Creating Joint Bodies  

This task shows you how to create a joint body that is a container for joint elements.

Open the Joint1.CATProduct.
There are several ways to create joint bodies:
  • select the publications, and click BiW JointBody . If no joint was created previously, it is automatically created; it links the corresponding components. The joint body links the selected publications.
  • select the components, and click BiW JointBody . If no joint was created previously, it is automatically created; it links the corresponding components. The connected zones of this joint body are not specified.
  • a joint is already created: select it in the specification tree, and click BiW JointBody .
  • a joint is already created. Click BiW JointBody and select the joint in the specification tree.
  • during the creation of a joint, if the Create Joint Body after OK option is checked, when you click OK, the BiW Joint Body Definition dialog box is automatically displayed (this is the example for our scenario).
   
  This chapter also deals with the following subjects:

  1. Perform one of the above mentioned steps.

    The BiW Joint Body Definition dialog box opens.

  2. Give a new name for the Joint Body, "New Joint Body.1" for instance.

    The List of joined Contact Zones display the Zone ID.

  3. Define whether the zone is the Support zone.

  4. Define whether the zone is a Hem.

    • The thickness and the orientation can be defined using the Thin Parts Attribute command in the Generative Shape Design workbench.
      Refer to Applying a Thickness in the Generative Shape Design User's Guide.
    • The material can be defined using the Apply Material command.
      If you modify the material applied on a zone, it is not automatically updated on the published element. It is however updated during the next update.
      Refer to Applying Material.

  5. Define the stacking and the thickness count depending on the number of joined zones.

    You can click the down arrow to display the stacking toolbar and choose the stacking type:

    • Lap

    • Hem

    • Unspecified: you are able to modify the thickness count using the spinners, depending on the number of joined zones

    The Forecast Elements Count field allows you to define a number of fasteners this joint body is supposed to contain for further verifications.

  6. Click OK to create the joint body.

    "New Joint Body.1" appears below "New Joint.1" (created in the previous task) in the specification tree.
    When creating a Joint Body with one zone, a second one  is automatically created. You can edit the second zone and delete it if needed.
    Managing multi-zones, whether published or not, is possible: one joint body can join several zones for a same component.

Removing a Zone

  1. Double-click New Joint Body.1 from the specification tree.

    The BiW Joint Body Definition dialog box is displayed.

  2. Select the zone you wish to remove.

  3. Click Remove to remove this zone.

    A zone should be first selected in the list, and one zone at least must be connected for a linked component. If not, the zone can not be removed.

  4. Click OK in the BiW Joint Definition dialog box.
 

Adding an Unspecified Zone

  1. Double-click New Joint Body.1 from the specification tree.

    The BiW Joint Body Definition dialog box is displayed.

  2. Click Add Unspec to add an unspecified zone in the zones list for the selected corresponding component.

    A zone should be first selected in the list.
 

Replacing a Zone

  1. Double-click New Joint Body.1 from the specification tree.

    The BiW Joint Body Definition dialog box is displayed.

  2. Select a zone to replace by another one, either by:

    • selecting a zone published by the corresponding component in the specification tree or in the 3D geometry, or

    • selecting the name of the zone in the combo list.