Assembly Family Tables - Using Constraints in the Table?

[JWayman]

I have a query that may become a product idea, I'm not sure:

I have a large assembly comprising a small sub-assembly and a large sub-assembly. The large sub-assembly can be assembled in a number (say 5) of different positions by mating a certain surface in the large S/A with the appropriate one of 5 different surfaces in the small S/A. These positions are not defined in terms of dimension, but are rather determined by which of a number of surfaces is chosen to mate the large S/A to.

In the past, I have made a family table, with 5 of the large S/A assembled to the generic and switched all except one off in each instance.

That's OK, but it really is a large S/A, with all the associated difficulties arising from large assemblies. Stick it in 5 times and its response becomes somewhat sluggish.

What I would like to do is assemble the large S/A once and have its assembly constraints as a column in the family table. I could define 5 constraint sets when I assemble the large S/A into the top model and disable all except one set, then use the family table to selectively enable and disable constraint sets.

I can't see a way to do this in WF4.

Is there a way?

Is it possible in WF5 or CP2?

Is there already an idea covering this? (I can't find one)

Should I raise an Idea?

I look forward to your response.

Thanks,

John

Wildfire 4, M220

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[LukaszMazur · Accepted solution]

It's definitely possible in Creo 2.0. IIRC, in Creo PTC added in assemblies parameter PTC_CONSTRAINT_SET, which you can use to change active constraint set for given component.

So you started with the right idea of making different constraints set for every placement variant, and now in Parametric 2.0 you'd need to just add PTC_CONSTRAINT_SET parameter to the family table and there you could simply change the constraint set's name for the corresponding family instance.

[TomD.inPDX]

Never knew that and is great to know, Lukasz. Thanks!

[JamesBurcham]

Lukasz, you are my new hero. I didn't you could do that, but have always wanted to. Is there any kind of tutorial available that I can show my department?

[TomD.inPDX]

I could see this as a real improvement if this option were available in the assembly constraints when assembling a component. I wonder if you can access this in the flexible component dialog.

[dschenken]

The ability to have mutiple assembly constraint sets is in WF5, but it didn't seem to work; at least I didn't see a place where it would be usable.

Only one set can be enabled at a time, otherwise the placement fails.

[LukaszMazur]

Antonius and James: You're welcome

Also, James: I've found this tutorial at Learning Exchange: http://learningexchange.ptc.com/tutorial/3239/component-of-a-sub-assembly-with-different-constraint-sets-in-one-overall-assembly - it shows how to utilize this feature in assemblies.

Antonius - check this link too, it is shown there that you can use this parameter in flexible components as well.

And David: The ability was there, that's right, now PTC just added additional parameter you can use to switch between defined constraint sets. Plus, as far as I know you can have multiple constraint sets enabled at once, the thing is constraints in those sets cannot be mutually exclusive, because then you'll indeed get "Constraints Invalid" message. As long as constraint sets are complementary to each other, it should work fine.

[JWayman]

Thanks, Lukasz.

That's another (one?) reason for upgrading to the later version.

I tried it in WF4 and couldn't work out a way to use the 'PTC_CONSTRAINT_SET' parameter.

It would let me make the column in the model tree, but, when I tried to modify the value, it told me 'the name is reserved'.

I tried creating a random parameter and making it equal to 'PTC_CONSTRAINT_SET' with a relation, but it didn't like that either.

So, in WF4, it's there, but only to tease us. We have to wait until CP2 to be able to use it.

That sounds like a really significant new functionality.

Well done, PTC.

Cheers,

John

[LukaszMazur]

To be honest I didn't even know PTC used this parameter in Wildfires. It is presented as a new enhancement in trainings for Creo Parametric, so apparently it's functionality has been enhanced in Creo and maybe previously it's been used to simply track which constraint set should be active in the assembly.

[vzak]

Antonius,

Given this is standard component parameter it can be used by flexible components also. Make Flexible to owner subassembly, and navigate to PTC_CONSTRAINT_SET parameter of the component.

Need to mention - to make it work you need to create min 2 sets (redefine / add one more constraint set) - only then parameter appears.

Cheers,

- Vlad

[TomD.inPDX]

Thanks Vladimir. I noticed that in the linked video above. This is a very nice option I had never considered.