Creating a Rectangular Tube frame in NX

[risknc]

Hio!

I'm working on a relatively large steel structure in NX (7.5) thats mainly comprised of rectangular steel tubes (12x12x.5 ish size wise). We've been running beam models in FEMAP so it's easy to get a point cloud over to NX to sketch out a wireframe, but after that it's a pain to model in the rectangular tubes.

Up until now I've been creating datum planes on the wireframe and then pulling a sketch of the cross section of the tube from my reuse library, then editing the sketch to constrain it to the wireframe centerline, sizing it, and then extruding it to match the line length. I would use the tube feature, but there's no option for rectangular cross sections.

I've looked into trying out mechanical routing, but I'm not quite sure how to set up the stock so I can just select a size and make the routing path, it seems like routing is more designed for doing things like wiring and piping rather than fleshing out a structure, though maybe someone here has used it more extensively.

Anyways, am I missing some stupid easy way to make rectangular tubes on my wireframe without doing all the time consuming datum plane/sketch stuff for each tube?

Thanks for any help,

-Kyle

 

[bruwel]

If this structure contains beam/grid nomenclature, use that and create components. You can have a base beam, say a foot long, and use that as a new comp. Then edit you length expression to run the distance you need. This should also help refresh times later on.

 

[dtharrett]

I have run into the same issue. Other modeling programs have specific modules for this. Maybe a "weld tools" option will be available in the future. OK enough complaining for now.

I have considered setting up common cross sections as deformable components and saving them in our re-use library. This would basically allow you to select a cross section and length then constrain in your assembly. What do you think about this?

 

[looslib]

Create a family table for each tube size and then the lengths are dash numbers in the table.

NX does have a steelworks structural program with defined shapes.


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