"Mirror Body" vs. Instance Geometry's "Mirror"

[MFDO]

What is the difference between "Mirror Body" vs. Instance Geometry's "Mirror"?

Michael Fernando (CSWE)

http://www.solidCADworks.com

Tool and Die Designer
Siemens NX V8.5 + PDW
SWX 2013 SP3.0 X64
PDMWorks 2013
Logopress3
FastForm Advance
FormatWorks

 

[JohnRBaker]

What version of NX are you using? I ask because this become a moot point starting with NX 9.0 since 'Instance Geometry' is being replaced by 'Pattern Geometry'. The issues is that a 'Mirror' is NOT considered a 'Patterning' operation, therefore you'll have no choice but to use the new 'Mirror Geometry' function for any sort of 'Mirroring' operation.

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.

 

[MFDO]

John,
Thanks for the update. As mentioned in my signature, it's NX V8.5.

What function should I use with V8.5 to avoid issues with V9 in future?

Michael Fernando (CSWE)

http://www.solidCADworks.com

Tool and Die Designer
Siemens NX V8.5 + PDW
SWX 2013 SP3.0 X64
PDMWorks 2013
Logopress3
FastForm Advance
FormatWorks

 

[JohnRBaker]

Use whatever you wish as NX will continue to support, for editing and updating, the current schemes for making 'copies' of objects, be they mirrored or simply instanced.

And sorry about that unneeded question. I preach to people to include their current software levels in something like their signatures and then I completely miss reading it myself

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.

 

[KhimaniMohiki]

'Mirror body' will only operate on solid and sheet bodies, 'Instance geometry - mirror' will also mirror datums, CSYS, edges, points, faces and curves.

'Mirror body' has the 'At Timestamp' option which 'instance geometry - mirror' does not

Khimani Mohiki
Design Engineer - Aston Martin
NX8.5

 

[mmauldin]

I'm still using 7.5 but I will assume this still applies in 8.5.

Instance geometry allows creation of the mirror plane on the fly, mirror body requires the use of a predefined plane.

Mirror body will also affect the selection order of subsequent Boolean operations involving the original body and the mirrored body.

You have the option of hiding the original when using instance geometry.

 

[MFDO]

Thanks for the input. Performance wise which one is better?

I find “Hiding the original” is it unstable. Any update/adding a feature in the tree will show the original. So I’m using “Delete body” instead.


Michael Fernando (CSWE)

http://www.solidCADworks.com

Tool and Die Designer
Siemens NX V8.5 + PDW
SWX 2013 SP3.0 X64
PDMWorks 2013
Logopress3
FastForm Advance
FormatWorks

 

[JohnRBaker]

Note that the new 'Mirror Geometry' covers all objects types, including even a CSYS. And there is still a 'Mirror Body' option as part of the 'Extract Geometry' function which will continue to offer the option to 'Fix at Current Timestamp' or not. Also not that most, but not all, of these function which allows the selection of a plane, will provide the option to select an existing plane or to define one on-the-fly.

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.