Lay

Lay

Win32 and 64, English

A>V>C>
Lay 3D-solids to XY plane. Group and sort list of details, make FlatShot for CNC.

General Usage Instructions

A detailed description of the use of this program and all its settings you can find on my website.

Command Lay

Select all the details in the assembly and call the Lay command. If command is called before selection, the program prompts to select the details. Selection will be saved after working on the command (see Common Options).

Next step select insertion point. The point query contains a Setting option. Call it to adjust the program.

After selecting the insertion point the program will process all solids. The program looks for the largest flat surface of the solid and believes that it should be in the plane XY. Thus it appears that the plane with blind holes is on top. Also it revolves detail around Z so that the longest edge extends along the axis X (if Texture=Across then using Y axis). Program sort detail by size from large to small and lay details down axis Y.

Plugin works only with objects such as 3D solid. If you use blocks then explode them before invoking the command Lay. By default, calculating the size of the solid need to turn it at right angles. If this is disabled, the benefit will have the longest line or arc.

The plugin is designed for use in the design of sheet material details. In these details there is always the main plane, which determines how to put all other item. This algorithm does not work for spheres, tors and shaped details. The program can measure the simplest sweep bent parts, but they must be specially tagged. This requires the plugin Names.

If program cannot lay out the detail then the plugin will display a warning window and problem details will be highlighted red. To remove the red illumination start any other command.

If enabled “Layer Management” function, MD_Annotation layer will be assigned to the title.

The settings are saved in the Windows registry for HKEY_Current_User .

Follow the messages on the console. There may be program messages.

Command “–Lay”

This command has few console options inside “select point” query. I hope you know to call options by first litter or by dropdown menu.

After any options, the input program will query for the point again. And you can use other option. Thus you can adjust program at any call. It makes possible creating macros and buttons for different way using command LAY.

Screenshots

Commands

Ribbon/Toolbar Icon Command Command Description

Lay

Lay out 3D-solids to XY plane

-Lay

Lay command with full console control. No Icon, No buttons

Installation/Uninstallation

The installer that ran when you downloaded this app/plug-in from Autodesk App Store will start installing the app/plug-in. OR, simply double-click the downloaded installer to install the app/plugin. You may need to restart the Autodesk product to activate the app/plug-in. To uninstall this plug-in, exit the Autodesk product if you are currently running it, simply rerun the installer, and select the "Uninstall" button. OR, click Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features (Windows 7/8.1/10/11) and uninstall as you would any other application from your system.

Additional Information

Title string can contain next substitutions:

%number%  or %#% - item number in numbered list,

%layer%  or %l% - solid layer name,

%color%  or %col% - solid color name. If color has no name – color index inserted. If color = “by layer” – space inserted.

%material% or %mat% - render material name,

%thickness% or %depth% or %d% - depth (thickness) of solid (minimum of the three overall dimensions),

%width%  or %w% - width  (length)  (maximum of the three overall dimensions),

%height%  or %h% - height  (third of the three overall dimensions),

%volume% or %v% - real volume of solid (not product dimensions),

%asym% or %a% - Indicator asymmetrical: the distance from the boxing center to the center of mass. It allows you to identify the offset holes, and others.

%asymv% - The direction of the center of the box to the center of mass in three dimensions. It differs from the mirrored parts

%tech% - Technology, a method of manufacturing parts

%count% or %c% - quantity of identical solids,

%box% or %note%  - comment “Box” for easy boxes.

%nobox% - comment “Not box” for all solids except easy boxes

If you are using a plugin Names, you get access to substitutions:

%mirrorcount% or %mc% - quantity of identical solids, marked like ”mirror”,

%sumcount% or %sc% - summary quantity of identical solids (unmirrored and not),

%name% or %n% - string name of object. If grouping then will use the first available solid name. You have to check that there are no identical solids with different names,

%sweep% or %s% - comment “Sweep” for solids marked like Sweep,

%mirror% or %m% - comment “Mirror” for solids marked like Mirror ,

%texture% or %t% – comment about texture direction,

%tr% - “1” if Texture property = No, “2” if Texture = Along or Across (for Cutting3 program)

%info% or %i% - description of detail or any other information

%kind% or %k% - kind, type, material of object or any other information

%dmm% and %wmm% and %hmm% - convert current drawing units to mm. Imperial formats ignored. 

Plugin NAMES add 3 new properties to solids: Sweep, Mirror and Texture. 

Updates 

Follow my news on Facebook or Twitter. If you have an interest in the new version, just download it from my website and unzip into the same directory with the replacement of all files. Autodesk® AutoCAD® course must be closed. Reactivation not required.

Known Issues

Contact

Company Name: A>V>C>
Support Contact: avc.programming@gmail.com

Author/Company Information

A>V>C>

Support Information

Please write your questions and concerns in comments to the program on this site. I will reply as soon as possible.

I'll be glad to hear from you any suggestions and comments to further improve program

avc.programming@gmail.com

Version History

Version Number Version Description

2021.12.03

The first version of the new licensing system. Communication with the A>V>C> database server. Automatic plugin updates. New A>V>C Options Palette instead of the settings dialog.

2020.2

Added 2022 support (No change in version number).

2019.3.4

Compatible with AutoCAD 2020 New activation system

2018.3

Compatible with AutoCAD 2019 Integrated Numbering plugin: AVCNum and SNN commands 9 sets of settings with the ability to quickly switch Multiplier query for multiplying the number of parts A list of substitutions for easy editing of the detail title Counting the number of direct and mirror details with the option "Mirrored separately" turned off New substitution "%c+m%" = "Direct + Mirror"

2017.3

• Compatible with AutoCAD 2019 • Updated Tecnology property for Solid • Decreased accuracy of asymmetry of solid • New version numbering • Fixed: solids were sometimes mistakenly considered different • New thickness substitution writing - %thickness% • New activation window

6.0.0

• Italian localization • German AutoCAD localization compatibility • Setting dialog window • Changed layer names: Annotation -> MD_Annotation, Hidden -> MD_Hidden • Break selection at end of command (by default) • Added “-Lay” command variant • Mark <> • New algorithm of solid measurement. Right angle priority • Identification of mirrored details.

5.0

Added header text settings: text style, text height Added header position settings: inside part, part center Removed Text Offset setting. Now the offset is always equal to the height of the text. Completely re-written algorithm of detail measurement Excluded mistakes of solid comparisons Lay spline-based solid accelerated to 9 times Optimized algorithm of search detail main plane

4.1

Fractional length formats AutoCAD 2017 compatibility Demo version Output Texture property Rotate solids market as Texture Across Sorting by solid names Separate lay mirrored solids (like option) Support Texture solid property (from Names 2.0 plugin) Correct algorithm of sorting and summing *VARIES* value if layer or name of solid in one table line differs Fixed typos

3.0

Added compatibility with plug-in AVC_Names: Detail Name form solid property. Measurement sweeps. Counting mirrored details. Added the ability to customize display messages from the program (command AVCMessage).   Fixedtypos

2.0.1

Full upgrade. Many new function like sorting, grouping, flatshots.

Added many options

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