How to add own values in IC Mechanical?

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IronCAD Mechanical - Library Data Manager

A question that sometimes comes to our support team is that certain dimensions are missing from a standard component that comes with the extension. IC Mechanicalsuch as a screw or beam. The extension IC Mechanical comes with a basic set of standard components and dimension tables, but it is still possible for you as a user to easily add values that you are missing.

Library Data Manager is an interface to the IC Mechanical which is used to check and change values of these standard components (screws, nuts, beams etc). This can be launched from within IRONCAD or as a separate window via the Windows Start menu.

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To get a really good overview of all components at the same time, we recommend running the Icon IPRO Library Data Manager icon via the Windows Start menu. However, if you just want to quickly change some values for an individual component, it is easier to start it from within IRONCAD. You then click on the left or right button at the bottom of the component's tool window, see the image to the right.

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Show Normative Data

Start by locating the standard component to be edited. If it is a standard hexagonal screw, make sure the Components tab is active at the top left and then click on the Screw 1 menu. There you will find the different screws handled in the Screw 1 table and a standard hexagonal screw is the first icon on the left.

The Show Normative Data tab allows you to manage the primary properties of the component you have selected in the list on the left. You can either edit an existing component to change its name or which material table that particular model should offer. Then, when creating or editing the component in the 3D scene, each row corresponds to an alternative type of component in its "Default Name" dropdown menu.

You can also create new standard tables with dimensional data or simply delete a data table that you do not use.

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In the same window, there is also a line dedicated to how the component's metadata in the form of name in the tree(PartName also called User Name), unique item number (Part Number), description(Description) and any other data(Custom Properties, e.g. supplier, color, etc.) should be written. There is a list of TAGS that represent these values.

These values can then be transferred to the bill of materials (BOM).

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Show Geometry Data

The Show Geometry Data tab provides the ability to make dimensional changes to a selected component by modifying values in an existing row or placing a new row in the table.

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Simple demonstration - Step by step

This is a short demonstration where we modify a component by accessing the Library Data Manager from within IRONCAD.

(1) Here we have picked out a screw (Fasteners) in the scene from the ICM Mech catalog. (2) The 160 mm length is missing. (3) We need to add it ourselves by pressing the button at the bottom left of the tool window, as shown below.

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The data table for M6S.din in the standard ISO library opens. Scroll down the table and find the row that needs to be adjusted. In this case we want to add a new row, so we mark where we want the new row (the new row is always placed above the marked row) and then press the green button with a plus sign.

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We fill in the values required for the new screw. Finish by pressing the Save button in the upper corner.

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Then close down the data table and also close down the tool window for the screw(IPROFastners).

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Then re-tighten the screw - now we see the new value we have added.

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It doesn't get any more complicated than this.

The above process is identical for almost all standard components of the IC Mechanical extension, except forHoles. The data table for e.g. threaded and/or countersunk holes can only be accessed via the Windows Start menu and the Library Data Manager.