

MB3
To display the contextual menu

MB1
To select and edit objects

MB means Mouse Button

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CATIA User Interface

Panning Objects

Its important you practice using the mouse.

81. Position the cursor anywhere on the screen 82. Press and Hold Mouse Button 2 (MB2) 83. Move the mouse where you want to drag the part
.The cursor will change to a cross G If the part disappears, get it back with the Fit-All-In icon in the View toolbar.

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CATIA User Interface

Rotating Objects
81. Position the cursor anywhere on the screen 82. Press and Hold mouse button 2 (MB2)
.The axis appears in the center of the screen

83. Press and Hold mouse button 1 (MB1) while keeping MB2 pressed
.The cursor changes to a hand and a red circle appears representing a virtual space ball

84. Move the mouse to rotate the part

.The cursor will change to a cross

GTo change the rotation axis, click once on MB2 on the element that you want at the center of the screen. GP.S.: if you see a + or a Forbidden sign it means that you have not held MB1 and you will duplicate the geometry

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CATIA User Interface

Zooming

81. Position the cursor anywhere on the screen 82. Press and Hold mouse button 2 (MB2)
.An axis and a circle appear in the center of the screen

83. Press and release MB1 while keeping MB2 pressed

.The cursor changes to a double arrow

84. Move the mouse up to zoom in 85. Move the mouse down to zoom out
G To zoom step by step click on + and icons in the View toolbar

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CATIA User Interface

Moving the Tree
Using the Scrollbar
.When and only when the size of the tree exceeds the window you can use the scrollbar to display the tree downward or upward Click up arrow to display the top of the tree Drag the bar up and down as you wish Click down arrow to display the bottom of the tree

Using the Mouse

.Moving the tree anywhere

Position the cursor on a tree branch. The cursor changes to a pointing finger

Click mouse button 1 (MB1) and drag the mouse to move the tree. The cursor changes to a small hand

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CATIA User Interface

Adjusting and Expanding the Tree To adjust tree size:
Geometry dimmed while adjusting the size of the tree

Click on + to expand Click on to shrink Click mouse button 1 (MB1) on a tree branch

Expand / Shrink

Zoom in and out as explained two pages before

To reactivate the geometry, click again on a tree branch

.Note that you can use the scrollbar to display the top or bottom of the tree

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CATIA User Interface

CATIA Documents
When working in CATIA you can create, modify and save geometries within documents Documents are containers Different Types of Documents The type of document depends on the workbench you use to create and modify a geometry :
Assembly Design Part Design Sketcher WireFrame & Surface .CATPart Current workbench Current document

.CATProduct

Generative & Interactive Drafting

.CATDrawing

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CATIA User Interface

Terminology
A Product Structure is a way to structure and organize your products logically. You can navigate within the structure and work on its different components A Document is a file including data you can create and manage with the associated workbench (specific extension) A Workbench is a set of tools that allows you to create and manage your geometry Not active documents have a gray title bar

Current (or active) workbench

Current document (blue title bar)

Workbench toolbars

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SKETCHER Workbench Presentation

IBM Product Lifecycle Management Solutions / Dassault Systemes

Learning Sketcher
Exercise Open a new Part : Start + Mechanical Design + Part Design
Select a plane, a Solid face, or a Planar Surface to Sketch on Access the Sketcher Workbench

1 2 3

Select the Polygon icon and draw a sketch as shown

.Click and release MB1 where you want to start a line .Click MB1 where you want to finish the line .Hold MB1 then move the mouse and release MB1 to draw an arc .Double-click when you want to finish your profile

.If you want to exit the function click on the Select icon

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Learning Sketcher
Exercise

Select the Constraints icon and set dimensions .To set a dimension, select a line, drag the dimension to the desired position .Click to create it

Change Dimensions as shown

.To modify a Dimension, double-click on the green dimension value box. .Change the value and click OK to validate

Exit the Sketcher

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Learning Sketcher
Exercise

Click on the Pad icon

.Select the Sketch if necessary

Click OK to validate

.You can change the length value before validation

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Learning Sketcher
Exercise

Double-Click on Sketch.1 in the Tree to enter Sketcher .Double-click on the 110 dimensions .Change the value to 120 .Click OK to validate .Exit the Sketcher

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Learning Sketcher
Exercise

10 11

Select the face as shown and enter Sketcher

Select the Circle icon .Click to define the circle center .Drag the mouse to define the radius .Click to create the circle

12 13 14

Exit the Sketcher

Select the Pocket icon

Click OK to validate .You can change the depth value before validation Close all the windows except the CATIA one. This is the END of the Sketcher Training

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SKETCHER Workbench Presentation

Lets have a short Debriefing
.The Sketcher is a set of tools to help the user quickly generate 2D geometry .The completed Sketch can then be used to generate solids and surfaces .The capability to define constraints between elements in the Sketcher allows for quick modifications of the Sketch on subsequent solids or surfaces .Others tools such as Animate Constraints enable the user to explore design alternatives

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Learning Sketcher
Accessing the Workbench
Select Start + Mechanical Design + Sketcher Select a plane or a face of an object

You can also access the Sketcher by selecting the Sketcher icon from any Workbench

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Learning Sketcher
Sketcher Workbench overview
A new Sketch will appear in the Part Tree when entering the Sketcher Workbench

Tools & Operations Part tree Go to 3D view Exit a function Constraints Icons

New Sketch

Sketcher Design Tools

Standard tools

Work in normal view

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Learning Sketcher
Exit Sketcher

Sketcher Tools
Profile Rectangles, Keyholes, Polygons Circles, Ellipses, Arcs Spline Ellipse Line Axis Points Corner Chamfer Trim options Break Symmetry Projection Constraints dialog box Constraints Auto Constraints Animate Constraints

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Learning Sketcher
Terminology
The Sketch is the holding place for a group of 2D elements on a specific plane. There can be more than one Sketch using the same plane as support.

The V-H Axis is the origin of the Sketch.

Sketches generally consist of a Profile, Constraints, and Dimensions (a type of Constraints).

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Learning Sketcher
General Process
Select a plane, a Solid face, or a Planar Surface to Sketch on Access the Sketcher Workbench

1 2

3
An In-Work Sketch is added to the Specifications Tree

4
Create Geometric Elements and Constraints

5
Exit the Sketcher

Use the Sketch to create a Solid or a Surface

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Before Starting CATIA Set the environment

IBM Product Lifecycle Management Solutions / Dassault Systemes

Setting the environment

WB

In the next pages you will configure CATIA to do some exercises This chapter will not explain the purpose of each parameter By experience you will learn how to prepare the Settings according to your needs

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IBM Product Lifecycle Management Solutions / Dassault Systemes

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Setting the environment

WB

Start CATIA
Maximize Product1

Tools/Options
Select the Tools+Options pulldown menu On the left side you can filter the different workbenches

On the right side, you can access the various folders of one selected workbench or domain of customization
.For example, here you will set the general environment because you are in the General folder of the General item

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Options
Under General select Display on the tree 8Select Performances tab
.You are modifying these values because you will be zooming in on small holes. This will increase accuracy

8Select Proportional

8Select Tree Tab

.Select Fixed Size .Enter 50 characters
G This is to limit the length of the displayed identifiers in the tree

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Options
Under General select Parameters on the tree Select Knowledge tab 8Check With Value and With Formula
.This will show all parameters and formulas in the tree

8Select Load extended language libraries

.Click OK in the information box

Select Parameters Tolerance tab 8Uncheck Default Tolerance

.This will eliminate the tolerances (visible as you create a geometry on the Sketcher ) when

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Options
Under Infrastructure select Product Structure in the tree 8Select Product Structure tab 8Under Part Number check Manual Input 8Under Specification Tree Check Parameters and Relations
.These will now be shown in the Specification tree

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Options
Under Mechanical Design select Part Design in the tree 8Select General tab 8Under External References check Keep link with selected object and check Confirm when creating a link with selected object
.With these parameters checked we will keep the link when designing a part in the context of an assembly. We will get a message each time we create a link.

8Select Display tab 8Under Specification Tree check Constraints and Parameters and Relations
.In these 4 scenarios the tree will display all information

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Options
Under Mechanical Design select Assembly Design in the tree 8Select General tab 8Under Update check Automatic
.Selected parts will go into place as soon as a constraint is applied

Under Mechanical Design select Sketcher in the tree 8Select Sketcher tab 8Under Grid uncheck Snap to point
.This allows smoother movement while sketching and dragging a geometry

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Options
(optional)Under Mechanical Design select Drafting in the tree 8Select Dimension tab 8Under Dimension Creation check Manual positionning at creation 8Select Create associativity dimension line/geometry 8Select Never create non-associative dimensions 8Deselect Active analysis display mode

Select OK to close the Options dialog box

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Setting the environment

WB

Tools/Linked Documents Localization

G This step has the added benefit of not needing to search through directories when opening the first part

8From the Tools menu, select Linked Documents Localization 8Select Other folders in the Linked Documents Localization dialog box 8Click 3 times on the Up button until Other folders is on the first line 8Select Configure 8In the Other Folders dialog box browse the disk and find the directory where you have installed the scenarios data
.In this case E:\T4A\Hobble\Data

8Click on the Add button 8Click OK to close the Other Folders dialog box 8Click OK to the Warning 8Click OK to close the Linked Documents Localization dialog box

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Exit CATIA

IBM Product Lifecycle Management Solutions / Dassault Systemes

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