Cimatron Tooling Tips!

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Tip #1
Re-naming a component in an Assembly is now possible inside the Assembly Tree. You no
longer have to close the Assembly to re-name a part. You can simply right click on the part you
wish to re-name and select Re-name Component. Type in the new name and Accept.
Tip #2
Many Cimatron users consider having a cutting object defined for catalog parts to be their
handiest feature. Indeed, getting the holes or pocket at the same time you place the component is
very efficient.
As a matter of fact, you can define a cutting object for any part, not just a catalog part. To do that,
create a new and separate solid in the file, then tag it as the cutting object using the Catalog Attach Properties to Entity function. Be sure to switch the filter from Face Selection to Object
Selection, because only by selecting an object will the system show the option for assigning the
cutting object status. Once done, anytime this part is used in an assembly, the necessary cuts will
be automatically performed.
Tip #3
An easy way for finding important data, measurements, and calculations related to the entity
picked is using the fourth option in the Measurement Tool. When a face is picked, the calculated
face area, perimeter, and curvature ranges are presented. You can also see the face type, which
might be a spline-based free form or an analytic shape such as a cylinder or sphere.
When an object is picked, additional measurements and calculations are displayed, including:

The total surface area

In addition, the center of gravity is displayed on the object. The center can be kept on screen as a
real point by checking the option box found at the lower left corner of the measurement window.
Tip #4
The function Entity Information under the Analyze menu can provide further details about the
selected entity, such as:

Curves: control points, break points, and slopes

When an object is selected, the system can highlight any edges that are not completely closed a
solid. You can also select to see the edges which are not smooth to each other, which is a great
help in creating nice flowing parting surfaces for machining.

Tip #5
If you look at the parameters for a Remachine - Cleanup procedure, you will see a parameter
named Previous Cutter Offset. This parameter is often confused by users as a reference to the
surface offset used when cutting the preceding procedure, using the previous tool. However, this is
NOT what this parameter refers to.
What the Previous Cutter Offset parameter does is adjust the diameter of the previous cutter. For
instance, if you insert a value of 0.020 here, the system will increase the diameter of the previous
tool definition by 0.020 per side, before using it to calculate the areas that will be cut with the
current tool. A larger tool will create larger areas to be cut, thus giving you an overlap between the
previous procedure and your Cleanup procedure.

Tip #6
In a Cimatron assembly, the second instance of a part placed into the assembly gets a #1
added to its name, and further instances get incrementally larger numbers added. However,
the first instance placed never gets a number at all, which leaves it out of the numbering
sequence. I decided to change this behavior by adding #1 to the names of all my common
catalog parts (you can make this change in the Details attribute). Now the first part I use
already has the #1 included. When placing a second instance, the Cimatron system
automatically recognizes the existing number and correctly increments the new one to #2,
the next one to #3, and so on, all on its own.
Tip #7
Extra notations have been added in Version 9 to make creating and tracking parametric
relations much easier. When in Quick Edit mode, the notations below are displayed at the end of a
dimension. You can see them when creating a relation or trying to understand relations created by
another user.

(f) - This symbol means that the dimension is driven by a relation (formula). Since the
dimension is driven by other entities, there would be no need to modify it directly.
(L) - This symbol means that the parameter is a leading dimension. These are key
dimensions that either drive other relations or affect changes in the geometry. Marking
which dimensions are the leading ones is done in the pop- up window while in Quick Edit
mode. Cimatron also organizes all leading dimensions in a part or assembly into a single
table under the Edit menu, where they can be easily viewed and modified.

Tip #8
When drafting, either a sheet or a view can be active. It is important to understand the
differences between the two. Working with the view active is recommended when creating
geometry that will be either trimmed or constrained to other view entities. It is also the preferred
mode for drafting symbols that will move with the view. Switching between sheet and view
modes can take time, so Cimatron will often make a smart assumption for you. For example, a
Dimension will belong in the view where it was built, even if the sheet was active. Likewise, notes
and balloons will be assigned automatically to a view, as long as they have a leader that touches
an edge in the view. Without any leader, notes and balloons will remain in the current active mode,
which would often be the sheet. You may also move a note or balloon from the sheet into a view by
attaching the leader to an edge, which will trigger the assignment to the view. The view assignment
will be retained even if you remove the leader later on.
Tip #9
New in Cimatron E9.0 are tools for creating Product Manufacturing Information (PMI). These
PMI functions are used in a 3D environment to capture manufacturing information that conforms
to the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Y14.41- 2003 standard. They are 3D
annotations, such as text and dimensions of many types. Other symbols for tolerances and surface
finishes are planned for future releases. PMI annotations can be created in any active part or
assembly and are also viewable when the models are included in drafting documents.
Tip #10
The Cut Manager presents new options for Add operations, providing complete control over how
the design is affected by adding the new component. Cut Manager lists the components that are in
contact with the added component. The checkbox next to each component indicate whether it is
going to be cut by the new part cutting object (according to the existing cutting rule) are checked
accordingly. The user may manually change the cut analysis results: checking the box will force a
cut into a part that may otherwise/originally be an open solid, and un-checking the box will prevent
needless cuts in plates that may already be cleared.

Tip #11
In CimatronE version 9.0, the mouse wheel is assigned the function of picking geometry that is
hidden underneath other geometry. After pausing over the top entity, rotating the wheel will scroll
back and forth through the entities underneath. However, you still have the option of holding down
the left mouse button while pushing the mouse forward to perform the same function.
Tip #12
In many cases, when using Solid Extrude to create an object by a target reference surface, it is
required to extend the resulting object in the opposite direction. In previous versions, the operation
required two steps, first creating the object and then extending it in the opposite direction. In
version 9.0 both operations can be executed as a single task.
Tip #13
Adding components to an assembly by placing them on a face creates a sketch in Cimatron E9.
The sketch is an assembly-level feature, holding the dimensions or snap points where components
are placed. On occasion, there may be a need to place additional components in the assembly
using the same exact X and Y coordinates as a previously added component. In such cases, don't
bother hunting for the sketch in the assembly tree. Instead, just right-click the mouse, and select
Pick Reference Component. Then select any one of the previously added parts, and the new
component will be placed in the same location. What's more, components added using this method
can still be individually adjusted. Each snap point has a break option to allow moving it away from
the point.
Tip #14
Cimatron has long had the Quick Split function to help divide up plastic parts into sides to be
molded. Quick Split organizes the faces from a part into groups. It also organizes the shutoff
surfaces built out from the parting lines. It's good to understand the differences between these Part
and Parting surfaces. Any part surface will be exported into a single mold component. Parting
are steel shutoff surfaces, and therefore must be identical in the two mold components. That's the
reason they are illustrated as two faces during the Quick Split animation, and why you must pick
two groups when assigning the parting attribute. Part faces and parting faces each have their own
tool to distribute them into the mold cavities. Part faces use Export to Part. It can simultaneously
create multiple new parts in assembly. Parting faces use Export Parting Faces. This function
incorporates a cut of the work piece along with the transfer of shape.
Tip #15
Cimatron's E9.0 non-uniform scaling can now scale by bounding box. This eliminates the need
for you to calculate the scaling ratios. The system creates a bounding box around the part and
displays the dimensions of the original box. To the left is the area where you enter the new XYZ
lengths that you want the part scaled to.
Tip #16
While the Cimatron license file can be placed in any folder, some caution must be exercised
when choosing a location for the file:
The file should be placed in a local drive folder (the Cimatron folder is a good place).
Placing the license file in a network folder can lead to intermittent slowdowns due to
network performance.
Only one file with the lic extension should be in your chosen folder. Multiple license files in
the same folder can cause slow system start up and other performance issues. Keep old
copies and other licenses in a different location

Tip #17
CimatronE version 9 brings a significant change in how parts are added to an assembly when
using the option Place on Face. The choices of By Grid and By Sketch are no longer available.
By Sketch is now the default, allowing for greater reliability and better performance during
regeneration. The handy option of grid-based placements is now enabled by choosing the option of
Snap On inside the sketch. The streamlined function even allows grid and sketch point input in the
same operation.
Edit and Add operations function the same as in the previous version. However, editing of a
specific sketch has changed somewhat. The sketches are no longer kept in individual parts.
Rather, you will find the sketches with all other features in the active assembly.

Tip #18
A new useful function in CimatronE 9.0 allows users to close open gaps in stitched skins. The
function is especially valuable for covering ejector pin holes in NC while creating parting surfaces.
This function will only work when an open edge is surrounded by stitched surfaces. The system will
create a surface from the open edges to fill the gap
Tip #19
Adding components to an assembly by placing them on a face creates a sketch in Cimatron E9.
The sketch is an assembly-level feature, holding the dimensions or snap points where components
are placed. On occasion, there may be a need to place additional components in the assembly
using the same exact X and Y coordinates as a previously added component. In such cases, don't
bother hunting for the sketch in the assembly tree. Instead, just right-click the mouse, and select
Pick Reference Component. Then select any one of the previously added parts and the new
component will be placed in the same location. What's more, components added using this method
can still be individually adjusted. Each snap point has a break option to allow moving it away from
the point.
Tip #20
Cimatron files and assemblies are by nature linked to other files for reference. If one of these links
is unresolved, you may be presented with a connection status warning when opening a file. The
choices will be either to Continue with the File Open despite the dropped link; or stop now and
Reconnect the link.
The Continue option is the fastest way to move forward. But because you have done nothing to
resolve the link problem, you will be prompted again with the status warning every time you open
the file. Also, what you see on the screen after using Continue may contain incomplete information
due to missing files. So, we recommend using the Reconnect option to fix the problem properly.
The Reconnect dialog will show all existing links to files and catalogs. In the Status column, look
for those items that are marked as Disconnected. These are the items that require attention. The
choices to fix the disconnect are 1) to browse and re-link the file using the reconnect button, or 2)
to permanently detach the link.
Quite often the problem is that the source catalog for a part cannot be found. Reconnect will let
you repair the catalog path. However this is considered a minor issue and often the catalog links
are simply detached for good. In fact it is so common to detach a catalog link that you'll notice a
special button that will disconnect all lost catalog links with one pick. A broken catalog link does not
affect the geometry of a part. It just means that editing to another catalog size will not be possible.
A link with a missing file is more of a problem. Unless the link is repaired, this part will now be
missing from the assembly. Whether the name was changed or its location was moved, the
Reconnect button will let you browse and re-select the file, to repair the link.
Tip #21
Cimatron has an option to allow multiple sessions to run at the same time. To enable this
option, go to your Start menu - Cimatron E9.0 - Cimatron Control Panel with Cimatron closed. Click
on the Setting button and then double click the Icon, Multi Session Mode (third from the bottom).
Check the box and click Exit. Save and Exit the Cimatron Control Panel. Now you can run more
than one session of Cimatron at a time.

Tip #22
The formulas in some of the NC parameters use acronyms for short.
Some of the commonly used acronyms include:
crrd = corner radius
tldi = tool diameter
soff = surface offset
stol = surface tolerance
clear = clearance height
clss = horizontal step
clds = vertical step
For a complete list of the acronyms go to the Help files and search for ""short name list"". The search will return 2 Topics: one is a list sorted by the Parameter Name
and the other is the same list sorted by the Short Name.

Tip #23
Cimatron files and assemblies are by nature linked to other files for reference. If one of these links
is unresolved, you may be presented with a connection status warning when opening a file. The
choices will be either to Continue with the File Open despite the dropped link; or stop now and
Reconnect the link.
The Continue option is the fastest way to move forward. But because you have done nothing to
resolve the link problem, you will be prompted again with the status warning every time you open
the file. Also, what you see on the screen after using Continue may contain incomplete information
due to missing files. So, we recommend using the Reconnect option to fix the problem properly.
The Reconnect dialog will show all existing links to files and catalogs. In the Status column, look
for those items that are marked as Disconnected. These are the items that require attention. The
choices to fix the disconnect are 1) to browse and re-link the file using the reconnect button, or 2)
to permanently detach the link.
Quite often the problem is that the source catalog for a part cannot be found. Reconnect will let you
repair the catalog path. However this is considered a minor issue and often the catalog links are
simply detached for good. In fact it is so common to detach a catalog link that you'll notice a
special button that will disconnect all lost catalog links with one pick. A broken catalog link does not
affect the geometry of a part. It just means that editing to another catalog size will not be possible.
A link with a missing file is more of a problem. Unless the link is repaired, this part will now be
missing from the assembly. Whether the name was changed or its location was moved, the
Reconnect button will let you browse and re-select the file, to repair the link.
Tip #24
There are two ways for CimatronE to display information about any selected entity. Basic
information regarding a highlighted entity is displayed in the Status Bar at the bottom of the
CimatronE window. The second way to get more information about a selected entity is to use the
function under the Analyze menu called Information. This tool displays a dialog box for each entity
picked. While the content of these dialogs may differ depending on the entity, some basic
information is always included - the type of entity and specific information. The content of the
dialog box can be exported into a text file. Boxes can be closed individually, or you can close
multiple boxes by pressing the Remove All Figures button in the main screen parameter area.
Tip #25
A new tool trajectory strategy for Cleanup available in E9.0 NC is the All Along option. This
strategy will machine the entire area left by the previous cutter with long and uninterrupted passes
for both horizontal and vertical areas. It is a very useful strategy for parts with many small details,
creating high surface quality while reducing machining time. It can be especially beneficial when
used with a 5-Axis NC machine and the Cutter Tilt Control option that is available in Finish and
Cleanup.
Tip #26
The Plot function takes the screen view and sends it to your plot device via the Windows driver.
The dialog has a few options that let you control paper size, rotation, and scale. Additional options
are offered through the Mode selection in the lower right corner, where you can control plot color
and line width. Five options are now available:
1. Black & White. Color is ignored. Line width is determined by the Cimatron pen (1 thru 8) used,
specified in inches or millimeters in the General Settings button under Pen & Width.
2. Original Color & Pen. Line width and color is determined by the Cimatron pen used.
3. Define Pen Width by Line Font. Colors are plotted as on screen. Line width is controlled by the
font of the line. In the General Settings you will find the Line Font to Pen Mapping, where the line
width corresponding to each of the line fonts is assigned.
4. Define Pen Width by Color. This generates a black and white plot where the original color is
used to assign the plotted line width. See the Color to Pen Mapping area in the General Settings
button.
5. Define Color by Color Map. This option generates color plot, allowing you to reassign colors so
you don't have to use yellow or other colors that will not look good on paper. Color reassignment is
done in the General Settings area, and line width is determined by the Cimatron pen like in options
1 and 2.

Tip #27
The Twist function is used to deform any shape around an axis, where one end remains fixed and
the other rotates by a user-defined angle. This operation is mostly used in the die industry in order
to compensate for the twisting of the final sheet metal part. It can also be used to define a complex
helical cam. Previously, this function was part of the DieDesign application. It is now available to all
CAD users and located in the Solid -Warp functions.
Tip #28
In a part file with several open or closed solid objects, only one of these objects will be considered
active. The active object is the one that new solid features will be applied to. A default object is
selected by the system, but you can also select it manually using the Activate Object function.
When the system assumes an active object different from the one you expected, you will notice an
undesired result. For example, a solid hole or remove feature may appear to have created no new
geometry on the screen. Or, an add feature will make geometry that is not merged to the solid it
sits on.
In practice this is rarely a problem. The active object chosen by Cimatron is usually the one you
are working with. In addition, most solid functions have an optional step in the feature guide which
allows selection of a reference object on the fly.
Tip #29
When using the Stock Mechanism in E9, you will see a new 'Minimum Stock Width' parameter
under Stock, Shank, & Holder Tracking. It provides control over the minimum amount of stock that
the tool must engage before there is a valid area to cut. This is useful for controlling the amount of
stock engagement at the end of a cut to minimize premature tool wear.
Tip #30
In the past when you had several contours that needed to be used to trim a face, each one had to
be its own trim. Now with Merge Wires (located under the Curves menu) you can combine all of
these individual curves and sketches into one. Doing this allows you to do one simple trim. This
tool merges 2D/3D open or closed composites/sketches/edges into one object (wire-body).
Tip #31
Make the preference Max Contour Gap (found in Tools/Preferences/NC/Default_Values) tighter
to smooth out a tool path and keep it from appearing jumpy when engraving small text.
Tip #32
In drafting, by default, every view on the screen automatically gets a Name Label. Although a
nice feature, you may want to change some of the names given. To do this, in the View Creation
Dialog on the line for Text, you will find a button that lets you open the Text Editor Window. Here
you will find a list of pre-defined name options which allow you to select a different name. For
example, replacing %%view_name with %%part_name will give you the name of the part under
each view. If you prefer this newly selected text better for all of your drawings, locate this entry in
the Drafting Preferences and change it there as well.
Tip #33
The Max Tolerance option within the Trim Face function can actually serve as a toggle controlling
how the system handles the trim. You see this option on the screen only when trimming a face by a
curve, using normal projection. When the Max Tolerance value is lower than .1mm, and indeed the
curve is within that tolerance to the face, a very fast trim by imprint of the curve takes place. This
result is common because often the curves are right on the surfaces. If the difference is larger than
the Max Tolerance, the system first internally projects the curve to the surface, and then does the
trim. This action takes longer. However, because of the project step, the resulting surface trim may
actually be of a better quality when you zoom way up to check the corner edges and how they
match up. If you put any value into the Max Tolerance that is larger than .1mm, it does not matter
what the gap between curve and surface is. The system will always do the project step, and then
trim. Thus setting the Max Tolerance larger than .1mm is a way to force the system to use its most
accurate algorithm.
Tip #34
In CimatronE 8.5, there has been a significant enhancement made to the Drafting Symmetry Line
function. Symmetry will now find the mid-line between two lines at any angle, not just parallel lines.
This makes tasks like finding the centerline of Cones and Sub-gates much easier.

Tip #35
E8.0 NC saw the addition of the Navigator function. This was designed to replace the wire frame
simulator of old. You can filter the toolpaths by rapids, connections, feed, and even check for tool
gouges. Now in E8.5 the Navigator has been updated to include movie controls that enable you
to view the cutting tool moving in a constant smooth motion along the toolpath.
Tip #36
When placing a catalog item, the name of the part within the tree and the name of the ELT file
created are not controlled by the name of the catalog. It actually comes from the Details attribute.
This is nice because it allows you to have very long and descriptive names on the catalog parts
making it easier to choose the right one. But then when you place the part, the name in the folder,
and in the assembly tree, can be small and easy to read.
Tip #37
The Active UCS in the Electrode Assembly is very important as it is the reference point on the
component for the dimensions, locations and reports for all the electrodes. It is also used to set the
component orientation for the EDM process. The Z direction of the reference UCS sets the plane
that will be used for the electrode area. In the upper right hand corner of the screen is an arrow
that is used to set the Burn direction. This arrow does not control the Z direction of the electrode.
Tip #38
When starting a new job, it is always a good idea to run Check and Fix. This function fixes entities
in the model with geometric or topological problems that ACIS (the geometric engine) cannot
correctly operate on. Using different methods such as Healing, Splitting/Fair Unsmooth Faces,
Tolerant Modeling, etc., the tool will fix the following problems: Invalid Entities, Small Faces,
Heavy Faces, and Unsmooth Faces.
Tip #39
When Quoting a job or ordering steel it is nice to have a Bounding Box that you can offset from
the part. You can quickly do this with the CimatronE Tools/Bounding Box function. The first step is
to select the surfaces that you want to create a Bounding Box around. After which you can set a
Global Offset or a Manual Offset in all directions. Additional display options allow for colored
Wireframe or Solid boxes and on-screen viewing of dimensions.
Tip #40
When creating a mold or die design, sometimes you need to remove a component from the
assembly. When you do this, Cimatron does not delete these parts from your hard drive. Instead of
packing up the entire assembly then deleting all of the excess part files, you can use the Folder
Cleaner utility. Folder Cleaner deletes any part or assembly files found in the selected folder that
are not connected to the selected assembly. The Folder Cleaner utility can only be accessed from
the Cimatron front screen, when no parts, NC, etc. are open.
Click Etools/Folder Cleaner. Next click Find Files and use the Cimatron Explorer to pick the main
assembly for the design. All part files attached to the assembly are displayed in the list box on the
top; all part files that are not attached to the assembly are displayed in the list box at the bottom.
The utility will prompt for confirmation of every file to be deleted, just in case.

Tip #41
A rarely used option in the Drafting View Creation Dialog is the Active Parts mode. To decide when
this can be used, it is first important to understand exactly what an Active Part is. An Active Part is
one that has received data from a Quick Split set. This data represents the complex surfacing of
your mold design, and is naturally harder to work in Drafting than the simple cubes and cylinders of
common mold components.
You can see the attribute that marks Active Parts in the Cimatron browser. The system will check
this attribute automatically for parts containing Quick Split Surfacing. The box can also be manually
checked or unchecked, so active part status is easily under your control.
When creating a Drafting View of any assembly that contains one or more active parts, the option
for Active Part Mode will be available. By default, the system will use the regular hidden line engine
on all parts. All Surfaces will be processed, and only those edges at the top will be shown Solid,
while the rest are considered hidden. Occasionally there are views being made where the display
status of parts is easily known. For example, in a typical mold front view, the Cavity Blocks are
completely inside the tool. Clearly every edge of the Cavity will be determined as hidden. So why
ask the system to process all of the surface edges to figure this out? Choosing to have the Active
Parts shown as Hidden Edge will produce the same view much faster in this case. You can also
have the system show every edge in an Active Part as Visible. Consider the types of drafting views
that you make, and think about which might be a good fit for using this time saving option.

Tip #42
When using the Stock Mechanism in E9, you will see a new 'Minimum Stock Width' parameter
under Stock, Shank, & Holder Tracking. It provides control over the minimum amount of stock that
the tool must engage before there is a valid area to cut. This is useful for controlling the amount of
stock engagement at the end of a cut to minimize premature tool wear.

Tip #43
When setting up your Rough Procedures in E9, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
1. The default selection for Stock and Holder Tracking, is High Accuracy Stock. If you don't
require high accuracy calculation for your procedure, you can speed up performance by changing
the selection to Medium Accuracy Stock.
2. Medium Accuracy Stock is the recommended setting throughout the tool path for large files
with multiple roughing procedures that use a previous stock with tight tolerance (<0.001).
3. Use the High Accuracy Stock option when rouging small parts, when there is only a single
roughing pass, or when the extra calculation time is not an issue.

Tip #44
Following drafting standards, it is now possible to create a new drafting dimension type based
on symmetry dimensions. When one of the inputs for the linear dimensions has a center-line line
font, it is possible to set the symmetry dimension and show the true value on a half dimension
following the common drafting standards.

Tip #45
Cimatron will now transfer the color and render mode of the cutting objects inside a catalog
part to the resultant cuts in components. This is useful to visually see holes created by different
types of components.