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CAD/CAM Design Methodologies

Horizontal Modeling™ & Digital Design Process™ Training Course Overview

Most MCAD packages have you build upon a model using the parent-child relationship. This method works well in many cases but if you need to make major changes to your model, this parent-child relationship can make editing your model difficult. Repositioning or reattaching features may take you considerable amount of time. Deleting features may even result in the loss of other features or you may need to do considerable editing to reconnect the feature.

You can build "smart" models without the extensive parent-child relationship using the Horizontal Modeling method. You build all your features from a base set of datums or offset datums. All features are placed and positioned relative to these datums without the dependency on the existing model. Even complex models can use this method of modeling.

In this course, we use three projects to demonstrate this methodology. Before taking this course, you must be able to sketch, model, draft, and assemble parts. We start out introducing the concept using a basic casting and then creating the machined part. We have you model the part while providing an explanation of what you did and why. Once you create the casting, you use WAVE to create the final machined part. We show you how to generate the process sheets for the method. Once you complete the models, we have you edit the design.

In the second project, you create a housing that uses more features but the same concept. Again, we explain the reasons for doing certain steps and we have you edit the model. In the final project you must be able to use some free form features and advanced form features. You will be given an overview of the required features and how to create them. Most of the final part will be created and you will perform a Feature Playback to analyze the feature structure. Once you analyze the model structure, you will complete the model and then edit it. As with the other two projects, you will be given the reasons for creating the features you do.

Once you complete the course, you will have the foundation for using the Horizontal Modeling method. You will also find this method works for you no matter the complexity of the model. Downstream applications will also perform better with this model structure.