Conference kepnut::euclid

35.0. "Euclid at General Dynamics" by SDOGUS::BOYACK (High Priest of CAD/CAM) Thu Jan 18 1990 14:03

    This note is an excerpt from a Euclid newsletter at General Dynamics
    Convair div. I thought it might be of interest to you to see how
    we are progressing at this Euclid site.
    
    Regards!
    
    Steven Boyack
    DEC GD/IMS Program Office
    DEC San Diego
    
    
    
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Note 2.0                 DEC '89 Euclid Users Newsletter              No replies
CIMSAA::REMMES                                      212 lines  12-JAN-1990 11:05
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	 Status of Euclid at General Dynamics Convair!

         In the past few months Euclid workstations have been
         installed  throughout Convair Division. Currently there
         are approximately 46 Euclid workstations installed at 15
         various sites in the division. An additonal 15
         workstations are planned for installation before the end
         of 1989. By the end of 1989 we will have a total of 61
         Euclid workstations installed, quite an impressive
         number compared to 10 workstations installed at the end
         of 1988. We have also made leaps and bounds this year in
         the training department. Since March of 1989
         approximately 115 people have been trained in Euclid
         Solids 1 and Solids 2. Many of these students have
         continued training and have completed courses in Solids
         3, Advanced Surfaces, FEM, and NC Programming.


	 Euclid TIPS!

         Lately, Euclid users have ex-perienced difficulties in
         the management  storing and retrieving of Euclid
         objects. There are some simple rules to follow to avoid
         the possibility of corrupting your parts. 

         First of all, no solid object should have any reference
         to any other stored database object.  The exception
         being Assemblies that may have these inverse references. A
         solid object may be defined as any object that would be
         machined as one part.  When a part is bolted to the
         solid object it would then become an assembly.  

         Secondly, realize that their are a few approaches to
         storing and retrieving solid objects that you may be
         making daily revisions too. The following is the best
         method to use: Lets say on day 1 you create a solid
         object and store it in the database. The next day you
         retrieve that stored solid object. Now that you have
         retrieved the part you decide that you want to modify
         the solid object (ie. perform a cut, fussion, etc.).
         Before you do any modifications first "UNPROTECT" the
         solid object. This command will break the connection to
         the object named "BOX". Next, "NAME" that object
         something different.  Now you can do your modifications.
         When you are done modifying the solid object "STORE" it
         as the same name you orginally retrieved it by.

         Lets look at a practical example to futher understand
         the benefits of the above method.  We will  first look
         at a poor method of storing. Say Joe User creates a box
         and STOREd it as BOX. He then logs off and goes home for
         the day (sounds like Joe had a rough day of work).
         Anyway the next day Joe RETRIEVEd the object and began
         cutting the object with various cutting tools he created
         during this new session. Satisfied with the results, he
         attempts to store his object as BOX, however the system
         would not allow him.  Therefore he stored it as BOX_1.
         While tidying up his database, Joe CLEANed BOX from his
         DB. Joe didn't notice the warning on the VMS window that
         said "Inverse Reference Found".  Joe continued on his
         way and deleted BOX anyway. 

         A week later Joe tried to retrieve BOX_1 and received a
         bunch of errors and a corrupted part. This happened
         because BOX_1 was still pointing to BOX which was
         removed from his database when he did his database house
         cleaning.  If Joe had noticed the VMS Window warning him
         that "Inverse References Found" when he tried to clean
         BOX from the database, he could have executed a "Where
         Used" command and found out that BOX_1 had a pointer to
         BOX.

         Now, the moral of the story isn't to prevent Joe from
         working on your parts. The moral of the story is to use
         the proper method. Lets look at the method Joe User
         should have  used.

         Lets rewrite the story starting  when Joe retrieved BOX. 
         The next thing Joe does is UNPROTECT the solid object
         BOX. Joe then changes the name of the object to CUBE by
         using the NAME function under MGMT/EXIT. He then
         proceeds to modify CUBE with tools created during his
         present session.  Satisfied with his efforts, Joe then
         STOREs his new part as BOX in the database.  The new
         configuration of "BOX" is inserted back into the CSG
         Tree at its original location. When Joe executes a "LIST
         DB" command he sees that the BOX has an ACTIVE  version
         and an INACTIVE version.

         In summary, UNPROTECTing the object in a new work
         session breaks the connection to the database. Renaming
         the object prevents the part's Tree History from having
         a duplicate node name. Any part of the object  can be
         modified by using the TREE HISTORY function. Every
         operation that was performed may be recovered, modified
         or re-executed. If you feel uncomfortable with tree
         editing an object, please contact one of the
         Applications Engineers for a tutorial. 


	 Next Months Topics

         Next months Euclid Users Newsletter will highlight the
         following areas of interest:

         - What Is the IMS Program?

         - Euclid Managers Course.

         - Euclid Users Group.

         - More Euclid Tips.

         - Guest Editiorial.

         And much more. We will try to have the newsletters to
         you around the 15TH of each month. I hope you enjoyed
         this first edition of the Euclid Users Newsletter. We
         plan to improve with time and  hope to meet your needs
         and interest. So from the newsletter staff we wish you
         all a "Happy and Safe Holiday Season". See ya next year.

    Steve,
    	Thanks for passing along the General Dynamics information. It
    can surely help out the new Euclid users! I work in CTC'c CADME
    Design Process and Applications group and have been involved with
    the EUCLID/UGII study, helping to profile LEMSB's implementation
    of EUCLID and assisting with the vendor benchmark. Passing along
    that type of info is real worthwhile, and can especially help with
    other new startup efforts. To you and the BXB2 folks, Keep it coming!!!
    
    						Thanks,
    						Bill Donahue