Features you wish NX had? 32

[junfanbl]

Hello, I am curious to know peoples opinions on what they like most about NX and some new features( or improvements) that it could use. I know I can think of some myself. I ask because I am always trying to gather ideas on how to better utilize the software in my own personal workflow. Part of that for me is developing scripts and stand alone libraries that extend NX functionality.

So I thought what better way to get ideas than to ask the engineering community in general. Your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[markrief]

After waiting 1 year 8 months I was hoping to see much more than
what we received on the CAM side. The software needs a real world
High speed roughing strategy with step up machining like volumill
and Imachine to make better use of the tool and reduce roughing time.
The current trochoidal roughing is dated and not very good, in
light of better strategies. We got a few minor updates, but no reason to
leave NX10.

There is no reason to wait that long. In CAM, most functionality is delivered as soon as possible using point releases - 10.0.1, 10,0.2, 10.0.3. We no longer save up all the new features for the next main release. So NX 11 contains everything from the three NX10 MRs, plus some new projects.

Regarding CAM rough milling patterns, there has been a lot of discussion about this, including movies of our 11.0.1 release, in the Siemens Manufacturing Community. Start with Link



Mark Rief
NX CAM Customer Success
Siemens PLM Software

 

[cowski]

@CCD429,
That's a nice PDF that you have put together; you need to submit it to GTAC so they can open PR's and potentially ER's. Posting it on this forum will not necessarily get the developer's attention. Contacting GTAC directly is the only sure way to get your voice heard by the developers.

For your feature requests, there is functionality in NX already that may help.
[ul]
[li]Rounded rectangle sketch tool: you can develop a sketch template and put it in a reuse library. See the 2D section library that ships with NX for examples (in the reuse palette tab).[/li]
[li]Layer manager: you can open the layer manager and set layer settings without quitting out of the current command. When you close the layer manager, the other command dialog will still be open and waiting for your input. If you have found a situation where the layer manager cancels the current command, report it to GTAC.[/li]
[li]Command shortcuts: open a dialog and set it up with your commonly used settings then click the gear icon (upper left corner) and choose "save favorite". The next time you start the command, you can click the gear icon and pick your saved favorite to quickly access those settings.[/li]
[/ul]



www.nxjournaling.com

 

[cncpro99]

Thanks for responding Mark
I understand their are incremental improvements in the MR's, but I haven't seen any changes in roughing in several years. You have added
many new features and improved finishing routines which have been very good, but roughing has been at a standstill. I pay attention to what is going
on with advancements in other products and see what I need to produce my parts quicker. Step up machine roughing reduces cycle time and allows for
more flute on the tool to be used. Trochoidal motion, that does not have faster feed rate for the air cutting portion, of the return move, could
be improved and adaptive spiraling patterns (to shape of the area being cut) would greatly improve tool life and save time.
I work with extruded stock most of the time, not investment castings, so the best place to save time is in roughing. I think NX is the best
overall program for design & machining and after having used it, would never consider using any other program. The only area I see for much needed
improvement, I just mentioned.

cncpro99

 

[markrief]

@cncpro99, you can speed up the air cutting in trochoidal by optimizing the feed. It will go to your max setting on the back side of the loops.


Mark Rief
NX CAM Customer Success
Siemens PLM Software

 

[cnc07]

@cowski
Regarding- " Contacting GTAC directly is the only sure way to get your voice heard by the developers."

I sent a very important enhancement request to GTAC back in 2008. I sent sample files with desired tool-path using "Sequential Mill". All I requested to have an option for multi-level nested loops. Basically I wanted to loop two Sequential Mill OPs in another top level Sequential Mill OP.

For example, I had a part with 1.00" deep walls/ribs and only .100" thick. I would split the walls in three sections along its length, say among points A, B, C, and D. And the section between B and C would require long tool-length because of some inefficiently designed fillets in the wall. As we all know that one of the best strategy is to cut such thin walls/ribs is to continually have some good support in the cutting action. So we cut it in small steps while going around the rib. In order to use the small tool-length, I would finish this small section between point B and C using kellering motion and then continue the rest of it using flank milling. And once cutter goes on the other side of the wall and reaches the section BC then the cutter would switch back to the 3-axis kellering mode again and then back to 5-axis swarfing.

I spoke with someone at GTAC and asked if we could do this in Sequential mill op, they told me that it wasn't possible. It was a reprogramming job that someone else had done it in NCL/APT.

 

[HercalloY]

I'd be pretty partial to a "frame generator" or "weldment" functionality. If its in NX, i can't find it! Its the one thing that NX severely lacks!

As an avid user of both NX and SW... it is painful not being able to do such a common task in NX.

Am i missing something? I was going to open a new thread on this to see how others do it...

Oh and another thing i'd like to be more "modern" and less convolution is being able to use more file properties in the attributes. for example.. i can't just enter a code for "file created date" or "file created time" or "last saved date" or "last saved time" and have them automatically fill out. I'm sure its possible with some custom code, but if i was a developer i'd not be requesting functionality now would i!

 

[PrintScaffold]

I'd be pretty partial to a "frame generator" or "weldment" functionality. If its in NX, i can't find it! Its the one thing that NX severely lacks!

Switch to Modeling and Menu > Insert > Weld Assistant will give you access to the weldment.

Switch to Routing and Menu > Preferences > Routing > Disciplines > Steelwork will give you ability to use steel profile stock.
Having said that, I must admit that steelwork routing fucntionality is far from great - at least as of NX10. Maybe NX11 finally imporves it?

http://www.cadroad.com

 

[cowski]

@cnc07,
In this case you should ask GTAC to convert your incident report (IR) into an enhancement request (ER). It may not get immediate attention, but at least it will be on the official list.

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