Frame weldment

[dtharrett]

Usually our machines are small enough to use a commercial extrusion (usually Bosch) but I have a machine that will require a welded frame. I can think of several ways to model the frame but wanted to check here for suggestions.

In other modeling packages, there are weld tool modules that allow you to create a 3-D sketch, select a profile and then extrude that profile around the 3-D sketch. End treatments would then be selectable etc.

Does NX have something similar? If not, how are others creating frame weldments?

Thanks

 

[Toost]

Strange name, "weldments" isn't it ? ( to me as a non native it is. It leads my thinking to the actual welding, not the frame design that it seems to mean.)
Anyhow, NX Routing Mechanical does exactly the described. Then the welding add on module( in Modeling) can do the welds.

The good old Sweep along a guide feature can sweep sharp corners, -if the section isn't placed in the corner. (one has to divide the guide string on a straight stretch and place the section there, then the corner will be fine.)
Since NX doesn't have a 3-D sketcher, I have sometimes instead created a solid body ( full 3D) and used its edges as the guides for the sweep. In this case combined with the description above , one can divide a face , insert - trim - divide face, to indirect divide the edge. See illustration.

 

[HercalloY]

I asked John B. about this a while ago and he said that NX doesn't have a specific frame design module/features (unfortunate as NX has a module for everything else under the sun ).

From what i've gathered so far users just do manual style extruding/sweeping and trimming. No where near as efficient as dedicated functions (especially when it comes to BOM for the frames/structures being created).

If enough ask for it perhaps it will happen. I wish it would be sooner rather then later. Its really the only thing stopping my company having more NX seats.

 

[dtharrett]

Hmm, the two things I miss most about my last modeling/drafting package are the frame design and pneumatic schematic design capabilities. You mentioned "if enough people ask". Who & how do we ask?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Contact GTAC and have them open IR's which will be upgraded to ER's (Enhancement Requests).

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.com/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.