Journal to Add Bolts Automatically In Assembly??? 1

[BBow]

Random thought, just wondering: 1) if it would be possible, and 2) if it is has anyone ever tried it?

Is there a way that a journal could run on an assembly and complete the following:
1. Automatically recognize all of the ‘Counter-bored Screw Clearance Holes’
2. Read the ‘Screw Size’ from the hole
3. Insert a bolt from a part family

a. using the hole size for bolt size​

b. using the depth of the thru-hole, find a part family bolt that is roughly 1.5 times the screw diameter longer than the thru-hole​

4. Place a bolt into each of the found holes
5. Possibly add a concentric constraint

This is asking a lot, and I’m guessing anything is possible, but is it feasible? Or are certain parts feasible?
As a tool/fixture designer I/we spend a lot of time after a design is primarily complete just inserting fasteners into our “finished” design.

 

[lklo]

hi BBow !

Defently sure it can be done using nxopen. But not sure if it's possible to ask directly into the reuse library.
But if you create a common excel sheet that contains all bolts (incl part no) in your reuse library, program can cycle through this,
when a certain size and length is needed.

Another way to do it( this is in my scope in our company) is, to create some predefined bolt packs - (bolt's + washers's + nut's)
in a bolt pack assembly.
Then create a excel sheet in some organized manner , which contains info about each bolt pack assembly , and the program can insert this bolt assembly into
your design assembly in each hole, lets say on a selected face.
In program - Selection order could be;
Select face for bolthead side > Select face for nut side > then a menu should popup with the different's hole diameters > and last action should be to pick in the popup window,
on which bolt diameter the program shall insert boltassembly's into. Then will all holes be "filled" with bolt pack's.

Remember - if you are going to start on some project like this, it will be a great advantage to give the faces in your boltpack a property name.
(The faces that should be úsed for assembly constraint.). In this manner they can be recognized automatic , and no user action is needed, when program will insert and constraint them in holes.

Hopefully a little inspiration for you...

regards lklo

 

[daluigi]

There is a way and it is called NX Open API - Or create your own program that will fit all of the needs you have. Without any limitations at all.
FYI, the link below illustrates something similar to what you are looking for: reading part families Excel sheet, selecting the nearest matching connection and applying it to NX.

Link

 

[BBow]

Thanks Iklo and daluigi for your thoughts. Sounds like it is very feasible then, ha just not yet for me. I am very new to the NX Open world and I'm slowly working my way into the knowledge space to be able to do the intricate things as you are laying them out. It is nice to know at least that it is possible.

One thing I have come across in my digging (NX 9) is 'Fastener Assembly' which appears to be a built in solution inside of NX that is very similar to what the video does daluigi posted. Has anyone worked inside of this program very much?

 

[DSikes]

I had some Fastener Assemblies setup in NX 7.5 at one point and it works basically exactly as you stated in your OP. The files you need to modify/customize are located in %UGII_BASE_DIR%\NXPARTS\Reuse Library. This is the location in NX 8.03 but should be similar for other versions. Basically you have to modify all the .krx xml type files to match your fastener part families and create the "assemblies" which are basically just standard groupings of hardware (i.e. bolt & nut or bolt, washer & nut, etc.). The hole recognition was not smart enough to see different types of holes though, just any hole feature that was connected to a selected surface.

Daniel Sikes
Design Engineer
Young Touchstone
NX 8.0.3.4

 

[daluigi]

<The hole recognition was not smart enough... >
That is the main reason why our API has been developed: so to be able to work on geometry recognition in an history free environment.
No limitations.
D.

 

[BBow]

daluigi I am currently in the process of trying to learn Visual Basic and the API realm, so I am not skilled enough yet to get to that point. Is this code something you'd be willing to share?

 

[BBow]

DSikes thanks for the info, I are going to start looking into that and see if I can get it modified.