Stock Specification

Introduction

The purpose of this topic to explain all the options found in the Stock Specification dialog, which will allow you to define the shape, size and orientation of the stock.

 

When the Stock Specification dialog box is open, a GnomonSW.jpg coordinate system gnomon displays to show the stock Origin, which is located at the top and center of the stock. The stock origin is only used as the reference when changing the stock size and orientation, when applicable. The stock origin is not related to the machining origin in the Machine Setup.

Stock Type

The first step is to define the overall shape of the stock by selecting the Stock Type. All definitions are explained in this topic. To jump to a particular stock types definition, click the associated icon in the table below.

 

 

Rectangle

Cylinder

Wireframe

Solid

STL

Revolve

Active

SWRectIcon.jpg Rectangle

Creates a cubic stock.

 

Size

 

  • Bounding Box - sets the stock size using the extents of the part geometry. The bounding stock is created using one of the two following Geometry Options.

    Geometry Options

    • Auto from Workspace - automatically sets the stock size using all geometry that is currently in the graphics area. If solid and wireframe geometry exist, only the solid is used to create the bounding box.

    • Pick - is used to manually select geometry to define the bounding box. When the Pick option is selected, the selected items box lists all of the selected entities.

      • SWSolidSurfaceIcon.jpg - when Pick is selected, the selected geometry displays in the Selected Items list.

      • Calculate Stock - is used to confirm the geometry selection and create the stock when using Pick.

        •  

  • Enter - allows you to type values for the stock size as follows.

    • SWLengthXIcon.jpg Length (X) - is the stock length along the X-axis.

    • SWWidthYIcon.jpg Width (Y) - is the stock width along the Y-axis.

    • SWHeightZIcon.jpg Height (Z) - is the stock height along the Z-axis.

 

Stock Orientation

This group defines where the stock is located in the graphics area. When the stock geometry is defined, the stock origin is automatically placed at the top and center of the stock.

 

To make all of the orientation options available, in the Size group, click Enter.

 

  • Pick Origin - is used to select geometry in the graphics area as the stock origin.

    • SWVertexIcon.jpg - click in this box to select a vertex as the origin. The selected vertex/point is listed here.

  • Enter Origin - allows you to type coordinate values for the stock origin.

    • SWPointXIcon.jpg - sets the X-axis value.

    • SWPointYIcon.jpg - sets the Y-axis value.

    • SWPointZIcon.jpg - sets the Z-axis value.

  • X Axis - this allows you to select geometry that defines the direction for the X Axis.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the current X-axis direction.

  • Y Axis - this allows you to select geometry that defines the direction for the Y Axis.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the selected Y-axis direction.

  • Z Axis - this allows you to select geometry that defines the direction for the Z Axis.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the selected Z-axis direction.

 

 

Note: When using the Stock Wizard, the Enter boxes display the current size and origin location of the stock.

 

Offset

This group is used to extend or trim the stock geometry along any of the Cartesian axes. You can type positive or negative values to extend or trim the stock respectively in each direction.

 

Offset Diagram

  • -X - the negative X-axis direction.

  • +X - the positive X-axis direction.

  • -Y - the negative Y-axis direction.

  • +Y - the positive Y-axis direction.

  • -Z - the negative Z-axis direction.

  • +Z - the positive Z-axis direction.

SWCylIcon.jpg Cylinder

Creates a cylindrical stock.

 

Size

  • Bounding Box - sets the stock by using the extents of the selected Geometry Option to create a bounding box that will center the stock. The diameter of the stock is then equal to the longest side of the rectangular bounding box.

      

 

Note: While the default Bounding Box option works fine in most cases, the image above shows a scenario in which it fails to enclose all of the geometry in the cylindrical stock. The Bounding Box  is shown with dotted lines. Notice that the Bounding Box itself encloses the geometry, while the arc that is created fails to.


  • Bounding Cylinder -  uses an algorithm to calculate the smallest possible cylinder to enclose the geometry selected with the Geometry Option to create stock.

      



Geometry Options:

    • Auto from Workspace - automatically sets the stock size using all geometry that is currently in the graphics area. If solid and wireframe geometry exist, only the solid is used to create the bounding box.

    • Pick - is used to manually select geometry to define the stock size. When the Pick option is selected, the selected items box lists all of the selected entities.

  • Enter - allow you to type values for the stock size as follows:

    • SWCylDiameterIcon.jpg Diameter - is the diameter of the cylindrical stock.

    • SWHeightIcon.jpg Height - is the height of the cylindrical stock.

 

Stock Orientation

This group defines where the stock is located in the graphics area. When the stock geometry is defined, the stock origin is automatically placed at the top and center of the stock.

 

To make all of the orientation options available, in the Size group, select Enter.

 

  • Pick Origin - is used to select geometry in the graphics area as the stock origin.

    • SWVertexIcon.jpg - click in this box to select a vertex as the origin. The selected vertex/point is listed here.

  • Enter Origin - allows you to type coordinate values for the stock origin.

    • SWPointXIcon.jpg - sets the X-axis value.

    • SWPointYIcon.jpg - sets the Y-axis value.

    • SWPointZIcon.jpg - sets the Z-axis value.

  • X Axis - this allows you to select geometry that defines the direction for the X Axis.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the current X-axis direction.

  • Y Axis - this allows you to select geometry that defines the direction for the Y Axis.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the selected Y-axis direction.

  • Z Axis - this allows you to select geometry that defines the direction for the Z Axis.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the selected Z-axis direction.

    •  

Note: When using the Stock Wizard, the Enter boxes always display the current size and origin location of the stock.

 

Offset

This group is used to extend or trim the cylindrical stock geometry. You can type positive or negative values to extend or trim the stock respectively in three directions.

 

Offset Diagram

  • SWCylDiamOffIcon.jpg Diameter Offset (1) - offsets the stock diameter.

  • SWCylStartFaceOffIcon.jpg Start Face Offset (2) - offsets the top face (where the stock origin displays).

  • SWCylEndFaceOffIcon.jpg End Face Offset (3) - offsets the bottom face or the face opposite from the stock origin.

SWWireframeIcon.jpg Wireframe

Creates a custom shaped stock by extruding 2D geometry.

 

Size

  • Pick Geometry - is used to manually select geometry to define the stock size. To enable selection mode, click Pick Geometry. Select the appropriate wireframe geometry from the graphics area, and then click OK.

  • Top of Stock- is the top of the stock from the WCS (or world coordinate system at X0Z0Y0). You can type a value in the Top of Stock box, or you can click Pick to enable selection mode and select geometry from the graphics area to define the Top of Stock value.

  • Height - defines the height of the extruded stock from the Top of Stock value.

 

Stock Orientation

This group defines where the stock is located in the graphics area. When the stock geometry is defined, the stock origin is automatically placed at the top and center of the stock.

 

  • Extrusion Direction - defines the direction in which the cylinder is extruded. Select X Axis, Y Axis, or Z Axis.

  • X Axis - enables you to select geometry to define the X Axis direction. Click in the X Axis  box and then select geometry.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpg Reverse Direction - reverses the current X-axis direction.

  • Y Axis  - enables you to select geometry to define the Y Axis direction. Click in the Y Axis  box and then select geometry.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpgReverse Direction - reverses the current Y-axis direction.

  • Z Axis  - enables you to select geometry to define the Z Axis direction. Click in the Z Axis  box and then select geometry.

    • SWReverseDirIcon.jpgReverse Direction - reverses the current Z-axis direction.

 

SWSolidBodyIcon.jpg Solid Body

Creates stock from a solid body in the graphics area.

 

  • SWSolidSurfaceIcon.jpg Solid Body - is used to select a solid body to define the stock. The selected geometry displays in the Solid Body box.

 

  • Calculate Stock- is used to confirm the geometry selection and creates the stock after selecting a solid body.

SWSTLIcon.jpg STL

Creates stock from an .stl file.

 

  • Browse - displays the Open dialog box for you to locate and open an .stl file which is used to create the stock geometry. There is an informational display to show the file name of the file currently in use.

 

STL File Unit

  • When the dialog opens you will be able to select the unit type in which the .stl file was created: millimeter or inch.

LStockRevIcon.jpg Revolve

Creates custom stock by revolving sketch geometry.

 

Stock Coordinate System

When creating revolved stock, you must assign a SolidWorks coordinate system that you want to use for the stock creation. This coordinate system is then used for the parameters that you define to create the stock (size and location). Generally, you should make this the same as the machining origin coordinate system. (This also saves you time by eliminating the need to create another SolidWorks coordinate system for the machining origin in the Machine Setup.)

 

Important: The sketch geometry is revolved around the Z-axis of the coordinate system you create. After selecting the sketch, click Calculate Stock to view the result.

 

SWProfileIcon.jpg Size

The size of custom stock is defined by revolving sketch geometry that you have already created. After assigning the coordinate system for the stock geometry, click in the Size box, select the geometry to revolve, and click Calculate to create the stock preview in the graphics area.

 

  • Calculate Stock - is used to confirm the geometry selection and create the stock after selecting a profile.

 

 

Note: The following values can be altered after selecting geometry and clicking Calculate. When you change these values, the stock preview is not updated in the graphics area, but the values are saved and automatically loaded in the Feature parameters of the wizard.

 

  • SWCylDiameterIcon.jpg (Stock Diameter) - displays the outside diameter of the stock.

  • LStockIDICon.jpg (Internal Diameter) - displays the inside diameter of the stock.

  • SWHeightIcon.jpg (Length) - displays the length of the stock along the lathe Z-axis.

 

 

Once the Stock Orientation is defined, click NextArrowSWIcon.jpg next to go to the Machine Setup.

Related Topics

The Stock Wizard and Machine Setup Tutorials

Next Topic

After setting the stock size in the Stock Definition, click NextArrowSWIcon.jpg (next) to go to the Machine Setup.