Change Summary Tables¶
Geometry and Cost Engine Changes¶
The table below contains a row for each geometry or cost engine change. Each row lists the following:
- Process group to which the change applies
- Impact level of the change (High, Medium, or Low)
- Whether the change can or must be disabled using site variables. See also Site Variable Spreadsheets.
- Description of the change and its impact
Changes are geometry changes unless explicitly labeled Cost engine change in the description.
The entries are arranged alphabetically by process group.
You can use this table to guide you in performing Step 2 and Step 3 of impact assessment (see Impact Assessment Steps). Click on the name of a process group in the first column to get more information on changes for that process group.
| Process Group | Impact Level | Can be Disabled? | Must be Disabled with Prior CMVs? | Impact Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casting - Die | Low | No | No | This release better determines whether an obscured void should be merged into a ComboVoid and better determines the feasible operations for obscured voids. In rare cases, the change affects operation assignment and cycle times. |
| Casting - Investment | Medium | Yes | No | This release improves determination of size, shape, and manufacturing method for recessed features, including whether they should be grouped with other cavities and recessed features to make a single, larger core tool. The change affects operation assignment and cycle times. To disable this change, set the site variable breakawayVoidAlgorithm to Voxel-Based. |
| Casting - Investment | Low | No | No | This release better determines whether an obscured void should be merged into a ComboVoid and better determines the feasible operations for obscured voids. In rare cases, the change affects operation assignment and cycle times. |
| Casting - Sand | Medium | Yes | No | This release improves determination of size, shape, and manufacturing method for recessed features, including whether they should be grouped with other cavities and recessed features to make a single, larger core tool. The change affects operation assignment and cycle times. To disable this change, set the site variable breakawayVoidAlgorithm to Voxel-Based. |
| Casting - Sand | Low | No | No | This release better determines whether an obscured void should be merged into a ComboVoid and better determines the feasible operations for obscured voids. In rare cases, the change affects operation assignment and cycle times. |
| Forging | Medium | Yes | No | This release improves determination of size, shape, and manufacturing method for recessed features, including whether they should be grouped with other cavities and recessed features to make a single, larger core tool. The change affects operation assignment and cycle times. To disable this change, set the site variable breakawayVoidAlgorithm to Voxel-Based. |
| Forging | Low | No | No | This release better determines whether an obscured void should be merged into a ComboVoid and better determines the feasible operations for obscured voids. In rare cases, the change affects operation assignment and cycle times. |
| Powder Metal | Medium | Yes | No | This release improves determination of size, shape, and manufacturing method for recessed features, including whether they should be grouped with other cavities and recessed features to make a single, larger core tool. The change affects operation assignment and cycle times. To disable this change, set the site variable breakawayVoidAlgorithm to Voxel-Based. |
| Powder Metal | Low | No | No | This release better determines whether an obscured void should be merged into a ComboVoid and better determines the feasible operations for obscured voids. In rare cases, the change affects operation assignment and cycle times. |
| Multi-Spindle Machining | Medium | Yes | Yes | This release more often assigns side milling operations to all surfaces in a chain of adjacent surfaces. In addition, aPriori now more accurately recognizes fillet geometry that can be made indirectly. The change affects operation assignment and cycle times. With prior cost model versions, you must disable this change: set the site variable parallelSurfaceChainAlgorithm to Closed loop. With the latest cost model version,parallelSurfaceChainAlgorithm must be set to Open chain(the default). |
| PCB | Low | Yes | No | This release improves interpretation of the following ECAD modelling practices: - Definition of holes/vias in Altium and CADSTAR Gerber files - Use of legend Gerber files from PADs This change takes effect only if you import the latest PCB XSLT script when you upgrade to 2024 R1. |
| Sheet Metal Process Groups | Low | No | No | In rare cases in the previous release, aPriori erroneously included large “spikes” in a blank outline with an addendum. This release corrects the problem. As a result, for affected parts, utilization increases and fully-burdened cost may decrease slightly. In some cases, operation assignment and capital investment may change. |
| Stock Machining | Medium | Yes | Yes | This release more often assigns side milling operations to all surfaces in a chain of adjacent surfaces. In addition, aPriori now more accurately recognizes fillet geometry that can be made indirectly. The change affects operation assignment and cycle times. With prior cost model versions, you must disable this change: set the site variable parallelSurfaceChainAlgorithm to Closed loop. With the latest cost model version,parallelSurfaceChainAlgorithm must be set to Open chain(the default). |
| Stock Machining | Low | Yes | No | This release supports automatic extraction of turning axes for rotationally-symmetric features that are offset from the stock axis and can be made by eccentric turning operations. The new functionality is disabled by default; you can enable it by modifying site variable settings. |
Before you upgrade, review the process groups you use, and identify the ones have that have changes with cost impact. Once you have determined whether to accept or disable each High-impact geometry or cost engine change for the process groups that you use, you can upgrade to the new release. If there are no High-impact geometry or cost engine changes, you can upgrade to the new release.
aPriori also recommends that you review the cost model changes as well as the Low- and Medium-impact geometry and cost engine changes for the process groups you use.
All Changes¶
The table below indicates which categories of change impact each process group, as well as the cost model versions supported in the last three releases.
Process names in the table’s first column link to process-group-specific sections which can help you to perform Steps 3 and 4 of your impact assessments (see Impact Assessment Steps). Each of the sections contains summary tables as well as change details grouped by the following three categories:
- Geometry or cost engine changes that could impact configured Digital Factories: these are changes that might impact costing even for Digital Factories that use earlier cost model versions.
- Bug fixes or small improvements to prior cost model versions that could impact configured Digital Factories: these are back-ported bug fixes, which might impact costing for Digital Factories that use earlier cost model versions.
- Cost model changes that do not affect configured Digital Factories: these are changes that do not affect costings with Digital Factories that use earlier cost model versions.
| Process Group | Geometry or Cost Engine Changes | Bug Fixes or Small Improvements to Prior Cost Model Versions | Changes to New Cost Model Version | Cost Model Versions Supported in the Last 3 Releases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Model Machining | NO | NO | NO | 120, 110, 100 |
| Additive Manufacturing | NO | NO | NO | 160, 150, 140 |
| Assembly | NO | NO | YES | 210, 200, 190 |
| Assembly Molding | NO | NO | NO | 120, 110, 100 |
| Assembly Plastic Molding | NO | NO | NO | 70, 60, 50 |
| Bar &Tube | NO | NO | NO | 240, 230, 220 |
| Casting - Die | YES | NO | NO | 170, 160, 150 |
| Casting - Investment | YES | NO | NO | 90, 80, 70 |
| Casting - Sand | YES | NO | YES | 170, 160, 150 |
| Composites | NO | NO | NO | 80, 70, 60 |
| Forging | YES | NO | NO | 220, 210, 200 |
| Heat Treatment | NO | NO | NO | 160, 150, 140 |
| Machining | NO | NO | YES | 300, 290, 280 |
| Multi-Spindle Machining | YES | NO | YES | 40, 30, 20 |
| Other Secondary Processes | NO | NO | NO | 150, 140, 130 |
| PCB | YES | NO | YES | 70, 60, 50 |
| Part Assembly | NO | NO | NO | 110, 100, 90 |
| Plastic Molding | NO | NO | NO | 250, 240, 230 |
| Powder Metal | YES | NO | NO | 160, 150, 140 |
| Rotational & Blow Molding | NO | NO | NO | 170, 160, 150 |
| Sheet Metal | YES | NO | NO | 280, 270, 260 |
| Sheet Metal - Hydroforming | YES | NO | NO | 130, 120, 110 |
| Sheet Metal – Roll Forming | YES | NO | NO | 50, 40, 30 |
| Sheet Metal – Stretch Forming | YES | NO | NO | 110, 100, 90 |
| Sheet Metal – Transfer Die | YES | NO | NO | 170, 160, 150 |
| Sheet Plastic | NO | NO | NO | 160, 150, 140 |
| Stock Machining | YES | NO | YES | 200, 190, 180 |
| Surface Treatment | NO | NO | NO | 240, 230, 220 |
| User Guided | NO | NO | NO | 70, 60, 60 |