Connect to CAD Model Information

To analyze a component, aP Pro extracts information from a CAD file; importing the CAD geometry to create a component and an associated scenario.

To perform some additional operations (such as changing a component's process group), aP Pro needs to connect that scenario to that CAD model, in file-connected mode, monitoring that CAD file, and updating the component's GCDs when the CAD file data changes. You can do any aP Pro operation that requires regenerating GCDs on a file-connected component.

Note: aP Pro can also work in file-disconnected mode, but this does not support automatic geometry updates; you can only work with component data that is saved in your aP Pro database.

View CAD File Connection Status

To see if the CAD data is connected to the scenario, look at the icons in the top right of the cost summary panel.

If connected, the File-Connected icon is displayed in the upper right corner:

If not connected, the File-Disconnected icon is displayed in the upper right corner:

See Change a Component CAD File Association to associate a CAD file with a component.

Notes

• File-connected mode supports automatic geometry updates for Active scenarios, but not for Inactive scenarios (see Active and Inactive Scenarios).

• For the 2-Model Machining process group, both the source and finished scenarios must be CAD-file connected to their respective CAD files. If you change the source scenario, and either scenario is not file connected, aP Pro disables the save option for the current finished scenario, and any subsequent costing relies on the Geometric Cost Driver (GCDs) that were extracted from the previously selected source scenario.