Table of content Pipe Designer Here is a little tutorial. Version 30/04/2010 1 Step by step quick start...2 1.1 Step 1: Engine Parameters...2 1.2 Step 2: Pipe dimensions...2 1.3 Step 3: Shape designer...2 1.4 Step 4: Result Viewer...3 2 A9CAD quick start...3 2.1 Open a DXF file...3 2.2 Print a drawing...3 3 Little sample...4 3.1 Wanted shape:...4 3.2 Sample...4 3.3 File viewing with A9Cad...6 3.4 Hydroforming...7 3.5 Print the drawing...10 Illustrations table Illustration 1: Pipe Designer GUI...2 Illustration 2: Pipe skeleton GUI...5 Illustration 3: Shape "Save as" dialog...5 Illustration 4: CAD file "Save as" dialog...6 Illustration 5: A9Cad editor path finder dialog...6 Illustration 6: Cad file of the pipe...7 Illustration 7: Hydroforming...8 Illustration 8: Hydroforming pipe...9 Illustration 9: Pipe CAD and Hydroforming comparison...9 Illustration 10: Print part 1 on A4 paper...10 Illustration 11: Print part 2 on A4 paper...11 Illustration 12: Print part 3 on A4 paper...11 Illustration 13: Print part 4 on A4 paper...12 Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 1/12
1 Step by step quick start 1.1 Step 1: Engine Parameters fill the input zone with the engine parameters & rpm... go to step 2 (A) if you know the pipe dimensions (lengths+diameters) go to step 2 (B) 1.2 Step 2: Pipe dimensions (A) : click on "Compute Pipe" to calculate the pipe dimensions -> lengths+diameters are updated in the lower part of the GUI (Graphic User Interface) -> go to step 3 (B) : click on "Manual Pipe" and fill the pipe dimensions in the GUI and click "OK" -> lengths+diameters are updated in the lower part of the GUI -> go to step 3 1.3 Step 3: Shape designer Illustration 1: Pipe Designer GUI click on "Pipe Designer" and define the shape of the pipe (neutral fiber or center line) : Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 2/12
use the 9 arcs to define the shape (radius+angle / if angle is 0 then shape is straight with a length equal to radius) L exp. (experimental length) should turn to GREEN before you click on "OK" a GUI "save as" window appears and asks to save the pipe parameters (shape) in a text file (txt file extension) browse your hard disk for the directory to be used (create a new directory if needed) select a TXT file or use a new file name click "OK" a GUI "save as" window appears and asks to save the pipe drawing in a CAD file (dxf file extension) browse your hard disk for the directory to be used (create a new directory if needed) select a DXF file or use a new file name click "OK" go to step 4 to view the CAD file 1.4 Step 4: Result Viewer click on "CAD viewer" to select or open the CAD viewer (if already selected) a GUI "open" window appears and asks to select the viewer executable file (exe file extension) browse your hard disk for the directory where exe file is for A9CAD usually : c:\program files\a9tech\ select the exe file (A9cad.exe) click "OK" the CAD viewer opens and open the file stored in step 3 2 A9CAD quick start 2.1 Open a DXF file Menu "File" choose "Open..." (or icon on the tool bar) a GUI "open" window appears and asks to select the CAD file change the file extension from DWG to DXF browse and select the DXF file stored at step 3 and click "Open" to view the full drawing click on menu "View" choose "Zoom" then "All" (or icon on the tool bar) drawing appears 2.2 Print a drawing Menu File chose Print preview Orientation Select Portrait or Landscape Scale Uncheck the Scaled to fit Set the Drawing Units to 1.0mm Printer Units must be to 1.0mm too Print Area Check Windows button and click choose Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 3/12
Select an area to be printed (make sure that all the printer areas overlap). 3 Little sample In order to model the pipe shape (not the pipe dimensions which are driven by the engine spec), use the 9 segments or arcs (0 -> 8). 3.1 Wanted shape: first part of the shape should be a straight line of 100mm => Arc 0 is set to radius = 100mm / angle = 0 second part of the shape should be a bent angle 80 & radius 200mm => Arc 1 is set to radius = 200mm / angle = 80 then straight pipe.(and so on till the arc 8...) 3.2 Sample For the default values of engine spec., click "Compute Pipe" and then "Pipe Designer" the "Pipe skeleton" GUI appears (figure 2). Then one easy way is to set : arc 8 to stinger length (L67 = 217mm) => radius = L67 / angle = 0 arc 7 to baffle cone length (L56 = 217) => radius = L56 / angle = 0 arc 0 to radius = 100 / angle = 0 arc 1 to radius = 200 / angle = 80 arc 2 to radius = 57 / angle = 0 arc 3 to radius = 50 / angle = 0 arc 4 to radius = 50 / angle = 0 arc 5 to radius = 50 / angle = 0 arc 6 to radius = 50 / angle = 0 Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 4/12
Illustration 2: Pipe skeleton GUI This leads to an experimental length of 1070.25mm close to the expected one 1070.62mm so experimental length has turn to green. Click on "OK". The "Save as" dialog appears to save the shape of the pipe (figure 3) and another "Save as" dialog appears to save the CAD file (figure 4). Illustration 3: Shape "Save as" dialog Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 5/12
Illustration 4: CAD file "Save as" dialog 3.3 File viewing with A9Cad When "Open CAD viewer" (figure 1) is clicked for the first time, the path dialog appears (figure 5) and then the CAD software is launched. Figure 7 shows a view in A9Cad of the pipe after the "Zoom All" button has been clicked and you could print it to real scale. Illustration 5: A9Cad editor path finder dialog Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 6/12
3.4 Hydroforming To make the hydroforming pipe CAD file, two options are available : full drawing (with green lines), for CNC cutting (without green lines). Illustration 6: Cad file of the pipe To activate the CNC option, check the "Cut" button. Click the "DXF Hydroforming" button to create the DXF file (figure 7). A Save as dialog appears (like in figure 4) to allow the file to be saved. Open A9Cad to view the result like in figure 8. The figure 9 shows the differences between the pipe and the hydroforming metal sheet to be cutted. Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 7/12
Illustration 7: Hydroforming Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 8/12
Illustration 8: Hydroforming pipe Illustration 9: Pipe CAD and Hydroforming comparison Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 9/12
3.5 Print the drawing Choose the best orientation : Portrait for part 1. Select the right scale Select the B&W or color pen assignments Select the area to be printed : in this sample window is chosen. Make sure that the printed area are overlapping when chosen. Illustration 10: Print part 1 on A4 paper Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 10/12
Illustration 11: Print part 2 on A4 paper Illustration 12: Print part 3 on A4 paper Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 11/12
Illustration 13: Print part 4 on A4 paper Pipe Designer 1.2 How To 12/12