Flange Work Point - CloudWorx for Intergraph Smart 3D - Help

CloudWorx for Intergraph Smart 3D Help

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English
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CloudWorx for Intergraph Smart 3D
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Smart 3D
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Smart 3D Version
11 (2016)
Smart Review Version
13.x(2018)

Assists in determining the placement position for flanges and flanged components. A flange work point, or tie point, is a point with an axis direction for inserting a flange. This creates a circle centered at the work point, normal along the axis for the work point graphic representation.

Fit Flange Dialog Box

Method - Describes steps of picking to find flange work point. If you change the method within the command, the command starts.

Offset - Axial offset of needed work point from the pick. This is usually used when you use the back of the flange or exposed front edge of the flange as reference.

Reset - Resets the picks to start over again.

Flip - A convenient button to flip the offset when it is not on the side that you need.

Create Flange - To apply the result. Three construction lines are created to represent the flange axis and location.

Number of Points - Essential for all fitting and region grow methods.

In general, a flange axis can be determined either by its neighbor pipe or the points that represent the flange component. However, it is generally unreliable and inaccurate to grow a flange from a pick on the flange surface. When there is a neighbor pipe we should always use the neighbor to determine the axis. We provide following options to find flange work point (from best to worst):

(1) Pipe and Flange Point: This should be used whenever there is a good neighbor pipe. The first pick defines the seed to grow a neighbor pipe. Later picks adjust the flange work point along the axis.

(2) One Flange Point + East / North / Up / View X / View Y: If your point clouds are registered such that the pipelines are pointing to east, north or up, use fixed flange axis direction. In other cases, if you can manipulate the view direction so that the flange axis is parallel to view x or y direction, use view x or y direction. The first pick defines the seed point to grow a flange. The pick should be in a smooth area of the flange outer cylindrical surface. The later picks adjust the work point along the axis.

(3) Two Points: When there are two flanges of the same diameter along the pipe. Provide two pick points on two flange areas. The direction from the first to the second pick is the flange axis direction. Later picks adjust the work point along the axis.

(4) Three Points: Use this option only when none of the other options are easy to achieve. Align the view so that the flange axis is nearly parallel to the screen. Pick three points that can form a plane whose normal is the flange axis direction. A flange is grown from the first pick. Later picks adjust the work point along the axis.

When you have the good flange work point (check the large circle that represents where the flange is and the diameter), you can use Create Flange in the dialog to commit the result. Three lines are created in Point Cloud Graphics filter to demonstrate the flange work point (see below). When you model a flange, you can snap to the end of the line or use the line direction as the axis reference.

You can right-click to close the command.