Build a Tools Catalog

task target This task shows you how to build a customized tools catalog.
You will have to customize an Excel file and a VB macro file in order to build your tools catalog.
scenario 1.  Edit an Excel file with the desired tool descriptions.

The characteristic attributes of each tool type are described in Tools.
You can include user-defined tool representations in your catalog. You do this by associating a CATPart document containing this representation to the desired tool in the last column of the Excel file.  

The user-defined tool representation will be displayed in the tool path replay.
2. Save the tool descriptions as a csv type file.
3. Edit the VB macro file to specify the input and output files. An example is shown below:

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'' VBScript for Manufacturing Tools catalog generation.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Language="VBSCRIPT"

Sub CATMain()
csvFile ="MyCatalog.csv"
catalogFile ="MyCatalog.catalog"

'Get the outputDir and inputDir environment variables
inputDir = "HOME\Catalog"
outputDir = "HOME\Catalog"

'Creates a catalog document
Dim Catlg As Document
Set Catlg=CATIA.Documents.Add("CatalogDocument")


InitData1=inputDir & "\" & csvFile
Newcata1=outputDir & "\" & catalogFile

'Calls CreateCatalogFromcsv method on Catlg (ENDCHAPTER)

Catlg.CreateCatalogFromcsv InitData1 , Newcata1 

Catlg.Close

End Sub
4. In your Version 5 session, select Tool > Macro > Macros.

The Macro dialog box is displayed.
5. Select the VB macro file that you edited previously, then click Run.
The tools catalog is created (MyCatalog.catalog) along with a report file (MyCatalog.report).

You can check this in the Search Tool dialog box.

scenario   It is possible to define compensation points in a .csv file
and then re-use them in machining workbenches, through a catalog generated from the .csv file.
Compensation points have to be defined in a NC_CORRECTORS chapter
(see example below, extract from ...\startup\Manufacturing\Samples\ToolAssembliesSample01.csv ):

ENDCHAPTER         NC_CORRECTORS
Keywords              MFG_TOOL_NAME    MFG_SITE_TYP MFG_SITE_NUM  MFG_LNG_NUM MFG_RAD_NUM MFG_CMP_TL_DIAM
Types                   String                   String              Integer            Integer           Integer           mm
NC_CORRECTORS  Multi Diameter Drill P2                  2                     2                   1                    4.2
END

end of task