LitioLAB 1.0 for ZWCAD

1 Choose your graph - standard graphs:

Here you select the type of graph to create. Pressing the "Go to 2 of 2" button more graphs are shown.

If you press the "Settings..." button, you leave this dialogue to go to the Settings dialogue.

By clicking on the proper image or button, will direct you to, either:

· the specific drawing aid (oblong, sine, cosine, Lissajous curves, 2D parabola [defined by pick points], 2D catenary [defined by pick points and length], spirograph-like figures, XLS coordinates import to CAD entity, 2D spiral, 3D helix, 3D Spiral helix).

· the 2^nd main dialog (dialog 2/2: math-graph function dialog: either 2D or 3D curve, or 3D surface).

· XLS coordinate import to graph.

· Load LLP (LitioLAB Project).

· Settings dialog.

2 More graphs to choose - Advanced graph:

This second main dialog (dialog 2/2), will direct you [by clicking on the proper image or button] to the specific math function dialog (either 2D or 3D curve or 3D surface), directly to an action (XLS to entity dialog, load LLP project dialog, back to main dialog 1/2), or to the Settings dialog.

The following is a list of the options available:

· 2D curves

· Y = f (x) [Cartesian]

· R = f (a) [cylindrical]

· X = f (u) | Y = g (u) [Cartesian, parametric]

· R = f (u) |  a = g (u) [cylindrical, parametric]

· 3D curves

· X = f (u) | Y = g (u) | Z = h (u) [Cartesian, parametric]

· R = f (u) | a = g (u) | Z = h (u) [cylindrical, parametric]

· R = f (u) | a = g (u) | b = h (u) [spherical, parametric]

· 3D Surfaces

· Z = f (x,y) [Cartesian]

· X = f (u,v) | Y = g (u,v) | Z = h (u,v) [Cartesian, parametric]

· R = f (u,v) | a = g (u,v) | Z = h (u,v) [cylindrical, parametric]

· R = f (u,v) | a = g (u,v) | b = h (u,v) [spherical, parametric]

3 Get your 2D curve, 3D curve or 3D mesh, by entering your math formula or expresion:

Fill your dialog parameters and formulas and get your graph:

Afterwards, you can use the graphs for further processing and eventually for CAM cutting (plasma, laser, etc.) or 3D printing.

4 XLS coordinate data imput tool:

This tool creates a 2D or 3D curve [as: a polyline, a set of points, or a set of line segments], or a 3D surface [as: a set of points, or a 3D mesh], when you paste a set of XLS [o similar] coordinates.

First choose the type of data [point coordinates] to enter [either2D points – curve; 3D points – curve; or 3D points – surface].

Then, copy your XLS data [set of 2 or 3 columns], all the required range, and paste the data in your CAD’s command line. The data will be automatically populated as it got pasted.

5 Setting preferences:

The following settings are available:

Drawing preference:

You can have your 2D or 3D curves drawn either as:

· Points

· Line segments

· Polyline

You can have your 3D surfaces drawn either as:

· Points

· Mesh

Insertion point: Insert your graph in the drawing either at the origin or pick a point to draw at the desired position.

Formula scale factor: the formula graphs will be scaled to the value set.

Dialog Image Color: choose your dialog background color to enhance dialog image visualization.

Save file(s) after drawing: you can sabe the formulas and parameters of your graphs for future use and edit. You can save the coordinate values of the graphs generated to a text file.

6 Metric Units/Imperial units: LitioLAB automatically sets its units according to the units used in the current drawing session (according to the values of MEASUREMENT and LUNITS system variables). (Refer to your ZWCad user manual for further information on Metric and Imperial units, and on the use of MEASUREMENT and LUNITS system variables).

Examples of non-linear, non-circular engineering and/or architectural applications can be:

· Building arches, suspension Bridges, catenary curves, gear profiles, helical augers, airfoils [cross sections of wings] or of ship hulls, Wankel engine epitrochoid housings, ammunition and missile warheads, projectile motion [oblique throw], and Lissajous curves are some more examples.

· Further examples are also, Simple harmonic motion, Fourier series, space orbits, Guilloché patterns, harmonograph figures, mathematic roses, Rosetta orbits, Roulette curves, Tusi couples, filigrees, spirals, hypotrochoids and epitrochoids, etc. All they follow mathematical principles and formulas.

· Actually, any physics or engineering phenomenon can be expressed mathematically.

· Another possible and obvious use is… Function Analysis in Calculus.