Imported Sheet Metal Solid in Solid Edge ST6

Solid Edge offers very powerful sheet metal tools. For this blog post, I imported a STEP file that I need to transform to sheet metal and generate a flat view. Upon opening the file, I noticed it was drawn as a solid part and was designed without any radii. With Solid Edge, I have the ability to quickly and easily prep this solid model for its transformation into proper sheet metal model.

To begin, I need create some separation between the two solid corners of the model; this is necessary for Solid Edge to recognize it as flange. In Sheet Metal there is a tool, Rip Corner,   that allows us to quickly add the cuts into the edges creating the needed separation.

Now I utilize Solid Edge’s Transform to Sheet Metal  to convert the solid body into a sheet metal part. During this process I define my Sheet Metal options including the shape and size of the relief cuts, bend radius, and neutral factor (K- Factor). If I chose not to make any changes to the options, Solid Edge will automatically recognize the thickness of the model and apply the default settings in the Material Table (See the video below). Then it’s just a matter of selecting a base face (the main tab of the new sheet metal model) and watch Solid Edge complete the transformation.

Notice the Pathfinder now has new features: a Tab and Flanges 1 thru 5, radii have been added to all the sharp corners, and the previously ripped corners are ready for any corner treatments you wish to add. Please see the video below to see the transformation in real time and watch how I change the corner treatments and make some synchronous changes to the model to generate the flat pattern.

Written by:
Sam Estrada
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

How to Use Variable Tables in Solid Edge

Solid Edge has the capability of using a Variable Table to help define and edit functional relationships between variables and dimensions of a design in a familiar spreadsheet format.  This tool can be leveraged to automate your design process. This article gives a basic overview of how the table functions and how to incorporate values from an external spreadsheet to drive a design. If you have a programing background, you can even create your own VB script and take your automation to a whole different level.

Basic Variable Table

Here is a simple design of a block with the some basic dimensions. To begin using the Variable table you must have the dimensions that you wish to control “locked” (They will be displayed as red).

To get to the Variable Table go to the Menu Ribbon and select Tools and then Variables.

In the Variable Table you will see all the data that is associated with the design. In this table you can see the variables and dimensions, names, values, rules, formulas, and other columns. Here we renamed the dimension names from the Solid Edge default of Linear_* to Height, Length, and Width making it easier to identify. Also see the locks allowing you to go in and edit the Formula columns. If these were unlocked this option would not be available.

 Now you can drive the design from here.  By double clicking the Value cell, you can change the dimensions in real time. The Formula column can also be used to add a formula to drive a dimension that in-turn drives the design. This example shows a very simple formula; you can get as complex as you want by adding in your own variables and using them in your formulas. 

If you right click on a value, and select the Variable Rule Editor you can control the values to limit it to a list of specific values or you can set a min/max limit. See the video below.

Excel Spreadsheet

You can also drive a design from an external Excel spreadsheet. Here is another block setup with some locked dimensions and a cutout that is constrained to the center block. A spreadsheet with some dimensional values with driving formulas has also been created.

Inserting the data into Solid Edge is as easy as copy and paste. Once the link is pasted, you can drive the design directly from the spreadsheet (just as above from the variable table). With the spreadsheet, your imagination is the limit. You can utilize all the power of Excel: macros, formulas, and programing. We have customers creating whole product lines from one single spreadsheet. See the video below for an example:

This is just scratching the surface. Using this tool Solid Edge and/or extra options that Excel or Visual Basic offer, you can really accelerate your design.

Looking for training in Solid Edge? Check out the current training schedule or request a class here.

Sam Estrada
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

NX How To: Set up the Reuse Library for Custom Symbols

Follow these steps to set up the Reuse Library in NX 9 for custom symbols:

Go to the customer defaults dialog box. 

In the Gateway portion, click Reuse Library, and map the location to your symbol files.

NOTE: The files that contain your symbols must be contained in the folder that you map inside the customer defaults.

Below is a screen shot of the location I have mapped in my defaults file (click the image to enlarge). here you can see the file containing my symbol.

To create a symbol, first right click on the Library where you want your new symbol to reside and click Define Custom Symbol.

The Define Custom Symbol dialog box now appears. Follow these steps to upload a new symbol:

1. Change the folder you wish to store the custom symbol inside.
2. Name the Symbol and name the part in the symbol folder.
3. Select the objects of the symbol.
4. Select the Anchor point to the symbol. The anchor point is the point that controls the placement of the symbol.
5. Finally select the image you wish to display of the symbol. It can be a screen shot of the graphics area or it can be a BMP or JPG file with different resolutions.

Note:  If properly executed your symbol should appear as shown below.

Learn more about NX with training from Swoosh Technologies! View the upcoming courses here.

Brian Brown
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

Solid Edge How To: Changing Modeling Measurement Units

In Solid Edge, there is a way to quickly change the measurement units when working on a design. This can be done with a new design, existing design or one that was brought in from another CAD system. Follow the steps below to learn how!

1. Here is a 3D model created and dimensioned in inches but the modeling measurements need to be changed to millimeters. With the model loaded, go to the application menu  select “Properties”  “File Properties”

2. In the dialog box that appears, select the “Units” tab. There you will find a list of all of the available units that can be used when modeling in Solid Edge. Change the units to millimeters.

Note: In this same dialog box you can change decimal precision on the units, the Angle Readout, and Area Readout options.

3. Next, accept the change and return to the model. Any new created geometry or synchronous change made to the model will now be in millimeters.

Now you may be thinking “Why did the dimensions stay in inches?” This is because you have changed the modeling units only! The dimensions are being controlled by the “Style” used in the model template.

4. To make the overall style change, select the dimensions from the PMI section in the Pathfinder (hold down “shift” to do a multiple selection). In the dimension command bar, select “ANSI MM” from the drop down list.

 Note: If you want to make a change so that when creating a new dimension it will be in millimeters, all you need to do is go to “Styles”

5. In the dialog box select “Dimensions” from the “Style type” field in the top left hand side and select “ANSI (MM)” under the “Styles” field. Click Apply.

Sam Estrada
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

How to Download NX from the Siemens PLM website

Once NX has been purchased there are just a few steps involved in getting the software running on your computer. The first step is to copy the software onto the desired computer and traditionally this has been accomplished using the CD/DVD that Siemens ships to the customer after purchase. Today, this process is streamlined greatly by the ability to simply download the program from Siemens’ GTAC website using a Webkey account. Once downloaded, a click to open the installation executable is all that’s needed to successfully install the program. Take note that the download involves a zip file in excess of 3 GB so plan accordingly and benefit from downloading it directly onto the computer intended for running NX rather than copying the zip file from one to another. Also note that licensing and configuration are separate tasks to be handled after the downloading and installation.

How to Download NX from the Siemens PLM website from SwooshTech

Garrett Koch
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

Solid Edge How-To: Create Inter-Part Relationships in ST6

In this blog entry, I will answer a question from the last month’s Solid Edge Short covering Assemblies in ST6 (View the webinar replay here). During the webinar, I briefly covered how Inter-Part Relationships are created in Solid Edge ST6 and how a part’s geometry can “drive” another part’s geometry - specifically, how the “rail_side” was driving cylinder placement in the “side plate” part. (Image 1) The question submitted was: “Can this method also drive the size of the cylinders in the “side plate”, and would this method work on if the cylinders were created with the “Hole” command and were threaded?” (Image 2). It is best if I break this question down into two parts. I will begin with the same assembly as before.

Image 1

Image 2

Driving the Size of the Cylinders

1.  Create the necessary assembly relationships between the “rail_side” and the “side plate” part, run the “Create Inter-Part Relationships” command and review the dialog box.

a.  Click on the “Create Inter-Part Relationships” button

b.  Review the dialog box, and note the “Equal Radius” box is checked at the top and the command has recognized the “Equal Radius” in the list.

c.  Click “Save”. Notice in pathfinder, the icon next to the part being driven should change and show two chain links.

2.  Next, “Edit In Place” the driving part in chase the “rail_side” part and create some Face Relate Relationships between the cylinders. This will allow for all cylinder sizes to change at once. 

a.  With “Edit In Place” active, rotate the “rail_side” part around to see the cylinders. Then in the Home Tab, locate the Face Relate section and chose “Equal Radius”. (Note: Have the persist lock active)

b.  Following the directions in the command prompt, have all cylinders equal to the one in top left of the part. (Note: When using face relate commands, the sequence is: select seed face > accept (right mouse click) select target face > accept > accept) 

Make all cylinders equal to this one.

c.  The relationships now appear in the pathfinder.

3.  Go ahead and change the size of the hole cut out (top left corner) and the rest will follow suite. Then “Close and Return” to the assembly and see that the cylinder in the “side plate” will automatically change to the new size.

a.  Changed the hole size from .219” to .3”. As soon as the change is accepted the other cylinder changed as well.

b.  Click on “Close and Return”

c.  Notice the hole cut out change made on the “slide plate”

Threaded Cylinders created with the “Hole” command

When using the Hole command to place cylinders not only are you cutting away material you are creating intelligent procedural features. Therefore, when looking at threaded cylinders, there can be quite of bit extra information added to the cylinder.

The “Create Inter-Part Relationships” only recognizes the part geometry in each part to drive one another. It will not take the extra information added by the Hole command and use it to drive another hole in a separate part in an assembly. There is a way to can obtain the same relationship by using a different assembly command.

1. Inside the assembly environment and under the “Features” tab there is a Hole command used to create a threaded hole.

 

2. A dialog box will display some different “Assembly Feature Options”. The threaded hole will be an “Assembly-Driven Part feature” and will be driven on the assembly level, but the threaded hole will be placed in each individual part.

a. Select “Assembly-Driven Part feature” and click OK.

b.  Set the Hole options.

c. Place the Threaded Holes on the parts. In this example, I am placing a ¼ inch threaded hole that will go through two blocks.

d.  Next accept the “cut direction”.

e.  Finish out the command. The threaded holes are now placed in both blocks. The pathfinder has a gold chain link indicating that they are both linked and a new entry “Assembly-Driven Part Feature”. Expanding this item will show the entry for the new threaded holes.

3. When the threaded hole size (or any attribute) is changed, the link that was created will make the change in both parts.

I hope these tips will help further your design experience!

Sam Estrada
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

Create Manufacturing Automation in NX 9.0 CAM Using Process Studio Author

Many people like to navigate quickly in software by using wizards that prompt you through a step by step process…next…next…finish.  


 
NX CAM comes with four out of the box wizards found by clicking the Manufacturing Wizard Icon on the resource bar:

• Rest Milling Wizard
• Express Milling Quick Start
• Mold Z-level wizard
• Cavity Milling tool sequence

Where do these Wizards come from and what do they do?

The wizards are created using the Process Studio Author that has been available for NX CAM users for some time. This software was not part of the installed software in NX 8.5 and earlier as it was a 32-bit version that is available from the GTAC download site. However, it is now part of the standard install in NX 9.0 for Manufacturing.


Express Milling quick start wizard

This wizard takes you step-by-step to create an operation in NX CAM.  This is very useful for users new to NX CAM or to help create programming standards for your company.
What do you need to get started?

• NX 9.0 CAM
• JAVA SDK 1.7 or higher

Create a Wizard

The following steps create a wizard to set Work Coordinate System and Stock.

1. Click on Start->All Programs->Siemens NX 9.0->Manufacturing -> Process Studio Author



2. Click on File ->Open and browse to NX 9 installation directory then go to \MACH\resource\wizard\ and select mill_startup_1.xml then press Open




3. Click on File -> Save As and name “mill_startup_test” then click the create button

4. Click on Edit->Information for current Process


5. Rename Title Field to Milling Setup


6. Delete 6 items shown below by clicking the delete key.


7. Drag the Finish Step to the same line as shown below and right click on customizable item, click create connector, then click once on the finish box.


8. Click on File -> Save.
9. Click File -> Validate Process to check for errors
10. Close NX if open then start a new session in NX.
11. Open an NX CAM part
12. Click on the Manufacturing Wizard tab of the resource manager and you should see your new wizard there


13. Run the wizard and the wizard will automate the creation of the MCS and Blank.



Matt Beisel
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies