Is it Possible to Anchor Views in NX9

[Kenja824]

Not sure if Anchoring Views is the correct term. We have details that need to be made in a specific location and position according to body parts of automobiles. We have always had to create each of these fresh.

What I would like to do (if possible) is model an object and do the drafting (in the same file) and then in modelling I want to be able to ove that solid model around, flip it around to where ever I need it and the views on drafting will stay where they are and update and continue to show the same view of the solid model.

This would allow us to create a standard detail and have most of the drafting set ahead of time. So the modeller would just do a save as, bring it into his assembly, position the solid model (not the component) to where he wants it and only have to adjust and add a little bit of drafting.

Is it possible to anchor a drafting view to a solid body?

 

[jhag84]

I'm not sure I fully understand what you're trying to do, but maybe this will help...

First move whichever solid you'd like to draft to it's own layer.

You can set your WCS up to this solid or to the body parts its connected, set your view to your WCS, then save your view. Then in drafting, place the view you'd like, click Format > Layers Visible in View and turn only the layer with the solid on it to visible, and the rest invisible.

 

[daluigi]

In Drafting on NX85 one can always manually define a model anchor point for a view. I'd be surprised it has changed into NX9...

 

[Kenja824]

Thanks for replying. Let me try to explain differently.

Lets say I have a simple "L" shaped block. I can go to the drafting side of NX and add drafting views and title block and dimension it up. Now, if I was to go into modelling again and move the body over 500mm and turn it 20 degrees, when I go back to drafting, the view will be all messed up. It may be blank as the solid moved out of the area, and if I update it, the view would show the same L-block but at a funky 20 degree angle.

What I am wondering if it is possible, is to anchor the drafting view to the solid body, so that in modelling I could move that solid anywhere and in any position I want, and when I go back to the drafting side, it still shows a good side view of that L-block. So in a sense, the drafting view will adjust to always look at the same perspective of the solid body.

 

[ewh]

I don't think it is possible. Drawing views have always been much like "snapshots" of the model and don't update relative to the model views.

"Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
-Dalai Lama XIV

 

[Toost]

Are you at all using Assemblies ?

If so, the general rule is that do not move the solid body in it's original file.
Create a drawing in a separate file ( or the master file.)
MOVE the model in an assembly, then it will only move in that assembly and all above assemblies.
This way you can place the same detail in multiple positions and orientations in the assembly.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[JohnRBaker]

While many people like to work in this manner, creating detail parts in the context of an Assembly, if you do, I think you'll find that the only practical way to handle the Drafting of these detail parts is to use the Master Model technique where the Drawing is a single level Assembly and the detailed part is a Component. That way you can position the detail part model in this Drawing 'Assembly' however you wish, independent of how it was oriented when it was modeled relative to the main Assembly.

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.

 

[Kenja824]

We are using assemblies, but we also have specific details that we have to model in body position. We do a lot of these same details and we always make them over and over because each one will be in a different place on the body and it must be modelled in body position to read the correct bodylines.

This is why I had the hope of drafting views that would adjust to the model being moved. Then we could have one done up and just do save as to it each time we need it. Bring it into the assembly at absolute and move the model to the correct position. And the drafting will still be good.

 

[cowski]

Start the base view command and before you place a view, go to the "model view" section and choose the "orient view tool". Turn on the "associative orientation" option and pick the normal vector and X direction vector. If/when the model moves, the view will update orientation. An easy way to set this up would be to create a datum csys in your model (it can be associative to the model) then use the datum csys Z and X vectors for the view orientation. Do NOT create projected views from this base view, they will not update orientation if/when the model moves; if you need other orthographic views, place base views picking the appropriate vectors of the datum csys as needed.

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[Kenja824]

Thanks cowski.

I have another question on this. I know this will probably really be pushing my luck, ad I dont know if you even have access to the hole chart we use for GM work, but if anyone knows if it is possible to use the hole chart with associated views, it would be awesome. As it stands, the views update great, but the X, Y, Z Datums get messed up. I was hoping they would just update the letters. lol Also body balloons dont work so well either.