Creo Parametric Ideas

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo 7.0.x.0 untill Creo 10.0.x.0, and Creo+ 2. What is the problem? If you enter something in the Search-box in the File Open dialog and then change the selected File Type (eg. Creo Files to STEP) , the displayed (filtered) result list is reset according to the chosen File Type but you have to re-enter the information for which you were looking for in the Search-box. A (simplified) demonstration of this issue can be seen in the video below: I am looking for parts that only have the word "part" in. If I enter the information in the File Name box and change the Type, the entered keyword is erased. When I search for 'part' using the Search-box and then change the Type, all files that belong to the selected File Type are shown but the list isn't filtered anymore based on the information entered in the Search-box - even though the entered keyword is still shown in the Search-box afterwards 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. N/A 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. Most companies use long filenames, so if an engineer is looking for a specific assembly/part by entering a keyword in the search box then he/she could change the file type to narrow down the results which will make retrieving a specific item much faster,  5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) Increased productivity ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo Parametric 7.0.11.0 2. What is the problem? The popup mini toolbar often gets in the way.  The mini toolbar does not time out and disappear on its own.  It only disappears if the mouse is moved halfway across the screen or a different selection is made.  It also will sometimes remain as you perform an operation such as dragging the end of a witness line. See attached video of today's frustration.  The mini toolbar covers the end of the witness line that I need to adjust. 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. No work around other than a lot of mouse movement. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. I would like to see the mini toolbar time out and disappear after a short time (a config setting to adjust the length of time would be great).  It should also disappear when an operation is performed on the selected object. 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) The current mini toolbar behavior causes a lot of extra mouse movement, extra clicks and frustration. ... View more

We currently provide our users with a custom start page. This start page html file is stored locally within the user's user profile along with other files and settings. We need to allow for an environment variable so we can "point" to the html file within each user's user profile. This capability is already available in most of the other settings which except paths.   Our current work around is for the launch script to build the path and add the setting and path at launch time. It works fine but the ability to utilize a variable would be much cleaner.   Example: web_browser_homepage C:\Users\$username\folder\file.html ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo 8 and Creo 9 2. What is the problem? The "References" menu needs additional control options to enable efficient workflows.  "Remove" and "Remove All" do not provide enough capability for large "reference sets" 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. The only workaround is to do lots and lots of clicking. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. One example is if an annotation has references which get altered.  Especially in an environment where semantic references are defined.  Then is no way to only remove the failed references.  The user can only remove ALL the references, or go through the list one by one.     This issue applies within many contexts of Creo Parametric.    Another example is if a large round set is messed up 50% of they way, then the user has to choose, do I redo 50% of the original work, or do I individually remove 50% of my references?   The References interface should also support: The screen area selection capability of Creo Parametric. Bulk selection of references in the list using the common "Ctrl+LMB" and "Shift+LMB" practices. "Select All Failed References" might be better then "Delete all Failed References" Sorting the list by status A nice stretch goal would be the ability to "Copy and Paste" references between annotations.  I could image a case in a semantically referenced model where some kind of important overlap might exist between surfaces.   (Surface Finish vs Anodize where is might be handy to not have to "reclick" a bunch of surfaces again, or maybe a similar note needs applied to a very similar copied model.) 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.)  It wastes a substantial amount of time which would not be needed with some minor software improvements. ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo Parametric (7.0.9.0, applies to all versions) 2. What is the problem? I can open this model in an empty simp rep, open the simp rep manager, and create or edit a simp rep--all without loading any 3D CAD. But if I want to get past this screen, my only choices are to Open (saves the simp rep definition and opens it to the graphics window), Cancel (undos any changes I made), or Apply (opens it to the graphics window but does not save the edited simp rep definition). This feels like what was most likely an oversight in the original UI design and was just never properly addressed, I should be able to just press something like "OK" and return to the previous screen without being forced to load all those models. 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. A full workaround is not possible. While you can modify simp reps from the model tree to avoid the dialog window mentioned above, you can only choose default (e.g. Master, Exclude, Automatic, etc.)--not user defined--simp reps this way. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. Every designer working with assemblies (which is to say, all users of Creo Parametric) would benefit from being able to modify simp reps without activating them in the graphics window. For large assemblies, this would present massive time savings. 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) In our organization of several hundred Creo Parametric users, everyone spends countless cumulative hours dealing with this issue. I could not accurately put a number on it, but it easily surpasses 1,000 cumulative hours per year across the enterprise spent waiting for Creo to load our massive assemblies, when we don't necessarily need to open the model after making those simp rep definition changes. ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. Electrical connector design.  I am a CAD expert and work with our Creo users to get the most out of Creo. 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? Creo 7 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. Sometimes a feature will be located on a centerline or the center of a larger part/feature and it is desirable to pattern out from that point in the positive and negative direction.  The direction pattern type allows for two directions but it is intended for two different directions, X and Y for example, and will not work properly if one direction is +X and the other is -X (you get duplicate overlapping pattern features).  It would be very helpful if there was an option for the direction pattern type to make the pattern symmetric or an option to pattern in the same but opposite direction.  See attached images of a simple example, today what is shown can only be done using a table pattern.    See also this PTC article on the topic giving pattern tables as the answer:  https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS286085 4. What is the use case for your organization? Most connector designs consist of a multi directional pattern of features.  At times these patterns originate from the center. 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Time savings in Creo by avoiding the need for table patterns, which work but take more time then a directional pattern or the need for relocating the pattern leader to an edge of the pattern. ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What version of the software are you running? 9.0.3.0 2. What is the problem? It seems that size of all annotations, except symbols, is related to the maximum dimension existing on the model. I think that there should be a config option, that would allow the size of all annotations to be specified in absolute values related to (for example) screen resolution. 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. No workaround available. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. Standard designer's work, so all annotations on the model, must be easily readable for users. Especially important for MBD. 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) Dimensions not being read correctly might cause need for reworks of components, delays of the products release, and in effect - loss of money and the market share. Number of users affected : approximately 5000, not including downstream processes users. ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo 8.0.8 2. What is the problem?   Presence of relation  information missing in real time : in feature, note , sketch .... 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. Apply spécific character (manual) or specific suffix name   4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. When you open a 3d model with many features it is very productive and effective to read directly relation presence 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) 200 users, 30 minutes to find all the informations per user and approximately 18000 hours With 18000 hours, each user could learn more about CREO and other useful tools SYMBOL PROPOSAL:     ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. would assist to have the ability to select a specific configuration during open of an asm coming from SW. in addition to support opening the "active" configuration of an SW assembly. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo 10.0.1.0 2. What is the problem? Creo Unite doesn't support solidworks "active" configuration. therefor when you open a solidworks assembly you open the incorrect view of the asm. 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. No existing workaround exist. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. the organization use both Creo & Solidworks and exchange data frequently. supporting this functionality will eliminate mistakes 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) using wrong rep of the asm. nee to switch between several rep & guess which is the current ( correct one)  ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. All industries using Creo Parametric 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? Creo 6.0.x.0 until Creo 9.0.x.0 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. At the moment, it is not possible to set the representation of a group of components in an assembly. It is however already possible to set the representation of a group of features in a part:   Ideally, it would be a great improvement to also be able to do this on groups of components in assemblies:       4. What is the use case for your organization? Improve ease-of-use and user experience 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Productivity: Creo Parametric users lose less time selecting all the children in groups in an assembly if they could just set the representation of the group. ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. R&D, mechanical designer 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? 8.0.5.0 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. Create an excel-like experience in the program for tables in drawings. Simplify adding repeat regions, deleting columns and rows, changing table size, or just adding text to a box. There is absolutely no reason you need to click 5 times to enter text a cell, and then another 5 times to put text into the cell next to it. Or click the repeat regions in exactly the right order. There is not a single function that is intuitive. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Design and manufacturing.  5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Save time and headache.  ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What version of the software are you running? All versions. 2. What is the problem? When clicking 'OK' after creating an Internal sketch with an error, the 'Incomplete Section' window appears with a coloured 'YES' button. If you click YES, you lose all work done in the Internal Sketch. Users tend to inadvertently click YES… making another mistake...   It would be great if the “Incomplete Section” window would be replaced with the “Feature Requirements” window, like the one here for an error in an Internal Sketch of a Revolve Feature: 3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. I click NO in the "Incomplete Section" window, but that highlighted YES button is always so tempting... 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. I have been teaching Creo Parametric for years, and clicking YES in the "Incomplete Section" window is one of the most repeated mistakes by new users. Moreover, most experienced users are not familiar with the "Feature Requirements" button. This small change would make the software much easier to use. 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) This is a common mistake that wastes a lot of time and unnerves all users. ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What version of the software are you running? Windchill 12.0.2.9  2. What is the problem? There is no preference to make the radio buttons default to "change" when using the Set New Name UI while Renaming.  The optional radio buttons for New Number are Unchanged, Autogenerate, Generate document number based on related Part and Change.  The optional radio buttons for New Name are Unchanged, Same as number and Change.  However, the only options in the preferences menu for New Name and New Number are "Unchanged" and "Autogenerate".  We want the option of  "Change" so the user doesn't have to select these two radio buttons everytime they enter this UI.   3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. The workaround is to train the users(and maybe they will listen) and have the user's manually select the radio button for change on New Number and New Name when they enter into this UI.   4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. What we want is to eliminate two steps of having the user manually select the two radio buttons of Change on the New Name and New Number. 5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) Extra steps that the user will need to do....and WC10.2 already has the defaults set correctly so we are going backwards when upgrading to WC12 because the user now has to do extra steps that they did not do before.       ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. Mechanical Engineering 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? Any 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. Ability to fill surface with with members with approximately same distance to boundary and members themselves.   The FEA mesh nodes on triangular elements are representing the locations for pattern members. Then additionally one could have offsets from boundary - to be able to say, drill holes etc completely within surface. To create this in Creo Parametric one must use highly manual ways of working. Sample on approx location finding with FEA mesh. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Create robust models, that will not require human interaction. 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Time to Market ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. Machine automation. Admin for Creo and Windchill. All Windchill users within our organization. 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? 8.0.4.0 and Windchill 12.0.2.0   3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Due to the HUGE system/performance benefits of Inseparable Assemblies in a Windchill environment, we would like to have the ability to default to Inseparable Assemblies when importing STEP files. This would require 2 changes: Add Import as Inseparable assembly to STEP file import menu Add a config.pro setting to allow choosing Inseparable Assembly as the default. 4. What is the use case for your organization? We get STEP files of customer data that can contain 100's or 1000's of parts, and since we reference their data in our machine design we often want to check this data into Windchill. TWICE in the last month we had users check in assemblies with 5000+ new objects pausing our Windchill system for 15+ minutes for all users while the check in completes. These large assembly check ins are made 3x+ slower by using the 'Auto Associate upon Checkin' that creates WTParts. 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Being able to protect our Windchill system by default rather than having to constantly train/remind users to remember to use available tools. Better performance for pretty much all things PDM: Significantly faster check in Less clutter in workspace Less objects to refresh in workspace Less publishing (1 file instead of 100's or 1000's) Users can always unembed files if they need to create separate files. When importing STEP assemblies, please also fix the extra assembly Creo creates and when possible don't append extra things to the end of the file names. ... View more

Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. 1. What product and version are you running? Creo 8.0 and Windchill 12.0.2 2. What is the problem? Our parts and documents are numbered using autonumbering. In Windchill it is no problem finding the right components. In Creo there are multiple situations where engineers miss the descriptive information to be able to easily select the right component directly from Creo.  - modeltree - layertree - file open (the search field only searches in the name) - assemble - define simplified rep (column definition can not be stored) - save as (to STEP, dxf, etc.)   In Creo View it is possible to configure alternate part names. If this function is also possible in Creo, this would greatly enhance the user experience.   3. Are you using a workaround? If yes, please describe it. We have various configurations and workarounds to help the users - defining extra modeltree columns by default - first find the component in Windchill, use copy / paste to select the component in Creo. - create a new simplified rep, activate and use the modeltree to define the simplified rep.   For creating the right export files, we need a customization. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Describe how your idea would work in context or how it would apply to a practical situation. These actions are performed multiple times a day per user and the idea would help to get a better user experience and acceptance on using autonumbering.  5. What impact does this problem currently have on your organization? (Number of users affected, hours of lost productivity, etc.) 20 users, estimated lost productivity probably a couple of minutes per user per day. The major impact however will be on the user experience. We would require less customization and less workarounds.     ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. All our clients using Creo Parametric 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? Creo Parametric 7.0.x.0 to 10.0.x.0 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. At the moment the primary way to assemble a component in an assembly is by using the Assemble button. What I wish to request is an alternative way that enables faster assembling of components (who are opened in session) into an assembly (that is also opened in session) by making use of the existing copy paste buttons:   Of course after pasting the part into the assembly, you would then need to define the constraints (similar to when you're using the Assemble button after choosing a component in the File Open dialog window) Unfortunately, the method described above is not yet possible. 4. What is the use case for your organization? Increased productivity 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Increased productivity ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. Aerospace industry, I am a design engineer. 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? I'm currently running Creo 7.0 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. I want to be able to use a custom BOM Balloon that also displays QTY.  I currently leverage a repeat region and have to have 3 separate symbols: One with the QTY on the left of the balloon, one with QTY on the right of the balloon, and one showing no QTY (for components that only have 1X qty).  It would be great if Groups could be leveraged in BOM Balloons, so that I could create one symbol where all QTYs exist, and then select in Groups which one I want shown in the symbol.  I'm not sure why Groups cannot be used with BOM Balloons specifically, but can use them in other custom symbols? In this context especially - it's all the same information, I'm just deciding where I want that information displayed relative to the leader, or not at all. 4. What is the use case for your organization? This would be used throughout the org in drawings to automate the find number call outs 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? Significant labor savings due to tedious balloon creation, and potential for human error if qty or find number is mistyped. ... View more

1. Describe your environment: What is your industry? What is your role in your organization? Describe your stakeholders. Our organization is active in the field of construction machinery, combustion engines, and hydraulic components. I work in the IT department of the company, and we have a CAD-CAM integration project. We want to use the Model Based Definition on Creo Parametric (drawingless). 2. What version of Creo Parametric are you currently running? Currently, we use Creo Parametric 7.0.3.0 3. Describe the problem you are trying to solve. Please include detailed documentation such as screenshots, images or video. With the use of MBD, in the combined report MBD1_Site_Map, we have to identify all available combined views. To do this, I used unattached notes and added a hyperlink. In the images, we notice that the attached notes cannot be aligned, nor moved in groups. It would be interesting to be able to align unattached notes with a hyperlink in the 3D model. 4. What is the use case for your organization? We want to integrate MBD into our construction and manufacturing methodologies. 5. What business value would your suggestion represent for your organization? CAD-CAM integration, manufacturing and design process improvement ... View more