×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Multiple adjustable parts

Multiple adjustable parts

Multiple adjustable parts

(OP)
I have a 3/8" diameter rod that will occur many times in an assembly but each time the length is different.  Is there a way to draw it once and control a variable to vary the lengths for each one or do I have to develop each part file one at a time?

I thought I might be able to make an assembly pattern, drop the pattern, break the links and then change the lengths but it maintains a link somehow.

The assembly is a rolled square tube 40" diameter with the rods placed parallel to each other spaced 1-1/2" apart setting on the face of the tubing.  The rods ends are cut so they do not extend beyond the diameter of the tubing.

Jef

RE: Multiple adjustable parts

Yes, there is an adjustable part command.

Edit the part, click 'adjsutable part' in the tools menu. choose the variable that will change in the assemblies. Save.

In the asm, RMB on the part, click 'adjustable part' and enter the value, choose a var. or measure a dimension.

Fred

RE: Multiple adjustable parts

I prefer to use Adjustable Parts on items like springs, o-rings etc.

I think Family of Parts would be appropriate in your case.

RE: Multiple adjustable parts

When you drop a patterned part you will get a grounded instance of the original part at each position.
If you wanted to change any instance to a different part, you would have to use the 'replace' command.
I think fwc is correct in this case - family of parts
Or just create one base part and make multiple copies then change the parameters of each one as required.
I'm having difficulty visualising what your assembly looks like - you say a SQUARE tube but 40" DIAMETER.
Do you mean a square tube that's rolled into a circular rim ?

bc

RE: Multiple adjustable parts

Hi,

as far I've got it right thenone solution with the rod as
adjustable part might be:

1) define the rod as adjustable, use the length as variable
   the rod should be extruded symmetrical (to ease placement
   in asm)
2) in ASM place the tube and dimension the diameter to which the
   rods should be cut
3) place the rod as adjustable use the var of 2) as value
   constrain the part (i.e. tangent to face, and planar to planes)
4) continue placing/constraining the other rods same item as in 3)

5) do a cutout as Assembly Feature, use the tube's face as plane
   include the outer diameter --> return
   - (re)select all rods to be cut
   - do the cut  
6) save the assembly, important otherwise individually saved
   models will otherwise be empty
   
Now each rod can be individually saved --> Save selected Model
and it will reflect any changes made in the assy (length, placement)

BTW: placing 26 rods is not the task one is fond of. Unfortunately
pattering the first rod will not pattern it as adjustable, and
dropping the pattern will leave all items as grounded. If that's
OK, fine then the only task ist to make them adjustable and cut
to length as in 5)

dy

RE: Multiple adjustable parts

(OP)
After trying both family of parts and adjustable part I've decided that the best way to control 32 seperate rod lengths is to place all rods tangent to face of rolled tubing, develop a sketch that is the cut boundary and use a assembly level cut feature.

Having the instances variable is nice but I still need to constrain each rod.  I just patterned one rod and "cut" in the assembly file.

Jef

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources