You’ve mastered the art of creating iParts and iFeatures, but did you know you can apply logical operators to your parts and features to make them even more intelligent?
In this quick exercise we’ll simplify this concept by creating a 1-inch cube with a 1/4-inch hole in it. If the hole diameter is less than 1/8th of an inch, the hole will be suppressed.
Create a Sample Part.
You can apply the same technique to iParts and iFeatures, but for demonstration purposes we’ll use a standard part. Open a standard part file, create a 1-inch cube, and then use the Hole command to put a ¼-inch hole through the cube. Be sure to center the hole on a face of the cube.
Identify the Parameter.
Now open the Parameters dialog box to learn the name of the parameter that defines the diameter of the hole. You'll find the Parameters command in the Manage tab.
In this case the diameter of the hole is the d4 parameter.
Open Feature Properties.
Once you know the parameter name for the diameter, right click on the Hole1 feature in the browser and select Properties.
Edit Feature Properties.
The Feature Properties dialog box shows the properties for Hole1. In the Suppression Section, check the 'If' check box, select d6 in the top combo box, select the Less Than operator, and enter .125 in the value combo box. This will cause the hole to be suppressed if the diameter of the hole is less than 1/8th of an inch. Once you’ve edited these settings, click OK, and then Update the part.
Now test it.
Edit the Hole1 feature, and change the diameter of the hole to .094.
When you click OK and then Update the part, the hole disappears because Hole1 is suppressed.
Why is this important?
This adds a new twist to your ability to control dynamic geometry. As iParts and iFeatures increase and decrease in size you may want to suppress or un-suppress other features so that they fit. For example, a 6-inch long plate can have 4 1-inch diameter holes spaced an inch apart. If you decrease the length of the plate to 5-inches, you may want one of the holes to disappear.
