Interpart expressions in NX10

[PrintScaffold]

Hello everyone!

I noticed that in NX10 the logic of interpart expressions is changed. Prior, the interpart expression was created explicitly as a path. Now the path expression is created automatically, and the expression I inted to have as an interpart one is simple assigned that automatically created interpart expression.
It is not informative! I cannot determine as quick as before which expressions are interpart, because they look like other expressions wich are merely assigned another expression within the part.

Am I missing something?

http://www.cadroad.com

 

[TaylorAnderson]

PrintScaffold --

You are correct, and we are going to be refining this a bit in upcoming releases.

I did a session at PLM World last month about the changes in Interpart Expressions for NX 10 and we had a good discussion there with a room full of users. The fundamental change you have noticed comes as the result of a rather sudden change in Teamcenter called "Multi-Field Key". The long and short of this change is that the item number that we have always used to define Interpart Expressions inside NX will not necessarily be unique in future versions of Teamcenter, and thus not 100% unique in the context of Interpart Expressions. The new mechanism for storing Interpart Expressions will be rock solid going forward, although slightly less "informative" in some specific workflows, as you've described -- particularly in NX 10.0.0. Again, the adjustments we've made here in NX 11 should make Interpart Expressions far easier to "track" through your model.

On a related note, please come to a Beta Test event if you'd like to guide the new Expressions UI for NX 11. We think you're going to like it a lot, but we're looking forward to more feedback.

(...and a look at the tweaks we have planned for Interpart Expression behavior.)

Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or comments about Interpart Expressions in NX 10 or NX Expressions in general. Thanks!

Taylor Anderson
NX Product Manager, Knowledge Reuse and NX Design
Product Engineering Software
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
(Phoenix, Arizona)

 

[phillpd]

Taylor,

When/where is the Beta Test event ?

NX 9.0.3.4
NX 10 (Testing)
Windows 7 64 (Windows 8.1 Tablet)

 

[JohnRBaker]

phillpd, please email me (just add a couple of periods to my user name where it makes sense and then add the siemens.com address) as we would like to follow-up with you offline.


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[phillpd]

Here's one that needs fixing :

I scroll down to the expression I want to edit (there are many expressions), I make a change and click Apply ... please, please, leave the vertical scroll bar where it was so that if needed, I can edit the same expression again. I don't want to have to keep scrolling.

NX 9.0.3.4
NX 10 (Testing)
Windows 7 64 (Windows 8.1 Tablet)

 

[TaylorAnderson]

For me, in parts containing a large number of expressions, the NX 10 Expressions dialog (10.0.2 just now) pressing Apply always leaves the last edited expression very near the bottom of the visible scrolling area after edit, and thus always easily accessible for subsequent editing.

What behavior are you seeing? ...and in what specific version?

Taylor Anderson
NX Product Manager, Knowledge Reuse and NX Design
Product Engineering Software
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
(Phoenix, Arizona)

 

[phillpd]

10.0.1.4

If I click the green check mark, yes, the recently edited expression stays where it is. If I click Apply, the scroll bar goes straight back to the top.

NX 9.0.3.4
NX 10.0.1.4 (Testing)
Windows 7 64 (Windows 8.1 Tablet)

 

[PrintScaffold]

Not in front of NX at the moment, and can't be specific, but this annoying behaviour goes back many versions. It really need fixing.

http://www.cadroad.com

 

[TaylorAnderson]

Hmmm... I'm seeing the same behavior with Apply. :-/

Well, we have a major redesign of the Expressions UI in the oven right now, and you'll be glad to know that we've already been talking about this scrolling concept.

Taylor Anderson
NX Product Manager, Knowledge Reuse and NX Design
Product Engineering Software
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
(Phoenix, Arizona)

 

[3dr]

How serious is the re-work?

I've got assembly templates with many different children pointed at their expression values. We haven't switched to NX10 yet, in part because I haven't had time to really evaluate the impact of how it's handling those inter-part expressions.

But a first blush look gave me "uh ohs" when I saw how it was re-naming them. I'm thinking maybe I better wait for NX11 to continue any further expansion or development.

Dave

Dave
Automotive Tooling / Aircraft Tooling / Ground Support Structures

NX9, Win 7 Pro SP1

 

[TaylorAnderson]

Functionally, assemblies should hang together very well, even with the creation of the new intermediate expressions. You shouldn't need to substantively rework things.

If you run into cases where the automatic conversion isn't working perfectly, please let us know right away.

Taylor Anderson
NX Product Manager, Knowledge Reuse and NX Design
Product Engineering Software
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
(Phoenix, Arizona)