Workflow: Simulating without a machine for manufacturing operations

Simulating without a machine allows you to quickly visualize tool movements, track stock material changes, and detect collisions. This option provides a basic simulation for initial assessment, making it suitable for various manufacturing operations. How the tool moves between points on a toolpath depends on the machine and so the movements may be incorrect when simulating without a machine. For milling setups, simulation with a machine provides a more accurate representation.

Steps

1. Ensure that the operations in the setup are generated.

2. In the Browser, select the setup or the individual operations you want to simulate.

   Tip: Hold the Ctrl key to multiselect operations.

3. On the Manufacture workspace toolbar, click Actions > Simulate .

   The Simulate dialog is displayed, and the Simulation contextual environment opens, replacing all the tabs in the Manufacture workspace.

   

4. In the Simulate dialog, set the Viewpoint mode to control how you view the simulation.

5. (Optional) On the Simulation contextual environment's toolbar, click Mode > Simulate Faster (GPU) to select or deselect whether to use faster processing for simulation.

   When selected, simulation uses the graphics processor (GPU). You can use the GPU to simulate milling and inspection operations, but it doesn't currently support the simulation of turning or DED (directed energy deposition) operations.

   Note: Faster processing depends on the quality of your GPU.

   When deselected, simulation uses the computer processor (CPU).

6. Use the simulation player controls and timeline to navigate the simulation.

7. Use the options on the toolbar and in the dialog to control the visibility of the tool, toolpaths, and stock during the simulation, and to check for issues.

8. (Optional) In the Simulate dialog, click the Info and Statistics tabs to view information about the current tool and operation, as well as information such as the number of detected collisions, the start volume and final volume of the stock, and the estimated machining time.

9. When finished, click Exit Simulation .

Limitations when using the Simulate Faster (GPU) option

For supported operations, when Mode > Simulate Faster (GPU) is selected, certain features are not yet available or may not function fully:

• On the Simulation contextual environment's toolbar, Inspect > Section Analysis may not function properly.

• In the Simulate dialog's Display tab:

  • Stock > Colorization > Comparison may experience delays.
  • Stock > Material is unavailable.

• In the Simulate dialog's Info tab, Verification > Pause is unavailable.

• Holder collisions do not visually cut the stock during simulation. Collision are reported in the timeline and in the list of issues, but the stock is not colored red.

• Collision start and finish locations within a move are approximate. Collisions are detected per move, so when you click a collision in the Issues dialog, the simulation jumps to the move where the collision was found, not necessarily the exact point where it begins or ends.