Design and Development of Sheet-Metal Elbows Using Programming with Visual Basic for Applications in CATIA

Abstract

This article introduces an innovative application of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) (Visual Basic macro language) developed in CATIA (Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application), computer-aided manufacturing and engineering design software. Said application enables the three-dimensional (3D) representation and development to be obtained on a plane of the surfaces of cylindrical and conical elbows utilised to join two conduits, since CATIA lacks tools for the design of elements of metal fabrication. The application permits the geometric and dimensional parameters necessary for the creation and development of the analysed elbows to be introduced via a keyboard. Once these values have been entered and it has been verified that the design of the elbow is possible, then the application is programmed within the CATIA “Wireframe and Surface Design” module to obtain the 3D representation of said elbows, and the development of their surface is projected in the CATIA “Drafting” module. Consequently, the incorporation of this tool into CATIA software could increase technical-design productivity by eliminating certain intermediate operations, such as symmetry, and through improving the geometry training of less skilled users.