Surface plotter? 2

[skanskan]

Hello

Is there a 3D surface equation plotter for NX?
For example I could need to draw an ellipsoid.

I know I can import points from excel or a file but I don't like that way.

 

[JohnRBaker]

What version of NX are you running and do you have a GRIP execute license?

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.

 

[skanskan]

Hello

I must check tomorrow at work, but I think we do have the GRIP license with NX8.

But what if the seat doesn't have the GRIP license?

 

[skanskan]

Maybe some plugin or some journaling or NXOpen script?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Attached is a GRIP program which will create a 3D 'Ellipsoid' surface (actually 1/8 of a full 'Ellipsoid'). After downloading the file, edit the extension from .zipper to .zip and then expand the file. You'll find both the source and executable for a program called 'blob'. Note that if you run the program 8 times, changeing the parameters appropriately you can get all 8 segments of a full 3D Ellipsoid (or you can just create one segment then use a series of mirror operations to get the final shape.

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.

 

[skanskan]

The ellipsoid was just an example, I was thinking in something more general.
anyhow, thank you very much for your nice script.

I was wondering why NX doesn't have a "button" to plot surface equations.

I'm going to analyze your example.


regards

 

[JohnRBaker]

NX does have 'Law Controlled' curves and of course, with NX Open, as seen in the 'blob' example, you can define pretty much any sort of 3D shape that you wish.

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.

 

[FrankSwinks]

Attached is vb code tob run as a journal and signed program for creating an ellipsoid for a selected center point position with orientation based on WCS. Also included is the dlx file for the NX dialog.

Frank Swinkels

 

[skanskan]

FrankSwinks, thanks, it works well.
But what about a generic dialog that can accept not only parameters but the equations to plot?

 

[FrankSwinks]

To do this as a program requires a program function (or sub) for each different equations. The dialog could be set up to allow you to select a equation set (typically parametric equations in x, y, and z). When such a program is run and the user selects an equation type the dialog could then show the parameters for the specific equations and input limits for the surface to be created. The user can then input such parameters and limits to create the surface.

So basically what I am saying is yes it can be done but requires additional programming for each equation set.

Hope this helps

Frank Swinkels

 

[FrankSwinks]

Attached is a sample program for creating surface plots. You are able to select one of three trig functions. They are z=cos(x)*cos, z=sin(x)*cos or z=cos(x)*cos(y+sin(x). This should show you what is required for other functions.

Frank Swinkels