Standard fasteners library

[bhayden]

I'm looking for suggestions on how to set up a library for standard fasteners (nuts, bolts, etc.) in a Pro/E Intralink environment.



There are a number of family table models available for download but none I've seen offer multiple lengths for each thread size. Is that by design to keep the number of objects in the common space to a minimum? Links to any downloadable librarys would be helpful.



What are some naming conventions people have had success with? Should it be fully descriptive or would it be better to use a company part number type approach? For example Accurate Screw Machine



http://www.accuratescrew.com



has a Basic Part Number for all standard parts.



Bernie Hayden

XKL LLC

Redmond, WA

 

[Tunalover]

bhayden-

That's a loaded question! The standard parts provided by PTC have no parameters assigned to them and to get all those fastener generic instances up to your company standard may be quite involved.



I can only tell you about how we set up a fastener library WITHOUT Intralink.



Each PTC fastener's family table(s) contain only the standard lengths per the governing industry spec (DIN, MS, ISO, ANSI/ASME, etc.). I don't know how much you know about family tables, but PTC provides a generic instance for each fastener, say, a pan head machine screw. That is a GENERIC model of arbitray size (when you open it you will see the word GENERIC). There is a family table beneath the generic instance that varies the dimensions to provide all of the sizes and lengths delineated by the governing industry standard.



You should open the family table and, if your company has a company part number for a provided length, create a subinstance with that name to the PTC instance. This approach allows multiple subinstances for each length. For example, the instance could be for a 1 inch long .138-32 UNC-2A cross-recessed pan head machine screw per ANSI/ASME B18.1 (or whatever the spec is). The first subinstance could be SST with one company part number. The second subinstance could be andodized aluminum with another company part number. The third subinstance could be SST with locking patch with another company part number and so on. Each time you enter a new part to a family table, you will need to VERIFY the table. I usually VERIFY the family table reporting to the generic instance although it may not be necessary (I was always fuzzy on that).



If you plan to construct BOMs on the drawing, then you will need to define company standard parameters and then go in and add these to each generic fastener instance, either as you need or all at once.



As for part numbers, it's best to use your company part number. Unless you feel like typing in literally thousands of part descriptions for each size, length, and material variation, keep the part description VERY generic. For example, the pan head machine screw would be:

SCREW, MACHINE, CROSS-RECESSED PAN HEAD.



This can be quite involved. You need to have a handle on family tables, drawing tables, and part/assy parameters to get anywhere. We can arrange a telecon if you need further help. Not knowing Intralink's capabilities, I can only say that it can be quite involved if you need complete part definition in Pro/E.



You can e-mail me at [email protected]. I can provide you with a drawing format that has a BOM (that took a LOT OF WORK to develope). I have 2000i^2.



Tunalover

 

[dflockton]

I've been looking for a good way to bring a fastener library into Intralnk as well. My first thought was to try the PTC library but Intralink doesn't seem to like the nested family tables too much.



What have others done for fastener libraries in Intralink?

 

[bhayden]

After digging further into the Basic Library supplied with Pro/E 2001 I found that they do indeed have all of the standard lengths. I was tricked by the nested family tables.



I would like to use the Pro/E supplied libraries but have a couple of concerns. First the naming of the instances offers no way to identify the object. I suppose that could be overcome simply enough by renaming an instance when it is used or (probably better) creating a new instance with a more meaningful name or part number.



My other concern is the interaction with Intralink (using version 3.2). I've done a little reading that suggests nested family tables either can't be used or will at the very least cause extreme grief. I suppose a call to tech support would be a good idea. I don't remember where I came accross it but PTC does provide some direction on how to import the Basic Library into Intralink.



Assuming the nested instances in the family tables can be over come the shear volume of objects created might be a performance issue with intralink. Importing just the family table for Hex Cap Screws resulted in over 4,000 objects. PTC recommends keeping the same directory structure supplied on the CD ROM but navigating such huge directories is unmanagable. Intralink insists on storing every instance as a unique object.



I'm leaning toward using the Basic Library to create new parts as required and only checking in those objects.



Bernie Hayden

XKL LLC

 

[dflockton]

Bernie,



You got further than I did in getting the fasteners into Intralink. It totally barfed when I tried to import a fastener as part of a contractor's assembly.



We had discussed things here and we seem to have come to a similar conclusion. Leave the library outside of Intralink and save instances as individual parts, with our part numbers, to check in.



As for finding the right screw, I found it easy when using the parameters to select the screw. First I selected the thread, then the length. Not too bad all around. Of course their general descriptions for each of the screw types aren't the greatest but not bad when you consider the number of things they are trying to describe.



If you do happen to talk to tech support and they suggest something different for getting the screws into Intralink please let me know.



Good luck,



Dean

 

[ttx]

bhayden,

In order to make use of the standard libraries we did the following;

We created a parametric note in the generic instance of each type of fastener.

ex. &nom_thr_pitch x &length SHCS

The family table parameters can be found in the top level and nested tables (as you have already discovered).

We let the part number stand-as is.

The Description column in our BOM calls-up the parametric note, which displays the appropriate description.

We have found that creating the note in the generic instance of each type of fastener only takes a minute or so-Pro/E then does the rest automatically.

Hope this is of some help.



Jim W.

Tactex Controls Inc.