Calculate Model Surface Area and Output to Item Data

General

  • The area is calculated from the model and it also includes the area of the holes in the parts.
  • The calculation of the area is performed in the item data of the part or assembly.
  • A factor can be entered for the area, based on which the area to be painted can be calculated, for example.
    • The effect of the factor is shown in the listing Parts List > Area Summary.
    • The factor is not taken into account when you calculate the area in the item data of an assembly.
    • If there is no factor for the area in the item data of the part, or it is 0 (zero), the entire area of the part is included in the summary.
    • Note: If you want to completely exclude the area of a part from the summary of the area calculation, set the factor to 1 (one).
  • The area of the parts must be calculated separately if you want them listed in Parts List > Area Summary.
  • The area of the parts does not need to be calculated separately if you calculate the area in the item data of an assembly.
    • Area factors are not taken into account when calculating the area of item data.

Calculate the area of a part or parts of an assembly.

  1. Select the function Item Data.
    • In a part model, select the context-sensitive function Item Data, for example.
    • In an assembly model, select the main symbol in the feature tree and the context-sensitive function Item Data.
    • The program opens the dialog box Item Classes - Item Database.
  2. If necessary, enter a value in the Factor field.
    • This factor does not affect the result of the calculation below (3).
    • The factor is taken into account in the context-sensitive function Parts List > Area Summary.
  3. Calculate the area by clicking the Calculate button next to the Area field.
    • The result is automatically entered in the Area field.
    • If the part is a profile part or a local part, you can calculate its area by clicking the preset button in the Area field on the Mass tab of the part's material data.
  4. Click OK to accept the item data.

List the total area of the parts, taking into account the factors for each part

  1. Select the context-sensitive function Parts List in the assembly.
    • The program opens the dialog box Collect Parts List.
  2. Select Area Summary as the output format.
  3. If necessary, select Roll-out
  4. Click OK to accept the collection data of the parts list.
  5. If necessary, name the file and choose a folder in which to save it.
    • Naming is not mandatory.
  6. Select Save or
    • click Cancel if you do not want to save the list.
    • The program calculates the areas of the parts and the total area, taking into account the factors and opens the list in a word processing program (Notepad).