Port Checking
Port checking is performed during the Place Part command or when a Standard Support is dropped using Drop Standard on the vertical tool bar.
Smart 3D uses port checking to ensure that the parts that connect together fit and are compatible. The HngSupPortType sheet in AllCodeLists.xls and the SupportJoints sheet in HS_System.xls control port checking. The following topics describes how port checking works.
Port Compatibility
Ports are compatible if their combination appears in the SupportJoints table. For example, see the following row in the delivered table:
PIN-EYE is a combination of port type 1005 and 1007. For more information or for a description of the two port types, see the HngSupPortType table in AllCodeLists.xls.
In the above example, if the port of a part with a Pin type is connected to a port from a part with an Eye type, the ports are compatible.
The software skips port checking in the following cases:
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The HgrRule, HgrSkipPortConnectionCheck, has a value of 1. This is the default case.
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A port type is one of the following:
Undefined = 1
OTHER = 1200
WELD = 1012
STEEL = 1011
Port Size Checking
In addition to port type compatibility checking, the software performs a size check of the ports and alerts you or returns an error if the port sizes vary. For example,
In the earlier example, the port Size, MaxSize, and MinSize values are 0.375 inches. The software alerts you or returns an error if a part with a size that is not .375 inches is connected to a compatible port. For more examples of port sizes, see any of the HS part reference data files such as HS_S3DParts_Anvil PH-2010.xls.