RE:Show Solid bodies unmerged.

Question

HI all

Hope you can help with a little problem I am having using ProE Wildfire 5, I am a new user to ProE after using SW for a number of years. The problem I have is that the Part above is made up of multi-boded components and welded together. I can only explain how to do this in SW sorry for that, but I would simply right-click on the feature I just created and un-tick merge bodies to show the components as separate parts within the same part file and then I would just add welding details.

Am I just missing the tick box to show solid bodies unmerged or do I have to draw the components separately then create assembly of the parts?

Can you please just explain how ProE handles parts like these as this makes up the bulk of my work.

Thanks.

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KrisR · Accepted Answer

There are a few ways to do this.You can model the parts independently and assemble. We do a great deal of welding here and that's what we do.You can also create a part within an assembly and do your modeling from within the assembly. This would be more of a top down approach. One more option you have is using the weld application within Pro and assembling the components and then adding the welds. I've not used an unmerge function in Pro, so I'm not sure if there is one. Are you trying to work with native SW files within Pro?

TomD.inPDX · Answer

There is a huge reason to make inseparable assemblies as a single part specifically in a Windchill/PDM environment.

Several companies have adopted their primary BOM system (PDM) to be driven directly from their CAD models. Pro/E has always been a problem in these environments -because- it requires assemblies regardless of how they are structured in the host PDM. This is yet another shortcoming for straight forward integrated PDM driven directly from CAD.

Simple examples include the OP's scenario. In sheetmetal, no one cares if PEMs are part numbered but must explode or section as unique objects in the "part" model. A welded jig or fixture needs to clearly delineate the various pieces, yet, be constructed within a single part from a PDM perspective.

These are called "inseparable assemblies" and many companies want only 1 part number and 1 CAD dataset associated with them. This capability exists in systems like NX and SolidWorks. These allow for bullion subtractions anywhere in the history tree as well.

The implementation is so simple; give the user the option to unite or keep separate in the feature creation dialog. There must be something in the core code that does not allow this because I know PTC has heard the request many times. There is no solution for the above scenario. I know this has cost PTC more than 1 contract to UG NX.

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