Expression to drive Movable Jaw on Library vise file

[TheeCircle]

Hi,

I am trying to set my milling vice up so that I can set the movable jaw to a determined width when I bring it in from my library.

I have the main part of the vice set as one component and the movable jaw as another component of the vice assembly. I have attached some screen shots.

Is there a way to set this up with and expression/ spread sheet/ krx file? I have an example but I can not figure it out.

Thanks in advance!

John

 

[JohnRBaker]

Use a 'Distance Constraint' between the two opposing faces of the vice jaws. This will result in an Expression being created which will control the size of the jaw opening.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
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[TheeCircle]

Hi John,

How do I add the constraint to the existing model?

Thank you!!!

John

 

[TheeCircle]

Hi John,

I did an assembly constraint (distance) but it did not create an expression. I can create an expression by measuring, will this work?

Thanks

John

 

[JohnRBaker]

You have to be in the Assembly file itself and you need to use the Assembly Constraint dialog, NOT the Move Component function.

As for the Measurement function, it's 'Read Only' and besides, if you select the Measurement Expression in the editor you'll see that teh value can't be edited.

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.

 

[TheeCircle]

Hi John,

This is what I have set up but it does not give me an option to enter a jaw opening value when I bring the library part into my model. See the attached photos.

I am very new at this and I apologize in advance for any obvious mistakes.

Thank you

John

 

[kapmnit123]

Hi John,
Could you try edit your .krx file from the reuse library directly (sorry i have not tried it in TC ever so no idea if it is the same but i think you can add the newly created expression to the .krx file directly by editing it through the reuse library navigator.
Thanks and Best Regards
Kapil

 

[TheeCircle]

Kapil,

I only have the one expression (jaw opening width (p0) and I created the krx around that. I can not get it to be a variable number.

I am using Native NX (8.5).

Thanks

John

 

[JohnRBaker]

Please upload the part files as I think I have a solution for you, but I want to verify it first and I might as well use your models as that way you'll get something that we know will work.

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.

 

[JohnRBaker]

OK, I've got a working solution and while it would have been nice to have your specific part files, since I'm flying back to Michigan for the holidays tomorrow, I wanted to get you something that you could look at right now. So I got myself an generic model of a vise and worked with that.

So, to start with, forget about the KRX files as that will just not give you what you're looking for, the ability to add a vise to your assembly and immediately specify the opening of the jaw. And while you could technically do this with an Assembly, which is the direction I initially pointed you toward, I've come-up with something that is actually much more elegant.

First off, I assume that you're not in the business of designing and manufacturing vises, correct? That is, you don't really need a fully details assembly of a vise with all the internal pieces and parts, correct? So ideally all you need is a part file which has the same size and shape of the vise that you're going to purchase from someone, perhaps Reid Supply Company (which is where I got the model I used for this example), but which will still allow you to change the opening of the vise's jaw, correct?

So, that's what I've done, created a single peice-part model which faithfully represents a purchased machinery vise and made it so that the jaw could be positioned, using a single expression, to whatever opening that you desired. The model is not an Assembly but rather a 'Deformable Part' where the position of the jaw is what's movable, or in this case, is controlled by a Synchronous Modeling 'Distance' feature.

So to use this part simply add it to your Assembly, positioning it where you need it and then simply typing in the jaw opening distance. And once its part of your Assembly you can edit this distance anytime that you wish. Note that you could have several of these vises in your assembly each with a different jaw opening distance. And if you wanted to you could measure the 'width' of the part being held in the vise using a Measurement feature and then take the resulting Measurement expression and set the distance expression of the vise to be equal to this Measurement expression so that if the part changes in size the jaw will adjuat automatically. In fact, I've included a sample assembly where I've done just that. If you edit the 'Width' of the 'Test_Block' this will automatically reposition the jaw.

Now it it is true that I could have done this whole thing using an Assembly with the jaw as a Component and a distance constraint to control the opening, but then I would have had to override the constraint in the top level assembly. But since, and this is based on the assumption that you're simply using a purchased vise, it's simpler to use a single piece part which I could make a 'Deformable Part' from so that you would get exactly what you've looking for. So try it, open your assembly and add just the vise part as a Component and you will see how it will ask you for the jaw opening and how this will create an expression in the your assembly which can be edited to change the position of the jaw.

Let me know how this works for you.

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.

 

[TheeCircle]

Hi John,

Sorry for the delay, long commute home tonight.

No I do not manufacture anything commercial, I am in an research based facility. If you would like to chat or send me a message I can give you more detail. I have been a machinist for close to 30 years, I took up learning Cad/Cam programing through my job in 2005. Before that I had some basic Autocad training.

I downloaded my vice file from Kurt as an X_T file, I have used it in Mastercam and for verification in Vericut. If all goes well with NX I am hoping to use the vice as part of my Vericut setup in NX. I have attached a 7zip file of what I have. I will download your sample tonight and play around with it. Thank you for taking your valuable time to help me, I appreciate any help I can get. Moving to a different software is like moving to another country!

I have taken a Siemens NX7.5 Modeling course and I just finished a Siemens Manufacturing Fundamentals course. My biggest problem is seat time, my job is so wide ranging I might only program once per week. That in mind I now have my laptop setup so I can put etra time at home to hopefully become more proficient in NX, it is an extremely powerful software. Each time I learn another capability I am in awe.

Have a safe flight and a happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you

John

 

[TheeCircle]

Hi John,

That was pretty cool! I now need to figure out how to do it with my vise file.

I am assuming that this is not a resuable library part? I opened a new assembly file and brought the block file and the vice file in as components. I then constrained the block to the vice, I had to use an extra constraint to get the block centered in the vice. Not sure how you got yours centered? It asked me for the jaw width opening and I was able to use the measure tool.

Thank you

John

 

[JohnRBaker]

You shouldn't have to do anything special to add it to the reuse library since it will be handled like any other 'Component', like a bracket or a bolt.

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.

 

[TheeCircle]

Hi John,

I tried using it as a reuse library part but I could not get the alignment to work properly (operator error I would bet!).

When you have time could you direct me in the steps of creating a deformable part from my file, no rush.

Thank you

John