2D SHOE CAD WITH GRADING

Module 2D-GR, like all other CalCad modules, runs on a PC equipped with any Windows operating system (95, 98, ME, 2000, NT, XP). This module starts from the flattened shoe shell, on which the basic lines are drawn by the stylist,  and allows the CAD user to perform all the modifications necessary to create all pieces of the model. The grading module then creates all the desired sizes, with the possibility of performing every type of correction to the standard grading. This is the most complete program and it is recommended for people that need to create files for a cutting station starting from the shoe shell. This program also includes module RP-GR.

STYLE LINES DIGITIZING
The flat shell is placed on the digitizing tablet and using drawing tools the following entities are digitized: main model axis, style lines, drill holes, pen lines, secondary axes, etc.

These entities are called base entities and they are the only ones that can be modified. Base entities can also be imported from files in standard formats (DXF, PLT, etc.).

BASE ENTITIES MODIFICATION
Modification tools allow the CAD user to change base lines (modification of base points, automatic smoothing of lines or part of lines, line bending, line offset, line joint, line break, line enlace, total or partial line erase, etc.). The program stores the history of all operations done and it allows you to go back through an unlimited number of steps (recovering every possible mistake done).

SPRING
Most shoe models require a modification of the lines for the pieces of the foot neck area (shoe spring). These pieces, after being mounted on the shoe last, must look like the original style line.

The program supplies a flexible tool that rotates and shifts the parts that must remain unchanged and reforms the parts that must change. This tool is very powerful because it is based on the same principles of the manual spring actually performed by the shoe designer. Other measuring tools give extra help to ensure full control on spring precision.

DEPENDANT ENTITIES
Once all the base lines are adjusted, margins depending on these lines are created (lasting margins, stitching margins, folding margins, drill hole lines, etc.).

It is also possible to create other dependant entities like enlaces, fillets, circles, notches, size notches, mirror image of entities, etc. All these entities are linked to the base entities and are automatically modified when the base entities are modified. This makes the program totally parametric.

PIECE CREATION   
After creating all entities (base and dependant), the boundary line of a piece is selected and the piece is automatically created. After creating the pieces, if some modifications are done to some entities, all pieces that include these entities are automatically updated.

Texts can be added to the pieces. Texts can depend on the model (model name, last name, designer name, customer name, etc.), on the piece (piece name, piece size, material, etc.) or can be free text. Dependant texts are automatically update.

GRADING
The program does an automatic grading of the pieces for the selected sizes. Grading is performed based on the shoe last parameters (length, width, incremental factors, base size).

Standard grading can be adjusted with some corrections typical of shoe grading using a complete set of tools: secondary grading references parallel to the main grading reference but with different increment factors, secondary grading references with direction and increment factors different from the main grading reference, grading dependant from a base reference line, secondary grading references depending on other secondary grading references. It is also possible to create grading groups in one or both directions. With this set of tools it is easy to perform the perfect grading for every part of the shoe (boot leg, strips, heel seat, soles, group grading, etc.). There is also a tool available to perform an automatic width (fitting) change.

EXPORT FORMATS

After grading all pieces, the program generates an output file that depends on the particular peripheral used. Files can be in Comelz format (for Comelz punching machine P55 and for Comelz leather cutting machine CM44) or in standard format (for other cutting or drawing peripherals that work with PLT or DXF formats).

All necessary tool offsets are automatically calculated when generating the output files.