0 Release Notes

AutoFormplus R7.0.3 – Release Notes

1 General Information.........................................................................................................2

2 Installation Instructions ....................................................................................................3

Front-End and Back-End Windows ..............................................................................3

Prerequisites ........................................................................................................3

Download of Installation Files ...............................................................................3

Installation ............................................................................................................3

Silent Installer Windows ...............................................................................................4

Back-End Linux ...........................................................................................................4

Download of Installation Files ...............................................................................4

Installation ............................................................................................................4

3 Release Content .............................................................................................................5

AutoFormplus Stand Alone ..........................................................................................5

New Features .......................................................................................................5

Modified Features ................................................................................................5

Fixed Bugs ...........................................................................................................5

CATIA-Embedded Products .......................................................................................17

New Features .....................................................................................................17

Modified Features ..............................................................................................17

Fixed Bugs .........................................................................................................17

NX-Embedded Products ............................................................................................18

New Features .....................................................................................................18

Modified Features ..............................................................................................18

Fixed Bugs .........................................................................................................18

OneStepforCATIA ......................................................................................................19

New Features .....................................................................................................19

Modified Features ..............................................................................................19

Fixed Bugs .........................................................................................................19

1 Release Notes
1 General Information

AutoFormplus R7.0.3 is the third released patch version of AutoFormplus R7 and is available
for download on our website from July 7, 2017.

Several significant bugs in AutoFormplus Stand-alone, AutoForm-ProcessDesignerforCATIA,

AutoForm-QuickLinkforNX and AutoForm-OneStepforCATIA have been fixed for the
AutoFormplus R7.0.3 patch.

Most notably the following bugs in AutoFormplus Stand-alone have been fixed with the
AutoFormplus R7.0.3 patch:

1. The algorithm for Meshing of surfaces, which is used in several functionalities, such
as import of geometries on the Import page, 3D Drawbead generation on the Process
stage etc. was corrected.

2. The Enhanced Drawbead Model, introduced with R7, did not consider Plastic Pre-
Strain, which led to low Restraining and Uplift Force Factors, especially in
combination with Double Drawbeads.

For detailed bug descriptions and recommendations on how to correct meshing of surfaces
with existing data files please refer to the chapter Fixed Bugs!

Note: AutoForm strongly recommends to all AutoForm users to install the AutoFormplus
R7.0.3 patch right away to benefit from the implemented improvements.

The compatibility of data files between AutoFormplus R7 and AutoFormplus R7.0.3 is bi-
directional, meaning that data files created with AutoFormplus R7.0.3 can be processed in
AutoFormplus R7 and vice versa.

Release Date: July 7, 2017

2 Release Notes
2 Installation Instructions

Front-End and Back-End Windows

Prerequisites

The Windows patch installer updates a few files of the previously installed AutoFormplus R7.
The patch installer will not change any configuration (installation folder, license server
configuration, etc.).

NOTE: It is essential that all AutoFormplus R7 applications are closed before starting the
patch installation!

Download of Installation Files

1. Start AutoFormplus R7.

2. Right click on title bar of AutoFormplus R7 window and select the command Check for
Updates….

3. AutoForm Software Updates download page is opened in the internet browser.

4. Select the link to download AutoFormplus R7.0.3 Windows 64 bit patch installation file.

Installation

1. Download the installation file AutoForm^plus R7.0.3 Patch Installer EN.zip as described
above.
2. Log in using an administrator account.
3. Unzip the installation file.
4. Execute file AutoForm^plus_R7.0.3_Patch.exe.
5. Select Install in the Welcome dialog.
6. Depending on your user account control level, you are asked for administrator privileges.
7. After the patch installation is finished, quit the installer by clicking on the Finish button.

3 Release Notes
Silent Installer Windows

Command line for the patch installer:

msiexec /passive /quiet /qn /i [AF_PATCH].msi SETUPEXEDIR="."

Example:
msiexec /passive /quiet /qn /i AutoForm^plus_R7.0.3_Patch.msi SETUPEXEDIR="."

Back-End Linux

NOTE: It is essential that all AutoFormplus R7 applications are closed before starting the
patch installation!

Download of Installation Files

Open AutoForm Updates download page in your internet browser:
http://www.autoform.com/en/products/software-updates/

1. AutoForm Software Updates download page is opened in the internet browser.

2. Select the link to download AutoFormplus R7.0.3 Linux 64 bit patch installation file.

Installation

1. Download the installation file AFplus_R7_0_3_Remote_Linux64.tar.gz as described

above.

2. Login in as root

3. Create the AutoForm installation directory (in the following /opt/AutoForm/AFplus is

assumed to be the installation directory, but any directory will do)
mkdir –p /opt/AutoForm/AFplus

4. Copy the archive into the AutoForm installation directory:

cp AFplus_R7_0_3_Remote_Linux64.tar.gz /opt/AutoForm/AFplus

5. Unpack the archive in the AutoForm installation directory:

cd /opt/AutoForm/AFplus
tar zxvf AFplus_R7_0_3_Remote_Linux64.tar.gz

6. Run the installation script:

cd R7/installation ./install [nobody|root]

For more information see Installation Guide R7.

4 Release Notes
3 Release Content

AutoFormplus Stand Alone

New Features

The version R7.0.3 does not contain any New features.

Modified Features

The version R7.0.3 does not contain any Modified features.

Fixed Bugs

General

Meshing Algorithm Meshing of surfaces, which is used in several functionalities (e.g.

Import Part, Tool & Additional Geometries (Import page), 3D Drawbead
generation (Process stage), 3D Heat Conduction in Tool (Process
stage)…) did not generate enough elements for fillets with small radii.
Reason was a problem with the angle criteria.

Now, again min. 8 elements for a 90° radius are generated.

There are two use cases which could have led to extremely coarse
mesh for fillets with small radii and therefore to diverging results.

1. “Files generated in R6 with coarser Meshing Tolerances than in R7”

With R7 default Meshing Tolerance was reduced from 0.1 mm to
0.05 mm and Max. Side Length from 50 mm to 20 mm. When
having used a design file in R7 which was set up in R6 (with the
coarser tolerances!) the R6 coarser tolerances were loaded and
used for meshing. When having used meshing functionality (e.g.
import geometry or 3D Drawbead generation) the coarser
tolerances in combination with the above mentioned bug could
have led to extremely coarse mesh for fillets and therefore to
different results than in R6.

How to improve meshing with R7.0.3, see Note below.

5 Release Notes
 2. “Company default Meshing Tolerances in R7 are coarser than
AutoForm default”
If company default Meshing Tolerance in R7 is coarser (e.g.
Meshing Tolerance 0.1 mm and Max. Side Length 50 mm) than
AutoForm default (Meshing Tolerance 0.05 mm and Max. Side
Length 20 mm) and using meshing functionality (e.g. import
geometry or 3D Drawbead generation) the coarser tolerances in
combination with the above mentioned bug could have led to
extremely coarse mesh for fillets and therefore to diverging results.

How to improve meshing with R7.0.3, see Note below.

Note: In order to update the meshing in an existing design file in R7.0.3

trigger the remeshing on the Import page (Part stage) by changing one
parameter in Tolerances & Settings (e.g. Stitching Distance) back and
forth!

New Microsoft In addition to the Microsoft Redistributable installed with major version
Redistributable R7 this patch (R7.0.3) installs Microsoft Visual C+++ 2010 x64
Redistributalbe – 10.03.30319.

Open with Opening design file with Standard Group (see Preferences >
Standard_Group Standards: Provide selection of standards in New and Open functions)
crashed.

Loading Prog Die Loading a Prog Die file containing many stations took was slow.
File slow
Now, the speed has been increased by approx. 25%.

Font Size larger than When Font Size (Preferences – General) was defined larger than 11 px
11 px hides User Show options in Replace Geometry (Part stage) dialog disappeared.
Interface options
Selecting Time Step Selecting Time Step (e.g. arrow right key) in order to visualize sheet
to visualize results with results for a Time Step was very slow.
slow Now, the results of the sheet are shown immediately.

Crash when After having simulated a very specific Drawing process definition for
Displaying Drawbead drawbeads (using one drawbead at the beginning and a second
Force drawbead at the end) and trying to display Drawing Restr. Force or
Drawing Uplift Force (View Control > Curves > Evaluation) caused
crash.

6 Release Notes
 File could not be An internal memory limitation was exceeded after tool replace and
saved anymore after saving of file was not possible anymore.
Tool Replace
Closing Application When application was closed and 6 six or more files were loaded error
with 6 or more files message occurred “Not saved since the last change”.
loaded caused error
message
Export Drawbead Lines, representing drawbead segments location and force factor, were
Segments not exported.

Export Animation Exporting animation stopped at 50% when it was done second time
second time stopped and first animation was overwritten.
at 50%

Part Stage

Memory Creating Modify > Trim consumed too much main memory (RAM).
Consumption
Import – Meshing Meshing of surfaces (Part Geometries and Tool & Additional
Algorithm Geometries) which is used in several functionalities did not generate
enough elements for fillets with small radii. Reason was a problem with
the angle criteria.

Now, again min. 8 elements for a 90° radius are generated.

Import STL Files in Import of STL files was so far only possible in ASCII format.
Binary Format
Now, also STL files in Binary format can be imported.

Import – Deleting When deleting a geometry from Tools & Additional Geometries, which
unnecessary faces was not used anywhere in the Process definition, an update of Die
required Die Face Face stage was needed.
Update
The same could have happened when replacing one geometry (which
was also not used anywhere in the Process definition) from Tools &
Additional Geometries by another geometry.

Import – IGES Curve Importing a specific IGES file containing curves failed.
file failed

7 Release Notes
Material Generator

Hardening Curve Hardening Curve Approximation window displayed wrong hardening

Approximation curve and wrong characteristic values (σ0, n, Rm, and AG) under
following condition:

● Checkbox εmax is not activated (εmax is set to automatic).

In contrast to the Hardening Curve Approximation window, the Material

Generator (main) window showed the correct hardening curve and
correct characteristic values. Nevertheless, adjusting the wrong
hardening curve in the Hardening Curve Approximation window could
of course also have led to a wrong hardening curve and wrong values
in the Material Generator (main) window.

Note: All hardening curves created in R7 using type Approximation and

checkbox εmax was not activated (εmax is set to automatic) need to be
checked!

Plan Stage

More than 2 Parts – When more than 2 parts were imported, Plan stage crashed when Plan
Plan Stage crashed was created.

Real Pitch View When having edited Bend Plan and switched on Real Pitch View
crashed afterwards application crashed.

Trim Plan with Creating segments for inner areas (e.g. window area) in case of Quasi
Symmetry for Inner Symmetry of two Parts (Two similar Parts with symmetric tipping) was
Segments not possible in Trim Plan.

Cost Estimator – Name of Standard used to calculate costs was not listed in first line of
Missing Standard exported CSV file.
Name in CSV export

8 Release Notes
Die Face Stage

Replace and Update Replace part geometry and update Die Face stage crashed.
crashed
Tipping is getting When two parts were replaced Tipping could have got wrong.
wrong after Two
Parts Replace
Binder – Trim Part In the specific example of having the part geometry completely below
crashed the Binder application crashed when pressing Apply.

Addendum - Morph After having changed the value for Morphing, updating following pages
modification caused and finally pressing Apply on Addendum page caused crash.
crash
Morph – Rotate In some cases the Rotate Region was wavy.
Region – Wavy
Rotate Region
Wiper Flange Wiper creation failed for some regions and settings.
Creation failed
Wiper Flange Changing Extension and Radius and pushing Apply caused crash.
Modifications caused
crash

Compensator

Compensator Compensator crashed with a specific example.

crashed

Blank Stage

Outline – Copy From In some cases the Blank Outline generated by Formcheck (Part stage)
Formcheck Blank and referenced by Copy From… was not correctly copied and
Outline unwished changes in contour and in symmetry plane position were
made.

Outline - Unintentional blank movement occurred when the Tipping was defined
Unintentional with rotations about X or Y’ with values of +/-90° (and multiples of +/-
Rotation 90°).

9 Release Notes
 Embed/Nest - When using symmetry to calculate Embedding Variants the result was
Embedding with not always the optimum.
Symmetry Now, the user gets all possible angles listed in Orientation to double-
check the best Embedding utilization.

Embed/Nest - Changing Pitch in 2D plot by moving right blank did not update the
Nesting “Two up” & blank position in 2D plot.
Param. Preset “All
Manual”
Sheet Before Sheet Before Hemming, defined by reference Geometry > Define >
Hemming not Complete Geometry, was not updated when changes were made on
updated this referenced geometry later on. Now, if changes on the referenced
geometry were made, the user will be aware of the changes, because
the reference has to be re-defined.

Process Stage

Force of Non-Active Forces of Non-Active Spring Controlled Tools were not zero.
Spring Controlled
Tools
Cutting Tool>Copy Developed Part Boundary (created by Dev. Flanges on Addendum
From>Dev. Flanges: page) used as Cutting Tool on Process stage with Copy From… could
not editable not be modified.

Selected Geometry Imported geometry became visible when selected during Tool
for Tool Definition Definition and could not be hidden anymore.
permanent visible
All New Tools When tools were deleted and recreated the only color used for all these
colored Red tools was red.

Now, different colors are used again.

10 Release Notes
Evaluation Stage

Custom Time Steps - Not all Springback time steps (e.g. Locating step or Closing of Clamps)
Springback were provided with the Output option Custom Time Steps.

Wrinkles Result Wrinkles results were not provided in each time step and if Current
Wrinkles was disabled Wrinkles was set to zero.

Visual Gap between In the case that Tool Geometry Refers to is defined as Upper Side of
Spheres and Sheet Initial Blank and Spheres are defined on Lower Side of Blank, the tool
offset was wrongly applied for the visualization of Spheres. When
loading such an afd file in R7.0.3 an update, either by changing an
input value or by using Save as, has to be done.

Note: Solver input was correct!

Load UDV to File When loading UDV to a file which contained already UDVs in the report
containing UDVs in the application crashed.
Report
Skid Line Evaluation Running Skid Line evaluation on a certain tool, which was set-up in R6,
crashed in R7.

Relative Velocities – When loading the default Evaluation Standard the Relative Velocities
Loading Evaluation got dimensions (mm/s) which were wrong.
Standard
Thinning Limit After having changed anything within Evaluation > Settings >
Diagram red Formability background of Thinning Limit Diagram got completely
background colored red.

Total Forces When running the Solver of a calculated design file and reopen it after
(Forces) multiplied the Solver has finished, the value of Total Force was doubled since the
by Reopen amount of tools was doubled.

11 Release Notes
Solver

Wrong symmetry Behavior of symmetry planes and constraining lines at small cutouts
conditions at small (less than 10 times Radius Penetration) was wrong: instead of having
cutouts no influence on the material flow in the cutout area material flow was
locked.

Spring Controlled At the beginning of a process step the position of a Spring Controlled
tool opening tool could have been defined wrongly, especially when drawbeads
(vertical walls) were involved.

Enhanced Drawbead Like for the standard Drawbead model the Enhanced Drawbead Model
Model incl. Plastic now also considers Plastic Pre-Strain. This will lead to slightly higher
Pre-Strain Restraining and Uplift Force Factors, which will allow simulations
results to be closer to results of Geometric Bead simulations. This
influence will be more significant for Double Drawbeads than for Single
Drawbeads, see examples below.

Plastic Pre-Strain can occur for example in the following situations:

● Plastic deformation during closing of geometric drawbeads

and flattening
● Plastic deformation during drawing
● Double beads
o Sheet is stretched between both drawbeads
o Plastic deformation of sheet in first drawbead and is now
entering second drawbead

Enhanced Drawbead In some cases a problem in calculating the bending solution of

Model – Enhanced Drawbead Model occurred: “Bending solution of drawbead
Convergency force model did not converge for a profile of drawbead “Drawbead
Problem Name”. Force Factors may be inaccurate.

Drawbead Flattening If a tool (e.g. Die) shared one or more drawbeads with one tool (e.g.
at wrong point in time outer binder) and in addition one or more drawbeads with another tool
(e.g. inner binder) and closing between the different tools took place at
different points of time (e.g. inner binder earlier than outer binder) it
could have happen that flattening took place at the wrong point of time.

12 Release Notes
 Cutting tools are Cutting tools could have acted also in negative direction, especially in
working in negative case of a prog die cam working in strip direction through several
direction stations. This could have happened even when a cutting depth was
defined, since cutting depth just was used in positive direction. Now,
cutting depth works in positive and negative working direction.

Simulation with If the design file included Spacers, the Solver could not start the
Spacers does not simulation.
start from Command
Line
Hydromechanical When Thickness Stress was used in hydromechanical simulations, high
Simulation – Wrong contact stresses could have led to additional thickening of the material,
Thickness Stress instead of thinning.

Remote Computing

Running Sigma or Restart Sigma realizations or restart Trimline Optimizations on Linux

Trimline Restart Jobs could have failed.
on Linux
Common Queueing After installing R7 Common Queueing option on a machine with R6
Option (R6 & R7) (R6.0.1) and selecting Solver and ThermoSolver licenses (node-
with Solver and locked) combined with Parallel Execution option Parallel 3 queueing did
ThermoSolver not work.
License

Trimline
Optimization
Handling Tool Target Boundary for Trimline Optimization was in bottom stroke
Opening (esp. Prog position whereas sheet boundary position was taken after tool opening
Die) (opening of press incl. tools after bottom stroke), which means that
sheet could have been moved in z direction (intentionally or
unintentionally) away from bottom stroke. With that mismatch Trimline
Optimization was not possible.

Now, sheet position (sheet boundaries) is taken at bottom stroke before

tool opening, the same position as Target Boundaries for Trimline
Optimization.

13 Release Notes
Sigma

Windows 10: SPI When SPI Standard was Load & Set in Windows 10 too many Design
Standard creates Variables were created.
wrong amount of
Variables
Evaluation of Forces Trying to enter Force page led to crash.
crashed
Mismatch of Force in The first decimal place of forces in tooltip was always zero.
Tooltip and Display
list
Total Forces When running Sigma of a calculated design file and reopen it after
(Forces) multiplied Sigma had finished, the value of Total Force was doubled since
by reopen amount of tools was doubled.

Visualization of Drawbead Forces were not updated when having changed Design
Drawbead Forces Variables in Trial Mode.

Set-up with Negative Set-up with Negative Dependency between two Sigma Variables did
Dependency not work.

ReportManager

Excel Reporting & Fastviewer is locking Temp folder and denied access of
Fastviewer ReportManager.

Excel Reporting – If the first Page in ReportManager has been dynamic an empty Excel
Additional Empty sheet was created in Excel.
Excel Sheet
Excel Reporting – After generating Excel report images were too big.
Images too big
Excel Reporting - No When working with Windows 10 and only one monitor, the Excel report
3D Views with contained no 3D views.
Windows 10 and
single Display

14 Release Notes
 Clicking on Splitted Application crashed when following steps were done:
Table with Dynamic
● Dynamic Set for Nesting Variants was added into a Dynamic
Set crashed
table.
● Table was splitted.
● Splitted, second table was moved to desired position.
● Click on second table.

Selected When multiple Variants were available in the Variants list (Blank stage
Embed/Nest Variant > Embed / Nest page) only variables of the first listed Variant were
not used for Report transferred to ReportManager.

Tipping – Data Set Part Name column was missing. Part Dimension was renamed to Part
Sizes.

Default Dynamic Set Template contained Dynamic Set content. After exporting and opening
content added this template or opening an afd file containing this template (Report),
the default content of the Dynamic Set has been wrongly added.

Update Mechanism Template variables, based on Plan page (Tool dimensions, Blank
info…), were not updated when used for another design file.

Plan – Press Bed ReportManager showed wrong parameters for Press Bed Properties.
Properties

HemPlanner

Control Points not on It could have happen that control points were not lying on Roller Path
Roller Path after deactivating Straight option.

Die Face – Tools – Visibility in 2D plot was not synchronized with View control in 3D view
Inner Part not visible and therefore not all geometries were visible in 2D plot.
in section 2D plot

15 Release Notes
QuickLink

Share via…- Springback results were taken after tool opening (opening of press incl.
Springback Results tools after bottom stroke), which means that sheet could have been
& Tool opening moved in z direction (intentionally or unintentionally) away from bottom
stroke. Since CAD data is designed in bottom stroke position
Springback results did not fit to CAD position and compensation was
not possible.

Now, Springback results are taken at bottom stroke.

Symmetry – Curves - Apply Dependency for All did not work properly in symmetry cases.
Apply Dependency
for All

Presenter

Evaluation Stage - Application crashed when a Manual Limit curve (Draw-In Target
Draw-In Target Boundary) was defined by Add Outer.
Boundary
Skid lines did not Evaluating Skid lines was wrongly not allowed.
work

16 Release Notes
CATIA-Embedded Products

New Features

The version R7.0.3 does not contain any New features.

Modified Features

Help Feature and editor documentation is updated and extended.

Configuration files are documented.

Fixed Bugs

Draw Bead Editor In some rare cases it was not possible to copy (copy/paste special) a
result of Draw Bead Editor.

ProcessDesigner A selected value for curve thickness was not stored.

Tools / Options
Not all angle values in the section rounding were selectable.

17 Release Notes
NX-Embedded Products

New Features

The version R7.0.3 does not contain any New features.

Modified Features

The version R7.0.3 does not contain any Modified features.

Fixed Bugs

Manage Process Composite Curve dialog did not show the selected curves and OK and
Items - Composite Apply buttons were not active.
Curve
TranslationConfigurat The following elements were adjusted in the translation file, which
ion.xml translates AutoForm default names into company specific names:

● Addendum
● CutOut
● DevFlangeCurves
● Drawbead
● EvaluationCurves
● FormCheck results
● MaterialZone
● Meshresults
● PartPositioning
● PartTipping
● PilotGroup
● ProcessTool
● SphereGroup
● Tools

18 Release Notes
OneStepforCATIA

New Features

CATIA V5 R25 AutoFormplus R7.0.3-OneStepforCATIA is now also available for CATIA V5

and R26 R25 and R26.

Modified Features

The version R7.0.3 does not contain any Modified features.

Fixed Bugs

General
Nesting Crash occurred when nesting with type Arc was done.

Windows 10 Crash occurred when application was running on Windows 10 and binder
was calculated.

Material Tooltip is only visible now within the coordinate system.

Properties Display

19 Release Notes
20 Release Notes