1.1Sheet Lightning - The Tool13
SHEET LIGHTNING - THE PATTERN DEVELOPER
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION13
1.1
1.2
1.4
1.5
2 THE COMPUTER17
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
3 SHEET LIGHTNING21
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
4 SHEET LIGHTNING PATTERNWORK25
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
5 USING THE PARAMETRIC SYSTEM29
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.11
5.12
6 BEGINNING WITH DESIGN35
6.1 Screen Layout35
6.1.1 Main Menu36
6.1.2 Design Menu37
6.1.3 Position & File Name38
6.1.4 Dimension line38
6.1.5 Design Area38
6.2 DESIGN ENVIRONMENT38
6.3 CURSORS38
6.3.1 In The Design Area39
6.3.2 Accessing The Design Menu39
6.3.3 Changing The View39
6.4 MAIN & POPUP MENU40
6.5
6.5.1 LOADING48
6.5.2 SAVING49
6.5.3 NEW49
6.5.4 APPEND49
6.5.5 SAVE AS49
6.5.6 ERASE50
6.5.7 DIR50
6.5.8 QUIT50
6.7 SPECIAL SELECTORS52
6.7.1 The Object Selector52
6.7.2 The Slide53
6.7.3 The Number Menu53
6.7.4 The Sniffer54
6.7.5 Object Selector/Sniffer Collaboration54
6.7.6 Naming Elements55
6.8 SETTING THE SCENE55
6.8.1 Posts55
6.8.2 Walls56
6.8.3 Edges56
6.8.4 Axes57
6.8.5 Floor57
6.8.6 In the dark57
6.8.7 Room Size57
6.8.8 Zoom58
6.8.9 Zoom Factor58
6.8.10 Panning58
6.8.11 Default View59
6.9 PERFORMING AN INTERSECTION 59
6.9.1 Intersecting59
6.9.2 Examination60
6.9.3 Accuracy & The Net60
7 CREATING DESIGNS63
7.1 Positioning 63
7.1.1 3D-Box63
7.1.2 Cursor Freedom63
7.1.3 The Stabilizers 63
7.1.4 Maintaining Position64
7.1.5 Stabilizer Freedom 64
7.1.6 XYZ Dimensioning64
7.1.7 XYZ Accuracy65
7.1.8 Slide Dimensions65
7.1.9 Slide Positioning65
7.2 Centre Line Theory66
7.2.1 C/L Positioning66
7.2.2 Whole Object Manipulation66
7.2.3 Deactivating A Centre Line67
7.2.4 Relationships68
7.2.5 Teeing68
7.2.6 Bending69
7.2.7 Chain Bending69
7.2.8 Junctions70
7.2.9 Dimensions71
7.2.10 Length Freezing71
7.2.11 Typed Length72
7.2.12 Axes Alignment/Snap72
7.2.13 Angle Setter/Snap72
7.2.14 Orthogonal Mode73
7.2.15 Construction Mode 74
7.2.16 Offset74
7.2.17 Relative Dimensions74
7.2.18 In-line Objects75
7.2.19 Bend Dimension Copying 75
7.2.20 Oblique Offsets76
7.2.21 Oblique Reactivation 77
7.3 Editing Designs79
7.3.1 Delete79
7.3.2 Reactivation79
7.3.3 Dragging80
7.3.4 Drag Relating80
7.3.5 Drag Unhooking81
7.3.6 Direct Unhooking 81
7.3.7 Duplicating82
7.4 Special Features83
7.4.1 Lobster Back Bends (Swept/Segmented Bends)83
7.4.2 Scaling 84
7.4.3 Rotation84
8 SIZING THE DESIGN85
8.1 The Default Object85
8.1.1 Default Type85
8.1.2 Default Diameter85
8.1.3 Default Seam Position85
8.1.4 User Default85
8.2 Dimensioning An Object85
8.2.1 Cross-section Selector86
8.2.2 Pipe Growing86
8.2.3 Cone/Reducer87
8.2.4 Cone Included Angle87
8.2.5 Regular Object (with taper)87
8.2.6 The Z-Angle88
8.2.7 Folded/Sided Object Seam Position89
8.2.8 Rectangular Object (Ducting)89
8.2.9 Complex Cross-Sections/Adapters90
8.2.10 Square-To-Round Adapter90
8.2.11 Width-Height-Diameter91
8.2.12 Proportional Growing91
8.2.13 Oval92
8.2.14 Root Radius Rectangle92
8.2.15 Adapter Diameter92
8.2.16 Adapter Height92
8.2.17 Adapter Width92
8.2.18 Root92
8.3 Seam Positioning93
9 CUT & WELD95
9.1 Cut & Weld Definition95
9.2 The Process95
9.3 Unfold96
9.6 Net Lines97
9.7 Increment Setting97
9.8 Fold Lines99
9.10 Time And Memory100
9.11 Automatic Memory Disposal100
9.12 Object Visualisation101
9.13 The Viewer102
9.13.1 Wire Frame102
9.13.2 Solid102
9.13.3 Flat Pattern102
9.13.4 Multi-View Modes103
9.13.5 Multiple Solid View103
9.13.6 Multiple Solid And Wire View103
9.14 Flexible Data103
10 MATCHING OBJECTS105
10.1 What is "Matching"105
10.2 Pipe Bends105
10.3 Cone Bends105
10.4 Irregular Bends105
10.5 C/L Displacement108
10.6 Object Dimension Adjustment111
10.7 Tees113
10.8 Junctions113
10.9 Copy Angle113
10.10 Add Matching113
10.11 Chain Matching114
10.12 The Chain Matching Process114
10.13 Twin Wall Using Grow Matching115
10.14 Ring Matching116
10.15 In-line Objects116
10.16 Common Central Sphere 118
10.17 Copy Matching 118
10.18 Individual Matching 118
11 DESIGN MANIPULATION121
11.1 Organise121
11.2 User Default121
11.3 Root Radius121
11.4 Lobster122
11.5 Scale122
11.6 Spin Grid122
11.7 Spin Direction122
11.8 Rotate Axes123
12 DATA124
12.1 Removing The Net124
12.2 Show Seam124
12.3 Propagation124
12.4 Flexibility125
12.4.1 Rigid Data125
12.4.2 Flex Data125
12.5 Face Data125
12.6 Irregulars126
12.7 Tee-Apex126
12.8 Pattn-Nets126
13 SHEET ARRANGEMENTS129
13.1 Sheet Visibility129
13.2 Sheet Redraw Procedure129
13.3 Designing With The Sheet Visible130
13.4 Hide Sheet Command130
13.5 Manual Redraw130
13.6 Saving A Sheet Arrangement130
13.7 New Sheet131
13.8 Sheet Size 131
13.9 Parameters131
13.9.1 Sheet Origin132
13.9.2 Border132
13.10 Plotter Sheet Sizing132
13.11 Sheet Multiples 133
13.12 Saving Sheet Sizes133
14 ARRANGING SHEET LAYOUTS135
14.1 The Arrange Menu135
14.1.1 Adding Patterns To The Sheet135
14.1.2 Adding Design Images To The Sheet135
14.1.3 Saving The Sheet Arrangement135
14.2 Arrange Menu Commands136
14.2.1 Pattern 136
14.2.2 Rotating Patterns139
14.2.3 Erase139
14.2.4 Multiple139
15 OUTPUT141
15.1 Data Communication141
15.1.1 Parallel Communication141
15.1.2 Serial Communication141
15.2 Devices142
15.2.1 Plotter142
15.2.2 Printer142
15.3 Setting Up For Serial Devices142
15.3.1 Cabling143
15.3.2 Handshake143
15.4 Protocol Settings 144
15.4.1 Baud Rate 144
15.4.2 Parity144
15.4.3 Databits144
15.4.4 Stopbits145
15.4.5 The Defaults145
15.5 Plotter Ports145
15.6 Printer Ports145
15.7 Printer Set-Up Code146
15.8 Languages/Forms Of Output146
15.8.1 HPGL146
15.8.2 DXF146
15.8.3 ASCII TEXT147
15.9 Output to a Plotter147
15.10 Output To A Printer148
15.11 Despatching A DXF Sheet File149
15.12 Despatching A HPGL Sheet File149
15.13 Despatching A DXF Design File149
15.14 Recalculation149
15.15 DXF File Format150
15.16 Direction Of Cut151
15.16.1 Outside Data151
15.16.2 Inside Data151
15.17 Decimals Places151
16 COLOURING THE DESIGN153
16.1 The Colour Menu153
16.2 Solid Colour153
16.3 Background154
16.4 Outline154
16.5 Wire155
16.6 Transparent155
17 OTHER FEATURES157
17.1 Sensitivity157
17.2 Sound157
18 EXAMPLES OF DESIGNS159
18.1 An Equal 90 Degree Pipe Tee159
18.2 Altering To An Equal 60 Degree Pipe Tee162
18.3 An Unequal Tee163
18.4 Adding A 45 Degree Tee At The Same Point164
19 THE CONFIGURATION FILE165
19.1 Saving a Configuration File165
19.2 Loading a Configuration165
19.3 The Configuration Parameters165
20 HOTKEY REFERENCE167
20.1 General Hotkeys:167
20.2 Design Area168
20.3 The Viewer168
20.4 Input Box170
21 QUICK REFERENCE171
21.1 Design menu171
21.1.1 3D-View Mode171
21.1.2 2D-View Mode171
21.1.3 XYZ Stabilisers171
21.1.4 Slide/Tee Selector171
21.1.5 Bend Mode Selector171
21.1.6 Sniffer172
21.1.7 Object Selector172
21.1.8 Cross-Section Selector172
21.1.9 Seam Position173
21.1.10 Drag173
21.1.11 Offset174
21.1.12 Length Freeze174
21.1.13 Deleting objects174
21.1.14 Angle Setter174
21.1.15 Perpendicular174
21.1.16 Deactivate175
21.1.17 Construction175
21.1.18 Number Finder175
21.1.19 Viewer175
21.1.20 Straightener175
21.1.21 Axes Alignment176
21.1.22 Outline176
21.1.23 Reactivate176
21.1.24 Oblique176
21.1.25 Dimension176
21.1.26 Unhook177
21.1.27 Duplicate177
21.1.28 Unfold177
21.1.29 Cut & Weld177
21.1.30 Lobster177
21.1.31 Scale177
21.1.32 Zoom All178
21.1.33 Wire Frame178
21.1.34 Pattern178
21.1.35 Match Chain178
21.1.36 Match Individual178
21.1.37 Rotate178
21.1.38 Orthogonal179
21.1.39 Help179
21.2 File Menu180
21.3 Output Menu181
21.4 Plotter Output Menu182
21.5 Sizes Menu (plotter output)183
21.6 Protocols Menu (plotter output)185
21.7 Control Menu (plotter output)186
21.8 Printer Output187
21.9 SIZES (printer output188
21.10 CONTROL (printer output188
21.11 FILES OUTPUT Menu189
21.12 LINES Menu190
21.13 Compute Menu192
21.14 Robotics Menu193
21.15 Arrange Menu194
21.16 Sheet Menu 195
21.17 GRID Menu196
21.18 DATA Menu197
21.19 Match Menu199
21.20 Scene Menu201
21.21 COLOUR Menu 203
21.22 Options Menu204
21.23 Configuration Menu206
21.24 SOUND Menu207
21.25 EFFICIENCY Menu208
21.26 MENU TEXT Menu209
22 ERROR/WARNING MESSAGES210
22.1 Errors210
22.2 Warnings210
22.3 Messages210
