You can select the type of motion from the Motion drop-down menu.

The default option is

Dynamic. With this you can move the object in any direction. There are several other ways of
moving the object.

If you choose Distance you can move the selected object in the X-Y-Z direction by the distance
that you enter.

Click on Specify Vector and select the direction.

Type 5 in the Distance box. This will translate the cylinder a distance of 5 inches along
X-Axis

Click OK

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As you can see, we have moved the cylinder in the X-direction. Similarly, we can also copy the
cylinder by a specified distance or to a specified location by selecting the Copy Original option in
the Result.

4.7 EXAMPLES

4.7.1 Hexagonal Screw

Create a new file and save it as Impeller_hexa-bolt.prt

Choose Insert Design Feature

Cylinder

The cylinder should be pointing in the

Positive ZC-Direction with the center
set at the Origin and with the following
dimensions:

Diameter = 0.25 inches

Height = 1.5 inches
Now create a small step cylinder on top of the
existing cylinder.

Create a Cylinder with the following dimensions:

Diameter = 0.387 inches

Height = 0.0156 inches

Click on the top face of the existing cylinder

On the Point Constructor window, choose the

Arc/Ellipse/Sphere Center icon from the drop-down Type menu

Click OK to close the Point Constructor window

Under the Boolean drop-down menu, choose Unite

The two cylinders should look like the figure shown on the right.

Choose Insert Curve Polygon

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 Select the center of the top circle as the Center Point

On the Sides window, type 6 for the Number of Sides

There are three ways to draw the polygon.

Inscribed Radius
Circumscribed Radius
Side Length
Choose Side Length and enter the following dimensions:

Length = 0.246 inches

Rotation = 0.00 degree
Click OK

Now we will extrude this polygon.

Choose Insert Design Feature Extrude

Choose the Hexagon to be extruded

Enter the End Distance as 0.1876 inches

The model looks like the following after extrusion.

On top of the cylinder that has a diameter of 0.387 inches,

insert another cylinder with the following dimensions.

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 Diameter = 0.387 inches
Height = 0.1875 inches
You will only be able to see this cylinder when the model is in Static Wireframe since the cylinder
is inside the hexagon head. The model will look like the following.

We will now use the feature operation Intersect.

Choose Insert Design Feature Sphere

Choose Center Point and Diameter

Select the bottom of the last cylinder drawn (which is inside the hexagon head and has a
diameter of 0.387 inches and a height of 0.1875 inches) as shown below

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 Give 0.55 as the Diameter

Choose Intersect in the Boolean dialog box

It will ask you to select the Target Solid

Choose the hexagonal head

Click OK

This will give you the hexagonal bolt as shown. Now

we will add Threading to the hexagonal bolt.

Choose Insert Design Feature Thread

Click on the Detailed radio button

Keep the Rotation to be Right Hand

Click on the bolt shaft (the long

cylinder below the hexagon head)

Once the shaft is selected, all the values will

be displayed in the Thread window. Keep all
these default values.

Click OK

The hexagon bolt should now look like the following.

Save the model.

4.7.2 Hexagonal Nut

Create a new file and save it as
Impeller_hexa-nut.prt

Choose Insert Curve Polygon

Input Number of Dides to be 6

Create a hexagon with each side measuring 0.28685 inches and constructed at the Origin

Choose Insert Design Feature Extrude

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 Select the Hexagon to be extruded and enter
the End Distance as 0.125 inches

The figure of the model is shown.

Choose Insert Design Feature Sphere

Enter the Center Point location in the Point

Dialog window as follows

XC = 0; YC = 0; ZC = 0.125

Enter the Diameter value 0.57 inches

In the Boolean operations dialog box select

Intersect and click OK

The model will look like the following. We will now

use a Mirror command to create the other side of the
Nut.
Choose Edit Transform

Select the model and click OK

Click Mirror Through a Plane

Click on the flat side of the model as shown. Be careful not to select any edges

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 Click on OK

Click on Copy

Click Cancel

You will get the following model.

Choose Insert Combine Bodies Unite

Select the two halves and Unite them

Insert a Cylinder with the vector pointing in the ZC-Direction and with the following
dimensions:

Diameter = 0.25 inches

Height = 1 inch

Put the cylinder on the Origin and Subtract this cylinder

from the hexagonal nut

Now, we will chamfer the inside edges of the nut.

Choose Insert Detail Feature Chamfer

Select the two inner edges as shown and click OK

Enter the Distance as 0.0436 inches and click OK

You will see the chamfer on the nut. Save the model.

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4.7.3 L-Bar
Here, we will make use of some Primitives and Feature Operations such as Edge Blend, Chamfer,
and Subtract. It should be noted that the same model can be more easily created by 2D Sketching
and Extruding, but Primitives are used here to familiarize the users with these features.

Create a new file and save it as Arborpress_L-bar

Choose Insert Design Feature Block

Create a Block with the following dimensions:

Length = 65 inches

Width = 65 inches

Height = 285 inches

Create the block at the Origin

Create a second block also placed at the origin with the following
dimensions:

Length = 182 inches

Width = 65 inches

Height = 85 inches

We have to move the second block to the top of the first block:

Click Edit Move Object

Select the second block (green) and click OK

Choose the Motion as Distance

Select the positive ZC in the Specify Vector dialog

Enter 200 as the Distance value

Make sure that Move Original button is checked and click OK

Click Move and then Cancel on the next window so that the
operation is not repeated

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Now we will create a Hole. There are several ways to create a Hole. We will do so by first creating
a cylinder and then using the Subtract function.

Choose Insert Design Feature

Cylinder

On the Specify Vector, select the

YC Axis icon

In the Specify Point, enter the

following values:

XC = 130
YC = -5
ZC = 242
The cylinder should have the
following dimensions:

Diameter = 35 inches

Height = 100 inches

Under the Boolean drop-down window, choose Subtract

Select the horizontal block at the top

The hole should look like the one in the figure. Now we will create another
cylinder and subtract it from the upper block.

The cylinder should be pointing in the positive Y-direction set at the

following point: XC = 130; YC = 22.5 and ZC = 242 and should have the
following dimensions: Diameter = 66 inches; Height = 20 inches

Subtract this cylinder from the same block as before using the
Boolean drop-down menu

Now we will create a block.

Choose Insert Design Feature Block

Create a block with the following dimensions:

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 Length = 25 inches
Width = 20 inches
Height = 150 inches
Click on the Point Dialog icon in the Origin box and enter the
following values:

XC = 157; YC = 22.5; ZC = 180

The model will look like the following figure. Now we will subtract this
block from the block with the hole.

Choose Insert Combine Bodies Subtract

Click on the block with the two holes (green) as the Target

Select the newly created block as Tool

Click OK

The model will be seen as shown. Now we will use the Blend function in
the Feature Operations. We must first unite the two blocks.

Choose Insert Combine Bodies Unite

Click on the two blocks and click OK

The two blocks are now combined into one solid model.

Choose Insert Detail Feature Edge Blend

Change the Radius to 60

Select the edge at the

interface of the two blocks

Click OK
Repeat the same procedure to Blend
the inner edge of the blocks. This
time, the Radius should be changed
to 30.

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We will now make four holes in the model. You can create these holes by using the Hole option.
However, to practice using Feature Operations, we will subtract cylinders from the block.

Insert four cylinders individually. They should be pointing in the positive XC-direction
and have the following dimensions.

Diameter = 8 inches

Height = 20 inches

Construct them in the XC-direction at the following point coordinates:

Cylinder #1: X = 162; Y = 11.25; Z = 210

Cylinder #2: X = 162; Y = 11.25; Z = 275

Cylinder #3: X = 162; Y = 53.75; Z = 210

Cylinder #4: X = 162; Y = 53.75; Z = 275

Subtract these cylinders from the block in the Boolean dialog

box

The last operation on this model is to create a block and subtract it from
the top block.

Create a Block with the following dimensions:

Length = 60 inches
Width = 20 inches
Height = 66 inches
Enter the following values in the Point Dialog as the Origin of
the Block

XC = 130
YC = 22.5
ZC = 209.5
After creating the block, subtract this block from the block at
the top

The final figure will look like this. Save and close the file.

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4.7.4 Rack
Create a new part file and save it as Arborpress_rack.prt

Right-click, then choose Orient View Isometric

Choose Insert Curve Rectangle

The Point window will open. Note the Cue Line instructions. The Cue Line provides the step that
needs to be taken next. You need to define the corner points for the Rectangle.

For Corner Point 1,

Type in the coordinates XC = 0, YC = 0, ZC = 0 and click OK

Another Point Constructor window will pop up, allowing you to define the 2nd Corner Point

Type in the coordinates XC = 240, YC = 25, ZC = 0

and click OK and then Cancel

Right-click on the screen and choose FIT

Note: We have three options for creating a rectangle:

Two point
Three points
By center
The default option is By 2 Points.

Choose Insert Design Feature Extrude

OR
Click on the Extrude icon on the Form Feature toolbar.

The Extrude dialog box will pop up.

Click on the Rectangle.

Choose the default Positive ZC-direction as the Direction

In the Limits window, type in the following values:

Start = 0
End = 20

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 Click OK

The extruded body will appear as shown below.

Choose Insert Design Feature

Pocket

Choose Rectangular in the pop up

window

Click on the top surface of the rack

Click on the edge as shown in the figure

for the Horizontal Reference

This will pop up the parameters window.

Enter the values of parameters as shown

in the figure and choose OK

When the Positioning window pops up,

choose the PERPENDICULAR option

Click on the edge of the solid and then

click on the blue dotted line as shown
below

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 Enter the Expression value as 37.8 and Choose OK

Once again pick the Perpendicular option and then

choose the other set of the edges along the Y-Axis, as
shown on the right (the one perpendicular to the last blue
line selected)

Enter the expression value as 10 and click OK

Click OK and then Cancel

The model will now look as follows.

Let us create the instances of the slot as the teeth of the Rack to
be meshed with Pinion.

Click on Pattern Feature icon in the Feature Group

Click on the pocket created

Select Layout as Linear

Specify vector as positive XC direction

Choose Count and Pitch in Spacing option and enter value for Count as 19 and that for
Pitch Distance as 9.4

Click OK

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The model of the Rack will look as the one shown in the figure.

We will now create a Hole at the center of the rectangular cross section. To determine the center
of the cross-section of the rectangular rack, we make use of the Snap Points

Choose Insert Design Feature Cylinder

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 Choose –XC-Direction in the Specify Vector dialog box

Click on the Point Dialog

In the Points dialog box select Between Two Points option and select
the points as shown in the figure on the right (diagonally opposite
points). The option selects the midpoint of the face for us

Click OK

Enter the following values in the Dimension dialog box

Diameter = 10 inches
Height = 20 inches
Choose Subtract in the Boolean dialog box

The final model is shown below. Save and close the model.

4.7.5 Impeller
Open the Impeller_impeller.prt file you made in Section 3. It should like the figure below.

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Now let us model a cone.

Choose Insert Design Feature Cone

Select Diameters and Height

Select the –XC-Direction in the Specify Vector

dialog box

In the Point Dialog, enter the coordinates (14, 0, 0).

Enter the following dimensions:

Base Diameter = 15 inches

Top Diameter = 8 inches
Height = 16.25 inches
The cone will be seen as shown below if you choose Static
Wireframe View.

Extrude the Airfoil curve in the Z-direction by 12

inches

Unite the two solids in the Boolean operation dialog

box

The model will be as follows.

Now let us create five instances of this blade to make the

impeller blades.

Click on Insert Associative Copy Pattern

Feature

Select the Airfoil you just created

Select Circular layout

Select the XC-Direction for the Specify Vector and

the Origin for the Specify Point

For Count, type in 5 and for Pitch Angle, enter 72

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 Click OK

Now, let us create two holes in the cone for the shaft and the locking pin. Note that these holes can
also be created by Hole menu option.

Subtract a cylinder with a Diameter of 4 inches and a Height of 16 inches from the side
of the cone with the larger diameter

Subtract another cylinder with a Diameter of 0.275 inches and a Height of 0.25 inches
from the side of the cone with the
smaller diameter

The final model will look like the following.

Save and close your work.

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4.8 STANDARD PARTS LIBRARY
A better and faster approach for modeling standard parts like bolts, nuts, pins, screws, and washers
is using the Standard Parts Library. For example, to model a hexagonal bolt,

Choose Reuse Library Reuse Examples Standard Parts ANSI Inch Bolt

Right-click on Hex Head

Click on Open Source Folder

Open Hex Bolt, AI.prt

You can now go to Part Navigator to see all

the steps taken toward modeling this part
and modify any feature. For example to
modify the length of the bolt, right-click on
Extrude (8) “BODY_EXTRUDE” and
choose Edit Parameters.

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4.9 SYNCHRONOUS TECHNOLOGY
One of the important and unique features which NX offers apart from Design Features and
Freeform Modeling is Synchronous Technology. With the options available in Synchronous
Modeling group in the ribbon bar in the Modeling Application tab, the user can modify complex
3D models without the model history tree and without knowing the feature relationships and
dependencies. The “push-and-pull” options can be used to modify the 3D model using faces, edges
and cross-sections. NX 10 supports the Synchronous Modeling to work with 3D models from
CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER®, SolidWorks®, and Autodesk Inventor®, apart from the standard
formats including IGES, ISO/STEP and JT.

For the purpose of illustrating the options available in Synchronous Modeling, let us consider the
impeller part modeled in the previous section and export it as standard STEP format and save it.

Open a new file in NX

Choose File Import Impeller_impeller.stp

Observe here that the .stp file would not have any model history.
We will explore some of the options available in the Synchronous
Modeling group in the ribbon bar. Click More to view a
comprehensive list of options available in synchronous modeling.

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 Click Delete Face and select the faces of the blade to delete the blade

Repeat the process and delete all except one blade. The part should look as shown below.

Click Replace Face and select the end face of the blade with large blend radius as Face to
Replace and select the flat surface of the cone with smaller diameter as the Replacement
Face to delete the blade.

The part should look as shown below.

Click Move Face and select one side of the blade and enter distance -30 and angle 20 in
the transform section

Click Resize Blend and select the blended surface of the blade and enter radius as 7 mm
to sharpen the end

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 Click Offset Edge and select the top edge of the blade and choose the method along face
and enter -5 mm in the distance to offset the top surface of the blade

Click Pattern Face and select four surfaces of the blade and choose Circular Layout and
specify the conical axis as vector, center of the flat surface of the cone as point, count as 6
and pitch angle as 60 radius to pattern six blades.

Therefore, it can be observed that a standard .stp file has been modified by increasing the number
of blades and changing the blade profile. Similarly, the user can either modify any supported 3D
model depending on the design need or create a new 3D model with synchronous modeling “push
and pull” tools.

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4.10 EXERCISES

4.10.1 Circular Base

Model a circle base as shown below using the following dimensions:

Outer diameter = 120 inches

Distance of 3 small slots = 17 inches
Distance of the large slot = 30 inches
Diameter of the central rod = 4 inches and length = 30 inches
Length of slots may vary.

4.10.2 Impeller Upper Casing

Model the upper casing of the Impeller as shown below.

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The dimensions of the upper casing are the same as for the lower casing, which is described in the
previous exercise in detail. The dimensions for the manhole should be such that impeller blades
can be seen and a hand can fit inside to clean the impeller.

4.10.3 Die-Cavity
Model the following part to be used for the Chapter 9 Manufacturing Module. Create a new file
Die_cavity.prt with units in mm not in inches. Create a rectangular Block of 150, 100, 40 along X,
Y and Z, respectively with the point construction value of (-75,-50,-80) about XC, YC and ZC.

Create and Unite another block over the first one with 100, 80 and 40 along X, Y and Z and centrally
located to the previous block.

Create a sketch as shown below including the spline curve and add an Axis line. Dotted lines are
reference lines. While sketching, create them as normal curves. Then right click on the curves and
click convert to reference. Give all the constraints and dimensions as shown in the figure below.

Revolve the curves about the dashed axis as shown above, and subtract the cut with start angle and
end angle as -45 and 45.

Subtract a block of 70, 50, and 30 to create a huge cavity at the centre. Create and Unite 4 cylinders
at the inner corners of the cavity with 20 inches diameter and 15 inches height.

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Add edge blends at the corners as shown in the final Model below. Keep the value of blend as 10
radii for outer edges and 5mm radii for the inner edges.

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 CHAPTER 5 – DRAFTING

The NX 10 Drafting application lets you create drawings, views, geometry, dimensions, and
drafting annotations necessary for the completion as well as understanding of an industrial
drawing. The goal of this chapter is to give the designer/draftsman enough knowledge of drafting
tools to create a basic drawing of their design. The drafting application supports the drafting of
engineering models in accordance with ANSI standards. After explaining the basics of the drafting
application, we will go through a step-by-step approach for drafting some of the models created
earlier.

5.1 OVERVIEW

The Drafting Application is designed to allow you produce and maintain industry standard
engineering drawings directly from the 3D model or assembly part. Drawings created in the
Drafting application are fully associative to the model and any changes made to the model are
automatically reflected in the drawing. The Drafting application also offers a set of 2D drawing
tools for 2D centric design and layout requirements. You can produce standalone 2D drawings.
The Drafting Application is based on creating views from a solid model as illustrated below.
Drafting makes it easy to create drawings with orthographic views, section views, imported view,
auxiliary views, dimensions and other annotations.

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Some of the useful features of the Drafting Application are:

1) After you choose the first view, the other orthographic views can be added and aligned
with the click of a few buttons.

2) Each view is associated directly with the solid. Thus, when the solid is changed, the
drawing will be updated directly along with the views and dimensions.

3) Drafting annotations (dimensions, labels, and symbols with leaders) are placed directly on
the drawing and updated automatically when the solid is changed.

We will see how views are created and annotations are used and modified in the step-by-step
examples.

5.2 CREATING A DRAFTING

Open the file Arborpress_rack.prt

From the NX 10 Interface, choose File Drafting as shown or choose Application tab
and select Drafting

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When you first open the Drafting Application, a window pops up asking for inputs like the
Template, Standard Size or Custom Size, the units, and the angle of projection.

Size

Size allows you to choose the size of the Sheet. There are
standard Templates that you can create for frequent use
depending upon the company standards. There are several
Standard sized Sheets available for you. You can also define
a Custom sized sheet in case your drawings do not fit into a
standard sized sheet.

Preview

This shows the overall design of the Template.

Units

Units follow the default units of the parent 3-D model. In case
you are starting from the Drafting Application you need to
choose the units here.

Projection

You can choose the Projection Method either First Angle or

Third Angle method.

To start using the Drafting Application we will begin by

creating a Standard Sized sheet:

Click on the Standard Size radio button

In the drop-down menu on the Size window, select

sheet B, which has dimensions 11 x 17

Change the Scale to 1:25 by using the drop-down

menu and choosing the Custom Scale under the Scale

Click OK

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This will open the Drafting Application and the following screen will be seen as below. Let us first
look at the Drafting Application Interface.

You will see a dialog box pops-up which will help you choose the parts, views and other options.

Change the options and views and click Finish

Choose Insert View Base or click on Base

View in the View Group

The Base View dialog box with the options of the View and the Scale will show up along with a
floating drawing of the object.

Choose the View to be Front

You can find the Front View projection on the screen. You can move the mouse cursor on the
screen and click on the place where you want the view.

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Once you set the Front View another dialog box will pop-up asking you to set the other views at
any location on the screen within the Sheet Boundary.

You can find different views by moving the cursor

around the first view. If you want to add any
orthographic views after closing this file or changing to
other command modes

Choose Insert View Projected View or

choose Projected View icon from the View

group

Now, let us create all the other orthographic projected

views and click on the screen at the desired position.

In case you have closed the Projected View dialog box you can reopen it by clicking on
the Projected View icon in the View Group

Move the cursor and click to get the other views

Click Close on the Projected View dialog box or press <Esc> key on the keyboard to close
the window

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Before creating the dimensions, let us remove the borders in each view as it adds to the confusion
with the entity lines.

Choose Menu Preferences Drafting or click on

icon in the Quick Access toolbar to find the Drafting
Preferences

The Drafting Preferences window will pop up.

Click on the VIEW tab button

Uncheck the Tick mark on the Display Borders as shown in the figure below and click
OK

There are many other options like number of decimal places, hidden lines, angles, and threads that
you can find here. For example, you can find options for hidden lines in Drafting Preferences
View Common Hidden Lines

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5.3 DIMENSIONING
Now we have to create the dimensions for these views. The dimensions can be inserted by either
of the two ways as described below:

Choose Menu Insert Dimension

OR

Click on the Dimension Toolbar as shown in the following figure

Click on Points and Edges, move the mouse and click on the appropriate location to draw
dimensions

The icons in this window are helpful for changing the

properties of the dimensions.

Click on the Settings Button

Here you will be able to modify the settings for

dimensioning. A dialog appears as shown below.

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The first list is for Lettering. This allows the user to justify and select the frame size. In the
Line/Arrow section, you can vary the thickness of the arrow line, arrow head, angle format etc.
The most important section is the Tolerance list. Here you can vary the tolerance to the designed
value.

The type of display, precision required for the digits and other similar options can be modified
here. The next icon is the Text option, which you can use to edit the units, text style, font and other
text related aspects.

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 On the first view (Front View) that you created, click on the top left corner of the rack and
then on the top right corner

The dimension that represents the distance between these points will appear. You can put the
location of the dimension by moving the mouse on the screen. Whenever you place your views in
the Sheet take into consideration that you will be placing the dimensions around it.

To set the dimension onto the drawing sheet, place the dimension well above the view as
shown and click the left mouse button

Even after creating the dimension, you can edit the properties of the dimensions.

Right-click on the dimension you just created and choose Settings or Edit Display

You can modify font, color, style and other finer details here

Give dimensions to all other views as shown in the following figure

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5.4 SECTIONAL VIEW
Let us create a Sectional View for the same part to show the depth and profile of the hole.

Choose Insert View Section or click the View Section icon from the View group
in the ribbon bar

Click on the bottom of the Base View as shown in the figure. This will show a Phantom
Line with two Arrow marks for the direction of the Section plane (orange dashed line with
arrows pointing upwards).

Click on the middle of the View as shown. This will fix the position of the sectional line
(Section Plane)

Now move the cursor around the view to get the direction of the Plane of Section. Keep the arrow
pointing vertically upwards and drag the sectional view to the bottom of the Base View.

Adjust the positions of dimensions if they are interfering. The final drawing sheet should look like
the one shown in the following figure.

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Save and close your model.

5.5 PRODUCT AND MANUFACTURING INFORMATION

Product and Manufacturing Information (PMI) is one of the important applications in NX which
provides annotation tools used to document products in a 3D environment. PMI application
includes a comprehensive 3D annotation environment that allows design teams to share details
such as Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), surface finish, welding information,
material specifications, comments, government security information or proprietary information,
etc. directly to the 3D model. PMI complies with industry standards for 3D product definition and
therefore product teams working on collaborative projects would use 3D models as a legitimate
method for fully documenting product and manufacturing information.

In the below example, we will open a part file, create dimensions and comments on the 3D model
in the PMI application and learn how to inherit the dimensions and comments to the Drafting
application. This is only for the purpose of illustration.

Open the file Impeller_impeller.prt

From the NX 10 interface, choose File PMI (turn on the check mark)

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This should create an additional tab PMI in between Tools and Application tabs. Select the PMI
tab to enter the PMI application which should look as shown below.

The ribbon bar in this mode would have the Dimension, Annotation, Custom Symbols,
Supplemental Geometry, Specialized and Security Marking groups. Each group has several options
which could help describe the modeled 3D part. For example, dimensioning options in Dimension
group, Surface Finish and Notes in Annotation group.

Click Rapid icon

Select the end surfaces of the impeller as first and second objects to insert the linear
dimension or click the Linear icon to perform the same task

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 Click the Radial icon in the Dimension group to insert the dimensions of the holes and
curved surfaces on the impeller

Click the Centerline icon in the Supplemental Geometry group and select the
inner surface of the impeller to insert the centerline for the part

Click the Note icon in Annotation group to provide any comments or Surface Finish icon,
select the object, location of text and leader line to insert the specific surface finish details,
if required

The Trimetric view of the impeller after PMI dimensioning would look as shown below.

Save the file, select Application tab and click on Drafting icon in the ribbon bar

Follow the similar procedures explained in the previous section to create the Drawing sheet
for the 3D part

During the creation of the sheet, in the View Creation Wizard, select the Inherit PMI option, and
select the Aligned to Drawing (Entire Part) and check the Inherit PMI onto Drawing option. This
would inherit the dimensions of the 3D model and show on the drawing sheet including the

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comments as shown below. The user has to select the appropriate views to reflect the dimensions
on the drawing sheet.

5.6 EXAMPLE

Open the model Impeller_hexa-bolt.prt

Choose File Drafting or select Drafting in Application tab

On the Sheet window, select sheet E-34 X 44 and change the Scale value to 8.0 : 1.0

Click OK

Choose Insert View Base View or click the Base View icon

Add the Front view by repeating the same

procedure explained in the last example

Add the Orthographic Views including the Right

view and Top view

Choose Preferences Drafting

Uncheck the box next to Display Borders under

View Tab

The screen will have the following three views.

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To see the hidden lines,

Choose Preferences Drafting View

OR

Select the views, right-click and choose Settings as shown below

A window will pop up with various options pertaining to the views.

Click on the Hidden Lines tab

Change Process Hidden Lines to Dashed Lines as shown below and click OK

You can see the hidden lines as shown in the

picture on the right.

Now we will proceed to dimensioning.

Choose Insert Dimensions Linear or

click the Linear Dimension icon in the

Dimension group

Give vertical dimensions to all the

distances shown below

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For the threading, we will use a leader line.

Click on the Note icon shown in the Toolbar

In the Note window that opens, enter the following

text. You can find Ø and the degree symbol on the
Symbols tab

Right Hand Ø 0.20 x 1.5

Pitch 0.05, Angle 600
Click on the threaded shaft in the side view, hold
the mouse and drag the Leader line next to the
view. Let go of the mouse and click again to place
the text.

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 Close the Annotation Editor

Since the height of the Lettering is small, we will enlarge the character size as well as the arrow
size.

Right-click on the Leader and select Settings

Click on the Lettering tab

In the Text Parameter section, increase Height to make the leader legible

Click on the Line/Arrow tab

In the Format section, increase the Length of the Leader

Now we will add additional dimensions and views.

Choose Insert Dimensions Radial or click the Radial Dimension icon in the
Dimension group

Click the circle of the bolt in the top view to give the diameter dimension

Click Insert View Base View of click the Base View icon

Select the Isometric view and place the view somewhere on the screen

The final drawing is shown below. Remember to save.

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5.7 EXERCISE
Perform Drafting and give dimensions to the circle base that you modeled in Exercise 4.8.1.

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 CHAPTER 6 – ASSEMBLY MODELING

Every day, we see many examples of components that are assembled together into one model such
as bicycles, cars, and computers. All of these products were created by designing and
manufacturing individual parts and then fitting them together. The designers who create them have
to carefully plan each part so that they all fit together perfectly in order to perform the desired
function.

In this chapter, you will learn two kinds of approaches used in Assembly modeling. We will
practice assembly modeling using the impeller assembly as an example. Some parts of this
assembly have already been modeled in earlier chapters.

NX 10 Assembly is a part file that contains the individual parts. They are added to the part file in
such a way that the parts are virtually in the assembly and linked to the original part. This
eliminates the need for creating separate memory space for the individual parts in the computer.
All the parts are selectable and can be used in the design process for information and mating to
insure a perfect fit as intended by the designers. The following figure is a schematic, which shows
how components are added to make an assembly.

6.1 TERMINOLOGY

Assembly

An assembly is a collection of pointers to piece parts and/or subassemblies. An assembly is a part

file, which contains component objects.

Component Object

A component object is a non-geometric pointer to the part file that contains the component
geometry. Component object stores information such as the Layer, Color, Reference set, position
data for component relative to assembly and path of the component part on file system.

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Component Part

A component part is a part file pointed to by

a component object within an assembly. The
actual geometry is stored in the component
part and is referenced, not copied by the
assembly.

Component Occurrences

An occurrence of a component is a pointer to geometry in the component file. Use component

occurrences to create one or more references to a component without creating additional geometry.

Reference Set

A reference set is a named collection of objects in a component part or subassembly that you can
use to simplify the representation of the component part in higher level assemblies.

6.2 ASSEMBLING APPROACHES

There are two basic ways of creating any assembly model.

Top-Down Approach

Bottom-Up Approach

6.2.1 Top-Down Approach

In this approach, the assembly part file is created
first and components are created in that file. Then
individual parts are modeled. This type of
modeling is useful in a new design.

6.2.2 Bottom-Up Approach

The component parts are created first in the
traditional way and then added to the assembly
part file. This technique is particularly useful,
when part files already exist from the previous
designs, and can be reused.

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6.2.3 Mixing and Matching
You can combine these two approaches, when
necessary, to add flexibility to your assembly
design needs.

6.3 ASSEMBLY NAVIGATOR

The Assembly Navigator is located on top of the

Part Navigator in the Resource Bar on the left of
the screen. The navigator shows you various things
that form the assembly, including part hierarchy,
the part name, information regarding the part such
as whether the part is read only, the position, which
lets you know whether the part is constrained using
assembly constraints or mating condition, and the reference set. Following is a list of interpretation
of the Position of the components.

Indicates a fully constrained component

Indicates a fully mated component

(Fixed) Indicates that all the degrees of freedom are constrained

Indicates partially constrained component

Indicates partially mated component

Indicates that the component is not constrained or mated

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6.4 MATING CONSTRAINTS
After the Component Objects are added to the assembly part file, each Component Object is mated
with the existing objects. By assigning the mating conditions on components of an assembly, you
establish positional relationships, or constraints, among those components. These relationships are
termed Mating Constraints. A mating condition is made up of one or more mating constraints.
There are different mating constraints as explained below:

Touch/Align: Planar objects selected to align will be coplanar but the normals to the planes
will point in the same direction. Centerlines of cylindrical objects will be in line with each
other.

Concentric: Constrains circular or elliptical edges of two components so the centers are
coincident and the planes of the edges are coplanar.

Distance: This establishes a +/- distance (offset) value between two objects

Parallel: Objects selected will be parallel to each other.

Perpendicular: Objects selected will be perpendicular to each other.

Bond: Creates a weld and welds components together to move as single object.

Center: Objects will be centered between other objects, i.e. locating a cylinder along a slot
and centering the cylinder in the slot.

Angle: This fixes a constant angle between the two object entities chosen on the components
to be assembled.

6.5 EXAMPLE
We will assemble the impeller component objects. You have modeled all the components in
previous chapters. Now we have to insert them into the assembly environment and apply
constraints to locate them relative to each other. Once the assembling is completed, we can create
an exploded view and prepare the drafting.

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Before starting the assembly modeling, make two through-holes on each side of the Impeller-
lower-casing and Impeller-upper-casing (a total number of 4 holes for each casing) for the Hexa-
bolt. Diameter of the holes should be 0.25 and their location should be similar to the figure below.
Make sure to create the holes in the same places for lower and upper casing to that when they are
assembled they match.

6.5.1 Starting an Assembly

Create a new file

Choose Assembly under the Model tab

Name it as Impeller_assembly.prt

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OR, if you are in the Modeling Application and want to start assembling,

Turn on Assemblies option in Application tab and a new Assemblies tab shows up

OR

Click File Assemblies as shown below

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 The Home menu bar will now display tools for assembly

In the Components option,

Add option adds new component objects whose part files are already present.

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 Create New lets you create new component geometries inside the assembly file in case you
are using Top-Down approach of assembly.

The Assembly Constraints allows you to create assembly constraints and Move Components allows
you to reposition the components wherever you want them in the assembly.

6.5.2 Adding Components and Constraints

Choose Add

The dialogue box on the right side will pop up. You can select the part files from those existing
(should be already shown in Loaded Parts tab) or you can load
the part files using the Open file options in the dialog box. This
will load the selected part file into the Loaded Parts dialog box.

Click on the Open icon and select the file

Impeller_upper-casing.prt

Click OK in the part name dialog box

You will see that a small copy of the component object appears
in a separate window on the screen as shown in the figure
below.

You will need to place this figure initially at a certain location. This can be done by changing the
Positioning option in the Placement dialog box to Absolute Origin.

Click OK

Now we will add the second component, the lower casing.

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 Click on Add in the assembly section

Select the file Impeller_lower-casing.prt

In the Poistioning dialog box change the option to By Constraints

Choose Apply

This will show you the added component in a Component

Preview window as before.

Now let us mate the upper and the lower casing. You can
access all the constraints in the drop-down menu in the
Type dialog box in the Assembly Constraints menu. The
following dialog box will appear.

Here you can see the different Mating Types, which were
explained above in the previous section.

Make sure the Touch Align icon is selected

in the Type dialog box

First, select the face that the arrow is pointing to in

the Component Preview window as shown below
in the figure on the left.

Click on the face of the upper casing in the main screen as shown in the figure on the right.

You may have to rotate the figure in order to select the faces.

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 Click on the Assembly Constraints

Choose the Touch Align as the Type

Click on the Flange of the lower casing

Click on the Flange of the upper casing, you may need to inverse the direction of constraint

by click on the Inverse icon

Note: if it is difficult for you to select the faces because of the position of the parts, you can move
them by clicking on the Move Component in the same Assemblies group.

Select the Tough Align again

Click on the flat face of the lower casing as shown and then the same face on the upper
casing

The two assembled components will be seen as shown in the figure below.

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The lower casing is constrained with respect to the upper casing. Now let us add the impeller.

Choose Assemblies Components Add Component as an alternative way to add a

component to the assmbly

Open the file Impeller_impeller.prt

Click OK on the dialog box

Click on the Distance icon in the Type dialog box

Select the two faces, first on the impeller and then on the casing, as shown in the figure
below

Click OK

In the Distance dialog box in the Assembly

Constraints window, enter a value of 3

On the Assembly Constraints window,

uncheck the Preview Window option

The preview may show the impeller oriented in the

direction opposite to the one we want.

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 On the Assembly Constraints window, click on the Reverse the Last Constraint option
in the Geometry to Constrain

Now the impeller will be oriented in the right direction.

We will now add the shaft using the Center constraint.

Click on Assemblies Components Add

Component

Open the file Impeller_shaft.prt

Click OK on the dialog box

Choose the Touch Align icon

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 Choose the Infer Center/Axis option in the Geometry to Constrain dialog

Select the two surfaces, first on the shaft in the preview window and then on the impeller
on the main screen as shown in the figures below

Choose the Touch Align constraint

First, select the face on the shaft and then select the bottom face of the hole in the impeller
as shown

Choose Apply and then click OK

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The assembly will now look like the figure below.

Click on Assemblies Components Add Component

Open the file Impeller_hexa-bolt.prt

Choose the Touch Align constraint. Use the Infer Center/Axis option in the Geometry
to Constrain dialog box

First, select the outer cylindrical threading on the bolt and then select the inner surface of
the hole on the upper casing as show in the figures below.

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 Again in the Touch Align constraint change the Geometry to Constrain option to Prefer
Touch

Select the flat face on the bolt and the face on the rib of the upper casing as shown

Click Apply and then OK

The assembly is shown below.

Repeat the same procedure to add bolts and nuts to all the holes in the casing.

This completes the assembly of the impeller.

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Note: There is a simpler way to assemble the bolt and nut set. Instead of adding the three parts
individually, you can assemble these components separately in another file. This will be a sub-
assembly. You can insert this subassembly and mate it with the main assembly.

The Final Assembly will look as the shown below. Save the Model.

6.5.3 Exploded View

In this section, we are going to create an Exploded View of the assembly to show a separated part-
by-part picture of the components that make the assembly. In today’s industrial practice, these
kind of views are very helpful on the assembly shop floor to get a good idea of which item fixes
where. The user should understand that exploding an assembly does not mean relocation of the
components, but only viewing the models in the form of disassembly. You can Unexplode the view
at any time you want to regain the original assembly view. Let us explode the Impeller Assembly.

Choose Menu Assemblies Exploded Views New Explosion

This will pop a dialog box asking for the name of the
Explosion view to be created. You can leave name as
the default name and choose OK

Now the NX environment is in Exploded View

environment though you do not find any difference. When we start exploding an assembly, we
should decide upon a component to keep that component as the reference. This component should
not be moved from its original position. In the case of the impeller assembly, the impeller will be
the right option as it is central to the entire assembly. Now let us start exploding the components.

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 Right click on the upper casing and choose Edit Explosion

The Edit Explosion window will pop up along with a coordinate system on the component.

Click on the Z axis; hold the mouse and drag upwards until the reading in the Distance
shows -20 (substitute +20 if you have designed in opposite direction)

Click OK

Right click on the lower casing and choose Edit

Explosion

Again, this will pop up a dialog window for Edit

Explosion and a coordinate system on the component.

Click on the Z-axis; hold the mouse and drag

downwards until the reading in the Distance
shows 20 as shown in the following figure.

Right click on the shaft and choose Edit

Explosion

This time click on the X-axis; hold the button and drag to the right side until the reading in
the distance shows -25 as shown in the following figure

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 Choose OK

Select all the four hexagonal bolts in the assembly by clicking on them

Right click on one of them and choose Edit Explosion

This time click on the Z-axis; hold the button and drag upwards until the reading in the
Distance shows 25 as shown in the following figure. This will move all the six bolts
together to the same distance.

Choose OK

Likewise, select all the four hexagonal nuts together and move them downwards to a value
of -30.

This is the Exploded view of the assembly. You can rotate and see how it looks like.

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If you want to retain the original assembly view you can Unexplode any component,

Right click on the component and choose Unexplode.

If you want to unexplode all the components,

Choose Assemblies Exploded Views Unexplode Component

Select all the components and choose OK

6.6 EXERCISE

In previous sections of this tutorial, we have modeled various parts, some of which are components
of the arbor press, which is shown below. Assemble the arbor press using the components that you
have modeled in addition to ones that are provided to you that you have not modeled before. The
complete list of parts that the arbor press assembly consists of includes:

Allen Bolt
Allen Nut
Base
Circle base
End clip

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 Handle
Hexagonal Bolt
L-bar
Pin
Pinion
Pinion handle
Plate
Rack
Sleeve
All these parts are provided in a folder that can be accessed along with this tutorial in the same
internet address (https://web.mst.edu/~mleu/).

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 CHAPTER 7 – FREEFORMING

In this chapter, you will learn how to create freeform models in NX 10. Up to this point, you have
learned different ways to create models by using Form Features or by Sketching. Freeform
modeling involves creating solids in the form of surfaces particularly the B-surface. Because of
their construction techniques and design applications, these surfaces are usually stylistic. A few
freeform features are shown below.

To create Freeform Features, you first need a set of points, curves, edges of sheets or solids, faces
of sheets or solids, or other objects. The following sections cover some of the methods that you
can use to create solids using some of the freeform features.

7.1 OVERVIEW
The Freeform Features in NX 10 are grouped under various menus and located in the INSERT
menu. There are a lot of ways in which you can create Freeform Features from the existing
geometry you have like points, edges, curves, etc. These options are located at various places like
Menu Insert Surface/Mesh Surface/Sweep/Flange Surface and Menu Edit Surface for
more advanced options A few of the menus that are more useful are discussed below.

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7.1.1 Creating Freeform Features from Points
In the case where the geometry you are constructing or pre-
existing data includes only points, you may be able to use
one of these three options to build the feature from the
given points.
Click on Insert Surface

Four point surface: if you have four corner points.

Through Points: if the points form a rectangular

array.

From Poles: if defined points form a rectangular array

tangential to the lines passing through them.

7.1.2 Creating Freeform Features from Section Strings

If construction geometry contains strings of connected objects (curves and edges), you may be
able to use one of these two options to build the feature.
Click on Insert Mesh Surface

Ruled: Used if two strings are roughly parallel.

Through Curves: Used if the three or more strings are

roughly parallel.

If construction geometry contains two or more strings (curves, faces, edges) that are roughly
parallel to each other, and one or more section strings that are roughly perpendicular to the first
set of curves (guides), you may be able to use one of these following options to build the feature.

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 Through Curve Mesh: Used if at least four section
strings exist with at least two strings in each direction (parallel
and perpendicular).

Swept: Used if at least two section strings are roughly

perpendicular (choose Insert Sweep).

7.1.3 Creating Freeform Features from Faces

If the construction geometry contains a sheet or face, you may be able to use one of the following
two options to build the feature.
Click on Insert Offset/Scale

Offset Surface: Use this option if you have a face to

offset.

Click on the Insert Flnage Surface Extension

Extension: Use this option if you have a face and edges, edge curves, or curves on the face.

7.2 FREEFORM FEATURE MODELING

Let us do some freeform modeling on structured points, a point cloud, curves and faces. Structured
points are a set of point’s defined rows and columns. A point cloud has a set of scattered points
that form a cloud.

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7.2.1 Modeling with Points
Open the file freeform_thrupoints.prt

Right-click on the Toolbars and make sure the Surface Toolbar is checked

You will see seven rows with many points.

Choose Insert Surface Through Points

OR

Click on the Icon in the Toolbar

The dialogue box will pop up as shown in the right.

For Patch Type, select Multiple

For Closed Along, select Neither

For Row Degree and Column Degree, enter 3.

Click OK

The next dialogue box will be as shown.

Click Chain from All

Select the top starting point and the bottom ending point of the left most row as shown in
the following figure

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The first row of points will be highlighted.

Repeat the same procedure to select the first four strings of points.

After that, a window should pop-up asking if all points

are specified or if you want to specify another row.

Select Specify Another Row until all rows are

specified

When all the rows are specified, choose All Points Specified

Click Cancel on the Through Points window

You will see the surface as shown below.

7.2.2 Modeling with a Point Cloud

Open the file named freeform_throughcloud.prt

The point cloud will be seen as follows.

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 Choose Insert Surface Fit Surface

OR

Click on this icon on the Surface Toolbar

The following dialogue box will appear.

Select all the points on the screen by clicking on the

point cloud.

In the Fit Direction drop-down menu, choose Best Fit

for. This matches the point cloud coordinate system
with original system

Change the default values for U and V degrees to 3

Click OK

The final sheet will look like the following.

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7.2.3 Modeling with Curves
Open the file named freeform_thrucurves_parameter.prt

The curves will be seen as in the figure below.

Choose Insert Mesh Surface Through Curves

OR

Click on this Icon on the Toolbar

Select the first section string as shown below. Be sure to select somewhere on the left side
of the arc.

A direction vector displays at the end of the string.

Click the middle mouse button MB2

Click on the next curve similar to first one and click the middle mouse button MB2. You
can see a surface generated between the two curves as shown in the figure

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 Repeat the same procedure to select the remaining strings. Remember to click MB2 after
selecting each curve.

For Alignment, choose Parameter

For Patch Type, choose Single

For Construction, choose Simple

When the Simple option is activated, the system tries to

build the simplest surface possible and minimize the
number of patches.

Click OK

7.2.4 Modeling with Curves and Faces 1

Open the file named
2
freeform_thrucurves_faces.prt

The curve and faces will be seen as follows.

Choose Insert Mesh Surface

Through Curves

Select the left edge of the top plane 3

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 Select the middle edge and click MB2

Select the line

In the Dialog box, under the Alignment section, uncheck the Preserve Shape check box

You would get the following shape displayed on screen.

Make sure that all the arrows are pointing in the same direction.

In the Alignment dialog box choose Parameter

In the Continuity dialog box select G2 (Curvature) option and select the two faces of the
top plane as shown

Click APPLY

Now select the middle edge and click MB2

Select the edge of the lower plane and click MB2

Click MB2 to finish the curve selection

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 Change the option to G2 (Curvature) in the Continuity dialog box

Select the face of the upper surface(newly created and click MB2

Select the bottom face

Click APPLY and then click Cancel

The final curve will be seen as shown below.

7.3 EXERCISE

Model a computer mouse similar to the one shown below or use your imagination to model a
different mouse. As a hint, create some boundary curves on different planes and use them to form
freeform surfaces. Use these quilt surfaces to create the solid. Add and subtract blocks and pads to
attach the accessories like buttons.

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 CHAPTER 8 – FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a method for predicting the response of structures and materials
to environmental factors such as forces, heat and vibration. The process starts with the creation of
a geometric model. The model is then subdivided (meshed) into small pieces (elements) of simple
geometric shapes connected at specific node points. In this manner, the stress-strain relationships
are more easily approximated. Finally, the material behavior and the boundary conditions are
applied to each element. Software such as NX 10 computerizes the process and makes it possible
to solve complex calculations a matter of minutes. It can provide the engineer with deep insights
regarding the behavior of objects.

Some of the applications of FEA are Structural Analysis, Thermal Analysis, Fluid Flow Dynamics,
and Electromagnetic Compatibility. Of these, FEA is most commonly used in structural and solid
mechanics applications for calculating stresses and displacements. These are often critical to the
performance of the hardware and can be used to predict failures. In this chapter, we are going to
deal with the structural stress and strain analysis of solid geometries.

8.1 OVERVIEW

8.1.1 Element Shapes and Nodes

The elements can be classified into different types based on the number of dimensions and the
number of nodes in the element. The following are some of the types of elements used for
discretization.

One-dimensional elements

Two-dimensional elements

Triangular:

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Quadrilateral:

Three-dimensional elements

Tetrahedral (a solid with 4 triangular faces):

Hexahedral (a solid with 6 quadrilateral faces):

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Types of nodes

Corner nodes
Exterior nodes
Side nodes
Interior nodes
The results of FEA should converge to the exact solution as the size of finite element becomes
smaller and smaller.

8.1.2 Solution Steps

Starting the Simulation: You can select the solver algorithm from one of these: NX Nastran, NX
Thermal/Flow, NX Nastran Design, MSC NASTRAN, Ansys, Abaqus, NX Electronic Systems
Cooling, NX Space Systems Thermal, LS-DYNA, and NX Multiphysics. In addition, you can
choose the type of analysis to be performed. In this tutorial, only Structural Analysis will be
covered with NX Nastran Design.

Choosing the Material Properties: This allows you to change the physical properties of the
material that will be used for the model. For example, if we use steel to manufacture the impeller,
we can enter the constants such as density, Poisson’s ratio, etc. These material properties can also
be saved in the library for future use or can be retrieved from Library of Materials.

Applying the Loads: This option allows you to exert different types of forces and pressures to act
on the solid along with the directions and magnitudes.

Applying the Boundary Conditions: Boundary conditions are surfaces that are fixed to arrest the
degrees of freedom. Some surfaces can be rotationally fixed and some can be constrained from
translational movement.

Meshing the Bodies: This is used to discretize the model as discussed in beginning of the chapter.
Normally, we select tetrahedral shapes of elements for approximation. You can still select the 2-
D and 1-D elements depending on the situation and requirements by choosing these options from
the drop-down menu.

Solution and Results: This is the command to solve all the governing equations by the algorithm
that you choose and all the above options. This solves and gives the result of the analysis of the
scenario.

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8.1.3 Simulation Navigator
The Simulation Navigator provides the capability to activate
existing solutions, create new ones, and use the created solution
to build mechanisms by creating and modifying motion objects.
To display the Simulation Navigator,

Click the Simulation Navigator tab in the Resource

bar as shown in the figure

It shows the list of the scenarios created for the master model
file. In each scenario, it displays the list of loads, boundary
conditions, types of meshes, results, reports generated and so
on.

8.2 SCENARIO CREATION

Copy and paste the file Impeller_impeller.prt into a new folder to avoid changes being
made to the assembly

Click on New Simulations if the part is NOT already opened in the NX window

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 Open this newly copied file

If part is already opened in NX, then click on File Advanced Simulations

The following figure is the toolbar for Finite Element Modeling and Analysis of Structures.

The Design Simulation module is different from when the first scenario is created. NX creates a
folder of the same name as that of the file and at the same location where the file is located. For
every scenario or Solution, it creates five different files with the name of the scenario. They are
xxx.SIM, xxx.DAT, xxx.txt, xxx.out and xxx.VDM. All the results generated for the scenarios are
saved as .VDM files. You can think of a scenario model as a variation of a master design model.

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Scenarios contain all the geometric features of the master model. They also support body
promotions and interpart expressions.

Body promotions are used to provide an independently modifiable copy of the master model
geometry and serve as a place to hold scenario-specific features such as mid-surfaces. The scenario
model's geometry is linked to the master model geometry, but a scenario may have additional
unique information. For example, the master model may contain all the information about the
model's geometry, but the scenario model will contain additional motion data, such as information
about links and joints.

Note: When you first open any file in Design Simulation module, it will automatically pop up with
Solution Creation window to create a solution.

Click on the New FEM and Simulation icon on the

toolbar

This will pop up the New FEM and Simulation dialog box to
create a new scenario.

Click OK

This pops up another window that creates different scenarios as

shown below.

In the Solution window, you can select the Solver and the Analysis Type.

The default Solver type is NX Nastran Design and Analysis type as Structural.

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 Choose OK to create a new Solution called Analysis_1, which is displayed in the
Simulation Navigator

The Simulation Navigator will now look like the following figure.

8.3 MATERIAL PROPERTIES

The next step is to give the material properties to the solid model for this scenario. Because we do
not have any data in the library to retrieve for standard material, we will create one. Let us assume
that we will use steel to manufacture the impeller.

Click on the More icon in Properties group on the Toolbar

Choose Assign Materials

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The Assign Materials window will pop up. You have
the option of choosing the pre-defined materials
from the Library or create a new material.

Select the Impeller

Choose Local Materials

Click on the Create icon

Enter the name and values as shown in the following

figure. Pay attention to the units.

(Note that 30e6 represents 30×106)

Choose OK to exit the Isotropic Material

window

This will assign the material properties to the

impeller. Now let us attach the load.

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8.4 MESHING
The Mesh option discretizes the model into
small elements.

Click on the 3D Tetrahedral Mesh

icon

A window will pop up asking for the type

and size of the elements.

Click on the solid object model on

the graphic screen.

There are two types of Tetrahedral

Elements available in NX 10. One is 4-
nodes and the other is 10-node.

Choose the Type to be TETRA10

Enter the Overall Element Size as

1.0

Choose OK

You can find the model with small

tetrahedral elements. It will look like the
figure shown below.

Note: While meshing the solid there is a

trade-off you need to consider. If you
choose a smaller element with higher
nodes you will get better accuracy in your analysis than larger element. However, the time required
to solve the model with smaller elements will much greater than with larger element. Hence, based
on the accuracy requirement of the study and how critical the component is in terms of the end
product choose the appropriate size of the elements and nodes.

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8.5 LOADS
The loads applied on the solid model should be input to the system. For the impeller, the major
force acts on the concave surfaces of the turbine blades. This loading can be approximated by
normal pressure on all the five surfaces. Since we are not concerned about the magnitude of the
load, let us take the value to be 100 lbf/sq inch to exaggerate the deformation of the blades.

Click on the Activate Simulation to apply loads as shown below

Click on Load Type and choose Pressure

Click on the five concave surfaces of the blades as shown in the following figure

Enter the value for Pressure as 100 and keep the units as lb-f/in2 (psi)

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8.6 BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
The impeller rotates about the axis of the cone with the shaft as you can see in the assembly in the
previous chapters. It is not fixed but our concern is the deformation of the blades with respect to
the core of the impeller. The conical core is relatively fixed and the deformations of the blades are
to be analyzed accordingly.

Click on the Constraint Type icon

Select the Fixed Constraint

This type of constraint will restrict the selected entity in six DOF from translating and rotating.
You can see the different constraints available by clicking the Constraint Type drop-down menu
on the toolbar.

Click on the conical surface of the impeller as shown in the following figure

Click OK

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8.7 RESULT AND SIMULATION

8.7.1 Solving the Scenario

The Finite Element Model is now ready for solving and analysis. It is a good practice to first check
for model completion before we get into solving the model. To check the model

Click on the Menu Analysis Finite Element Mode Check Model Setup or click
the Model Setup icon in the Checks and Information group in the ribbon bar

This will pop-up a menu as shown on the right.

Choose OK

This will display the result of the Check. You will be

able to see any errors and warnings in a separate
window. In case you get errors or warnings go back
to the previous steps and complete the required
things. If you do not get errors or warnings you are
ready to solve the FEA problem.

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 Click on the Solve icon

This will open the Solve window.

Click OK without making any changes

It may take a while to generate the results. Wait until the

Analysis Job Monitor window appears, showing the job to
be Completed. While the solver is doing computations, the
Analysis Job Monitor will show as Running

Click on Cancel when the Analysis Job Monitor

window shows Completed

8.7.2 FEA Result

Click on Open Results

Click on the Post Processing Navigator

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The Post-Processing Navigator shows all the Solution you created. If you click the ‘+’ sign in
front of the Solution you will see the different analyses that have been performed on the model.

Double-click on the Displacement-Nodal

menu

The screen will now appear as shown below. You can

easily interpret the results from the color-coding. The
orange-red color shows the maximum deformation
zones and the blue area shows the minimum deformation zones. You can observe that because the
conical core is fixed, it experiences zero deformation. The analysis also shows that the maximum
deformation experienced at the tip of the blades is 1.245 x 10-3 inches.

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On the Post-Processing Navigator, you can keep changing the results by double clicking each
option as shown below. You can click on the other inactive marks to see various results. Some of
the other results are shown below.

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8.7.3 Simulation and Animation
The Post Processing Toolbar should appear when you select the Design Simulation Module.
However, in case it does not become visible follow these steps.

Click on the Results tab. A group for Animation can be seen on it as follows

Click on the Animation icon.

In the Animation window, change the number of

frames to 10 and click on the Play button to see

the animation of the deformation

You can now see an animation of how the impeller is

deformed as the loads are applied to the blades.

To make any setting changes in the results display,

click on the Edit Post View icon

Check the Show undeformed model and click OK

Now press on the Play button to see the animation.

This will show the animation of deformation with
the original shape in grey color, as shown in the
figure below.

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 Click on the Stop button

Right-click on the Return to Home to go back to the meshed model

There are two ways to improve the accuracy of FEA results.

Reduce the size of element

Increase the order of interpolation polynomial (i.e. use quadratic or even cubic instead of
linear polynomials)

The second approach is preferred because it is more efficient in terms of computation time and
takes less memory space. However, let us try to create a scenario using the first option.

Right-click on Solution 1 in the Simulation

Navigator

Choose Clone to copy the first scenario

Once Copy of Solution 1 is created, rename it to

Solution 2

Go to .fem1 file in the Simulation File View

Right click on the 3D Mesh (1) and click Edit

In the dialog box shown, change the Type to

TETRA4

Choose OK

Go to .sim1 file in the Simulation File View

Click on the Solve icon to solve the scenario

Click OK

The Analysis Job Monitor should show the status of Solution

2 to be Completed.

Click Cancel

In the Simulation Navigator, double-click on Results for Solution 2

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The figure below shows the analysis. You can observe the change in the maximum deviation. Save
all the scenarios and close the files.

8.8 EXERCISE

Open the file ‘Arborpress_L-bar.prt’ and do a similar structure

analysis, considering the material as steel. For the mesh, the
element size should be 10.00 and the type Tetra10. For the loads,
apply a normal pressure with a magnitude of 500 on the top surface
as shown in the figure.

For the boundary conditions, fix the three flat faces (the front
highlighted face, the face parallel to it at the backside and the
bottom face) as marked in the following figure.

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 CHAPTER 9 – MANUFACTURING

As we discussed in Chapter 1 about the product realization process, the models and drawings
created by the designer have to undergo other processes to get to the finished product. This being
the essence of CAD/CAM integration, the most widely and commonly used technique is to
generate program codes for CNC machines to mill the part. This technological development
reduces the amount of human intervention in creating CNC codes. This also facilitates the
designers to create complex systems. In this chapter, we will cover the Manufacturing Module of
NX 10 to generate CNC codes for 3-Axis Vertical Machining Centers. This module allows you to
program and do some post-processing on drilling, milling, turning and wire-cut EDM tool paths.

9.1 GETTING STARTED

A few preparatory steps need to be performed on every CAD model before moving it into the
CAM environment. Throughout this chapter, we are going to work with one of the models that
were given in the exercise problems. For a change, all the units are followed in millimeters in this
model and manufacturing of the component.

Before getting started, it would be helpful if you can get into a CAM Advanced Role. To do this,
go to the Roles menu on the Resource Bar. A drop-down
menu will pop up in which the CAM Advanced role can
be seen as shown in the figure.

9.1.1 Creation of a Blank

After completing the modeling, you should decide upon
the raw material shape and size that needs to be loaded on
the machine for the actual machining. This data has to be
input in NX 10. This can be achieved in two ways. The
first method is by creating or importing the model of the
raw material as a separate solid in the same file and
assigning that solid as the Blank. The second method is
by letting the software decide the extreme dimensions of
the designed part and some offset values if wanted. The

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later method allows a quick way of assigning the raw size details but it can only be used for
prismatic shapes.

Open the file Die_cavity.prt of the exercise problem in Chapter 4

Insert a block with the following dimensions and positioning

Length = 150 mm
Width = 100 mm
Height = 80 mm
In the Point Constructor icon located on the toolbar choose the lower most edge of the
base block, so that the new block created wraps up the whole previous model as shown

This block encloses the entire design part so we will change the display properties of the block

Click on the Edit Object Display icon in the Visualization group of the View tab

Select the block you created and click OK

When the window pops up, change the display Color and change the Translucency to 50

click OK

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 Hide the block you just created by right clicking on the block in the Part Navigator. This
will make the raw block disappear from the environment. Whenever you want to view or
work on this solid, reverse the blanks. This is done by pressing <Ctrl> + <Shift> + B.

9.1.2 Setting Machining Environment

Now we are set to get into the Manufacturing module.

Select File New Manufacturing Mill Turn

There are many different customized CAM sessions available for different machining
operations. Here, we are only interested in the milling operation.

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9.1.3 Operation Navigator
As soon as you get into the Manufacturing environment, you will notice many changes in the main
screen such as new icons that are displayed.

Click on the Operation Navigator tab on the right on the Resource Bar

The Operation Navigator gives information about the programs created and corresponding
information about the cutters, methods, and strategies. The list of programs can be viewed in
different categorical lists. There are four ways of viewing the list of programs in the Operation
Navigator. The four views are Program Order view, Machine Tool view, Geometry view and
Machining Method view.

Click on Geometry View

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9.1.4 Machine Coordinate System (MCS)
Click on the Create Geometry icon in the Insert group
to initiate setup for programming

You will see a Create Geometry pop-up. You should be able to

see the mill_contour as the program name in the Operation Navigator. If you do not see it, click
on the Geometry View button in the Toolbar again.

Click OK

Another pop-up window will allow you to set the MCS

wherever you want. By default NX 10 takes the original
AbsoluteCS as the MCS.

Click on the CSYS button in Specify MCS. This

will highlight the default WCS of the part and assign
it as the MCS

Click OK to select it as the MCS

9.1.5 Geometry Definition

Click on Geometry View

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 Expand MCS_MAIN_SPINDLE by clicking on the plus signs in the Operation
Navigator

Double-click on WORKPIECE_MAIN in the Operation Navigator. If you do not see it,

click on other plus signs

The pop up window Workpiece Main

appears. This is where you can assign the
Part geometry, Blank geometry, and
Check geometry if any.

Click on the Part icon

Select the design part and click

OK

Now we have to select the Blank

Geometry.

Click the Blank icon

This will open the Blank Geometry Window. As mentioned earlier there are several ways to assign
the Blank. You can use a solid geometry as the Blank or can allow the software to assign a prismatic
block with desired offsets in the X, Y, and Z directions. As we have already created a block we
can use that as the Blank geometry.

Click on the Block and press OK

Now we are finished assigning the Part and Blank geometries. Sometimes it may be required to
assign Check geometry. This option is more useful for shapes that are more complex or 5-Axes
milling operations where the tool cutters have a higher chance of dashing with the fixtures. In our
case, it is not very important to assign a Check geometry.

9.2 CREATING OPERATION

9.2.1 Creating a New Operation

The manufacturing setup is now ready for us to work further with Programming Strategies. There
are many different manufacturing strategies involved in programming and it takes practice to know

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which one is the most efficient. Here, the basic guidelines are given for the most widely and
frequently used strategies. The chapter will also cover important parameters that are to be set for
the programs to function properly.

Click on the Create Operation icon in the toolbar

The Create Operation window will pop up.

Make sure the Type of Operation is Mill_Contour

There are many different subtypes under Mill-Contour, namely Cavity Mill, Z-Level Follow
Cavity, Follow Core, Fixed Contour, and so on. These different subtypes are used for different
situations and profiles of the design part. As mentioned before, how you select a strategy for any
situation depends on your experience.

Click on the Cavity_Mill icon at the top left

as shown in the figure

Change the Program from NC_PROGRAM

to 1234

Change the Geometry to

WORKPIECE_MAIN

Click OK

The program parameters window with Cavity Mill in

the title bar will pop up. On this window, you can set
all the parameters for the program. A brief
introduction on every important parameter and
terminology will be given as we go through the
sequence.

9.2.2 Tool Creation and Selection

One of the most important decisions to make is to select the right shape and size of the tool to use.
Before starting with the Tool parameter settings, we must first know about the types of Tool
cutters. The Milling Tool Cutters are categorized into three forms of cutters. Hence, when selecting
a cutter, it is important to take into consideration the size, shape, and profiles of the design parts.

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For example, if the corner radius of a pocket is 5 mm, the pocket should be finished by a cutter
with diameter less than or equal to 10 mm. Otherwise it will leave material at the corners. There
are other special forms of cutters available in markets that are manufactured to suit this need.

Flat End Mill Cutters

These cutters have a sharp tip at the end of the cutter as shown in the figure. These cutters are used
for finishing parts that have flat vertical walls with sharp edges at the intersection of the floors and
walls.

Ball End Mill

These cutters have the corner radii exactly equal to half the diameter of the shank. This forms the
ball shaped profile at the end. These cutters are used for roughing and finishing operations of parts
or surfaces with freeform features.

Bull Nose Cutters

These cutters have small corner radii and are widely used for roughing and/or semi-finishing the
parts as well as for finishing of inclined and tapered walls.

The cutter that we are going to use to rough out this huge volume is BUEM12X1 (Bullnose End
Mill with 12 diameter and 1 corner radius).

In the Cavity Mill pop-up menu click on the Create New button in the Tool dialog box

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 Click New

On the New Tool window, select the Mill icon

Type in BUEM12X1 as the Name and click

OK

This will open another window to enter the cutter

dimensions and parameters. You can also customize
the list of tools that you would normally use and call
the cutters from the library.

Enter the values as shown in the figure below

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 Click OK

9.2.3 Tool Path Settings

Make sure that the Tool Axis is perpendicular to the top surface on the block.

Click on Tool Axis and choose Specify Vector

Select the appropriate axis as shown

In the Cavity Mill menu click on the Path

Settings option

There are different options in which the tool can move.

The following is a description of each.

Follow Part: This is the most optimal strategy where

the tool path is manipulated depending on the part geometry. If there are cores and cavities in the
part, the computer intelligently considers them to remove the materials in an optimal way. This is
widely used for roughing operations.

Follow Periphery: This takes the path depending

upon the periphery profile. For example, the outer
periphery of our part is rectangular. So the tool path will
be generated such that it gradually cuts the material from
outside to inside with the Stepover value. This option is
mostly used for projections and cores rather than cavities.

Profile: This takes the cut only along the profile of

the part geometry. It is used for semi-finishing or
finishing operations.

Trochoidal: This cutter is huge and is used for removing a large amount of material. The bulk
of material is removed by gradual trochoidal movements. The depth of cut used will be very high
for this strategy.

Zig: This takes a linear path in only one direction of flow.

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 Zig Zag: This tool takes a zigzag path at every level of depth. It saves time by reducing
amount of air cutting time (idle running). The climb and conventional cuts alternate.

Zig with Contour: This takes the path in one direction either climb or conventional. The
unique thing is that it moves along the contour shape nonlinearly.

For this exercise, select the Follow Part icon from the Cut Pattern drop-down menu since
we have both projections and cavities in our part

9.2.4 Step Over and Scallop Height

Step Over

This is the distance between the consecutive passes of milling. It

can be given as a fixed value or the value in terms of cutter diameter.
The Stepover should not be greater than the effective diameter of
the cutter otherwise; it will leave extra material at every level of cut
and result in an incomplete milling operation. The numeric value or
values required to define the Stepover will vary depending on the
Stepover option selected. These options include Constant, Scallop,
Tool Diameter, etc. For example, Constant requires you to enter a
distance value in the subsequent line.

Scallop Height

Scallop Height controls the distance between parallel passes according to the maximum height of
material (scallop) you specify to be left between passes. This is affected by the cutter definition
and the curvature of the surface. Scallop allows the system to determine the Stepover distance
based on the scallop height you enter.

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 For the Stepover, select %Tool Flat and change the Percent to 70

9.2.5 Depth Per Cut

This is the value to be given between levels to slice the geometry into layers and the tool path cuts
as per the geometry at every layer. The cut depth value can vary for each level. Levels are
horizontal planes parallel to the XY plane. If we do not give cut levels, the software will
unnecessarily try to calculate slices for the entire part and machine areas that are not in our interest.

Change the Common Depth per Cut value to be 0.5

Now we will add the level ranges. This will split the part into different levels along the Z-direction
to be machined.

Click on Cut Levels

This will pop up a Dialog box for Cut Levels. You

need to set the level of the cut. You can either point to
the object till which the cut level is or provide it as
Range Depth value. We are not going to mill up to the
bottommost face of the part, but up to the floor at 40
mm from top. Therefore, we must delete the last level.

Change the Range Type to User Defined

Change the Range Depth to 80

Select OK

9.2.6 Cutting Parameters

On the Path Settings menu, click Cutting
Parameters

Under the Strategy tab button, change the Cut

Order from Level First to Depth First

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Changing the cut order to Depth First orders the software to generate the tool path such that it will
mill one island completely up to the bottom-most depth before jumping to another level. The Depth
First strategy reduces the non-cutting time of the program due to unnecessary retracts and engages
at every depth of cut.

Click on the Stock tab

Change the value of the Part Side Stock to 0.5

This value is the allowance given to every side of the

part. If you want to give different values to the floors
(or the flat horizontal faces) uncheck the box next to
Use Floor Same As Side and enter a different value for
Part Floor Stock.

Click OK

9.2.7 Avoidance
Click the Non Cutting Moves

Click the Avoidance tab

This window consists of several avoidance points of which we are concerned with the following
points:

From Point

This is the point at which the tool change command

will be carried out. The value is normally 50 or 100
mm above the Z=0 level to enhance the safety of the
job when the cutter is changed by the Automatic Tool
Changer (ATC).

Click From Point

Choose Specify in the Point Option field

In the Point Dialog, enter the coordinates of

XC, YC and ZC as (0, 0, 50)

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 Choose OK

Start Point

This is the point at which the program starts and ends. This value is also 50 or 100 mm above the
Z=0 level to enhance safety. It is also the point at which the machine operator checks the height of
the tool mounted on the spindle with respect to the Z=0 level from the job. This cross checks the
tool offset entered in the machine.

Click on Start Point

Choose Specify

Enter the coordinates (0, 0, 50) in the Point Dialog

Click OK to exit the Point Constructor

Clearance Plane is the plane on which the tool cutter will retract before moving to the next region
or island. This is also known as Retract Plane. Sometimes the Clearance Plane can be the previous
cutting plane. However, when the tool has to move from one region to another, it is necessary to
move to the Clearance Plane before doing so. The value of the Clearance Plane should be at least
2 mm above the top most point of the workpiece or fixture or whichever is fixed to the machine
bed.

Click on the Transfer/Rapid tab

Choose Plane in the Clearance Option

Choose the XC-YC Plane from the drop-

down menu in Type tab

Under the Offset and Reference tab enter the

value as 3 as the Distance

Click OK twice to go back to the Cavity Mill

parameters window

9.2.8 Speeds and Feeds

Choose Feeds and Speeds to enter the feed and speed parameters

Speed

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Speed normally specifies the rpm of the spindle (spindle speed). However, technically the speed
refers to the cutting speed of the tool (surface speed). It is the linear velocity of the cutting tip of
the cutter. The relative parameters affecting this linear speed are rpm of the spindle and the
diameter of the cutter (effective diameter).

Enter the Spindle Speed value as 4500 rpm

For the Surface Speed and the Feed per Tooth, you should enter the recommended values given
by the manufacturers of the cutter (for this example, click on the calculator button near spindle
speed). By entering these values, the software will automatically calculate the cutting feed rate and
spindle speed. You can also enter your own values for feed rates and spindle speeds.

Feeds

There are many feeds involved in a single program.

The most important is the Cutting feed. This is the
feed at which, the tool will be in engagement with the
raw work-piece and actually cutting the material off
the work-piece. It is the relative linear velocity, at
which the cutter moves with respect to the job.

The other feeds are optional. Some machine control

systems use their default retracts and traverse feed. In
those cases, even if you do not enter the values of
other feeds, there would not be any problems. Some
control systems may look for these feed rates from the
program. It can be slightly less than the machine’s
maximum feed rate.

Enter the Cut value as 1200 mmpm

Click OK

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9.3 PROGRAM GENERATION AND VERIFICATION

9.3.1 Generating Program

Now we are done entering all the parameters required for the roughing program. It is time to
generate the program.

Click on the Generate icon at the bottom of

the window

You can now observe the software slicing the model

into depths of cuts and creating tool-path at every
level. You can find on the model cyan, blue, red and
yellow lines as shown in the figure.

During the generation, you may be prompted with a

Display Parameters window.

Uncheck the box next to Pause After Each

Path

Then click OK to see the display of cut-levels

and tool paths

After the generation is done, click OK in the parameters window

9.3.2 Tool Path Display

Whenever you want to view the entire tool-path of the program, right-click on the program in
Operation Navigator and click Replay. It will give the display as shown in the Figure.

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You can now observe that next to the program in the Operation Navigator is a yellow exclamation
point instead of a red mark. This means that program has been generated successfully but has not
been post-processed. If any change is made in the model, the program will again have a red mark
next to it. This implies that the program has to be generated again. However, there is no need to
change any parameters in the program.

9.3.3 Tool Path Simulation

It is very important to check the programs you have created. This prevents any improper and
dangerous motions from being made in the cutting path. It is possible that wrong parameters and
settings will be given that cause costly damages to the work piece. To avoid such mistakes, NX 10
and other CAM software provide Tool-path verification and a Gouge check.

The Tool-Path verification can be used to view the cutter motion in the entire program. You can
observe how the tool is engaged and how it retracts after cutting. It also shows the actual material
being removed through graphical simulation. You can also view the specific zone of interest by
moving the line of the program.

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 Right-click on the program in the Operation Navigator and choose Tool Path Verify
or click on the Verify Tool Path button in the toolbar

This will allow you to set the parameters for visualization of the Tool-Path.

On the Tool Path Visualization window, click on

the Play icon to view the motion

You can also view the visualization in different modes by

changing the options in the drop-down menu next to
Display.

Click on the 3D Dynamic tab on the same window

Click on the Display Options button on the same

window

Change the Number of Motions to 50

Change the Animation Accuracy to Fine

Change the IPW Color to Green

Click OK

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 Click on the Play button again

The simulation will look as shown in the figure on

the right. With this option, you will be able to view
the actual cutting simulation and material removal
through computer graphics. This is 3D Dynamic,
where you can rotate, pan and zoom the simulation
when it is playing. The cutting simulation is 3D.

9.3.4 Gouge Check

Gouge Check is used to verify whether the tool is removing any excess material from the workpiece
with respect to Part Geometry. Considering a Design Tolerance, any manufacturing process may
produce defective parts by two ways. One is removing excess material, which is also called Less
Material Condition. The other one is leaving materials that are supposed to be removed which is
More Material Condition. In most cases, the former is more dangerous since it is impossible to
rework the design part. The latter is safer since the leftover material can be removed by reworking
the part. The gouge check option checks for the
former case where the excess removal of material
will be identified.

Right Click the program in the Operation

Navigator

Choose Tool Path Gouge Check

Click OK

After the gouge check is completed, a message box

should pop up saying “No gouged motions found.” If
in case there are any gouges found, it is necessary to
correct the program

Close the pop-up window which says that

there are no gauge motions found

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9.4 OPERATION METHODS

9.4.1 Roughing
In case of milling operation, the first operation should be rough milling before finishing the job.
The main purpose of roughing is to remove bulk material at a faster rate, without affecting the
accuracy and finish of the job. Stock allowances are given to provide enough material for the
finishing operation to get an accurate and good finish job. What we did in the earlier part of this
chapter is generate a roughing program. Now we have to moderately remove all the uneven
material left over from the previous program.

9.4.2 Semi-Finishing
Semi-Finishing programs are intended to remove the unevenness due to the roughing operation
and keep even part stock allowance for the Finishing operations. Once we are done with the first
roughing program, semi-finishing is always easier and simpler to perform.

Now we will copy and paste the first program in the Operation Navigator. In the new program,
you only have to change a few parameters and
cutting tool dimensions and just regenerate the
program.

Right-click CAVITY_MILL program

in the Operation Navigator and click
Copy

Right-click CAVITY_MILL again and

choose Paste

Right-click the second CAVITY_MILL_COPY you just made and click Rename

Rename the second program as CAVITY_MILL_1

You can see that next to the newly created CAVITY_MILL_1 is a red mark, which indicates that
the program is not generated.

Let us now set the parameters that need to be changed for the second program. Before we even
start, we should analyze the part geometry to figure out the minimum corner radius for the cutter
diameter. In our model, it is 5 mm and at the floor edges, it is 1 mm. Therefore, the cutter diameter

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can be anything less than 10 mm. For optimal output and rigidity, we will choose a Bull Nose
Cutter with a diameter of 10 and a lower radius of 1.

Double-click CAVITY_MILL_1 on Operation Navigator to open the parameters

window

Just as we did in the previous program, we have to create a new cutter. In the Tool tab, you will
see the cutter you first chose. It will show BUEM12X1 as the current tool.

Create a new Mill and name it BUEM10X1

It should have a Diameter of 10, a Lower

Radius of 1 and a Flute Length of 38

Click OK

Click the Common Depth per Cut as 0.25 in

the Path Settings

Then click on Cutting Parameters button

Click on the Stock tab

Uncheck the box next to Use Floor Same As

Side

Enter 0.25 for Part Side Stock

Enter 0.1 for Part Floor Stock

Click on the Containment tab button

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 In the drop-down menu next to In Process Workpiece, choose Use 3D

In Process Workpiece is a very useful option in NX. The software considers the previous program
and generates the current program such that there is no unnecessary cutting motion in the No-
material zone. This strategy reduces the cutting time and air cutting motion drastically. The
algorithm will force the cutter to only remove that material, which was left from the previous
program and maintain the current part stock allowance.

Choose OK to return to the Parameters window

Click Feeds and Speeds

Enter the Spindle Speed as 5000 and click on the Calculator

Then click OK

The parameters and settings are finished for the semi-finishing program.

Regenerate the program by clicking on the Generate icon

After the software finishes generating click OK

Then replay the Tool Path Visualization. The overall Tool Path generated in the second program
will look like the following figure. You can replay it or check for the gouging in a similar way.

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9.4.3 Finishing Profile
So far, we are done with the roughing and semi-finishing programs for the part. There is a small
amount of material left in the Workpiece to be removed in the finishing programs to obtain the
accurate part geometry as intended in the design. The finishing programs should be generated such
that every surface in the part should be properly machined. Therefore, it is better to create more
than one program to uniquely machine sets of surfaces with relevant cutting parameters and
strategies rather than make one program for all the surfaces. The following illustrates how to group
the profiles and surfaces and create the finishing programs.

9.4.3.1 Outer Profile

This program is intended to finish the outer inclined walls onto the bottom of the floor. Because
the program should not touch the contour surface on the top, we have to give Check and Trim
boundaries in the program.

Repeat the same procedure as before to copy and paste CAVITY_MILL_1 on Operation
Navigator

Rename the program CAVITY_MILL_2

Double click CAVITY_MILL_2 to make parameter changes

In the pop-up parameters window, change the Cut Pattern to Profile and the Stepover
percentage to 40

Click on the Specify Trim Boundaries tab

The Trim Boundaries window will pop up. Make sure

to carry out the following procedure in the right
sequence. Keep the default setting of Trim Side to
Inside. This tells the software that the cutter should not
cut material anywhere inside the boundary. Trim allows
you to specify boundaries that will further constrain the cut regions at each cut level.

Change the Selection Method to Curves

Change the Plane from Automatic to Specify and click on the Plane Dialog

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A new window will pop up. The window will ask for the mode of selection of the plane on which
the curves should be projected. This should normally be over the topmost point of the part
geometry. Precisely, it should be over the MCS.

Choose the XC-YC Plane from the drop-down menu under Type

Enter a value of 3 next to Distance

Click OK

Now we will start selecting edges from the part. These selected edges will be projected on the Z =
3 plane as curves and used as the boundary.

Select all the top outer edges on the wall along the contour surface as shown in the figure.
Make sure to select all 8 edges and in a continuous order

Choose OK

Enter the Common Depth per Cut as 0.2

Click Cutting Parameters

In the pop up dialog box, click on Stock tab

Enter the Part Side Stock and Part Floor Stock values to be 0.00

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Intol allows you to specify the maximum distance that a
cutter can deviate from the intended path into the
workpiece.

Outtol allows you to specify the maximum distance that

a cutter can deviate from the intended path away from the
workpiece.

Enter the Intol and Outtol values to be 0.001 as

shown in the figure

Click on Containment tab and change the In-

process Workpiece to None

Click OK

Click on the Generate icon to generate the

program in the Main Parameters window

Click OK on the parameters window when the program generation is completed

The finishing program for the outer profile is now ready. You can observe while replaying the tool
path that the cutter never crosses the boundary that has been given for trim and check. The cutter
retracts to the Z=3 plane for relocation.

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9.4.3.2 Inner profile
Repeat the same procedure as before to copy and paste CAVITY_MILL_2 on Operation
Navigator and rename it as CAVITY_MILL_3

Double-click CAVITY_MILL_3 to edit the parameters or right click on it and choose

Edit

Select the Specify Trim Boundaries tab and choose Trim Side to be Outside in the pop
up dialog box

This will prevent the cutter from passing outside the boundary.

Change Selection Method to Curves

Change the plane manually to be the XC-YC plane and enter the offset distance as 3

Click OK

Select all the top inner edges along the contour surface as shown in the figure. Again, make
sure all 8 edges are selected in a continuous order.

Then click OK

Choose OK to return to the parameters window

Generate the program

Click OK when the generation is finished

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 Click on OK if you get any warning message about the tool fitting

The finishing program for the outer profile is now ready. By replaying the tool path, you can
observe that the cutter never crosses the boundary that has been given for trim and check.

9.4.4 Finishing Contour Surface

Now we have to use a different type of strategy to finish the top freeform surface.

Click on the Create Operation icon in the Toolbar

Click on the Fixed Contour icon as shown in the figure

Choose 1234 for Program

Choose WORKPIECE_MAIN for Geometry

Keep the default name of program

Click OK

On the Parameters window, under Drive Method, select Boundary even if it is already
shown

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If the Boundary Drive Method window still does not show up, select another Drive Method other
than Boundary, then cancel it and choose Boundary again!

When Boundary Drive Method pups up, click on the Spanner icon as shown in the figure
to open the Boundary Geometry menu

Change the Mode to Curves/Edges

Select the Material Side to be Outside

Select the Tool Position to be On

The Tool Position determines how the tool will position itself when it approaches the Boundary
Member. Boundary Members may be assigned one of three tool positions: On, Tanto, or Contact.

In On position, the center point of the tool aligns with the boundary along the tool axis or
projection vector.

In Tanto position, the side of the tool aligns with the boundary.

In Contact position, the tool contacts the boundary.

For the Plane, choose User-Defined

Again, set the plane to be XC-YC with a Distance of 3

Click OK

Select the outer loop of the top contour surface as shown in the figure. Remember to select
the edges in a continuous order

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 Click OK

We have trimmed the geometry outside the loop. Now we have to trim the geometry inside the
inner loop so that the only geometry left will be the area between the two loops.

Choose the Mode to be Curves/Edges

Choose the Material Side to be Inside and Tool Position to be On

Choose the plane to be user-defined at XC-YC with a Distance of 3

Select the inner edges of the contour surface as shown

Click OK to return to the Boundary Drive Method window

Change the Stepover method to Scallop and enter the height to be 0.001 and click OK

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 Click on Cutting Parameters

Change the Tolerance values in the Stock tabso

that the Part Intol and Part Outtol is 0.001

Click on the More tab button and enter the value

of Max Step as 1.0

Click OK

Click on the Feeds and Speeds icon on the

parameters window

Enter the parameters as shown in the figure on

right (do not let the software calculate it)

Click OK

In the main parameters window,

Create a new tool and name it BEM10

Change the diameter to be 10 mm and the lower radius to be 5 mm.

Click OK

Generate the program

The contour surface is now finished and you can view the
simulation by Tool Path Verification.

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9.4.5 Flooring
Flooring is the finishing operation performed on the
horizontal flat surfaces (Floors) of the part. In most of
the milling processes, flooring will be the final
operation of the process. All the horizontal surfaces
have to be finished. This planar operation runs the
cutter in a single pass on every face.

Click on the Create Operation icon

Change the Type to be mill_planar at the top

of the window

Change all the options as shown in the figure

Click OK

In the parameters window, change the Cut

Pattern to be Follow Part

Change the percent of the tool diameter for

Stepover to be 40

In flooring operations, it is always better to keep the

Stepover value to be less than half of the diameter of the
cutter in order to achieve more flatness on the planar
surfaces.

Unlike previous programs, we have to select a cut area.

Click on the Specify Cut Area Floor as shown

Select the highlighted surfaces shown in the

figure below

In case you are not able to select the surfaces as shown

go to Part Navigator and Hide the Blank, select the
surfaces and Unhide the Blank again.

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 Click OK

Click on Cutting Parameters in the main

parameter window

Choose the Stock tab button and enter the Intol

and Outtol values as 0.001

Click OK

Click on Feeds And Speeds

Because this is a Flooring operation, it is better to make

the spindle speed high and the feed rates low compared
to the previous operations.

Enter the values exactly as shown in the figure

Choose OK

In the main Parameters window,

Create a new tool and name it BEF105

Change the diameter to be 10 mm and the lower radius to be 5 mm

Click OK

Generate the program. Then replay and verify the cutter path

The following figure shows the Tool Path display for the flooring.

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9.5 POST PROCESSING

The primary use of the Manufacturing Application is to generate tool paths for manufacturing
parts. Generally, we cannot just send an unmodified tool path file to a machine and start cutting
because there are many different types of machines. Each type of machine has unique hardware
capabilities, requirements and control systems. For instance, the machine may have a vertical or a
horizontal spindle; it can cut while moving several axes simultaneously, etc. The controller accepts
a tool path file and directs tool motion and other machine activity (such as turning the coolant or
air on and off).

Naturally, as each type of machine has unique hardware characteristics; controllers also differ in
software characteristics. For instance, most controllers require that the instruction for turning the
coolant on be given in a particular code. Some controllers also restrict the number of M codes that
are allowed in one line of output. This information is not in the initial NX tool path. Therefore, the
tool path must be modified to suit the unique parameters of each different machine/controller
combination. The modification is called Post Processing. The result is a Post Processed tool path.

There are two steps involved in generating the final post-processed tool path.

1. Create the tool path data file, otherwise called CLSF (Cutter Location Source File).

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 2. Post process the CLSF into machine CNC code (Post Processed file). This program reads
the tool path data and reformats it for use with a particular machine and its accompanying
controller.

9.5.1 Creating CLSF

After an operation is generated and saved, the resulting tool path is stored as part of the operation
within the part file. CLSF (Cutter Location Source File) provides methods to copy these internal
paths from the operations in the part file to tool paths within the CLSF, which is a text file. The
GOTO values are a "snapshot" of the current tool path. The values exported are referenced from
the MCS stored in the operation. The CLS file is the required input for some subsequent programs,
such as postprocessors.

Click on one of the programs that

you want to post process in the
Operation Navigator

Click on Output CLSF in the

Operations toolbar

A window will pop up to select the CLSF

Format.

Choose CLSF_STANDARD and

enter a location for the file

Choose OK

The CLSF file will be created. It will be similar to the figure

below. The contents of the file contain the basic algorithm of the
cutter motion without any information about machine codes and
control systems. This file can be used for post-processing any
machine control. The extension of the file is .cls (XXX.cls).

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Any program that has been output to CLSF or Post Processed will have a green checkmark next
to it in the Operation Navigator.

9.5.2 Post Processing

Click on a program in the Operation Navigator that you want to post process

Click Menu Tools Operation

Navigator Output Postprocess
or from the Home tab as shown below

Select the MILL_3_AXIS machine and enter a location for the file

Select OK

This will create the Post Processed file for the desired machine. You can find the block numbers
with G and M codes concerning the machine controller type. The extension of the file is .ptp
(XXX.ptp).

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The final output (XXX.ptp) file can be transferred to the machine and the actual milling operation
be done. This entire sequence starting from the transfer of the model into the Manufacturing
module to the transfer of the files to the machine and cutting the raw piece into the final part is
called Computer Aided Manufacturing.

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