Autoclave Cure Options
The Autoclave Cure process provides the following options:
Number of Operators
By default, the number of operators is specified by the machine property Number of Operators. With this setup option, users can override the default on a per-part basis.
Number of operators drives cycle time—see Autoclave Cure Process.
Shared Autoclave Capacity
This setup options specifies whether multiple parts can potentially share the Autoclave machine during a cycle. By default in starting point VPEs, it is set to true. In this case, the fraction of the machine occupied by a single part during a machine cycle is calculated based on tool dimensions and machine dimensions:
Fraction = Tool Surface Area / Autoclave Area Capacity
This fraction is the Machine Allocation Factor used in Overhead Calculations for Composites. It depends on the following:
• Tools surface area: see Tool Length, Width, and Area.
• Autoclave area capacity: see formula.
Autoclave Area Capacity =
(Machine Usable Length * Autoclave Size Capacity Safety Factor) *
(Machine Useable Diameter * Autoclave Size Capacity Safety Factor)
Autoclave area capacity depends on the following:
• Machine usable length: specified by the machine property Usable Length.
• Machine usable diameter: specified by the machine property Usable Diameter.
• Autoclave size capacity safety factor: specified by the cost model variable autoclaveSizeCapacitySafetyFactor (0.8 in starting point VPEs).
VPE administrators can customize the default behavior, and specify that a single part occupies the machine during a given cycle, by setting the cost model variable autoclaveIsShared to false. With this setup option, users can override the default on per-part basis.
Note: Users can also override the machine allocation factor by changing the value in the Autoclave Cure process’ custom outputs. But they should take care to specify a value between 0 and 1 (these bounds are not enforced by aPriori). The override is applied regardless of the setting of this setup option.
