Continue to Site

Welcome to MCAD Central

Join our MCAD Central community forums, the largest resource for MCAD (Mechanical Computer-Aided Design) professionals, including files, forums, jobs, articles, calendar, and more.

Issue when Replacing Parts within an Assembly - ECAD -> MCAD

Nick Brenn

New member
I am working to generate a more accurate 3D model of a circuit board, using 3D components downloaded from supplier websites.

Since I am new to PTC Creo 3.0 (I have an electrical background), I am having a difficult time replacing the original parts with the parts that I downloaded from the supplier's websites.

Here is my process, that I learned from some instructional videos online:
  • Select the component that I wish to replace.
  • Select Operations -> Replace
  • Since I am replacing, say, a 3D rectangle with an actual component, I select "Unrelated Component"
  • I selected the component that I am looking to replace.
  • I chose "Edit Reference Table". Question 1: What am I supposed to do with Tag1?

question1.JPG
I chose the proper references, and then hit Apply and OK.

The issue that I am running into, is, when I hit OK, the component is not being replaced in the same location as the original component. It is being placed off to the side of the circuit, with the movement capabilities added to it (I am within Component Placement). And when I hit the Green check mark, after dragging it to my desired location, it disappears.

offtotheside.JPG<- the component isn't in the location of the component I wanted to replace it with.

Any help is greatly appreciated
 
Usually, if the original component was offset from its reference by some amount, the replacement component will not be offset, but will be coincident instead. Pay attention to any offsets before making the replacement so that you can duplicate the value.
Also, you made need to "flip" the constraint to get correct orientation.
 
Last edited:
I agree with dross, if you comply his steps you should get correct oriented/constrained part in top assembly level.
If problem persist, I´ll ask you: is this part, which you´ve downloaded, optional part from same design/supplier house as the main assembly also? If YES, some designers make their parts constrained to default during top level modeling. So you can try next: replace, than without editing ref. table apply and OK. After this go to Edit definition (left click on this imported part) make this part constrained by default.
 

Sponsor

Articles From 3DCAD World

Back
Top