Handling large assemblies in NX7.5

[blazespark101]

Hi everyone. New member here.

I'm currently working with NX7.5 linked with TC9. I was wondering if there was a way to change the transparency of lightweight components when drafting for them to look like their exact counterparts.

My job entails loading assemblies with 2000~3000 parts from an off-shore server, and then drafting the 3D models. Assembly loading takes around 30~45 minutes on the average with the larger assemblies taking around 2 hours or more. Using lightweight assemblies, the load times were reduced by at least 20%, but the problem when doing this is that the drafting views generated shown in wire frame.

Anyone who has a workaround? Thanks.

 

[JohnRBaker]

When you say "...the drafting views generated shown in wire frame.", what exactly are you saying? Are you talking about issues with hidden line views or what? BTW, NX 7.5 is getting a little 'long-in-the-tooth'. We made some significant improvements starting with NX 8.5 in terms of creating Drawings using lightweight views specifically for cases like yours, where large Assemblies have lots of Components.

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.

 

[blazespark101]

Hey John. Thanks for the response.

No problem with hidden line views. When the entire assembly is loaded (as in parts are shown exactly), the drawing views look solid. You can't see the insides of the assembly, which is what I'm trying to achieve. I was just wondering whether this was achievable if only lightweight representations are shown. As I said, it takes very long to load the entire assembly (shown exactly) and I would prefer it if I were to load lightweight representations only for two reasons: first, it saves a lot of time for me and my team, and second, because the only thing that we have to do is draft the part as references using callouts for certain parts, no detailing nor intricate dimensioning, and I think that loading the entire assy is unnecessary for our scope of work. If you have any suggestions on how to speed up opening the assembly instead, then that would be great. But if there's a way to display "solid" drawing views while only lightweight representations are loaded in the model, I think that would be the best solution to improve our productivity.

Please see attached picture, maybe it'll give you a better idea of what I'm trying to achieve.

I'd love to upgrade to NX8.5, its actually being discussed by us right now, but the final decision would be made by our mother company in Everett WA, given that we are an offshore branch in SEA and decisions like this are mostly out of our hands.

 

[JohnRBaker]

In NX 7.5, even if you've opened the Assembly with Lightweight Representations, when you create a Drawing, the views will be created using full fledged solid models. Granted, there is a 'Lightweight' or faceted Drawing view option, but this really only recommended for illustration type view, like pictorial of your Assembly, but not for orthographic views which you wish to add dimensions and/or section views. However, as I've already alluded to, this changes with NX 8.5 when we started to provide full Drawing view support for what is now called 'Smart Lightweight' views will alow yout create accurate and proper dimensions as well as dashed hidden line views and section views, even though the view are technically 'faceted' and thus 'lighter-weight' requiring less memory and providing better performance.

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.