The software is powerful, yet intuitive,
especially for sketching and building surfaces. It
has a variety of commands that help create associative
complex shapes. Better yet, NX 5 lets users combine
sketches, surfaces,
and solids to create unique and
free-flowing models. I create most of my models with
surfaces, though the
end product is always
a solid model.
The software’s editing
features are most
impres s ive. Constructing
a model can
take hours, sometimes
days, and inevitably
customers request
changes. With NX,
changes are easily
edited in the feature
tree. Should a change
break the associative
link, the software notifies
you right away by
raising “red flags” in
the feature tree or generating
pop-up warning
boxes. These give
users several options
to repair the model or
adjust it another way.
Another plus is that
the software helps cut
time spent building
models. For example,
I recently developed
what’s called a “seed
file” to start every project. The file contains several
title blocks, all my common Expressions (in mathematical
terms, expressions are combinations of symbols
representing a value), and an Excel spreadsheet.
After I build a model of any size, the title blocks let me
easily pick the proper size sheet to use as a working
drawing.
Common Expressions are great for sketching and
later when editing. Because Expressions are outside
the model or sketch they can be edited by merely
changing text. This makes for quick model adjustments.
And the Excel spreadsheet eliminates calculator
work. NX lets users pull information directly from
a model into the spreadsheet. My spreadsheet, for example, has all the calculations
I use to figure out volume, wall
thicknesses, and surface area. I also
have a few built-in equations that
help decide how best to change
the model and highlight possible
problems in the design.
Surfaces have always been a major
strength of NX and this is still
true. Free-form features such as
Swept and Through Curve Mesh
create controlled surfaces, while
Face Blend trims them to smooth
tangent surfaces. Edge Blends are
easier to use in NX 5 than in previous
versions. The feature lets users
blend sharp edges with a constant
or variable radius. NX has a variety
of ways to create these free-flowing
shapes.
Sketcher is better than ever. Users
can revise Expressions while
still in Sketcher and even reattach
dimensions in case the designer
wants to change the reference
point of the dimension. An Offset
feature provides intuitive and easily
editable constraints. Editable
offsets inside of Sketcher are a new
feature in NX 5.
All things considered, my favorite
new feature in NX 5 is the
Instance Geometry command. It
lets users copy geometry along a
path, including a spline, a great capability
for creating complicated
handle grips on a bottle. I have also
used the command to create a helix,
a relatively complicated shape.
A typical helix cannot be associated
to a point. NX 5, however, lets
users link the Instance Geometry
Helix to a point that changes as a
user’s expressions change.
Another new and nifty feature
in NX 5: Instead of using Help to
learn about a command, users can
now click on Command Finder
(the icon looks like binoculars). Just
search for a command or term, such
as Trim or Extract Curve. A search
provides a dialogue box that lists all
the commands that relate and a brief
description. Highlight a command
in the list, and the command’s icon
is highlighted on the tool bar. Commands
not on the tool bar are highlighted
in the pull-down menu.
NX has always included strong
rendering tools. I use them to create
photorealistic images to send to
customers or use in presentations.
The software lets users import background
images to put a product into
its proper environment. This is a
great way to visualize end results of a
design. Rendering is an add-on, but
well worth the extra cost for those
preparing customer presentations.
The software comes f rom
Siemens PLM Software, 5800
Granite Pkwy., Suite 600, Plano,
TX 75024, plm.automation.siemens.com
—Laura Kent