Dimensions > Types of Dimension > Critical Dimensions

Critical Dimensions Overview

You can specify dimensions as Critical dimensions to mark the dimension as a fixed distance between two objects that must be maintained across diagrams and throughout the Capital flow.

Critical dimensions are created as design data to enable the dimension to be exported and displayed in different diagrams, applications, and systems.

Note

If you create a new harness diagram for a design, any existing Critical dimensions are available in the Design browser to add to the diagram.

Data Exchange

If you export a design, the following Critical dimension information is exported:

Start and end points
Path (if applied)
Tolerance values (if applied, see Edit Critical Dimension Dialog Box)
Type of dimension

If you import the design:

The design is updated with the Critical dimension information.
The Critical dimension is displayed on the diagram.

Styling

You can use Attribute Decoration to display Critical Dimension, Min Tolerance, and Max Tolerance labels to identify dimensions as Critical dimensions. If you set a Critical dimension, the dimension graphics change using the assigned Styling Options.

In this example, the style set uses different font styles to represent a “Critical” label, the node numbers and names, and the tolerance applied to the Critical dimension.

Figure 266: Example Dimension Graphics

Harness

Design Browser

As Critical dimensions are design data, an object is created in the Critical Dimensions folder in the Harness Design browser.

The Critical dimension name is created using the node names at the ends of the dimension, with the object names at the nodes in parentheses.

Figure 267: Critical Dimensions Design Data in the Design Browser

From the Design browser, you can select a Critical dimension to cross-highlight with the dimension graphics on the diagram, or press Alt+Enter to open the Edit Critical Dimension Dialog Box.

If you delete the Critical dimension from the Design browser, the object in the Critical Dimensions folder and the dimension graphic on the diagram are deleted.

If you delete the dimension graphic on the diagram only, the Critical dimension is displayed dimmed and italic in the Critical Dimensions folder, and is available to re-create on the diagram, as required. See Using Critical Dimensions.

Figure 268: Critical Dimension Display if Deleted on the Diagram

Comparing

Critical Dimensions in Designs and Diagrams

You can use the To Do and Comparing Designs functionalities to report differences between Critical dimensions in designs and diagrams, and Engineering Change Orders to track and re‑create changes to Critical dimensions across designs.

Note

Critical dimension data are stored at the design-level so you might see graphical differences between the diagrams that are not reported in the To Do List.

For example, no difference is reported if both designs include a Critical dimension but the dimension graphic is deleted on various diagrams.

To check if a Critical dimension has no graphical representation on a diagram, use the DRCs, or look for dimmed and italic Critical dimensions in the design browser. See Using Critical Dimensions to add any missing Critical dimensions on the diagram.

DRCs

You can use the “Critical dimension has a graphical representation” Design Rule Check, to compare the following Critical dimension design data and the design content on the diagram:

All dimension graphics are displayed for the Critical dimensions listed in the Design browser.
Dimension graphics have not been deleted in error.
Critical dimension information in the design data is reflected on the diagram.

Note

You can ignore the DRC error messages if all the Critical dimensions you require are displayed on the diagram.

Parent Topic:

Critical Dimensions