EASIER WAY TO ASSEMBLE COMPONENTS

[riggle3219]

Hi all,

I have been running Nx 7.5 for a few month now, Nx 6 before that.

My question is as follows. we have been adding hardware, nuts, bolts, washers. etc. This is very time consuming. I was wondering if Nx had another way to add all the components as a group of components, I don't want to create an assembly of them because it would cause issues in TeamCenter. I used to run Pro/E a few years ago and in that world we could group 5 fasteners together and have the constraints related. then assemble the group. the model tree would show the group but you could expand the group and see the parts. the dwgs then would show the individual parts. I did a search on here and someone did ask the question about this but for a different reason and that was about a year ago or so.
In the past (Pro/E world), I could assemble all 5 parts with 3 constraints, then use what they called a repeat command and pick just one constraint, usually the insert(align axis). then place the group as fast as I could click the holes. In NX it is cumbersome to do this, even to repeat placement of parts is not as easy.

does anyone have any ideas as how to speed up the assembling of hardware?

 

[kapmnit123]

Hi,
Perhaps you might be interested in using Fastener Assemblies in your case.Do you want the complete fastener assembly as a single part?
Have you looked for Remember Assembly constraints too?
Best Regards
Kapil Sharma

 

[Toost]

Using "Fastener assemblies" You can predefine fastener stacks, i.e screw, washer, washer, nut etc and when adding that stack to the assembly decide if it should create a subnode or not.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[joycejo]

You can have the system remember constraints for commonly placed components. Assemblies → Remember Assembly Constraints
If the component(s) are added to an instanced feature you can use the feature array to add the remaining components.


John Joyce
N.C. Programming Supervisor
Barnes Aerospace, Windsor CT
NX6 & NX7.5

 

[riggle3219]

the best that I have done so far was to assemble the compnents at same time, and since the constraining hole was a pattern, it put in most.
the assembly stack method sounds interesting, I will investigate this method a little further. not sure what is meant by a subnode or not.

 

[JohnRBaker]

A 'sub-node' is referring to grouping, for example a bolt, washer and nut, as it's own little sub-assembly.

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

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

 

[dtharrett]

We had a similar issue here. We chose not to add groups of fasteners for a variety of reasons. Our solution was as follows: The first thing we did was set up a re-use library with common hardware. This allowed us to find the parts quickly. The hardware was all saved with remembered constraints. This allows for quick and consistent constraining.

After adding the first component in an assembly, you can add copies very effeciently by: add component=>select component (toggle on repeat after add)..