CATIA - Getting Started
Below is a group of How-to's that are related to the topic of 'Installation & Access' in the CATIA - Getting Started subcategory. Click on their links to find more information on these topics.
General:
SmarTeam Related:
PLM Related:
Below is a group of How-to's that are related to the topic of 'The Basics' in the CATIA - Getting Started subcategory. Click on their links to find more information on these topics.
General:
- What are the CATIA Acronyms?
- What are the meanings of the CATIA & PLM Icons?
- How to use the Title Block Editor tool for drawings?
- What's the difference between the different CATIA configurations?
SmarTeam Related:
- How to save from CATIA into SmarTeam?
- What are the available CATIA Workbenches at CERN?
- What are the meanings of the CATIA & SmarTeam Icons?
PLM:
Below are the remaining How-to's that are not present in other subgroups in the CATIA - Getting Started subcategory. Click on their links to find more information on these topics.
General:
Below is a list of acronyms that are used in relation to CATIA.
- BOM – Bill of Materials
- CGR – CATIA Graphical Representation
- GSD – Generative Shape Design
- PWB – PDM Workbench (PLM-CATIA connector)
- TBE – Titleblock Editor
- WB – Workbench
See the list of PLM Acronyms here.
See the list of SmarTeam Acronyms here.
During the transition period to the PLM, access to CATIA through the PLM is not freely available to all users. You must be granted access to the PLM-CATIA connector.
If you do not have the connector installed, or it is an out of date version, you will receive the following message when attempting to launch CATIA through the button on the PLM dashboard. This will remind you which applications must be installed and a link to CMF. There is also a link to documentation explaining the prerequisites required before running this application.
If CATIA is not installed the launch button will be greyed out.
To request access to the connector please contact plm-support@cern.ch and also state your PC name. Prior to granting you access, we would ask for you to complete the SmarTeam to PLM training, please see the link here.
However, if you need immediate access to prevent a project from becoming blocked, please sign up to the next available training and contact us explaining your situation. If deemed necessary and suitable we will grant early access to allow work to be continued.
There are three main different CATIA configurations that can be selected from the drop down in the CATIA launcher menu, small, large and equipment systems. Below details the main differences in their set up:
- Small – Cache is deactivated so all parts are opened in design mode, resulting in them taking longer to load. The 3D Tessellation accuracy is higher than in the large setting. Assembly updates are automatic.
- Large – Uses cache so parts are opened in visualisation mode. To edit, or view at a greater accuracy, the parts must be manually activated into design mode. The 3D Tessellation accuracy is lower than in the large setting. Assembly updates are manual.
- Equipment systems – The settings are primarily the same as the large except the assembly updates are automatic. There is also a difference in the available workbenches. Equipment systems contains two extra workbenches; HVAC design and piping design. However, it also has one removed, raceway design (an electrical cabling discipline).
Icons are used throughout the PLM and in the CATIA specification tree to quickly convey information. See the documentation below to find the explanation of each icon.
More: FAQ
The first part of this FAQ will show you a quick method of saving a CAD document without dependencies, like a CATPart. The second, more detailed, section will describe how to save a structure where the files are linked to each other and will explore the different options available to you from the connector. The final part will explain you how to duplicate a CAD structure.
More: FAQ
If you are new to CATIA/PLM, the document at the bottom will introduce and explain the basic concepts to help you get started.
Please follow the necessary training before using the PLM. You can access the training and learning path here, this will help you identify what training is necessary for you depending on your previous experience and knowledge.
Training on the CATIA-PLM connector (PWB) is a prerequisite to being granted access to CATIA via the PLM. Once you have completed the training please contact the PLM support team with your computer name, so you can be given access. Prior to having access rights, you will receive an error message when attempting to launch CATIA, and you will not be able to view the connector package in CMF.
More: FAQ
For support, please send an email to plm-support@cern.ch.
A request will be automatically created in the Service-Now Platform. For urgent/blocking issues, please call the hotline: 160660
For CAD designers, it is also possible to report an issue from the PLM desktop application.
This way, the request created in Service Now will already contain some useful information for the PLM Support Team (PC name, date and time when the applications were launched, CATIA active document reference …).
This is the way to report the problems to be privileged.
The CATIA connector installation is performed via the CERN CMF installation manager, through the icon as shown in the image below.
Once your computer is added in the NSC (to complete this process, the admin or the main user of the computer must accept a request sent via email), then, you will be able to install the CATIA connector via CMF.
This question is intended for people at CERN that are new to CATIA/SmarTeam and that would need access to the software or some help to get started. If you do not find what you are looking for in the document below, please contact catia.support@cern.ch.
The title block editor is the tool created by the CERN CAD Services in order to manage information and draw all the frames in the CATIA drawings. You can find this tool in the Drafting Workbench.
For more information, click on the link below.
This FAQ is intended for people at CERN that are new to CATIA/SmarTeam and that would need access to the software or some help to get started. If you do not find what you are looking for on the document below, please contact catia.support@cern.ch.
Currently, there are specific groups configured in CMF ("NSC" groups) that allow the installation of CATIA/SmarTeam in a CAD Workstation. This division has been created with the purpose of cover the needs of different CAD users at CERN.
The purpose of the following document is to describe the various options available.
What is the difference between CATIA Supported and CATIA Unsupported NSC?
After creating a file in CATIA, it should be saved into the SmarTeam database. You can choose if you want to link it or not to a project in SmarTeam. This project link is not obligatory but if no other link is created (like Item to Project), the document will be findable only via the SmarTeam Search.
For more information how do it, please click on the link below.
The document below lists the requirements to be respected by the CERN contractors*, in terms of CATIA methodology. This is applicable only if the contractor works with the same CATIA Version and Release than CERN.
What are the prerequisites to respect when designing something for the CERN?
To ease the collaborative work with SmarTeam, there are some steps to validate before your CERN departure. In order to learn more about them, please check the document below and complete the check list presented before you leave CERN.