Some CREO Drawing Enhancements

[jforsyth]

Like most people in this community, I have used 3D CAD software for over 25 years.  I have been using CREO for 1 year.  There seems to be some basic out of the box functionality that is missing from CREO.  The enhancements listed below are all available in other 3D CAD software out of the box.

Everything below is based on CREO Parametric 3.0, code M090.

DRAWING

REF Balloon Creation

Issue

The BOM Repeat Region Table is associated to a specific representation of the Assembly.  This means that BOM Balloons can only be created in views that use the same representation as the BOM Repeat Region table.  This includes the REF Balloons.  Since CREO allows the designer to create as many REF Balloons for a part as need, this requirement for the REF Balloons needs to be removed.  REF Balloons should be able to be created in views that use a different representation than the BOM Repeat Region table.  This would make the Drawing creation process much easier and faster.  The main reason our company uses different Simplified Reps of an assembly is to improve the response when opening a Drawing or changing Drawing sheets.  As it is now we cannot create a REF Balloon in a view that has a different Representation from the BOM Repeat Region table.  This has increased the time it takes to create a drawing.

Enhancement Solution

Allow the creation of REF Balloons on views that have a different representation than the BOM Repeat Region table.

REF Balloon Manipulation

Issue

Currently REF Balloons cannot be merged like Standard BOM Balloons.  This needs to be fixed.  If we have a view that shows many REF Balloons, each REF Balloon has a Leader.  Showing these leaders can clutter up a drawing view and make it difficult to position REF Balloons in order to make the view presentable and easy to read.  Please change the REF Balloons so that they can be merged similar to the Standard BOM balloons.  Also please change the options for a REF Balloon so that the leader can be deleted.  We use REF Balloons in tables on the face of the drawing.

Enhancement Solution

Allow REF Balloons to be merged like the Standard BOM Balloons.  Also allow the leader for a REF Balloon to be removed.

Drawing Symbol Manipulation

Issue

Drawing symbols (including REF Balloons) cannot be related to another object, like tables and different symbols.

Enhancement Solution

Allow Drawing Symbols to be able to relate to other objects.  This will help to reduce the errors when a table is moved and the symbols do not.

Drawing Views

Issue

Currently when adding annotation (notes and Symbols) they are placed on the drawing and are not related to a specific view.  This can cause issues if a view is moved and any un-related annotation does not.

Enhancement Solution

Have some kind of option to be able to activate a view before creating annotation.  This would help ensure that the annotation is related to the activated view.

Issue

When we create a change notice on a drawing (DCN, ECO, etc.) we will typically show the current view condition and then show a change condition on our change notice form.  We refer to this as the FROM condition (the way the view is currently on the drawing) and the TO condition (the way the view will look after the change has been incorporated).  To do this we want to create a copy of the view so we can make the changes.  Currently CREO does not have any method to copy and existing view and place it on a sheet in a different location.

Enhancement Solution

Have some method to be able to create a copy of a view so we can modify it separately from the original view and show any changes.

BOM Repeat Region Table

Issue

The BOM Repeat Region table is created using Report parameters (rpt.qty, rpt.index, etc.).  Currently these Report parameters are not available for use.  We would like to be able to use these Report Parameters in a note.  This way we can say in a note “INSTALL ITEM 15 PRE MFG INSTRUCTIONS” where item 15 is linked to the same index number in the BOM Repeat region as defined by the rpt.index parameter.  There has been a suggestion that an Assembly parameter (cparam) can be created that defines the index number of the parts in an assembly.  The BOM Repeat Region table would then use the cparam instead of the rpt.index.  This seems to work for small assemblies.  In our case we typically create assemblies that have over 100 parts in the BOM.  This would be a labor intensive approach to resolve this issue.

Enhancement Solution

Allow the user access to the BOM Repeat Region Report Parameters so they can add them to and link notes to these parameters.

Drawing Sheets

Issue

When we reorder the drawing sheets drawing parameter &current_sheet is updated to reflect the correct sheet number in sequential order.  The sheet number in the tab at the bottom of the page does not change.  I know you can manually change the sheet number in the tab, but when you are working on 20+ sheet drawing this can take a lot of time.

Enhancement Solution

Make the parameter for the sheet name in the tab at the bottom of the page available to the users so they can create some kind of relation so it will reflect the actual sheet number.

Linking Drawing Sheets

Issue

We create notes for a view callout that we want to link to the main view.  For example, the view callout may read “DETAIL AA  SEE SHEET XX”  where xx is the sheet number where the detail view was defined.  There currently is a parameter that links the view names in a similar fashion.  Not be experienced in using this parameter is seems to me we need to make sure the main view and the detail view have similar names.  It would be easier to be able to link the ouor note to a sheet number rather than the view name. 

Enhancement Solution

Allow a drawing note to have a parameter that can be linked to the Drawing sheet number.  Preferably the sheet tab at the bottom of the window after the previous enhancement has been incorporated.

Interrogating the Drawing

Issue

We typically create 50+ sheet drawings.  As part of our checking process we would like to be able to create a routine that would read all of the drawing objects by type and:

1. List the drawing object type (Balloon, Symbol, annotation, etc.).
2. Access the drawing sheet these objects are on.
3. Be able to read the variable text in these objects (Flag note text, balloon item number, etc.).
4. Extract the values for all drawing parameters values.

Without this capability the checking process is mind numbing.  I know Model Check can do some of these things but not all.

Enhancement Solution

Expose the code object types so we can create a routine to search and read these object types.  Maybe a list of exposed Drawing objects types and what they point to in the drawing.  For example, the code object type bln = a Drawing balloon.

Drawing Element Properties

Issue

It is currently difficult to be able to change the properties (thickness, style, color, etc.) of drawing elements like lines and circles.

Enhancement Solution

Allow the user to change the Drawing elements properties.

Symbol Creation and Drawing Elements

Issue

Creating a Drawing Symbol, or adding drawing lines and circles on a drawing sheet, is a laborious process.  Creating simple things like a line or a note seems to take a lot of steps.  Trimming elements to a common intersection does not seem to be intuitive.

Enhancement Solution

Modify the Symbol Creation window and adding drawing elements to work more like Sketcher in a Part.

Converting to Draft Elements

Issue

We cannot create a link (Relate to Object) to a table.

Enhancement Solution

Allow a table to be used for the Relate to Object command.

[StephenW]

Without going thru each and every issue you posted, I have seen most of these as Ideas on the board already.

I'm sure they are all valid requests for enhancements but when you put a mess of requests in a single idea, you won't get any "votes" or kudos simply due to too much stuff in one post.

My recommendations:

1. search for an existing 'idea' to vote on (kudo)

2. add a comment to the idea to bring it to the attention of others so it can get more votes (kudos)

3. if you don't find an existing 'idea', create the idea post for an individual enhancement. Don't dilute the request. Be specific. Show use cases.

I have no proof any of these methods will actually get action.