An easy way to identify out of date parts in Assembly structure?

[sam5a1]

We have I-Deas users that are moving to NX. Their biggest grip is that there is no easy way to identify the part/assembly that needs updating. We know about the clock but that doesn't identify everything that needs to be updated and it doesn't show what changed, is there a new revision and if so what is that version/revision? They are used to being able to see needed updates very easy in the assembly navigator or the History Access tree. Then when they picked update it would list the new version/revision. In Teamcenter we have used the Structure Manager, split into 2 screens, compared the released, or precise, assembly to latest working rule and looked for different revisions, but that is not easy nor fast.

The reason for this question is that we had some people modify parts outside of their upper assemblies. Now, when the assemblies are open, the designers see the clock but can't tell what the newer rev is. And sometimes, if the offending designer made the changes to parts in level 1 but outside the assembly, the clock doesn't even show up. we found some new revisions in the Structure Manager when comparing assemblies.

Is there some settings in NX so that the behavior would make it similar to I-Deas that I've overlooked or some easier way in Teamcenter to isolate the revision changes?

 

[Toost]

Seeing if there is newer revisions is simple once one knows how..
The discussion is biased depending on if you run Precise or Imprecise, if you run Imprecise the revision rule will dictate what revisions you load.
If you run Precise :
In the assembly navigator ( When running a NX session under teamcenter) make sure the TC information column is visible.
RMB the top node - Refresh Teamcenter information.
If there are newer revisions there will be a yellow triangle on these components in this column.
To replace, use " Replace Component", it has a button "Show revisions" where other revs of the same component can be selected.

The update question is more difficult to reply to, normally you do not need to update components in NX, They will be up to date when opened.
If you have inter-part relations such as geometry links or similar, it's depending on your settings if the update is delayed ( and need manual update) or not. ( auto update.)
The clock you mention, is that in the assembly navigator ?

Regards,
Tomas

 

[sam5a1]

Yes, the model is saved and released as Precise and it was loaded as Precise. I made sure that the TC Information column was visible and did RMB on the upper node, I expanded everything and then I even RMB on the actual sub-assembly that has been revised. In none of the cases did the TC Information column show the new revision. Because I know that a newer revision exists, I can pick the sub-assembly, Replace Component, Show Revisions and the new Revision is shown, ready to be updated.

If I load the assembly as Latest Working, I get an information window telling me that I loaded Revision 'B' but configured revision wrt is 'A'. I really don't want to have to load complete assemblies twice, once to find the items with new revisions and then load the assembly again to replace the old assemblies.

Yes, the clock is in the Out of Date column in the assembly navigator. it doesn't tell you what is out of date, just that something is. The part could have been opened, saved and closed and the "Out of Date" clock will show.

 

[Toost]

The TC information column will/ should show a yellow triangle if there exists a newer revision, not the revision itself.
If one pauses the cursor over the triangle a popup should tell the story. Then RMB -replace etc. This way the user has full control over what is replaced into what revision etc.
The more automated method , but less control on what gets replaced is, as you note, to load the assembly using a revision rule which isn't precise, then simply save. Then all revisions gets replaced by what the rule defines. If the assembly is large , many components might be replaced at once and it might be difficult to track for the user.

About the clock in the navigator, I am not aware about this.

What versions of NX - TC are you using ?

Regards,
Tomas

 

[sam5a1]

That is the problem,the newer revision is not showing a yellow triangle. An example is a sub-assembly, lets name it A12345, that is Revision B in the upper Assembly. A new Revision C of A12345 was created when some PMI notation was modified. Later, the sub-asembly A12345 had some additional items added and Revision D was created. When the upper assembly, saved precise, is opened it has Revision B of A12345, exactly as saved. When the RMB on the top node - Refresh Teamcenter information is done, the yellow triangle doesn't show even though revision B is loaded and there is a revision D existing.

Since you pointed out how that should work, I have tested the RMB the top node - Refresh Teamcenter information on several other assemblies and I have not gotten any yellow triangles on any item that has a newer revision. Is there a setting in the options that I may have overlooked?

We are using NX 7.5.4 and Tc 8.3.2.

 

[Toost]

Here's an example on how it should look.
I am not aware that there is a setting, but can have a look in the customer defaults.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[sam5a1]

I don't see the yellow triangles, there is just nothing. The assembly is highlighted but no yellow triangles. There has to be a configuration setting not allowing this to happen. That is exactly what I need.

 

[cowski]

Perhaps you need to turn on the TC information column in the assembly navigator? Right click in some white space in the navigator and there will be an option to show/hide the columns.

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[sam5a1]

I don't understand why, but when I froze the TC Information column I got it to work. See screen shot attached. If I unfreeze the column the indicators stay but if I load a different assembly with columns unfrozen there are no indicators until I freeze the Tc Information column, then they show up.

In the screen shot, the out of date clock is shown. Normally, opening fully the component updates the out of date issue.