Boundary Blend Interface question (WF3)

I recall in past versions (r2001) the ability to specify a defining
curve by simply picking two points.

The patch I'm making is 3 curves in one direction, and only the middle
curve needs to be made from a datum curve. The 1st and 3rd curve are
simply connecting two vertices. Does anyone know a way I can do this
without making a datum curve to represent the 1st and 3rd curves first?

Thanks,

Dave

 

Hard to believe that anything in Pro/e was ever that simple. But, it's been
a few years since I used 2001 and I didn't use it more than a few months at
Caterpillar. Or maybe this was just aspect of the interface that I didn't
explore.

Don't think so. You can pick a vertex as part of the boundary definition
process. But one of the messages points out that only as the first or last
curve. So, when you pick a vertex, then pick a curve, it creates a vertex
blend, effectively a tri-patch surface. On the other hand, some of what used
to happen before WITHIN an interface (the socalled 'on-the-fly' stuff) got
transferred to outside, to the the regular datum feature creation
mechanisms. You can interrupt feature creation to create, effectively, a
curve on the fly. When it asks you to select a curve, just pick the curve
creation tool, pick thru points, pick the two vertices, set tangency,
OK/DONE, resume the boundary selection and the new curve is selected. Do the
same for the third curve. Not a simple selection of vertices to create a
curve, but not exactly having to do it first either. Generally, PTC seems to
have given up on maintaining the old on the fly features as something
completely internal to the features, at least within Dashboard driven
functions (those identified with icons in the menus). So, you'll notice
sketches turning up in the model tree, even if they weren't created first
(which they can be) but which are still reuseable. In fact, from within the
boundary blend feature, you can easily create a series of datum features
(point/axis/curve) as the foundation of the boundary blend or as a modifying
second direction curve. You could start the boundary blend with no curves in
place and ctreate them as you went along. More flexibility seems to be part
of the motivation for going in this direction. And I certainly appreciate
that I don't have to abandon a feature and start over because I forgot to
make it a cut instead of a solid (certainly a user driven change from years
ago). Others seem to be GUI driven such as prehighlighting, object/action,
select first then start some process, such as ^C/^V, or RMB for some popular
options that are generally context sensitive. BTW, along these lines, the
selection filter (bottom right) gives context sensitive picks for any
functions that are converted to Dashboard. When the curve collector is
active in the boundary blend tool, the filter has a unique set of
selections, including vertex. Very handy tool, as is the search function,
things I use constantly and honestly, whatever they replaced, I don't miss.

David Janes

 

Ahh, thank you. Mostly I was disappointed with the size of my model
tree, as half of it was dedicated to these construction features that
all amounted to a simple chamfer transition.

I will explore the selection filter and nest my construction features;
that should help significantly.

Dave

 

This was a common complaint of WF and I think WF2 addressed this with some
"embedded" functionality. Now the workflow can be as follows: pick a datum,
select the extrude tool, RMB 'Create internal sketch' (shich it isn't
exactly 'internal', but it is nested under the feature, i.e., doesn't expand
the model tree), one which is still reusable. AFAIK, they are still
'tweaking' this aspect of feature creation and WF3 has come up with
something else which won't make everyone happy, which will have adherents
and detractors. To my way of thinking, it's just the transition blues,
happens every time a new rev comes out and every user gets set back. We had
it all set up to work just the way we wanted and kablooey, back to square
one. Until we master the new version, we feel as vulnerable as novices, like
newbies, serving an apprenticeship.... deja vu, all over AGAIN!!!!!

Seems like this gets done in WF2, at least sketches get automatically
nested. Don't know to what you refer regarding "a simple chamfer
transition". This is a new one on me. A chamfer's a chamfer (and a
transition?). Nor do I have any idea of what this has to do with your
boundary blend question. Some leap is required; I'm not making it.

David Janes

 

I didn't provide any information about it.

I have a pair of overlapping plates and chamfers around the contacting
edges that represent the welding in my FEA model. Unfortunately the
chamfer feature doesn't transition around the corner because it's not a
right angle where the edges cross. So I used a boundary blend to make
a smooth transition and then solidify.

Dave