Creo Elements/Direct Machining is an advisor module of Creo Elements/Direct Modeling. It assists the designer during the design phase by:
• Allowing easy specification of common machining features (such as threaded holes) complete with information about dimensional tolerances and surface qualities.
• Providing easy modification of the machining features.
• Providing advice about conditions requiring special attention during machining operations such as the ratio between diameter, depth and wall thicknesses.
When the model is released for documentation or manufacturing, Creo Elements/Direct Machining provides additional help by:
• Allowing the transfer of technical information into selected CAM systems in order to reduce the amount of information which needs to be conveyed via the annotation drawing.
• Allowing the transfer of the dimensional tolerances into the annotation module in a streamlined process.
Additionally, you can specify data tables in order to minimize the amount of data that needs to be entered. Specifying data tables for different features also may reduce the number of needed tools.
Common Creo Elements/Direct Machining features
Creo Elements/Direct Machining provides a set of different hole-types to be added to parts. There are three classes of holes:
• Through Holes (1)
• Tapped Holes (2)
• Blind Holes (3)
If you want to specify dimensional tolerances within Creo Elements/Direct Modeling you can either create the object and apply 3D dimensions to the model afterwards (with the usual methods) or you can tell Creo Elements/Direct Machining to do it for you in a much more streamlined fashion.
A symbolic representation of the class Through Hole is shown below. Parameters that need to be entered, such as D1 for the hole diameter, are clearly marked.
Additionally, you can specify surface quality specifications directly within the Creo Elements/Direct Machining create commands (this is possible only through Creo Elements/Direct Machining commands). The symbol sits on the specified surface (a magenta square root symbol).
Modifying Creo Elements/Direct Machining features
In general, a Creo Elements/Direct Machining feature behaves like a Custom Process feature. Once a Creo Elements/Direct Machining feature has been created, it can be modified or copied in the same way as every other Custom Process feature. However, if you want to delete a Creo Elements/Direct Machining feature you will see a difference in the deletion mechanisms. With Creo Elements/Direct Machining, both geometry and technical information is deleted. With Custom Process feature deletion, only feature information is deleted and geometry information remains.
Advice on manufacturability
Creo Elements/Direct Machining includes an advisor component which checks the diameter/depth ratio during specification of the holes. This check is based upon general rules and can be customized.
Creo Elements/Direct Machining provides feedback by displaying a rough shape of the feature. This feedback is refined with every geometry specification made. This feedback can be switched to display safety zones around the features as well.
The distance check is done to check the wall thickness by defining and displaying so called safety-zones around features.
