Chapter 3 CAD experts on design challenges

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CAD experts on design challengesYour toP feAtures questions AnswereD

Chapter 3 CAD experts on design challenges

Technology, at one time or another, has stumped us all – no matter what our skill level. That’s why even the most experienced product engineers can benefit from ongoing training and technical support in order to master ever-evolving technology.

On-going learning keeps your productivity high by effectively communicating new features and improvements, and immediately improves ROI for a company’s CAD investments.

At PtC, our PtC university instructors and our tech support team have more than 20 years of experience in helping our users unleash the full potential of PtC products. to ensure that you and your product-development teams are using Creo™ elements / Pro™ (formerly Pro/engineer®) most effectively, PtC university experts have produced this five-chapter eBook, each chapter of which will answer the top three user questions regarding Assembly, feature operations, features, 2D/3D interface, and 3D interface.

Here is the third chapter of our eBook, which delves into features and the three most common questions that users have about this topic.

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About Features

Creo elements / Pro part modeling begins with creating individual geometric features one af ter another. these features become interrelated to other features as you reference them during the design process. You can create many kinds of features on a part: solid features and surface features; and features specific to appli-cations. some features add material; and some remove material.

Before you design your model, you need to identify the design intent. Design intent defines the purpose and function of the finished product based on product specifications or requirements. Capturing design intent builds value and longevity into your products. this key concept is at the core of the Creo elements / Pro feature-based modeling process.

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Q: What is the difference between a blend and a variable sweep?

A: A blend sweep is useful for creating different transitional cross-sections in a model. Variable sweep takes a single section and sweeps that section across one or more trajectories.

using the Blend feature, you can create models that contain different transitional cross-sections. so, you can create geometry that starts as a circular cross section, but as you transition along the length of the trajectory, the feature changes to a square cross-section.

the Variable section sweep feature uses a single section – which can be constant or variable – and sweeps that section along one or more trajectories. these additional trajectories can be referenced by the section to pull and manipulate the section along the main trajectory. in addition, section dimensions can be varied along the length of the sweep by using relations and a datum graph if desired.

Q: Why do small features sometimes fail to regenerate?

A: If a shape is very small in relation to the rest of the model, the automatic Geometry Check won’t work, and instead “failure mode” will be invoked.

to prevent regeneration problems, Creo elements / Pro checks for geometry errors. However, often when a feature is very small in relation to the rest of the model, the default model accuracy is not precise enough to calculate these small geometric shapes, and Creo elements / Pro invokes “failure mode.” increasing the model accuracy (with a low number) can sometimes resolve this feature failure.

figure 1: if a feature is very small in relation to the rest of the model, you may receive a failure message.

increasing model accuracy could resolve the failure.

Power tip 1:The variable section sweep is one of the most powerful features in Creo Elements/Pro, considering the variety and complexity of geometry it can be used to create.

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or, check out LearningExchange and gain access to free, PtC-related training content, including videos, tutorials, and more. Let the experts at PtC university help you unleash the full potential of your PtC products and enable your organization to become more productive and effective in their roles in product development.

About PTC University

with an unmatched depth and breadth of product development knowledge, PtC university helps you realize the greatest value from PtC products, with flexible learning options available around the world. only PtC university uses the innovative Precision Learning Methodology to deliver role-based learning programs that are tailored to improve the productivity of both individuals and organizations.

Contact PTC University to find out more about our wealth of training resources, including reference libraries, instructor-led training, and product-specific guidance.

or, get started right now by finding a class near you.

© 2011, Parametric technology Corporation (PtC). All rights reserved. information described herein is furnished for informational

use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a guarantee, commitment, condition or offer by PtC.

PtC, the PtC Logo and all PtC product names and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of PtC and/or its subsidiaries in

the united states and in other countries. All other product or company names are property of their respective owners. The timing of

any product release, including any features or functionality, is subject to change at PTC’s discretion.

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Q: Is it possible to dynamically cut a model without creating a cross section?

A: Yes. Select View > Display Settings > Visibilities and drag the clip % bar.

Find Feature Operations-related Classes and Resources at PTC University

find this chapter useful? want to learn even more about features or other functional topics? PtC university has both instructor-led training classes and eLearning Libraries related to the features questions covered in this eBook. these classes include:

• Intro to Creo Elements/Pro and Advanced Modeling

Power tip 2:Use this command to perform a visual check on internal components or to check if a model is a surface or a solid.