Sharing well model construction tips and well constructed models

[SiW979]

A long time ago, I posted a couple of threads (

http://eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=234523

and

http://eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=234523

) where I shared a couple of models which other people might have found useful and the thread went on for a good while with people finding quite useful.

Any how, I have just been asked to create a part family for some spring washers and decided to use the excercise to brush up on my modelling skills as I haven't done much in anger for a while and therefore I created the family master so the whole family of washers can be created by simply changing one simple expression - [!]bolt_size[/!] - the model itself is relatively simple, but look deeper into the expressions and in to the features and you will see that there is lots going on.

I have created conditional expressions using a couple of different techniques and if you edit the expression [!]bolt_size[/!] to be any of the following values, 2 - 2.5 - 3 - 3.5 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 10 - 12 - 14 - 16 - 18 - 20 - 22 - 24 - 27 - 30 (metric bolt sizes) you will see the washer update in terms of its internal and external ID, thickness, number of teeth etc. You can also edit the angle of twist of the teeth very easily.

I'm also keen to learn, so if there is a differnt or simpler way I could have achieved the same out come then, I'd love to know. If you have some well built non-sensitve models that you'd like to share, then post them under this thread.

Enjoy!


Best regards

Simon NX7.5.3 - TC 8

http://www.jcb.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

Simon, when you get around to looking at NX 8.0 I think you're going to like what you see with respect to the new 'list' expression capabilties, which will allow you to replace those long nested 'IF' statements with a much simpler scheme.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
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.

 

[SiW979]

I've got NX 8 sat on my desk John, just waiting for the IT monkeys to build me a sandpit so I can play. ;-)

Best regards

Simon NX7.5.3 - TC 8

http://www.jcb.com

 

[Walterke]

I like this idea but lack the experience to share anything useful. So I hope others will

You linked the same thread twice btw, just thought I'd mention that.

NX 7.5
Teamcenter 8

 

[looslib]

Maybe I am missing something with family table parts, but why do you need an expression to change the size? Isn't the size controlled from a spreadsheet and then the individual parts are created in a FamilyTable folder?

To me, using an expression would only be beneficial if I had a single part and changed the size depending on the application. All parts would have the same part number/name, so in a BOM you couldn't tell if it was a 6 or 10 washer size.


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

Ben Loosli

 

[SiW979]

basically it simplifies the spread sheet I guess when I created the part family I had one column with a list of sequential part number for each size and then repeated the list again to cover 2 difference coating for the washer e.g 1420/0001Z (M2) 1420/0002Z (M2.5) etc, etc, the Z denotes zinc plate 1420/0001D the D denotes dacromet. Another column for the description e.g. M6 EXTERNAL TOOTHED LOCK WASHER and then the all important size column e.g. 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, ect so the creation of all the parts was contolled by the one column, the OD, the ID, the thickness, the number of teeth. I could have just put all the columns in the spread sheet I suppose and entered all the size data in the spread sheet, but this way was more of a challenge and more fun

Best regards

Simon NX7.5.3 - TC 8

http://www.jcb.com

 

[SiW979]

ooops! here is the other thread.

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=253230

Best regards

Simon NX7.5.3 - TC 8

http://www.jcb.com