NX Autoballon without a leader?

[demco]

I've been away from this forum for a year or so. I hope someone can help me with this question.
Where I am working, we have the need to make call outs for certain items, such as threaded inserts. How it is normally done is by calling out the hole diameter dimension, and placing a Parts List call out next to this dimension. The balloon has either no leader or the leader just points to the dimension leader. I would like to find a way to auto update the balloon, without physically pointing at a component. Your help is appreciated.

Incidentally, since John Baker monitors this board, here is an ER: how about adding node points to leaders? So in the case shown, I could pick the node at the bend in the leader, and my balloon would move with the dimension or note.

-Derek
DL Engineering Services
specializing in CAD Design Consultation Services

 

[JohnRBaker]

Sounds like a interesting ER. Go ahead and submit it.


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

http://www.siemens.com/ugs

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[demco]

That answer pertains to BOTH items I presume?
I've tried to create the balloon on a component, then add a second leader, and delete the first, but no dice...
I will submit the ER's then.

-Derek
DL Engineering Services
specializing in CAD Design Consultation Services

 

[ewh]

From cadpo.com:

1) Create parts list.
2) Create all of the ID symbols, both with and without leaders. Don't worry about the text for the symbols, they will update later. All of the symbols with leaders are automatically associated to a part file. Those without leaders need to be associated, using the annotation editor.
3) Select Insert->Annotation to display the annotation editor.
4) Display the Assembly Navigator.
5) Select an ID symbol without a leader.
6) Clear any existing text from the selected symbol.
7) Click Object Attribute to display the Target Object dialog.
8) Select the component the ID symbol is to be associated with from the Assembly Navigator to display the Object Attribute dialog.
9) Select the attribute CALLOUT from the list of object attributes.
10) Click OK to close the Object Attribute dialog. Notice the text that was added to the Annotation Editor.
11) Click Apply to update the ID symbol.
12) Repeat steps 5-11 for additional ID symbols without leaders.
13) Select Cancel to dismiss the Annotation Editor.

 

[demco]

ewh,
Thanks. I'll try that. Looks like it may solve the issue!

-Derek
DL Engineering Services
specializing in CAD Design Consultation Services

 

[demco]

FYI, I have experimented a bit more, and found the following method for creating "leaderless" balloon call outs.
1. create an empty balloon with a leader attached to a component.
2. "Update" the parts list. This will populate the balloons.
3. edit the leader on the balloons. You can delete the existing one, and create a new one ending in "space" (as I would need to do in my image at the top of this post).

-Derek
DL Engineering Services
specializing in CAD Design Consultation Services

 

[ewh]

Does it stay associative after a parts list update?

 

[demco]

ewh,
In my experience, yes, it does...

-Derek
DL Engineering Services
specializing in CAD Design Consultation Services

 

[ewh]

Cool!