Pattern instance along complex curve 1

[phbalance]

Here's another challange for the UG experts. I have an s-curve projected onto a compound surface. I'm trying to create a feature pattern (in this case, 5 dimpled cuts) that follow the s-curve. The instance command does not allow for such a function, does it? Or do I have to make them all individually?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Try creating the first one and then use Copy & Paste to define the others, which has an option to the make the "copies" instances of the original.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product "Evangelist"
NX Product Line
UGS Corp
Cypress, CA

 

[Shadowspawn]

phbalance,

Alternately, you could 'group' the feature(s) and array the group...

Regards,
SS
CAD should pay for itself, shouldn't it?

 

[phbalance]

Copying and pasting was the only option that worked. This just seems very tedious, especially if there are many features to be arrayed.

Grouping the features and array the group still doesn't allow the group to follow along a specified path.

With Pro/E, I can constrain the feature(s) on a curve. Then all you do is offset a driving dimension and enter the number of features and voila, done. Was just hoping UG had something like that.

 

[Xwheelguy]

Nope....NX doesn't support arrays along a curve, in the manner that you're describing. There might be similar workarounds like John's suggestion, but nothing direct like you're describing.

John's suggestion will work, but you have no option for placing/positioning each copy as you paste it....they all paste on top of one another (at least in NX3 they do) then you have to reposition each feature one at a time.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[phbalance]

Yup, that's what I had to do - reposition each one at a time.

Thanks.

 

[JohnRBaker]

You're right about Copy & Paste. Perhaps creating a UDF (User Defined Feature) would be better as that gives you more control over what is copied and how to place it when adding it to the model.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product "Evangelist"
NX Product Line
UGS Corp
Cypress, CA

 

[PhilJenkins]

Yes Pro/Engineer has superb patterning capabilities. This is an area where NX really has to catch up.

 

[Xwheelguy]

Phil,

UGS is in the process of changing arrays as well as transformations (similar to arraying in a sense), starting with NX5.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[PhilJenkins]

Thanks Tim,

That sounds encouraging. I've used PTC for 8 years and UG for 1-2. I have to say I haven't found many areas where PTC is better. Overall UG is a much nicer system to work with and is now my default system rather than PTC.

I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop.

 

[tatarchukov]

You can use "clock instance" for move instance of simple array, but this not work for "group feature" array and pattern array.

 

[mjcole]

phbalance,

I don't know if UG has implemented a parametric Point Set functionality. It seems that UG never considered points as important types of Datums because there is no Datum Point like Pro/E. I've found that the Sketcher's associative point feature gives the best way to create a series of equally spaced points on a curve parametricly.

If you created your associative points in a sketch after the projected S curve you can create your 5 points and add relations in the Expression Editor.
You could then create a datum for the revolved dimple cut which references the first point and is normal to the S-curve. Then you could use the copy-paste functionality and choose prompt for references option. Depending on which feature you copy you'll be prompted to choose references for the children of the copied feature such as your sketch datum or reference point and the child features will be created when you select the proper references.

I'll be glad to see the day UGS makes Patterning by references like the pattern surface option has been able to do.

Michael