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Items UG needs to fix!! 6

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HellBent

HellBent

Automotive
Sep 29, 2002
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I just posted in another thread how I'm always telling myself I need to write down the minor "annoyances" I have to deal with everyday while running UG but I just never seem to do it. For some reason I think having a thread dedicated to just that may help. At some point maybe these items will get the attention they deserve by UG. So I'll start it off with a couple that immediately come to mind:

#1. Fix the darn 2d translators!! Why does making a DXF or a DWG of my drawing have to be so difficult? It has never worked right! Why am I forced to run it through CGM in order to get reliable results?

#2. Let me fix errors during feature creation rather than having to start all over again. I.E. "Through curve mesh" intersection errors force me to fix the intersections and then start all over again. Let me edit the intersections from within the creation menu so I don't have to re-select all of my geometry again! Apply this mentality to all feature creation...give me the ability to fix mistakes on-the-fly.


I think I'll be more likely to add items to a thread on a message board than write them down on a notepad so let's give it a shot!

Take care...
 
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In UGS NX 4, 'Redo' was only available in the Sketch task.

In UGS NX 5, 'Redo' is available in most places but not all. Generally speaking, 'Redo' is only available after Undoing something that was done using a dialog that has gotten the so-called 'NX 5 treatment' meaning that it has been updated to the new 'block-style' format. As more and more dialogs 'get the treatment', Redo will become more widely available and usable.


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
UGS NX Product Line
SIEMENS
UGS PLM Software
Cypress, CA
 
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UG has improved in many ways over the years, and yet my experience has been that many changes have missed the mark.

1. In version 11 or 12 the legacy line and arc creation functions were deleted. They were eventually returned after a certain amount of protest a couple of versions later, (sooner if you found out about the enviroment variables). After all this time I still find that UG does not have a better way of creating lines parallel at a distance, or at an angle to an existing line. It also messes you about far more than should be necessary when trying to strike a line tangent to any arc not lying precisely on the creation plane. Basically there are umpteen curve creation tools to do the same functions that were probably never better than in V16.
Why?! Don't other users find this frustrating too?



 
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When virtually EVERY other CAD system out there uses 'sketches' for tasks like this, you're still complaining about changes that were made 12 years ago that have not fully been re-implimented in NX today. Have you ever thought to use 'sketching' in NX to perform these curve creation tasks like all those other systems out there?



John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
UGS NX Product Line
SIEMENS
UGS PLM Software
Cypress, CA
 
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No John, I haven't.

I'm teaching kids how to cut sections for automotive. It's not appropriate to use sketches for that, and the customer wouldn't accept it.

We need to make lines parallel at a distance. UG does it okay once you know how, but it isn't as easy and straightforward as I think it could and should be. Could it be done by improving the offset curve function, we're only using NX-3 is it improved in later versions?

Matter of fact I had a bit of a play with the sketcher just to satisfy myself and I don't think is any easier there anyway.

Regards

Hudson
 
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There have been some significant enhancements in at least the User Interface for UGS NX 5 of Offset Curves.

However, we have also added a new function, Instance Geometry, which will allow you to basically perform 'Translate Copy' type function on any geometric object including lines and other curves. Besides 'translating' along a vector, you can also use a point, along a curve, rotatation, mirror, etc. Results can be either associative or not and it has a preview function so that you know what you're getting before you actually accept the results.



John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
UGS NX Product Line
SIEMENS
UGS PLM Software
Cypress, CA
 
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Thanks John,

The little I've seen, and everything I've heard about NX-5 is good news. This is another example.

In part we are like a lot of organizations in that we wait for GM take the lead for the next version of UG, because they're a major customer. What news if any as to the uptake of NX-5 by GM?

Best Regards

Hudson.
 
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Hudson,

You should register your company for access to gmsupplypower.com. That site has all the information you'll need for anything NX related.

There is a Blockpoint event (upgrade) happening soon. Details are as follows:

[start]
To: GM Supplier

Attn: Engineering Data Manager



Re: GM BP2007-01 Tentative Wave Assignments



This letter is to advise you that GM has tentatively scheduled Wave assignments for the upcoming BP2007-01 event. The following outlines the two (2) planned global deployment wave events, and the most current related Software.



Software Version*
(Exact version number is subject to change)
TcAE v9.1.3.6q (minor) (Win & UNIX)
UG NX v3.0.5.3 MP6a (minor)
TcVIS 2005 SR1 MP2b (current)
GMPDL/GMTK 3-D.1.2 (minor)
GM Launch 5 (current)
GM UG Config 3e (current)
Mozilla v1.7.13 (UNIX) (current)

Timing**
(Additional Waves may be added)

WAVE 1 (August 27 - SOP)

NA Vehicle (Pontiac)
NA Mfg. Engineering
NA Die & Stamping
Powertrain
CREC/CAMI
JCI
Allison
Holden
PATAC
GMTCI
ITDC
Saab
South Africa (A)
Torrance (A)

WAVE 2 (September 3 – SOP)

NA Vehicle (Warren)
TREC
Brazil
Vauxhall
GMPTE – Strasbourg
GMPTE – Turin
GMDAT
Honeoye Falls (A)
[end]

All of this is tentative and may change.

For further information on getting access to GMSupplyPower, call 1-888-238-1119. Tell the support person that you wish to register for access to GMSupplyPower.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
 
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As far as GM and UGS NX 5 are concerned, while I'll wait for GM to make the official annoucements, I was in Warren at the Tech Center a few weeks ago introducing NX 5 to some of their mid-level staff and responding to some of their issues, all of this as part of a process to prepare the company for an upgrade to a major release of our products (remember, in GM's case, as it is with most of our large customers, NX is not the only product that needs to be integrated and rolled-out as a single implementation).

Anyway, I would take the advice of Tim above and get registered with the program and you will have all the info that you will need to both prepare for the releases and to stay current with GM and their other suppliers.


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
UGS NX Product Line
SIEMENS PLM Software
Cypress, CA
 
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Tim,

I like your signature at the end of your post.

It brought a smile to my face when I started imagining some people that I would like to treat as "slinkies"
 
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While creating Edge Blend, in "selection intent" there is no option of selecting "feature faces" which would have eased the task of selecting the edges to blend.
For example, when we create text (insert->curve->text) and extrude it, selecting all the edges of the text will take more time, even if we use "connected curves" option.

The "feature faces" selection intent is available for face blend! I don't know why the same option is not included in Edge Blend also.

Ug version : NX 4.0.3.3

-Regards
man2007
 
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OK, for an 'Edge' Blend, the concept of selecting faces is meaningless, therefore what would you expect to be selecting if you DID have a 'Feature Faces' selection intent option? The closest equivilent edge selection option is 'Face Edges'. Also the 'Vertex Edges' and 'Vertex Tangent Edges' options can be quite handy when blending something like a text feature or some other solid with many edges and faces.


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Product Line
SIEMENS PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA
 
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John,

I think you have misunderstood my post. Neither I commented nor I told the existing "selection intent" options as meaningless.
I only meant that by adding "Feature Faces" selection intent (as in case of Face Blend) to Edge Blend command- will enhance that command.
Have a look at the attached file, wherein I have to select 89 faces with "Face edges" option as against 12 features!! if I had the option of selecting "Feature Faces".


-Regards
man2007
 
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I have a question. Is there a way to convert a detailed thread feature to a symbolic thread? We've got some part families that were modeled with detailed threads and they're killing us when we update views. It would be awesome if we could switch from detailed to symbolic threads on the fly like you can change hole types.

Also, is there a way to specify different thread sizes in a part family short of manually entering manually entering the values (major & minor dia, etc.)?

Thanks in advance!

Al
 
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Hello Hudson,

If you are teaching your students to use curves without using sketcher, you are doing your students a huge disservice. You should take the time to actually learn the power that sketcher can give you in even the simplest functions. I use sketcher for everything and work with guys who are five times slower than me because they don't want to learn how to use it. What a waste.

'ziner

Peace Through Superior Fire-Power!
 
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"...the customer wouldn't accept it."

Sketches are great and powerful tools, but I agree with Hudson. One of the strengths of NX is the vast size of the tool box that you have to work with. I work with some complex lofted aerospace surfaces that do not solve easily with sketcher, but smart curves provide a more than suitable alternative.
If you only teach students the sketcher, you might as well use SolidWorks...
 
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Actually, you're both probably a little right. Sketching is great for when you're creating profiles for use as parents of features like Extrudes, Revolves and Surface Thru Curves, etc., most all of which are 2D in nature. However when creating curves, even they are simple Lines and Arcs, but they are intended to create 3D 'stuctures' used for perhaps paths or curves that can be referenced for orientations (3D Lines used as direction vectors for example) then 'Smart Curves' may be the best. However, once you catch someone drawing 27 Smart Curves linked together to form a 2D 'section' and then they Exturde it, it's time to get out the old ruler and start rapping some kunckles ;-)


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Product Line
SIEMENS PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA
 
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