Creo parametric enhancements

[mgnt8]

It's part of the installation but it's a separate module. When I tried to open it I got an error message
View attachment 5208

 

[solidworm]

Greg, thats Creo Direct, a standalone program which is priced $4,995.
Flexible modeling Extension however, is embedded inside creo parametric, and has its own tab on the ribbon and is available to all CREO Licence types as stated in this PDF.



Edited by: solidworm

 

[CreoCadGuy]

Hi Guys,


Sorry for replying so late on the sketcher orientation stuff. Doug asked about reorienting the sketcher easily. We thought when we implemented the capability to bypass tke sketcher orientation dialog that users would want this. So, you have tools in the sketcher RMB menu to control sketch orientation.Any linear reference in the sketch can be used to orient the sketch.A fully constrained sketched centerline can also be used. Check out the "Section Orientation" RMB menu option in sketcher.


Also, one more thing about adding references - you can add a reference while in the middle of rubber-banding a tool. For instance, start the line tool by picking the first point and use theALT key before placing the second point to add a reference. You don't have to RMB-->Add Reference in this case - it just gets added as a reference automatically. This works for all sketch tools that have rubber-banding, like rectangle, circle, ellipse, etc.


Enjoy!


Brian

 

[mgnt8]

Greg, thats Creo Direct, a standalone program which is priced $4,995.
Flexible
modeling Extension however, is embedded inside creo parametric, and has
its own tab on the ribbon and is available to all CREO Licence types as
stated in this PDF.

Ah I see now. Thought something was odd. Thanks.

I don't see the tab.

Just got the confirmation from tech support. Flexible modeling is an extra module that costs more.

Edited by: mgnt8

 

[dgs]

... We thought when we implemented the capability to bypass tke sketcher orientation dialog that users would want this. So, you have tools in the sketcher RMB menu to control sketch orientation.Any linear reference in the sketch can be used to orient the sketch.A fully constrained sketched centerline can also be used. ...

My concern is that Pro/E sometimes picked oddball refs to orient the sketch. Other times, it oriented the sketch 90 degrees to what I wanted so my H lines were actually V. Not a big deal until you try to apply an H constraint.

So, if I understand right, there is no more sketch reference pic. Creo simply assumes an orientation and you're off and running, no other parent child relationsip is created. That's a good thing, I think. If I want to change the orientation, I can, but I pick a sketch entity? Isn't that a bit like a circular reference? Maybe I misunderstood and you meant I pick an existing linear entity like a plane, edge or axis.

 

[mgnt8]

There is still a Sketch Reference dialog box. However, it's not the default. If you want it you have to go up in the corner and select it. I know you're big on sketch references and how they should be consistent throughout the model, so you're not going to like the ones Creo picks for the same reasons that you stated.

View attachment 5209


In sketcher on the fly you can change sketch references. After you RMB click then you pick the sketch reference.

View attachment 5210





Edited by: mgnt8

 

[CreoCadGuy]

Doug,

We always select a reference for the sketch. In cases in which orthogonal
datum planes aren't available, we will use the part's coordinate system,
which I suspect will work almost all the time unless you really are starting
from an empty part. If no csys is available and no easily "findable"
orthogonal references are available, you'll still be asked to orient the
sketch.

To reorient, you don't pick a sketch entity, you pick any linear reference.
For instance, you might have added a surface (or datum plane) that's
normal to the sketching plane to the sketch as a reference. (Or, you may
have picked an axis or an edge - anything that gets projected onto the
sketching plane as a linear reference.) You could then select this linear
reference and click RMB-->Section Orientation-->Set vertical reference
and the section will be rotated so that reference is vertical. If you don't
like which side we chose to put North, you can use RMB-->Section
Orientation-->Flip section orientation to flip North and South. If you
don't like the direction in which you are viewing the sketching plane, you
can use the "Flip sketching plane" option. Thanks to mgnt8 for posting
the picks...

Hope that helps!

Brian

 

[solidworm]

Brian,
I have some questions,
* Whats the effect of the config option "sketcher_auto_create_references"? i don't see any difference when its set to "yes" or "no".
* There's an option to work in underconstrained mode in setup group inside a sketch which seems to be always grayed out. could you please explain this option?
* Colapse geometry command which was previously available in "independent geometry" feature is now in "editing" group of model tab, and is always grayed out. how can we utilize this?






Edited by: solidworm

 

[dgs]

I know you're big on sketch references and how they should be consistent throughout the model, ...

The references you pick, or the software picks, can make your life easy at crunch time at the 11th hour. Pay no attention to them along the way, and you'll pay for it when, not if, but when, major changes are needed up against the deadline.

I like to say every pick on the model is communication to the software what's important.

We always select a reference for the sketch. In cases in which orthogonal
datum planes aren't available, we will use the part's coordinate system,
which I suspect will work almost all the time unless you really are starting
from an empty part. If no csys is available and no easily "findable"
orthogonal references are available, you'll still be asked to orient the
sketch.

So, it's really no different than WF4 except that it's hidden from the
user by default. Frankly, that's the number one weakness in SW, all the
hidden model management. Sketch orientation, non-constrained refs,
buried sketches, etc. are all opaque to the user, but control how the
model is built and rebuilt.



My concern there is the hidden creation of parent child relationships. I
see WF4 all the time picking model surfaces as sketcher orientation
refs, particularly when I choose a model surf as a sketch plane. The
power in Pro/E, or Creo Parametric, is in building intelligent
references. Pro/E was frequently not that intelligent when picking
sketch orientation refs. I've actually seen it use the imaginary side
surface of an extruded feature that not longer exists. I like having
that in front of me so I can manage it.

To reorient, you don't pick a sketch entity, you pick any linear reference.

Figured I must have understood that wrong.

You could then select this linear
reference and click RMB-->Section Orientation-->Set vertical reference
and the section will be rotated so that reference is vertical.

Sounds like it's fairly easy to change, easier than before anyway.



I hope to have Creo installed in a few weeks. I'm anxious to play with
it. Unfortunately, I doubt if any of our clients will start using it
for at least 6 months, more likely 12. We only have 1 client using WF5,
and they only moved to it in Feb.

 

[dgs]

So, looks like:

Creo Engineer I = Foundation XE
Creo Engineer II = Advanced SE
Creo Engineer III = Advanced XE
Creo Engineer IV = Enterprise SE

Or pretty close anyway.

Looking further, I had this wrong. In the past, there were 5 Pro/E packages, now there are only 4. Looks like 'Advanced SE', between Foundation XE and Advanced XE, went away, so it's more like this:

Creo Engineer I = Foundation XE
Creo Engineer II = Advanced XE
Creo Engineer III = Enterprise SE
Creo Engineer IV = Enterprise XE

 

[mgnt8]

The problem with the RMB Section Orientation is you can only flip the direction. You can't change the orientation like in the Sketch Setup dialog box (Top, Bottom, Left, Right). It seems like I always need to go to the Sketch Setup and this new functionality is only adding more mouse clicks


View attachment 5217

 

[CreoCadGuy]

Doug,


Automatic selection of sketcher references is definitely not the same as WF4. We will always bypass the sketcher placement dialog as long as there is a base coordinate system in the part. We figured this was as stable a reference as you could get - it's always early in the model tree. Therefore, the risk of using it is minimal.


Brian

 

[wtb999]

The problem with the RMB Section
Orientation is you can only flip the direction. You can't
change the orientation like in the Sketch Setup dialog
box (Top, Bottom, Left, Right). It seems like I always
need to go to the Sketch Setup and this new functionality
is only adding more mouse clicks

you can choose section orientation with the RMB. Choose
the "vertical/horizontal reference". However if you want
to flip the section orientation, you would have to click
the RMB again, and choose "flip orientation". So you are
right, it does add mouse clicks in certain situations.

the best way is, before sketching orient the part
approximately the way you want to sketch, so that the
system tries to get the default orientation right
according to your intent.

 

[dgs]

Automatic selection of sketcher references is
definitely not the same as WF4. We will always bypass the sketcher
placement dialog as long as there is a base coordinate system in the
part. We figured this was as stable a reference as you could get - it's
always early in the model tree. Therefore, the risk of using it is
minimal.

That does sound better, looking forward to testing it out.

the best way is, before sketching orient the part
approximately the way you want to sketch, so that the
system tries to get the default orientation right
according to your intent.

I guess that works, but I haven't sketched in 'sketch orientation' in at least 10 years. I never bother to orient the model how I want, that's what the reference plane is for.

 

[dgs]

So, looks like:

Creo Engineer I = Foundation XE
Creo Engineer II = Advanced SE
Creo Engineer III = Advanced XE
Creo Engineer IV = Enterprise SE

Or pretty close anyway.

Looking further, I had this wrong. In the past, there were 5 Pro/E packages, now there are only 4. Looks like 'Advanced SE', between Foundation XE and Advanced XE, went away, so it's more like this:

Creo Engineer I = Foundation XE
Creo Engineer II = Advanced XE
Creo Engineer III = Enterprise SE
Creo Engineer IV = Enterprise XE

As if this weren't confusing enough, it looks like both of the above are wrong. I just spoke to my Tristar rep, and this was his understanding:
<ul>[*]Those 'Creo Engineer' packages aren't the only way to buy Creo Parametric. You can buy Parametric all by itself, no extensions at all. The packages are just that - Creo Parametric 'packaged' with various extensions.
[*]None of the existing packages directly translate into the new Creo Engineer packages. So, if you have Advanced XE or Enterprise SE now, that's what you still have.[*]According to what he knows now - and this is frustrating - no one with the old packages will get the two extensions included in all Creo Engineer packages, Flex Modeling and Manikin. As he understands it (and it's still up in the air, as far as he knows), the only folks who get that are those who buy new seats of Creo Parametric since it was launched a few weeks ago. As of now, there isn't even a defined upgrade path for those on maintenance who want to move to one of those Creo Engineer packages.[/list]So, what doesn't make sense is that if what he's telling me is right, then solidworm shouldn't have access to the flex modeling, unless he just bought a new seat or is using some kind of demo license. Also, why would there be an bug report about:

<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Critical Issue Regarding Creo 1.0: Inability to Access

 

[dr_gallup]

PTC never give new functionality to existing license holders. We may have paid thousands of dollars more for the licenses & paid years of maintenance fees but we won't get the functionality built into newer, cheaper licenses. Why? Because they're PTC & if they can find a way to squeeze blood from a stone they are going to do it. You want the new stuff? Pay for an upgrade and by the way, pay even higher maintenance fees. They don't seem to care about pissing off existing customers, they know they already got you. The only solution is to stop paying maintenance for a long enough time to save up the $$$, then go out and buy new licenses.

 

[magnusod]

I've upgraded our ProE Foundation XE licenses and played around with it.

I was surprised that it seemed more responsive than WF 5.0. The highlighting is much better and overall it performs better on my laptop than WF 5. The autoregenerate was impressive and the preview is also much improved as it seems to be using the same feature as autoregenerate.

Sheetmetal is vastly improved and the preview of unbend or bend commands plus the separate preview window of flat pattern is really nice.

Detailing is a disappointment. There are many improvements around tables and other stuff but dimensioning and many other commands brings up the menu manager.

Overall I missed the object action pop-up agfter selection which is shown in many Creo demonstrations. I'm surprised that they left that one out.

Doug, regarding upgraded functionality. The critical issue, I believe, refers to Freestyle Subdivision module and this module is available after upgrading license.

View attachment 5239

View attachment 5240

Manikin license is not available but they have improved the way of saving the assembly.

View attachment 5241

View attachment 5242

 

[mgnt8]

Just to clarify the licensing issue over Freestyle and Trace Sketch.


These capabilities are offered as standard in Creo Parametric.
Unfortunately there was an issue with the licenses being generated at
PTC and Freestyle was omitted.


This issue has now been corrected. To access Freestyle simply re-request your license and you will automatically get Freestyle.


Thanks

They fixed this problem with Freestyle.

Flex modeling is definitely only available for more money.

 

[dgs]

Two pages back, solidworm posted a power strip video showing him using 'Flex Modeling', not 'Freestyle', at least that's what he called it.

If my VAR is right, he shouldn't have access to that module outside of a new seat or a demo license.

 

[solidworm]

still no answers to my questions on the previous page? "you cannot be serious!"





Edited by: solidworm