Angle Constraint - "3D Angle" Works but "Orient Angle" doesn't? 2

[Aerohawk]

Have the same question as that in this post: thread561-266940

Example: Trying to orient a Hex bolt in a hole using the side of the bolt and the side of the object with the hole. Object with hole and bolt are the only two components of an assembly. I know how to do this with "3D Angle" But I want to know how to do this with "Orient Angle"

Problem: I can't get Angle constraint to work using orient angle.

Procedure I am following:
1. I select a line or a datum axis as an axis first then side of first object and then side of second object and then I type in an angle.

2. The constraint is created with a exclamation mark near the constraint icon in the Assembly navigator.

3. When I right click the constraint in the assembly navigator and choose information I see this in the information text file (under status):

"This constraint cannot solve. Either it references a component that has been deleted or suppressed, or it refer
ences geometry that has been deleted, suppressed, or is now of the wrong type."

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong. I have been using NX for years but I have never managed to get this to work and always managed by using "3D Angle". But I want to know how to use the orient angle way. Using Nx 7.5 right now.

 

[JohnRBaker]

If you're talking about orienting one of the faces (sides) of the hex-head with an edge or face of the part that the bolt is assembled into, then the only usable method IS '3D Angle'. 'Orient Angle' will not work unless you add something like a datum plane to each part file; one passing thru the axis of the bolt and the other passing thru the axis of the hole.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[uwam2ie]

had similar problems,
no really intersections-
use 1. rotation axis 2. point at the first 3. point at the second
component
works - trick is to activate the point control

 

[Aerohawk]

Thank you! Both your posts were very helpful. I managed to get orient angle to work using the point method that uwam2ie mentioned and the using the datum planes running through the axis as mentioned by JohnRBaker.

So it occurred to me that after selecting the "axis" for the Orient Angle Constraint what was required was that the next selected geometry (point/datum/plane surface) has to lie in a plane containing the "axis" chosen. For a point this is possible no matter what point you select (because there always exists a plane which will contain any given datum axis and any given point in space) but for a surface or datum this has to be specifically one which passes through the "axis" chosen for the constraint.

Thanks again and I hope this is useful to someone else!
Vik