Converting Assemblies 
Purpose
So that you can carry out Digital Mock-Up Viewing, transformation matrices have to be maintained for the SAP System. The transformation matrices can either be generated from the CAD coupling (such as from the CATIA-System) or by the conversion of assemblies.
Prerequisites
Customizing
You need to define the following settings in Customizing:
- In Customizing of Conversion you define the scope of the conversion scenario.
In this case set that the entire BOM structure is to be converted.
The setting is under Logistics General ® Conversion ®
Determine conversion® Conversion specification (detail screen). Enter Complete structure as the Check out depth.
- In Customizing of Document Management you must set up support for document assignments for the BOM header as well as for the BOM items.
See also:
Setting up Customizing for DMU Viewing
CAD Coupling
The following is required for CAD coupling:
- The CAD link for the material BOM must be set up and functional. Assemblies are stored in these material BOMs that you want to convert or display.
- The following documents must be stored in the BOM using the CAD coupling in the SAP System:
- The document for the assembly must be stored in the BOM header (Assembly file).
- The base object must be stored on the BOM items (Part files).
- The CAD coupling call the following function modules for converting assemblies: CONV_API_CONVERT_BOM_ASSEMBLY (development class CONV, function group CONV_API).
Process Flow
The engineer creates a CAD drawing for each assembly part in the CAD system.
Then the CAD coupling is used to create the assembly in the material BOM of the SAP System.
The system creates a document info record for each CAD file and links the document info record to the BOM header or BOM item.
The conversion program is started.
You have the following options:
Manual Start (parallel to conversion of individual files)
Automatic Start (using CAD coupling)
The system runs the following steps:
- Converts the CAD files in the format of the viewer (Direct Model).
- Assigns the files to the documents in the SAP System.
- Determines the transformation matrices based on the CAD files for the entire assembly.
A transformation matrix defines geometrical position of a component within space.
- Assigns transformation matrices to the BOM items.
A wheel has 19 spokes.
In the BOM for the wheel the system assigns the item "Spoke" to the drawing and 19 transformation matrices. Each transformation matrix defines the geometric position of an individual spoke.
Result
You can now display the 3D model in the Engineering Workbench.