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      <title>Slot tips and techniques</title>
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      <div class="title_topic3" id="xps10_pagetitle">Slot tips and techniques</div>
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               <p class="para_td"> <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/smfea_slot.html');return(false);">Slot Overview</a></p>
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               <p class="para_td"> <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/smfea_slot_dia.html');return(false);">Options</a></p>
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               <p class="para_td"> <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/build_multi_parts.html');return(false);">Related Topics</a></p>
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      </table><br><div class="title_division">Punch vs. through slots</div>
      <p class="para_division">If you want to create one slot that pierces the target solid just once, use the <b class="uiTerm">Punch Slot</b> type. The <b class="uiTerm">Through</b> slot type creates multiple slots piercing all faces in its path between the placement face and the through face. The length, width, position, and orientation of through slots are associative to the first (or master) slot that lies on the placement face.
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      <div class="title_division">Model state</div>
      <p class="para_division">Newly created features will track the state of the model, so that the RPO dimensions will only apply during update when the model is in that state. When the model updates in the creation state, the system will rebuild the model using the feature parameters. When the model is in any other state, the feature will update using existing curve mapping techniques for distortion, which do not use <b class="uiTerm">RPO Dimensions</b> or <b class="uiTerm">Edge Offsets</b>. The feature creation state is a function of the Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening(features (e.g. flanges) that affect it. The next section describes the <b class="uiTerm">Model State</b> in more detail.
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      <p class="para_division">It is important to understand how RPO dimensions relate to the feature creation state. The state of any Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening feature can be formed, unformed, or some intermediate state. The feature's creation state is a function of the states of the Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flatteningfeatures upon which the slot depends. A given slot is dependent on any Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flatteningfeatures above it in the feature tree. It also depends on any Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening features that affect any edges or faces referenced by that feature. The system will ignore RPO dimensioning during model update if the state of any of these features is different than at the time of creation of the <b class="uiTerm">Slot</b> feature.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">For example, if you were to place a slot on an unformed flange and use RPO to position that slot, the RPO will be ignored when you form the flange. This is because the RPO is a two dimensional measurement. It cannot <em>bend</em> with the flange to measure the distance to the center of the slot across the bend of the formed flange.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">You can only edit the parameters of the first (or master) through type slot. Even if you choose one of the other slot features, the parameters of the first (or master) slot will be changed. In turn, this will cause the other slots to be updated to match the changes made to the first (or master) slot.</p>
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            <td valign="top" align="left"><img align="left" src="../graphics/note.gif" alt="Note" title="Note"></td>
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                  <p class="para_note_body">While a <b class="uiTerm">Slot</b> is not in its creation state, the expressions that control the slot are locked and cannot be edited.
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      <div class="title_division">Edit parameters</div>
      <p class="para_division">If you edit the <b class="uiTerm">Slot</b> feature using the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Parameters</b> dialog box, the system will determine if the model is in the feature creation state. If you have the <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Metal Preferences</b> set to <b class="uiTerm">Enforce Creation State Editing</b>, you will not be able to change the feature in its <b class="uiTerm">Non&ndash;As&ndash;Created State</b>. If you do not have the preference set, you will receive a message that allows you to <b class="uiTerm">Snap to Creation State</b>. &nbsp;If the feature has RPO dimensions, those dimensions will be applied regardless of the original creation state. &nbsp;You should beware of this because the RPO dimensions may not apply as intended in the current state.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">From the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Parameters</b> dialog box, you can remove all RPO dimensions by changing the positioning method from <b class="uiTerm">RPO</b> to <b class="uiTerm">Edge Offsets</b>, but you cannot edit or delete RPO dimensions. You can use the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Positioning Dimensions</b> function for that purpose. 
      </p>
      <p class="para_division"><b class="uiTerm">Edit Parameters</b> will always rebuild the Slot feature in the undistorted state.
      </p>
      <div class="title_division">Edit positioning dimensions</div>
      <p class="para_division">On the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Feature</b> dialog box, it is possible to select Slots within the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Positioning Dimension</b> function if the slot was positioned using RPO. Upon selecting the slot, the system will determine if the model is in the creation state of the feature. If the Slot is not in its creation state, the <b class="uiTerm">Positional</b> edit will stop.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">If the feature creation state matches the current <b class="uiTerm">Model State</b>, then the normal <b class="uiTerm">Reposition Feature</b> dialog box will be displayed. RPO dimensions may be added, modified, or deleted.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">Since the model must be in the feature's creation state, the feature will always be rebuilt in the undistorted state.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Legacy <b class="uiTerm">Slot</b> features cannot be edited using <b class="uiTerm">Edit Positioning Dimensions</b>.
      </p>
      <div class="title_division">Update</div>
      <p class="para_division">Whenever a slot updates, the system will determine if the slot creation state matches the current <b class="uiTerm">Model State</b>. If the states match, the system will rebuild the undistorted slot using <b class="uiTerm">Edge Offsets</b> or <b class="uiTerm">RPO Dimensions</b>, whichever applies. If the states don't match, the slot will update by performing curve mapping to the proper target faces in order to generate the distorted slot.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">In addition, if you were to change the model so that a new face is created between exiting <b class="uiTerm">Through</b> type slots, a new through slot will not automatically be created on the new face. The faces on which the <b class="uiTerm">Through </b> slots are created are only identified at creation time.
      </p>
      <div class="title_division">Part conversion</div>
      <p class="para_division">Legacy <b class="uiTerm">Slot</b> features do not contain the feature creation state information that allows the system to determine when to build them as undistorted or distorted features. When this information is unavailable, the system will build the feature using the existing distortion technique. If you edit the feature, the current model state will become the creation state of the feature.
      </p>
      <p class="para_division">Slot features created in pre&ndash;Unigraphics V15, do not contain RPO dimensions. Such features will not be available in the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Positioning Dimensions</b> function. You can add RPO dimensions, if desired, from the <b class="uiTerm">Edit Parameters</b> dialog box.
      </p>
      <div class="title_division">Converted slots and instances</div>
      <p class="para_division">It is now possible to convert other Modeling features (such as <b class="uiTerm">Simple Slots</b> or <b class="uiTerm">Simple SlotInstances</b>) into slots. See  <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/smfea_slot_param.html');return(false);">Slot Parameters/Type</a>. &nbsp;If you convert an instance of a slot, the whole instance set is converted. All instances in an instance set form and unform together.
      </p>
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                  <p class="para_note_body">The representations may differ depending on their underlying surface. Converted slots are named SMD_SIMPLE_SLOT features and behave like Slot features with RPO dimensions.</p>
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