Setting Small Scale in CATIA V5 Session

CATIA V5 allows you to design in a unique geometrical range. Normally, the range of “precision=1µ, model size=1km” is used for all industries. A new geometrical range: from 0.01µm to 1m is available to design small parts in particular for industries where the need for downsizing keeps increasing.

The Small Scale feature in CATIA allows creating smaller geometries with a high accuracy, less than 1 micron (“submicron order” precision).

The Small Scale capability is available on several applications in particular on Mechanical Design core products (Part Design, Generative Shape Design, Drafting, Assembly, etc.)

The icons are disabled for non-supported commands.
  To set the scale as Small Scale, follow the steps:
  1. Go to Tools > Options > Parameters and Measure.
  2. Select Scale settings tab.

The following dialog box appears.

The Geometry Scale dropdown has two options Small Scale and Standard Scale.

  1. Select Small Scale.

The detailed Description and Technical Data of Small Scale appear on the Options dialog box.
Working area: To make a design robust, reliable, with better memory consumption and better performance, the major part of design must be created in the Working area (between usual small feature dimension and usual size of big part).
Note: The option can be selected only at the beginning of the CATIA session.
 

Small scale is defined by following characteristic values:

  • Precision equal to 0.01 µm

  • Working Area equal to 1m
Note:
  • All documents in a single CATIA V5 session have the same scale.
    • There are no mixed-scale documents in session.
    • There are no mixed-scale assemblies.
You must not use VBScript or VBA macros in a small scale session.

 

Supporting Assembly documents with different scales
  Assembly of documents with different scales are not supported.

Assembly Constraints

  • Update of constraints is ensured with a precision defined by resolution (smallest element size).
 

Limitations

  • Value of an offset constraint is not limited: objects can be moved anywhere even beyond Model Size distance from origin.
  • Fix in space constraint can be created on a product, whatever its position is, even beyond Model Size distance from origin.
 

Move and Manipulate commands

Manipulation with respect to constraints in Manipulate command and compass is ensured with a precision defined by resolution (smallest element size).
 

Limitations

  • Manipulate, Snap, Smart Move, Translate or Rotate commands and Compass manipulation of products are not limited: objects can be moved anywhere even beyond Model Size distance from origin.