Modeling concept
Components & attributes
A component describes a machine element (e.g., cylindrical gear) or part of a machine element (e.g., shaft section) and is described by a set of attributes (parameters; e.g., number of teeth of a cylindrical gear).
Schematic diagram of the relationship between components and attributes
Example: a bevel gear stage component with shaft angle and axial offset attributes.
Relations
Relations consist of references to components and reflect the structure of the model or sub-model. All components connected by relations must be present in the model.
Schematic diagram of the relationship between relations and components
Example: connection between shaft and gear components via an assembly relation