Features and Model Updates 1

[AeroEngin]

Good morning everyone,
A co-worker and I came up with a somewhat hypothetical question regarding features and model updates. Let's say I have a part with around 50 or 100 blend features at the end of the model tree. Each blend feature is for one specific radius and one part of the model. For example the first blend feature may be all the pocket corner blends of one radius, and the next feature may be all the pocket floor blends of one radius. This model takes a long time to update whenever I make a change to a feature. What if I used the "List" section of the Edge Blend dialog box instead and (for the sake of this argument) was able to fit ALL my blends on this part into one feature with a huge list of blend sets? Would my update time improve noticeably? I guess the real question is whether model update time in NX is determined more by the number of features or by the geometry itself.

Does anyone have any ideas, or has anyone tried this? I understand there are practical limitations to the number of sets you can have in one feature since some blends will need to be applied before others, etc.

Thanks!

 

[aluminum2]

Depending on the complexity of the geometry edge blends are just going to take longer. I don't think that making all your edge blends in one feature would help much. I don't know your geometry, but if you have any features you can pattern with the edge blends, that would be one way to cut down time.

 

[JohnRBaker]

If your normal workflow is to make several model changes during a session before you consider the task completed, you could take all those blends added "at the end of the model tree" and add them to a 'Feature Group'. Now before you start you editing session, suppress the Feature Group containing the Blends. Now perform your multiple edits and then when you're done, unsuppress the group. Granted, that last update will be as long as ones you're getting now, but at least the previous ones should be significantly faster.

And to potentially save even more time, before you suppress the Feature Group containing the Blends, first go to...

Tools -> Update

...and select the 'Delayed After Edit' item which will toggle it ON. Now suppress the Feature Group and then perform your first edit. Now your model will not really update fully but if you're confident that your edits are going to work, try doing a couple more and then go back to...

Tools -> Update

...and you'll notice that the previously grayed-out 'Update Model' item will now be active. Select it and your model will update but the 'Delay' status will remain in effect. Now do a few more edits and repeat the above step.

Now when you get to where you've performed all your edits and you're ready to finish the job, unsuppress the Feature Group and then go back to...

Tools -> Update

...and toggled OFF the 'Delayed After Edit' item and now you'll get one last, albeit longer, update, but overall you should have saved significant time.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
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