How can I show the cylindrical centerline in NX5?

[ugguy]

I'm using NX 5.0.4.1.

In modeling mode, When I measure the distance to the center of a cylinder, a centerline appears that I can pick. It's like the drafting mode centerline utility symbol. Is there any way I can turn these modeling centerline utility symbols on so that I can use them?

Thanks,

UGguy

 

[cowski]

Use them for what, exactly?

Perhaps you would be served by placing a datum axis using the cylindrical face as a reference.

 

[ugguy]

Cowski,

For everything actually... modeling, dimensioning...

Let me tell you how this all started.

I have a cylindrical bar, with a hole going thru it for a pin. the cylindrical bar was modeled in vehicle position, so it has a really strange WCS. Further more, the hole going thru it does not line up with the cylindrical bar in any way. So call that a different strange WCS.

Now you know, when you drill a hole thru a bar, you don't have an arc on the surface. You have a spline. So putting in a centerline was fun.

There are several ways to do it... extract an edge and project it onto a plane. Cut a section and draw a line midway between the two lines. Place 2 points on the spline, and connect the dots, repeat on the other side, and finally draw a line from control point to control point. I've even put the wcs on the cylindrical center, and drawn a line along the Y axis.

But that's not the question. The question is, can the utility symbol be turned on, you know, the one that appear when you do an info distance?

Thanks again...

Ugguy!

 

[JohnRBaker]

I still don't see what the problem is. Attached is a model similar to what you described along with a 4 view drawing. The 'centerlines' in the model are Datum Axis which were created by simply selecting the cylindrical FACES of the model (no need to mess with the splines). And as for the drawing, THOSE centerlines that you see were created AUTOMATICALLY by the Drawing creation software. And this was all done using NX 5.0.6.3.

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.

 

[icconian]

I am also used to seeing centerlines in models. That's how a lot of visual checking depends on (just lining stuff up). Can't understand why, if the software already intrinsically knows there are centerlines there, why can't they JUST be displayed?! (NX5)

 

[JohnRBaker]

It would be a matter of clutter more than anything. Besides, having actual physical 'centerlines' would NOT add one bit to the functionality of NX since, as has already been acknowledged, whenever you need to reference the centerline of a cylindrical object, one will be displayed automatically which can be selected as needed. And for those cases where something more 'permanent' may be needed, all you have to do is add a Datum axis (which can now be globally Hidden and Shown using new 'Show and Hide' function).

As for Drafting and views placed on a Drawing, this issue has already been addressed more than adequately.

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.