Detailing tips needed 1

[DonnaR]

I come from a strong ProE background, and I have recently started with a group that uses Solid Edge. In checking the drawings, I have asked for things they say cannot be done. It seems like maybe they just have not heard of these things yet. Specifically, some dimension lines need to be broken and some need "jogs" to make the drawings readable by normal drafting standards. Also, all the dimensions on these drawings are inserted manually, and not "shown" from the dimensions used to create the features. They cannot insert center lines in the part that are fixed, they are drawing them on manually. If these things are so, please let me know. But if they can be done, I would like to do things the "best" way possible using this software. Thanks

 

[KENAT]

Donna:

1. I'm not sure if Dimension lines can be broken. However, I don't think this is in the ASME standards (nor sure about iso) anymore anyway so isn't required as I recall.

2. Dimension lines can be jogged, I'm struggling to recal the details as I don't do it much I think it requires using the Alt key while placing. Try looking up help.

3. I'm not sure quite what you mean by dimensions inserted manually. The placed dimensions are still generated from the model geometry. Or there is a 'retrieve dimensions' button which will retrieve dimensions used in the model but isn't perfect. Of course it's possible to model in SE using very few dimensions if you don't force your sketches to be fully constrained, so there may not be much to retrieve depending how your drafters have learnt. Or do you mean people manually change the dimension value in the draft, this is usually very bad practice.

4. There's a couple of ways to deal with centerlines. One is the centerline function, you still manually place them but if done correctly that are attatched to the geometry and will follow it. To reinforce this you can 'draw in view' where you add sketched geometry 1:1 'inside' the drawing view rather than just on the draft sheet. Right click on view and select draw in view, I think you may be able to place Center lines by function too within draw in view.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[PatCouture]

Hi Donna

1. If you right click on a dimension you can add a break with other dimensions.

2. For the jog you have to Alt + RMB on the line to insert the jog then you can move it around as you see fit.

3. As Kenat described, you can retrieve dimensions directly but I don't use it at all since I rarely design with the dimension needed to put in the drawings. I prefer to do them all over in the draft environment.

4. Kenat said it all

If something in this doesn't work it can be related to the version you are using. Those work in V20

Welcome to Solid Edge

Patrick

 

[xedu]

Hi Donna

4.You can do it automatically !
TIP : If you want to place centermarks you can make them with a crossing window over the place where you want them

But if you come from Pro/e you will be missing some things
like retrieve dim - switch dim - clean dim - retrieve axis.
reorient view... to say something.

But one thing I know for sure, SE is easier to learn then Pro/E.
And if you are willing to stay for a while. You wil love it

 

[KENAT]

Xedu, SE has retrieve dimension although it's not quite the same, or perhaps as clean, as Pro E.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[beachcomber]

Hi Donna,
Welcome to Solid Edge and the best forum on the 'net.
You can add centre lines manually with the centre-line command - by 2 points or as a bisector by 2 lines.
There is also an automatic centre lines command that will do a whole view and there are filter settings on the command to give you the types you want.
Personally I wouldn't recommend putting centre lines inside the view (with Draw-in-View). This prevents you finding any detached ones with the dimension tracker on view updates.
I don't usually bother with breaking dimension lines. It never seems to put the break exactly the right size or place. If a dim line crosses some text I move the text.
I can confirm that the Alt-RMB to jog a dim does not work on V19 or earlier, neither does break dim line.
However Alt-LMB works to insert a vertex in the leader to a note, balloon, weld symbol etc.
The retrieve dimensions command will retrieve ALL appropriate dimensions for that view - again depending on the filter settings. You can also remove automatically placed dimensions with the same command.



bc.
2.4GHz Core2 Quad, 4GB RAM,
Quadro FX4600.

 

[Raaden]

Does really Alt+RMB for jog a dim work in >19?
I just activated ST and tried it, but all I get Alt+RMB to do is fit the view (which as been a standard shortcut since the beginning of times).

 

[donyoung]

ALT+LMB but AFAIK only in connection with coordinate dimensions

dy

 

[PatCouture]

You are absolutely right Don, I was mistaken on the Jog. You also need to select the coordinate dimension before applying the job.

Sorry for the confusion. I should had tried it before writing!

Patrick

 

[DonnaR]

KENAT
I apologize if I have inadvertently violated a policy here.
This was my first day in this forum, and this was my first post. I was just asking if these things were possible -
I can't use "help" right now, because I do not have a PC yet. Maybe next week, they say. In the meantime, I just wanted to know if what I was asking for was reasonable for users of SE. I will have SE when the PC gets here (4 weeks is too long to wait!) and it should have tutorials I can use for my own knowledge. I am not sure yet what training if any the drafters have received.

Dim lines are supposed to be broken for arrow heads, text in other dimensions, et al. If it can't be done, the dims need to be moved so they are legible.

Everyone, thanks for all your help. I will share this with my drafters and then see what else is in there they might like to be using!

 

[KENAT]

Sorry Donna, my sig line is generic and gets put on all my posts, you didn't violate anything. I was directing you to help 'cause I couldn't remember the details for that one thing but hoped I'd given enough info for you to find it. Glad it's not just places I work that can't have a PC ready for new hires.

A bit off topic for this fora but was thinking of

Crossing Dimension Lines should be avioided. Where unavoidable, the dimension lines are unbroken.

At 1.1.1 it talks about breaking them for insertion of numerals which SE should do automatically unless someones changed settings that's certainly possible. Your arrow head & text thing may not be covered by 1.7.1.4, not sure and as checker you get to decide anyway;-).

I worked at a place that used both SE & Pro E, once you new what you were doing I always thought the SE drawings looked better than the Pro E ones so hopefully that'll encourage you.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[DonnaR]

I believe I used the incorrect terminology - what I was talking about breaking was the leader lines of the dimensions, not the ones with the dimension values and arrow heads.

Our primary SE tech tried the breaking technique, and it worked well. The jog fix did not work yet, but we are on ST just starting this week. Maybe after a few weeks this will be possible too.

 

[KENAT]

On the jog, I could only get it to work when placing new dimensions, I couldn't modify existing ones although 'help' claimed you could, this was V19 though.

I will say this Solid Edge 'GTAC' is pretty good so assuming you have a maintenance contract is worth is worth contacting to ask.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?