questions regarding the thread function 1

[Walterke]

NX 7.5 with TC8.3

First of all, is there a better way to add external thread to a part then using the thread function? I know for internal thread you're supposed to use the threaded hole function.

If there isn't, I'd like to add BSP to options in the thread function, but have not succeeded as of yet.

The NX help tells me I should create a spreadsheet and use the UGII_ENGLISH_THREADS variable or something like that, but I have no idea how to do either, to be honest (I'm fairly new to NX, and especially to modifying anything in the program)

I tried adding some rows to the thd_english.dat file, but that didn't seem to work.

Can anyone help me out?

 

[JohnRBaker]

For the moment, external threads are only created using the so-called 'Thread' feature.

You say that you wish to create a BSP standard external thread. I assume that you're talking about British Standard Pipe threads and since you did not include the 'T' I assume that we're talking about parallel (straight) threads, correct?

OK, attached is a new thread data File (this may not be the file that you've been thinking of, but trust me) which includes both the BSP and BSPT threads. This will only be applicable for the older 'Thread' feature and NOT 'Threaded Holes'. What you need to do is place the attached file in some safe place where it will NOT be replaced during an update or NX install.

Then you will need to set the following environment variable:

UGII_ENGLISH_THREADS=<path to where you placed the .dat file>\thd_english.dat

Then you will need to go to...

Customer Defaults -> Modeling -> Feature Settings -> Symbolic Threads

...and ADD to the end of the list in the section of the dialog labeled 'Form' the following two entries:

BSP
BSPT

Now you will be able to define, using the older 'Thread' feature function, BSP and BSPT threads, external or internal.



John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

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

 

[Walterke]

Thanks a lot, i'll check it out first thing in the morning. Small estion though: where exactly do I have to put that
UGII_ENGLISH_THREADS variable? (as in, where can I find it?)

Do I have to add it in ugii_env.bat?

 

[JohnRBaker]

You can find the environment variable in the ...\UGII\ugii_env_ug.dat file but it's best to copy it over to the ...\UGII\ugii_env.dat file as that file will not be touched in future updates.

However, if this is going to be a permanent situation I would just add the variable to my user profile. If you're running Windows 7, open an explorer window, select the 'Computer' item in the left column, press MB3 and select 'Properties'. When the dialog opens, in the upper left corner select the 'Advanced system settings' and select the 'Environment Variables...' button near the lower right corner. In the upper, or 'User' panel, select 'New...' and enter UGII_ENGLISH_THREADS as the Variable Name and <path to where you placed the .dat file>\thd_english.dat as the Variable Value. Hit OK a couple of times and you should be good to go.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

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

 

[Walterke]

I modified the thd_english.bat file that I found in C:\Program Files\UGS\NX 7.5\UGII and added the variables in Customer Defaults -> Modeling -> Feature Settings -> Symbolic Threads

Which made everything work as I wanted to, so thx for that.

But from what you're posting I assume that's the wrong way to do it.

Should I make a new thd_english.dat file somewhere else and then refer to it with the UGII_ENGLISH_THREADS variable so that it would retain it's value after a new update?
Or am I missing something?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Yes, that's why I told you to do that. If you edit almost ANYTHING in the folder where NX is installed it could be replaced/removed during an update. The are some exceptions such as the ...\UGII\ugii_env.dat file as is explained in the paragraph at the top of the ...\UGII\ugii_env_ug.dat file.

Also at the top of the ...\UGII\ug11.bat file it explains that this file is only being provided for legacy users who have in the past launched NX from a .bat file rather then from the Windows 'Start' menu which is the now recommended approach.

For the record, I still use .bat files, but mine are highly customized for several reasons including the fact that I'm running 12 different versions of UG/NX and have to make sure that the different versions are not being directed to incompatible options and libraries. That being said, I still depend on my 'user profile' to set any common variables.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

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

 

[Walterke]

Alright, I thought it was something like that, just wanted to see it properly explained, as I will have to explain this to other people as well. Thx for all the info.