mass attribute

[moog2]

i noticed in the part attributes window (NX6) that there is a part that you can "update weight", where does this create the value and how can i use it on a drwg, as i couldn't see that it created an attribute?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Do you mean on the 'Weight' tab of the...

File -> Properties...

...dialog? If so, then you will also note that on that same tab is an option which when toggled ON will cause the system to compute and save the weight data in the part file when you save it. The 'update' button is there is you wished to update the saved weight data without actually saving the part file.

As to what this is used for, if you save the weight data with the part files, when you later need to compute the weight and there has been no changes to the model since the last time the weight data was saved, then the system uses the save data rather then stopping and recomputing it. This is of particular importance when calculating the weight on as Assembly because if there is weight data assigned to each Component, then the weight of the Assembly can be computed very quickly by simply adding up the weights of the Components which make up the Assembly.

So the system is not really creating a 'weight' attribute as much as it's just storing the calculated values for use later on. Now it is true that you can enable a Weight column in the Assembly Navigator and there is even an option to include Weight in a Parts List, but there is no general 'Part Attribute' created which will be equal to the weight of the part, however, that can be done if you really needed it, as seen in the attached example file.

You will note that there is a Part attribute titled 'WEIGHT' which will update if you edit the size of the block or change it's material properties. And if you look at the expression editor you will see how that was accomplished.

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.

 

[moog2]

thanks John, I've used the system you show in your example before, the only problem with it is, you have to remember to drag it to the bottom of the tree after you've modelled the part, i was hoping to maybe have a measurement like that, set up in a seed part, which will always show the weight, in a master model drawing (calling the same attribute), once it too is created from a pallet file.

This company presently uses Solid Edge, and when we create a drawing, the weight is automatically shown on the drawing, In the part file you've only to select the material type from a list.
Can you think of an easy way to replicate this?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Once you've got a model with the weight linked to an Attribute, you just create a note on the face of the drawing linked to the Attribute.

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.

 

[moog2]

yes, i know you can do that using the body measurement, but is there any other way i can do it automatically, by using a pre-existing attribute or something, that doesn't require creating a measurement, finding out it's attribute number, and assigning it to the note, EI: having a text string on the drawing template, that will always give the weight of the drawn part?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Not at the moment, but that might be possible once the new attribute re-architecting project is complete, hopefully in NX 8.0. Our plan is to provide more complete access to not only user defined attributes but also more of the system generated ones as well.

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.

 

[moog2]

Ok thanks again for your help