Solid Edge ST4 Event: Session 225 Getting the Most Out of Synchronous Technology by Doug Stainbrook

© Siemens AG 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Getting the Most out of Synchronous

Technology


Siemens PLM SoftwarePage 2

Solid Edge. Design better.

Doug Stainbrook

Background:

I am the team leader for the Solid Edge Field Support Team. This group is

the technical resource for supporting Solid Edge pre-sales activities around

the world. Before coming to the Solid Edge team, I spent about 10 years as a

designer for various industries. In 1999, I was hired as

a Solid Edge Application Engineer in Philadelphia, PA.

In 2000, I came to Huntsville, AL, to the home of

Solid Edge to work in the Field Support group.

Areas of Expertise:

Synchronous and ordered part

and sheet metal modeling

Personal interests:

Photography, art, high-speed engraving, and

website design




Executive Summary

Today’s Topics:

In this Solid Edge session, we will first take another look at the steering

wheel functions and Live Rules, what each of them does, and how to make

them work in your favor. Next we will compare editing models in the

synchronous and ordered environments. We will also discuss when, why,

and how you would move ordered features to synchronous.

Key Takeaways:

A greater understanding of the steering wheel, Live Rules, and the

advantages of synchronous over ordered editing.




The steering wheel is the primary tool used to

manipulate and edit 3D model geometry directly in

synchronous technology.

Selecting faces and/or features automatically exposes

the steering wheel for editing the selected geometry.

There are 8 elements of the steering wheel.

Steering Wheel

ORIGIN

BEARING KNOB




Steering Wheel elements defined:

Origin

Primary Axis

Torus

Secondary Axis

Tool Plane

Primary Bearing

Secondary Bearing

Bearing Knobs

Steering Wheel Elements

ORIGIN

BEARING KNOB




The steering wheel displays differently depending on the geometry that is selected.

It presents the appropriate edit tools for that selection.

Steering Wheel

2D Steering Wheel

3D Steering Wheel

3D Face Tool

Cylinder Tool




Live Rules

Live Rules is the proprietary relationship recognition functionality that is a

major component of synchronous modeling.

When elements are selected for Move or Rotate, Solid Edge automatically

locates and maintains specific relationships found within the model.

Maintain Concentric Faces

Maintain Tangent Faces

Maintain Coplanar FacesMaintain Symmetry

about Base Planes

Local Symmetry

Same Radius if Possible

Keep Orthogonal to Base if Possible

Lock to Base Reference

Maintain Parallel Faces

Tangent Touching

Maintain Perpendicular Faces

Maintain Coplanar Axis

Custom Axis

Consider Reference Planes

Consider Sketch Planes

Consider Coordinate Systems




Live Rules – what do the colors mean?

White background = Disabled Live Rule

Pale Orange background = Enabled Live Rule

After a Move or Rotation is started:

Green background = Found and Maintained Live Rule

Red Outline = Found but Disabled Live Rule

Live Rules




Demonstration

DEMO




We have an Ordered design of a fuel tank for a lawn mower.

We need to make several changes to the design.

Comparing Ordered vs. Synchronous modeling




Ordered models require interrogation to know what features to modify.





Ordered models require rolling back the feature tree to make edits to the model.

High risk of affecting downstream features!

DEMO 2





Same model with features moved to synchronous

Edits are localized

No rolling back the model

No re-computing features

DEMO 3





Design changes are required to the bike steering yoke

When to move ordered features to synchronous




Ordered models require understanding of how they were created to know how

to edit them.

Profiles of ordered features require strict relationships to edit predictably.

DEMO 4





Moving a few key features to synchronous can greatly improve productivity.

Edits can be made in a fraction of the time and will be more reliable.

DEMO 5
