49455171 pro e assembly
DESCRIPTION
sdTRANSCRIPT
Pro/ENGINEER®
Wildfire®
4.0
Assembly
Help Topic Collection
Parametric Technology Corporation
Copyright © 2008 Parametric Technology Corporation. All Rights Reserved. User and training guides and related documentation from Parametric Technology Corporation and its subsidiary companies (collectively “PTC”) is subject to the copyright laws of the United States and other countries and is provided under a license agreement that restricts copying, disclosure, and use of such documentation. PTC hereby grants to the licensed software user the right to make copies in printed form of this documentation if provided on software media, but only for internal/personal use and in accordance with the license agreement under which the applicable software is licensed. Any copy made shall include the PTC copyright notice and any other proprietary notice provided by PTC. Training materials may not be copied without the express written consent of PTC. This documentation may not be disclosed, transferred, modified, or reduced to any form, including electronic media, or transmitted or made publicly available by any means without the prior written consent of PTC and no authorization is granted to make copies for such purposes. Information described herein is furnished for general information only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a warranty or commitment by PTC. PTC assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this document. The software described in this document is provided under written license agreement, contains valuable trade secrets and proprietary information, and is protected by the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. It may not be copied or distributed in any form or medium, disclosed to third parties, or used in any manner not provided for in the software licenses agreement except with written prior approval from PTC. UNAUTHORIZED USE OF SOFTWARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION CAN RESULT IN CIVIL DAMAGES AND CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
For Important Copyright, Trademark, Patent, and Licensing Information: For Windchill products, select About Windchill at the bottom of the product page. For InterComm products, on the Help main page, click the link for Copyright 2007. For other products, select Help > About on the main menu for the product.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND This document and the software described herein are Commercial Computer Documentation and Software, pursuant to FAR 12.212(a)-(b) (OCT’95) or DFARS 227.7202-1(a) and 227.7202-3(a) (JUN’95), and are provided to the US Government under a limited commercial license only. For procurements predating the above clauses, use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to the restrictions set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software Clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 (OCT’88) or Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights at FAR 52.227-19(c)(1)-(2) (JUN’87), as applicable. 01012008 Parametric Technology Corporation, 140 Kendrick Street, Needham, MA 02494 USA
iii
Table of Contents
Assembly....................................................................................................... 1
Manipulating Components ............................................................................. 1
Managing Views........................................................................................... 1
Using Assembly ........................................................................................... 2
About Assembly Functionality ..................................................................... 2
Assembly Functions ................................................................................ 2
Simplified Representations ...................................................................... 2
Interchange Assemblies .......................................................................... 2
Skeleton Models ..................................................................................... 3
Pro/NOTEBOOK...................................................................................... 3
Assembly Process Planning ...................................................................... 3
Creating Assemblies .................................................................................. 4
About Creating an Assembly .................................................................... 4
Assembling Components....................................................................... 4
Using Datum Planes as the First Feature ................................................. 5
Assembling a Component Parametrically................................................. 5
Creating a Base Component .................................................................. 5
Tip: Set Up or Use a Default Template ...................................................... 5
Configuring Pro/ENGINEER for using Assembly.............................................. 5
About Assembly Configuration Options ...................................................... 5
To Set Assembly Configuration Options ..................................................... 6
allow_copy_with ext_refs ........................................................................ 6
allow_package_children .......................................................................... 6
allow_redo_intersections ......................................................................... 6
allow_ref_scope_change ......................................................................... 7
allow_save_as_instance .......................................................................... 7
assem_placement_ignore_units................................................................ 7
auto_assembly_with_layouts ................................................................... 7
auto_constr_always_use_offset................................................................ 7
Table of Contents
iv
autoplace_single_comp ........................................................................... 7
can_snap_to_missing_ref ........................................................................ 8
check_same_assy_parts.......................................................................... 8
comp_angle_offset_eps........................................................................... 8
comp_assemble_start ............................................................................. 8
comp_assemble_with_interface................................................................ 8
comp_offset_dec_places ......................................................................... 9
comp_snap_angle_tolerance.................................................................... 9
comp_snap_dist_tolerance ...................................................................... 9
comp_rollback_on_redef ......................................................................... 9
convert_to_wf3_replace .......................................................................... 9
copy_geom_update_pre_2000i_dep.......................................................... 9
create_temp_interfaces........................................................................... 9
default_comp_geom_scope.....................................................................10
default_comp_invalid_refs ......................................................................10
default_comp_scope_setting...................................................................10
default_comp_skel_geom_scope .............................................................10
default_comp_skel_scope_setting............................................................10
default_ext_ref_scope............................................................................10
default_obj_constraints_scope ................................................................10
default_object_geom_scope....................................................................11
default_object_invalid_refs .....................................................................11
default_object_scope_setting..................................................................11
default_placement_scope .......................................................................11
dim_inactive_components ......................................................................11
dont_show_symbol_nodes......................................................................11
enable_advance_collision .......................................................................12
enable_assembly_accuracy.....................................................................12
enable_implied_joints ............................................................................12
erv_show_external_only.........................................................................12
exec_prog_on_assem_retr .....................................................................12
Table of Contents
v
fail_ref_copy_when_missing_orig ............................................................12
fast_highlight........................................................................................12
fix_refs_to_intersections ........................................................................13
force_upd_assem_mp_in_simp_rep .........................................................13
freeze_failed_assy_comp........................................................................13
ignore_all_ref_scope_settings .................................................................13
ignore_export_geom_declaration.............................................................14
mass_property_calculate........................................................................14
model_allow_ref_scope_change ..............................................................14
mp_calc_level .......................................................................................14
multiple_skeletons_allowed ....................................................................14
package_constraints ..............................................................................14
package_ref_alert .................................................................................14
placement_rep_by_default .....................................................................14
preserve_comp_color_in_preview............................................................15
ref_scope_copy_color ............................................................................15
ref_scope_copy_color_change.................................................................15
ref_scope_no_pick_to_copy....................................................................15
ref_scope_no_pick_to_prohibit................................................................15
ref_scope_prohibit_color ........................................................................16
ref_scope_prohibit_color_change ............................................................16
regen_int_mdls_on_retr .........................................................................16
regen_layout_w_assem..........................................................................16
regen_simp_retrieve..............................................................................16
replace_comp_name_method .................................................................16
retrieve_data_sharing_ref_parts..............................................................17
retrieve_instance_dependencies ..............................................................17
retrieve_merge_ref_parts.......................................................................17
save_display_status_in_submodel ...........................................................17
scope_invalid_refs.................................................................................17
sel_insts_on_comp_retrieval...................................................................18
Table of Contents
vi
shrinkwrap_alert ...................................................................................18
simprep_ondemand_activation................................................................18
simprep_ondemand_cleanup...................................................................18
simprep_ondemand_editing....................................................................18
simprep_ondemand_regeneration............................................................19
simprep_ondemand_selection .................................................................19
simprep_ondemand_settings ..................................................................19
skeleton_model_default_color .................................................................19
spin_with_part_entities ..........................................................................20
start_model_dir ....................................................................................20
style_state_transparency .......................................................................20
update_rep_refs....................................................................................20
use_new_intchg ....................................................................................20
visible_annotations_scope ......................................................................20
Creating Components ...............................................................................21
Creating Subassemblies .........................................................................21
To Create a Subassembly by Copying an Assembly .................................21
To Create an Empty Subassembly.........................................................21
About Empty Components in an Assembly..............................................22
To Create a Subassembly and Set Default Datums ..................................22
Locate Datums Methods ......................................................................23
Creating Solid Parts ...............................................................................23
To Create a Solid Part and Its Feature ...................................................23
To Create a Solid Part and Set Default Datums .......................................24
To Create a Solid Part by Copying From an Existing Part ..........................25
Copying Parts with Layouts or External References..................................25
To Create an Empty Part .....................................................................26
Creating Bulk Items...............................................................................26
About Bulk Items................................................................................26
To Create Bulk Items in an Assembly ....................................................27
To Create a Bulk Item Template ...........................................................27
Table of Contents
vii
To Assemble an Existing Bulk Item .......................................................28
About Defining Bulk Item Parameters ....................................................28
To Create a Length Measurement Parameter ..........................................29
To Create a Distance Measurement Parameter........................................30
To Create a Diameter Measurement Parameter.......................................30
To Create an Area Measurement Parameter ...........................................31
To Create an Angle Measurement Parameter ..........................................31
To Create a Parameter Sum .................................................................31
Bulk Item Workflows..............................................................................32
To Create Bulk Items Containing Paint...................................................32
To Define Bulk Model Properties ...........................................................32
To Measure Painted Model Surfaces.......................................................33
To Set Up Parameter Relations .............................................................33
To Set Up Parameters for Different Color Instances .................................33
To View Bulk Items in the BOM.............................................................33
Placing Components .................................................................................34
About the Component Placement User Interface ........................................34
Feature Icon ......................................................................................34
Slide-up Panels ..................................................................................34
Dialog Bar .........................................................................................35
Shortcut Menus ..................................................................................38
About Placing Components .....................................................................40
To Display Constraint Sets in the Model Tree.............................................40
To Place a Component ...........................................................................40
To Place a Component Multiple Times.......................................................42
About Editing Placement References ........................................................42
User-Defined Sets .................................................................................43
About Using Placement Constraints .......................................................43
To Define Mate or Align Offset Values....................................................49
Constraint Orientation Assumptions ......................................................49
Tip: Using Extra Constraints.................................................................50
Table of Contents
viii
To Create Datum Planes for Constraints.................................................50
Assembling a Component to a Datum Plane (Translate and Rotate) ...........50
Example: Flipping a Mate and an Align Constraint ...................................51
Predefined Sets.....................................................................................51
About Predefined Constraint Sets..........................................................51
About Bodies......................................................................................56
To Define a Body as Ground.................................................................57
Tip: Creating Ground Bodies ................................................................57
Example: Flipping Connections .............................................................57
Example: Flipping the Orientation of a Component ..................................58
About the Mechanism Design Model Tree in Assembly..............................59
About Motion Axes in Predefined Constraint Sets ....................................60
To Set Zero Position References ...........................................................60
Zero Positions ....................................................................................61
To Set the Motion Axis Regeneration Value ............................................61
Regeneration Values ...........................................................................62
To Set Motion Limits ...........................................................................62
To Set Motion Axis Dynamic Properties ..................................................63
Using Motion Axis Parameters and Dimensions in Family Table Instances ...64
To Convert User-Defined Constraint Sets to Predefined Constraint Sets......64
About Editing Springs and Dampers in Assembly.....................................64
To Display Connections in the Graphics Window......................................65
Packaged Components ...........................................................................65
About Packaged or Partially Constrained Components and Mechanisms ......65
Configuration File Options for Moving Packaged Components ....................66
To Package a New Component in an Assembly........................................67
Moving Packaged Components .............................................................67
To Fix the Location of a Packaged Component ........................................69
To Finalize Packaged Components.........................................................69
About Packaged or Partially Constrained Components and Mechanisms ......69
Unplaced Components ...........................................................................71
Table of Contents
ix
About Unplaced Components................................................................71
To Create an Unplaced Component .......................................................71
To Place an Unplaced Component .........................................................71
To Include an Unplaced Component ......................................................72
Assembling Components to a Pattern .......................................................72
About Assembling Components to a Pattern ...........................................72
Example: Assembling a Component to a Pattern .....................................73
To Assemble Components to a Reference Pattern....................................74
Assembling Components to a Reference Pattern......................................75
Example: Assembling to Group Patterns ................................................76
About Dimension Patterns....................................................................76
To Assemble Components to a Dimension Pattern ...................................77
Example: Assembling a Component to a Dimension Pattern......................78
About Assembling Components to a Table Pattern...................................78
To Assemble Components to a Table Pattern ..........................................79
Assembly Intersections in Table Patterns ...............................................79
To Replace All Pattern Members Using Family Tables ...............................79
To Replace Individual Pattern Members Using Family Tables.....................79
About Replacing Pattern Members by a Family Table Instance ..................80
Manipulating Components .........................................................................80
About Kinematic Movement of Components ..............................................80
Excluding Flexible Components.............................................................80
Using Mirrored Subassemblies ..............................................................81
Moving Components Being Placed............................................................81
About Moving Components...................................................................81
To Move Components Using Keyboard Shortcuts.....................................81
To Move Components Using Orient Mode ...............................................82
To Move Components Using Translate or Rotate......................................82
To Move Components Using Adjust .......................................................83
About Assembling Components by Proximity Snapping ...............................84
To Set Proximity Tolerance Allowances .....................................................85
Table of Contents
x
To Set Drag Preferences.........................................................................85
Dragging Assembly Entities and Taking Snapshots .....................................86
About Dragging and Taking Snapshots ..................................................86
To Drag Assembly Entities: Points and Bodies.........................................87
To Apply Constraints During a Dragging Operation ..................................88
To Specify the Position of a Motion Axis While Dragging...........................89
To Copy Constraints from One Snapshot to Another ................................89
To Orient Planes and Surfaces During a Dragging Operation .....................89
To Lock a Body Prior to a Dragging Operation.........................................90
To Capture a Snapshot ........................................................................90
To Make Snapshots Available as Exploded Views.....................................90
Snapshots and Exploded Views.............................................................90
To Use Snapshot Construction ..............................................................91
To Edit a Snapshot..............................................................................91
To Remove a Snapshot........................................................................91
To Exclude a Flexible Component from a Dragging Operation....................91
About Excluding Components from Dragging Operations ..........................92
To Exclude or Include a Component During Dragging Operations ..............92
Collision Detection ..............................................................................93
Using Component Interfaces......................................................................94
About Automatic Placement of Components ..............................................94
Drag-and-Drop Automatic Placement.....................................................94
Automatic Placement Using Interfaces ...................................................94
About Component Interfaces...................................................................94
To Define a Component Interface ............................................................95
To Define a Component Interface Template ..............................................96
To Edit a Component Interface................................................................96
To Place a Component Using Interface Matching ........................................97
To Redefine Component Placement Using Interfaces ..................................99
To Save a Component Interface When Placing a Component .......................99
About Setting Rules for a Component Interface .........................................99
Table of Contents
xi
To Set Rules for Assembly Conditions.....................................................100
About Placement Preferences ................................................................100
To Edit Placement References ...............................................................101
Placement Preference Configuration Options ...........................................102
About Placing a Component Using Temporary Interfaces...........................102
To Activate Temporary Interface Placement ............................................102
Nested Interfaces ................................................................................103
About Nested Interfaces ....................................................................103
To Define a Nested Interface..............................................................103
About Placing a Component with a Nested Interface ..............................103
Working with Assembly Components.........................................................104
About Working with Assembly Components.............................................104
To Create a Group of Components and Features ......................................104
To Place an Assembly User-Defined Feature............................................105
To Delete a Component from an Assembly..............................................105
To Delete Pattern Member Components..................................................106
To Insert a Component in the Regeneration List ......................................106
To Reorder Components in an Assembly .................................................106
To Reroute Placement References..........................................................106
About Suppressed Components .............................................................107
About Handling Children of Suppressed Components................................107
To Suppress Components and Assembly Features ....................................107
To Handle Children of Suppressed Components .......................................107
To Resume Components and Assembly Features......................................108
Displaying Component Annotations........................................................108
Redefining Component Placement Constraints .........................................109
About Redefining Placement Constraint Sets.........................................109
To Redefine Component Constraint Sets ..............................................109
Assembly Operations ...........................................................................110
Working with Assembly Features ........................................................110
Using Intersected Components ...........................................................113
Table of Contents
xii
Modifying Assemblies ........................................................................118
Restructuring Components.................................................................124
Regenerating Parts and Assemblies.....................................................125
Resolving Retrieval or Regeneration Failures ........................................127
Replacing Components in an Assembly...................................................130
About Replacing Assembly Components...............................................130
To Replace a Component with a Family Table Member ...........................130
To Replace a Component with a Shrinkwrap Model ................................131
To Replace a Component with an Interchange Assembly ........................131
To Replace a Component Using a Layout..............................................132
Using Layouts to Replace Components.................................................132
To Replace a Component with an Unrelated Component.........................132
To Replace a Component with a New Copy...........................................133
Rules and Restrictions for Copied Replacement Components...................133
Allowing Multiple Skeleton Replacement Copies ....................................134
To Replace a Flexible Component with a New Copy ...............................135
To Add or Remove Components from the Component Replace List...........135
To Replace Additional Components......................................................135
Tip: Successful Component Replacement .............................................135
About Component Replacement and Legacy Designs .............................136
About Replacing Unrelated Components with Reference Pairing...............136
To Replace an Unrelated Component Using Reference Pairing .................137
Using Evaluation Rules to Replace Components ....................................138
Interchange Assemblies .......................................................................139
About Interchange Assemblies............................................................139
To Create an Interchange Assembly ....................................................140
To Insert a Functional Component in an Interchange Assembly...............140
To Create Reference Tags ..................................................................140
About Reference Pairing in an Interchange Assembly.............................141
To Pair Reference Tags......................................................................141
To Pair Reference Tags Automatically ..................................................142
Table of Contents
xiii
Using Evaluation Rules in Interchange Assemblies.................................143
To Insert a Simplify Component in an Interchange Assembly..................143
To Create a Simplify Part in an Interchange Assembly ...........................144
To Set Mass Properties for a Simplify Component..................................145
To Substitute a Simplify Component in a Simplified Representation .........146
About Displaying and Removing Interchange Components......................147
To Remove Interchange Components ..................................................147
Example: Substituting Interchangeable Components in a Simplified
Representation.................................................................................148
Copying Components ...........................................................................148
About Copying Components ...............................................................148
To Copy a Component .......................................................................148
Example: Copying a Component .........................................................149
Mirroring Components Inside an Assembly..............................................150
About Mirroring Components Inside an Assembly ..................................150
To Create a Mirrored Copy of a Part Inside an Assembly ........................151
Example: Creating a Mirrored Copy of a Part Inside an Assembly ............151
About Opening Mirrored Parts in Part...................................................152
To Edit the Merge Feature Definitions ..................................................152
About Mirrored Copies of Subassemblies..............................................153
To Create a Mirrored Copy of a Subassembly........................................154
Rules for Mirrored Subassemblies .......................................................155
Using Intersections to Create Parts ........................................................155
To Create a Part from an Intersection..................................................155
Parts Created from an Intersection......................................................155
Using Flexible Components ...................................................................156
About Flexible Components................................................................156
To Place a Flexible Component ...........................................................157
To Define a Flexible Component in an Assembly....................................157
To Predefine a Flexible Component in an Assembly................................158
Using Varied Items for Flexible Components.........................................158
Table of Contents
xiv
Propagating Flexible Components .......................................................165
Searching for Assembly Items...............................................................166
To Select a Parent Assembly or Subassembly from the Graphics Window .166
To Search and Select Items by Attributes ............................................167
To Search and Select Items by History ................................................167
To Search and Select Items by Status .................................................168
To Search and Select Items by Copied Refs..........................................169
To Search and Select Items by Geometry ............................................170
Managing Views .....................................................................................171
Exploded Views ...................................................................................171
About Exploded Views .......................................................................171
To Create and Save a New Exploded View............................................171
To Explode or Unexplode an Assembly View .........................................172
To Set the Exploded Position of Components ........................................172
To Set the Exploded Status of Components ..........................................172
About Offset Lines in Exploded Views ..................................................173
To Create Offset Lines .......................................................................173
To Modify Offset Lines .......................................................................173
To Add or Modify Jogs in Offset Lines ..................................................174
Cross Sections ....................................................................................174
About Assembly Cross Sections ..........................................................174
Assembly Zones ..................................................................................175
About Assembly Zones ......................................................................175
To Clip a Zone..................................................................................176
To Create a Zone Using a Distance from an Element..............................176
To Create a Zone Using Closed Surfaces ..............................................177
To Create a Zone Using Datum Planes .................................................177
To Delete a Zone from an Assembly ....................................................178
To List All Zones in an Assembly.........................................................178
To Redefine a Reference in a Zone ......................................................178
To Remove a Reference from a Zone...................................................179
Table of Contents
xv
To View a Zone ................................................................................179
To Rename a Zone............................................................................179
Multiple References for Assembly Zones ..............................................179
To Create a Zone Using Offset Distance from a Coordinate System..........180
Assembly Display Style ........................................................................180
About Display Style for an Assembly ...................................................180
To Create a Display Style...................................................................181
To Edit a Display Style ......................................................................181
To Redefine a Display Style from the Model Tree...................................182
Display Styles for Components ...........................................................182
Assembly Orientation...........................................................................183
About Assembly Orientation ...............................................................183
To Save an Assembly Orientation........................................................184
Combination Views ..............................................................................184
About Combination Views ..................................................................184
To Create a Combination View............................................................184
To Redefine a Combination View.........................................................185
References and Dependencies..................................................................186
Reference Views..................................................................................186
About the Reference Viewer User Interface ..........................................186
About Reference Investigation in Assembly ..........................................188
About Reference Types......................................................................188
About Viewing Parent and Child References..........................................189
To Investigate References..................................................................189
To Set Reference Filters.....................................................................190
To View Solid Model and Component References...................................190
Tip: Displaying Only External References .............................................191
To Find a Reference Path ...................................................................191
To Save a Reference Path ..................................................................191
To Export All References....................................................................191
To Investigate Circular References ......................................................192
Table of Contents
xvi
To View a Reference Path ..................................................................192
To Filter the Model Tree.....................................................................192
To Export a Model Tree to a Text File ..................................................193
To Toggle the Display of Parents and Children in the Reference Viewer ....193
To Investigate Dependencies..............................................................193
About Breaking Dependencies ............................................................194
To Break Object Dependencies ...........................................................194
Reference Viewer Tutorial .....................................................................194
About the Reference Viewer Tutorial....................................................194
Setup..............................................................................................195
About Exercise 1 ..............................................................................196
Task 1-1: Open the Reference Viewer..................................................196
Task 1-2: View the Subitem Window ...................................................197
Reference Representations in the Parent/Child Graph ............................198
About Exercise 2 ..............................................................................198
Task 2-1: Set the Reference Filters .....................................................198
Task 2-2: Filter the Model Tree...........................................................199
Path Overview Graph Symbols............................................................200
About Exercise 3 ..............................................................................200
Task 3-1: Define the Path Overview Graph...........................................200
Task 3-2: Find All Paths Between Two Objects......................................201
Task 3-3: Investigate Circular References ............................................201
About Exercise 4 ..............................................................................202
Task 4-1: Display Dependencies .........................................................202
Task 4-2: Break Dependencies and Retrieve Missing References .............202
Summary ........................................................................................203
Object-Specific Reference Control ..........................................................203
About Object-Specific Reference Control ..............................................203
To Define Object-Specific Reference Control .........................................204
Tip: View Object-Specific Settings from the Model Tree..........................205
Environment Reference Control .............................................................205
Table of Contents
xvii
About Environment Reference Control .................................................205
About the Publish Geometry Reference Filter ........................................206
To Set Color Feedback for Out-of-Scope External References..................207
External Reference Control ...................................................................207
About Shared Geometry Settings........................................................207
To Define Global Reference Scope Control Settings ...............................208
Example: The Scope Settings of Subassembly and None ........................209
To Channel All External References Through Skeleton Models .................210
To Backup Forbidden or Out-of-Scope External References.....................210
To Set Selection Options for Out-of-Scope External References...............211
To Specify Default Scope Settings.......................................................211
To Replace or Prevent Missing Locally Copied References .......................212
Tip: View the Status of Locally Copied References from the Model Tree....212
About External Reference Backup .......................................................212
To Convert an External Reference Backup to a Copy Geometry Feature....212
Working with Assemblies.........................................................................213
To Copy an Assembly...........................................................................213
About Copying and Pasting in Assembly..................................................213
Using Start Components and Default Templates ......................................213
About Regenerating to Update Modified Parts ..........................................214
Using the Assembly Model Tree .............................................................214
Using Save A Copy with Assemblies .......................................................215
To Add Information Columns to the Model Tree .......................................216
To Control the Visibility of a Part Layer at the Assembly Level ...................216
Controlling the Visibility of Part Layers at the Assembly Level ....................217
About Creating Reference Dimensions ....................................................217
About Displaying Assembly Information..................................................217
To Review Assembly Instructions for a Component ..................................218
To Check Clearance .............................................................................218
Setting Advanced Clearance Checking ....................................................219
About Entering Relations in Assembly.....................................................219
Table of Contents
xviii
About Using an Assembly Bill of Materials (BOM) .....................................220
BOM and Mass Properties Behavior in Skeletons ...................................220
BOM and Mass Properties Behavior in Master Representations ................220
About Showing Dimensions in Part and Assembly ....................................221
Assembly Family Tables .......................................................................221
About Assembly Family Tables............................................................221
About Working with Assembly Family Instances ....................................222
To Create a Family of Assemblies........................................................223
Example: An Assembly Family Table ...................................................224
Using Part Family Members in an Assembly ..........................................224
To Substitute a Component with an Instance from its Family Table
in a Simplified Representation ............................................................224
To Replace a Reference Model of a Merge or Inheritance Feature
With a Family Instance......................................................................225
To Replace a Component with an Instance from its Family Table .............225
To Replace Assembly Components in the Assembly Instance ..................226
To Automatically Update References to Assembly Instances ...................226
Example: Automatically Updating References to Assembly Instances .......227
To Assemble an Instance Automatically Using Pro/NOTEBOOK ................227
Example: Family of Assemblies...........................................................227
To Replace Assembly Components in the Assembly Instance ..................227
To Configure Components of an Assembly Instance...............................228
Controlling Assembly Family Table Instance Retrieval ............................228
Mirroring Assemblies............................................................................228
About Mirroring Assemblies................................................................228
To Mirror an Assembly.......................................................................229
Top Down Design......................................................................................229
Skeleton Models.....................................................................................229
About Skeleton Models in Top-Down Design............................................229
About Skeleton Models.........................................................................230
About Standard Skeleton Models ...........................................................231
To Create a Standard Skeleton Model.....................................................232
Table of Contents
xix
About Motion Skeleton Models...............................................................233
To Create a Motion Skeleton Model ........................................................233
About Creating Geometry for a Motion Skeleton Model .............................234
To Create a Design Skeleton .................................................................234
To Create a Body Skeleton ...................................................................235
Tip: Specify a Default Layer Name for Skeleton Models.............................236
To Create a Display Color for Skeleton Models.........................................236
Display Colors for a Skeleton Model .......................................................236
Data Sharing .........................................................................................237
Shrinkwrap Features............................................................................237
About Shrinkwrap Features ................................................................237
To Create a Shrinkwrap Feature .........................................................237
To Define a Component Subset...........................................................238
Shrinkwrap Associativity....................................................................239
To Update a Shrinkwrap Feature.........................................................239
Updating a Shrinkwrap Feature ..........................................................239
To Create an External Shrinkwrap Feature ...........................................239
External Shrinkwrap Features.............................................................240
To Redefine Shrinkwrap References ....................................................240
To Preview Current References ...........................................................241
To Break Shrinkwrap Dependency.......................................................241
Merge and Inheritance Features ............................................................241
Merge Features ................................................................................241
Inheritance Features .........................................................................248
Copy and Publish Geometry Features .....................................................258
About Copy and Publish Geometry Features .........................................258
Regenerating Copy and Publish Geometry Features ...............................258
Publish Geometry Features ................................................................258
Copy Geometry Features ...................................................................260
Annotation Propagation ........................................................................266
About Propagating Annotation Elements into Data Sharing Features ........266
Table of Contents
xx
About Propagating Annotation Element Display Status Through
Data Sharing Features.......................................................................266
To Propagate an Annotation to Data Sharing Features ...........................267
Layouts ................................................................................................268
Preparing Layouts ...............................................................................268
About Layouts ..................................................................................268
To Work with Multiple Sheets .............................................................269
To Create a Layout ...........................................................................269
To Create a Reference Datum Plane for a Layout ..................................270
To Create a Reference Datum Axis for a Layout ....................................270
To Create a Reference Datum Point for a Layout ...................................271
To Create a Reference Datum Coordinate System for a Layout................271
About Reference Datums in Layout Mode .............................................272
Example: A Layout Reference Datum Plane and Axis .............................272
To Delete Reference Datum Entities from a Layout ................................272
To Import a Drawing into a Layout......................................................272
Global Dimensions and Relations in a Layout ........................................273
Annotating Layouts..............................................................................279
About Annotating Layouts..................................................................279
To Add Notes to a Layout...................................................................279
To Include Parameter Values in Notes .................................................280
Declaring Layouts................................................................................281
About Declaring Layouts ....................................................................281
About Layout Hierarchy .....................................................................282
To Declare a Layout to Another Layout ................................................282
To Declare a Model to a Layout...........................................................282
To Create Relations From a Layout......................................................283
Rules for Skeleton Models and Layouts ................................................283
To Undeclare a Model from a Layout....................................................283
Tip: Remove Global References to Undeclare a Layout ...........................284
Declaring Datums in a Layout ...............................................................284
Table of Contents
xxi
About Declaring Datums ....................................................................284
To Declare an Axis, Planar Surface, or Datum Plane Explicitly .................284
About Declaring Datums by Table .......................................................285
To Declare Datums by Table ..............................................................285
To Undeclare Datums........................................................................286
About Automatic Assembly Using Layouts ............................................286
Example: Automatic Assembly Using Declared Datums ..........................286
Layout Case Studies ............................................................................289
About Case Studies...........................................................................289
To Create a Case Study .....................................................................289
To Retrieve a Case Study...................................................................289
To Copy Undimensioned Geometry into a Case Study ............................290
To Create Dimensions in a Case Study.................................................290
About Case Study Relations ...............................................................290
To Add Case Study Relations..............................................................291
To Modify Case Study Relations ..........................................................291
To Declare Case Study Dimensions .....................................................291
Managing Large Assemblies........................................................................292
Simplified Representations ......................................................................292
About Simplified Representations ..........................................................292
About Creating Simplified Representations..............................................292
Excluding and Substituting Components ..............................................293
Rules and Restrictions .......................................................................293
To Create a Simplified Representation On the Fly.....................................293
To Create Simplified Representations Using Definition Rules......................294
Types of Simplified Representations.......................................................295
Example: Excluding a Component from a Simplified Representation ...........296
To Change Properties of a Simplified Representation ................................297
Opening a Simplified Representation by Default.......................................298
To Set a Simplified Representation to Active ...........................................298
To Retrieve a Simplified Representation of an Assembly ...........................299
Table of Contents
xxii
Retrieving Simplified Representations ....................................................299
Tip: Retrieve Components Before Saving a Simplified Representation.........299
To Copy a Simplified Representation ......................................................299
To Rename a Simplified Representation..................................................300
To Delete a Simplified Representation ....................................................300
To List Simplified Representations .........................................................300
To Substitute a Simplified Representation for a Subassembly or Part..........301
About Placing a Component in a Simplified Representation........................301
To Retrieve Placement References .........................................................302
Simplified Representations in Top-Down and Bottom-Up Design ................302
Updating Mass Properties of Simplified Representations............................302
On-Demand Simplified Representations.....................................................303
About On-Demand Simplified Representations.........................................303
To Define On-Demand Simplified Representations Settings .......................303
To Erase Unused On-Demand Component Representations .......................304
External Simplified Representations..........................................................305
About External Simplified Representations ..............................................305
Rules for External Simplified Representations .......................................305
Creating External Simplified Representations........................................306
To Create an External Simplified Representation Using View Manager.........306
To Create an External Simplified Representation Using the New Dialog Box .306
To Create an External Simplified Representation Using Save a Copy...........307
To Set the Purpose of an External Simplified Representation Component ....307
To Redefine an External Simplified Representation...................................307
To Update an External Simplified Representation .....................................308
Lightweight Components in Simplified Representations................................308
About Symbolic Representations............................................................308
To Assemble a Lightweight Component ..................................................309
Shrinkwrap Models .................................................................................309
About Shrinkwrap Models .....................................................................309
Types of Shrinkwrap Models .................................................................310
Table of Contents
xxiii
To Create a Surface Subset Exported Shrinkwrap Model ...........................312
Setting Quality Levels for Shrinkwrap Models ..........................................314
Faceted Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Models...........................................314
Merged Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Models ...........................................314
To Create a Faceted Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Model..............................314
Lightweight Faceted Solid Shrinkwrap Parts ............................................315
To Create a Merged Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Model ..............................315
Display Styles........................................................................................316
About Display Styles ............................................................................316
To Create a Display Style .....................................................................317
To Change the Display Style of a Component ..........................................317
Envelopes .............................................................................................317
About Envelopes .................................................................................317
To Create an Envelope .........................................................................318
To Include an Envelope in an Assembly ..................................................319
To Modify an Envelope .........................................................................319
To Delete an Envelope .........................................................................320
To Display Envelopes in the Model Tree ..................................................320
Configuring Assemblies with PROGRAM........................................................320
About Program ......................................................................................320
Glossary ..................................................................................................321
Glossary for Assembly ............................................................................321
Index.........................................................................................................325
1
Assembly
Assembly Overview
The Assembly Help describes the procedure of assembling parts created in Pro/ENGINEER Part
mode. It offers information about working with assembled models and managing assembly
projects. Refer to these help topics for information on using the Assembly environment, tools, and
techniques.
For a detailed overview, skim the Help contents.
Tasks for Assembly
Adding Components to the Assembly
Placing Components
Using Constraint Sets
Using Component Interfaces
Packaging Components
Leaving Components Unplaced
Manipulating Components
Moving Components for Placement
Purposes
Dragging Placed Components
Detecting Component Collision
Working with Assembly Components
Copying Components
Mirroring Components
Resolving Retrieval Failures
Modifying Assemblies
Redefining Component Placement
Replacing Components
Intersecting Assemblies
Interchanging Assemblies
Using Top-Down Design
Working with Skeleton Models
Working with Layouts
Sharing Design Data
Managing Views
Exploding Assembly Views
Displaying Cross Sections
Setting Assembly Zones
Setting Display Styles
Simplifying Large Assemblies
Using Simplified Representations
Using Envelopes
Exploring References and
Dependencies
Investigating References
Controlling External References
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
2
Using Assembly
About Assembly Functionality
Just as you can combine features into parts, you can also combine parts into
assemblies. Pro/ENGINEER enables you to place component parts and subassemblies
together to form assemblies. You can modify, analyze, or reorient the resulting
assemblies.
Assembly Functions
Pro/ENGINEER provides basic assembly tools, and various Pro/ENGINEER modules
give you additional functionality for assembly operations.
Assembly supports the design and management of large and complex assemblies
through the use of powerful tools such as simplified representations, interchange
assemblies, and the use of Top Down design procedures.
Simplified Representations
Simplified representations are variations of a model you can use to change the view
of a particular design, enabling you to control which members of an assembly
Pro/ENGINEER brings into session and displays. This lets you tailor your work
environment to include only the information of current interest to you. You can, for
example, temporarily remove a complicated subassembly from memory that is
unrelated to the portion of the assembly on which you need to work. You can also
substitute a complicated subassembly or part with a simpler part or envelope.
Using advanced performance tools, you can speed up the retrieval process and
general work performance of large assemblies using simplified representations.
Simplified representations also allow you to show a component in a symbolic state.
This means that no geometry is shown for a component. Instead, a symbol
represents placement of the component. Mass properties can be calculated using the
placement point of the components and actual mass properties of the part. You can
also create a user defined 3D symbol to represent the symbolic part.
External representations can be created without modifying the master assembly.
External simplified representations are created in separate specialized assembly files.
Interchange Assemblies
An interchange assembly is a special kind of assembly that you can create and then
use in a design assembly. An interchange assembly consists of models that are
related either by function or representation. You can create both functional
interchanges (to replace functionally equivalent components) and simplify
interchanges (to substitute components in a simplified representation) in the same
interchange assembly. Interchange assemblies, like family tables and layouts,
provide a powerful method of automatic replacement.
Assembly
3
Skeleton Models
The skeleton model of the assembly is the framework of the assembly. A skeleton
model is a specialized component of an assembly that defines skeletal, space claim,
interface, and other physical properties of an assembly design that you can use to
define geometry of components. In addition, you can use skeleton models to perform
motion analysis on an assembly by creating placement references to the skeleton
model and then modifying the skeleton dimensions to imitate motion.
Skeleton models can be used to capture in a central location design criteria defined
in the subassembly or delivered from a higher-level assembly. Using skeleton models
in more than one assembly allows you to distribute design criteria associatively
throughout the product structure. When design criteria change, updating is
propagated to affected components. Skeleton models provide a clearly understood
hierarchy of driving design criteria, they provide an organized display, and they allow
improved performance. Skeleton models are the recommended mechanism for
controlling top-level design iterations, and you can use them to facilitate task
distribution.
Skeletons are represented by a unique icon in the Model Tree because their
functional characteristics are significantly different from those of other components.
Skeleton models can be filtered out the BOM and drawing views and can be specially
handled during the creation and manipulation of simplified representations and
Shrinkwrap features. Skeleton models are placed before all other components with
solid geometry in the model tree. Reference scope control settings can be used to
restrict making assembly placement references to skeleton models only.
Skeleton models, like regular components, can be replaced by both family table
instances and other skeleton models. You can copy a part model component into a
new skeleton model, as long as the part model satisfies the skeleton model criteria.
You can generate a native skeleton model, based on a native part model, and have it
replace the part model in an assembly, with all references remapped to the new
skeleton model. This effectively allows a part to be designated as a native skeleton
model, through the use of a new model file.
Skeleton models can maintain their own family tables. This enhancement allows
assemblies to maintain different skeleton instances across a family table.
Although skeletons can be created only within an assembly, they can be retrieved,
operated upon, and saved as ordinary parts.
Pro/NOTEBOOK
The optional Pro/NOTEBOOK module supports top-down assembly design with tools
that enable you to create hierarchically-linked assembly layouts.
Assembly Process Planning
Assembly Process Planning enables you to create a drawing that illustrates the
assembly process of the assembly. Assembly steps are defined using the actual
Pro/ENGINEER assembly. Each process step can be further described with specific
exploded views, simplified representations, parameters and notes assigned to each
process step.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
4
Creating Assemblies
About Creating an Assembly
To create a subassembly or an assembly, you must first create datum features or a
base component. You can then create or assemble additional components to the
existing component(s) and datum features.
Assembling Components
You can add components to an assembly in the following ways:
• Assemble a component parametrically by specifying its position relative to the
base component or other components and/or datum features in the assembly.
• Assemble components manually or automatically using predefined component
interfaces. Refer to About Automatic Placement of Components for more
information.
• Assemble a component nonparametrically using the Package command in the
Insert > Component menu. Use packaging as a temporary means to include
the component in the assembly; then finalize its location with assembly
instructions.
• Create a part or subassembly directly in Assembly.
• You can use layouts and specify declarations to assemble components
automatically. You create these assemblies by automatically aligning datum
planes and axes of different parts in accordance with the declarations previously
made in Layout and Part modes. You can specify declarations, and after a
component has a declaration, it can be automatically assembled.
• You can include a component as a member of an assembly without actually
placing it in the assembly window. This technique allows you to list the
component as a member of the assembly even if the component is not ready to
be assembled (for example, it does not have geometry). The system lists
included components in the Model Tree and BOM, but does not display them on
the screen or include them in mass property calculations. To add constraints
later, you can redefine the placement of the component.
You can remove a component from an assembly by deleting it or replacing it with
another component. In addition, you can also redefine the placement constraints for
assembled components.
To place a base component or feature, you must either create three orthogonal
datum planes as the first feature, assemble an existing component (part,
subassembly, or skeleton model), or create a base component.
Note: A component that is added into an assembly is saved in the assembly
directory.
Assembly
5
Using Datum Planes as the First Feature
When you create three orthogonal datum planes as the first feature in an assembly,
you can assemble a component with respect to these planes, or create a part in
Assembly as the first component. Using datum planes as the first feature has the
following advantages:
• You can redefine the placement constraints of the first assembled component.
• You can pattern the first component you add, creating a flexible design.
• You can reorder subsequent components to come before the first one (if the
components are not children of the first component).
Assembling a Component Parametrically
Using the Component Placement dialog box, you can assemble components
parametrically by establishing constraints that define the component's position in the
assembly. The component's position changes according to changes in components or
assembly features to which it is constrained.
Creating a Base Component
If you do not create three orthogonal datum planes, the base component is the first
part, subassembly, or skeleton model placed into an assembly. In many ways it is
like the base feature of a part. The initial assembly units are the same as the units of
the base component. When a base component is the first object in an assembly
(before any assembly features), no placement constraints are defined. You place the
component with the Default constraint. If you replace a base component with
interchangeable components, the replacing components will always be placed by
default as well.
When you create the first component of an assembly, you can either create an
empty component or copy from an existing component. As with an assembled base
component, the initial assembly units are the same as the base component, and
interchange components that replace the created base component will always be in
the default orientation.
Tip: Set Up or Use a Default Template
If you have specified a default template (you can set the configuration file option
start_model_dir to specify its location), the system uses that template, or start
model, for the part. Using a template as a start model allows you to include critical
layers, datum features, and views in the model.
Configuring Pro/ENGINEER for using Assembly
About Assembly Configuration Options
You can preset environment options and other global settings by entering the
settings you want in a configuration file. To set configuration file options use the
Options dialog box (Tools > Options).
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
6
This help module contains a list of configuration options, in alphabetical order,
showing for each option or group of related options:
• Configuration option name.
• Associated variables or values. The default values for the options are shown in
italics.
• Brief description.
To Set Assembly Configuration Options
1. Click Tools > Options. The Options dialog box opens.
2. Click the Show only options loaded from file check box to see currently
loaded configuration options or clear this check box to see all configuration
options.
3. Select the configuration option from the list or type the configuration option
name in the Option box.
4. In the Value box type or select a value.
Note: The default value is followed by an asterisk (*).
5. Click Add/Change. The configuration option and its value appear in the list. A
green status icon confirms the change.
6. When you finish configuring, click Apply or OK.
allow_copy_with ext_refs
Allow a part with external references to be mirrored copy. Note that any features of
the original component that are dependent become independent.
allow_package_children
all, feature, none
Sets allowances of features to reference packaged components. After you set this
option, it takes effect immediately in the current session of Pro/ENGINEER.
all—Allows both feature and component placement references
feature—Allows only geometric feature references
none—Disables both feature and component placement references
allow_redo_intersections
yes, no
yes—Displays the ReIntersect command in the ASSY FEAT menu.
Assembly
7
allow_ref_scope_change
yes, no
To change the reference scope settings.
yes—Changes to reference scope settings allowed.
no—Displays the message: "Reference Scope changes are prohibited by the
configuration file settings." when the Ref Scope user interface is changed.
After you set this option, it takes effect immediately in the current session of
Pro/ENGINEER.
allow_save_as_instance
no, yes
Allows the option to save a copy of the active model as a family table instance.
assem_placement_ignore_units
no, yes
yes—Enables an automatic update of model units when placing a model whose unit
settings are different from the assembly unit settings. The unit settings of the placed
model update to those of the assembly.
no—Disables automatic unit update.
auto_assembly_with_layouts
yes, no
Controls automatic assembly.
yes—Enables automatic assembly.
no—Disables automatic assembly.
auto_constr_always_use_offset
yes, no
Controls whether auto constraint creates offsets.
yes—Auto constraint always creates offsets.
no—Auto constraint snaps align or mate if surfaces are within tolerance.
autoplace_single_comp
yes, no
Assembling components with an interface automatically places the component at the
first position satisfying the interface definitions.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
8
can_snap_to_missing_ref
yes, no
Enables snapping to missing references while using the drag-and-drop operation for
component placement.
check_same_assy_parts
yes, no
Determine whether to permit different names for different part occurrences or not in
the mirror subassembly user interface.
comp_angle_offset_eps
Specifies the angle epsilon when the selected surface is equal or greater than the
epsilon (in degrees). An angle offset constraint is created.
comp_assemble_start
Adjusts the position of a component during placement.
default, constrain_in_window, package, move_then_place
default—Displays the component being placed outside the assembly.
constrain_in_window—Displays the component being assembled in a separate
window.
package—Attaches the component being assembled to the pointer. Move the
component to the required location, click, and open the Placement panel to place the
component.
move_then_place—Attaches the component being assembled to the pointer. Move
the component to the required location, click, and select references to place the
component.
comp_assemble_with_interface
default_multi, default_single, from_list, none
Options for placing a component with configured interfaces.
default_multi—You can automatically place multiple instances of the component
using a configured interface.
default_single—You can automatically place a single instance of a the component
using a configured interface.
from_list—The Select Interface dialog box opens before the Component Placement
dashboard appears. Select the interface for component placement from the list and
then specify multiple or single placement.
none—Place components without using interfaces.
Assembly
9
comp_offset_dec_places
Sets the default number of decimal places (0-10) to display in the offset column of
component placement.
comp_snap_angle_tolerance
0-90, 30
Specify the angle tolerance for snapping while freeform dragging components being
assembled.
comp_snap_dist_tolerance
0.1, 0-1
Specify the distance tolerance for snapping while freeform dragging components
being assembled. Relative to the size of the component being assembled.
comp_rollback_on_redef
yes, no
Controls whether the system rolls back the assembly when you redefine a
component.
convert_to_wf3_replace
no, yes
Updates legacy designs to use Wildfire 3 Replace functionality.
copy_geom_update_pre_2000i_dep
yes, no
yes—Flags independent copy geom features in a pre-2000i model as modified when
retrieved into Pro/ENGINEER. This enables you to save the model immediately to
update the model’s copy geom dependency information. This information has
changed in Release 2000i for improved interpretation of references in Pro/PDM and
Pro/INTRALINK.
After you set this option, it takes effect immediately in the current session of
Pro/ENGINEER.
create_temp_interfaces
yes, no
Allow creation of temporary component interfaces based on previous assembly
instructions.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
10
default_comp_geom_scope
all, pg, none
Set the specified Shared Geometry reference control conditions to newly added
components.
default_comp_invalid_refs
copy, prohibit
Set the specified handling method of out-of-scope Accessible references to newly
added components.
default_comp_scope_setting
all, none, subassemblies, skeleton_model
Set the specified accessible reference control conditions to newly added components.
default_comp_skel_geom_scope
all, pg, none
Set the specified Shared Geometry reference control conditions to newly added
Skeleton components.
default_comp_skel_scope_setting
all, none, subassemblies, skeleton_model
Set the specified Shared Geometry reference control conditions to newly added
Skeleton components.
default_ext_ref_scope
all, none. skeleton, subassembly
Set default scope for externally referenced models.
all—Any model.
none—Only current model and children.
skeleton—Any component in the model assembly and higher skeletons in the branch.
subassembly—Only components and children in the model assembly.
default_obj_constraints_scope
all, interfaces, none
Set the specified Shared Placement reference control conditions to newly created
models if template models were not used.
Assembly
11
default_object_geom_scope
all, pg, none
Set the specified Shared Geometry reference control conditions to newly created
models if template models were not used.
default_object_invalid_refs
prohibit, copy
Sets default condition for reference handling.
prohibit—System aborts all attempts to create external references that violates the
scope.
copy—System issues a warning upon all attempts to create external references that
violates the scope.
default_object_scope_setting
all, none, skeletons, subassemblies
Selects the default condition for reference control in a new object.
all—Reference any model. This is the way the system works today. The user may
freely create external references to any component in an assembly.
none—Reference no other models. This will not allow any models other than the
model being created, and those that exist below it on its branch, to be externally
referenced.
skeletons—A new component may reference the Skeleton model of the assembly that
the component belongs to. If a Skeleton model is being created, it may reference the
skeleton model of the Assembly above the one that it belongs to.
subassembly—Allow external references to the model being created, the models
which will exist below it, any peer models that the model being created might have,
and models below them.
default_placement_scope
all, intrf_if_exists, intrf_only
Default value for Component Placement Reference filter.
dim_inactive_components
yes, no
Sets the display of inactive components in an assembly to grey and transparent.
dont_show_symbol_nodes
yes, no
Show references derived from relations in the parent/child viewer.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
12
enable_advance_collision
yes, no
Enables using advanced collision detection.
enable_assembly_accuracy
yes, no
Accuracy modification for assembly objects.
enable_implied_joints
yes, no
Allow underconstrained components as mechanism connections.
erv_show_external_only
yes, no
Controls the objects displayed in the Reference Viewer.
yes—Displays only objects with external references.
no—Displays all objects.
exec_prog_on_assem_retr
yes, no
Execute Pro/PROGRAM for models during assembly retrieval.
fail_ref_copy_when_missing_orig
yes, no
When using a copied geom feature or a backed-up external reference with the
Design Manager, and the reference is missing in the original, then the copied geom
feature will:
yes—fail
no—freeze and not update
fast_highlight
yes, no
Toggles fast highlight and standard highlight of selected assembly components
during spin, pan, and zoom operations. Applies for models in the Wireframe, Hidden
Line, No Hidden Line, and Shaded modes.
yes (default)—Fast highlight. Selected components, annotation features, datum
curves, and cables associated with the selected components are highlighted and
Assembly
13
displayed during spin, pan, and zoom operations. Datum planes of selected
components are not automatically highlighted unless specifically selected.
no—Standard highlight. Datum planes of selected components are automatically
highlighted.
fix_refs_to_intersections
yes, no
Sets remnant removal ability for the ReIntersect command in the ASSY FEAT
menu.
yes—You can remove remnants.
no—You cannot remove remnants.
force_upd_assem_mp_in_simp_rep
yes, no
Toggles the update of top-level assembly mass properties according to simplified
representation definitions.
yes—Mass properties of top-level assembly reflect simplified representation
definitions. For example, components that are excluded from the simplified
representation are not included in mass properties calculations.
no—Mass properties of top-level assembly do not reflect simplified representation
definitions.
freeze_failed_assy_comp
yes, no
Determines the treatment of assembly components that fail retrieval. By default, the
system requires a specific action to fix the assembly or freeze the component.
yes—Automatically freezes any component that fails retrieval into the assembly at its
last known location. After deleting a component in an assembly, any child of that
component has the status regenerated, even though its make datum reference was
deleted.
No—Requires an assembly fix or freeze of the component that fails retrieval.
Missing refs using offsets or internal datums will not cause components to be frozen.
ignore_all_ref_scope_settings
yes, no
Controls whether object-specific reference scope settings are ignored or not.
Environment scope settings are still enforced.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
14
ignore_export_geom_declaration
yes, no
Ignore export geometry settings.
mass_property_calculate
by_request, automatic
Calculate mass properties upon regeneration or by request.
model_allow_ref_scope_change
yes, no
Change the scope settings of components.
mp_calc_level
assembly_only, all_models
Specify the level of mass properties calculations.
multiple_skeletons_allowed
no, yes
Allows or restricts multiple skeletons.
package_constraints
update, freeze, disallow
Controls the behavior of partially constrained components. You cannot build children
from them.
update—updates components if assembly changes
freeze—does not move components if assembly changes
disallow—does not allow packaged components in the assembly
package_ref_alert
yes, no
Controls whether the system displays a confirmation prompt whenever you select a
placement reference to a packaged component.
placement_rep_by_default
Sets the simplified representation to be retrieved when assembling a component.
Enter a user-defined simplified representation name or one of the Pro/ENGINEER
default representations. The specified simplified representation is retrieved when the
component is assembled.
Assembly
15
preserve_comp_color_in_preview
yes, no
Defines the color of the component during placement.
yes—The component retains its color during placement.
no—The component displays in yellow preview color until fully constrained.
ref_scope_copy_color
[0–255], [0–255], [0–255]
Specifies the default color used by Pro/ENGINEER to display out-of-scope references
that are allowed as local copies. The three decimal values in the range from 0
through 255 specify the level of red, green, and blue (in this order) in the resulting
color. The models that are out-of-scope and available for copying are displayed in
the user-specified color when geometry items are selected for reference. Click Tools
> Assembly Settings > Reference Control to control the settings of external
references when using top-down design tools such as skeletons, Copy Geometry and
Publish Geometry.
ref_scope_copy_color_change
yes, no
Enable or disable changing the color of prohibited external references that are
allowed for backup. When set to yes, the color of out-of-scope prohibited references
will change to the user-specified color during reference selection. Click Tools >
Assembly Settings > Reference Control to control the settings of external
references when using top-down design tools such as skeletons, Copy Geometry and
Publish Geometry.
ref_scope_no_pick_to_copy
yes, no
Disable or enable selection of external references not allowed for backup in the
External References Control dialog box. Click Tools > Assembly Settings >
Reference Control to control the settings of external references when using top-
down design tools such as skeletons, Copy Geometry and Publish Geometry.
ref_scope_no_pick_to_prohibit
yes, no
Disable selection of external references that were prohibited in the External
References Control dialog box. Click Tools > Assembly Settings > Reference
Control to control the settings of external references when using top-down design
tools such as skeletons, Copy Geometry and Publish Geometry.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
16
ref_scope_prohibit_color
[0-255], [0-255], [0-255]
Set the default color of prohibited external references by providing three RGB values.
The three decimal values in the range from 0 through 255 specify the level of red,
green, and blue (in this order) in the resulting color. Click Tools > Assembly
Settings > Reference Control to control the settings of external references when
using top-down design tools such as skeletons, Copy Geometry and Publish
Geometry.
ref_scope_prohibit_color_change
yes, no
Enable changing color of prohibited external references during selection. Click Tools
> Assembly Settings > Reference Control to control the settings of external
references when using top-down design tools such as skeletons, Copy Geometry and
Publish Geometry.
regen_int_mdls_on_retr
yes, no
To specify if models that are intersected by assembly features are regenerated
during assembly retrieval.
regen_layout_w_assem
yes, no
Layout is automatically regenerated when the assembly is regenerated. After you set
this option, it takes effect immediately in the current session of Pro/ENGINEER.
regen_simp_retrieve
yes, no
Regenerates component placement definition when retrieving an assembly simplified
representation.
yes—Model regeneration is available upon retrieval.
no—Model regeneration is not available upon retrieval.
Note: When set to yes, this configuration option impacts retrieval performance.
replace_comp_name_method
transfer, remove, preserve
Sets the naming convention used when replacing components.
Assembly
17
retrieve_data_sharing_ref_parts
no, yes, ignore_missing
Retrieves the referenced parts for dependent features with shared data, such as
Inheritance, External Copy Geometry, External Shrinkwrap, and External Merge.
no—Ignores referenced parts in the retrieval.
yes—Prompts the user to accept each referenced part during the retrieval.
ignore_missing—Skips any missing referenced part, sends a message to that effect,
and continues the retrieval process.
retrieve_instance_dependencies
instance_req_generic, instance_deps_only, instance_and_generic_deps
Determines the set of objects to be loaded into session when retrieving Family Table
instances.
instance_req_generic (default)—Retrieves the Family Table instance, the generic
model, and the generic model dependencies that are required for regeneration.
Generic dependencies, such as components excluded from the instance, are not
retrieved.
instance_deps_only—Retrieves only the selected instance and its dependencies.
Additional models included in the generic assembly are not retrieved.
instance_and_generic_deps—Retrieves the instance and all the generic models,
regardless of the instance definition.
Note:
• When retrieving nested instances, intermediate generics are not retrieved.
• Any change in the configuration option values takes effect only when a new
session is started.
retrieve_merge_ref_parts
yes, no
Automatically retrieve referenced parts for dependent merge.
save_display_status_in_submodel
yes, no
Controls the storage location of sub-model layer display status.
yes—The display status of sub-model layers is stored in the sub models.
no—The display status of sub-model layers is stored at the top-level assembly.
scope_invalid_refs
prohibit, copy
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
18
Determines how the system treats external out of scope references.
prohibit—System aborts all attempts to create external references violating the
scope.
copy—Warning appears. Abort reference creation or declare as an out-of-scope
reference. If you declare, system performs a backup of copies to the part and
assembly and the backup is referenced.
sel_insts_on_comp_retrieval
yes, no
Determines the instance of a retrieved component.
yes—If the component used in the assembly instances are generics, then
Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to choose an instance when each component is
retrieved.
no—The generic model of the component is retrieved automatically.
shrinkwrap_alert
yes, no
Display an alert the first time the Shrinkwrap quality level is increased.
simprep_ondemand_activation
yes, no
Enables on-demand retrieval of the Master representation of an activated assembly
component. When an assembly is activated, the Assembly Only representation is
retrieved.
simprep_ondemand_cleanup
Disabled, Remove, Remove_Erase
Determines whether a retrieved on-demand simplified representation is removed or
erased when an operation is complete.
Disabled—The model is not removed and remains in the assembly.
Removed—The model is removed from the assembly.
Remove_Erase—The model is removed and erased from memory.
simprep_ondemand_editing
Automatic, Master, Master_and_Ancestors, Disabled
Enables on-demand retrieval of edited assembly components and their parent
references.
Automatic—Retrieves the lowest level representation required to perform the
operation.
Assembly
19
Master—Retrieves the Master representation of the edited component.
Master_and_Ancestors—Retrieves the Master representation of the edited component
and its ancestors.
Disabled—Disables on-demand retrieval of edited components.
simprep_ondemand_regeneration
Automatic, Master, Disabled
Enables on-demand retrieval of required models during regeneration.
Automatic—Retrieves the lowest level representation required to perform the
operation.
Master—Retrieves the Master representation of the regenerated component.
Disabled—Disables on-demand retrieval of regenerated components.
Note: When enabled, this configuration option can affect regeneration performance.
simprep_ondemand_selection
Automatic, Master, Disabled
Sets the simplified representation type to retrieve when a reference is selected.
Automatic—Retrieves the lowest level representation required to perform the
operation.
Master—Retrieves the Master representation of the selected component.
Disabled—Disables on-demand retrieval of selected components.
simprep_ondemand_settings
Prompt, Automatic, Disabled
Sets on-demand simplified representation retrieval behavior.
Prompt—Asks for confirmation before retrieving on-demand representations.
Automatic (default)—Retrieves models on-demand automatically with no
confirmation.
Disabled—On-demand simplified representation mode is disabled.
skeleton_model_default_color
[0-100,0-100,0-100], [0, 75, 100]
Specifies the color used by Pro/ENGINEER to display new skeleton models. The three
decimal values in the range from 0 through 100 specify the percentages of red,
green, and blue (in this order) in the resulting color. For example, 0 0 49 specifies a
medium blue color.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
20
spin_with_part_entities
yes, no
Controls whether datum planes, axes, and coordinate systems move with the
components when you are placing or package moving components using the mouse.
start_model_dir
Specify a complete path to the directory where start parts and assemblies are
stored. Then, when you browse the directory structure to select a start component to
copy from, the File Open dialog box will look in this directory by default.
style_state_transparency
[0–100]
Sets the level of transparency for components in the Transparent display style.
update_rep_refs
yes, no
Updates to top assembly simplified representations for replacements during
regeneration and replacement.
use_new_intchg
yes, no
Determines the use of consolidated interchange assembly functionality.
yes—Pro/ENGINEER uses the consolidated interchange assembly functionality.
no—Pro/ENGINEER uses the separate functional interchange assemblies and
simplifies interchange assemblies.
visible_annotations_scope
active model only, all
Sets the display of assembly component annotations when a new Pro/ENGINEER
session is started.
active model only—Displays only the annotations of the active model.
all—Displays all assembly component annotations.
Assembly
21
Creating Components
Creating Subassemblies
To Create a Subassembly by Copying an Assembly
You can insert a component by creating a copy of it and placing it in the assembly.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Subassembly, and then Standard.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Copy From Existing.
5. Click Browse, select the name of a component to copy, and click Open. The
name of the selected component appears in the Copy From text box.
6. You can select Leave Component Unplaced to include the new component in
the assembly without defining placement constraints.
7. Click OK.
The new subassembly is placed in the assembly, or it is included in the assembly as
an unplaced component if you selected Leave Component Unplaced.
To Create an Empty Subassembly
You can create a subassembly with no initial geometry.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Subassembly, and then Standard.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Empty.
5. You can select Leave Component Unplaced to include the new subassembly in
the assembly without defining placement constraints.
6. Click OK.
The new subassembly is placed in the assembly, or it is included in the assembly as
an unplaced component if you selected Leave Component Unplaced.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
22
About Empty Components in an Assembly
You can create a part or subassembly without any geometry and it appears in the
Model Tree window. If you save the top-level assembly, the system saves this empty
component also.
When you create a feature in an empty component in an assembly, you are put
directly into Sketcher mode and are not prompted for sketcher references (or
external references, in the case of datum geometry).
When you define empty components within the context of an assembly, the system
places them in the default location of their parent assemblies (using the Default
constraint type).
Once you have created an empty component within an assembly, you can create
default datum planes by retrieving the empty part or subassembly into a separate
window and choosing Insert > Model Datum > Plane, or using the datum plane
icon in the datum feature tool bar. You can also create features for the component.
Note: When you create features that reference the assembly in an empty
component, you can no longer redefine the placement of the component.
For empty parts or assemblies with no geometry, the Model Size parameter has a
value of zero.
To Create a Subassembly and Set Default Datums
You can create a subassembly and assemble it automatically to references in the
assembly. The system creates constraints to locate the default datum planes of the
new subassembly relative to the selected assembly references.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Subassembly, and then Standard.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Locate Default Datums. The Locate Datums Method area of the dialog
box opens.
5. Select references from the assembly using one of the Locate Datums Method
options:
o Three Planes
o Axis Normal To Plane
o Align Csys To Csys
Click See Also for detailed information.
The system creates a new subassembly with default datums and places you in
feature creation mode.
Assembly
23
6. Define features for the new subassembly that will automatically use the default
datum planes for their references.
o If you used either the Three Planes or the Axis Normal To Plane option,
the sketching plane is the first plane that you selected.
o If you used the Align Csys To Csys option, you must select the sketching
plane.
Once you create a feature or quit its creation, the system places the new component
in the assembly in the way in which its default planes are mated (by Mate Offset
with zero offsets) to the selected references in the assembly. In the case of Axis
Normal To Plane, the system also aligns the component axis with the selected
assembly axis.
You can use the Mod Dim command on the ASSEM MOD menu to modify the value
of the offsets in the placement constraints, or redefine the component placement
constraints entirely.
Locate Datums Methods
Select references from the assembly using one of the following methods:
• Click Three Planes and OK, and select three orthogonal datum planes from the
assembly to which the default datum planes of the newly created component will
be assembled.
• Click Axis Normal To Plane and OK, and select a single datum plane and an
axis that is normal to it. The system then creates a new component with a datum
plane and an axis which it uses to place the new component with respect to the
rest of the assembly.
• Click Align Csys To Csys and OK, and select a coordinate system in the top-
level assembly. The system then creates a new component with a default
coordinate system and default datum planes which it uses to place the new
component relative to the rest of the assembly.
Creating Solid Parts
To Create a Solid Part and Its Feature
You can create the first feature of a new part. This initial feature is dependent on the
assembly.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Part, and then Solid.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
24
4. Click Create Features, and click OK. You are now working as though the new
model is the active model.
5. Create features using the Insert or Edit commands in the top menu or
commands in the Feature toolbar.
6. Create the geometry of the new part either by referencing existing geometry
within the assembly or without using references:
o Specify a sketching plane and a sketching reference from the existing
geometry of the assembly to create the geometry of the new part.
Note: The newly created component will have external dependencies to the
assembly, and therefore you will not be able to redefine its placement.
o If no geometry exists in the assembly, you can create the geometry of the
new part without using references.
7. When you have created the desired features in the new part, switch focus back to
the top level assembly by selecting the top level node in the Model Tree and click
Edit > Activate, or use Ctrl+A to activate the same window at the top level
assembly.
To Create a Solid Part and Set Default Datums
$$$comp_create@DLG,crt_opt_prt@DLG$$
You can create a component and assemble it automatically to references in the
assembly. The system creates constraints to locate the default datum planes of the
new component relative to the selected assembly references.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Part, and then Solid.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Locate Default Datums. The Locate Datums Method area of the dialog
box opens.
5. Select references from the assembly using one of the Locate Datums Method
options:
o Three Planes
o Axis Normal To Plane
o Align Csys To Csys
The system creates a new part with default datums and places you in feature
creation mode. The new part will be the Active model in the assembly, and will
Assembly
25
remain active until the user changes the focus to another submodel or back to
the top level assembly.
6. Define features for the new part that will automatically use the default datum
planes for their references.
o If you used either the Three Planes or the Axis Normal To Plane option,
the sketching plane is the first plane that you selected.
o If you used the Align Csys To Csys option, you must select the sketching
plane.
Once you create a feature or quit its creation, the system places the new component
in the assembly in the way in which its default planes are mated (by Mate Offset
with zero offsets) to the selected references in the assembly. In the case of Axis
Normal To Plane, the system also aligns the component axis with the selected
assembly axis.
You can use the Mod Dim command on the ASSEM MOD menu to modify the value
of the offsets in the placement constraints, or redefine the component placement
constraints entirely.
To Create a Solid Part by Copying From an Existing Part
You can insert a part by creating a copy of it and then placing it in the assembly.
Note: A part that contains a Shrinkwrap feature is associative and, therefore, cannot
be used as the source for creating a new part using Copy From Existing.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Part, and then Solid.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Copy From Existing.
5. Click Browse, select the name of a component to copy, and click Open. The
name of the selected component appears in the Copy From text box.
6. You can select Leave Component Unplaced to include the new component in
the assembly without defining placement constraints.
7. Click OK.
The new part is placed in the assembly, or it is included in the assembly as an
unplaced component if you selected Leave Component Unplaced.
Copying Parts with Layouts or External References
If you create a part by copying from another part that has a layout declared to it,
you must confirm that you would like to declare that layout to the newly created
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
26
copied part as well. Otherwise, the system does not copy the layout declarations to
the newly created part.
If you try to create a part from an existing part with external references that are not
locally backed up, the system aborts the copy. If you try to create a part from an
existing part that has external references that are locally backed up, the system will
notify you that those external references will be made permanently independent in
the new component, and ask whether you wish to continue.
To Create an Empty Part
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a
component from a browser into the active assembly session. The Component
Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Part, and then Solid.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK. The Creation
Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Empty.
5. You can select Leave Component Unplaced to include the new part in the
assembly without defining placement constraints.
6. Click OK.
The new part is placed in the assembly, or it is included in the assembly as an
unplaced component if you selected Leave Component Unplaced.
Creating Bulk Items
About Bulk Items
Bulk items are nonsolid representations of components within an assembly. Bulk
items represent objects that do not require solid models but must be represented in
the Bill of Materials (BOM) or in Product Data Management programs. Examples of
bulk items include glue, paint, or multiple component items such as rivets or screws.
Bulk items are identified with in the Model Tree. Bulk items can contain special
relationships to support the associative calculation of bulk quantities according to the
assembly context.
Parameters for bulk items can be predefined in the corresponding bulk model. The
bulk model is a subtype of a part and is identified as a .prt file. You can manipulate
(add, remove, and modify) bulk part-level parameters and relations. In addition, you
can create family table instances of a bulk model.
When you add bulk items into an assembly, the part-level parameters and relations
are associatively copied to the bulk item component level. If you select User Input,
you can define different values to parameters for every occurrence of a bulk item in
any assembly. You can summarize parameters from multiple objects by using
Assembly
27
Parameter Sum. The representation of the bulk quantity in the BOM is controlled by
the BOM_REPORT_QUANTITY parameter.
Bulk Item Templates
A bulk template is the start model used when a new bulk model is created. You can
use bulk template parts to create new bulk model. In bulk templates, parameters
and relations can be defined and used each time the bulk template is applied. You
can create a bulk item template for commonly used parameters.
To Create Bulk Items in an Assembly
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create. The
Component Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Bulk Item.
3. Type a name for the bulk model or use the default name and click OK. The
Creation Options dialog box opens with the following options:
o Copy from Existing—Copy parameters from an existing bulk model.
o Empty—Create an empty bulk model.
4. Select Copy from Existing or Empty. If you select Copy from Existing, you
must click Browse and select an existing bulk part to copy. You create a new
bulk part with the same information as the copied part. The Bulk dialog box
opens with the following options:
o Relations—Create equations to calculate relations with bulk items.
o Local Parameters—Type parameter name, type, value, and user input
status.
o Family Table—Define family table instances for the bulk part.
o Properties—Define properties for the selected parameters.
Note: If you select Empty, the Bulk dialog box opens.
5. Add or modify bulk item parameters and relations or create a family table for the
bulk item part.
6. Click OK.
To Create a Bulk Item Template
You can create a bulk item template consisting of commonly used parameter
information.
1. Click File > New. The New dialog box opens with Part selected by default.
2. Click Bulk for the sub-type.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
28
3. Type a name for the bulk model or use the default name. Use Default Template
is selected by default. The Bulk dialog box opens with the following options:
o Relations—Create equations to calculate relations with bulk items.
o User Input—Setup prompts requesting additional information.
o Family Table—Define family table instances for the bulk item.
o Properties—Define properties for the parameters.
4. Add or modify bulk item parameters and relations.
5. Click File > Save.
6. Click OK.
To Assemble an Existing Bulk Item
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
2. Select the bulk part from the Open dialog box.
3. Click Open. The Bulk Component dialog box opens if a parameter is defined as
User Input.
4. Perform the required operations to define bulk item information.
5. Click .
About Defining Bulk Item Parameters
You can create, modify, and delete parameters using the Bulk dialog box. The work
flow for manipulating bulk item parameters is identical to other parameter operations
within Part mode. However, the following additional functionality is added to bulk
item parameters:
• In the Bulk dialog box, click the User Input checkbox to specify if a bulk item
parameter requires user input. User Input requires you to provide data when
bulk items are placed in an assembly. Parameter input is performed from the
Bulk Component dialog box.
• Bulk template parts can have a parameter named BOM_REPORT_QUANTITY. The
number value for this parameter is the quantity for the bulk item part in the Bill
of Materials (BOM).
• You can define the following additional parameter types for bulk items:
o Length Measure—Supplies the value of the parameter by calculating the
length of the specified curve or edge. The curve is selected from the Bulk
Component dialog when the value cell for the parameter is selected.. The
User Input checkbox is automatically selected when the Length Measure
parameter is used.
Assembly
29
o Distance Measure—Supplies the value of the parameter by calculating the
distance between two specified entities. The two reference entities are
selected from the Bulk Component dialog when the value cell for the
parameter is selected. The User Input checkbox is automatically selected
when the Distance Measure parameter is used.
o Diameter Measure—Supplies the value of the parameter by calculating
the diameter of a specified circular curve or edge. The curve is selected
from the Bulk Component dialog when the value cell for the parameter is
selected.. The User Input checkbox is automatically selected when the
Diameter Measure parameter is used.
o Area Measure—Supplies the value of the parameter by calculating the
surface area of a specified surface or collection of surfaces. The surfaces
are selected from the Bulk Component dialog when the value cell for the
parameter is selected. The User Input checkbox is automatically selected
when the Area Measure parameter is used.
o Angle Measure—Supplies the value of the parameter by calculating the
angle between two entities. The two reference entities are selected from
the Bulk Component dialog when the value cell for the parameter is
selected. The User Input checkbox is automatically selected when the
Angle Measure parameter is used.
o Parameter Sum—Obtains values of the same named parameter from
other objects in the assembly and sums up the total values of those
parameters. The objects used to input values to this value are selected
from the Bulk Component dialog when the value cell for the parameter is
selected. The selected objects must have an existing parameter with the
same name as the Parameter Sum parameter.
To Create a Length Measurement Parameter
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click .
2. Type a new parameter name or use the default name.
3. Click the cell in the Type column. In the Type drop-down box, click Length
Measure.
4. Define the remaining bulk item parameters. Note that the User Input checkbox
is automatically selected for the Length Measure type parameter.
5. Click File > Save and click OK. When you add the bulk item into an assembly,
the Bulk Component dialog box opens listing only parameters requiring user
input.
6. Click the cell in the Value column. The Measure dialog box opens.
7. In the assembly model, select the curve or edge used to calculate the length
measurement.
8. Click Close. The Value cell is updated with the calculated length measurement.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
30
9. Click .
To Create a Distance Measurement Parameter
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click .
2. Type a new parameter name or use the default name.
3. Click the cell in the Type column. In the Type drop-down box, click Distance
Measure.
4. Define the remaining bulk item parameters. Note that the User Input checkbox
is automatically selected for the Distance Measure type parameter.
5. Click File > Save and click OK. The Bulk Component dialog box opens listing
only parameters requiring user input.
6. Click the cell in the Value column. The Measure dialog box opens.
7. In the assembly model, select the two entities used to calculate the distance
measurement.
8. Click Close. The Value cell is updated with the calculated distance measurement.
9. Click .
To Create a Diameter Measurement Parameter
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click .
2. Type a new parameter name or use the default name.
3. Click the cell in the Type column. In the Type drop-down box, click Diameter
Measure.
4. Define the remaining bulk item parameters. Note that the User Input checkbox
is automatically selected for the Diameter Measure type parameter.
5. Click File > Save and click OK. The Bulk Component dialog box opens listing
only parameters requiring user input.
6. Click the cell in the Value column. The Measure dialog box opens.
7. In the assembly model, select the surface used to calculate the diameter
measurement.
8. Click Close. The Value cell is updated with the calculated diameter
measurement.
9. Click .
Assembly
31
To Create an Area Measurement Parameter
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click .
2. Type a new parameter name or use the default name.
3. Click the cell in the Type column. In the Type drop-down box, click Area
Measure.
4. Define the remaining bulk item parameters. Note that the User Input checkbox
is automatically selected for the Area Measure type parameter.
5. Click File > Save and click OK. The Bulk Component dialog box opens listing
only parameters requiring user input.
6. Click the cell in the Value column. The Measure dialog box opens.
7. In the assembly model, select the surface used to calculate the area
measurement.
8. Click Close. The Value cell is updated with the calculated area measurement.
9. Click .
To Create an Angle Measurement Parameter
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click .
2. Type a new parameter name or use the default name.
3. Click the cell in the Type column. In the Type drop-down box, click Angle
Measure.
4. Define the remaining bulk item parameters. Note that the User Input checkbox
is automatically selected for the Angle Measure type parameter.
5. Click File > Save and click OK. The Bulk Component dialog box opens listing
only parameters requiring user input.
6. Click the cell in the Value column. The Measure dialog box opens.
7. In the assembly model, select the two entities used to calculate the angle
measurement.
8. Click Close. The Value cell is updated with the calculated angle measurement.
9. Click .
To Create a Parameter Sum
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click .
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
32
2. Type a parameter name identical to the parameter names in the parts to sum up
in this parameter. For example, if you want to sum up the values of the "Area"
parameter in other parts, name the parameter "Area".
3. Click the cell in the Type column. In the Type drop-down box, click Parameter
Sum.
4. Define the remaining bulk item parameters. Note that the User Input checkbox
is automatically selected for the Parameter Sum type parameter.
5. Click File > Save and click OK. The Bulk Component dialog box opens listing
only parameters requiring user input.
6. Click the cell in the Value column. The Refs Type dialog box opens.
7. Click the checkbox where the parameters to be summed exist. For example,
Assembly, Part, Component, and so forth.
8. Click Done. The sum of the selected parameters is shown in the Value cell of
Parameter Sum.
Bulk Item Workflows
To Create Bulk Items Containing Paint
In this example, you can determine the amount of paint required for particular
surfaces in an assembly model. Create and calculate different color instances for
surfaces and see the final results in the Bill of Materials (BOM). Complete the
following steps to create bulk items containing paint quantity information for your
model:
1. Create a bulk model and define properties for the parameters.
2. Setup equations to calculate parameter relations with bulk items.
3. Setup parameters for different color instances for model surfaces:
4. View the results of bulk items in the BOM.
To Define Bulk Model Properties
1. Click File > New. The New dialog box opens.
2. Click Part > Bulk and type PAINT for the .prt file name. Use Default
Template is selected by default.
3. Click OK. The Bulk dialog box opens.
4. Click to add a new parameter.
5. Right-click the Type cell. In the drop-down box, click String.
6. In the Name cell, type COLOR.
Assembly
33
7. Click to add another parameter.
8. Right-click the Type cell. In the drop-down box, click Area_Measure.
9. In the Name cell, type PAINT_AREA.
To Measure Painted Model Surfaces
1. In the Bulk Item dialog box, click the Value cell in the PAINT_AREA column.
2. The Measure and Select dialog boxes open.
3. Select the area to measure on the assembly model.
4. Click Close. The area measurement is calculated and appears in the Value cell.
5. Click .
To Set Up Parameter Relations
1. In the Bulk dialog box, click Relations.
2. Type BOM_REPORT_QUANTITY=PAINT_AREA*0.125. Alternatively, in the Local
Parameters box, you can right-click the parameter name. In the shortcut menu,
click Insert to Relations. The parameter name appears in the Relations box.
3. Click File > Save and OK.
Note: You can click to verify parameter relations.
To Set Up Parameters for Different Color Instances
1. Click Insert > Component > Create. The Component Create dialog box
opens.
2. Click Bulk Item and type RED for the bulk item name.
3. Click OK. The Creation Options dialog box opens.
4. Click Copy From Existing and Browse to search for paint.prt that contains
parameters and relations previously created.
5. Clear the Edit Parameters and Relations check box.
6. Click OK. The Bulk Component dialog box opens.
7. In the COLOR column, click the Value cell and type RED.
8. In the PAINT_AREA column, click the Value cell. The Measure and Select dialog
boxes open.
To View Bulk Items in the BOM
1. Click Info > Bill of Materials. The BOM dialog boxes with Top Level selected by
default.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
34
2. Click OK. The BOM appears listing bulk items and paint area quantity.
Placing Components
About the Component Placement User Interface
The Component Placement user interface consists of the following items:
• Feature icon
• Slide-up panels
• Dialog bar
• Shortcut menus
Feature Icon
The Component Placement dashboard displays the following icon:
• —Indicates a component being placed in an assembly. The icon is displayed in
the Insert > Component > Assemble menu and the feature toolbar.
Slide-up Panels
Placement Slide-up Panel
This panel enables and displays component placement and connection definition. It
contains two areas:
• Navigation and Collection area—Displays sets and constraints. Translation
references and motion axes are displayed for predefined constraint sets. The first
constraint in a set activates automatically. A new constraint activates
automatically after a valid pair of references is selected, until the component is
fully constrained.
• Constraint Attributes area—Context-sensitive to the constraint or motion axis
selected in the navigation area. The Allow Assumptions check box determines
the use of system constraint assumptions.
Move Slide-up Panel
Use the Move panel to move the component being assembled for easier access.
When the Move panel is active, all other component placement operations are
paused. To move a component it must be packaged or configured with a predefined
constraint set. The following options are available on the Move panel:
• Motion Type—Specifies a motion type. The default is Translate.
o Orient Mode—Reorients the view.
o Translate—Moves the component.
Assembly
35
o Rotate—Rotates the component.
o Adjust—Adjusts the component's position.
• Relative to view plane—(default) Moves the component relative to the viewing
plane.
• Motion Reference—Moves the component relative to a component or reference.
This option activates the Motion Reference collector.
• Reference collector—Collects references for component motion. Motion is
relative to the selected references. A maximum of two references can be
collected. Choose a reference to activate the Normal Parallel options.
o Normal—Moves the component normal to the selected reference.
o Parallel—Moves the component parallel to the selected reference.
• Translation / Rotation / Adjust Reference box—Options for component
motion for each motion type.
• Relative—Displays the component's current position relative to its position
before the move operation. For reference only.
Flexibility Slide-up Panel
This panel is available only for components with defined flexibility. Click the Varied
Items option to open the Varied Items dialog box. Component placement pauses
when the Varied Items dialog box is open.
Properties Slide-up Panel
• Name Box—Displays the component name.
• —Provides detailed component information in the Pro/ENGINEER browser.
Dialog Bar
The Component Placement dialog bar options are context-sensitive to the set type
and constraint selected.
• —Places a component using an interface.
• —Places a component manually.
• —Converts a user-defined set to a predefined set or vice versa.
• Predefined Set list—Displays a list of predefined constraint sets:
o User Defined—Creates a user-defined constraint set.
o Rigid—Allows no movement in the assembly.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
36
o Pin—Contains a rotational movement axis and translation constraints.
o Slider—Contains a translational movement axis and rotation
constraints.
o Cylinder—Contains a 360° rotational movement axis and translational
movement.
o Planar—Contains a planar constraint to allow rotation and translation
along the reference planes.
o Ball—Contains a point alignment constraint for 360° movement.
o Weld—Contains a coordinate system and an offset value to "weld" the
component in a fixed position to the assembly.
o Bearing—Contains a point alignment constraint to allow rotation along
a straight trajectory.
o General—Creates a user-defined set of two constraints.
o 6DOF—Contains a coordinate system and an offset value, to allow
movement in all directions.
o Slot—Contains a point alignment to allow rotation along a nonstraight
trajectory.
• —Changes the orientation of a predefined constraint set.
• Constraint list—Contains the constraints applicable for the selected set. When a
user-defined set is selected, the default is Automatic but can be changed
manually. The following options are available:
o Default—Aligns the component coordinate system with the default
assembly coordinate system.
o Fix—Fixes the current location of a component that was moved or
packaged.
o Edge on Surface—Positions an edge on a surface.
o Point on Surface—Positions a point on a surface.
o Point on Line—Positions a point on a line.
o Tangent—Positions two references of different types so that they face
each other. The point of contact is a tangent.
Assembly
37
o Coordinate System—Aligns the components coordinate system with an
assembly coordinate system.
o Insert—Inserts a revolved component surface into an assembly
revolved surface.
o Mate—Positions two references of the same type so that they face each
other.
o Align—Positions two planes on the same plane (coincident and facing
the same direction), two axes coaxial, or two points coincident.
• Offset type fly-out input box—Specifies the offset type for a Mate or Align
constraint.
o —Makes component reference and assembly references coincident to
each other.
o —Makes component reference oriented on the same plane and parallel
to the assembly reference.
o —Offsets the component reference from the assembly reference by the
value entered in the Offset Input box.
o —Offsets the component reference from the assembly reference by the
angle value entered in the Offset Input box.
• —Toggles between a Mate and an Align constraint or flips the orientation of
a component.
The following list boxes appear when interfaces are configured for the
component:
• Interface Placement options—Matches the interface to an assembly reference by:
o Interface To Interface—Matches the component interface to an assembly
interface.
o Interface To Geom—Matches the component interface to assembly
geometry.
• Configured Interfaces list—Displays a list of all interfaces configured for the
component.
• Status—Displays placement status: No Constraints, Partially Constrained, Fully Constrained, Constraints Invalid.
Tool Options:
• —Displays the component in its own window as you define constraints.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
38
• —(default) Displays the component in the graphics window and updates
component placement as you define constraints.
Both window options can be active at the same time.
• —Pauses component placement so you can use a tool.
• —Resumes component placement following a pause.
• —Applies component placement and quit the dashboard.
• —Cancels component placement. This removes the component from the
assembly and the window and closes the dashboard.
Shortcut Menus
To access shortcut menus, right-click the Placement panel or graphics window.
Navigation Area Shortcuts
For a selected constraint:
• Disable—Disables the selected constraint.
• Enable—Enables the selected constraint.
• Delete—Deletes the selected constraint.
• Retrieve Refs—Retrieves missing references from the master representation
when a simplified representation is in session.
For a selected set:
• Disable—Disables the entire constraint set.
• Enable—Enables the entire constraint set.
• Delete—Deletes the entire constraint set.
• Save as interface—Saves the constraint set as an interface.
• Retrieve Refs—Retrieves missing references from the master representation
when a simplified representation is in session.
For a selected collector:
• Remove—Removes the selected reference.
• Information—Opens the Information dialog box to display reference
information.
Assembly
39
Graphics Window Shortcuts
As constraints are defined for a set, they appear in the graphics window. Mate or
Align drag handles and offset values also appear. Use the handle to set the value or
double-click the value to edit it.
To define sets and constraints without using the dashboard, right-click in the
graphics window. The following commands are on the shortcut menu:
• Both Collectors, Component Collector, Assembly Collector—Provides
collectors.
• Move Component—Allows movement of the component being placed.
• Clear—Clears the active collector.
• Flip—Toggles between a Mate and an Align constraint.
• Flip Constraint—Flips the orientation of a component.
• Flip Connection—Reverses the original orientation of all motion axes in the
connection.
• New Constraint—Adds a new constraint.
• Default Constraint—Configure a default constraint (only available for the first
component in an assembly).
• Fix Constraint—Makes the constraint a fixed constraint.
• Retrieve Refs—Retrieves missing references from the master representation
when a simplified representation is in session.
• Save as Interface—Saves the active constraint set as an interface.
• Assumptions—Allows or disallows the application of system rules about
constraints.
To set properties for connections, drag the connection to the desired location and
right-click it. The following commands are on the shortcut menu:
• Set Regen Value—Sets the regeneration value to the current location of the
drag handle.
• Disable Regen Value—Disables the regeneration value.
• Set Maximum Limit—Sets the maximum limit to the current location of the drag
handle.
• Disable Maximum Limit—Disables the maximum limit.
• Set Minimum Limit—Sets the minimum limit to the current location of the drag
handle.
• Disable Minimum Limit—Disables the minimum limit.
• Flip Connection—Reverses the original orientation of all motion axes in the
connection.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
40
About Placing Components
When you place a component relative to its neighbors (components or assembly
features), its position is updated as its neighbors move or change, provided the
assembly constraints are not violated. This is called parametric assembly.
To add a component to an assembly, click or click Insert > Component >
Assemble. Select the desired component from the File Open dialog box, or drag a
component into the assembly from the file browser.
Components can be placed in a number of ways:
• Using placement definition sets
• Automatically
Component placement is based on placement definition sets. These sets determine
how and where the component relates to the assembly. The sets are either user-
defined or predefined. A user-defined constraint set has 0 or more constraints (a
packaged component may have no constraints). Predefined constraint sets have a
predefined number of constraints.
Placement of a component in an assembly is determined by the constraints in all sets
defined. A single set of constraints can define placement of a component. If
constraints from one set conflict with constraints from another set, the placement
status becomes invalid. The constraints must be redefined or removed until
placement status becomes valid.
Constraints can be added or deleted at will in a user-defined constraint set, there are
no predefined constraints. Each type of predefined constraint set (also called a
connection) has a predefined number of constraints.
Constraint sets are displayed in the Placement folder of the Model Tree. Display
hierarchy follows the order in which they were defined. Constraint icons are the same
as those in the Component Placement dashboard. If only one set is defined, only
constraints appear. The Model Tree Placement filter must be activated to view the
Placement folder.
To Display Constraint Sets in the Model Tree
1. Click Settings > Tree Filters. The Model Tree Items dialog box opens.
2. Click the Placement folder check box.
3. Click OK. The Placement folder (indicated by ) appears as the first folder
beneath the component in the Model Tree.
To Place a Component
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the selected component in the graphics window. A
Assembly
41
component can also be selected from a Pro/ENGINEER browser and dragged into
the graphics window.
3. Click to display the component in a separate window, or click to display
the component in the graphics window (default). Both options can be active at
the same time and can be changed at will.
4. Select a constraint set type. User Defined is default. Then select a predefined
set type to define a connection and select component references for each
constraint, or configure a user-defined set.
5. If you selected a predefined set, its constraints appear automatically in the
constraint list. If you selected User-Defined, the Automatic constraint is
selected by default. Select a reference on the component and a reference on the
assembly, in any order, to define a placement constraint. When a pair of valid
references is selected an appropriate constraint type is automatically selected.
You can also open the Placement panel. Choose a constraint type from the
Constraint Type list. (Display the list by clicking Automatic or the adjacent
arrow), and then select references.
6. Select an offset type from the Offset list. Coincident is the default offset. Enter
any offset value or drag the offset handle in the graphics window to set an offset
value.
7. Once a constraint in a user-defined set has been defined, a new constraint is
automatically activated, until the component is fully constrained. You can define
additional (up to 50) constraints by clicking New Constraint in the Placement
panel or right-click in the graphics window and choose New Constraint from the
shortcut menu. Each constraint is listed in the Constraints area as it is defined.
The component's current status appears in the Placement Status area.
Press and hold CTRL to reactivate the current constraint. Click a reference
(component or assembly) in the graphics window to deselect it, and then select a
new reference. Release CTRL to activate the next constraint.
8. Constraints in user-defined sets can be selected and edited. Change the
constraint type, use the Flip option to toggle Mate and Align, modify the offset
value, or allow and disallow system assumptions.
9. To delete a constraint, right-click and select Delete from the shortcut menu.
10. To configure another constraint set, click New Set. The previously configured set
collapses and a new set appears with the first constraint displayed. Choose a
predefined set type or configure a user-defined set.
11. Click when component status is Fully Constrained, Partially Constrained,
or No Constraints. The system places the component with the current
constraints. A component cannot be placed in the assembly if the status is
Constraints Invalid. You must complete the constraint definition first.
A component can be left as Packaged with incomplete constraints. A Packaged
component is one that is included in the assembly but is not fully constrained.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
42
Packaged components follow the configuration file option package_constraints
behavior.
Remove or add additional constraints to resolve conflicts. Clear the Constraint or
Set Enabled check box to disable a constraint or a set.
System constraint orientation assumptions are enabled by default. Clear the Allow
Assumptions check box to disable system placement assumptions.
To Place a Component Multiple Times
1. After assembling the component, select it in the Model Tree and click Edit >
Repeat. The Repeat Component dialog box opens.
2. Select the assembly reference you want to vary from the Variable Assembly
Refs list.
3. Click Add.
4. Select a new assembly reference. The reference appears in the Place
Component list.
5. Follow the prompts in the message window to select the appropriate placement
references. When you have defined all the references, a new component is
automatically added.
6. Continue to define reference placements until you have placed all the instances of
the component.
7. Click Confirm.
8. To remove an occurrence of a component, select its row in the Place
Component list and click Remove.
About Editing Placement References
When you place a component or edit a placement definition, you can use the
shortcut placement panel in the graphics window to edit placement references
without opening the Placement panel. You can change placement references,
change the constraint type, or flip between a Mate and Align constraint.
To change the constraint type, you must first delete at least one reference. For
predefined connection sets, you can edit the axis alignment, translation, or rotation
references. When the shortcut placement panel overlaps or interferes with
placement, click the top bar and drag it to a new location.
The constraint tag background and font color provide information. The tag of an
active constraint has a yellow background color. A red font color indicates missing
references. The selected constraint has a blue frame.
Note: When you edit the properties of a constraint from the edit placement shortcut
it does not interfere with placement auto progression. You can edit a constraint in
the Placement panel, but it will stop auto progression. To continue defining
placement constraints you must click New Constraint in the Placement panel or
the right mouse button shortcut menu.
Assembly
43
User-Defined Sets
About Using Placement Constraints
A placement constraint specifies the relative position of a pair of references. Follow
these general principles for placement constraints:
• The two references for Mate and Align constraints must be of the same type
(plane-to-plane, revolved-to-revolved, point-to-point, axis-to-axis).
• When an offset value is entered for Mate and Align constraints, the system
displays the offset direction. To select the opposite direction, enter a negative
value, or drag the drag handle in the graphics window.
• Constraints are added one at a time. You cannot use a single Align constraint to
align two different holes in one part with two different holes in another part. You
must define two separate Align constraints.
• Placement constraint sets are used to completely define placement and
orientation. For example, you can constrain one pair of surfaces to mate, another
pair to insert, and a third pair to align.
• A revolved surface is a surface created by revolving a section or by extruding an
arc or circle. The only surfaces that may be used in a placement constraint are
planes, cylinders, cones, tori, and spheres.
• The term same-surface refers to a set of surfaces that includes a seed surface
and all surfaces connected through artificial edges. For example, a cylindrical
surface created through Extrude or Revolve is made of two surfaces connected
through two artificial edges. Cylinders, cones, spheres, and tori are surfaces that
can be used
Mate Constraint
Use the Mate constraint to position two selected references to face each other. A
mate constraint may mate two selected references as coincident, orient, or offset.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
44
If datum planes or surfaces are mated, their yellow, normal direction arrows face
each other. If datum planes or surfaces are mated with an offset value, an arrow
appears in the assembly reference pointing in the positive offset direction. If
components are mated coincident or with an offset value of zero, the planes are
coincident with the normal positive directions facing each other. The normal direction
is defined when a datum or surface is created.
1. Mate
Mate Constraint With an Offset Value
Use the Mate constraint to make two planar surfaces parallel and facing each other.
The offset value determines the distance between the two surfaces. Use the offset
drag handle to change the offset distance.
1. Mate
2. Mate offset
3. Offset
Align Constraint
Use the Align constraint to align two selected references and to face the same
direction. An Align constraint may align two selected references as coincident,
oriented, or offset.
An Align constraint will make two planes coplanar (coincident and facing the same
direction), two axes coaxial, or two points coincident. You can align revolved surfaces
or edges. The offset value determines the distance between the two references. Use
the offset handle to change the offset value.
Assembly
45
If two datum planes are mate-oriented, their yellow, normal direction arrows face
each other so they can be offset at a value that is not fixed. They can be positioned
in any location as long as their direction arrows face each other. Align-orient is
similar, except that the direction arrows face the same direction. When using mate-
orient or align-orient, you must specify additional constraints in order to rigidly
position the component.
1. Align
You can also align two datum points, vertices, or curve ends. Selections on both
parts must be of the same type, that is, if you select a point on one part, you must
select a point on the other part.
Align Constraint With an Offset Value
Use the Align constraint to align two planar surfaces at an offset: parallel and facing
the same direction. Use the offset drag handle to change the offset distance.
1. Align
2. Mate
3. Align offset
4. Offset value
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
46
Insert Constraint
Use the Insert constraint to insert one revolved surface into another revolved
surface, making their respective axes coaxial. This constraint is useful when axes are
unavailable or inconvenient for selection.
1. Insert
2. Mate
Coord Sys Constraint
Use the Coord Sys constraint to place a component in an assembly by aligning its
coordinate system with a coordinate system in the assembly (you can use both
assembly and part coordinate systems). Select the coordinate systems by name
using the Search tool, selecting coordinate systems from the assembly and
component, or create them on the fly. The component will be assembled by aligning
the corresponding axes of the selected coordinate systems.
1. Coord sys alignment
Tangent Constraint
Use the Tangent constraint to control the contact of two surfaces at their point of
tangency. This placement constraint functions like Mate because it mates surfaces;
it does not align them. An example of the use of this constraint is the contact surface
or point between a cam and its actuator.
Assembly
47
1. Tangent
2. Conical surface
Pnt On Line Constraint
Use the Pnt On Line constraint to control the contact of an edge, axis, or datum
curve with a point. In the example in the following figure, the point on line is aligned
to an edge to an edge.
1. Point on Line
2. Edge
Pnt On Srf Constraint
Use the Pnt On Srf constraint to control the contact of a surface with a point. In the
example shown in the following figure, the system constrained the surface of the
block to a datum point on the triangle. You can use part or assembly datum points,
surface features, or datum planes, or part solid surfaces for references.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
48
1. Point on surface
Edge On Srf Constraint
Use the Edge on Srf constraint to control the contact of a surface with a planar
edge. In the example shown in the following figure, the system constrained a linear
edge to a planar surface. You can use datum planes, planar part or assembly surface
features, or any planar part solid surfaces.
1. Align edge with surface
Assembly
49
Default Constriant
Use the Default constraint to align the default system-created coordinate system of
the component to the default system-created coordinate system of the assembly.
The system places the component at the assembly origin.
1. Part coordinate system
2. Assembly coordinate system
Fix Constraint
Use the Fix constraint to fix the current position of a component that was moved or
packaged.
To Define Mate or Align Offset Values
1. In an open assembly, select references for a Mate or Align constraint.
2. Select an Offset type:
o Coincident—Sets the component and assembly references coincident to
each other.
o Orient—Orients the component reference on the same plane and parallel to
the assembly reference.
o Offset—Offsets the component reference from the assembly reference by
the value entered in the Offset Input box.
3. Enter the value for the offset or drag the offset drag handle to set the offset
value.
Constraint Orientation Assumptions
When Allow Assumptions is selected (the default) during component assembly,
constraint orientation assumptions are automatically made. For example, only one
Align and one Mate constraint are required to fully constrain a bolt to a hole in a
plate. After an Align constraint has been defined between the axes of the hole and
the bolt and a Mate constraint has been defined between the bottom face of the bolt
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
50
and the top face of the plate, the system assumes a third constraint. This constraint
controls rotation about the axes, thereby fully constraining the component.
When the Allow Assumptions check box is cleared, the third constraint must be
defined before the component is considered fully constrained. You can leave the bolt
packaged, or you can create another constraint that explicitly constrains the bolt’s
rotational degree of freedom.
When Allow Assumptions is disabled, you can use the Move panel options to move
a component out of a previously assumed position, where it will remain. The
component automatically snaps back to the assumed position if you select the Allow
Assumptions check box again.
Tip: Using Extra Constraints
You can add more constraints than are necessary to place the component in an
assembly. This is called overconstraining. Even when the position of a component is
completely constrained mathematically, you may want to specify additional
constraints to ensure that the assembly follows your design intent. Although you can
specify up to 50 constraints, PTC recommends a limit of 10.
To Create Datum Planes for Constraints
When a new datum plane is required for a Mate or Align constraint, you can create
it on the fly while placing the component.
1. Click to pause component placement.
2. Click . The Create Datum dialog box opens.
3. Create the datum plane with the offset required.
4. Click OK.
5. Click to resume component placement.
Assembling a Component to a Datum Plane (Translate and Rotate)
You can assemble a component to a datum plane by using:
• An offset datum to translate a component
• An angle datum to rotate a component
The assembled components remain fixed relative to the datums, but you can move
the datums relative to the assembly using their offset or angle parameters.
The reference datums can belong to an assembly or to a part. If they are assembly
datums, their driving parameters appear in the assembly drawings. If they are part
datums, they appear only in part drawings.
Assembly
51
Example: Flipping a Mate and an Align Constraint
You can switch between a mate and an align constraint during component
placement. In the figure below, the bottom surface of the small solid is mated to the
top surface of the large solid.
1. Mate
To flip between a mate and align constraint:
• Click on the dialog bar.
• Click Flip in the placement panel.
• Right-click in the graphics window and choose Flip from the shortcut menu.
The top surface of the small solid is aligned with the top surface of the large solid.
2. Align
Predefined Sets
About Predefined Constraint Sets
Predefined constraint sets define the movement of a component in an assembly. A
predefined constraint set contains constraints that define a type of connection, with
or without a motion axis. Connections define a particular type of motion. After you
decide which connection allows the type of motion you want, select it from the list
and appropriate constraints appear. These constraints cannot be deleted, changed,
or removed. New constraints cannot be added.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
52
The Rigid, Weld, User-Defined, and Ball predefined sets do not have motion axes.
A Ball constraint set has motion, but it has no axis.
All predefined constraint sets are editable in Mechanism Design. For more
information search the Simulation functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Select the motion axis in the Navigation and Collection area. The Motion Settings
Properties area appears for you to specify motion axis properties.
Set Types
Components placed with predefined constraint sets are underconstrained by intent to
retain one or more degrees of freedom. After configuring a predefined constraint set,
drag the component to ensure that it is placed correctly to allow the desired motion.
• Rigid—Connects two components so that they do not move relatively to each
other. They are constrained with any valid set of constraints. Components so
connected become a single body. Rigid connection set constraints are similar to a
user-defined constraint set.
1. Mate
2. Align
• Pin—Connects a component to a referenced axis so that the component rotates
or moves along this axis with one degree of freedom. Select an axis, edge, curve,
or surface as an axis reference. Select a datum point, vertex, or surface as a
translation reference. A Pin connection set has two constraints: axis alignment
and planar mate or align or a point alignment.
Assembly
53
1. Axis Alignment
2. Translation
• Slider—Connects a component to a referenced axis so that the component
moves along the axis with one degree of freedom. Select edges or aligning axes
as alignment references. Choose surfaces as rotation references. A Slider
connection set has two constraints: axis alignment and planar mate/align to
restrict rotation along the axis.
1. Axis Alignment
2. Rotation
• Cylinder—Connects a component so that it moves along and rotates about a
specific axis with two degrees of freedom. Select axes, edges, or curves as axis
alignment references. A Cylinder connection set has one constraint.
1. Axis Alignment
• Planar—Connects components so that they move in a plane relatively to each
other with two degrees of freedom in the plane and one degree of freedom
around an axis perpendicular to it. Select Mate or Align surface references. A
Planar connection set has a single planar mate or align constraint. The mate or
align constraint may be flipped or offset.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
54
1. Planar Mate
• Ball—Connects a component so that it can rotate in any direction with three
degrees of freedom (360° rotation). Select points, vertex, or curve ends for
alignment references. A Ball connection set has one point-to-point alignment
constraint.
1. Point Alignment
• Weld—Connects one component to another so that they do not move relatively
to each other. The component is placed in the assembly by aligning the
coordinate system of the component with a coordinate system in the assembly.
The component can be adjusted using the open degrees of freedom in the
assembly. A Weld connection has one coordinate system alignment constraint.
1. Coordinate System
2. Assembly Default Coordinate System
• Bearing—A combination of Ball and Slider connections with four degrees of
freedom. There are three degrees of freedom (for 360° rotation) and movement
Assembly
55
along a referenced axis. For the first reference choose a point on the component
or the assembly. For the second reference choose an edge, axis, or curve on the
assembly or the component. The point reference can rotate freely about the edge
and move along its length. A Bearing connection has one point-on-edge
alignment constraint.
1. Point Alignment
2. Point
3. Translation Axis
• General—Has one or two configurable constraints that are identical to those in a
user-defined set. Tangent, point on curve, and point on nonplanar surface cannot
be used for a General connection.
• 6DOF—Does not affect the motion of the component in relation to the assembly
because no constraints are applied. The coordinate system of the component is
aligned to a coordinate system in the assembly. The X, Y, and Z assembly axes
are motion axes allowing rotation and translation.
1. Part Coordinate System
2. Coordinate System Alignment
• Slot—A point on a nonstraight trajectory. This connection has four degrees of
freedom, where the point follows the trajectory in three directions. Choose a
point on the component or the assembly for the first reference. The referenced
point follows the non-straight reference trajectory. The trajectory has endpoints
that are set when the connection is configured. A Slot connection has a single
point alignment to multiple edges or curves constraint.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
56
1. Point Alignment
2. Point
About Bodies
A body is a group of components that are rigidly controlled with no degrees of
freedom within the group. The constraints used to place a component determine
which parts belong to a body. The software automatically defines bodies based on
these constraints.
You create an assembly in Pro/ENGINEER by combining components, including parts
and subassemblies. You use the Component Placement dashboard in Assembly to
define the relationship of the component you are adding to your assembly.
There are two types of constraint sets on the Component Placement dashboard. You
can use user-defined constraint sets, such as mate and align, or you can use
predefined constraint sets to define connections. If you assemble two components as
partially constrained, a connection is assumed.
The way that you define the bodies in your assembly impacts the way you create
predefined constraint sets in the following ways:
• You can create predefined constraint sets only between distinct bodies.
• When specifying predefined constraint sets for a Mechanism Design connection
on the Component Placement dashboard, you can only reference a single body in
the assembly and a single body in the component being placed.
• When you select the first assembly entity for a predefined constraint set, you can
select entities only from the same body for the remaining constraints of that
connection. This is also true when selecting the component references.
Ground components (parts and subassemblies) in a mechanism do not move with
respect to the assembly. You can include several parts or subassemblies in the
ground body. To define a ground body, fully constrain a component with constraints
that reference the default assembly datums or a part or assembly already in ground.
If you underconstrain the component, it isl not placed in the ground body and is
considered a new body.
The best way to review bodies is by opening the Bodies folder in the Mechanism
Model Tree. Click Show > Mechanism Tree in the Model Tree to open the
Mechanism Model Tree in Assembly.
For more information, search the Simulation functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
Assembly
57
To Define a Body as Ground
1. Open an assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The File Open dialog box
opens.
3. Select a component (part or subassembly).
4. Click Open. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
5. Select Default from the constraint list. The Constraint Type becomes Default.
6. Click .
Note: Because of improved ground body functionality, Mechanism Design models
created prior to Pro/ENGINEER 2001 can lose ground body associations for certain
components. In this case, you must redefine the component placement.
Tip: Creating Ground Bodies
Keep the following principles in mind if you are creating a new assembly or adding
new components (parts or bodies) to ground:
• When creating a new assembly, use the templates so that a default coordinate
system and datum planes are automatically defined. The assembly and its
features (coordinate system and datum planes) are ground.
• Fully constraining a component to the assembly with a default constraint places
that component in ground.
• A component is considered ground only when it is fully constrained to a
component or feature that is already in ground.
Note: A component can become part of ground when it is only partially constrained
if the enable_implied_joints configuration option is set to no.
Example: Flipping Connections
Use the Flip command to flip pin, cylinder, slider, bearing, and slot connections and
reverse the original orientation of the motion axes. Select the connection in the
placement panel, and then choose one of the following actions:
• Click in the dialog bar.
• Click Flip in the placement panel.
• Right-click in the graphics window and choose Flip Connection from the
shortcut menu.
• Select the motion axis drag handle in the graphics window, right-click, and
choose Flip Connection from the shortcut menu.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
58
When a connection is flipped, the directions of the motion axes are flipped. The
translational and rotational axis directions were flipped in the figure below. The
regeneration value and motion limits are also flipped.
1. Axis alignment
2. Translation
Example: Flipping the Orientation of a Component
When you assemble a component with an axis alignment or insert constraint, you
can reverse its location or orientation. To reverse the location or orientation of the
component, choose one of the following actions:
• Click on the dialog bar.
• Click Flip in the placement panel.
Assembly
59
• Right-click in the graphics window and choose Flip constraint from the shortcut
menu.
About the Mechanism Design Model Tree in Assembly
Mechanism design and movement is based on connections between moving bodies.
As you configure your assembly by using predefined constraint sets, Pro/ENGINEER
automatically assigns components to bodies. Connections between bodies are not
visible in the Assembly Model Tree. To view bodies in the Assembly Model Tree, add
the Body # column to the tree. For more information about the Tree Columns
dialog box, search the Fundamentals functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help
Center.
A simplified version of the Mechanism Design Model Tree is available in Assembly,
although the mechanism entities are not displayed. Use it to view and edit the
predefined constraint sets configured between the bodies. In the Model Tree click
Show > Mechanism Tree. The Mechanism Design Tree appears in the bottom
section of the Model Tree. Both panes will be affected if you change Tree Filters and
Tree Columns.
The Mechanism Design Model Tree displays your model's bodies in a separate
Bodies folder. This folder contains the folders you selected in the Mechanism tab of
the Model Tree Items dialog box including the Ground folder, Body folders and
the Excluded Components folder. The Ground folder contains Incoming
Connections and Body Contents folders. Each Body folder contains Incoming
Connections, Outgoing Connections, and Body Contents folders. The Excluded
Components folder contains components excluded from dragging operations,
components excluded by simplified representations, and suppressed objects. Body
contents and connections are not displayed in this folder. Envelopes and Motion
Skeletons are displayed in the Mechanism Design Model Tree as well.
Right-click a component in the Assembly Model Tree or in the Mechanism Design
Model Tree to edit it. The selected component or entity in the Mechanism Design
Model Tree is highlighted in the Assembly Model Tree and vice-versa. The entity is
highlighted on the model in the graphics window as well.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
60
Tip: For large models with several connections, you can often find a specific
connection in the Model Tree more easily than on the model.
About Motion Axes in Predefined Constraint Sets
In predefined constraint sets, motion axes:
• Determine which placement constraints are used to place the component in the
assembly. The constraints restrict the motion of bodies relative to each other,
reducing the assembly's total possible degrees of freedom (DOF)
• Define component motion limits
Before selecting a predefined constraint set with a motion axis, you must understand
how the placement constraints and degrees of freedom are used to define
movement. Each motion axis is associated with a unique set of geometric constraints
that define specific Degrees of Freedom. DOF define allowable translational or
rotational movement (or both) of a component in the assembly.
Define properties for the motion axis in the Placement panel of the Component
Placement dashboard:
• The default zero position is the initial placement position of a reference on the
component relative to a reference on the assembly.
• The zero position is the current manually set zero position.
• The motion axis regeneration value determines the position of the component in
the assembly when the model is regenerated. The regeneration value of a motion
axis is a dimension that can be used in family tables, relations, and wherever
dimensions are used. This value is ignored during dragging and analysis
operations. A motion axis regeneration value can be set in the Component
Placement dashboard when placing the component or while editing a motion axis
in Assembly. In Mechanism Design, it can be set from the Motion Axis definition
dialog box.
• Limits on the motion axis, friction, and restitution of the axis are constraint set
parameters. Use the motion settings options of the Placement panel to set these
parameters. Click Dynamic Properties to set friction and restitution
parameters. To simulate impact forces for a motion axis, specify a value for the
coefficient of restitution. The coefficient of restitution is defined as the ratio of the
velocity of two entities before and after a collision.
Note: Although configured motion axes are visible in Assembly mode, it is easier to
redefine them in Mechanism Design where conflicts between different motion axes
are visible. In Assembly, each motion axis is configured independently and conflicting
motion limits are not visible.
For more information, search the Simulation functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
To Set Zero Position References
1. Open an assembly.
Assembly
61
2. Insert a new component, or select a component, right-click in the Model Tree or
graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The
Component Placement dashboard appears.
3. Open the Placement panel, or right click and choose Add Set from the shortcut
menu.
4. Define a connection for a new component.
5. Select the motion axis in the Placement panel. The collectors below the motion
axis activate and the motion settings options appear in the Properties area.
6. Select references on the component and assembly. This is the default zero
position. The Current Position becomes 0.00 and the Motion Settings options
activate.
7. To set a new zero position, move the offset drag handle to position the
component in a new location and click Set Zero Position. The Current Position
updates to 0.00.
8. Click the arrow adjacent to Set Zero Position and click Default Zero Position.
The Current Position updates to be the distance between the default zero
position and the current position of the component.
Zero Positions
The default zero position is the initial placement position of a motion axis component
reference relative to an assembly reference. To use a different position as the zero
position, move the position of the component and click Zero Position. This new zero
position is now the reference for the current position offset, the regeneration value,
and maximum, and minimum limits of component movement. To use the default
zero position as the zero position reference, click Default Zero Position.
The offset of the zero position from the default zero position is called the zero
position offset. This is a motion axis parameter and can be used in relations and
Family Tables.
To Set the Motion Axis Regeneration Value
1. Open an assembly.
2. Insert a new component, or select a component and right-click in the Model Tree
or graphics window and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The
Component Placement dashboard appears.
3. Open the Placement panel.
4. Select an existing motion axis or define a new one. The Zero Position collectors
below the motion axis activate and the Motion Settings options open in the
properties area.
5. Select Zero Position references. The Current Position box lists the current
positions of the chosen references displayed in relation to each other.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
62
6. Set the regeneration value using one of the following operations:
o Enter a value in the text box and click .
o Drag the component handle to the location for the regeneration value,
right-click, and choose Set Regen Value from the shortcut menu. The
value changes as the component is moved.
An invalid value cannot be entered. The new regeneration value appears in the
Regen Value box
Note: Valid regeneration values are:
Regeneration value >= Minimum Limit
Regeneration value <= Maximum Limit
For a rotational axis the default minimum limit is -180 degrees and the default
maximum limit is 180 degrees. The difference between the minimum and
maximum limits cannot exceed 360 degrees, and must be greater than zero.
7. To enable the regeneration value, select the Enable regeneration value check
box. To disable the regeneration value and leave the motion axis free of
constraints, clear the check box, or right-click the connection drag handle and
choose Disable Regen Value from the shortcut menu.
Note: When a connection is flipped, the regeneration value is also flipped.
Regeneration Values
When you enter a regeneration value, a connectivity check is automatically
performed. This ensures that only a valid value is entered in respect to regeneration
values defined for other motion axes in the assembly. When the assembly fails to
connect for the value entered, the component is made transparent and repositioned
outside the assembly with dashed lines showing its place in the assembly. When this
happens, undo the value entered or continue with the definition to ensure proper
placement in the assembly.
To Set Motion Limits
1. Open an assembly.
2. Insert a new component, or select a component, right-click in the Model Tree or
graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The
Component Placement dashboard appears.
3. Open the Placement panel.
4. Select an existing motion axis or define a new one. The Zero Position collectors
activate and the Motion Settings options open in the properties area.
5. Select the Zero Position check box references.
6. Set a regeneration value if required.
Assembly
63
7. Click the Maximum Limit check box and enter a number or drag the connection
handle, right-click it, and choose Set Maximum Limit from the shortcut menu.
The maximum should be greater than or equal to the regeneration value (when
set). For a rotational axis, the maximum value is automatically 180.00 (in
degrees).
8. Click the Minimum Limit check box and enter a number in the text box, or drag
the connection handle, right-click it and choose Set Minimum Limit from the
shortcut menu. The minimum should be less than or equal to the regeneration
value (when set). For a rotational axis, the minimum value is automatically -
180.00 (in degrees).
9. To disable a motion limit, clear a motion limit check box, or right-click the
connection handle and choose Disable Maximum Limit or Disable Minimum
Limit from the shortcut menu. The motion limit is ignored in dragging and
mechanism operations.
Note: When a connection is flipped, the motion limits are also flipped.
To Set Motion Axis Dynamic Properties
1. Open an assembly.
2. Insert a new component, or select a component and right-click in the Model Tree
or graphics window and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The
Component Placement dashboard appears.
3. Open the Placement panel.
4. Select an existing motion axis or define a new one. The Select component zero
reference and Select assembly zero reference collectors below the motion
axis activate and the motion settings options appear in the Properties area.
5. Select zero references.
6. Set motion settings.
7. Set the regeneration value.
8. Click Dynamic Properties. Select the Coefficient of Restitution check box
and enter a value.
9. Select or clear the Enable Friction check box to enable or disable friction.
10. Enter values for:
o Static Coefficient of Friction —The friction force that prevents the
surfaces of the connection from moving against each other until motion
begins. Values allowed: between one and zero.
o Kinetic Coefficient of Friction —The friction force that prevents the joint
surfaces from moving freely against each other, slowing the motion. Values
allowed: between one and zero.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
64
o Contact Radius (Rotational axes) —The distance between the motion axis
and the point of contact. The value should be greater than zero.
For more information, search the Simulation functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
Using Motion Axis Parameters and Dimensions in Family Table Instances
Defining Family Table instances for motion axis properties and dimensions in
Assembly enables fast, efficient analysis in Mechanism Design. Only one analysis
must be defined for all instances of the component, enabling easy comparison
between different dynamic property values for the same component.
Motion limits and dynamic properties can be used in Family Tables. These
parameters are used to define different instances of the same component. A hinge,
for example, can be used in several doors with different motion limits in each door.
Select the Parameter option on the Family Items dialog box (Tools > Family
Table). Select Connection from the Look In list. All motion parameters for the
selected connection are in the list. The parameters for a disabled predefined
constraint set or suppressed component are unavailable unless they were added
before the component was suppressed or the predefined constraint set disabled.
The Regeneration Value is a dimension in a Family Table to define different
configurations of an assembly. It is available in the graphics window when you select
the Dimension option on the Family Items dialog box.
Note: For more information on Family Tables, search the Fundamentals functional
area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Convert User-Defined Constraint Sets to Predefined Constraint Sets
1. In the Model Tree, right-click the partially constrained component and choose
Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
2. Select the user-defined constraint set that will automatically convert to a
predefined constraint set.
3. Right-click in the graphics window and choose Convert to Connections from the
shortcut menu, or click in the dashboard.
Note: This option is for user-defined constraint sets with valid predefined constraint
sets. The status area indicates whether the definitions are complete.
About Editing Springs and Dampers in Assembly
Springs and dampers created as features in Mechanism can be edited in Assembly.
To edit a spring or damper in Assembly, select it from the Model Tree, right-click and
choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu, or click Edit > Definition. The
Mechanism spring icons are not visible in the Assembly graphics window.
Assembly
65
To Display Connections in the Graphics Window
1. Click View > Display Settings > Model Display. The Model Display dialog
box opens.
2. Select Connections. Connections are now displayed in the graphics window.
Packaged Components
About Packaged or Partially Constrained Components and Mechanisms
Packaged components are not fully constrained in an assembly. There are two
reasons for leaving a component packaged or partially constrained in an assembly:
• When you add a component to an assembly, you may not know where it fits best,
or you might not want to locate it relative to the geometry of other components.
Use packaging as a temporary means of placing the component. To package a
component, close the Component Placement dashboard before the component is
fully constrained, or clear the Allow Assumptions check box.
• When you add a mechanism component to the assembly, a user-defined
constraint set or a predefined constraint set (connection) determines the degrees
of freedom the component has in the assembly.
Adding packaged components in an assembly
Use the Add command in the PACKAGE menu to place components in an assembly
without constraining them relative to neighboring parts. Components placed in this
manner are nonparametric.
When adding a packaged component, you can create placement references to fully
constrained components or to packaged components. This defines an assembly
design before all placements constraints are known for all parent components. When
you place a component by referencing a packaged parent it is called a Child of
Packaged component. A unique Child of Packaged icon , similar to the
Packaged Component icon , is used in the Model Tree to indicate a component
that is placed with references to a packaged parent. The component is shown as
Child of Packaged in the Model Tree Status column. The icon is used only for first-
level children of a packaged component.
Packaged components follow the behavior dictated by the package_constraints
configuration file option.
As a design grows, the placement of children of packaged components may not
remain as you intended because of the extra degrees of freedom. You can use the
Fix constraint to fix, or fully constrain, a packaged component in its current location,
in relation to its parent assembly.
Note: Place a subassembly independently if you want a more immediate coordinate
system, closer to the active packaged components.
You can reposition a packaged component using the Insert > Component >
Packaged > Move dialog box or the Drag dialog box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
66
You can change the placement of a component, regardless of how it was assembled,
without having to redefine it.
When you add a component as a packaged component, the Move dialog box opens.
Choose a Move option and move the pointer to position the packaged component,
then click to drop the part at the required position. When a component is positioned
in this manner, positioning is absolute, not relative to other components.
Mechanism assemblies
You can assemble a component using a user-defined or predefined constraint set
(connection) to retain degrees of freedom for component movement in the assembly.
These components are packaged and are marked as packaged in the Model Tree.
Connections define a specific type of movement in the assembly. Use the Drag
dialog box to move the component and check for interference with other components
in the assembly. Components placed using predefined constraint sets that reference
more than one packaged components are themselves packaged components. They
have degrees of freedom that allow them to move independently of any one
component.
Configuration File Options for Moving Packaged Components
The following configuration file options control the behavior of package moved
components:
• comp_assemble_start—Controls where the component is initially shown. The
values are package (the default) and constrain_in_window.
• package_constraints—Controls the behavior of partially constrained
components. You cannot build children from them. The values are update, freeze, and disallow.
o If the configuration option is set to update, the component continues to
follow the assembly constraints you have specified.
o If the option is set to freeze, the component behaves the same as a
packaged component; that is, it does not follow the specified constraints.
o If you set it to disallow, the component must be fully constrained before
you can leave the package interface.
• comp_rollback_on_redef—Controls whether the system rolls back the assembly
when you redefine a component. The values are yes (the default) and no.
• allow_package_children—Controls the ability to reference packaged
components. If it is set to feature, you can only make feature references to
packaged components. The all setting (the default) allows both feature and
placement references to packaged components. The none setting disallows both
feature and placement referencing.
Use the Ref Control dialog box to toggle between allowing and disallowing
referencing packaged components.
Assembly
67
• package_ref_alert—Controls whether the system displays a confirmation
prompt whenever you select a placement reference to a packaged component.
Referencing packaged components can result in loose, or unfixed, placements
that can cause unexpected placement behavior after minor geometric
modifications. Therefore, whenever you select a placement reference to a
packaged component, the system alerts you and requests confirmation to use the
reference. The values are yes (the default) and no.
• spin_with_part_entities—Controls whether datum planes, axes, and
coordinate systems move with the components when you place or package
moving components using the mouse. The values are yes (the default) and no.
While dragging components, obtain visible feedback about their position based on
datum references, especially for components that contain only datum features
and no solid geometry.
To Package a New Component in an Assembly
1. In an open assembly, click Insert > Component > Package > Add. The GET
MODEL menu displays the following options:
o Open—Opens the File Open dialog box to select a component
o Sel On Model—Allows you to select any component in the graphics window
and adds a new occurrence of it to the assembly.
o Sel Last—Adds the last component assembled or packaged.
2. Choose the required option and select a component. The Move dialog box opens.
3. Adjust the position of the packaged component.
4. Click Done/Return.
Note: The first component of an assembly cannot be a packaged component.
However, you can package additional occurrences of the first component.
Moving Packaged Components
Use the Insert > Component > Packaged > Move dialog box to translate or
rotate packaged components that you positioned using the Add option, as well as
components that were left with incomplete constraints.
Keep in mind the following:
• After you add a component to an assembly, it is not removed when you choose
Cancel on the Move dialog box.
• As you move a component, the system records each movement until it completes
the placement. You can use the Undo command until the component reaches its
initial position. You can use Redo in the same way.
• When using Adjust and View Plane to move a component, the system reorients
the component so that the desired surface is perpendicular to the view direction.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
68
The Move dialog box is similar to the Move panel on the Component Placement
dashboard and has the following options:
• Motion Type area—Determines the type of motion:
o Orient Mode—Orients the component with respect to specific geometry.
Select the packaged component, then right-click in the graphics window to
access the Orient Mode shortcut menu.
o Translate—Moves the packaged component by dragging it parallel to an
edge, axis, plane, or the viewing plane; perpendicular to a plane; or until a
face or axis on that component becomes coincident with another.
o Rotate—Rotates the packaged component about an edge, axis, or point on
the view plane; or until a face or axis on that component becomes aligned
with another.
o Adjust—Aligns the packaged component to a reference entity on the
assembly.
• Motion Reference area—Select the direction reference:
o View Plane—Uses the viewing plane as the reference plane (repositions
the component in a parallel plane).
o Sel Plane—Uses a plane other than the viewing plane as the reference
plane (repositions the component in a plane that is parallel to it).
o Entity/Edge—Uses an axis, straight edge, or datum curve (repositions the
component in a line parallel to it).
o Plane Normal—Uses a plane as the reference plane and repositions the
component in a line that is normal to it.
o 2 Points—Uses two points or vertices (repositions the component in a line
that connects them).
o Csys—Uses a coordinate system axis (repositions the component according
to the coordinate system direction).
• Motion Increments area—Select Translate or Rotate, and then set the
increment by selecting a value from the list or entering a value. To drag the
component without apparent incrementing, choose Smooth.
• Position area—Enter the relative distance from the start point to the new
component origin.
• Undo—Undoes the last motion.
• Redo—Redoes the last motion.
• Preferences—Displays the Preferences dialog box with the following options:
o Dynamic Drag—Snaps the component to placement constraints while
dragging (default).
Assembly
69
o Modify Offsets—Modifies the offset dimensions while dragging the
component.
o Add Offsets—Adds offset dimensions to Mate and Align constraints
initially created without offsets.
o Snap Options—Sets the tolerance distance and angle for active snapping.
o Drag Center—Selects a new drag origin point.
To Fix the Location of a Packaged Component
1. In an open assembly, click Insert > Component > Package. The PACKAGE
menu appears.
2. Select Fix Location.
3. Select the packaged component to be placed from the Model Tree or in the
graphics window. The system fully constrains the packaged component in its
current location.
Note: Alternatively, you can select the component in the Model Tree or graphics
window, right-click and choose Fix Location from the shortcut menu.
To Finalize Packaged Components
Packaged components are not parametrically positioned in the assembly. That is,
changes made to neighboring parts do not drive their location. This makes packaging
useful when you are experimenting with different configurations in your assembly.
However, once you know where components go, you should finalize their position.
Select Insert > Component > Package > Finalize, and then select the packaged
component. The Component Placement dashboard appears. Configure the placement
definition.
After you finalize a packaged component, you can no longer move it with the
Package Move functionality. Its placement can, however, be modified or redefined
using the Component Placement dashboard.
About Packaged or Partially Constrained Components and Mechanisms
Packaged components are not fully constrained in an assembly. There are two
reasons for leaving a component packaged or partially constrained in an assembly:
• When you add a component to an assembly, you may not know where it fits best,
or you might not want to locate it relative to the geometry of other components.
Use packaging as a temporary means of placing the component. To package a
component, close the Component Placement dashboard before the component is
fully constrained, or clear the Allow Assumptions check box.
• When you add a mechanism component to the assembly, a user-defined
constraint set or a predefined constraint set (connection) determines the degrees
of freedom the component has in the assembly.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
70
Adding packaged components in an assembly
Use the Add command in the PACKAGE menu to place components in an assembly
without constraining them relative to neighboring parts. Components placed in this
manner are nonparametric.
When adding a packaged component, you can create placement references to fully
constrained components or to packaged components. This defines an assembly
design before all placements constraints are known for all parent components. When
you place a component by referencing a packaged parent it is called a Child of
Packaged component. A unique Child of Packaged icon , similar to the
Packaged Component icon , is used in the Model Tree to indicate a component
that is placed with references to a packaged parent. The component is shown as
Child of Packaged in the Model Tree Status column. The icon is used only for first-
level children of a packaged component.
Packaged components follow the behavior dictated by the package_constraints
configuration file option.
As a design grows, the placement of children of packaged components may not
remain as you intended because of the extra degrees of freedom. You can use the
Fix constraint to fix, or fully constrain, a packaged component in its current location,
in relation to its parent assembly.
Note: Place a subassembly independently if you want a more immediate coordinate
system, closer to the active packaged components.
You can reposition a packaged component using the Insert > Component >
Packaged > Move dialog box or the Drag dialog box.
You can change the placement of a component, regardless of how it was assembled,
without having to redefine it.
When you add a component as a packaged component, the Move dialog box opens.
Choose a Move option and move the pointer to position the packaged component,
then click to drop the part at the required position. When a component is positioned
in this manner, positioning is absolute, not relative to other components.
Mechanism assemblies
You can assemble a component using a user-defined or predefined constraint set
(connection) to retain degrees of freedom for component movement in the assembly.
These components are packaged and are marked as packaged in the Model Tree.
Connections define a specific type of movement in the assembly. Use the Drag
dialog box to move the component and check for interference with other components
in the assembly. Components placed using predefined constraint sets that reference
more than one packaged components are themselves packaged components. They
have degrees of freedom that allow them to move independently of any one
component.
Assembly
71
Unplaced Components
About Unplaced Components
Unplaced components belong to an assembly without being assembled or packaged.
These components appear in the Model Tree but not in the graphics window, as they
are not placed geometrically in the assembly. Unplaced components are indicated by
in the Model Tree.
Constrain or package unplaced components by selecting them from the Model Tree,
and then right-click and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. After a
component is constrained or packaged, it cannot be reverted to unplaced. Unplaced
components can be included or excluded when creating a bill of material and are not
accounted for in mass properties calculations. When its parent assembly is retrieved
into memory, an unplaced component is also retrieved.
You can perform actions on unplaced components that do not involve any knowledge
of either the placement in the assembly or its geometry. For instance, you can
associate an unplaced component with a layer, but you cannot create a feature on an
unplaced component.
Note: When a component is declared to belong to an assembly by modifying its
relationship in a PDM system or Pro/INTRALINK, that component is left unplaced in
the assembly until it is either explicitly constrained or packaged.
To Create an Unplaced Component
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create. The
Component Create dialog box opens.
2. Select Part and enter a name in the Name box or leave the default name.
3. Click OK. The Creation Options dialog box opens.
4. Create a component either by copying from an existing component or leaving the
component empty.
5. Check the Leave Component Unplaced check box in the placement box.
6. Click OK. The component is added to the Model Tree but does not appear in the
graphics window.
To Place an Unplaced Component
To place an unplaced component, redefine the component and establish placement
constraints.
1. Right-click the component and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu or
click Edit > Definition.
2. The Component Placement dashboard appears. The component appears in a
separate window.
3. Place the component in the normal way.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
72
To Include an Unplaced Component
1. In an open assembly, click Insert > Component > Include. The Open dialog
box opens.
2. Select the component to be included in the assembly.
3. Click Open. The component is added to the Model Tree but does not appear in
the graphics window.
Assembling Components to a Pattern
About Assembling Components to a Pattern
Use a pattern to quickly assemble multiple instances of a component. Place the first
component (pattern leader) in the assembly, and then select it from the Model Tree
and pattern multiple placement definitions. You can assemble multiple instances of a
component to a pattern in the following ways:
• Reference—Assembles the first component to the leader of an existing
component or feature pattern, then use Reference to pattern it. This option is
only available when a pattern already exists.
• Fill—Assembles the first component on a surface, and then use a sketch on the
same surface to generate a component fill pattern.
• Dimension (Nontable)—Assembles the first component on a surface with Mate or
Align offset constraints. Use the offset values of the constraints applied as
dimensions to create a nontable standalone pattern.
• Axis—Assembles the component to the center of the pattern. Select a datum axis
to define and enter the angle between pattern members and the number of
members in the pattern.
• Direction—Assembles component in a specified direction. Select a plane, flat
surface, linear curve, coordinate system, or axis to define the first direction.
Select a similar reference type to define the second direction.
• Curve—Assembles components to a referenced curve in the assembly. Open
Sketcher from the Reference panel to sketch a curve if there are no existing
curves in the assembly.
• Table—Assemble the first component on a surface with Mate or Align offset
constraints. Use the offset values of the constraints applied as dimensions. Click
Edit to create a table, or click Table and select an existing table pattern from the
list.
A pattern leader is indicated by , and the pattern members are indicated by .
To exclude a pattern member, click the corresponding black dot. The dot changes
, and the pattern member is excluded. Click the dot again to include the pattern
member.
Use the same method to pattern groups as you would use to pattern components.
Assembly
73
Note: A component created in the context of an assembly with the Create First
Feature option cannot be patterned. For detailed information on patterns, search
the Part functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Example: Assembling a Component to a Pattern
The figure below shows how a component is assembled to a pattern.
1. Mate
2. Insert
3. Pattern of four holes
4. Components assembled to the pattern
The number of instances (holes) of the pattern determines the number of
components (bolts) to be assembled. Therefore, if you modify the number of
instances (holes) in the pattern, the number of required components (bolts) is
updated.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
74
The figure below shows how the number of assembled components automatically
updates when a pattern is modified. The number of instances has been changed to 6.
After regeneration, the number of bolts automatically updates to the number of
holes.
To Assemble Components to a Reference Pattern
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble or drag a
component from the browser into the assembly session.
2. Place the component. The placement references you select from the assembly
must be from the pattern leader of a previously patterned assembled component
or assembly feature.
3. Select the component in the Model Tree and do one of the following to open the
Pattern dashboard:
o Click .
o Right-click in the graphics window and select Pattern from the shortcut
menu.
o Click Edit > Pattern.
4. In the first box select Reference. Reference appears only when the component
is assembled relative to an existing pattern.
5. If the existing pattern is part of a group that is patterned, choose one of the
following options:
o Feature—Reference the feature pattern.
o Group—Reference the group pattern.
o Both—Reference both patterns.
6. Click to approve and complete the pattern feature. The component assembles
to every member of the pattern. Placement constraints that do not belong to the
Assembly
75
pattern are common to all components. If you modify one component, every
other component is automatically modified as with a feature pattern.
Assembling Components to a Reference Pattern
A component assembled to references of a pattern in an assembly can be patterned
by referencing this pattern. The Reference option is automatically selected when
the pattern dashboard appears. For example, to place bolts into a pattern of holes,
you must specify the assembly constraints only once, between the bolt and the first,
or leader, hole.
When assembling components to a reference pattern, keep in mind the following
rules:
• You can select references from two patterns in a set of placement constraints,
but the system uses only the first pattern for subsequent components.
• If you assemble a component to an assembly feature that is the leader of the
pattern, you cannot reference this pattern.
• Components placed in the assembly and used as a reference pattern can be used
to assemble another pattern of components. For example, if you have bolts
assembled in a pattern of holes using the Reference option, you can use
Reference again to assemble a pattern of nuts directly to the bolts.
• If the existing pattern is part of a group and that group is patterned, the new
pattern can reference the feature pattern, the group pattern, or both patterns.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
76
Example: Assembling to Group Patterns
In the figure below, the pattern of holes was created as a feature pattern that was
grouped and patterned. The bolts are assembled as a pattern that references the
feature pattern, the group pattern, and both patterns.
1. Component assembled to feature pattern
2. Component assembled to group pattern
3. Component assembled to both patterns
About Dimension Patterns
You can create a dimension-driven pattern to specify multiple occurrences of a
component in an assembly. The dimension-driven pattern uses assembly constraint
dimensions such as Mate or Align offset values. The rules for creating a dimension-
driven pattern are the same as those for feature patterning in Part mode.
Note: If you must redefine a dimension pattern, redefine the component placement
first, and then redefine the pattern.
Assembly
77
To Assemble Components to a Dimension Pattern
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble or drag a
component from the browser into the active assembly session.
2. Place the component with at least one offset type constraint. To create the
pattern, you must specify the offset values that you want to use as references.
3. Select the component in the Model Tree and do one of the following operations to
open the Patten dashboard:
o Click .
o Right-click in the graphics window and choose Pattern from the shortcut
menu.
o Click Edit > Pattern.
4. In the first box select Dimension.
5. Click the Dimensions tab, select a dimension in the assembly, and enter an
incremental value, or drag the handle to the required location.
6. Click the Direction 2 box or right-click the graphics window and select Direction
2 Dimensions from the shortcut menu to enter a second dimension, or drag the
handle to the required location.
7. Select the second dimension in the assembly and enter an incremental value.
8. Enter the number of members in each dimension in the respective boxes.
9. Click .
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
78
Example: Assembling a Component to a Dimension Pattern
In the figure below, a component assembled with an align offset value is patterned
using the offset values as the driving dimensions. The part in the figure assembled
once and patterned.
1. Component assembled with align offsets of 3
2. Bidirectional dimension pattern
About Assembling Components to a Table Pattern
With a table pattern, you can create a complex pattern easily. All selected
dimensions and Family Table instances of the component in the table pattern are
controlled for each member of the table pattern. Each pattern member is a row in
the table pattern. The dimensions chosen and Family Table instances are variables in
the table columns. Variable dimensions can be any or all dimensions, the distance
between members of the pattern, and component dimensions.
Assembly
79
To Assemble Components to a Table Pattern
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble or drag a
component from the browser into the active assembly.
2. Place the component with at least one offset type constraint. To create the
pattern, you must specify the offset values that you want to use as references.
3. Select the component in the Model Tree and do one of the following operations to
open the Patten dashboard:
o Click .
o Right-click in the graphics window and choose Pattern from the shortcut
menu.
o Click Edit > Pattern.
4. In the first box select Table.
5. Select the pattern dimensions.
6. Click Edit. The Pro/Table dialog box opens. If the component has Family Table
members, the Model and the selected dimensions appear with their values. You
can set or add models as pattern members, and you can edit new dimensional
values and model names in this column.
Assembly Intersections in Table Patterns
All intersected pattern members are shown on visible assembly features with correct
assembly cuts. Each pattern member has its own intersection that is visible only in
the top assembly. Assembly cuts appear in each occurrence at the part level, as they
do in regular assemblies with multiple occurrences of the same models.
To Replace All Pattern Members Using Family Tables
1. Expand the pattern feature in the Model Tree.
2. Right-click the pattern leader in the Model Tree or select a pattern member in the
graphics window and choose Replace from the shortcut menu, or click Edit >
Replace. The Replace dialog box opens.
3. Select the Family Table option in the Replace list.
4. Click . The Family Tree dialog box opens.
5. Select a different instance and click OK. You return to the Replace dialog box.
6. Click OK. All pattern members are replaced by the new family table instance.
To Replace Individual Pattern Members Using Family Tables
1. Right-click the pattern feature in the Model Tree and select Edit Definition from
the shortcut menu.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
80
2. Click Edit. The Pro/Table dialog box opens.
3. Enter the name of the new instance member in the Model column.
4. Click File > Exit.
5. Click .
About Replacing Pattern Members by a Family Table Instance
You can replace one instance of a Family Table with another in a pattern when you
use a reference common to all Family Table members for the initial placement of the
component. If any of the component’s instances do not contain all the placement
references used by the pattern leader, the instances cannot be placed in the pattern,
and the pattern fails. You must redefine the pattern leader placement references so
that the references are common to all pattern instances, or make the necessary
references available by editing the Family Table.
Individual members of a pattern can be replaced in a table pattern. Edit the pattern
table file, specify a Family Table instance name, and then replace individual
occurrences of the patterned component with members of its Family Table.
Manipulating Components
About Kinematic Movement of Components
Kinematic movement is the motion of a body or a system of bodies without
consideration to its mass or the forces acting on it. Partially constrained components
can be moved kinematically in the assembly. The system uses implied connections
derived from existing assembly placement constraints to move packaged
components. Components configured with motion axis connections are moved
kinematically using existing constraints and motion axes.
The following constraints display limited kinematic behavior:
• Tangent
• Point on curve
• Point on nonplanar surface
Set the enable_implied_joints configuration option to yes to allow kinematic
movement of components.
Excluding Flexible Components
A flexible component in an assembly will lock the assembly's kinematic movement.
To allow kinematic movement in the assembly, flexible parts can be excluded from
an assembly for the duration of the drag operation. A flexible component is excluded
automatically from the assembly drag operation when it is fully constrained with the
flexibility defined by distance dimensions. This definition allows the two assembly
entities to move separately. When the drag operation ends, the excluded component
is regenerated and updated to its new position and dimensions in the assembly. A
Assembly
81
flexible component placed with connections will prevent drag operations in the
assembly. The shape of the component does not change dynamically and the
assembly will not move.
A component that blocks kinematic movement of an assembly can be excluded
manually from the assembly by selecting it and choosing Exclude from Mechanism
from the shortcut menu.
Using Mirrored Subassemblies
All components of mirrored assemblies are fixed and cannot be moved kinematically.
Existing referenced subassembly mechanism connections are not copied to the
mirrored components. You can redefine the mirrored components so that they are
independent of the referenced subassembly. They can then be partially constrained
and dragged kinematically without regard to the referenced subassembly.
Moving Components Being Placed
About Moving Components
You can adjust the position of a component as it is being placed in the assembly
using one of the following methods:
• Set the comp_assemble_start configuration option to move_then_place. The
component attaches to the pointer. Drag the mouse to move the component. To
stop movement, click in the graphics window.
• Right-click and choose Move Component from the shortcut menu. Click and
release the mouse button in the graphics window and drag the mouse. To stop
movement, click in the graphics window. Choose a different option from the
shortcut menu to quit.
• Use keyboard shortcuts.
• Use the Move panel options.
To Move Components Using Keyboard Shortcuts
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
3. To move the component, use any of the following mouse and key combinations:
o Press and hold CTRL+ALT+ left mouse button and move the pointer to drag
the component.
o Press and hold CTRL+ALT+ middle mouse button and move the pointer to
spin the component.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
82
o Press and hold CTRL+ALT+ right mouse button and move the pointer to
pan the component.
o Press CTRL+SHIFT+ middle mouse button or click .
To Move Components Using Orient Mode
Whenever you use the Component Placement dashboard to place a component or
redefine placement constraints, a spin center for the active component is visible. You
can manipulate the active component or the entire model by activating Orient Mode
from the Pro/ENGINEER toolbar or from the Move panel of the Component
Placement dashboard.
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
3. Click Move on the Component Placement dashboard. The Move panel opens.
4. Do one of the following:
o Click or View > Orientation > Orient Mode. The red spin center
appears.
Middle-click in the graphics window and drag to spin the assembly and the
component.
Right-click in the graphics window and choose Orient Object from the
shortcut menu. The spin center changes to blue.
Middle-click in the graphics window and drag to spin the component being
assembled.
o Click Move. The Move panel opens.
Select Orient Mode from the Motion Type list.
Click the graphics window. The blue spin center appears.
Spin the component being placed.
Right-click the graphics window to open the Orient mode shortcut menu.
Note: For more information on Orient Mode, search the Fundamentals functional
area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Move Components Using Translate or Rotate
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
Assembly
83
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
3. Click Move on the Component Placement dashboard. The Move panel opens.
4. Select Translate or Rotate from the Motion Type list.
5. Click one of the following options and then follow the appropriate steps:
Relative in view plane—Moves the component parallel to the view plane.
a. Type or select an incremental value in the Translation or Rotation
box. You can also select Smooth to move the component smoothly.
b. Click the graphics window. The component moves by the chosen
increment each time you click. When you select Smooth, the
component moves when you drag the pointer.
c. Click again to place the component at the current location.
Motion Reference—Moves the component according to a selected motion
reference in the assembly. Reference types allowed are:
o Two datum points or two vertices to create an imaginary line.
o An axis or an edge. The component can then be moved along the selected
axis or edge.
o A coordinate system reference X, Y, or Z.
o A datum plane or surface to display Parallel and Normal options for
component motion.
a. Click Normal to move the component normal to the datum plane or
surface. Click Parallel to move the component parallel to the datum
plane or surface.
b. Type or select an incremental value in the Translation or Rotation
box. You can also select Smooth to move the component smoothly.
c. Click the graphics window. The component moves by the chosen
increment each time you click in the graphics window. When you select
Smooth, the component moves when you drag the pointer.
d. Click again to place the component at the current location.
e. Middle-click to return the component to the position it was before being
moved.
6. Continue to adjust placement as required.
7. To stop movement, click in the graphics window.
To Move Components Using Adjust
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
84
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
3. Click Move on the Component Placement dashboard. The Move panel opens.
4. Select Adjust from the Motion Type list.
5. Click one of the following options and then follow the appropriate steps:
Relative in view plane—Adjusts the component position normal to the view
plane.
Select a surface on the component. The component automatically adjusts with
the selected surface normal to the view plane.
Motion Reference—Adjusts the component position to a selected reference in
the assembly. Reference types allowed are:
o A datum point or vertex.
o An axis, edge, surface, or datum plane.
o A coordinate system direction X, Y, or Z.
a. Select Parallel or Normal.
b. Select Mate or Align as the constraint.
c. Enter an Offset value if required.
d. Select an Adjust Reference on the component. The component
position adjusts automatically.
6. To stop movement, click in the graphics window.
About Assembling Components by Proximity Snapping
Finding the correct set of constraints to assemble a component can sometimes be
tricky, even for an experienced user. The Snap function enables you to drag a
component to its approximate location in the assembly. When you move the
component in the assembly, a suggested placement appears as and highlighted for
both references as long as the pointer remains within a specific proximity. Accept the
placement by releasing the component, or refuse it by dragging the component
beyond the region.
By using the Snap functionality together with automatic constraint selection, you can
define constraints easily. For example, when you assemble a bolt to a plate with
many holes, snap and autoselection allow you to align and then mate or align the
bolt to the plate with the mouse. You can select the axis of the bolt, slide it close to
the axis of one of the holes on the plate, and then release the mouse button. The
bolt snaps to the axis of the hole, and the constraint is established. Now that the bolt
is aligned, position it for the next constraint. Select a surface on the bolt and slide
the bolt along the axis of the first constraint until it is close to a reference to which it
can mate or align. When you release the mouse button, the new constraint is
established automatically.
Assembly
85
The snap reference table shows how the system defines best-guess constraint types
to match the selected reference with another reference.
User-Selected
Reference Type
System-Matched Reference Type
Plane/Surface Plane or surface for Mate or Align
Axis Axis (possibly linear edges) for Align
Coordinate system Coordinate system for Align
Revolved surface Revolved surface for Insert
Cylinder Revolved surface for Insert: cylinder, sphere,
or plane for Tangent
Cone Revolved surface for Insert, cone for Mate
Other edges/curves No match
Other surfaces No match
Note: Snap is not available for:
• Tangent⎯For surfaces other than planar, cylindrical, or spherical
• Point on surface⎯For nonplanar surfaces
To Set Proximity Tolerance Allowances
To adjust the proximity sensitivity for the snap function when assembling
components, set the following configuration file options:
• Set comp_snap_dist_tolerance [0 to 1]. The snap tolerance is based on a
fraction of the camera view. This maintains a consistent snap distance based on
camera zoom.
• Set comp_snap_angle_tolerance to a value from 0 through 90. This sets the
allowed angle between the normals of two planes or between two axes. The angle
will be from 0 through 90°, allowing for an almost completely orthogonal snap.
To Set Drag Preferences
1. Select Tools > Assembly Settings > Drag Preferences. The Drag
Preferences dialog box opens.
2. In the Drag area, select any or all of the options:
o Dynamic Drag (default)—Drags the component while maintaining existing
constraints.
o Modify Offsets—Modifies offset dimensions while dragging.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
86
o Add Offsets—Adds offset dimensions to Mate or Align constraints initially
created without offsets.
3. Use the following options to control snapping:
o Select the Activate Snapping check box to enable snap during freeform
movement.
o In the Distance text box, change the default value to 0.100000 (units are
a fraction of the screen size).
o In the Angle text box, change the default value to 30.000000 (units are
degrees).
4. Select an option in the Drag Center area to control the spin center or origin of
movement:
o Model Center (default)
o Default Csys
Dragging Assembly Entities and Taking Snapshots
About Dragging and Taking Snapshots
Use the Drag command to move assembly entities through an allowable range
of motion to see how your assembly works in a specific configuration. The following
entities can be selected to initiate a dragging movement:
• Edge
• Point
• Axis
• Datum plane
• Surface of a body that is not defined as ground
The selected entity is positioned as close as possible to the current pointer location
while the rest of the assembly components stay connected to each other.
Controlling the Assembly Movement
To control how the assembly moves during the dragging operation, specify the
following:
• Drag entity (point or body)
• Drag constraints
• Lock and unlock bodies
• Enable and disable connections
Note: Placement definitions and constraints affect the range of motion.
Assembly
87
Using Snapshots
Use the Snapshots tab on the Drag dialog box to display a list of saved snapshots
of the assembly in varied configurations. After you move the components to the
desired location, you can save snapshots of your assembly in different positions and
orientations. Snapshots capture the existing locked bodies, disabled connections, and
geometric constraints.
Note: You can use the Drag command and take snapshots while placing a
component.
Using Constraints
Use the Constraints tab on the Drag dialog box to apply or remove constraints.
After you apply a constraint, its name is added to the constraints list. You can turn
the constraints on and off by selecting or clearing the check box next to the
constraint. Use the shortcut menu to copy, cut, paste, or delete the constraint.
Locking Assembly Bodies
Assembly bodies can be fixed relative to a single lead body. The locked bodies will
behave as if glued together, with no movement between them. The bodies do not
need to be touching or adjacent to be locked together.
To Drag Assembly Entities: Points and Bodies
You can drag points and bodies.
To Drag a Point
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. Click and select a point to drag on a body within the current model. An
indicator appears. During the dragging operation, the point you selected
follows the pointer's movement while maintaining connections.
Note: You cannot select ground for point dragging.
3. Move the pointer. The selected point follows the pointer's location.
4. To complete the operation, take one of the following actions:
o Click to accept the current body positions and begin dragging another body.
o Middle-click to end the current dragging operation (the body returns to the
initial position) and start a new one.
o Right-click to end the dragging operation (the body returns to the initial
position).
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
88
To Drag a Body
When you drag a body, its position in the graphics window changes but its
orientation remains fixed. If the assembly requires that a body be reoriented in
conjunction with a change in position, the body will not move at all, since the model
cannot reassemble in the new position. Should this happen, try using point dragging
instead.
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. Click and select a body from the current model.
3. Move the pointer. The selected body follows the pointer's location.
4. To complete the operation, take one of the following actions:
o Click to accept the current body positions and begin dragging another body.
o Middle-click to quit the current dragging operation (the body returns to the
initial position) and start a new one.
o Right-click to quit the dragging operation (the body returns to the initial
position).
To Apply Constraints During a Dragging Operation
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. Click Snapshots and select a snapshot from the snapshots list. The name
appears in the Current Snapshot text box.
3. Click the Constraints tab and then click one of the following options to create a
temporary constraint:
o —Select two points, two lines, or two planes. The entities remain
aligned during the dragging operation.
o —Select two planes. The planes remain mated during the dragging
operation.
o —Select two planes to orient at an angle to each other.
o —Select a motion axis to specify motion axis position. You can define
multiple constraints for the same motion axis. However, only one can be
enabled at any given time.
o —Select bodies to be locked together.
o —Select a connection. The connection is disabled.
4. Click or clear a constraint check box. This enables or disables the constraint.
Assembly
89
5. Click to assemble the model using your temporary constraints. Enter the
offset value for any mate or align constraints. Enter a value for angle or distance,
if you have chosen an orientation constraint.
6. Drag a point or body. The specified constraints are applied.
Note: To delete a selected constraint from the list, click .
To Specify the Position of a Motion Axis While Dragging
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. On the Constraints tab of the Drag dialog box, click .
3. Select a motion axis. The new constraint is added to the constraints list. The
Value box displays the current value of the motion axis for the configuration in
the graphics window. To edit the value, select the constraint, enter the desired
position value, and press ENTER. You can specify a positive or negative value.
4. Take a snapshot of the assembly with the specified constraint to save the
configuration.
Note: Constraints are defined in the context of the snapshot. The snapshot contains
all existing constraints. If a snapshot is not saved, the constraints are not saved.
To Copy Constraints from One Snapshot to Another
Note: The snapshot to be copied from and the snapshot to be pasted into must be
on the Snapshot list in the Drag dialog box.
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. On the Snapshots tab, click the snapshot from which the constraint definition
will be copied.
3. Click the Constraints tab and select the constraints to be copied.
4. Right-click and select Copy from the shortcut menu.
5. On the Snapshots tab, select the snapshot to which the constraints will be
pasted.
6. On the Constraints tab, click Paste. Duplicate constraints are ignored from the
paste operation. Therefore, if you paste constraints from snapshot A to snapshot
A, nothing changes.
To Orient Planes and Surfaces During a Dragging Operation
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. On the Constraints tab, click .
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
90
3. Select two planes or surfaces in the assembly.
4. Enter an Offset value.
To Lock a Body Prior to a Dragging Operation
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. On the Constraints tab, click .
3. Select the lead body, then select a set of follower bodies to be locked during the
dragging operation. The follower bodies remain fixed relative to the lead body.
Note: When the Drag dialog box is closed, all locks are removed. No bodies or
connections will be locked when a new dragging session begins.
To Capture a Snapshot
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. Click Snapshots and position the assembly entities as desired.
3. Click the Constraints tab to constrain the assembly entities.
4. Click to save the current configuration to the snapshot list.
5. Enter a new name in the Current Snapshot text box to replace the default
snapshot name.
To Make Snapshots Available as Exploded Views
This procedure makes snapshots available as exploded views in Drawing mode.
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. To make the snapshots available, select one or more snapshots and click . A
visual indicator appears next to the snapshot name.
3. To turn off snapshot availability at a later time, highlight the snapshot and click
.
Snapshots and Exploded Views
The snapshot and the exploded state are linked. If you change the snapshot, the
exploded state changes. When editing or deleting a snapshot in which the exploded
state is in use, be aware of the following considerations:
• Any changes to the snapshot are reflected in the exploded state.
• The exploded state becomes unlinked when the snapshot is deleted. The
exploded state is still available but is independent of the snapshot. If you then
Assembly
91
create a snapshot with the same name as the deleted snapshot, the exploded
state associates itself with the new snapshot.
To Use Snapshot Construction
Use snapshot construction to create a snapshot that uses part positions from
previously saved snapshots.
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. Select a target snapshot into which you want to paste a part position.
3. Click . The Snapshot Construction dialog box opens.
4. Select the snapshot from which to borrow part positions. The selected snapshot's
configuration appears.
5. Select those parts to be copied.
6. Click OK. The position of the selected parts merges into the original snapshot.
Note: Click on the Pro/ENGINEER toolbar to undo the position.
To Edit a Snapshot
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. On the Snapshot tab, select a saved snapshot.
3. Click . The snapshot configuration appears in the main window.
4. Enter a new name in the Current Snapshot text box to rename the snapshot.
5. Edit the assembly configuration by dragging it to a new configuration.
6. Click .
To Remove a Snapshot
1. Click . The Drag dialog box opens.
2. On the Snapshot tab, select a snapshot from the list.
3. Click .
To Exclude a Flexible Component from a Dragging Operation
1. In the Model Tree, right-click the flexible component to be excluded from the
dragging operation. The shortcut menu appears.
2. Choose Edit Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
92
3. Click Flexibility > Add Var Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
4. To automatically exclude the component from dragging operations, create, or use
an existing varied dimension that connects two bodies using the Distance
method.
a. Select Distance from the Methods list. The Measure dialog opens.
b. Select two entities in the assembly that drive the value. Defining the
dimensions varied item as the distance between two bodies, allows the
flexible component to be updated to a new location during regeneration
following a dragging operation.
5. Click . The flexible component is now excluded from the assembly during
dragging operations.
6. Click OK.
Note: To include an excluded flexible component in the assembly click in the
Varied Items dialog box.
About Excluding Components from Dragging Operations
A moveable or flexible component, such as springs, hinges, skeleton parts, or
datums lock the referenced components to form one body during dragging
operations. This eliminates the degrees of freedom required to move the assembly.
Locked components can be excluded from the assembly for the duration of the
dragging operation, enabling kinematic movement of the assembly. Regeneration of
the assembly updates these components to the new position. Components can be
reincluded after dragging operations.
Components excluded form mechanism operations are moved to the Excluded
Components folder in the Mechanism Design Tree. This folder contains all
components excluded from the assembly, suppressed components, and those
specifically excluded.
To Exclude or Include a Component During Dragging Operations
1. Click Show > Mechanism Tree in the Model Tree. The Mechanism Tree appears.
2. In the Model Tree or the Mechanism Tree, right-click the component to be
excluded or included during the dragging operation. The shortcut menu appears.
1. To exclude a component during a dragging operation, choose Exclude from
Mechanism. The component is moved to the Excluded Components folder and
will now be exclude from the assembly during dragging operations.
Note: The excluded component is removed from the appropriate Body Contents
folder in the Mechanism Tree.
2. To include a component during a dragging operation, choose Include to
Mechanism. The component is returned to the appropriate Body Contents
folder in the Mechanism Tree.
Assembly
93
Collision Detection
About Collision Detection Settings
Collision detection settings provide dynamic collision detection during the assembly
process and during dragging operations. While you are placing a component, you can
verify that its movement is not affected by an assembled component. Use collision
detection in dragging operations to ensure that no components interfere with the
movement of a selected component. Stop movement when a collision is detected, or
continue moving the component and get a continuous collision view.
Set the configuration option enable_advance_collision to yes to enable advanced
options.
To Set Collision Detection Settings
Collision detection settings can be set in Assembly and Mechanism Design.
1. Click Tools > Assembly Settings > Collision Detection Settings. The
Collision Detection Settings dialog box opens.
2. Select General Settings to set the collision detection during drag operations.
o No Collision Detection—Performs no collision detection and enables a
smooth dragging even in case of collision.
o Global Collision Detection—Checks for any kind of collision in the entire
assembly and indicates it according to the option chosen.
o Partial Collision Detection—Specifies the parts between which to check
for collision. You are prompted you to select parts. Press and hold CTRL to
select more than one part.
3. Select Include Quilts to include surfaces as a part of the collision check only
during global or partial collision detection.
4. Select Optional Settings. These settings are only active for Partial or Global
Collision when the enable_advance_collision configuration option is set to
yes.
o Stop When Colliding—Stops movement if there is a collision.
o Highlight Interfering Volumes—Highlights the interfering entities. The
default when the configuration option is set to no.
o Push Objects on Collision—Shows the effect of the collision.
Note: In large assemblies with many bodies, the advanced collision detection
options can cause very slow movement of the assembly.
5. Select Ring Message Bell When Colliding to sound a warning bell upon
collision. This box is available only for the Stop When Colliding and Push
Objects on Collision options.
6. Click OK.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
94
Using Component Interfaces
About Automatic Placement of Components
Components are often assembled using the same constraint types and references.
Automatic placement allows faster constraining of components and simultaneous
placement of multiple instances of one component. Components can be placed in an
assembly by automatically matching component interfaces to interfaces or geometry
in the assembly. You can set a default interface to be used when assembling
components or select one manually. Use the following methods to automatically
place components in your model:
Drag-and-Drop Automatic Placement
You can drag components into your assembly from the Pro/ENGINEER browser.
Preselect references before assembling a component or select a drop location within
Pro/ENGINEER to help find the closest matching geometry. The
autoplace_single_comp configuration option must be set to yes to enable
automatic drag-and-drop placement of components:
Automatic Placement Using Interfaces
Define component interfaces to automate component placement. A component
interface can be matched to an interface or to geometry in the assembly. Interfaces
can be defined during component placement. Use assembly conditions or rules to
ensure that the component is placed according to design intent.
About Component Interfaces
Component interfaces contain stored constraints or connections that are used to
quickly place a component. After an interface is defined, it can be used whenever the
component is placed in an assembly. Additional interface information, such as
assembly conditions, can also be specified.
Predefined component interface templates can be used to define connections
(predefined constraint sets). The assembly references are then selected from a
predefined list. Constraints of a predefined interface cannot be removed, disabled, or
added, and the types cannot be changed, however, selected references can be
replaced.
You can create component interfaces in both Part mode and Assembly as features
that appear in the Model Tree. There are three types of interfaces:
• Placing—Interfaces created in components used to place the component. They
are identified by in the Model Tree Footer Interfaces folder. Placement
constraints are visible whenever sets and constraints are displayed in the Model
Tree. To move a placing interface from the Footer folder and make it a feature in
the component, right-click the interface name and select Move From Footer
from the shortcut menu. The interface is removed from the Footer folder and
can be dragged to a different location in the Model Tree. To return the interface
Assembly
95
to the footer, right-click and choose Move To Footer. When a component has
one or more placing interface, it will have a default interface.
• Receiving—Interfaces created in assemblies used to receive a component
interface. They are identified by in the Model Tree. To move the assembly
interface to the Footer folder, right-click and select Move to Footer from the
shortcut menu. A receiving interface cannot be set as a default interface.
• Either—Interfaces created in components that can be used as placing or
receiving interfaces. A component with this type of interface will have a default
placement interface.
Component interfaces can be defined as follows:
• Configure a placement set using the Component Placement dashboard, right-click
in the graphics window, and choose Save as Interface.
• Click Insert > Model Datum > Component Interface to open the Interface
Definition dialog box. Define conditions or rules to specify an assembly
reference.
You cannot use Interface to Geometry placement to automatically place components
if the interface contains the following constraints:
• Edge on Srf
• Align constraint with an edge reference
• Pnt on Srf
• Pnt on Line
• Tangent
Configured interfaces are not visible in the graphics window. It is recommended to
name interfaces that will be propagated to other places in the assembly. To set a
feature note, right-click the interface in the Model Tree and choose Setup Note >
Feature from the shortcut menu. The Note dialog box opens.
For more information on Notes, search the Fundamentals functional area of the
Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Note: You can place components with predefined flexibility using interfaces. Define
flexibility in the Varied Items dialog box before using the interface to place the
component.
To Define a Component Interface
1. In an open assembly, click Insert > Model Datum > Component Interface.
The Component Interface dialog box opens.
2. Accept the default name or enter a new one in the Interface Name box or the
Properties tab Name box.
3. Accept the User Defined Interface Template.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
96
4. Choose a type from the Placement/Receiving Interface list:
o Either—A receiving or placing interface
o Receiving—A receiving assembly interface
o Placing—A placing component interface
5. Select the reference surface, axis, or datum plane of the component for the first
constraint.
6. Select additional component references. Each selected reference is added as a
new constraint.
7. Use the tabs to define the current interface Properties and Criteria.
8. Click OK. The interface is displayed in the Model Tree footer in the Interfaces
folder, or the receiving interface appears in the Model Tree.
To Define a Component Interface Template
1. In an open assembly, click Insert > Model Datum > Component Interface.
The Component Interface Definition dialog box opens.
2. Accept the default name or enter a new one in the Interface Name box.
3. Choose an Interface Template from the list to use a predefined placement set.
4. Choose a type from the Placement/Receiving Interface list:
o Either—A receiving or placing interface
o Receiving—A receiving assembly interface
o Placing—A placing component interface
5. Select references for each of the predefined constraints.
6. Use the tabs to define the current interface Properties and Criteria.
7. Click OK. The interface is displayed in the Model Tree footer in the Interfaces
folder, or the receiving interface appears in the Model Tree.
To Edit a Component Interface
Right-click the component interface in the Model Tree footer, and select one of the
following options:
• Delete—Deletes the interface.
• Group—Groups the selected interfaces.
• Rename—Renames the interface.
• Edit Definition—Opens the Interface dialog box to edit the interface definition.
• Edit References—Opens the Menu Manager to edit the interface references.
Assembly
97
• Pattern—Patterns the interface.
• Setup Note > Feature—Opens the Note dialog box and insert a graphic feature
note.
• Info—Opens the browser or the Reference Information window. Choose Feature
or Model to display information in the Pro/ENGINEER browser. Choose
Parent/Child to open the Reference Information Window.
• Move From/To Footer—Moves the interface in the Model Tree to or from the
footer.
• Edit Parameters—Edits interface parameters.
Note: Both Copy and Paste commands are available for interfaces, although Paste
Special is not.
To Place a Component Using Interface Matching
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open
dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
3. To use an interface other than the default interface, select it from the Configured
Interfaces list.
4. Click Options. The Options panel opens. Select all required options:
o Include temporary interfaces—Use temporary interfaces.
o Include sub model interfaces—Use interfaces in all submodels.
o Enable criteria mismatch—Place even when criteria do not match.
o Check interference of matches—Match interfaces that do not interfere
with other components.
5. Select an Interface Placement option and continue placement using Interface to
Interface or Interface to Geometry.
Interface-to-Interface Matching
1. By default Interface to Interface is selected from the Interface Placement list.
2. Click each interface occurrence in the assembly (identified by ). An occurrence
of the component is automatically placed in this location.
3. To add an additional instance of the component, right-click in the graphics
window and select New Location from the shortcut menu, or click New
Location in the Placement panel.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
98
4. To automatically place multiple occurrences of the component, follow the steps
below:
5. Click Auto Place. The Auto Place dialog box opens.
6. Select an automatic placement option:
o Search for locations within the active assembly—Searches for
placement locations in the assembly using interface-to-interface matching.
o Select items to define the search scope—Searches for components or
interfaces in the assembly placement search area. Define the area.
7. Click Find Now. The locations found appear in the locations found list.
8. Select a location from the locations found list and click to move it to the
locations selected list. The component is placed in this location in the
assembly.
9. Click Preferences to change the Max number of locations to show additional
placement locations in the list.
Interface-to-Geometry Matching
1. Select Interface to Geom from the Interface Placement list.
2. Select assembly geometry placement references.
3. To add an additional instance of the component, right-click the graphics window
and select New Location from the shortcut menu, or select New Location in
the Placement panel.
4. To automatically place multiple occurrences of the component, follow the steps
below:
5. Click Auto Place. The Auto Place dialog box opens.
6. Select an automatic placement option:
o Screen Point—Searches for the nearest available location. Click in the
assembly.
o Select items to define the search scope—Searches for components or
features in the assembly placement search area. Define the area.
7. Click Find Now. The locations found appear in the locations found list.
8. Select a location from the locations found list and click to move it to the
locations selected list. The component is placed in this location in the
assembly.
9. Click Preferences to change the Max number of locations to show additional
placement locations in the list.
Assembly
99
For Both Interface Matching Options
1. Click Close to accept the placement definitions.
2. Click .
To Redefine Component Placement Using Interfaces
1. In the Model Tree, right-click the component to be redefined and choose Edit
Definition from the shortcut menu. The Component Placement dashboard
appears.
2. Click .
3. Select a component interface from the Configured Interfaces dashboard list or
double-click the interface name in the graphics window and select the interface
name from the list.
4. Select an Interface Placement option.
5. Place the component using the selected interface. Click the See Also link To Place
a Component Using Interface Matching.
6. Click .
To Save a Component Interface When Placing a Component
1. Click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
3. Select required constraints and references.
4. Right-click in the graphics window and choose Save as Interface from the
shortcut menu. The Save as Interface dialog box opens.
5. Accept the default name or enter a new one. Enter a description of the interface
if desired.
6. Click OK. A new component interface is saved.
Note: You can also right-click a component in the Model Tree and select Edit
Definition from the shortcut menu. Select the required placement set in the
Placement panel and proceed from step 4.
About Setting Rules for a Component Interface
An interface-to-interface match consists of two interfaces, that of the component and
that of the assembly. Criteria, or match conditions, are set to reduce the number of
possible matches and to capture design intent.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
100
Criteria are defined for:
• A specific placement reference—Criteria applies to the matching reference in the
receiving component interface
• For the entire component interface—Criteria applies to the entire receiving
component interface.
Use the Rule Editor dialog box to set criteria for component and assembly interface
match conditions:
• Look For—Searches for surfaces, datum planes, points, coordinate systems,
axes, edges and vertices.
• Look By—Searches for items that belong to components and features.
• Attributes—Searches for items based on their name and criteria.
• History—Searches for all items based on their creation order or ID.
• Status—Searches for items based on their layer status.
Use the Query Builder to combine rules when searching. Click Add New to add the
newly defined rule to the Query Builder.
To Set Rules for Assembly Conditions
1. Click Insert > Model Datum > Component Interface, or right-click an
interface in the Model Tree and select Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
The Component Interface dialog box opens.
2. Configure an interface, or select an existing interface and click Criteria > Edit
Rules. The Rule Editor dialog box opens.
3. Specify rules for component interface conditions and click OK.
About Placement Preferences
Click Tools > Assembly Settings > Placement Preferences to set preferences
for automatic component placement. The preferences you set apply to all models in
the Pro/ENGINEER session.
Your preferences also determine the options in the Component Placement
dashboard, the search sequence for interfaces, and the maximum number of
matches listed. Some of these options appear in the Options panel as well. A
change made in the Placement Preference dialog box during the current session,
overrides set configuration options.
• Select Interface—Select an option for placing components using interfaces:
o Default—Uses the default interface.
Select a Placement option:
Multiple—The Component dashboard appears and the Auto Place dialog
box is open.
Assembly
101
Single—The Component Placement dashboard appears.
o From List—Uses the interface selected from the list. The Component
Placement dashboard appears.
o None—Does not use an interface for placement.
Note: When you select Default or From List, you can also select Use
Temporary Interfaces. Temporary interfaces are automatically created based
on previous assembly instructions.
• Auto Place Settings—Sets the maximum number of matches listed. Enter a
value for the Max Matches Number.
• Drag and Drop—Select Auto Assemble Single Component to automatically
use the closest placement to the drag-and-drop location.
• Advance Interface Search—Click to display and select all Advanced Search
Options needed:
o Check interference of matches—Shows only matches that do not
interfere with other components.
o Check criteria mismatch—Places the component even when criteria do
not match.
o Include sub model interfaces—Uses interfaces in all sub models.
o Ignore non-displayed Items—Ignores all items that are not displayed in
the graphics window.
o Default Search Area—Sets the default search area as a percentage of the
graphics window.
To Edit Placement References
1. In an open assembly, select the component to edit in the Model Tree or graphics
window, right-click, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
2. Double-click a constraint tag, or right-click the active constraint tag and choose
Edit References in the graphics window. The shortcut placement panel appears.
3. To change references, select a new reference on the assembly, the component,
or both. The references automatically update.
4. To change the constraint type, select a reference, right-click, and choose
Remove from the shortcut menu. Then select a different constraint from the list
and select references as required.
5. Click or press ESC to close the shortcut placement panel.
6. Click to accept the new placement references.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
102
Placement Preference Configuration Options
Some placement preferences can be controlled by setting the following configuration
options:
• autoplace_single_comp—Place the component at the first position satisfying the
interface definition.
• create_temp_interfaces—Create a temporary component interface and
automatically place a component.
• comp_assesmble_with_interface—Assemble a component multiple times using
an interface.
About Placing a Component Using Temporary Interfaces
Whenever a component is placed in an assembly, the system "remembers" the
placement set definition. When the same component is again placed in the assembly,
you can place it using the temporary interface.
To create a new temporary interface, activate temporary interface placement and
place the component without using a previously defined interface. The number of
temporary interfaces available is equal to the number of placement definitions for the
component in the assembly.
Temporary interfaces are saved with the assembly and are only available for
component placement in the assembly in which they were defined. Temporary
interface names cannot be changed.
Note: Best practice dictates the configuration of interfaces in the component before
component placement. Placement definition criteria can then be more rigidly
controlled and a more efficient workflow created. Temporary interfaces do not
convey design intent.
To Activate Temporary Interface Placement
1. In an open assembly, click Tools > Assembly Settings > Placement
Preferences. The Placement Preferences dialog box opens.
2. Choose From List as the Select Interface option.
3. Select Use Temporary Interfaces.
4. Click OK.
Assembly
103
Nested Interfaces
About Nested Interfaces
A nested interface uses previously defined interfaces as references. This allows the
propagation of engineering intent and criteria to more than one level of the
assembly. Use nested interfaces to:
• Customize placement options—A nested interface can contain connections. Each
subinterface is a set that the user can enable or disable at will.
• Use interfaces designed in submodels—Nested interfaces at the assembly level
can contain subinterfaces from different, lower levels in the assembly.
• Define criteria to propagate engineering sense—Criteria defined for an interface
are propagated up in to the assembly hierarchy when the interface is included in
a nested interface.
An interface cannot be selected twice as a reference for a nested interface, although
it can be selected for more than one nested interface. Conflicting criteria from
subinterfaces is ignored.
Assembly-level nested interfaces can include subinterfaces from any assembly level.
Interface hierarchy is presented in the Model Tree when placement sets are
displayed.
To Define a Nested Interface
1. In an open assembly, click Insert > Model Datum > Component Interface.
The Component Interface dialog box opens.
2. Select Nested from the Constraint Type list. A table appears on the
Placement tab. The name of the constraint changes to Nested followed by a
number.
3. Select an interface from the Model Tree footer. The reference table displays the
geometric references for the selected interface.
4. Add additional references to the nested interface. Only interfaces can be selected
as references.
5. Click .
About Placing a Component with a Nested Interface
Component placement using a nested interface is similar to placing a component
using a regular interface. Each subinterface with matching assembly geometry is
considered a set.
The nested interface is placed in the assembly by selecting a reference type:
• Interface to geometry matching—Geometry references in subinterfaces are
matched to geometry references in the assembly.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
104
• Interface to interface matching—Geometry references in the subinterfaces are
matched to geometry references in the assembly interface. When a connection is
defined, the subinterfaces must match the assembly interface for a connection to
be configured.
Note: A subinterface placement constraint set inherits the name of the subinterface.
When the component subinterface and the assembly interface have names, the set
inherits the component subinterface name.
Working with Assembly Components
About Working with Assembly Components
Pro/ENGINEER treats components in an assembly as it treats features in a part.
Therefore, you can use the component operations commands in Assembly Design the
way you use feature operations commands in Part mode. Some component
operations are accessed through the Edit > Component Operations command
while others are accessed by right-clicking the component on the Model Tree and
making a selection from the shortcut menu.
Component operations include the following tasks:
• Copying
• Grouping
• Deleting
• Suppressing, freezing, and resuming
• Rerouting references
• Reordering
• Redefining placement constraints
• Defining flexibility
• Patterning
• Replacing
To Create a Group of Components and Features
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Select components and features from the Model Tree or graphics window, right-
click, and choose Group from the shortcut menu. The selected components and
features are grouped.
Note: The Group command can also be accessed by clicking Edit > Component
Operations > Group.
Assembly
105
To Place an Assembly User-Defined Feature
Note: UDFs created in Assembly cannot be used in Part mode and vice versa.
1. Create a UDF in an assembly.
2. Click Insert > User-Defined Feature. The Open dialog box opens.
3. Select the created UDF group file and click Open. The Insert User-Defined
Feature dialog box opens. Select UDF settings as follows:
o Make features dependent on dimensions of UDF—Toggles the
dependency of the copied group on changes to feature dimensions specified
in the UDF file.
o Advanced reference configuration—Places the UDF group by mapping
references. Clear this check box to manually define feature placement using
the feature redefinition interface. Features included in the group are
redefined one by one.
o View source model—Retrieves and display the UDF source (reference)
model in a separate window.
4. Click OK. The User Defined Feature Placement dialog box opens to the
Placement tab.
5. Select a reference from the References of Original Features list. The reference
is highlighted in the reference model window.
6. Select a matching reference for the user-defined feature from the Model Tree or
graphics window. The selected item appears in the reference collector.
7. Repeat the previous two steps for all the references on the References of
Original Features list.
5. Depending on the features in the UDF, specify datum plane directions,
silhouette edges, and hole location.
8. Click . The GRP PLACE menu appears. Select one of the following
commands:
o Redefine—Change UDF references.
o Show Result—Preview created geometry.
o Info—View UDF information window.
o Done—Confirm group placement.
To Delete a Component from an Assembly
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Select a component from the Model Tree or the model itself.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
106
3. Click Edit > Delete and choose one of the following options:
o Delete—Deletes the component and its children from the assembly.
o Delete to End of Model—Removes the component and all the components
that follow it in the active assembly.
o Delete Unrelated Items—Removes all components in the active assembly
except the selected component and its parents.
Note: You can also right-click the component in the Model Tree and choose
Delete from the shortcut menu.
To Delete Pattern Member Components
Right-click a pattern feature on the Model Tree and select Delete Pattern from the
shortcut menu. All instances of a patterned component except the pattern leader and
the pattern definition are removed.
To Insert a Component in the Regeneration List
To insert a component before another component in the active assembly, drag
Insert Here in the Model Tree to the desired location and add the new component.
To Reorder Components in an Assembly
You can reorder components in two ways:
• Select a component in the Model Tree and drag it into another place in the Model
Tree.
• Click Edit > Component Operations > Reorder and follow the instructions in
the message area.
To Reroute Placement References
1. Retrieve an assembly and select a component from the graphics window or Model
Tree.
2. Click Edit > Reference. Alternatively, select the component in the Model Tree,
right-click, and choose Edit References from the shortcut menu. The REROUTE
REFS menu appears. Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to roll back the model.
3. Click YES or NO. The REROUTE menu appears. Alternate reference to reroute is
the default.
o If you accept Alternate, select an alternate reference to reroute.
o If you click Same Ref, you are allowed to retain the original references.
4. Click Done on the REROUTE menu. The model regenerates automatically.
Assembly
107
About Suppressed Components
Suppressing a component temporarily removes it from the model, both physically
and visually. When you retrieve an assembly, any suppressed component is not
retrieved. This process saves time and memory when working with large assemblies.
Suppressed components do not appear in mass properties and cross sections, and
you cannot store them (using the Save As or Backup commands).
Unlike deleted components, suppressed components can be restored by using the
Resume command.
About Handling Children of Suppressed Components
Children of suppressed components can be:
• Suppressed and resumed when the parent component is resumed.
• Suspended temporarily until you assign new references when you quit the
Children Handling dialog box.
• Frozen in their original location until they can be regenerated successfully, either
by resuming the parent, redefining the placement, or rerouting the child.
When a child of a suppressed component is a member of a group, the entire group,
or only the group members affected, can be suppressed or frozen.
To Suppress Components and Assembly Features
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Select a component from the Model Tree or graphics window.
3. Click Edit > Suppress and choose one of the following commands from the
menu:
o Suppress—Suppresses the selected component and its children.
o Suppress to End of Model—Suppresses the selected component and all
the components that follow it in the active assembly.
o Suppress Unrelated Items—Suppresses all components in the active
assembly except the selected component and its parents.
Note: You can also select the component in the Model Tree, right-click, and
choose Suppress from the shortcut menu.
4. Click OK to confirm the action.
To Handle Children of Suppressed Components
1. Retrieve an assembly and select a component that has children.
2. Right-click and choose Suppress from the shortcut menu. The Suppress dialog
box opens.
3. Click Options. The Children Handling dialog box opens.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
108
4. Click Local or External to view the list of local and external children.
5. Clear the Suppress entire groups check box to select an operation for
individual group members affected by suppressing the parent.
6. Select a child object, then select an option from the Status list:
o Suppress
o Suspend
o Freeze
7. Repeat step 6 for all the objects.
8. Click OK.
Note: Frozen components are identified by in the Model Tree.
To Resume Components and Assembly Features
1. Suppress a component in an assembly.
2. Select a suppressed component from the Model Tree.
3. Click Edit > Resume and choose one of the following commands:
o Resume—Resumes the selected component in the assembly.
o Resume Last Set—Resumes the last suppressed component.
o Resume All—Resumes all suppressed components and features.
Note: You can also select the component in the Model Tree, right-click, and
choose Resume from the shortcut menu.
Displaying Component Annotations
Use the Tools > Assembly Settings > Display All Annotations command to set
the display of component annotations in the assembly. When the command is
activated, all annotations are displayed.
Note:
• By default the system displays the annotations of the active assembly component
only.
• The command setting is applicable only for the current session. To display all
component annotations when a new Pro/ENGINEER session is started, set the
visible_annotations_scope configuration option to all. The configuration
option setting does not impact the command setting and vice versa.
Assembly
109
Redefining Component Placement Constraints
About Redefining Placement Constraint Sets
After you place a component, you can redefine its placement constraints. Using the
Component Placement dashboard, you can add or remove constraints for the
active component, and redefine any of its constraints in the following ways:
• Change the following constraint types to the others in this list:
o Align
o Mate
o Orient
• Reset an Align constraint to forced or unforced
• Flip sides
• Modify the offset value
• Specify new assembly references
• Specify new component references
• Switch between allowing and disallowing system assumptions
When redefining component placement, you can select datums or make them on the
fly, as is the case when you are placing a component.
When you use the Default constraint, the system places the component at the
assembly origin.
Use the Fix constraint to fix the current location of the component that was moved
or packaged. The system fully constrains the packaged component in its current
location.
You can redefine components in a simplified representation that have not been
substituted or excluded in the current representation.
To Redefine Component Constraint Sets
1. Select the desired component from the Model Tree or main window and click Edit
> Definition or right-click the assembly or component in the Model Tree and
click Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
2. Select one of the constraints listed in the Navigation and Collection area of the
Placement panel. For each constraint, you can redefine any of the following
options:
o Constraint Type—Changes the constraint type to any reasonable type for
the assembly.
Note: You can only change the type for Align or Mate.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
110
o Assembly Reference—Specifies a new assembly reference (for example,
changes the surface on the assembly to which you are going to align the
component).
o Component Reference—Specifies a new component reference for a placed
component (for example, changes which surface on the component you are
going to align with the assembly).
3. You can select Remove or Add at any time:
o To delete a placement constraint for the component, select one of the
constraints listed and click Remove.
The system deletes the selected constraint from the current list and
updates the message in the Placement Status area. You may need to add a
new constraint.
o The Retr Refs option appears when you redefine a component in a
simplified representation, and that component depends on components that
are not in the simplified representation. Click Retr Refs to retrieve any
other components that define the location of the component.
o To add a new constraint to the current list, click Add. Select a type of
constraint from the Constraint Type list. Select a reference on the
component and a reference on the assembly, in either order, to define a
placement constraint. Click See Also for detailed information.
4. After you redefine the constraints for the active component, click .
NOTE: You can also use the Move options, but if the component has children, you
must fully constrain the component before exiting the interface.
Assembly Operations
Working with Assembly Features
About Assembly Features
Creating assembly features is like creating part features with certain differences and
restrictions. You can create assembly features such as datum planes, axes and
points, curves, and coordinate systems, or assembly features that remove material
such as holes, cuts, and slots. These features belong to the assembly and not to a
part. Assembly features display when the assembly is retrieved. You cannot create a
feature that adds material to the assembly.
Assembly datums are particularly useful for the following:
• Creating assembly cross-sectional views
• Creating assembly zones
• Placing components at an offset or angle
Assembly
111
• Creating a reference datum plane that intersects more than one component
Pro/ENGINEER labels assembly datum features as ADTM# (for example, ADTM1,
ADTM2, ADTM3), ACSYS#, APNT#, and so on. When you write relations using an
assembly datum plane, the system stores them with the assembly.
You can create assembly datum features at any time before assembling the first
part. You can also create a new coordinate system and a set of three orthogonal
datum planes for the assembly.
You can create assembly features other than datum features, such as:
• Features that remove material (hole, cut, slot)
• Pipe features
• Sketched cosmetic features
• User-defined features
Perform feature and component operations using the Edit or shortcut menu.
Additional commands are in the Edit > Feature Operations and Edit >
Component Operations menu.
Note: The Copy From command is not available.
To Create an Assembly Feature
1. Open or activate an assembly.
2. Select a feature from the Insert or Edit menus or use the feature toolbar.
3. Define the feature. These may be:
o Pipe and cosmetic features
o Features that remove material
o Datum features
Note: When you create assembly datum curves at the intersection of
surfaces, you must select assembly surfaces or features. You cannot
reference part surfaces.
o User-defined features that do not add material
To Edit an Assembly Feature
1. Select the feature in the in the Model Tree or graphics window, right-click, and
choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The feature dialog box opens or
the dashboard appears.
2. Edit the feature and click OK or .
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
112
To Copy an Assembly Feature
1. Click Edit > Feature Operations > Copy. The COPY FEATURE menu appears.
2. Choose an option:
o New Refs—Selects new references to copy the feature.
o Same Refs—Uses the same references to copy the feature.
o Mirror—Mirrors the feature.
o Move—Specifies whether you want to translate or rotate the new copy of
the feature relative to the original.
3. Choose a feature selection method:
o Select—Copies the selected feature.
o FromDifModel—Copies the feature from a different model.
o FromDifVers—Copies the feature from a different version.
4. Choose the type of copy:
o Independent—Section and dimensions of the copied feature are
independent.
o Dependent—Section and dimensions of the copied feature are dependent.
5. Click Done. The Select Feature menu appears. Choose an option:
o Select—Selects a feature in the graphics window.
o Layer—Selects features by layer.
o Range—Selects features by specifying a range of feature numbers.
6. Click Done. The Group Elements dialog box opens.
7. Select the Group Varied Item to be changed from the Menu Manager.
8. Click Done. You are prompted to enter a new varied item value.
9. Enter the value and click . You are prompted to choose a reference type:
o Alternate—Replaces the reference with an alternate reference.
o Same—Uses the original reference. The Intersected Comps dialog box
opens. Select the components the copied feature will intersect.
o Skip—Skips the selection of a reference.
o Ref Info—Opens the user defined feature INFORMATION WINDOW.
10. Click OK.
Assembly
113
About Copying Assembly Features
You can copy features in Assembly in the same way as in Part mode, with the
following exceptions:
• The All Feat option is not available.
• You can create a dependent or independent copy of an assembly feature.
• The copied feature is defined as a group.
Note: For more information, search for Copy in the Part Modeling functional area of
the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
About Skeleton Model Geometry and Assembly Features
Skeleton model geometry is different from regular assembly geometry and is not
affected by assembly-level features. Assembly features such as cuts and holes do not
intersect skeleton model geometry.
To intersect a skeleton model with a cut, select the skeleton model and click Edit >
Activate or right-click it in the Model Tree or graphics window and choose Activate
from the shortcut menu, then create the cut in the skeleton model.
Using Intersected Components
About Intersected Components
When you create an assembly feature that removes material, it intersects at least
one assembly component. The intersecting feature is visible in the Model Tree as an
assembly feature and as a feature of each of the intersected components.
Intersected component instances are invisible in Family Tables, the BOM, and in
Integrate Difference tables when you use the system-generated names. They are,
however, visible in Family Tables, the BOM, and Integrate Difference tables when
you give them a specific name.
Both the original and new instance models are in memory while the assembly feature
is present.
Use commands in the Intersected Comps dialog box to manipulate component
instance assignments:
• Auto Update Intrscts—Automatically updates the intersections.
• AutoAdd—Automatically selects components to intersect.
• Remove—Removes the selected intersected components.
• Info—Displays the model information for the current assembly level.
• Level—Selects the visibility level for feature intersections from the list.
• Show Feature Properties in Sub-Models—Copies features to the sub-model
(read only).
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
114
Right-click in the Intersected Comps dialog box to access the shortcut menu
commands:
• Remove
• Information
• Add Instance
• Part Level or Top Level
About the Intersect Panel User Interface
Creating a feature in an assembly is similar to creating one in a part. Note that the
Remove Material button in the feature dashboard is depressed and grayed out, you
cannot add material in an assembly.
Click the Intersect panel on the feature dashboard to set visibility options when
creating the feature.
The Automatic Update box is checked by default. This means that:
• Intersections are automatically updated on regeneration.
• All components added to the assembly before the assembly feature will
automatically be intersected on regeneration as well.
• No components are removed from the list of intersected components and
components assembled after the intersecting feature are not added.
By default, all components appear in the Intersected Models list. Clear the
Automatic Update box to manually remove components from the list, or change
the display level of a component.
The Default Display Level options allow you to set the visibility level of parts
intersected by the feature when you add them to the Intersected Models list:
• Part Level—Makes the new feature visible wherever this version of the part is
used, even outside the current assembly. This is similar to creating a feature in
an active part in an assembly.
• Top Level—Displays the feature only at the top-level assembly and creates
instances of intersected parts. Does not create external references.
Click Add Intersected Models to automatically add components with the same
visibility level to the list. The visibility level is displayed in the Intersected Models
List.
If you rename intersected component instances in the Model Tree, you cannot use
Add Intersected Models and Automatic Update when you edit the definition of
the feature.
Assembly
115
About Intersection Visibility
Using the default options to create a feature that removes material, stores all feature
information in the top-level assembly. You can specify the level at which the
intersection is visible.
The information used to create assembly feature intersection geometry is stored at
whichever level the assembly feature intersection appears as follows:
• When you display the intersection at the assembly level, the assembly feature is
only visible when you are in that assembly (the component is not affected).
• When you display the intersection at the component level, the assembly feature
is visible at that level and all levels above it.
The visibility level and intersected components list can be edited after the feature is
created by selecting the feature in the Model Tree, right-clicking and choosing
Intersect from the shortcut menu, or clicking Edit > Feature Operations >
Intersect.
When you display the assembly feature in a lower-level assembly, the system
creates an external reference in the lower-level assembly to the top-level assembly.
To Add an Intersected Component
1. In an open assembly with intersected components, right-click the feature that
removes material in the Model Tree and choose Intersect from the shortcut
menu. You can also activate an intersected component and click Edit > Feature
Operations > Intersect. The Intersected Comps dialog box opens.
2. Manually select components from the Model Tree or the graphics window to add
to the Model List.
Note: Use the Remove command to remove components from the Intersected
Comps dialog box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
116
Example: Selecting Parts to Intersect
The following figure is an example of a feature that intersects all parts in the
assembly and selected parts in the same assembly.
1. The feature intersects all parts of the assembly.
2. The feature intersects selected parts.
To Display Intersected Components
1. Click Edit > Feature Operations > Intersect and select an assembly feature,
or select the feature in the Model Tree or graphics window and choose Intersect
from the shortcut menu. The Intersected Comps dialog box opens.
2. Click a component from the Model List to highlight it in the graphics window.
To Specify Feature Visibility Levels
1. Open an assembly with an assembly feature.
2. Right-click the assembly feature that removes material in the Model Tree and
choose Intersect from the shortcut menu or click Edit > Feature Operations >
Intersect. The Intersected Comps dialog box opens.
3. Clear the Auto Update Intrscts box.
Note: When Auto Update Intrscts is selected, all components added to the
assembly before the feature are automatically intersected. Intersections are
automatically updated upon regeneration, and you must regenerate the assembly
to view results.
A component added to the assembly after the feature will not be intersected by
the feature even when Auto Update Interscts is selected.
Assembly
117
4. Choose a visibility Level:
o Part Level—Makes the new feature visible wherever this version of the
part is used, even outside the current assembly.
o Top Level—Displays the feature only at the top-level assembly and creates
instances of intersected parts. Does not create external references.
Note: The visibility level is shown as parts are added to the Model List.
5. Click to manually add parts to the Model List. Each model is added with the
current visibility level.
o To change the level of display, right-click the component in the Model List
and choose the level from the shortcut menu.
o Click AutoAdd to automatically add all components intersected by the
feature. All automatically added components have the same visibility level.
o Click Remove to remove a selected component from the Model List.
o Click Info to display the browser information window.
To Retrieve and Reintersect Assemblies Created before Pro/ENGINEER 2001
Assemblies with intersected components created before Pro/ENGINEER 2001 may
require updates when retrieved.
1. Set the configuration file option allow_redo_intersections to yes.
2. Click Edit > Feature Operations > ReIntersect. The RE INTR menu opens.
3. Choose one of the following options:
o All⎯Updates intersections of all assembly features in the assembly.
o Sel Part⎯Updates intersections of all assembly features intersecting
selected parts.
o Info⎯Displays an information window listing all assembly features in the
assembly.
4. Choose All or Sel Part to update the assembly.
5. Select the assembly or a component.
Before reintersecting assemblies, the system warns you that children not in
session will fail regeneration. It prompts you to retrieve all models that reference
the geometry created by the assembly feature into session.
6. If all children are not in session, choose Cancel from the CONFIRMATION
menu, retrieve the children that are not in session, and return to Step 1. If all
children are in session, choose Confirm. All intersections are updated.
If remnants of assembly feature intersections exist, the system displays another
information window, advising that they exist. The message describes possible
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
118
causes and lists the particular assemblies that have intersection remnants. If you
choose Cancel, the system does not remove remnants. Some of the intersections
may not be updated to the current style. Choose Confirm to remove the
remnants.
7. Once the intersections have been updated, save the assembly.
To Remove Intersected Components
1. Click Edit > Feature Operations > Intersect and then select an assembly
feature. You can also select the feature in the Model Tree or graphics window and
choose Intersect from the shortcut menu. The Intersected Comps dialog box
opens.
2. Select a model in the Model List, right-click, and choose Remove from the
shortcut menu or click Remove.
Multiple models can be selected for removal from the list.
o —selects all models in the list.
o —clears the selection of all models in the list.
About Assembly Features in Part
Assembly features that intersect parts can be set as visible at the part level. When
set such, the feature is considered to be a part feature as well. Suppressing an
assembly feature in Part mode, does not affect it in the parent assembly. Deleting
the feature in Part mode removes the intersection in the part at the assembly level.
You can modify the dimensions of the parent feature in Part mode provided the
parent assembly is in session. Regeneration only updates the current part. To update
other parts intersected by the feature, regenerate them individually or regenerate
the assembly. Features in an intersected part should not directly or indirectly
reference an assembly cut.
Modifying Assemblies
About Activating a Component in an Assembly
New features or other model data can be created for a component in an assembly.
Select the component from the Model Tree or graphics window, right-click and
choose Activate from the shortcut menu, or click Edit > Activate. In the Model
Tree an active component is indicated by:
• —Activated part
• —Activated subassembly
In an active component you can add or redefine features, edit relations and Family
Tables, and perform some setup actions. Operations that can be performed on other
Assembly
119
components in the assembly are limited to Edit, Hide, Unhide, and Info. The
inactive assembly components become grey and transparent.
After you have modified the component, you must activate the main assembly to
continue working.
To Activate a Component
1. In an open assembly, select a component in the Model Tree or graphics window,
right-click and choose Activate from the shortcut menu.
2. Use the shortcut menu or Edit Feature toolbar to edit the active component.
To Set Transparency of Inactive Assembly Components
When an assembly component is active, other shaded assembly components appear
transparent grey to indicate that they are inactive.
1. Set a value between 0 and 100 for the style_state_transparency configuration
option.
2. Click View > Display Settings > Model Display. The Model Display dialog
box opens.
3. Click Shade.
4. Click the Transparency check box.
Note: When you clear the check box, the inactive components are grey.
5. Select the type of transparency Stippled or Blended.
6. Click OK.
To Edit Dimensions in an Assembly
1. In an open assembly, select the component or feature in the Model Tree or
graphics window, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu. The
dimensions appear. For an active component, you can also double-click a feature
to edit dimensions.
2. Right-click the dimension to edit and choose Value from the shortcut menu, or
double-click the dimension. The Value box opens.
3. Change the value and press ENTER.
To Display Default Dimensional Tolerances
1. In an open assembly, do one of the following operations:
o Click Tools > Options. The Options dialog box opens. Set the
tol_display configuration file option to yes.
o Click View > Display Settings > Model Display. The Model Display
dialog box opens. On the General tab, select Dimension Tolerances.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
120
o Click Tools > Environment. The Environment dialog box opens. Select
Dimension Tolerances.
2. Click OK.
To Edit Default Dimensional Tolerances
To modify assembly tolerance values:
1. In an open assembly, display default dimension tolerances for the top-level
assembly.
2. Right-click a feature in the Model Tree and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The feature dimensions are displayed, including tolerances.
3. Select a tolerance from the lower-right corner of the graphics window and enter a
new value.
To modify component tolerance values:
1. In an open assembly, select a component in the Model Tree or graphics window,
right-click and choose Activate from the shortcut menu. The tolerance values
displayed are for the selected component.
2. Right-click a feature in the Model Tree and choose Edit from the shortcut menu,
or double-click a feature in the graphics window. Feature dimensions display
including tolerances.
3. Select a tolerance from the display of tolerance values in the lower right corner of
the graphics window and enter a new value. When you exit from this menu, or
when accessed form other operations such as Redefine, Suppress, or Resume,
the tolerance values switch back to those of the assembly level. The modified
values exist, but the values displayed are those of the assembly level.
About Assembly and Component Default Dimensional Tolerances
You can display and modify default dimensional tolerances for an assembly or for a
component in Assembly. The default dimensional tolerances are displayed below the
model in the graphics window.
All configuration file options for default values for tolerances apply to a part, an
assembly, or a component being modified in the context of an assembly.
To Set Relative Accuracy in an Assembly
1. In an open assembly, click Edit > Setup. The ASSEM SETUP menu appears.
2. Click Accuracy.
When the configuration file option enable_absolute_accuracy is set to no, the
system displays the current relative accuracy of the active model and prompts
you to change it.
When the configuration file option enable_absolute_accuracy is set to yes, the
ACCURACY menu appears. Choose Relative.
Assembly
121
3. The system displays the current relative accuracy of the active model and
prompts you to change it.
4. Enter a value for relative accuracy. The system informs you that changing
accuracy causes full regeneration and prompts you to continue.
5. Click Yes (the default). If you click No, the modification does not take effect.
Accept the current value, or press ESC to return to the ACCURACY menu without
changing the value. Choose Quit to return to the ASSEM SETUP menu whenever
the system prompt is inactive.
To Set Absolute Accuracy in an Assembly
1. In an open assembly, click Edit > Setup. The ASSEM SETUP menu appears.
Note: The configuration file option enable_absolute_accuracy must be set to
yes to enable modification of absolute accuracy in Assembly.
2. Click Accuracy.
Relative is active by default the first time you access the ACCURACY menu for a
model. Otherwise, the accuracy type you used last is active. If Relative is active,
press ESC.
3. Choose Absolute. The ABS ACCURACY menu appears. Set the value in one of
two ways:
Set absolute accuracy for the assembly by assigning a value:
o Choose Enter Value.
The system displays the current absolute accuracy value and default units
[nnnn units] and prompts you to enter a value. If absolute accuracy has
not been defined, the system displays the current relative accuracy.
o Enter a value for absolute assembly accuracy in default units. The system
informs you that changing accuracy causes full regeneration and asks if you
want to continue.
o Click Yes (default). If you click No, the modification does not take effect.
Or
Set absolute accuracy for the assembly or to a specified component by assigning
a value:
o Choose Select Model. The Open dialog box opens. The top assembly and
all components in the assembly are displayed.
o Select the assembly or a component. The system displays the current
accuracy value of the specified component and prompts you to accept it.
o Click Yes (default). The system informs you that changing accuracy causes
full regeneration and prompts you to continue. If you click No, the
modification does not take effect.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
122
Accept the current value or press ESC to return to the ACCURACY menu without
changing the value. Choose Quit to return to the ASSEM SETUP menu whenever
the system prompt is inactive.
Note: Selecting a part or assembly as a source for the absolute accuracy setting
does not create dependency between the two models.
About Modifying Accuracy Settings in Assembly
In Pro/ENGINEER you can modify accuracy settings in Assembly, Part, and
Manufacturing modes. When geometry is copied from one part to another with
different absolute accuracy, the source geometry can be invalid for the destination
part. For more information about modifying part accuracy settings, search the Part
functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
An assembly can have an accuracy setting that is incompatible with that of a part.
For example, an assembly hole or cut feature may not display because the accuracy
settings of intersected parts are too high. When assembly accuracy and part
accuracy differ, you can easily reset accuracy settings at the assembly level.
The configuration file option enable_absolute_accuracy must be set to yes to
enable modification of absolute accuracy in Assembly mode.
When the configuration file option enable_absolute_accuracy is set to no, you can
only modify relative accuracy. The system displays the current relative accuracy of
the active model and prompts you to change it. The default setting is 0.0012.
When the configuration file option enable_absolute_accuracy is set to yes, the
ACCURACY menu appears, containing the Relative and Absolute commands.
To Edit a Part Feature
1. In an open assembly, select the part in the Model Tree or graphics window and
choose Activate from the shortcut menu or click Edit > Activate to edit, create,
delete, and suppress part features. The Copy From command is not available.
2. Perform one or more of the following operations:
o Click Insert and choose a feature from the menu or use the feature toolbar
to add a feature to the part.
o Right-click a part feature in the Model Tree or graphics window and choose
Edit from the shortcut menu to modify the feature dimensions. You can
also double-click a feature in the active part to display its dimensions.
o Right-click the part in the Model Tree and choose Regenerate from the
shortcut menu, or click , select a part feature, and click Edit >
Regenerate.
o Tools > Reference Control—Controls creation of external references
(displays the Reference Control dialog box).
o Info > Global Reference Viewer—Opens the Global Reference Viewer
dialog box and displays references and dependencies.
Assembly
123
Note: When you create part features at the assembly level, be careful not to create
unwanted parent/child relationships between the part and the assembly.
To Edit a Skeleton Model
1. Open an assembly with a skeleton model.
2. Select the skeleton model in the Model Tree or graphics window and click Edit >
Activate or choose Activate from the shortcut menu.
3. To open the skeleton model in a separate window, right-click it in the Model Tree
and choose Open from the shortcut menu.
Note: Several commonly used part commands are not available for skeleton
models. You cannot copy a skeleton model, create a group or user-defined
feature with a skeleton as one of its members, or perform merge and cut
operations.
4. Perform one or more of the following procedures and proceed as you would for
any component:
o To add a feature—Choose a feature from the Insert menu, or click a
feature toolbar button.
o To edit dimensions—Right-click a skeleton feature in the Model Tree or
graphics window and choose Edit from the shortcut menu, or double-click a
feature of the active skeleton model.
o To regenerate—Select the skeleton model in the Model Tree or graphics
window, right-click and choose Regenerate from the shortcut menu, click
, or click Edit > Regenerate.
o To create references—Click Tools > Relations. The Reference Control
dialog box opens.
o To display the SKEL SETUP menu—Click Edit > Setup. Choose one of the
following commands:
Material—Creates or modifies material data (opens the Material dialog
box).
Units—Opens the Units Manager dialog box. Change the System of Units
for the skeleton model.
Name—Displays the NAME SETUP menu to specify a name for the
skeleton model.
Notes—Displays the MDL NOTES menu to manage notes associated with
the skeleton model.
Symbol—Displays a symbol or set a custom symbol for a feature.
Mass Props—Opens the Setup Mass Properties dialog box.
Dimension—Creates or deletes dimensions.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
124
Ref Dim—Creates, deletes, sets the view, or shows reference dimensions
by edge or surface.
Geom Tol—Specifies a geometric tolerance for a surface or feature.
Declare—Opens the menu to declare or undeclare layers, tables, or names
or to list those declared.
Tol Setup—Specifies tolerances.
Ref Control—Opens the Reference Control dialog box for creation and
control of external references.
Designate—Opens the Designate dialog box to designate parameter
tables, attributes, and objects for mass properties.
o Tools > Program—Accesses Pro/PROGRAM.
o Tools > Parameters—Opens the Parameters dialog box.
Restructuring Components
To Restructure a Component
1. Click Edit > Restructure. The RESTRUCTURE menu appears.
When you choose Restructure, the Model Tree displays the assembly
hierarchical tree structure, enabling you to restructure the assembly in the Model
Tree without changing the appearance of the assembly in the main window.
2. Click Move Comp and select a component or subassembly to move. The system
tags the selected member as MOVING in the Restructure Status column of the
Model Tree.
3. Choose Select Target. In the Model Tree, select an assembly to which you want
to move the selected component. The selected component moves to the
designated assembly.
You can choose Undo Last to undo the last move.
4. Click OK, and Done.
About Restructuring Assembly Components
Use the Edit > Restructure command to modify assembly groupings and add
flexibility to the assembly design process. Restructure an assembly to reorganize
components from one subassembly to another or to create a new assembly entity.
You can move components from one subassembly to another, or from the top-level
assembly to a subassembly, or vice versa. However, the top-level assembly must be
in session to properly regenerate a restructured subassembly, otherwise components
may have to be frozen. After you restructure a subassembly, you can add to it and
modify it.
Assembly
125
A new, empty subassembly can be created and components restructured to this
subassembly. You can then create a drawing of the subassembly and list the
components in a table for a BOM. However, the first time you retrieve the
subassembly without the top-level assembly, you must freeze all the components.
The following restrictions apply to restructuring assembly components:
• You cannot select the first component of a subassembly or an assembly to
restructure.
• When restructuring, if both the original component and the target assembly are
members of the same level assembly, you must move the children of the original
component as well.
• You cannot restructure components that are part of a pattern.
• If an assembly contains multiple copies of the same subassembly, you cannot
restructure the components of that subassembly.
• You cannot restructure an assembly if multiple occurrences of the original
assembly exist.
Regenerating Parts and Assemblies
About Regenerating Parts Modified in Assembly
Parts that are modified in an assembly must be regenerated. In large assemblies, it
is faster to select individual parts to regenerate rather than to search for and
regenerate all modified parts in the assembly.
A part intersected by an assembly feature and modified in a separate Pro/ENGINEER
session must be regenerated in the assembly for the modifications to be visible in
the assembly.
Before regenerating a part with external references, the system regenerates the
external references and then uses the updated values for the part.
To Regenerate Selected Parts
1. Right-click the assembly in the Model Tree and choose Custom Regenerate
from the shortcut menu or click . The Regeneration Manager dialog box
opens.
2. Select an option:
o Regenerate—Regenerates the selected features or components.
o Skip Regen—Does not regenerate the selected features or components.
o Highlight—Highlights the selected features or components in the graphics
window. This option facilitates selecting features and components for
regeneration, but it must be selected for regeneration.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
126
3. Select the components and features to regenerate. When you select a component
to regenerate, all features added or modified also are automatically selected for
regeneration and vice versa.
4. Click OK.
To Regenerate All Changed Parts
1. Right-click the assembly in the Model Tree and choose Regenerate from the
shortcut menu or click . If assembly features have been added, the Confirm
Update dialog box opens.
2. Click an option:
o Yes—Regenerates the assembly and update the intersected parts.
o No—Regenerates the assembly without updating the intersected parts.
o Cancel—Do not regenerate the assembly.
To Customize Regeneration
Follow this procedure after making a change to a feature in your assembly.
1. To initiate custom regeneration do one of the following operations:
o Click .
o Right-click the assembly in the Model Tree and choose Custom
Regenerate from the shortcut menu.
o Click (located in the lower-right corner of main window).
The Regeneration Manager dialog box opens. By default, the Regeneration
list is expanded and includes all components and features in the assembly.
Note: The following indicators in the lower-right corner of the main window show
whether an assembly or part needs regeneration:
o —Regeneration is not required.
o —A change has been made and regeneration is necessary.
o —Regeneration has failed. The RESOLVE FEAT menu appears so you
can fix the problem.
2. Click commands in the Show and View menus as required.
o Use the Show commands to filter the components that must be
regenerated.
o Use the View commands to expand each regeneration node to display part
features or assembly components.
Assembly
127
3. Specify the components and features in the assembly to be regenerated.
o Click Regenerate and select the features to be regenerated. To regenerate
all features, click Select All.
o Click Skip Regen and select the features you do not want to regenerate.
To skip all features for regeneration, click Select All.
o Click Highlight and select the features to highlight during regeneration.
When you highlight a feature, the system displays the reason for
regeneration in a message window below the Regeneration list.
If you select a subassembly, all parts and features within that subassembly are
selected.
4. Click OK.
Resolving Retrieval or Regeneration Failures
About Resolving Assembly Retrieval Failures
When a component is missing during regeneration or retrieval, the regeneration fails.
An error messages displays the component identification number as well as the
model name.
A component may be missing for the following reasons:
• It was misplaced in the directory tree.
• It was renamed.
• It was deleted from the disk.
If a component is missing when an assembly is retrieved, Pro/ENGINEER assembles
all components until it requires the one that is missing. When this happens, the
RESOLVE FEAT menu displays. The system temporarily stops regeneration until it
recovers the missing component. After you replace or suppress the missing
component, regeneration continues.
The assembly may fail retrieval due to one of the following placement problems:
• A missing referenced feature
• A violated placement constraint
To Resolve a Missing Component Problem
When a missing component cannot be retrieved, do one of the following:
• Click Quick Fix > Find Component. The File Open dialog box opens. Browse to
locate the missing component. Click Open. You can locate multiple missing
components in this way. When the missing component is retrieved, the assembly
completes regeneration.
• Click Quick Fix > Quit Retr or Fix Model > Quit Retr. This quits assembly
retrieval. All components that have been retrieved are erased from memory.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
128
Objects in session before initiation of the retrieval remain in session. You can
rename the part or correct the path so the system can find it. To open the
assembly you must retrieve it again.
• Click Fix Model > Component > Adv Utils > Replace. Choose an option:
o Select—Select a component in the assembly to replace the failed
component. The Replace With menu appears. Choose an option:
Family Table—Replace with a Family Table member.
Intrch Group—Replace with an Interchange Group member.
Layout—Replace with a declared layout.
Unrelated—Replace with an unrelated component.
By Reference Model—Replace the model using a Shrinkwrap, Inheritance,
or Merge feature.
o Failed Feat—Opens the Open dialog box. Browse for the component to
replace and click Open. The Component Placement dashboard appears with
the component in the graphics window for you to place it in the assembly.
Place the component and click .
• Click Quick Fix > Suppress, Quick Fix > Redefine, or Quick Fix > Delete to
suppress, redefine, or delete the failed component. These commands only apply
to the failed component. To suppress, redefine, or delete another component in
the assembly, use the commands in the Fix Model menu.
• Use other commands in the Fix Model menu and follow the prompts to recover
from the failure.
Note: After recovering from an error, save the new version of the assembly before
exiting Pro/ENGINEER.
To Recover a Failed Assembly with a Renamed Component
If you rename a component on disk but do not save the assembly before you exit,
retrieval of the assembly in the next session fails. In this case, you can retrieve the
renamed component and reconstruct the assembly:
1. In the Resolve Feat menu, choose Fix Model > Component > Adv Utils >
Replace > Failed Feat. The Open dialog box opens.
2. Select the component with the new name. The Component Placement dashboard
appears with the component in the graphics window.
3. Specify the placement constraints and assemble the component to complete
reconstruction of the assembly manually.
Note: Save the assembly with the new name of the component before exiting
Pro/ENGINEER.
Assembly
129
To Resolve a Component Placement Retrieval Failure
When a component cannot be placed because references are missing, the system
displays an error message, the RESOLVE FEAT menu, and the Failure Diagnostics
window.
When the system cannot place a component, you can do the following:
• Click Quick Fix > Find Component to open the File Open browser. Browse
your directories to locate the missing component. Select and open the missing
component. You can locate multiple missing components in this way.
• Click Quick Fix > Freeze. The system then places the component (non-
parametrically) in its last known placement. You can redefine it or change it later.
• Click Quick Fix > Redefine. Use the Model Tree to redefine the location of the
component.
• Click Quick Fix > Suppress or Quick Fix > Delete to suppress or delete the
failed component.
• Use commands in the FIX MODEL menu, which is a subset of the ASSEMBLY
menu.
Note: The commands in the QUICK FIX menu apply only to the failed
component. To suppress, redefine, or delete another component in the assembly,
use the commands in the FIX MODEL menu.
Note: After recovering from an error, save the new version of the assembly before
exiting Pro/ENGINEER.
To Resolve a Failure to Retrieve an Assembly Feature
When retrieving an assembly, you may not be able to regenerate a feature such as a
datum or hole because the part or a part feature that it references is deleted, or the
part feature is suppressed.
Whenever the system cannot place datums, they appear in the locations of the last
successful regeneration. If a component references any of these datums, an error
message and the RESOLVE FEAT menu appear. The Component Placement
dashboard appears for you to specify a new placement definition. Choose Quick Fix
and Freeze to place it nonparametrically.
If the datum references were suppressed, unfreeze the datums by resuming them.
The assembly will successfully regenerate and the components placed using the
Freeze command will be placed parametrically.
Note: After recovering from an error, save the new version of the assembly before
exiting Pro/ENGINEER.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
130
Replacing Components in an Assembly
About Replacing Assembly Components
When one assembly component is replaced by another, the new component is placed
in the same geometric location and in the Model Tree. If the replacement model has
the same constraints and references as the original model, placement is done
automatically. If references are missing, the Component Placement dashboard
appears, and you must define placement constraints.
More than one component at a time can be replaced in an assembly. Multiple
occurrences of a single component can be replaced by a single component, or
multiple components can be replaced by multiple unique components.
Note: Replacing and substituting components are two different actions. Substitution
exchanges one component in a simplified representation for another and is
performed in the context of a simplified representation.
Replacing Components Automatically
Automatic replacement of components can be performed only if the replaced model
is one of the following types:
• A Shrinkwrap feature
• An Inheritance feature
• A Merge feature
• A member of a Family Table
• A functional interchange assembly
• A model that is declared to a layout
Positioning a Replaced Component Manually
When you replace a component with one that is unrelated by Family Table,
interchange assembly, or layout, you must manually reposition the replacement
component and any components that were assembled to the original part. The
system always tries to assemble the component automatically. If it cannot, it keeps
as many constraints as possible.
Use the Unrelated Component option to manually replace the model with a
selected component. While similar to deleting and assembling a new component,
with this method you can automatically place the newly replaced component in the
same regeneration position.
To Replace a Component with a Family Table Member
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced, and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens. If the selected components have family tables,
Family Table is selected by default in the Replace By list.
Assembly
131
2. Click , select the replacement model, and click OK. The name of the selected
component appears in the reference collector.
3. Click Apply. The name of the replacement model appears in the Replace column
in the Model Tree next to the name of the component being replaced.
4. Click OK. The original component is replaced and automatically assembled.
Note: If you select Copy as Skeleton, the newly created component will be a
skeleton model.
To Replace a Component with a Shrinkwrap Model
With this method of replacement, you replace a master model with a Shrinkwrap
model and vice versa while maintaining all valid references. One Shrinkwrap model
can be replaced by another and maintain references.
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Click Reference Model.
3. Click , and then select a replacement model that is either a Shrinkwrap part
(a part with an external Shrinkwrap feature of the model you are replacing) or a
master model of the Shrinkwrap part you are replacing. Click OK.
4. Note: Only parametric Shrinkwrap objects with source reference information can
be used for the purpose of replacement. Create these objects by using the Insert
> Shared Data > Shrinkwrap command.
5. Click Apply. The name of the replacement model appears in the Model Tree next
to the name of the component to be replaced.
6. Click OK. The system places the new component in the assembly and in the
Model Tree.
To Replace a Component with an Interchange Assembly
When you replace a component with an interchange assembly, the parent/child
relationships between the components is maintained.
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Click Interchange.
3. Click , select and expand the interchange assembly, select the replacement
model, and click OK. The name of the selected component appears in the New
Component box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
132
4. Click Apply. The name of the replacement model appears in the Component
Replace column in the Model Tree next to the name of the component being
replaced.
5. Click OK.
To Replace a Component Using a Layout
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components that were assembled by
layout and click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the
shortcut menu. The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Click Layout.
3. Click , select the replacement model, and click OK. You can only select a
component that was declared to the same layout as the original component and
has placement references declared. The name of the selected component appears
in the New Component box.
Note: Click Clear to remove the selected component and browse again for the
replacement model.
4. Click Apply. The name of the replacement model appears in the Replace column
in the Model Tree next to the name of the component being replaced.
5. Click OK.
Using Layouts to Replace Components
You can use layouts to replace components in an assembly and to place the
replacement models automatically. To place components automatically using a
layout, you must first define global placement references in the layout, and then
declare the corresponding placement references to the components themselves. The
system assembles the replacement model to the same position as the original
component using the same constraints as the original component.
When you assign the same global placement reference to multiple components (parts
or assemblies), you can automatically assemble any one of these components that
have been declared to the layout. You can then automatically replace an assembled
component with another component that has the same global placement references.
Note: When you replace a component with children through a layout, the children
are not automatically reassembled.
To Replace a Component with an Unrelated Component
Note: Family Table instances cannot be replaced with unrelated components.
Children are not highlighted when you replace a component with an unrelated
component. Investigate the parent/child references of a component before you
replace it.
Assembly
133
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Click Unrelated Component.
3. Click , browse for the replacement model, and then click Open. The name of
the selected component appears in the New Component box.
4. Click OK. The system replaces the original component. The Component
Placement dashboard appears.
5. Constrain the replacement model, and click .
To Replace a Component with a New Copy
With this method of replacement, you replace a component with a copy by creating a
new component based on the existing model.
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Click By Copy.
3. Click Copy as Skeleton (the option cannot be changed) to create a skeleton
model. This option is available only if the skeleton model can be placed at the
selected location, that is, if the component being replaced is the first component
with no assembly features before it.
Note: To create a skeleton model as the replacement model, the following
conditions must be met:
o A skeleton component is allowed at this location in the assembly structure.
o The multiple_skeletons_allowed configuration option is set to yes.
o The component being replaced comes just after an existing skeleton
component in the Model Tree.
4. Accept the default name, or enter a name for the new model in the Name box,
and click Apply. The name of the replacement model appears in the Replace
column in the Model Tree next to the name of the component being replaced.
5. Click OK.
Rules and Restrictions for Copied Replacement Components
Rules for components created using the By Copy option:
• You can replace a single part, not a subassembly.
• The copy is completely independent; that is, no dependencies back to the
replaced model. The operation is analogous to performing a Save As or Copy
From operation.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
134
• If the part that is copied is declared to a layout, the newly created part is also
declared to the layout.
• If the part that is copied has relations, the new part has relations.
• The following models can be copied:
o Models with external copy geometry features. The newly created model has
the same external references as the original model.
o Models that reference assembly features.
• All attributes of the part being copied are copied into the new component,
including:
o All features, including suppressed features.
o Colors set at the part level.
o Layers, and layer settings and assignments.
Restrictions for components created using the By Copy option:
• You cannot replace multiple models.
• When you replace a family member (generic or instance) with a new copy, the
system does not copy Family Table information from the replaced model.
Rules for copied skeleton models:
• A skeleton model can be copied only as a skeleton model, not as a regular part.
• A component can become a skeleton model only if it does not violate any
accepted skeleton model behavior; for example, it cannot have simplified
representations. In addition, the component must be either the first component
in the assembly, or the first non-skeleton component in the assembly.
• You can copy a part model component into a new skeleton model. You can
generate a native skeleton model, based on a native part model, and have it
replace the part model in an assembly, with all references remapped to the new
skeleton model. This effectively allows a part to be designated as a native
skeleton model through the use of a new model file.
Allowing Multiple Skeleton Replacement Copies
The multiple_skeletons_allowed configuration file option determines whether
multiple skeletons can be created as replacement parts:
• When set to no, only the first component (not a pattern leader) can become a
skeleton model.
• When set to yes, the first component after the existing skeleton group can be
replaced by a copy of itself. The copy will be a skeleton model (pattern leader
allowed).
Assembly
135
To Replace a Flexible Component with a New Copy
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Click By Copy.
3. Accept the default name or enter a name for the new component in the Name
text box.
4. Select or clear the Maintain Flexibility check box.
Note: If the Maintain Flexibility check box is cleared, the new copy contains
the same geometry as the flexible component without the flexibility factor.
5. Click OK.
To Add or Remove Components from the Component Replace List
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. To add a component to the list, press and hold CTRL and select additional
components from the Model Tree or graphics window.
3. To remove a component from the list, perform one of the following actions:
o Click Reset and select a component from the Model Tree.
o Select a component from the list, right-click, and select Remove from the
shortcut menu.
4. To cancel the previous component addition or removal, click Undo.
To Replace Additional Components
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Replace the selected component, and click Apply.
3. Select additional components from the Model Tree or graphics window, replace
the selected components, and click Apply after each replacement.
4. Click OK.
Note: If the previously selected replacement model can be reused, it will be applied
by default. Accept the default or specify a new replacement model.
Tip: Successful Component Replacement
When you replace a component, you must make sure that all references are paired.
Consider the following situations:
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
136
• When you replace a component in an assembly declared to a layout, you must
replace it using the layout declarations.
• When references are missing for the replacing component, the Component
Placement dashboard opens. You must specify the component reference,
(assembly references are already defined).
• When you replace a pattern member, all pattern members are automatically
updated, either immediately or after references are selected in the Component
Placement dashboard.
• Packaged components are replaced in the same way as fully constrained
components.
• The same functionality and restrictions apply to all component replacement
options:
o Select the component in the assembly or Model Tree. Right-click and
choose Replace from the shortcut menu or click Edit > Replace.
o In Pro/Program, click Tools > Program> Edit Design. Select From
Model or From File. A text file opens. Replace the component file name
with another component in the text file.
o When a feature or component fails, you can replace the component in
Resolve Mode. Only applicable replacement methods are available.
o When the assembly has a family table and one of the table columns is a
component, click Tools > Replace Using in the Family Table dialog box
to replace it with another. Only applicable replacement methods are
available.
About Component Replacement and Legacy Designs
Legacy designs with family table replacement functionality must be manually
updated to Wildfire 3 replacement functionality. Because packaged components will
be automatically replaced when a legacy design is updated, all instances will also be
updated, including those in which the component being replaced is a packaged
component.
To update to Wildfire 3 functionality proceed as follows:
1. Set the convert_to_wf3_replace configuration option to yes.
2. Update the generic design to use Wildfire 3 replace functionality:
a. Select the component in the Model Tree.
b. Right-click and choose Update replace method from the shortcut menu.
About Replacing Unrelated Components with Reference Pairing
You can replace an assembly component with an unrelated component, by creating a
pairing table. The table contains the placement references from both components.
These references can be established manually or using auto-pairing rules. The
Assembly
137
pairing table pairs each current component placement reference with the incoming
component placement reference. Required references, indicated by , must be
paired, while optional references can be left unpaired. The pairing table is saved and
can be used to return the original component to the assembly.
Sometimes you know that one component will be replaced by another, for example,
a simplified representation of components will be replaced with an updated, more
complex component. You can ensure the design intent by consistent naming of
features and interfaces during their creation. The use of identical references ensures
that connected child models are not affected by component replacement.
To Replace an Unrelated Component Using Reference Pairing
1. In an open assembly, select one or more components to be replaced and then
click Edit > Replace or right-click and select Replace from the shortcut menu.
The Replace dialog box opens.
2. Select Unrelated Component from the Replace By list.
3. Select the component to replace.
4. Click to browse for the incoming component. The Open dialog box opens.
Choose the part and click Open.
5. Click Edit Ref Table. The Reference Pairing Table dialog box opens. An active
window with both components opens.
6. Click or Options > Columns Setup to change the table column display. The
Models and Columns display dialog box opens. Change column width, add or
remove columns and click OK.
7. Select a cell in the reference pairing table to activate the row. The reference on
the outgoing component highlights and a tag handle appears.
8. Select the corresponding reference on the incoming component by clicking it or
dragging the tag handle to select it.
9. Continue selecting references until all required references are satisfied.
10. Click the Show Optional Pairing Tags check box to display optional pairing
tags.
11. Add or delete optional references using the or options.
12. Click OK in the Replace dialog box. The outgoing component is replaced by the
incoming component.
Note: Pairing references in the outgoing and incoming components ensures
successful regeneration of all child components. When placement does not succeed,
the Component Placement dashboard appears, allowing you to select new assembly
references for the incoming component references.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
138
To Pair References Automatically
1. Click Evaluation Rules.
2. Click or clear the check box to the right of a rule to enable or disable it.
3. Click Evaluate. The system evaluates the rules and populates the table
accordingly.
4. Click the arrow adjacent to Evaluate and click Evaluate and Create Tags.
Required tags are created first.
5. Click the Show Optional Pairing Tags check box to display optional pairing
tags.
6. Click File > Save as External Interchange to save the reference pairing table
as an external interchange assembly.
7. Click OK.
Note: When you click the Save as External Interchange option, the Save
Interchange Assembly dialog box opens. Accept the New Name or enter one.
Enter an optional Common Name if required.
8. Click OK in the Replace dialog box. The outgoing component is replaced by the
incoming component.
Using Evaluation Rules to Replace Components
The following evaluation rules appear:
• Follow Component Interfaces—Compares component interfaces from two
components. Every pair of interfaces with the same name is taken as a
referenced pair. The new model is automatically placed in the same position
using the interface constraints. This option is efficient when the same name is
given to similar interfaces configured in each component.
• Follow Same Names (and Type)—Extracts references that have the same
name and type to use as pairing criteria. This is the most powerful autopairing
rule. Intent is clearly defined and each reference is replaced by a reference of the
same name and geometry. Component replacement is automatic and
unambiguous. This option depends on careful planning since geometric features
must be consistently named throughout your projects.
• Follow Same History—Looks for copied data sharing features from the existing
component in the incoming component. Such features are then automatically
used as pairs. When a feature is copied more than once, you are notified and
must choose the correct reference.
• Follow Same Parameters—Defines the type of reference and parameter name,
type and value (use of wildcards is allowed). The system searches all references
with the given parameter name, type, and value, and automatically pairs those
that match.
Assembly
139
Interchange Assemblies
About Interchange Assemblies
Interchange assemblies are used to create references for components that replace
other components in an assembly. Functional interchange components replace
functional components in an assembly, while simplify interchange components
substitute components in a simplified representation. Note the following when
creating and using interchange assemblies:
• The first component in an interchange assembly is, by default, a functional
component. Subsequent components can be functional or simplify.
• You can assemble simplify components to packaged functional components.
• You cannot assemble functional components to packaged functional components.
• You can only reference a functional component when creating or assembling a
simplify component.
• You cannot reference a simplify component when creating or assembling another
simplify component.
• Simplify components can substitute components in a simplified representation,
not other simplify components.
• The same component can be used twice in an interchange assembly, once as a
functional component, and once as a simplify component.
• You cannot add another instance of a component if the generic instance is
already in the interchange. You cannot add the generic instance of a component
if an instance is already in the interchange.
• Interchange assemblies are identified by the .asm extension; however, you
cannot assemble an interchange assembly into a regular design assembly.
• If you copy and rename an interchange assembly member using the Save As
command in the File menu, you cannot substitute the newly-created part for the
original one.
Functional Components
Functional components can be replaced by other functional components in a design
assembly. Although these components usually have the same function as the other
components they are not members of a Family Table. Reference tags are used to
match the references of two functional components. The tags can be created
individually for each reference or in a reference pairing table. When the reference
tags do not specify exact references in the target assembly, the Component
Placement dashboard appears and you can replace the component manually.
You can use this functionality in the following ways:
• To replace old or obsolete members in an assembly to reflect changes in the
design or availability of components.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
140
• To switch different models of two different components.
• To design an assembly using concept blocks or part envelopes that will then be
replaced with fully detailed parts or subassemblies.
Note: The parent/child relationships are preserved whenever one component is
interchanged with another.
Simplify Components
Simplify components are interchangeable visual representations of components in a
simplified representation. You can assign mass properties to simplify components.
When you create a simplified representation, you can set the mass properties of the
simplified representation to be the same as those for the master assembly. Because
you place a simplify component in the simplified representation using the same
placement references as in the interchange assembly, when you assemble or create
a simplify component, you must place it in the interchange assembly using the same
placement constraints.
You can use simplify components in the following ways:
• As a placeholder in an assembly while you design the functional component.
• To calculate the mass properties of an entire assembly without have it in session.
To Create an Interchange Assembly
1. Click File > New. The New dialog box opens.
2. Click Assembly, Interchange, and OK. Use the default assembly name or type
a new one.
3. Insert a functional component.
4. Continue to insert functional, simplify, or both types of components in the
interchange assembly.
To Insert a Functional Component in an Interchange Assembly
1. Open an interchange assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Component > Assemble > Functional. The Open dialog
box opens.
3. Choose the component to insert and click Open.
4. Set reference tags to use when this component is replacing a component in an
assembly.
To Create Reference Tags
1. Open an interchange assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Reference Tag. The Reference Tag dialog box opens.
Assembly
141
3. Select a reference on a functional component. Drag handles appear.
4. Drag the green handle to a reference on another functional component. The
references appear in the References box.
5. Click Properties to change the Name of the reference tag.
6. Click to display the reference tag feature information.
7. Click .
About Reference Pairing in an Interchange Assembly
Reference tags in each of the components of the interchange assembly identify
placement references in the target assembly. The reference paring table is an
efficient way to pair reference tags from the active component (the one that will be
replaced in the target assembly) to reference tags of one or more components in the
interchange assembly. Required references (indicated by ) must be paired, while
optional references can be left unpaired. The reference tags from the pairing table
are used to replace the active component in the target assembly. The reference tags
created are visible in the Model Tree Footer folder.
To Pair Reference Tags
1. Create or open an interchange assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Ref Pairing Table. The Reference Pairing Table dialog
box opens.
3. Select the active component.
4. Click to select the assembly to be used to set the context for the tag
creation. The File Open dialog box opens.
5. Select an assembly and click Open.
6. Click the Components to Pair collector and select one or more functional
components to pair with the active component in the interchange assembly.
7. Click Create Required Tags. The Auto Tag Creation dialog box opens. When
there is more than one occurrence of the component in the assembly,
a. Use the arrows to select the occurrence from the Select Occurrence
list. It highlights in the graphics area.
b. Click Accept.
8. When more than one component in the interchange assembly can be used to
replace the active component in the selected assembly, click Select items to
activate the Components to Pair box.
Note: Select the required component and right-click in the graphics window to
access the following shortcut menu:
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
142
o Active Component—Activates the Active Component collector.
o Components to Pair—Activates the Components to Pair collector.
o Context Assembly—Activates the Context Assembly collector.
o Clear—Clears the selected reference collector.
o Next tag—Selects the next row of the reference pairing table.
o Previous tag—Selects the previous row of the reference pairing table.
9. Click or Options > Columns Setup to change the table column display. The
Models and Columns display dialog box opens. Change the column width, add
or remove columns, and click OK.
10. Select the interchange assembly component to replace the active component.
The reference pairing table updates.
11. Select a cell in the reference pairing table to activate the row. The reference on
the active component highlights and a tag handle appears.
12. Select the reference on the replacing component by clicking it or dragging the tag
handle to select it in the graphics window.
13. Continue selecting references until all required references are satisfied.
14. Click the Show Optional Pairing Tags check box to display optional pairing
tags.
15. Use or to add or delete optional tags.
16. Click OK.
To Pair Reference Tags Automatically
1. Create or open an interchange assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Ref Pairing Table. The Reference Pairing Table dialog
box opens.
3. Select the active component.
4. Click to select the assembly to be used to set the context for the tag
creation. The File Open dialog box opens.
5. Select an assembly and click Open.
6. Click the Components to Pair collector and select one or more functional
components to pair with the active component in the interchange assembly.
7. Click Evaluation Rules.
8. Click or clear the check box to the right of a rule to enable or disable it.
Assembly
143
9. Click Evaluate. The system evaluates the rules and populates the table
accordingly.
10. Click the arrow adjacent to Evaluate and click Evaluate and Create Tags.
Required tags are automatically created and populated according to the settings
for the evaluation rule order. New tags for subsequent rules and optional tags are
also created.
11. Make sure all required references are satisfied.
12. Click or Options > Columns Setup to change the table column display. The
Models and Columns display dialog box opens. Change the column width, add
or remove columns, and click OK.
13. Click the Show Optional Pairing Tags check box to display optional pairing
tags.
14. Use or to add or delete optional tags.
15. Click OK.
Using Evaluation Rules in Interchange Assemblies
The following evaluation rules can be used to create reference pairing tags:
• Follow Component Interfaces—Compares component interfaces from two
components. Every pair of interfaces with the same name is taken as a
referenced pair. The new model is automatically placed in the same position
using the interface constraints. This option is efficient when the same name is
given to similar interfaces configured in each component.
• Follow Same Names (and Type)—Extracts references that have the same
name and type to use as pairing criteria. This is the most powerful autopairing
rule. Intent is clearly defined and each reference is replaced by a reference of the
same name and geometry. Component replacement is automatic and
unambiguous. This option depends on careful planning since geometric features
must be consistently named throughout your projects.
• Follow Same History—Looks for copied data sharing features from the existing
component in the incoming component. Such features are then automatically
used as pairs. When a feature is copied more than once, you are notified and
must choose the correct reference.
• Follow Same Parameters—Defines the type of reference and parameter name,
type and value (use of wildcards is allowed). The system searches all references
with the given parameter name, type, and value, and automatically pairs those
that match.
To Insert a Simplify Component in an Interchange Assembly
1. Open an interchange assembly.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
144
2. Click or Insert > Component > Assemble > Simplify. The Open dialog
box opens.
3. Choose the component to insert and click Open. The Simplify Component
dialog box opens.
4. Select a functional component in the interchange assembly that will be replaced
by the selected simplify component. The Component Placement dashboard
appears.
5. Place the component.
6. Set mass properties for the simplify component.
7. Click Add to add another simplify component.
8. Select the component in the dialog box. Click Remove to remove it or click
Placement to open the Component Placement dashboard and redefine the
component's placement in the interchange assembly.
9. Click OK.
To Create a Simplify Part in an Interchange Assembly
1. Open an interchange assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Component > Create. The Component Create dialog
box opens.
3. Accept the default Name or type a new one and click OK. The Creation Options
dialog box opens.
4. Click one of the following options to create a simplify part:
o Copy from Existing—Copies the simplify part geometry from an existing
part. Click Browse to select the part to copy. Click OK. The Component
Placement dashboard appears. Define the part placement and click .
o Locate Default Datums—Use one of the following methods to locate
datum planes for a new simplify part:
Three Planes—Select three orthogonal datum planes to which the default
new simplify part datum planes will be assembled.
Axis Normal To Plane—Select a single datum plane and an axis that is
normal to it. The new simplify part is created with a datum plane and an
axis is used to place the new component.
Align Csys To Csys—Select a coordinate system in the interchange
assembly. A new simplify part is created with a default coordinate system
and default datum planes that is used to place the new component.
Assembly
145
o Empty—Create a simplify part with no geometry. Geometry can be added
after part creation by right-clicking the envelope part in the Model Tree and
selecting Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
o Create Features—Create features for a new part. It appears as the active
part in the Model Tree.
5. Click OK. The Simplify Component dialog box opens.
6. Select a functional component in the interchange assembly to be replaced by the
selected simplify component. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
7. Define the part placement and click .
8. Set mass properties.
To Set Mass Properties for a Simplify Component
1. Open an Interchange assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Component > Assemble > Simplify. The Open dialog
box opens.
3. Choose the component to insert and click Open. The Simplify Component
dialog box opens.
4. Click Mass Properties.
5. Select one of the following options to set the mass properties for the simplify
component you are creating:
o Assigned properties of simplify component—Assigns mass properties
defined for the component. Available only when mass properties are
defined.
o Properties of original model if it is in session—Assigns mass properties
of the original model when it is in session.
o Properties of a specified functional component—Assigns mass
properties of a selected functional component in the interchange assembly:
a. Select the component from the list and click Compute.
b. Type the relative accuracy and press ENTER or click .
Select—Prompts to choose a coordinate system in the assembly.
Default—Selects the simplify component default coordinate system.
Quit—Quits mass properties computation.
c. Select the type of coordinate system and select a coordinate system.
d. Type the density of the part and press ENTER or click .
e. Click Update to change the mass property settings.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
146
f. Click OK.
To Substitute a Simplify Component in a Simplified Representation
There are three ways to substitute simplify components in a simplified
representation. You can create a new simplify representation, edit an existing one, or
create a temporary one.
Creating a New Simplified Representation
1. Open the assembly.
2. Click . The View Manager dialog box opens.
3. Click New. Accept the name of the new representation or type a new one and
press ENTER.
4. Click Substitute.
5. Click By Model and select the component to substitute in the graphics window or
Model Tree. The Select Model options activate.
6. Click Interchange and then Browse. The Family Tree dialog box opens.
7. Select the part and click OK.
8. Click .
9. Save the new simplified representation.
Editing a Simplified Representation
1. Open the assembly.
2. Click . The View Manager dialog box opens.
3. Select a simplified representation from the list.
4. Click Properties.
5. Select the component to substitute from the graphics window or Model Tree.
6. Click . The Family Tree dialog box opens.
7. Select the part and click OK.
8. Save the new simplified representation.
Creating a Temporary Simplified Representation
1. Open an assembly.
2. Select the component to substitute with a simplify component.
Assembly
147
3. Click View > Substitute > Interchange. The Family Tree dialog box opens.
4. Select the part and click OK. The master representation changes. To save the
changes as a new simplified representation, open the View Manager.
About Displaying and Removing Interchange Components
A component (part or subassembly) can be a member of one or more interchange
assemblies. You can display a list of the interchange assemblies, or remove it from
one or more interchange assemblies when the component is open in a separate
window.
To Remove Interchange Components
1. Open the component.
2. Click Edit > Setup. The SETUP menu appears.
3. Click Interchange. The SETUP INTER menu appears.
4. Click Show. The INFORMATION WINDOW opens. All interchange assemblies that
contain the component are listed.
5. Click Remove. The SEL MENU appears, listing the interchange assemblies.
6. Select the interchange assembly to remove the component, or click Select All to
remove the component from all interchange assemblies.
7. Click Done Sel.
8. Click Done.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
148
Example: Substituting Interchangeable Components in a Simplified Representation
1. A complex subassembly.
2. The complex component is assembled into an interchange assembly.
3. A substitute part for the complex subassembly.
4. The simple model is assembled into the interchange assembly.
Copying Components
About Copying Components
You can create multiple, independent instances of components in an assembly. You
must modify, replace, or delete the copied components one at a time.
Note: When a component is modified, all dimensions used to place the component
appear for modification.
When you copy a component, its placement is based on the coordinate system of the
assembly. The coordinate system is used as reference for translating or rotating
components. For example, for a rotational copy of a component, Pro/ENGINEER will
rotate it around the coordinate system of the assembly. In general, copied members
use the same dimensioning references as the source component (leader). Rotate the
component (leader and all members) around the coordinate system of the assembly
first, and then translate (move) it.
To Copy a Component
1. In an open assembly, click Edit > Component Operations. The Menu
Manager appears.
2. Click Copy and then create or select an assembly coordinate system.
Assembly
149
3. Select one or more components to copy and click OK in the Select dialog box.
The EXIT menu and TRANS DIR menus become active.
4. Specify the moves using the Translate or Rotate options from the EXIT menu
to create the additional components. As in patterns, specify any number of
incremental changes for a move in different directions. You can use any number
of instructions per direction, but only a maximum of three directions can be
defined.
o Translate—Patterns the component in the direction of the specified axis.
o Rotate—Patterns the component about the specified axis.
5. Choose X Axis, Y Axis, or Z Axis from the TRANS DIR menu or the ROTATE
DIR menu. The system prompts you to enter a value for the translation distance
or the angle of rotation. Enter a value and click to confirm.
6. As you finish each set of moves, click Done Move from the EXIT menu. The
system prompts you to enter a value for the number of instances you wish to
create.
7. Specify the number of instances along the current direction and repeat steps 4
and 5 to define the next direction for the copy. Continue this process until you
have placed all copies.
5. Click Done from the EXIT menu to execute all the moves.
Example: Copying a Component
1. Assemble the component.
2. Add an assembly coordinate system.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
150
3. The first move:
4. The completed copy:
Mirroring Components Inside an Assembly
About Mirroring Components Inside an Assembly
With Pro/ENGINEER you can create dependent and independent copies of parts and
subassemblies. These copies are mirrored about a planar surface. You can save time
by mirroring assembly components instead of creating duplicate instances. You can
create three types of mirrored copies of parts:
• Mirror Geometry Only—Mirrors geometry without the structure of the original
feature.
• Include All Feature Data—Mirrors geometry with the original feature structure.
The geometry of the target component will not be dependent on the geometry of
the source component.
• Mirror Placement—Copies the selected component to a mirrored location.
When mirroring parts and subassemblies, you can control the dependency of the
target component on the source component. There are two dependency toggles on
the geometry of the source component:
• Geometry Dependent—Makes the geometry of the target component depend
on the geometry of the source component.
• Placement Dependent—Makes the placement of the target component depend
on the placement of the source component.
Assembly
151
To Create a Mirrored Copy of a Part Inside an Assembly
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or click Insert > Component > Create. The Component Create
dialog box opens.
3. Click Part and Mirror.
4. Enter a name for the new part and then click OK. The MIRROR PART menu
appears.
5. Select one of the following as a Mirror Type:
o Mirror Geometry Only
o Include All Feature Data
o Mirror Placement
6. Set Dependency Control parameters:
o Geometry Dependent
o Placement Dependent
Note: When you use Include All Feature Data, the geometry of the target part
is never dependent on the geometry of the source part. When you use Mirror
Placement, the source part is used and therefore no new geometry is created.
7. In the assembly, select a Part Reference to mirror.
8. Select or create a Planar Reference as the mirror plane.
Note: It is good practice to mirror about a plane belonging to the part to be
mirrored.
9. Click OK or middle-click to exit the tool.
Example: Creating a Mirrored Copy of a Part Inside an Assembly
The following figure illustrates the mirroring process. First the source part is
selected, then a mirroring plane is selected, and finally a new target part is created.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
152
Note: In this example the placement of the target part is dependent on that of the
source part. Therefore, the Align Offset and Insert constraints of the source part are
applied to the target part.
1. Source part
2. Mirroring plane
3. New target part
About Opening Mirrored Parts in Part
Mirrored parts that were created using Mirror Geometry Only or Include All
Feature Data can be opened in Part mode and placed in assemblies other than the
one in which they were initially created, regardless of the location of the source part.
By default, when you open a newly created mirrored part in Part mode, the source
part is not loaded into session. Modify this default setting by changing the
configuration option retrieve_merge_ref_parts to yes.
Note: The configuration option retrieve_data_sharing_ref_parts controls the
general settings of all types of referenced parts. When leaving this configuration
option in the default state (no) and changing the retrieve_merge_ref_parts
configuration option to yes, only source parts of mirrored target parts are loaded into
session.
To Edit the Merge Feature Definitions
Only Merge feature definitions created by the Mirror Geometry Only option can be
edited.
1. Retrieve an assembly and create a mirror of a component.
2. Right-click the merge feature in Model Tree and choose Edit Definition from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Definition. The Mirrored Merge Edit Definition
dashboard appears.
3. Click References and then click the Copy Datums check box to toggle datum
copying from the source model.
Assembly
153
4. Click Options and edit the following options:
o Dependent—Toggles the source model geometry dependency.
o Refit Datums—Changes the size or reference of a copied datum. The Refit
Datums dialog box opens. Select a datum and then choose Size to edit the
width and height of the selected datum. If the Lock aspect ratio check
box is selected, the original width and height ratio is maintained when one
of these values change. Alternatively, choose Reference to change the
reference of the selected datum.
Note: When changing references, you must select a feature that precedes
the merge feature in the Model Tree.
5. Click Properties and enter a new name for the Merge feature in the Name text
box.
6. Click to change the reference model of the mirrored part. A warning message
appears.
7. Click Yes to confirm the change, and then select an alternative instance as
reference from the Family Tree dialog box.
8. Click OK to accept your selection. Notice that the new reference model is updated
in the reference collector.
Note: This option is available only for parts that have a Family Table.
9. Click . The merge feature is regenerated with the defined changes.
About Mirrored Copies of Subassemblies
The Mirror option, available when creating subassemblies using the Component
Create dialog box, automates the creation of a mirrored copy of a subassembly.
Mirrored subassemblies are useful for assemblies with a symmetric, mirrored design.
You can create subassembly mirrors for both symmetric and asymmetric
components. The mirrored components are generated like a mirrored reference, as
when individual parts are mirrored manually. To create a mirrored subassembly, you
specify the plane of symmetry by selecting an existing datum plane or by creating a
new one.
Characteristics of Mirrored Subassemblies
When a subassembly is mirrored, the assembly features that belong to the
subassembly are mirrored as well. All layer information from the source model is
copied to the new layers. These layers are independent after they are copied.
When a component is mirrored individually, or when a subassembly is mirrored, the
new component is placed with a default constraint. You can mirror packaged and
unplaced components and redefine placement (making the mirrors independent of
changes to source components). Mirrored copies of packaged components are frozen
in their default placement location.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
154
Any substituted or graphically represented components (due to simplified
representation settings) must be excluded from the mirrored subassembly. Only
components of the source subassembly that are in a Master or Geometry Rep state
will be mirrored.
Results of Redefining Mirrored Subassemblies
You can redefine the newly created subassembly as a whole or select individual
components to redefine within the subassembly. Redefining has the following results:
• The placement of the newly created mirrored subassembly (or the newly created
components) becomes independent of any changes to the placement of the
source components.
• The new mirrored subassembly updates according to any subsequent geometric
changes to the source components.
To Create a Mirrored Copy of a Subassembly
1. Retrieve an assembly that contains a subassembly to be mirrored, and click
or Insert > Component > Create. The Component Create dialog box opens.
2. Click Subassembly and Mirror.
3. Enter a name for the new subassembly, and click OK. The Mirror Subassembly
dialog box opens.
4. Select a subassembly to mirror. The name of the selected subassembly appears
in the Subassembly Reference area of the dialog box.
Note: You can select any fully placed subassembly of the current assembly to
mirror, including a previously mirrored subassembly, or an empty or packaged
subassembly.
5. Select or create a planar reference as the mirror plane. The name of the selected
plane is displayed in the Planar Reference area of the dialog box. Any planer
reference can be used.
Note: A good practice is to mirror about a plane belonging to the subassembly to
be mirrored.
6. Click OK. The Mirror Subassembly Components dialog box opens with a tree-
like view showing the hierarchy of the mirrored subassembly. Use this dialog box
to define the target components to be renamed:
o Select components to exclude during mirroring.
o Select components to leave unmirrored, thus reusing the source model.
7. Click OK.
Assembly
155
Rules for Mirrored Subassemblies
• After a subcomponent has been mirrored, the mirrored copy is used for later
copies (for performance).
• Mirrored assemblies can be reused in other parent assemblies.
• Mirrored assembly explosion can be controlled.
• A mirrored copy of a mirrored subassembly behaves as a mirrored copy of a
mirrored part.
• You can mirror packaged components and redefine placement (making the
mirrored copies independent of changes to source placement).
• Skeleton models are renamed but are still recognized as skeletons.
• Bulk items are copied.
• Layers are copied.
• Patterned components create a mirrored pattern set in the mirrored assembly.
• Assembly features outside the subassembly are ignored.
• Assembly features within the subassembly being mirrored are copied and the new
assembly cut features of the component intersections may be modified.
Using Intersections to Create Parts
To Create a Part from an Intersection
You can create a part in Assembly by intersecting several existing components.
These parts do not need to have the same units of measure. You can also modify
existing parts in an assembly by intersecting them with another part.
1. Click or Insert > Component > Create or drag a component from a
browser into the active assembly session. The Component Create dialog box
opens.
2. Click Part, and then Intersect.
3. Accept the default name or enter a new name, and click OK.
4. Select parts to intersect.
The new part represents the common volume of selected components.
Parts Created from an Intersection
When working with a part created from an intersection, keep in mind the following:
• You cannot move the resulting part.
• You cannot use harness parts to create a part by intersection.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
156
• You cannot retrieve the part until the assembly to which it belongs is in memory.
Using Flexible Components
About Flexible Components
A flexible component readily adapts to new, different, or changing requirements. It
can be included in an assembly in various states. A spring, for example, can have
various compression conditions in different places in an assembly. Values for
flexibility are defined at the following times:
• Before placement (predefined)
• During placement
• After placement
Flexibility can be defined for any part or subassembly and can be used for every
placement instance of the component. To make the component flexible in the
assembly, set values or define the following items that will vary to allow the
component to become flexible:
• Dimensions, tolerances, and parameters
• Suppress or resume feature and component (for subassemblies) states
Flexible components do not move and will lock the assembly's movement. To allow
kinematic movement, exclude flexible parts from an assembly for the duration of the
dragging operation. Flexible components have the following properties:
• The component name is the same as the original component, even if the shape or
structure is different.
• All instances of the flexible component refer to the original model. The original
model must be present in the Pro/ENGINEER session.
• Common properties are associatively shared between the original component and
all related flexible components and cannot be selected as varied items. When you
modify a common property of a flexible component, you modify the original
model.
• The creation or modification of a varied item affects the flexible instance of the
component, not the original model.
• Varied dimensions can be associated with a measurement in the assembly.
• Varied items can be driven by an assembly relation, program or a Family Table
using corresponding associated parameters.
• A flexible subassembly can directly affect components at any level of the
subassembly. Such components are labeled Affected by Flexible.
• Children of flexible components and Affected by Flexible components are labeled
Driven by Flexible.
Assembly
157
• Components with predefined flexibility can be placed automatically.
Note: In the Model Tree
—Identifies flexible parts
—Identifies flexible subassemblies
For more information, search for flexible parts in the Part Modeling functional area of
the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Place a Flexible Component
1. In an assembly click , Insert > Component > Assemble, or Insert >
Component > Flexible. The Open dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to be placed and click Open. The Confirm dialog box
opens.
3. Click No to assemble the component without a flexible definition and continue
from step five. Click Yes to assemble the component with a flexible definition.
The Varied Items dialog box opens.
Note: You can change, delete, or create new varied items.
4. Assign values to the varied items for flexibility and click OK. The Component
Placement dashboard appears.
5. Define placement constraints and click .
To Define a Flexible Component in an Assembly
1. Open an assembly.
2. Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree or graphics window and
choose Make Flexible from the shortcut menu or click Edit > Make Flexible.
The Component Placement dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box
open.
3. Define any of the following varied items:
o Dimensions and Dimension Tolerances
o Features
o Components (for flexible subassemblies)
o Geometric Tolerances
o Parameters
Note: Multiple varied items of multiple types can be defined.
4. Click OK. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
158
5. Accept the placement definition, or use the dashboard to edit it.
6. Click .
To Predefine a Flexible Component in an Assembly
To place the component as flexible in the assembly, follow the See Also link To
Define a Flexible Component in an Assembly.
1. Open an assembly.
2. Select the component and click Edit > Setup > Flexibility. The Flexibility:
Prepare Varied Items dialog box opens.
3. Configure varied items to define flexibility for the component.
4. Click OK.
Note: For more information on flexible parts, search the Part functional area of
the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Using Varied Items for Flexible Components
About Varied Items for Flexible Components
Varied items define component flexibility. You define these dimensions or features in
the original part. The following varied items can be defined:
• Components (for flexible subassemblies)
• Dimensions
• Dimension boundaries
• Features
• Geometric tolerances
• Parameters
• References
• Surface finishes
The Varied Items dialog box opens when you:
• Add a flexible component to an assembly
• Add flexibility to a component
• Redefine an existing flexible component
Select the appropriate tabs in the Varied Items dialog box to define or redefine
varied items. You can redefine, add new, or remove existing varied items. Assign
values to the varied items to define component flexibility in the assembly.
Assembly
159
Use the following filter options to control the presentation of varied items in the
dialog box:
• All
• Modified
• Unchanged
• Locked
The presentation of varied items properties in the dialog box can be customized.
Click to add or customize varied item columns.
To Define a Flexible Component in a Subassembly
1. Open an assembly.
2. In the Model Tree, right-click the subassembly with the component you want to
make flexible, and choose Make Flexible from the shortcut menu. The
subassembly becomes active in the graphics window, and the Component
Placement dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. Click Components. You are prompted to select the component to be made
flexible.
4. Select the component and click . The component is added to the components
list.
5. Select Resumed or Suppressed from the New Status list to define the status
of the newly flexible component in the assembly.
6. Scroll to the Mechanism exclude column, click in the table cell, and select
Included or Excluded from the list to include or exclude the component from
the assembly during dragging operations.
7. Click a tab to define any of the following varied items:
o Dimensions
o Features
o Geometric Tolerances
o Parameters
o Surface Finish
8. Click OK to apply the changes.
9. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
Note: The subassembly with the flexible component is identified by in the Model
Tree.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
160
To Define Varied Features for Flexibility
1. Open an assembly.
2. Choose one of the following items:
o A flexible component—Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree
or graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
o A component without defined flexibility—Select the component, right-click it
in the Model Tree or graphics window, and choose Make Flexible from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. Click the Features tab. You are prompted to select a feature.
4. Select a feature on the component and click . The feature is added to the
Features list.
5. Select Resumed or Suppressed from the New Status list.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to add additional features.
7. Click OK to apply the changes.
8. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
To Define Varied Dimensions for Flexibility
1. Open an assembly.
2. Choose one of the following items:
o A flexible component—Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree
or graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
o A component without defined flexibility—Select the component, right-click it
in the Model Tree or graphics window, and choose Make Flexible from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. To add a new Dimension varied item, select a dimension and click . The new
dimension appears in the table.
4. Enter a New Value for the feature dimension or select an option from the
Method list:
o By Value (default)—Enter a value in the New Value cell.
o Curve Length—Opens the Length dialog box. Click Definition and select
a curve or edge to define its value. Click Details to open the Chain dialog
Assembly
161
box. Set Standard or Rule-Based References for the curve chain. Rule-
based references allow you to choose an anchor and chain type: Tangent,
Partial loop, or Complete loop. Configure an Extent Reference for a
partial loop chain and use Options if required.
Note: For more information on chains, search the Fundamentals functional area
of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
o Distance—Opens the Distance dialog box. Click Definition and select two
entities to drive the new value.
o Angle—Opens the Angle dialog box. Click Definition and select two
entities to drive the new angle value.
o Area—Opens the Area dialog box. Click Definition and select the surface
to drive the new value.
o Diameter—Opens the Diameter dialog box. Click Definition and select a
round surface or edge to drive the new value. Click the Point box and
select a point from which to begin the new diameter calculation.
5. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
Note: You can define a Geometric Tolerance for the varied dimension. Only the By
Value option is applicable for setting a geometric tolerance.
To Exclude a Flexible Component During Dragging Operations
1. Open an assembly.
2. Select the component in the Model Tree or in graphics window, right-click and
choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu, or click Edit > Definition. The
Component Placement dashboard appears.
3. Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
4. Click to add an item with varied Dimensions, if none exists.
5. Select an option from the Methods list other than Value. The appropriate
Method dialog box opens.
6. Click Definition and select entities in the assembly to drive the value.
Note: Defining the flexibility of a component as the distance between two
assembly components enables the component to be updated to a new position in
the assembly. The component is excluded from the assembly for the duration of
the dragging operation and regenerated to a new position when the dragging
operation ends.
7. Click .
8. Click .
9. Click OK.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
162
10. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
To Define Dimension Boundaries for Flexibility
1. Open an assembly.
2. Choose one of the following items:
o A flexible component—Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree
or graphics window and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu, or
click Edit > Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
o A component without defined flexibility—Select the component, right-click it
in the Model Tree or graphics window and choose Make Flexible from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. On the Dimensions tab, click to add an item with varied dimensions, if none
exists.
4. Click . The Varied Dimension Table Column Setup dialog box opens.
5. Select New Dim Bound in the Not Displayed list and click to add it to the
Displayed list.
6. Click OK.
7. Select a value limit from the New Dim Bound list:
o Upper—Sets the dimension value to its maximum (generates geometry
based on a nominal dimension value plus the tolerance).
o Middle—Sets the dimension value to the nominal value plus the mean of
the upper and lower tolerance values.
o Lower—Sets the dimension value to its minimum (generates geometry
based on a nominal dimension value minus the tolerance).
o Nominal—Sets the dimension value to nominal (generates geometry based
on exact ideal dimensions).
8. Click OK.
9. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
To Define Varied Geometric Tolerances for Flexibility
1. Open an assembly.
Assembly
163
2. Choose one of the following items:
o A flexible component—Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree
or graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
o A component without defined flexibility—Select the component, right-click it
in the Model Tree or graphics window, and choose Make Flexible from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. Click the Geom Tols tab. You are prompted to select an item.
4. Select a configured geometric tolerance.
5. Click .
6. The geometry tolerance information is added to the table in the Varied Items
dialog box.
7. Enter a new value.
8. Click OK.
9. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
Note: For more information on Geometric Tolerances, search the Fundamentals
functional area.
To Define Varied Parameters for Flexibility
1. Open an assembly.
2. Choose one of the following items:
o A flexible component—Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree
or graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
o A component without defined flexibility—Select the component, right-click it
in the Model Tree or graphics window, and choose Make Flexible from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. Click the Parameters tab. The Select Parameters dialog box opens.
4. Select the parameter to be made flexible.
5. Click Insert Selected. The selected parameter appears in the Parameters list.
6. Enter a new value for the parameter.
7. Click to add another parameter to the list and repeat steps 4 through 6.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
164
8. Click OK.
9. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
To Create an Associated Parameter
1. Open an assembly.
2. Choose one of the following items:
o A flexible component—Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree
or graphics window, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Definition. The Component Placement dashboard appears.
Click Flexibility > Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
o A component without defined flexibility—Select the component, right-click it
in the Model Tree or graphics window, and choose Make Flexible from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible. The Component Placement
dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box open.
3. In the Varied Items dialog box, click the tab of the varied item of your choice.
4. Click to open the Varied Dimension Table Column Setup dialog box.
5. Select Assoc. Param from the Not Displayed list and click .
6. Click OK.
7. In the Assoc. Param column, enter a parameter name. Associated parameters
must exist for the original component. Types of associated parameter are as
follows:
Real Number—For dimensions, tolerances, and geometry tolerances
Yes/No—For features and components
8. Click OK.
9. Click to accept the changes and close the Component Placement dashboard.
To Redefine a Flexible Component
1. Open an assembly.
2. In the Model Tree or graphics window, right-click the flexible component to
redefine, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu or click Edit >
Definition.
3. Click the Flexibility tab. The Varied Items dialog box opens.
4. Change, delete, or create new varied items and click OK.
5. Complete component placement and click .
Assembly
165
To Remove the Flexible Definition from a Component
1. Open an assembly.
2. Right-click the flexible component in the Model Tree or graphics window and
select Remove Var Items from the shortcut menu. The varied items are
removed and the component no longer has a flexible definition.
To Convert a Component to Flexible Using Predefined Flexibility
1. Open an assembly.
2. Select the component, right-click it in the Model Tree or graphics window, and
choose Make Flexible from the shortcut menu, or click Edit > Make Flexible.
The Component Placement dashboard appears with the Varied Items dialog box
open.
3. Change, delete, or create new varied items and click OK.
4. Complete component placement and click .
To Display Reference Backups in the Model Tree
1. In an open assembly, click Settings > Tree Filters on the Model Tree menu bar.
The Model Tree Items dialog box opens.
2. Click Copied References from the Display column.
3. Click OK. Reference (geometry) backups appear as a Copy Geometry feature
sub-node in the Model Tree.
Note: To view reference backups in a Model Tree status column, enable Copied
Refs in the Model Tree Columns dialog box.
Propagating Flexible Components
About Propagating Flexible Components
You can propagate flexibility back to a component with the same shape and
configuration. Propagation may be necessary to change the base component that
contains varied items. The Propagate To > Model command changes the original
model according to the varied items existing in the selected component. Varied items
from upper levels that drive it and its components are also changed. For example,
when a flexible subassembly changes, the models that are driven and affected by the
flexibility change as well.
Use the Propagate To > Model command for:
• Flexible components
• Components driven by varied items
• Members of a flexible subassembly or one that contains components driven by
varied items at any level
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
166
To Propagate a Flexible Component
1. Open an assembly.
2. In the Model Tree, right-click the component to propagate and choose
Propagate To > Model from the shortcut menu. The Changing Models
message box opens displaying the name of the original component.
3. Click OK to confirm the change.
Example: Propagated Flexible Components
The same spring, propagated three times, in different states of compression shows
propagated flexible components.
Searching for Assembly Items
To Select a Parent Assembly or Subassembly from the Graphics Window
You can directly select assembly components from the Model Tree. If the selection is
made from the graphics window, use the following procedure:
1. In the graphics window, select a component belonging to a parent assembly or
subassembly.
2. Right-click and choose Select Parent from the shortcut menu. The parent
assembly or subassembly is selected.
Note: Select Parent is only available when the last item in the selection set is a
component or assembly feature.
Assembly
167
To Search and Select Items by Attributes
1. Click Edit > Find. The Search Tool dialog box opens.
2. Click Attributes.
3. Select the attribute to use for your search. Additional filtering options appear
depending on which attribute you select.
4. Select additional filtering options.
5. In Look For, specify the item types if the action allows for the selection of more
than one entity type.
6. In Look by, create a more detailed query. For example, if you set Look for to
feature and set Look by to dimension. The rules apply to dimensions but the
found items are features that own the found dimensions.
7. In Options, select items that are not visible in the main window. You can search
for excluded (from representation), suppressed, out of session, not placed items
and control the following options:
o Filter Tree—Filter the model tree to only show selected items.
o Highlight Items—Highlight selected items in the main window.
o Build Query—Combine rules to perform a search.
8. Click Find Now to evaluate search results with set rules and filters. Two areas
appear; A list of found items and an area to transfer selected items.
9. Select found items and click to transfer them into the selected items area.
Note: Click one name to select that item and close the dialog box. In multi-select
mode, click either Apply or Close to select highlighted items. Ctrl and shift editing
commands apply to the results list. Ctrl +LMB selects and unselects multiple items.
Shift + LMB selects a range of items, and Ctrl +A selects or unselects all items.
To Search and Select Items by History
Search items by historic information or design practices previously experienced. For
example, feature numbers, ID rules, failed and last features, or all entities for the
current context. You can also specify a range of numbers for feature numbers and
rules.
1. Click Edit > Find. The Search Tool dialog box opens.
2. Click History. The following items appear allowing you search by:
o ID
o Number
o Failed Feat
o Last Feat
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
168
o All
3. Select the item to use for your search. Additional filtering options appear
depending on which item you select.
4. Select additional filtering options.
5. In Look For, specify the item types if the action allows for the selection of more
than one entity type.
6. In Look by, create a more detailed query.
7. In Options, select items that are not visible in the main window. You can search
for excluded (from representation), suppressed, out of session, not placed items
and control the following options:
o Filter Tree—Filter the model tree to only show selected items.
o Highlight Items—Highlight selected items in the main window.
o Build Query—Combine rules to perform a search.
8. Click Find Now to evaluate search results with set rules and filters. Two areas
appear; A list of found items and an area to transfer selected items.
9. Select found items and click to transfer them into the selected items area.
Note: Click one name to select that item and close the dialog box. In multi-select
mode, click either Apply or Close to select highlighted items. Ctrl and shift editing
commands apply to the results list. Ctrl +LMB selects and unselects multiple items.
Shift + LMB selects a range of items, and Ctrl +A selects or unselects all items.
To Search and Select Items by Status
1. Click Edit > Find. The Search Tool dialog box opens.
2. Click Status.
3. Select one of the following status items to use for your search. Additional filtering
options appear depending on which status item you select.
o Regenerations—Specify types of regenerations such as frozen, inactive,
failed , and so forth.
o Layers—Include or exclude layers within your model.
o Display—Select display or visibility styles as setup in a simplified
representation.
o Parent/Child—Select the parents or children of a selected reference. Select
the reference to determine the parent/child rule, and then describe the
Scope for the rule
4. Select additional filtering options.
Assembly
169
5. In Look For, specify the item types if the action allows for the selection of more
than one entity type.
6. In Look by, create a more detailed query.
7. In Options, select items that are not visible in the main window. You can search
for excluded (from representation), suppressed, out of session, not placed items
and control the following options:
o Filter Tree—Filter the model tree to only show selected items.
o Highlight Items—Highlight selected items in the main window.
o Build Query—Combine rules to perform a search.
8. Click Find Now to evaluate search results with set rules and filters. Two areas
appear; A list of found items and an area to transfer selected items.
9. Select found items and click to transfer them into the selected items area.
Note: Click one name to select that item and close the dialog box. In multi-select
mode, click either Apply or Close to select highlighted items. Ctrl and shift editing
commands apply to the results list. Ctrl +LMB selects and unselects multiple items.
Shift + LMB selects a range of items, and Ctrl +A selects or unselects all items.
To Search and Select Items by Copied Refs
1. Click Edit > Find. The Search Tool dialog box opens.
2. Click Status.
3. Click Copied Refs.
4. Select comparison and value filtering options.
5. In Look For, specify the item types if the action allows for the selection of more
than one entity type.
6. In Look by, create a more detailed query.
7. In Options, select items that are not visible in the main window. You can search
for excluded (from representation), suppressed, out of session, not placed items
and control the following options:
o Filter Tree—Filter the model tree to only show selected items.
o Highlight Items—Highlight selected items in the main window.
o Build Query—Combine rules to perform a search.
8. Click Find Now to evaluate search results with set rules and filters. Two areas
appear; A list of found items and an area to transfer selected items.
9. Select found items and click to transfer them into the selected items area.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
170
Note: Click one name to select that item and close the dialog box. In multi-select
mode, click either Apply or Close to select highlighted items. Ctrl and shift editing
commands apply to the results list. Ctrl +LMB selects and unselects multiple items.
Shift + LMB selects a range of items, and Ctrl +A selects or unselects all items.
To Search and Select Items by Geometry
1. Click Edit > Find. The Search Tool dialog box opens.
2. In Look For, select Component from the item types list.
3. Click Geometry.
Note: To enable the Geometry tab, Component must be selected in the Look
for: list.
4. Select one of the following geometry types to use for your search. Additional
filtering options appear depending on which attribute you select.
o Zones—Select assemblies from inside or outside a selected zone.
o Distance—Search for models within a distance from a reference.
o Exterior Components—Select the exterior models of an assembly. Quality
Level is specified because this rule essentially takes a shrinkwrap of the
assembly and locates any models which intersect with the shrinkwrap. A
higher quality level number generates a more detailed shrinkwrap.
5. Select additional filtering options.
6. In Options, select items that are not visible in the main window. You can search
for excluded (from representation), suppressed, out of session, not placed items
and control the following options:
o Filter Tree—Filter the model tree to only show selected items.
o Highlight Items—Highlight selected items in the main window.
o Build Query—Combine rules to perform a search.
7. Click Find Now to evaluate search results with set rules and filters. Two areas
appear; a list of found items and an area to transfer selected items.
8. Select found items and click to transfer them into the selected items area.
Note: Click one name to select that item and close the dialog box. In multi-select
mode, click either Apply or Close to select highlighted items. Ctrl and shift editing
commands apply to the results list. Ctrl + LMB selects and unselects muliple items.
Shift + LMB selects a range of items, and Ctrl + A selects or unselects all items.
Assembly
171
Managing Views
Exploded Views
About Exploded Views
An exploded view of an assembly shows each component of the model separated
from other components. Using Explode in the View Manager, you can create
exploded views. An exploded view affects only the assembly appearance. Design
intent and the true distance between assembled components does not change. You
create exploded views to define the exploded position of all components. For each
exploded view, you can perform the following actions:
• Toggle the exploded view of components on and off.
• Change the location of components.
• Create offset lines.
You can define multiple exploded views for each assembly and then use any of these
saved views at any time. You can also set an explode state for each drawing view of
an assembly.
Each component has a default exploded position determined by the placement
constraints. By default, the reference component of the exploded view is the parent
assembly (top-level assembly or subassembly).
When using exploded views, keep in mind the following rules:
• If you explode a subassembly in the context of a higher level assembly, the
components in the subassembly are not exploded automatically. You can specify
the exploded state to use for each subassembly.
• When the exploded view is turned off, information about the exploded position of
components is kept. The components return to their previous exploded position
when the exploded view is turned on.
• All assemblies have a default exploded view, which is created using the
component placement specifications.
• Multiple occurrences of the same subassembly in an exploded view can have
different characteristics at a higher level assembly.
Note: Exploded views cannot be created in NC Manufacturing assemblies (.mfg
files).
To Create and Save a New Exploded View
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens.
2. Click Explode.
3. Click New. A default name for the exploded view appears.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
172
4. Press ENTER to accept the name or type a new name. The exploded view is
active.
5. Click Properties and set the explode position of the assembly components.
6. Click List to return to the exploded views list.
7. Click Edit > Save. The Save Display Elements dialog box opens.
8. Click OK and Close.
To Explode or Unexplode an Assembly View
1. To explode an assembly view, click View > Explode > Explode View.
2. To return the view to its former unexploded state, click View > Explode >
Unexplode View.
To Set the Exploded Position of Components
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
3. Click Explode, select an exploded view, and click Properties.
4. Click . The Explode Position dialog box opens.
5. Select a motion type for positioning the exploded components.
6. Select a motion reference to set the direction of the move.
7. Select the component to explode and drag it to a new position.
8. Continue selecting components and dragging them to desired positions in the
exploded view.
9. Click OK to return to the View Manager.
To Set the Exploded Status of Components
Use the View Manager to set the explode position of components.
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
3. Click Explode.
4. Select an exploded view and click Properties.
5. Select a component from the component list in the View Manager and click
to toggle the exploded view on or off. The status of the component is set to
exploded or unexploded .
Assembly
173
6. Click Close.
About Offset Lines in Exploded Views
You can use offset lines to show how exploded components align when they are in
their final positions, and then modify or delete them when editing an exploded state.
They display in a dashed font. Offset lines are composed of three straight segments.
You determine the direction of the end segments by selecting references (parallel to
an edge or curve or normal to a surface), and the middle segment connects the two
end segments.
Configuration File Options for Offset Lines
In the configuration file, you can set the default color and font style for offset lines
created for exploded views. The following options are available:
• offset_line_def_font
• offset_line_def_color
To Create Offset Lines
1. Click View > Explode > Offset Lines > Create or click View > View
Manager, select the Explode tab, and click . The Entity Select menu
appears.
2. Select a pair of start and end anchor points for the offset lines:
o Axis—Selects an axis on which to place the offset line.
o Surface Norm—Selects a surface on which to place the offset line.
o Edge/Curve—Selects an edge or curve on which to place the offset line.
3. Follow the prompts to select the start and end points. When complete a message
appears indicating the assembly components are successfully exploded.
To Modify Offset Lines
You can modify offset lines by:
• Adding, moving, or deleting jogs
• Changing line font
• Changing line color
1. Click View > Explode > Offset Lines.
2. Choose one of the options in the OFFSET LINES menu:
o Modify—Move, add, or delete a jog.
o Delete—Delete an offset line.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
174
o Mod Line Style—Select a line to modify using options in the Line Style
dialog box.
o Set Def Style—Set a new default line style and color using options in the
Line Style dialog box.
To Add or Modify Jogs in Offset Lines
You can create offset lines with multiple jogs. You can also move as well as delete
the jog points.
1. Click View > Explode > Offset Lines > Modify.
2. Select an offset line to modify.
3. Select an option from the EXPL LINES MODIFY menu:
o Move—Move a jog point.
o Add Jogs—Add a jog to the lines.
o Delete Jogs—Delete a jog by selecting a jog point.
Cross Sections
About Assembly Cross Sections
Create a cross section to cut away a section of a part or assembly to view a section
of the model. In Assembly mode, you can create a cross section that intersects an
entire assembly or only a selected part. The crosshatching of each part in an
assembly is determined separately. Assembly cross sections can be used in
drawings.
You can create the following types of cross sections using the View Manager:
• Planar cross sections of models (crosshatched or filled)
• Offset cross section of models (crosshatched but not filled)
• Cross sections from a faceted model (.stl file)
With the Surfacing model you can create planar cross sections that automatically
intersect all quilts and all geometry in the current model.
The following restrictions apply to using cross sections:
• If you have a detailed drawing, crosshatching is visible even if you click No
Hidden.
• Cross-sectional cut planes do not intersect cosmetic features in a model.
• You can view only one clipped cross section at a time.
Assembly
175
Assembly Zones
About Assembly Zones
Zones are regions within models that make large assemblies more manageable. You
can use zones to help organize your assembly, as follows:
• Control view clipping
• Select components in an assembly for a simplified representation
• Create component display states
• Define envelope parts
Use the Xsec tab in the View Manager to create zones. Each zone is named and
stored with the top-level assembly or part.
You can create an assembly zone based on offset distances from a coordinate
system, datum plane references, closed assembly feature surfaces, 2-D elements
(such as curves) or by specifying a distance from an entity. Zone references can
come from any level of the assembly. You can define the coordinate systems, datum
planes or surfaces while you create a zone, or you can use preexisting coordinate
systems, datum planes, or surfaces.
You can use coordinate systems, flat datum planes, or extruded or revolved surfaces
to define what is inside the zone or outside the zone. For example, if you define a
zone to include everything on one side of a datum plane, that side is a half-space of
the datum plane. You can combine any number of half-spaces. However, if you use
more than 6 half-spaces, view clipping is not available.
You can manage a collection of components or assembly areas by using closed
surfaces to define the assembly zone boundaries. Sketch a closed section and
extrude it to get a surface with capped ends. This closed section, which defines the
zone’s boundaries, specifies which components are included in the zone. Components
are included in zones as follows:
• If a component lies in more than one zone, the system includes it in both zones.
• If a component’s bounding box is intersected by a zone, the system includes the
component in that zone.
Define zones as follows:
• Reference an existing assembly datum plane
• Create an assembly datum plane during zone definition
• Reference an existing assembly closed quilt
• Reference a 2-D element (a plane, curve, or vertex)
• Reference a radial distance from a 2-D element
• Create an assembly coordinate system during definition
• Reference an existing coordinate system
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
176
Note: A bounding box highlighting the geometry for selected zones is visible when
using Offset CSYS, Inside-Outside, and Half-Space types. However, a bounding
box does not appear when using Radial Distance From.
To Clip a Zone
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
3. Click the Xsec tab.
4. Create a zone in your model using the Half-Space (datum plane) reference
type.
5. Right-click the name of the zone to clip and click Set Active from the shortcut
menu. The model is clipped.
Note: You can click Display > Flip to change the side clipping that occurs on your
model. You can also click Display > Exclude Comps to disable graphic selection of
geometry that is clipped away.
To Create a Zone Using a Distance from an Element
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or View > View Manager, click the Xsec tab and then click New. A
default zone name appears in the Names area of the View Manager dialog box.
3. Accept the default zone name or enter a new one and press ENTER. The XSEC
OPTS menu appears.
4. Click Zone. A dialog box opens labeled with the zone name.
5. Click Radial Distance From from the Type list.
6. On the From list, select the type of entity from which to measure:
o Any
o Vertex
o Point
o Line/Axis
o Curve/Edge
o Curve Feature
o Plane
o Surface
o Cable
Assembly
177
o Part
o Subassembly
o Component Center
o Coordinate System (offset)
7. Select the specific entity from which to measure in the graphics window.
8. Enter a value for the radial distance in the Radius box.
9. Click to preview the newly created zone and click to close the Zone
dialog box.
Note: Zones created using distance from an element cannot be view clipped.
To Create a Zone Using Closed Surfaces
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or View > View Manager, click the Xsec tab and then click New. A
default zone name appears in the Names area of the View Manager dialog box.
3. Accept the default zone name or type a new one and then press ENTER. The
XSEC OPTS menu appears.
4. Click Zone. A dialog box opens labeled with the zone name.
5. Select Inside-Outside (quilt) from the Type list.
6. Select an existing closed quilt from the graphics window or Model Tree. The quilt
appears in the references list.
7. Click to indicate whether components inside or outside the boundaries
defined by the bounding box are to be included in the zone (the default is
Inside).
8. Click to preview the newly created zone and click to close the Zone
dialog box.
To Create a Zone Using Datum Planes
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click or View > View Manager, click the Xsec tab and then click New. A
default zone name appears in the Names area of the View Manager dialog box.
3. Accept the default zone name or type a new one and press ENTER. The XSEC
OPTS menu appears.
4. Click Zone. A dialog box opens labeled with the zone name.
5. Select Half-Space from the Type list.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
178
Note: If you change the reference type after specifying references, they are no
longer displayed. If you switch back to that type of reference, they reappear.
6. Select a datum plane from the graphics window or Model Tree. The datum plane
name appears in the reference list. The nine arrows that appear in the graphics
window indicate which side of the datum is used to define the zone. Use to
change direction.
7. Click to preview the newly created zone and click to close the Zone
dialog box.
To Delete a Zone from an Assembly
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the Xsec tab.
3. Right-click the zone to be deleted and select Remove from the shortcut menu.
Note:
• You can also select the zone to be deleted and click Edit > Remove.
• A warning message confirming the deletion is displayed.
To List All Zones in an Assembly
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the Xsec tab. All assembly zones and cross sections appear in the Names
area of the View Manager.
To Redefine a Reference in a Zone
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the Xsec tab.
3. Right-click the zone name to be changed and select Redefine from the shortcut
menu. The Zone dialog box opens with the zone references displayed.
Note: You can also expand the Footer group located at the bottom of the
Model Tree. Right-click the zone name and choose Edit Definition from the
shortcut menu.
4. Select the reference to be redefined and edit it.
5. Click to preview the newly created zone.
6. Click to close the Zone dialog box.
Assembly
179
To Remove a Reference from a Zone
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the Xsec tab.
3. Select the name of the zone to be changed.
4. Click Edit > Properties. The Zone dialog box opens.
5. Select the reference to be removed.
6. Click to remove the reference.
7. Click to close the Zone dialog box.
To View a Zone
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the Xsec tab.
3. Click Display. The following options are available:
o Show Refs—Highlight the defining references for the selected zone.
o Zone Comps—Highlight the components in the selected zone.
o Zone Only—Show only the components in the selected zone or zones.
To Rename a Zone
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the Xsec tab.
3. In the View Manager, right-click the zone to be renamed and choose Rename
from the shortcut menu.
4. Enter a new zone name.
5. Click Close.
Multiple References for Assembly Zones
You can select more than one reference to define an assembly zone. When you select
a reference in the references area of the dialog box, it is highlighted in the graphics
window. Two or more references always have logical AND and OR capabilities. Use
the AND and OR options in the zone definition dialog box. The system maintains an
order of operations denoted by parentheses. Parentheses placement cannot be
changed.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
180
To Create a Zone Using Offset Distance from a Coordinate System
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click View > Zone or open the View Manager, click the Xsec tab, and then
click New. A default zone name appears in the Names area of the View
Manager dialog box.
3. Accept the default zone name or enter a new one and press ENTER. The XSEC
OPTS menu appears.
4. Click Zone. A dialog box opens labeled with the zone name.
5. Select Offset CSYS from the Type list.
6. Create a new coordinate system or select an existing one from the graphics
window or the Model Tree. The coordinate system name appears in the reference
list. A three-dimensional bounding box appears, enclosing the created or selected
coordinate system.
7. Specify the offset from the coordinate system by changing the distance values of
the six planes making up the bounding box (X1, Y1, Z1 and X2, Y2, Z2). The
graphics window updates whenever you change a value and press ENTER. The
values of X1 and X2, Y1 and Y2, and Z1 and Z2 cannot be the same.
Note: When a bounding box expands beyond the model's outline, two bounding
boxes are displayed in the graphics window:
o Csys offset bounding box—Defined using coordinate system offset values.
o Zone bounding box—Defined using the intersection of the model's outline
and zone references.
8. Click to indicate whether components inside or outside the boundaries
defined by the bounding box are to be included in the zone (the default is
Inside).
9. Click to add additional references to the zone or to remove a reference.
10. Click to preview the newly created zone and click to close the Zone
dialog box.
Assembly Display Style
About Display Style for an Assembly
You can assign solid or wireframe display styles to components in your assembly.
This improves computer performance as designs get larger. There are two main style
modes: shaded (solid) and lined. Use the Style tab in the View Manager or the
View > Display Style command to manage the assembly display. The assigned
component style appears in the Display Style column in the Model Tree. You can
assign one of the following display styles to components in an assembly:
Assembly
181
• Wireframe—Shows front and back lines equally.
• Hidden Line—Shows hidden lines in ghost tones.
• No Hidden—Does not show lines behind forward surfaces.
• Shaded—Shows the model as a shaded solid.
• Transparent—Shows the model as a transparent solid.
• Blank—Does not show the model.
Component display styles can be modified without using the View Manager. You
can select desired models from the graphics window, Model Tree, or search tool, and
then use the View> Display Style commands to assign a display style to the
selected models. These temporary changes can be stored to a new display style, or
updated to an existing one. When a default display styles is defined, it appears each
time the model is retrieved.
To Create a Display Style
Note: In the View Manager a plus (+) indicates that the current display style is
modified.
A display style can be created by following one of these two procedures:
1. Select components, and then click View > Display Style. Select one of the
options from the list of display styles.
2. Select additional components and apply other display styles to them.
or
1. Click or View > View Manager to open the View Manager.
2. Click Style.
3. Click New. A default name for the display style appears.
4. Press ENTER to accept the default style name or enter a new one. The Edit dialog
box opens.
5. Click Show and select a display style from the Method list.
6. Select a component from the graphics window or the Model Tree.
7. Click to preview the selected style and click to accept the change.
To Edit a Display Style
1. Click or View > View Manager to open the View Manager.
2. Click Style.
3. Select the style name to be changed, and then click Properties.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
182
4. Select a component from the list.
5. Click an option to select another style:
o —Wireframe
o —Solid
o —Transparent
o —Hidden lines
o —No hidden lines
o —Blank
o —Activate a display style from the selected component
To Redefine a Display Style from the Model Tree
1. Retrieve an assembly and create a display style.
2. Click Settings > Tree Columns from the Model Tree. The Model Tree Columns
dialog box opens.
3. From the Type list select Display Styles. Choose a style to add to the list in the
Displayed column.
4. Click OK. The new style column appears in the Model Tree.
5. Select a component with a defined display style, and then redefine the display
style by selecting a different one from the Display Style column.
Display Styles for Components
The View > Display Style menu controls the display style of components with no
assigned display style, as follows:
• Wireframe—Components are displayed in front of the assigned component in
wireframe and all edges appear in white (or another assigned color), when you:
o Assign one component to display its hidden lines.
o Leave the other components unassigned.
o Set the general display style to Wireframe.
The components behind the assigned part are displayed in wireframe, but the
sections of edges masked by the component with hidden lines are not displayed.
• Hidden Line—All components and the hidden line component are displayed in
the same way.
Assembly
183
• No Hidden—All components in front of the assigned component appear with no
hidden lines. The obscured edges of the hidden line component appear in gray
and its visible edges in white. In components behind the assigned part, visible
edges appear, but obscured ones do not. The edges of the other parts obscured
by the hidden line component do not appear in gray.
• Shaded—All assigned components display as shaded, whether they are in front
of or behind the hidden line component.
• Transparent—All assigned components are displayed as transparent.
Note: The default transparency value is 75. You can set the
style_state_transparency configuration option in a range of 0–100.
The display style for assembly components affects only the top-level assembly.
Display style information exists in the assembly, not in the components.
Components in a subassembly may have defined display styles before their
assembly. Use the By Display command in the Edit Display menu to activate
subassembly settings in the assembly. As a result, when you retrieve the
subassembly in another session, it retains the display style that you assigned it.
Keep the following in mind when using display styles:
• The display style of the components in an assembly overrides the general display
style setting. You cannot mix general display style settings and different states
on individual components. When you select a component and assign a display
style to it, the unassigned components appear in accordance with the general
display style setting.
• You can store a component with an assigned display style and retrieve that style
by name so that you can return the model to the regular display style without
losing defined settings.
• Only one display style can be active at a time.
• You can also change display states in simplified representations and exploded
assemblies.
Assembly Orientation
About Assembly Orientation
An assembly appears in a default view orientation when it is first created and any
time it is retrieved (provided it was saved in default orientation). You can change the
default orientation of your model or create new orientations using the Orient
command in the View Manager.
Using View > Orientation you can perform the following actions:
• Return to the default orientation.
• Return to the previous orientation.
• Refit the model to the screen so that you can view the entire model.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
184
• Reorient the model.
To Save an Assembly Orientation
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager The View Manager
dialog box opens.
2. Click Orient.
3. Click New. A default name appears for your view. Change the view name or
press ENTER to accept it.
4. Right-click the view name, and then click Redefine. The Orientation dialog box
opens.
5. Orient the model by references or position the model to the desired view using
the spin, pan, and zoom commands.
6. Click OK to return to the View Manager.
7. Click Edit > Save. The Save Display Elements dialog box opens.
8. To save the view click OK.
Combination Views
About Combination Views
A combination view allows you to combine and apply multiple View Manager display
states. You can save combination views to quickly switch between customized model
display states.
With combination views you can control the following display states:
• Model orientation
• Simplified representations
• Model style
• Cross sections
• Exploded views
• Layer status
To Create a Combination View
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Configure the display settings to be saved with the new combination view.
3. Click the All tab.
4. Click New. A default name for the combination view appears.
Assembly
185
5. Press ENTER to accept the default name or type a new name and press ENTER.
The New Presentation State dialog box opens.
6. Click Reference Originals to reference the original display states, or click
Create Copies to create copies of the original display states.
To Redefine a Combination View
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens.
2. Click the All tab.
3. Right-click the combination view to edit and select Redefine from the shortcut
menu. The combination view definition dialog box opens.
4. Redefine the following display settings:
o Orientation
o Simplified Rep
o Style
o Cross Section
Click Visible Cross Sections. The Select Xsec dialog box opens. Double-
click a listed cross section to preview.
Exclude clipped components—Excludes components that are clipped by
a 3D cross section (zone).
o Explode
Show exploded—Activates the selected exploded view.
o Layers
Include Current status—Click to store the current top level assembly
layer status. The layer status of lower level components is not stored.
However, top level assembly layer status is propagated to sub model same
name layers.
Note: It is recommended to set the model to its current combination state
before redefinition is done. This prevents the layer status from being
overwritten unintentionally.
5. Click to preview the changes.
6. Click .
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
186
References and Dependencies
Reference Views
About the Reference Viewer User Interface
The Reference Viewer user interface consists of the following items:
• Menu bar commands
• Task panel
• Path overview graph
• Parent/Child graph
• Current item collector
• Shortcut menus
Menu Bar Commands
The following commands are available:
• File—Includes the following file options:
o Save Paths—Saves all paths in the paths tab with the model.
o Load Paths—Loads a saved paths file.
o Export > Export All Full Paths—Exports all the full paths in the model to
a text file.
o Export > Export Paths List—Exports all the paths in the Paths tab to a
text file.
o Export > Export Graph as Text—Exports all parents and children in the
graph to a text file.
o Export > Export Model Tree as Text—Exports the Model Tree to a text
file.
o Close
• View—Toggles the display of parents and children in the graph:
o Parents and Children (default)
o Show Parents only
o Show Children only
o Add Tree Column—Toggles the display of the Dependency Status
column in the Model Tree.
o Expand all—Expands all subitems in the graph.
Assembly
187
o Collapse all—Collapses all subitems in the graph.
• Actions
o Set as Current—Sets the selected object as the current object.
o Info > Reference Info—Displays information about the selected object
reference.
o Info > Feature Info—Displays information about the selected feature.
o Info > Relation Info—Displays information about relation references.
o Find Paths—Locates the path between objects.
o Find Circular Paths—Locates circular paths in the model.
o Find in Model Tree > Filter Tree—Filters the Model Tree according to
reference and object filters.
Task Panel
Contains the following tabs:
• Reference Filters—Controls the reference filters settings.
• Paths—Provides tools for managing reference paths.
Path Overview Graph
This graph is at the top of the Parent/Child graph. It is used to display and navigate
a defined path. A path is considered defined when it contains more than one object.
Parent/Child Graph
This graph displays the parents and children of the current object. The displayed
objects can be selected directly in the graph for reference investigation.
Current Item Collector
The current item collector is above the Parent/Child graph. The following elements
are available:
• Current Object—Displays the currently investigated object.
• Use Previous—Sets the previous object as the current object.
• —Displays a history list of the current item. Click an item from the list to
make it current.
Shortcut Menus
To access a shortcut menu, right-click an object on the Parent/Child graph or
anywhere inside the graph to quickly access general commands.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
188
About Reference Investigation in Assembly
With the Reference Viewer you can investigate the relationships and dependencies
among features and models for increased management of design intent. The
contents are displayed graphically by representing component hierarchy and multiple
dependencies. The graph can display multiple levels of parents and children at one
time. You can customize the contents of the Reference Viewer to show only
dependencies of interest.
When you select an assembly for reference investigation, the Reference Viewer
displays both solid model and component references. Solid model references are part
level (feature) references and component references are assembly level (placement)
references. Solid model references describe model geometry and component
references describe part relationships in context of the assembly. You can control the
display of references and view only solid model or only component references. The
following icons in the Parent/Child graph indicate the display mode of the
investigated object:
• —Both solid model and component references are displayed.
• —Only component references are displayed.
• —Only solid model references are displayed.
About Reference Types
A reference is indicated by an arrow between two objects in the Parent/Child graph.
When there is more than one reference, the number of references appears on the
arrow. With the Reference Viewer you can investigate the following reference
types:
Regular References
Regular references are created between features in the context of a single part or in
the context of an assembly. Feature references can be local or external. Local
references are created by features that only reference geometry of the model in
which they were created. External references are created by a feature referencing
geometry that does not belong to the model where the feature is created.
Note: External references are indicated by a gray dot on the reference arrow in the
Parent/Child graph.
Relation References
Relation references are equations written between dimensions and parameters to
define relationships within features or parts, or among assembly components. You
can investigate model and feature relations, and you can investigate local and
external references created by relations. By default, relation references are indicated
by a red arrow between two objects in the Parent/Child graph.
Note: The color of the reference arrows can be customized.
Assembly
189
Placement References
Placement references are used to place a component in an assembly. When a part is
added to an assembly, the system creates a component feature called a Placement
folder. The folder stores the part name and the part and assembly entities that were
used to place the part. Placement references are indicated by .
System References
System references are created automatically by Pro/ENGINEER.
About Viewing Parent and Child References
The Reference Viewer provides a graphical illustration of parent-child relationships
in the design. When you select an object for reference investigation, the graph area
displays its parents and children. The investigated object is usually placed at the
center of the Parent/Child graph. Parent objects are positioned on the left of the
graph and children on the right.
Note: To view a list of referenced entities, click .
To Investigate References
1. Open an assembly or part.
2. In the Model Tree, right-click an assembly component or a part feature and select
Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens with the
selected component as the current object.
Note: To set an object as current when the Reference Viewer is open, right-
click an object in the Model Tree or graphics window and select Set Current.
3. Set the reference filters. The graph area displays related objects, references, and
dependencies according to the set filters.
4. Click Actions > Info and select Reference Info, Feature Info, or Relation
Info to open the information window for the selected object.
Note: When an information window is opened, the system creates a file
(grv_ref_info.inf) of the data. The file is stored in the working directory and is
overwritten each time a new information window is opened.
5. You can perform the following reference investigations:
o Right-click an object or a reference arrow in the graph to access the
shortcut menu.
o Click next to a graph object. The subitem window opens. Move the
pointer over a listed subitem to highlight its reference in the Parent/Child
graph.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
190
To Set Reference Filters
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Click References on the Reference Filters tab.
3. Set the reference filters on the References Filters tab:
o Scope—Displays only references of the selected scope. Click All, External,
or Local.
o Status—Displays only references of the selected status. Click All, Missing,
Missing without backup, Not Updated, To Excluded Parents, To
Substitute Parents, or Complete.
o Strong/Weak—Displays only references of the selected type. Click All,
Strong, or Weak.
4. Set the reference types to display in the graph:
o Regular
o Placement
o Relation
o System
o Components in path
Note: Click to customize the reference color in the graph.
5. Set the object types from which references are displayed in the graph:
o From Independent Children—Toggles the display of references from
independent objects (the referencing object is an independent feature).
o From Excluded Children—Toggles the display of references from excluded
objects (the referencing object is an excluded object).
o From Suppressed Children—Toggles the display of references from
suppressed objects (the referencing object is a suppressed object).
To View Solid Model and Component References
1. Open an assembly and click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer
dialog box opens with the top-level assembly set as the current object.
2. Click one of the following icons to view solid or component references:
o —Displays both solid and component references (default).
o —Displays only solid references.
o —Displays only component references.
Assembly
191
Tip: Displaying Only External References
When the erv_show_external_only configuration option is set to yes, the
Reference Viewer displays external references only. You can use this configuration
option to improve system performance when working on a large assembly.
To Find a Reference Path
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Select an object to investigate, right-click, and choose Set Current from the
shortcut menu. The selected object appears in the graph area. Related objects,
references, and dependencies are displayed, according to the set filters.
3. Click Actions > Find Paths or right-click an object and choose Find Paths from
the shortcut menu. The Find Paths dialog box opens and the selected object
appears in the From Object box.
4. Select the path's destination:
To Object—Displays the path to a selected object.
Full path to current object—Displays the full path from the reference to the
current object.
Full path to direct parents/children—Displays paths to the direct parent and
children and includes components on the reference path.
5. Click Find Path. The reference path is given a default name and added to the
path list.
Note:
• To rename a selected reference path, right-click, choose Rename from the
shortcut menu, and type a new name.
• To delete a selected reference path, right-click, and choose Delete from the
shortcut menu.
To Save a Reference Path
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Find one or several reference paths between selected objects.
3. Click File > Save Paths or press CTRL+S. The reference paths are saved to the
session.
4. Save the assembly.
To Export All References
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Set the reference filters.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
192
3. Select an object to investigate, right-click, and choose Set Current from the
shortcut menu.
4. Click File > Export > Export All Full Paths. An information window containing
all the references opens.
Note: When you open the information window, the system creates a file
(grv_full_path.inf) that contains the reference data. This file in the working
directory is overwritten each time you use the Export All Full Paths command.
5. Click File > Save or File > Save As to save the information window and click
Close.
To Investigate Circular References
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Click the Paths tab and then click Find Circular Paths. The model is
regenerated and the existing circular paths are listed.
3. Click a circular path. The path is displayed in the graph.
To View a Reference Path
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Select an object to investigate, right-click, and choose Set Current from the
shortcut menu. The selected object appears in the graph area. Related objects,
references, and dependencies are displayed according to the set filters.
3. Right-click a reference arrow in the graph area and select Display Full Path. The
Full Path Display dialog box opens displaying the route of the selected
reference in the assembly tree.
Note: The black arrow indicates the connection between the end entities. The red
arrows indicate the reference path in the assembly.
4. Click Close.
To Filter the Model Tree
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. On the References Filters tab, set the reference filters and click Filter Model
Tree. The Model Tree is filtered according to the set filters.
3. To filter the Model Tree by object type, select on of the following options from the
Filter By list:
o Parent or Child References (default)
o Parents References
o Child References
Assembly
193
To Export a Model Tree to a Text File
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Expand the Model Tree items intended for export.
Note: Collapsed Model Tree items are not exported.
3. Click File > Export > Export Model Tree as Text. The Get Name dialog box
opens.
4. Type a name in the Enter file name box and click OK. The Model Tree is
exported to a text file and saved in the working directory.
To Toggle the Display of Parents and Children in the Reference Viewer
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
2. Select an object to investigate, right-click, and choose Set Current from the
shortcut menu. The selected object appears as the Current Object at the center
of the graph area. Parent objects are displayed to the left of the Current Object
and child objects are displayed to the right of it.
3. Click to close the parent or child reference columns of the Parent/Child Graph.
To restore a closed reference column, click View and select and select one of the
following options:
o Parents and Children (default)—Displays the parents and children of the
Current Object.
o Show Parents only—Displays only the parents of the Current Object.
o Show Children only—Displays only the children of the Current Object.
Note: You can also right-click the graph area and choose one of the above
options from the shortcut menu.
To Investigate Dependencies
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens.
Note: To investigate the dependencies of a component, select the component,
right-click, and choose Info > Reference Viewer from the shortcut menu.
2. Click Dependencies on the Reference Filters tab.
3. Set the dependencies filters:
o Status—Displays only dependencies of the selected status. Click All,
Missing, Missing without backup, Not updated, To Excluded Parents,
To Substitute Parents, or Complete.
o Type—Displays only dependencies of the selected type. Click All, Family
Table, Substitute, Interchange, Membership, Layout Declared,
External Representation, Manufacturing, UDF, Merge, or Dummy.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
194
4. Set the object types from which references are displayed in the graph:
o From Independent Children
o From Excluded Children
o From Suppressed Children
About Breaking Dependencies
Dependencies between features and models are created by Pro/ENGINEER to enable
work on Product Development Management systems. The Reference Viewer allows
you to investigate and break object dependencies before the model is checked into
the PDM system. The following dependency types can be broken:
• Restructure dependencies
• Dependencies to unused substitute components
• Dependencies to reference models of independent Data Sharing features
• Dependencies to layouts
• Dependencies to Interchanges assemblies
• Dependencies of mirrored models to the original ones
• Dependencies to old assembly cuts
• Dependencies to replaced components
To Break Object Dependencies
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer dialog box opens with
the top-level model as the current object.
2. Click the Reference Filters tab and then click Dependencies. The Parent/Child
graph displays the model dependencies.
3. Select a dependent object or a dependency link, right-click, and choose Break
Dependency from the shortcut menu.
Note: To access object-specific functions, right-click the dependency link, and
choose a relevant command from the shortcut menu.
Reference Viewer Tutorial
About the Reference Viewer Tutorial
In the Reference Viewer tutorial, you will use files from a model of a fan to learn how
to use the Reference Viewer. You will learn about the Reference Viewer User
Interface and perform common reference investigation tasks. The tutorial is
composed of four sequential exercises:
• Exercise 1: Opening the Reference Viewer and Viewing its Contents
Assembly
195
• Exercise 2: Controlling the Graph Display and Filtering References
• Exercise 3: Viewing Reference Paths and Investigating Circular References
• Exercise 4: Displaying and Breaking Model Dependencies
Complete the exercises in their order. Follow the instructions in the Setup page to
get started.
Setup
To work through this tutorial, you need Pro/ENGINEER Wilfire 4.0 or later and the
model.zip file provided.
1. Download the model.zip file and extract it to a directory on your hard drive.
2. Start Pro/ENGINEER.
3. Click File > Set Working Directory. The Set Working Directory dialog box
opens.
4. Browse to ../models/models/ and click OK to set this as your working directory.
This directory contains the files you will use in this tutorial.
5. Click Tools > Options. The Options dialog box opens.
6. Click and click Open to load the ref_view_tutorial.pro configuration file.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
196
7. Click Close to close the Options dialog box.
8. In the Model Tree, click Settings > Tree Filters. The Model Tree Items dialog
box opens.
9. Under Display, click all the items and then click OK.
To start the tutorial, proceed to Exercise 1.
About Exercise 1
The Reference Viewer provides a graphical illustration of parent and child
relationships in the design. When you select an assembly object for reference
investigation, the graph area displays its parents and children. The investigated
object is usually placed at the center of the Parent/Child graph. Parent objects are
positioned on the left of the graph and children on the right.
In this exercise you will learn how to open the Reference Viewer and view the
current object’s parents and children.
Proceed to Task 1.1.
Task 1-1: Open the Reference Viewer
1. Open the WHIRLWIND_250.ASM file.
2. In the Model Tree, expand the BASE.ASM subassembly.
3. Right-click BASE_ARM.PRT and select Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference
Viewer opens with BASE_ARM.PRT set as the current object. In the Reference
Filters tab, ensure that References is selected.
Tip: Click Info > Reference Viewer to open the Reference Viewer with the
top model as the current object.
4. Review the Parent/Child graph. This graph uses arrows to represent the
references between the current object and its parents and children.
Assembly
197
Note: To view the full reference path between two objects, right-click a reference
arrow, and select Display Full Path from the shortcut menu. The Reference
Path Display dialog box opens.
Proceed to Task 1-2.
Task 1-2: View the Subitem Window
1. In the Reference Viewer, click next to BASE_SKEL.PRT. The subitem window
opens and includes all the items (in BASE_SKEL.PRT) that are referenced by the
current object.
2. Click above BASE_ARM.PRT. The subitem window opens and includes all the
items (in BASE_ARM.PRT) that are responsible for the references displayed in the
graph.
3. Place the pointer over a subitem to highlight its reference arrow in the
Parent/Child graph. For example, place the pointer over Copy Geometry id 39.
The reference to BASE_SKEL.PRT is highlighted in light blue.
Note: You can click to close the parents or children reference columns. The
content of the subitem window updates accordingly. To restore a closed reference
column and view parents and children, click View > Parents and Children.
4. Close the Reference Viewer.
This completes the first exercise.
Proceed to Exercise 2.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
198
Reference Representations in the Parent/Child Graph
A reference is indicated by an arrow between two objects in the Parent/Child graph.
When there is more than one reference, the number of references appears on the
arrow.
Graphical
Display
Definition
A reference between objects.
Multiple references between objects. The number of
references is indicated in the box.
An external reference.
Colors can be assigned to distinguish between different
reference types. By default, relation references are marked
in red.
A reference that is not updated. Make sure the parent object
is in session and regenerate the assembly to update the
reference.
A circular reference between objects.
About Exercise 2
The Reference Viewer can be set to display only references of interest.
In this exercise you will learn how to control the graph display and filter references
by scope, status, and type. You will also learn how to filter the Model Tree to easily
find objects with specific reference types.
Proceed to Task 2-1.
Task 2-1: Set the Reference Filters
1. Open the WHIRLWIND_250.ASM assembly.
2. Click Settings > Tree Filters. The Model Tree Items dialog box opens. Click
Features to display component features in the Model Tree and click OK.
3. In the Model Tree, expand the FAN.ASM subassembly. Right-click
AUX_SHAFT_ARM_SKEL.PRT and select Info > Reference Viewer from the
shortcut menu. The Reference Viewer opens with the selected part set as the
current object.
4. On the Reference Filters tab, set the scope to external. The local references are
filtered out and the graph displays only external references.
Assembly
199
5. On the Reference Filters tab, clear all reference type filters except Placement.
Nonplacement and local placement references are filtered out and the graph
displays only external placement references.
Note:
• Click next to a reference type to assign a new color to the reference type.
• The reference filter settings are saved for the current Pro/ENGINEER session.
6. Close the Reference Viewer.
Proceed to Task 2-2.
Task 2-2: Filter the Model Tree
1. Review the Model Tree objects of the WHIRLWIND_250.ASM assembly.
2. Make sure that the WHIRLWIND_250 assembly is set as the active assembly
component and click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer opens
with the top-level assembly as the current object.
3. On the Reference Filters tab:
o Set Scope to All.
o Clear all reference type filters except Relation.
o Click Filter Model Tree.
4. In the Model Tree, click Show > Expand All. Note that only components with
relation references are displayed in the Model Tree.
5. In the Model Tree, right-click Curve id 41 in AUX_SHAFT_ARM_SKEL.PRT and select
Set Current. Note the relation reference from AUX_SHAFT_ARM_SKEL.PRT to
Curve id 41 appears in the Reference Viewer.
6. You can filter the Model Tree to display objects with parents only or objects with
children only. To view only objects with parents, select Parent References from
the Filter By list.
7. Close the Reference Viewer.
This completes the second exercise.
Proceed to Exercise 3.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
200
Path Overview Graph Symbols
Symbol Definition
A subitem link between two adjacent
objects.
A reference between two adjacent objects
no longer exists.
A subitem link between two adjacent
objects no longer exists.
About Exercise 3
The Reference Viewer can provide information on paths and references. In this
exercise you will learn how to:
• Use the Path Overview graph to display and navigate a defined path.
• Use the Reference Viewer to find and save a path between two objects.
• Find and investigate circular references.
Note: A path is considered defined when it includes at least two objects.
Proceed to Task 3-1.
Task 3-1: Define the Path Overview Graph
1. Open the WHIRLWIND_250 assembly.
2. In the Model Tree, expand the BASE.ASM subassembly.
3. Expand BASE.PRT, right-click the Copy Geometry feature, and select Info >
Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer opens with the Copy Geometry
feature set as the current object.
4. On the Reference Filters tab select all Reference Types. Note that the feature
has only parents.
5. Right-click BASE_PUB in BASE_SKEL.PRT in the Parent/Child graph, and select Set
as current. BASE_PUB in BASE_SKEL.PRT becomes the current object. Note that
the Path Overview graph now includes the current object and the previous object
(the Copy Geometry feature).
6. Right-click the BASE extrude feature and choose Set as current from the
shortcut menu. The object is added to the Path Overview graph.
7. Add the BASE_CRV sketch feature to the Path Overview graph.
8. Click an object in the Path Overview graph. The selected object is highlighted and
becomes the current object in the Parent/Child graph.
Assembly
201
Note: The Path Overview graph displays symbols that indicate the existence of a
subitem link between two adjacent objects.
9. Close the Reference Viewer.
Proceed to Task 3-2.
Task 3-2: Find All Paths Between Two Objects
1. Open the WHIRLWIND_250 assembly.
2. In the Model Tree, expand the FAN.ASM subassembly. Right-click the
DRIVETRAIN_SKEL part and select Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference
Viewer opens with the selected part set as the current object.
3. Click Actions > Find Paths. The Find Paths dialog box opens. DRIVETRAIN.ASM
appears in the From Object box. Next, you must select a destination object for
the To Object box.
4. In the Model Tree, expand the DRIVETRAIN.ASM assembly, select MOTOR.PRT as
the destination object, and click Find Paths. MOTOR.PRT appears in the To
Object box. Note that 3 reference paths are added to the paths list.
5. Click Path 1 to view the reference path from the MOTOR part to the
DRIVETRAIN_SKEL part.
6. View reference paths 2 and 3.
7. To save the reference paths, click File > Save Paths. The Save Paths dialog
box opens. Type a name for the saved paths list in the Name box and click OK.
The list is saved in the working directory.
Note: To open the saved paths file in the Reference Viewer, click File > Load
Paths.
8. Close the Reference Viewer.
Proceed to Task 3-3.
Task 3-3: Investigate Circular References
1. Click Info > Reference Viewer. The Reference Viewer opens.
2. Click the Paths tab and then click Find Circular Paths. Note that 3 circular
paths are added to the circular paths list.
3. Click a circular path from the list. The selected path is displayed in the
Parent/Child graph.
Note:
• Circular references occur when an assembly contains a number of cross
references that form a loop. In this example there is a circular reference between
the HUB and the BLADE parts. The hub is referenced by the blade for placement
constraints and the blade is referencing the hub’s protrusion.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
202
• The circular paths are stored in the working directory by default. Note the
whirlwind_250.crc file in the working directory.
This completes the third exercise.
Proceed to Exercise 4.
About Exercise 4
Dependencies between features and models are created by Pro/ENGINEER to enable
work on Product Development Management systems.
In this exercise you will learn to display model dependencies. You will also learn how
to break dependencies before the models are checked into a PDM system.
Proceed to Task 4-1.
Task 4-1: Display Dependencies
1. Open the WHIRLWIND_250 assembly.
2. In the Model Tree, right-click the FAN subassembly and select Info > Reference
Viewer. The Reference Viewer opens with the selected part set as the current
object.
3. On the Reference Filters tab, click Dependencies. The Parent/Child graph
displays model dependencies.
Note: You can filter the displayed dependencies to view only dependencies of
interest.
4. Review the model dependencies, close the Reference Viewer, and click File >
Close Window.
Proceed to Task 4-2.
Task 4-2: Break Dependencies and Retrieve Missing References
1. Click File > Erase > Not displayed and then click OK to remove all objects
from session.
2. Open the DRIVETRAIN assembly and click Info > Reference Viewer. The
Reference Viewer opens with the top-level assembly set as the current object.
The symbol for a missing reference is . Note the two missing references.
3. On the Reference Filters tab, click Dependencies.
4. Right-click the VORTEX-1200_SKEL part and select Break Dependencies. A
Break Dependency message appears. Click Confirm to break the dependency.
The missing dependency is removed from the Parent/Child graph.
5. To locate the second missing dependent object, right-click the DRIVESHAFT part,
and select Retrieve Ref. The File Open dialog box opens.
Assembly
203
6. Select the DRIVESHAFT part from the working directory and click Open. The
missing part is retrieved into session.
7. Close the Reference Viewer and close the assembly.
This completes the fourth exercise.
Congratulations! You have completed the Reference Viewer tutorial.
View a list that summaries the contents of this tutorial.
Summary
Now that you have completed this four-part tutorial, you should be able to:
• Open the Reference Viewer and investigate parent and child relationships.
• Define and work with a Path Overview graph.
• Set reference filters and filter the Model Tree.
• Find a path between design objects and investigate circular references.
• Investigate and break object dependencies.
Object-Specific Reference Control
About Object-Specific Reference Control
In addition to the global environment scope settings, you can specify a particular
scope setting and reference handling scheme for a particular object. The information
is stored with the object and is in effect for each assembly in which the object
appears.
To manage reference control settings for assembled components, set the following
configuration options:
default_comp_scope_setting—Sets the specified accessible reference control
conditions to newly added components.
default_comp_skel_scope_setting—Sets the specified Accessible reference control
conditions to newly added Skeleton components.
default_comp_invalid_refs—Sets the specified handling method of out-of-scope
Accessible references to newly added components.
default_comp_geom_scope—Sets the specified Shared Geometry reference control
conditions to newly added components.
default_comp_skel_geom_scope—Sets the specified Shared Geometry reference
control conditions to newly added Skeleton components.
default_obj_constraints_scope—Sets the specified Shared Placement reference
control conditions to newly added components.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
204
default_object_geom_scope—Sets the specified Shared Geometry reference control
conditions to newly created models if template models were not used.
To Define Object-Specific Reference Control
You can use any of the following methods to control the reference scope and
handling for a component:
• Right-click on the part in the Model Tree and click Reference Control to set the
reference scope and handling for a part in Part mode.
• Right-click on the top assembly in the Model Tree and click Reference Control
to set the reference scope and handling for a part in Assembly mode.
• Open the Ref Control column in the Model Tree, and then use the right mouse
button to select Ref Control for a part or subassembly within an assembly.
Each of these methods opens the External Reference Control dialog box. Use the
Look In drop-down list to select the object and object type (part, assembly, or
component). The dialog box is divided into two tabs: Accessible and Shared.
The Accessible tab of the dialog box refers to setting the allowable references of the
current model that can be borrowed from other models. The Shared tab refers to
setting the allowable external references that can be shared by other models. This
tab includes external references for feature creation, and also allowed component
placement constraint references. Settings are the same as for environmental
reference control. If there are object-specific settings and an environmental setting
for scope control on an object, the system enforces the more restrictive setting for
the object.
Accessible
• All—Allow external references to any component.
• Inside Subassembly— Allow external references only to components within the
same subassembly.
• Skeleton Model— Allow external references only to the skeleton of high level
subassemblies.
• None—Allow no external references.
• You may choose to use backup of forbidden references by selecting the Backup
Forbidden References check box.
Shared
Geometry Allowed for Referencing
• All—Allow external references to any geometry in the model.
• Published Geometry— Restricts external references shared from this model to
be made only to Publish Geometry.
• None—Allow no external references.
Assembly
205
Allowed Placement References
• All—When assembling this model, allow all geometry to be used as component
constraints.
• Component Interfaces—Allow only component interfaces to be used for
component constraints.
• None—Allow no geometry to be used a component constraints (Fix of Default
must be used).
Tip: View Object-Specific Settings from the Model Tree
You can see current object-specific reference control settings for each model in the
Ref Scope column of the Model Tree.
Environment Reference Control
About Environment Reference Control
Pro/ENGINEER provides reference control tools for specifying system behavior when
you create external references among features in a design.
Click Tools > Assembly Settings > Reference Control to use the External
Reference Control dialog box to specify global settings that apply to all
components in the current session except objects that have an object-specific scope
setting and objects that have a less restrictive object-specific scope control. These
settings are runtime; that is, they apply only during the session in which they are
set. They do not affect the internal database of the object.
You can also specify object-specific scope settings and reference control. This
information is stored with the object and is in effect for each assembly in which the
object appears.
The External Reference Control dialog box contains an Environment settings area
containing a Components Allowed to be Referenced area and Geometry to be
Referenced area. These options allow you to control scope control. In addition,
when you select Selection, you can control selection and color feedback options.
Use the External Reference Control dialog box to specify global environment
settings to control scope, reference handling, reference selection, and color feedback
during selection of references:
• Geometry to be Referenced—This area contains commands to activate
additional Publish Geometry filters. These filters are used in conjunction with the
four scope settings, restricting them further.
• Components Allowed to be Referenced—You can define a scope where
creating external references to other models is allowed in the context of an
assembly, manufacturing model, or process plan.
• Exclude from Selection Bin—You can disable the selection of out-of-scope
references or of components that are either prohibited or from which local copies
must be made.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
206
• Colors of Forbidden References—You can enable highlighting to distinguish
between components available for referencing and components that are not
available for referencing. For example, the system highlights (or reshades) all
invalid components (that are either prohibited, or from which local copies must
be made) in user-defined colors. The models that are out of scope and available
for copying are highlighted in a user-specified color while you are selecting
geometry items for referencing.
• Allowed Placement References—Allow component placement constraints
including interfaces to be referenced.
About the Publish Geometry Reference Filter
The Publish Geometry Settings in the External Reference Control dialog box
enable isolation of only Publish Geometry features for allowed references using the
Geometry tab.
The Geometry to be referenced setting in the External Reference Control dialog
box enables filtering out of the Publish Geometry features for referencing, depending
on the scope option selected.
This filter is not a separate setting that allows referencing to only Publish Geometry
features in the whole model. Instead, it works in conjunction with the existing scope
settings, restricting them further.
The following options allow you to apply the filter to only models that contain Publish
Geometry features or to all models.
Geometry to be Referenced
• All—Allow external references to any geometry.
• Published Geometry if Exists in a Model—Allow external references to only
published geometry if it exists in a model (if it does not exist, allow external
references to any geometry.
• Published Geometry Only—Allow external references to only published
geometry.
Note: The Publish Geometry filter is unaffected by Reference Handling settings in
the dialog box. These settings are functional during runtime actions. Any
references already established do not fail during regeneration.
Allowed Placement References
• All—When assembling the model, allow all geometry to be used as component
constraints.
• Interfaces if Exist in a Model—Allow only component interfaces to be used for
component constraints, if they exist. If not, any geometry is allowed.
• Interfaces Only—Allow only component interfaces to be used for component
constraining placement.
Assembly
207
To Set Color Feedback for Out-of-Scope External References
Use the Colors of Forbidden References area of the Reference Control dialog
box to define a color for displaying out-of-scope components during reference
selection. You can also specify settings to turn this color display on and off.
Scope color display in selection mode is independent of the environment cosmetic
color setting. If you switch off the environment setting (Model Display/Color),
color scope feedback highlighting still applies.
The following options are available:
• Change Color of Not Allowed for Backup—Selecting this check box causes the
color of out-of-scope prohibited references to change to the user-specified color
during reference selection. Click to display the Color Editor dialog box, and
set the user-defined color. A bitmap on this button shows the current user-
defined color for these references.
• Change Color of Allowed for Backup—Selecting this check box causes the
color of out-of-scope references that are allowed as local copies to change to the
user-specified color during reference selection. Click to display the Color
Editor dialog box, and set the user-defined color. A bitmap on this button shows
the current user-defined color for these references.
External Reference Control
About Shared Geometry Settings
The shared geometry settings are controlled in the External Reference Control
dialog box. This controls geometry of a specific model that can be accessed by other
models. You can access the External Reference Control dialog box for specific
models by selecting the model node in the model tree, and right-click and click
Reference Control. You can also activate a model, and use Edit > Setup >
Reference Control.
Shared contains three settings to control what geometry of the current model can
be accessed by other models:
• All—Allows external references to any geometry of this model.
• Publish Geometry—Allows external references only to Publish Geometry within
the model.
• None—No external references to this model are allowed.
A separate section is used to control what references can be used when assembling
this model to another assembly.
• All—Allows all geometry to be referenced when assembling this component into
an assembly.
• Component Interfaces—Only allows previously defined component interfaces to
be used to assemble this component to another assembly.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
208
• None—No geometry from this part can be use to assembly this component into
another assembly. This component must be assembled using Fix or Default
constraints.
These settings are functional during runtime actions. Any references already
established do not fail during regeneration.
To Define Global Reference Scope Control Settings
Global reference control is accessed by using Tools > Assembly Settings >
Reference Control to open the External Reference Control dialog box.
Use Objects to specify the level at which external references can be made: All,
Subassembly, Skeleton Model, or None.
Note: The reference capability of a skeleton model is not affected by the scope
setting of its associated subassembly.
Choose one of the following settings:
• All—Allow external references to any other component. The All setting allows
any external references to be created. This setting is equivalent to having no
scope control at all.
For Part—The part can make external references to any other part, subassembly,
or skeleton model in the assembly.
For Subassembly—The subassembly can make external references to any other
subassemblies, parts, or skeleton models in the assembly.
For Skeleton Model—The skeleton model can make external references to any
other skeleton model, part, or subassembly in the assembly.
• Subassembly—Allow external references only to components of the same
subassembly.
For Part—The part can make external references to other parts that are in the
same subassembly object anywhere in the assembly as the part being modified,
to subassemblies and their subcomponents that are in the same subassembly as
the part being modified, and to the skeleton model of the subassembly to which
the part being modified belongs.
For Subassembly—The subassembly can make external references to other
subassemblies and their subcomponents that are in the same parent
subassembly as the subassembly being modified. Also, the skeleton model of the
parent subassembly can be referenced, as well as any parts that also exist in the
parent subassembly.
For Skeleton Model—The skeleton model can make external references to any
parts or subassemblies (and their subcomponents) of the subassembly to which it
belongs, and also to those of a higher-level subassembly to which the
subassembly belongs.
Assembly
209
• Skeleton Model—Allow external references to skeleton models only.
For Part—The part can reference the skeleton model of the subassembly to which
it belongs, or any higher-level skeleton model that is its direct ancestor.
For Subassembly—The subassembly can reference the skeleton model of the
parent subassembly to which it belongs, or any higher-level skeleton model that
is its direct ancestor.
For Skeleton Model—The skeleton model can reference any higher-level skeleton
model that is its direct ancestor.
• None—Allow no external references.
For Part—The part cannot have external references. Part features can reference
only other features in the part being modified.
For Subassembly—The subassembly cannot have external references.
(References to its own components and their subcomponents are allowed).
Assembly features can reference only other features in the assembly being
modified.
For Skeleton Model—The skeleton model cannot have external references.
Example: The Scope Settings of Subassembly and None
The illustration shows the Subassembly reference control scope setting:
1. Assembly
2. Modified component
3. Allowed scope
4. Skeleton model
5. Modified component
6. Allowed scope
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
210
The illustration shows the None reference control scope setting:
1. Assembly
2. Modified component
3. Allowed scope
4. Skeleton model
5. Modified component
6. Allowed scope
To Channel All External References Through Skeleton Models
You can use reference control settings so that only external references via skeletons
from the top downward are allowed:
1. Create a skeleton for each subassembly.
2. Set an object-specific reference control None and clear the Backup Forbidden
References check box.
3. Set an object-specific reference control Skeleton Model and clear the Backup
Forbidden References check box.
These reference control settings are stored with the assembly and are not
environment dependent.
To Backup Forbidden or Out-of-Scope External References
In the Accessible area of the External Reference Control dialog box, you can
specify how the system behaves when you attempt to create an external reference to
a model that is outside the specified scope.
The following check box is available when the scope is set to Subassembly, Skeleton
Model, or None:
Backup Forbidden References—If this box is checked, the system allows you to
create out-of-scope references as a local copy only. If the box is unchecked, the
system aborts the action if you attempt to create an external reference that violates
Assembly
211
the scope. The system also displays a message identifying the model whose scope
has been violated.
To Set Selection Options for Out-of-Scope External References
Using the Selection Options for Out-of-Scope Refs area of the Reference Control
dialog box, you can disable the selection of out-of-scope references. These settings
apply during reference selection and also during other kinds of selection such as Pick,
Query Sel, and Search Tool.
The following options are available in the Exclude from Selection Bin area:
• None—All items are selectable (nothing is excluded)
• Forbidden References not Allowed for Backup—Any items not allowed for
backup cannot be added to selection bin.
• All Forbidden References—All forbidden references will be excluded from
selection bin.
Selection settings do not apply for the following exceptions:
• Selecting reference parts for merge or cut out functionality using Edit >
Component Operations > Merge or Cutout commands
• Using multiple models; that is, using the same part in several assemblies and
trying to modify one of the parts or assemblies
To Specify Default Scope Settings
You can use the following configuration file options to specify the default settings for
external reference scope, out-of-scope reference handling, and reference scope
modification.
• To specify the default settings for the reference control environment, set the configuration file option default_ext_ref_scope to all (the default), none,
skeletons, or subassemblies.
• To specify the default setting in the Reference Control dialog box for reference handling, set the configuration file option scope_invalid_refs to prohibit or
copy.
• To set the default reference scope and not allow anyone to change that setting
from inside the Pro/ENGINEER interface, specify the appropriate value for
default_ext_ref_scope. Then set the configuration file option
allow_ref_scope_change to no (yes is the default). You cannot use this option
unless you have set default_ext_ref_scope.
• To specify the default settings for the reference control in a new object, set the configuration file option default_object_scope_setting to all (the default),
none, skeletons, or subassemblies.
• To specify the default setting in the Reference Control dialog box for reference
handling of new objects, set the configuration file option
default_object_invalid_refs to prohibit or copy.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
212
• To control whether users can change the scope setting of components, set the
configuration file option model_allow_ref_scope_change to yes or no.
• To ignore object-specific reference scope settings, set the configuration file option
ignore_all_ref_scope_settings to no (yes is the default). The Environment scope
settings will still be enforced.
To Replace or Prevent Missing Locally Copied References
When the locally copied references that are backed up are missing in the original
part (if, for example, they were deleted or suppressed), the feature that depends on
that reference fails the regeneration.
You can redefine or reroute a missing reference and select a replacement reference.
You can prevent features with backed up references from failing when a reference is
missing by setting the configuration file option fail_ref_copy_when_missing_orig to no. This automatically freezes all copied references with missing parents.
Tip: View the Status of Locally Copied References from the Model Tree
When you have set the configuration file option fail_ref_copy_when_missing_orig
to no, you can view information on the status of locally copied references in the
Copied Refs column of the Model Tree.
About External Reference Backup
When a feature is defined using external references, the system creates a geometry
backup to support feature regeneration and redefinition when the external references
are out of context or out of session. The geometry backup appears as a feature sub-
node in the Model Tree.
Note:
• External reference backups can be created only when the appropriate reference
controls are turned on.
• You can redefine a feature with external references in its current context.
To Convert an External Reference Backup to a Copy Geometry Feature
1. In an open assembly, click to expand the Model Tree node of the feature
containing the external reference backup.
2. Right-click the external reference backup and choose Make Feature from the
shortcut menu. A warning message appears.
Note: You can also drag the external reference backup and drop it outside the
feature Model Tree node.
3. Click Yes to convert the backup reference to a Copy Geometry feature, or No to
abort the operation.
Assembly
213
Working with Assemblies
To Copy an Assembly
Using Copy From, you can copy an entire assembly or subassembly into a new
assembly.
You can use Copy From to copy features but not parts or any solid geometry. Copy
From is available only for copying an assembly that is empty (but that can contain
assembly features) into an assembly that is completely empty (one that does not
contain even assembly features).
Recommended practice is to use start components and default templates. This
functionality may often be used more efficiently than Copy From to replicate
assemblies. For information about using default templates, search the Fundamentals
functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
About Copying and Pasting in Assembly
The Copy, Paste, or Paste Special, commands allow you to easily duplicate and
place components in an assembly. You can create instances dependent or
independent of the source component. While the dependency of pasted features in
Part Modeling refers to geometry, the one in Assembly refers to the placement of the
pasted component.
Note: Once the Paste command is activated, the Component Placement dashboard
appears. The placement references of the source component are maintained but the
assembly references must be redefined. Click the Placement tab and provide the
appropriate assembly references.
Using Start Components and Default Templates
A start component is a standard component that you can copy to create new parts or
assemblies. Start components can contain relations, layers, views, and parameters
subject to the following conditions:
• A start part should not have any external dependencies.
• A start assembly should contain only assembly features.
Note: Start assemblies, which you can use to create a new subassembly, can
contain assembly-level data (such as features, parameters, and layers) but cannot
contain components or skeleton models.
If the selected start part or assembly has a family table, you will be prompted to
select a particular instance of that family table, and the information that is
associated with that instance will be copied to the newly created component. If you
select the generic instance, the family table will not be copied over to the new
component.
If you have specified a default template (you can set the configuration file option
start_model_dir to specify its location), the system uses that template, or start
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
214
model, for the part. Using a template as a start model allows you to include critical
layers, datum features, and views in the model.
For detailed information, search the Fundamentals functional area of the
Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
About Regenerating to Update Modified Parts
You must use the Regenerate command to update the modified parts after you
make dimensional modifications. You can select individual parts to regenerate or you
can perform an automatic regeneration by selecting no components at all. Automatic
regeneration is performed by default by the regenerate command. The regenerate
command, with nothing selected, identifies and regenerates all parts that were
modified along with the top level assembly and subassemblies.
Using the Assembly Model Tree
A graphical, hierarchical representation of the assembly is shown in the Model Tree
window. The nodes of the Model Tree represent the subassemblies, parts and
features that make up an assembly. Icons, or symbols, provide additional
information. You can expand or compress the tree display by double-clicking with the
left mouse button on the name of the component.
The Model Tree can be used as a selection tool, allowing objects to be quickly
identified and selected for various component and feature operations. In addition,
system-defined information columns can be used to display information about
components and features in the Model Tree.
When the top level assembly is active, the Model Tree right-click shortcut menu
provides direct access to the following Assembly operations:
• Modify an assembly or any component in an assembly
• Open the component model
• Redefine component constraints
• Reroute, delete, suppress, resume, replace, and pattern components
• Create, assemble, or include a new component
• Create assembly features
• Create notes (See Fundamentals Help for additional information.)
• Control references
• Access model and component information
• Redefine the display status of all components
• Redefine the display status of individual components
• Fix the location of a packaged component
• Update a shrinkwrap feature
Assembly
215
Note: You can invoke an operation from the Model Tree window only when no other
operation is active in the system. Also, when a sub-model is active, the operations
allowed on items of non-active models are limited to Edit, Hide/Unhide, and Info.
Using Save A Copy with Assemblies
When you save a copy of an assembly, you have the option to copy any or all
members of the assembly. However, you must copy and rename any components
that have external references.
Click File > Save A Copy, then enter a new name for your assembly and click OK.
The Assembly Save A Copy dialog box opens. It provides a convenient way to
provide new names for the desired assembly components. You can reuse the original
component or define a new name for the new copy of the original component. These
new components are saved to the same directory as an assembly copy. Reused
components stay at their original location.
If a family table is used with your assembly and you set the configuration file option
allow_save_as_instance to yes, you are given the option to save your assembly
as a family table instance. If you set the configuration option to no, the option of
saving a family table instance is not available. The only choice is to save your
assembly as new, independent assembly. The recommended method of creating
table instances is within the family table dialog box and not with the configuration
option.
The source assembly is shown in a tree-like structure so you can see its hierarchy of
components. By default each component is selected to be reused. To provide a new
name, the user must select components and specify "New Name" in the drop-down
menu or click Generate New Names.
For each component, you can choose to give it a new name or to reuse the
component in the source subassembly. If a subassembly is chosen to be renamed, all
components in that subassembly can also be renamed using the default new name or
remain as "unused". If you change all components to "new name", change the
subassembly to "reuse", and then back to "new name", the status of the components
change automatically to "new name". If a subassembly is reused, then all
components in that subassembly are reused.
When you copy an assembly, you can copy any or all of the components that make
up the assembly.
In the Rule section of this dialog box, you can establish a rule for a renaming
convention. The default renaming convention is the old name appended with a
default suffix. You can change the suffix and apply it to selected components. You
can also create a template for other renaming conventions including a suffix or
prefix.
To input a suffix for component name generation, type the suffix in the Use Suffix
box. Change components to "new name" to add this suffix.
Note: Click the right mouse button in the tree-like section to view the pop-up menu.
To select multiple items to be resumed or renamed, hold down the CTRL key and
then click components or subassemblies.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
216
To Add Information Columns to the Model Tree
You can add and remove system-defined columns to the Model Tree to display
different types of information about components and features currently displayed in
the Model Tree. You can expand and collapse the Model Tree window, and the
system updates the columns accordingly.
1. Click Settings > Tree Columns. The Model Tree Columns dialog box opens.
2. Click the Type list, and select the name of a column from the list of types of
information.
3. Click the right arrow command button to add the specified column to the
Displayed list of columns.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box. The new column now appears in the Model Tree.
The system displays appropriate information in this column.
The columns display the following:
• Information items
o Status (regenerated, packaged, suppressed/suppression order, and so on)
o Feature information (number, ID, type, name)
o Reference control
o Copied references
o Model size
• Feature parameters
• Database parameters
• Model parameters
• Simplified representations
• Visual (display) mode
• Layer information
• Notes
To Control the Visibility of a Part Layer at the Assembly Level
1. On the Model Tree, click Show > Layer Tree. Any existing layers are listed.
2. Click Settings > Save status in sub models (active by default). The Save
status in sub models command is deactivated and the display status of lower-
level component layers is stored at the top-level assembly.
3. Click Layer > Save Status to save the display status in the top-level assembly.
4. Save the assembly.
Assembly
217
Controlling the Visibility of Part Layers at the Assembly Level
Component layer display status can be changed and stored at the assembly level.
The components do not have to be saved to store layer display changes. To save
component layer display status at the level assembly, set the
save_display_status_in_submodel configuration option to no, or click Settings >
Save status in sub models and deactivate the command.
Note:
• When a Same Name Layer exists in both the assembly and a part in the
assembly, layer visibility changes that are saved at the part level are not stored
at the assembly level.
• When component layer status is saved at the assembly level, component model
display in part window is not affected.
• When multiple windows are open, the current layer status is displayed when the
assembly is activated.
About Creating Reference Dimensions
You can create a reference dimension in an assembly using the same method you
would use in Part mode. It can be a linear distance, a radial value, or an angular
value. If you create reference dimensions on an assembly, you can then display
them in assembly drawings.
For information about reference dimensions, search the Fundamentals functional
area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
About Displaying Assembly Information
You can use the Info menu to display information. You can also use Info on the
right mouse pop-up menu from the Model Tree to display information about the
assembly.
Note: Info displays information only for objects in session. Info displays
information about a suppressed object if it is still in session.
To display an information window providing the assembly name and the hierarchy of
the names of the assembly components, you can do one of the following:
• Choose Model from the Info menu.
• Right-click an assembly from the Model Tree. A shortcut menu appears. Click
Info > Model.
To display parent/child information, information about features, or information about
parts, you can right-click a part in the Model Tree and in the shortcut menu, click
Feature, Model, or Parent/Child.
You can use the other commands in the Info menu to do the following:
• Obtain mass properties of the assembly such as volume, center of gravity, and
moments of inertia.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
218
• Obtain names of files created in the current working session.
• Obtain measure information.
• Obtain information about features and parts.
• Obtain parent/child information.
• Obtain layer information concerning the entire assembly, any subassembly, or a
component part.
• Regenerate the part, giving information about each feature.
• Generate a Bill of Materials.
• Show surface properties with color representation.
• Show curve properties with color representation.
• Show audit trail information about a specified model.
For information about the Info menu, search the Fundamentals functional area of
the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Review Assembly Instructions for a Component
Using the Comp Info command, you can access assembly instructions for individual
components.
1. Select Info > Component to display the Component Constraints dialog box.
2. Select a component. The constraints for that component appear in the
Component Constraints dialog box.
3. Select a constraint from the list in the dialog box. Pro/ENGINEER highlights the
corresponding model geometry in magenta and cyan.
4. Click Apply to display an information window with detailed assembly placement
constraint information for the selected component.
5. Click Close to exit the Component Constraints dialog box.
To Check Clearance
In Assembly mode, you can check clearances and interferences between parts, as
well as between any two surfaces within the assembly.
Note: Exploded views are only cosmetic and have no effect on clearance
computations. The displayed results in such cases correspond to an unexploded
model.
1. Click Analysis > Model Analysis to open the Model Analysis dialog box.
2. Select one of the following options from the Type list:
o Mass Properties
o X-section Mass Properties
Assembly
219
o Pairs Clearance
o Global Clearance
o Volume Interference
o Global Interference
o Short Edge
o Edge Type
o Thickness
Setting Advanced Clearance Checking
You can control the calculation accuracy that Pro/ENGINEER uses for clearance
checks.
The system's default method of clearance checking is to check for a local minimum
at random points. You can specify a slower but more accurate method of checking
for clearance and distance measures, whereby the system computes the high quality
first guess based on refined triangulation. With this method, the system facets the
surfaces of the model (with a quality that is proportional to the configuration file
option value setting), and checks for a local minimum at each triangle point.
To perform more accurate analysis on pairs clearance, use the
clearance_triangulation configuration file option settings:
• none⎯checks for a local minimum at random points (the default)
• low⎯corresponds to a 7 x 7 minimum grid on a surface
• medium⎯corresponds to a 14 x 14 minimum grid on a surface
• high⎯corresponds to a 21 x 21 minimum grid on a surface
Note: These settings affect performance and may not be acceptable for very large
assemblies. Clearance interference calculations using these settings take 50 to 150
times longer than default clearance checking calculations.
About Entering Relations in Assembly
You can add relations to parts or between parts within an assembly. Relations in
Assembly follow the standard rules for relations except that you must first specify
the model to which relations apply. This can be the main assembly, a subassembly,
or a part. Once specified, all relation operations apply only to the specified model.
For example, if the specified model is a part, the system shows only dimensions of
the part in the assembly.
The notation you use to enter relations in Assembly differs from the notation you use
to enter relations in Part mode.
In Assembly, for each assembly parameter, you must specify a session_ID that
refers to a component in the assembly. The relations file contains a table that
specifies the session ID for each part.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
220
For example, parameters in an assembly appear for part with session_ID 1 as d0:1,
d1:1, and d2:1; for part with session_ID 3, they appear as d0:3, d1:3, and d2:3. If
you select a part in Assembly mode, you can enter the part relations either in Part
format (d0 = 2*d1) or in Assembly format (d0:3 = 2*d1:3).
When using relations to relate parts within assemblies, keep in mind the following:
• If the relation drives a part that is a member of the assembly, it does so only in
the context of the assembly. (In Part mode, you can modify the driven value if
the assembly containing the relation is not in memory.)
• You can use assembly relations to drive dimensions only on dimensions driven by
a family table.
• You cannot add or edit an assembly relation that tries to drive a parameter that a
part relation is already driving.
• If you add a part relation that drives the same parameter as one that already
exists in an assembly relation, the new part relation drives the parameter, but
the system displays an error message during the assembly regeneration.
About Using an Assembly Bill of Materials (BOM)
The Bill of Materials (BOM) provides a listing of all parts and parameters in the
current assembly. The BOM and mass properties for the assembly are always based
on the Master Representation and the components in the Master Representation.
You can customize the BOM by doing either of the following:
• Customize the text output format for a particular form of presentation and
content.
• Use Pro/REPORT to create the BOM in table format in drawings.
In the assembly BOM, you must still list nongeometric assembly features that do not
have representable geometry such as glue, paint, and solder (referred to as "bulk
items").
BOM and Mass Properties Behavior in Skeletons
When working with a skeleton model in an assembly, Pro/ENGINEER generates Bill of
Materials (BOM) information and mass properties information that accurately reflects
the design models and either the default or user-specified mass properties. However,
the assembly BOM and assembly mass properties ignore skeleton models entirely
when working on parts.
BOM and Mass Properties Behavior in Master Representations
To obtain the full BOM or the mass properties of the Master Representation while
working with a simplified representation, you must switch to the Master
Representation. Pro/ENGINEER includes included components in mass property
calculations because they are in session. It does not include excluded components
unless they are in session. Mass properties only reflect what is currently on the
screen. The BOM lists all components of assemblies that are in session. Unless the
Assembly
221
Master Representation is in session, the BOM is not accurate. Pro/PDM provides the
full BOM without retrieval of objects. In Pro/REPORT, the BOM is available only when
you retrieve an assembly as the Master Representation.
For substituted objects, Pro/ENGINEER has access to the names of both the original
object and the substituted object. The mass properties of the substituted component
are available because the component is in session. If they have been assigned
through Interchange mode, the mass properties of the original object are available in
the substituted component.
About Showing Dimensions in Part and Assembly
You can use Show Dim in the RELATIONS menu in both Part and Assembly to
enter a dimension in the symbolic format. The system displays the dimension in
symbolic format for the model with the given session_ID. You can identify the
session_ID in either of two ways:
• Select a feature in the model to show dimensions; then choose Switch Dim.
• In the RELATIONS menu, choose Component Id; then select the component.
The system displays the session ID of the component in the message window.
The terms session ID, runtime ID, coding symbol, and component ID are all
equivalent.
Assembly Family Tables
About Assembly Family Tables
An assembly Family Table represents the design optional deviations, or a family of
similar assemblies. All items that can be added to the part family table can also be
added to the assembly family table. In addition, you can add assembly components
to the assembly family table. You can assign simplified representations to assembly
family table instances. Each component in the assembly model is displayed according
to its simplified representation status.
Use the Replace command to substitute instances from the same assembly family
table. The following rules apply:
• Every member entry must contain a Y indicating that the member is present, an
N indicating that it is absent, or the actual name of a replacement member.
• When a member is omitted from an instance of an assembly, it is still placed in
the instance. This ensures that other parts attached to it can still be placed.
However, the omitted member is not displayed, nor is it considered during mass
property calculations.
• Members being replaced with one another in an instance must be
interchangeable. That is, they must be instances from the same part or assembly
family, or they must both be included in the same interchange group. Otherwise,
Pro/ENGINEER can not position the replacement member automatically; you have
to position it manually. Note, too, that relationships between parts may need
updating.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
222
• If the instances of a family of assemblies use instances of other families as
components, and the names of the component instances are entered in the
Family Table of the assembly, the names of the component instances must be
present in an instance index file in order to be assembled. This also applies to
component instances for which the generic models are members of an
interchangeability group.
Values of Family Table Component Items
Instances of assemblies differ from their generics in the values of their Family Table-
driven items. The item that is specific to assemblies is the member, or component,
item. In the instance cell of a component item, in a Family Table, you may specify
the following two categories of values:
• Boolean value, which has the following possible values:
o Y—Resume even if suppressed at the generic
o N—Suppress even if resumed at the generic
o *—Whatever is in the generic
• Name—a solid name. If that solid is a generic, and it is to be replaced through
Family Table, the solid of the component of the generic.
o If that solid is not a table-driven solid assembly or part, you can simply
retrieve it and replace it in the generic.
o If that solid is a generic, you are asked if you want an instance of that
generic.
o If that solid is an instance name, the instance index file is searched to
determine if that solid is listed. If so, it is retrieved.
Note: Pro/ENGINEER refers first to the solids in session, even if they have no
solid file, and their instances are visible even if there is no .idx file.
About Working with Assembly Family Instances
There are several points to remember when modifying instances of an assembly
family. The generic assembly serves as the template for all instances; all of its
components, assembly features, assembly dimensions, and characteristics are copied
once each time an instance is activated. Then, when the instance is regenerated,
components and features are blanked or substituted and dimensions are modified as
indicated by the table.
You can modify parts in, and independently of, any assembly instance. There are two
ways of modifying an assembly instance:
• Edit its Family Table. You can change a table dimension, turn an assembly
feature or component on or off, or replace a component.
• Change it while it is in session in the active window. Then, when the instance is
regenerated, the system automatically updates the generic geometry and Family
Table.
Assembly
223
You must observe the following rules when you are creating or using assembly
families:
• If an instance of an assembly is in the active window and you assemble a
component or add an assembly feature, that component or assembly feature is
added as a new item in the assembly Family Table, but only for that particular
instance. It is suppressed for the generic and all other instances.
• You cannot directly substitute components that are listed in the Family Table of
the instance. To substitute a component, you must edit the Family Table and
replace the component for the instance.
Replacing Assembly Components in the Assembly Instance
You can replace a component in an assembly Family Table with another component
under the following conditions:
• Both components belong to the same family.
• Both components belong to the same interchange assembly.
• Both components have declarations to the same Pro/NOTEBOOK layout.
Assembling Instances Automatically Using Pro/NOTEBOOK
The automatic assembly of family members using Pro/NOTEBOOK requires a special
procedure. You cannot make global declarations for the family instances. Instead,
you can have Pro/ENGINEER transfer declarations from the generic part to the
instances.
To do this, you must retrieve the generic part and make the necessary global
declarations before assembling an instance.
Note: You can declare items only if no family instances are active in the current
session.
To Create a Family of Assemblies
Create the generic assembly.
1. Click Tools > Family Table. The Family Table dialog box opens.
2. Click or Insert > Columns. The Family Items dialog box opens.
3. Under Add Item, click Component. The Select dialog box opens.
4. Select the required component to add to the family table and click OK.
5. Click OK in the Family Items dialog box to accept your changes.
6. In the Family Table, click or Insert > Instance Row. Add as many
instances as you want. Each row is added after the current, highlighted row. You
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
224
can also select a cell in the last row and press ENTER to add a row to the end of
the table.
7. Initially, all new cells contain asterisks (*), which means they take their value
from the generic model.
8. Enter names and values in the cells to define the instances.
Example: An Assembly Family Table
! Generic assembly name: MOD1
! IDENTIFICATION M0004
! --------------- BOLT1
! GENERIC Y
MOD11 *
MOD12 PIC
MOD13 BOLT2
Using Part Family Members in an Assembly
Part families are especially convenient to use in assemblies. From a single part file,
you can assemble multiple instances and multiple occurrences of each instance in
multiple assemblies.
If you have a Assembly license, instances from the same family can be exchanged
with each other when you use the Edit > Replace command.
After an instance of a family has been assembled, it can be replaced automatically
with any other instance in the same family, if the replacement instance has all of the
necessary features for assembling (that is, no features used in the assembly process
are suppressed).
To Substitute a Component with an Instance from its Family Table in a Simplified Representation
To substitute one instance with another in a simplified representation:
1. Click View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens. The Simp
Rep tab is selected by default.
2. Click New to create a new simplified representation.
3. Click Properties.
4. Select the component that you want to substitute with an instance and click .
The Family Tree dialog box opens.
Assembly
225
5. Select an instance with which you wish to substitute the component and click OK.
Alternatively, after you click New to create a new simplified representation, you can,
1. Click Edit > Redefine. The EDIT: REP dialog box opens.
2. Click the Substitute tab.
3. Under Method, click By Model. You are prompted to select a component to
substitute with in the simplified representation. The Family Table option under
Select Model is selected.
4. Click Browse. The Family Tree dialog box opens.
5. Select an instance with which you wish to substitute the component and click OK.
Alternatively, you can also substitute an instance using the following method:
1. Select the component in the model tree for which instances exist in the family
table.
2. Click View > Substitute > Family Table. The Family Tree dialog box opens.
3. Select the instance with which you want to substitute the component and click
OK. The selected component is substituted with the new instance in a simplified
representation.
To Replace a Reference Model of a Merge or Inheritance Feature With a Family Instance
1. Click Insert > Shared Data > Merge/Inheritance. The dashboard for Merge
or Inheritance appears.
2. Select a reference model from the current assembly in the collector and click
.
3. Select the reference model, right-click, and click Edit Definition. The dashboard
for Merge or Inheritance appears.
4. Right-click in the collector and click Replace. The Family Tree dialog box
opens.
5. Select the instance with which you want to replace the referenced part and click
. The model is regenerated.
To Replace a Component with an Instance from its Family Table
1. Click Edit > Replace. The Replace dialog box opens.
Alternatively, select the component or instance graphically, right-click, and click
Replace. The Replace dialog box opens. The Select Current Component(s)
and Select New Component collectors are active.
2. Select the component that you want to replace with an instance from its family
table in the Select Current Component(s) box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
226
Note: You can select multiple components to be replaced with the new
component or instances.
3. Select the instance that you want to replace the component with from its family
table in the Select New Component box. The Family Tree dialog box opens.
4. If you have replaced a component earlier, the Last Used check box becomes
available. A list of previously used new components is available only for the
current session. Select a previously used new component in the Select New
Component box.
5. Select the required family table instance and click OK. The model is regenerated
and the selected component is replaced with the family table instance.
To Replace Assembly Components in the Assembly Instance
1. Click Tools > Family Table. The Family Table dialog box opens.
2. Select the cell that contains the model you want to replace.
3. Click Tools > Replace Using.
4. Select one of the following:
o Family Member—Replace the selected component model with another
model that belongs to the same family.
o Interchange Assembly—Replace the selected component model with
another model that belongs to the same interchange assembly.
o Related Model—Replace the selected component model with any related
component or non-family table model that has same layouts declared.
A window appears that lists all the available models.
5. Select a model. Its name appears in the selected cell of the Family Table.
To Automatically Update References to Assembly Instances
If some of your table-driven components have assembly references, in an assembly
instance these references should be redirected from the generic assembly to the
current instance. Do this by adding the reference model into the Family Tables of the
corresponding component models.
The manual update of the external references of the assembly members in instances
requires the editing of a number of Family Tables of different models. In many cases,
this process can be automated.
1. Click Tools > Family Table. The Family Table dialog box opens.
2. In the Family Table dialog box, click Tools > Switch External References to
Instances.
3. The system analyzes all table-driven assembly members to identify those which
have references to the generic assembly. The Update References dialog box
Assembly
227
opens. The components which have external references will be listed and those
references will be proposed as new instances.
4. Select OK to add the reference model into the Family Table.
Example: Automatically Updating References to Assembly Instances
There is a generic assembly AB, which contains the components A and B. Component
B has no instances. Component A has a Family Table with five instances in it.
Assembly AB has five instances corresponding to the instances in component A.
You can automatically update component B, so that it will have a Family Table
containing instances to correspond to assembly AB.
1. From the Family Table dialog box in assembly AB, select Tools > Switch
External References to Instances.
2. The system analyzes all the table-driven assembly members to identify those
which have references to the generic assembly. It finds that component B has a
reference. The Update References dialog box opens and suggests adding
instances B01 through B05 to component B.
3. Click OK. The system automatically adds a column titled Reference Model into the
Family Table for component B and populates the five new instances.
To Assemble an Instance Automatically Using Pro/NOTEBOOK
1. Open the generic part in Part mode and make the necessary global declarations.
2. Make sure that the other assembly members have the appropriate global
declarations.
3. Assemble the instance in Assembly mode.
Example: Family of Assemblies
The following figure shows a family of assemblies representing two parts connected
by various types of fasteners:
To Replace Assembly Components in the Assembly Instance
1. Click Tools > Family Table. The Family Table dialog box opens.
2. Select the cell that contains the model you want to replace.
3. Click Tools > Replace Using.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
228
4. Select one of the following:
o Family Member—Replace the selected component model with another
model that belongs to the same family.
o Interchange Assembly—Replace the selected component model with
another model that belongs to the same interchange assembly.
o Related Model—Replace the selected component model with any related
component or non-family table model that has same layouts declared.
A window appears that lists all the available models.
5. Select a model. Its name appears in the selected cell of the Family Table.
To Configure Components of an Assembly Instance
When defining instances of an assembly, you can make it easy to replace
components in instances at different levels of the assembly.
1. In the Family Table dialog box, select a cell in the row for the instance that you
want to configure.
2. Click Tools > Configure Assembly Components. The Assembly Instance
Configurator dialog box opens.
3. Define which components should be replaced in the assembly instance and which
assembly references should be updated to its context.
4. Click OK. The component will automatically be updated in Family Tables of all
affected models, and update external references upon the retrieval of the
instance.
Controlling Assembly Family Table Instance Retrieval
Use the retrieve_instance_dependencies configuration option to determine what
set of objects are loaded into session when retrieving Family Table instances. By
default, the configuration option value is set to instance_req_generic. In this case
family table instances are retrieved with any generic models that are required for
regeneration. This option maintains instance stability while saving system resources
and improving performance.
Mirroring Assemblies
About Mirroring Assemblies
Using the Mirror Assembly Components dialog box, you can create mirrored
copies of assemblies and store them in new assembly files. This choice eliminates the
need to mirror each component manually and is especially useful for symmetric
models.
Assembly
229
When creating a mirrored assembly you can manipulate source components as
follows:
• Copy the source component with a new name (default)
• Control the geometric and placement dependencies of mirrored components on
the source components
• Exclude the source component from the mirroring operation
• Reuse the source component in the mirror assembly
By default, all the components of the source assembly are included in the mirrored
assembly and are given a default name. You can define a renaming convention and
change the names of the source components to fit your needs. The default renaming
convention is the old name appended with a default suffix. You can change the suffix
and apply it to selected components, and create a template for other renaming
conventions.
Note: When mirroring assemblies, plane selection is not required. Assembly mirrors
are automatically performed about the XY plane.
To Mirror an Assembly
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click File > Mirror Assembly. The Mirror Assembly dialog box opens.
3. Click Geometry Dependent to toggle the geometric dependency of the mirrored
assembly to that of the source assembly.
4. Enter a name for the mirrored assembly in the New Name box and click OK.
The Mirror Assembly Components dialog box opens. Rename target
components as follows:
o View the mirrored assembly as a tree-like hierarchy.
o Select components to be excluded during mirroring.
o Select components to be left unmirrored, thus reusing the source model.
5. Click OK. The mirrored assembly is loaded into session.
Note: To save the mirrored assembly, click File > Save or the object will be
discarded when Pro/ENGINEER is closed.
Top Down Design
Skeleton Models
About Skeleton Models in Top-Down Design
Skeleton models capture and define design intent and product structure. Skeletons
allow designers to pass along essential design information from one subsystem or
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
230
assembly to another. This essential design information is either master definitions of
geometry or copied geometry from designs defined elsewhere. Any changes made to
a skeleton change its components as well.
The use of a top-level skeleton model allows you to control the following information
from a central, top-level location (from the top down):
• Product structure
• Locations of interfaces between components
• 3D space claims
• Connections and mechanisms
Individual skeleton models can be used to build the components from the bottom up.
This method ensures a robust design with the design information communicated
smoothly throughout the assembly.
About Skeleton Models
When you use a skeleton model, you set the design and motion intent at the
beginning of the design process for a part or subassembly. A skeleton model, placed
in the assembly and propagated with it, can be developed independent of the
assembly and inserted seamlessly at any time. A skeleton model can be used in
more than one assembly.
A skeleton model can be created at any time in the design process. The system
always lists and regenerates the newly created skeleton model before all the other
components and assembly features.
There are two types of skeleton models: standard skeleton models and motion
skeleton models. Standard skeleton models are created in an open assembly as
parts. Motion skeleton models are subassemblies that contain design skeletons
(standard skeletons or internal sketches) and body skeletons. Skeletons are created
using curves, surfaces, and datum features. They can also include solid geometry.
Although skeletons models can only be created in an assembly, they can be
retrieved, manipulated, and saved as ordinary parts (standard skeleton models) or
assemblies (motion skeleton models). Body skeletons are automatically saved as
parts when they are created.
Before creating a skeleton model, consider the following points:
• Only one motion skeleton can be created or inserted in an assembly.
• Multiple standard skeletons can be created in an assembly when the
multiple_skeletons_allowed configuration option is set to yes.
• A skeleton model is similar to any other assembly component. It has features,
layers, relations, views, bodies, and so on.
• External reference control settings can be used to restrict geometry and
assembly placement references to skeleton models only (Edit > Setup > Ref
Control > Skeleton Model). These options control references for all skeletons in
the assembly.
Assembly
231
• Skeleton models can maintain their own family tables. This means that
assemblies can maintain different skeleton instances across a family table.
• All simplified representation functionality available in Part and Assembly mode is
available for skeleton models (beginning with Pro/ENGINEER 2001).
• Skeleton models can be selected By Rule when managing simplified
representations.
Skeleton models do not show up in the BOM unless you specifically include them
(Info > Bill of Materials). They do not contribute to mass or surface properties.
They can be displayed in drawing views and can be included during the creation and
manipulation of simplified representations and external shrinkwrap features.
Skeleton parts and motion skeletons are placed in the Model Tree before components
with solid geometry. Because the functional characteristics of skeletons are different
from other components, they are identified in the Model Tree and Mechanism Design
Model Tree by:
• —Standard skeletons and body skeletons
• —Motion skeletons
Note: Skeleton models created prior to Release 20.0 are blue by default. This
color cannot be changed. Starting with Release 20.0, a component color is set
only to the model, not to the component. You can create a user-defined color to
display new skeleton models.
About Standard Skeleton Models
Standard skeletons are parts created to define the design intent of a component in
an assembly. A standard skeleton created in one assembly can be used in another
assembly when it is assembled using independent references.
Whether you create or insert a standard skeleton before or after creating additional
components, the system inserts the newly created skeleton as the first component.
It is listed in the Model Tree and regenerated before all other components and
assembly features.
Standard skeletons establish 3D physical constraints. The resulting geometric
information of size and location can then be incorporated into individual components,
establishing common geometric information. You can use a standard skeleton to
represent the interface between two components. There are two major reasons to do
this:
• Sharing information—For instance, the design includes two parts that are
attached by bolts. A skeleton part consisting of a hole pattern can be mirrored on
both parts, thus ensuring the same pattern on both. Changes made to the
skeleton part are automatically propagated to both of the parts. The skeleton
part can be reused in another assembly to guarantee a company-wide standard.
• Improved design stability—A skeleton can represent the interface between
components in the assembly. When a design has multiple configurations, the
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
232
skeleton can contain all necessary placement definitions for its components.
Components are assembled relative to the skeleton to ensure there is no inter-
component dependency for placement references.
Skeleton models, like regular components, can be replaced by both family table
instances and other skeleton parts. When you replace a skeleton part By Copy, the
copied part becomes a skeleton part as well. When a regular part or component is
replaced using By Copy, the new copy can be made a skeleton. A skeleton is
necessary when the copied component is the first assembly feature and is placed by
default.
Because a standard skeleton behaves differently from regular parts, it is not affected
by assembly level features. Assembly features such as cuts and holes do not
intersect skeleton model geometry. If you want to intersect a skeleton model with a
cut, right-click to select the skeleton model in the Model Tree and choose Activate
from the shortcut menu. Create the cut or hole local to the skeleton model.
Pro/REPORT recognizes skeleton models as a type of assembly member
(asm.mbr.type), so they can be filtered accordingly. You can use skeleton models in
a report to obtain additional information about the model, as well as to obtain a
name of an indexed drawing.
With a skeleton model, you can create references between components in a
subassembly as well as create references to the skeleton model itself, with the
following restrictions:
• A part that references a skeleton model only informs Pro/PDM that it references
the assembly, not the skeleton model.
• A skeleton model with an external reference only knows that it refers to an
assembly that contains both itself and the referenced model. Pro/PDM cannot
identify the referenced model.
• To fully regenerate a component (in a subassembly with a skeleton model) that
references another component in the same subassembly, you must retrieve both
the components and the subassembly.
To Create a Standard Skeleton Model
1. In an active assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create. The
Component Create dialog box opens.
2. Accept the default name or enter a new one.
3. Select Skeleton Model from the Type list and Standard from the Sub-type
list.
4. Click OK. The Creation Options dialog box opens.
5. Choose a Creation Method:
o Copy From Existing—Copy the skeleton part from an existing part. Click
Browse to select the part to copy.
Assembly
233
o Empty—Create a skeleton part with no geometry. Geometry is added after
the skeleton part is created.
o Create Features—Create a skeleton part with no geometry. The skeleton
part is active when you quit the dialog box.
6. Click OK.
7. If you used one of the first two creation methods, right-click the new skeleton
part and choose Activate from the shortcut menu.
8. Create geometry for the part.
About Motion Skeleton Models
A motion skeleton defines movement between bodies in an assembly. Motion
skeletons are subassemblies created in an active assembly or subassembly. They
contain skeleton bodies that move in relation to each other the way the bodies they
represent will move in the finished assembly. The use of motion skeletons enables
the capture of a Mechanism assembly's conceptual design. The basic structure and
kinematics of a design can be tested in the motion skeleton before actual assembly
components are created.
A motion skeleton model includes a design skeleton, skeleton bodies, and predefined
constraint sets. The design skeleton can be an existing skeleton model or an internal
sketch with newly created geometry. Body skeletons are components created from
the entities of the design skeleton, then placed in the motion skeleton with
predefined constraint sets.
As is the case in all Mechanism assemblies, the first body in a motion skeleton model
is the ground body. As more body skeletons are created and placed, the system
automatically creates datum axes to connect them. These axes appear in the Model
Tree in the Group Motion_Axis folder. Use the Component Placement dashboard to
place the body skeleton manually.
Skeleton bodies provide the framework for component design. The system treats
them as parts and they have most of the features of regular parts. A skeleton body
can be opened independently of the assembly, as a part and be used as a base
feature for component design. The motion skeleton model automatically updates to
incorporate the newly created features.
Mechanism Design recognizes a motion skeleton model as an assembly, allowing you
to define and run all mechanism features.
To Create a Motion Skeleton Model
1. In an open assembly, click or Insert > Component > Create. The
Component Create dialog box opens.
2. Accept the default name or enter a new one.
3. Select Skeleton Model from the Type list and Motion from the Sub-type list.
4. Click OK. The Creation Options dialog box opens.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
234
5. Select a Creation Method:
o Copy From Existing—Copy the motion skeleton geometry from an existing
skeleton model. Click Browse to select the model to copy.
o Empty—Create a motion skeleton with no geometry. Geometry is added
after the motion skeleton is created.
o Create Features—Create a motion skeleton with no geometry. The motion
skeleton is active when you quit the dialog box.
6. Click OK.
About Creating Geometry for a Motion Skeleton Model
Before creating a design skeleton for a motion skeleton, you must create geometry
references. Use the Datum Coordinate System tool to create a coordinate system
and the Datum Plane tool to create datum planes for the motion skeleton.
Enter Sketcher to design your mechanism by sketching entities that will create the
geometry. When you exit Sketcher, the sketched entities become separate curve
entities. These curves are used as the body skeletons that define the body structure
of the mechanism.
You must select entities from the design skeleton to create a body skeleton. The
entities selected must be sufficient to define a Mechanism body. The body skeleton
geometry is therefore, an External Copied Geometry feature of the design skeleton.
Bodies so created are placed in relation to one another with predefined sets. A
predefined constraint set (pin, slider, cylinder, ball, bearing) is automatically defined
based on the selected geometry and sketching assumptions. Motion axes are
automatically created. Other predefined constraint sets can be manually configured
on the Component Placement dashboard.
To Create a Design Skeleton
1. Right-click the motion skeleton in the Model Tree and choose Activate from the
shortcut menu.
2. Click or Insert > Model Datum > Coordinate System. The Coordinate
System dialog box opens.
3. Select the assembly coordinate system as a reference.
4. Enter X, Y, and Z offset values.
5. Click OK.
6. Click or Insert > Model Datum > Datum Plane. The Datum Plane dialog
box opens.
7. Select references and an offset value if required. It is good practice to use the
newly created coordinate system as the reference.
8. Choose the translation from the Translation list.
Assembly
235
9. Click OK.
10. Repeat steps 6–9 to create at least three datum planes.
11. Click or Insert > Model Datum > Sketch to enter Sketcher.
12. Select references at the prompt.
13. Sketch entities to create geometry for the motion skeleton.
14. Click to accept the sketch and quit Sketcher.
To Create a Body Skeleton
1. Create a motion skeleton if none exists.
2. In the Model Tree, right-click the newly created, or an existing motion skeleton,
and choose Activate from the shortcut menu.
3. Create or insert a design skeleton in the motion skeleton.
4. Click or Insert > Component > Create. The Component Create dialog
box opens.
5. Select Skeleton Model from the Type list and Body from the Sub-type list.
6. Click OK. The Creations Options dialog box opens.
7. Select a Creation Method:
o Copy From Existing—Copy the body skeleton geometry from an existing
skeleton part in the assembly. Click Browse to select the part to copy.
o Empty—Create a body skeleton with no geometry.
8. Click OK. The Body Definition dialog box opens.
9. Select one or more chains in the motion skeleton to define the part geometry.
10. Click Details to open the Chain dialog box.
Note: For more information on chains, search the Fundamentals functional area
of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
11. Click More to expand the dialog box to select Surface Sets and Misc Refs. The
Misc Refs collector will contain motion axis and datum plane references after the
body is created.
12. Click Details to open the Surface Sets dialog box.
Note: For more information on surface sets, search the Fundamentals functional
area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
13. Click the Use connections in placement definition check box and click
Update. Connection definitions appear in the table. There are no connection
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
236
definitions for the first body created. It is created with a default constraint as a
ground body.
14. To change the type of connection, click the relevant cell in the table and select a
different connection from the list.
15. Check the Invoke component placement dialog check box to edit the
placement definition in the Component Placement dashboard.
16. Click .
Tip: Specify a Default Layer Name for Skeleton Models
Skeleton models can be added automatically to a default layer, so you can select
them and modify their display by layer.
To specify a default layer name for skeleton models, set the def_layer configuration
file option value to layer_skeleton_model. The automatically created layer contains
a rule that includes any skeleton model.
To Create a Display Color for Skeleton Models
Use the configuration option skeleton_model_default_color <RGB color values>
to set a user-defined default color for the display of new skeleton models. Enter
three decimal values from 0–100 to specify the percentages of red, green, and blue
(in this order) in the resulting color.
You can redefine the configuration color at any time. The color applies only to newly
created skeletons.
Use View > Color and Appearance to change the color of the skeleton in session
even after a configuration color has been set.
Display Colors for a Skeleton Model
The color of a new skeleton is controlled as follows:
• Default color blue—Displays the new skeleton in blue.
• User-defined configuration color—Applies your configuration color to all new
skeletons, including those created by copying a part or skeleton with no user-
defined color set.
• Source part color—Applies the source part or skeleton (whether or not you have
defined a configuration color) when you create a skeleton by copying from a part
or skeleton with a user-defined color.
When you assemble an existing skeleton model, its color does not change to a new
one set by your configuration option. The skeleton already has a color, and the
model is already referenced.
Note: Once a display color is set, you can override it by changing the color of the
skeleton model.
Assembly
237
Data Sharing
Shrinkwrap Features
About Shrinkwrap Features
A Shrinkwrap feature is a collection of surfaces and datums that represents the
exterior shape of a model. You can use a part, a skeleton, or a top-level assembly as
the source model for a Shrinkwrap feature. By default, the system automatically
analyzes all components in the assembly and determines which ones will be included
in the Shrinkwrap. However, you can select specific components for shrinkwrap
consideration while ignoring others.
The Shrinkwrap feature is created in the object that is currently being modified. All
created geometry appears in the modified object. The system captures source
geometry by using surfaces, datum geometry, and such customized attributes as
hole filling, and quilt inclusion, according to your specifications.
Note: Shrinkwrap features do not copy geometry from the level on which they are
created.
Shrinkwrap features conserve system resources because they include only the
exterior shape of a model. Shrinkwraps of subassemblies can be useful for the
manipulation of large assemblies since they reduce the memory space required for
working on the source parent assembly.
To Create a Shrinkwrap Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly or a part.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Shrinkwrap. The Shrinkwrap dashboard appears
with the top-level assembly as the reference model.
Note: All dashboard elements are optional. You can automatically create a
Shrinkwrap feature containing default shrinkwrap information by clicking .
3. To include or exclude assembly components in the Shrinkwrap, define a subset.
4. Click References and select additional shrinkwrap references:
o Always include surfaces—Include selected surface sets.
o Never include surfaces—Exclude selected surfaces.
o Include Datums—Include selected datums.
o Edit—Include selected annotation features.
5. Click Options to define shrinkwrap settings:
o Shrinkwrap then Exclude (default)—Analyze the entire assembly to
identify external surfaces. Only surfaces that belong to the selected
components are included in the resulting Shrinkwrap feature (used with
subsets).
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
238
o Exclude then Shrinkwrap—Base the Shrinkwrap only on the selected
components (used with subsets).
o Level—Enter a value (1–10) for the shrinkwrap quality level. The default
setting is 1. The higher the quality, the higher the processing time.
o Auto Hole Filling—Fill all holes or cuts that intersect a single surface.
o Include Quilts—Include external quilts. Although quilt surfaces are
considered for inclusion, not all are automatically included in the
Shrinkwrap.
o Ignore Small Surfaces—Exclude surfaces smaller than the specified value
(percentage of the model's size). Enter a whole number (0 is the default) to
specify the relative size of the surface to be ignored.
o Dependent—Set geometry dependency of the Shrinkwrap feature. The
Shrinkwrap feature is dependent, by default, on the source components. If
the size or position of the original component are changed, the Shrinkwrap
feature updates accordingly.
6. Click to complete the Shrinkwrap feature.
To Define a Component Subset
1. Retrieve an assembly or a part.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Shrinkwrap. The Shrinkwrap dashboard appears
with the top-level assembly as the reference model.
3. To include or exclude assembly components in the Shrinkwrap, click Subset. The
Subset dialog box opens. Perform the following tasks:
o Specify how the system handles the component subset. Click One-by-one
to consider components or By Envelope to consider existing envelopes
instead. When the One-by-one option is selected, you can choose to
ignore or consider selected components.
o Select components from the Model Tree or the graphics window.
Component status is displayed in the Shrinkwrap Comps column in the
Model Tree.
Note: Use the Search Tool dialog box (Edit > Find) to select items by feature,
attribute, and so forth.
4. Click Options and determine subset options as follows:
o Shrinkwrap then Exclude (default)—Shrinkwrap the entire assembly and
use the surface subsets from the selected components only. This option
allows you to create multiple Shrinkwrap features with different quality
settings. You can accurately represent the interface points of complex
designs, and less accurately (and more quickly) create looser
representations of less interesting areas of the design.
Assembly
239
o Exclude then Shrinkwrap—Build the Shrinkwrap feature based on
selected components only. The result is similar to creating a simplified
representation of a component and then converting it into a Shrinkwrap.
Shrinkwrap Associativity
Shrinkwrap features are associative and automatically update to reflect changes in
the parent copied surfaces. Shrinkwrap features are updated when components have
been added or removed. You can control the dependency of the Shrinkwrap feature
on the surfaces it references. The independent state is useful if you wish to avoid
unwanted regeneration cycles.
To Update a Shrinkwrap Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, or a part, and create a shrinkwrap feature.
2. Select the Shrinkwrap feature from the Model Tree.
3. Right-click and choose Update Shrinkwrap from the shortcut menu.
Updating a Shrinkwrap Feature
When you redefine the Shrinkwrap feature, it is automatically recreated, reflecting
the changes in the reference model. During the re-creation process the options that
affect the external surface collection (quality level, include/exclude quilts, hole filling,
ignore small surfaces, component subset, and subset options) are analyzed. Surfaces
that are removed as a result of component addition or removal are deleted from the
feature. Consequently some Shrinkwrap feature children may fail.
Note: When the Shrinkwrap feature is defined as independent or when reference
models are unavailable (not in session or unavailable in the current simplified
representation), such references are frozen.
To Create an External Shrinkwrap Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly or a part.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Shrinkwrap. The Shrinkwrap dashboard appears
with the top-level assembly as the reference model.
3. Click . The Placement dialog box opens. Set the following options:
o Click Default to position the Shrinkwrap feature in the current model using
default internal coordinate systems.
o Click Coord Sys to position the Shrinkwrap feature aligned to local and
external coordinate systems.
Note: A coordinate system can be created on the fly. If the reference model is an
assembly, the coordinate system must be a feature of the top-level assembly (no
part-level or subassembly-level coordinate systems are allowed).
4. Click OK to exit the Placement dialog box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
240
Note: Click to return to the Placement dialog box and change placement
references.
5. Click to select a model located on disk or in session from which to copy
geometry. A warning message appears stating that the external model is about
to change. Click Yes to continue. When selection is complete, the model appears
in a new active window. Now define surface sets on the active component from
which to copy geometry.
6. Click to complete the Shrinkwrap feature.
External Shrinkwrap Features
Shrinkwrap features reference surfaces and datums within the assembly context,
whereas external Shrinkwrap features reference geometry from an external model
(part, skeleton, or assembly) specified during creation. Shrinkwrap features can be
redefined as external Shrinkwraps at any time, however, the process is irreversible.
You can create an external Shrinkwrap feature in one of the following model types:
• An envelope
• A part
• An empty component
To Redefine Shrinkwrap References
1. Retrieve an assembly or a part.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Shrinkwrap. The Shrinkwrap dashboard appears
with the top-level assembly as the reference model.
3. Click References in the Shrinkwrap dashboard to include Shrinkwrap references:
o Always include surfaces
o Never include surfaces
o Include Datums
4. Click Details to view or edit defined surface sets. The Surface Sets dialog box
opens.
5. Select a surface, right-click, and choose one of the following options:
o Remove—Remove the selected item from the list.
o Remove All—Clear the list.
o Information—Open the Information window.
Note: To insert a rule-based surface set, click Add, select a surface, and define a
rule.
6. Click OK.
Assembly
241
To Preview Current References
1. Retrieve an assembly or a part.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Shrinkwrap. The Shrinkwrap dashboard appears
with the top-level assembly as the reference model.
3. Click References in the Shrinkwrap dashboard.
4. Click Details to view the surface sets and datum list. The References dialog box
opens.
5. Click OK.
To Break Shrinkwrap Dependency
1. Retrieve an assembly or a part.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Shrinkwrap. The Shrinkwrap dashboard appears
with the top-level assembly as the reference model.
3. Click Options in the Shrinkwrap dashboard.
4. Toggle between dependent and independent states:
o Click Dependent (if the check box is active) to break a dependency. The
relationship between the current feature and the original geometry is
temporarily suspended. If the original part changes, the current feature
does not change.
o Click the Dependent check box again to reestablish dependency.
Merge and Inheritance Features
Merge Features
About Merging Components
Use Merge to add or subtract the material of one part to or from another part, after
they have been placed in an assembly. By default, when merge is performed
material is added from the source part into a target part. If the remove material
option is used, source part material is subtracted from a target part.
Note:
• When the parts being merged have different accuracies, a message is displayed
indicating the accuracy of the target part (up to a maximum of six decimal
places). To undo or remove merges or cutouts, delete the merge/cutout features
from the source part.
• If you merge parts using Merge, mirroring geometry, or adding assembly
features, the system does not show the geometric tolerances attached to the
merged model dimensions in Drawing mode.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
242
Example: Removing Material Using Merge
1. Source part
2. Target part
3. The parts explicitly assembled
4. Source part after deleting/suppressing the target part
Example: Creating a Merged Part
To create the example shown, assemble Part A and then merge it with Part B. The
features of Part B regenerate first, and then intersect with the features of Part A to
form the merged part.
Assembly
243
The Through All hole and cut that were copied do not extend through the original
surfaces of Part A. Whenever a solid portion of one part intersects with a void portion
of another part (for example, a hole or cut), these areas are automatically filled.
However, if you now create a Through All hole in the new Part A, it penetrates all
features, regardless of origin. You can merge merged parts with other parts, creating
multiple subpart relationships.
1. Source part (A)
2. Target part (B)
3. Align
4. Mate
5. Merged part
To Merge Two Parts in an Assembly
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part, and click Edit > Activate.
Note: The Merge feature will be created in the selected part.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can replace the reference model by selecting a different
part from the Model Tree or graphics window.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
244
3. Define the Merge feature properties as follows:
o —Add (default) or remove material geometry.
o —Set reference type to assembly context (default).
o —Set reference type to external (create an external Merge feature).
o Click References to define the following options:
Edit—Control propagation of annotation features.
Copy Datums—Toggle datum copying from the original feature to the
Merge feature.
Note: You can copy datums only if the Dependent option is active. If the
feature is independent, no datums are copied. Datums may be refited with
existing geometry only.
o Click Options to define the following:
Dependent—Make the Merge feature dependent (default) or independent
of the reference model. Dependent features update when changes are
made in the reference part. An independent Merge feature will not update
when the reference part is modified.
Note: If a Merge feature is independent, you cannot externalize the
feature.
o Click Properties to change Merge feature name.
4. Click to complete the Merge feature.
Merge Restrictions
The source part cannot be one of the following parts:
• An assembly datum plane
• A subassembly
• An instance of a generic part (copy the part instance to another name and use
the copy)
• A sheetmetal part
The target part cannot be one of the following parts:
• An assembly datum plane
• A subassembly
• The same part as part 1 (itself)
• Part of an assembly pattern
Assembly
245
In addition, the following rules apply:
• If the target part references assembly components other than the source part,
the assembly must be in session so that feature placement can be updated.
• After removing material, delete or suppress the source part to view the merge
part.
• If you place the target part into the assembly using a Coord Sys placement
constraint, all the assembly coordinate system references used for placement
must belong to the source part.
• Parts must be explicitly assembled. A part cannot be used if it was assembled
using packaging options.
• If you assemble a component that you have cut out to assembly datum planes,
the system creates it without offset dimensions for component placement.
• If you apply shrinkage by dimension to the reference model used in a remove
material procedure, the model containing the Merge feature does not reflect the
shrinkage dimensions. Original dimensions are used (before shrinkage).
To Create an External Merge Feature
1. Create a merge feature and click in the Merge dashboard. The EXTERNAL
MERGE dialog box opens.
2. Choose Default from the Constraints Type list to place the external merge
feature in the default location or place it in a different location using a set of
constraints.
3. Click to complete the feature placement.
Note: Click to change placement references.
4. Use the Options and Properties slide-up panels to define external merge
feature properties.
Note: Properties options are identical to standard merge features.
5. Click to complete the external merge feature.
To Merge Using Component Operations
Note: You can merge or cutout multiple components simultaneously using this
method.
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click Edit > Component Operations > Merge or Cut Out.
Note: After you assemble components before performing a cutout procedure,
hidden line removal may not function as you expect. If the assembly components
physically intersect, one or both of them may not appear correctly. If this occurs,
you have not placed them correctly.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
246
3. Select the parts where the Merge feature will be placed and click OK.
4. Select the reference parts and click OK.
5. For each iteration of steps 2 and 3, the OPTIONS menu appears. Choose the
options for that specific combination of parts.
o Reference—Associate the created Merge feature and the reference part.
When the reference part changes, the Merge feature changes.
o Copy—Copy all the features and relations of the reference part into the
Merge feature.
o No Datums—Do not include datums of the reference part in the Merge
feature (available for merge by reference only).
o Copy Datums—Include the datums belonging to the reference part in the
Merge feature.
6. Choose Done from the OPTIONS menu, and Done from the Component menu.
The Merge feature appears in the Model Tree.
Follow the procedure below to edit the dimensions of a source part by changing the
dimensions of a Merge feature that was created by reference.
1. In the Model Tree, right-click the created Merge feature, and select Edit from the
shortcut menu.
2. Right-click in the graphics window as many times as necessary to get to the
desired source feature.
3. Double-click to view the selected feature dimensions.
4. Edit dimensions as required. The dimensions are updated in both the Merge
feature and the source part.
Merging Using Component Operations
A Merge feature can also be created from the Edit > Component Operations >
Merge or Cut Out menu. Specify the component to which the Merge feature will be
added, and then select the component to be merged into the first one.
Merging by Reference
A merge by reference creates an external reference between two Pro/ENGINEER
objects similar to the Merge features produced by using Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. In this type of relationship the merged part is dependent on
information in the referenced part. You can include names of datum entities from the
reference model in the merged model. Layers and colors are automatically included.
You can also create an external Merge feature that does not require placement in the
same assembly to determine the orientation of the new Merge feature.
The following rules apply for using the Reference option:
• The system reflects all changes to the referenced part in the merged part.
• You can replace a merged part by a Family Table instance.
Assembly
247
• If the merged part placement is dependent on geometry that was deleted or
suppressed, the system places the merged part using the last successful
placement. A warning is displayed and feature placement cannot be updated.
When the geometry reference is resumed, parametric placement is restored.
• If a reference part has been deleted or renamed, or the part does not exist in the
current directory, the merged part is retrieved but is not regenerated. (If you
attempted and failed to regenerate, choose Quick Fix from the FIX MODEL
menu. Then click Suppress from the QUICK FIX menu to suppress the
corresponding merge part.) To resolve the situation, locate and restore the
referenced part.
• If a merged part is active in the current session, you can rename the referenced
parts by clicking File > Rename. The merged part updates its references. You
cannot delete the referenced parts from memory.
• The system copies cosmetic feature geometry in the target part to the source
part.
• Surface features that are outside a model show up in the model when a cutout
operation is performed on components in an assembly.
• When saving a merged part, or defining a user-defined feature, the system
automatically saves the parts referenced by the merged part.
Merging Using Copy
When you merge using the Copy command in the OPTIONS menu, you can modify
all features of the merged part. The following rules apply:
• Except for placement references, you cannot reference features within a merged
part to features outside that part. Therefore, when you modify the scheme of a
merged part, only those features within one merge member are displayed in the
window.
• The system adds the features of the target part (first selection) to the end of the
feature list of the source part (second selection). As a result, when you set a
feature of the target part as read-only, all the features of the source part become
read-only as well.
• Features that have been merged using Copy cannot reference features that are
outside of the merge group. If you try to merge a component with a part that has
an imported feature, the Copy command is dimmed in the OPTIONS menu.
• If the first feature of a merge part is a user-defined feature or the result of using
Copy in the Adv Comp Utl menu, the system automatically incorporates all
associated features into the merge part.
Including Datums in Merge Features
When you merge by reference, the No Datums and Copy Datums commands are
available in the OPTIONS menu. You cannot modify included datums. When you
cutout by reference, the system excludes datums. When you choose No Datums,
the system excludes only datum planes from the merge. It merges datum axes,
datum points, and coordinate systems.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
248
When you merge using Copy, the system always copies datums, and they are added
to the Merge feature.
Inheritance Features
About Inheritance Features
Inheritance features allow one-way associative propagation of geometry and feature
data from a reference part to a target part within an assembly. The created target
part is fully functional even when the reference part is not in session.
Use Inheritance features to create variations of existing models. An Inheritance
feature begins with all of its geometry and data identical to the reference part from
which it is derived. You can define the following varied items of an Inheritance
feature:
• Dimension values, tolerances, and boundaries
• Geometry tolerances (part of Annotations)
• Parameters
• References
• Suppressed, resumed or erased state of features
• Annotations
Note: Varied item settings that are the same as the original model are identified
with a in the Varied Items dialog box. You can add new varied items, redefine
them, or remove the existing ones.
To Create an Inheritance Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Use the following options to define inheritance feature properties:
o —Add (default) or remove material geometry.
o —Set reference type to assembly context (default).
o —Set reference type to external.
o Click Options to change the following options:
Varied Items—Define varied items properties.
Refit Datums—Change the size or reference of copied datums.
Assembly
249
Dependent—Make the Inheritance feature dependent (default) or
independent of the reference model. Dependent features update when
changes are made in the reference part. An independent Inheritance
feature will not update when the reference part is modified.
o Click Properties to change the name of the Inheritance feature.
5. Click to complete the Inheritance feature.
Inheritance Features Capabilities
• Changes in the reference part are associatively propagated to the dependent
Inheritance feature when both reference and target parts are in the same
Pro/ENGINEER session. You can control whether Inheritance features are
dependent on the reference part.
• Creation or modification of varied items is possible without the reference part in
the Pro/ENGINEER session.
• Addition or removal of material geometry.
• The use of Relations and Family Tables with corresponding associated
parameters.
• The ability to control whether notes from the reference model are copied.
• The conversion or an inheritance feature to an external Inheritance feature.
• Nest Inheritance features.
• The monitoring of parent and child relationships between subfeatures of
Inheritance and other features of the part that reference them.
To Define Varied Dimensions in an Inheritance Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Select a feature of the Inheritance model. The dimensions of the selected feature
appear in the model window.
7. Select a feature dimension. The dimensions are listed in the Varied Items dialog
box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
250
8. Enter new dimension values in the New Value box.
9. To remove a dimension, select it from the list and click . To add dimensions,
click and select other features of the inheritance model.
10. Click OK.
Note: To redefine the varied dimension, right-click the Inheritance feature in the
Model Tree, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
To Define Dimension Boundaries in an Inheritance Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
2. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
3. Define varied dimensions.
4. Select a dimension from the Varied Items list, then select one of the following
value limits from the New Dim Bound list:
o Upper—Sets the dimension value to its maximum (generates geometry
based on a nominal dimension value plus the tolerance).
o Middle—Sets the dimension value to the nominal value plus the mean of
the upper and lower tolerance values.
o Lower—Sets the dimension value to its minimum (generates geometry
based on a nominal dimension value minus the tolerance).
o Nominal—Sets the dimension value to nominal (generates geometry based
on exact ideal dimensions).
Note: If the New Dim Bound column does not appear in the Varied Items
dialog box click, and add it.
5. Click OK.
Note: To redefine the varied dimension boundary, right-click the Inheritance feature
in the Model Tree, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
To Define Varied Features in an Inheritance Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
Assembly
251
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the Features tab and select a feature of the Inheritance model. The
selected feature is highlighted in the model and added to the features list in the
Varied Items dialog box.
7. To remove a dimension, select it from the list and click . To add dimensions,
click and select other features of the Inheritance model.
8. To suppress, resume, or erase a feature, select a feature from the list and choose
one of the following value limits from the New Status list:
o Resumed (default)
o Suppressed
o Erased
9. Click OK.
Note: To redefine the varied feature, right-click the Inheritance feature in the Model
Tree, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
To Define Varied References in Inheritance or External Inheritance Features
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
Note: If you already have an Inheritance or external Inheritance feature in your
Model Tree, right-click it, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the References tab and then click (default).
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
252
7. Select the reference entity within the Inheritance feature that you want to
replace. Selection is limited to Inheritance feature subfeatures.
8. Select the new reference either inside or outside the Inheritance feature. (The
new reference replaces the previous reference.) The replacement reference must
be the same entity type. The Sub-features definition dialog box opens.
9. Select the subfeatures for which you are replacing references.
Note: If varied references are listed and you want to make a change, click the
item under New Refs to redefine the varied reference item or click under Sub-
Feat to reroute the feature.
10. Click to select and then add one subfeature at a time, or click All ref sub-
feats to add all subfeatures. You may want to add all subfeatures and then select
and click to delete subfeatures that you do not want to include.
11. Click OK to accept your subfeature selections and to close the Sub-feature
dialog box.
12. Click OK to close the Varied Items dialog box. The references are replaced.
Note:
• To replace all references for subfeature of an inheritance feature, right-click the
subfeature in the Model Tree, and choose Replace References from the
shortcut menu. The REROUTE REFS menu appears, from which you can change
the references, making them varied. The varied reference items are then added
to the Inheritance feature and the Inheritance feature regenerates.
• To change the way columns are displayed in the Varied Items dialog box, click
.
Varied References
When a model contains Inheritance features or other data sharing features, you may
need to reroute references contained in the Inheritance feature to entities outside
the Inheritance feature. In assemblies, references can be made to models other than
the target model, as long as the model is within the assembly.
The reference (original) part is listed in the reference collector on the Merge
dashboard while the target part (the one that is activated in the Model Tree) contains
the Inheritance features. When a reference is varied, the change is made only in the
target part, the original part does not change. To change the references of the
original part and the target model, remove the varied references and make the
change to the original part.
Note:
• You can replace references for all types of features except nested Inheritance
features and those features using surface or chain collection to define references.
• You can replace references for an Annotation Feature (a sub-Inheritance feature)
only with references inside the Inheritance feature.
Assembly
253
To Define Varied Parameters in an Inheritance Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the Parameters tab. The Select Parameter dialog box opens.
7. Select parameter information to define and click Insert Selected. The selected
parameter information appears in the Varied Items dialog box.
8. Enter the parameter information in the Varied Items dialog box.
9. Click OK.
Note: To redefine the varied parameter, right-click the Inheritance feature in the
Model Tree, and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
To Define Varied Annotations for Geometry Tolerances
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the Geom. Tols tab.
7. Select or clear the Copy All check box to copy all or individual geometry
tolerances.
Note: Use the Copy column to define specific annotations. This column overrides
the default Copy All status.
8. Select an inherited geometry tolerance. Information about the selected geometry
tolerance appears in the Varied Items dialog box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
254
9. Enter a new value for the geometry tolerance in the New Value text box.
10. Click OK. The geometry tolerances are replaced.
Variable Annotations in Inheritance Features
You can vary Annotation Elements and parameters in Inheritance features. You may
copy all or individual annotation features. The Copy column in each Annotation
Element section allows you to enable (Copy) or disable (Don't Copy) individual
annotation status. Use the Varied Items dialog box to vary information for the
following Annotation Elements:
• Geometry tolerances
• 3D notes
• 3D symbols
• Surface finishes
To Define Varied Annotations for a 3D Note
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the 3D Note tab.
7. Select or clear the Copy All check box to copy all or individual 3D note
Annotation Elements.
8. Select an inherited 3D note. The visibility status of the selected 3D note appears
in the Varied Items dialog box.
9. Change the visibility status of the 3D note in the New Visibility text box.
10. Click OK.
To Define Varied Annotations for a 3D Symbol
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Assembly
255
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the 3D Symbol tab.
7. Select or clear the Copy All check box to copy all or individual 3D symbol
Annotation Elements.
8. Select an inherited 3D symbol, and click the check box in the Copy column to
toggle the copying of the symbol.
9. Click OK.
To Define Varied Annotations for a Surface Finish
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click Options in the Merge dashboard.
5. Click Varied Items. The Varied Items dialog box and a separate window
showing the Inheritance model open.
6. Click the Surf. Finish tab.
7. Select or clear the Copy All check box to copy all or individual surface finishes.
8. Select a surface finish. Information about the selected surface finish appears in
the Varied Items dialog box.
9. Enter a new value.
10. Click OK.
To Create an External Inheritance Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly, select a part in it, and click Edit > Activate.
2. Select a second part in the assembly as the reference model from which
geometry will be copied and click Insert > Shared Data >
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
256
Merge/Inheritance. The Merge dashboard appears with the reference model
selected by default. You can select a different part as the reference model from
the Model Tree or in the graphics window.
3. Click to toggle between Merge mode (default) and Inheritance mode.
4. Click . The EXTERNAL INHERITANCE dialog box opens.
5. Choose Default from the Constraints Type list to place the external Inheritance
feature in the default location or place it in a different location using a set of
constraints.
6. Click to complete the feature placement.
Note: Click to change placement references.
7. Use the Options and Properties slide-up panels to define external Inheritance
feature properties.
Note: Properties options are identical to standard Inheritance features.
8. Click to complete the external Inheritance feature.
External Inheritance Features
An external Inheritance feature allows one-way associative propagation of geometry
and feature data from a reference part to a target part without the need for
assembly context. External Inheritance features are useful when representing the
evolution of a design during manufacturing or when creating standard design
elements.
You can use external Inheritance features to either add or subtract material from the
reference part geometry to or from a target part. Define the location of geometry
propagated from the reference part by selecting coordinate systems on the reference
and target parts.
A target part can contain one or more external Inheritance features. Features
propagated from the reference part are represented in the target part as subfeatures
of the external Inheritance feature. You can create a reference pattern in the target
part based on the pattern of external Inheritance subfeatures.
Dimensions propagated from the reference part are fully accessible in Assembly,
Part, and Detailed Drawings. These dimensions can be shown in a drawing of the
target part.
Varied items and external Inheritance feature capabilities are identical to standard
Inheritance features.
To Convert an Inheritance Feature to External
1. Create an inheritance feature.
2. In the Model Tree, right-click the inheritance feature and choose Edit Definition
from the shortcut menu. The Merge dashboard appears.
Assembly
257
3. Click then click Yes to convert the feature to an external Inheritance feature.
The EXTERNAL INHERITANCE dialog box opens.
4. Choose Default from the Constraints Type list to place the external Inheritance
feature in the default location, or define a set of constrains to position the feature
in a location of your choice.
5. Click to complete feature placement.
Note: You can always click to change placement references.
6. Use the Options and Properties slide-up panels to define external Inheritance
feature properties.
Note: Properties options are identical to standard Inheritance features.
7. Click to complete the external Inheritance feature.
To Edit the Properties of a Feature in Inheritance Features
This procedure is for performing cosmetic changes to dimensions and annotation
elements of features inside inheritance features.
1. Create an inheritance feature.
2. Select a dimension or an Annotation Element of the Inheritance feature in the
graphics window, right-click, and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
You are prompted to confirm the operation.
3. Click Yes to confirm the prompt. If the selected item is a dimension the
Dimension Properties dialog box opens. If the feature is an Annotation
Element, an appropriate Annotation Element definition dialog box opens.
4. Edit the cosmetic properties of the selected dimension or Annotation Element.
You can edit text color, text style, and text position.
Note: You cannot edit nominal values.
5. Click OK. The changed properties are updated.
To Update an Inheritance Feature
1. Create an inheritance feature.
2. Select the Inheritance feature in the Model Tree, right-click, and choose Update
Inheritance from the shortcut menu. A warning is displayed before the update is
performed. Choose one of the following options to continue:
o Yes—Updates the Inheritance feature and sets all varied items and item
properties according to the base model. This option is disabled if the base
model is not in session.
o No—Cancels the update operation.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
258
o Property Options—Opens the Property Options dialog box. The dialog
box lists edited feature properties. Click Update to toggle the update of a
specific property. Click OK.
3. Click Yes to finish the update.
Copy and Publish Geometry Features
About Copy and Publish Geometry Features
Copy Geometry and Publish Geometry features are Pro/ENGINEER top-down design
tools to associatively communicate design criteria. With these tools you can
propagate a large amount of information by copying reference geometry from model
to model.
For large designs, each design group can create skeleton models in their
subassemblies with Copy Geometry features that reference the top-level product
skeleton. No access to top-level assembly is necessary. Because each group's
skeleton encompasses copied references, everyone works with the same design
criteria, which remains associative.
Regenerating Copy and Publish Geometry Features
The order of Copy Geometry features and Publish Geometry features affects the
regeneration cycle. If a Publish Geometry feature is regenerated in a model, all Copy
Geometry features that reference it also regenerate. As a result, from the Copy
Geometry feature forward in the feature list, the system regenerates all models with
a Copy Geometry feature that references that Publish Geometry feature. Place all
static information in a skeleton as early as possible in the feature list, and enter all
dynamic information later. If your Publish Geometry feature references static
information, place it before the dynamic information. The Publish Geometry feature
will not move every time the dynamic part of the skeleton changes.
Publish Geometry Features
About Publish Geometry Features
A Publish Geometry feature contains independent local geometry references.
External references are not allowed. The created feature is not a copy of selected
geometry. It is a consolidation of multiple local references that can be copied to
other models. When you create a Copy Geometry or external Copy Geometry
feature, you can reference a Publish Geometry feature. With a single selection, you
copy a local collection of model geometry to other models as a single entity. This
makes it easier to copy the same geometric references to other models and allows
an efficient way to control the use of references.
Publish Geometry features capture design intent. With Publish Geometry features
you can:
• Specify component geometry for use when design group members copy
geometry from that model.
Assembly
259
• Predetermine the geometry to be referenced by a Copy Geometry feature.
• Define interfaces.
• Reduce the possibility that designers will select incorrect geometry to create
driven models.
Note: When a Publish Geometry feature fails, a Copy Geometry feature
referencing the Publish Geometry feature will also fail.
You can create a Publish Geometry feature in part, skeleton, and assembly models.
If you create a Publish Geometry feature in the context of an assembly, you must
select the reference geometry in the source model. For example, if the feature is
created in the top-level assembly, only top-level assembly surface features and
datums can be referenced. You cannot reference geometry from the components of
the assembly. Similarly, if a Publish Geometry feature is created in a part component
by activating that part within an assembly, all geometry references must be selected
from that part component.
To Create a Publish Geometry Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Publish Geometry. The PUBLISHED
GEOMETRY dialog box opens.
3. Select the type of reference elements on which to base the feature and add
references.
Note: You can only select elements of the currently active assembly components
(assembly, subassembly or part). Unlike Copy Geometry and external Copy
Geometry features, Publish Geometry features cannot reference other Publish
Geometry features.
You must define at least one of the following reference elements to complete the
Publish Geometry feature:
o Surface Sets—Select surfaces.
o Chains—Select edges or curves.
o References—Select various reference features.
o Annotation—Select various annotation features: notes, symbols, surface
finishes, geometric tolerances, reference dimensions, and driven
dimensions with tolerances.
4. Click Details to view, add, or remove a reference from the list of references.
5. Click Properties to change the default, feature name.
6. Click OK. The Publish Geometry feature, identified by the visual indicator,
appears in the Model Tree.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
260
To Define a Publish Geometry Reference in a Copy Geometry Feature
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Copy Geometry. The Copy Geometry dashboard
appears.
3. Click (default).
4. Select a previously defined Publish Geometry feature from the Model Tree or
graphics window.
Note: Only one Publish Geometry reference can be included in the current
feature. If a Publish Geometry feature is selected for a reference, no other
geometry references are allowed, and vice versa.
5. Click to complete the Copy Geometry feature.
Copy Geometry Features
About Copy Geometry Features
You can create internal or external Copy Geometry in a single feature. The feature
can be edited and its type changed from internal to external. The Copy Geometry
feature can be used to pass any type of geometric reference information and user-
defined parameters to and from parts, skeleton models, and assemblies.
Note: When you use Copy Geometry, only reference geometry is copied. Only
surfaces and datum features are copied, not solid features.
A Copy Geometry feature can be externalized. This action is irreversible. With this
technique you can create features in one model that reference the geometry of
another model that is not in session. You can also create an external Copy Geometry
feature in Part mode and copy references from one part to another.
Using a Copy Geometry feature in a top-down design can reduce the amount of data
in session. The retrieval of entire reference source models is not necessary. The
Copy Geometry feature takes up only half the space on disk and in session.
To Create a Copy Geometry Feature
You can create a Copy Geometry feature in part, skeleton, and assembly models.
Note: When a publish geometry reference is selected, other references cannot be
made, and vice versa.
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > Copy Geometry. The Copy Geometry dashboard
appears.
3. To define the copy geometry by a predefined Published Geometry feature
proceed for selection, or click to deactivate the publish geometry reference
collector (activated by default).
Assembly
261
4. To define the Copy Geometry feature, click References, select the reference
type, and define the references. Define at least one element:
o Surface Sets—Select surfaces.
o Chains—Select edges or curves.
o References—Select various reference features.
o Annotation—Select various annotation features: notes, symbols, surface
finishes, geometric tolerances, reference dimensions, and driven
dimensions with tolerances.
Note: Click Details to view, add, or remove a reference from the list.
5. Click Options to define one of the following elements:
o Copy all surfaces as is (default)—Creates an exact copy of the selected
surfaces.
o Exclude surfaces and Fill holes—Activates two collectors:
Exclude surfaces—Select surfaces to be excluded from the current copy
feature.
Fill holes/surfaces—Select holes on the selected surfaces to be filled.
o Copy Inside boundary—Defines a boundary containing the surfaces to be
copied.
o Dependent—Sets the Copy Geometry feature dependency.
o Refit Datums—Refits automatically the included datums and axes to the
target part outline.
Note: Copy options are available only when the Copy Geometry feature is
defined by a surface set. These options are disabled when the reference model is
a Published Geometry feature.
6. Click Properties to change the default, feature name.
7. Click to complete the Copy Geometry feature.
Copy Geometry References
Copy Geometry features can be used to copy any geometric information from
component to component. Follow these guidelines when selecting copy geometry
references:
• Select surfaces, edges, and curves using standard Pro/ENGINEER reference
collection tools. You can define a rule for collecting references, and as the design
changes and new entities satisfy this rule, the references are added to the Copy
Geometry feature. For example, create a Copy Geometry feature by specifying a
group of surfaces. The surfaces are copied through the Copy Geometry feature. If
you modify the original geometry by placing a new cut that intersects the
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
262
surfaces collected, the resulting surfaces of the cut are also included in the Copy
Geometry feature.
• Copy quilts, vertices, and datum features, including planes, points, axes, and
coordinate systems, with the Copy Geometry feature.
• Nest Copy Geometry features. Copy Geometry features from a different
component in the assembly can be selected and copied with a Copy Geometry
feature. Nesting can help avoid duplicate reference selection. Nesting can also
streamline the design method. It enables consistent access to primary design
information in all skeletons along an assembly path. Nesting avoids creating large
generational jumps from low-level Copy Geometry features to high-level
skeletons.
Copying Geometry in Top-Down Design Methodology
The first step in a top-down design process is the definition of the design intent in a
top-level skeleton model. Because a team working on individual subassemblies of a
complex design is easier to manage, use the Copy Geometry functionality to provide
the appropriate design criteria for each subassembly.
As the higher-level information is copied into the respective subassemblies, you can
proceed as follows:
• Distribute the subassemblies to individual designers, who will then base the
designs on the information in the subassemblies.
• Add additional design intent unique to the subassemblies. This additional
information can then be distributed to the subassemblies of this subassembly.
Individual designers are, to a controllable degree, insulated from the work of others.
They can observe design progress by opening the top-level assembly with all of the
latest modifications.
In addition to using Copy Geometry features in skeleton models, you can also use
Copy Geometry features to communicate geometry to or from any part,
subassembly, or skeleton model. Propagation of top-level design intent while adding
appropriate system-specific information can be repeated on as many levels of the
assembly as desired. Ultimately, the appropriate references for the design of a single
part can be copied into that part and then handed off to a low-level designer for
component design relative to global references.
Rarely is there a good reason to copy geometry from a part to a skeleton. This
procedure is by definition not part of a true top-down methodology. However,
sometimes you must accommodate existing parts in a bottom-up fashion. This
technique can undermine the stability of a top-down design by introducing the
possibility of skeleton model failure due to missing or changed external references.
Circular references may also become a concern.
About External Copy Geometry
The external Copy Geometry functionality copies geometry from model to model
without copying the geometry in the context of the assembly. Dependency on the
Assembly
263
assembly and all models along the path between the two components is avoided.
When a Copy Geometry feature is created in Part mode, it is automatically defined as
external. Source and target components must be relatively positioned, but are
independent of the assembly context.
When assembly components are assembled using the same coordinate system, you
can use the Coord Sys location option to copy geometry from one component to
another. When all the components are assembled, the copied geometry of the target
models is coincident to the referenced geometry of the external model.
Components can be deleted from the assembly without losing copied geometry
associativity of copied geometry (which happens with internal Copy Geometry
features when the target component model is deleted). In addition, none of the other
external Copy Geometry features that reference the component will fail.
Although the models are associative to each other through the external copy
geometry features, the components are completely independent. In other words,
associativity is not controlled by the assembly model.
An independent external Copy Geometry feature remains frozen in its original state,
whether or not its external reference model is in session and its geometry has been
updated. It does not fail when copied references are missing from the parent model.
If the external reference model is an assembly, all the geometric references must be
chosen from the same model. The first selection determines which model this will be.
If the first reference is selected from geometry (an assembly surface, datum, and so
forth) of the top-level assembly, all subsequent references must be from top-level
assembly geometry. If the first reference is chosen from an assembly component
model, all subsequent reference selections must be made from that model.
To Redefine a Copy Geometry as an External Copy Geometry Feature
A local Copy Geometry feature can be redefined as an external Copy Geometry
feature. However, an external Copy Geometry feature cannot be redefined as a Copy
Geometry feature.
1. Create a Copy Geometry feature.
2. Select the Copy Geometry feature from the Model Tree, right-click, and choose
Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The Copy Geometry dashboard
appears.
3. Click , then Yes. The Placement dialog box opens.
4. Choose one of the following options to specify the external placement reference
for the copied geometry:
o Default—Places the copied geometry in the current model using the default
location.
o Cur Placement—Places the copied geometry in the current model using
the current relative placement.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
264
o Coord Sys—Places the copied geometry in the current model by aligning
coordinate systems. You must first select a coordinate system on the
reference model, and then select a coordinate system on the target model.
Note: To preserve geometry location, use a coordinate system that is
coincident with the one chosen in the external model.
5. Click OK.
6. Click to complete the Copy Geometry feature.
Redefining Copy Geometry Features
Copy Geometry features can be redefined as follows:
• Rename a data sharing feature.
• Specify a default layer name for Copy Geometry features.
• Display reference status in the Model Tree.
• Update frozen external reference placement.
• Reroute references to implicitly copied edges and surfaces.
• Reroute Copy Geometry features to another Publish Geometry feature.
• Reroute Copy Geometry features to a level higher in the assembly than the level
on which the feature was created.
• Include Copy Geometry features in local groups.
• Redefine a Copy Geometry feature to change it to an external Copy Geometry
feature.
External Dependency of Copy Geometry Features
The following rules apply to external Copy Geometry features:
• You create the dependency by selecting references, that is, explicitly copying
geometry, from one component into another as a Copy Geometry feature.
• You select all references for a single Copy Geometry feature from the same
component.
• You can reference all Pro/ENGINEER geometry, existing Copy Geometry and
Publish Geometry features.
• When the parent component is not in session, the geometry copied by the Copy
Geometry feature remains frozen while the parent component is unavailable.
• You can control the behavior of Copy Geometry features when the parent
component is in session but some of the referenced entities are missing. When
parent geometry that was copied is missing (deleted or suppressed) a dependent
Copy Geometry feature fails regeneration. However, you can prevent copy
geometry features from failing when a reference is missing. If you set the
Assembly
265
configuration file option fail_ref_copy_when_missing_orig to no (the default is
yes), during regeneration the system automatically freezes any copied geometry
for which the original is missing, preventing the Copy Geometry feature from
failing.
• You can change the dependency of an individual Copy Geometry feature and
switch easily between dependency states using the Dependent option. Also use
the Dependent option to stop feature update for improved regeneration
performance.
• Geometry is available after it is selected as a reference. The geometry appears
relative to the rest of the part’s geometry, as it did in the context of the assembly
where the geometry was selected.
• Copied reference information includes geometry, entity names, colors, line styles,
and layer information.
• Copy Geometry features create external dependencies and are not allowed in
start models.
• Reference status information is available in the Model Tree. Copy Geometry
features can have a Copied Ref status of Active, Frozen, Suppressed, Missing, or
Independent.
• View parent information about a model that contains a Copy Geometry feature in
the Global Reference Viewer.
To Reroute Copy Geometry Features to Another Publish Geometry Feature
You can reroute copy geometry features with children from one publish geometry
feature to another.
1. Create a Copy Geometry feature and use a predefined published geometry to
define it.
2. Right-click the Copy Geometry feature in the Model Tree and choose Edit
References from the shortcut menu. Click Yes at the prompt. The REROUTE
REFS menu appears.
3. Select an alternate Publish Geometry feature. At the map prompt,
o Click No for automatic mapping.
o Click Yes to manually reroute reference entities. The Reroute References
dialog box opens. Select the entities to be rerouted, then click to select
alternative entity from the graphics window.
Note: Only entities that belong to the publish geometry feature can be
selected.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
266
Tip: Freezing Copied Geometry to Prevent Failure
You can prevent Copy Geometry features from failing when a reference is missing. If
you set the configuration file option fail_ref_copy_when_missing_orig to no (the
default is yes), the system automatically freezes any copied geometry for which the
original reference is missing. This prevents the Copy Geometry feature from failing.
A warning is displayed.
Explicitly and Implicitly Copied Geometry
Two types of geometry are copied when you create a Copy Geometry feature:
explicitly copied geometry and implicitly copied geometry. Some geometry
references that you select (such as explicitly copy), include implicitly copied
geometry. For example, if you select a surface for your Copy Geometry feature, the
surface itself is explicitly copied and the edges of the surface are implicitly copied.
If you reference any implicitly copied geometry of a Copy Geometry feature, and
then reroute the copy Geometry feature references to new source geometry, the
implicit reference fails because the original parent geometry (the implicitly copied
references) are no longer available. Therefore, make sure that you explicitly copy
(select) all pertinent geometry in a Copy Geometry feature. Otherwise, you may
need to redefine features that reference implicitly copied geometry.
Annotation Propagation
About Propagating Annotation Elements into Data Sharing Features
Annotation Elements can be automatically propagated into data sharing features.
These include Copy Geometry, Publish Geometry, Shrinkwrap, Merge, and
Inheritance features.
Geometry entity parameters are also propagated to data sharing features. You can
automatically propagate annotation planes referenced by Annotation Elements that
are valid for propagation. An annotation plane is a datum plane that defines the
orientation of an annotation item with respect to a 3D model.
Propagated annotations can be defined as dependent or independent of referenced
parts. If Annotation Elements are dependent on referenced parts, the elements in
the data shared feature are read-only. These types of Annotation Elements must be
redefined as independent in order to be modified.
About Propagating Annotation Element Display Status Through Data Sharing Features
You can select an Annotation Element and use the shortcut menu command Hide to
place an Annotation Element on the Hidden Items layer, or use Unhide to remove
an item from the Hidden Items layer. If the source Annotation Element is then
propagated through a Data Sharing feature, the Hide or Unhide display status is
propagated to the target model.
If, for example, the source Annotation Element is hidden and then propagated
through a Data Sharing feature, the Annotation Element is automatically added to
Assembly
267
the Hidden Items layer in the target part. The Hide or Unhide display status is
propagated only when you create the Data Sharing feature. Redefining or
regenerating the source features does not impact the display status of the
propagated Annotation Element.
Propagating Layers Through Merge Features
When you add an Annotation Element to a Merge feature in the following scenario:
• The source model contains an Annotation Element in a layer.
• The target model does not contain a layer with the same name.
then the layer name from the source model is propagated to the target model. The
newly created layer in the target model contains the Annotation Element from the
source model, and the Hide or Unhide display status of the layer is also propagated.
If the source model and the target model contain a layer with the same name, the
layer display status may not propagate. Consider the following scenario:
• The source model contains Annotation Element AE_1 on hidden layer,
LAYER_TEST.
• The target model also contains a layer, LAYER_TEST.
• AE_1 is propagated through a Data Sharing feature to the target model.
AE_1 in the Data Sharing feature is placed in the target model layer, LAYER_TEST. If
there are no other items in LAYER_TEST of the target model, then the hidden display
status of the layer is propagated from the source. However, if other items do exist
on LAYER_TEST in the target model, the display status of LAYER_TEST in the target
model does not change.
Propagating Layers Through Copy Geometry and Shrinkwrap Features
For Copy Geometry and Shrinkwrap features, layer assignments transfer only if a
layer with the same name exists in the target model. The display status is always
whatever the status is for that layer in the target model, regardless of the setting in
the source model.
Note: If you are propagating a Data Sharing feature to an assembly, the Annotation
Element display status is propagated at the model level only.
To Propagate an Annotation to Data Sharing Features
1. Retrieve an assembly.
2. Click Insert > Shared Data. Select a shared data element (Copy Geometry,
Shrinkwrap, or Merge/Inheritance). A corresponding dashboard appears.
3. Click References, then Edit in the Annotations area of the slide-up panel. The
Propagate annotation dialog box opens.
4. To copy all Annotation Elements, click the Copy All check box.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
268
5. To copy individual Annotation Elements, clear the Copy All check box and click
. Select individual Annotation Elements in the graphics window, Model Tree, or
search tool.
6. To make all selected Annotation Elements dependent (default), click the
Dependent check box. To make a specific Annotation Element independent, click
the Dependency check box in the list of selected Annotation Elements.
7. To propagate annotation planes automatically, click the Auto Include check box.
8. To automatically propagate datum plane references in an Annotation Element,
click the Auto Include check box.
9. Click OK.
Layouts
Preparing Layouts
About Layouts
A layout is a nonparametric 2D sketch used as an engineering notebook to
conceptually document and annotate parts and assemblies. It maintains design
intent in a central location as solid models are developed. A sketch can be created at
the beginning of the design process, or a drawing from an assembly or part can be
imported into Layout mode.
Any IGES, DWG, or DXF file can be imported into a layout. By importing a drawing
you can use an existing design as a layout for the remaining design process. Layouts
are not precision-scaled drawings and are not associative with actual three-
dimensional (3D) geometry. Like drawings, layouts have a setup file, a format, and
one or more sheets.
Use a layout to:
• Develop basic assembly geometry as a 2D conceptual sketch.
• Create global datums that define assembly intent.
• Determine mathematical relations between critical design parameters.
• Document an assembly as a whole.
A layout enables you to define the basic requirements and constraints of an
assembly without using extensive or detailed geometry. It establishes parameters
and the mathematical relations between them for dimensions. Global datums
facilitate automatic component assembly and automatic component replacement.
The sketched geometry and annotations in a layout are stored in a file with a .lay
extension. You can create, store, and access the reference information for the
assembly (global parameters and datums) through a layout.
Design information is communicated to assemblies, subassemblies, and parts by
declaring them to the layout. When an assembly is retrieved or regenerated, the
Assembly
269
system regenerates all layouts, including those declared to subassemblies and parts,
and then regenerates the assembly itself. Regeneration of layouts first ensures that
references and driven parameters in the assembly are current. If you do not want
the layouts to be automatically regenerated, do not set the regen_layout_w_assem
configuration file option to no.
To Work with Multiple Sheets
Like drawings, layouts can consist of multiple sheets.
To Add a New Sheet
Click Insert > Sheet. A new sheet appears in the graphics window.
To Switch Between Sheets
Select the number of the sheet you want to display from the Sheet List on
the Layout toolbar or enter a number.
To Reorder a Sheet
1. Click Edit > Move Sheet. The Move Sheet dialog box opens.
2. Select one of the options below to change the position of the current sheet:
o Insert at beginning—Inserts the current sheet as the first sheet in the
layout.
o Sheet—Inserts the current sheet before the sheet number selected.
To Remove a Sheet
Click Edit > Remove > Sheets. Enter the number of the sheet to be removed.
To Create a Layout
1. Click File > New > Layout and enter a name for the layout. The New Layout
dialog box opens.
2. Choose an option:
o Use template—Creates a layout from an existing template.
o Empty with format—Creates an empty layout with a specified format.
Click Browse and select a format from the Open dialog box.
o Empty—Creates an empty layout with the specified Orientation and Size.
3. Click OK.
For more information on drawing templates, search the Detailed Drawings functional
area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
270
To Create a Reference Datum Plane for a Layout
1. Click Insert > Draft Datum > Plane. The Get Point menu appears.
2. Choose one of the following options as a datum plane start point:
o Pick Pnt—Click in the layout window to select the start point. Drag the
mouse to draw the datum plane. Click a second time to select the end
point.
o Vertex—Click a vertex to select the start point, and then select a vertex or
a point on an entity as an end point.
o On Entity—Click a point on an entity to select the start point, and then
select a point on an entity or a vertex as an end point.
o Rel Coords—Create a datum plane with a start point offset from the end
point of the previously created datum plane. Enter the X and Y offset
values. Choose one of the first three options above and select the end
point.
o Abs Coords—Enter the X and Y values for the start point's absolute
coordinates, and then select one of the following options to create the end
point:
Pick Pnt—Select a point in the graphics window.
Vertex—Select a vertex in the graphics window.
On Entity—Select a point on an entity.
3. At the prompt, enter a name for the datum plane. Press ENTER or click .
To Create a Reference Datum Axis for a Layout
1. Click Insert > Draft Datum > Axis. The Get Point menu appears.
2. Choose one of the following options as the datum axis start point:
o Pick Pnt—Click in the layout window to select the start point. Drag the
mouse to draw the datum axis. Click once more to select the end point.
o Vertex—Click a vertex as the datum axis start point, and then select a
vertex or a point on an entity as an end point.
o On Entity—Click a point on an entity to select the start point, and then
select a point on an entity or a vertex as an end point.
o Rel Coords—Create a datum axis with a start point that is offset from the
end point of the previously created datum axis. Enter the X and Y offset
values. Choose one of the first three options above and select the end
point.
o Abs Coords—Enter the X and Y values for the start point's absolute
coordinates, then select one of the following options to create the end
point:
Assembly
271
Pick Pnt—Select a point in the graphics window.
Vertex—Select a vertex in the graphics window.
On Entity—Select a point on an entity.
3. At the prompt, enter a name for the draft axis. Press ENTER or click .
To Create a Reference Datum Point for a Layout
1. Click or Insert > Model Datum > Point. Choose the point type. The
Get Point menu appears.
Note: For more information on datum point types search the Part functional area
of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
2. Choose one of the following point placement options:
o Pick Pnt—Click in the layout window.
o Vertex—Click a vertex.
o On Entity—Click a point on an entity.
o Rel Coords— Enter X and Y offset values to place a point relative to the
previous point.
o Abs Coords—Enter X and Y values for the point's absolute coordinates.
3. At the prompt, enter a name for the point and press ENTER or click .
To Create a Reference Datum Coordinate System for a Layout
1. Click or Insert > Model Datum > Coordinate System. The Get Point
menu appears.
2. Choose one of the following coordinate system placement options:
o Pick Pnt—Click in the layout window.
o Vertex—Click a vertex.
o On Entity—Click a point on an entity.
o Rel Coords—Place a coordinate system relative to the previously created
coordinate system. Enter X and Y offset values.
o Abs Coods—Enter X and Y values for the coordinate system's absolute
coordinates.
3. At the prompt, enter a name for the point and press ENTER or click .
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
272
About Reference Datums in Layout Mode
You sketch, place, and name global reference datum planes, axes, coordinate
systems, and points in a layout to convey the assembly design intent. Although the
datum geometry in layouts has only visual significance, you can declare the datum
names in a layout to corresponding datums in associated parts to prepare them for
automatic assembly.
For example, when two parts reference the same global datum axis, the system will
align those axes. When two parts reference the same global datum plane,
Pro/ENGINEER aligns those surfaces. Establishing these references facilitates
automatic assembly and preserves design intent when you modify part details.
Because layouts are two-dimensional, the datum planes are displayed on edge with
surfaces normal to the layout sheet. The coordinate systems always have their xy-
plane on the plane of the layout sheet.
Note: For more information on datum features, search the Part Modeling functional
area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Example: A Layout Reference Datum Plane and Axis
The figure below shows a reference datum and axis.
1. Datum plane
2. Datum axis
3. Balloon notes
To Delete Reference Datum Entities from a Layout
1. Select the entity to be deleted in the layout window.
2. Right-click and choose Delete from the shortcut menu or click Edit > Delete.
To Import a Drawing into a Layout
1. Open an empty layout file.
Assembly
273
2. Click Insert > Shared Data > From File. The Open dialog box opens.
3. Select the file to import and click Open.
Note: Imported geometry is not updated when the original file is updated. A layout
is nonparametric and does not maintain a link to the original file.
For more information on IGES files, search the Pro/ENGINEER Interface section of
the Data Exchange functional area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Global Dimensions and Relations in a Layout
About Global Parameters
Parameters created in a layout are global, and they can be accessed in other modes.
Declare the layout and use local relations to declare the global parameters to the
local ones. Once declared, dimension values and relations specified in a layout can
directly affect the values of component dimensions in an assembly. Use a Parameter
Table to assign different parameter values and relations to different component
configurations.
Layout dimensions are created as parameters with a name and a numeric value. To
switch between viewing dimension values or names in the layout window click Info
> Switch Dimensions.
Note: Layout sketches are nonparametric. They do not update when the layout
dimensions are changed.
To create user-defined global parameters, you write defining relations. All models
declared to the active layout can then access these variables. Relations are user-
defined rules for dimensions. For example, you have defined the relation XYZ = 27.4
* 1.7 in a layout. When you access the parameter XYZ in other modes through local
relations, the value is calculated from the global relation.
The following restrictions apply to relations in Layout mode:
• Only global relations can be defined in Layout mode.
• A relation created in another mode cannot be accessed in Layout mode.
• Relations are not automatically reevaluated. To evaluate them click from the
Relations dialog box or regenerate the layout.
For more information on parameters and relations, search the Fundamentals
functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Create Parameters in Layout Mode
1. Click Tools > Parameters. The Parameters dialog box opens. All parameters in
the layout are listed.
2. Click to create a new parameter. Accept the default name or rename the
parameter. You can change the type of parameter, the parameter value, and
whether the parameter is designated.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
274
For more information on parameters, search the Fundamentals functional area of the
Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Create a Global Dimension
1. Click Insert > Dimension > New References. The Attach Type menu
appears.
2. Choose the dimension placement position:
o On Entity—Attaches the dimension to the entity at the selected point.
Select an entity to set the dimension for it, or select two entities to set the
dimension between them. When applicable, the Dim Orient menu appears.
Select one of the following options:
Horizontal—Attaches the dimension horizontally.
Vertical—Attaches the dimension vertically.
Slanted—Attaches the dimension at a slant.
Parallel—Attaches the dimension parallel to the entity.
Normal—Attaches the dimension normal to the entity.
o Midpoint—Attaches the dimension to the midpoint of the selected entity.
The Dim Orient menu appears. See options above.
o Center—Attaches the dimension to the center of a circular edge.
o Intersect—Attaches the dimension to the closest intersection point of two
selected entities.
o Make Line—References X or Y axes. Choose an option from the
MAKELINE menu:
2 Points—Select two vertexes to create two lines and a dimension between
them.
Horiz Line—Select two entities to create horizontal lines and a dimension
between them.
Vert Line—Select two entities to create vertical lines and a dimension
between them.
3. Enter a symbolic name for the global dimension.
4. Enter a numeric value for the dimension. The dimension is displayed with its
symbolic name.
5. Middle-click to complete the dimension. Create another dimension or click
Return to quit.
Assembly
275
To Modify Global Dimension Properties
1. Select the dimension in the layout window, right-click, and choose Properties
from the shortcut menu. The Dimension Properties dialog box opens.
2. Modify the desired properties and click OK. To restore changed values, click
Restore Values.
To Create a Table of Parameters
1. Open a layout or create a new one.
2. Create parameters to include in the table.
3. Click Table > Insert > Table. The Table Create menu appears with the Get
Point menu beneath it.
4. Select the creation options:
o Direction of rows:
Descending—The rows progress downward from the top.
Ascending—The rows progress upward from the bottom.
o Direction of columns:
Rightward—The columns progress from left to right.
Leftward—The columns progress from right to left.
o Column width:
By Num Chars—Column width is determined by numbers.
By Length—Column width is determined by the units entered.
5. Choose the start point of the table from the Get Point menu:
o Pick Pnt—Click in the layout window.
o Vertex—Click a vertex.
o On Entity—Click a point on an entity.
o Rel Coords—Enter X and Y values for the start point of relative
coordinates.
o Abs Coords—Enter X and Y values for start point of absolute coordinates.
6. Follow the prompts in the message area to create the table.
7. Double-click a cell in the table. The Note Properties dialog box opens.
8. Enter the text or value in the Text box.
9. To enter parameter values that update automatically when changed, type
¶meter_name.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
276
10. To change text properties, click Text Style.
To Obtain Global Parameter Information
To obtain information for a global parameter, it must be in the current model or in a
referenced layout.
1. Click Tools > Relations. The Relations dialog box opens.
2. Click Show > Where Used. Information appears about global dimensions,
datums, axes, and user-defined parameters that belong to a layout.
3. Select the name of the parameter in the graphics window, or choose Names and
enter the parameter name. An Information window lists all direct references to
the global entity and writes them to a file named parametername.txt in the
current working directory.
Note: Do not select dimension symbols in parts or assemblies, especially if you
have given a dimension symbol the same name as a real global parameter.
To Write Relations for Global Dimensions
1. Click Tools > Relations. The Relations dialog box opens.
2. Click Local Parameters. The dialog box expands to include parameters created
in the layout.
3. Enter the name of a parameter or click . A parameter list appears.
4. Select a parameter from the list and click . The parameter is added
to the relation.
5. Enter an arithmetic symbol or use those to the left of the Relations box to create
the relations.
6. Click OK.
7. Click Edit > Regenerate to reevaluate the layout relations.
About Parameter Tables
Parameters and dimensions created in a layout can be used to assign values for
different configurations of a model by setting up a Parameter Table. A Parameter
Table created in a layout, similar to a Family Table, simplifies storage and access to
value sets used for manipulating dimensions and parametric information. Parameter
Tables maintain design intent, while allowing adjustment for different parameter
values. The global parameters are numeric or yes/no and control the dimension
values of components and the mathematical relations between them in an assembly.
Note: Before you can create a Parameter Table, you must create parameters.
Assembly
277
To Create a Parameter Table
A parameter table makes it easy to switch between different configuration options of
an assembly. Create the table and then select the value set to configure the
assembly.
To Create a Parameter Table
1. Click Tools > Parameters. The Parameters dialog box opens.
2. Click Parameters > Param Table. The PARAM TABLE menu appears.
3. Click Add Param and choose the parameters from the list to be added to the
table.
4. Click Done.
5. To delete a parameter from the table, click Del Param, and then select the
parameter to be deleted from the list.
To Add New Parameter Value Sets to the Table
1. Click Parameters > Param Table from the Parameter dialog box. The Param
Table menu appears.
2. Click Edit in the Param Table menu. The Pro/Table dialog box appears.
3. Type in a new instance name and the instance values for the parameters in the
table. You can create as many instances as you want.
Note: Instance names cannot contain spaces.
4. Click File > Exit to save the changes and return to the layout.
To Change a Layout Value Set
1. Click Parameters > Param Table from the Parameter dialog box. The Param
Table menu appears.
2. Click Apply Set. The Instances list appears.
3. Select the required instance.
4. Click Done/Return. The values of the parameters in the Parameters dialog box
change to those of the instance selected.
5. Click OK.
6. Click Edit > Regenerate. The layout displays with the new parameter values.
To Display the Parameter Table
1. Click Parameters > Param Table from the Parameter dialog box. The Param
Table menu appears.
2. Click Show. The Pro/Table dialog box opens.
Note: The table cannot be edited using this command.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
278
Example: A Parameter Table
The following example shows the use of a Parameter Table in a layout. In this
example, the fan in the layout can be a table model or a floor model with 4 or 6
blades. A Parameter Table determines the values for each set of parameters. When
you choose a set of parameters and regenerate the layout, the values in the layout
update to reflect those of the set.
The following figure shows a Parameter Table created for the fan layout.
When you activate a different parameter set for the layout, you must regenerate the
layout for it to be visible in the parameter table in the layout sheet. In the figure
below, the parameter set has been changed to Floor_6_blades.
Assembly
279
The layout remains unchanged. A layout is not parametric and does not update
according to the parameter values.
Note: Parameters governed by a relation can be used in the Parameter Table.
Annotating Layouts
About Annotating Layouts
Notes and balloons are useful for documenting design parameters and component
information in the layout. The notes display the actual numeric value of the
parameters.
To Add Notes to a Layout
1. Click Insert > Note. The Note Types menu appears.
2. Choose one of the following leader options:
o No Leader—Creates a note without a leader.
o With Leader—Creates the note with a leader.
o ISO Leader—Creates the note with an ISO leader.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
280
o On Item—Creates the note attached to the selected item.
o Offset—Creates the note with its position offset from a specified entity.
3. Choose the type of note:
o Enter—Enters the note text from the keyboard.
o File—Enters the note text from a file.
4. Choose the text direction:
o Horizontal—Places the text horizontally.
o Vertical— Places the text vertically.
o Anglular—Places the text at an angle.
5. Choose the leader type, if applicable:
o Standard—Creates multiple leaders attached to multiple entities.
o Normal Leader—Creates a single leader normal to an entity.
o Tangent Leader—Creates a single leader tangent to an entity.
6. Choose the note text justification option:
o Left—Aligns the note text left.
o Center—Aligns the note text in the center.
o Right—Aligns the note text right.
o Default—Aligns note text by default.
o Style Lib—Creates or modifies a text style.
o Cur Style—Sets the current style as a text style.
7. Click Make Note.
8. Type the note and press ENTER or click after each line of text. The text
appears, beginning at the point you selected.
9. To quit the notemaking process, press ENTER on an empty line. The Text
Symbol options appear. If required, enter a symbol as part of the note.
10. Click Close.
11. When you have finished creating notes, click Done/Return.
For more information on annotations, search the Fundamentals functional area of the
Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Include Parameter Values in Notes
1. Create a relation or a parameter and give a value to parametername.
Assembly
281
2. Create a note and enter ¶metername in the note.
The system substitutes the numeric value for ¶metername, which changes as the
associated part is modified.
Declaring Layouts
About Declaring Layouts
Information is exchanged between layouts and components or other layouts when
you declare the layout to a component or another layout. You can use datum
features, such as points and axes, for automatic assembly or to control dimensions
of components in a specific instance of the assembly.
To reference global datums, you must also declare them to the specific datums in the
component. To reference parameters, you must create relations that link local
parameters to the global parameters in the layout.
A model can be declared to multiple layouts. If a model is declared to a layout that
references one or more other layouts, the model references these layouts also.
Therefore, you can explicitly declare and use global parameters from a parent layout
even if they do not exist in the layout to which the model is declared.
Pro/ENGINEER processes relations in order from the relations file. For example, if
you set d2 = 30 it overrides the existing relation for d2, d2 = Height.
The following restrictions apply:
• You can modify a global reference only at its highest level.
• After a layout has been declared, follow these guidelines to create a new
parameter:
o Place the parameter in the lowest level for a local parameter.
o Place the parameter in the highest level for a global parameter.
o To change a local parameter to a global parameter, redeclare the layout
and delete the local version of the parameter.
You can access information about all declared datums, global dimensions, and the
layouts that they reference using the List Decl command in the Declare menu.
Pro/ENGINEER displays the information in an Information window and then writes it
to a file named refitem.txt in the current working directory. One of three
messages appears when the name of the model datum no longer corresponds to the
name of the layout datum:
• WARNING: 3D item has been deleted or suppressed. An axis or datum is no
longer present to match its counterpart in the layout.
• WARNING: 3D item reference is invalid—ignored. A name that has been
declared to a layout has been used to name an undeclarable entity.
• WARNING: 3D item has been renamed to [name in model]. An axis or datum
has a name that is different from its counterpart in the layout.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
282
If a declared name in the model is inconsistent with its counterpart in the layout, use
the Undecl Name command in the Declare menu to rectify the problem.
About Layout Hierarchy
When you declare a layout to another layout, you establish a hierarchical relationship
between them. The current layout becomes a child of the layout to which it is
declared. You can set the global datums and dimensions of the parent layout to
govern those of the current layout.
You must create global references since the system does not create them
automatically. A prompt appears when you declare the layout, Duplication of global symbol symbolname. Delete local version? [No]. If you want a global
reference, enter Yes. The system then deletes the symbol name from the current
layout and replaces it with a cross-reference pointing to the layout in which the
symbol resides. If you enter No, the local parameter remains independent of the
global one.
If you keep a local version, you can use the same symbol name in many layouts. For
example, the Length symbol can represent the length of a beam, a shaft, and a pipe.
If all of these Length parameters are completely independent (that is, modifying
Length for one does not affect Length for another), the parameter name can be the
same for each model.
The creation of a global reference is useful for controlling parameter values at a
single location. If you modify a single parameter in a parent layout, the system
passes the modified value down through the layout hierarchy to the associated
models.
You can create as many hierarchical levels as you like. You can also declare a layout
to multiple unrelated parents.
To Declare a Layout to Another Layout
1. With the layout open, create or open another layout.
2. Click File > Declare. The DECLARE menu opens.
3. Click Declare Lay. A menu with a list of active layouts appears.
4. Select the name of the layout to which you want to declare the current layout.
Note: Although the name of the current layout appears in the list, you cannot
declare a layout to itself. A warning message appears: Declaration is circular. Similarly, you cannot declare two layouts to each other or make other
circular declarations.
5. Delete or accept local versions of duplicate global parameters.
To Declare a Model to a Layout
1. With the layout in session, open a part or assembly.
2. Click File > Declare. The DECLARE menu appears.
Assembly
283
3. Click Declare Lay. A menu with a list of layouts active in the current session
appears.
4. Select the name of the layout to which you want to declare the model. The model
now references the layout.
To Create Relations From a Layout
1. Create a new layout or open an existing one.
2. Create a new component or open an existing one.
3. Declare the component to the layout.
4. Display dimensions or create other parameters for the component.
5. Click Tools > Relations. The Relations dialog box opens.
6. Click Local Parameters. The dialog box expands to include parameters created
in the layout.
7. Create relations linking the parameters created in the layout to those of the
component.
8. Click OK.
9. Click or Edit > Regenerate and the new relations take effect.
Rules for Skeleton Models and Layouts
The following rules apply to the relationship between skeletons and layouts:
• If a skeleton model is introduced to an assembly with layouts declared to it, you
must confirm that you want the system to declare the layout to the skeleton
model as well.
• When declaring a layout to an assembly with a skeleton, you must confirm that
you want the system to declare the layout to the skeleton.
• When undeclaring a layout in an assembly with a skeleton, you must confirm that
you want the system to undeclare the layout in the skeleton as well.
• Use the DECLARE command in the SKEL SETUP menu to declare the skeleton
model to a layout. Activate the skeleton model in an assembly and select Edit >
Setup.
• The DECLARE menu allows you to declare layouts that were already declared to
the assembly but not the skeleton, or to exclusively declare layouts to the
skeleton.
To Undeclare a Model from a Layout
You can undeclare a layout only if there are no global references.
1. Click File > Declare. The DECLARE menu appears.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
284
2. Click UnDeclr Lay. A list of layouts to which the model is declared appears.
3. Select the name of the layout that you want to undeclare.
Tip: Remove Global References to Undeclare a Layout
You can undeclare a layout only if there are no global references. Use one of the
following methods to remove them:
• Delete relations containing global variables.
• Redeclare or undeclare explicitly declared references.
• Clear all tabular references.
Declaring Datums in a Layout
About Declaring Datums
To facilitate automatic assembly, global datums created in a layout are declared in
each part of the assembly. Before you can declare datums, you must declare the
assembly and parts to the appropriate layout.
Datum plane orientation is shown by an arrow. Choose Flip from the Direction
menu to change the datum plane orientation (or all the members of a pattern of
datum planes).
The following rules apply when declaring datum planes:
• Axes and datum planes can be declared in Part mode only.
• If you have used a reference axis or datum plane in a declaration, you cannot
delete it from a layout unless you delete the corresponding part entities and
undeclare the layout.
When you explicitly declare a datum, you select the part or assembly datum and
enter the name of its global reference. The datum then appears with a global name.
Explicit declarations are simple to use and easy to visualize but have two limitations.
You cannot:
• Have two datums on the same model with the same explicit declaration (two
datums with the same name).
• Have one datum with two different explicit declarations (one datum with two
names).
Use a table declaration to declare more than one datum in a component to create a
placement definition (for example, to assemble a bolt automatically into many holes
in a plate).
To Declare an Axis, Planar Surface, or Datum Plane Explicitly
1. Click File > Declare. The DECLARE menu opens.
2. Click DeclareName.
Assembly
285
3. Select the axis, planar surface, or datum plane to declare. In Assembly mode,
use only assembly datum planes and axes.
4. If you select a plane, flip the orientation of the datum plane as necessary to
correspond with its orientation in the layout.
5. Enter the global datum name. The local datum is renamed appropriately.
6. Declarations are stored with the model. To change a datum declaration, select
the datum and choose UnDeclName from the DECLARE menu.
If you try to declare a datum that you have already declared to another datum, the
Redeclare menu displays the commands Replace and Quit. Choose Replace to
replace the existing declaration with the new one, or choose Quit to leave it as is.
You must declare the model to the layout before creating an explicit declaration.
About Declaring Datums by Table
Table declarations require more organization and planning, but they accommodate
more sophisticated assemblies. Component datums retain their names when you use
table declarations. The system connects them with the global names based on the
table definitions. Select File > Declare > Table to declare more than one global
datum from a layout to local datums. You can have multiple tables for a model
corresponding to the references used in different assemblies. You cannot have
multiple explicit declarations, since these reference the datum name.
Table declarations can be used to declare:
• Different datums with the same global name (for example, to assemble bolts
automatically into many single holes) by creating a table that contains the
common declarations for each hole.
• Individual datums with two different names (for example, to assemble parts into
a subassembly using a datum with one reference name and then to assemble the
subassembly into the main assembly using the same datum with a different
reference name).
Each line in the table corresponds to a single assembly instance. Each line must
contain all of the declarations used to automatically assemble that instance. Use the
following format for each line in the table:
local dtm ref #1 = global dtm ref # 1, local dtm ref #2 = global dtm ref # 2, ...
Note: A negative sign (-) in front of a local datum reference indicates that the plane
will be assembled in its flipped state. Both global and model datum references can
appear in multiple lines of the table. All references must have unique global names.
A datum axis and a datum plane cannot be declared with the same name.
To Declare Datums by Table
1. Retrieve a part or a component declared to a layout.
2. Click File > Declare. The Declare menu appears.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
286
3. Click Table. The TAB_DECLARE menu appears.
4. Choose one of the following commands:
o Add Xref—Adds a new table declaration.
o Modify Xref—Modifies a table declaration. The Xref notepad window opens
with the table rows declared. Change the declarations required.
o Show Xref—Opens an Information Window to view the table
declarations.
5. Enter the declarations for each row of the table. Make sure that each row
contains a complete placement definition for the component.
6. Click Done/Return.
To Undeclare Datums
1. Click Edit > Declare. The DECLARE menu appears.
2. Click UnDecl Name.
3. Select the datum to be undeclared. Its original name replaces the name of the
datum to which it was declared.
About Automatic Assembly Using Layouts
Using layouts to assemble components automatically is a simple process. First,
declare the assembly and the parts being assembled to the same layout. Second,
declare global datums in each part. Sufficient placement references must exist in
each component. Parts that reference the same datums are aligned.
When a parameter table exists in the layout, you must choose the parameter set
required before placing components. When you inset a component into the assembly,
the AUTO/MAN menu appears. Click Automatic to automatically place the
component using layout constraints.
Note: During automatic assembly, Pro/ENGINEER considers explicit declarations
before table declarations.
You can automatically replace automatically assembled components. The replacing
component must be declared to the layout and have datums declared to the global
datums used as placement references. Click Edit > Replace and choose Layout as
the Replace by option.
Example: Automatic Assembly Using Declared Datums
This example shows how to use a reference datum plane and axis for automatic
assembly of a bolt to all three holes in a flange. The sketch of the bolt and flange is
only an illustration with no dimensions.
Assembly
287
First a layout is created with a datum plane and a datum axis.
1. Datum plane BOLT_HEAD
2. Datum axis BOLT_AXIS
The layout is declared to the bolt part, then the datum plane and axis are declared to
the corresponding axis and plane in the bolt.
1. Declared datum plane
2. Declared datum axis
The layout is declared to the flange part. Since all three holes will be used for
component placement and the same references are used to place each occurrence of
the bolt, a table declaration is used.
The axis for each hole in the flange is declared to the BOLT_AXIS datum axis while
the datum plane as the surface of the flange is declared for each hole. See the table
below for placement definitions for each hole in the flange.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
288
1. Declared datum plane
2. Declared datum axes
The bolts are automatically assembled in the three holes.
1. Declared datum plane BOLT_HEAD
2. Declared datum axes BOLT_AXIS
Assembly
289
Layout Case Studies
About Case Studies
Sometimes it can be useful to create a parametric layout, also called a case study.
For example, you may want to track the size of an assembly envelope as the sizes of
the assembly components change. A case study is a two-dimensional parametric
sketch, similar to one created in Sketcher mode. Unlike a regular sketch, however, a
case study can contain global relations associated with a layout in addition to
relations associated with the sketch.
A case study sketch has no associativity to the global layout until dimensions have
been declared. You use case study relations to specify case study dimensions to be
the same as the global layout dimensions. If one is modified, the other is
automatically updated. Case study reference dimensions control additional
parameters through relations, so you are not limited to the sketch dimensions.
The parametric nature of a case study makes it ideal for testing motion limits and
interference in a mechanism before you design the parts. Change or move an entity
in a case study to see how other entities move or change parametrically.
When you create a case study, a subwindow appears over the layout containing the
Sketcher grid. You can create or retrieve two-dimensional geometry using typical
Sketcher tools. In addition, you can copy any undimensioned geometry in the layout
into the case study window.
For more information on creating a sketch, search the Part Modeling functional area
of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Create a Case Study
1. In an open layout, click Tools > Case Study.
2. At the prompt, enter the name of a case study to open or enter a new name and
click or press ENTER. The ENTER menu appears.
o Create—Creates a new case study.
o Retrieve—Retrieves a case study.
o List—Lists case studies created.
o Import—Imports a case study.
3. Click Create.
4. At the prompt, enter a name for the new sketch. Sketcher opens.
5. When you have completed the sketch and have set the relations, save the sketch
and click Sketch > Done. You return to the layout.
To Retrieve a Case Study
1. In an open layout with a case study, click Tools > Case Study.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
290
2. At the prompt, enter the name of a case study to open or enter a new name and
click or press ENTER. The ENTER menu appears.
3. Select an option for opening the case study:
o Retrieve—Provides a list of case studies.
o List—Opens an Information window with a list of all sketches.
o Import—Provides a prompt in which to enter the name of a sketch to
import.
Note: You cannot retrieve a case study with reference dimensions outside the
layout.
4. Select the case study and click Open. The case study opens.
To Copy Undimensioned Geometry into a Case Study
1. In a case study, click File > Import > Insert Layout.
2. Select the desired layout geometry.
3. Click OK when complete. Pro/ENGINEER copies the selected geometry into the
case study.
Note: After you have sketched the desired entities, dimension the geometry and
regenerate the case study.
To Create Dimensions in a Case Study
1. Click Sketch > Dimension and choose one of the following options:
o Normal—Creates a regular dimension.
o Reference—Creates a reference dimension. These have symbolic names
(RD#). When the system solves the sketch, they revert to their numeric
form. They cannot be edited.
o Baseline—Creates an ordinate baseline dimension.
o Explain—Displays information in the message area for an existing
dimension.
2. Follow the prompts to create the dimension.
About Case Study Relations
Relations pass information from the layout to the case study. Case study relations
have specific functionality:
• When you add relations to the Relations dialog box, units appear in two
formats:
o Dimensions are labeled d1, d2, d3, and so forth.
Assembly
291
o Entity lengths, coordinate systems, and points are labeled as e1, e2, e3,
and so forth.
• You can write relations for procedures on entity lengths using the notation
elen(#). For example, to add the length of sides e1, e2, and e3, enter:
length=elen(1)+elen(2)+elen(3)
• You can write relations for procedures on the X and Y distance between the first
coordinate system sketched to another coordinate system or point using the
notation ecoord[x or y](#). For example, to compute hyp, the shortest distance
between the first coordinate system sketched and a point labeled e1, enter:
hyp=sqrt(ecoordx(1)*ecoordx(1)+ecoordy(1)* ecoordy(1))
In a layout, you can include free notes with embedded relation symbols from a case
study by using an ampersand (&) before the symbol. For example, you could include
a relation that would extract the value for length, previously defined in the case
study, and add it to the layout:
TOTAL LENGTH= &length
To Add Case Study Relations
1. Click Tools > Relations. The Relations dialog box opens.
2. Click Local Parameters. The dialog box expands to include parameters created
in the layout.
3. Click .
4. Select parameters from the graphics window or enter parameter names to create
the relations and click OK.
5. Repeat steps three and four to add additional relations.
To Modify Case Study Relations
1. Click Tools > Relations. The Relations dialog box opens.
2. Modify the relations and click OK.
3. To recalculate the relations in the case study, click Edit > Regenerate.
To Declare Case Study Dimensions
1. In a layout case study, define a relation using the global dimension as a
parameter.
2. Regenerate the object so that the relationship takes effect.
3. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Declaration.
4. Select a dimension in the case study sketch. You are prompted to select a
dimension.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
292
5. Select the dimension and enter the name of the existing global dimension in the
layout.
Note: To change the constraints established by the declarations, you must
remove the declarations.
Managing Large Assemblies
Simplified Representations
About Simplified Representations
Simplified representations improve the regeneration, retrieval, and display times of
assemblies, so you can work more efficiently. Use simplified representations to
control which members of an assembly are brought into session and displayed. For
example, to speed the regeneration and display process, you can temporarily remove
a complicated and unrelated subassembly from your portion of the assembly.
You can create multiple simplified representations for an assembly. Each simplified
representation can correspond to an area or level of detail of the assembly in which
individual designers or groups are working. The name of the active simplified
representation appears in the graphics window. You can simplify an assembly by
excluding components in a particular representation or substituting one component
(part or assembly) for another. Substitutions can simplify your working environment,
while still including critical geometry.
You can use simplified representations in Assembly, Manufacturing, Part, and
Drawing modes, as well as in Pro/MOLDESIGN, Pro/CASTING, and Pro/PROCESS for
assemblies. In Part mode, you can simplify part geometry to include or exclude
individual features, define a work region, or copy surfaces to create a surface
envelope. In Drawing mode, you can create multiple views of an assembly. The
simplified representation must be specified before a view is added.
Note: You can create a simplified representation for assembly skeletons. Information
is provided in the Pro/ENGINEER Part Help.
About Creating Simplified Representations
When an assembly is created it is displayed in default representation. The default
representation includes all assembly components in their master representation.
When you create a simplified representation, you designate the way that individual
components are represented in the assembly. The definition of a simplified
representation consists only of components that have been selected for specific
representation types. Simplified representations can be created on the fly or by using
predefined rules that include zones, model names, geometric size, geometric
distance, parent and child relationships, and parametric expressions. Simplified
representations created by defined rules update parametrically upon retrieval and
regeneration according to changes made to the model. These simplified
representations reflect the rules as the design changes.
Assembly
293
Excluding and Substituting Components
The inclusion, exclusion, or substitution of components affects only the current
simplified representation. The appearance of the assembly changes, but there is no
effect on other features or component. Components or subassemblies can be
excluded from a particular simplified representation, and selected components can
be excluded from an included subassembly.
Rules and Restrictions
To assemble a simplified representation of a part or subassembly into an assembly,
the top-level assembly must also be a simplified representation (not a master
representation). For an assembly in a simplified representation, the following
functions are unavailable:
• Restructuring components, creating Family Tables, and using integrate
• Creating a cutout
• Deleting or suppressing substituted components
• Redefining components that are excluded or substituted
To Create a Simplified Representation On the Fly
1. In an open assembly, select one or several components, click View >
Representation, and choose one of the following options:
Exclude—Excludes the selected components from the simplified
representation.
Master Rep—Sets the selected components to Master representation mode. If
the top level assembly is in its default state of Master representation, it is
automatically set to Exclude.
Assembly Only—Hides selected components while displaying assembly
features that intersect the selected components.
Geometry Only—Sets the selected components to Geometry representation
mode.
Graphics Only—Sets the selected components to Graphics representation
mode.
Symbolic Only—Hides the selected components and represents them with a
symbol. Click Insert > Annotations > Symbol to define a symbol.
User Defined—Activates a simplified representation from the selected
component.
2. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens to
the Simp Rep tab.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
294
3. Click Edit > Save. The Save Display Elements dialog box opens. Accept the
default name of the new simplified representation or enter a new one and click
OK. The new representation is added to the list of simplified representations in
the View Manager and is set to active.
4. Click Close to exist the View Manager.
Note: Creating simplified representations on the fly is recommended for most
simplified representations. The second method of using rules is only required for
simplified representation that update on regeneration.
To Create Simplified Representations Using Definition Rules
Each rule consists of an action and one or more conditions. The conditions appear in
an editable list and are executed in bottom-up order.
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
2. Click New. A default name for the simplified representation appears. Accept the
name or enter a new one. The EDIT dialog box opens.
Note: The list of simplified representations appears in alphanumeric order. Plan
the names in advance to make it easier to find specific representations.
3. Click to set up rule actions. The Rule Actions dialog box opens.
4. To add a rule, click . Use the Rep Action column to set a representation
action. To change the representation action, click within the column and select
one of the following options:
o Exclude
o Master Rep
o Geometry Rep
o Graphics Rep
o Assem Only
o Symbolic Only
The Condition column lists previously defined conditions. If no conditions were
defined, the column is empty. Right-click in the Condition column and select one
of the following options from the shortcut menu:
o New—Opens the Rule Editor dialog box to create a new condition.
o Redefine—Opens the Rule Editor dialog box to redefine an existing
condition.
o Rename—Renames an existing condition.
o Delete—Deletes the selected condition.
Assembly
295
5. In the Rule Editor, click Options > Build Query. The query builder opens.
6. Define a rule using Attributes, History, Status, or Geometry.
7. Click Add New to add the rule to the query builder. For a combination of several
rules use the logical operators Or and And.
8. Click OK.
Types of Simplified Representations
The main types of simplified representation are Geometry, Graphics, and Symbolic.
Use the View Manager dialog box to select the representation type. All simplified
representations provide access to components in the assembly and are based on the
Master representation.
Graphics and Geometry representations speed up the retrieval process of large
assemblies. However, you cannot modify component features in them. Assembly
features such as cuts and holes are represented, so an accurate geometric model is
displayed while performance is improved. You can access component model
information from the Info menu or from the Model Tree. However, because Graphics
and Geometry representations do not contain part model features, individual part
feature information is not available for these representations.
• Master representations reflect the fully detailed assembly. The Model Tree lists all
its components and identifies them as included, excluded, or substituted.
Note: When an assembly is created, the Default representation and the Master
representation are identical. You can update the Default representation to create
a variation of the Master representation.
• Graphics representations contain only information for display so you can quickly
browse through a large assembly. Graphics representations cannot be modified
or referenced. The type of available graphic display depends on the
save_model_display configuration option setting:
o wireframe (default)—Components appear in wireframe.
o shading_low or (shading_med, shading_high)—Components are shaded in
various levels.
o shading_lod—Component shading depends on the View Performance
dialog box setting. Click View > Display Settings > Performance to
access this dialog box.
Graphics representations display information that is saved in the assembly
context. If parts are modified outside the context of the assembly, their display is
not updated until the master representation of the assembly is retrieved.
• Geometry representations contain complete component geometry information.
Compared with Graphics representations, Geometry representations take longer
to retrieve and require more memory. They can be used to perform the following
tasks:
o Remove hidden lines.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
296
o Obtain measurement information.
o Calculate mass properties.
o Reference other assembly components.
Unlike Graphics representations, Geometry representation intersections update to
changes made to the assembly (but not changes made to the part), such as
dimension modification, feature redefinition, changes in component placement,
and so forth.
• Symbolic representations allow you to represent components with a symbol.
Placement of a Symbolic representation is similar to that of datum points. Point-
tags for the symbolic representations are visible in the assembly. It is very
difficult to differentiate them from datum point features if datum point display is
on.
• Assembly Only representations allow you to hide selected components while
displaying assembly features that intersect the selected components.
Example: Excluding a Component from a Simplified Representation
The Master representation.
Assembly
297
A simplified representation. The blower subassembly is excluded.
A simplified representation. All components except the piston subassembly and the
crankshaft are excluded.
To Change Properties of a Simplified Representation
1. Create a simplified representation and then close the View Manager dialog box.
The name of the active simplified representation appears in the graphics window.
2. To change the simplified representation of a component, select it in the Model
Tree or graphics window, click View > Representation, and then choose one of
the following options:
Exclude
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
298
Master Rep
Assembly Only
Geometry Only
Graphics Only
Symbolic Only
User Defined
Note: You can also click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens. Click Properties and make changes to the simplified
representation.
3. To save the changes, click . The View Manager dialog box opens to the
Simp Rep tab. Right-click the current representation and choose Save from the
shortcut menu, or click Edit > Save.
4. Click Close.
Opening a Simplified Representation by Default
The open_simplified_rep_by_default configuration option enables you to open an
assembly in a selected simplified representation. When this option is set to yes, the
Open Rep dialog box prompts you to select a simplified representation state
whenever an assembly is retrieved. In this way you can avoid opening large
assemblies in their Master representations and conserve system resources.
You can specify a representation name to be highlighted when the Open Rep dialog
opens. Add the name of the representation in place of yes or no for the configuration
option. If the model does not have a representation by that name, it will open the
Open Rep dialog box and prompt you to create a new representation. Clear the
Create New Simplified Rep check box to select a different representation.
Note: open_simplified_rep_by_default only affects assembly simplified
representations. For retrieving drawing simplified representations, set the
configuration option open_draw_simp_rep_by_default to yes.
To Set a Simplified Representation to Active
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
2. Double-click a simplified representation, or right-click and choose Set Active
from the shortcut menu, or click Display > Set Active.
Note: The red arrow indicates the current active representation.
Assembly
299
To Retrieve a Simplified Representation of an Assembly
1. Click File > Open. The File Open dialog box opens.
2. Select an assembly, and then click Open Rep. The Open Rep dialog box opens.
3. Select an existing simplified representations or click Define to create a new one.
Note: Click to preview the selected simplified representation.
4. Click OK.
Note: If you saved a simplified representation when some of the assembly
components were not in session, the system will not be able to open the assembly
file.
Retrieving Simplified Representations
You can retrieve an assembly in an existing simplified representation or create a new
simplified representation on the fly with the Open Rep command in the File Open
dialog box. If an assembly representation excludes all instances of a particular
component, that component is not retrieved with the representation.
The regen_simp_retrieve configuration option enables you to control the
regeneration of simplified representation assemblies. When this configuration option
is set to yes, simplified representation assemblies are regenerated upon retrieval
and placement references are updated.
The system retrieves and regenerates only active models. Models that are missing
external references because of simplified representations are not regenerated. When
retrieving the Master representation of an assembly, the system brings all models
into session before retrieving substitute components. Substitute components are
retrieved into session only if they have existing references.
Tip: Retrieve Components Before Saving a Simplified Representation
When you back up or save an assembly in a simplified representation without all
components in memory, a warning message appears. You can continue or cancel the
operation. The warning appears when some components are missing during an
operation of File > Backup to a local directory, or File > Save to a connected
workspace, for example, from a local disk to a Pro/INTRALINK database. Bring all
necessary components of the assembly into session before saving the file.
To Copy a Simplified Representation
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens to
the Simp Rep tab.
2. Right-click a simplified representation and choose Copy from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Copy.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
300
3. Accept the default name for the copied representation or enter a new one, and
then click OK. If the simplified representation includes user-defined definition
rules, the Copy Options dialog box opens.
4. Select one of the following options:
o Copy without Definition Rules—Copies the current status of all
components in the new representation. The copy does not contain definition
rules and on-demand updating is disabled.
o Copy with Definition Rules—Copies the last saved component status in
the new representation. The copy contains definition rules and on-demand
updating is enabled.
Note: Simplified representation with definition rules can cause instability when
used in drawings. The contents of the representation can change as the assembly
changes.
5. Click OK.
To Rename a Simplified Representation
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
2. Right-click the simplified representation name to be changed and choose
Rename from the shortcut menu, or select the simplified representation and
click Edit > Rename.
3. Enter a new name.
4. Click Close.
To Delete a Simplified Representation
When you delete a parametric simplified representation, all the information
associated with it is deleted.
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
2. Right-click the name of the simplified representation to delete and choose
Remove from the shortcut menu, or select the simplified representation and click
Edit > Remove.
To List Simplified Representations
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
2. Click Display > List for a description of all user-defined simplified
representations.
Assembly
301
To Substitute a Simplified Representation for a Subassembly or
Part
1. Create a new simplified representation for the assembly component you want to
substitute.
2. Open the assembly and select the component to be substituted.
3. Click View > Representation > User Defined. The Select Rep dialog box
opens.
4. Select the user-defined representation to replace the selected component and
click Apply. The component is substituted in the graphics window.
5. To save the change, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens.
6. Right-click the active representation and choose Save from the shortcut menu,
or click Edit > Save. The Save Display Elements dialog box opens.
7. Click OK to save the changes to the simplified representation.
Alternatively, you can substitute a simplified representation for a subassembly or
part by completing the following procedure:
1. Create a new simplified representation for the assembly component you want to
substitute.
2. Open the assembly and click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
3. Activate a simplified representation and click Properties.
4. Select a component for substitution and click . The Select Rep dialog box
opens.
5. Select a user-defined representation and click Apply. The component is
substituted in the graphics window.
About Placing a Component in a Simplified Representation
When you edit the placement definition of a subassembly that includes components
in a simplified representation, references to components excluded from the simplified
representation may be required. The missing components can be called into the
assembly during an Edit Definition operation with the Retrieve Refs command.
The missing components appear in the graphics window for reference purposes.
When editing is complete, the excluded components disappear from the graphics
window.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
302
To Retrieve Placement References
1. In an open assembly, right-click a subassembly with an excluded component and
choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu. The Component Placement
dashboard appears.
2. Right-click the constraint set in the navigation area of the Placement panel or in
the graphics window and choose Retrieve Refs from the shortcut menu. The
Confirmation menu manager appears.
3. Click Confirm. The component excluded from the simplified representation
appears in its proper place in the assembly.
4. Edit the placement definition of the component and click . The component
excluded from the simplified representation disappears from the graphics
window.
5. Click File > Erase > Not Displayed to remove retrieved components from
memory.
Simplified Representations in Top-Down and Bottom-Up Design
Use simplified representations in top-down and bottom-up design approaches to
conceptualize your design and to simplify the representation of complex assemblies.
When you use a top-down design approach, you create space claims called envelopes
for components in an assembly. You build the detailed parts and subassemblies to fit
the envelopes. For example, you might create envelopes for the engine,
transmission, and many other complex subassemblies in an automotive design. As
each team creates detailed designs of its subassembly, you can substitute the fully
detailed subassembly for the corresponding envelope.
When you use a bottom-up approach, you start with a complex assembly and
simplify it. One simplified representation could act as a design's table of contents by
substituting a lower-level simplified representation for each subassembly. Another
simplified representation might exclude portions of the design to focus on specific
areas.
Updating Mass Properties of Simplified Representations
Use the force_upd_assem_mp_in_simp_rep configuration option to control the
update of top-level assembly mass properties according to simplified representation
definitions. Set the configuration option to yes to reflect simplified representation
definitions in mass properties calculations. Set the configuration option to no to
disregard simplified representation definitions and perform all mass property
calculations on the top-level Master representation.
Assembly
303
On-Demand Simplified Representations
About On-Demand Simplified Representations
When an assembly component is excluded from a simplified representation, or when
it is displayed in a Graphics state, that component cannot be redefined, rerouted, or
repeated. To make the component available for editing, you must redefine the
simplified representation or activate a different one. With on-demand simplified
representations, you can specify whether and when to retrieve components not
completely included in a simplified representation.
Control on-demand settings in the following ways:
• Retrieve Master or Geometry representations of components in a non-editable
state.
• Define the conditions under which dynamic, on-demand simplified
representations update.
• Enable or disable dynamic updating.
• Retrieve and erase components that you need to reference temporarily while you
are working.
Dynamic, on-demand simplified representations improve system performance. They
allow you to work with a minimum amount of model data. Additional design content
is available as needed.
To Define On-Demand Simplified Representations Settings
1. In an open assembly, click Tools > Assembly Setting > On Demand. The On-
Demand Settings dialog box opens.
2. Set a mode of operation for on-demand retrieval:
o Prompt—A confirmation is required before each retrieval of on-demand
simplified representations.
o Never prompt (default)—Models are retrieved without confirmation.
o Disable—On-Demand retrieval is disabled.
Note: Select Retrieve backed up references to retrieve the original model of
any backed-up references. Upon retrieval, the backed-up references are updated
to reflect changes in the original models.
3. Select a task from the task list to define its setting in On-Demand mode:
o Activation—Select On-Demand Activation to retrieve the Master
Representation for activating a component.
o Regeneration—Select On-Demand Regeneration to retrieve simplified
parent components in a higher representation level upon model
regeneration. Click Automatic for automatic selection of the representation
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
304
type to retrieve, or click Master to retrieve all simplified representations in
their Master representation.
o Selection—Select On-Demand Selection to retrieve simplified
components in a higher representation level for selecting internal items.
Click Automatic or Master.
o Editing—Select On-Demand Editing to retrieve simplified components
and their parents in a higher representation level for editing purposes. Click
Automatic, Master, or Master with Ancestors (parents of parents).
o Clean Up—Select On-Demand Clean Up to remove unmodified simplified
representations retrieved on-demand. Click Remove to maintain removed
models in session, or click Remove and Erase to erase retrieved models
from session.
Note:
Modified on-demand simplified representations are not automatically
removed or erased from memory. To erase such components click File >
Erase > Component Reps.
When you modify values of components in a Graphics representation, the
changes do not take effect until the model is regenerated. To avoid losing
your changes, regenerate the assembly before you remove the retrieved
components from memory.
4. Click OK.
To Erase Unused On-Demand Component Representations
In some cases components that are retrieved on-demand remain in memory. Use the
following procedure to erase On-Demand components that are currently not used in
any simplified representation.
1. In an open assembly with unused on-demand simplified representations, click
File > Erase > Component Reps. The Erase Unused On-Demand Reps
dialog box opens.
2. Click one of the following options:
o Erase un-modified components only (default)—Erases only unmodified
on-demand component representations. Modified representations are not
erased.
o Erase all reps—Erases all on-demand component representations.
3. Click OK.
Assembly
305
External Simplified Representations
About External Simplified Representations
Use external simplified representations to store simplified representations of
assemblies without having to modify the original assembly. External simplified
representations are stored as new models of a special assembly type. You can create
multiple external simplified representations to correspond to different assembly
areas and levels of detail. Low-level components without top-level and intermediate-
level assemblies can be included, so multiple users can work simultaneously. The use
of external simplified representations minimizes the risk of accidental modifications
to top-level assemblies.
All the components in an external simplified representation are the same as those in
the reference assembly. Therefore, it is not necessary to propagate modifications
made to the external simplified representation or reference assembly. All
modifications to external simplified representations are automatically reflected in the
reference assembly.
Rules for External Simplified Representations
• External simplified representations are stored in a separate assembly (.asm) file
with an external simplified representation subtype.
• The creation, redefinition, or removal of an external simplified representation
does not change the reference assembly.
• The reference assembly need not be in session when working with external
simplified representations.
• Components from any level of the reference assembly can be included in the
external simplified representation. The reference assembly and intermediate
subassemblies can be excluded even if low-level components are included.
• When a model contains substituted components, the top level assembly is always
included in the external simplified representation.
• The location of components included in external simplified representations is fully
associated with corresponding components of the reference assembly.
• You can specify whether components included in external simplified
representations can be modified or used for reference purposes only.
• References can be created within external simplified representations.
Pro/ENGINEER treats such references as if they were created in the reference
assembly.
• Component and feature operations can be performed on the top level of an
external simplified representation model.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
306
Creating External Simplified Representations
Use the following methods to create external simplified representations:
• View > View Manager—Select a simplified representation, then click Edit >
Copy as External.
• File > New—Select the reference assembly model during the assembly creation
process.
• File > Save a Copy—Save a copy of your assembly by specifying an external
simplified representation as the type of file to be saved.
To Create an External Simplified Representation Using View Manager
This procedure saves a simplified representation of an open assembly.
1. In an open assembly, click or View > View Manager. The View Manager
dialog box opens to the Simp Rep tab.
2. Select a simplified representation and click Edit > Copy as External. The
Create External Simplified Rep dialog box opens.
3. Enter a name for the external simplified representation and select one of the
following options:
o Open in a separate window—Opens the external simplified
representation in a new active window. The master assembly becomes
inactive.
o Save the model—Saves the external simplified representation. The saved
model is not displayed in the graphics window and the master assembly is
left active.
4. Click OK.
To Create an External Simplified Representation Using the New
Dialog Box
This procedure creates an external simplified representation without opening the
reference assembly.
1. Click File > New. The New dialog box opens.
2. Click Assembly and select Ext. Simp. Rep from the Sub-type list.
3. Enter a name for the external simplified representation or accept the default and
click OK. The Open dialog box opens.
4. Select a reference assembly and click one of the following:
o Open—Opens the assembly in a separate window and the
EDIT:<Representation Number> dialog box opens. A second column
labelled EDIT:<Representation Number> appears in the Model Tree. By
Assembly
307
default Master Rep appears next to the assembly name. Use the Include
and Exclude tabs to specify components for inclusion or exclusion from the
external simplified representation. Click when complete.
o Open Rep—Opens the Open Rep dialog box. Choose one of the following
operations:
Select a representation type and click OK. Define the simplified
representation and click when complete.
Click Create New Simplified Rep and click OK. Enter a name for the
simplified representation at the prompt or accept the default name and click
. Define the simplified representation and click when complete.
Note: The Enable On-Demand Updating option is available for a
representation type other than the Master representation.
To Create an External Simplified Representation Using Save a
Copy
This procedure copies an active simplified representation without reopening the
reference assembly.
1. In an open assembly with an active simplified representation, click File > Save a
Copy. The Save a Copy dialog box opens.
2. Enter a new model name.
3. Select External Simplified Representation in the Type box and click OK. The
copy is saved as an external simplified representation of the currently active
simplified representation.
To Set the Purpose of an External Simplified Representation Component
This procedure determines if components within an external simplified representation
are modifiable or not. Feature and component operations cannot be carried out on
components specified for reference use.
1. Open an external simplified representation and select a top-level component from
the Model Tree.
2. Click Edit > Set For Ref. Only to use components as references.
Note: To make the component modifiable again, select the top-level component and
click Edit > Modifiable.
To Redefine an External Simplified Representation
1. Open an external simplified representation assembly.
2. Select the top-level component in the Model Tree and click Edit > Definition.
The Open Rep dialog box opens.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
308
3. Select a representation type and click OK. The EDIT:<Representation Number>
dialog box opens.
4. Use the Include and Exclude tabs to specify components for inclusion or
exclusion from the external simplified representation.
5. Click when complete.
To Update an External Simplified Representation
This procedure updates an external simplified representation to reflect changes in
the reference assembly.
1. Open an external simplified representation assembly and select the top-level
component from the Model Tree.
2. Click Edit > Update Representation. The Open Rep dialog box opens.
3. Select a representation type and click OK. The external simplified representation
is updated.
Note: In case of a structural conflict between the external simplified
representation and the reference assembly, you may need to redefine the
external simplified representation.
Lightweight Components in Simplified Representations
About Symbolic Representations
Symbolic representations or lightweight components are not represented as solid
models but as symbols in the assembly. Lightweight components are created as
symbolic simplified representations. Lightweight components contain minimal
geometry which improves system performance time. However, you can apply mass
properties to symbolic simplified representations.
Note: Set the allow_create_symb_rep configuration option to yes to create
symbolic representations.
You can use lightweight components in the following ways:
• Assemble a lightweight component.
• Substitute a solid component with lightweight component.
• Create a lightweight component on-the-fly when adding a component into an
assembly.
An example of lightweight component use would be fasteners in an assembly.
Usually, descriptive symbols with parameter information identify the components in a
drawing. Lightweight components can retain parameters, relations, mass properties,
Family Table information, and they appear in the Bill of Materials (BOM).
Assembly
309
To Assemble a Lightweight Component
1. Create or redefine a user-defined simplified representation of the assembly.
2. Click or Insert > Component > Assemble. The Open dialog box opens.
3. Select a component that contains a symbol. The Open Rep dialog box opens.
4. Select Symbolic Rep and then click OK. The Symbolic Component dialog box
opens to the Attachment tab.
5. Specify the Origin, Annotation Plane, and Orientation Reference to place the
symbol.
6. Click the Symbol tab and select a symbol from the Symbol Instance list. The
selected symbol is displayed in the graphics window.
7. Click OK.
Note: To edit the symbol properties, right-click the lightweight component in the
Model Tree and choose Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
Shrinkwrap Models
About Shrinkwrap Models
A Shrinkwrap model is a Pro/ENGINEER part composed of a collection of surfaces
that represents the exterior shape of a source model. You can use a part or an
assembly as the source model for a Shrinkwrap.
Shrinkwrap models usually reduce disk and memory usage by more than 90 percent.
This varies according to the complexity of the source model and the quality setting
used to generate the Shrinkwrap model. Memory saving is considerable in
assemblies with many hidden components. When a low to mid range quality setting
is used, the Shrinkwrap model collects a smaller number of surfaces and the
resulting file is smaller. The recommended method for creating a Shrinkwrap model
is to try various combinations of settings for different models to obtain a firsthand
account of the differences in file size. Create Shrinkwrap models to perform the
following tasks:
• Represent complex design assemblies with one lightweight part.
• Improve system performance with large assemblies (Shrinkwrap models load
faster than complex models).
• Provide an accurate external representation of the model for use by other design
teams, suppliers, or customers, without disclosing the model's internal design.
Others can visualize the product and conduct space claim studies, form and fit
studies, interference checking, and so forth, while you protect trade secrets,
patented designs, and other proprietary information.
• Control and handle the amount of information included in the model:
o Close holes and gaps.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
310
o Control the level of detail.
o Assign exact mass properties from the original model.
o Include additional datum geometry referenced from the original model.
• Export to standard formats, such as IGES, STEP, and VRML.
• Use as standard assembly components.
• Produce a visualization of complex assemblies using tools such as Windchill and
the Web.
Shrinkwrap models can be created automatically or manually by specifying surfaces
to be included in the model. The Shrinkwrap model is stored as a separate
Pro/ENGINEER part.
Note: Shrinkwrap models are not associative. They do not update when the source
model is modified.
Types of Shrinkwrap Models
You can create the following types of non associative Shrinkwrap model: a surface
subset, a faceted solid, or a merged solid. The following figure shows a normal
shaded version of a model. The figures that follow illustrate the changes that occur
when different types of Shrinkwrap settings are applied to the model.
Surface Subset
A surface subset Shrinkwrap model is a single part, composed of a collection of
surfaces and datum features, that represents the external surfaces of a reference
model. You can adjust the quality level of the collected surfaces. Applying a higher
quality increases the amount of surfaces to be included in the Shrinkwrap. You can
exclude surfaces to reduce the model size or add surfaces to get a better
representation of the source model.
The surface subset is the fastest Shrinkwrap method and results in the smallest
model size, one comprised of surfaces only. Each surface collected from the exterior
of the original design is copied into the Shrinkwrap model. Colors are retained.
Creating a surface subset Shrinkwrap model produces external Copy Geometry
features.
Assembly
311
The following figure shows a full-color surface subset Shrinkwrap model at level 5
quality.
Faceted Solid
A faceted solid Shrinkwrap model provides an approximate visual representation of
the original model. It is a single solid model, representing all external surfaces, with
additional surfaces added to bridge gaps and complete the solid. You can adjust the
quality level of the collected surfaces. Higher quality increases both the accuracy of
the representation and the size of the output file. No colors are retained. Creating a
faceted solid Shrinkwrap model produces an external Copy Geometry feature and a
protrusion.
The following figure shows a faceted shaded Shrinkwrap model at level 5 quality.
Merged Solid
A merged solid Shrinkwrap model provides a very accurate solid representation of
the original model. The system merges external components from the reference
assembly model into a single part representing the solid geometry in all collected
components. The system creates the exported Shrinkwrap model by merging and
copying components from the reference model into the Shrinkwrap model. When a
merged solid Shrinkwrap model has an enclosed cavity, the system fills it with solid
geometry. Colors are retained. Creating a merged solid Shrinkwrap model produces
an external Copy Geometry feature and a protrusion.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
312
The following figure shows a merged shaded Shrinkwrap model at level 5 quality.
To Create a Surface Subset Exported Shrinkwrap Model
1. Retrieve a part or an assembly (or a simplified representation of an assembly) as
the source model.
2. Click File > Save a Copy. The Save a Copy dialog box opens. In the Type list,
click Shrinkwrap.
3. Enter a name for the Shrinkwrap model in the New Name box, or accept the
default name and click OK. The Create Shrinkwrap dialog box opens.
4. In the Creation Method area of the dialog box, click Surface Subset.
5. In the Quality area of the dialog box, specify the Shrinkwrap model quality level.
The quality level ranges from 0–10 (the default value is 1). When zero is selected
the system does not collect any surfaces. Instead, you can select surfaces
manually using the Select Surfaces collection button.
6. In the Special Handling area of the dialog box, select or clear any of the following
options:
o Fill holes (selected by default)—Fills all holes or cuts that intersect a single
surface in the Shrinkwrap model.
o Ignore Skeletons (selected by default)—Excludes skeleton model
geometry from the Shrinkwrap model.
o Ignore quilts (selected by default)—Excludes external quilts from the
Shrinkwrap model.
o Ignore small surfaces (selected by default)—Excludes surfaces smaller
than the specified percentage of the model's size from the Shrinkwrap
model. Enter an integer (0–100).
o Assign Mass Properties—Assigns mass properties of the source model to
the Shrinkwrap model.
7. In the Include Datum References area of the dialog box, select additional
geometry to be copied into the Shrinkwrap model. Click Select Datums and
Assembly
313
select datum planes, points, curves, axes, and coordinate system references to
be included or removed from the Shrinkwrap model.
Note: If you change the Shrinkwrap creation method after specifying some
references, these references are no longer displayed. If you switch back to
surface subset creation, the references are displayed again.
8. In the Preview Options area of the dialog box, select one of the following options
to view selected surfaces:
o Real Colors (default)—Displays only selected surfaces, that is, the surfaces
that will be copied into the Shrinkwrap model in their original colors. You
can select invisible (unselected) surfaces manually using Select
Surfaces. During the next preview, these surfaces are displayed in their
original colors. This method provides faster preview display.
o Gray-Orange—Displays the active model in orange, with selected surfaces
shown in gray. You can select visible orange surfaces manually using
Select Surfaces. During the next preview, these surfaces are displayed in
gray. The message window provides information in the format "X of Y surfaces kept."
9. In the Additional Surfaces area of the dialog box, select individual surfaces to be
included in the Shrinkwrap model. Click Select Surfaces and select surfaces
to add to or remove from the Shrinkwrap model.
Note: If you change the quality level after selecting surfaces, all surfaces that
you manually selected previously remain selected.
10. In the Output File Name area of the dialog box, specify the Shrinkwrap model
name. The system assigns the Shrinkwrap model a default file name based on
the name of the source model. Accept the default file name in the format
model_name_sw0001 or enter a new name. The system automatically appends the
extension .prt to the file name. When the source model is a simplified
representation of an assembly, the default name of the Shrinkwrap model is
simplifiedrepname_sw.prt.
You can select or clear Use default template (selected by default).
11. Click Preview to display the current reference selections and to obtain graphical
and textual feedback about the subset of information that will be captured in the
Shrinkwrap model. The model is displayed according to the preview method
selected, Real Colors or Gray-Orange. You can zoom in and select unselected
surfaces to include, or you can undo selections using Select Surfaces.
Note: If you click View > Repaint during preview, the display of selected
surfaces disappears from the source model, leaving it on display in its original
colors. When you click Preview again, the selected surfaces are again displayed.
12. Click OK. The system copies a subset of information from the source model to
create a Shrinkwrap model and saves the new part to the working directory. The
subset consists of selected surfaces from the source model, mass properties and
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
314
additional geometry according to your specifications. The Create Shrinkwrap
dialog box remains open and the source model remains in session as the current
object.
13. Click Close.
Setting Quality Levels for Shrinkwrap Models
You can adjust the quality level of a Shrinkwrap model using the Create
Shrinkwrap dialog box. The higher the quality, the more detailed the Shrinkwrap.
However, processing time increases as well. The recommended method for creating
a Shrinkwrap model is to specify a low quality setting, preview the results, and
gradually increase the quality level as necessary.
Faceted Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Models
Quality is inversely proportional to the size of the triangles used to create the faceted
model. At a lower setting, the system creates fewer, larger triangles more quickly,
producing a roughly accurate representation of the object's shape. At a higher
setting, the system creates many smaller triangles, producing a more detailed, more
accurate representation of the model. The system automatically joins triangles when
needed to bridge gaps.
Merged Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Models
At a low quality setting, a merged solid Shrinkwrap model is composed of a rough
collection of contributing components. At a higher setting, the system collects
contributing components more accurately, producing a more accurate representation
of the object's shape.
To Create a Faceted Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Model
1. Retrieve a part or an assembly (or a simplified representation of an assembly) as
the source model.
2. Click File > Save a Copy. The Save a Copy dialog box opens. In the Type list
box, click Shrinkwrap.
3. Enter a name for the Shrinkwrap model in the New Name box, or accept the
default name and click OK. The Create Shrinkwrap dialog box opens.
4. In the Creation Method area of the dialog box, select Faceted Solid.
Note: The Quality, Special Handling, and Include Datum References areas of the
dialog box are set in the same way as when a surface subset Shrinkwrap model is
created.
5. In the Faceted Solid Options area of the dialog box, you can select Invert
Triangle Pairs.
6. In the Output Format area of the dialog box, specify one of the following output
file formats:
Assembly
315
o Part (selected by default)⎯Creates a Pro/ENGINEER part with normal
geometry.
o LW Part⎯Creates a lightweight Pro/ENGINEER part with faceted geometry.
o STL⎯Creates an STL file.
o VRML⎯Creates a VRML file.
The system automatically appends the extension .stl to STL file names and the
extension .wrl to VRML file names. Select or clear Use default template
(selected by default for Part and LW Part file formats; not available for STL or
VRML file formats).
7. Click OK. The system computes faceted solid geometry to create a solid
Shrinkwrap model, and saves the new part. The subset consists of faceted solid
geometry from the source model, along with mass properties and additional
geometry according to your specifications. The Create Shrinkwrap dialog box
remains open and the source model remains in session as the current object.
8. Click Close.
Lightweight Faceted Solid Shrinkwrap Parts
Lightweight parts can be created by importing an STL, VRML, or faceted Catia file, or
by creating a faceted solid Shrinkwrap model in LW Part file format.
Creating a faceted solid Shrinkwrap model in LW Part file format produces a new part
with a facet feature. All the surfaces of this facet feature are planar and all its edges
are straight. Using LW Part instead of Part as the output file format for a faceted
solid Shrinkwrap model reduces the size of the resulting part.
Lightweight parts can be viewed in wireframe or shaded display style. Fast HLR,
which is based on shading, is available. You can create cross sections or compute a
whole-model projected area. You can select and assemble lightweight parts.
Lightweight parts can be modified after creation.
Note: A part can have both normal geometry and lightweight faceted geometry.
To Create a Merged Solid Exported Shrinkwrap Model
1. Retrieve an assembly (or a simplified representation of an assembly) as the
source model.
2. Click File > Save a Copy. The Save a Copy dialog box opens. In the Type list,
click Shrinkwrap.
3. Enter a name for the Shrinkwrap model in the New Name box, or accept the
default name and click OK. The Create Shrinkwrap dialog box opens.
4. In the Creation Method area of the dialog box, select Merged Solid.
Note: The Quality, Special Handling, and Include Datum References areas of the
dialog box are set in the same way as when a surface subset Shrinkwrap model is
created.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
316
5. In the Include Datum References area of the dialog box, you can select additional
geometry to be included in the Shrinkwrap model. Click Select Datums and
select datum planes, points, curves, axes, and coordinate system references to
be included or removed from the Shrinkwrap model.
Note: If you change the Shrinkwrap creation method after specifying some
references, these references are no longer displayed. If you switch back to
merged solid creation, the references are again displayed.
6. In the Additional Components area of the dialog box, you can select individual
components to contribute to the Shrinkwrap model. Click Select
Components and select components to be added or removed from those
collected by the system or selected manually using Select Components.
7. In the Output File Name area of the dialog box, specify the Shrinkwrap model
name. Select or clear Use default template (selected by default).
8. Click Preview to obtain graphical and textual feedback about the subset of
information that will be captured in the Shrinkwrap model. The message window
provides information about how many components were included and how many
excluded from the representation, in the format "X of Y components have been
selected." You can add or remove components using Select Components.
9. Click OK. The system copies a subset of information from the source model to
create a Shrinkwrap model and saves the new part to disk. The subset consists of
solid geometry collected from all collected components from the source model,
along with mass properties and additional geometry according to your
specifications. The Create Shrinkwrap dialog box remains open and the source
model remains in session as the current object.
10. Click Close.
Display Styles
About Display Styles
You can assign four display styles to the components in your model. Modifying the
display style improves computer performance as assemblies become larger. The two
main display styles are shaded (solid) and lined. Line styles display the outlines of
the component or model in increasing detail. The following display styles are
available:
• Wireframe—Displays front and back lines equally.
• Hidden Line—Displays hidden lines in faint tones.
• No Hidden—Does not display lines behind forward surfaces.
• Shaded—Displays the model as a shaded solid.
Assembly
317
To Create a Display Style
1. Click or View > View Manager.
2. Click Style.
3. Click New. A default name for the style representation appears.
4. Accept the default style name or type a new name and press ENTER. The Edit:
Style dialog box opens.
5. Select components and then select a display style:
o Select a component to be Blanked.
o Click the Show tab and select a display style.
o Click the By Display tab and select a subassembly. Click Show and select
a display style for the subassembly.
6. Click .
7. Click Close.
To Change the Display Style of a Component
1. Select the components in the graphics window or Model Tree that you want
affected by the display style.
2. Click View > Display Style and select a display style from the list. The
component display style changes.
Envelopes
About Envelopes
An envelope is a part created to represent a predetermined set of components (parts
and subassemblies) in an assembly. The envelope uses simple geometry to reduce
memory usage and looks similar to the components it represents.
Envelopes must have both geometry and a nonempty list of reference components.
They can be displayed in the Model Tree along with information concerning the part
geometry and the list of components. Although envelopes are stored as part files
with a .prt extension, you can only use them as envelopes in the assembly in which
they were created. Envelope parts do not appear in the Assembly BOM.
To use an envelope part, you must explicitly include it in a simplified representation.
Substitute it for the components that it represents. An envelope can be used in
multiple simplified representations. Use the By Envelope option in the View
Manager dialog box to include an envelope in a simplified representation and
automatically substitute its reference components. Components represented by the
envelope can still be explicitly included, excluded, or substituted.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
318
If the assembly contains closed quilt zones, you can select components to be
included in the envelope by selecting a zone.
Note: You can create an envelope while a simplified representation is active, without
the master representation being in session. Envelopes can be created using
Shrinkwrap methods only when the master representation is in session.
To Create an Envelope
1. Click or Insert > Component > Create. The Component Create dialog
box opens.
2. Select Envelope. Accept the default Envelope Name.
3. Click OK. The Envelope Definition dialog box opens.
4. To include all components in a zone in an envelope, select By Zone.
Note: By Zone is only available if the assembly contains a closed quilt zone.
5. Select the components that the envelope will replace from the graphics window
or the Model Tree.
6. Click the Show only included components in the Model Tree check box to
remove all other components from the Model Tree.
7. Click the Include box to remove the include/exclude toggle when selecting
components in the Model Tree or graphics window.
8. Click the Exclude box and select components to be excluded from the envelope.
Selected components will not be included in the envelope.
9. Click Envelope Part. The Envelope Method dialog box opens.
10. Select an envelope creation method:
Create Envelope Part—Use one of the following methods to create an envelope
part:
o Copy from Existing—Copy the envelope geometry from an existing part.
Click Browse to select the part to copy. Click OK. The Component
Placement dashboard appears. Define envelope part placement and click
.
o Locate Default Datums—Use one of the following methods to locate
datum planes for a new envelope part:
Three Planes—Select three orthogonal datum planes to which the default
new envelope part datum planes will be assembled.
Axis Normal To Plane—Select a single datum plane and an axis that is
normal to it. The new envelope part is created with a datum plane and an
axis is used to place the new component.
Assembly
319
Align Csys To Csys—Select a coordinate system in the top-level assembly.
A new envelope part is created with a default coordinate system and
default datum planes that is used to place the new component.
o Empty—Create an envelope part with no geometry. Geometry can be
added after part creation by right-clicking the envelope part in the Model
Tree and selecting Edit Definition from the shortcut menu.
o Create Features—Create features for a new part. It appears as the active
part in the Model Tree.
Select Existing Assembly Component—Select a component in the assembly
and click OK. The Confirmation dialog box opens. Click Confirm to continue.
Surface Subset Shrinkwrap—Specify the shrinkwrap Quality Level and
Attributes. External referenced surfaces are copied into the shrinkwrap.
Faceted Solid Shrinkwrap—Specify the shrinkwrap Quality Level and
Attributes. The faceted solid geometry is computed to represent the selected
external surfaces. This shrinkwrap type cannot be modified and is not associative
with geometry changes in these models.
11. Accept the default Name or enter a new one.
12. Click OK. You return to the Envelope Definition dialog box.
13. Click OK.
To Include an Envelope in an Assembly
1. Click or View > View Manager. The View Manager dialog box opens. Simp
Rep is selected by default.
2. Create a new simplified representation or select an existing one.
3. Click Edit > Redefine to set definition rules. The Edit dialog box opens.
4. Click Substitute > By Envelope. The Select Envelope(s) list appears.
5. Select the envelope from the list.
6. Click .
To Modify an Envelope
1. Click View > Envelope Manager. The Envelope Manager dialog box opens.
2. Select the envelope to be modified.
3. Click Edit. The Menu Manager opens prompting you to confirm. You can also
right-click the envelope in the Model Tree and select Edit Definition from the
shortcut menu. The Envelope Definition dialog box opens.
Note: When you modify the list of components in an envelope, all simplified
representations using that envelope are also updated to reflect the changes.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
320
4. Click Envelope Geometry. The envelope activates for redefinition.
5. To modify an envelope created with a shrinkwrap method, redefine the
shrinkwrap feature by excluding or including components, and then update the
envelope geometry.
6. Use the Insert and Edit menus or the Feature toolbar to create new features for
the envelope part.
7. Click OK.
To Delete an Envelope
1. Click View > Envelope Manager. The Envelope Manager dialog box opens.
2. Select the name of the envelope to be deleted and click Delete.
Note: When envelopes are displayed in the Model Tree, you can right-click the
envelope in the Model Tree and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.
To Display Envelopes in the Model Tree
1. Click Settings > Tree Filters on the Model Tree menu bar. The Model Tree
Items dialog box opens.
2. Select Envelope Components from the Display column.
3. Click OK. The envelopes appear in the Model Tree.
Note: Envelopes placed in the assembly using predefined constraint sets appear
in the Mechanism Design Tree Bodies folder.
Configuring Assemblies with PROGRAM
About Program
Each model in Pro/ENGINEER contains a listing of major design steps and parameters
that can be edited when new design specifications arise.
To enter the Pro/PROGRAM environment, click Tools > Program.
For more information search the Fundamentals functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
Assembly
321
Glossary
Glossary for Assembly
Term Definition
assembly A collection of components that are placed together
using constraint sets to form a model.
assembly only
representation
A simplified representation that excludes
subassembly components. Only the assembly-level
features and components of a subassembly are
included.
bulk item An assembly object without solid representation
that must appear in the bill of materials or in a
Product Data Management program. Examples
include glue, paint, rivets, and screws.
case study A two-dimensional, parametric layout used to test
motion limits and interference in a mechanism
before designing the parts.
component A part or a subassembly within the assembly.
Components are arranged relative to each other via
placement constraints.
component interface Stored constraints, connections, and other
information that is used to automate component
placement. A saved interface can be used whenever
the component is placed in an assembly.
component placement The positioning of a part or subassembly in an
assembly. It is based on placement-definition sets
that determine how and where the component
relates to the assembly.
constraint set A set of specifications for placing an assembly
component.
copy geometry A data-sharing feature that passes geometric
information and user-defined parameters from a
reference model.
cross section A view of the internal structure of a model created
by a plane cutting through an assembly or part.
empty component A part or subassembly that has no geometry.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
322
Term Definition
envelope A part created to represent a predetermined set of
components in an assembly. The envelope uses
simple geometry to reduce system memory usage
and looks similar to the components it represents.
exploded view A customizable view to display assembly
components separated from each other. Exploded
views are used to illustrate how a model is
assembled and what components are required.
flexible component A component that readily adapts to new, different,
or changing variables.
frozen component A component whose placement in the assembly is
fixed when its parent component is deleted or
suppressed.
geometry
representation
A light-weight representation of the assembly that
contains complete information on component
geometry.
graphics
representation
An assembly representation that contains only
information for display. The assembly cannot be
modified or referenced.
inheritance feature A type of merge feature that enables one way
propagation of geometry and feature data from one
part to another.
interchange assembly An assembly containing exchangeable groups or
representations of parts or subassemblies.
intersected
component
The assembly component from which material is
removed when a subtractive feature is created.
layout A nonparametric, 2D sketch that drives parts and
assemblies.
master representation A full and detailed representation of the assembly.
merge feature A data-sharing feature that adds or subtracts the
material of one component to or from another
component after they have been placed in an
assembly.
orientation
assumption
The basis for the automatic creation of constraints
during component placement.
Assembly
323
Term Definition
packaged component An assembly component that is not fully
constrained. All moving assembly components are
packaged.
parametric assembly An assembly in which a component position
updates as the referenced components move or
change.
proximity snapping
A function that identifies a potential placement
location when a component is dragged during the
placement process. Releasing the mouse button
snaps the component to the identified location.
publish geometry
feature
A data-sharing feature that contains independent
local geometry references. It can be copied to other
models.
restructuring The reorganization of components in an assembly.
data-sharing feature A feature that allows associative propagation of
data from a reference component to a target
component.
shrinkwrap A collection of surfaces and datums that represents
the exterior shape of a model.
simplified
representation
A representation of an assembly in which a reduced
number of components are brought into session.
skeleton model A predetermined structural framework of a
component. You create it to define space,
geometry, component placement, and connections
and mechanisms at the beginning of the design
process. With a skeleton model, you can pass along
essential design information from one subsystem or
assembly to another.
snapshot A capture of an assembly with a degree of freedom
in a particular orientation.
start component A standard component that can be used as a
template for the creation of new parts or
assemblies.
subassembly An assembly that is placed within a higher level
assembly.
subtractive feature A feature, such as a hole that is created to remove
material.
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
324
Term Definition
symbolic
representation
A simplified representation in which component
geometry is represented by a datum point.
top-down design The creation of a product by first conceptualizing it
and specifying top-level design criteria. Those
criteria are then passed to all of the parts and
components as they are created and detailed.
unplaced component An assembly component that is neither assembled
nor packaged.
zone A defined region within a model.
325
Index
A
accuracy settings
absolute 121
modifying 122
relative 120
accuracy settings 122
annotations
overview 266
propagating 267
annotations 266
assemblies
about creating 4
activating 118
editing 119
mirroring 228, 229
regenerating 125, 126
restructuring 124
assemblies 4
assembly features
copying 112, 113
creating 110, 111
editing 111
in part mode 118
B
Bill of Materials (BOM)
bulk items 33
displaying envelopes in 317
Bill of Materials (BOM) 220
bodies
defining 57
ground 57
overview 56
bodies 56
bulk items
assembling 28
creating 27
creating templates for 27
defining parameters for 28
example 32
in Bill of Materials 33
overview 26
bulk items 26
C
case studies
creating 289
relations 291
case studies 289
clearance 218, 219
collision detection 93
component operations
copying 148
deleting 105, 106
freezing 107
grouping 104
reordering 106
rerouting placement references 106
resuming 108
suppressing 107
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
326
component operations 104
component placement
automatic 94
multiple occurrences 42
overview 40
placement preferences 100
resolving failures 129
user interface 34
using a pattern 72
using placement constraints 43
component placement 40
components
intersected. See intersected
components 113
placing in a simplified representation
301
resolving regeneration failures 127
retrieving placement references 302
components 301
configuration options 5, 6
constraint sets
converting user-defined to
predefined 64
displaying 40
offset values 49
orientation assumptions 49
user-defined 43
constraint sets 43
constraint sets 51
constraint sets 109
constraint sets 109
Copy Geometry features
creating 260
externalizing 262, 263, 264
overview 260, 261, 262
redefining 264
rerouting 265
Copy Geometry features 260
copying 213
D
dimensional tolerances
displaying 119
editing 120
modifying 120
dimensional tolerances 120
dimensions 217, 221
display styles
changing 317
creating 181
editing 181, 182
overview 180, 182, 316
display styles 180
display styles 316
displaying constraint sets in 40
displaying envelopes in 320
dragging
applying constraints during 88
assembly entities 87
excluding components from 91, 92
locking a body prior to 90
overview 86
specifying motion axis position while
89
Index
327
dragging 86
E
empty components 22
envelopes
creating 318
creating using zones 318
defining 318
displaying 320
editing 319, 320
excluding components from 318
geometry in 319
in Bill of Materials 317
in the Model Tree 317, 320
including 319
overview 317
substituting 319
envelopes 317
exploded views 171
external simplified representations
creating 306, 307
defining a component's purpose in
307
overview 305
redefining 307
updating 308
external simplified representations 305
external simplified representations 307
F
Family Tables
using motion axis parameters and
dimensions 64
Family Tables 130
Family Tables 228
flexible components
defining 157, 158, 159, 164, 165
dimensions 160, 162
excluding from dragging operation
161
features 160
geometry tolerances 162
overview 156
parameters 163, 164
placing 157
propagating 165, 166
replacing 135
varied items 158
flexible components 156
G
graphics window
displaying connections 65
I
Info menu 217, 218
Inheritance features
creating 248
editing feature properties 257
externalizing 255, 256
overview 248
updating 257
varying annotations 253, 254, 255
varying dimensions 249, 250
varying features 250
varying parameters 253
varying references 251, 252
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
328
Inheritance features 248
interchange assemblies
displaying 147
functional components 140
overview 139
removing 147
replacing a component with 131
simplify component 143, 144
interchange assemblies 139
interfaces for components
configuration options 102
defining 95
defining a template 96
editing 96
for automatic placement 94
nested. see nested interfaces 103
overview 94
placement preferences 100
redefining component placement 99
saving when placing component 99
setting rules for 99, 100
using interface matching 97
interfaces for components 94
intersected components
adding components to be intersected
115
displaying 116
example 116
reintersecting components 117
removing components from the list
118
setting visibility levels 116
using subtractive features 113, 114
visibility 115
intersections 155
L
layouts
adding datums 284, 285
annotating 280
creating 269
declaring 281
global dimensions relations 273
overview 268
replacing a component with 132
layouts 268
M
manipulating components
adjusting component position 83
orient mode 82
overview 80, 81
rotating components 82
setting dragging preferences 85
translating movement of a
component 82
using move shortcuts 81
manipulating components 80
master representations
creating 294
overview 292
master representations 292
Mechanism Model Tree 59
Merge features
creating 242, 243
Index
329
externalizing 245
overview 241
restrictions 244
Merge features 241
mirrored components
creating 151, 154
overview 150
rules 155
mirrored components 150
Model Tree 214, 216
motion axis
setting dynamic properties for 63
setting motion limits 62
setting regeneration value 61
setting zero position 60
motion axis 60
N
nested interfaces
defining 103
using to place components 103
nested interfaces 103
O
on-demand simplified representations
defining settings 303
overview 303
on-demand simplified representations
303
orienting assemblies
overview 183
saving 184
orienting assemblies 183
P
packaged components
adding 67
configuration options 66
finalizing 69
fixing location of 69
moving 67
parts
activating in an assembly 118
assembly features in parts 118
copying 25
creating 23, 24, 25, 26
editing a part feature 122
regenerating 125
solid 23
pasting 213
patterns
assembling components to 72
dimension 76, 77
reference 74
table 78, 79
Pro/PROGRAM 320
proximity snapping
assembling components using 84
automatically placing components
using 94
setting tolerance allowances 85
proximity snapping 84
Publish Geometry features
creating 259
defining references 260
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
330
overview 258
Publish Geometry features 258
R
reference control
environment 205
reference control 203
reference control 205
reference control 207
reference control (external)
backing up 210
replacing 212
setting scope 208, 209, 211
skeletons 210
reference control (external) 207
reference control (object-specific)
defining 204
overview 203, 205
reference control (object-specific) 203
reference path
displaying dependencies 193
reference path 192
Reference Viewer
filtering 190
investigating 189
reference path 192
Reference Viewer 188
regeneration
changed parts 126
customizing 126
selected parts 125
relations 219
replacing components
overview 130
reference pairing 136, 137
rules and restrictions 133
replacing components 130
resolving failures
component placement 129
missing component 127
renamed component 128
retrieval failure of assembly feature
129
S
searching 167, 168, 169, 170
shared data 237, 241, 248, 258
Shrinkwrap features
breaking dependencies 241
creating 237
defining subsets 238
externalizing 239, 240
overview 237, 239
redefining references 240
updating 239
Shrinkwrap features 237
Shrinkwrap models
faceted solid 314, 315
merged solid 315
overview 309
replacing a component with 131
surface subsets 312
Shrinkwrap models 309
simplified representations
Index
331
activating 298
changing properties 297
copying 299
creating 292, 293
deleting 300
editing 294
envelopes in 292
examples 296
geometry only 293
geometry rep 294
listing 300
opening by default 298
overview 292
placing components in 301
renaming 300
retrieving 299
substituting components in 292
substituting for a component 301
types of 295
simplified representations 2
simplified representations 292
skeletons
activating 119
body skeletons 235
BOMS in skeletons 220
design skeletons 234
display colors 236
editing 123
intersecting by assembly features
113
motion skeletons 233
Overview 2
replacement copies 134
standard skeletons 231, 232
skeletons 229
skeletons 230
skeletons 283
snapshots
capturing 90
copying constraints 89
editing 91
in exploded views 90
overview 86
removing 91
using snapshot construction 91
snapshots 86
start components 213
subassemblies
activating in an assembly 118
creating 21
subassemblies 22
symbolic representations
overview 295, 308
placing 309
symbolic representations 308
T
temporary interfaces 102
top-down design 229, 262
U
unplaced components
creating 71
including 72
Assembly - Help Topic Collection
332
placing 71
unplaced components 71
V
View Manager 171, 174, 175, 180, 183
views exploded
creating 171, 172
overview 171
setting 172
views exploded 171
Z
zones
clipping 176
creating 176, 177, 180
overview 175
redefining 178, 179
viewing 179
zones 175