Comparing Plates (PANE)

The following data attributes are compared between the original model and the reference model:

• Position, orientation

• Material grade and reference

• Panel loop height and justification

• Number of vertices

Vertex positions are compared to within the user definable tolerance as described in the section on user customization of the interface.

Importing a Plate also sets the Import date and time UDAs. On merging members the revision number, transfer number and code are updated.

The log file messages recording any differences are of two formats: in Brief mode the results are presented on one line; in Verbose mode you are told what the old value was and the new value is so that they can see how the model has been changed. Refer to Brief Format for further information about the brief log file format.

Note:
In Exporting a Plate, it has to be converted to the standard of being defined in a clockwise direction relative to the plane normal. Thus Importing a Plate previously defined in the base product you may find the order of vertices to have been reversed. This is because the base product is more tolerant about the ways in which you can define a plate.

We now compare plates with holes as secondary loops (PLOO) or NXTR primitives. We can now merge the imported model including new holes created outside of. However, because of the complexity of the comparison process, it is difficult to compare holes between the original and imported model. Where possible all other negative primitives representing holes in the original model are maintained. Therefore the comparison does not go down to the level of holes.