KB180109628: ArtiosCAD - How to determine exterior dimensions of a design in 3D?

Summary

Is it possible to determine exterior or OUTSIDE dimensions when using ArtiosCAD templates (for example, with corrugated boxes and trays)?

Symptoms

Often, designers convert the die line to 3D, then add dimensions to the 3D view and write these down. When you have to resize the design, the 3D dimensions are not updated automatically, so you need to update the 3D view, delete the 3D dimensions and create them again. It's inefficient! What is a better workflow?  

Solution

First solution: quick and easy:

Second Solution: a little more complicated, but fully automatic way:

We can calculate the outside dimension in the Standard template.

1. Create an additional menu in the template, for example, called outside dimensions.
2. Add three variables: OL, OW and OD (Outside Length, Outside Width and Outside Depth) or similar.
3. Set these variables to the outside dimensions of the design by using a formula.
   For Example: in a standard RSC, where our default L-W-D are INSIDE dimensions.
   1. Set OL = L + 2*CAL
   2. OW = W + 2*CAL
   3. OD = D + 4*CAL 
   This is just an example!! Be aware that these calculations can be different for other designs, depending on the concept of the original Standard!!
4. This way, after rebuilding the standard, the values for the outside dimensions will automatically be recalculated as well.
5. And if you want, you could also add them into the database or add them into a customized Database dialog when saving the file and thus also into a report ... all automatically!
             

The second option takes a little more work, but that's just ONCE! After it's set up, it's all automatic from then on.

The first option is quick and easy, but after a rebuild you will need to check the bounding box again.