Fundamentals

Application

In the Contour graphics workspace, the control can draw contours directly during programming. You can also use graphical programming by drawing contours and exporting them as NC blocks. In addition, you can import contours from existing NC programs and edit them graphically.

Description of function

The Contour graphics workspace is available in the Editor operating mode.

Screen layout

Screen layout of the Contour graphics workspace

The Contour graphics workspace contains the following areas:

1

Column List

2

Drawing area

3

Title bar

4

Toolbar

5

Drawing functions

6

Information bar

Controls and gestures in the Contour graphics workspace

Gestures

In addition to the gestures specifically available for graphical programming, you can also use various general gestures in graphical programming.

Icon

Gesture

Meaning

Tap

Select a point or element

Long press

Insert construction point

Two-finger drag

Move the drawing view

Draw straight elements

Insert Line segment element

Draw circular elements

Insert Circular arc element

Common gestures for the touchscreen

Icons of the title bar

The Contour graphics workspace contains the following icons independent of the shown level:

Icon or shortcut

Meaning

Open or close the List column

Open or close the Export column

CTRL + N

Discard the contour

CTRL + O

Open File

Open or close the Viewing options selection menu

Hide dimensions

Show dimensions

Hide restrictions

Show restrictions

Hide reference axes

Show reference axes

Open or close the Scaling options selection menu

Drawing area

Scale the view to the drawing area

You can define the size of the drawing area in the contour settings.

The Contour settings window

Selected elements

Scale the view to the selected elements

All elements

Scale the view to all elements

Open or close the Contour settings window

The Contour settings window

Icons on the control's user interface

Icons and buttons of the List column

Depending on the selected level, the control displays the following icons in the List column:

Icon or button

Meaning

Show or hide the Auto draw and Sketch planes

If you hide a plane, the control also hides the contour of this plane. You cannot edit the contour.

Edit contour element

Only in the Sketch plane

Move to " Sketch "

Shift contour elements to the Sketch plane

Only in the Auto draw plane

Export

Export contour elements

Only in the Sketch plane

The List column

Icons of the Sketch area

The control shows the following icons in the Sketch area:

Icon or shortcut

Designation

Meaning

Milling direction

The selected Milling direction determines whether the defined contour elements are output clockwise or counterclockwise.

Delete

Deletes all selected elements

Change the annotation

Switches the display between length and angle dimensions.

Toggle construction element

This function converts an element into a construction element.

Construction elements cannot also be output when exporting a contour.

Lock element

If this icon is displayed, the selected element is not locked against editing. Select the icon to lock the element.

Unlock element

If this icon is displayed, the selected element is locked against editing. Select the icon to unlock the element.

Set the datum

This function moves the selected point to the origin of the coordinate system.

All other drawn elements are also moved according to the given distances and dimensions. If necessary, the Set the datum function recalculates the existing restrictions.

Corner rounding

Inserts a rounding arc

When you select the area of a closed contour, you can round all corners of the contour.

Chamfer

Inserts a chamfer

When you select the area of a closed contour, you can chamfer all corners of the contour.

Coincidence

This function sets the Coincidence. constraint for two marked points.

When you use this function, the selected points of two elements are connected together. "Coincidence" is used here to refer to these points coinciding.

Vertical

This function sets the Vertical constraint for the selected Line segment element.

Vertical elements are automatically vertical.

Horizontal

This function sets the Horizontal constraint for the selected Line segment element.

Horizontal elements are automatically horizontal.

Perpendicular

This function sets the Perpendicular constraint for two selected elements of the Line segment type.

There is an angle of 90° between perpendicular elements.

Parallel

This function sets the Parallel constraint for two selected elements of the type Line segment.

When you apply this function, the angle of two lines is aligned. First, the control checks whether there are constraints such as Horizontal.

Behavior in the case of constraints:

  • If there is a constraint, the Line segment without constraint is aligned with the Line segment with constraint.
  • If both lines have constraints, the function cannot be applied. The dimension is over-determined.
  • If there are no constraints, the order of selection is decisive. The Line segment selected in the second instance is aligned with the Line segment first selected.

Equal

This function sets the Equal constraint for two marked elements.

When you apply this function, the sizes of two elements are matched (e.g., in length or diameter). First, the control checks whether there are constraints, such as a defined length.

Behavior in the case of constraints:

  • If there is a constraint, the element without constraint is aligned with the element with constraint.
  • If both elements have corresponding constraints, the function cannot be applied. The dimension is over-determined.
  • If there are no constraints, the control calculates the average value from the given dimensions.

Tangential

This function sets the Tangential constraint for two marked elements of the Line segment and Circular arc or Circular arc and Circular arc types.

When you use this function, both arcs and lines are moved. The affected elements come into contact at exactly one point after they are moved and form a tangential transition.

Symmetry

This function sets the Symmetry constraint for a marked element of the Line segment type and two marked points of other construction elements.

When you apply this function, the control positions the distance of the two points symmetrically to the selected line. If you subsequently change the distance of one of the points, the other point automatically adjusts to the change.

Point on element

This function sets the Point on element constraint for a selected element and a point of another selected element.

When you apply this function, the selected point is moved to the selected element.

Legend

Use this function to show or hide the legend explaining all the controls.

CTRL + D

Sketch

To prevent you from unintentionally drawing elements while moving the drawing, you can deactivate drawing mode. Drawing mode remains disabled until you activate it again.

If you deactivate drawing mode, the control changes the button to green.

CTRL + T

Trim

If multiple elements overlap, you can use Trim mode to shorten elements to the next adjacent element. Trim mode remains active until you deactivate it again.

If the function is active, the control changes the button to green.

Ortho

With this function, you can only draw rectangular lines. The control does not allow oblique lines or arcs.

If the function is active, the control changes the button to green.

CTRL + A

Select all

The Select All function allows you to mark all drawn elements at once.

The List column

The List column with expanded Sketching area

In the List column, the control shows the Auto draw and Sketching areas.

Auto draw plane

In the Auto draw plane, the control draws the contour that you program in the Program workspace. For this purpose, the Auto draw switch must be active.

If you select the Move to " Sketch " button, the control shifts the contour from the Auto draw plane to the Sketching plane.

Auto draw

Sketching plane

The Sketching plane allows graphical programming of contours by drawing and exporting contours. Additionally, you can import contours from existing NC programs and edit them graphically.

In the Sketching plane, the control lists all contour elements of a drawn contour.

When you select the Edit icon, the control opens the element properties for this contour element. You cannot edit the element properties.

The control displays the following element properties, for example:

  • Contour starting point
  • Contour end point
  • Length
  • Restraints (e.g., horizontal)

In the Sketching plane you can export the contour.

Exporting contours

The Contour settings window

The Contour settings window contains the following areas:

  • General information
  • Sketching
  • Export

The control saves the settings permanently.

Only the Plane setting is not saved.

The General information area

The General information area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Plane

You select the plane in which you want to draw by selecting an axis combination.

Available planes:

  • XY
  • ZX
  • YZ

Sketching area width

Default width of the drawing area

Sketching area height

Default height of the drawing area

Decimal places

Number of decimal places for dimensioning

The Sketching area

The Sketching area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Rounding radius

Default size for an inserted rounding radius

Chamfer length

Default size for an inserted chamfer

Snap circle size

Size of the snap circle when selecting the elements

The Export area

The Export area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Type of circle

You select whether arcs are output as CC and C or CR.

Export as RND

You use a toggle switch to select whether roundings drawn with the RND function are also exported as RND to the NC program.

CHF output

You use a toggle switch to select whether chamfers drawn with the CHF function are also exported as CHF to the NC program.

Note

Define the Contour settings before auto-drawing or graphical programming.

Definitions

File type

Definition

H

NC program in Klartext format

TNCDRW

HEIDENHAIN contour file