Box dimensions

[admaiora]

Hi,

is there a way, or something already done, with iLogic or in VBA to obtain the 3 maximun measure of the bouding box of parts in a assembly?

With the final objective to recall that in the parts list in the drawing.

Moreover...That works with rotated partes and that calculates the measures no-dependant from the origin 0,0,0 ...

and works even with parts with circular cuts (holes, cuts, etc).

Thanks!!

[admaiora]

any ideas?

[Anonymous]

If your part is alligned with its coordinate system, these would be your answer:

PartDocument.ComponentDefinition.RangeBox.MaxPoint
PartDocument.ComponentDefinition.RangeBox.MinPoint
The X, Y and Z are in centi meter.

If the part is not alligned with its coordinate system it is not that easy. The answer are in the Vertices of the SurfaceBodies, but I have not seen any sample for how to calculate the smallest envelope from that..

[admaiora]

Hi Frstam,

not alligned.

I mean to use it with multibody origined parts, so part not alligned, rotated, etc.

I know that it's not easy. The best way i have foudn is a mix with VBA and iLogic but it doesn't works with parts with circular cuts for example, not reliable.

[adam.nagy]

Hi,

I guess by cuts you meant assembly features cutting into the part, and not cuts created inside the part document, right?

If the cuts are inside the part document, then you could get the bounding box directly inside the part and then translate its positions into assembly context.

If the part cuts are created in the assembly, then maybe this could be of help:

http://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing/2012/06/creating-accurate-rangebox-for-component.html

Cheers,

[admaiora]

Hi Adam,

thanks for the answer.

The code is from Andy73 ( http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-Customization/Extents-of-parts/m-p/1869988/highlight/true#M19 )

The objective to use it with iLogic in a multibody workflow to obtain part lists with range box extents with whatever parts oriented.

The VBA code is this:

Spoiler

Public Sub FindExtents()




Dim opartdoc As PartDocument
Dim oCompDef As PartComponentDefinition
Dim oAssdoc As AssemblyDocument
Dim oCompAssDef As AssemblyComponentDefinition
Dim oParams As UserParameters
Dim Mx(2) As Double, Mi(2) As Double
Dim MxX As Double, MxY As Double, MxZ As Double
Dim MiX As Double, MiY As Double, MiZ As Double
Dim oDoc As Document
Dim NumberList(2) As Double

Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument


Select Case oDoc.DocumentType
Case kPartDocumentObject
Set opartdoc = oDoc
Set oCompDef = opartdoc.ComponentDefinition
Dim oBody As SurfaceBody
Set oBody = opartdoc.ComponentDefinition.SurfaceBodies.Item(1)
TightBoundingBox Mi, Mx
Case Else
Exit Sub
End Select

NumberList(0) = Mx(0) - Mi(0)
NumberList(1) = Mx(1) - Mi(1)
NumberList(2) = Mx(2) - Mi(2)
NumberSort NumberList()
Set oParams = opartdoc.ComponentDefinition.Parameters.UserParameters
Dim LenBol As Boolean, WidBol As Boolean, ThiBol As Boolean
LenBol = False
WidBol = False
ThiBol = False
If oParams.Count > 0 Then
Dim iNumParams As Integer
For iNumParams = 1 To oParams.Count
Select Case oParams.Item(iNumParams).Name
Case "LENGTH"
oParams.Item(iNumParams).Value = NumberList(0)
LenBol = True
Case "WIDTH"
oParams.Item(iNumParams).Value = NumberList(1)
WidBol = True
Case "THICKNESS"
oParams.Item(iNumParams).Value = NumberList(2)
ThiBol = True
End Select
Next iNumParams
End If
If LenBol = False Then oParams.AddByValue "LENGTH", NumberList(0), kDefaultDisplayLengthUnits
If WidBol = False Then oParams.AddByValue "WIDTH", NumberList(1), kDefaultDisplayLengthUnits
If ThiBol = False Then oParams.AddByValue "THICKNESS", NumberList(2), kDefaultDisplayLengthUnits


End Sub

Sub TightBoundingBox(ByRef Mi() As Double, ByRef Mx() As Double)

Dim oDoc As PartDocument
Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
Dim oTG As TransientGeometry
Set oTG = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry
Dim oOriginalRangeBox As Box
Set oOriginalRangeBox = oDoc.ComponentDefinition.SurfaceBodies(1).RangeBox

Debug.Print "start dX: " & oOriginalRangeBox.MaxPoint.X - oOriginalRangeBox.MinPoint.X & " " & _
"start dY: " & oOriginalRangeBox.MaxPoint.Y - oOriginalRangeBox.MinPoint.Y & " " & _
"start dZ: " & oOriginalRangeBox.MaxPoint.Z - oOriginalRangeBox.MinPoint.Z

Dim oBody As SurfaceBody
Set oBody = oDoc.ComponentDefinition.SurfaceBodies(1)
Dim oFace As Face
Dim oFaceIdx As Integer
oFaceIdx = GetLargestFaceIndex(oBody, oFace)
' Get the Z vector Normal to the face
Dim oVec1 As Vector, Zvec As Vector, Yvec As Vector, Xvec As Vector
Dim VecNor As UnitVector
Set VecNor = oFace.Geometry.Normal
Set Zvec = VecNor.AsVector
Set oVec1 = Zvec
' Get the Z-Axis vector
Dim oVec2 As Vector
Set oVec2 = oDoc.ComponentDefinition.WorkAxes(3).Line.Direction.AsVector
' Create a matrix that will rotate the body such that the
' direction of the Largest Face Normal coincides with Z-Axis.
Dim oMatZ As Matrix
Set oMatZ = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreateMatrix
Call oMatZ.SetToRotateTo(oVec1, oVec2, Nothing)
' Get the vector along Longest Edge
Set Yvec = GetLongestEdgeVector(oFace)
Set Xvec = Zvec.CrossProduct(Yvec)
Set Yvec = Xvec.CrossProduct(Zvec)
Set oVec1 = Yvec
oVec1.TransformBy oMatZ
' Get the Y-Axis vector
Set oVec2 = oDoc.ComponentDefinition.WorkAxes(2).Line.Direction.AsVector
' Create a matrix that will rotate the body such that the
' direction of the Longest Edge coincides with Y-Axis.
Dim oMatY As Matrix
Set oMatY = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreateMatrix
Call oMatY.SetToRotateTo(oVec1, oVec2, Nothing)
' Combine the 2 matrices
oMatZ.TransformBy oMatY
' Set the vector as the cross product of Zvec and Yzec
Set oVec1 = Xvec
oVec1.TransformBy oMatZ
' Get the X-Axis vector
Set oVec2 = oDoc.ComponentDefinition.WorkAxes(1).Line.Direction.AsVector
' Create a matrix that will rotate the body such that the
' direction of the second selection coincides with X-Axis.
Dim oMatX As Matrix
Set oMatX = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreateMatrix
Call oMatX.SetToRotateTo(oVec1, oVec2, Nothing)
' Combine the 2 matrices
oMatZ.TransformBy oMatX

Dim oDerDoc As PartDocument
Set oDerDoc = ThisApplication.Documents.Add(kPartDocumentObject, , False)
Dim oDerCompDef As PartComponentDefinition
Set oDerCompDef = oDerDoc.ComponentDefinition
Dim oDerPartDef As DerivedPartTransformDef
Set oDerPartDef = oDerCompDef.ReferenceComponents.DerivedPartComponents.CreateTransformDef _
(oDoc.FullFileName)

oDerPartDef.SetTransformation oMatZ
oDerCompDef.ReferenceComponents.DerivedPartComponents.Add oDerPartDef
Dim oTightRangeBox As Box
Set oTightRangeBox = oDerCompDef.SurfaceBodies(1).RangeBox
oTightRangeBox.GetBoxData Mi, Mx
Debug.Print " End dX: " & oTightRangeBox.MaxPoint.X - oTightRangeBox.MinPoint.X & " " & _
"End dY: " & oTightRangeBox.MaxPoint.Y - oTightRangeBox.MinPoint.Y & " " & _
"End dZ: " & oTightRangeBox.MaxPoint.Z - oTightRangeBox.MinPoint.Z


oDerDoc.Close

End Sub


Public Function GetLargestFaceIndex(oBody As SurfaceBody, oFace As Face) As Integer

Dim FaceCount As Integer, N As Integer, X As Integer, I As Integer
FaceCount = oBody.Faces.Count
Dim oFace1 As Face, oFace2 As Face
Do
I = 1
X = I
Set oFace1 = oBody.Faces(I)
If oFace1.SurfaceType = kPlaneSurface Then
For N = I + 1 To FaceCount
Set oFace2 = oBody.Faces(N)
If oFace2.SurfaceType = kPlaneSurface Then
If oFace2.Evaluator.Area > oFace1.Evaluator.Area Then
Set oFace1 = oFace2
X = N
End If
End If
Next N
End If
I = I + 1
Loop While N <= FaceCount
If oFace1.SurfaceType <> kPlaneSurface Then
For N = 2 To FaceCount
Set oFace2 = oBody.Faces(N)
If oFace2.Evaluator.Area > oFace1.Evaluator.Area Then
Set oFace1 = oFace2
X = N
End If
Next N
End If
Set oFace = oFace1
GetLargestFaceIndex = X
End Function



Public Function GetLongestEdgeVector(oFace As Face) As Vector


Dim EdgeCount As Integer, N As Integer, X As Integer
Dim Pt1() As Double, Pt2() As Double
Dim Len1 As Double, Len2 As Double
EdgeCount = oFace.Edges.Count
Dim oEdge1 As Edge, oEdge2 As Edge
Set oEdge1 = oFace.Edges(1)
oEdge1.Evaluator.GetEndPoints Pt1, Pt2
Len1 = Sqr(((Pt1(0) - Pt2(0)) ^ 2) + ((Pt1(1) - Pt2(1)) ^ 2) + ((Pt1(2) - Pt2(2)) ^ 2))
X = 1
For N = 2 To EdgeCount
Set oEdge2 = oFace.Edges(N)
oEdge2.Evaluator.GetEndPoints Pt1, Pt2
Len2 = Sqr(((Pt1(0) - Pt2(0)) ^ 2) + ((Pt1(1) - Pt2(1)) ^ 2) + ((Pt1(2) - Pt2(2)) ^ 2))
If Len2 > Len1 Then
Set oEdge1 = oEdge2
X = N
End If
Next N
Dim oTG As TransientGeometry
Set oTG = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry
Dim TempVec As UnitVector
oEdge1.Evaluator.GetEndPoints Pt1, Pt2
Set TempVec = oTG.CreateUnitVector(Pt2(0) - Pt1(0), Pt2(1) - Pt1(1), Pt2(2) - Pt1(2))
Set GetLongestEdgeVector = TempVec.AsVector


End Function

Public Function NumberSort(ByRef NumberList() As Double) As Double

Dim I As Integer, N As Integer, X As Double
For I = 0 To UBound(NumberList) - 1
For N = I + 1 To UBound(NumberList)
If NumberList(I) < NumberList(N) Then
X = NumberList(I)
NumberList(I) = NumberList(N)
NumberList(N) = X
End If
Next N
Next I


End Function 

The parts cuts i refer are part features, insides ipts.

Here a video of the use of it.

As you can see it works fine, but it stuck/freeze  thinking when the part contains circular/curve  cuts (hole, slots, etc).

Thanks for support!

[admaiora]

I have tried the code you suggest but doesn't create the maximum extends of the part that i mean (in the image i would like as extends: 1800x1500x654 mm)

Moreover i have no clear how can i use that box to obtain the three maximum extends for the part list or write  acustom iprop.

[adam.nagy]

Ahh, I thought the part was at least lining up with its own coordinate system - usually that seems to be the case.

If not, then you'd need some minimum bounding box algorithm.

Cheers,

[admaiora]

Yes ..can i find the code somewhere?

[adam.nagy]

Googling around I found this - not sure how good it is: 

http://www.geometrictools.com/LibMathematics/Containment/Containment.html

[admaiora]

No, unfortunately not the solution for this.

[Anonymous]

Maybe a workaround is to create a sketch on let say XY-plan, project the hole part on that plane.

Loop through:

each straight line and find the max and min values.

if non lineair, calculate via radius, start, end & centerpoint the max/min distance.

Do the same for XZ plane.

First you could do this manual, see if the result is ok before programming...

I know, a lot of work, but i don't see any other solution for the moment.

[admaiora]

Thanks for your answer.

Unfortnately

I can't do that. It's needed a lite solution.

We have thousands of parts on which  to do this.

The code i posted above works, as i have shown in the video, only there are the limits of the circular cuts,  so there are solutions in VBA or iLogic out there. I was hoping in someone who can put light on this.

[admaiora]

I think that it may be due to the difficulty to calculate the vector normal  of a curve surface.

I hope that someone really good with vba can have a more clear vision of me of all of this.

[adam.nagy]

You said "As you can see it works fine, but it stuck/freeze  thinking when the part contains circular/curve  cuts (hole, slots, etc)."

Yes it gets stuck... so... why don't you debug into the code to see why it gets stuck? 😉

I did that and found this in GetLargestFaceIndex:

Dim FaceCount As Integer, N As Integer, X As Integer, I As Integer
FaceCount = oBody.Faces.Count
Dim oFace1 As Face, oFace2 As Face
Do
I = 1 ' << this should be outside 'Do' otherwise it's set back to 1 all the time
X = I
' etc..
I = I + 1
Loop While N <= FaceCount
' etc.
End Function

I'm also not sure why you check only planar faces if later on you check the non-planar ones anyway?

[admaiora]

Hi Adam,

te code isn't mine as i wrote and i am not an vba expert.

Just asking for who can help me in that, hoping that it can be useful for other peaople too.

[admaiora]

Any idea in the meantime?