Bar & Tube Fabrication Node Options

The Bar & Tube Fabrication node provides the following setup options:

Enable Scrap Material Credit

By default in starting point Digital Factories, the cost model assumes that material scrap (for example, trim scrap) is not sold for credit. Administrators can customize the default with the cost model variable enableScrapMaterialCredit (false in starting point Digital Factories). With this setup option, users can override the default on a per-part basis.

Enabling scrap material credit increases material utilization and decreases material cost. The credit rate is specified as a percentage of the material rate by the material property Scrap Cost Percent. See Material Cost and Utilization.

Enable Scrap Part Credit

By default in starting point Digital Factories, the cost model assumes that the material from scrapped parts is not sold for credit. Administrators can customize the default with the cost model variable enableScrapPartCredit (false in starting point Digital Factories). With this setup option, users can override the default on a per-part basis.

Enabling scrap part credit increases material utilization and decreases material cost. This includes credit for parts scrapped by this process as well as by downstream processes. The credit rate is specified as a percentage of the material rate by the material property Scrap Cost Percent. See Material Cost and Utilization.

Punching Strategy for Generic Extrusions

By default, all a part’s simple holes and cutouts are machined on a router (rather than punched), if any of the part’s simple holes or cutouts lie on a fully-hollow CrossSectionHollow GCD. Users can override the default on a per-part basis with this setup option. The following options are provided:

  • Option 1 (default): all a part’s simple holes and cutouts are machined on a router (rather than punched), if any of the part’s simple holes or cutouts lie on a fully-hollow CrossSectionHollow GCD.

  • Option 2: all a part’s simple holes and cutouts are machined on a router (rather than punched), if any of the part’s simple holes or cutouts lie on a fully-hollow or semi-hollow CrossSectionHollow GCD.

  • Option 3: some simple holes or cutouts may be machined while others are punched; punching is disabled for simple holes and cutouts that lie on fully-hollow CrossSectionHollow GCDs.

  • Option 4: some simple holes or cutouts may be machined while others are punched; punching is allowed for simple holes and cutouts that lie on fully-hollow CrossSectionHollow GCDs.

  • Option 5: all a part’s simple holes and cutouts are machined on a router, regardless of whether any simple holes or cutouts lie on a CrossSectionHollow GCD.

Perimeter Milling / Routering Strategy for Hollows

By default, for a hole or Cutout that is made through the wall of a CrossSectionHollow, full routering or milling is assigned (so that all removed material is converted to chips). You can enable Perimeter Routering and Perimeter Milling for such cutotus with this setup option.

Enable Perimeter Machining Plus Sharp Corner Touch Up

By default in starting point Digital Factories, on 5-Axis Mill or 5-Axis Router, for a Cutout that has sharp corners with respect to the tool approach direction, aPriori assigns Perimeter Milling or Perimeter Routering followed by Sharp Corner Touchup (which represents machining the sharp corners from a different approach direction). By setting allowPerimeterMachiningPlusTouchUpOnCutouts to false, Administrators can disable this operation sequence, in which case full routering or milling is assigned. With this setup option, you can enable or disable the operation sequence on a per-part basis.