About ZW3D Levels

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About ZW3D Levels

ZW3D Levels

ZW3D is a multi-level object-oriented CAD system that provides access to its various integrated modules through a common interface. Rather than having to launch several applications (e.g., one for part modeling, drafting, or CAM), you just load ZW3D and open a ZW3D file, then proceed through or to the desired level. Look closely at the figure below and be sure to read the caption carefully. It illustrates and describes the ZW3D object hierarchy.

ZW3D Objects & Levels

NOTE:

A ZW3D file contains all the information needed for a design. When you open a ZW3D file, the Object Level is displayed where you can create or edit Root Objects like parts, assemblies, drawings or CAM plans. Once a Root Object is activated, you can then begin to create/edit geometry or activate other Instance Objects within that Root Object like a sketch in a part or a sheet in a drawing packet. Navigating back up to the File Level is easy. Just find and select the Exit icon repeatedly. Its on the Toolbar.

The File Level

The ZW3D File Level contains functions that relate to the management of ZW3D object files. These functions are available from the File Menu. The file level is where new files are created or existing files are activated within the active session. At the File Level the Pull Down Menus and the are displayed.

Important Concepts to Remember

ZW3D files can contain more than one CAD-CAM object. Objects can instance another object in certain cases. Instanced objects can also reside in different ZW3D files. Be sure to study the illustration and caption above carefully.

You can create a file by selecting New File from the File Menu and then completing the New File/Object Form. You can edit a file by selecting Open File from the File Menu and then selecting a file from the File Browser. Once a file is created or activated for editing, you are moved to the Root Object Level.

The Root Object Level

The Object Level of ZW3D contains functions that relate to the management of Root Objects such as parts, drawing packets, drawing sheets, root sketches, cam plans, and root equations. The Object Level is activated when a ZW3D file is created or edited. At the Object Level the ZW3D Object Manager, Pull Down Menus, and the Toolbar are all displayed.

You return to the Object Level when the icon is selected at either the Part, Drawing Packet, Drawing Sheet (if its a root drawing sheet), Sketch (if its a root sketch), and CAM Levels. If you edit a part from a layout view (Drawing Sheet Level) that references it, selecting this icon will take you back to the Drawing Sheet Level.

You can create/edit a Root Objects in one of the following ways.

Use the Insert Menu to create a new root object.
Right-click in the Graphics Window and use the Object Editor to create a new root object.
Select Edit or New from the ZW3D Object Manager.

Once a root object is created or activated, you are moved to the level of that object type.

What you can do at the Root Object Level:

Use the ZW3D Object Manager to manage existing objects such as parts and drawing sheets in the active file.

Preview object graphics, attributes and assemblies in the active file prior to loading.

Create new objects and activate them for editing.

Access tools and utilities.

Access ZW3D online help.

The Part/Assembly Level

The Part Level of ZW3D contains functions that relate to creating and editing parts and assemblies. At the Part Level, the Shape Tooltab, Pull Down Menus, and Toolbars are all displayed. You can activate the Part Level in any of the following ways:

from the Object Level by creating or editing a part or assembly.
from an assembly when you activate a component for editing.
from the Sketch Level when you exit after creating a feature sketch.
from the Drawing Sheet Level by activating a part referenced by a layout view.
from the CAM Level by activating a CAM component for editing.

What you can do at the Part/Assembly Level:

Create/edit parts and assemblies using wireframe, surface, and solid geometry.

Create and manage layers.

Create and edit variables and equations.

Reference geometry from other components in an assembly.

Create/edit light sources, rendering attributes, and render the part.

Assign part and geometry attributes and record modeling notes.

Inquire and analyze part and assembly features and conditions.

Check and heal part topology conditions imported from other CAD systems.

Perform file management functions.

Access ZW3D online help.

Return to the Object Level when the Exit icon is selected.

The directory paths containing all parts referenced in assemblies, drawing sheets and CAM process plans must be listed in the ZW3D Search Path Form accessed by selecting File > Search Path... . These directory paths are stored in the file named "paths". When "paths" is edited by the ZW3D Search Path Form, a copy of "paths" is placed in the your runtime directory .

File > Search Path... . These directory paths are stored in the file named "paths". When "paths" is edited by the ZW3D Search Path Form, a copy of "paths" is placed in the your runtime directory .

The Sketch Level

The Sketch Level of ZW3D contains functions that relate to creating a sketch (part and root sketches). The Sketch Level is activated in the following ways.

When a sketch is created or edited by commands at the Part Level.
When a sketch is selected with a double-left-click (object editor) at the Part Level.
When a root sketch is created or edited at the Object Level.

At the Sketch Level, the Basic Tooltab, Pull Down Menus, and the Toolbar are all displayed.

What you can do at the Sketch Level:

Create/edit sketch geometry that will drive part features.

Add dimensions, constraints and equations to geometry.

Add sketch attributes.

Inquire and analyze the constraint system.

Inquire curve connections.

Solve (evaluate) the sketch

Return to the Part Level (or Object Level in the case of a root sketch) when the Exit icon is selected from the Toolbar.

The Drawing Packet Level

The Drawing Packet Level contains functions that relate to creating drawing packets. In ZW3D, a drawing packet is a collection of one or more drawing sheets. A drawing sheet is where the actual geometry is located. The Drawing Packet Level is activated when a drawing packet is created or edited at the Object Level or when the Exit icon

is selected when a drawing sheet is active.

Note that the Drawing Packet Level is NOT activated when the Exit icon is selected when a root drawing sheet is active. Refer to the Object Level for more discussion about root drawing sheets. At the Drawing Packet Level the ZW3D Object Manager (for drawing sheets), Pull Down Menus, and the Toolbar are all displayed.

What you can do at the Drawing Packet Level:

Create or edit a drawing sheet assigned to the active drawing packet.

Delete a drawing sheet assigned to the active drawing packet.

Inquire entity information about the active drawing packet or any drawing sheet assigned to it.

Select the Exit icon to return to the Object Level.

The Drawing Sheet Level

The Drawing Sheet Level contains functions that relate to creating a drawing sheet. In ZW3D, a Drawing Packet is a collection of one or more drawing sheets. A drawing sheet is where the actual geometry is located. The Drawing Sheet Level is activated in the following ways.

When a Root Drawing Sheet is created or edited at the Object Level.
When a Drawing Sheet is created or edited at the Drawing Packet Level.

At the Drawing Sheet Level, the Layout Tooltab, Pull Down Menus and the Toolbar are all displayed.

The directory paths containing all parts referenced in assemblies , drawing sheets and CAM process plans must be listed in the ZW3D Search Path Form displayed by selecting File > Search Path... . These directory paths are stored in the file named "paths". When "paths" is edited by the ZW3D Search Path Form , a copy of "paths" is placed in the your runtime directory .

assemblies , drawing sheets and CAM process plans must be listed in the ZW3D Search Path Form displayed by selecting File > Search Path... . These directory paths are stored in the file named "paths". When "paths" is edited by the ZW3D Search Path Form , a copy of "paths" is placed in the your runtime directory ).

What you can do at the Drawing Sheet Level:

Create layouts from ZW3D parts and assemblies.

Create a Bill of Materials (BOM) table with balloon call outs.

Create/edit drawing sheet geometry.

Add dimensions and text that conform to ANSI, ISO, DIN, or JIS standards.

Add hatch patterns.

Cut, copy, paste, move, rotate, mirror, scale, and stretch geometry.

Create and insert symbols.

Create and edit groups.

Create and edit layers.

Freeze and thaw geometry.

Inquire geometry information.

The CAM Level

The CAM Level of ZW3D contains functions that relate to creating CAM process plans. The CAM Level is activated from the Object Level by creating or editing a CAM process plan. At the CAM Level, the Pull Down Menus, CAM Tooltab, Toolbar and the CAM Plan Manager are all displayed by default.

What you can do at the CAM Level:

Instance ZW3D parts to build CAM assemblies consisting of parts to be machined, stock, clamps or tables, etc..

Speed tool path development by creating CAM feature groups from part features such as holes, pockets, steps, slots, profiles, surfaces or solids.

Define tool shapes and properties and build tool libraries.

Define machines including properties, tool changers, axis limits, sequence files and programming detail.

Define setups consisting of CAM components and frames.

Define CAM processes that assemble machining operations and define NC program output.

Choose from over 50 hole, rough milling, 2-1/2 axis milling, 3 axis milling, 5 axis and QuickMilling operations to perform on feature groups that define CAM tactics.

Calculate, edit, verify and output tool paths. Choose from both rapid and solid verification methods.

Equations in ZW3D

Equations in ZW3D can exist as Instance Objects within other Root Objects, specifically, Parts/Assemblies and Sketches. Refer to the illustration above under ZW3D Levels.

Variable, equations and expressions can be used to parametrically drive parts, sketches and drawing sheets. Variables can be created and assigned absolute values or values implicitly derived from dimensions. Expressions can be created and used as input during command prompts. Expressions can contain variables as well as conditional (if/then/else) operators.

Equations can be created that contain variables as well as one or more expressions (i.e., equation sets). You can set equations to be solved sequentially (linear) or simultaneously (nonlinear). You can also test the results of an equation set on the active part.

In this Article:

ZW3D Levels

The File Level

The Root Object Level

What you can do at the Root Object Level:

The Part/Assembly Level

What you can do at the Part/Assembly Level:

The Sketch Level

What you can do at the Sketch Level:

The Drawing Packet Level

What you can do at the Drawing Packet Level:

The Drawing Sheet Level

What you can do at the Drawing Sheet Level:

The CAM Level

What you can do at the CAM Level:

Equations in ZW3D