Drop-down menu for material group, semi-finished product and surface treatment

Material group

The material group is automatically selected based on the material groups saved in costing24 and the material saved in a model. If the material is not saved in the model or could not be determined by costing24, the material Steel (unalloyed) will be suggested by default.

You can also define the material group for the model manually by selecting a material from the drop-down list for material groups. The selection of the material group affects which machines are considered when calculating a part. The list of material groups can be viewed and edited in the settings of costing24. See: Editing material group data

Semi-finished product

The semi-finished product is suggested based on the semi-finished products saved in costing24 depending on the type and the dimensions of the model and the selected material group. For bent parts, the required thickness of the sheet metal is calculated automatically and sheet metal of this thickness will be suggested. For round parts with a continuous inner shape, suitable tubes will be suggested.

You can specify the semi-finished product for the model manually by selecting from the drop-down list of semi-finished materials. The selection of the semi-finished material affects which processing methods are considered when calculating a part. The list of semi-finished materials can be viewed and edited in the settings of costing24. See: Modifying semi-finished products data

Selecting semi-finished product from the table

You can also select a semi-finished product from the list of semi-finished products available in costing24 by selecting the Select from table... Option in the drop-down list for semi-finished products.

In the open window, you can select a semi-finished product by clicking on it with a simple click. The suggested semi-finished products are already filtered by the selected material group. You can reset the filters by unchecking the check box.

If you select a semi-finished product from a different material group then the one previously selected, it will be adopted for the cost calculation of the part. The selected semi-finished products is added to the drop-down list of semi-finished products if it was not previously included.

The list of semi-finished materials can be viewed and edited in the settings of costing24. See: Modifying semi-finished products data

Defining semi-finished product or addition

Instead of a previously defined semi-finished product, you can define your own semi-finished product including additions to its measurements depending on the type of semi-finished product, as well as costs for the semi-finished product. For this purpose, you select the Define semi-finished product or blank option from the list of semi-finished products.

Depending on the selected type of semi-finished product, you can specify additions to certain measurements of the width of the semi-finished material. For bent parts, you can define the addition on the determined sheet metal thickness, or for round parts with continuous inner shape, you can define the addition to the determined outer diameter. See: Semi-finished products. If you select the Define custom blank option, you have the opportunity to define the length and the addition on top of the length. Therefore, the step of cutting the semi-finished product, e.g. sawing, is skipped when calculating the part.

The costs of the semi-finished product change dynamically in dependency to the selected type of semi-finished products, the defined blank and the dimensions. You can determine the costs for the semi-finished product yourself as well. These can be determined per kilogram, per linear meter or square meter.

Uploading raw part geometry

Instead of the predefined semi-finished product or the definition of the own semi-finished product, you can select a 3D model as your own raw part geometry as the basis to calculate the selected model. Select the Upload raw part geometry from the drop-down list of semi-finished products. Depending on the selected raw part geometry, certain steps may be skipped in the calculation of the part and which decreases the manufacturing costs of the part.

In the open 3D preview, you can add additional threads and tolerances to the selected raw part geometry. See: Geometry of a model. You can determine the costs of semi-finished products yourself as well. They can be defined by kilogram or per unit.

Surface treatment

Surface treatments are not selected automatically. You can select one or more surface treatments from the drop-down list for the whole model. The available surface treatments depend on the selected material group. The list of surface treatments can be viewed and edited in the settings of costing24. See: Modifying surface treatments