help with mass props reporting

[lylebeidler]

The recent post on volume reporting in drawings spurred me to finally do
some research on a problem our company has had for quite some time: our
weight parameter does not correctly update on drawings.



Currently, we use a parameter, driven by a relation, like this: Pounds =
mp_mass("). The issue we've had is that, in order to ensure that the
Pounds parameter is correct, you must run a mass props report, then
regenerate twice. Cumbersome at best, and therefore is often overlooked,
and so our drawings don't correctly report the weight of the assembly



The solution I've come up with is this:

Create a mass properties analysis feature, which is moved to the footer of
the model.

Drive the parameter with this relation Pounds =
mass:fid_mass_props_analysis_feature

Add that relation to the Post Regeneration section of the relations, rather
than the Initial section.



This seems to be an automatic solution, with the only drawback being the
time to fix start parts, existing models, etc.

Can anyone comment on potential drawbacks to this solution? The key for us
is the automation of reporting, and I'm leery of using the
mass_property_calculate automatic config option due to the fact that all
parts will be marked as modified (we're using Intralink).



Any feedback as to pros & cons of this method would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

WF3, Intralink 3.4

--



Lyle Beidler
MGS Inc
178 Muddy Creek Church Rd
Denver PA 17517
717-336-7528
Fax 717-336-0514
<">mailto:-> -
<">http://www.mgsincorporated.com>
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[CM10]

I'm leery about the automatic mass props seetting as well from what I've read. You know, PTC should fix this. There are certain things that really are NOT changes to the model, and so should NOT show as modified. I can imagine the nightmare this would cause in PDMLink. I might try your method.

[dgschaefer]

It seems to me that you are automating the mass properties calculation
by embedding it into the models. That means that users cannot then turn
it off for performance reasons. I'd just set mass_property_calculate
automatic in your company config.pro (not config.sup) and then inform
your users that they can turn it off if they'd like to for performance
reasons. We do that here and find that it works well. The big downside
is when opening old models with no density assigned, Pro|E will ask you
for a density for each one upon the first regen.

Also, your solution doesn't eliminate the double regen. By default,
Pro|E calculates relations before regenerating the model. So, Pro|E
will use the prior value for the mass properties feature for your
relation, then regen the model which may change the mass properties.
Starting in WF1 or WF2, however, PTC added a second relations section
that will evaluate after regeneration, eliminating the need for the
double regen. In the relations editor, look in the lower RH corner for
a drop down box. Click it and select 'Post Regeneration'. Place your
Pounds = mp_mass(") relation there to avoid the double regen.

I think in order to be fully automatic and always correct, this is the
most straightforward solution. Even if you don't set the calculation to
automatic, placing the relations in the post regen section will at least
eliminate the double regen.

Doug Schaefer

[lylebeidler]

I've investigated the mass_property_calculate automatic config.pro setting,
and it, as was mentioned here by another poster, thinks everything is
modified in Pro/E, and then wants to save everything to Workspace when I
choose File > Save Changed, and then the stuff is all marked Read Only, so I
get warning messages, and if it's not marked Read Only, then it wants to
check it in to Commonspace, even though it's not really changed.

To sum up, this config setting does not seem to be a good choice in
conjunction with Intralink.



I did move the relation to the Post Regeneration section (per your earlier
post), and that does indeed eliminate the double regen. Thanks a bunch for
that tip!



--



Lyle Beidler
MGS Inc
178 Muddy Creek Church Rd
Denver PA 17517
717-336-7528
Fax 717-336-0514
<">mailto:-> -
<">http://www.mgsincorporated.com>

[mdebower]

We are currently using Windchill 8.0 and Wildfire 3.0 with the "mass_property_calculate" set to "automatic"; use an analysis feature in a footer in the models; and the parameter "PRO_MP_MASS" to report masses in the drawings. With this setup we have not run into any more issues with parts wanting to regenerate than usual. There are always some, Layer changes, etc. But no one here has complained about it causing trouble.

I think the reason for the difference in behavior is that we aren't using a relation to drive the mass parameter, the PRO_MP_MASS parameter is a default.

- marc

[MikeFoster]

Hi Lyle,



I believe your advice "this config setting does not seem to be a good
choice in conjunction with Intralink" may unnecessarily lead other users
down a more difficult path.



We've been using that config setting for years and nothing ever gets
marked modified on its account. Here are our pertinent config items:



mass_property_calculate automatic

save_objects changed



I'm not sure your test was appropriate - If I take an existing part with
no mass property relations, regen with the above settings active, save,
and check-in I can then open that part and hit regen as much as I want
and it never gets marked modified.



Regards,



Mike Foster

ATK-Space



WF3 M160 & 3.4 M030

[lylebeidler]

I'm not seeing the same behavior you are. When I regen with these two
options specified, I get all sorts of modified issues.

I believe the difference may be your statement "with no mass property
relations" - we have some relations, so as to relate the mass props to a
parameter, maybe that's why it's behaving differently here.



--



Lyle Beidler
MGS Inc
178 Muddy Creek Church Rd
Denver PA 17517
717-336-7528
Fax 717-336-0514
<">mailto:-> -
<">http://www.mgsincorporated.com>

[dgschaefer]

I've got no Intralink experience here, but what I thought Mike was
saying was that the first time you change all these settings and regen,
Pro|E is going to update the M/P info and thus tag the part modified.
Although the geometry hasn't changed, the part file has - you've added
accurate M/P info. Once you check in, further regens shouldn't cause
the part to get tagged, unless there is some geometry change.

Doug Schaefer