Introduction

Pro/ENGINEER (commonly referred to as Pro/E or Pro/E) is a 3D parametric feature solid modeling software. It provides solid modeling, assembly modeling and functionality for mechanical engineers.

Pro/ENGINEER is a mechanical engineering and design CAD tool capable of creating complex 3D models, assemblies, and 2D measured drawings. Rather than models being constructed like a mound of clay with pieces being added or removed to make changes, the user construct the model as a list of features, which are stored by the program and can be used to change the model by modifying, reordering, or removing them.

Pro/ENGINEER is considered a part of the 'High End' 3d CAD modeling packages.

Pro/ENGINEER is a powerful program used to create complex designs with great precision. The design intent of any three-dimensional (3D) model or an assembly is defined by its specification and its use. A design process consists of the following steps;

1. Sketching using the basic sketch entities. 2. Converting the sketch into features and parts. 3. Assembling different parts and analyzing them. 4. Documentation of the parts and the assembly in terms of drawing

views.

5. Manufacturing of the final part and assembly.

All these steps are divided into different modules of Pro/ENGINEERN namely the Sketch mode, Part mode, Assembly mode, Drawing mode, and Manufacturing mode.

Advantages of Pro/ENGINEER over AUTOCAD Pro/ENGINEER allows us to work efficiently in 3D environment whereas AUTOCAD id suited to 2D drafting only and doesn't support 3D.

Feature based nature of Pro/ENGINEER:

Pro/ENGINEER is a feature based solid modeling tool. A feature is defined as the smallest building block and any solid model created in Pro/ENGINEER is an integration of a number of these building blocks. Each feature can be edited individually to bring in any change in the solid model; the use of the feature based property provides greater flexibility to the parts created. This is not available with AUTOCAD.

Bidirectional associative nature of Pro/ENGINEER: There is bidirectional associatively between all modes of Pro/ENGINEER. The bidirectional associative nature of a software package is its ability to ensure that if any modifications are package is defined as its ability to ensure that if any modifications are made in a particular model in one mode, the corresponding modifications are also reflected in the same model in other modes. For example, if you make any change in a model in the part mode and regenerate it, the changes will also be highlighted in the part mode. AUTOCAD is devoid of such nature.

Parametric nature of Pro/ENGINEER: Pro/ENGINEER is parametric nature, which means that the features of a part become interrelated if they are drawn by taking the reference of each other. We can redefine the dimensions or the attributes of a feature at any time. The changes will propagate automatically throughout the model. Thus, they develop a relationship among themselves. This relationship is known as the parent child relationship. So if we want to change the placement of the child feature, we can make alteration in the dimensions of the references and hence change the design as per out requirement. AUTOCAD doesn't support the parametric concept.

System requirements for Pro/ENGINEER: The system requirements for Pro/ENGINEER are as follows:

• Operating system: Windows NT 4.0 Sp5, Windows 2000, Windows XP /Home Edition, XP Professional edition. UNIX.

• Processor 233 MHZ or higher.

• Memory:123 MB RAM minimum requirement (513 MB or higher recommended )

• Swap memory: 256 MB minimum (1024 MB or higher recommended).

• Hard disk space:1.5 GB and above • An Ethernet adapter interface card or network card • Microsoft approved Three button mouse. • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0

The most commonly use commands in Pro-E are:

Extrude: To extrude 2D figure in a direction normal to the sketching plane. (E.g.: A cuboid from a rectangle).

Revolve: It revolves the sketched section through a specified angle about a center line.

Sweep: It extrudes section along a defined trajectory. The trajectory can be open or closed. Normal sketching tools are used for sketching the trajectory.

Blend: It connects two or more sections that are joined through transitional faces at their edges so as to form a continuous feature. The number of entities in each section that creates the blend feature should be the same.

Swept blend: Combination of sweep and blend. It requires a single trajectory and multiple sections.

Variable section sweep: To create a variable section through a guiding path. Boundary blend: It creates a surface by blending the boundaries, datum curves of points.

Helical sweep: It creates a helical sweep by sweeping a section along a helical trajectory. The trajectory is defined by both the profile of the surface of revolution and the pitch.

Hole: The hole tool e3nables us to add simple, custom, and industry- standard holes to the models. Holes are added by defining a placement reference, setting secondary references and defining the specific characteristics of the hole. Apart from simple holes, counter-bore and counter-sunk holes can be added.

Rib: Is a thin fin of web protrusion that attaches to solid surfaces in our design. The are designed to strengthen parts in design and are used to prevent unwanted bending.

Shell: It scoops out material from the model and at the same time removes the selected faces, leaving behind a thin model with some specified wall thickness.

Pattern: It creates instances of the selected feature by varying some specified dimensions.

Round: To round the edges, corners.

Drafts: Are used to rotate the selected surface by a certain angle.

Protrusion: Protrusion is defined as the process of adding material defined by a sketched section

Solidify: Solidify feature is used to add, remove, or replace solid material in the designs. It use predetermined surface features or quilt geometry and convert them into solid geometry.

Offset: This tool is used to create a new feature by offsetting either a surface or a curve with a distance. Various options are available from within the offset tool, such as adding drafts to offset surfaces and offsetting curves within a surface. Chamfer: This feature is used when an edge of a corner is to be beveled.

Datum plane: They are used to create a reference on a part where one does not already exist. For example, we can sketch or place features on datum plane when there is no appropriate planar surface.

Datum axis: Datum axis is also used as a reference for feature creation. It is particularly useful for making Datum planes, planes, placing them concentrically, and creating radial patterns.

Datum curves: They are useful in creation of advanced solid and surface features such as sweep trajectories to create a sweep feature.

Pipe: The pipe feature is three dimensional centerline that represents the centerline of a pipe. Given The diameter of a pipe, it connects selected datum points with a combination of straight lines and arcs of specified bend radius, or a spine.

Surface modeling: Surface models are a type of 3D models with no thickness.

Toroidal bend: This option bends solids, nonsolid surfaces, of datum curves into revolved shapes.

Spinal bend: This option bends a solid or quilt about a curves spine by continuously repositioning cross-section along a curve .All compression Or distortion is done longitudinally along the trajectory.

FIGURE 1

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm _ns_solid. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude* command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. For drawing the next part, take a datum plane from the insert model datum option and then extrude successively the required parts of the required parts of the model by choosing the correct sketching planes with the appropriate dimensions and thickness. After these extrusions our basic structure of the model is ready.

4. Now insert a rib by choosing the parts between which the rib is to be insert option.

5. Now execute the whole command for inserting the holes at the required places in the figure, check for the correct placement and

appropriate dimensions of hole as provided. Do this in one of the model.

6. Now mirror the required entities such as hole on the other side of the object by picking the mirror option and then picking a plane about which we have to mirror the object. Then execute the command.

7. We can see the different views of the model from the orientation option in the View.

Thus our required model is obtained.

FIGURE 2

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm_ns_solid.. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. For drawing the next part, take a datum plane from the insert model datum option and then extrude successively the required parts of the model by choosing the correct sketching planes with the appropriate dimensions and thickness. After these extrusions our basic structure of the model is ready.

4. Now insert a rib by choosing the parts between which the rib is to be inserted, Rib can be executed from the rib icon or from the insert option.

5. Thus our required model is obtained.

FIGURE 3

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm_ns_solid.. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. Similarly extrude the various parts of the model accordingly; the above step is followed by three successive extrusions of required nature.

4. Mirror the required parts by choosing the appropriate plane to mirror about and then executing the command. Now extrude another part of the model by choosing the appropriate sketching plane and blending it with the already created part of the model.

5. Now insert the rib of required nature between the desired parts of the model.

6. Mirror this rib to the required cross-section by choosing the correct plane to mirror about.

7. As per requirement insert another rib of stated characteristic and mirror it accordingly to the desired surface by choosing the mirror plane.

8. Create a hole of desired nature through the hole command on the desired surface with the specified dimensions.

9. Mirror the hole to the required parts of the model by choosing the planes to mirror about.

10. Insert rounds of suitable nature and thickness to the required edges of the model by using the round tool provided in the side bar or using the insert option.

Thus our required model is obtained.

FIGURE 4

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm_ns_solid.. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. Similarly extrude the various parts of the model accordingly; the above step is followed by five successive extrusions of required nature.

4. Mirror the feature by selecting the correct plane to mirror about and executing the feature.

5. Finalize the model by taking a final extrusion command and creating the required surface and blending it with the model.

Thus the required model is obtained.

FIGURE 5

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm_ns_solid.. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. Similarly extrude the various parts of the model accordingly; the above step is followed by five successive extrusions of required nature.

4. Now insert a rib by choosing the parts between which the rib is to be inserted, Rib can be executed from the rib icon or from the insert option.

Thus the required model is obtained.

FIGURE 6

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm_ns_solid.. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. Similarly extrude the various parts of the model accordingly; the above step is followed by two successive extrusions of required nature.

4. Mirror the required feature by selecting the correct plane to mirror about and executing the feature. Finalize the model by taking a final extrusion command and creating the required surface and blending it with the model.

Thus the required model is obtained.

FIGURE 7

Steps:

1. Open a new part file in Pro/ENGINEER with units mm_ns_solid.. 2. Click on the extrude icon and choose a sketching plane for extruding

the first part of the object. Now draw the required profile under the extrude command and give it the stated dimensions.

3. Similarly extrude another part of the feature by pocking up a proper sketching plane and giving the sketch the required dimensions.

4. Now insert a rib by choosing the parts between which the rib is to be inserted, Rib can be executed from the rib icon or the insert option.

5. Insert rounds of suitable nature and thickness to the required edges of the model by using the round tool provided In the side bar or using the insert option.

Thus the required model is obtained.