CAD independent mode

The mode that aPriori Professional is operating in is a determinant for whether aPriori automatically monitors a CAD file for geometry changes and applies any detected changes to an open associated scenario for which costing or anoth action that requires the regeneration of Geometric Cost Drivers (GCDs) has been initiated. CAD-independent mode is one of the modes that aPriori Professional can operate in.

In CAD-Independent mode, aPriori extracts the geometry and creates a component and an associated sceanrio from a CAD file that is imported to it, not from a CAD application that is integrated with it. Once a CAD file has been imported and the geometry, component, and associated scenario have been saved in the aPriori operational database, you can work with the scenario and any other scenarios that are associated with the component.

When you open a scenario while, in CAD-independent mode, aPriori Professional operates in either CAD-independent, file connected mode or CAD-independent, file disconnected mode. CAD-independent, file connected mode supports automatic geometry updates for Active scenarios, but not for Inactive sceanrios. CAD-independent, file disconnected mode does not support automatic geometry updates.

File-connected mode

In file-connected mode, aPriori locates the CAD file that provides the component’s geometry and constantly monitors the state of this file. Any change in the CAD file is immediately reflected in aPriori, which enables you to refresh component’s GCDs when the component’s geometry changes. You can do any aPriori operation that requires regenerating GCDs on a file-connected component.

Important: For 2-Model Machining (2-Model Machining Process Group in the aPriori Professional Cost Model Guide), you must be CAD-file connected to both the source and finished CAD models in order to extract GCDs. If you change the source scenario specified in the Production Scenario tab of the Cost Guide, both the new source scenario and the current finished scenario should be CAD file connected; if either is not CAD file connected, aPriori disables the save option for the current finished scenario, and any subsequent costing relies on GCDs extracted using the old source scenario.

File-disconnected mode

In file-disconnected mode, you work only with component data that is saved in your aPriori database. In this mode you cannot refresh a component’s GCDs, thus you are limited to using aPriori operations that do not require GCD regeneration.

By default, components that are created by importing CAD models by using a Cost in aPriori Plug-in are not automatically file-connected. Therefore, if the geometry of a CAD model changes after a component that was created by importing the original version of that CAD model has been cost, the updated CAD model must be re-imported and the new or updated component must be recost.

Note: For 2-Model Machining (2-Model Machining Process Group in the aPriori Professional Cost Model Guide), you must be CAD-file connected to both the source and finished CAD models in order to extract GCDs. If you change the source scenario specified in the Production Scenario tab of the Cost Guide, both the new source scenario and the current finished scenario should be CAD file connected; if either is not CAD file connected, aPriori disables the save option for the current finished scenario, and any subsequent costing relies on GCDs extracted using the old source scenario.