expression file vs external spreadsheet vs interpart expression

[multicaduser]

We tried interpart expressions when they first came out but found them too "fragile", easily broken. To keep interpart relations (expressions synced) we instead created an external text file with expressions that could be imported to maintain correct "relationships" between files. We have never used external spreadsheets.

I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on best practices with reguard to interpart relationships in keeping expressions synced between parts, or if there is a different mechanism in NX that would serve this purpose better.

We are in the process of moving up to NX8.5 from 7.0 and would like to not be held back by past practices.

 

[cowski]

We tried interpart expressions when they first came out...

I've worked with UG/NX for over 10 years and interpart expressions have always been available in that time frame. I'm willing to bet that some improvements have been made "since they first came out"; perhaps you should give them another try...

If you have specific examples of how they are breaking, perhaps someone on the forum has a solution (and if not, it should be reported to GTAC so it can get fixed).

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[multicaduser]

Thanks for the reply. In short the cloning function and user carelessness both broke the relationships. The problem with broken interpart expressions is they just go to static values and do not update......not always easily detected.

Just a quick look at external spreadsheets shows the relationship to be hard coded in the expression including the path to the file.....not something I'm fond of as each project will have it's own spread sheet.

The issue with an external text file is that it must be imported into each file individually, something probably handled well enough with a journal, but the user must remember to do it.

Still thinking on this one.

 

[looslib]

User carelessness will destroy any complex system. Some training and hand-holding may be needed to get the users to understand what interpart expressions does for them and why the company needs to use them. Cloning of files is an issue, but if done with a careful procedure should produce updatable assemblies.

Interpart expressions sounds like the least manual method for what you want to do, just need to educate the users to use them right.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli