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NX Design for the Experienced CAD User Student Guide May 2007 MT13150 — NX 5 Publication Number mt13150_g NX 5

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NX Design for theExperienced CAD User

Student GuideMay 2007

MT13150 — NX 5

Publication Numbermt13150_g NX 5

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Proprietary & Restricted Rights Notice

This software and related documentation are proprietary to UGS Corp.

Copyright 2007 UGS Corp. All Rights Reserved.

All trademarks belong to their respective holders.

2 NX Design for the Experienced CAD User — Student Guide mt13150_g NX 5

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Contents

Course overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Course objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17How to use this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Lesson format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Activity format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Learning tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Common symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Template parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Teamcenter Integration vs. native NX terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Layer standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Implementing a layer standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Student responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

NX part files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Introduction to NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2Gateway application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3The NX window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4Cue and Status lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Using a template to create a new file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8Saving an unnamed template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9

Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11Folder Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12Use of existing part files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

Open multiple parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14Change the displayed part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15Save As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16Close selected parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18Exit NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20

The NX user interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2Docking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3Customize and display toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

©UGS Corp., All Rights Reserved NX Design for the Experienced CAD User — Student Guide 3

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Contents

Selection Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8Saving toolbar configuration between sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9

Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10Example roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11Choose a role . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13Using the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

View shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Radial menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17Graphics window view manipulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18Selecting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20Deselecting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22Preview selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23QuickPick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27

Coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Overview of coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2Absolute coordinate system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3Work coordinate system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

The WCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5Access WCS Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Dynamic Handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Sketch Task Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Sketcher overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2Constraints overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3Sketch types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4Using sketches as base features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5Using sketches to modify existing features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6Other applications for sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7The sketch process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8Create a new sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9Create a sketch on an existing plane or planar face . . . . . . . . . . 4-10Create a sketch on a new plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11Reference direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12Name sketches on the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13Name sketches using the Sketch Properties dialog box . . . . . . . . 4-14Sketches and layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16Internal and external sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17

Making internal sketches external . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18

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Sketch curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19Inferred Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20Help lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21Short list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23

Stopping string mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24Using a mouse gesture to create an arc in string mode . . . . . . . . 4-25Object Type options in Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26Input Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27Create lines parallel or perpendicular to other lines . . . . . . . . . 4-28Create lines tangent to curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29Create lines at angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30

Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31Snap Point options on the Selection Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32Constraints recognized by snap point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34

Inferred Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35The Snap Angle option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37Sketch curve functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38

Quick Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39Quick Trim example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40Quick Extend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41Make Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42Fillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43

Constraints basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44Degrees of freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-45Degree-of-freedom arrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46

Geometric constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47Types of Geometric Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49Displaying constraint symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51Show or remove constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52

Dimensional constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55Dimension types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56Create inferred dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57Edit dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58Edits using the Dimensions dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59Retain Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60Attach Dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61

Convert To/From Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62Evaluating and updating sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63Creating inferred constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-64

Deleting or suppressing sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67

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Datum features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Datum Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2Datum plane types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3Datum plane options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4Applications for datum planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

Create datum planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6At Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7At Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8Bisector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9Tangent to Face at Point, Line or Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

Curves and Points, Three Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12Datum Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13

Datum axis types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14Datum axis options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15Applications for datum axes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16

Create datum axes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18

Intersection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19Curve/Face Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20

Datum CSYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23

Swept features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Types of swept features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Extrude options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4Boolean operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6Body types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

Sheet bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8Revolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Sweep Along Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Part structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2Dependencies panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3Details panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4Preview panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5Timestamp order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6Part Navigator shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

Feature playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9Reorder features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10

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Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11Referenced expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13

Mass properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14Delayed updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17

Using sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Drag sketch objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2Drag multiple curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3Drag a point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4Drag to assist constraining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5

Create an alternate solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6Create an alternate solution for tangent circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7Create an alternate solution for a line tangent to an arc . . . . . . . . 8-8

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9Reattach sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10Sketch timestamp and dependencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12Mirror sketch curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-14Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-15

Trim Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

Trim a body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4

Swept feature options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

Selection Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2Curve rule options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3Curve collection modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4

Extrude with offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5Two sided offset examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6

Start Offset Zero, End Offset Positive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7Start Offset Zero, End Offset Negative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8Start Offset Negative, End Offset Positive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9

Single-sided offset examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10Offset value too large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11Smaller positive offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12Negative offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13

Extrude with draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14Positive and negative draft angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15Draft and the extrude direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16

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Draft examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17Draft with offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18

DesignLogic parameter entry options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19Reference existing parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22

Hole features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

Features with predefined shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2Placement Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3

Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4Hole Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5Hole options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6Create a hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7

Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8Positioning terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9Positioning Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10

Edit hole features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11Edit a hole position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12Feature Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13Reattach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14Reattach Selection Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15Reattach Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-16Change Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-17Add positioning dimensions to holes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-19Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20

Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2The Expressions dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3

Expression list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5Listed expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7Expression operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9

Conditional expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-11Suppression by Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-12

Suppress by Expression Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-14Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-15

Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-16Distance options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-17Angle Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-18Measures and measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-19Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-22

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-23

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Face operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1

Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2Create a shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3Assign different thicknesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4Shell options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5

Selection Intent face rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8Offset Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11

Draft types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12Draft dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17

Associative copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1

Instance Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2Caveats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3Array methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4

Rectangular instance array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5Parameters for Rectangular instance array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6Create a rectangular array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7Rectangular array example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-8

Circular instance array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-9Parameters for Circular instance array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10Create a circular array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-11Circular array example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-12

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-13Mirror Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-14

Create a mirror body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15Mirror Body options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-16

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-18

Edge operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1

Edge operations overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2Edge Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3

The Edge Blend dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4The preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5Add New Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-6

Resolve blended edge overflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7Explicit Overflow Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9Variable radius blends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10

Tips and techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13

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Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15Chamfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-16

Create Chamfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17Chamfer options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20

Introduction to Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1

Definitions and descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3Subassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4Component objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5Component parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6

Introduction to assembly load options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7Part Versions group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8Load states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9Scope group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-10Load Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-11Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12Saved Load Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-13

The Assembly Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-14Node display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15Icons and check boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-16The Assemblies application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18Select components in the Assembly Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19

Identify components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20Component selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21Design in context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22

The Displayed Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23Use the Change Window dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-24The work part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26

Associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-27Assembly Navigator shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-28

Pack and Unpack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29Make Work Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-30Make Displayed Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-31Display Parent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-32

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-33Save the work part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-34

File→Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-35File→Save Work Part Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-37

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Adding and constraining components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1

General assembly concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2The Assemblies toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-3Use the bottom-up construction method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4Add components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-5

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-7Move Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-8

Assembly Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-9Constraint types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-10Create a Touch Align constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-11Create a Concentric constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-13Create a Distance constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-14Create a Fix constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-15Create a Parallel constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-16Create a Perpendicular constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-17Create an Angle constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18Create a Center constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-19Create a Bond constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-20Create a Fit constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-21

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-22Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-23

Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1

General concepts concerning Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2Default Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-3

The Model Reference Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-5The Lightweight Reference Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-7The simplified Reference Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-8User defined Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-9

Create Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-11Reference Set information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-14

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-15Replacing Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-16

Replace Reference Sets using the Assembly Navigator . . . . . . . 18-17Replace Reference Sets in context of an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . 18-18Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19

Edit Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20Delete and Rename Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21Load Options and Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-22

From Search Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-24Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-26

Top-down assembly modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

Top-down design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2

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Create a new component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3Verify the creation of a new component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6

Considerations of selecting data during component creation . . . . . . . . . 19-7Design in context of an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8Sketch in context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9Introduction to interpart modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10

Geometry types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-13

Localized interpart modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-14Interpart modeling applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-15

Part in process modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-16Mold/die applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-17Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-18Edit links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-19Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-22

Mirrored Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-23Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-24Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-26

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-27

Interpart references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-1

General concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2Types of interpart references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-3Overriding expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-4Create interpart references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-6Edit Interpart References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-7

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-8Partial loading issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-9Load Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-10Tips and recommended practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-11Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-12

Component Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-1

Component Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2Editing a component array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-4

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-5Feature-based component arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-6Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-8

Revisions and substitutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-1

File Versioning/Revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-2Revise a component and assembly using Save As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-3The Part Modifications dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5Additional Assembly Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7

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Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-9Partial Loading issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-10Close assembly component parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-11Reopen component parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-12Substitute components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-14Substitute components using Substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-16Substitute components using Reopen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-18Substitute using the Assembly Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-19

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-20Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-21

Master model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-1

Assembly models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2Master model concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-3Master model example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-4

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-5Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-6

Introduction to Drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-1

Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2Create new drawing sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-3

Open a Drawing Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-4Edit a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-5Delete a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-6

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-7Monochrome display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-8View Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-9

Hidden Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-10Edges Hidden By Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-11Smooth Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-12Virtual Intersections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-13

Add a base view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14View creation options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-15

Add projected views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-16Projection lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-17Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-18Project view options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-19

Edit existing views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-20Dragging Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-21

Removing views from a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-23Utility Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-24

Utility symbol options by group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25Create utility symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27Delete utility symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-28

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Create automatic centerlines on existing views . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-29Create a linear centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-30

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-31Create a cylindrical centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-32

Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-33Annotation Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-34

Dimension preferences and placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-35Appended text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-38Tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-39Text orientation and text arrow placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-40Editing an existing dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-41

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-42Text creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-43

Entering text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-44Create leaders on notes and labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-45

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-46Text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-47

Text preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-48Editing tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-49Editing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-50Helper lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-51

Master Model Drawing Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-52Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-53

Additional projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Project 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2Project 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3Project 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4Project 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6Project 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-8Project 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-10Project 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-12Project 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-14Project 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-16Project 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-18Project 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-19Project 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-21Project 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-23Project 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-25Project 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-27Project 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-28Project 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-30Project 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-32Project 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-34Project 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-36Project 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-38

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Project 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-40

Expression operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2Precedence and associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3Legacy unit conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4Built-in functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5

Scientific notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

System Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2Customer Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

Customer Defaults levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4Setting Customer Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-7USER, GROUP, and SITE directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9Managing your changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10Updating to a new release of NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-11

Interpart Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12File Versioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-13

File Versioning example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-15

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index-1

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Course overview

Intended audience

This course is suited for designers and engineers who already have experiencewith another CAD system and need to learn NX.

Prerequisites

Understanding of parametric modeling and the master model concept.

Course objectivesAfter successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

• Open and examine NX models.

• Create and edit parametric solid models.

• Create and modify basic assembly structures.

• Create and modify simple drawings.

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How to use this manual

How to use this manualThe following guidelines describe how you can get the most benefit from youruse of the course guide and the accompanying HTML activities.

Lesson format

The general format for lesson content is:

• Instructor presentation

• One or more activities

• Workbook project

Projects allow you to test your new skills without detailed instruction.

Consult your instructor for additional information.

• Summary

Activity format

Activities have the following format:

Step 1: This is an example of a step. Numbered steps specify the actionsyou will perform.

Action bullets detail how to complete the step.

Always read the Cue and Status information while working throughactivities and as you perform your regular duties.

As you gain skills you may need only to read the step text to completethe step.

Learning tips

• Ask questions.

• Confirm important facts by restating them in your own words.

It is important to use your Student Guide in the sequence it is written.

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Course overview

Common symbols

The student manual and workbook use special symbols as shown below.

Design Intent – Information about the task and what must beaccomplished.

Tip — Useful information or advice.

Note — Contains useful information that supplements or emphasizesthe main points.

Example — Shows a possible way that the current topic of discussioncould be used.

Caution — Contains important reminders or information about a task.

Warning — Contains information essential to your success.

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Template parts

Template partsTemplate parts are an effective tool for establishing customer defaults or anysettings that are part-dependent (saved with the part). This may includenon-geometric data such as:

• A frame of reference, such as a datum coordinate system

• Commonly used expressions

• An initial application such as Modeling, Drafting, or Sheet Metal

• Part attributes, for example, attributes for a parts list

• Drawing formats

• User-defined views

• Layer categories

The following graphic shows the dialog box where you can choose a template.

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Course overview

Teamcenter Integration vs. native NX terminologyTeamcenter Integration Term Native NX TermItem Part

Item revision Part revisionDataset Part fileItem ID Part numberUGMASTER dataset Master part fileUGPART dataset(specification or manifestation)

Non-master part file(.dwg, .mfg)

When you work in NX, you manipulate parts, part revisions and part files.These correspond to items, item revisions, and datasets in TeamcenterIntegration and Teamcenter Engineering.

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Layer standards

Layer standardsParts used in this course were created using layer categories the same as orvery similar to those found in the Model template parts.

Layers provide an advanced alternative to display management (Show andHide) to organize data.

Layer categories in the Model template parts

Layers Category Description1–10 SOLIDS Solid bodies11–20 SHEETS Sheet bodies21–40 SKETCHES All external sketches41–60 CURVES Non-sketch curves61–80 DATUMS Planes, axes, coordinate systems91–255 No category assigned

Implementing a layer standard

You may implement or enforce layer standards using some of the methodsbelow:

• Create NX Open programs to create a standard part organization andverify it upon release.

• Use a macro to create layer categories: Tools→Macro→Playback.

• Your administrator can enforce company standards by providing suitabletemplates.

In this course you may use a layer organization method you anticipateusing in your work.

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Course overview

Student responsibilities• Be on time.

• Be considerate of the needs of other students.

• Listen attentively and take notes.

• Ask questions.

• Practice what you learn.

• Have fun!

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1Lesson

1 NX part files

Purpose

This lesson is a fundamental introduction to working with NX parts.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Start an NX session.

• Create a new part.

• Open a part.

• Copy a part.

• Close a part and exit NX.

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NX part files

Introduction to NXThe first step in working in NX is to log on to a workstation and start anNX session.

• Your instructor will provide the steps needed to log in and start NX inthe classroom.

After you start NX, you see the No Part interface. You can change defaultsand preferences, open an existing part, or create a new part.

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NX part files

Gateway application

The tools in NX are grouped into a series of applications that supportdifferent major workflows, including creating geometry, building an assembly,or producing a drawing.

Gateway is the first application you access when you:

• Create a new part.

• Open a part that was saved in Gateway after NX 4.

• Open a part that was last saved in NX 3 or earlier.

Gateway allows you to review existing parts.

To create or edit objects within a part, you must start another application,such as Modeling.

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NX part files

The NX window

1. Work and displayed part names

2. Main menu

3. Cue line

4. Status line

5. Resource Bar

6. View rotation triad

7. Rail

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Cue and Status lines

The Cue and Status lines appear at the top of the main application window.

• The Cue line provides specific information on what to select for thehighlighted item in the dialog box.

• The Status gives you feedback and confirmation on what you selected.

You can move the Cue and Status lines below the graphics window.

1. Choose Tools→Customize.

2. Click the Layout tab.

3. In Cue/Status Position, select Bottom.

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NX part files

Menus

By default, menus display all available commands.

You can display “folded” menus, showing only frequently-used commands.

When you see folded menus, click the Expand button to display the full menu.

To display folded menus:

1. Choose Tools→Customize.

2. Click the Options tab.

3. Clear the check box for Always Show Full Menus.

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NX part files

TemplatesUse templates to create a new part. Choose File→New to select a template.

Templates are grouped by types, such as model or drawing.

Your system administrator determines the templates that are available.

Use blank templates to create parts with no custom content.

When you create a new part from a template, the part has a copy of all theobjects in the template part and inherits all its settings.

After you create the part, NX starts the appropriate application for thetemplate the part was based on. For example, if you select a modelingtemplate, NX will start Modeling.

A default name and location for the new file is assigned, based on customerdefault settings for each template type.

You can change the name and location:

• Before you begin work on the part.

• In native mode only, when you save the part for the first time.

You can specify a master part to reference when you create a new non-masterfile.

• Choose File→New and define the attributes in the dialog box.

• Choose Format→Database Attributes→Assign and define the work part’sattributes in the Attributes dialog box.

Benefits of using template parts

• Easy to use and help to enforce company standards.

• Automatically start the appropriate application.

• Simplify using master models by defining a master part reference as youcreate a new file.

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NX part files

Using a template to create a new file

• On the Standard toolbar, click New .

• Click the tab for the file type you want (1).

• Select the template you want (2).

• (Optional) Enter the name and path information (3).

You can also enter this information when you save the part.

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Saving an unnamed template

1. On the Standard toolbar, click Save .

2. In the Name Parts dialog box, notice the name of the first file for whichyou must provide a name (1).

3. Enter the name and press Tab to continue (2).

4. Optionally, use the browse buttons to help to define the name and/orpath (3).

5. When you press Tab after entering a name, the template is checked in thelist (4), the indicator moves to the next file that requires a name, and theOK button becomes active.

If you click OK or press Enter before you have specified all names,files that are named will be saved, and unnamed files will not besaved.

You will receive a warning.

6. When all files are named and optional path information is entered, clickOK (5).

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NX part files

LayersUse layers to organize geometry.

Use layer categories to organize and name layers.

To access the Layer Settings dialog box, choose Format→Layer Settings.

There are 256 layers in NX, one of which is always the work layer.

You can assign any of the layers to one of four classifications of status:

• Work

• Selectable

• Visible Only

• Invisible

The work layer is the layer that objects are created on and is always visibleand selectable.

When you create a new part, layer 1 is the default work layer .

When you change the work layer, the previous work layer automaticallybecomes selectable. You can then assign it a different status.

The number of objects on one layer is not limited. You may choose whichlayers to create objects on and what the status will be.

Layer categories in the Model template parts

Layers Categories Description1–10 SOLIDS Solid bodies11–20 SHEETS Sheet bodies21–40 SKETCHES All external sketches 1

41–60 CURVES Non-sketch curves61–80 DATUMS Planes, axes, coordinate systems91–255 No category assigned

1. You will learn the meaning of the term External sketches in a future lesson.

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NX part files

ActivityIn the NX part files section, do the following activity:

• Create a new part

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NX part files

Folder CreationYou can create a new folder from within the New Part File and Open Part Filedialog boxes if you have write access to the selected parent folder.

1. Right-click over an existing parent folder in the folder tree list.

2. Select the New Folder option.

You may also Rename an existing folder.

You cannot delete a folder from the New Part File and Open Part Filedialog boxes.

Default container

The last folder used when creating a file will be the default folder whencreating data later in your session. To change the default folder, select theFolder icon to change it.

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NX part files

Use of existing part filesNX parts have a .prt extension.

Useful features on Windows file dialog boxes

The Look in: list shows the name of the current selected drive or folder.

Up One Level works with the Look in: option menu to traverse back upthrough the folder hierarchy.

Create New Folder option allows new sub-folders to be created in thecurrent folder.

View Menu allows the appearance of the listing in the window to bemodified.

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NX part files

Open multiple parts

You can open or load more than one part at any time and work on severalparts concurrently.

There are two identifiers for loaded parts:

Displayed The part is displayed in the graphics window.

Work The part is accessible for creation and editing operations.

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NX part files

Change the displayed part

You can have multiple parts open, or loaded, at the same time.

Control which part is displayed in the graphics window by using Windowon the menu bar.

The Window option works in two ways:

• The list contains up to ten recently displayed parts. Select from the list todisplay a part.

• Select More to display the Change Window dialog box.

The Change Window dialog box contains a list of all components in anassembly structure as well as any loaded parts not contained in a loadedassembly.

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NX part files

Save As

File→Save As allows you to save the current part under a different nameand/or in a different directory.

When you select Save As, a file selection dialog box displays asking for thenew name and location.

The name/location must be unique within the current directory. If youspecify a name that already exists, an error message displays. The currentpart is filed under the new name, and the new part file name displays onthe graphics window.

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NX part files

Close selected parts

Choose File→Close→Selected Parts to select parts to close from a list.

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NX part files

ActivitiesIn the NX part files section, do the following activities:

• Open an existing part

• Save part as

• Close selected parts

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Exit NXEnd an NX session by choosing File→Exit.

If you modified any parts and did not save them, you get a warning message.

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NX part files

SummaryIn this lesson you:

• Started an NX session.

• Created, opened, and saved parts.

• Copied a part.

• Closed a part.

• Learned how to exit NX.

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2

Lesson

2 The NX user interface

Purpose

This lesson is a fundamental introduction to the NX user interface.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Customize toolbars.

• Save and restore toolbars by applying a role.

• Select objects in the graphics window.

• Manipulate the orientation of the work view.

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The NX user interface

ToolbarsEach application has its own set of toolbars.

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The NX user interface

Docking

• You can dock toolbars horizontally or vertically in the NX window.

• You can move undocked toolbars on your screen.

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The NX user interface

Customize and display toolbars

• You can hide or display available toolbars for each application.

• You can either display or hide available buttons for each toolbar.

• For each toolbar you can add buttons from other toolbars, or remove them.

• You can save and share toolbar arrangements for all or selectedapplications, using Roles.

Display toolbars

1. Choose Tools→Customize from the main menu bar.

2. On the Toolbars (1) page, select check boxes (2) to display toolbars andclear to hide them.

Select Text Below Icon (3) to display names on the buttons.

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The NX user interface

Display toolbars using the shortcut menu

1. Right-click in the NX window but outside the graphics window (1) todisplay a shortcut menu of all toolbars.

2. Select the listed toolbar names to display toolbars or clear the check boxesto hide them (2).

Empty check boxes are not displayed beside menu items that arenot selected.

You can also select Customize (3) to open the Customize dialog box.

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The NX user interface

Add or remove toolbar buttons

Toolbar options are an efficient way to turn on and off the display of buttonswithin a toolbar.

1. Click Toolbar Options on a toolbar and select Add or Remove Buttons.

2. Select a toolbar to modify, or select Customize to open the Customizedialog box.

3. Click an item with no check box to display it. Clear the check box to hidean item.

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The NX user interface

Toolbar options on undocked toolbars

Access toolbar options on undocked toolbars as shown below.

Dialog Rail

Dialog boxes open at a predefined location on the Dialog Rail.

To ensure a consistent location and presentation of all dialog boxes, you canattach or “clip” most dialog boxes to a “rail” located along the upper edge ofthe graphics window. This prevents the graphics window from being obscuredby dialog boxes. You can move the dialog boxes right or left, temporarily hidethem, or unclip them if you prefer to have them float.

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The NX user interface

Selection Bar

The Selection Bar consolidates various selection options in one convenientlocation.

1. Selection options to specify types of objects to select, for example, featuresonly, instead of faces, edges, bodies.

2. Selection Intent options.

3. Snap Point options.

4. Annotation placement options, available in Drafting.

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The NX user interface

Saving toolbar configuration between sessions

When you exit an NX session, the current state of your toolbars is saved bydefault. They will be the same when you start a new session.

You can control how this is saved:

1. Choose Preferences→User Interface.

2. On the General page, select Save layout at exit.

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The NX user interface

RolesAs you define your own roles, you or your administrator can add them to apalette for others to share.

Roles let you control the appearance of the user interface in a number ofways. For example:

• The items displayed on the menu bar

• The buttons displayed on the toolbars

• Whether button names are displayed below the buttons

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The NX user interface

Example roles

NX comes with a number of example roles. These give you a choice of startingpoints as you customize toolbars to meet your needs.

The roles palette includes these groups:

• System Defaults — generic roles for new and advanced users

• Industry Specific — examples of configurations for various industries

• User — exists after you save one or more personal configurations

For those starting to use NX or those who use NX infrequently, one ofthe Essentials roles in System Defaults is recommended.

For more information about any role, hold your cursor over its button.

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The NX user interface

Choose a role

1. On the Resource Bar, click the Roles tab to display the palette.

2. Click the role you want or drag it into the graphics window.

3. Click OK to accept the new role.

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ActivitiesIn the NX User Interface section, do the following activities:

• Toolbars

• Roles

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The NX user interface

Using the mouseThere are three mouse configurations in common use. The buttons areidentified below.

1. Left

2. Middle

3. Right

On a two-button mouse, use the left and right buttons together when youneed the middle button.

On a three-button mouse, you can use combinations of mouse buttons.

• Use middle plus right buttons to pan.

• Use middle plus left buttons to zoom.

Here is a summary of the various actions that can be performed using themouse buttons.

Mouse Button ActionLeft mouse button Select or drag objects.

Middle mouse button Click OK while in an operator.

Press and hold down while in the graphics windowto rotate the view.

Hold down Shift and the middle mouse button topan.

Hold down Ctrl and the middle mouse button tozoom in or out.

Right mouse button Display shortcut menu with various functions. Alsodisplay action information for currently selectedobjects.

Rotating mouse wheel Zoom in and out in graphics window. Scroll in lists,menus, and the Information window.

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The NX user interface

Here is a summary of things you can do by moving the mouse cursor.

Over buttons on atoolbar

Display Balloon Help for the button.

Over buttons in adialog box

Display the button name.

Over objects, featuresor components ingraphics window

Pre-highlight objects based on the Selection TypeFilter.

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The NX user interface

View shortcut menu

When the mouse cursor is in the graphics window, but not over geometry,right-click to display the view shortcut menu. This menu lists frequentlyused NX functions.

Option Description

Refresh Refreshes the entire graphics window. Erases temporarydisplay entities.

FitFits the entire part to the view. Utilizes the fit percentagefound in the Preferences→Visualization→Screen dialogbox.

Zoom Fits the view to a user specified rectangle.Rotate Activates the rotate mode to rotate the view with the cursor.

Pan Activates pan mode to pan the view with the cursor.Rendering

StyleSpecifies the method of shading and hidden edges in whichthe model is displayed.

Orient ViewDisplays the current view in a canned view orientation. Theoriginal visualization settings and view modifications areretained. Active only in modeling view.

Set RotatePoint

Defines a point about which the model is rotated. The pointmay be defined on a curve, edge, face, or point in space.

Clear RotatePoint

Removes a rotate point that was previously set.

Undo Removes the effect of the last single operation performed.

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The NX user interface

Radial menus

When you right-click and hold, a radial menu displays buttons around thecursor location. These buttons differ depending what is beneath the cursor.As you learn the position of the buttons, just moving the mouse in theappropriate direction will choose the option.

1 — Shaded

2 — Shaded with Edges

3 — Studio

4 — Fit

5 — Wireframe with Dim Edges

6 — Face Analysis

You can also use the View toolbar to perform the view manipulationfunctions found in the view shortcut menu, and more.

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The NX user interface

Graphics window view manipulation

You can rotate the view by dragging with the middle mouse button. Releasethe mouse button to stop rotating.

If the cursor is near the boundary of the graphics window, you can useinferred rotation about a horizontal, vertical, or normal axis.

If the cursor is in the middle of the graphics window, the axis of rotation isdetermined by the direction in which you drag the cursor.

Other options to manipulate the view orientation are described below.

Orient View button Modifies the orientation of a specified view to apredefined view. Changes only the alignment of theview, not the view name. This option can be invokedfrom the View toolbar or from the shortcut menu.

Home key Orients the current view to Trimetric.

End key Orients the current view to Isometric.

F8 key

Orients the current view to a selected planar faceor datum plane or the planar view (top, front, right,back, bottom, left) that is closest to the current vieworientation.

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View triad

Click an axis of the view triad to restrict middle mouse button dragging torotation about that axis only.

Press Esc or click the rotation triad origin handle to return to normal rotation.

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The NX user interface

Selecting objects

Use the Selection Bar to identify the types of objects you want to select.

You may either select an object first and then choose a function to perform, or,choose a function first and then select the required object.

Use the selection Type Filter to control which type of objects you can select.The content of the list changes with the active NX function.

The General Selection Filters allow you to further restrict what type ofobjects you can select.

You can use toolbar options to add many additional buttons to the SelectionBar.

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You can right-click an object and choose commands for the shortcut menu forthe object type.

The cursor must be over the object, and the object must be highlighted.

The shortcut menu changes depending on the object. The following shortcutmenu is for a typical feature.

Options also vary with the application: Modeling, Drafting,Manufacturing, etc.

If you right-click and hold over an object, a radial menu appears. The optionsvary depending on the object. The following radial menu is for a typicalfeature.

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Deselecting objects

You can deselect and object by holding the Shift key as you click it.

To deselect all objects in the graphics window, press the Esc (Escape) key.

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Preview selection

Objects are highlighted in the preview selection color as the selection ballpasses over them.

By default, Preview Selection is enabled. Turn it off by choosingPreferences→Selection from the menu bar.

The color of preview highlighting is determined by the Preselection settingfound under Preferences→Visualization→Color Settings.

When you hold the Shift key, the preselection color is applied to currentlyselected objects that you can deselect.

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QuickPick

When you select objects, more than one object will often be within the selectionball. QuickPick provides easy browsing through selection candidates.

If there is more than one selectable object at the selection ball locationand the cursor lingers for a short period of time, the cursor changes to aQuickPick indicator:

This cursor display indicates that there is more than one selectable object atthat position. Click after the cursor changes to display the QuickPick dialogbox.

You can change the amount of time the cursor must be stationary forthe QuickPick indicator to appear.

• Choose Preferences→Selection.

• In the QuickPick group, change the Delay value (in seconds).

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Use the middle mouse button to cycle through the items in the list andthen click when the desired object is highlighted.

Use the buttons in the dialog box to filter the list to include object types:

• All• Construction• Features• Body objects• Components• Annotations

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ActivityIn the NX User Interface section, do the following activity:

• Views

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SummaryIn this lesson you:

• Modified the location and contents of toolbars.

• Applied a role to restore saved toolbar settings.

• Manipulated the work view orientation.

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3

Lesson

3 Coordinate systems

Purpose

This lesson is an introduction to the coordinate systems that are used in NX.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe the absolute coordinate system (ABS).

• Describe the work coordinate system (WCS).

• Move the WCS.

• Obtain geometry information relative to the WCS.

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Coordinate systems

Overview of coordinate systemsYou can define planes and coordinate systems for constructing other geometry.These planes and coordinate systems are completely independent of theviewing direction. You can create geometry on planes that are not parallelto the screen.

A three-axis symbol is used to identify a coordinate system. The intersectionof the axes is called the origin of the coordinate system. The coordinate valuesof the origin are X=0, Y=0, and Z=0. The figure below illustrates that, startingat the origin, the positive direction of each axis is represented by a line.

This lesson describes the following coordinate systems:

• Absolute coordinate system (ACS)

• Work coordinate system (WCS)

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Coordinate systems

Absolute coordinate system

The absolute coordinate system, or model space, has the location andorientation coordinate of a datum CSYS and the working coordinate systemin use when a new Model template is opened. The datum CSYS in thetemplate is actual model geometry; however, the absolute coordinate systemis a conceptual location and orientation.

Other coordinate systems may be defined, but one particular coordinatesystem, called the work coordinate system or WCS, is used for construction.

You can always return the WCS to the absolute coordinate system in anypart, regardless of whether any geometric coordinate system exists with thatlocation and orientation.

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Coordinate systems

Work coordinate system

You can locate and orient the WCS anywhere in model space.

The WCS is not itself a geometric entity; however, it can be positioned onan existing coordinate system entity.

The WCS axes have identifying colors. X is red, Y is green, and Z is blue.

WCS axes also have the letter C appended to the axis name.

You must consider the location and orientation of the WCS when you:

• Create a fixed datum plane or fixed datum axis.

• Create a rectangular instance array.

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Coordinate systems

The WCSYou can access WCS options from the Utility toolbar or by choosingFormat→WCS on the menu bar.

Options available to manipulate the WCS include:

Origin Specify the location without changing theorientation.

Dynamics Use handles to adjust the origin andorientation.

Rotate Specify rotations in a dialog box

Orient Use a dialog box with Dynamic, Absolute,Current View, and several other methods.

Change XCDirection

Use a dialog box with several options to specifythe XC axis.

Change YCDirection

Use a dialog box with several options to specifythe YC axis.

Display Show or hide the WCS.

Save Create a CSYS geometry entity at the currentWCS origin and orientation.

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Coordinate systems

Access WCS DynamicsYou can access WCS Dynamics in one of these ways:

• Double-click the WCS in the graphics window.

• Click WCS Dynamics on the Utility toolbar.

• From the main menu, choose Format→WCS→Dynamics.

You can exit WCS Dynamics mode in one of these ways:

• Press Esc.

• Click the middle mouse button.

• On the Utility toolbar, click WCS Dynamics .

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Coordinate systems

Dynamic Handles

1 Translation

2 Rotation

3 Origin

Move the WCS (freeform)

1. Place the cursor over the origin handle (cube-shaped) on the WCS.

2. Drag the WCS to any location.

Move the WCS origin to a point

To move the WCS origin to a specific point:

1. (Optional) Use the Snap Point options on the Selection Bar to enable oneor more point selection methods.

2. Indicate the snap or screen position to which you want to move the WCS.

You can also use the point constructor .

The WCS moves to the specified point.

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Coordinate systems

Drag the WCS along an axis

1. Place the cursor over any of the three translation handles on the WCS.

2. Drag the WCS in either direction along the axis.

Move the location of the WCS along an axis using a dynamic input box

1. Place the cursor over any of the three translation handles and click.

2. Type a value in the dynamic input box.

3. Press Enter.

Rotate the WCS

1. Place the cursor over any of the three rotation handles.

2. Drag to rotate the WCS around its axis.

Dynamic input boxes indicate current angle and snap increment.

Orient the WCS to an object

1. Select one of the WCS axes.

2. Select an object, such as an edge, to which you want to align the WCS.

To specify a vector, in the WCS Dynamics dialog bar, click Vector

Constructor .

The WCS orients to be parallel with the object, without changing theorigin coordinates.

Reverse the direction of the WCS

To flip the WCS 180 degrees:

• Double-click one of the WCS axes.

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Coordinate systems

ActivityIn the Coordinate Systems section, do the following activity:

• The working coordinate system (WCS)

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Coordinate systems

SummaryThe absolute coordinate system is a stationary coordinate system that definesa fixed point in model space while the work coordinate system (WCS) is amobile coordinate system that may be moved and reoriented as necessaryto support other functions.

In this lesson you:

• Identified the difference between the absolute coordinate system andthe work coordinate system.

• Relocated, rotated, and reoriented the WCS.

• Reviewed the Point Constructor and CSYS Constructor.

• Obtained geometry information relative to the WCS.

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Lesson

4 Sketch Task Environment

Purpose

This lesson introduces the methods of creating a sketch.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a sketch.

• Create sketch curves.

• Apply dimensional constraints to sketches.

• Apply geometric constraints to sketches.

• Identify constraints.

• Convert sketch curves and constraints to reference status.

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Sketch Task Environment

Sketcher overviewThe Sketch Task Environment, informally called the sketcher, is an NXapplication that you use to create two-dimensional geometry within a part.

A sketch is a named collection of 2D curves and points residing on a planethat you specify. You can use sketches to address a wide variety of designneeds. For example, you might create:

• Detailed part features by sweeping, extruding, or revolving a sketch into asolid or a sheet body.

• Large-scale 2D concept layouts with hundreds, or even thousands, ofsketch curves.

• Construction geometry, such as a path of motion, or a clearance arc, thatis not meant to define a part feature.

This lesson shows you examples of sketches that define features.

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Sketch Task Environment

Constraints overview

Sketcher tools let you fully capture your design intent through geometric anddimensional relationships that we refer to collectively as constraints.

Use constraints to create parameter-driven designs that you can updateeasily and predictably.

Sketcher evaluates constraints as you work to update geometry and to ensurethat they do not conflict.

A fully constrained sketch has as many constraints as there are degrees offreedom in the sketch, so that there can be no ambiguity in the final shape.

While it is not required, UGS recommends that you fully constrainsketches that define feature profiles.

Sketcher also offers you the flexibility to create as many, or as few, constraintsas your design requires. That means you can use Sketcher to create wireframedrawings that can serve a wide variety of up-front design purposes, and arenot meant for downstream processing.

Optional toolbar buttons, Inferred Constraints, which opens the InferredConstraints dialog box, and Create Inferred Constraints, which is hidden andactive by default, allow you to mix constrained and unconstrained geometryin a single sketch.

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Sketch Task Environment

Sketch types

When you create a sketch, you can define its plane and orientation usingone of two methods:

• Sketch in Place

Use this option to sketch on an existing planar face or datum plane, or ona new datum plane.

• Sketch on Path

This is a specialized type of constrained sketch that you use to create aprofile for a Variational Sweep feature, discussed in Intermediate NXDesign and Assemblies. You can also use the Sketch on Path option toposition a sketch for features like Extrude and Revolve. Select a targetpath and define a sketch plane location on that path.

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Sketch Task Environment

Using sketches as base features

Does the sketch that you are creating define the base feature for the part?

If yes, create an appropriate datum plane or datum coordinate system onwhich to sketch.

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Sketch Task Environment

Using sketches to modify existing features

Is the sketch adding to an existing base feature?

If yes, select an existing datum plane or part face, or create a new datum planewith an appropriate relationship to existing datum planes or part geometry.

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Sketch Task Environment

Other applications for sketches

You will also find sketches useful in free form designs. Consider them forguide paths for swept features, or as section curves for free form features.

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Sketch Task Environment

The sketch process

The steps typically involved are:

1. Select a sketch plane and horizontal reference.

2. (Optional) Rename the sketch.

3. Set your options for Inferred Constraints.

4. Create the sketch.

Depending on your settings, Sketcher creates many constraintsautomatically.

5. (Optional) Add, modify, or delete constraints.

6. (Optional) Drag the shape or modify dimension parameters.

7. Exit Sketcher.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create a new sketch

1. (Optional) Set the work layer for the sketch.

2. Click Sketch .

3. Define the sketch plane.

• For a base feature, select an existing datum or create a datum CSYSfrom the Create Sketch dialog box.

• For a detail feature, select a planar face of a body, a relative datum, orcreate a relative datum from the Create Sketch dialog box.

4. Define a horizontal or vertical reference.

5. (Optional) Name the sketch.

6. Click OK.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create a sketch on an existing plane or planar face

When you first create a sketch, you must define a plane on which to placethe sketch curves.

You can define the sketch plane as an existing planar face, relative datumplane, or a datum plane belonging to a datum CSYS. You can also create arelative datum plane or a datum CSYS from the Create Sketch dialog box.

To create the sketch on an existing face, datum plane, or datum CSYS plane:

1. Select the planar face, datum plane, or datum CSYS plane.

2. Define a horizontal or a vertical reference.

3. Click OK.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create a sketch on a new plane

To create a datum plane from the Create Sketch dialog box:

1. In the Sketch Plane group, expand the Plane Option list and selectCreate Plane.

2. Select the required method and objects to define the datum plane, or open

the Plane Constructor .

3. Click the middle mouse button to complete the step.

4. Define a horizontal or vertical reference.

5. Click OK.

To create a datum CSYS instead of a datum plane in the aboveprocedure, in the Plane Option list, select Create Datum CSYS.

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Sketch Task Environment

Reference direction

You must specify a reference object with which to determine the horizontaland vertical sketch directions.

In some cases, such as with a datum CSYS, a direction reference objectis inferred, but there must always be a direction reference object with atimestamp earlier than the sketch.

The default reference direction is horizontal.

If there is no linear object in the desired direction, you may specify a verticalreference.

To change the direction of an axis:

• To reverse the direction of a sketch axis, double-click the vector conehead.

• To specify a new direction, first select the axis to change and then selecta straight object. The object is projected to the sketch plane to definethe new direction.

If you select a datum plane as the sketch plane, a Z axis is displayed.Change the normal of the sketch plane by double-clicking the Z axis.

In the following example, the shaded face (1) is specified as the placementface. An edge (2) is defined as the vertical reference. The resulting sketchorientation is shown on the right.

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Sketch Task Environment

Name sketches on the toolbarGive descriptive names to external sketches.

Sketches are assigned a default name with a numeric suffix such asSKETCH_000, or SKETCH_001. You can rename any sketch to a moredescriptive name.

1. On the Sketcher toolbar, select the name of the sketch.

2. Type a new name and press Enter.

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Sketch Task Environment

Name sketches using the Sketch Properties dialog box

1. When you edit a sketch, from the main menu , choose Task→SketchProperties.

2. Click the General tab.

3. Type a new name in the Name box.

4. Click OK.

You can also access the Sketch Properties dialog box from:

• Over a sketch node in the Part Navigator, right-click and selectProperties.

• Over a sketch in the graphics window: right-click and selectProperties.

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Sketch Task Environment

Sketches and layers

• The sketch environment keeps all objects created in or imported into anexternal sketch in the same layer.

• If you edit an external sketch the work layer is set as the layer in whichyou created (or moved) the sketch.

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Sketch Task Environment

ActivityIn the Sketch Task Environment section, do the following activity:

• Sketch creation

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Sketch Task Environment

Internal and external sketchesSketches that you create from within commands like Extrude or Revolve areinternal sketches. The parent feature manages access to, and the display of,internal sketches. Use internal sketches when you want to associate thesketch with only one feature.

Sketches that you create independently using the Sketch command areexternal sketches, and are visible and accessible from anywhere within apart. Use an external sketch to keep the sketch visible or to use in morethan one feature.

Differences between internal and external sketches

• Internal sketches are visible in the graphics window only when you editthe parent feature.

• External sketches are created in the current work layer.

You can hide external sketches using the Part Navigator. Use LayerSettings for more advanced control over visibility of sketches.

• You can access an internal sketch only through the parent feature.That is, you cannot open an internal sketch directly from the Sketcherenvironment.

• You cannot use an internal sketch with any feature other than its parentunless you externalize the sketch. Once you make a sketch external, theformer parent has no control over the sketch.

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Sketch Task Environment

Making internal sketches external

To externalize an internal sketch, right–click the owning feature in the PartNavigator and choose Make Sketch External.

NX places the sketch before its former owner in Timestamp order.

To reverse this operation, identify the child feature by highlighting or theDependencies group, right-click the child feature, and choose Make SketchInternal.

Make Sketch Internal does not appear if the sketch has more than onechild feature.

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Sketch Task Environment

Sketch curvesCreate sketch curves using the Sketch Curve toolbar.

Icon Name Function Key

ProfileCreates a series of connected lines or arcs.

The end of the last curve becomes the beginningof the next curve.

Z

Line Creates lines.

Arc Creates a arc through three points or by centerand end points. A

Circle Creates a circle through three points or centerand diameter.

DerivedLines

Creates new lines from existing lines: parallelto a line, the midline of parallel lines, or thebisector of lines at angle.

QuickTrim

Trims a curve to closest intersection or to aselected boundary. T

QuickExtend

Extends a curve to a nearby curve or to a selectedboundary.

MakeCorner Extends or trims two curves to make a corner.

Fillet Creates a fillet between two or three curves. F

Rectangle Enables three methods to create rectangles. R

StudioSpline

Dynamically creates and edits splines.

Introduced in Intermediate NX Design andAssemblies.

Fully discussed in Mechanical Free FormModeling and Industrial Design with NX.

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Sketch Task Environment

Inferred Constraints

As you create curves, the Sketcher can assign some geometric constraints.

You can control which constraints are assigned by adding Inferred Constraints

to the Sketch Constraints toolbar.

When you preview a constraint, click the middle mouse button to lock theconstraint.

Constraints are discussed in more detail later.

If you need to create a curve without a constraint that would normallybe inferred, hold the Alt key while you place the curve.

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Sketch Task Environment

Help lines

Help lines indicate the alignment to control points of curves, including lineendpoints and midpoints, arc endpoints, and arc and circle center points. Twotypes of help lines are displayed during the creation of curves:

• A dotted help line shows the alignment with recently-created or recentlyhighlighted objects.

• A dashed help line is part of the preview for an inferred constraint. Asyou create curves, dashed help lines are displayed for certain types ofconstraints, such as perpendicular and tangent.

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Sketch Task Environment

Short list

Sketcher maintains a memory of five objects called the short list to check for:

• Inferred constraints.

• Help lines.

Curves are added to the list as you:

• Create them.

• Pass your cursor over a curve.

Additional notes about the short list:

• Lines snap normally along their length to short listed curves, whichincludes lines, arcs, ellipses, conics, and splines.

• Lines, arcs, and circles snap tangentially along their length to the shortlisted curves, including lines, arcs, ellipses, conics, and splines.

• To lock an inferred constraint click the middle mouse button.

To unlock a locked constraint, click the middle mouse button again.

• The short list is structured from top to bottom. When curves are createdor passed over with the cursor, they are placed on top of the short list.When the list is full, the curve at the bottom is removed and a new curveis added at the top.

• Sketcher clears the short list when you leave a curve option.

• When Sketcher infers a constraint between an object on the short list andthe curve currently being created, the short list object is highlighted andyou see a preview of the constraint.

• As you preview when you create a curve, all enabled constraint types(for example, Perpendicular and Collinear) are checked against the topobject on the list.

When a constraint condition is found, the constraint is previewed andthe short list object is highlighted.

If there are no valid constraints, the tests are repeated for the secondobject on the list, and so on until the bottom of the list is reached.

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Sketch Task Environment

Profile

The Profile option lets you create a series of connected lines and/or arcs instring mode; that is, the end of the last curve becomes the beginning of thenext curve.

Here is a pipe vise profile that you can easily create with a series of mouseclicks using the Profile option.

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Sketch Task Environment

Stopping string mode

Sometimes you need to create one or more curves that do not start at theprevious end point. To do this, you need to break the current string of curvesand begin a new string.

When the Sketcher is not currently showing you an inferred constraintpreview, you can stop string mode by clicking the middle mouse button.

When you click the middle mouse button when an inferred constraintpreview is displayed, the click locks the constraint.

Press the Esc key while you are previewing a line or arc to cancel the previewand end the current string.

If you press Esc again before starting a new curve string, you will exitfrom the Profile option.

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Sketch Task Environment

Using a mouse gesture to create an arc in string mode

While you are creating a profile string you can transition from the defaultline creation to create a single arc by clicking and dragging.

To change the type of curve to create persistently, click the Line or Arcbutton.

When you transition from a line to an arc or from one arc to another arc, thequadrant zone symbol is displayed.

The quadrants that contain the curve and its opposite vertex, (1) and (2) inthe preceding illustration, are tangent quadrants.

If you move your cursor out from one of the tangent quadrants, the arcextends in a tangent direction to the line or arc at its endpoint.

If active in Inferred Constraints, you create a Tangent and a Coincidentconstraint.

Quadrants (3) and (4) are perpendicular quadrants.

Control the direction of the arc by placing the cursor inside of one of thequadrants and then moving the cursor out of the quadrant in either aclockwise or counterclockwise direction.

If you move your cursor out from one of the perpendicular quadrants, the arcextends in a direction perpendicular to the line or arc at its endpoint.

If active in Inferred Constraints, you create a Coincident constraint and aPoint on Curve constraint between the arc center and the previous line.

If you change your mind about which quadrant to sketch from, move thecursor back into the quadrant of your choice before you click to place thesecond point of the arc.

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Sketch Task Environment

Object Type options in Profile

Object Type

Line

Draws lines. This is the default mode when you initiallychoose the Profile option.

XY-coordinates are used for the first line you draw.

Length and angle parameters are used for the second andsubsequent lines.

ArcCreates a two point arc when you string from line to arc.

Creates a three point arc when the first object you create instring mode is an arc.

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Sketch Task Environment

Input Mode

Input Mode

CoordinateMode

Lets you specify curve creation using X and Ycoordinate values.

Double-click the button to set and lock CoordinateMode.

Parameter Mode

Lets you specify a curve object’s parameters.

Lines use Length and Angle parameters.

Arcs use Radius and Sweep Angle parameters.

Circles use a Diameter parameter.

Fillets use a Radius parameter.

Double-click the button to set and lock ParameterMode.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create lines parallel or perpendicular to other lines

1. Define the line’s start point by entering parameters or click a location.

2. Ensure that parallel and perpendicular constraints are selected on theInferred Constraints dialog box.

3. Pass your cursor over the target line for the constraint, then move yourcursor until you see the appropriate constraint.

A line can snap tangent to all types of curves or edges, including lines,arcs, ellipses, conics and splines, if the Tangent constraint is on in InferredConstraints.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create lines tangent to curves

1. Define the line’s start point by entering parameters or click a location.

2. Ensure that tangent constraints are selected on the Inferred Constraintsdialog box.

3. Pass your cursor over the target curve for the constraint, then move yourcursor until you see the appropriate constraint.

A line can snap tangent to all types of curves or edges, including lines, arcs,ellipses, conics and splines.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create lines at angles

1. Lock a parallel, perpendicular, or collinear constraint to the original line.

After locking, the Length and Relative Angle input boxes appear.

2. In the dynamic input box, specify a relative angle and press Tab or Enter,

Length 23.855RelativeAngle

45.0

The new direction displays with a second, dashed help line. The angle ismeasured with respect to the previewed constraint line.

Positive angles are measured counterclockwise. Negative angles aremeasured clockwise.

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Sketch Task Environment

PointsYou can create and constrain points as members of a sketch. From the menubar, while a sketch is active, choose Insert→Point.

If you use points frequently, you can display the Point button on theSketch Curve toolbar.

You can also create an Associative Point that references an object thatis not a member of the active sketch.

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Sketch Task Environment

Snap Point options on the Selection Bar

Icon Name Description

Enable SnapPoint

Enables the snap point options so thatsnapping to points on objects occurs.

End Point Select end points of lines, arcs, conics, splines,and all edge types.

Mid Point Select mid points of lines, open arcs, and alledge types.

Control Point Select a control point of a geometric object. 1

IntersectionPoint

Select a point at the intersection of two curveswith one pick.

Arc Center Select an arc center point.

Quadrant Point Select one of four quadrant points of a circle.

Existing Point Select an existing point.

Tangent Point Select a tangent point on circles, conics, andsolid edges.

Two-curveIntersection

Select the intersection point of two objects thatdo not fit within the selection ball by makingtwo separate picks. 2

Point on Curve Select a point on a curve.

1. Control points include existing points, end points of conics, center points of circles, end points and knot points of splines, andend points and mid points of lines and open arcs.2. Two Curve Intersection supports the following objects: line, circle, conic, spline, and solid edge.

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Sketch Task Environment

Icon Name Description

Point onSurface Select a point on a surface.

PointConstructor Open the Point dialog box.

If none of the enabled point types lies inside the selection ball, you canclick to create a point at the cursor location.

Some snap point options are unavailable for certain functions.

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Sketch Task Environment

Constraints recognized by snap point

The following constraints work in conjunction with the snap point options.That is, NX recognizes these constraints only if an applicable snap pointoption is selected.

Coincident Point on Curve

Midpoint Point on String

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Sketch Task Environment

Inferred ConstraintsYou can control which constraint settings NX automatically infers duringcurve construction by setting one or more of the following Inferred Constraintsdialog box options.

Geometric constraints

Horizontal Collinear

Vertical Concentric

Tangent Equal Length

Derived Line only

Parallel Equal Radius

Perpendicular

Dimensionalconstraints

You can use this option to create an inferred dimensionalconstraint when you enter values in the dynamic inputboxes for Profile, Line, Arc, Circle or Rectangle.

Inferred constraints behave like normally applied geometric constraintsand can be seen and deleted using the Show/Remove Constraintsdialog or the Delete option.

You can temporarily disable all of the inferred constraints during curveconstruction by pressing and holding the Alt key on Windows or theCtrl+Alt keys on UNIX.

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Sketch Task Environment

The Snap Angle option

The Snap Angle option in the Sketch Preferences dialog box lets you specifythe value of the default snap angle tolerance for vertical, horizontal, parallel,and perpendicular lines.

The default snap angle is 3 degrees.

The maximum value you can specify is 20 degrees.

If you do not want lines to automatically snap to the horizontal or verticaldirections, set the snap angle to zero degrees.

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Sketch Task Environment

ActivityIn the Sketch Task Environment section, do the following activity:

• Profile

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Sketch Task Environment

Sketch curve functionsThe Sketch Curve toolbar has several options you can use to modify curves:

• Quick Trim

• Quick Extend

• Make Corner

• Fillet

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Sketch Task Environment

Quick Trim

To access the Quick Trim command, do one of the following:

• On the Sketch Curve toolbar, click Quick Trim .

• Choose Edit→Quick Trim.

You can:

• Trim multiple curves with a left mouse press-and-drag operation.

• Preview which portion of a curve will trim by passing the cursor overthe curve.

Trimming a curve that has no intersection deletes the curve.

Quick Trim constraints

When the Create Inferred Constraints option is active, the Sketcher infersappropriate constraints after a trim operation.

Constraint Trim Operation

Concentric An arc in the middle.

Coincident Intersecting lines to an intersection point.

Point on Curve A curve to a boundary curve.

Collinear A line in the middle

Equal Radius An arc in the middle.

Tangent A curve at the tangent point of a boundary curve.

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Sketch Task Environment

Quick Trim example

Use the Boundary Curve group in the Quick Trim dialog box to specify one ormore bounding curves.

In the example shown, both the arc on the left and the spline on the rightwere selected as boundary curves. With the cursor on the top line, (betweenthe two boundary curves), the center section is previewed as the portion tobe removed.

When a curve is trimmed, appropriate constraints are automatically created.In the previous example, two Point on Curve constraints and one Collinearconstraint are added. If one of the boundary curves is later trimmed to theline, the Point on Curve constraint would change to Coincident.

If you trim an arc to a line that is tangent, the tangency constraint is retained.

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Quick Extend

To access the Quick Extend command, do one of the following:

• On the Sketch Curve toolbar, click Quick Extend .

• Choose Edit→Quick Extend.

You can:

• Extend multiple curves by dragging the mouse over the target curves.

• Preview which portion of a curve will extend by passing the cursor overthe curve.

Use the Boundary Curve group in the Quick Trim dialog box to specify one ormore bounding curves.

Quick Extend constraints

Sketcher infers appropriate constraints after an extend operation.

Constraint Extend Operation

Coincident A curve to the endpoint of another curve.

Point on Curve A curve to a boundary curve.

Tangent A curve to a tangent point of a boundary curve.

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Sketch Task Environment

Make Corner

To access the Make Corner command, do one of the following:

• On the Sketch Curve toolbar, click Make Corner .

• Choose Edit→Make Corner.

If Create Inferred Constraints is active, NX creates a coincident constraint atthe intersection.

The Make Corner command works with:

• Lines

• Arcs

• Open conics

• Open splines — trimming only

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Fillet

To access the Fillet command, do one of the following:

• On the Sketch Curve toolbar, click Fillet .

• Choose Insert→Fillet.

You can:

• Trim all input curves or leave them untrimmed.

• Delete the third curve of a three-curve fillet.

• Specify a value for the fillet radius, or preview the fillet and determine itssize and location by moving the cursor.

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Sketch Task Environment

Constraints basicsConstraints lets you precisely control the objects in a sketch. There are twotypes of constraints:

• Geometric constraints

• Dimensional constraints

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Sketch Task Environment

Degrees of freedom

In Sketcher, a curve’s location and shape are mathematically determinedby analyzing the constraints (rules) placed on the sketch curves. Thedegree-of-freedom arrow provides visual feedback about the constraint statusof a sketch curve. Each sketch curve type has different degree-of-freedomarrows when initially created.

Curve Degrees of Freedom Description

Points have two degrees of freedoms.

Lines have four degrees of freedom: two at each endpoint.

Circles have three degrees of freedom: two at the center andone for the radius.

Arcs have five degrees of freedom: two at the center, one forthe radius, and two for the start and end angle.

Other curve types, such as conics and splines, can have even moredegrees of freedom. Please see the online Help for details.

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Sketch Task Environment

Degree-of-freedom arrows

Degree-of-freedom (DOF) arrows mark points on a sketch that are free tomove.

These arrows assist you in constraining a sketch by showing you thedirections you need to constrain for each point. When you constrain a point,NX removes the DOF arrow.

When all of the arrows are gone, the sketch is fully constrained.

There are three types of degrees-of-freedom: positional, rotational, and radius.

Note that constraining a sketch is optional. You can still use anunderconstrained sketch to define a feature. Constrain a sketch whenyou need greater control of the design. Also, applying one constraintcan remove several DOF arrows.

1 This point is free to move in the X direction.2 This point is free to move in the Y direction.3 This point is free to move in both the X and Y directions.

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Sketch Task Environment

Geometric constraintsA geometric constraint establishes a geometric characteristic of a sketchobject or the type of relationship between two or more objects.

You can:

• Define a line as being horizontal.

• Require that two lines be parallel or perpendicular.

• Require that several arcs have the same radius.

Unlike dimensional constraints, geometric constraints have no editablenumeric values; a constant angle constraint, for instance, simply dictates thatthe line stay at the angle it is at when the constraint is applied.

To create geometric constraints: click Constraints , select the objects,and choose the desired constraint from the dialog bar. Only icons forconstraints that apply to the selected geometry are displayed.

1. On the Sketch Constraints toolbar, click Constraints

2. Select the objects.

3. Click the desired constraint on the dialog bar.

Only icons for constraints that apply to the selected geometry aredisplayed.

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Sketch Task Environment

You may also choose a constraint from the shortcut menu after selectingthe geometry.

To assign multiple constraints at one time, press the Ctrl key whileselecting the objects. The dialog bar for the constraints remains activeafter you choose the first constraint. Use the middle mouse button orthe Esc key to deselect the objects.

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Sketch Task Environment

Types of Geometric Constraints

Coincident Constrains two or more points as having thesame location.

Collinear Constrains two or more linear objects as lying onor passing through the same theoretical straightline.

Concentric Constrains two or more arcs as having the samecenter.

Constant Angle Constrains a line so as to remain in its currentorientation without input of an angular value.

Constant Length Constrains a line so as to remain at its currentlength without input of a length value.

Equal Length Constrains two or more lines as being the samelength.

Equal Radius Constrains two or more arcs as having the sameradius value.

Fixed Constrains unchangeable characteristics forgeometry, depending on the type of geometryselected. You can apply a Fixed constraint to anindividual sketch point or to an entire object.

Horizontal Constrains a line as being parallel to the FCSX-axis.

Midpoint Constrains the location of a point to beequidistant from both ends of the curve.

Select the curve anywhere other than atits end points.

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Sketch Task Environment

Parallel Constrains two or more linear objects as beingparallel to each other.

Perpendicular Constrains two linear objects as beingperpendicular to each other.

Point on Curve Constrains the location of a point as lying on thepath or projection of a curve.

Point on String Constrains the location of a point as lying on anextracted string.

Scale,Non–Uniform

Scales a spline in the horizontal direction whilekeeping the original dimensions in the verticaldirection during modification.

Scale, Uniform Scales a spline proportionally in both thehorizontal and vertical when the horizontallength changes.

Slope of Curve Constrains a spline, selected at a defining point,and another object as being tangent to eachother at the selected point.

Tangent Constrains two objects as being tangent to eachother.

Vertical Constrains a line as being parallel to the FCSY-axis.

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Displaying constraint symbols

Constraint symbols are displayed when a sketch is active.

Show All Constraints displays the symbols for all constraints in theactive sketch.

Fixed

Fully FixedConstant Angle

Collinear Concentric 3

Horizontal Tangent 3

Vertical Equal Radius

Parallel Coincident 3

Perpendicular Point on Curve 3

Equal Length Midpoint of Curve 3

Constant Length Point on String

Mirror Scale, Uniform

Slope of Curve 4 Scale, Non-Uniform 4

Associative Trim 4 Offset

If the sketch view is zoomed out, some symbols may not be displayed.Zoom in to see them, or clear the Dynamic Constraint Display sketchpreference.

3. Indicates constraints that are always displayed, regardless of the state of the Show All Constraints option.4. Applies only to splines.

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Sketch Task Environment

Show or remove constraints

The Show/Remove Constraints dialog box displays the geometric constraintsthat are associated with selected sketch geometry. You can also removespecified constraints, or list information about all geometric constraints.

ListConstraintsfor

Controls which constraints are listed in the ShowConstraints list window.

Selected Object — Lets you select only one object at atime. Selecting a different object automatically deselectsthe previously selected object. The list window showsthe constraints related to the selected object. This is thedefault setting.

Selected Objects — Lets you select multiple objects byselecting them one by one, or at once using the rectangleselection method. Selecting additional objects does notdeselect the previously selected objects. The list windowlists the constraints related to all selected objects. Thisis the default setting when objects are already selectedbefore you enter this dialog box.

All in Active Sketch — Shows all the constraints in theactive sketch.

ConstraintType

Filters the type(s) of constraints that are displayed inthe list box.

Include orExclude

Determines whether the specified Constraint Type is theonly type displayed in the list box (Include is the default)or the only type not displayed (Exclude).

ShowConstraints

Lets you control the display of constraints in the listwindow. Options are:

Explicit — Displays all constraints created explicitly orimplicitly by the user, including all non-inferred coincidentconstraints, but excluding all inferred coincidentconstraints created by the system during curve creation.

Inferred — Displays all inferred coincident constraintsthat are automatically created by the system during curvecreation.

Both — Displays both explicit and inferred types ofconstraints.

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Show Constraints list window — Lists the geometricconstraints of the selected sketch geometry. The list issubject to the Explicit, Inferred or Both setting. Thoseconstraints that are inferred, coincident geometricconstraints, (created automatically by the system duringcurve creation) are appended with an "I" symbol inparenthesis, as in (I).

RemoveHighlighted

Lets you remove one or more constraints by selectingthem in the constraints list window and then choosingthis option.

RemoveListed

Removes all of the listed constraints displayed in theShow Constraints list window.

Information

Displays information about all geometric constraintsin the active sketch in the Information window. Thisoption is useful if you want to save or print the constraintinformation.

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Sketch Task Environment

Dimensional constraintsTo choose the dimension type, on the Sketch Constraints toolbar, use theDimension list, or choose Insert→Dimension.

After you choose a dimension type, the Dimensions dialog bar is displayed.

On the dialog bar, click Sketch Dimensions Dialog if you need toaccess options in the dialog box.

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Sketch Task Environment

Dimension types

InferredAllows Sketcher to intelligently infer a dimensiontype, based on the cursor position and the object(s)selected.

Horizontal Creates a distance constraint parallel to the XC axisbetween two points.

Vertical Creates a distance constraint parallel to the YC axisbetween two points.

ParallelCreates a distance constraint between two points.

The parallel dimension is the shortest distancebetween the two points.

PerpendicularCreates a perpendicular distance constraint from aline to a point.

Diameter Creates a diameter constraint for an arc or circle.

Radius Creates a radius constraint for an arc or circle.

Angular Dimensions an angle.

Perimeter

Constrains the collective lengths of selected curvesof a sketch profile to a desired value.

The curves allowed for selection with the Perimeterconstraint are lines and arcs.

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Sketch Task Environment

Create inferred dimensions

1. Select one or more sketch curves to dimension.

2. Drag the dimension until it is the correct type; for example, horizontalor parallel.

3. Place the dimension by clicking.

4. Drag the dimension to the desired location.

An expression is created for each dimension.

The name (1) and value (2) of the expression appear in the dynamic inputwindow after the dimension is placed. Type a new name or value, and pressEnter.

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Sketch Task Environment

Edit dimensions

To edit the value or the name:

1. Double-click the dimension.

2. Edit the value or the name in the dynamic input box.

3. Press Enter.

To edit the position, drag the dimension.

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Edits using the Dimensions dialog boxName Type a new name in the text entry

field.Value Type a new value in the text entry

field or use the slider.Position Drag the dimension to new position.Text placement Select a different option from the

option menu.Leader side Select a different option from the

option menu.Text height Type a new text size in the text entry

field.

The name and value of a dimension may also be edited by using theExpressions dialog box. As dimensions are edited, the constraints areevaluated and the geometry is modified.

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Sketch Task Environment

Retain Dimensions

When you exit after editing a sketch, the dimensions are normally hidden.

You can retain the dimensions by selecting the Retain Dimensions check boxin the Sketch Preferences dialog box.

You can retain dimensions only for the active sketch after you finish editing it.

You may have a mixture of sketches with and without retained dimensions.

Use this setting when you need to display dimensions for a sketch that is notactive. For example, use it to see expression names as you edit or createother sketches or features.

You can print of plot retained dimensions.

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Sketch Task Environment

Attach Dimension

The Attach Dimension command detaches a dimension from the geometry itreferences and attaches it to other geometry that you specify. You can:

• Retain the value of the expression and resize the target geometry tomatch it.

• Measure the target geometry and assign that value to the expression.

Attaching a dimension

1. Right–click the dimension and choose Attach Dimension, or chooseTools→Constraints→Attach Dimension and select the dimension.

2. Click the middle mouse button to alternate between the default, Object2, and Object 1.

3. In the Settings group, set the Expression Mode to Remove Expression,Measure Geometry or Keep Expression, Adjust Geometry.

4. Select the new geometry.

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Convert To/From ReferenceCurves and dimensional constraints within a sketch may be converted toand from reference status.

NX ignores reference curves in downstream operations like Extrude orRevolve.

Reference dimensions update associatively, but do not control the curvesthey measure.

To convert objects, do one of the following:

• Select them in the graphics window and choose Convert To/FromReference from the shortcut menu.

• On the Sketch Constraints toolbar, click Convert To/From Reference

and use the dialog box.

• Over a curve (or several selected curves) right-click and hold, and choose

from the radial menu.

Create reference dimensions by choosing Create Reference Dimension

on the Dimensions dialog bar.

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Evaluating and updating sketchesThe Delay Evaluation command prevents geometry changes as one or moredimensions are modified.

This option does not delay evaluation when you drag curves, or whenyou use Quick Trim or Quick Extend.

Click on the Sketcher toolbar or, from the menu bar, chooseTools→Delay Sketch Evaluation.

The Evaluate Sketch command causes NX to evaluate the current sketchwhen Delay Evaluation is active.

Click on the Sketcher toolbar or, from the menu bar, chooseTools→Evaluate Sketch.

The Update Model command forces the model to update without leavingthe sketch function.

The model is updated automatically when you exit from the sketch taskenvironment.

Click on the Sketcher toolbar or, from the menu bar, chooseTools→Update Model.

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Sketch Task Environment

Creating inferred constraintsThe Create Inferred Constraints option lets you make all inferred constraintsactive or inactive as you create and/or edit sketch geometry.

Create Inferred Constraints is active by default. The button is available, butby default not displayed, on the Sketch Constraints toolbar.

When you drag a sketch object you can make use of inferred constraints,such as horizontal or vertical.

If the Create Inferred Constraints option is inactive, Sketcher still showstemporary help lines and uses constraints and snapping to place geometry,but it does not store the constraints.

If the Create Inferred Constraintsoption is active, Sketcher creates and storesconstraints selected in the dialog box.

You control which constraints are inferred during the creation of curves using

the Inferred Constraints dialog box.

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Sketch Task Environment

Deleting or suppressing sketchesSince sketches are features, you delete or suppress them by choosingEdit→Delete or Edit→Feature→Suppress.

You can also delete or suppress sketches from the Part Navigator.

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Sketch Task Environment

ActivitiesIn the Sketch Task Environment section, do the following activities:

• Constrain a profile

• Sketch and constrain a gasket

• Constraint conditions

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SummaryThis lesson introduced the concept of creating a sketch.

Sketches may be used to define a base feature, guide paths, and additionalassociative features to the base feature.

A sketch parametrically controls curves. It is defined on a sketch plane whichis fixed or associative to a datum plane or face of a model.

Constraints are applied to sketch objects in order to capture the designintent. The number of constraints you choose to apply is determined by yourdesign intent.

In this lesson you:

• Created sketches on datum planes, solid faces, and a Datum CSYS.

• Created freehand curves in a sketch.

• Created and edited dimensional constraints.

• Created inferred and explicit geometric constraints.

• Converted sketch curves and dimensions to reference status.

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Lesson

5 Datum features

Purpose

This lesson introduces the Datum Plane and Datum Axis features.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a datum plane.

• Create a datum axis.

• Use datum features to position other features.

• Create a datum CSYS.

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Datum features

Datum PlanesA datum plane is a planar reference feature.

Use datum planes as aids to create other features, such as swept bodies andfeatures at angles to the faces of target solids.

Datum planes can be relative or fixed.

Relative datum planes reference curves, faces, edges, points, and otherdatums. You can create relative datum planes across multiple bodies.

Fixed datum planes do not reference other geometry. Use any of therelative datum plane methods to create fixed datum planes by clearing theAssociative check box in the Datum Plane dialog box.

You can also create fixed datum planes based on the WCS and absolutecoordinate system, or by using coefficients in an equation.

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Datum plane types

Select a plane type from the Type option list, or, click one of the frequentlyused plane type method buttons located below the option list.

You can right-click the sizing handles, direction arrows, and points tochoose many of the following options.

When you edit a datum plane, you can change its type, defining objects,and associative status.

Inferred Determine the best plane type to use based onobjects you select.

At DistanceCreate a datum plane parallel to a planarface or another datum plane at a distance youspecify.

At Angle Create a datum plane using a specified angle.

BisectorCreate a datum mid way between two selectedplanar faces or datum planes using thebisected angle.

Tangent to Face atPoint, Line or Face

Create a datum plane tangent to a non-planarsurface, and optionally a second selectedobject.

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Datum features

Datum plane options

Alternate SolutionCycle through the possible different solutionsfor the plane, when an alternate solution tothe previewed datum plane is available.

Reverse PlaneNormal Reverse the direction of the plane normal. 1

AssociativeClear this check box to create a fixed datumplane. If you later edit a non-associative datumplane, it appears in the Type list as Fixed. 2

1. Other ways to reverse the direction: Right-click the normal direction arrowhead and choose Reverse Direction. Double-click thenormal direction arrowhead.2. In the Part Navigator, an associative datum plane has the name Datum Plane, while a non-associative datum plane has the nameFixed Datum Plane.

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Datum features

Applications for datum planes

• To define a sketch plane.

• To serve as the planar placement face for the creation of features withpredefined shapes, such as holes.

• As a target edge for positioning features such as holes.

• For the mirror plane when using the Mirror Body and Mirror Featuecommands.

• To define the start or end limits when creating extruded and revolvedfeatures.

• To trim a body.

• To define positioning constraints in assemblies.

• To help define a relative datum axis.

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Datum features

Create datum planesThe following examples describe methods of creating common datum planetypes.

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Datum features

At Distance

1. On the Feature Operation toolbar, click Datum Plane , or chooseInsert→Datum/Point→Datum Plane.

2. In the Type group, click the At Distance button.

3. Select a planar face, datum plane, or plane.

4. Do one of the following:

• Click OK to accept a default value of 0 (zero).

• Type an offset value, press Enter, and click OK.

• Select the handle, drag the datum plane to the desired location andclick OK.

Inferred is the most commonly used datum plane type.

Other frequently used types are listed here.

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Datum features

At Angle

1. Click Datum Plane .

2. In the Type group, expand the list and select At Angle.

3. Select a planar face, datum plane, or plane, to use as a reference formeasuring the angle.

4. Select a linear curve, edge, or datum axis, that defines the angle’s axisof rotation.

5. Specify an angle using the dynamic input box or the drag handle.

6. Click OK.

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Datum features

Bisector

1. Click Datum Plane .

2. In the Type group, expand the list and select Bisector.

3. Select a planar face.

4. Select a second planar face.

The faces do not need to be parallel.

5. Click OK.

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Datum features

Tangent to Face at Point, Line or Face

1. Click Datum Plane .

2. In the Type group, expand the list and select Tangent to Face at Point,Line or Face.

3. (Optional) Specify a subtype; for example, Angle to Plane.

4. Select the required geometry for the subtype you chose.

5. (Optional) If it is available, click Alternate Solution until the correcttangent datum plane is previewed.

6. Click OK.

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Curves and Points, Three Points

1. Click Datum Plane .

2. In the Type group, expand the list and select Curves and Points.

3. In the Curves and Points Subtype group, expand the list and selectThree Points.

4. Set the snap point options as desired.

5. Select three points.

6. Click OK.

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ActivityIn the Datum features section, do the following activity:

• Relative datum planes

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Datum AxisUse datum axes as a reference when you create other objects, such as datumplanes, revolved features, and circular arrays.

Datum axes can be either relative or fixed.

A relative datum axis is associative to one or more other objects.

A fixed datum axis is fixed in the position in which it was created. Fixeddatum axes are non-associative.

You can create a fixed datum axis using the XC, YC, and ZC axes of the WCS,or by clearing the Associative option when using one of the relative axis types.

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Datum axis types

Select an axis type from the Type option list or click one of the frequentlyused axis type method buttons located below the option list.

When you edit a datum axis, you can change its type, defining objects, andassociative status.

You can right-click the handles and axis arrowheads to choose many ofthe options shown below.

Inferred Determine the best datum axis type touse based on objects you select.

Point and Direction Create a datum axis from a point in aspecified direction.

Two Points Create a datum axis by defining twopoints through which the axis passes.

On Curve Vector

Create a datum axis tangent, normal, orbinormal to a point on a curve or edge,or perpendicular or parallel to anotherobject.

IntersectionCreate a datum axis at the intersectionof two planar faces, datum planes, orplanes.

Curve/Face AxisCreate a datum axis on a linear curveor edge, or the axis of a cylindrical orconical face or torus.

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Datum axis options

Reverse Direction Cycle through the possible directions for theaxis normal.

Associative Clear this check box to create a fixed datumaxis. 3

3. In the Part Navigator, an associative datum plane has the name Datum Axis, while a non-associative datum plane has the nameFixed Datum Axis.

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Applications for datum axes

• Define an axis of rotation for revolved features.

• Define an axis of rotation for circular arrays.

• Define a relative datum plane.

• Provide a directional reference.

• Use as a target for feature positioning dimensions.

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Create datum axesThe following examples describe the creation of common datum axis types.

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Datum features

Two Points

1. On the Feature Operation toolbar, click Datum Axis or chooseInsert→Datum/Point→Datum Axis.

2. In the Type group, click Two Points .

3. Set the snap point options as desired.

4. Select two different point locations.

5. Click OK.

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Intersection

1. Click Datum Axis .

2. In the Type group, expand the list and select Intersection.

3. Select the planar faces, datum planes, or planes.

4. Click OK.

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Curve/Face Axis

1. Click Datum Axis .

2. In the Type group, from the option list, select Curve/Face Axis.

3. Select the linear curve or edge, or the axis of a cylindrical or conical faceor torus.

4. Click OK.

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Datum CSYSA datum CSYS contains a set of reference objects:

• A coordinate system

• Three datum planes

• Three datum axes

• An origin point

On the Feature Operation toolbar, click , or from the Menu Bar, chooseInsert→Datum/Point→Datum CSYS.

The datum CSYS appears as a single feature in the Part Navigator but itsobjects can be selected individually to support the creation of other features,to constrain sketches, and to position components in an assembly.

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Datum features

ActivitiesIn the Datum features section, do the following activities:

• Cylindrical faces and datum planes

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SummaryDatums are reference features that are used as construction tools to assist inthe creation of solid features and sketches in locations and orientations whereplanar placement faces do not exist.

In this lesson you:

• Created associative datum planes and datum axes.

• Used datum features to create and position form features.

• Edited datum planes to see how associative features are affected.

• Used datum axes and planes to define more datum axes and planes.

• Created an associative datum CSYS.

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Lesson

6 Swept features

Purpose

Identify and create three types of swept features that use a section string todefine a solid or sheet body.

Objectives

• Create an Extrude feature.

• Create a Revolve feature.

• Create a Sweep Along Guide feature.

• Understand and use Boolean options.

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Swept features

Types of swept featuresYou create swept features by extruding, revolving, or sweeping a sectionstring. The section string may be composed of explicit curves, sketch curves,edges, or faces.

Extrude — Sweep a section string (1) in a linear direction for a specifieddistance.

Revolve — Rotate a section string (1) around a specified axis (2).

Sweep Along Guide — Sweep a section string (1) along a guide string (2).

Swept bodies are associative with both the section string and the guide string.

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ExtrudeUse the Extrude command to create a body by sweeping a 2D or 3D section ofcurves, edges, faces, sketches or curve features a linear distance in a specifieddirection.

The example shows a section of curves (1) extruded (2) with threads added tothe final solid body (3).

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Extrude optionsBoolean options:

• Unite• Subtract• Intersect

Trim using:

• Faces• Datum planes• Solid bodies

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To size an extrude or revolve:

• Use drag handles (1).• Specify values in dynamic input boxes (2).• Specify values in dialog boxes (3).

Create constant offsets from the base section.

For extrude only, specify draft.

Use Selection Intent to modify the section when multiple possibilities exist.

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Boolean operationsBoolean operations let you combine previously existing solid and/or sheetbodies.

You can apply the following Boolean operations to existing bodies:

• Unite — Combine the volume of two or more solid tool bodies intoa single target body.

The target body and tool body must overlap or share faces so that theresult is a valid solid body.

• Subtract — Remove the volume of one or more tool bodies from atarget body.

The target body must be a solid body. The tool bodies are normally solidbodies.

• Intersect — Create a body containing the shared volume or areabetween a target body and one or more tool bodies.

You can intersect solids with solids, sheets with sheets, and a sheet with asolid. You cannot intersect a solid with a sheet.

You can edit the Boolean option after you complete the feature.

Target and tool

Each Boolean option prompts you to identify a target solid (the body youbegin with) and one or more tool solids.

The target body is modified by the tools, and the tool bodies become part ofthe target body at the end of the operation.

You have the option to save unmodified copies of the target and tool bodies.

Boolean error reporting

If an error occurs during a Boolean operation, the operation is terminatedand an error message displays the cause of the Boolean error.

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Body typesWhen you create an Extrude or Revolve feature, you get either a sheet bodyor a solid body.

Solid bodies

You get a solid body when you are using:

• A closed section, with the Body Type option set to Solid.• A revolved open section, with the total angle 360°.• An open section with an offset.

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Sheet bodies

You get sheet bodies when you are using:

• A closed section, with the Body Type option set to Sheet.• An open section, no offset. For revolve, the total angle must be less than

360°.

You can edit the body type.

The result must be a valid body.

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RevolveUse the Revolve command to create a feature by revolving section curvessketches, faces, or edges of a face about a given axis through a nonzero angle.

The Revolve feature requires:

• A section (1)

• A location and direction for the rotation axis (2)

• Start (3) and end (4) angles

You can also revolve a sketch by right-clicking it in the graphics windowand choosing Revolve from the shortcut menu.

If the section crosses the axis of revolution you may get unexpectedresults.

The Revolve command uses the offset and Boolean options described inthe Extrude section.

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Swept features

Sweep Along GuideUse the Sweep along Guide command to create a feature by extruding anopen or closed boundary sketch, curve, edge or face along a guide (a path)formed by one or a series of curves, edges or faces.

The Sweep along Guide feature requires:

• A section (1)

• A path (2)

You are allowed to select only one section string and only one guidestring.

If you have a 3D smooth guide string, or if you want to control theinterpolation, scale, or orientation, use Insert→ Sweep→ Sweptinstead.

A unique and useful property of the Sweep Along Guide command isthat you can sweep a section along a guide string that contains sharpcorners.

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Swept features

ActivitiesIn the Swept features and Boolean operations section, do the followingactivities:

• Extrude a sketch

• Sweep along an open guide string

• Add a revolved feature

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Swept features

SummaryUse swept features to define solid or sheet bodies using a section. A sectioncan be a sketch, or a collection of curves and face edges.

In this lesson you:

• Extruded a sketch.

• Created various revolved features.

• Revolved a feature with a Boolean Unite.

• Swept sections along open and closed guide strings.

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Lesson

7 Part structure

Purpose

This lesson presents part creation methods, design intent, and physicalproperties.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Access the Part Navigator.

• Playback model construction.

• Suppress and unsuppress features.

• Measure the distance between objects.

• Assign a material and calculate mass properties.

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Part NavigatorThe Part Navigator displays your part in a detailed, graphical tree. Use thePart Navigator to understand and update the part’s basic structure. You canselect and edit the parameters of items in the tree. You can rearrange how thepart is organized. You can view features, views, drawings, user expressions,measurements, reference sets, cameras, and unused items in the tree.

To access the Part Navigator, click the tab on the Resource Bar.

If the Resource is Bar is not visible, choose View→Show ResourceBar to show it.

Main panel

Use the main panel to see an overall graphical representation of your part’sstructure, to edit the parameters of items, or to rearrange the feature history.

You can:

• Double-click nodes to edit the corresponding feature.

• Select features by their nodes during dialog box interactions.

• Right-click nodes for shortcut options.

• Select or clear red check boxes to control the visibility of bodies.

• Select or clear green check boxes to control the suppression status offeatures.

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Dependencies panel

Use the Dependencies panel to view the parent-child relationships of thefeature geometry selected in the main panel.

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Details panel

Use the Details panel to view, and in some cases edit, the parametersbelonging to the feature selected in the main panel.

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Preview panel

Use the Preview panel to see preview images of selected items in the mainpanel.

The selected item must be one that has an available preview object, suchas a saved design view, a drawing view, or a materials library texture.

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Timestamp order

Use Timestamp Order to display a linear listing of all features in the workpart as nodes in the order of their creation time stamp.

When Timestamp Order is inactive, the main panel is in the design view.

When Timestamp Order is active, the main panel does not include all of thenodes available in the design view, for example, body nodes, the ReferenceSets node, and the Unused Features node.

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Part Navigator shortcut menu

Right-click a feature node in the Part Navigator to display a feature specificshortcut menu.

The options available depend on the type of feature you select.

Many options require the Modeling application to be active.

• Display Dimensions — Display the feature’s parameter values until yourefresh the display.

• Show Parents and Hide Parents — Display or hide parent curves,sketches, or datums.

• Make Current Feature — Insert new features immediately after thecurrent feature.

• Select Whole Branch — Select the feature and all nodes with earliertimestamps.

• Filter — Simplify the display tree by hiding features by type or timestamporder.

To turn off a filter, place the cursor in the Part Navigator away froma feature node, right-click and select the Apply Filter option in theshortcut menu to make it inactive.

• Edit Parameters — Edit the feature’s parameters, the same asEdit→Feature→Parameters.

• Edit with Rollback — Roll the model back to its state just before thefeature was created, and then open the feature’s creation dialog box.

Edit with Rollback is shown in bold type in the shortcut menu.

In any shortcut menu, the option in bold type is the defaultdouble-click action.

• Edit Positioning — Edit the feature’s positioning dimensions, the same asEdit→Feature→Edit Positioning.

• Suppress and Unsuppress — Temporarily remove and restore a featuredisplay from the part history.

A suppressed feature still affects some editing operations.

• Reorder Before and Reorder After — Change the timestamp of features.

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Creation order is important to permit use of a feature as a parent, andin the Replace Feature command.

You can also drag nodes to valid locations.

• Group — Group features into a special collection called a Feature Set.

• Replace — Replace a feature’s definition by another feature.

• Make Sketch Internal and Make Sketch External — Internalize orexternalize a sketch that is a parent of the selected feature.

• Edit Sketch — Edit the parent sketch of the selected feature. This optionappears only when the feature has a parent sketch.

• Copy — Place a copy of a feature on a clipboard.

This advanced option is covered in Intermediate NX Design andAssemblies.

• Delete — Delete the selected feature, the same as Edit→Delete.

• Hide Body and Show — Hide or show the body containing the selectedfeature.

• Rename — Append a user-defined name to the feature.

• Object Dependency Browser — Explore the parent and childrelationships of features.

• Information — Display information about the selected feature in theInformation window.

• Properties — Open the properties dialog box for the selected feature.

General properties include the feature name.

Attributes you assign appear in a column of the Part Navigator. See theonline Help for details.

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Feature playbackUse the Playback command to investigate a model. ChooseEdit→Feature→Playback.

Playback temporarily hides body features. It allows you to step through theconstruction of the model, one feature at a time.

Playback does not suppress reference features or sketches.

Playback provides an option to edit features during the update.

Notice that the Edit During Update dialog box has several editingoptions.

This dialog box appears when you update a model, if an error or warningevent occurs and if one or both of the modeling preferences, InterruptUpdate on Error and Interrupt Update on Warning, are selected.

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Reorder featuresAs you create features, NX assigns a time stamp to each one. When youmodify a body, the update follows the order of the feature time stamps.

A body can differ depending on the order in which features are applied. Youcan reorder the feature history in the following ways:

• Choose Edit→Feature→Reorder.

• Over feature nodes in the Part Navigator, use the shortcut menu.

• In the Part Navigator, drag and drop feature nodes.

The example part consists of two extrusions, a blend, and a shell.

You can edit the part topology by moving the shell feature in the history tree.

The shell feature isinitially after the

first extrude.

The shell featureis after the second

extrude.

The shell feature isafter the blend.

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InformationThe Information menu offers a number of options to obtain informationabout the model.

Information→Feature

Choose Information→Feature to open the Feature Browser dialog box. Usethis dialog box to identify parent/child relationships between a selectedfeature and the other features in the model. You can display expressions thatcontrol the feature in the graphics window by selecting Display Dimensions.Click OK or Apply to display the Information window with the geometric dataand associated expressions.

Feature information may also be accessed by selecting the feature in thePart Navigator and choosing Information from the shortcut menu, or byselecting the feature in the graphics window and choosing Propertiesfrom the shortcut menu.

Information→Object

This is used to display information about selected objects in an Informationwindow. Any type of geometric object may be selected including curves, edges,faces, and bodies. The Information window displays information such asname, layer, color, object type, and geometric properties (length, diameter,start and end coordinates, etc.).

Information→Expression→List All

This lists all expressions in the part in the Information window. From theInformation window, you can print the listing or save it as a text file.

Information→Expression→List All by Reference

This is used to identify expressions that reference other expressions andthe features that they define. You can use the Edit→Find option on theInformation window menu bar to search for a specific expression.

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Referenced expressionsIf an expression defines a feature directly, the feature name is listed with it inthe Expressions dialog box.

Any expression can be referenced by the formula of other expressions.

You can identify all referencing expressions by using List References in theshortcut menu.

To use this option:

1. Choose Tools→Expression.

2. If necessary, change the Listed Expressions filter to list the expression.

3. Over the expression, right-click and choose List References in theshortcut menu.

An Information window lists the features and other expressions thatreference the selected expression.

Expressions are discussed a later lesson.

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DistanceUse the Distance command to obtain the minimum distance between any twoobjects such as points, curves, planes, bodies, edges, faces, or components.

Choose Analysis→Distance or click Distance on the Analysis toolbar.

After you select two objects, a temporary ruler and measurement result aredisplayed in the graphics window.

Specify units for distance measurements in Analysis→Units.

In the Results Display group, select Show Information Window todisplay result details in the Information window.

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Mass propertiesCalculate mass properties data by choosing Analysis→Mass Properties andselecting a solid body.

The units for the results are determined by the setting in Analysis→Units.

Assign a density to a solid body by choosingEdit→Feature→Solid Density or by choosingTools→Material Properties.

Create a new material or select a material from the existing library.

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Delayed updatesAs you add features to your model, it may take noticeably longer to update.

You can delay updates until after edits are made.

From the main menu, choose Tools→Update→Delayed after Edit, or, on the

Edit Feature toolbar, click .

• If Delayed Update after Edit is inactive, the part is updated after thecompletion of each edit operation. This is the default setting.

• If Delayed Update after Edit is active, feature updates are delayed whileedits are made.

When Delayed Update after Edit is active and edits are made, Update Modelis available.

Choose Tools→Update→Update Model, or, on the Edit Feature toolbar, click

.

The model is updated automatically when the part is saved.

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Part structure

ActivityIn the Part structure section, do the following activity:

• Part structure

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SummaryIn this lesson, you queried a model to determine the creation method anddesign intent. These skills are important to review parts created by otherusers.

In this lesson you:

• Accessed the Part Navigator.

• Identified expressions.

• Reviewed the model construction using Playback, Suppress, andUnsuppress.

• Measured a distance.

• Calculated mass properties.

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Lesson

8 Using sketches

Purpose

This lesson explains additional sketch editing methods.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Drag sketch objects

• Work with inferred constraints

• Reorder sketches

• Create an alternate solution

• Reattach sketches

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Using sketches

Drag sketch objectsA sketch does not have to be fully constrained; you may omit constraints thatadd no value to maintain your design intent.

Dragging allows you to move under constrained geometry in theunconstrained directions.

To drag a single curve or point move the cursor over it, click, and drag.

For multiple objects first select curves or end points and then click and dragall selected objects.

Objects that share sketch points with the object being dragged remainconnected to the object and stretch to accommodate the movement.

If an object has no freedom to move, you cannot drag it.

In the example shown, L6 (1) is being dragged while L4 and L5 (2) stretch. L6is constrained so it maintains its angular and length relationship.

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Drag multiple curves

You can drag multiple sketch curves.

In the example below, the two lines L4 and L6 (1) are selected to drag causingL5 and the upper horizontal line (2) to stretch.

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Drag a point

You can drag a single sketch point.

In the example shown, the sketch point V1 is being dragged. The lines thatshare the sketch point stretch. Their angle and length are modified.

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Drag to assist constraining

You can drag curves to approximate the correct location before you constrainthem.

This is useful when constraining curves at their original location distorts thesketch, making it difficult to continue.

Undesired Results

Distortion caused by the act of constraining.

Desired Results

Desired results when entire profile dragged from quadrant to quadrant.

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Create an alternate solutionThe Alternate Solution command lets you display alternate constraintsolutions and select a result.

Select a dimension or a curve as Object 1.

The example below shows how the geometry changes when you click AlternateSolution and select a dimension.

The change is immediate. Simply click the dimension again to restore theprevious solution.

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Create an alternate solution for tangent circles

If you select a curve, Object 2 becomes active. You may then select a curvetangent to Object 1.

The example below shows how the geometry changes when you click AlternateSolution and select a dimension.

Select the large circle (1) first and the small circle () second.

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Create an alternate solution for a line tangent to an arc

Select the curves in any order.

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ActivityIn the Using sketches section, do the following activity:

• Alternate Solution

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Reattach sketchesPlace sketches on a planar face, a datum plane, or a path.

The Sketch on Path option is discussed in Intermediate NX Designand Assemblies.

The target plane, face, or path must have an earlier time stamp than thesketch.

Sketches appear in the list of features presented when you reorder a feature.A sketch can be anywhere after its reference geometry.

Use the Reattach command to:

• Move an existing sketch to a different plane, face, or path.

• Switch a Sketch in Place to a Sketch on Path and vice versa.

• Change the location of a Sketch on Path along the path to which it isattached.

• Specify a new horizontal or vertical reference.

Reattaching a sketch

1. Open the sketch and, on the Sketcher toolbar, click Reattach .

2. Select the target datum plane or face.

3. (Optional) Select a horizontal or vertical reference.

4. Click OK to complete reattaching the sketch.

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Sketch timestamp and dependenciesThe sketch plane and horizontal or vertical reference must have a timestampearlier than the sketch.

If you want to assign a new plane or direction reference using an object thathas a later timestamp than the sketch, you can reorder the sketch or thereference object.

1. In the Part Navigator, right-click the column headings and, if necessary,select Timestamp Order.

2. Drag the object to reorder it to the timestamp you require.

If you attempt to create a circular relationship or position an object atan invalid timestamp, your edit will be rejected.

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ActivitiesIn the Using sketches section, do the following activities:

• Reattach a sketch

• Reorder a sketch

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Mirror sketch curvesThe Mirror Curve command lets you make a mirrored copy of sketch geometrythrough an existing sketch line.

Sketcher:

• Applies mirror geometric constraints to all the geometry associated withthe Mirror operation.

• Converts the mirror line to a reference line.

To mirror sketch curves:

1. On the Sketch Operations toolbar, click Mirror Curve .

2. Select the mirror centerline.

3. Click the middle mouse button to advance to the next step and selectthe target geometry.

4. Click OK.

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ActivityIn the Using sketches section, do the following activity:

• Mirror sketch objects

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SummaryYou can drag sketch curves to other locations.

Use alternate solution when more than one configuration can apply.

Reattaching a sketch offers you design flexibility.

In this lesson you:

• Dragged sketch curves.

• Applied alternate solutions to obtain appropriate profiles.

• Reattached sketches.

• Reordered sketches.

• Mirrored sketch curves.

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Lesson

9 Trim Body

Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is to learn to use the Trim Body command.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Use the Trim Body command to define the shape of a solid body.

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Trim Body

Trim a bodyThe Trim Body command lets you trim one or more target bodies using aface, datum plane, or other geometry.

1. On the Feature Operation toolbar, click Trim Body .

2. Select one or more target bodies to trim.

3. From the Tool Option list, select Face or Plane or New Plane.

4. Select an object with which to trim the target.

A vector points in the trimming direction.

If the sheet does not cut through a target body completely, the followingmessage is displayed:

If the sheet does not cut the target body at all, this message is displayed:

If a message appears, correct the problem before you continue.

5. (Optional) Click Reverse Direction to reverse the trimming direction.

6. Click Apply or OK to create the trim body feature.

The Trim Body command retains all parametric information.

You must select at least one target body, even when there is only one possibletarget.

You can select a single face, multiple faces from the same solid body, or adatum plane to trim the target bodies.

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Trim Body

ActivityIn the Trim body section, do the following activity:

• Trim body

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Trim Body

SummaryThe Trim Body function removes part of a solid body.

In this lesson you:

• Defined a solid body’s contour using the Trim Body function.

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10

Lesson

10 Swept feature options

Purpose

This lesson introduces draft, offsets, and applications of selection intent toswept profiles.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Apply Selection Intent to sections with intersecting curves and multipleloops.

• Create an extruded feature with offsets.

• Create an extruded feature with draft.

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Swept feature options

Selection IntentThe Selection Bar has rules you can use when you select curves.

Use these rules to help you to select curves or edges:

• In fewer steps than selecting them individually.

• When only part of some curves is needed.

• When a rule can determine which branch to take at multi-curveintersections.

• When future model development or edits may change the number ofcurves in the profile.

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Curve rule options

Single Curve Individually select one or more curves or edges withno rule.

ConnectedCurves

Select a chain of curves or edges that share endpoints.

No rule is applied if the chained curves arenon-associative.

This rule does not grow or shrink the chain if curvesare added or no longer form a single chain after an editto the model.

Tangent Curves

Select a tangent chain of curves or edges.

No rule is applied if the chained curves arenon-associative.

This rule does not attempt to grow or shrink the chainif curves are added or no longer form a single chainafter an edit to the model.

Non-associative curves that are no longer tangent afteran edit are not discarded.

Face Edges

Collect all edges of the face containing the edge youselect.

If you already selected an edge using another rule, youcan select an adjoining face to define a collection withthe Add All of Face rule.

When you select an edge, the cursor locationdetermines which face is selected.

Sheet Edges Collect all edges of the sheet body you select.

Feature Curves Collect all output curves from curve features, such assketches or any other curve features.

Infer

Use the default intent method for the type of objectyou select.

For example, with Extrude the default is FeatureCurves if you select a curve, and Single if you selectan edge.

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Curve collection modifiers

Stop atIntersection

Specify that auto chaining stops onintersection points of wireframe.

Follow Fillet Automatically follow and leave fillets orcircular curves during section building.

Chain withinFeature

Limit the chaining to collect curves onlyfrom the parent feature of the selectedcurve.

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Extrude with offsetThe Offset options lets you specify up to two offsets to the profile for extrudedand revolved sections. You can assign unique values for both offsets.

You can:

• Type values for the offsets in the Start and End input boxes in the dialogbox.

• Type values in dynamic input boxes in the graphics window.

• Drag the offset handles.

Options

None Create no offset.

Single-Sided Add a single end offset to the extrude.

Two-Sided

Add an offset with duplicate start and end values,measured from opposite sides of the section.

The value for both start and end is determined by the lastone you specify.

Symmetric Add an offset with duplicate start and end values.

Start Start the offset at the value you specify, measured fromthe section.

End End the offset at the value you specify, measured from thesection.

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Two sided offset examplesThe start and end offset values may be positive or negative.

The positive direction is shown by the End Offset drag handle.

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Start Offset Zero, End Offset Positive

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Start Offset Zero, End Offset Negative

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Start Offset Negative, End Offset Positive

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Single-sided offset examplesThe single-sided examples are based on offsets to the section shown.

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Offset value too large

If the end value becomes so large that a self-intersecting body is created, thepreview disappears.

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Smaller positive offset

In this example the offset is small enough to support a preview. The offsetbody is valid.

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Negative offset

In this example the offset is negative, and small enough to support a preview.The offset body is valid.

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Extrude with draftUse the Draft option to add a slope to one or more sides of the extrude feature,in one or two directions from the section.

You can apply a draft only when the extruded section is planar.

Option DescriptionNone No draft is created.

From Start Limit Maintain the original size of the extruded section atthe start limit.

From Section Maintain the original size of the extruded sectionat the section plane.

FromSection-AsymmetricAngle

Split the side faces into two sides at the sectionplane. You can control the draft angle separately oneach side of the section. 1

Front Angle and Back Angle options appear; onepair with the Single option, and one pair for each setof tangent curves for the Multipleoption.

FromSection-SymmetricAngle

Split side faces at the section plane, and use thesame draft angle on both sides. 1

From Section-MatchedEnds

Maintain the original size of the extruded section,and split the side faces of the extrude feature at thesection plane.

Match the size of the shape at the end limit to that ofthe start limit, and vary the draft angle to maintainthe matched shape at the end limit. 1

Angle Option

Single — Specify a single draft angle for all faces ofthe extrude feature.

Multiple — Specify unique draft angles to eachtangent chain of faces of the extrude feature.

Angle Specify a value for a draft angle.

ListExamine the name and value for each draft angle.

The list appears when the Angle Option is set toMultiple.

1. Available only when the extrude extends from both sides of the section.

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Positive and negative draft angles

If you look at the body with your eye positioned with respect to the draftvector as shown, positive draft angles (1) enable you to see the draft featurefaces, and negative draft angles (2) hide the draft feature faces.

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Draft and the extrude direction

This illustrates that draft is measured with respect to the extrude direction,and that the extrude direction need not be perpendicular to a planar section.

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Draft examplesDraft examples are based on this extruded section.

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Draft with offset

In this example, the draft option is From Section-Asymmetric Angle.

The front angle value is set to 5° and the back angle value is set to 0°.

The offset option is Two Sided.

The start offset (1) is –0.2 and the end offset (2) is 0.2.

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DesignLogic parameter entry optionsParameter entry options let you define your model parametrically as youspecify feature values.

To access the options, click next to input boxes.

You may specify a value based on a:

• Measurement.

• Formula.

• Math or knowledge-based function.

• Reference to an existing value.

• Conversion of the above to a constant.

• Recently used value that you want to use again

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Reference existing parameters

1. From the parameter entry options list, select Reference.

The Parameter Selection dialog box appears.

Initially, the list is empty.

2. Select an existing feature.

The list is populated with the feature’s parameters and their descriptions.

3. Select a parameter (1).

4. Click OK (2).

The parameter name now appears in the input box (3).

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ActivitiesIn the Swept feature options section, do the following activities:

• Extrude with offsets

• Extrude using Selection Intent

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SummarySelection Intent allows you to quickly specify sections by applying rules tocomplex set of curves.

Offset provides an easy way to thicken simple sections or alter sections forrevolved and extrude features.

Extrude with draft simplifies your feature tree by combining draft featureswith extrude.

DesignLogic speeds parametric modeling.

In this lesson you:

• Applied selection intent to sections.

• Extruded with offsets.

• Extruded with draft.

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11Lesson

11 Hole features

Purpose

This lesson introduces the hole feature, one of several features that can beconstrained by positioning.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create hole features.

• Position hole features.

• Edit the parameters and position of hole features.

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Hole features

Features with predefined shapesThere are several features with a predefined form, each having differentindividual behavior and rules.

In previous releases, these features were grouped together as Form Features.

Features with predefined shapes include:

• Holes• Slots• Bosses• Pads• Pockets• Grooves

You can create these features by choosing Insert→Design Feature, or byadding them to the Feature toolbar.

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Placement Face

All features with predefined shapes require a placement face. For all but thegroove feature, the placement face must be planar. For a groove feature, theplacement face must be cylindrical or conical.

The planar placement face defines the X-Y plane of a local or featurecoordinate system for the feature being created. Features are created normalto the placement face, and they maintain an internal definition of horizontal(along their local X-axis), and vertical (along their local Y-axis).

You can specify a datum plane as the planar placement face.

In the following example, the datum plane is used as the placement facefor a hole.

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HoleUse the Hole command to create simple, counterbored, and countersunkholes in a solid body.

Holes features support automated feature identification in theHolemaking application.

The remaining features with predefined shapes can be replaced bya swept sketch, or in some cases, by extruding edges. Use sketchesinstead of these features to greatly reduce the amount of informationyou need to learn in order to be productive.

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Hole Types

Simple

1. Diameter

2. Depth

3. Tip Angle

Counterbore

1. C-Bore Diameter

2. C-Bore Depth

3. Hole Depth

Countersink

1. C-Sink Diameter

2. C-Sink Angle

3. Hole Depth

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Hole options

Option Description

Placement Face Specify a planar face or datum plane.

Target SolidAvailable if you select a fixed datum plane for theplacement face and more than one solid is presentin the part.

Thru Face

Specify that the hole goes completely through thetarget solid. 1 2

Depth and Tip Angle become unavailable.

Optional.Filter Any, Face, Datum Plane

Reverse SideAvailable if you select a datum plane for thePlacement Face.

Not available when there is a Thru Face.

ReattachAvailable only in edit mode.

Change hole location and orientation.

1. If the hole intersects the through face more than once, the hole continues to the last intersection. If this is undesirable, you cansplit the face to limit the number of solutions.2. If the through face does not completely intersect the hole, it is extended to include adjacent faces.

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Create a hole

1. From the menu bar, choose Insert→Design Feature→Hole, or on the

Feature Operation toolbar, click Hole.

2. Select the Type: Simple, Counterbore, or Countersink.

3. Select a planar placement face.

4. (Optional) If the placement face is a datum plane, if it is necessary to flipthe preview body to intersect the target body, click Reverse Side.

5. (Optional) Select a target for Thru Face.

6. Type the required parameter values.

7. Click OK or Apply.

8. (Optional) Use Positioning to constrain the location of the hole.

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PositioningPositioning provides dimensional constraints to locate features withpredefined shapes relative to existing curves, solid geometry, datum planes,and datum axes.

Positioning is optional, but it is recommended to achieve associativity.

Only the dimension types that apply to the feature being creating aredisplayed.

The types of curves that are selectable may be limited, based on thetype of positioning dimension being defined.

The illustration below shows the Positioning dialog box configuration for aHole feature.

An advanced form feature, User Defined, can be based on a sketch. Inthat situation, use positioning to locate the sketch, so that positioningis available to locate the user defined feature.

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Positioning terminology

• Fully Specified — The feature is uniquely located by the positioningdimensions specified.

• Underspecified — The feature position is not completely constrained.

• Overspecified — The feature has had more positioning constraints appliedto it than are necessary.

• Target Solid — The solid body that a Boolean operation acts upon. It isthe solid body that the hole, slot, pocket or groove will subtract from, or aboss or pad will unite with.

• Target edge — An edge on the target solid that is selected for positioningpurposes.

• Tool solid — The solid representation of the feature being defined by thecurrent operation. In the body that will be subtracted from or united withthe target solid to define a hole, slot, pocket, pad, boss, or groove .

• Tool edge — An edge on the tool solid that is selected for positioningpurposes.

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Positioning Constraints

All measurements are taken between two points or objects. The first point orobject is on the target solid. The second is on the tool solid.

Constraint Description

Horizontal Specifies the distance between two points,measured along a selected Horizontal Reference.

VerticalSpecifies the distance between two points,measured perpendicular to the HorizontalReference.

Parallel Specifies the shortest distance between two points.

PerpendicularSpecifies the shortest distance between a linearedge, datum plane, or axis, and a point.

Often used with holes

Parallel at aDistance

Specifies that linear edges must be parallel and ata given distance. Typically used for slot, pocketor pad.

Angular Creates a positioning constraint between linearedges at a given angle

Point onto PointSpecifies the distance between two points is zero.

Used to align arc centers of cylindrical or conicalfeatures.

Point onto Line Specifies that the distance between an edge,datum plane, or axis and a point is zero.

Line onto Line Same as the Parallel at a Distance option, withthe distance set to zero.

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Edit hole features1. Right-click the hole in the Part Navigator or in the graphics window.

2. Select Edit Parameters.

3. From the Edit Parameters dialog box, chose one of the following options:

• Feature Dialog

• Reattach

• Change Type

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Edit a hole position

1. Right-click the hole in the Part Navigator or in the graphics window.

2. Select Edit Positioning.

3. From the Edit Positioning dialog box, chose one of the following options:

• Add Dimension

• Edit Dimension Value

• Delete Dimension

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Feature Dialog

The Feature Dialog option displays the Edit Parameters dialog box, configuredfor the hole type you are editing.

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Reattach

Use Reattach to change the location or orientation of the feature by redefiningfeature references.

The Reattach dialog box presents only those options that apply to the featurebeing edited.

The illustration shows the display or a typical hole positioned by Point ontoPoint. 3

3. Recall that the Parallel dimension type is defined as the shortest distance between two points. The Point onto Point type is a specialcase of the Parallel type where the distance is zero.

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Reattach Selection Steps

Selection Steps DescriptionSpecify TargetPlacement Face

Select a new attachment face for the featurebeing edited.

Specify ReferenceDirection

Select a new reference direction for the featurebeing edited.

RedefinePositioningDimensions

Select a positioning dimension and redefine itstarget and/or tool geometry.

Specify First ThruFace

Redefine the first through/trim face of thefeature being edited.

Specify SecondThru Face

Redefine the second through/trim face of thefeature being edited.

Specify ToolPlacement Face Redefine the tool face of a user defined feature.

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Reattach Options

Other OptionsFilter Limit the types of objects that are selectable.

List windowDisplay the positioning dimensions and their typesfor the feature being edited.

Direction Reference Change between Horizontal and Vertical.Reverse Direction Reverse the feature’s reference direction.

Reverse Side Reverse the feature’s normal direction when it isattached to a datum plane.

Specify Origin Quickly relocate the reattached feature by moving itto a specified origin.

Delete PositioningDimension Delete a selected positioning dimension.

You can only reattach a hole to or dimension it to features with latertimestamps.

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Change Type

For hole features you can:

• Change the hole from one type to another: Simple, Counterbore, orCountersink.

• Use the Thru Hole option to change a blind hole to a through hole, orvice versa.

• Use the Sheet Metal Hole option to change a non-sheet metal hole toa sheet metal hole, or vice versa.

Change type also applies to Slot features.

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Add positioning dimensions to holes

1. When you add a positioning dimension to a hole you are prompted toselect the tool edge. If the hole has no internal edges, you must clickIdentify Solid Face.

2. Select the face of the hole (1).

3. If the hole has an internal edge, select it (2).

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Hole features

ActivitiesIn the Hole features section, do the following activities:

• Create holes

• Edit holes

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Hole features

SummaryIn this lesson you were introduced to Hole features, one of several featureswith predefined shapes.

This lesson you:

• Identified placement and through faces.

• Created hole features.

• Applied positioning dimensions .

• Edited parameters and positioning dimensions.

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Lesson

12 Expressions

Purpose

This lesson describes various aspects of the expression functionality.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Cut, Copy, and Paste functions in Expressions

• Create Conditional Expressions

• Suppress a feature by an expression

• Reference Measurements of geometric properties via expressions

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Expressions

OverviewYou can easily create many types of intelligent expressions based onmeasurements and inter-part references.

Expression names are not case sensitive, with the following exceptions:

• Expression names are case sensitive if their dimensionality is setto Constant.

• Expression names are case sensitive if they were created beforeNX 3.

When expression names are case sensitive, they must be referencedexactly when used in other expressions.

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The Expressions dialog box

1 Expression Name Alphanumeric characters and underscores. Must begin witha letter.

2 Less/More Options

3 Formula4 Dimensionality Choose from Constant, Length, Area, Volume, Mass, and

many others5 Units Units appropriate to the dimensionality will be available

in a list6 Additional functions Functions, Measurements, Create Interpart Reference, Edit

Interpart Reference, Open Referenced Parts, Delete7,8 Accept/Reject Edit

9 Spreadsheet Edit10 Import Expressions from File11 Export Expressions to File12 Expression list List contains columns for Name (followed by usage in the

part), Formula, Value, Units, and Comment13 Listed Expressions Choose from User Defined, Named, Filter by Name, Filter

by Value, Filter by Formula, Unused Expressions, ObjectParameters, Measurements, and All

14 Expression Filter Not active unless Listed Expressions is in a filtered setting

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The system will handle unit conversions automatically if, for example,you specify inches in a metric part

Press F1 for help on expressions any time you are using the Expressionsdialog box.

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Expression list

The Listed Expressions list displays when More Options has been selected.

The listing contains several columns:

Name This lists the expression names currently available withthe Listed Expressions settings. The name is followedby the name of the associated object or feature and theparameter option with which the expression is associated.For example, you might see:

p2 (EXTRUDED(1) End Distance)

p8_u (POINT(6) Point on surface along u)

Formula The formula is a constant value or mathematicalexpression which appears to the right of the equal signin the simple equation format name=formula. NX providestools to help you specify function names, names orformulas of existing expressions, or measurements ofgeometry.

Value This is the numeric value of the formula.

Units

This column displays the Units selected after thedimensionality of the expression was specified, if theyexist. The system remembers units and converts valueswhen it is appropriate to do so.

Comment Optional additional information a designer may need toinclude can be stored in comments.

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You may control the order of the listed expressions by clicking the name atthe top of the column. For example, you may sort by name (the default), byname in reverse order, by formula, and so on.

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Listed expressions

The Listed Expressions list defines which expressions are listed in theExpressions dialog box when More Options has been selected.

User Defined Lists only expressions you created via the dialog box

Named Lists only user defined expressions and expressions youhave renamed

Filter by Name

Lists expressions with names that match the filter

Filter by Value Lists expressions with values that match the filter

Filter by Formula Lists expressions with formulas that match the filter

UnusedExpressions

Lists expressions that are not referenced by any featureor other expression

This is useful for part cleanup.

ObjectParameters

Lists expressions associated with a selected feature

You must select a feature in the graphic windowor Part Navigator.

Measurements Shows all measurement expressions in the part file

All Lists all expressions in the part

Filters you enter are saved during your session. They can be reused asneeded via the list, even in other parts.

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User-defined expressions

User-defined expressions are any expression that you create yourself withthe Expressions Editor.

For example, you could create an expression named width with a formulastring of 5.0. You could then use this expression to define the dimensions of afeature by entering width in the appropriate parameter entry field.

Cut, Copy, and Paste

The expressions dialog box supports cut, copy and paste using right-clickcommands. The window supports the standard windows editing keys suchas arrows, home, and end.

Additionally, when you are entering a formula, you may right-click over a rowin the list window and choose Enter Name or Enter Formula. The name orformula is inserted at the cursor position in the Formula field.

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Expression operators

Operators may be classified into arithmetic, conditional, andrelational/Boolean.

Additional operators are provided in Appendix C.

Insert Function

Use Insert Function to locate any standard or user defined function toinsert into a formula.

Built-in functions include the following examples, and many more listed inAppendix C:

Name Descriptionabs Absolute Value, abs(x)=|x|arcsin Returns the inverse sine of a given

number in degreessin Sine, sin(x) is the sine of x, x must

be in degrees.pi The function pi() takes no

arguments and returns the valueof pi.

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The Function button replaces the arrow symbol in parameterentry options when a formula was used for a particular value. Thevalue shown cannot be edited directly.

You can click the button to choose to edit the formula in the Expressiondialog box, convert it to a Measure, or make the value constant.

You have two choices for changing a formula to a constant value. Youmay select a recently used value or Make Constant to keep the presentvalue of the formula.

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Conditional expressionsOne way to develop design intent relationships between certain elements ofyour model is to use conditional expressions.

Conditional expressions are created by using the if (then) else structure thatuses the following syntax:

single_variable = if (this condition is true) (then this) else (this)

width = if (length>=8) (3) else (2)

Alternative syntax is shown below without some of the parentheses.

width = if (length>=8) 3 else 2

This means:

If the length is greater than or equal to 8, the width shall be 3.

If the length is less than 8, the width shall be 2.

Syntax and the command portions of the statement must be lower case.

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Suppression by ExpressionUsing this option, you can create an expression to suppress a feature or groupof features.

This function is not available if Delayed Update on Edit is active.

If a child feature has its own suppress expression, its suppression statuswill be controlled by that instead of by its parent’s suppress status. Childfeatures that do not have their own suppress expressions are automaticallysuppressed when their parents suppress.

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Function DescriptionCreate for Each Creates a suppression expression for each

feature selected.Create Shared Creates a single expression that controls the

suppression of all features selected.Delete for Each Allows you to delete the selected feature’s

suppression expression. The list box displaysall features which contain a suppressionexpression.

Delete Shared Allows you to delete the selected features’shared suppression expression. The listbox displays all features which contain ashared suppression expression. If you selecta feature, the list box highlights the otherfeatures which share that same expression.

CandidateFeatures

Lists the features that can be selected for asuppress by expression operation.

ShowExpressions

Allows you to generate a report that listsfeatures which contain a suppressionexpression.

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Suppress by Expression Procedure

• Select an option.

• Select one or more features in the list window in the Suppress byExpression dialog box.

• Click Apply to create the expression.

• Click Show Expressions to show the Suppression Status Controlled byan Expression listing.

The system generates the new expressions and updates the feature selectionlist.

If the expression value is 0 the feature is suppressed.

With an expression value of 1 the feature is unsuppressed.

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Activity

In the Expressions section, do the activity:

• Create conditional expressions

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MeasurementsUse the measurement options to capture values for use in expressionformulas.

When you obtain a measurement an expression is created and inserted at thecursor position of the expression formula you are editing.

Measure Distance - Uses the Analysis Distance function tomeasure the minimum distance between anytwo objects such as points, curves, planes,bodies, edges, and/or faces

Measure Length - Uses the Analysis Arc Length function tomeasure the arc length of a curve or line. Youcan use selection intent and section building tomeasure the length of a set of curves betweenintersection points

Measure Angle - Uses the Analysis Angle function to displayangle measurements between two curves,between two planar objects, or between a lineand a planar object.

Measure Bodies - Uses the Analysis Measure Bodies functioncreate multiple expressions for volume, mass,radius of gyration, centroid x, centroid y,centroid z, and surface area of solid bodies.

Measure Area - Uses the Analysis Measure Faces function tocreate two expressions for area and perimetervalues of body faces.

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Distance options

Distance(the default) returns the three dimensional distancebetween two selected objects.

Projected Distance returns the distance as seen in a plane normalto a vector. The vector constructor appears.

Screen Distance is not available for the purpose of creating anassociative measurement.

Length provides the same interaction as Measure Length.

Radius returns the distance from the center of the arc to the pickpoint on the arc.

Between Sets returns the distance between selected components.

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Angle Options

By 3 Points allows you to select three associative points.

By Objects (the default) allows you to select two curves, two planarobjects, or a line and a planar object.

By Screen Points is not available for the purpose of creating anassociative measurement.

Object (the default) allows you to select objects as listed above.

Use Feature when you want to determine the direction of a featuresuch as a cylinder. When you select the feature, the systemindicates the direction with an arrow(s). is the default for measuredistance.

Vector constructor allows you to specify a direction.

3D Angle (the default) gives the true angle in three dimensionalspace.

Angle in WCS XY Plane projects the selected angle to the WCSXY plane.Inner Angle (the default) measures the angle inside the lines ofthe angle

Outer (Major) Angle measures the angle outside the lines of theangle

Measurements use the Analysis functions. They are documented underGateway→Gateway Menu & dialog box Reference→Analysis.

If you want to save several stand alone measurements at one time,consider using the Analysis function because it offers Apply (Ctrl+MB2)to measure and continue. The analysis dialog box offers additionaloptions to save the measure feature or create the line.

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Measures and measurements

When you use the Expressions dialog box to create a measurement you maythink of it as a stand alone measurement. Stand alone measurements can befiltered in the Expression dialog box.

For every stand alone measurement expression the system creates a Measurefeature so that the objects selected for the measurement may be editedwithout having to recreate the measurement.

The Expressions dialog box lists the value and units of each measurement,but note that the formula column will always read (Measure). The namecolumn will show the type and timestamp of the measure feature, i.e.;distance; angle; and so on.

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Measure features can be seen in the Part Navigator under the Measures node.

When you highlight a measure feature in the Part Navigator the associatedmeasurement expressions and their values are listed in the Details window,and the Measure is highlighted in the graphics window.

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Measurements during parameter entry

You may create embedded measurements by clicking Parameter EntryOptions to the right of any parameter entry window.

Measurements constructed in this manner do not need a Measure feature tomanage them; they are attached to the feature you were creating when youspecified the measurement. The appearance of embedded measurements inthe Expressions dialog box reflects this difference.

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Activity

In the Expressions section, do the activity:

• Apply measurements

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SummaryYou can create comments when entering a formula by using double forwardslashes "//" after the formula and before the comment.

When an expression is renamed, it is changed in every occurrence whereused. Also, all expression names must be unique.

Conditional Expressions allow you to develop design rule relationshipsbetween certain elements of your model.

Suppression by Expression is a tool that may be used to suppress individualor groups of features based on the value of a single expression.

You may use Measurements to create a feature parameter based on somegeometric property.

In this lesson you:

• Created and edited expressions.

• Suppressed a feature using an expression.

• Created conditional expressions.

• Created measurement expressions.

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Lesson

13 Face operations

Purpose

This lesson describes various face options you may use to modify existingsolid bodies and features.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a Shell feature

• Create an Offset Face feature

• Create Draft features

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ShellUse the Shell command to hollow a solid body, or to create a shell around it.

You can assign individual thicknesses to faces and remove individual faces.

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Create a shell

1. On the Feature Operation toolbar, click Shell .

2. Choose the type of shell you want to create:

• Remove Faces, Then Shell — Click Select Face in the Face toPierce group to specify one or more faces to remove from the targetsolid.

• Shell All Faces — Click Select Body in the Body to Shell groupto select the body to shell.

3. In the Thickness group, type a distance value in the Thickness input box.

4. (Optional) In the Thickness group, click Reverse Direction .

5. (Optional) Assign different thicknesses to different faces in the solid.

6. (Optional) Set or change the Approximate Offset Faces, Tangent Edges,and Tolerance options in the Settings group.

7. Click OK or Apply to create the shell.

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Assign different thicknesses

1. Click Select Face in the Alternate Thicknesses group and selectthe faces for the first face set.

2. Type a thickness value in the Thickness n box.

You can also drag the thickness handle or type a value in its dynamicinput box.

Thickness n refers to Thickness 1, Thickness 2, Thickness 3, andso on.

If the direction is wrong, click Reverse Direction for the faceset.

3. Click Add New Set to complete the current face set and begin a newset.

You can also complete the set by clicking the middle mouse button.

4. Repeat this sequence for each set of faces that require a unique wallthickness.

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Shell optionsYou can right-click the section, preview, axis vector, or handles toquickly access many of the following options.

Option DescriptionRemove Faces, Then

ShellRemove some faces of the body before shellingis done.

Shell All Faces Shell all faces of the body.Select Face Select one or more faces from a body you are

going to shell. 1

The first face selected sets the body to shell. 2

Select Body Select the body you want to shell. 3

Thickness

(Thickness group)

Specify a thickness for the shell walls.

Drag the thickness handle, or type a value inthe dynamic input box or in the dialog box.

Reverse Direction Change the direction of the thickness.

You can also right-click the thickness directioncone head and choose Reverse Direction, ordouble-click the direction cone head.

Select Face Select faces for a thickness set with a uniquethickness value for all faces in the set. 2

Complete the set by clicking Add New Set or byclicking the middle mouse button.

You can add as many face sets as the modelallows.

Thickness n

(Alternate Thicknessgroup)

Specify an independent thickness value for thecurrently selected thickness set in the List.

You can drag the face set handle, or type a valuein the dynamic input box or dialog box.

The Thickness n label changes to matchthe currently selected Thickness set;Thickness 1, Thickness 2, etc.

1. Appears only when the Type is Remove Faces, Then Shell.2. Selection Intent for faces is available.3. Appears only when the Type is Shell All Faces.

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Option DescriptionAdd New Set Complete the current face set.

You can also complete the current face set byclicking the middle mouse button.

List Thickness sets appear in the list box with theirname, value, and expression information.

To select a thickness set, click its dynamic inputbox in the graphics window or click its entry inthe List.

Delete a thickness set in the list box.

You can also delete a thickness set byright-clicking it in the list box and choosingDelete or by right-clicking its handle andchoosing Delete.

Approximate Offset Faces Require NX to repair self-intersections caused byoffsetting surfaces in the body, by approximatingthe face within the specified Tolerance.

Use this option for complicated surfaces thatwould fail due to self-intersections during shellcreation.

Tangent Edges Extend Shelf Face at Tangent Edge— Allow thecreation of edge faces along smooth boundaryedges.

Extend Tangent Face — Prevent the creation ofedge faces along smooth boundary edges.

Tolerance Enter a new tolerance value here to overridethe modeling distance tolerance for the shelloperation.

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Selection Intent face rulesWhen a feature requires a collection of faces, Face Rule options are available.The list displays the face selection rules that are applicable to the featureyou are creating.

Rule Description

Single Face Single-select one or more faces as a simple list ofobjects without intent.

Region FacesSpecify a region of faces.

Select a single seed face, and then specify theboundary faces.

Tangent Faces Select a single face that acts as the seed of acollection of smoothly connected faces.

Tangent RegionFaces

Select a seed face and then, optionally, one ormore boundary faces.

Body Faces Collect all faces of the body containing the singleface you select

Adjacent Faces Collect all faces that are immediately adjacent tothe single face you select.

Feature Faces Collect all faces produced by the featureresponsible for the face you select.

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ActivitiesIn the Shell section, do the following activities:

• Shell with alternate thickness

• Reorder features

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Offset FaceYou can use this option to offset one or more faces of a body alongthe face normals. The Offset Face feature can be reached through

Insert→Offset/Scale→Offset Face.

To offset faces, you must:

• Select the objects.• Type the Offset value.• Click OK.

The offset distance can be positive or negative, providing the topology of thebody does not change. A positive offset distance is measured along a facenormal pointing away from the solid.

After you select the desired faces or body and click OK, the faces aremoved and the body is updated.

You cannot instance an offset feature.

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Activity

In the Face operations section, do the activity:

• Offset a face

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Draft

Draft lets you change faces to have an angle relative to a vector calledthe draw direction.

Draft is used for:

• Applying slope to vertical faces on a pattern, a part, a mold, or a die, sothe part will release when the mold or die opens.

• Applying a draft angle to faces or edges, relative to a specified vector.

• Applying a draft angle to individual features of a body.

• Applying a variable bevel or taper to faces.

You need to specify at least the following inputs for the draft operation:

• Faces to draft

• Draw direction

• Stationary objects

• Draft angle

When you provide sufficient input, draft optionally shows a preview of theresult on the screen.

Within one draft feature, you can have multiple draft angles. Selectfaces for any one draft angle, and then begin a new set of faces with

another angle by choosing Add New Set.

You can also use Selection Bar options to select faces or edges required fordraft. For example, you can select all tangent faces.

The angle between the tangent to the edge and the draft draw directionmust be greater than the draft angle.

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Draft types

You can create the following four types of draft using the Draft operator.

From Plane If the draft operation requires that a planar cross sectionthrough the part be maintained throughout the facerotation, then use the From Plane type. This is thedefault draft type selected when you the open the Draftdialog box for the first time.

From Edges If the draft operation requires that edges be maintainedthroughout the face rotation, then use the From Edgestype.

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Tangent to Faces If the draft operation requires that the face selected to bedrafted maintain tangency with an adjacent drafted face,then use the Tangent to Faces type.

To Parting Edges If the draft operation requires that a planar cross sectionthrough the part be maintained throughout the facerotation, and that a ledge be created as necessary atparting edges, then use the To Parting Edges type.

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Draft dialog box

The Draft dialog box is shown in the figure below.

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Draw Direction

Regardless of the draft type selected, you must always specify a drawdirection.

If you are modeling a mold or die, it is the direction in which the molded partmust move to be separated from your model of the mold or die.

The draft angle is positive if the normal of the face to be drafted has acomponent vector along the draw direction.

Positive Draft Negative Draft

Draft selection inputs

Depending on the draft type you selected, some input is inferred, and you mayneed to explicitly specify additional input as required.

Stationary Plane Appears in From Plane and To Parting EdgesFaces to Draft Appears in From PlaneStationary Edges Appears in From EdgesVariable Angle Point Appears in From EdgesTangent Faces toDraft Appears in Tangent to Faces

Parting Edges Appears in To Parting Edges

Add New Set Is enabled after one complete selection has beenmade

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Activities

In the Face Operations section, do the activities:

• Draft

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SummaryThe Shell feature allows you to create a cavity inside the solid or a shellaround the solid based upon a specified thickness.

Offset Face allows the user to move a face, multiple faces, or all faces in a body.

The Draft functionality allows the user to change the orientation of one ormore faces of a solid body.

In this lesson you:

• Created a Shell feature.

• Created an Offset feature.

• Created Draft features.

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Lesson

14 Associative copies

Purpose

This lesson is an introduction to the Instance Feature and Mirror Bodycommands.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a rectangular array.

• Create a circular array.

• Mirror a body.

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Instance FeatureUse the Instance Feature command to duplicate the shape of existing features.

Use instance arrays to:

• Create patterns of features, such as bolt hole circles.

• Edit all members of an instanced feature array in one step.

The following instance array types are available:

RectangularArray

Create a linear array of instances from one or moreselected features.

Circular Array Create a circular array of instances from one or moreselected features.

Pattern FaceNot covered in this class — You can also chooseInsert→Direct Modeling→Pattern Face. See theonline Help for more information.

On the Feature Operation toolbar, click Instance Feature , or, from themenu bar, choose Insert→Associative Copy→Instance Feature.

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CaveatsInstanced features with a Boolean must intersect the parent solid body.

You cannot create instances of the following objects:

• Shells• Blends• Chamfers• Offset sheets• Datums• Trimmed sheet bodies• Instance sets• Draft features• Free form features• Trimmed features

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Array methods

You can create three types of rectangular and circular instance arrays:

General

Create an instance array with fullvalidation of all geometry.

Instanced geometry can cross anedge of the face.

Instances can cross over from oneface to another.

Simple

Create an instance array faster,by eliminating excessive datavalidation and optimizingoperations.

Identical

Create an instance array by thefastest method.

This method does the least amountof validation.

Each instance is an exact copy ofthe original.

Use this method when you have agreat many instances, and you aresure they are all exactly the same.

When you use Simple and Identical, you should make sure that all newgeometry lies on the same face as the original feature.

If the new geometry touches or crosses the edges on the target bodyor any other instance, use Analysis→Examine Geometry to validatethe geometry.

1. In the Examine Geometry dialog box, click Set All.

2. Select the geometry.

3. Click Examine Geometry.

If the array geometry fails a geometry check, click Undo and try aGeneral array.

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Rectangular instance arrayUse the Rectangular instance option to create a linear array of instancesfrom one or more selected features.

Rectangular instance arrays can be either two-dimensional in XC andYC (several rows of features) or one-dimensional in XC or YC (one row offeatures).

Rectangular instance arrays are generated parallel to the XC and/or YC axesbased on the number and offset distance you enter.

Change the orientation of the WCS (the XC and YC directions) by using

Format→ WCS options or WCS Dynamics .

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Parameters for Rectangular instance array

After you select the desired features to instance, the following options appear:

General / Simple / Identical

Number AlongXC

Total number of instances parallel to the XC axis,including the original feature.

XC Offset Spacing for the instances along the XC axis.

Number AlongYC

Total number of instances parallel to the YC axis,including the original feature.

YC Offset Spacing for the instances along the YC axis.

The number of instances for both the XC and YC directions must be awhole number greater than zero.

The offset values can be either positive or negative.

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Create a rectangular array

1. In the Instance dialog box, click Rectangular Array.

2. Select the features you want to instance.

3. In the Enter Parameters dialog box, specify the method: General, Simple,or Identical.

4. Type the Number Along XC, XC Offset, Number Along YC, and the YCOffset.

5. Click OK to display a preview

6. Click Yes to create the instance array, or No to return to the EnterParameters dialog box.

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Rectangular array example

(1) Hole selectedfor instance.

Number Along XC = 3

XC Offset = .75

Number Along YC = 4

YC Offset = 1

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Circular instance arrayUse the circular instance array option to create circular array of instancesfrom one or more selected features.

You specify:

• The array method.

• The rotation axis about which the instances are generated.

• The total number of instances in the array, including the original feature.

• The angle between the instances.

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Parameters for Circular instance array

After you select the desired features to instance, the following options appear:

General / Simple / Identical

Number Total number of instances created in the circular array,including the existing feature you are instancing.

Angle The angle between the instances.

The number of instances must be a whole number greater than zero.

The angle can be either positive or negative.

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Create a circular array

1. In the Instance dialog box, click Circular Array.

2. Select the features you want to instance.

3. In the Enter Parameters dialog box, specify the array method: General,Simple, or Identical.

4. In the Number input box, type the total number of instances in the array.

5. In the Angle input box, type the angle between instances.

6. Click OK.

7. Choose Point & Direction or Datum Axis to establish the rotation axis.

• Point & Direction — Use the Vector dialog box to specify a directionand the Point dialog box to specify a reference point. The selectedfeatures are rotated about the reference point in a plane normal tothe vector direction.

• Datum Axis — Select an existing datum axis.

The circular array is associated to the datum axis.

The radius of the array is the distance from the rotation axis to thefeature origin of the first feature you select. This radius value appears inthe Edit dialog box.

A highlighted representation of the array is displayed.

8. Click Yes to create the instance array, or No to return to Enter Parameters.

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Circular array example

(1) Hole selected for instance.

(2) Reference Point (ArcCenter)

(3) Vector Direction (+ZC)

Number = 8

Angle = 45

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ActivitiesIn the Associative copies section, do the following activities:

• Rectangular instance array

• Circular instance array

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Mirror BodyUse the Mirror Body command to mirror an entire body through a datumplane.

You can use this, for example, to form the other hand of a left hand or righthand part.

You can timestamp the mirrored body. After you do so, any modification youmake to the original body is not reflected in the mirrored body. This is thedefault mode.

When you mirror a body, the mirror feature creates a new body that isassociative to the original body. The mirrored body has no features of its own.

(1) Original body.

(2) Mirror datum

(3) Mirrored copy.

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Create a mirror body

1. From the menu bar, choose Insert→Associative Copy→Mirror Body.

2. In the Mirror Body dialog box, click Select Body and select a bodyto mirror.

3. Click Select Plane and select a datum plane.

4. (Optional) Clear the Fix at Current Timestamp check box if you want themirrored body to reflect subsequent features added to the parent body.

5. Click OK or Apply to create the mirrored body.

Edit a Mirror Body feature

1. Right-click on the mirrored body in the graphics window or in the PartNavigator.

2. Select Edit with Rollback from the shortcut menu

3. From the Mirror Body dialog box, edit the parent body, timestamp setting,or the mirror plane.

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Mirror Body options

Parent Part

Available only during edit.

Work Part — Select a parent body from the work part.

Other Part — Select a parent body from another part. Themirrored body then becomes a WAVE linked body. WAVElinking is an Intermediate NX Design and Assembliestopic.

Select BodyLets you select a body in a part to mirror.

ReverseDirection

Available only during edit.

Available only if you are mirroring a sheet body.

Reverses the surface normal of the mirrored body.

Select PlaneSelect a datum plane through which to mirror a body.

ReplacementAssistant

Available only during edit and only if you select geometryto replace the existing geometry.

Lets you select geometry to replace existing geometry.

WAVEInformation

This group is available only during edit and only when themirrored body is a WAVE linked body. WAVE linking is anIntermediate NX Design and Assemblies topic.

Parent Part displays the name of the parent part.

Object displays the name of the parent object.

Status displays the status of the WAVE link.

Fix atCurrentTimestamp

Select this option to fix the feature timestamp of themirrored body.

When this option is active, only changes made to theoriginal body prior to the timestamp are reflected in themirrored body. Changes made to the original body afterthe timestamp are not reflected in the mirrored body.

When this option is not selected, the mirrored bodydynamically changes its location in history. Changes madeto the original body are always reflected in the mirror body.

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Associative copies

ActivityIn the Associative copies section, do the following activity:

• Mirror Body

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SummaryInstance Feature and Mirror Body duplicate existing features, eliminatingrepetitive efforts in the creation of models.

In this lesson you:

• Created a rectangular instance array.

• Created a circular instance array.

• Mirrored a body.

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Lesson

15 Edge operations

Purpose

This lesson introduces the Edge Blend and Chamfer commands.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create edge blends.

• Create chamfers.

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Edge operations overviewEdge operations are available to provide additional definition to the edges ofa model. These operations include Edge Blend and Chamfer.

They are available in the Feature Operation toolbar or by choosingInsert→Detail Feature.

You can create edge blends and chamfers by first selecting the edge(s)and choosing Blend or Chamfer from the shortcut menu.

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Edge BlendUse the Edge Blend command to smooth selected edges that are shared by atleast two faces.

The Edge Blend command operates like a ball that rolls along an edge,maintaining contact with the faces that meet the edge.

The blending ball rolls on the inside of faces to round the edges, removingmaterial (1), and the outside of faces to fillet the edges, adding material (2).

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The Edge Blend dialog box

After you click Edge Blend a dialog box is displayed and you are prompted toselect a set of edges. You can type the radius in the Radius n box.

Radius n refers to Radius 1, Radius 2, Radius 3, and so on.

Use a Curve Rule to collect related edges or to speed up selection.

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The preview

As you select edges, the preview is updated. If the preview fails, it means theblend will probably also fail. You should see a warning window explainingthe problem.

Adjust the radius by dragging one of the radius drag handles (1) or by typingthe value in the dynamic input field (2).

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Add New Set

A single blend feature may consist of one or more sets of edges. Each setmay have a different radius value.

Click Add New Set in the dialog box (or click the middle mouse button once)to select another set of edges.

You may continue to define another edge set or complete the blend operationby clicking OK.

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Resolve blended edge overflow

Blend overflow occurs when tangent edges of a blend encounter other edgeson the solid.

Resolution Description

Roll Over SmoothEdges

Allow the blend to extend onto a smoothly connected(tangent) face that it encounters.

Roll on Edges(Smooth orSharp)

Allow the blend to forego tangency with one of thedefining faces, and roll onto any edge, whethersmooth or sharp.

Maintain Blendand Move SharpEdges

Allow the blend to maintain tangency with thedefining faces, and moves any encountered edges tothe blend face.

Select Edge toForce Roll on

Select an edge on which you want to force thesoftware to apply the Roll On Edges (Smooth orSharp) option.

Select Edge toProhibit Roll on

Select an edge on which you want to prevent thesoftware from applying the Roll On Edges (Smoothor Sharp) option.

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Explicit Overflow Resolutions

For this edge blend, an encountered edge (1) is selected with Select Edge toProhibit Roll on, to not have the Roll On Edges (Smooth or Sharp) optionapplied to it. The edge of the other cylinder is not prohibited and is processedby the Roll On Edges (Smooth or Sharp) option.

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ActivitiesIn the Edge operations section, do the following activities:

• Edge blends

• Blend Options

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Variable radius blendsYou can create a variable radius blend by specifying a radius at multiplepoints along selected edges.

Procedure

To create a variable radius blend:

• Click Edge Blend.

• Select the desired edges to blend.

• From the Various Blend Points area, choose a point definition option.

• Indicate point locations and radii where you want the radius to vary.

• Modify the point location as necessary by dragging, % Arc Length, orArc Length.

The Edge Blend dialog box maintains a list of points, associatedvalues, and expressions.

• Click OK when you have the shape you want.

Creating variable radius points

While you are creating or editing an edge blend and after you have specifiedits edge sets, you can add some variable radius points to the sets. This hasthe effect of varying the blend’s radius along its edge.

The Selection Bar Snap Points can help you specify points.

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You can change the position of a point to any other position along the edge itis on by:

dragging the point handle.

entering the desired value in the % Arc Length or Arc Length dynamic inputwindow.

entering the desired value on the full dialog box.

You can toggle between % Arc Length (the default) and Arc Length byright-clicking over a variable point handle.

You can delete a point by right-clicking over it in the graphics window thenchoosing Remove.

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Once you have selected all desired edges (1) and selected all desired pointlocations for varying radii (2) , click OK and the blend is created.

Editing variable radius blends

You can edit features in general from Edit→Feature→Edit Parameters or thePart Navigator.

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Tips and techniques

• If you do not give enough information to create the blend, the systeminfers information for you depending on other selected geometry:

• If you do not give a point and radius to a selected edge, the system usesthe default radius to create the blend for that edge.

• If you are editing an existing edge blend and you are not using Edit withRollback, the Enable Preview option is not available.

The following are some rules you should follow to produce the desired blends:

• To produce a linearly varying blend (3), you must define a different radiusat each end of an edge (1,2).

If you must perform an operation that will blend away entire faces (1), blendonly one edge at a time.

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If you select an open loop set of edges and supply radii only to the two openendpoints, the blend will vary continuously from endpoint to endpoint.

In the example below, three edges on the top face of the block are blended.A radius of 0.1 is assigned at end point (1) and a radius of 0.4 is assignedat end point (2).

The result is shown below in both a TOP and ISO view.

You can create a variable radius blend with the radii value of zero at oneof the selected vertices (1,2).

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Activity

In the Variable Radius Edge Blends section, do the activity:

• Creating a variable radius blend

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ChamferThe Chamfer command bevels the edges of a solid body using chamferdimensions that you define.

Material is added or subtracted depending on the topology of the solid body.In example (1) material is removed, and in example (2) material is added.

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Create Chamfers

1. On the Feature Operation toolbar, click Chamfer , or chooseInsert→Detail Feature→Chamfer.

2. Select one or more edges.

3. In the Offsets group, specify an option from the Cross Section list;Symmetric, Asymmetric, or Offset and Angle.

4. In the dialog box, type offset values that correspond to the cross sectionoption.

5. (Optional) In the Settings group, specify an option from the Offset Methodlist, Offset Edges along Faces, or Offset Faces and Trim.

6. (Optional) In the Settings group, select Chamfer All Instances, if thechamfered edge is, or may be, instanced.

7. (Optional) In the Preview group, select Preview to preview results, orclear it to show only the drag handles.

8. (Optional) Use drag handles or dynamic input boxes to modify offsets.

9. (Optional) In the Offset group, click Reverse Direction to flip the chamfer.

10. Click OK or click the middle mouse button to create the chamfer.

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Chamfer optionsYou can change the Cross Section option or click Reverse Direction inthe dialog box, or, you can use the shortcut menu over a drag handle.

EdgeSelect Edge Select one or more edges from the same body, using

a Curve Rule.Offsets

Cross Section

Symmetric — Create a simple chamfer, using ansingle, positive offset from a selected edge alongboth of its faces.

Asymmetric Create a chamfer using two positivevalues for the edge offsets.

Offset and Angle — Create a chamfer whose offsetsare determined by one positive offset value and apositive angle.

Distance

Type a distance value for the offset when the CrossSection is Offset and Angle or Symmetric.

You can also drag the distance handle to specify thevalue.

Distance 1

Distance 2Type distance values when the Cross Section isAsymmetric, or drag the handles.

Angle

Type an angle value for the angle when the CrossSection is Offset and Angle.

You can also drag the angle handle to specify theangle.

Reverse DirectionMove the offsets or the offset and angle from oneside of the chamfer edge to the other.

Not available when the cross section is symmetric.

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ActivityIn the Edge operations section, do the following activity:

• Chamfers

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SummaryThe Edge Blend and Chamfer operations are available to provide additionaldefinition to the edges of a model. All of the blended edges or chamfered edgescreated in a single operation are considered to be one feature.

In this lesson you:

• Blended a single edge.

• Blended edges using a Selection Intent rule.

• Chamfered edges using different input options.

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Lesson

16 Introduction to Assemblies

Purpose

This lesson introduces the Assemblies application.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Set load options for an assembly.

• Work with the Assembly Navigator.

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Definitions and descriptionsThis section introduces terms that are used to describe assemblies.

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Assembly

An assembly is a part which contains component objects.

Component objects are pointers to standalone parts or subassemblies.

In this illustration, the toy laser gun is an assembly consisting of manycomponents.

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Subassembly

A subassembly is an assembly used as a component within a higher levelassembly.

This illustration shows the subassembly of the integrated circuit board forthe toy laser gun.

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Component objects

A component object links the assembly that contains it to another part file.

A component object can point to a part that is also an assembly; that is, asubassembly with its own component objects.

1 Top level assembly.

2Subassembly. This is a component part that is referenced by a higherlevel assembly.

3Standalone Parts. These are component parts that are referenced byan assembly and are not themselves assemblies.

4 A Component Object.

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Component parts

A component part is a part which is referenced by a component object withinan assembly.

Geometry stored in a component part is seen, but not copied, in the assembly.

The term “standalone part” refers to a part that it not itself an assembly.

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Introduction to assembly load optionsWhen an assembly part is opened, or loaded, using File→Open, its componentparts must be found and loaded. Load Options establish how the componentparts are loaded.

Access the Assembly Load Options dialog box by choosingFile→Options→Assembly Load Options or by clicking Options in the OpenPart File dialog box.

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Part Versions group

The Part Versions group contains the Load list, with options to control how tofind component parts.

• As Saved — Look for each component part in the same directory it was inwhen the assembly was last saved.

• From Folder — Look for each component in the same directory as theassembly part.

• From Search Folders — Look for each component in directories specifiedin a user-defined list.

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Load states

NX parts can be fully loaded, partially loaded, or unloaded when an assemblyis opened.

• Fully loaded — All part data is loaded into memory.

• Partially loaded— Only the data required to display the part is loaded intomemory. The part will not update after certain changes that would affectit if it was fully loaded, for example, with changes to interpart expression.

Any operations that need to load the feature data from componentswill do so automatically, but can only do so if the component parthas not been modified since the first portion of it was loaded.

• Unloaded — The component part is not loaded into memory with theassembly.

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Scope group

The Scope group in the Assembly Load Options dialog box allows you tocontrol the assembly configuration and the load state of parts:

• Load — Control which components are opened:

– All Components — Load all components.

– Structure Only — Load your assembly part, but no components.

– As Saved — Load the same components that were open when theassembly was last saved.

– Reevaluate Last Component Group — Load your assembly with thecomponent group used when the assembly was last saved.

Component groups are advanced functionality to let youconditionally apply actions to all or part of the assemblystructure.

– Specify Component Group— Select from a list of available componentgroups.

• Use Partial Loading — When selected, partially load components to open,unless the Load Interpart Data requires them to be fully loaded.

• Load Interpart Data — Find and load parents of interpart data, even ifthe parts would be left unloaded by other rules.

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Load Behavior

The Load Behavior group controls optional actions that NX can take if thereare problems with the requested load configuration:

• Allow Substutiton — Enable the assembly to be loaded with a componentthat has the wrong internal identifier (but the correct name), even thoughit is a completely different part. You receive a warning if this happens.

• Generate Missing Part Family Members — When NX determines that apart family member is missing during the load:

– If Generate Missing Part Family Members is selected, NX checks fornewer versions of the current part family template. If it finds a newerversion of the template, the newest version is used to generate themissing members.

– If Generate Missing Part Family Members is clear, NX uses thecurrent part family template to generate the missing members.

• Cancel Load on Failure — NX cancels the entire load operation if itcannot find one or more component part files.

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Reference Sets

Use this area to specify a list of reference sets to be looked for, in order, whenan assembly is loaded. The first reference set found from the top of the listreading downwards is the one that is loaded.

Think of a reference set as a subset of part geometry that you can loadin place of the entire part.

In this class, the only reference set you will need to use is the Modelreference set. The model reference set is meant to contain only a bodythat you wish to place on a drawing.

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Saved Load Options

You may save the current load options settings as your default settings.Otherwise, any changes you make in the Assembly Load Options dialog boxapply only to your current NX session.

The Saved Load Options group contains options to control saved settings:

• Save as Default — Save the current load options as your defaults in theload_options.def file in your current directory.

• Restore Default — Reset the load options to the values defined in theload_options.def file in your current directory, if it exists, or to the systemdefaults.

• Save to File — Save the current load options settings to a load optiondefinition file whose name and location you define in the Save LoadOptions File dialog box.

• Open from File — Open the Restore Load Options File dialog box, fromwhich you can select a custom load option definitions file.

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The Assembly NavigatorThe Assembly Navigator provides:

• A graphical display of the assembly structure of the displayed part.

• Methods to manage components.

View the Assembly Navigator by clicking the Assembly Navigator tabon the Resource Bar.

If necessary, you may drag the Resource Bar wider to see more information.

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Node display

Each component of an assembly is displayed as a node in the assembly treestructure.

Selecting a node is the same as selecting the corresponding component inthe graphics window.

Each node consists of a check box, an icon, the part name, and additionalcolumns.

If the part is an assembly or subassembly, an expand/collapse box will also bepresent.

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Icons and check boxes

This assembly or subassembly is the work part, or a component ofthe work part.

This assembly or subassembly is not the work part, and not acomponent of the work part.

This assembly or subassembly is not loaded.

This standalone part is either the work part, or a component ofthe work part.

This standalone part is not the work part, and not a component ofthe work part.

This standalone part is not loaded.

This indicates a collapsed subassembly.

Click to expand the display.This indicates an expanded subassembly.

Click to collapse the display.The part is closed.

Click to load it.

Components will load according to assembly load options.The part is hidden, and at least partially loaded.

Click to show it.The part is visible, and at least partially loaded.

Click to hide it.

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The Assemblies application

Start the Assemblies application like any other application, from the Startlist on the Standard toolbar. The Assemblies application can be active at thesame time as other applications such as Modeling or Drafting.

The Assemblies application name in the Start list has a check box besideit when it is active. When the Assemblies application is active, you seeadditional toolbars, and there are additional options in some menus.

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ActivitiesIn the Introduction to Assemblies section, do the following activities:

• Assembly Load Options

• Assembly Navigator

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Select components in the Assembly NavigatorIn any Assemblies function that requires you to select components, you mayalso select the appropriate node in the Assembly Navigator.

To select multiple components in the Assembly Navigator, select the firstcomponent and then:

• Hold the Shift key and click to select a range of nodes.

• Hold the Ctrl key and click to toggle selection of individual nodes.

You can also hold the Shift-key and click components in the graphics windowto deselect them.

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Identify components

If you select a visible non-work part in the Assembly Navigator, the part ishighlighted.

If you hold the cursor over the node of component that is not visible (e.g.,hidden, on another layer, or unloaded), the bounding box of that component istemporarily shown in the graphics window.

Temporary bounding box display is controlled by the Preselect InvisibleNodes property of the Assembly Navigator.

To access Assembly Navigator properties, hold the cursor away from allnodes, right-click, and select Properties.

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Component selectionOnce a component has been selected, you can use the shortcut menu over it inthe graphics window to select an available action.

The options in the component shortcut menu vary depending on theactive applications.

Selectable components appear in the QuickPick window.

Use the Components filter in the QuickPick dialog box to show onlycomponents.

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Design in contextYou design in context when you edit component geometry while a higherlevel assembly is displayed.

The advantage is that you can see and, when necessary, select objects fromother components.

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The Displayed Part

NX allows multiple parts to be open at the same time. These parts may havebeen loaded:

• Explicitly — Loaded using the Open options on the Assembly Navigator,or the File→Open command.

• Implicitly — Loaded as a result of being used by some other loadedassembly.

The part currently displayed in the graphics window is called the displayedpart. You can make edits in parallel to several parts by switching thedisplayed part back and forth among those parts.

Loaded parts do not have to belong to the same assembly.

There are several ways to change the displayed part:

• Select a component from the graphics window and use the shortcut menu.

• On the Assemblies toolbar, click Make Displayed Part .

• From the main menu, choose Window→More to open the Change Windowdialog box.

• Choose Window and select a part from the list.

• In the Assembly Navigator, open the shortcut menu over the node for apart, and select Make Displayed Part.

• From the main menu, choose Assemblies→Context Control→SetDisplayed Part.

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Use the Change Window dialog box

The Change Window dialog box lists all partially and fully loaded partsexcept the displayed part.

Select a part by:

• Selecting from the list of loaded parts.

• Selecting geometry in the graphics window.

• Selecting the node in the Assembly Navigator.

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Enter a portion of the part name in the Search Text input box to helpfind the part in the list.

Click the Options button to specify search methods.

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The work part

The part in which you create and edit geometry, and to which componentsare added, is called the work part. The work part and the displayed partneed not be the same.

When the displayed part is an assembly, you can change the work part to anyof the components within that assembly, except for unloaded parts and partsof different units. You can add or edit geometry, features, and componentswithin the work part.

You can reference geometry outside of the work part in many modelingoperations. For example, you can use control points on geometry outside ofthe work part to position a feature within the work part.

When you open a part with File→Open it is both the displayed and the workpart.

If the displayed part is not the work part, the work part is, by default,emphasized by retaining its normal colors while other components change toa single color. Work part emphasis and the non-work part color are controlledin the Assembly Preferences dialog box.

Methods to change the work part are:

• Double-click the component in the graphics window.

• Select the component in the graphics window and use the shortcut menu.

• In the Assemblies toolbar, click Make Work Part .

• Use the Assembly Navigator shortcut menu.

• From the main menu, choose Assemblies→Context Control→Set WorkPart.

• Double-click the node in the Assembly Navigator.

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Associativity

Geometric changes made at any level within an assembly result in the updateof associated data at all other levels of affected assemblies.

An edit to an individual component part causes all assembly drawings thatuse that part to be updated appropriately.

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Assembly Navigator shortcut menuIf you position the cursor over a node in the Assembly Navigator thatrepresents a component and right-click, the shortcut menu shows componentrelated options.

The options in the Assembly Navigator shortcut menu vary dependingon the status of the component and whether the Assemblies andModeling applications are active.

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Pack and Unpack

The Pack option replaces multiple occurrences in the Assembly Navigatordisplay with a single node.

Multiple occurrences are components representing the same part, andhaving the same parent.

Use the Unpack option to reverse the Pack option and show all occurrences.

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Make Work Part

The Make Work Part command sets the part in which to create new geometryor edit existing geometry.

When a component is the work part, the reference set is by defaultchanged to Entire Part.

This can result in the display of additional geometry.

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Make Displayed Part

The Make Displayed Part command switches the display between currentlyloaded parts.

The displayed part is always the top node in the Assembly Navigator.

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Introduction to Assemblies

Display Parent

The Display Parent command switches the displayed part from a componentor an assembly to a loaded parent assembly.

The Maintain option in the Assembly Preferences dialog boxdetermines the behavior when you make a parent the displayed part.

If Maintain is selected, the component remains the work part.

If Maintain is clear, the parent becomes both the displayed part andwork part.

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ActivityIn the Introduction to Assemblies section, do the following activity:

• Additional work with the Assembly Navigator

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Save the work partAfter you edit it, save the work part to keep the modifications.

Use File→Save or File→Save Work Part Only.

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File→Save

• If the work part is a standalone part, only that part is saved.

• If the work part is an assembly or subassembly, all modified componentparts below it are also saved.

File→Save does not save higher level parts and assemblies if they aremodified.

File→Save All saves all modified parts in the session regardlessof which part is the work part, even parts that do not belong tothe displayed assembly.

Open parts for which you do not have write privileges will not besaved.

You will get a warning about parts that cannot be saved due topermissions.

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File→Save Work Part Only

Save Work Part Only saves only the work part, even if it is an assembly orsubassembly with modified components.

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SummaryAn assembly is a part which contains component objects. It is a collection ofpointers to piece parts and/or subassemblies.

Assemblies provides the ability to design in context.

In this lesson you:

• Set Assembly Load Options.

• Worked with the Assembly Navigator.

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Lesson

17 Adding and constrainingcomponents

Purpose

This lesson demonstrates adding components to an assembly and theassociativity that may be designed between components with constraints.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Add components to an assembly.

• Move components.

• Define constraints.

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General assembly conceptsThere are two approaches to creating an assembly structure.

• Top-down modeling — Create component parts at the assembly level.

• Bottom-up modeling — Create individual models in isolation, then lateradd them to assemblies.

You are not limited to one approach to building the assembly. For example,you can initially work in a top-down fashion, then switch back and forthbetween bottom-up and top-down modeling.

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The Assemblies toolbar

Button Description

Find Component Search for a component.

Show Only Show just the selected component; hide all others.

Add Component Insert an existing component into your assembly.

Create NewComponent

Create a new component and insert it into yourassembly.

Create NewParent

Create a new parent for your current displayedpart.

SubstituteComponent Substitute a component in the assembly.

Mate ComponentMate one component to another.This command is obsolete. It is replaced byAssembly Constraints.

AssemblyConstraints

Define component positions using positioningconstraints.

RepositionComponent

Reposition one or more selected components.This command is obsolete. It is replaced by MoveComponent.

Move Component Move selected components within theirdegrees-of-freedom in an assembly.

ReplaceReference Set

Define or change a reference set for the assembly.

Exploded Views Open the Exploded Views toolbar to create or editexploded views.

AssemblySequences

View or modify the sequence in which an assemblywas created.

Make Work Part Change the work part to the selected part.

Make DisplayedPart

Change the displayed part to the selected part.

Product InterfaceDeclare expressions and geometric objects as apart’s preferred interfaces when other assemblyparts need a reference.

Check ClearancesCheck selected components against each other andother visible components for possible interferences.

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Use the bottom-up construction method

1. Create new parts using File→ New.

2. Create the desired geometry.

3. Change the work part to the assembly part file.

4. Position the new part in the assembly:

From the main menu choose Assemblies→ Components→ Add Existing.

or

On the Assemblies toolbar, click Add Component .

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Add components

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Add Component .

2. If you want to see a preview of the component, do both of the following:

• Choose Preferences→Assemblies and select the Preview Componenton Add check box.

• In the Add Component dialog box, select the Preview check box.

3. In the Add Component dialog box, while Select Part is active,select one or more parts that you want to add. You can select a part fromseveral places, including:

• The graphics window.

• The Loaded Parts or Recent Parts list boxes in the Add Componentdialog box.

• The Assembly Navigator.

• The Part Name dialog box — Click Open , and browse to thedirectory that has the part that you want to add.

4. (Optional) Under Duplicates, in the Quantity box, type a number ofinstances to create. The default is 1.

5. Specify the Positioning method that is to be applied after you choose OKor Apply in step 11:

• Absolute Origin — Place the added components at absolute 0,0,0.

• Select Origin — Place the added components at a selected point.

• By Constraints— Place the added components after you define theirassembly constraints with other components.

• Move — Place the added components after you define how they shouldbe positioned.

6. (Optional) Select the Scatter check box if you want to ensure that multipleadded components are initially positioned apart from each other.

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7. (Optional) Under Replication, specify Multiple Add to define what NXshould do after you add the selected components. TheMultiple Add optionsprovide shortcuts for common operations with newly-added components:

• None

• Repeat after Add — Immediately add another instance of eachnewly-added component.

• Array after Add — Create an array of your newly-added components.

8. (Optional) Under Settings, specify a Name if you want your added partto have a different component name than the original part name. (Notavailable if you select multiple parts.)

9. (Optional) Specify the Reference Set for your added components.

10. (Optional) Choose a Layer Option to define the layer where thecomponents should be located.

If your Layer Option is As Specified, type the layer number in the Layerbox.

11. Choose OK or Apply to add the selected components.

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ActivityIn the Adding and constraining components section, do the following activity:

• Create an assembly

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Move Component

From the Assemblies toolbar, click Move Component to move selectedcomponents within their degrees-of-freedom in an assembly.

You can also move components on different assembly levels at the same time.

The available options for Type are:

• Dynamic

• By Constraints

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Assembly Constraints

Overview

Use assembly constraints to position components in an assembly.

You specify constraint relationships between two components in the assembly.For example, you can specify that a cylindrical face on one component is to becoaxial with a conical face on another component.

Use combinations of constraints to completely specify a component’s positionin the assembly.

NX calculates a position for the components which satisfies the constraintsyou specify.

To make the Assembly Constraints dialog box available, choosePreferences→Assemblies, and from the Interaction list, choosePositioning Constraints.

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Constraint types

Type Description

Touch AlignConstrain two components so they touch or alignwith each other.

Touch Align is the most common constraint.

ConcentricConstrain circular or elliptical edges of twocomponents so the centers are coincident and theplanes of the edges are coplanar.

DistanceSpecify the minimum 3D distance between twoobjects.

Fix Fix a component at its current position.

Parallel Define the direction vectors of two objects as parallelto each other.

Perpendicular Define the direction vectors of two objects asperpendicular to each other.

Angle Define an angle dimension between two objects.

CenterCenter one or two objects between a pair of objects,or center a pair of objects along another object.

Bond“Weld” components together so they move as a rigidbody.

Fit

Bring together two cylindrical faces with equal radii.This constraint is useful for locating pins or boltsin holes.

If the radii later become non-equal, the constraint isinvalid.

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Create a Touch Align constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Touch Align.

3. Check the Settings and modify them as you require:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Apply to Used — Apply the constraint in the currently usedarrangement.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are retained after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box. If the check box is cleared,constraints are temporary; they remain in effect only while the dialogbox is open. You can use temporary constraints to move componentswithout leaving the Assembly Constraints interaction.

4. Set Orientation to one of the following:

• Prefer Touch— Use a touch constraint when touch and align solutionsare both possible. (Touch constraints are more common than alignconstraints in most models.)

The Prefer Touch option uses an align constraint if a touch constraintwould over-constrain the assembly.

• Touch — Constrain objects so their surface normals are in oppositedirections.

• Align — Constrain objects so their surface normals are in the samedirection.

• Infer Center/Axis — Specify that, when you select a cylindrical orconical face, NX uses the face’s center or axis instead of the face itselffor the constraint.

5. Click Select Two Objects (if necessary), and select two objects for theconstraint.

You can use the Point Constructor to help you select objects.

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6. If two solutions are possible, you can click Reverse Last Constraintto flip between the possible solutions.

7. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Concentric constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Concentric.

3. Check the Settings and modify them as you require:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Two Objects (if necessary), and select two circularcurves for the constraint.

If the Accept Tolerant Curves assembly preference check box is selected,you can also select elliptical or near-circular curves that are within themodeling distance tolerance.

5. If two solutions are possible, click Reverse Last Constraint to flipbetween the possible solutions.

6. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Distance constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Distance.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Two Objects (if necessary), and select two objects forthe distance constraint.

5. If two solutions are possible, you can click Reverse Last Constraintto flip between the possible solutions.

If more than two solutions are possible, you can click Cycle Last

Constraint to cycle through the possible solutions.

6. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Fix constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Fix.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Object (if necessary), and select the object you wantto fix.

5. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Parallel constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Parallel.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Two Objects (if necessary), and select two objects thatyou want to be parallel.

5. If two solutions are possible, you can click Reverse Last Constraintto flip between the possible solutions.

6. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Perpendicular constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Perpendicular.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Two Objects (if necessary), and select two objects thatyou want to be perpendicular.

5. If two solutions are possible, you can click Reverse Last Constraintto flip between the possible solutions.

6. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create an Angle constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Angle.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Specify the angle’s Subtype:

• 3D Angle measures the angle constraint between two objects withouta defined axis of rotation.

• Orient Angle measures the angle constraint between two objects,using a selected axis of rotation.

5. Select the objects for the angle constraint as follows:

• If Subtype is 3D Angle, the Select Two Objects option appears.Select two objects for the angle constraint.

• If Subtype is Orient Angle, the Select Three Objects optionappears. Select an axis as the first object, and then select two objectsfor the angle constraint.

6. If two solutions are possible, click Reverse Last Constraint to flipbetween the possible solutions.

7. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Center constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Center.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Specify the Subtype:

• 1 to 2 — Center the first selected object between the next two selectedobjects.

• 2 to 1 — Center two selected objects along the third selected object.

• 2 to 2 — Center two selected objects between two other selectedobjects.

5. If Subtype is 1 to 2 or 2 to 1, set Axial Geometry to define what happensif you select a cylindrical face or circular edge:

• Use Geometry — Use selected cylindrical faces for the constraint.

• Infer Center/Axis — Use the center or axis of the object.

6. Click Select Objects (if necessary), and select the appropriatenumber of objects as defined by the Subtype.

You can use the Point Constructor to help you select objects.

7. If two solutions are possible, click Reverse Last Constraint to flipbetween the possible solutions.

8. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Bond constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Bond.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Objects (if necessary), and select two or more objectsto bond.

5. Click Create Constraint when you are ready to create the constraint.

6. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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Create a Fit constraint

1. On the Assemblies toolbar, click Assembly Constraints .

2. In the Assembly Constraints dialog box, set Type to Fit.

3. Check the Settings and modify them if you do not want to use theirdefaults:

• Arrangements — Specify whether you want the constraint to beapplied to other assembly arrangements:

– Use Component Properties — Obey the Arrangements setting onthe Parameters page of the Component Properties dialog box.

• Dynamic Positioning — Specify that you want NX to solve theconstraints and move the components as you create each constraint.

• Associative — Specify that constraints are persistent after you closethe Assembly Constraints dialog box.

4. Click Select Two Objects (if necessary), and select two pieces ofgeometry that are the same size.

The objects are fitted together.

5. If two solutions are possible, you can click Reverse Last Constraintto flip between the possible solutions.

6. Click OK or Apply when you finish adding constraints.

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ActivityIn the Adding and constraining components section, do the following activity:

• Constrain and move components

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SummaryYou can add existing parts to another part to create an assembly.

When an assembly is displayed, the work part is the part in which you editand create geometry and components.

Assembly constraints provide a method to establish rules to govern therelative placement of component parts.

In this lesson you:

• Added components to an assembly.

• Moved components.

• Defined constraints.

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Lesson

18 Reference Sets

Purpose

Reference sets allow you to limit the amount of component part informationdisplayed in an assembly. Reference sets will also allow you to show alternaterepresentations or simplified versions of the model.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create reference sets in components.

• Replace reference sets for individual components in an assembly.

• Define default reference sets in Load Options.

• Edit reference sets.

• Observe the creation of automatic reference sets by the system.

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Reference Sets

General concepts concerning Reference SetsA reference set is a named "subset" or "group" of data that is defined in acomponent part (a piece part or subassembly). Reference sets can be used atthe next level assembly to control what is displayed from the component part.

Below, illustration 1 depicts a component part. Illustration 2 shows areference set that may be defined within the component part.

A reference set may contain the following data:

• Name, Origin, and Orientation

• Geometric Objects, Datums, Coordinate Systems, Component Objects

• Attributes (non-geometric information used for a parts list)

Reference Set usage

After a reference set is defined in a component part it can be used in anassembly. There are two primary reasons for using reference sets.

• Exclude, or "filter" unwanted objects in a component part so that they donot appear in the assembly.

• Represent a component part in the assembly with alternative or simplergeometry than the complete solid body.

Reference sets let you control the amount of data that is loaded from eachcomponent and viewed in the context of an assembly. A well-managedreference set strategy can lead to:

• Faster load times

• Reduced memory usage

• Less cluttered graphics displays

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Default Reference SetsEvery part may contain five system managed reference sets:

• "Entire Part"

• "Empty"

• Model

• Lightweight

• Simplified

Entire Part

Entire Part is the default Reference Set and refers to all model geometryand/or Component Objects in a part. Displaying the Entire Part is a quick wayto access all model geometry and Component Objects in a component part.

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Empty

The "Empty" (1) reference set is used as a place holder in an assembly whenthe part geometry need not be seen. The Model (2) reference set contains onlythe solid geometry of the component part.

When a component is replaced with its Empty reference set, anyassociative drafting objects in the assembly will be retained accordingto the Retain Annotations setting in Preferences→Drafting. When thegeometry reappears by replacing reference sets, the drafting objectswill return to their active state.

When an assembly is opened using As Saved, a component representedby an empty reference set will remain unloaded.

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The Model Reference Set

By default NX provides the Model Reference Set.

The basic concept behind the model reference set is to collect the objects thatyou want to use for visualizing or doing mass analysis.

The Model Reference Set contains actual model geometry, including:

• Solids• Sheets

Whenever a solid or sheet is created, it is automatically added to the part’smodel reference set under the following conditions:

• Solid bodies always get added.• Sheet bodies are added two different ways, according to a default

setting, File→Utilities→Customer Defaults→Assemblies→SiteStandards→Reference Sets→Contents.If the setting is Sheets and Solids, the current default, sheet bodies arealways added to the model reference set.If the setting is Solids Priority, then sheets are added only if there areno solid bodies in the reference set. Under this setting the assumption isthat sheets created after the first solid are there only to help modify thesolid or to construct additional solids.

• Construction and reference geometry, such as curves or datums, areignored.

The system uses the model reference set in several ways, including:

• Weight or mass calculation• Bounding box size (for spatial filtering)• True shape data (for spatial filtering more accurate than bounding boxes)• Lightweight reference set• Teamcenter Visualization translation files (.jt files)

The above applications are advanced topics and may require additionallicensing. Please consult the Help files for more information.

Your company can specify a reference set name for the model reference set.

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To simulate a company standard for this class we customized the modelreference set name to be BODY.

The default name for the model reference set is MODEL.

The Model Reference Set Name is set under the Assemblies Site Standardssection of Customer Defaults.

The same page allows you to specify whether component objects are added tothe model reference set of an assembly automatically. The default is to addthem automatically. This will only take place if there is geometry created inthe assembly file that would cause the automatic "Model" and "Lightweight"reference sets to be created.

You may also specify additional reference set names that will be recognizedas model reference sets during Teamcenter Visualization translation.

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The Lightweight Reference Set

A lightweight reference set is one that contains a facetted representation ofeach body in the model reference set.

The system creates the lightweight reference set automatically when includedobjects are created if a name for it is defined in customer defaults:

To simulate a company standard for this class we customized the lightweightreference set name to be LITE.

The lightweight reference set has several advantages:

• Retrieval is faster.• Less system memory is used.• Attribute information is still available.• Dimensions to the assembly are associative.

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The simplified Reference Set

The simplified reference set is maintained automatically if you define a namefor the Simplified Reference Set Name customer default, such as ENVELOPE.

To simulate a company standard for this class we customized the simplifiedreference set name to be ENVELOPE.

Once you have defined the simplified reference set, any wrap assembly orlinked exteriors that you create are automatically added to this reference set.

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User defined Reference Sets

Mate Reference Sets

If you want to access the datums used by your assembly for mating, areference set that contains the solid body and those datums necessary fordefining Mating Constraints may be useful.

Drafting Reference Sets

Some parts use reference geometry that needs to be dimensioned in drawings,but is not needed otherwise. You can put such geometry into a reference set,such as DRAFTING, to be used in drafting non-master files.

For example, the part below was designed as a cable around a givencenterline. You would not normally want to see the centerline in assemblies,but you might need it for a dimension in a drawing.

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Representation of components with simplified geometry

You may want to create one or more reference sets that contain basicrepresentations of components. Large or complex parts can affect assemblyperformance. For example, if your assembly contains a sheet metal door withhundreds of louvers, using a reference set that represents the door withoutthe louvers may improve performance.

The illustration shows reference sets consisting of only a simplified solidand the guide string of a tube.

Using these SIMPLE reference sets in the assembly will let the componentload faster, use less system memory, and allow for quicker graphic updates,yet still display selectable geometry for the component.

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Create Reference SetsThere are two situations in which you can create a reference set:

• In any work part.

• From an assembly during creation of a new component. (Top-Down). Thereference set will exist in the new component.

Automatic Reference Sets

Once you have defined customer default names for the model, lightweight,and simplified automatic reference sets, the system automatically addsobjects that you create to the appropriate reference set.

You can, however, modify a model, lightweight, or simplified reference set byadding or removing objects, as described below in "Editing a Reference Set".

You cannot modify the Entire Part or Empty reference sets.

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Reference Sets may be created and edited by choosing Format→ReferenceSets from the menu bar.

After choosing Create (1) you will be prompted to enter a name for thereference set and select the objects to include in the reference set.

The following rules apply to reference set names:

• Must be 30 characters or less.

• They are not case sensitive. The system automatically converts all namesto uppercase characters.

We recommend that you use common names for reference sets to makeit easier to assist those using the component as a master model. Usingautomated reference set creation makes standardization easy.

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Origin and orientation

You can define a reference set coordinate system and origin in the CreateReference Set dialog box.

If Create Reference Set CSYS is toggled to No, the reference set will use theAbsolute orientation and origin by default.

If Create Reference Set CSYS is toggled to Yes, you will be prompted tospecify an orientation and an origin point.

The orientation and origin of the reference set will not affect the location ofthe components in existing assemblies.

Creating reference set origin and orientation is primarily done by companieswho need to specify a “rigged position,” otherwise this feature is notrecommended as “Best Practice.” Variable positioning or arrangements(discussed later) are easier, more powerful, and more visible to the user.

Add Components Automatically

If Add Components Automatically is selected, any new components added tothe assembly are also added to the reference set.

All existing components are selected automatically and will be added to thereference set unless you explicitly deselect the components that you do notwant.

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Reference Set informationYou can obtain information about reference sets that reside in the work partby choosing Information→Assemblies→Reference Set from the main menubar or by selecting Information from the Format→Reference Sets dialog box.

When you request information on a reference set using theInformation→Assemblies→Reference Set method, the system will:

• Highlight the members of the set in the graphics window.

• Display the origin and orientation in the graphics window.

• Provide a listing of relevant data in the Information window.

When you request information on a reference set by selecting Informationfrom the Format→Reference Sets dialog box, the system will:

• Provide a listing of relevant data in the Information window.

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Activity

In the Reference Sets section, do the activity:

• Verify the contents of a Reference Set

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Replacing Reference SetsWhile working in context of an assembly, you may often need to change thedisplay of various components to show different reference sets.

The action of changing the currently displayed reference set of componentsin an assembly is termed replacing reference sets.

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Replace Reference Sets using the Assembly Navigator

The right-click shortcut menu in the Assembly Navigator is a convenientway to replace reference sets.

When you select the Replace Reference Set option on a component node inthe Assembly Navigator, a menu of existing reference sets in that componentappears with the one currently displayed in the assembly insensitive.

Choosing a reference set from the list changes the display of that componentas it appears in the assembly.

Although you perform this action on a component node in the AssemblyNavigator, you are actually changing the reference set name that isstored with the component object in its parent assembly.

Procedure

• Optionally, set the top selection priority to Components.

• From the Assembly Navigator (or) graphics window, select theComponent(s).

• With the cursor over a selected component, right-click and choose ReplaceReference Set.

With multiple components selected, it may be necessary to use the"Selection" option to select the desired Reference Set for all selectedcomponents.

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Replace Reference Sets in context of an assembly

If you are creating the reference set in context of the assembly and thenimmediately want to use the new reference set click the Set as Currentbutton in the same dialog box.

An Assembly Preferences default (Display as Entire Part) causes theEntire Part reference set to be used when you make a component thework part.

This behavior is initially controlled by the Customer Defaults settingAssemblies, General, Work Part, Display using ’Entire Part’ ReferenceSet. This can be modified in the current NX session by changing Displayas Entire Part check box from the Assemblies Preferences dialog box.

Once you have set the assemblies preference, this information is storedin your profile and overrides the customer default.

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Activity

In the Reference Sets section, do the activity:

• Replace Reference Sets in an assembly

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Edit Reference SetsThere are options to delete, rename and change the contents of existingreference sets available in the Reference Sets dialog box. (Format→ReferenceSets)

Function DescriptionDelete (1) Allows you to delete the highlighted

reference set.

Rename (2) Allows you to rename the highlightedreference set.

Add Objects (3) Allows you to add objects to thehighlighted reference set.

Remove Objects (4) Allows you to remove objects fromthe highlighted reference set.

Use Information→Assemblies→Reference Set to visually verify thecontents of a reference set as well as receive an information windowdisplaying contents.

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Delete and Rename Reference SetsThe process of deleting a reference set does not delete any geometry. It merelyeliminates the "group" associated with the geometry.

If the reference set you are deleting is being used in a loaded assembly, theconfirmation message will tell you that it is in use.

If you delete a reference set that is used in an assembly, when you openor return to the assembly, it will show the entire part (default condition).

Rename Reference Sets

Renaming a reference set allows you to change its name without having todelete and recreate the set.

If you rename a reference set that is used in a loaded assembly,the system will automatically change the name referenced by thecomponent object in the assembly. If the assembly is not loaded whenthe reference set is renamed, when you open the assembly, it will showthe entire part (default condition).

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Load Options and Reference SetsIt is possible to replace reference sets as you open an assembly. This is usefulif you are working with a large assembly and do not know what reference setswere displayed when it was last saved.

When an assembly is opened, the system will try to load the first referenceset in the list from each component. If a component does not contain thisreference set, the system will try to load the next reference set in the list.The system will continue to look down the list until it finds a reference setthat can be loaded.

As Saved, Entire Part, and Empty are default entries in the list. Theycan be moved up or down but cannot be removed from the list.

Procedure

• Choose File→Options→Assembly Load Options.

• From the Assembly Load Options dialog box, expand the ReferenceSets group.

• In the Add Reference Set box, type the user defined reference set name

and click Add.

• From the Reference Sets lists, select the desired reference set and use

the Move up or Move down buttons to change the hierarchyof the reference sets.

• Click OK.

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Apply to All Levels

If Apply to All Levels is inactive reference set defaults will not be appliedto subassembly components. The subassembly components will use thereference set that the subassembly reference set was displaying when it waslast saved.

For instance, with Apply to All Levels inactive and lightweight reference setspreferred, parts that were displaying entire parts or model reference sets willbe opened still displaying entire parts or model reference sets.

If you prefer to have the reference set defaults applied to the entire assemblythen select Apply to All Levels to make it active.

If Apply to All Levels is active all components of subassemblies will be loadedusing the specified reference set(s) regardless of how subassembly referencesets were saved.

Load Options files

You can specify a load options file name and location: load_options.def isthe default name. This allows you to recall specific settings without havingto remember how you set them up.

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From Search Folders

The Add Folder to Search Browse button allows you to add or remove searchfolders. Options are also available to change the order of the directory list.

1 – List of current search directories (three dots includes subdirectories).2 – Type new directory to add to list.3 – Adds entered directory to list.4 – Removes selected directory from list.5 – Moves highlighted directory up in list.6 – Moves highlighted directory down in list.

In the example listing above, the system first looks for each component in theuser’s home directory and subdirectories (D:/users/smith...), then a commonproject directory and subdirectories (D:/project_x/common...), and finally, therelease directory (D:/project_x/release).

The order of the directories can dramatically affect the time it takes toopen an assembly. If possible, you should include smaller directorieswith the most components first and larger directories with fewercomponents last.

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Activity

In the Reference Sets section, do the activity:

• Load Options and Reference Sets

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SummaryReference sets are used to limit the amount of information referenced bythe component object in an assembly or subassembly. They allow you tocreate different displays of the same assembly or component to simplify theassembly or provide alternate configurations.

In this lesson you:

• Created reference sets.

• Replaced reference sets.

• Defined a hierarchy of reference sets to be loaded using Load Options.

• Edited Reference Sets by deleting one that was not needed.

• Observed the automatic creation of model and lightweight reference setsduring file save.

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Lesson

19 Top-down assembly modeling

Purpose

One method of assembly modeling is to build the component part files incontext of the assembly.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a new component using the Top-Down method

• Design a component in context

• Build associativity across parts in the assembly using the WAVEGeometry Linker

• Edit Linked Geometry

• Edit the Timestamp for a link

• Mirror an assembly

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Top-down designTop-down is the process of assembly modeling in which you create

a new component part while working in context of theassembly.

Since the definition of a component part is dictated byits function within the assembly, you first create thegeometry in the assembly. Then, when you want towork with this geometry as a component, you push thegeometry into its own part file leaving only a pointer (thecomponent object) in the assembly.

Design in context is the process in which you define geometry in one partwhile referencing geometry in some other part.

Design in context is accomplished while the uncompletedcomponent is the work part and is displayed in thecontext of the assembly.

Procedure

There are two basic methods to create a component top-down.

Move Geometry method

• Create geometry in the assembly (sketch, sheet, solid, etc.)

• Create a new component and add the geometry to it.

Empty Part method

• Create an "empty" component object in the assembly.

• Make the "empty" component the Work Part.

• Create the geometry in this component part.

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Create a new componentThe process to add a new component to the work part is started by:

• Choosing Assemblies→Components→Create New in the main menu bar.(or)

• Clicking Create New Component from the Assemblies toolbar.

You may select geometry to add to the new component part (Move GeometryMethod). If no geometry is to be moved you can immediately click OK (EmptyPart Method).

The units of the new part will be the same as the parent.

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After a part file name is designated for the new component, you can specifyinformation in the Create New Component dialog box .

Componentname

The name of the component object. The default name forthe component is the name of the part file.

Reference SetName

The name of a reference set to be created with thenew component. If none is specified, no reference setis created. However, Automatic reference sets will becreated as discussed in an earlier lesson.

All geometry selected will be added to the referenceset.

Layer options This defines what layer any added geometry will beplaced. The choices are Work, Original or As Specified.

ComponentOrigin

Determines the absolute origin and orientation of the newcomponent part. If not defined, then the absolute originand orientation of the assembly part is used.

Copy DefiningObjects

If cleared, selected geometry that depends on definingobjects that were not selected will be left out of the newcomponent. If this option is toggled on, all selectedgeometry and defining objects are copied to the newcomponent.

Delete Originals If selected, the selected geometry is copied to thecomponent part. If it is cleared, the geometry is moved tothe component part.

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Verify the creation of a new component

Since the graphics display does not necessarily change, it may not be obviousthat a new component was created.

There are a few ways to verify the creation of a new component:

AssemblyNavigator

Find and select the new component node with MouseButton 1 to highlight the geometry that belongs to it.

Assemblies→Reports→ ListComponents

Find the new component from a list of components.

Assemblies→ContextControl→ SetWork Part

Change the work part to the new component.

Status line Read the statement: “Component XYZ was created.”

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Activity

In the Top-down assembly modeling section, do the activity:

• Top-down assembly modeling

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Considerations of selecting data during component creationAdding data to a new component can be thought of in terms of moving orcopying the data into the new part. If Delete Original is selected, data ismoved; otherwise it is copied.

• All geometry, whether moved or copied, will have the same color andshow/hide-status as the original. The occurrences of that geometrycreated in the assembly will "look" identical to the originals.

• If you attempt to "move" an object, and some other object which you arenot moving depends on that object, then the selected object will in factbe "copied".

If you select a sketch (which has been extruded) to be moved to acomponent, but you do not select the associated extruded body, thesketch will be copied.

If you select a line which is part of a sketch to be moved to thecomponent, but you do not select the sketch, the line will be copied.

• If you copy only a sketch and the sketch has a swept solid associated withit, the copied sketch will not be associated to the solid. If the sketch isattached to a face, the body it is attached to will be copied.

• If you move a solid that was created from a sketch, the sketch is copied.

• Any expressions that the sketch uses are copied into the new part. Anyexpressions that are not required by the sketch are not copied.

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Design in context of an assemblyDesigning in Context is the process by which you define geometry in one partby referencing geometry in another part.

When designing in the context of an assembly, the component part in whichyou are adding the geometry must be the work part and the assembly mustbe the displayed part. Creation or editing of geometry will take place in thework part, yet geometry in other components will be selectable.

It is important to remember that when a component is added to an assembly,the geometry is not being copied into the assembly but rather it is beingreferenced by the assembly. Changes made to the component part willimmediately be reflected in the assembly. If multiple occurrences of thesame component exist in an assembly, they will all update because they arereferencing the same component part.

Select geometry outside the work part

When working in the context of an assembly many functions allow you toselect geometry from components other than the work part. This is usefulwhen specifying a location with the Point Constructor dialog box or checkinga clearance using Information→Object or Analysis→Distance.

In the example below, a block is created in the current work part by definingdiagonal points (1) relative to geometry in non-work parts, eliminating theneed to calculate and enter numerical values for the edge lengths.

The size and position of the block in the example above are notassociative. Associativity between components can be attained throughthe use of the WAVE Geometry Linker, Interpart Expressions, andMating Conditions, which are covered later in the course.

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Sketch in contextSketching in context is the ability to create and edit sketches in a componentpart while the assembly is displayed.

When working with sketches in context of an assembly existing objectsbelonging to the sketch can be selected in any occurrence of the work part.

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Introduction to interpart modelingThe WAVE Geometry Linker provides a means to associatively link geometryfrom another component part in an assembly into the Work Part. By"associative" we mean that modifying the parent geometry will cause thelinked geometry in other parts to update.

This function is accessed by choosing Insert→Associative Copy→WAVEGeometry Linker or by displaying the WAVE Geometry Linker button on

the assemblies toolbar.

Associative Allows you to create non-associative geometry in theWork Part. The geometry is automatically created asa Broken Link.

The WAVE Geometry Linker is on by default. Somesites have chosen to disable it via the customerdefault Assemblies, General, Interpart Modeling,Allow Interpart Modeling. This default controlsInterpart Expressions as well.

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Hide Original Lets you hide the original geometry so that the linkedgeometry in the Work Part will be easier to select whilethe assembly is displayed.

Fix at CurrentTimestamp

Lets you specify where the linked feature is placed in thefeature list. When cleared, any new features later addedto the original geometry will be reflected in the linkedgeometry. When selected, any new features will not affectthe linked geometry.

Considerations when interpart modeling

Before using the WAVE Geometry Linker, the user should evaluate thedownstream impacts.

Do not use the WAVE Geometry Linker just because you can. This is a verypowerful tool that adds another level of complication to the assembly.

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Geometry types

Several different types of geometry can be selected.

• Composite Curve

• Points

• Datum

• Face

• Region of Faces

• Body

• Mirror Body

• Routing Object

When selecting the geometry to copy, you also need to consider howpermanent the geometry will be. If you copy as little geometry aspossible to do the job, performance will be improved but updates will beless robust when the parent geometry is altered.

For example, if you copy individual sketch curves to another part, thelink may not update correctly if one of the curves is deleted. However,if you link an entire sketch, curves may be removed or added to it andthe link will still update.

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Activity

In the Top-down assembly modeling section, do the activity:

• Design in context of an assembly

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Localized interpart modelingLocalized interpart modeling is the ability to relate the geometry ofinteracting parts in an assembly. This has two distinct advantages inassembly modeling:

• Reduces the cost of design changes.

• Maintains design integrity.

This reduces cost since changes made to a single part can be automaticallypropagated to other related component parts in the assembly. Designintegrity is maintained because the parts will always have correct geometricand positional relationships.

A gasket (1) is derived from a parent face (2) in a housing. If the size orshape of the parent face changes in the housing, the gasket will changeaccordingly (3) in the assembly (4).

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Interpart modeling applicationsInterpart modeling can be applied to different areas including tooling andmanufacturing engineering.

• Part in process modeling

• Mold/Die Core/Cavity design

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Part in process modeling

Part in process modeling allows you to validate and illustrate a manufacturingprocess plan.

A cast part (1) is used to derive a machined part (2). A linked solid iscreated in the machining part from the casting. Then, features uniqueto the machining are added to it.

The above method is primarily used by companies who design their owncast parts and tooling. It is usually much easier to add features thatremove material from a properly constructed casting model than to adddraft and machining material to a purely functional design.

The finished machined part (1) is designed first and subsequentlythe cast part is defined by adding material using offset and simplifyfeatures (2).

The above method is primarily used by companies who design patterntooling based on a “finished” part design. Much extra work andcommunication is needed to design a casting that provides just enoughstock material, an acceptable parting, and sufficient draft for thecasting process without interfering with the fit and function of the part.

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Mold/die applications

Interpart modeling can be applied to create an associative mold or die froma finished piece part.

A solid body (1) can be linked from one part into another (2) wherefeatures can be applied to define the cavity in the mold or die (3).

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Activities

In the Top-down assembly modeling section, do the activities:

• WAVE Geometry Linker - Mirror Body

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Edit links

Links may be edited by choosing Edit→Feature→Edit Parameters andselecting a linked feature.

While this dialog box is displayed you can select new parent geometry for thelink being edited. The new parent geometry must be the same type as the oldgeometry (curve, datum, solid body, etc.).

Part Parent Part controls if the parent geometry selection isfrom the Work Part or an Other Part.

Mapping Opens the Replacement Assistant dialog box to help youedit the source of the linked or extracted feature.

WAVEInformation

Shows the name of the part where the parent geometry islocated, the geometry type, and the link Status.

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Associative Lets you break the association between the linked featureand its parent. This means that the linked feature will nolonger update if its parent changes. You can later define anew parent by selecting geometry with the cursor.

Fix at CurrentTimestamp

Lets you specify the timestamp at which the linkedfeature is placed. If this option is selected one of theparent part features may be selected from the list tospecify a new timestamp location for the linked featurebeing edited. If this option is cleared, all features in theparent part will be reflected in the linked feature.

Make PositionIndependent

Lets you change the link to a PILO (Position IndependentLinked Object), which does not require a context assemblyfor its existence. If this option is selected you cannotdeselect this option to convert a position-independent linkto a position-dependent link.

Broken Links

A link may become broken for several reasons:

• The parent geometry is deleted.

• The path from the linked geometry to its parent part is broken. Thiscan occur if the component containing the parent geometry is removedor substituted.

• If you deliberately break the link.

Broken links can be repaired with the WAVE Geometry Linker dialog box.

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Deleting parent geometry

To prevent unintentional deletion of the parents of linked geometry, amessage will warn you if a delete operation would cause interpart links tobreak. When parts containing linked geometry are loaded this warningapplies to operations using Edit→Delete, the Delete button, and right-clickshortcut menus on the graphics screen or in the Model Navigation Tool.

The Information option provides details about the links that will be brokenin an Information window.

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Activities

In the Top-down assembly modeling section, do the activities:

• Edit a link

• Edit the timestamp of a link

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Mirrored AssembliesThe Mirrored Assemblies function utilizes a wizard interface to facilitate thedevelopment of:

• Symmetric parts that need to be repositioned to serve the same purposeon both sides of an assembly.

• Asymmetric parts whose mirrored application generate new parts.

1) – Same part, mirrored position.

2) – New part, mirrored geometry.

With the Mirror Assembly functions, you only need to create one side of yourassembly. You can then create a mirrored version to form the other side ofyour assembly.

The assembly is mirrored with respect to a plane. You can use an existingplane, or create one as you are defining the mirrored assembly.

Components may be the same on both sides of the plane — only the locationmirrored, or , the components can have their geometry mirrored.

You can specify components to be excluded from the mirrored assembly. Youcan also reposition components so they appear in a different location in themirrored assembly.

Components must be children of the work assembly to be selectablefor the mirrored assembly.

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Procedure

The steps to mirroring an assembly, as outlined in the wizard are:

1. Click Mirror Assembly.

If you selected components before clicking Mirror Assembly, thewizard will open on the Select Plane page (step 4).

2. Click the Next button.

3. Select the components that you want to mirror and click Next.

4. For the mirror plane, select an existing plane (or) click the Create DatumPlane button to create a plane.

5. Click Next when you have selected the mirror plane.

6. Specify the Mirror Type for the desired component(s).

• Assign Reposition Operation, which is the default type, addsan instance placed on the other side of the mirror plane for eachcomponent.

• Assign Mirror Geometry Operation creates an opposite-side versionof a component.

• Reuse Assembly reuses a subassembly during a mirror assemblyoperation, rather than creating a new subassembly.

• Assign Exclude Component Operation excludes a component fromthe mirror operation.

This option is useful when you selected a parent in step 3,thereby automatically selecting all its children, but you do notwant to mirror all the children.

7. When you are finished, click Next.

The system performs a preview of the mirror operation.

8. On the Mirror Review page, you can make corrections before finishingthe operation.

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9. When you have finished making corrections, determine if you havemirrored geometry.

• If none of your components are using the Mirror Geometry type, theFinish button is available. Click this button to create the parts anddismiss the wizard.

• If any of your components use the Mirror Geometry type, you mustspecify the naming policy that you want to use for these opposite-sideparts. Click the Next button to go to the Naming Policy page.

10. On the Naming Policy page, you can name the new opposite-side parts byapplying a prefix or suffix to the name used by their source parts. Or, ifyou are in NX Manager, you can let the system automatically assign partnumbers to the new parts.

11. When you have finished specifying the naming policy and the directory forthe parts click Next to go to the Name New Part Files page.

12. On the Name New Part Files page, you can review the names that havebeen applied to your new opposite-side parts.

If you wish to change a name, double-click it in the panel. TheRename Part File dialog box appears, where you can specify the newname. If you specify a name that is being used by another part inyour assembly, you will receive an error message.

13. When you have finished naming the new parts, click Finish to completethe mirror operation.

14. Save your parts if you wish to keep them.

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Top-down assembly modeling

Activity

In the Top-down assembly modeling section, do the activity:

• Mirror Assembly

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Top-down assembly modeling

SummaryTop-Down Assembly Modeling allows you to build new components in relationto other components within the same assembly. Interpart modeling methodsallow you to relate geometry in an assembly.

In this lesson you:

• Created new components using the Top-Down method.

• Designed in Context of the assembly.

• Created components using interpart modeling.

• Built associativity across component parts in an assembly using GeometryLinker.

• Edited the timestamp for a link.

• Edited linked geometry.

• Mirrored an assembly.

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Lesson

20 Interpart references

Purpose

Interpart Reference enable components to share parameters.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create and apply referencing interpart references

• Understand and recognize overriding interpart references.

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Interpart references

General conceptsInterpart References (IPRs) allow the user to establish relationships betweenexpressions of separate part files. A change to an expression in one part filemay change an expression in a different part file, thus altering the geometryof that part.

IPRs may be created between any two part files, not necessarilybetween components of an assembly.

Before using IPRs, the user should evaluate the downstream impacts.

Do not use IPRs just because you can. They are a very powerful toolthat adds another level of complication to the assembly.

Please pay particular attention to the Tips and Recommended Practicesnear the end of this chapter.

Your system administrator may choose to disable IPRs at the site, group,or user level.

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Interpart references

Types of interpart referencesInterpart References can be created in two basic forms, referencing oroverriding.

Referencing expressions

Referencing expressions are used to reference an expression from one part toan expression in another part. This means that the value of one expressionwill depend on the value of an expression in another part.

Referencing expressions create the link on the right side of the equalsign in the expression.

There are two ways that referencing expressions can be used. The drivingexpression can be created in the assembly and be referenced by the componentparts below it.

The alternative is to have one component reference an expression in anothercomponent directly.

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Interpart references

Overriding expressionsOverriding expressions are those that are created in an assembly and theinterpart link is created in the Name box. The interpart link is on the left sideof the equal sign in the expression when viewed outside of the Expressionsdialog box.

Although they reside in the assembly, they assign a value to an expression ina component part. The expression in the component part will take on thisvalue when the component is opened with the assembly.

Create overriding expressions in the Name box or by selecting the Usefor expression name check box.

In the example below, the hole_dia expression in the block part is beingoverridden by the expression in the assembly which sets it equal to the pindiameter.

The expression being overridden will appear as locked.

This means that it can only be edited from the expression in the assemblywhich is overriding it. The link can be found by listing the references forthe locked expression.

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Interpart references

To list references, use the right-click shortcut menu over a locked expression.

A report structured like this example is generated in the listing window:

Overriding expressions can only be created in an assembly and used tooverride the value of an expression in one of its components.

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Interpart references

Create interpart referencesInterpart references are best created and edited in the Expression dialogbox. The lower portion of the dialog box while using “more options” containsinterpart references, edit, and open buttons.

Create Interpart Reference

Edit Interpart References

Open Referenced Parts

When creating links, it is also possible to create a link by simplyentering the expression in the Formula entry field using the correctsyntax, i.e. x=part_name::expression_name. If your filename includeshyphens (-) then the part name alone should have quotes placed aroundit, i.e. x="123-4567-890"::length

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Edit Interpart ReferencesThe Edit Interpart References dialog box is activated upon selection of EditInter–Part References and selecting the part containing the referencedexpression.

Function DescriptionChange ReferencedPart

Allows you to change all expressions that refer tothe part selected so that they refer to a new part.

Delete Reference Allows you to break the relationship with aselected part and replaces the formula of theexpression with the current value.

Delete All References Similar to Delete Reference except it will deleteALL interpart references in the current work part.

When changing references, the expressions must exist in both parts. Ifthis is not the case, the system will display a message that it will assignthe missing expressions their current numeric values.

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Interpart references

Activity

In the Interpart References section, do the activity:

• Create Interpart References

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Interpart references

Partial loading issuesPartially loading components in an assembly conserves system memory bynot loading all data associated with the file.

When using interpart references, it is possible to edit the expressionsreferenced by a partially loaded component. The geometry in that part willnot update to reflect the changes until the part has been fully loaded.

The Load Interpart Data option from Load Options dialog box can beused to ensure all referenced components are fully loaded when partialloading is used.

Resolving interpart expression references

When a part containing an IPR is loaded, the system looks for the name ofthe expression in the referenced part. If the correct name is found, the systemhas resolved the link.

If it is impossible for the link to be resolved, the system will notify the user,delete the link, and assign the last known constant value.

Here is an example of an expression in a component part file referencingan expression in an assembly file.

dia=ipr_block_assm::ipr_dia

Attempting to delete the expression "ipr_dia" within the assembly partfile would result in an error message stating that the expression is inuse, and the references would be listed.

If you perform a "Save As" on a part, any loaded part which references it willrename the expression so the link is preserved, now referencing the new partcreated by the Save As operation. If the other parts are not loaded at the timethe Save As was performed, their expressions can be changed later by usingEdit Interpart References in the Expressions dialog box.

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Interpart references

Load PartsThe Load Parts dialog box is activated upon selection of Open ReferencedParts. It provides the following options:

Function DescriptionParts→All Modified Lists only those unloaded or partially loaded

parts whose expressions have been modified.Parts→All Referenced Lists all unloaded or partially loaded parts with

expressions referenced by the work part.Load All Parts in List Allows you to fully load all parts listed.

The Open→Component Fully option in the Assembly Navigator canalso be used to fully load and update interpart references.

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Tips and recommended practices• Before using interpart references, you should evaluate their downstream

impacts.

• IPRs are powerful tools but do complicate your assemblies and addcomplexity to your assemblies that others may not understand so onlyuse then when necessary.

• In general, IPRs should be used when the parts have a physical constraintand are used in the same assembly.

Although you can use IPRs with parts not assembled together, it isnot recommended.

• Consider setting up company-wide standards on how and when IPR’sare to be used.

It may be a good idea to have a naming convention such as a prefixon the expression name such as "ipr_dia" so it is readily identifiableas being referenced.

• You should not use overriding expression references on the samecomponent from different assemblies. This would cause the component tobe updated each time it was loaded by the different assemblies.

For this reason, overriding expression should not be used forstandard parts such as a bolt or screw.

• In general, it is a good practice to edit IPR’s only when all of the referencedparts are fully loaded, therefore changes can be immediately understood.

If a part fails to load because of an IPR edit, you should close all otherparts then open only the part causing the problem. The part shouldload and allow you to investigate which expressions are responsible.You can then delete the offending links.

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Interpart references

SummaryInterpart references allow you to link the expressions between parts.Whenever a change occurs to an expression in one part file, the relatedexpression in the other part file(s) will change accordingly.

In this lesson you:

• Created and applied interpart references.

• Reviewed tips and recommended practices for using interpart references.

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21 Component Arrays

Purpose

Time and effort can be saved by applying component arrays and feature basedcomponent arrays. The feature based arrays capitalize on the parametric andassociative characteristics already present in assembly models.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Create a Circular Component array

• Apply the From Instance Feature function

• Edit a circular array

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Component Arrays

Component ArraysYou can use the Component Arrays options to create and edit linear andcircular arrays of components in an assembly based on a template component.

Creating a component array

A component array can be defined in one of two ways

MultipleAdd→Array

Is used as the component is added to the assembly.

Assemblies→Components→Create Array

Is used after the component has been added to theassembly.

The Create Component Array dialog box allows you to define the type andname of the array to create.

Linear A linear or rectangular array of components where youspecify the number of components, the spacing betweenthem, and a direction reference.

Circular A circular array of components where you specify thenumber of components, the angle between them, and anaxis.

From InstanceFeature

An option that provides a means to quickly generatea pattern of components with corresponding matingconditions based on an instance array in a componentpart.

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Linear & Circular Arrays

Linear and Circular Arrays are very similar to feature instancing, except thata linear master component array is not defined by the WCS.

Each new component is offset from the original component. The number ofcomponents in the array and the offsets are controlled by expressions.

You can fine tune an array component’s position by editing its expressionsusing Tools→ Expression.

You can either mate the master component to other geometry, or leave it freestanding. The master’s position updates according to any changes you make.

You cannot delete a Master Component without first deleting the array.

If you attempt to delete the last component in a From Instance Featurearray you will get an update failure. You can delete the array fromthe resulting dialog box.

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Component Arrays

Editing a component arrayComponent Arrays can be edited by choosing Assemblies→Edit ComponentArrays.

The Edit Array Parameters option can be used to change the number ofcomponents, spacing, or direction reference for a linear or circular array.Other options are available to rename and delete arrays.

The number of components and spacing values are stored asexpressions. They can also be edited from the expression editor bychoosing Tools→Expression.

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Activity

In the Component Arrays section, do the activity:

• Create a circular component array

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Component Arrays

Feature-based component arraysIn many cases it is necessary to associate an array of components to acorresponding array of features in another component of the assembly (i.e.bolts associated to a hole pattern), which can be accomplished by using theFrom Instance Feature option in the Create Component Array dialog box.

The template component

Component arrays produce occurrences of a "template" component object.These occurrences are all associated to the template component. Any changesmade to the original component are reflected in the occurrences of thecomponent.

The template component defines certain properties for any newly generatedoccurrences within the array which include:

• component part

• color

• layer

• name

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Component Arrays and Mating Conditions

When using the From Instance Feature option, mating constraints will begenerated for the new occurrences based on those of the template component.

At least one constraint must be applied to an object belonging to an instancedfeature. That constraint is how NX knows to use the Instance Array to definethe Component Array.

Because the component array uses the mating constraints of the templatecomponent, you must assign mating constraints to the template beforecreating the From Instance Feature component array. It is a good practice todefine mating constraints for the template component to the original featurethat was instanced in the component part.

Feature-based array associativity

If the number of features in an instance set is changed, the components in thearray associated to those features will also change (added or deleted).

Furthermore, if a feature in an instance set is removed entirely as a resultof a modeling change, the corresponding component in the array will alsobe removed.

In the example below a modeling change causes a hole to be removed (3).If the deleted component was the "template" (1), the system assigns a newtemplate (2) from the remaining components in the array.

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Component Arrays

SummaryComponent arrays take advantage of existing parametric data and can savetime in adding component part files to an assembly.

In this lesson you:

• Created a circular component array.

• Applied the From Instance Feature function.

• Edited a circular array.

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Lesson

22 Revisions and substitutions

Purpose

After creating an assembly, you may have to revise or substitute an existingcomponent or change the name of the component part. In this lesson you willinvestigate the different methods to revise components and the assembliesthat use them.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Revise a component and an assembly using Save Part As

• Interrogate the modifications made to features of a part

• Substitute components in an existing assembly

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Revisions and substitutions

File Versioning/RevisionsThere are many different ways to track revisions to a component after ithas been released.

One of the most common methods is to reflect the revision in the part name.

Track revisions by part number

The most common way of keeping track of the legacy data for a part is toinclude a revision identifier in the part name. When revising, the user wouldsave the part the same base name, but modify the revision identifier. Thismethod is very efficient because you can easily identify the version of a loadedpart from the name.

There are several advantages to this method.

Advantages

• Easy to create the change. Use "Save As" on the affected components.

• No file protection problem because owner performs the "Save As".

• The old and new parts can and should reside in the same directory.

• The legacy information is accessed (if on line) by retrieving the olderrevision assembly or component part.

• Easy to track revisions on the shop floor when looking at numbered parts.

• File versioning rules can be implemented to enable the system to alwaysget the latest version of the file.

Disadvantages

• If file versioning rules are enabled, two versions of the component partcannot be open at the same time.

• Associated information could be lost if components are substituted andfile versioning is not used.

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Revise a component and assembly using Save AsWhen revisions are incorporated into part names, an easy way to revise acomponent is to save the component with the new name while it is the workpart. This can be accomplished by choosing File→Save As.

Many companies, however, require that an assembly also be revised whenevera change is made to the form, fit, or function of one of its components soyou would also be required to save each of the assemblies in the tree thatreference the component.

When you perform a File→Save As on a component part in a native operatingsystem:

• A Session Where Used report is immediately displayed, listing any loadedassemblies that reference the component.

• A new name for the component is defined.

• A new name for each of the listed assemblies is defined, as desired.

• An information window is displayed with the new part names.

Watch the Cue line for a prompt specifying the name of the file currentlybeing renamed.

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If you click Cancel at any level of the assembly structure, you will get amessage after input for the last file has been specified:

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The Part Modifications dialog boxThe Part Modifications dialog box allows you to access information pertainingto modifications to components of an assembly. You can access it by choosingInformation→Part→Modifications.

The top portion of the dialog box lists the displayed assembly and its loadedcomponents. The lower list displays the version and time/date information forthe part highlighted in the upper list.

1 – Lists the displayed assemblyand loaded components.

2 – Version numbersand date/time stampsfor the highlighted part.

3 – Lists information forversions that meet criteria relativeto the highlighted version number.

4 – Specify types of objectsto provide information on.

5 – Specify object tohighlight in graphics display.

Once the part, version selection criteria, and object types are specified, youcan click OK or Apply to display the information.

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In the example below, feature object information is displayed for allversions of a part.

The listing includes an object number for each feature, the version in whichthe feature was last modified, the version in which the feature was created,and the feature name.

An object number can be entered or the Previous and Next buttons can bechosen from the dialog box to highlight the features in the graphics display.

You can also review the differences between two components using theModel Compare function. To learn more about Model Compare, chooseHelp→Documentation→Getting Started→Working with Parts→NXAnalysis→Model Compare.

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Additional Assembly ReportsThere are other reporting tools available to help you understand how aparticular assembly has changed over time.

• List Components

• Update Report

• Where Used

• Session Where Used

Update Report

This report indicates which components were updated (changed) as theassembly is opened.

An update report can automatically be generated every time anassembly is opened by choosing Preferences→Assemblies and togglingthe Display Update Report option to on.

Where Used

This option will search directories and list the assemblies that reference aspecified part. This is useful to determine what impact a pending designchange may have on other assemblies.

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In the Where Used Report dialog box, a Search Option can be chosen tospecify what directories to search for parts and whether to list only nextlevel assemblies or all assemblies.

A Where Used report may take considerable time to execute. It isrecommended that you search through as few directories and partsas possible.

Session Where Used

This option will list only the loaded assemblies that reference a specified part.

This report is automatically generated when you perform a File→Save As ona component part while the assembly is loaded.

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Activity

In the Revisions and substitutions section, do the activity:

• Revise components using “Save As”

ROLLER_ASSMMOUNTING_BRACKET ROLLER ROLLER_PIN

ROLLER_ASSM-AMOUNTING_BRACKET-A ROLLER-A ROLLER_PIN

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Partial Loading issuesThere are some issues relating to revisions which should be considered whenusing partial loading.

Sharing components

Assume you are working in a concurrent engineering environment and havea loaded assembly that contains a partially loaded component owned byanother user. If that user modifies and saves that component part to disk,your loaded assembly will become out of date.

Now, if you perform an operation in your assembly that requires that theshared part be fully loaded (i.e. making it the work part to interrogate afeature), the part will automatically be re-opened with the new version.

If the component had been fully loaded, an error message would be receivedwhen an attempt is made to save the part stating that the part has changedon disk since it was first opened.

Legacy parts

When loading an assembly that was last saved in a prior release, the systemwill automatically convert fully loaded components to the current version andrecognize them as being modified.

Normally, when you save an assembly, the system will also save the fullyloaded components that have been modified. Because the partially loadedcomponents were not updated to the new version, they will not be saved.

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Close assembly component partsThe File→Close→Selected Parts option lets you selectively close (unload)components in an assembly.

The upper section of the dialog box lets you specify what component parts toclose and the lower section lets you specify how they will be closed.

1 – List all loadedcomponent partsor top level only.

2 – Close only partsselected or wholeassembly tree.

3 – If on, you will not bewarned if a selected parthas been modified.

4 – Close all partsin the session.

If the component part you are closing (unloading) has been modified while itwas the work part, you will be asked if you really want to close the part.

If you agree to close (unload) the component part, you will lose themodifications you made to the part and the changes won’t be reflected in thepiece part file stored on disk.

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Reopen component partsIn a concurrent engineering environment, one designer may be working on aloaded assembly which references a component part that another designer issimultaneously modifying.

The File→Close→Reopen Selected Parts option lets you selectively updateloaded components with their counterparts on disk. It can be utilized in thefollowing situation.

Early in the morning, designer A starts working on an assembly thatreferences comp3.

Later in the morning, while designer A is still working on the assembly,designer B revises comp3 and saves it using File→Save.

At lunchtime, designer A reopens comp3 while the assembly is still openusing File→Close→Reopen Selected Parts.

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The top portion of the Reopen Part dialog box lets you specify what componentwill be reopened. The bottom portion of the dialog box lets you specify howthe component will be reopened.

1 – List of loadedcomponents thatcan be reopened.

2 – Specifies whetherreopen should affectpart or whole assembly.

3 – If on, you willnot be warned ifselected part has beenmodified before it isloaded from disk.

4 – Reopens all partsin session that havebeen changed on disk.

After you reopen the parts, an Information window will list the names ofthe parts, their status before they were reopened, and their status afterthey were reopened.

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Substitute componentsAs you are going through design iterations and revising your assembly, itmay be necessary to replace an existing component with a different part. Inother words, you will want to change the pointer in the assembly so that itreferences another component part which is located at the same origin andorientation.

A component substitution can destroy the relationship between thecomponent and any associated data such as dimensions, matingconditions, and WAVE interpart references. There are some situationsin which this can be avoided that will be discussed later.

There are three different ways to substitute a component which will bediscussed in this lesson.

• Assemblies→Components→Substitute Component.

• Use the Open As toggle in the Reopen Part dialog box.

• Use Open→Component As option in the Assembly Navigator pop-upmenu.

The Unique Identifier (UID)

When the system finds a component with the correct name, it performs asecond check before loading it.

There is an internal file identifier, referred to as a UID (Unique IDentifier),that ensures that the component that has been found is the genuine article,or at least a copy of it.

A new UID is not assigned (and thus, associativity is maintained) in thefollowing cases:

• When you copy or move the file in the operating system.

• When you save the file into another directory using the same name.

• When you perform a File→Save As, as with a seed part.

Allow Substitution

When you open an assembly and the system finds a component that happensto have the same name but a different UID, the opening will fail unless AllowSubstitution has been toggled on in the Load Options dialog box.

The Allow Substitution option enables a component to be loaded into anassembly even though it has a different UID, or history. It could be acompletely different part created by another user.

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If the new component has no common history (different UID) with thesubstituted component, data in the assembly will lose its associativityto the original component (mating constraints, WAVE interpartreferences, etc.).

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Substitute components using SubstituteComponents may be substituted using the Substitute Component optionunder Assemblies→Components.

Remove and Add Regardless of the of the history (UID) of the partsinvolved, this is a non-associative operation.

Mating conditions and WAVE interpart referenceswill be lost. All drafting objects will revert to theirretain annotation state and all Manufacturing dataassociativity will be lost.

Maintain Mating If the current part and the replacement part have thesame UID, associativity can be preserved if this optionis used. All mating conditions and WAVE interpartreferences will be maintained assuming the relevantgeometry exists in both parts.

All drafting objects will revert to their retainannotation state and all Manufacturing dataassociativity will be lost.

As the new component is substituted, you can assign a:

• Component Name

• Reference Set

• Layer Option

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Substitute components using ReopenA loaded component can also be replaced with another part by choosingFile→Close→Reopen Selected Parts and using Open As.

The component part to be replaced must be selected from the list. Afterchoosing OK, the system will ask you to select the unloaded replacement part.

If the replacement part has a common history with the original part (sameUID), associativity is maintained.

If the replacement part does not have a common history (differentUID), associativity is lost.

To Reopen a component with a part that has a different UID, AllowSubstitution must be selected in the Load Options.

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Substitute using the Assembly NavigatorAn unloaded component can be replaced using Open→Component As in thepop-up menu of the Assembly Navigator.

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Activity

In the Revisions and substitutions section, do the activity:

• Substitute components

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Revisions and substitutions

SummaryAfter creating an assembly, you may have to revise or substitute a componentand change the name of the component part. In this lesson, you used differentmethods to revise components and the assemblies that use them.

In this lesson you:

• Revised a component and an assembly using Save Part As.

• Interrogated the modifications made to features of a part.

• Substituted components in an existing assembly.

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Lesson

23 Master model

Purpose

This lesson introduces the master model concept.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Review an existing master model.

• Edit a master model and update an associated non-master part.

• Create a new master model.

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Assembly modelsAn assembly is any NX part to which you add one or more component objects,which are special links to other parts.

There is no duplication of geometry in an assembly part; component objectsallow the assembly to display geometry that resides in parts they reference.

A component object stores information about the piece part such as itslocation, attributes, origin, and orientation.

You can assign attributes to component objects to change the displayproperties of the referenced geometry the assembly level, such as color orlayer, without affecting the original part.

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Master model concept

You apply the master model concept by creating an assembly, or non-masterpart, with exactly one component part. The component part is the mastermodel. Edits to the master model are updated in the non-master part.

The master model concept allows multiple design processes to access thesame geometry during development. Benefits of this include:

• It promotes concurrent engineering. You can begin downstreamapplications such as drafting, manufacturing, and analysis duringgeometry construction.

• The downstream users need not have write access to the geometry. Thisprevents accidental modifications.

Drafting Assembly

Master Model

Analysis N/C

Each application uses a separate assembly part. When the master model isrevised, the other applications automatically update with minimal or noassociativity loss.

You can maintain the design intent of the various design applications byrestricting write permission on the master model.

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Master model example

Manufacturing engineers have the need to design fixture devices, definemachining operations, and designate cutter tools and save this data in theirmodels.

By creating a manufacturing "assembly" and adding a component to it,engineers can create application specific geometry or data separate partsthat reference the same master model.

Benefits of the master model include:

• Avoiding the duplication of model geometry.

• Supporting concurrent engineering, because data for various disciplinesis separated.

abcd1234_mfg.prt

A non-master part owned bymanufacturing engineer containsmanufacturing data and a componentobject which references the master modelpart.

abcd1234.prt

A part owned by the designercontains master model geometry.

The manufacturing engineer owns the assembly part but does not requirewrite access to the master model.

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Master model

ActivitiesIn the Master model section, do the following activities:

• Explore a master model assembly

• Create a non-master part

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Master model

SummaryThe master model approach offers many benefits. Master model parts may bewrite-protected and owned by one user or group yet the data can be sharedwith other users or groups. Downstream users can access the latest data andincorporate updates as the part is being developed.

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Lesson

24 Introduction to Drafting

Purpose

This lesson provides an introduction to the Drafting application.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Open, create, and delete drawing sheets.

• Add, edit, and remove views on drawing sheets.

• Create utility symbols.

• Create dimensions.

• Create annotations.

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Introduction to Drafting

DrawingsUse the Drafting application to create drawings of 3D parts.

Some of the benefits of the Drafting application are:

• You can add views to a drawing sheet by indicating their location withthe cursor.

• When you add projected views, they are automatically aligned with theparent view.

• When you update the model, you can update the views eitherautomatically or manually.

• Drafting annotation is placed directly on the drawing sheet.

• Drafting annotation (dimensions, labels, and symbols with leaders) isassociative to the geometry you select.

• Associative view boundaries are calculated when the drawing sheet isupdated.

• Section views are fully associative to the model.

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Create new drawing sheets

When you start the Drafting application, you will see either:

• An existing drawing sheet.

• The Sheet dialog box if there are no drawing sheets in the part.

To control the automatic appearance of the Sheet dialog box:

1. From the Menu Bar, choose Preferences→Drafting.

2. Click the General tab.

3. In the Drawing Work Flow group, select Automatically StartInsert Sheet Command.

To create a new drawing sheet:

1. From the Drawing Layout toolbar, choose New Sheet .

2. In the Sheet dialog box, define the drawing sheet size, scale, name, unitsof measure and projection angle.

3. Choose OK.

To create a new drawing sheet in a part that already contains drawing sheets,you can:

• On the Drawing Layout toolbar, click New Sheet.

• From the menu bar, choose Insert→Sheet .

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click the Drawing node, and select InsertSheet.

The Drawing Navigator is a subset of the Part Navigator.

The drawing node and every object under it are referred to as theDrawing Navigator in this lesson.

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Open a Drawing Sheet

Do one of the following:

• In the Drawing Navigator, double click the sheet name.

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click the drawing sheet node and selectOpen.

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Edit a drawing sheet

In NX, the term "drawing sheet" is used to define a collection of views. Thinkof each drawing as a separate page in the part. One part can contain manydrawing sheets.

To edit a drawing sheet, do one of the following:

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click the drawing sheet and choose EditSheet.

• Over the view border of a drawing sheet, right-click and choose Edit Sheet.

• On the Drafting Edit toolbar, click Sheet

• From the menu, choose Edit→Sheet.

You can change the projection angle only if no projected views exist onthe drawing sheet.

You can edit the drawing sheet to a larger or smaller size. If youedit the drawing sheet to a size so small that a member view fallsentirely outside the boundary of the drawing sheet, you will get anerror message.

If you need to edit the drawing sheet to a smaller size, but cannot due tothe current position of the views, move the views closer to the drawingsheet’s origin at the lower left corner of the sheet.

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Delete a drawing sheet

Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit→Delete Sheet.

• Right-click the border of a drawing sheet, and select Delete.

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click the drawing node, and select Delete.

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ActivitiesIn the Introduction to Drafting section, do the following activities:

• Create new drawing sheets

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Monochrome displayThe Monochrome Display option displays a drawing sheet in a single color.You may specify the line and background colors.

1. Choose Preferences→Visualization.

2. Click the Color Settings tab.

3. In the Drawing Part Settings section, select the Monochrome Displaycheck box.

The default colors are black and gray. You can specify any color.

In the Drawing Navigator, you can right-click the drawing node andchoose Monochrome.

Monochrome will be applied to all drawing sheets in the part.

In the Visualization Preferences dialog box, on the Line page, you canuse the Show Widths option to display of line widths and make thedisplay closely resemble a plotter output.

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View PreferencesControl the display of views by choosing Preferences→View.

You can use the View Preferences dialog box to define the display of hiddenlines, silhouettes, smooth edges, section view background lines, and more.

On the General page, select the Centerlines check box to automatically createlinear, cylindrical, and bolt circle centerlines when you add a view.

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Hidden Lines

If you clear the Hidden Line check box, hidden line processing is notperformed and all hidden lines in the view appear as solid lines.

If you select the Hidden Line check box, the color, font, and width of the hiddenlines are determined by the settings in the three lists below the check box.

The color, font, and width lists are not named or labeled. Thisconfiguration is common in the dialog boxes in Drafting.

The color option is not applicable in monochrome mode.

Widths are displayed only if Show Widths is selected in theVisualization Preferences dialog box.

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Edges Hidden By Edges

The Edges Hidden By Edges option controls the display of edges which arehidden by other overlapping edges. If the check box is clear, edges hidden byother edges are erased from the view.

This option is useful in two ways:

• When plotting, if the Edges Hidden by Edges check box is cleared, theplotter does not draw two curves on top of each other.

• For parts which are not likely to have edges hidden by other edges, (forexample, springs), you can increase hidden line performance by selectingEdges Hidden by Edges.

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Smooth Edges

Smooth edges are those whose adjacent faces have the same surface tangentat the edge where they meet.

On the Smooth Edges page, you can select the Smooth Edges option to usethe color, font, and width settings to specify the appearance of smooth edges.

You can use the End Gaps option to vary the edge intersection appearance.

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Virtual Intersections

The Virtual Intersections option allows you to display imaginary intersectioncurves as required by the JIS standard (section 6.13) and the ISO 128-1982standard (section 5.2.2).

Use the Virtual Intersections option when you want to display curves in amember view to show where blended faces theoretically intersect. You cancontrol the color, font, and width of virtual intersections when the VirtualIntersections option is selected.

The virtual intersection curves only display if the original surfacesjoined or intersected before they were blended.

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Add a base viewThe first view you add to a drawing sheet is a base view. You can project otherviews from a base view. A drawing sheet can have more than one base view.

There are several ways to add a base view.

• On the Drawing Layout toolbar, click Base View .

• Right-click the sheet border and select Add Base View.

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click a drawing sheet node and selectAdd Base View.

• Choose Insert→View→Base View.

To control the automatic appearance of the Base View dialog bar:

1. From the Menu Bar, choose Preferences→Drafting.

2. Click the General tab.

3. In the Drawing Work Flow group, select Automatically Start BaseView Command.

This will automatically open the Base View dialog bar when youenter drafting and there are no existing views on any of the drawingsheets.

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View creation options

After you click Add Base View, the Base View dialog bar appears.

1 Part Add a view from a part that you specify.

2 View Select the base view type from a list. You canselect NX defined or custom views.

3 ScaleSelect from a list of several preset scales,enter a custom scale, or define the scale by anexpression.

4 Style Open the View Style dialog box.

5 Orient View ToolOrient a view. Choose from a list or set a customorientation, such as perpendicular to a modelface.

6 Move View Move an existing view without stopping theinteraction to place a base view.

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Add projected viewsImmediately after you place a base view on a drawing sheet, you can createa projected view by moving the cursor in the direction of the projection youwant, and click to place the view.

You can also create a projected view from an existing view. Right-click theview border, and select Add Projected View.

To create a projected view, do one of the following:

• On the Drawing Layout toolbar, click Projected View.

• Right-click the drawing sheet border and choose Add Projected View.

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click a view node and choose AddProjected View.

• From the menu bar, choose Insert→View→Projected View.

To control the automatic appearance of the Projected View dialog bar:

1. From the Menu Bar, choose Preferences→Drafting.

2. Click the General tab.

3. In the Drawing Work Flow group, select Automatically StartProjected View Command.

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Projection lines

When you move the cursor while adding a projected view you see projectionlines. You can place the view at any angle from the base view. You can:

• Place the view manually. The angle snaps to 45° increments.

• Define a hinge line.

• Select a planar face and project perpendicular to it.

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Preview

As you move the cursor the preview style can be:

• Border

• Wireframe

• Hidden Wireframe

• Shaded Image

To select a preview option, right-click before you place the view, andselect Preview Style.

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Project view options

When you create a projected view the Projected View dialog bar is displayed.

1 Parent

Select a different base view to use as theparent view.

Available when there is more than one baseview present.

2 Infer Hinge Line Allow NX to infer an associative hinge line.

3 Hinge LineDefine a fixed, associative hinge line.

The Inferred Vector button appears when youselect Hinge Line.

4 Reverse Direction Reverse the direction of the projected view.5 Style Open the View Style dialog box.

6 Move View Move an existing view without stopping theinteraction to place a base view.

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Edit existing viewsYou can change the style of an existing view. You can:

• Double-click the view border.

• Over the view border, right-click and select Style.

• In the Drawing Navigator, double-click a drawing view node.

• In the Drawing Navigator, right-click a drawing view node and selectStyle.

• Choose Edit→Style.

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Dragging Views

1. (Optional) Select one or more views to move.

2. Hold the cursor over the border of a view (a selected view, if there are more

than one) until it changes to drag mode .

3. Drag the view as required.

As you move a view relative to others, alignment lines appear. Whenyou place a view with alignment lines visible it automatically snaps toan aligned position.

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Removing views from a drawing sheetDo one of the following:

• Right-click the view border, and select Delete from the shortcut menu.

• Right-click the view to be removed in the Drawing Navigator, and selectDelete from the shortcut menu.

• Choose Delete and select the view.

• Choose Edit→Delete and select the view.

Once a view is removed from a drawing sheet, all drafting objects or viewmodifications associated to that view are deleted.

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ActivityIn the Introduction to drafting section, do the following activity:

• Add views to a drawing sheet

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Utility SymbolsUse the Utility Symbols command to create various symbols such ascenterlines, offset center points, target points, and intersection symbols usingthe Utility Symbols dialog box.

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Utility symbol options by group

The options in the Utility Symbols dialog box change depending on thesymbol type you select.

The following lists all of the possible options, for your reference.

Placement

Select Location Determine the placement of a utility symbol based onthe available Point Position Options.

Specify Location Specify the location for a Target Point symbol.Select Object Select objects for the Intersection symbol.Method Choose a method placement option. This option is

available for the following symbol types:

• Full Bolt Circle

• Partial Bolt Circle

• Offset Center Point

• Cylindrical Centerline

• Partial Circular Centerline

• Full Circular CenterlineOffset Distance Set the offset distance for an Offset Center Point symbol.MultipleCenterlines

Create several centerlines by consecutive selections

This option is available for Linear and CylindricalCenterlines (Cylidrical Face option).

Views

The options in this group are available for the Automatic Centerline symbol.Select Views Select views from the graphics window in which to

automatically create centerline symbols.Views in Sheet Select views from a list box in which to automatically

create centerline symbols.Inherit Anglefrom View

Use the angle of the hinge line for an auxiliary view’scenterlines. This option is only available for the LinearCenterline and Automatic Centerline symbol types.

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Symbol

SymbolParameters

Control the appearance of a utility symbol by changingit’s parameters. Symbol parameter diagrams varydepending on the choice of utility symbol you choose tocreate.

Inherit Anglefrom View

Use the angle of the hinge line for an auxiliary view’scenterlines. This option is available for the LinearCenterline and Automatic Centerline symbol types.

Angle Set the angle of the symbol. This option is available forLinear Centerline and Target Point symbols. To makethis option available for a Linear Centerline, you mustclear the Inherit Angle from View check box.

Display Mode Choose a display mode option. This option is availablefor the Offset Center Point symbol.

Defining objects

This group is available for the Block Centerline symbol.Select Objects Select two linear and parallel objects in the same view.

Limiting objects

This group is available for the Block Centerline symbol.Select Objects Optional step. Select two objects to determine the extent

of the Block Centerline.

Settings

Inherit Inherit drafting preferences from an existing draftingobject. This option is unavailable for AutomaticCenterline.

Reset to Defaults Restore settings to their customer defaults or theirinitial software defaults during creation, and to theirpre-edited values during editing.

CylindricalExtension

Set the centerline extension for cylindrical centerlines.This option is available for Automatic Centerline.

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Create utility symbols

1. Select the type of utility symbol you want to create.

2. Set the parameters that control the display and placement of the utilitysymbol.

3. Select the object(s) from which the utility symbol is to be created.

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Delete utility symbols

You can delete a utility symbol by selecting the symbol from the graphics

window and, from the Standard toolbar, choosing Delete .

The symbols can be selected at any position. When you delete a utilitysymbol, any associated objects such as dimensions are also deleted unless theRetain Annotation check box in Preferences→Drafting is selected.

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Create automatic centerlines on existing views

1. Choose Insert→Symbol→Utility Symbol.

2. Click the Automatic Centerline option .

3. Enter the desired value in Cylindrical Extension.

4. Select the view(s) in which to create centerlines.

5. Click Apply.

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Create a linear centerline

You can create linear centerlines through points or arcs. A linear centerlinethat passes through a single point or arc is called a simple centerline.

To create multiple centerlines, select the Multiple Centerlines option. Thisoption is a time saver since you do not have to click Apply after you selecteach centerline position.

To create a linear centerline, define positions through collinear points. Thesepoints may be centers of arcs. A linear centerline is a straight line throughthese positions with a perpendicular line through each position.

You can select up to 100 points to define a linear centerline, circularcenterline or bolt circle.

For more information, refer to the online Help.

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Introduction to Drafting

ActivityIn the Introduction to drafting section, do the following activity:

• Create a linear centerline

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Create a cylindrical centerlineThe Cylindrical Centerline option allows you to create cylindrical centerlineswhich conform with ANSI Y14.2 standards. Cylindrical centerlines areassociative to the two points used to define them except for the screen positionoption. Use the Select Location list to define the desired points.

You can define points for a cylindrical centerline with the Cylindrical Faceoption. This option allows you to choose the desired cylindrical or conical face,even if it is hidden inside the solid.

To make cylindrical faces selectable when you apply cylindricalcenterlines to section views, you must select the Background check boxon the Section page in the View Preferences dialog box.

You cannot select cylindrical faces on revolved and unfolded sectionviews.

With the Cylindrical Centerline option, the Multiple Centerlines check box isavailable only when you select Cylindrical Face in the Select Location list.The intended use is to create multiple cylindrical centerlines of the samelength for holes . This feature is a time saver in that you only indicate endpoints for the first cylindrical face of your choice. Thereafter, you chooseonly the next cylindrical face.

For more information, refer to the online Help.

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DimensionsTo use the various dimensions types:

• Choose Insert→Dimension and then choose the desired dimension type.

• Use the Dimensions toolbar. This toolbar offers a menu of the availabledimension types.

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Annotation Preferences

You can use the Annotation Preferences dialog box(Preferences→Annotation) to configure global settings that affectdimensions.

The following pages in the Annotation Preferences dialog box apply todimensions:

• Dimensions — Control the display of extension lines and arrows,orientation of text, precision and tolerance, chamfer dimensions, andnarrow dimensions.

• Line/Arrow — Control the style and size of leaders, arrows, and extensionlines for both dimensions and other annotations. A preview area providesa rendition of the symbol with leaders and dimensions.

• Lettering — Control the alignment, justification, size, and font of text.

• Units — Control the desired unit of measure for dimensions and whetherdimensions are created in single or dual dimension format.

• Radial — Control the settings that are unique to diameter and radiusdimensions.

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Dimension preferences and placement

When you select a dimension type, the corresponding dimension dialog barappears.

The settings that you set on the dialog bar affect only dimensions you arecurrently creating.

1 Tolerance Types Select the tolerance type from a list.

2 Primary NominalPrecision

Select the primary nominal precision from 0-6decimal places from a list. If the preferencesformat is fractional, then the list displaysfractional precision values.

3 Tolerance ValuesEnter a tolerance value, or values, usingdynamic input boxes.

4 Tolerance PrecisionSet the primary tolerance precision from 0-6decimal places.

5 Annotation EditorDisplay the full Text Editor dialog box whereyou can enter symbols and appended text.

6 Dimension Style

Open the Dimension Style dialog box. Thisdialog box is a subset of the AnnotationPreferences dialog box, containing only theproperty pages that apply to dimensions.

Use this option to affect settings as youcreate one or more dimensions.

The global settings are restored whenyou exit from creating dimensions.

7 ResetReset local preferences to previous currentsettings in the part and clear appended text.

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Annotation placement options

When you select a dimension type to create, the annotation placement optionsappears on the Selection Bar.

1 Leader TypeChoose a leader type.

This option is available for labels.

2 Leader Placement

Set the leader side with one of the followingoptions:

• Inferred Leader Orientation —Automatically infer the leader side.

• Leader from Left — Place the leader tothe left side of the annotation.

• Leader from Right — Place the leader tothe right side of the annotation.

3 Leader Tool Open the Create Leader dialog box.

4 Associative Origins Associate the entity origin so that it is alwaysaligned with another dimension.

5 Alignment Position

Change the alignment position method to oneof the following options:

• Alignment Top-Left

• Alignment Top-Center

• Alignment Top-Right

• Alignment Mid-Left

• Alignment Mid-Center

• Alignment Mid-Right

• Alignment Bottom-Left

• Alignment Bottom-Center

• Alignment Bottom-Right6 Origin tool Open the Origin Tool dialog. box.

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Snap Point options

Snap point options appear on the Selection Bar while you are working withdimensions.

These options act as a filter for selecting geometric points. You can eitherselect or deselect any of these in order to limit your selection to specific typesof points.

Use the Two Pick Intersection button (at the right end of the toolbar) to selectany two edges whose intersection you cannot fit inside the select ball. Whenyou select it, all the other buttons are unavailable.

You can press the Esc key at any time to release all selected objects.

Placement cues for dimensions

As you create dimensions, you can align them with an existing dimension.Graphical cues appear when the origins of two dimensions are vertically orhorizontally aligned.

If you want the new dimension associated with the existing dimension, make

sure the Associate Origin with Helper Lines button is active.

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Appended text

You can append text to a dimension while you are creating it.

If you want only one line of appended text, select the object(s) to dimensionand, before you place the dimension, choose one of the appended text optionsin the shortcut menu.

If the text is complex, use the Text Editor .

To add appended text to a previously created dimension that does not alreadyhave appended text, do one of the following:

• Double-click the dimension, and open the Text Editor from the dialog bar.

• Double-click the dimension, and use the Right (after), Left (before), Up(above), or Down (below) arrow key on the keyboard to get the appendedtext location you desire. Type the text and press Enter.

• Double-click the dimension, and use the shortcut menu to choose eitherAppended Text (for a single line of text), or Text Editor (for complex text).

To edit existing appended text, do one of the following:

• Double-click the appended text.

• Double-click the dimension and use the Right (after), Left (before), Up(above), or Down (below) arrow key on the keyboard to get the appendedtext location you desire.

• Select the dimension, and open the shortcut menu over the appended text.

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Tolerances

After you select an object to dimension, you can:

• In the Value group, set a tolerance type.

• In the Tolerance group, set the desired tolerance value(s).

To add a tolerance later, select the dimension and use the methodsshown above.

Edit a tolerance

To edit a tolerance, use one of the following three methods:

• Over the tolerance, choose Edit from the shortcut menu.

• Double-click the tolerance.

• Double-click the dimension to access the dimension dialog bar.

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Text orientation and text arrow placement

To set the text arrow placement or the text orientation as you create adimension, open the shortcut menu before you place the text.

To change the text orientation or text arrow placement option of an existingdimension, edit the dimension style.

Moving a dimension

To change the origin of an existing dimension, simply drag it when nocommand is active.

The cursor will change to when you are in the move mode.

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Editing an existing dimension

There are two possible shortcut menus that can be displayed over an existingdimension.

• One shortcut menu appears over a dimension, when dimension creationis inactive.

• The other menu appears when you double-click an existing dimension (toedit it) and then open the shortcut menu.

When you edit a dimension the dimension dialog bar appears.

The cursor changes to indicate that you are in the editing mode.

Changing the precision of a dimension

To change the precision of an existing dimension, double-click the dimensionand do one of the following:

• Choose Nominal Precision from the shortcut menu.

• From the Edit Dimension dialog bar, in the Value group, click theprecision list.

• On the keyboard, press the number key that corresponds to the desiredprecision.

Inheriting preferences from an existing dimension

After you create a dimension, you can edit its preference settings to matchanother dimension:

1. Double-click the dimension you want to change.

2. Over the dimension, right-click and select Inherit.

3. Select the dimension that has the desired preference settings.

Deleting dimensions

You can use the shortcut menu to delete a dimension or you can select thedimension(s) to delete, and use the Delete command.

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ActivityIn the Introduction to drafting section, do the following activity:

• Create dimensions

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Text creationThe text editor is used to create notes, labels, and GD&T symbols.

To access the text editor:

• Choose Text from the Drafting Annotation toolbar.

• Choose Insert→Annotation.

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Entering text

In the Text Input group, enter the desired text in the input box.

As you compose text, you can use key combinations to insert common :

Keys ControlCharacters Purpose

CTRL+i <I20.000000><I0>Italic text Begin/End

20° slant

CTRL+b <D1><D> Bold text Begin/End

CTRL+u <U><U>Underlined text

(between)

After you position text, it remains in the edit window for you to use again oredit for the next annotation.

You can also create a note on a drawing sheet by dragging a text file(.txt) from an operating system window to the drawing sheet.

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Create leaders on notes and labels

1. Type the desired text.

2. Locate the cursor on the curve/edge/face where you want to place thearrowhead (with the cursor displayed as shown below).

3. Drag the cursor away from the selection point.

4. Click the location for the text.

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ActivityIn the Introduction to drafting section, do the following activity:

• Create notes and labels

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Text editorUse the Text Editor dialog box to create notes or labels containing text andsymbols. You can include the following in a note or label:

• Drafting symbols including fractions and two line formats.

• GD&T symbols that can be verified to comply with a standard: ISO1101–1983, ANSI Y14.5M-1982, or ANSI Y14.5M-1994.

• User-defined symbols

• Relationships including expressions, object attributes, and part attributes.

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Text preview

If the Preview option is enabled, formatted results appear in the editorpreview window.

You can use the formatting options in the dialog box to customize theappearance of the text.

For example, you may want your name to appear as italic, underlined letters.

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Editing tools

The Text Editor dialog box has options for text formatting. Some of the morecommon options are described below.

1 Set the font.2 Clear the display in the text entry and preview area.3 Set the text scale factor.4 Delete text attributes.5 Open (or close) the preview area.

6Add text attributes: Bold, Italic, Underline, Overline, Super Script,Subscript

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Editing notes

You can edit text in a previously created note or label by selecting it from thedrawing sheet and using the shortcut menu.

You can also edit annotation objects by double-clicking the note or label. Youcan select multiple objects, but this reduces the number of options availableon the shortcut menu.

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Helper lines

Helper lines act as a guide to allow you to align notes, labels, dimensions,symbols, and views with other objects on the drawing sheet. Helper linesappear as a dashed line.

To use helper lines, move the cursor over the object towhich you want to align as you are placing the newannotation. The note highlights and helper lines appear.

Click to place the annotation at the desired location.

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Master Model Drawing Guidelines1. Open the master model part. (File→Open)

2. Start the Assemblies application. (Start→Assemblies)

3. Create a new parent part.(Assemblies→Components→Create New Parent,xxxxx_dwg)

You can also create a ’drawing’ file using a seed partand then add the master model as a component.(Assemblies→Components→Add Existing)

4. Start the Drafting application. (Start→Drafting)

5. Adjust the sheet; name, units, size, and projection angle. (Edit→Sheet)

6. Add the drawing formats; title block, border, revision block, standardnotes.

7. Set view display preferences; hidden line removal, section backgrounds,and threads. (Preferences→View)

8. Add the base view, typically the top or front view. (Insert→View→BaseView and choose the view to add)

9. Add more views; projected, detail, section, isometric, and exploded.(Insert→View)

10. Adjust the view display; size, orientation, etc. (Edit→Style or Edit→View)

11. Clean up individual views with view dependent edits; erase object, editentire object, and edit object segment. (Edit→View→View DependentEdit)

12. Add utility symbols; centerlines, target symbols, and intersection symbols.(Insert→Symbol→Utility Symbol)

13. Add the dimensions. (Insert→Dimension)

14. Add the notes, labels, and GD&T symbols. (Insert→Annotation)

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SummaryUse the Drafting application to create or edit drawing sheets. Views anddimensions on a drawing sheet are associative to the solid model and updatewhen changes are made to the model.

The Text Editor dialog box makes it easy to create, edit and delete notes andlabels. The annotation bar and edit window provide access to work with notesand labels without opening the Text Editor dialog box.

In this lesson you:

• Modified a drawing sheet.

• Added views to a drawing sheet.

• Created utility symbols.

• Created dimensions.

• Added annotation to a drawing sheet.

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Appendix

A Additional projects

This appendix contains Additional Projects for you to work on.

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Project 11

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Project 12

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Project 13

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Project 14

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Project 15

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Appendix

B Expression operators

The following information lists the various operators that may be used inexpressions.

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Expression operators

OperatorsThere are several types of operators that you may use in the expressionlanguage.

Arithmetic operators Example+ Addition p2=p5+p3- Subtraction and Negative Sign p2=p5–p3* Multiplication p2=p5*p3/ Division p2=p5/p3% Modulus p2=p5%p3^ Exponential p2=p5^2= Assignment p2=p5

Relational and Boolean operators> Greater Than< Less Than>= Greater Than or Equal<= Less Than or Equal== Equal!= Not Equal! Negate& or && Logical AND| or || Logical OR

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Precedence and associativityIn the table below, operators in the same row have equal precedence whileoperators in the following rows have less precedence.

Precedence and associativityOperators Associativity

^ Right to left– (change sign)* / % Left to right+ –> < >= <=== !=&&||= Right to left

When using operators with the same precedence in an equation withoutparameters, use left-to-right or the right-to-left rule from the table. Forexample:

X = 90 – 10 + 30 = 110 (not 50)

X = 90 – (10 + 30) = 50

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Legacy unit conversionAlthough when dimensionality is specified and units are assigned thesystem handles conversions, legacy parts may have used functions for unitconversion. For legacy compatibility these functions are supported.

Functions for unit conversioncm cm(x) converts x from centimeters to the default units of the partft ft(x) converts x from feet to the default units of the partgrd grd(x) converts x from gradients to degreesin in(x) converts x from inches to the default units of the partkm km(x) converts x from kilometers to the default units of the partmc mc(x) converts x from microns to the default units of the partmin min(x) converts x from minutes to degrees.ml ml(x) converts x from mils to the default units of the partmm mm(x) converts x from millimeters to the default units of the partmtr mtr(x) converts x from meters to the default units of the partsec sec(x) converts x from seconds to degreesyd yd(x) converts x from yards to the default units of the part

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Expression operators

Built-in functionsBuilt-in functions include math, string, and engineering functions.

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Scientific notation

You may optionally enter numbers in scientific notation. The value you entermust contain a positive or negative sign. For example, you can enter:

2e+5 which is the same as the value 200000

2e-5 which is the same as the value .00002

Built-in functionsabs Returns the absolute value of a given numberarccos Returns the inverse cosine of a given number in degreesarcsin Returns the inverse sine of a given number in degreesarctan Returns the inverse tangent of a given number in degrees

from –90 to +90arctan2 Returns the inverse tangent of a given delta x divided by a

given delta y in degrees from –180 to +180ASCII Returns the ASCII code of the first character in a given

string or zero if the string is emptyceiling Returns the smallest integer that is bigger than a given

numberChar Returns the ASCII character for a given integer in the

range 1 to 255charReplace Returns a new string from a given source string, character

to replace and the corresponding replacement characters.compareString Case sensitive compare of two stringscos Returns the cosine of a given number in degreesdateTimeString Returns the system date and time in the format “Fri Nov

21 09:56:12 2005/n”floor Returns the largest integer less than or equal to a given

numberformat Returns a formatted string, using C-style formatting

specificationgetenv Returns the string value of a given environment variable

stringhypcos Returns the hyperbolic cosine of a given numberhypsin Returns the hyperbolic sine of a given numberhyptan Returns the hyperbolic tangent of a given numberlog Returns the natural logarithm of a given numberlog10 Returns the logarithm base 10 of a given numberMakeNumber Returns the number or integer of a given numerical string

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Built-in functionsmax Returns the largest number from a given number and

additional numbersmin Returns the smallest number from a given number and

additional numbersmod Returns the remainder (modulus) when a given numerator

is divided by a given denominator (by integer division)NormalizeAngle Normalizes a given angle (degrees) to be between 0 and

360 degreespi() Returns piRadians Converts an angle in degrees into radiansreplaceString Replaces all occurrences of str1 with str2round Returns the integer nearest to a given number, returns the

even integer if the given number ends in .5sin Returns the sine of a given number in degreessqrt Returns the inverse square root of a given positive numberStringLower Returns a lowercase string from a given stringStringUpper Returns an uppercase string from a given stringStringValue Returns a string containing a textual representation of a

given valuesubString Returns a new string containing a subset of the elements

from the original listtan Returns the sine of a given numberug_ functions see the documentation for descriptions of dozens more

specialized math and engineering functions

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Appendix

C System Topics

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System Topics

OverviewThere are utilities and files which affect the interface and behavior of thesystem.

This appendix covers these topics which would normally be the responsibilityof a system administrator.

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Customer DefaultsCustomer defaults are accessed by choosing File→Utilities→CustomerDefaults.

When NX is first started (out-of-the-box) the defaults are set to User and avariable points to a user file which may or may not exist. This is an extractfrom the log file for a user named “nxuser” after logging in and starting NXfor the first time:

Processing customer default values fileC:/Documents and Settings/nxuser/Local Settings/Application Data/Unigraphics Solutions/NX5/nx5_user.dpv

User customizations fileC:/Documents and Settings/nxuser

/Local Settings/Application Data/Unigraphics Solutions/NX5/nx5_user.dpv does not exist

The fact that the file does not exist is of no concern because the path iswritable for the person logged in.

NX will create the file nx5_user.dpv when and if the user makes a change tothe defaults.

If the administrator wishes to prevent the user from changing the defaults,i.e., set them as User (Read Only), there are various ways to accomplish it:

• Create the file and customize it as you wish, and then make it read only.

• Define the file in a path to which the user cannot write. The file and thepath need not exist.

• Lock one or more defaults at a higher level, i.e. group or site level.

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Customer Defaults levels

There are three levels of defaults that your system administrator can set.These are site, group, and user. Any of all of these levels may be read-write,although it is customary to set the site and group levels to read only.

At the Site and Group levels the dialog displays padlocks beside each default,enabling the administrator to lock out a particular default for lower levels.

When a lock is active not only is the text de-emphasized but value changeis prohibited. Even if the site (or a lower) DPV file is writable the value ofa locked default can not be changed until the lock icon has been toggled offfor the given default).

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For example, to lock out the ability to create promotions, the administratorclicks the lock beside promotions at the site or group level. The icon changescolor and the text is de-emphasized.

At the user level, that default is de-emphasized an a padlock is displayedbeside it.

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The system administrator can use the Default Lock Status to set the globallocked status for all of the customer defaults on all defaults pages. Thisallows strategies like All are locked except..." or All are unlocked except...instead of requiring the assertion of 5000+ individual locks.

Locks at the group level change color and the text is de-emphasized.

The user then sees all options for Site Standards de-emphasized andpadlocked. No Site Standards may now may be changed at the user level.

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Setting Customer Defaults

Customer defaults have as-shipped default settings that are hard-coded.When you change defaults at any level (assuming you have write permissionand the levels are defined) a file is created to save the settings. By default thefile is called nx5_user.dpv, nx5_group.dpv, or nx5_site.dpv.

Only the defaults that are changed from the hard–coded settings are saved,thus the DPV files can be very small in size.

Customer defaults files are defined by environment settings. These aretypically set in ugii_env.dat on Windows systems or .ugii_env on UNIX;however, the administrator may prevent a user from spoofing these settingsby creating a file named ugii_env.master in the UGII directory where NXis installed to define these particular environment settings. When this fileexists any attempt to redefine the environment variables will be ignored.

When you change defaults the changes are NOT effective immediately.They will be in effect the next time NX is started.

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There are two possible settings for the user level and one each for the groupand site levels:

VariableDefaults File Heading

Description

UGII_LOCAL_USER_DEFAULTSMISCELLANEOUS

This variable is a fully qualified filespecification: it can be any file namein any location.

The recommended file extension is.dpv

The file need not exist. The filewill be created when the initialcustomizations are saved.

The directory path must exist and bewriteable to create the file.

UGII_USER_DIRUGALLIANCE Variables

This directory pointed to must havethe startup directory defined instructure outlined below. The filenx5_user.dpv will be created when theinitial customizations are saved (if itdoes not already exist) in the startupfolder.

Define this ONLYif UGII_LOCAL_USER_DEFAULTS is NOTdefined.

UGII_GROUP_DIRNot defined

The file nx5_group.dpv will be createdwhen the initial customizations aresaved (if it does not already exist) inthe startup folder under the directorypointed to.

UGII_SITE_DIRUGALLIANCE Variables

The file nx5_site.dpv will be createdwhen the initial customizations aresaved (if it does not already exist) inthe startup folder under the directorypointed to.

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USER, GROUP, and SITE directories

There is a standard structure for customer site installation of menu files andshared libraries. This directory structure defines three subdirectories. Forthe purpose of this discussion only the startup folder need exist; however, youmight encounter the others if you have site customization.

startup Contains site-specific menu files, defaults files, and sharedlibraries of menu actions to be loaded automatically at NXstartup to customize Gateway.

application Contains site-specific files defining menus and sharedlibraries of menu actions for customizing NX or third-partyapplications, such as NX Open programs. Loading of eachshared library is deferred until you enter the application thatnames the library on the LIBRARIES statement in the menufile definition for the Application Button for the application.User Tool Definition files, GRIP programs, User Functionprograms that are referenced by menu file actions.

udo Contains the shared libraries defining methods forsite-specific User Defined Objects (another NX Open topic.)

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Managing your changes

The DPV files contain only the defaults that are changed from the hard–codedsettings.

You may review your changes at any time:

• Set the Defaults Level to the level you want to examine, Site, Group,or User.

• On the Customer Defaults dialog box, click Manage Current Settings

.

Here is an example of standard classroom defaults at the group level:

Here is an example of defaults additionally set for Intermediate NX Designand Assemblies.

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Updating to a new release of NX

To update to a new release, you need only define the DPV files you want touse at whatever levels your organization uses.

When you receive the new software use Import Defaults to validate your

previous settings against the new release.

Importing Customer Defaults values file: <full path specification of DPV

file.>

Total settings and locks imported: 10

Total settings rejected due to values not valid in this release: 0

Total settings rejected due to values being locked at the higher level: 0

Total settings already set to the same value and lock status: 0

Total settings not recognized in this release: 0

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Interpart ModelingInterpart Expressions and the Wave Geometry Linker can be disabled bythe changing setting Allow Interpart Modeling on the Assemblies, General,Interpart Modeling page.

Promotion of Bodies feature can be enabled by changing the setting AllowFeature Promotion on the Assemblies, General, Interpart Modeling page.

Settings for Delay Interpart Update are also on this page.

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File VersioningWe recommend using Teamcenter Integration (TcEng) for data management.If TcEng is not available, the Assemblies Site Standards defaults offer analternative approach.

Versioning rules will enable the system to load the latest version ofcomponents in any assembly based on a file naming scheme established atyour company. When the rules are defined in the customer defaults file, the"Load Latest" option must also be turned on in the load options.

File versioning is controlled from the Assemblies, Site Standards, Part NameVersions page of the customer defaults dialog.

To define the versioning rules, you must define the portion of the filenamethat is the core (never changes) and which portion is the revision.

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Regular Expressions

Version rules are defined using a modified form of "Regular Expressions". Itis beyond the scope of this class to teach regular expression formatting.

There are several "Special Characters" that may be used in the format of yourversion rules. They are listed below.

? = 0 or 1* = 0 or more+ = 1 or more. = Any character| = Or (as in this OR that)( ) = Define a section[ ] = Define a set- = Range

The use of Sets is crucial to your ability to establish correct version rules. Afew examples are shown below.

[a-z0-9] = One lower case letter or number[a-z0-9]+ = One or more lower case letters or numbers in any

order[a-z]+[0-9]+ = One or more lower case letters followed by one or

more numbers[a-hj-np-z] = Any lower case letter except i and o[mejx] = Any one of these letters

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File Versioning example

In the following example, the part names consist of a core section of lowercase letters followed by an underscore and a revision section defined by arevision number. Below are three versions of the same part.

abc_1.prt

abc_2.prt

abc_3.prt

To define the rules that describe the above naming convention, the customerdefaults must be modified from the Assemblies, Site Standards, Part NameVersions page of the dialog. Here is an example of how it would need to be setup for a specific versioning scheme.

Full Part File Name Format:

You must specify the format of the part name in terms of regular expressionpattern matching. Each set of Parentheses represents a section.

Full Part File Name Format: ([a-z]+_)([0-9])

The first section is ([a-z]+_). The [a-z] is any lower case letter and the "+"means that one or more letters are allowed. The "_" means that the letterswill always be followed by an underscore character.

The next section ([0-9]) is any number and that there can be only one digit. (Ifyou wanted to allow more digits, you would follow it with a "+".)

Version Independent Section of the Part File Name:

This determines what portion of the file is the core portion of the file name(does not change). Based on the pairs of parentheses, you enter a backslashand the section number.

Version Independent Section of the Part File Name: /1

The first section is the core portion of the filename, it will never change.

Part File Name Match:

Specify which section of the file name must match and which section mayvary. This is a bit repetitive, but necessary.

Part File Name Match: /1([0-9])

The portion of the filename that must match is in the first section. Theportion that is allowed to vary may be any number.

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Version Section of Part File Name Match:

Which portion of the version section is actually the version. This is alsodetermined by sets of parenthesis in the revision section.

Version Section of Part File Name Match: /1

In the version section, the first set of parenthesis indicates version.

Version Type:

The versioning scheme being used. Available choices are; Military, Numeric,Reverse Numeric, Alphabetic, Reverse Alphabetic, Alphanumeric.

Version Type: Numeric

A number sequence starting with 1 and progressing to larger numbers.

In an Alphanumeric sort, versioning will sort letters before numbers.This is a different than most normal sort algorithms.

Quantifiers

Quantifiers can be specified to allow only a certain number of characters.Instead of using [0-9][0-9][0-9] to represent three digits, it can be written witha quantifier as [0-9]{3} The list of quantifiers is shown below.

{n,m}At least n and no more thanm

{n,} At least n{,m} May have 0, but no more

than m{m} Exactly m

C-16 NX Design for the Experienced CAD User — Student Guide ©UGS Corp., All Rights Reserved mt13150_g NX 5

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A

Absolute coordinate system . . . . . . . 3-3Analysis

Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13Mass Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14

Annotationdimension preferences and

placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-35placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-36

helper lines . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-51preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-34preferences and placement

placement cues fordimensions . . . . . . . . . . 24-37

snap point options . . . . . . . 24-37Application

Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17Drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2

ApplicationsGateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

AssembliesMirrored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-23reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7

session where used . . . . . . . . 22-8Reports

Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7Where used . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7

Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3Add Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-5Assemblies application . . . . . . . 16-17Assemblies toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . 17-3Associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-27Bottom-up construction method . . 17-4Component object . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5Component parts . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6constraints

angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18

bond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-20center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-19concentric . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-13distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-14fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-21fix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-15parallel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-16perpendicular . . . . . . . . . . 17-17touch align . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-11types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-10

Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-9general concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2Load options

Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . 16-12Saved Load Options . . . . . . 16-13

Load Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7Load Behavior . . . . . . . . . . 16-11Load states . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9Part Versions . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-10

master model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-3Move Component . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-8Selecting Components in the

navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19Subassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4Top down and bottom up

modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2Assembly Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . 16-14

Display Parent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-32Icons and check boxes . . . . . . . . 16-16Identifying components . . . . . . . 16-20Make Displayed Part . . . . . . . . 16-31Make Work Part . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-30Node display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15Pack and Unpack . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29Selecting Components . . . . . . . . 16-19shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-28

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B

BlendVariable radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10

Boolean operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

C

Chamfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-16creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18

Change Displayed Part . . . . . . . . . 1-15Component

Substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-14Component Arrays

creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-4feature-based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-6

Component partsClose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-11Reopen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-12

Coordinate Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2Absolute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3WCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Create a new component . . . . . . . . 19-3Cue line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5Customer Defaults

Directory Structures . . . . . . . . . . . C-9DPV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-7Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4, C-7Setting Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

D

Datum Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17

Curve/Face Axis . . . . . . . . . . 5-20Intersection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18

Curve/Face Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20Intersection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14

Datum CSYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21Datum Plane

At Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8At Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7Bisector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9Curves and Points

Three Points . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11Tangent to Face at Point, Line or

Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10Datum planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

At Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8At Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7Bisector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9Curves and Points, Three

Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11Tangent to Face at Point, Line or

Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Delay Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63Delayed Update after Edit . . . . . . . 7-15Delayed Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14Design in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22Design in context of an assembly . . 19-8DesignLogic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19Dimensions

appended text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-38creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-33deleting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-41edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-41

change precision . . . . . . . . 24-41delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-41inherit preferences . . . . . . . 24-41

placement cues . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-37preferences and placement . . . . 24-35text orientation and text arrow

placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-40tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-39

edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-39Displayed Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23Distance between objects . . . . . . . . 7-13Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11Drawings

adding a base view . . . . . . . . . . 24-14adding projected views . . . . . . . 24-16

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project view options . . . . . . 24-19projection lines . . . . . . . . . . 24-17

adding viewspreview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-18

annotation preferences . . . . . . . 24-34See also Annotation

creating new sheets . . . . . . . . . . 24-3deleting a sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-6edit views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-20

drag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-21editing a sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-5editing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-50editing views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-20monochrome display . . . . . . . . . . 24-8opening a sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-4removing views . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-43

entering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-44leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-45

text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-47See also Text Editor

utility symbols . . . . . . . . 24-24–24-25See also Utility Symbols

view creation options . . . . . . . . 24-15view preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-9

EEdge blend

add new set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-6dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4overflow resolutions . . . . . . . . . . 15-7

explicit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5

Edge Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3Edge operations

Chamfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-16Edge Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2

EditParameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13

Edit FeaturePlayback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9Reorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10

Evaluate Sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63Exit NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19Expressions

Conditional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-11Dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3Edit Interpart References . . . . . . 20-7functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5interpart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2List References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12Listed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7Load Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-10Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-16operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2precedence and associativity . . . . . B-3

Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

FFeature Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9Features with predefined shapes . . 11-2

Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4Placement Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8

File Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Saving unnamed template files . . . 1-9Using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8

File Versioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-13example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-15

Form Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2

GGateway Application . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

HHole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4

Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7edit

add positioningdimensions . . . . . . . . . . 11-18

change type . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-17feature dialog . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13reattach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14reattach options . . . . . . . . . 11-16reattach selection steps . . . 11-15

edit position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12

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editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5

I

Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11Part Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5

Instance Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2array methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4caveats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3circular array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-9

creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-11example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-12parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10

rectangular array . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-8parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6

Interpart modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10Interpart Modeling

enabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12Interpart references . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2

overriding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-4Partial loading issues . . . . . . . . . 20-9referencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-3Tips and recommended

practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-11

L

Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10Load Options

Allow Substitution . . . . . . . . . . 22-14search folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-24

M

Make Current Feature . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7Mass Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14Master model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-3

drawing guidelines . . . . . . . . . . 24-52example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-4

Menus overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6Mirror Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-14

creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-16

Mirrored Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . 19-23Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Deselecting objects . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22Preview selection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23QuickPick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24Radial menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17Selecting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20View manipulation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18View shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . 2-16View triad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19

Mouse Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14Mouse shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

Display Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Orient View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Refresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Rotate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Set Rotate Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Undo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

O

Offset Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9Opening Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14

P

Parameter Entry Options . . . . . . . 10-19Part Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

Change Displayed Part . . . . . . . . 1-15Close Selected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17Opening multiple . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14Save As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16

Part in process modeling . . . . . . . 19-16Part Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Dependencies panel . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3Details panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4Main panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2Preview panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5Shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7Timestamp order . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Placement Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8

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constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9

Preferencesview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-9

Preview selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23Promotion of Bodies

enabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12

Q

QuickPick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24

RReference Features

Datum Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13Datum CSYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21Datum Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-11Deleting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20Empty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-4Entire Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-3Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-14Lightweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-7Load Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-22Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-5Replacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-16Simplified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-8

Referencing ExistingParameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20

Reorder features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10Revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-2

partial loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-10using Save As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-3

Revolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Choosing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11

SSave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-35Save Work Part Only . . . . . 16-34, 16-36Search Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-24Selection

QuickPick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24Selection Bar

filter components . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21Selection Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2

Curve rule options . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3face options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7Follow Fillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4selecting sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4Stop at Intersection . . . . . . . . . . 10-4

Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2assigning different thicknesses . . 13-4creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5

SketchAlternate Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

Line tangent to arc . . . . . . . . . 8-8Tangent circles . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7

as a base feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5Constraints

Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44Degree-of-freedom arrows . . 4-46Degrees of freedom . . . . . . . . 4-45Dimensional . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55Geometric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47

Convert To/From Reference . . . . . 4-62Create Inferred Constraints . . . . 4-64Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9Curve functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38

Fillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43Make corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42Quick extend . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41Quick trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39Quick trim example . . . . . . . 4-40

Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65Dimensional Constraints . . . . . . 4-55

Attach dimension . . . . . . . . . 4-61Edit using dialog box . . . . . . 4-59Edit using dynamic input

box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58Inferred dimensions . . . . . . . 4-57Retain dimensions . . . . . . . . 4-60Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56

DragMultiple curves . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4

©UGS Corp., All Rights Reserved NX Design for the Experienced CAD User — Student Guide Index-5

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to assist constraining . . . . . . . 8-5Drag objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2Evaluate and update . . . . . . . . . 4-63Geometric Constraints . . . . . . . . 4-47

Displaying symbols . . . . . . . 4-51Show or remove . . . . . . . . . . 4-52Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Help lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21Inferred constraints . . . . . . . . . . 4-20Inferred Constraints . . . . . . . . . . 4-35

Snap Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36Input Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27Internal and external . . . . . . . . . 4-17Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15Lines at angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30Lines parallel or perpendicular . . 4-28Lines tangent to a curve . . . . . . . 4-29Making internal external . . . . . . 4-18Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13modify existing features . . . . . . . . 4-6Naming

In Sketch Properties . . . . . . 4-14On the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13

other applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3Types of sketches . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31Constraints recognized by snap

point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34Snap Point options . . . . . . . . 4-32

process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23

Mouse gesture to create anarc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25

Object type options . . . . . . . . 4-26Stopping string mode . . . . . . 4-24

Reattach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10Reference Direction . . . . . . . . . . 4-12Retain dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60Short list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22Sketch Plane

Existing plane or planarface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10

New plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11Suppress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65

Timestamp and dependencies . . . 8-11Sketch in context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9Status line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5Substituting components . . . . . . . 22-14

using Reopen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-18Using Substitute . . . . . . . . . . . 22-16Using the Assembly Navigator . . 22-19

Suppression by Expression . . . . . . 12-12Sweep along Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10Swept Features

Body types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7Boolean operations . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6Revolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9Sweep along Guide . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

TTemplates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Text Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-47

text preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-48tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-49

The NX window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Customizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4Add or remove buttons . . . . . . 2-6Displaying toolbars . . . . . . . . 2-4Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

Saving configuration . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20Selection Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Top-down design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2Trim Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2

UUnique Identifier (UID) . . . . . . . . 22-14Update Model . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63, 7-15Utility Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-24

automatic centerlines . . . . . . . . 24-29creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27cylindrical centerline . . . . . . . . 24-32deleting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-28linear centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-30options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25

defining objects . . . . . . . . . 24-26limiting objects . . . . . . . . . 24-26

Index-6 NX Design for the Experienced CAD User — Student Guide ©UGS Corp., All Rights Reserved mt13150_g NX 5

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placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25

VVariable radius blends . . . . . . . . . 15-10

tips and techniques . . . . . . . . . . 15-13Versioning Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-13View Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-9

Edges Hidden by Edges . . . . . . 24-11Hidden Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-10Smooth Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-12Virtual Intersections . . . . . . . . . 24-13

WWCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6Drag along axis . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8Handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7Move on axis using dynamic input

box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8Move, free form . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7Move, origin to a point . . . . . . 3-7Orient to object . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8Reverse axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8Rotate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6Work part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26

©UGS Corp., All Rights Reserved NX Design for the Experienced CAD User — Student Guide Index-7

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L E A R N I N G

A D V A N T AG E

UGS Education Services offers a blend of training solutions for all of our product lifecycle management products. Our Online Store “Learning Advantage” was developed to provide our customers with “just in time” training for the latest in application developments. Here are some of the Learning Advantages:

• Customers have direct access • Self-paced course layout • Online Assessments • Just in time training for the latest release

To learn more about the “Learning Advantage” visit our website http://training.ugs.com or email us at training @ugs.com

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STUDENT PROFILE

In order to stay in tune with our customers we ask for some background information. This information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of Education Services.

Please “Print”…

Your Name U.S. citizen Yes No Course Title/Dates / � thru � Hotel/motel you are staying at during your training Planned departure time on last day of class Employer Location Your title and job responsibilities / Industry: Auto Aero Consumer products Machining Tooling Medical Other Types of products/parts/data that you work with Reason for training Please verify/add to this list of training for Unigraphics, I-deas, Imageware, Teamcenter Mfg., Teamcenter Eng. (I-Man), Teamcenter Enterprise (Metaphase), or Dimensional Mgmt./Visualization. Medium means Instructor-lead (IL ), On-line (OL ), or Self-paced (SP) Software From Whom When Course Name Medium

� � � �

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� � � �

� � � �

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Other CAD/CAM/CAE /PDM software you have used Please “check”� your ability/knowledge in the following…

Subject CAD modeling CAD assemblies CAD drafting CAM CAE PDM – data management PDM – system management

None � � � � � � �

Novice � � � � � � �

Intermediate � � � � � � �

Advanced � � � � � � �

Platform (operating system) Thank you for your participation and we hope your training experience will be an outstanding one.

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Course Agenda

NX Design for the Experienced CAD User NX Design for the Experienced CAD User with Teamcenter Integration

Monday Morning • Introduction & Course overview

• Lesson 1. NX part files

• Lesson 2. The NX User Interface

Afternoon • Lesson 3. Coordinate systems

• Lesson 4. Sketch Task Environment

Tuesday Morning • Lesson 5. Datum features

• Lesson 6. Swept features

• Lesson 7. Part structure

Afternoon • Lesson 8. Using sketches

• Lesson 9. Trim Body

• Lesson 10. Swept feature options

Wednesday Morning • Lesson 11. Hole features

• Lesson 12. Expressions

• Lesson 13. Face Operations

Afternoon • Lesson 14. Associative copies

• Lesson 15. Edge operations

Thursday Morning • Lesson 16. Introduction to Assemblies

• Lesson 17. Adding and constraining components

• Lesson 18. Reference Sets

Afternoon • Lesson 19. Top Down Assembly Modeling

• Lesson 20. Interpart Expressions

Friday Morning • Lesson 21.Component Arrays

• Lesson 22. Revisions and Substitutions

Afternoon • Lesson 23. Master Model

• Lesson 24. Introduction to Drafting

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Accelerators

The following Accelerators can be listed from within an NX session by choosing Information→Custom Menubar→Accelerators.

Function Accelerator File→New... Ctrl+N File→Open... Ctrl+O File→Save Ctrl+S File→Save As... Ctrl+Shift+A File→Plot... Ctrl+P File→Execute→Grip... Ctrl+G File→Execute→Debug Grip... Ctrl+Shift+G File→Execute→NX Open... Ctrl+U Edit→Undo Ctrl+Z Edit→Cut Ctrl+X Edit→Copy Ctrl+C Edit-Paste Ctrl+V Edit→Delete... Ctrl+D or Delete Edit→Selection→Top Selection Priority - Feature F Edit→Selection→Top Selection Priority - Face G Edit→Selection→Top Selection Priority - Body B Edit→Selection→Top Selection Priority - Edge E Edit→Selection→Top Selection Priority - Component C Edit→Selection-Select All Ctrl+A Edit→Show and Hide→Show and Hide... (by type) Ctrl+W Edit→Show and Hide→Hide... Ctrl+B Edit→Show and Hide→Invert Shown and Hidden Ctrl+Shift+B Edit→Show and Hide→Show... Ctrl+Shift+K Edit→Show and Hide→Show All Ctrl+Shift+U Edit→Transform... Ctrl+T Edit→Object Display... Ctrl+J View→Operation→Zoom... Ctrl+Shift+Z View→Operation→Rotate... Ctrl+R View→Operation→Section... Ctrl+H View→Layout→New... Ctrl+Shift+N View→Layout→Open... Ctrl+Shift+O View→Layout→Fit All Views (only with multiple views) Ctrl+Shift+F View→Layout→Fit Ctrl+F View→Visualization→High Quality Image... Ctrl+Shift+H View→Information Window F4 Hide or show the current dialog box F3 View→Reset Orientation Ctrl+F8 Insert→Sketch... S Insert→Design Feature→Extrude... X

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Insert→Design Feature→Revolve... R Insert→Trim→Trimmed Sheet... T Insert→Sweep→Variational Sweep... V Format→Layer Settings... Ctrl+L Format→Visible in View... Ctrl+Shift+V Format→WCS→Display W Tools→Expression... Ctrl+E Tools→Journal→Play... Alt+F8 Tools→Journal→Edit Alt+F11 Tools→Macro→Start Record... Ctrl+Shift+R Tools→Macro→Playback... Ctrl+Shift+P Tools→Macro→Step... Ctrl+Shift+S Information→Object... Ctrl+I Analysis→Curve→Refresh Curvature Graphs Ctrl+Shift+C Preferences→Object... Ctrl+Shift+J Preferences→Selection... Ctrl+Shift+T Start→Modeling... M or Ctrl+M Start→All Applications→Shape Studio... Ctrl+Alt+S Start→Drafting... Ctrl+Shift+D Start→Manufacturing... Ctrl+Alt+M Start→NX Sheet Metal... Ctrl+Alt+N Start→Assemblies A Help→On Context... F1 Refresh F5 Fit Ctrl+F Zoom F6 Rotate F7 Orient View-Trimetric Home Orient View-Isometric End Orient View-Top Ctrl+Alt+T Orient View-Front Ctrl+Alt+F Orient View-Right Ctrl+Alt+R Orient View-Left Ctrl+Alt+L Snap View F8

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Evaluation – Delivery

NX 5 DEC, Course #TR13150/TR13152 Dates thru

Please share your opinion in all of the following sections with a “check” in the appropriate box:

Instructor: �

If there were 2 instructors, please evaluate the 2nd instructor with “X’s”

Instructor: � 1. …clearly explained the course objectives 2. …was knowledgeable about the subject 3. …answered my questions appropriately 4. … encouraged questions in class 5. …was well spoken and a good communicator 6. …was well prepared to deliver the course 7. …made good use of the training time 8. …conducted themselves professionally 9. …used examples relevant to the course and audience 10. …provided enough time to complete the exercises 11. …used review and summary to emphasize important information 12. …did all they could to help the class meet the course objectives

Comments on overall impression of instructor(s):

Overall impression of instructor(s) Poor Excellent Suggestions for improvement of course delivery:

What you liked best about the course delivery:

Class Logistics:

1. The training facilities were comfortable, clean, and provided a good learning environment

2. The computer equipment was reliable 3. The software performed properly 4. The overhead projection unit was clear and working properly

5. The registration and confirmation process was efficient

Hotels: (We try to leverage this information to better accommodate our customers)

1. Name of the hotel Best hotel I’ve stayed at

2. Was this hotel recommended during your registration process? YES NO

3. Problem? (brief description)

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Evaluation - Courseware

NX 5 DEC, Course #TR13150/TR13152 :

Please share your opinion for all of the following sections with a “check” in the appropriate box

Material:

1. The training material supported the course and lesson objectives 2. The training material contained all topics needed to complete the projects 3. The training material provided clear and descriptive directions 4. The training material was easy to read and understand 5. The course flowed in a logical and meaningful manner 6. How appropriate was the length of the course relative to the material? Too short Too long Just right

Comments on Course and Material:

Overall impression of course Poor Excellent

Student:

1. I met the prerequisites for the class (I had the skills I needed) 2. My objectives were consistent with the course objectives 3. I will be able to use the skills I have learned on my job 4. My expectations for this course were met 5. I am confident that with practice I will become proficient

Name (optional): Location/room

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Thank you for your business. We hope to continue to provide your training

and personal development for the future.

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