Variable dimension Parts

[desilvan]

I have a part (shaft) that can be of any length and is defined by a single drawing with an "L" for length. Since we have moved NX8.5 from 2D, we need discreet models of each length but I don't want to copy and modify so I thought of using a Family Table. The problem is that the new lengths are completely random and we have a PDM system that would require revising the part family master every time a new length is needed.

Does anyone know of a clean solution in NX for this? I was thinking about inner part expressions where I linked everything but the length back to the parent model used for the drawing. I also thought about using waved bodies or extracted features but I don't know the drawbacks of these.

I'm new to NX and work with highly configured products where finding like designs is critical, any thoughts?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Have you considered creating a 'Deformable Part' where the 'length' of the shaft would be the 'variable' parameter for the Component when it's added to an Assembly?

You can find this function at...

Tools -> Define Deformable Part...

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.

 

[desilvan]

I have thought of Deformable parts but these would only exist in the context of the assembly. I'm also looking at dumping an accurate CAD BOM into an MRP system and would need to have the correct length specific part number (metadata).

I guess I want to mimic a family table without making a family table. If this is even possible.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Yes, that's possible. We're doing that already with rolled structural shapes as well as many other shapes which are basically cut-to-length as needed, as part of the Reuse Library. If you have the Reuse Library installed, just go to most any of the standards and you'll find a folder titled 'Profile' and the parts created using these items, while they behave as if it were a FamilY Table, they are really being created based your input and once added to your assembly, you will need to do a 'Save-As' to get your unique part with a proper name for your BOM.

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.