Part families for a newbie

[201181]

Hi all,

I hope someone can help someone who has realised that perhaps, I am a novice when it comes to the correct use of part families . The only knowledge I have is what I have been taught over the last three months, but I am in doubt if it is correct.

Is the following correct:

1.When creating a part family, where expressions/attributes are used to create a variety of sizes of that part, does one use the template file to create the 2D drawing of the family?

2. When creating a part family assembly, where components in the family can change from one assembly to another, should one use the template file in other assemblies, or should only the family members be used?

What is the normal practice on the above to questions?

Many thanks in advance

 

[JohnRBaker]

One should treat the Family MEMBERS as the ONLY REAL files that you would be working with downstream. The Family 'Master' Template file should only come into play when you need to produce a new MEMBER of a Family or when you need to add to the family or to make modifications to the Family's model/assembly.

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

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

 

[looslib]

The part master template file is just that, a template. If you model an actual size part member while creating the part master, you should also build an identical part family memeber for use in downstream applications. If you are trying to document the part family, then the use of the template master MAY be the best file to use fro your drawing since you will be going back to that file for changes to the part memebers.

If you have Pro/E experience, then there is a difference in how the part families are constructed and the members generated. In NX, each memeber and template master is a separate file on disk. In Pro/E, only the master is stored on disk and the memebers are stored internal to the master file. Pro/E and Windchill know about the members and will display those file names whenyou look for a member file.




"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[201181]

Many thanks for your replies, I had thought that the 'template' was just that, a template not actually used in other assemblies etc. Now I just need to discuss this issue with others here in the office, however as I'm working here as a consultant on a short contract, I'm not sure if they will change their methods.

Currently, their practice is to use the template in assemblies instead of the family members, and the way they have done their part numbering structure doesn't make it easy.

Anyway, thanks again