Projected area

[edgray]

I need to be able to calculate the projected area of a part. This is a valuable piece of information for any one making injected parts. All I can find in NX is total area. I am using NX5 currently assuming corporate in unsuccessful in forcing me back to NX4.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Have your tried using...

File -> Export -> 2D Exchange...

But of course you'll need the '3D to 2D Exchange' module, but if you have this, this is the fastest approach. Just orient your model the way you wish so that you are seeing the 'profile' which you're interested in and do the export and open the resulting 2D 'flattened' model, and then use the Area Analysis tools, selecting only the outside curves.

Now if you don't have that module, you could try orienting your model as you desire, with Perspective View toggled OFF and with the WCS oriented to the current view, go to...

Preferences -> Visualization -> Visual

...and in the General Display Settings section, set the Rendering Style to 'Static Wireframe' and in the Edge Display Settings section, set Hidden Edges to 'Invisible' and with the Smooth Edges toggled OFF and then hit OK.

Now go to...

Insert -> Curves from Bodies -> Extract...

...and select the 'Shadow Outline' option.

Now is you've done everything right it will appear as if NOTHING happened, but it has. Now hide your original model and you will see that what you have is a 3D wireframe profile of your model. Now enter...

Analysis -> Advanced Mass Properties -> Area using Curves...

...and select, using the 'Boundary (Temporary)' method, the 3D shadow curves IN ORDER (which you may find to be tedious, but you've entered the 'Twilight Zone' as it were and are working like we all did 25+ years ago). Anyway, select all the way around (note that if there are some small gaps, that's OK) and hit OK and then select the 'List All' option and you will find your 'projected area'.

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.

 

[edgray]

Thanks John, I was hoping for a real function. do you know if there is something in the pipe line for this. I believe I have asked for an ER on this but know of no progress.

 

[JohnRBaker]

No, I not aware of anything like this on any list of future projects.

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.

 

[edgray]

It just occourred to me that this information might be able to be extracted from the graphics side, since the object and the background are defined to some precision, although the graphics side has no care for scale.

John any chance you could bounce this off the graphics group, or are they in India or something?

 

[JohnRBaker]

No, the graphics group is right here in Cypress. I'll ask, but am not sure how one would use the results since it would depend on the scale of the view and perhaps even the size of the graphics window.

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.