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NX9 - RAM Memory problem

NX9 - RAM Memory problem

NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
Hi Everyone,

When I'm programming in NX after a while my pc is slowing down because NX is taking up all my RAM memory.
I'm not using large assembly's or extreme complex workpieces.
It seems that it doesn't matter what I open or how many files but how long NX is running.

My pc specs:
Intel Core I7-3610QM boost to 3.3Ghz
Nvidia GeForce GT 650M
8GB DDR3 RAM
750GB HDD

Greetings Sven

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Whats your program doing? What language?
Sounds like you have a memory leak!

Graham Inchley, Systems Developer, Sandvik Coromant. www.sandvik.com
HP EliteBook 8760w, Win7, 16GB. Developing in: Java | C | C# | KF
Production: NX6.0.5.3 MP5
Testing: NX8.5.3.3 MP4 64bit | NX9.0.2.5

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Hello Sven,
You did not mention what version of NX you were running. I remember older NX versions had more memory leakage and other issues such as internal memory errors. I recall working on large, 3D parts when things would slow down as the day went on with more and more ram being used. Also I would encounter some errors that would seem illogical to occur so I would exit the part and restart NX and same operations would generate without errors so I knew NX was having some issues. I hardly experience those error messages any more and I do not notice any significant memory leakage.

My typical ram usage is around 6-9 GB but when I use parallel generate on large parts, and also reference tool, I use a lot more ram; probably 10-16 GB. Once in a while bad models will cause problems but that is no fault of NX.

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
What do you mean by what is my program doing?
I'm not writing any code or so. I'm programming in NX CAM.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Oops, sorry.
In my world 'programming in NX' means writing automation code using NXOpen. In that case it can be very easy to exhaust all of the RAM if you are careless.

Graham Inchley, Systems Developer, Sandvik Coromant. www.sandvik.com
HP EliteBook 8760w, Win7, 16GB. Developing in: Java | C | C# | KF
Production: NX6.0.5.3 MP5
Testing: NX8.5.3.3 MP4 64bit | NX9.0.2.5

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Sven,
What version of NX are you using?
What operations are you using?
Are you using IPW?
Are you using reference tools?

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
I'm running NX9.0.3 64-Bit version
Sometimes I get "memory access violation" but that happened not very much since i use NX9.
In NX8 I would get that regularly. (That was also on another PC)

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
I'm using planar milling, contour milling and multi-axes milling operations.
When I'm using only planar and contour milling operations I have the same problem.
Not using any reference tools. I do use IPW.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

What about your operations? What types are you using?

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Sorry my replies are out of order. Eng Tips cannot keep up the pace!

Can you attach a prt file for us to look at?

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

After opening all of your parts in a clean session of NX 9.0, my system allocated a maximum of 338 MB of memory.

Opening the largest assembly that I have on my laptop, something close to 12,000 components, only required 1257 MB, but that was using 'lightweight' representations. Loading the same Assembly, only this time using 'exact' representations, required 1388 MB.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Simply opening parts will not demonstrate a lot of ram usage; we need to generate operations that are ram intensive.

Sven,
I opened the parts but there are not any manufacturing operations. If there isn't a confidentiality issue it would be a good idea to attach a file with operations you are having problems with. The parts I see a lot of ram usage are large 3D parts that have reference tool operations and/or using IPW with small tools. Especially using IPW after some finishing as been done on a large 3D part.

Can you attach a file with operations you are having problems with?

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
That's strange, when I open the setup file there are operations.

I've attached it again but in a zip file. There is a map in the zip file where the right components are located.
Can you try again and open the setup file again, normal there should be operations.

This is a workpiece that I've made a few days ago. When I was working on the program I've had to restart NX each 15 minutes because my RAM memory was full.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

I opened your setup part and all the operations generated almost immediately. The only message I received was pertaining to the ipw being out of date when I generated the operations on the other side of the part but they still generated quite fast. I was hoping to see the same behavior as your computer but it is okay on my computer. I would call GTAC and maybe there is something in your log file they can use.

I am running 9.0.3.4 mp4.

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
If I open the file now and I generate everything there is no problem, the problem is when I'm working for a wile on the file.
It seems like it remembers everything and stores it in my RAM memory so eventually it would be full.

I'll contact them, thanks for the help.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

One last thing, I wonder if your dialog memory file is becoming too large. NX manufacturing has a bad habit of making the dialog memory file too large to be useful. If that file gets too large I know start-ups and shutdowns can take a long time. If you have never cleared it then I recommend doing so. The easy way to do that is in User Interface preferences and press the Reset Dialog Memory button. Be warned this will cause NX dialogs to revert to default but only the first time you use a dialog.

NX9
Waiting for 10.2

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
I've deleted that file already, I read it on another topic that that could be the problem but no help for me.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

it can be relative to graphics driver ?

NX8.5 User

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
I don't know, I've been working for 2 hours now on the same file on another computer and the RAM memory level isn't beet above 3Gb.
My computer has better hardware specs than the one I'm currently working.
I think its a setting on my computer that is wrong and that causes the level of the RAM memory to get to high.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

what setting you have on virtual memory ?

computer -> properties -> Performance -> advanced

NX8.5 User

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
8GB
I was also thinking in that direction. NX thinks I have 16GB RAM and allocates 8GB. I only have 8GB RAM in my computer so NX may only allocate 6GB or so.
Is there a way I can change how many NX can allocate?

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

disable pagination file then reboot system and try it; may solve something but i think you should upgrade your mem size

NX8.5 User

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
Right now I'm working on a computer with only 4GB of RAM with no problems.
I'm doing more complex stuff than I was doing on my own pc when I had the problems so i don't think its the size of my RAM.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

try on disabling virtual mem.

NX8.5 User

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

I too have had very high RAM usage climbing into the 12GB+ used by ugraf.exe

Intel i7 3770
16GB RAM
NX 9.0.3.4
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
GTX 550 Ti (latest drivers)

We just upgraded to NX9 at the beginning of this week and its happened a few times to the eight of us in the CAD room. I do run two sessions of NX sometimes, so I'll try to be mindful of checking the RAM usage and update this thread if I can find out more information why this is happening.

We also have NX 8 and 8.5 installed on our systems. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

i had on customers defaults "allways compress on save" on and removed it, it will run faster at least on saving. coz we compared the versions saved with crompressed and witouth compression and in a 4gb project it only saved like just 150/200mb


NX8.5 - NX9 User

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Today, Ive opened and drafted only four parts(one assembly, three regular parts) and already my UGRAF.exe is using over 3GB of RAM. I've noticed that while taking a view in drafting and simply moving it around, the memory used by UGRAF.exe raised fairly quickly.(more so in the assembly) Also, after closing a part, the memory did not clear.

I do not have "always compress on save" option on.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

I just deleted a part I imported at the wrong scale, to reimport it. While deleting the 120mb part, the Memory Used raised from 4GB to 6.1GB and after it deleted, did not lower.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

If you are experiencing a memory leak, your best course of action would be to contact GTAC. They have the tools and know-how to dig into the technical details of your problem.

FWIW, I've been using NX 9 for a few months now and have not experienced a significant increase in memory usage.

www.nxjournaling.com

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

FYI-
The other day I was crunching a rest mill operation using a small tool and the operation came after many other operations so it had a lot of calculations to do. I also had a z-level profile operation with a reference tool crunching at the same time. Ram usage was 14+ GB and after I closed the part file usage was still at 6GB; a little higher than a fresh reboot and not unexpected. IMO 16 GB is minimum for anyone who works with 3-D non-prismatic parts or large prismatic parts, where either type is going use 3-D IPW's, reference tools and parallel generating.

NX9
Migrate to 10 when 10.2 is released.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

(OP)
I've contacted GTAC and after some mails and testing, GTAC contacted nVidea because the problem was my nVidea Geforce 650M card.
Because a "gaming" card from nVidea isn't build for heavy graphics applications it's trying to compensate by using the processor and storing stuff in the ram memory.
nVidea wouldn't give any further support for the problem because the graphic card wasn't a certificated card. They only give support for the Quadro series.

Below, the last mail I received from GTAC that describes the advice they could give me.

"Sven,
as discussed on the phone, I've discussed this problem with a NX CAM colleague, he instantly asked for the graphics card in your system (nVidia GeForce GT 650M), beause of the influence CAM operations (tool path, simulation, visualization,...) have on the graphics card.
The nVidia GeForce GT 650M is a "gaming" card that doesn't have Open GL hardware like the certified Quadro graphics cards.
You can try to install newer drivers and/or configure this card for NX operations via Global/Program (Open GL) settings in the nVidia Control Panel.
Increasing the Windows swap file may also help."

I've got no complains to GTAC they really did there best to help me.
In the following next days I will check if the recommendations will work and if i get any positive effects I will post it here.

Greetings Sven.

RE: NX9 - RAM Memory problem

Well at least you know now you can restart once in a while to get your ram back. Technically GeForce cards support Open GL, yours should support Open GL 4.4, but the drivers for GeForce are much different from Quadros. I have dual GeForce 680's in a test computer and it is mostly used for crunching work units for the Stanford Medical School protein folding grid project as well as some MasterCam and NX testing and possibly *cough cough* just a bit of WoT.

On a side note...I can't speak for your 650M card (is that mobile?) but the other GeForce cards are actually the same hardware as Quardros; only the driver is different. A long time ago people used to flash high end GeForce cards into their Quadro counterpart because the GeForce cards are literally a fraction of the cost of Quadro cards even though the hardware was the same. Nvidia became a little trickier about it nowadays and although people cannot easily flash their cards, there are hardware straps on the cards which can be carefully altered so it makes it possible to turn a GeForce card into a Quadro and vice versa. The hardware straps are so the driver software knows which driver to install. I know people who made K5000 cards from their gaming cards for under $500. Of course there are ethical questions about doing this since altering a card could be considered altering intellectual property. Still an interesting topic IMO.

NX9
Migrate to 10 when 10.2 is released.

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