Development of an Application for Design Automation in KOMPAS-3D: Quality Control Table for Base Metal

Savelieva Yuliya Olegovna ORCID: 0009-0004-8971-4110 PhD in Technical Science Associate Professor; Branch of SamSTU in Syzran; Samara State Technical University 446001, Russia, Samara region, Syzran, Sovetskaya str., 45, office 404 Savelieva_yu_ol@mail.ru Il'in Artem Vladimirovich Student; Branch of SamSTU in Syzran; Samara State Technical University 446001, Russia, Samara region, Syzran, Sovetskaya str., 45 Savelieva_yu_ol@mail.ru Luk'yanov Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Student; Branch of SamSTU in Syzran; Samara State Technical University 446001, Russia, Samara region, Syzran, Sovetskaya str., 45 Savelieva_yu_ol@mail.ru

Milihina Kseniya Mihailovna Student; Branch of SamSTU in Syzran; Samara State Technical University 446001, Russia, Samara region, Syzran, Sovetskaya str., 45 Savelieva_yu_ol@mail.ru

Introduction. The effectiveness of the COMPASS-3D software package for three-dimensional modeling, creating drawings, and specifications is determined by the use of not only basic tools for implementing the target function, but also the ability to expand the functionality of the software package using user-applied applications and user software libraries ^[1-5]. The COMPASS-3D CAD already provides automation tools such as embedded applications libraries are plug–in software modules, the number of which differs in different versions, allowing to reduce design time due to the simplicity and high speed of creating and using standard elements based on basic functions ^[6-8].

Despite a significant number of libraries (a design library containing more than two hundred parametric images of typical elements: various fasteners, bearings, profiles, pipeline connection elements, etc.; libraries of gearboxes, electric motors, fasteners, grooves, springs, die parts, molds, materials and grades, and others ^[6]), there are always enough of them to implement the objective function. For example, a particular library is not freely available, or companies develop products based on their own regulatory documents. Ready-made modules for developing applications in COMPASS contain a description of interfaces in accordance with the syntax of a specific programming language.

At enterprises, when designing and manufacturing nuclear power equipment, base metal quality control tables (TB1) are compiled, on the basis of which quality programs are developed. Quality control tables that establish the need to perform specific control operations are assigned certain codes: "TB1" - tables of quality control of the base metal; "TB2" - tables of quality control of welded joints and surfacing; "TBZ" - tables of quality control of production welded joints on production control welded joints ^[9].

Projects using TB1 are accepted by an authorized organization for quality control programs ^[10-11]. The quality control program for nuclear power products, consisting of a text part and quality control tables, defines the principles and requirements for the quality of the designed assembly units, products, equipment and pipelines, installations during the manufacturing process ^[9].

The compilation of TB1 is a complex process, since the design contractor must rely on various standards, for example, industry standards (OST), state standards, building codes (SNiP), technical specifications and other regulatory documents, acting in accordance with the requirements of the main designer – customer. Incorrectly drafted documents submitted to an authorized quality control organization entail financial and time losses for developers, as well as difficulties in further delivery of the product.

The object of the study: the table of quality control of the base metal (TB1).

The subject of the study: the procedure for developing an application user application.

Setting the task. It is necessary to develop a custom application for Compass-3D that allows you to automatically generate TB1.

Basic requirements for the functionality of a user application:

1. The launch takes place from the assembly in COMPASS-3D via the command panel or via the "Applications" - "TB1" buttons.

2. After launching, the program window displays a table with the parts received from the assembly (as well as the details of all subassemblies), their number, designation, material and the corresponding standard.

3. The program should have functionality that allows the designer to change all the graphs of the table, select those positions that will be built in the table in the drawing, add new positions, delete added ones, cross out the text and the ability to divide the table into several sheets.

4. The application should provide for the selection of control operations for assembly materials, operations with ciphers, as well as the addition of new operations, followed by their storage in the program memory.

5. The ability to select characters for operations by clicking on the corresponding cell.

6. By clicking on the corresponding button, a drawing document should be automatically created, with a constructed table with all the changes made by the designer to the program interface.

7. The ability to add the functionality of reading data from a drawing to make changes through the program interface.

In this work, TB1 is constructed in accordance with OST 108.004.10-86 ^[9] and the internal standards for their completion from the customer. The application's program code is written in Delphi.

The procedure for developing an application user application. A "blank" is being created for the COMPASS application (library):

1) In Delphi, the File - New - Other command is executed. In the New Items window that appears, with all possible Windows application templates and Delphi files (executable exe file, console application, Delphi form or component, etc.), select Dynamic-Link Library on the Delphi Projects tab.

2) Files are connected that contain descriptions of all API interfaces, version 7. To do this, run the Tools - Options – Library command, and specify the path to the include directory in the COMPASS folder in the Library path column.

3) The Projects - options - Application command is executed. The extension is entered in the Target file extension field.

4) A new module and a 64-bit platform must be added to the project, the project is saved and compiled.

5) In order for the "blank" to interact with COMPASS, it must have the following functions: LibraryEntry (entry point to the library), LibraryId (returns the library ID), GetNewKompasAPI (getting access to a new API; optional, but convenient because you don't have to write an API check every time). These functions must be exportable, i.e. exportable, so that the COMPASS system can see and call them; for this reason, they are placed in the exports section.

It is necessary to read the data from the assembly. All the basic procedures and functions of the application's interaction with COMPASS-3D are located in the UstatementMaterals module.

As in all libraries, the LIBRARYENTRY procedure is used for COMPASS-3D, the code is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. LIBRARYENTRY procedure

The procedure of the CreateLineDimension module, which checks the active document (if the assembly is running (Fig. 2), then the data is considered from the assembly (a thermal pistol is given as an example of a test assembly, if a drawing is from a drawing), is shown in Fig. 3. Functions are called that read data from the assembly and from drawing, GetAsemblyComponents, and GetDrawingComponents (Fig. 4), all received data is entered into the ComponentsList (Fig. 5).

Using the FormCreate procedure, a form and its components are created (Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). From ComponentsList, data is entered into the interface of the TreeList component application (Fig. 8).

Fig. 2. Test assembly

Fig.3. Procedure of the CreateLineDimension module

Fig.4. Implementation of GetAsemblyComponents

Fig.5. Data read from the assembly

Fig.6. The FormCreate procedure (the beginning of the code)

Fig.7. FormCreate procedure (end of code)

Figure 8. Data read from the assembly in the application interface

The application window interface (Fig. 8) contains a panel with the following buttons:

1) "Create a table" is a call to the procedure responsible for forming the table in the drawing. After clicking this button, the CreateDrawingDocument procedure is started, which creates a drawing document and performs several checks (Fig.9, Fig.10). The procedure for creating a new sheet if the data does not fit on one sheet is shown in Fig. 11

Fig. 9. CreateDrawingDocument procedure (the beginning of the code)

Fig.10. CreateDrawingDocument procedure (end of code)

Fig.11. Procedure for creating a new sheet

The procedure for creating the table itself is shown in Fig. 12 - Fig. 14.

Fig.12. The procedure for creating a table (the beginning of the code)

Fig.13. The procedure for creating a table (continued code)

Fig.14. The procedure for creating a table (end of the code)

2) "Add operations" - adding operations and their ciphers. When clicking on this button, a new "Operation Selection" form appears (Fig. 15), where the user selects the necessary operations or adds new ones. Clicking on "Add operation" opens a window with a form to fill out, in which the user enters the name of the operation and its cipher. You can cancel adding an operation using the Cancel button or by closing the active form. Clicking the "Ok" button starts the procedure for adding an operation to the form, the operation is added to the end of the list and displayed sorted by cipher.

Fig.15. The "Operation selection" form

Clicking on the "Apply" button causes the "Select Operations" form to close and operations are added to the main form (Fig. 16).

Fig.16. Added operations in the application interface

Clicking on a cell under an operation results in a drop-down list with symbols to insert into that cell.

All operations are stored in a text file located in the application directory (Fig. 17). At startup, the application reads all operations and enters them into the form. After closing, the operations are saved in a file. OperationList.txt .

Fig.17. The file with operations

The procedures that are triggered after clicking on the "Apply" button are shown in Fig. 18, Fig. 19.

Fig.18. Procedures triggered by clicking on the "Apply" button (the beginning of the code)

Fig.19. Procedures triggered by clicking on the "Apply" button (end of code)

3) "Compare with assembly" - comparison of the read data with those that are currently in the assembly, the different data is highlighted in blue.

4) "Add row" - adding a new row above the selected one. This button has a drop-down list with additional buttons for editing data ("Add row from bottom", "Start from a new sheet", "Delete row", "Select all items", "Cross out text in row", "Cross out text in cell").

Development results. As a result of sequentially following the steps described in the application development procedure, the user will receive a new drawing document with a generated quality control table for the base metal TB1 (Fig. 20). For the example shown in Fig.2, the table provides the following information and data: the name of the part or assembly unit, the number of parts, the designation of the drawing, the material (material, test group; designation of the standard), the name of the operation (input control of basic and assembly materials, semi-finished products and components; checking the availability and completeness of technological documents; control of metrological support of means of change; certification of managers and specialists; certification of supervisors; control of assembly and welding equipment, equipment and fixtures; testing of deposited metal for resistance against the formation of hot cracks).

Fig. 20. Example of a base metal quality control table

The developed user application application automatically reads data from the assembly file opened in COMPASS-3D, creates a new drawing document, builds TB1, and enters data taken from the assembly document.

Scientific novelty of the obtained results. The developed procedure for constructing the TB1 table in COMPASS-3D (in conditions of limited information about algorithms for compiling quality control tables in the public domain and difficulties encountered by project specialists who make up the design documentation of the TB1 table and, based on them, quality programs), unlike the known ones, allows for automatic construction.

Conclusion. The paper describes the procedure for developing an application-based user application for COMPASS-3D, which allows automated generation of a base metal quality control table (TB1). The implementation uses software code written in the Delphi software environment. This application can be used by enterprises (organizations) specializing in the design and manufacture of equipment for nuclear power plants.

The developed user application meets the criteria of flexibility, as well as speed, in terms of the possibility of making operational changes. The development process was carried out iteratively, which allowed us to expand the functionality. For example, as an extension of the code's capabilities, it may be possible to use a procedure for reading data from a single sheet (the active sheet is the sheet selected in the tree) – the application switches to the "TB1 Active Sheet" mode, in which the "Build table" button is replaced by the "Update data on the active sheet" button. With this mode, the user can easily change the data on just one sheet.

Due to the versatility of the program code, it is possible to use it not only for COMPASS-3D, but also for other CAD systems.

Also, as prospects for further use for projects to create application libraries for COMPASS-3D, the principles of writing program code for development procedures can be used as a basis, which is in the field of interests of both enterprises (for example, for existing designers, specialists improving their skills in the relevant field) and design bureaus, as well as educational institutions.