Sheet Plastic GCD Extraction

When you choose the Sheet Plastic process group, aPriori analyzes your part in terms of geometric cost drivers (GCDs) that include Surfaces and Holes, as well as the Parting Line, Draw Direction, and Core Bundles (see Sheet Plastic Undercuts and Core Bundles). As usual, there is a special GCD, Component, that represents the part as a whole.

For Sheet Plastic parts, the part height dimension is always aligned with the draw direction. Part length is the longer of the remaining dimensions, and part width is the shorter. (Note that this applies only to process groups that involve a parting line, draw direction, or build direction; for other primary process groups, part length >= part width >= part height.)

Following are some of the properties of each of these GCD types:

Note: Only a small selection of important properties are listed here.

Component (Base Properties, Parting Line, Setup Axes/Candidates, Sides):

• Base Properties Component):

  • Volume (mm^3)

  • Surface Area (mm^2)

  • Non Solid Surface Area (mm^2)

  • Length, Width, and Height (millimeters)

  • Length Direction, Width Direction, and Height Direction: each of these is a unit vector, two of whose components are 0 (the other component is 1 or -1). These vectors can be compared with the Direction vector of another GCD (such as a Setup Axis) in order to determine whether the GCD’s direction is aligned with the part’s length, width, or height.

  • Number of Surfaces

• Parting Line:

  • Draw Direction

  • Height (millimeters)

  • Parting Type (FLAT, NON_FLAT)

  • Projected Area (mm^2)

  • Projected Molded Area (mm^2)

  • Solid Shadow Area (mm^2)

  • Projected Area (mm^2)

  • Number of Shadow Openings

  • Tool Reach A, Tool Reach B (millimeters)

  • Length Direction

• Side

  • Area (mm^2)

  • Is Larger Side (true, false)

  • Is Used For Flattening (true, false)

  • Is Expanded (true, false)

  • Shell Side (INSIDE, OUTSIDE)

Surfaces (Curved Surface, Curved Wall, and Planar Face):

Note: Tolerances are not supported in the Sheet Plastic cost model.

• Finished Area (mm^2)

• Maximum Tool Diameter (millimeters)

• Tool Reach (millimeters)

• Bend Diameter (millimeters)

• Perimeter (millimeters)

• SER Length and SER Width (Planar Face, smallest enclosing rectangle dimensions in millimeters)

• Inside Diameter (Planar Face, millimeters)

• Number of Surfaces

• Fillet Min Angle and Fillet Max Angle (degrees)

• Round Radius (millimeters)

• Round Length (millimeters)

Holes (Simple Hole, Complex Holes):

Note: Tolerances are not supported in the Sheet Plastic cost model.

• Diameter (millimeters)

• Length (millimeters)

• Volume (mm^3)

• Surface Area (mm^2)

• Blind, Sleeve Pin Hole, Threaded, Is Countersunk, and Is Flanged (TRUE or FALSE)

• Accessibility (THROUGH, OBSCURED, SIDE_A, SIDE_ B, or UNKNOWN – determines operation sequence and tooling requirements.)

Volumes (Perimeters, Core Bundles):

• Perimeters:

  • Area (mm^2)

  • Direction

  • Is Length Direction, Is Width Direction, Is Height Direction (boolean)

  • Length (millimeters)

  • Location Type (EXTERNAL, INTERNAL)

  • Volume (mm^3)

  • Wall Area (mm^2)

  • Number of Sharp Corners

  • Minimum Width (millimeters)

• Core Bundles (Voids):

  • Excluded from Bundling (boolean)

  • Accessibility (THROUGH, OBSCURED, SIDE_A, SIDE_ B, or UNKNOWN – determines operation sequence and tooling requirements.)

  • Void Direction Accessible (true, false)

  • Box Height, Box Length, Box Width (millimeters)

  • Draw Height, Draw Length, Draw Width (millimeters)

  • Exposed Area (mm^2)

  • Number of Openings

  • Number of Surfaces

  • Perimeter (millimeters)

  • Surface Area (mm^2)

  • Tool Reach (millimeters)

  • Void Shape (EXTRUDED, COMPLEX)

  • Volume (mm^3)

  • Dir Core Prints Box Height, Dir Core Prints Box Length, Dir Core Prints Box Width

  • Maximum Tool Diameter (millimeters)

  • Parting Line Draw Distance (millimeters)