Which is faster? Instance or Linear Array?

[azonic3d]

Wondering which method is less taxing on system resources. Using the "From Instance Feature" or the "Linear" option to create a component array?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Are you sure that you're talking about creating a 'Component Array', as in ASSEMBLY Components?

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

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[azonic3d]

Yes, I believe so. That's what NX calls it. "Create Component Array" on the Assemblies toolbar, or under menu Assemblies->Components->Create Array.

We're using NX5, not sure if the terminology changed in newer versions.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Linear might be a bit more efficient, but unless we're talking about hundreds of Components, I'm not sure it would be all that noticeable.

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

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[hudson888]

I think there is practically no difference but the from instance feature is ultimately more convenient where available.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[mmauldin]

It seems like you would want to use component array. Doing an instance geometry requires either promoting or linking the component, plus the assembly navigator will not reflect an accurate part count.

 

[azonic3d]

There are a few hundred components in each sub-assembly. A lot of Bolts, washers, nuts.

I tried doing the linear array, and I did seem to notice an improvement. Where I was having a problem was after adding these big arrays via Instance Feature, any subsequent components that I tried to constrain would be really slow while working in the Add Constraints dialog. Picking the entities and updating the positions would lag quite a bit; very noticeable decrease in performance.

I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that doing and array with Instance Feature creates constraints for each an every component, whereas Linear array doesn't. Is there a limit or threshold on the number of constraints you can have in an assembly before taking a performance hit?