Parametric Modeling

Parametric tools give you a degree of flexibility which is not possible with conventional 3D tools. This allows complex parametric to be edited easily without needing to be manually rebuilt.

Parametric modeling uses parameters to control the dimensions and shape of elements, which may be modified later, and the model will update to reflect the modification.

Constraints

You can place geometric and dimensional constraints on 2D elements with the following tools and settings:

Geometric Constraint tools and settings:
- Auto 2D Constrain
- Auto Constraint Setting dialog
- Parallel 2D Constraint
- Perpendicular 2D Constraint
- Coincident 2D Constraint
- Tangent 2D Constraint
- Fixed 2D Constraint
- Concentric 2D Constraint
- Equal 2D Constraint
Dimensional Constraint tools:
- Dimension Element Constraint
- Distance Constraint
- Angle Constraint
- Equal Distance Constraint
- Area Constraint
- Perimeter Constraint
Constraints management tools and settings:
- Edit Dimension
- Remove / Remove All
- Degree Of Freedom
- Manipulate 3D Constrained Geometry

Manipulate Applied Features

Following tools lets you manipulate and edit the applied features to a parametric elements:

Move Feature
Rotate Feature
Mirror Feature
Array Feature
Remove Top Feature
Show Feature Input
Hide Feature Input
Replace Feature Input
Disable Feature
Delete Feature
Edit Feature Parameters

Variables and Variations

The Variables Dialog provides a way to create named values, called Variables, which may be stored for each model and applied to control the parameters of parametric operations or dimensional constraints. You can use the Expression Builder dialog, to create valid arithmetic, logical and trigonometrical expression for defining a variable. Different states of Variables, called Variations, can be named and recalled. The definition of variables may be derived from an Item Type which also provides a type for the model when it is placed as a Parametric Cell. Parametric Cells use Variations at placement time to define preset object configurations.

Also, while creating a parametric element or while applying a feature to an element, you can use the variable driven tool settings (identified by the presence of a variable link ) to assign the value of that particular dimensional setting from the available variables created in the Variables dialog. From the Variables dialog itself, you can export your defined variable values to a .csv file format, and also you import a .csv file for defining the current variables.

Managing variables efficiently is easy with the remapping options. You can remap the value/property of a variable to another variable when that variable has been used in a parametric cell and you want to delete this variable.

Parametric Cells

Reusable content can be defined using a new Parametric Cell model type. When these components are placed they can be driven by parameters and variables to produce unique geometry while still being efficient, lightweight instances. The workflow of handling a parametric cell is integrated with the existing cell system. The Place Parametric Cell tool has been added for placing models with defined variables as parametric cells.

Derived from the variables' remapping functionality, Update Parametric Cell dialog can be used to remap the variables and variations right at the placed cell instances.

Parametric cells support nesting and you can use it more efficiently with its property binding feature.

You can use the Extract Cell Model dialog to extract a parametric cell definition to a dgn file.