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 |
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 | |
| Discard the contour |
| 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. | |
Selected elements Scale the view to the selected elements | |
All elements Scale the view to all elements | |
Open or close the Contour settings window |
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 |
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:
| |
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:
| |
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. | |
| 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. |
| 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.
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.
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:
|
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 |