Part family - controlling multiple family parts from one spreadsheet

[wacio]

I have a need to create part family where specific enclosure (part family member) is to be assembled with its dedicated cover (also family member).
Is it possible to create two part families using single spreadsheet to make enclosure and its cover creation simpler?
This would possibly allow me to create mating features of the enclosure and cover using same expression values from the spreadsheet.
Thank you.


NX8.5 + TC8.3

 

[looslib]

Should be able to create 2 family tables for the parts and then a third for the assembly.
Can get complicated, depending on how many family table parts you need to bring into the assembly and which ones are used for the assembly members. If it is a 1-1 relationship of the 2 main parts, the assembly family table may be overkill.

While I have not done this with NX, I have done it with Wildfire about 6 years ago.



"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[wacio]

Is there way with this approach to keep associativity between enclosures and corresponding covers? I'm trying to avoid having to change both tables independently on revision.

NX8.5 + TC8.3

 

[looslib]

Wave link the driving entities between the 2 files.
Designate one file as the primary and use wave link to pull the driving dimensions to the other file.
You only want to go one way with your file linkages or it will get confusing to you and the software.
If you build the chassis as the base and use a family table for different sizes, then you should be able to drive the cover, too.

One thing to remember is NX creates separate files for a family table, so you could break the family table links once the specific part size is created and that should reduce chances of changing a released production part. NX handles family tables differently than Wildfire, where all instances are in a single generic file.

With Wildfire, you would create a skeleton file of the basic shape with datum planes that define the sizes. Then you include the skeleton file in both the chassis and cover files and drive your geometry from the common planes. Add another file, a layout file, with the skeleton and you can drive all the dimensions from the layout.

"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[wacio]

Thank you Ben,

Yes that was my initial logical approach. My issue was that cover would have to be created manually for each family member of the enclosure. Part family automates the process by creating all members. That is why I posted this question. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be possible.

NX8.5 + TC8.3