There are two primary ways to leverage NIP-Activity: CATIA’s Knowledge Advisor module allows you to create parameters, rules, and checks. A NIP-Activity here can be a Knowledgeware Action that runs a series of geometric modifications without reopening dialogs. For example, you can create a rule that says: "If Thickness < 2mm , then Modify Pad.1 ." When triggered as a NIP-Activity, CATIA updates the geometry instantly in the background. 2. CAA V5 Programming (Advanced) For large-scale deployments, developers use C++ (CAA V5) to create dedicated NIP executables. These programs load a CATIA document, apply a series of transformations (extrudes, fillets, lofts) via the geometric kernel (CGM), and save the result. This is how companies automate CAE mesh preparation or CAD translation. Real-World Use Cases for NIP-Activity Why would a design engineer or PLM manager invest time in NIP-Activity? Here are three compelling scenarios. Case Study 1: Batch Detailing (Drafting) An automotive supplier receives 500 part models per week. Each needs a standard 2D drawing (views, dimensions, annotation). Interactive creation would take 20 minutes per part (166 hours). Using a NIP-Activity script, the server opens each part, applies a pre-defined drawing template, generates front/top/isometric views, applies automatic dimensions via knowledge parameters, and prints to PDF—all without human intervention. Case Study 2: Variant Design (Configurators) A furniture manufacturer has a base chair model with 10,000 potential variants (wood type, armrest style, cushion density). Interactive modeling is impossible. Using NIP-Activity coupled with Excel parameters, CATIA regenerates the 3D model for each variant in seconds. The process defines the specification, runs the NIP-Activity, and exports the STEP file. Case Study 3: Cleanup & Healing Scanned data or imported STEP files often have heal errors. A NIP-Activity can trigger the "Heal Assistant" command, remove duplicate faces, and re-limit surfaces automatically. This runs on a remote server, freeing the engineer’s workstation for creative work. Step-by-Step: Creating a Simple NIP-Activity (Conceptual) Note: A full coding tutorial requires CAA licensing, but the logic flow is universal.
' Create reference for XY Plane Dim xyRef As Reference Set xyRef = part1.OriginElements.PlaneXY
' Final Update part1.Update partDoc.SaveAs "C:\Output\Part_NIP.CATPart" NIP-Activity - Catia
On the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, NIP-Activity is often executed via or Exchange Server processes . A user can submit a "Batch NIP Request" from a web browser. The 3DEXPERIENCE server allocates a worker node (a CATIA engine without a screen), runs the NIP script, handles PLM revision rules, and notifies the user upon completion.
Automate the creation of a rectangular pad with fillets. There are two primary ways to leverage NIP-Activity:
' --- Non-Interactive Geometry Definition --- ' Define Rectangle points (No UI popups) Dim factory2D As Factory2D Set factory2D = sketch1.OpenEdition() Dim rect As 2DShape ' Coordinates: (0,0), (100,0), (100,50), (0,50) Set rect = factory2D.CreateClosedRectangle(0, 0, 100, 50) factory2D.CloseEdition
' NIP-Activity Example (Conceptual VBA for CATIA) Sub NIP_RectangularPad() ' Set non-interactive mode CATIA.NonInteractive = True ' Access document Dim partDoc As PartDocument Set partDoc = CATIA.Documents.Add("Part") This is how companies automate CAE mesh preparation
' Create Sketch Dim sketch1 As Sketch Set sketch1 = part1.Sketches.Add(xyRef)