Assembly Component arrays - Associative?

[michaelmould]

Hi all,

I'm working on a range of simple switch boxes which have a linear row of switches, either 2, 3, 4 or 5 switches.

The model for the front of the casing which holds the switches is driven by expressions, so the same model can be used for all versions of the range. The switch spacing is driven by the box width and the number of switches etc..

When I came to assemble the model, I added one of the switches and fully constrained it. I then created a component array, with the number of copies and the spacing driven by expressions again. This worked fine until I went back and changed the depth of the casing. When I updated the assembly, the constrained switch was in the correct place, but the components in the array remained in their original positions.

Is there any way of making associative component arrays? Or do I still have to constrain the arrayed components?

I'm fairly new to NX, so I'm probably missing something simple here.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Mike

 

[hudson888]

Component arrays are somewhat parametric but not mated. If you reference the same parameters used to create (presumably) the hole pattern geometry then you may be able to make it behave more like it is associative.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[JohnRBaker]

Are the openings in which the switches are mounted to all in the same body (component)? If so, were they created using Instance Feature? If so, when you mate/constrain the first switch box to the first opening, you can use the option to 'Array after Add' in which case the number and location, to say nothing of the mating/constraining of multiple copies of the switch components, would be fully automatic. Think of this as the same as dropping the same bolt into a circular array of holes, i.e. a 'bolt circle'.

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

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[michaelmould]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice. John, I've tried using the Array After Add option in add component, but I can't get it to work. This sounds ideal for my needs though.

When I do mate the switch to the feature set used for the Instance Feature I get the following message -

'array template is not mated to a valid feature instance.'

Does it matter that the expressions that define the Instance Feature in the part are not found within the assembly?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me with this.

Mike

 

[BOPdesigner]

No that should not matter. If the array of holes in your panel were created by an instance feature using a seed hole, then the Array After add option should work. It is very nice. You can change your hole array at a later date and the assembled switches automatically update.

 

[michaelmould]

Hello Gents,

I am still struggling to get this to work. What do you mean when you say seed hole? Is that just a general term for a feature to be instanced?

The instance feature I used was a linear array of a group of features. When I try to mate the switch to any of the geometry created by these features I get the following message -

'array template is not mated to a valid feature instance.'

Also, there is no link between the switch and the mounting component, each were modelled as seperate parts and then combined in a newly created, empty assembly file. Does this make any difference?

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Mike