Text in sketch

[caruana]

I am using NX2.
Is it possible to create "text characters"(letters & numbers) in a sketch and then extrude it?

 

[roughwood]

Often questions you have will already be answered in these forums. If you search it will save you the time of waiting for a reply, and help keep the forums clean.

Cheers

Keith Young
keith.a.young@comcast.net
Walway Enterprises
UG Tool Design

 

[Xwheelguy]

The answer to that is both yes & no.

NX2 doesn't have any "modeled" (3D) or wireframe (2D) text capabilities. If you want wireframe text in a sketch, you have to sketch the curves and constrain/dimension them just like any other objects you'd create in sketcher.

However, NX3 introduces Modeled Text, which allows for the creation & placement of 2D curves based on True Type fonts. The curves are NOT associative, but this is a new capability & I believe UGS plans to add more functionality to it as time goes on.

Using NX2, I would suggest using some 3rd party utility that converts True Type fonts into vector based (2D) geometry, then import the vector based geometry into UG & extrude it. Personally, what I did to work around this problem is create a table of a certain font (A through Z and 0 through 9), converted them to vector format & imported the curves into UG & saved them as a part. I just translate the letters & numbers to where I want them & export the curves to the part I'm working on & finally locate & extrude them.

Hope this helps & makes some sense.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[kadego]

Step 1. Download Rhinoceros3d from

http://www.rhino3d.com

Step 2. Create any font as curves, surfaces or solids.
Step 3. Export the result as STEP or Parasolid.
Step 4. Import into NX2

 

[yajnas123]

the best way is to write whatever you want in annotation,then export it as *.cgm and import the *.cgm back to ug.
extrude the curves .... you have it.
The only problem is ... cgm creates tiny spilnes . you have to adjust.

san-j

 

[Wittenborn]

Good idea, yajnas!

That CGM export function is useful in a lot of different work-arounds. Exporting a DXF file, for instance!

The only bad thing is that if you want to edit the text, or if it isn't the right size, you'll need to go through the entire process again.

Argh...

Regards,
Grant
Aerospace Engineer

 

[Tetragrammaton]

Hi Caruana,

I came across this one some years ago. Although it is a third party add-on it does alot of versitility and functionality.

Check out their website and have a look, if nothing else it will give you a good idea of what is available.

http://www.w-eng.de/

Best Regards

Dave

 

[Xwheelguy]

Folks,

It would be nice if you specified what type of text you're referring to when asking this question. Basically, are you wanting to use the UG fonts available in Drafting or are you wanting to use True Type fonts or something similar to TTF? Reason being is because the answer will depend upon which type of text you're meaning.

For those of you who are considering 3rd party software, you may want to see what NX3 has to offer, because there IS capability to create non-associative curves ONLY from TTF within NX3. This function is supposed to mature into a modeled text & placement sort of command where there is some sort of associativity but I do not know what the timeframe for the additional capabilites.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[Wittenborn]

That's a good point, Tim. Understandably, some people don't have as much experience when it comes to determining which method of text to use...

I agree with Tim that you should check out NX3. While the work-arounds the other users mentioned will work in NX2, NX3 I think will do what you are looking for.

However, if you create text in a sketch, and then extrude the text to make a solid, and then want to change the text, you'll still need to regenerate new text (there is no way to modify it). At least that's what I've found.

Regards,
Grant
Aerospace Engineer

 

[Xwheelguy]

Grant,

Thank you.

As far as the Modeled Text in NX3, at this point in time you are right. But based on conversations I've had directly with product managers at UGS, the Modeled Text is supposed to continue to have additional capabilities added to it. Those capabilities MAY include: making the wireframe (curves) associative; associative placement of curves, boolean operations, making Modeled Text a feature and CNC recognition of that feature. Whether that will happen with major releases (NX4, 5 or 6) or with maintenance releases (NX3.0.2, NX3.0.3, etc.) remains unknown to me. In the past, I have seen brand new functions added between major releases, mainly in Shape Studio.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[Wittenborn]

Thanks for that info, Tim. I guess it's wait and see time now.

I've run across these types of issues before, and said to myself: "This would be so easy to implement, why haven't they done it?"

But then I look at the big picture. OK, implement it. Then update the documentation, the help system, etc. Then you need to get your tech support folks up to speed on the full functionality so that when that annoying Grant guy calls in trying to figure out how to use this new tool, we'll be able to show him.

Then make sure this simple functionality in modeling works in the CNC environment, drafting, sketcher, visual studio, ANSYS, NASTRAN, CFD, etc.

I'm sure its not nearly as easy as I perceive it to be. But I'll still be the first dummy to call GTAC with a stupid question...






Regards,
Grant
Aerospace Engineer

 

[caruana]

Thank you for your replies.
For now I`m using the export/import.
It would be really great if they add the option to sketch text,as in ProE.

Thanks
Jesmond

 

[Xwheelguy]

Grant,

I think it's important to take all those things you brought up into consideration but at the same time it is also important to remember that UG wasn't originally spawned in a Windows environment. So the implementation of certain things may not be as easy as it has been for other softwares. By no means am I trying to defend UGS because I personally feel that they are screwing up by making other things (like new icons, new plotting software, associative curves) a priority rather than fixing things that have never worked right & adding functionality that has never been there to begin with, like True Type fonts (both in modeling & drafting), Arraying a body, Tri-tangent blend, along with many other things UG has been midding for years.

Jesmond,

What are you meaning when you say "sketch text"? Any software that has a sketcher can sketch text, as long as you can get the text into vector format. Once the new Modeled Text matures, there will not be a need for sketching the curves, as they will all be associative & you'll be able to edit them, control size, spacing, kerning, bold, italics, etc.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[Wittenborn]

I agree, Tim. Good point on the development of the original UG in DOS.

I've never really seen a clear cut direction in the development of UG. The plotting function is a prime example. We got the plotting routines set up in NX, and NX2, and then they change it all together in NX3 (for the worse in my opinion). Why does plotting have to be so complicated?

I agree with your statements about icons, but I also think that it's important to match the software interface with the operating system interface. NX1 and NX2 look nothing like the XP environment, at least in my opinion.

And since we've strayed so far off topic, I'll end wishing Jesmond good luck with his text extrusion issues...




Regards,
Grant
Aerospace Engineer

 

[caruana]

nkwheelguy,

Since I am much more familiar with ProE when I say "sketch text" I mean, choose a font and create the text immediately in sketcher without any problems of exporting/importing.

Regards
Jesmond

 

[Xwheelguy]

Jesmond,

Once the Modeled Text option in UG becomes fully operational, there will not be a need for a sketch. You will choose font (along with size, bold, italics, etc.), locate & place the text string onto a face & finally extrude the text & either create, unite or subtract it. It should be fully associative, IF UGS decides to further the development, which was what I was told they were going to do in the future.

But for now, the best they have to offer is just creating the text string & locating it.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com