Part Families vs Arrangements in NX 7.5

[201181]

Hi all,

I am curious what peoples thoughts/best practicies are when it comes to part families and arrangements. I ask this because I am coming across the following scenario again and again at my current employer... I am using NX 7.5 without teamcenter.

If for example an assembly, which comes in various variants has been completed, these assemblies are normally set up with arrangements. This is great for showing just one variant in a 2D drawing view, but allowing all components of all variants to be included in a parts list... No problems so far.

However, if this assembly is then added to another assembly (so it becomes a sub assembly), to show the correct variant of the sub assembly, the relevant arrangement is chosen. Bear in mind that often, only one variant is required in a particular top level assembly at any one time. I personally switching arrangements of sub assemblies, because I worry that someone else one day may accidentally change the arrangement of the sub assembly, and suddently the top level assembly and accompanying drawing needs to be updated.

So my question is, when including sub assemblies into a top level assembly, is it best practice that part families of the sub assembly are used, and not different arrangements? Should arrangements only be used on the top level assembly?

Many thanks in advance

 

[JohnRBaker]

Stick with Arrangements. You are using them as intended so don't stop! Part Families are intended for something altogether different so please do not equate them. Besides, if and when you do decide to install Teamcenter, the use of Arrangements rather then Part Families will be seen as having been a very smart decision.

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]

Limit your part families to things that are similar in size, but may be changed.
Part families are best for hardware items where you have multiple lengths of an identical design. Bolts which you may need to experiment to get your ptoper length is a good case for family tables.
Using part families for nuts makes them easier to control and build since they have an identical shape and you only need to change 3 variables: Width across flats, hole size and thickness.



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

Ben Loosli

 

[201181]

Many thanks for the above replies, I know feel a bit more at ease about just using arrangements

However, there is one small problem (or maybe a lack of knowledge on my part) with just changing the arrangement type of a sub assembly where I am working...

Each arrangement is, where I work, a different product/variant, with each variant containing different parts to the next variant. Lets say the sub assembly file is called 1234567801, and each arrangement is named with a different assembly number (for example 1234567802, 1234567803 etc), making a series of different assemblies that are visible by switching arrangements.

So if I bring in the sub assembly, which contains all parts for all variants/arrangements, I get the part name, part number, material etc on the drawing parts list for all arrangements, but in reality, each arrangement is a different variant of the sub assembly, with different name, part number etc.

So is there something that can be done to give each arrangment a different set of attributes?

Many thanks again

 

[JohnRBaker]

If you're starting to do 'variants' then you really need to seriously look at Teamcenter as THAT is our solution for that sort of work. In fact, we really would like to keep people from trying to hack something into native NX when a fully supported solution is readily available.

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.