SEER – Ply Cost Estimator(SEER-PCE)

SEER- Ply Cost Estimator (SEER-PCE)

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator

• The SEER-Ply Cost Estimator is an interface for the CATIA user to generate a SEER-MFG cost estimate from composite design data. The interface provides inputs and options to specify how many parts are to be produced, and the type of manufacturing environment used to make the part. From these inputs, SEER-MFG produces a cost estimate including costs for material placement, cutting, forming, curing trimming, drilling, finishing, tooling, inspection and more. The SEER estimate results are returned to a summary report panel within CATIA. The inputs and SEER summary results may be saved within the CATIA part feature tree.

Integration with CATIA Part 1

• Generate SEER cost estimates directly from CATIA composites workbench

• Empower Designers with Cost Knowledge

• Visualize cost impact of design decisions instantly and in real time

Integration with CATIA

Comprehensive Reports & Charts

• SEER provides comprehensive estimation capability with minimum input effort from designer

Invoking SEER-PCE

• To invoke the Ply Cost estimator the desktop shortcut should be activated by double clicking on the icon.

• Open the Catia V5 Composites CAD file that needs to be estimated

• Click on the PCE Icon to invoke the SEER-MFG interface and the PCE Dialog box.

Set CATIA Options to view SPCE Parameters

• Tools > Options > General > Parameters and Measure > With Value = TRUE

• Tools > Options > Part Infrastructure > Parameters = TRUE

SEER-PCE Dialog Interface

• As the SEER-PCE opens it reads from the CAD file the component geometry and the Composites Ply Data stored in the file.

Hide / Show Plies to Include / Exclude from Estimate

• Right Click on Ply Group(s), or Individual Plies and use Hide/Show to include/exclude from Estimate.

Part Inputs Tab

Select Manufacturing Environment

Select Process Type: Normally set byManufacturing Environment but user Manually Choices include HLU, ATL & TOW

Enter Production Quantity

Select Part Shape: Choices include:

Part Geometry extracted from CAD DataUsers can overwrite these values.

Shape Complexity - Detail

Rating Description

VERY HIGH Complex compound contoured, all sharp joggles, 75%-100% ply drops/windows, double curvature

(e.g., bulkheads, unitized parts)

HIGH+ Complex compound contoured, all sharp joggles, 50%-75% ply drops/windows, double curvature

(e.g., curved sine wave spars).

HIGH- Complex compound contoured, some joggles, 40%-50% ply drops/windows, double curvature

(e.g., sine wave spars)

NOMINAL+ Average contours, 21-30 degree, multi-piece, 21-40% ply drops/windows (e.g., I beams, duct

skins)

NOMINAL Average contours, 21-30 degree, multi-piece, 20% ply drops/windows, single contour (e.g.,

fuselage skins, J- channel)

NOMINAL- Medium contours, 12-20 degree, limited ply drops, limited windows (e.g., vertical/wing

skins/spars)

LOW+ Mild Contours, 5-11 degree contours limited ply drops, limited windows, (“Vertical/Wing Skins”).

LOW Flat/mild contours less than 5 degrees, no drops or windows (e.g., "ribs, flanges, strips, access

covers")

Shape Complexity

A default value will be set base on the Part Shape selection.This setting rates the overall geometrical complexity of the part. Consider curves, contours, joggles, pockets and windows. Part complexity can be subjectively modeled through use of this factor. Select a setting that best represents the level of complexity in the part being modeled.

Process Options Dialog:

Ply Cut and Ply Location EquipmentSet by Manufacturing Environment

Select Debulk Bag Type, Choices include:• Nylon• Reusable Nylon• Reusable Elastomeric• Kapton

Enter the required Debulk interval and Hot Debulk Quantity

Process Option, Check as required.• Core Machining & Flat Panel• Hot Form Press• Non Destructive Testing• Tool Fab, Design• Finishing

Select the Cure Infusion Method:

Select the Cure Material Cycle:

Resin Type set by Catia:

Drilling Details Dialog

For specific drilling operations by defaultthe PCE will add all of the drilled holes Listed in the hole feature module. Thedrilling details dialog allows users to addadditional drilling requirements to the overall estimate.

A growing list of operations allow usersTo select drill type, drill diameter,quantity of drilled holes, Pitch and depth.

Detail covered on next slide

Drilling Details

• Drilling Data (Operation)

• The drill operation choices change depending on the Drill on Assembly choice. Choose from Hand Drilling to fully Automated drilling.

• Drilling Data (Qty)

• The number of holes to be drilled.

• Drilling Data (Diameter)

• The desired finished hole diameter ( in or mm) irrespective of the size or number of steps to get there. Use multiple drilling operations if more than one hole diameter is required. For example, one operation for 1/4-inch (6.35mm) holes and another operation for 1/8-inch (3.175mm) holes.

• Drilling Data (Depth)

• The average depth ( in or mm) of holes to be drilled.

• Drilling Data (Pitch)

• Only used for tapped holes. Enter the number of Threads per Inch (imperial) or thread Pitch (mm metric).

• Drilling Data (Ream)

• If this option is checked, SEER-MFG shall add additional time for a ream operation.

• The default selection is defined in the [PLY-COST-ESTIMATOR-DEFAULTS] table as part of the manufacturing environment.

• Drilling Data (Add Button)

• Click to Add the drilling data to the list of drilling operations. -The minimum data required are Qty, Diameter and Depth.

• Drilling Data (Cancel Button)

• Click Cancel to return to the main SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Input dialog.

• Note. If any Input is disabled, it is defined in the CATIA part and cannot be edited here.

Trim Details Dialog

For specific trimming operations the PCETrim details dialog allows users to addtrimming requirements to the overallEstimate.

By default the trim boundary of the base Layer is selected for the trim operation.a growing list of operations allow usersTo select ply geometry, add descriptions and feature names can be added, as can user specified trim features without selecting the CAD model.

Trim Details (List Box Control)

• The largest surface boundary perimeter will be shown here. You can add, edit, or delete trim perimeters as required.

• If the Include Trim option is checked, additional time and cost will be added for trimming the part to a final net shape. Several methods can be defined for the manufacturing environment, including: hand router, 3-axis, 5-axis, water jet cutting, ultrasonic knives and band saw cutting.

• Uncheck this option to exclude Trim time and cost from the estimate.

• Default trim type methods can be set based on the [PROCESS-RULES] table for the environment. Additionally, the program load time can be defined in the [TRIM-PROGRAM-LOAD-TIME] table.

• Other process settings, such as number of setups, number of rough and final trims, number of tool changes, are defined as part of the manufacturing environment knowledge base.

• The default selection is defined in the [PLY-COST-ESTIMATOR-DEFAULTS] table as part of the manufacturing environment.

Trim Data – Selection Type

• The Selection Type defines the type of selection / perimeter value to be added to the trim list and total computed Trim Length.

• None – select this option and enter a trim length as required.

• Surface Feature Boundary(s) – select this type to compute the boundary perimeter of the selected surface feature, as the trim length.

• Face Inner Boundary – select this type to measure the inner boundary perimeter of the selected face, as the trim length.

• Surface Edge Free Boundary – select this type to select an initial Free Boundary edge, and all connected boundary edges will be automatically selected to compute the total boundary perimeter, as the trim length.

• Edge Only – select this type to select an edge length, as the trim length.

Manufacturing Environments

• Manufacturing Environments

• Manufacturing Environments are created and defined by the user. A manufacturing environment contains a set of SEER-MFG knowledge bases with process specific details , labor rates, etc., and a default settings and rules file.

• A default set of Manufacturing Environments are installed in the Public Document folder:

• C:\Users\Public\Documents\SEER\SEER-PCE x.x\Manufacturing Environments

• Note. Manufacturing Environments can be stored elsewhere on a machine, or on a server, as long as the path in the SEER-CATIA Settings.INI file is updated. The SEER-CATIA Settings.INI is installed in the following folder:

• C:\ProgramData\SEER\SEER-PCE 1.0

Create a New Manufacturing Environment

• Navigate to folder location (C:\Users\Public\Documents\SEER\SEER-PCE x.x\Manufacturing Environments)

• Select the Manufacturing Environment that you wish to Edit.

• Select Folder

• Right Click and Copy the Folder

• Right Click and Paste into the Environments Folder

• A Copy of the Folder will now be created.

• Rename Environment Folder (Right Click folder select Rename)

• Copy Paste New Environment Rename

Open SEER CATIA template Editor.xlsm

• Open New Environment Folder

• Navigate to the Excel file named: SEER CATIA Template Editor.xlsm

• Double Click to Open the file

Open SEER CATIA template Editor.xlsm

• Click on the “Update Environment SEER-MFG K’Bases” Button

• Make Changes as required to the SEER-MFG K’base file.

• Parameters in MFG have guidance notes to assist.

• Save and Close the MFG file when complete.

Open SEER CATIA template Editor.xlsm

• Make additional changes as required to the Defaults and other process settings within the spreadsheet.

• When complete, click on Save Environment Settings.

• Accept the default Save/Update SEER-MFG Kbases & Save/Update SEER=Catia Rules TXT file.

• Click on OK

• Save and Close the SEER CATIA Template Editor.xlsm spreadsheet

New bespoke environment's ready to use

PCE Control Buttons

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Results (OK Button)

• Click OK to finish the estimate and return to the CATIA part model. If the ‘Save Estimate in CATIA Specification Tree’ option ischecked, the estimate results and input data will be stored as CATIA parameters.

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Results (Cancel Button)

• Click Cancel to finish the estimate and return to the CATIA part model.

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Results (Show SEER Button)

• Click Show SEER to view the detailed inputs and results within SEER-MFG. After viewing the estimate within SEER, leave SEER open, and return to CATIA to resume working with SEER-Ply Cost Estimator.

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Results (Modify Estimate Button)

• Click Modify Estimate to return to the SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Input panel. If the ‘Save Estimate in CATIA Specification Tree’ option is checked, the estimate results and input data will be stored as CATIA parameters.

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Results (Save MFG File)

• Click Save MFG File to save the created SEER-MFG file for sharing or merging into other SEER-MFG estimates.

• SEER-Ply Cost Estimator Results (Save Estimate in CATIA Specification Tree)

• Check this option to save the estimate results and input data as CATIA parameters. The results will be saved when the OK, or Modify Estimate options are clicked. This is useful for making Cost Trend comparisons, and for storing the results of cost estimates with your CATIA part designs.

PCE Help

• To invoke help Click on”?” icon

• Drag “?” to drop down item you require help on and ‘Click’

• With “?” selected press F1 to invoke full HTML Help file.

For More Information, Personal Demonstration or Evaluation of any of the SEER Product Range

Please contact

Keith Garland

kgarland@galorath.com

international@galorath.com

Tel:+44 (0)207 788 9042

Mobile:+44 (0)7793 432 634

www.galorath.com