Associative lines between assembly components not being associative 1

[Rich944]

Hi All,

I am trying to model strapping/rigging within an assy. the assy consists of an item which is strapped to a frame using straps with friction buckles attached.

I want the straps to be associative to the position of the item and of the position of the buckles. My method has been to create intersection curves of a datum plane and the high faces of the item, I then join these interface curves up with associative lines to create a path for sweeping the section curves of the strap. The start point of the paths are the buckles which are a component within the assy, I have created curves on these buckles and used these curves as a start point for the path, I expected the path start point to move with the buckle if the buckle was repositioned but this is not the case! I definately had the associate button turned on when creating the line. How can I associate curves in an assy to the components?

If anyone has a better method please let me know.

I'm using NX7.5

Cheers,
Rich

 

[JohnRBaker]

While working in the context of your Assembly, where you're adding these curves, you need to go to...

Insert -> Associative Copy -> WAVE Geometry Linker...

...and setting the 'Type' to 'Point' and with the 'Associative' option toggled ON, create 'points' on the buckles where you wish to connect the curves and then when you're creating your curves you reference THESE points. The points will now move when the components are moved and since the curves are referencing these points, they will update as well.

Now the above is only necessary if the curves that you're creating are something like Lines, Arcs or simple Splines, but if you might want to use something like a 'Bridge Curve', which is a Spline created with only a Start and End point, but which you can control the start and end slope by referencing edges and other curves, you can create them in the context of an Assembly WITHOUT having to first create WAVE linked points or curves. You will note that when you enter the 'Bridge Curve' function that in the Selection Bar that you can set the 'Selection Scope' to 'Entire Assembly' and then toggle ON the 'Create Interpart Link' option, as shown below in a similar situation where you can create a Datum Plane associated to Components in an Assembly, just that it works the same for Bridge Curves:

Now just create you Bridge Curve like you normal do but selecting reference curves/edges in the Components such as your buckles.

Anyway, try what I've described above, either first creating WAVE linked Points or using the assocaitive Bridge Curves directly, and see if this gives you what you're looking for.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[Rich944]

Many thanks John,

Yes, I think bridge curves are the way forward. I was not aware of the 'create interpart link' toggle.

I will try this tomorrow morning (UK time) and let you know how I get on.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[Rich944]

Thanks again for explaining this John, it works a treat.

I have also used the 'create interpart link' toggle when creating the projected curves. So now if I have to change the item hight or position, all the straps automaticaly update. This is very benificial for our assy as the positioning dimensions are not set in stone.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[JohnRBaker]

Over time, we expect that more and more modeling tasks will be leveraging the 'Create Interpart Link' option so that these associative relationships can be defined 'on-the-fly' as it were.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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