efficient fasteners in assemblies

[dtharrett]

When adding repeat fasteners (usually cap screws) to an assembly, it seems there must be a more efficient way compared to my current practice = add component, find appropriate component, insert by constraints etc. For example, if I had a qty of 20 identical cap screws to add to an assembly I would need to repeat the above over and over. Is there a way to set to parameters (screw type) and then a constraint set (concentric usually) and then go around clicking the appropriate counterbores?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Are you using Fastners with 'remembered constraints'? Also, depending on which version of NX that you're using, there is a function tied to the Machinery Library which will automatically assembly sets of Fasteners, such as a Cap Screw with a Lock Washer and Nut in ever hole selected. And it will automatically pick, based on the size of the hole, the dia of the screw and the length based on the thickness of the stack which the holes go through, and in NX 7.5, all you need to do is supply the locations and the system will automatically create the holes, and added the fastener sets all in one operation.

For more information about how to set this up and get it working, go to the NX Help files and do a search on "Fastener Assembly overview" where you will find the information.

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.

 

[lorenolepi]

Try remember constraints....this will remember how you constrained the component so all you will have to do is click the edge you want it concentric too when inserting the new component, but you will still have to insert the component one by one. You can also use component arrays if the geometry lends itself to that method (circular hole patterns, X-Y pattern etc...)

 

[dtharrett]

OK, I think I have a little twist here. Looking for recomendations going forward (NX7.5).

Presently in our reuse library we have configurable fasteners. Basically I navigate to (for example) the socket head cap screw folder. When I right click on the cap screw and select add to assembly I get a dialog box with options for size, length and placement. After selecting the size, length and placement, one fastener is added to the assembly. I then repete this procedure over and over. The problem is that many of my assemblies have multiples of the same fastener and typically not in a linear or circular pattern.

I have reviewed and played around with the fastener assembly tool but have not been successful in getting multiple fasteners inserted. It seams the fastener assembly tool is looking for a fastener but I cannot point it toward my reuse library.

 

[JohnRBaker]

You have to first configure a set of desired 'Fastener Assembly Configurations' where you describe which combination of screw, washer(s) and nut that you wish each 'Configuration' to consist of. It's at this point that you designate which fasteners to use from YOUR reuse library. Now in order to make this work the fasteners have to be fulling integrated into the reuse library including each having their own .krx files. So if you're NOT using the libraries which we supply (downloaded from the Siemens PLM software download site) but rather one's you've developed yourself you will need to update them according to 'Standard_Parts_Creation_Best_Practice' document which I've attached below.

Once you have these 'Fastener Assembly Configurations' defined, these are the ones which the 'Fastener Assembly' function will ask you select your fasteners from. Note when you are using this tool, you can select as many holes as you wish, they can be different size with different 'stack thicknesses', just as long as you wish for all of the selected holes to be assembled with the same fastener configuration.

To better show you how this works, I created a simple demo and than captured an AVI which you can see at the link below. In this demo I'm adding 7 sets of fasteners (Screw/Washer/Nut) in different sizes and lengths, all in one operation. All I have to do is select the faces and the system automatically detects the holes, determined the dia of the holes and then selects the appropriate size screw. It also measures the thickness of the 'stack' so that the correct length screw is selected as well. During the process the user has the chance to select whatever predefined fastener configuration he wishes. In fact, during one running of the dialog, the user could select different configurations for each hole or any combination he wishes.

http://s608.photobucket.com/albums/tt169/jbakersr/?action=view&current=FastenerAssemblyDemo.mp4

Anyway, see if perhaps this is what you were looking for.

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.

 

[dtharrett]

John,
The demo is exactly what I am trying to do. It appears our reuse library's components are set up accourding to the "best practices" including KRX file etc. I guess the part I have been missing is the prework to define a fastener assembly configuration. I can navigate to the fastener assembly configuration but I am not sure what to do in order to get fasteners from my reuse library saved as a configuration.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I'll admit that it's not all that easy to set-up, and it's not really something that can be done from inside a message board. My suggestion is to talk to whomever you purchased NX from, be it a local Siemens PLM office or a distributor, and see if you can get one of the local support people to walk you through the steps.

Now there is some help in the documentation so what I would do is open the 'Fastener Assembly Configuration' dialog and then hit the 'F1' button. This will bring up the Help file for this dialog. After reviewing the item in this page, at the top select the 'How To' option and this will take you to a page where it does describe the process in some detail. That's the best I can offer without actually being there.

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.

 

[dtharrett]

John,
Thanks agian. I did review the help files and have been able to make some progress but still think I am missing something. Attached is what my dialog looks like now. I think I need to do something to link this to my reuse library but cannot figure out how based on the help files. If you have any suggestions based on this screen shot that would be great. I can also inquire about getting some help from the company that sells us the software.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Do you really want to add these screws to counterbored holes and you may be missing a nut on the 'Bottom Stack' (don't go by the 'picture' but rather the list of items in the stack).

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.

 

[dtharrett]

For this exersize, what I am trying to do is add a bunch of M4X0.7MM X 14mm long cap screws to a bunch of existing c-bored holes. No washhers, no nuts.

 

[dtharrett]

Update: Long story short, I tried several things and then discovered something that seems somewhat obvious now.

If I insert from my re-use library the first fastener and then click: assemblies->Components->Add component-> Select the reuse hardware from the loaded parts (ie the part I added above)
Go to the replication section in the add component menu – change Multiple add to “Repeat after Add”

You can step through multiple adds of that reuse component… Pretty slick once you get it going…

All of the new fasteners retain their link or identification as a "re-usable" component in 7.5 which I do not think was the case in earlier versions...