About the Flat Segment User Interface
The Flat user interface consists of commands, tabs, and shortcut menus. To access the Flat tab, click > .
Use the following configuration options to control the default values and behavior of selected tool settings:
• board_drive_tools_by_parameters—Uses parameter values as the default values of selected tool settings and to automatically update features when parameter values change.
• board_drive_bend_by_parameters—Uses parameter values to control the default value of bend angle and bend dimension location settings and to automatically update features when parameter values change.
| If you want to enable board_drive_bend_by_parameters, you must also set board_drive_tools_by_parameters to yes. |
In the following descriptions, [<Parameter Value>] indicates that tool settings are controlled by parameters.
Commands
• Shape list—Lists segment shapes:
◦ Standard shapes:
▪ Rectangle—Rectangular segment
▪ Trapezoid—Trapezoidal segment
▪ L—L-shaped segment
▪ T—T-shaped segment
◦ User Defined—Select to create a new shape using the Shape tab.
◦ Predefined shapes—Saved sketches appear on the list when they have been accessed during the current session.
| You can use the flat_shape_sketches_directory configuration option to specify the directory path to your library of predefined flat segment shapes to appear on the list. |
• Settings
◦
Thickness Side—Flips the thickness to the other side of the sketch plane.
• Bend Dimensions
◦ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/flange_rad.png)
—Adds a bend to the attachment edge according to a specified value. Default values are as follows:
▪ Thickness—Uses a radius equal to the thickness of the segment.
▪ 2.0 * Thickness—Uses a radius equal to twice the thickness of the segment.
▪ [<Parameter Value>]—Uses a radius as set by the BOARD_BEND_RADIUS parameter.
◦ Dimension Location buttons:
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/out_rad.png)
—Dimensions the radius according to the outside surface of the segment.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/in_rad.png)
—Dimensions the radius according to the inside surface of the segment.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/bend_rad_dim_loc_by_param.png)
—Dimensions the radius as set by the
BOARD_RADIUS_SIDE parameter.
◦ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_angle.png)
Angle list—Lists predefined values, user-defined values, a flat segment option, and [<Parameter Value>] for the segment attachment angle.
![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/flip1.png)
—Flips the angle direction to the other side of the attachment segment.
| • [<Parameter Value>] uses an angle set by the BOARD_BEND_ANGLE parameter. • The angle between the attachment edge and surface cannot exceed 180 degrees. When you need a larger angle, use the opposite side as the attachment edge. |
◦ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/flip1.png)
—Flips segment orientation along the attachment edge. When you flip the angle of a sketch, the segment is mirrored about a plane to keep the symmetry.
| To make the command available on the Flat tab and shortcut menu, set the smt_allow_flip_sketch configuration option to yes. |
Tabs
• Placement—Displays the selected edge type in the collector.
• Shape—Displays the following options:
◦ Sketch—Opens the sketch in Sketcher for editing.
| To change sketch references or orientation or both, click > in Sketcher. |
◦ Open—Opens the Open dialog box to select a saved .sec file.
◦ Save As—Opens the Save a Copy dialog box, to save the segment sketch as an .sec file in the specified directory.
◦ Convert—Converts a 3D parametric sketch to a 2D sketch.
◦ Shape attachment—Determines how the segment is dimensioned:
▪ Height dimension includes thickness—Includes the thickness when calculating segment height.
▪ Height dimension does not include thickness—Does not include the thickness when calculating segment height.
▪ Section Preview—Click to open the Sketch window to preview and edit the sketch dimensions.
• Bend Position—Opens a list of offset types.
◦ Type—Sets the type of offset.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_profile_on_edge16x16.png)
Profile on Edge—Adds bend geometry while keeping the segment profile on the original attachment edge.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_bend_outside16x16.png)
Bend Outside—Adds bend geometry with the bend line tangent to the attachment edge.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_offset_from_bend_start16x16.png)
Offset from Bend Start—Measures the offset from the attachment edge to the Bend Start:
Value—Type an offset value in the box or choose from a list of previously used values. Use a positive value to add to the attachment segment by the specified value. Use a negative value to trim the attachment segment by the specified value.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_offset_from_bend_apex16x16.png)
Offset from Bend Apex—Measures the offset from the attachment edge to the Bend Apex:
Value—Type an offset value in the box or choose from a list of previously used values. Use a positive value to add to the attachment segment by the specified value. Use a negative value to trim the attachment segment by the specified value.
▪ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_constrained16x16.png)
Constrained—Keeps the attached segment geometry within the boundary of the attached edge.
• Relief—Sets the type of segment relief.
◦ Click the Define each side separately check box to set separately the relief for each segment end.
▪ Side 1—Sets the relief for the start point of the attachment edge.
▪ Side 2—Sets the relief for the endpoint of the attachment edge.
◦ Type—Lists the types of relief available. Depending on the type of relief, other selections become available:
▪ No Relief—Adds no relief.
▪ Slit
—Adds a slit relief.
▪ Rectangular—Adds a rectangular relief.
▪ Obround—Adds an obround relief.
▪ [<Parameter Value>]—Adds a relief whose type is controlled by the BOARD_BEND_REL_TYPE parameter
◦ When the Bend Relief type is set to Rectangular or Obround, you can set values for the following options:
▪ Relief depth:
Blind—Creates a the bend reliefs with a depth set in the box below.
Up to Bend—Creates the bend reliefs up to the bend line.
[<Parameter Value>]—Uses the BOARD_BEND_REL_DEPTH_TYPE parameter value.
▪ Relief length:
Blind—Creates the bend reliefs with a length of the specified value.
To Next—Creates the bend reliefs with a length to the next surface.
Through All—Creates the bend reliefs through all surfaces.
[<Parameter Value>]—Uses the BOARD_BEND_REL_LENGTH_TYPE parameter value.
▪ Relief width:
Thickness—Use a default width that is equal to the thickness of the sheet metal segment.
Thickness * 2—Use a default width that is twice the thickness of the sheet metal segment.
[<Parameter Value>]—Uses the BOARD_BEND_REL_WIDTH parameter value.
Type a value—Use the absolute value that you type in the box.
• Bend Allowance—Uses a feature-specific bend allowance for determining the developed length of the board segment. Click the A feature specific set up check box to activate the following options:
◦ By K factor—Calculates the developed length according to the K factor.
◦ By Y factor—Calculates the developed length according to the Y factor.
◦ By bend table—Calculates the bend allowance using a bend table.
• Properties—Displays the feature information:
◦ Name—Shows a default name for the segment.
◦ ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/dash_info.png)
—Shows feature information in a browser.
Shortcut Menus
Right-click in the graphics window to open the mini toolbar and shortcut menu:
• ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_profile_on_edge16x16.png)
Profile on Edge—Adds bend geometry while keeping the segment profile on the original attachment edge.
• ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_bend_outside16x16.png)
Bend Outside—Adds bend geometry with the bend line tangent to the attachment edge.
• ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_offset_from_bend_start16x16.png)
Offset from Bend Start—Measures the offset from the attachment edge to the Bend Start:
Value—Type an offset value in the box or choose from a list of previously used values. Use a positive value to add to the attachment segment by the specified value. Use a negative value to trim the attachment segment by the specified value.
• ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_offset_from_bend_apex16x16.png)
Offset from Bend Apex—Measures the offset from the attachment edge to the Bend Apex:
Value—Type an offset value in the box or choose from a list of previously used values. Use a positive value to add to the attachment segment by the specified value. Use a negative value to trim the attachment segment by the specified value.
• ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_position_constrained16x16.png)
Constrained—Keeps the attached segment geometry within the boundary of the attached edge.
• ![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/smt_bend_relief_modify16x16.png)
Edit Bend Relief—Click and then click again to display bend relief edit options. Click the arrow and choose an different option from the list. Click
![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/ff_unlink16x16.png)
to edit each side separately. Click
![](../../electrical_design/ecad/images/close16x16.png)
to exit corner relief edit mode.
• Clear—Clears the selected references.
• Add Bend check box—Clear the check box to remove the bend.
• Flip Thickness—Flips the thickness to the other side of the sketch plane.