Using a distance constraint on a cylinder

[Alfonz]

I am trying to put a threaded insert into a cylindrical part. I use align/lock to contstrain the centerlines, no problem. However the insert needs to be .75 to 1.5P below the cylinder face and I can't seem to get that to work. I can't find a way to reference anything real on the cylinder face when I used the distance contstraint. How do you guys handle this?

Thanks,

Alex

Design Drafter
Alliant Techsystems

 

[JohnRBaker]

In the first place, while this is one of the great things about the 'Align/Lock' constraint, it FULLY constrains the component so there is NO need, nor even the ability, to add ANY additional constraints. So to start with, you'll need to stop using the 'Align/Lock' constraint since to do what you're looking for will probably require more than ONE constraint. As for exactly how you could do what you're asking, seeing at least a picture of what you're doing would help, but even without that I would suspect that you will need to add Datum Plane(s) to the cylindrical Component so that you could use it to establish your 'Distance' constraint.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
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[Alfonz]

John,

I've added a picture for you. The reason I didn't do a datum plane was because I have 8 of these in various places on this part. I was hoping there was a simpler way. As far as the align lock constraint goes, could that be why a reference pattern didn't work when I tried that?

Thanks

Design Drafter
Alliant Techsystems

 

[JohnRBaker]

First, I see no picture. Second, the 'Align/Lock' should have no effect on whether you can create a Component Pattern or not.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[Alfonz]

Oops, messed the upload up I don't know about the pattern. I put in an insert, select pattern (reference) and it doesn't work. But that's a story for another day. In this case I used a distance constraint, turned on point on face, and grabbed a point on the face. But it was just an arbitray cursor point.

Design Drafter
Alliant Techsystems

 

[JohnRBaker]

I'm sorry, but that picture didn't help much. What part of the Component do you wish to constrain a 'Distance' from what other part of the model? Generally 'Point of Face' is not all that useful for something like this. It's better to have something like a Datum of a planar face.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[Alfonz]

Sorry, I tried it again, maybe this helps. I'm just trying to recess this insert a set distance from the outer cylindrical face. I could do a datum but if I have multiple holes clocked all over the cylinder, I was hoping for something quicker. I will use datums as you suggested.

Thanks John.

Design Drafter
Alliant Techsystems

 

[JohnRBaker]

Is the 'housing' cylindrical or spherical? Are the multiple holes in the 'housing' positioned using a Pattern? And is the 0.051 dimension the 'Distance' constraint that you're looking for?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[JohnRBaker]

OH, and what version of NX are you running?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[Alfonz]

The housing is cylindrical, the holes are positioned using a pattern, and the .051 is the distance I'm looking for. I tried a reference pattern, but it didn't work. I'm sure it's user error... So I was trying to place all 4 manually one at a time.

Design Drafter
Alliant Techsystems