replacing merged parts

[2ms1]

Is there a way to replace a merged-in part much like you can replace parts in assemblies? I can't seem to find a way, but it seems like this would be an important thing and that there must be some way. When I try to edit the definition of a merged-in part, it doesn't seem to offer the option of changing what part you want to merge in. Rather, it only lets you place it differently. So this is different from assembly mode even though the act ofplacing merged-in parts is otherwise basically just like placing parts inassembly mode.


I would like to replace a part that is merged-in with another version of the part that is nearly identical (minor dimensional difference but same placements datums etc). The new version of the part has a different name from the original (and it needs to keep the new name). Editing merged-in parts seems to only allow changing the way they are placed, without any option of usingpart with different name.


Any suggestions?

 

[kdem]

When I tried this I get a message Ref model that is not instance and have empty Family table can not be redefined. Try creating a family table instance of the original part with the name of the instance being the new name and add a column for the dimension that you changed. You can then change the merge feature to reference the instance.

 

[sabir001]

yes, this facility is available in proE,


use merge inheritance command (through edit-shared data), where u can add, remove, intersect same & another part.


or if you want mirror image of a part with all dimensional changeabilty, use file-mirror part.


i think this will b helpful u.


Sabir

 

[dr_gallup]

If you make you two similar parts family table instances you can swap them. You can also make the resultant part family table driven and add the merged reference to it's family table.

 

[2ms1]

I've read up on family tables now...

I think I overstated the similarity of the two parts. The two versions came
from the same original ancestor, but their model trees have become
significantly different over time out of various little necessities (basically
they're very complex parts and different sizes ended up needing to be
made in different ways...)

So, they're the same except different size externally, but they are not
similar enough "internally" to be turned into two different versions of the
same "generic" family table part.

Is there any way to accomplish the substitution other than by using family
tables. If not, I have to redo a huge number of children. It will take
forever. Seems a little ridiculous.
Edited by: 2ms1

 

[2ms1]

So I guess my only option is to merge in the replacement parts and then try
to reroute everything I see in the old parts children list to the new part? I
hate doing that and have low confidence major things won't go wrong.

 

[kdem]

Unfortunately you're going to have to reroute. For your comparison to assembly mode it is like picking a component and using the replace command. If you use replace by family table you won't have change references as long as those same original references are in the instance. If you replace with a unrelated component you specify new references.

 

[2ms1]

Is there any way to delete a parent without deleting the children at the same
time? I am finding that, in order to merge in the replacement parts, I have to
delete the originals first because the parts are both similar and different
enough, I guess, that the merge fails. I get the message "(EXTERNAL MERGE
FAILED...Could not intersect part with feature.)

Ugh.

So I apparently have to delete the original before I can merge in the
replacement, but when I do that it automatically deletes all the children too.

Is there any way around this?

 

[kdem]

When you try to delete do you get a DELETE dialog box? In this box choose suspend. ProEshouldthen delete the merge feature and enter Resolve mode. In Resolve mode choose Fix Model>Feature and select confirm. The Menu Manager should open the FEAT menu. Select Insert Mode at the bottom of the list then Activate. ProE will ask you to select a feature to insert after. ProE should suppress all of your models failing features and you can insert the new merge feature. You can then unsuppress the model features and redefine them or select the insert arrow and cancel and ProE will step through each of the features and have you redefine them.

 

[2ms1]

Thank you immensely. I would have never found out about that from the
Pro/E help or anything. I often wonder how in you people learn these kinds
of things.

 

[kdem]

For me a lot of it is just trying different things once you know the options are there. Another thing that has helped is having access to PTC University. Through that I've been able to see the basics of how features and commands are created or used and work from that to apply it to my work. It has also been helpful that were I work they have licenses for most of the modules that PTC offers.

 

[2ms1]

Yeah, it kills me that students don't have access to PTC educational
resources. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. It's not as if our
universities don't pay a fortune to get the floating license for us to use our
educational versions. I'm currently using Student Version that I bought for
myself to be able to use when I'm off campus, and that is much less
expensive, but the educational version files aren't compatible with
commercial versions either and I just don't see why they won't let its users
access the educational resources PTC has. Anyway, thanks for the help.
Good to know that maybe when I work with commercial version I'll be able
to learn much more.