Best Practice to Customize Fastener Assembly

Contents

1.Fastener Part Templates

1.1Where to Save Fastener Parts

1.2Origin and Orientation

1.3Remembered Constraints

1.4Matching Parameters

1.5Create KRX File

2.Fastener Assembly Library

2.1Create/Populate Fastener Assembly Library

2.2Configure Fastener Assemblies

2.3Adding Fastener Assemblies to Holes

1. Fastener Part Templates

Create bolt, nut, and washer as part family. There are rules to follow:

1.1 Where to Save Fastener Parts

Fastener templates parts will be used to configure fastener assembly, folder structure is used to save fastener parts. The following picture shows where to save template parts in native or TCE environment.

Note - In order to see above folder in Reuse Library browser, you need to use Reuse Library Management to add the folder.

Here is an example to create a folder structure in native and display in Reuse Library:

1.2 Origin and Orientation

  • Create an absolute datum CSYS as first feature, and give the feature name as “ORIGIN_CSYS”.
Note – The fastener parts will be located based on the datum CSYS. At the same time, the datum feature “ORIGIN_CSYS” will be used as pocket hole feature associative reference, pocket hole will not be able created without the “ORIGIN_CSYS” datum CSYS. /

1.3 Remembered Constraints

Remembered constraints should be added to the parts so that assembly constraints can be created automatically when the fastener parts are added to assembly.

Bolt / /
Nut
and Washer / /

1.4 Matching Parameters

Matching parameters are used in the Add Reusable Component and Fastener Assembly. When interacting with a part family, NX chooses members by their matching parameters. Below are some recommendations:

Bolt / Diameter
Length
Nut and Washer / Diameter
Thickness
The column used for the Length (Length) parameter in the part family table/spreadsheet must be AFTER the column used for the Size (Diameter) parameter

1.5 Create KRX File

KRX file will be created to save additional information such as bitmap, automatically search drag/drop dimension for each template part. MB3 on member in Reuse Library, click on “Create KRX file”.

2. Fastener Assembly Library

2.1 Create/Populate Fastener Assembly Library

  1. Create KRX files for all standard parts that will be used in the fastener assemblies
  2. Tools->Reuse Library->Fastener Assembly Assistant->Customize Fastener Assembly…
  3. Create a customer standard
  4. Right-click on Fastener assembly library and select Add Standard
  6. Create any additional categories (system creates “Bolts and Screws” and “Nuts and Washers” by default).
  7. Right-click on the Standard and select Add Category
  9. Create Types under each Category
  10. Right-click on the Category and select Add Type
  12. Specify the Hole Types for each Type
  13. Right-click on Type and select Specify Hole Type
  15. Select the Add button on the dialog box that pops up
  16. Populate the Type List by using the drop-down menus
  18. Each part that is added to the Type will have the Hole Types that are defined for that Type.
  19. Additional Hole Types can be defined for each individual part
  20. The Hole Types determine which holes are available to create when the Create Pocket option is selected when adding a KE part to an assembly.
  21. Add parts to the different Types
  22. Right-click on the Type and select Add Part
  23. This brings up the Teamcenter Open Part Dialog box. Browse for the part you would like to add to the Fastener Assembly Library and select OK
  24. If using Native NX, the standard browse dialog appears
  25. Right-click on the added part and select Define Auto-match
  26. Populate the Size and Length parameters with values from the drop-downs.
  27. The drop-downs are populated by the column headings in the part family table/spreadsheets used by the KRX file
  28. When populating the Auto-match for Nuts and Washers, the Outer size parameter is also available to populate
  29. The Outer size parameter is only used when creating a pocket for the part
  30. The column used for the Length parameter in the part family table/spreadsheet must be AFTER the column used for the Size parameter

NOTES

  1. The Hole Series option is only available to parts that have been added to the Fastener Assembly Library
  2. KE Part in the Fastener Assembly Library
  3. KE Part not in the Fastener Assembly Library
  4. The Fastener Assembly Library uses the item name, not the item ID
  5. Once a part name has been added to the Fastener Assembly Library, it cannot be added again.
  6. It is recommended to have unique names for each part that is to be added to the Fastener Assembly Library

2.2 Configure Fastener Assemblies

  1. Tools->Reuse Library->Fastener Assembly Assistant->Configure Fastener Assembly
  2. Enter a Configuration Name (type in the box)
  3. The options under Hole Type (Standard, Form, and Screw Type) help to define the default stacks for the configuration
  4. You can select any stack from the Fastener Assembly Library, not just from the specified Hole Type.
  5. Double-click on the bolt
  6. Use the drop-down lists to select the appropriate part you wish to be in the Fastener Assembly.
  7. Repeat the process for the Top Stacks and Bottom Stacks as well.
  8. To add more parts to the stack, select the icon in the Action column of the Top Stacks or Bottom Stacks row
  9. Once the desired configuration is created, select the Save icon and then hit OK (if you are finished) or Apply (if you are going to create more configurations)

2.3 Adding Fastener Assemblies to Holes

  1. Tools->Reuse Library->Fastener Assembly…
  2. Select the hole(s) or face with the hole(s) you wish to add the Fastener Assembly to.
  3. Note - if you select a face with multiple holes with multiple hole sizes, only the holes with the diameter that you select will get the Fastener Assembly. You will have to add other fastener assemblies to the other holes
  4. Make sure the Select Fastener Assembly Configuration check box is selected.
  5. Select an appropriate value for the Minimum Screw Extend Length and the other settings
  6. Create Fastener Assembly Node will add that fastener assembly as a sub-assembly with a unique part number
  7. If multiple Fastener Assemblies are added at the same time, they will each have the same assembly number.
  8. If the same Fastener Assembly is added at different times, they will each have a unique assembly number
  9. Select OK
  10. The Configure Fastener Assembly dialog box will pop-up. Here you can select a preconfigured Fastener Assembly, or create a Fastener Assembly on the fly
  11. Use the same method mentioned above in step 4 of Fastener Assemblies to create a Fastener Assembly on the fly

Notes

  1. The Fastener Assembly uses the Auto-match parameters (Size and Length) defined in the Fastener Assembly Library to determine which family member to use for the assembly.
  2. If a family member cannot meet the LENGTH requirement of the fastener assembly stack (thickness of washers, height of the nut, and depth of the hole), the Fastener Assembly Assistant will place the first family member defined in the spreadsheet into the hole.
  3. The column used for the Length parameter in the part family table/spreadsheet must be AFTER the column used for the Size parameter.
  4. Managing the Fastener Assembly Configurations and Fastener Assembly Library in Teamcenter needs to be setup in the NX Customer Defaults.
  5. File->Utilities->Customer Defaults
  6. Select Gateway
  7. Select Reuse Library
  8. Item 00003 needs to have 3 datasets of type KRX attached to the Item Revision.
  9. The three datasets are:
  10. HoleFastenerMap
  11. ReuseLibraryFasteners
  12. FastenerAssemblyConfiguration
  13. The datasets will have .xml files as their Named References
  14. NOTE – Item 00003 needs to be created. It does not exist in the system OOTB.
  15. Also note that the Items can be defined (Item ID) however the user would like as long as it is properly called out in the Customer Defaults
  16. Depending on the version of NX, you may have to have two separate items to hold the KRX datasets.
  17. Item 00003 needs to have two KRX datasets attached to the Item Revision
  18. HoleFastenerMap
  19. ReuseLibraryFasteners
  20. Item 00004 needs to have one KRX dataset attached to the Item Revision
  21. FastenerAssemblyConfiguration
  22. NOTE – Items 00003 and 00004 need to be created. They do not exist in the system OOTB.
  23. Also note that the Items can be defined (Item ID) however the user would like as long as it is properly called out in the Customer Defaults