Add a Custom Command for Header Lines for Post Processing in NX 9 CAM

Follow these simple steps to create a Custom Command in NX CAM to add to a post processor for header lines to be output from a post processor:

Start Postbuilder.

Select the custom command tab.

Select the Create option.

Right mouse button on the new custom command and rename it. To PB_CMD_header line.

Highlight everything in the right window, as displayed below.

Once everything is highlighted, select the delete key.

Select the lines below:

#=============================================================
proc PB_CMD_header_line { } {
#=============================================================
#This Custom Command will output the header information

#this will output information associated with a program

global mom_oper_program
global mom_part_name
global mom_date
global mom_logname

MOM_output_literal "(PROGRAM NUMBER: $mom_oper_program)"
MOM_output_literal "(PART NAME : $mom_part_name)"
MOM_output_literal "(POSTED DATE : $mom_date)"
MOM_output_literal "(PROGRAMMED BY : $mom_logname)"}

Copy the lines selected above and paste them into the right side of the dialog box. It should appear like this:

Select the Program Tab.

Select the Program Start Sequence.

Select the name of the custom command you just created. In this case it should be the  PB_CMD_header line.

Select the Add block option.

Drag the command after the rewind stop code.

This will add the header lines to the beginning of the CNC program.

Want to learn more about customizing your posts? Get training in NX CAM post processing from Swoosh Technologies. Learn more here!

Written by
Brian Brown
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

Working with Spreadsheet Data in NX 9

How can we use a spreadsheet to drive the design of an NX part?

NX part files can contain, reference, and link to spreadsheet data. This is often used to define iterations or multiple configurations of a design such as Pattern features, Part Families, etc. Methods such as Patterns generally retain the spreadsheet data within the feature definition and not the part file as in the case of Part Families. This article discusses the application and use of spreadsheet driven data from both perspectives.

Spreadsheet Overview

The Spreadsheet serves as an advanced expression editor for NX hybrid modeling thus providing a seamless transfer of conceptual model data between NX and the spreadsheet.

This section focuses specifically on the spreadsheet extensions and applications in NX and is intended to be a supplement to the standard spreadsheet documentation, which can be viewed in the NX Documentation Set.

The spreadsheet consists of three main session applications:

• A Gateway spreadsheet function, available in Tools tab→Utilities group→Spreadsheet.
• A Modeling spreadsheet function, available from Tools tab→Utilities group→Spreadsheet. Some spreadsheet programs (such as " Goalseek"), may not be fully supported within the Modeling Spreadsheet extended functionality.
• A basic Expression Editor. You can find the expression edit spreadsheet in the Tools→Expression dialog in Modeling. Click "Spreadsheet Edit."

While the spreadsheet functions are active, you have full spreadsheet functionality. You can edit and modify cells; change color, captions, and text; or even import or export spreadsheets that could have originated on a PC.

Gateway Spreadsheet

The Gateway spreadsheet is activated in current application modes except for Modeling.

NX will start a copy of Xess, or Microsoft Excel on Windows, and make connections to it automatically. Messages on the status line inform you of the progress made toward connecting with the spreadsheet. If there is a copy of the spreadsheet already running on your display that can accept connections, then NX uses that copy without invoking another instance of the spreadsheet.

Note:

• If there is already a spreadsheet saved in the part, then that spreadsheet will be opened with the application that created it (Xess or Excel) regardless of the default spreadsheet set in the spreadsheet preferences. If there is no spreadsheet stored in the part, and you are running on Windows, the setting from Preferences→Spreadsheet (available only on Windows) will be used to determine whether to use Xess or Excel.
• An Xess spreadsheet session started from a command line can accept connections to NX if you start the program with the command line options "-connect a" or if you toggle the Connections→Accept Connections option on the spreadsheet main menu bar. Remember that the NX specific version of Xess, xessu, cannot be started from the command line.

Modeling Spreadsheet

The Modeling spreadsheet is launched by Tools→Spreadsheet and requires that the current application mode be in "Modeling".

NX will start a copy of the spreadsheet and make connections to it automatically. Messages on the status line inform you of the progress made toward connecting with the spreadsheet. If there is a copy of the spreadsheet already running on your display that can accept connections, then NX will use that copy without invoking another instance of the spreadsheet.

Note:

• If there is already a spreadsheet saved in the part, it will be opened with the application that created it (either Xess or Excel), regardless of the default spreadsheet set in its preferences. If there is no spreadsheet stored in the part, and are running on Windows, the setting from File tab→Preferences→Spreadsheet will be used to determine whether to use Xess or Excel.
• In these discussions about the Modeling spreadsheet, the pull-down menus such as File→, Edit→, and Tools→ usually refer to options within the spreadsheet, not the pull-down menus from the NX main Menu Bar (unless specified).
  

Pattern Features

With the exception of the Reference Layout, a Spreadsheet option is available for all other layouts in the Pattern dialog. This allows the user to drive the design of the duplicated feature(s) to be driven by spreadsheet data. Once the feature to duplicate has been selected and the Layout requirements have been satisfied, the Use Spreadsheet option will become active.

NX allows the access of spreadsheet data directly from an outside file. There are two ways to do this, depending on what format you want.

1. Go to Tools→Import and Export Expressions, select the Import option, and browse for the spreadsheet file to bring in. You’ll note there are two formats you can filter for, “.xls” and “.xlsx”.

  A listing window reports the success or failure of the imported expressions:

This process allows outside spreadsheet data in .xls or .xlsx format to be brought into an NX part file directly as expressions but without any linking or associativity.

2. Go to Tools→Expressions and in that dialog at the top there’s an icon for Spreadsheet Edit.

This will start a new spreadsheet and from there you can open an existing spreadsheet or copy/paste from another spreadsheet. NX doesn’t offer an Import Spreadsheet command under File→Import but that does not matter if you can just open an existing spreadsheet using this method. Once the Worksheet is open, note the ADD-INS tab at the top resulting from the NX integration for spreadsheets in the NX installation.

Next to the Spreadsheet Edit icon in that dialog, there are also two icons for Import Expressions from File and Export Expressions to File. These two functions allow the copying of an expressions file (with the extension of “.exp”) into or out of an NX part file.

With the use of the spreadsheet and expressions functions discussed above, the NX user has the ability to reuse mathematical values, formulae, expressions, equations, and even character strings both inside and outside of an NX part file. This functionality is practically identical when working with assembly or drawing files as well.

However, these practices do not develop any associativity or linking between the data within the NX part and that or the spreadsheet or expression file.

Procedure for linking a value in a spreadsheet outside of a part file to an internal expression:

Expressions Icon

1.  Choose Tools tab→Utilities group→Expressions.
2.  In the Expressions dialog box, in the Name box, type “thickness”.
3.  Click Functions.
4.  In the Insert Function dialog box, from the Or Choose a Category list, select spreadsheet.

Functions Icon

5.  From the list of functions, select ug_cell_read.

Specify a Spreadsheet icon

6.  Click OK.
7.  In the Function Arguments dialog box, click Specify a spreadsheet.
8.  Navigate to the desired spreadsheet and click OK.
9.  In the Specify a Cell box, type the desired cell callout such as “B3”.

The Expressions dialog box is displayed and the function ug_cell_read("<SPREADSHEET_NAME>", "B3") appears in the Formula box.

10.  Click OK.
11.  Verify the value of the expression and click OK.

Migrating data between spreadsheet applications (Excel/Xess)

To assist you with migrating data between spreadsheet applications, NX provides a migration utility.

Platforms

On Windows, you can migrate spreadsheet data from Xess to Excel and vice versa. On all systems, you don't need to have access to the spreadsheet where the data is stored. You only need access to the spreadsheet to which you are migrating.

Required Software

When migrating from Xess to Excel, you only need Excel. Similarly, migrating spreadsheet data from Excel to Xess requires only Xess (which also means that Exceed must be present).

Before You Begin

Before you begin, make a copy of the part containing the old spreadsheet data. Keep the copy until you verify that the new spreadsheet data is correct.

In this example, the value of the expression is 2.5.

Note: If the spreadsheet is modified, you can update the expression by clicking Refresh Values from External Spreadsheet.

Refresh Values from External Spreadsheet Icon

Spreadsheets are also available in the Drafting application. As an example, a Tabular Note on a drawing can be edited using a spreadsheet. Simply right-click the handle of the Note and select Edit Using Spreadsheet from the popup menu.

Note that by default, Expressions functionality is not enabled in the Drafting application. It can be turned on either by editing the settings in the global customer defaults file (.dpv) or by going to File→Utilities→Customer Defaults→Drafting→Drawing→General tab, and toggle the Allow Expressions option on.

Written by
Garrett Koch
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies


Want to learn more about NX and improve your efficiency? Enroll in NX training or request a custom class or mentoring here today!

How to Acquire an NX9 License File from Siemens PLM

Installing NX is only half of the two main tasks required before NX can run. The second task is to install the license server, which requires a valid NX license file. The following post provides a detailed explanation of acquiring a license file directly from the Siemens PLM GTAC for new and existing NX customers.

Note: You will need a valid Webkey from Siemens PLM that is delivered after your account has been processed.

Starting with NX4, released in 2005, NX uses an updated version of FlexLM from FlexeraSoftware to manage its licenses. Most customers purchase floating licenses but even with node-locked licenses a license server must be installed.

Siemens PLM will issue a temporary 7-day license for you to use until you settle on what machine you want to install as a license server.  In the meantime, you need to gather three pieces of information:

•    Host ID – the physical address, or MAC address, of the computer’s Ethernet adapter.
•    Composite ID – the unique ID generated from the UGS_composite ID utility.
•    Hostname – the assigned name of the computer or server on which the license will be installed.

Note: The hostname in the license file is not the same as the host ID. The hostname and the composite ID become part of the NX license file.  If Siemens PLM is not provided with the hostname of the license server, it is the customer’s responsibility to enter it themselves.

Running the NX Setup Program

If you have already received the NX Installation media, run the NX setup program, “Launch.exe” from the software installation folder (i.e. nx-9.0.0-64bit) and click the “Get the composite host ID” option.

Acquiring the NX Setup Program

Download the utility from the Siemens PLM website or contact Swoosh Technologies support for the getcid.exe utility and run it on the server machine. The output of the ugs_composite utility looks like this:

Generally, the CID (composite ID) displayed will be the CID of the Ethernet Adaptor within the computer. If other CID’s are listed, they might include a Wi-Fi adaptor or other irrelevant networking devices within the computer. The CID is needed for Siemens to generate the proper licenses and cannot be edited by the customer. 

Next log in to the Siemens PLM GTAC website and enter the needed information. Expand the “License Management Group.”

New Customers

If you are a new customer, click “Register your Composite Host ID (CID).”

Select the “Composite Host ID” button.

Register your CID by entering the characters. After completing this step, Siemens will then process the information and generate a license file for THAT computer at your company. This may take 24-48 hours but the file will be emailed to the Customer Contact Email Address on file for your company.

To verify the Customer Contact on file, select the “Sold-To/Install” link shown above.

Existing Customers

If you are an existing customer with a CID on file with Siemens, select the option for “Current Licenses.”

Enter or select your Sold-To/Install number in the upper left and press Enter. Then select the “Passwords and License Files” link.

Select “Unigraphics NX” as the product and then “9” as the Version. (NX9 license files allow previous versions to run.) Then click “Continue”.

A new license file is created based on stored information for that Webkey account (MAC address, Composite ID, etc.). Download and Save the file (defaults to your temp download folder). Download and save the “ugnx9.dat” file to the appropriate folder.

This process works for getting license files for your current server on the file in your account with Siemens PLM. If you need to change server machines, contact Swoosh Technologies here for help in filing the request.

Checking the License File Content

Upon receiving the license file, you want to inspect the content.

1.    Check the Sold-To/Install number to make sure it is for NX and not Solid Edge.
2.    Check the Contact Name and E-mail Address to make sure it is the name and address of the contact or CAD administrator of the customer and not a contractor or outside service company.
3.    Check the creation date.
4.    Check that it is an NX9 license file.
5.    Note whether or not the server hostname has been included. If not, make sure that an explanation of changing it to the correct hostname is clearly communicated to the customer. The hostname (computer name) of the server MUST be included in the SERVER line of the license file in order for the license to work properly.
6.    Check the cid.
7.    Check that either the port “28000” or the word “any” follows the cid. This license service uses port 28000 by default, so that port must be unused on the license server or the port number will need to be edited to an unused number, i.e. 28001.
8.    Check for an expiration date – there should not be an expiration date if it is a permanent license file.

Have questions? Contact Swoosh Technologies’ support team today by calling (314) 549-8110.


Garrett Koch
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

Customize Radial Menus in NX 9

Radial menus in NX are small icons that appear surrounding your cursor location; each icon can be customized to your most used features. These menus allow you to quickly and easily access features with a click and swish of your mouse. Follow the instructions below to get started customizing your NX experiences:

To access this menu in NX 9, open NX and right click on some empty space on the toolbar and click Customize.

Scroll to the bottom of the list and locate options for radial menus 1 to 3. In order to customize each menu click the box to the left of the heading.

With the first menu up while in customize mode, drag your most used features from the main menu bar into one of the eight spaces available in the radial menu. The horizontal and vertical positions on the radial menus are the easiest to access; therefore I suggest placing your most frequently used functions here.

All three radial menus can be customized using this method. I use each menu for a different set of tools (e.g. 1. Basic modeling, 2. Sketching 3. Synchronous tools).

In order to utilize the menus the 1st (left click), 2nd(Middle wheel click) and 3rd (right mouse click) must be completed while holding down Control and Shift. To make this process easier, I assign Ctrl and Shift to a function key making it very easy to instantly access any function.

Matt Beisel
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

How to Modify your Post Processor for On Machine Probing in NX 9

What is On Machine Probing?

On machine probing is a measurement technique used on machine tools to use while your part is still in process on the machine.

The machine uses a 2D or 3D probe similar to those found on some CMM’s. The end of the probe sensor that comes into contact with the part is made of hard non-marring material for metals such as a ruby.

The probe contacts the part and records the machine position when the probe sensor is triggered.  Probe positions are recorded on the controller, and the probe point positions may be processed directly after the points are taken or later to obtain meaningful data from the points.  The meaningful data can then be relayed to the operator, quality system, or back for adaptive part processing. Machine tool probes may be obtained through Renishaw or other manufacturers.

Why should you use it?

• Prevents the use of additional CMM’s
• Increases machine tool accuracy
• Ability to buy off part while still fixtured in the machine
• Easily obtain spc data
• Reduce Gage tooling cost
• Faster than traditional measurement and reduces human error

What is required in NX to use it?

• Renishaw Probing hardware installed on machine
• Renishaw Inspection Plus Macros
• NX CAM MACH package 9.0 or higher
• Supported post
• NX CAM on machine probing is supported for both Fanuc and Siemens Sinumerik controllers

View the video below to discover how to modify a post for on machine probing in NX.

Matt Beisel
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies

The Cue Line in NX CAD

“Awww, this must be a bug!”

That’s often the response when an NX user gets hung up during a particular command that has multiple steps or many options. They’re missing that one little tip to help them along in the process. Like the neighbor who borrowed a chainsaw and quickly returned it, claiming it was far too slower than his axe, there was something he didn’t know… I told him, “Well, when you pull this rope it starts the motor.” (Vrooom vroom, VROOOOOOM!) “WHAT’S THAT NOISE!!!???” shouted the startled neighbor!

Sometimes it just takes a small suggestion or a little hint to get past the problem. Such is the purpose of the Cue Line on the NX window.

The Cue Line sits inobtrusively below the Menu Bar, below all those magnificent icons and toolbars, humbly offering words of advice to wayward CAD gurus and neophytes alike. For anyone with even a few hours of pioneering through an NX session, many of the prompts become mundane and easy to ignore. False confidence soon comes and eventually, the Cue Line takes a back seat to nearly everything else on the screen. Users are content to discern their next moves merely by on screen feedback and their own veteran senses. But alas, once the going gets tough, users are sometimes too quick to resolve an insufficiency in software effectiveness instead of their own ignorance.

For instance, here in the drafting function of Broken View, while we try to define the spacing between sections it might be assumed that simply selecting a section and entering a Distance value should be enough. Instead, NX prompts the user to identify from  what we want to space our section from… one of the other reference boundaries.

NX is actually offering a bit more of an option than might be inferred at first. What says the spacing value has to be defined from the section adjacent to it? You can enter a value that determines the section’s location relative to the section of the extreme right end if preferred.

Likewise, by merely selecting the Positioning Method of “Distance” instead of “Inferred”,  NX immediately prompts for a vector object selection. We might have assumed the only direction for a distance would be measured horizontally between the sections since it’s common in this traditional view modification practice.

Another good example is in the creation of a Studio Spline. While defining the points the Cue Line offers suggestions for much more than just “select points to define spline”.

Sometimes we miss out on some really nice options built into the creation process that are often thought of as editing commands.

Sketching also presents some nifty and often unsuspected options. In the example below, we’ve completed some sketch curves and are at rest with no active command at present.

What’s that? “…or double-click an object”? Wha? What’s that about? Double clicking the line on the left side of this rectangle yields a dialog titled “Line (Non-Associative)”. Non-associative? How could a sketch curve that’s constrained to be coincident at both its end points be non-associative? This is a temporary status while in this edit mode whereby we can redefine this line in lieu of existing constraints. Read the Cue Line.

The Cue Line indicates that we can redefine this line by selecting a different end point, even though there is already a coincident constraint at its end point. Selecting on the midpoint of the upper line of the rectangle will yield an interesting result!

The line end point immediately moves to the midpoint of the upper line, as intended, but yet the coincident constraint symbol is still showing up on the end point of that upper line. What will happen to that coincident constraint, we wonder? Choosing “OK”  the dialog yields the result…

We have just moved not only the endpoint of the left line to the selected location but the coincident constraint was also reapplied from the upper line’s endpoint to… well, the upper line’s NEW endpoint – its old midpoint! The Cue Line often suggests creation and editing options we had not thought available.

Avoid the hurdles

One last example: When creating a Through Curves feature, the selection process of the individual section strings can be a little challenging. Firstly, in order to end the selection of the first string and begin the selection of the next one, that’s easily accommodated with the “Add New Set” icon in the dialog. NX will highlight that icon in green, mapping its selection to the middle mouse button. But the Cue Line also reminds us of that in addition to the fact that we can select a mix ‘n match of curves or edges as section objects.

If you’ve ever tried to create a Through Curves feature by selecting all of your intended curves in the first string, you’ll know it complains about curves in the string being disjoint or lacking continuity because they aren’t connected.

When working in Education Services at Siemens PLM Software for nearly 14 years, it was a common joke to state that amongst any 10 instructors, you could 11 different opinions! However, one of the things that all of us agreed on was that the Cue Line was the most important thing on the window. That question was a part of the Designer and Drafting Certification tests. It’s THAT important!



Garrett Koch
Application Engineer
Swoosh Technologies