Options and variants with Siemens NX

[Dobi]

Version: Windchill 13.0

Use Case: We're looking into using Options and Variants in Windchill for managing our product configurations. All of the documentation I've read points to configurable products in Creo as the modeling mechanism. NX has similar functionality with PTS. Has anyone here gone the route of setting up Options with NX?

Description:

We're using NX for CAD and are looking at Options as a means of managing configurations for products. I don't see documentation on how Options would work from a modeling standpoint with NX (in Creo, configurable parts are used). Has anyone gone down this path? 

[anursingh]

Hi @Dobi,

Thank you for your question. 

Your post appears well documented but has not yet received any response. I am replying to raise awareness. Hopefully, another community member will be able to help.

Also, feel free to add any additional information you think might be relevant. It sometimes helps to have screenshots to better understand what you are trying to do. 

Regards,

Anurag 

[Dobi]

Looking into this still and think I have a way forward. 

I can create an option, choices and option set. In my NX assembly, I go about the modeling as I would and make sure my top level assembly at whatever level is a configurable product (or module) type WTPart. I can then assign the options to the configurable part that turn on and filter my BOM. 

Haven't yet fully sorted out locators and the Architecture Editor... but I think this is workable. There isn't - seemingly - a direct link between something like NX arrangements, reference sets or product template authoring like there is with Creo as CAD. So if there are in fact configurations at the product level that are turned on or off with expressions - not yet clear on how to go about it. But if it's taking an overloaded BOM and then filtering it down to a configuration... options work.