(Technology Preview) Perforators

A Perforator is a parametric solid that acts as a cutting element on a target element. The target element can be a parametric solid or a SmartSolid. The simplest example of a perforator is a door that when placed on a wall creates a cut in the wall to allow the door to fit inside.

The general workflow for using perforators is given below.

Create a parametric cell having a parametric solid(s).
Use the Define Perforator tool to tag the parametric solid as a perforator.

Note: The Hide Perforator After Placement in the Define Perforator tool settings window controls the visibility of the perforator parametric solid while placing as a cell.
Attach the parametric cell to the DGN file that contains the target element on which the perforation is to be performed. The target element can be a parametric solid or a SmartSolid.
Hover the cursor on the target element, such that the parametric cell overlaps the target element. Observe that the perforator previews as a blue dotted line.
Place the cell on the target element. Observe that the perforator cuts the target element to the shape of the perforator.

Additionally, you can also apply variations to the perforator. So in case of the door-wall example, you can apply variations for different door sizes and the cut in the wall will change according to the door size.

Once placed, the parametric cell containing perforator acts any other parametric solid. You can manipulate the cut using Move and Rotate commands. Also, deleting the placed cell undoes the cut on the target element.

Define Perforator

The Define Perforator tool is used to define an parametric solid as a perforator. Once defined, perforator properties are applied to the parametric solid.

You can access this tool from the following:

Ribbon: Drawing > Home > Content > Perforators > Define Perforator
Ribbon: Modeling > Home > Content > Perforators > Define Perforator

Setting	Description
Hide Perforator after placement	Hides the perforator after it is placed on the target element.

To Define a Perforator

Start the Define Perforator tool.
Select the parametric solid that you want to define as a perforator.
(Optional) If you want the perforator to be displayed after placement, turn off the check box Hide Perforator after placement.
Enter a data point.

To Place a Perforator

Make sure you have the perforator attached as a cell in the Cell Library dialog.

In the Cell Library dialog, right-click on the cell and select Place Cell.
The Place Parametric Cell tool starts.
If required, rotate the cell.
Place the cursor at a point on the target element where you want the cut to be placed.
Observe that the cut is previewed as a dotted line.
Enter a data point.

Note: For the cell to work as a perforator, each time you need to place it separately as a parametric cell. Cells placed out of copy or array commands do not have perforation capability.

Note: An element's Named Presentation and Perforator properties are mutually exclusive. That is, if an element is assigned Perforator properties then it cannot be added to a Named Presentation. If an element is added to a Named Presentation, then it cannot be defined as a Perforator.