TE Toolbox – Realising Model-Based Definition in NX
You can use the TE Toolbox to standardise your construction in NX and automate subsequent processes, such as CAM, CMM, drawing creation etc. throughout the entire product development process.
TEs (technical elements) are standardised tools, such as bores, undercuts, bearing seats, pockets, gears etc. that you can use to build your 3D model directly in NX. The technical elements contain all the information (surface details, PMI, tolerances, attributes etc.) that you need to automate your subsequent processes. This means that these do not need to be entered again in the context of time-consuming and error-prone reworking processes.
The result is a consistent, stable and highly automated process in product development, for which all the necessary information for each process step is available directly in the 3D model.
Using this design method, you can achieve a very high level of automation for product development, make significant cost savings and enormously reduce the time required for product development in all departments.
An overview of the advantages for you
- Standardisation of construction in CAD with technical elements (TEs).
- Automation of the subsequent processes, such as CAM, CMM, CAE, drawing creation and many more.
- Realisation of model-based Definition for NX.
- Consumable PMIs are created automatically for subsequent processes on the model without this needing to be done manually.
- Switch to tolerance average model at the touch of a button.
- Tolerances and other manufacturing details are available directly in the 3D model and are provided for subsequent processes.
Model-Based Enterprise with the TE Toolbox
By using TE Toolbox you can implement MBD (model-based Definition) for your product development because all of the information that is relevant for manufacturing is already contained directly on the 3D model. This removes the need for a separate 2D drawing derivation. This enables you to save valuable time in product development and to increase the consistency of your manufacturing and measurement techniques at the same time.
Consumable PMI automatically on the model
The creation of the PMI takes place in the background automatically, which removes the need for any manual reworking. The TE Toolbox ensures that all PMIs are automatically placed on the correct layers and in the correct model views. In addition, each PMI is provided with the respective associative objects that belong to it so it is consumable for downstream processes.
Flexible framework for tailor-made TEs
TE Toolbox is a framework that allows you to define company-specific technical elements. The administrator of the solution does not need any programming skills at all to do this. The entire definition process takes place exclusively by means of configuring XML files.
This means that the TE portfolio can always be perfectly adapted to your company-specific requirements.
Tolerance center model at the touch of a button
Another great feature of the solution is the automatic creation of a tolerance center model for manufacturing. At the touch of a button, the software will create a tolerance center model for you, in which all tolerances are applied consistently using synchronous methods. The result is a tolerance average center that can be directly used for manufacturing.
TE Toolbox ballooning module
The TE Toolbox also contains a suitable module for the creation of balloons on the drawing or directly in the model (PMI), which makes it easy for the user to identify the TEs. This “ballooning module” is a specially configured version of the Inspection Report software. However, the software does not stamp any features in this case. Rather, the TEs that are visible on the drawing are ballooned.
The reference numbers in the balloons are not generally specially (and randomly) but rather the numbers that are assigned internally to the TEs are used. This means that the number of a TE is then only assigned to this one TE and therefore remains clear for subsequent processes too.
After a TE has been deleted, this number cannot be assigned to a different TE. This keeps misunderstanding in internal communication to a minimum.
In contrast to the 2D-based Inspection Report software, the TE Toolbox makes it possible to have multiple stamps with the same number. A TE that is visible in multiple views will also have a stamp in each view. Using a specially adapted zoom dialog, it is very easy to locate a TE in the various different views.
Contact
If you are interested in a company-specific custom development and would like to find out more, please feel free to get in touch with us.
Give us a call on: +49 (0) 86 54 / 77 88 56-0
or send an email to: info@neoapps.de
Alternatively, you can fill out our contact form here. We look forward to hearing from you.