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.

Register Log in

Insert Mode

J

johni

New member
A little help from one of you Pro-E guru's. This is probably simple to some but I cannot figure it out. After using the 'copy' command, 'mirror', 'all feat' about a datum plane, why is it that I cannot go into insert mode by dragging insert up the model tree? I cannot get past the merge command in the model tree! Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks in advance!!
 
I am using Wildfire v1.0. I have no problem using insert with the pulldown menu. As illustrated above, using 'Insert Mode' and the 'Activate'. The problem exists when I try to drag the words 'Insert Mode w/ the red arrow in the model tree up past the merge feature. It will not let me drag before the merge feature to any other feature in the model tree. (See Image) Thanks again in advance!!!!


smiley18.gif



View attachment 1168
 
well i think, if the merge feature is using reference from the feature above and the same with the features above it. isn't going to let you reorder it for reference reasons.
 
Well if that's the case. You could goback and fix your constrains and give them dim. thru the datumsand give rid of the constrians.
 
IMHO copying a symmetrical part about a centerline is a quick, dirty way of accomplishing geometry creation. My experience has been it can and will come back to hurt and haunt you at some point in time. I have found it just as easy to create the whole part. Creating the whole part gives you control over insertion of features and having to re-do a copy/mirror. It also allows you to have driving dimensions on the print. I am sure I could start quite a few arguments with this post
smiley2.gif
 
I agree with donha. I have mirrored in the past but vary rarely. I think it does not make for models that are nearly as robust as they should be. I work with guys that mirror geometry and they are constantly having problems with their models. I don't think they ever learned how to make robust models and instead take what they think is the easy way... until the problems start. I don't have a problem with copying features though.
 
The problem is in ProE, which is just not smart enough to handle mirrored parts and features !


I'm a designer working on "two legs", ProE at day, something else at night (let's call it "brand X" not to start that discussion). I can build very robust models using even 3 consecutive mirror copies for things that are symmetrical about all 3 base planes. As a designer I don't see why redoing features and drawing symmetrical profiles should be necessary if it is solely to keep the CAD-program happy.


As said at start, the problem is in ProE. Basically it can't switch references in a smart way, and that is why features fail. An example : create a cilinder, give it a flat face on one side by making an extruded cutout. Try to mirror it to the other side : it fails. Why ? Because ProE attaches the cutout to the cilindrical face and that same face isn't there any longer for the mirror because the first cutout modified it. If you draw the profile without referencing the cilindrical face, then the mirror succeeds. But is this robust modelling ??? Surely you want your cutout to follow the cilinder, whatever dimensions you end up giving it.


Other software takes a smart approach. The first cut is fully defined in relation to the model. The mirrored cut only looks at the final profile and swaps it to the other side, relating only to the mirroring plane, disregarding any referenced items. Which means it is parametric by being based on the first cut and at the same time smart by working out a result on the mirrored side all by itself.


Don't get me wrong, ProE can be a wonderfull and powerfull modeller, but at the same time it sometimes is plain stupid, forcing us users in workarounds that shouldn't be necessary.


<end rant>


Alex


+ attachmentView attachment 1182
 
Hey Ihave no problem with symmetry about a datum or which ever the case might be. I always try to make my models as simple as the can be, For future revisions, or so the next person don't have much problems modifing. It's just in the caseI was trying to find the soucre of the post problem. Some times you can't avoid troubleshooting somebody else mess. Plus it's a way of getting to know that you can't cheet with pro-e andif youdo you're in for it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsor

Articles From 3DCAD World

Back
Top