Drafting an assembly in different configurations 3

[Rich944]

Hi All,

Sorry if this has been metioned before but I cant find an answer after searching.

What is the best approach for drafting different configurations of an assembly when I need to show views with parts in differnt positions and also different quantities?

The top assy consists of:
1-off square base plate
4-off smaller square plates 1/4 the size of the base plate (i will call them 1/4 plates)

Configuration assy 1:
1-off base plate with 2-off 1/4 plates located side by side in centrally on the base plate. (2-off 1/4 plates are not used)

Configuration assy 2:
1-off base plate with 1-off 1/4 plates located at each corner of the base plate (different position to the 2-off used in config 1).

This is what I have done but I am sure there is a better way (prob using ref sets, arrangements a part view??):
I have created an assy with 6-off 1/4 plates and one base plate, as I only want 4-off 1/4 plates to show on the items list I have made 2 of these 1/4 plates "reference only". Then I have created reference sets showing the 2 configs.
Now I have created a drawing (master model approach). Even though I have 2 reference sets I can only show 1 at a time, therfore I have chosen to show "entire part". I will then create views for each config and blank/show components in view as appropriate.
As this is a simple part this method is not to labour intensive but what about if I had a large assy with lots of different positions and configurations of parts?

Would appreciate any advice,

Cheers,
Rich

 

[PDW]

Hello djkatt,

what you need to use here are Arrangments.
For each configuration you create an arrangment and important, leave also a default Arrangment.
After creating all of the arrangments with their spicific number of plates and positions of it, you can start to create a drawing of it, when adding your Base View, you can select the specific Arrangment you want to show in that view.
Important to know is, once you have crated a Drawing View it is not possible to view a arrangment in this.
Creating Arrangments is a bit of excersise, once you have done it it's fearly easy.
I do think there is a lot of info around here to go deeper on that and not repeating it al.


Best regards,

Pascal,

NX5.04+TC2007 (GM Toolkit) / NX7.5 native

 

[Rich944]

Thanks Pascal,

I have tried playing about with arrangements, Unforunatly I overwrote my default one, why is it important to keep the default?
Also, I know arrangements allow different positions of components by making constraints arrangement specific but what about showing and hiding specific components, can this be done also? and if so how?

Cheers,

Rich

 

[Rich944]

Im on NX 7.5 BTW

 

[PDW]

Hello Rich,

Just keep the default with all the components in it.
When you have created one or more Arrangements, you select in the Assembly navigator the Component which you want to suppress, click RMB and you will be able to select Suppression.
Now you will see a new menu with all your Arrangements, you can now define if that Component is Always Suppressed, Never Suppressed or controlled by an expression.
Now it is up to you to specify what State you want for that Component.


Best regards,

Pascal,

NX5.04+TC2007 (GM Toolkit) / NX7.5 native

 

[Rich944]

Nice one, I would never have noticed that!

It is a bit disconcerting when the component actually dissapears from the assembly navigator. I was expecting it to just be greyed out. Would think this may cause confusion if someone else picked up the part.

Also is there a quick way to know what arrangement I am currently in without having to RMB the assy then click arrangements?

This is a side issue but when I am editing constraints in the dependency box everytime highlight the part/contraint make the change and apply I am taken back to where I started and have to reselect the part again to change another constaint. This can be annoying if I wanted to change a large number of constraints. Anyone know a way around this?

Cheers,
Rich

 

[cowski]

Also is there a quick way to know what arrangement I am currently in without having to RMB the assy then click arrangements?

You can add a column to the assembly navigator that lists the current arrangement in use.

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[Rich944]

Thanks Cowski

 

[Rich944]

Hi again,

I am now wanting to to a drawing showing an exploded view of each configuration. Looking through previous posts it seems I can not used exploded views and arrangements at the same time. Can anyone confirm this is the case? If this is true how do I show what I need to?

John was saying to use either arrangements or exploded views but not both.

Using arrangements only:
I can create 2 arrangements in the model part for each config called exploded arrangement and the import these into the drawing as part views, however with arrangements I can only move parts at that assembly level, I have some screws at a lower assy level that I want to show exploded. Also I cant easily show trace lines.

Using exploded views:
I suppose it would be possible to show what I need by hiding/showing components in the view. However this seems more like a work around. I would also want to use arangements as well if I made a higher level assy and wanted to easily show the different arrangements.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Rich

 

[Rich944]

Some how after lots of trial and error I have managed to mix explosions and arrangements to give me the views I need. Not sure exactly how I did it and I have no time to do more experimenting (plus I dont want to mess it up!) I think keeping one of the 2 explosions active in the model space of the drawing file (master model mode) may have helped.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[Toost]

regarding the suppressed components disappearing from the navigator,
right click in the navigator whitespace, tick the "include suppressed components",
Suppressed components will then be shown not greyed out but "blued out".

Regards,
Tomas

 

[Rich944]

Many thanks Tomas!