Quick Reference Guide

Transcription

QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
Quick Reference Guide
By Bryan A. Ross
Published by
TriStar, Inc.
3740 East La Salle Street
Phoenix, Arizona, 85040
(800) 844-2909
[email protected]
www.tristar.com
For comments or suggestions regarding this or future Reference Guides,
please contact us at the above phone number or email address.
© Copyright 2013 TriStar, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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Trademarks
PTC, Windchill, ProductPoint, ProductView, Pro/INTRALINK, PDMLink, and Pro/
ENGINEER, Creo and the Windchill ProductPoint logo are trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, SharePoint, and Office are trademarks of Microsoft
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shall be liable for damages arising herefrom.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CREO ELEMENTS/DIRECT INTRODUCTION
Historical Overview ................................................................... ii
Direct Modeling in Creo ........................................................... iii
Creo Elements/Direct New Feature Highlights ...................... iv
MODULES
MODEL MANAGER
Machining ............................................................................... 19
Surfacing................................................................................. 20
Basic Sheets ........................................................................... 21
Introduction ........................................................................... 35
Model Manager Breakdown ................................................... 36
Search and Load ................................................................... 37
Save ........................................................................................ 38
Conflict Resolution ................................................................. 38
Bill of Material Editor ............................................................ 39
Versions and Inseparable ...................................................... 39
MODELING
Interface Introduction ........................................................... 1-3
Interface Summary ..............................................................1
Files, Ribbons, and Toolbars ..............................................2
Right-Hand Rule...................................................................2
Dialogue Boxes ....................................................................3
Calculator .............................................................................3
Workplanes ..........................................................................4
Real and Construction Geometry .......................................4
Basic Modeling .................................................................... 5-15
Catch, 2D CoPilot, Lock and Keyboard ..............................5
Modify 2D and Relative Measurement ..............................6
Putting it all Together ..........................................................6
Selecting Regions ................................................................7
3D Copilot and Reference Cones .......................................7
Pull ........................................................................................8
Selection ..............................................................................9
Blends and Chamfers....................................................... 10
Moving and Pulling Faces ................................................ 11
Stretch Face, Edge, and Offset ........................................ 12
Taper Faces ...................................................................... 13
Cut, Copy, and Paste Faces ............................................. 13
Punch, Stamp, and Section ............................................. 14
Shell and Imprint .............................................................. 14
Boolean Operations.......................................................... 15
Mirror, Scale, Align, and Merge ....................................... 15
Advanced Modeling ........................................................ 16-18
Freeform Modeling ........................................................... 16
Splines, 3D Curves and Points ........................................ 16
Projected Profiles ............................................................. 17
3D Surfacing Tools ........................................................... 17
Features and Patterns ..................................................... 18
Table of Contents
ASSEMBLIES
Building Assembly Structures ............................................... 22
Containers .............................................................................. 23
Copy, Share, and Instancing ................................................. 23
Advanced Assemblies .......................................................24-25
Clipping Planes ................................................................. 24
Stock/Finish ..................................................................... 24
Coordinate Systems ......................................................... 24
Configurations .................................................................. 25
Explosions ......................................................................... 25
Clash Analysis ................................................................... 26
APPENDIX A — SUPPORT
Platform Support .................................................................. 40
Technical Support ................................................................... 41
APPENDIX B — SHORTCUTS
Creo Elements/Direct Shortcuts ........................................... 42
ANNOTATIONS
Annotation Application .................................................... 27-29
Introduction....................................................................... 27
Drawing Structure ............................................................ 27
Template Browser ............................................................ 27
Starting Drawings and Views ........................................... 28
Placing and Updating Views ............................................ 29
Adding Dimensions, Text, and Objects ........................... 30
Sketching Geometry ......................................................... 31
BoM Tables ....................................................................... 31
Printing .............................................................................. 31
3D Documentation Application ....................................... 32-34
Introduction....................................................................... 32
Setup ................................................................................. 32
Annotate ............................................................................ 33
Display ............................................................................... 33
Modify with Dimensions ................................................... 33
BoM ................................................................................... 34
Group ................................................................................. 34
Template Browser ............................................................ 34
APPENDIX C — STRUCTURE BROWSER ICONS
Structure Browser Icons ......................................................... 43
APPENDIX D — INTERFACE BREAKDOWN
Quick Access Toolbar, Ribbon, Prompt, and User Input ...... 44
Structure Browser, Catch Toolbar, and Status Bar .............. 45
File tab ..................................................................................... 46
Modeling, Structure, and Feature Tabs ................................ 47
3D Geometry, Analysis, and View Tabs ................................. 48
Applications Tab ..................................................................... 49
GLOSSARY
Glossary ......................................................................... 50-51
i
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
SOLIDDESIGNER
The lineage of Creo Elements/Direct
(CED) introduced the concept of dynamic
modeling to mechanical designers across
the world. Starting with
ME 30, CED has been
providing continuous
improvement and innovation for over 27 years.
HP licensed the ACIS kernel in 1989
for the PE suite. Solid Designer was developed shortly afterwards with freeform capability.
ME 30
ME30 isn’t actually the originating software behind CED.
SolidDesigner is. Still,
ME30 provided the seeds that eventually
grew into SolidDesigner.
Originally developed in Germany, HP
Precision Engineering / ME30 (HP PE/
ME30) was released in 1986 by Hewlett
Packard MDD (Mechanical Design Division) . The first versions were exclusive to
the HP-UX operating system, but a Microsoft Windows compatible version was
developed as popularity grew.
ME30 was based on the Romulus kernel and therefore had an inherent issue
with freeform surfaces.
HP PE/SolidDesigner began in
1994 as a product-modeling
suite simultaneously supported
with ME30, but HP transitioned
their customers from ME30 to
SolidDesigner through 1995.
COCREATE ONESPACE
HBK Investments took-over CoCreate Software Inc. in 2006.
PTC purchased CoCreate from them in 2007 for roughly $250M.
Shortly afterwards, PTC released CoCreate Modeling 2008 as the
last revision with the historic interface (rev 16).
It wasn't until rev 16.5 in late 2009 that we started to see changes toward a mutualistic relationship with Pro/Engineer (Pro/E). 16.5 introduced the save-as functionality for
the GRANITE and ProductView formats and an integration with Mechanica.
CREO ELEMENTS/DIRECT
Creo Elements/Direct (Rev 17) came out in 2010. This is where we get our first
taste of the sweeping changes to come. Two new commands appeared; Pull and Stretch
Face. New functionality showed PTC’s willingness to continue the product line; Import native Pro/E data, improved dimensioning, better PCB interaction, additional constraint recognition in the 2D Copilot, and more for a total of 30 major changes.
CoCreate Software Inc. adopted its
name in 1996 when it became a subsidiary
of HP rather than the Mechanical Design
Division thereof.
By 1998, HP CoCreate Software solutions were installed in more than 30 countries on more than 120,000 systems. A
testament to the success of the software.
Cocreate then became its own independent entity in 2000. Two years later,
the product line changed names and
CoCreate OneSpace Modeling made its
début.
Creo Elements/Direct (Rev 18) appeared in 2011 and was the first time we saw the
new Fluid UI common to the Creo applications. We also see 28 more major changes introduced including the new Stretch Edge command and numerous functionality improvements like improved data exchange with CP, cross-part move and stretch, and the impressive Face Part Modeling.
PTC released Creo Elements/Direct (Rev 18.1) in 2012 with
19 more major changes . Improved selection and stretching, 2D
geometry and 3D wire parts added to Annotations, edge change
commands, and much more.
PTC proved its commitment to product improvement and enhancement in Creo Elements/Direct and will carry it well beyond the
next generation of CAD tools.
Creo Elements/Direct Introduction
Forward looking information is subject to change without notice
Back to Table of Contents
ii
DIRECT MODELING IN CREO
PARAMETRIC AND DIRECT
CREO ELEMENTS/DIRECT
There are at least two distinctively different design paradigms in the 3D CAD
world; Parametric and Direct modeling. They sit on opposite sides of the modeling
spectrum, but PTC brought them together in the new Creo product suite. Learning from
Creo Elements/Direct, PTC created Creo Direct and the Flexible Modeling Extension for
Creo Parametric. PTC continues to significantly invest in expanding direct modeling in
Creo and making direct modeling its core CAD strategy.
A portion of the technology from CoCreate now appears in PTCs new CAD suite of
products under the CREO moniker. The original application has been re-named, re-faced,
and re-distributed as Creo Elements/Direct, but is not actually part of the Creo suite. The
term “Creo Elements” is meant to describe that the original application was one of the
elements used to create the new Creo framework, but does not reside within the framework itself.
DIRECT MODELING SOLUTIONS
Productview and Pro/Engineer were the other two technology platforms that formed
the basis for Creo. They were re-named at the time as well to Creo Elements/View and
Creo Elements/Pro respectively. Those applications, however, have new incarnations
inside of the Creo framework. Creo View/MCAD and ECAD both replaced Productview.
Creo Parametric replaced Pro/Engineer. Creo Elements/Direct continues as its own application suite.
Developers spent years perfecting techniques to trade data amongst CAD applications. Translation, feature recognition, 3D from 2D generation, and more. Most of
these fall short of providing what the parametric industry needed for years; a method to
effectively manipulate foreign data without re-creation.
Direct modeling provides that and much more. You gain the ability to better address late stage changes, generate faster concept designs, have an easier time with
model simplification, and include more people in the design workflow. The cost is typically the loss of your design history. PTC eliminated that drawback with the interaction
between Creo Parametric, FMX, and Creo Direct. Designers now gain the power of direct modeling without givingup design constraints.
NOTE: Creo Direct will continue to grow in features and may eventually replace the Creo
Elements/Direct product line, but Creo Direct has a long way to go and PTC is committed to
continuing support and enhancement for Creo Elmenets/Direct for many, many years.
FLEXIBLE MODELING EXTENSION
CREO DIRECT
Flexible Modeling Extension (FMX) for Creo Parametric (CP) lends the parametric user the ability to manipulate existing parametric or neutral parts using direct modeling techniques. The interface has been stylized after Creo Parametric for ease of use. The commands are deceptively simple and easy to pick-up.
The move command itself has an incredible array of options to explore once you understand the basic concepts. Each direct command creates a new feature on the history tree
which adds a new dimension to parametric modeling. You can not create new geometry with it,
but you don’t need to. You can use CP’s full capability to create any new geometry seamlessly.
Creo Direct (CD) is a new stand-alone application within the Creo suite. Very similar to FMX in functionality, Creo Direct comes with the additional ability to author
new geometry using direct modeling techniques, but no 2D drawing capability.
The interface leans more towards new users and further away from seasoned parametric ones. There’s a click-through workflow where one operation ends by starting another,
and a mini toolbar that appears with feature options while you work. The intent is for someone without parametric modeling experience to
participate in the design. One can then Round-Trip
data between Creo Direct and Creo Parametric without any need for translation while retaining all design history.
NOTE: FMX modifications become more difficult as
the model’s shape becomes more organic.
ALERT: Creo Direct is not a continuation of
CoCreate inside Creo. It’s a re-birth.
iii
CREO ELEMENTS/DIRECT NEW FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
CREO ELEMENTS/DIRECT NEW FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
MIDDLE CLICK BEHAVIOR
PTC implemented many major enhancements to Creo Elements/Direct, roughly 82 since rev 16, and is committed to the continuation of those improvements. Many of those changes had drastic impact on the modeling environment. Like Creo Data Exchange, Parametric Assemblies, Outline Views, Cross Part Move-and-Stretch, Enhanced 2D CoPilot, Projected Profiles, Modify Edges, and many more.
Four of those improvements, though, stand out above the rest. Stretch Faces, Stretch Edge, Pull, and Face Part Modeling.
When the cursor is over a current
viewport, you can middle-click to perform
the following operations:

Middle-click to end a command

STRETCH FACES
STRETCH EDGE
PULL
FACE PART MODELING
You can now move a
face while maintaining their
boundaries and adapting the
neighbor faces. This new
Stretch command strongly
The new Stretch Edge
command is the logical next
step beyond the Stretch Face
command. Stretch Edge allows you to move edges (one
You now have one operation that combines the Extrude, Mill, Turn, Bore, and
Linear and Angular Lift commands. The new Pull com-
Parts that do not represent a closed volume can be
modified like solid models as
long as the open boundaries
are not affected. This situation
Middle-click and rotate (or
press CTRL, middle-click, and
drag the cursor) to zoom.

Middle-click and drag the
cursor to rotate (spin).

Press CTRL and Shift, middle-click, and drag the cursor
to rotate elements in the viewport around a point.

Press SHIFT, middle-click,
and drag the cursor to pan.
NOTE: You can also right-click the
current viewport and drag to pan.
resembles the stretch feature
in 2D where you move e.g. a
straight line and the connected edges are adjusted like a
rubber band. You can also
stretch several unconnected
faces at the same time.
per face), automatically adjusting the affected faces.
Some model changes that
required several steps before
can now be performed in one
operation.
mand simplifies the user interaction. When selecting a workplane, closed profile areas are
automatically detected and
highlighted as pre-selected.
Pull can also work with selected faces.
often arises when imported
models don’t match the receiving system’s accuracy requirements. Repairing such models
requires expert skills which is
not a good prerequisite for
potentially simple changes.
To change the mouse
interaction mode, click File
SettingsViewport. The Viewport Settings dialogue box
opens. Then click the CoCreate mouse interaction mode
check box in the Dynamic
Viewing pane of the Viewport
Settings dialog box.
NOTE: For the complete list of updates from Rev 16 to current, please visit:
http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/relnotes/?show=y&product=137115
Or search on http://www.ptc.com/ for Enhancement Details.
iv
MODELING: BASIC MODELING
INTERFACE SUMMARY
Quick Access Toolbar Provides quick access to frequently-used commands. You can
customize it by adding, removing and reordering commands (buttons and groups) to it.
Ribbon Contains commands organized as a
set of tabs. On each tab, related commands
are grouped. Fully customizable.
File Tab Unique tab providing the application’s most intrinsic
commands. Session and file operations, settings and options,
module and application activation, command search, and exit.
Browser Bar The
browser bar shows all
opened browsers; for
instance the structure
browser. The structure browser displays
all 3D objects and
elements (parts, assemblies, workplanes,
and so on) and their
interrelationships.
OK, Cancel, and Detail Buttons
These buttons are only available
if a command is active. Check
mark to complete, ex to cancel,
and triangle to view Command
Details dialogue box.
User Input Line Used to enter commands, general expressions, or text. On by default and can be shown using the Ribbon ViewToolbarsUser Input Line.
Mini Toolbar Helps you to quickly execute a
command from the viewport, and changes
Command Details
content based on current selected object and
Opens by activating
context. The first command is the default
TIP: You can press SPACEBAR
the Detail Button.
for that operation. Fully customizable.
to open the Mini Toolbar and
You can select
click on its
to open the
elements or set
Command Details during an
properties, comoperation.
plete or cancel the
command, and get
quick access to help.
Context Menu Opens when you select
and right-click any element in the viewport in the pre-selection mode. Depending on the current context and selected
object, the commands change.
Prompts By default, displayed in the status bar. Provides general feedback, messages, and guidance. Can be added to a
Prompt Bar using the Ribbon ViewToolbarsPrompt Bar.
Modeling
Status Bar Shows the alert history, current workplane, part, and settings for Catch and Units.
Also shows pre-selection focus, quick viewport
settings, and a "previous application" switch.
Configurable on right-click.
1
WORKING WITH FILES
WORKING WITH THE RIBBON
Creo Elements/Direct is a session
based software rather than file based. This
allows it to open multiple files at the same
time. Opening new files adds them to your
current session.
When saving, you’re asked to provide
what, where, and how. Select what objects,
parts, and/or assemblies to save. Then
direct the file browser to the desired save
location. Finally, choose your preferred file
format.
The ribbon UI provides an efficient layout for modeling commands. The most frequently used commands are displayed in large icons.
Uncommonly used commands are grouped into submenus within each section of the ribbon The commonly used Utilities section is available
in most tabs. Settings for each functional area are grouped with the modeling functions.
Un-Common
Common
Functional Areas Divided Into Tabs
BEST PRACTICE: If you’re working directly
with 3D files, and not using a data management solution, use “Package” (*.pkg) as your
go-to file format. Otherwise, packages are not
recommended due to their file size and problems generated from a broken file stream
when saving in a PDM or PLM environment.
TIP: Some object or file-type selections will
only correspond to their respective file-types
or objects. Don’t be surprised if your options
change based on what you click.
CED interacts with a large array of file types.
These are the native file types typically used:
*.pkg — Package. Some or all of the 3D data for a
project in a single file.
*.bdl — Bundle. Assembly and/or 3D model and
associated drawing stored together.
*.sd* — Individual 3D Content and Instance data
files.
*.ses — Session. All parts, assemblies,
workplanes, and settings like units,
lights, viewports, etc.
*.env — Environment. All active environment
settings.
*.mi — 2D drawings and annotations.
BEST PRACTICE: It is always preferable to
work with a PDM or PLM rather than a file
system when possible.
Settings
Closely Related Command Groups
MINI TOOLBARS
COMMAND FINDER
RIGHT-HAND RULE
The operations mini toolbar offers direct access to commonly used operations
based on your operation without having to
traverse the ribbon. The most common
command is automatically activated without
having to be selected. The list of commands
can be customized to suit your needs.
Open the File Tab. At the bottom is a
search window used for finding commands.
The search assumes a wildcard on either
end of your entry. It doesn’t search the
command description, but will search the
FULL command name; displayed or not.
The right-hand rule has been around
for a long time, and is still commonly referred to today. It’s a mathematical mnemonic for understanding 3 dimensional
vectors. There are several ways to use the
right-hand rule, but it’s generally referred to
in association with rotation in CAD.
If you choose an edge as your rotational axis, and a positive number for your rotational value, will the subject turn inward or
outward? Right or left?
Operations Mini Toolbar
If your rotational axis’s positive direction is your right thumb as it points in a
“thumbs up” gesture, then a positive number will rotate your subject in the direction
your fingers curl.
Options Mini Toolbar
The options mini toolbar offers additional options during an operation. To activate, press the SPACEBAR. This has the
added benefit of bringing the operations
toolbar back into view if it’s faded.
TIP: You can add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar directly from your search results.
Modeling
2
DIALOGUE BOXES
RIGHT-CLICK DIALOGUE
CALCULATOR
Command dialogue boxes display your
current option sets, but also typically require
some additional information before being
able to complete the command. To provide
the required information, you can click an
item in the viewport or structure browser if
you need to choose a face, object, drag an
angle, pull a position, etc. You can also type
data in a yellow field if the information can
be given alphanumerically. For example, for
Model Name you can type “p1” to specify a
part rather than selecting it in the viewport
or Structure Browser. The forward slash
prefix “/p1” isn’t required. Spaces are not
allowed for parts, assemblies, or file names.
Right-clicking in a dialogue box that can
accept numeric entries will provide a contextual menu designed for your input options.
It offers a list of the last values you’ve entered into similar boxes, a link to measurement based on the dialogue box type, a link
to the calculator, and quick access to your
copy/paste functionality.
The utilities
command group
is repeated in
most tabs. In the
lower right corner
of the utilities
group you’ll find
the Calculator command.
RPN CALCULATOR
From the Calculator, you can use the X
box to the left of your numerical entry window to send your product back to the dialogue box.
TIP: If you use a postfix to specify measure-
ment units, they are converted to the system’s current units. Math is also supported.
Length Units: um, mm, cm, m, km
uin, mil, inch, foot, yard, mile
Angle Units: deg, rad, grd
Angle Convert: Degrees:Minutes:Seconds
Math:
+, -, *, /
sin, cos, tan
asin, acos, atan
sqrt (square root)
exp (e^x)
PI (or lower-case pi)
bracket terms
floor(n) (highest integer less
than or equal to n;
rounds n down to the
next integer)
ceil(n) (smallest integer not less
than n; rounds n up to
the next integer)
^ (power: x^y where Y is an
integer
=
=
=
ALERT: You can’t use unit conversion and
math in the same step.
From the measurement output dialogue, you can use the leftmost green arrow
to send your measurement back to the dialogue box. If you need to do some calculations first, use the green arrow with the calculator icon to send your measurement to
the Calculator command.
Change the calculator from a standard
(the default) to a Reverse Polish Notation
(RPN) calculator from File  Settings 
System.
From the measurement dialogue you
can select any of the different types of
measurement if the one selected was not
what you truly needed.
Use the EngLen, Dist, Rad, Ang, 3D,
and Prop buttons for a variety of measurement options. Use the measurements directly in your computations and copy/paste
your solutions back to dialogue boxes or use
the X button to send them to your active
dialogue box. Use the scroll bar (circled in
red on the lower right of the illustration) to
see additional math operations.
EXTENDED OPERATIONS
Modeling
R->P and P->R are exclusive to the RPN
calculator. Also, y^x is x^y in the standard
calculator.
3
INTRODUCING WORKPLANES
POSITIONING WORKPLANES
CONSTRUCTION GEOMETRY
The workplane (WP) is a 3D representation of an infinitely large plane. This is
where you define all 2D geometry for modeling. It has its own coordinate system with
a u, v, and w axis. You can have multiple
workplanes defined, but only one can be
active at any given time.
Use the workplane positioning
options to move your
workplane to exactly
where you need it to
be. Use the mini toolbar or right-click while
the workplane is selected in your 3D viewport. Position the
workplane using
the 3D CoPilot
and/or the methods available in
the command
dialogue box.
Use the 2D Geometry creation tools
Construction geometry is generated
under the Modeling tab in the Draw group.
using many of the same 2D drawing
All 2D geometry is created on a workplane.
methods as real geometry. It’s used to
In fact, you can only create, modify, or decreate references for real geometry
lete geometry from the active workplane.
creation, and can even be traced over
with real geometry using the Overdraw comNOTE: You can also draw 2D geometry on Docuplanes
mand. You can also use it as a guideline
from the 3D Documentation application.
for machine operations like turning
an axis.
Aside from your basic geometry, you
can create arcs, splines, ellipses, functional
and conical curves, fillets, and equidistant
offsets.
BEST PRACTICE: Workplanes can be deleted.
Try to keep their number to a minimum. Organizing, categorizing, and managing the
display of many used workplanes can unnecessarily clutter your design.
Default Workplane: Most basic WP.
Its origin is aligned with the global
coordinate system upon creation.
Workplane on Face: The most commonly used WP. Once you have a
face selected, hold ALT and middleclick for an instant WP. You can also grab a
draw tool and simply start drawing on a
face. The WP will be generated for you.
Workplane on Axis: When working
with a cylindrical part, a WP aligned
with its axis is often needed. The
new WP can align its u, v, or w axis
to the part’s center axis by selecting a curved surface as reference.
TIP: It may be easier to line-up your axis WP with
the Pt on WP option to anchor to a specific point.
You can
change the workplane’s origin by
using the Slide
WP Origin command. It can be
found in the
Structure Tab in
the Workplane
group under the
More menu.
REAL GEOMETRY
Real geometry is directly used
for machine commands. Any remaining construction geometry is ignored.
Click a point
on the workplane
or type the point
position relative
to the old workplane origin.
NOTE: The workplane UVW axis starts off in the
lower left of the workplane. (as viewed from +W)
When you reposition the origin, it does not retain
this boundary relationship. From then on, the
boundary is centered on the UVW where possible.
The workplane grows off center to encompass all
contained 2D geometry.
In addition to the typical line and
circle creation commands, you can
create a variety of rectangles, arcs,
splines, and project 2D geometry from
faces, edges, cross-sections, and outlines. Real geometry can be modified
with fillet, move/stretch, trim, rotate,
scale, mirror and more.
Delete 2D geometry by selecting it and
using your Delete key or right-click menu
delete option.
Modeling
CREATING 2D GEOMETRY
The Overdraw command
is used to draw on top of construction geometry to create
real geometry. The usage of
Overdraw depreciated with the advent of
the 2D and 3D CoPilots, but can still be
very useful.
Quickly swap
between geometry
and construction
with the Overdraw dialogue box options.
The tracking options allow you to choose
what your traces snap to; real geometry or
construction geometry. You can also decide
to compute the intersection between your
contour and edges. Uncheck to ignore intersections for faster performance.
If you take a wrong turn, use the Back
button in the dialogue box to return to the
previous selection. You can also click your
last profile point or use the Z key to return to
the previous selection.
4
THE CATCH TOOL
THE 2D COPILOT
LOCKING CONSTRAINTS
The Catch tool defines how your cursor
catches or snaps to the elements defined
in the 2D and 3D Copilot settings. It’s an
integral part of the environment, and a core
piece of the 2D drawing and 3D modeling
experience in CED. As you mouse-over
geometry, the catch tool gathers references
based on those snap settings. For example, if you mouse-over an edge, that edge
will be referenced in your 2D sketch. To
clear the reference memory, hit the Delete
key. You can access the catch settings
from the Catch label on the status bar.
The 2D CoPilot can assist in creating 2D geometry without using construction geometry. It’s an interactive tool with automatic snaps, real time referencing and feedback, and
relative measurement capability. Access the 2D CoPilot settings from the Draw and Modify
2D command groups under the Modeling tab or File Settings 2D CoPilot.
You can lock or unlock (by use of the L
key) snapping conditions as they appear in
the 2D CoPilot to restrict the movement of
your profile element during creation. The
individual snapping conditions additively
restrict degrees of freedom in the element,
refining its final placement.
Within the Catch settings you have a
dropdown for Next Catch, Default 2D, and
Default 3D. This dropdown indicates which
group of Catch settings you’re affecting
with your changes.
Next Catch settings only apply to the
very next caught entity — The one-off catches needed as you sketch. It returns to default after the operation if it was changed.
Default 2D and Default 3D refer to the
default behavior in 2D mode and 3D mode
for your next catch and every subsequent
operation. Take care when making changes to these settings.
Catch Points
New Line
Combining the catch tool and 2D CoPilot, the drawing
experience is enhanced significantly. For example, in the images above, the 2D CoPilot guides the creation of the new line
by indicating newline length, distance to horizontal reference,
angle from existing geometry, parallelism and perpendicularity to existing
geometry. In a typical workflow outside of CED, you’d need to create those
references through the use of construction geometry in many cases.
Further, you can type dimensional values where applicable by clicking the TAB key to
cycle through available dimensions. You can also alter the snap-grid precision by using
PgUp and PgDn. For example, dragging your line may progress from 14 to 15 and 16. After pressing PgUp, the numbers jump from 10 to 20 and 30. Similarly, using PgDn can
take the dimensions down to 2 decimal places while dragging. Home key resets.
The little keyboard icon
appears when you have a Mini Toolbar available. Use the
SPACEBAR to open the Option Mini Toolbar or click the keyboard. Click the
button
for a list of available shortcuts. Access relative measurement, bends, the back command,
ignore o r lock snaps, and more in a context sensitive list with shortcut hot-keys listed.
Use the Set Length or Set Angle command to constrain your lines. Use Set Radius to
constrain your circles, or swap between rectangle types using their respective commands.
By default, Default 2D catches to all
geometry elements on the active workplane
and projects the point onto the workplane.
By default, Default 3D catches all geometry elements on all workplanes and all
parts.
Modeling
You can recognize lockable constraints
by the red lock that appears next to them.
Locked constraints
will appear red themselves and must be
unlocked in the same
way to restore freedom of movement in
that direction.
Multiple locked constraints, while having
a beneficial additive
effect, can also become too difficult to
navigate as reference combinations
bind movement contrary to the desired effect. You can unlock
or explicitly ignore (by use of the I key) specific constraints or clear the buffer entirely
with the Delete key.
KEYBOARD INPUT
Type 2D coordinates at any time to
start or end a single line, rectangle, or specify the center of a circle. Entering a number
during line creation indicates length. A subsequent number will be its angle. Circular
entities will have their radii defined.
5
MODIFY 2D
RELATIVE MEASUREMENT
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The basic Modify 2D commands like
Rotate, Move, Scale, Mirror, and Stretch will
change the geometry by either location, size,
or orientation. Convert Geo toggles geometry types between real and construction.
Use the trim and extend commands to repair 2D geometry.
Create any 2D geometry relative to
existing geometry or references. Tap the R
key to start a relative measurement. The
point or line your cursor was over at the time
is immediately used as a reference point.
You can use multiple references for a single
command. For example:
Mastering 2D drawing in Creo Elements/Direct will require using all of these
features together. Particularly, get use to
using your hot-key commands.
Start a new rectangle and catch a vertical reference. Then tap R to define that
vertical reference edge as a relative measurement reference.
TIP: In Creo Elements/Direct Trim, you pick what you
want to keep. Not what you want to delete.
MOVE AND STRETCH 2D
You can activate Move
and Stretch from the command button, but get a wider array of fast options from
the Options Mini
Toolbar by simply
clicking on a piece
of 2D geometry.
TANGENCY
At any point during line creation, use
the Options Mini Toolbar to override any
active snaps and use the Tangency snap.
SET MIRROR
Mirroring your 2D geometry real-time
couldn't be simpler. Use your Options Mini
Toolbar, select Set Mirror, and choose a
mirror line/reference.
Then move to a horizontal reference,
and tap R again.
Notice that the 2D CoPilot is already
using the first reference for a relative dimension. Now that you have both references, you can either type manual dimensions (cycling with Tab) or drag your references out to the desired starting point and
left click to begin your rectangle.
R for relative measurement.
B to create a bend (arc).
Z to undo your last 2D command.
SHIFT pressed to suspend snapping.
I to ignore a snap.
L to lock/unlock a snap.
Delete clear Catch memory.
SPACE for your Mini Toolbar.
PgUp increase adaptive grid size.
PgDn decrease adaptive grid size.
Home reset adaptive grid size.
Shift+Ctrl to snap to a center.
Relative measurement can be used mid
-sketch. Not just to initiate a sketch. Anytime you want to place a point relative to
another location, use R.
Using B to create an arc can save you
from creating construction circles and arcs
with Overdraw to get what you need. Pressing B when your cursor is positioned as a
continuation of the previous line will start
arc tangent to the previous line. Pressing B
when your cursor is positioned at an angle
to the previous line will start an arc that’s
tangent to that angle.
Easily recover from missteps with Z.
New users will tend to finish the 2D command, delete unwanted geometry, then
begin again. Some will delete the workplane
entirely and start fresh. This interrupts the
rhythm of your design process and consumes valuable time. Get familiar with using Z to simply back-up one step.
Modeling
Snaps can be extremely valuable while
drawing in 2D. Using I to ignore some snap
conditions may open-up further snaps that
you may have been looking for but were
considered lower priority. Use SHIFT, I, and
L to traverse snap conditions quickly. Use
Delete to wipe your current snap conditions
and start over.
Change your snap options to suit your
needs under your 2D CoPilot settings.
Orange symbols appear when the snap
is activated against existing geometry. The
adjoining geometry will also be highlighted
in orange. If the snap represents a theoretical relationship provided by the 2D CoPilot,
the icon will be in cyan. These symbols
gives you the opportunity to suppress, ignore, lock, or just run with the snap.
Horizontal
Perpendicular
Vertical
Parallel
Tangent
TIP: You can use H to show/hide the 2D CoPilot cursor
text that normally shows u,v position or dimension text
6
SELECTING REGIONS
3D COPILOT
REFERENCE CONES
A 2D profile must contain at least one
closed loop, but that’s the only restriction.
You can have several loops, extraneous
geometry, and construction lines. Once
you’re done with your 2D profile drawing,
middle-click or click the check mark to
complete. When you Pull the profile (or
another command, but Pull is most common), you’ll be given the opportunity to
select which closed loop (region) you wish
to use for the given command.
The 3D CoPilot appears in many forms depending on the context of
your modification. In every
case, though, its job is to help
you clarify a 3D set of constraints in a clear and easy
manner.
The green and red reference cones act
as anchors for the dimensional definition of a
3D modification. For example, if you were to
pull a face, the default anchors would give
you a dimensional reference that indicates
the from-to change. What if that wasn’t your
aim? Maybe you were interested in the resulting overall length of the part after the
modification.
Simply click on the closed loops until
you have the desired region(s) selected.
TIP: If you click on the workplane border to
start a Pull, as shown here, you can immediately start selecting regions and continue the
pull by then clicking on the 3D CoPilot widget.
If you instead execute the Pull command from
the ribbon or mini toolbar first, you’ll need to
open the dialogue box and change the Selected option to modify the selected region(s).
UNDO AND REDO
On the Quick Access Toolbar, you can
undo or redo one step at a time. You can
also click the down arrow next to the undo/
redo icons to select the number of steps
you want. If you want to view the history
before making your choice, click Expand.
The blue widget is looking
to be placed on an appropriate reference. The orange widget (in whole or in
part) is anchored to your
reference and displays your
degrees of freedom. Select
an axis for linear movement, a toroid for angular,
or one of the planes for
planar movement options.
The green reference diamond indicates that you
can change the origin of
the 3D CoPilot widget.
The red reference diamond indicates an origin
change. You’ve selected
a green reference diamond, and now need to use
the new widget to re-position
the 3D CoPilot widget. When
you’re done, select the red
reference diamond to complete the movement.
Creo Elements/Direct tracks both the
command history and the history of any
Change the settings from File Settings 
active module applications. When you un3D Copilot.
do, you may get a warning that you’re about
to undo a module application
NOTE: Operating the 3D CoPilot is a click and recommand.
lease interface. There is no drag-and-drop.
Modeling
Traditionally, you’d need to measure the part,
subtract its current length from the desired
length, and then enter the remaining amount
in your modification. In this case, though, you
only need to click the red anchor, click the
rear of the part, and type-in or drag to your
desired dimension.
7
THE PULL COMMAND
Extrude, Mill, Turn, and Bore have been replaced by Pull. The Pull command actually contains a combination of two 2D profile commands (Linear Pull Profile and Angular Pull Profile)
and two 3D modification commands (Linear Pull Faces and Angular Pull Faces). 3D modification is covered elsewhere in this guide.
Linear Pull Profile and Angular Pull Profile are the main focus for most 3D geometry creation from 2D profiles. You can activate the Pull command by clicking on the command ribbon,
left-click on your workplane border, or double left-click on the
workplane representation in your structure browser. The only
difference being that the command ribbon option automatically assumes all closed loops in your profile are to be pulled.
If you intend to change the region selections, you’ll need to
modify the selection list through the command dialogue box.
The default command is Linear Pull Profile when using
pull on a 2D profile. To change this option to angular pull,
use the Option Mini Toolbar or change the command dialogue box.
The Linear Pull Profile will provide a linear 3D CoPilot
widget for the pull along with Reference Cones to refine the
distance after the initial definition.
The Angular Pull Profile will provide a reference 3D CoPilot widget for you to place on an edge, axis, line, or other axial reference (see Right-Hand Rule). Then, a rotational 3D CoPilot widget appears to define the angle of
the pull.
Add/Remove Material. Each of these commands
will attempt to automatically add or remove material
from your existing part (if one exists). Sometimes, the
automatic determination is not what you want. You can
change this option in the dialogue box under Method 
Operation.
3D Snapping. Your Pull Profile can terminate with a fixed
dimension or a reference to an existing element.
TIP: The 3D CoPilot attempts to snap 3D references you mouse over.
You can change which
elements are snapped to under the Type option for the
command. It can be changed
to Part, Face, Point, or Plane.
ALERT: To intersect a part, the profile must be fully bound inside the
intersecting part. You can overlap with face, point, or plane, but not part.
Change Direction by dragging your 3D CoPilot widget from
one side of the starting workplane to the other or use the Direction option in the command
dialogue box. The dialogue
box has the added capabilities
to extend your profile from
both sides of the workplane or
take a User Defined approach
to the pull direction.
Specify a Draft Angle between 90 and –90 degrees. The
draft works much like a Taper Face command using the workplane as your draft plane and the entirety of your profile to determine the faces to be changed.
Modeling
8
SELECTION
Before you can dynamically modify
geometry, you need to select it. Creo Elements/Direct provides everything you need
to make selections on-the-fly.
Click Selection: This is the most intuitive and simplistic selection method. Driven
by mouse-over, the click-what-you-want
method is your first tool. Simply mouse-over
what you want until it highlights, then leftclick. If you need more, shift-left-click to
start a Selection List instead.
Tab Selection: This is a geometry
based selection method. This huge time
saver grabs geometry by applying rules to
the mouse-over target. Mouse-over a face
until it highlights. Then press Tab. The Tab
Selection method will grab all faces possibly
associated with your mouse-over target by
rule definition. To switch rule definitions,
press Tab and your selection will change.
Cycle through with Tab until you have what
you need and then left-click to complete the
selection. If you need more, shift-left-click to
start a Selection List instead.
Select Mini Toolbar: The Select Mini
Toolbar isn’t a selection method in itself, but
does provide access to three other selection
methods. The toolbar is context sensitive. It
will only appear when a selection method
may be needed. Press SPACEBAR for the
Mini Toolbar.
Selection Tool
Probe Selection
Geometry Rules
The Geometry Rules allow you to create
a custom rule configuration (like using Tab
Selection) for selection criteria.
Window Selection: Drag a window with
a left mouse button held down. There are
two possible results. First, everything within
the window is selected. Second, everything
within the window and everything intersecting the window is selected. To toggle between the two results, hit Tab before releasing the left mouse button.
Selection List: A selection list is exactly
what it sounds like; a list of multiple selections. You can start one multiple ways; shiftleft-click, select mini toolbar, through the
Probe Selection dialogue, and through the
Selection Tool. To add members to the list,
select them using your preferred method(s)
in any combination. To remove them, select
them again. To end a list, middle-click. You
can also end one from inside the Select Tool
by clicking the List End button.
BEST PRACTICE: The combination of Tab
Selection and on-the-fly Selection Lists is the
fastest way to select subsets of complex geometry and will quickly become your most
used selection method.
Probe Selection: The probe selection
tool allows you to select through a stack of
elements piled on top of each other. To
activate, use the Select Mini Toolbar,
Ctrl+Tab, or the command icon Utilities subgroup in the Ribbon UI. Once it’s been selected, you can move your mouse around
freely. Probe select will remember where
your mouse was originally as the defining
point for your probe selection.
Selection Tool: The Selection Tool can
be activated through the Select Mini
Toolbar, in the Ribbon UI under the Utilities
sub-group, or by pressing F2. It is the most
powerful of your selection options, allowing
for very precise selection criteria.
The Selection Tool changes options
based on its mode. Creo Elements/Direct
chooses the mode for you based on the
context of your operation. The modes are
2D, 3D Elem, Feature, 3D Obj, and 3D Annotation.
The List menu provides a quick way to
create a selection list of elements. This list
interface has much more precise controls
that are accessible by clicking the down
arrows on the right of the List menu title.
You get the new options Add, And, Remove,
and XOR.
The Elements area provides a radio
button list of the valid element types you
can select in the current mode. Choosing
one will narrow your selections to those
element types only. Initially, the most common elements are visible. Clicking the arrow button will expand the menu to include
all possible options.
The Boxing options are a representation of the Window Selection options for
element intersection.
The Methods options provide further
refinement of your selection criteria.
Choose a method to narrow your selection
to related elements.
XOR is the default behavior of selection
lists. Click on an element. If it’s already
selected, it’s removed from the list. If it’s
not selected, it’s then added to the list.
Add will do just that. Add the next selection to your list. If it’s already a member
of the list, it does not get removed.
Remove is the opposite. Clicking on a
list member will remove it from the list.
Clicking on a non-list member will not add it
to the list.
And empowers the next selection to reform the list to include only members that
were already in the list AND are in the next
selection. Everything that doesn’t fit those
criteria is removed from the list.
Modeling
9
BLENDING
Blends are generated on edges based
on the neighboring faces and geometry. The
edge where two faces meet is smoothed or
blended by a singular or various radii. Creo
Elements/Direct uses a rolling ball computation to generate these blends.
In the
blend operation,
only one blend
face is created.
If your geometry
would require
more faces to
be generated to
make your
blend valid, Creo Elements/Direct will fail
the blend operation. The model would require additional preparation before a proper
blend could be applied.
You can create Constant Radius
Blends, Var 2 Radius Blends, and Var N
Radius Blends. “Var” refers to the bend
radius as a variable number. In Var 2 Radius Blends you specify the starting and ending radii. In Var N, any number of radii at
any location along the edge can be specified.
To create a blend, select and edge and
choose your options from the mini toolbar,
or click the command button in the Engineering group of the Ribbon UI.
BEST PRACTICE: It can be difficult to backtrack
to your base geometry after adding complex
cosmetic blends. Try to adding cosmetic blends
at the end of the design. It’s best to meet your
prismatic design requirements first. Some design houses will make a copy of the part before
adding blends so that subsequent changes can
be made from the base geometry. Blends start
from scratch each time with that method, though.
Blends have four options for how they
behave in relation to each other and existing geometry.
CHAMFERS
RECOGNITION
Chamfers behave similarly to Blends
and are restricted by the same rules. You
can create Distance, Dist/Dist, and Dist/
Angle Chamfers after selecting your edge or
using the command button under the Engineering group of the Ribbon UI.
Recognizing blends and chamfers can
convert them from extruded entities. This
process will alter the behavior so that future
updates will have the expected effect.
Extruded cylinders will maintain a fixed
axis. Therefore, when you change the radius
of an extruded cylinder, neighboring faces
will not maintain tangency. You’re left with
a failed modification or a non-tangent round.
Intersect is the default behavior and
will ignore neighboring
geometry. If the blend
doesn’t fit, OnTanFaces is
attempted. If both options
fail, you’ll get an error
message.
OnTanFaces is the
default fallback behavior.
With it, a patch surface is
created to get tangency of
all faces.
OnSharpEdge is really a variation of
OnTanFaces. It adds the
contingency of the blend
running-in to a sharp edge
(green). It will handle tangencies in the same way
as OnTanFaces (red).
OnAnyEdge creates a
sharp edge and surface
patch to achieve its own
tangency regardless of the
neighboring edge type.
Distance Chamfers assume a 45 deg angle and
measures distance from the
original edge to either of the
two resulting edges.
Dist/Dist chamfers only
require two distances. The
distance from the original
edge to each of the two resulting edges provided as
two separate measurements.
Dist/Ang chamfers
need only one distance dimension and one angular
dimension. You can swap
which end of the chamfer
you’re measuring for the distance dimension.
Modeling
When a typical blend is modified it always maintains the tangency with neighboring faces. To recognize blends, choose the
command option under the engineering
group and select the face(s) or part in question.
In a similar manner, geometry resembling a chamfer can be just as important to
recognize. A chamfer will reference the
original edge when being modified. You can
get away with modifying a chamfer using a
move command if you don’t intend to
change the angle, but even so, you wouldn’t
have the same control over the chamfer as
if it were recognized.
10
MOVING FACES
PULL FACES
Moving faces looks a lot like a 2D stretch command in the 3D world. Select a face and
the default command is Move 3D. It results in a 3D CoPilot widget and reference cones.
The Move 3D can add or remove material and will attempt to do so
automatically. You can change these options in the command dialogue.
At first glance, pulling faces may seem a lot like moving faces. Understanding the differences can have a huge impact on your design. The Move 3D command will only grow
neighboring faces. The pull command always adds faces unless new faces collapse into
original faces. This offers flexibility to add design features without having to consider
neighboring faces.
You can use the same command to move multiple faces, assuming the geometry lends itself to being altered in the desired direction.
You can also grab multiple internal faces for modification. These are
usually pockets of geometry that need to be resized or positioned.
In this case, you’ll likely want to change the origin for the move.
Once you’ve selected the geometry and chosen the move command, click on an alternate
face or edge to guide the movement. In the same way, you can make decisions about the
kind of modification you want to make. If you change the origin of the move to an edge, you
can either move the face(s) linearly along an axis or create a
rotational movement (See Right-Hand Rule).
Rotational movement can look like bending the model.
When the face(s) is moved, the neighboring faces grow until
they meet the modified face or other faces.
The Pull 3D commands are option variants of the Pull command; Linear Pull Faces and Angular Pull Faces (See Right-Hand
Rule).
To activate them, either grab the command from the Modify 3D subgroup of the Ribbon UI in the Modeling tab, or use the mini toolbar once
you’ve selected your face(s). Use the
command dialogue box to switch beTIP: Hold down SHIFT during a Move 3D or Pull operation to snap to
tween the two commands without ending
existing geometry courtesy of the 3D CoPilot. You can change this
behavior to be automatic (not requiring the SHIFT to be pressed) by
the operation.
altering the 3D CoPilot snap settings. File Settings 3D Copilot.
The 3D CoPilot offers an easy and intuitive way to manage the move command. Individual dimensions can be typed, dragged, or snapped to geometry.
Modeling
11
STRETCH FACE
Immediately upon selecting a face, the default
command will be Move 3D.
You’ll be presented with a 3D
CoPilot widget and a Mini
Toolbar to confirm the command. Right next to the Move 3D command
is Stretch.
Stretch Face has a much more dramatic impact when considering 3D alterations that the Move 3D command has no
comparison for. For example, in a cubic
example, if you grab any face for Move 3D,
your options are to extend the face in a
positive or negative direction, adding or
removing material as you go. The 3D CoPilot widget seems to imply that you have the
option to move in a parallel planar direct by
way of the circular face presented on the
widget. However, if you click the circular
face, the Move 3D command can offer you
nothing in that direction in most cases.
STRETCH EDGE
OFFSET FACE
Stretch Edge is the
natural extension of Stretch
Face. It allows the same
power of Stretch Face, but
with the precision of edge
selection. The selected
edge translates position while neighboring
faces and edges stretch.
At first glance, Offset Face looks like a
Move 3D command as used on any face.
The power really shines when you’re offsetting groups of faces rather than a single
face. While Move 3D will grab all the faces
and translate them in the one direction you
specify, Offset Face will move each face in
the direction normal to each of the original
faces in the selection group. It’s a great way
to add/remove material on full or partial
surface chains.
3D CoPilot Circular Face
The main difference between the two
commands is that the Move 3D command
grows neighboring faces while the Stretch
command alters neighboring faces.
ALERT: While the Move 3D command is nearly
a “no-fail” operation, Stretching Faces can produce bounding faces that cannot be enclosed
in one volume. This will fail the operation.
In the conic illustration below, Move 3D
continues the conic shape while Stretch
translates the original face and stretches
the neighboring faces to keep-up.
If you’re using Stretch Face,
though, you can turn a cube into a rhomboid, skew a cone, etc.
CHANGE RADIUS/DIAMETER
Along the same lines, while rotating a
face with Move 3D can have devastating
effect depending on the 3D origin you
choose, using Stretch Face for rotation can
provide equally as devastating changes
from the original origin. Once you start
moving the origin around for Stretch Face,
you can get all kinds of effects never before
possible so quickly.
When you
take what we
learned from
Stretch Face
and Stretch Edge and apply that to the
Change Radius and Change Diameter commands, you get an option to select an edge
as opposed to being restricted to faces. For
example, before you were able to grab a
cylinder and change its radius/diameter.
Now, you can select each end of the cylinder
and modify the radius/diameter individually
rather than needing to create a Loft or complex revolve for the same effect.
Modeling
On internal features, Offset Face can
grow/shrink while Move 3D can only translate. You’d need to Move 3D each face individually to get a similar effect to what Offset
Face can do in one operation.
ALERT: Resulting surfaces have the potential
to be undefined. This will fail the operation.
12
TAPER FACE
Taper Face is typically
used to add draft to the model. To execute a taper, you’ll
need a target face or faces, a
draft plane, and a draft angle
chosen in that order. Alternately, you can
pick and choose the creation order through
the command details dialogue.
Advanced Taper. With the standard
taper you can only taper planes, cones and
cylinders. The main difference is that, in an
Advanced Taper, the resulting taper may not
keep its original curvature. The face might
be transformed into a freeform surface to
satisfy your taper requirements. For example, you might use an Advanced Taper for a
rib that’s curved in the shape of an S.
A solid model is comprised of a series of connected faces. When faces are cut, neighboring faces grow. Therefore, the result from cutting can be a removed feature, the model
size may change, or the model is simplified. In a similar
fashion, faces can be copied and pasted within the same
part or between different parts.
Copy and pasting faces is
one of the best methods for design reuse available in the enviCut Faces
ronment. To begin with, when you
copy a set of faces you’re left with
a Face Part. This face part is, by default, characterized as a cyan (light-blue) set of faces that
are typically not solid on their own. The copy is completely independent from the original.
When you paste the faces onto the same or separate part, you have the options to add or
subtract the geometry from the paste target. Upon pasting, the faces can grow or extend
themselves to match-up with the target area even if they previously did not touch.
Change face. The target face(s) that
will be altered by the operation.
Draft plane. This plane is meant to
intersect with your change face(s). The line
formed by that intersection creates the axis
of rotation for each face.
NOTE: The draft plane does not need to intersect
the change face(s) visibly. The intersection can
be theoretical as long as
the planes intersect.
You can select any
planar entity as your
draft plane or create one
on the fly several ways.
In the images, the draft
plane is represented by
a blue disc and axis
widget. See how changing the draft plane drastically affects the taper
of the same four faces.
Draft angle. The
angle to be applied to
the change against the
normal of the draft
plane along the intersecting axis. You can
set the angle by using
the 3D CoPilot or by
typing a numeric value.
CUT, COPY, AND PASTE FACES
You can clearly
see in the illustration that the curve on the
top of the taper is completely different than
the curve at the bottom, but the angle of the
taper has been preserved.
Paste Add
Copy Faces
Paste Subtract
TIP: Blends can be preserved in Advanced
Tapers. The blends get removed, the taper
is executed, then the blends get replaced.
This is why you can’t specify the edge of a
blend as a fixed edge in a taper.
Notice that the subtraction worked like a cookie-cutter
or ice-cream scoop. The direction of the subtraction is
defined by the normal of the face part. To flip the normal,
go to the Ribbon 3D Geometry 3D Surface Tools 
More Flip Faces. Alternately, you may want to solidify
the face part first, then do a Boolean subtraction between
solid parts.
TIP: When copying and pasting be-
tween parts, make sure that the parts
are set to the same resolution first.
Part Properties Geo Resol 
Resolution.
Modeling
13
PUNCH AND STAMP
SHELL PART
IMPRINT
An easy way to remove material is by using the Punch tool to blast entirely through a part in both directions. In fact, you can use Punch to go through
an assembly as well. The same can be done with Pull, but by using Punch,
you save yourself the trouble of dragging the 3D CoPilot entirely through the
part/assembly.
You can find Shell Part
under the Modeling tab in the
Model group. It removes material from inside a part by removing one or more
faces and adding thickness to
the remaining
faces either
inside or outside the original part.
This command is used
to create edges on a target
part. Those edges can then
be used to for separate
operations themselves
since they’re defining new
face boundaries in your
part. The commands can be found in the
Modeling tab in the Model group.
If you want to do the opposite of a Punch, where the 2D profile defines
the geometry that remains instead of removed, you can use the Stamp command. Again, this could be done with Pull, but you’d need to draw a larger
rectangle around your entire profile and part/assembly, then drag through.
Turn a cylinder into a tube or cup, a
cube into a box, or more commonly, shell a
complex shape to create the beginnings of a
plastic molded version of your design.
SHELL FACES
SECTION
The Section command can be found along side Punch and Stamp under
the Modeling tab in the Model Group and Remove drop-down. It’s not (by
default) seen on the mini toolbar from a Pull command like they are, though.
Section will divide a single part into one or more individual parts. It
doesn’t remove any material, but does create new parts. To complete this operation you’ll
need a part to be divided and some sort of tool or surface to execute the division. That entity can be a face or faces, a surface, plane, workplane and closed profile, another part, or a
face part.
ALERT: Section is often confused with the Clipping Plane commands. Section will physically divide
your part into separate pieces. It is not a visualization tool like Clipping Planes.
A workplane with a profile will project the profile against the part (potentially in both
directions off the workplane) and slice through as if the profile were a laser path. A face,
part, surface, or face part must be in such a position as to completely divide your part exactly where you want it divided. The new parts will perfectly conform to your dividing entity at
the point of intersection.
You can find Shell Faces
under the Modeling tab in the
Model group inside the Shell
drop-down. While seemingly
obscure, the Shell Faces command is another huge time
saver.
This command works
similarly to Shell, but allows
you to operate on parts that
have already been shelled.
Instead of requiring a full part, this allows you to shell faces (or recognized features) by any distance. You can update an
already shelled part by first adding your
feature and then using Shell Faces to shell
the faces of the newly added feature.
Modeling
Linear. Use a sketch with closed regions to define a new set of faces on your
part. Linear will project your sketch from
your workplane onto your part.
Line does not have a dialogue box. It
will ask you for a face and two points along
edges over and over until you complete the
command. It simply creates and edge between the two points along a face.
Intersection will ask for a blank and a
tool. The command will drawn an edge
along your blank wherever the tool intersects it. You also have the option of keeping
the tool after the operation (default) or automatically deleting it when the operation is
complete.
Silhouette is particularly useful for
rounded and freeform surfaces. If you view
a cylinder from the side, it looks like a rectangle. View a sphere and it looks like a
circle. That 2D silhouette is imprinted onto
the object itself exactly along the viewed
edge. Imagine tracing your hand as it lays
flat on a piece of paper. This can alleviate
the need to go through some complex workplane positioning gymnastics when you need
to work with freeform surfaces.
14
BOOLEAN OPERATIONS
MIRROR PART
ALIGN FACES
Boolean operations are found on your Modeling tab under
the Model group. Boolean refers to a logical combinatorial system as implied by the logical operators of AND, OR, and NOT;
adding, replacing, or removing material based on two or more
entities. Unite, Subtract, and Intersect can use solid parts or
face parts. The result will either be a solid part a face part
based on the resulting geometry.
Mirror can be found in the
Modeling tab in the Modify 3D
group in the More dropdown. It
works differently than Reflect
in that you’re mirroring an entire part(s)
about the defined plane. Not mirroring geometry within a part. If you choose to keep
the original, Mirror will create a new part in
the mirrored position rather than mirroring
the original. You can also mirror entire assemblies, workplanes, docuplanes, and
layouts in this way.
Align can be found in the
Modeling tab under the Modify
3D group. It’s most commonly
used to adjust faces such that
they are aligned with another reference face
(s). For example, if you had 4 embossments
of various heights and wanted to make sure
that the tops were all on the same plane.
You could manually adjust each, or you
could select 3 of them and align to the
fourth. There’s even an offset option if you
wanted to select all 4 tops and offset them
all from the base part in one command.
Unite. Add material. This works somewhat like the Paste
Face command except that parts will not be grown or stretched
to meet each other like in
the Past Face command.
ALERT: Use the Use Glue option only when the faces of the two
Two parts become one part.
parts match exactly and will not create an intersection of geomAny overlap or intersection
etry. Otherwise, the resulting part may become corrupted.
between the blank and tool
is combined into the result.
ALERT: Never use identical parts in the same position for a
Subtract. Remove masubtraction. Use the Delete 3D function or right-click delete in
terial. This command allows
those cases where a total removal is required.
you use one part (or many
parts) as the blank and one
TIP: If you have commonly subtracted geometry, try saving the
(or many) as the tool to cut
tool off on its own. You can then reference it for future subtracaway from the blank. Much
tions rather than re-creating it each time.
like sculpting something out
of clay, the Subtract command allows you to use a custom tool to cut away from existing
geometry. You always have the option of keeping the tool in case you want to use it again to
subtract in another location.
TIP: Try using Intersect for quick interference checking.
Intersect. Replace material. Intersect can use
several parts as the blank and several parts for the tool. The resulting geometry will be a
representation of only the intersection between the blank and the tool. Everything else is
removed.
BEST PRACTICE: Use Reflect to create symmetric parts. Create
Reflect. Is a special
one half or quarter, then reflect them to complete your design.
command. It’s a combination of Copy, Mirror, and Unite. Choose a part and a define a reflection plane. The part will
be copied, mirrored about the reflection plane, and united with the original. You can choose
to reflect material on one or both sides. Depending on the position of the reflection plane,
Reflect can add, remove, or add and remove material.
NOTE: Mirror can also be found in the Structure tab inside the Part & Assembly group.
TIP: Try using Mirror for left-hand and righthand type part situations.
A more advanced usage is to modify
face topology to match an existing reference
rather than re-creating.
SCALE PART
Scale can be found in the
same dropdown as Mirror. You
can change the size of parts
are assemblies isotropically or
anistropically.
Isotropic scaling will change the target’s volume and its position relative to the
global coordinate origin. A value larger
than 1 will increase while values larger
than 0 and smaller than 1 will decrease.
Anistropic scaling approximates the
shrinkage of molded plastic parts as they
cool. You can specify scaling factors in the
xyz directions to compensate for shrinkage.
Scale the part or face by using values from
0 to 1. For example, 0.9 would scale the
part or face by 10%.
Modeling
MERGE
During the modeling process, you can sometimes end
up with situations where one
part has overlapping faces or
un-needed edges. Merge will
combine faces by removing overlapping
edges or combine edges by removing vertices.
Using Imprint can, in particular, leave
stray edges on faces that should be Merged
in the final design.
15
MODELING: ADVANCED MODELING
FREEFORM MODELING
The name Freeform Modeling is really referring to the kinds of
surfaces that can be created by the operations in this command
group. Generally, freeform is used to describe surfaces that can’t
be defined as prismatic objects like a plane or cylinder. In that
way, you could group most of Creo Elements/Direct’s surfacing
tools under the same umbrella. Those surfacing tools, however,
have already been captured under a different group — some twice.
What we’re left with is Loft, Sweep, and Helix in the Ribbon 
Modeling Model ...More overflow menu.
Loft. The Loft tool can be very elaborate. At it’s heart, Loft will
create a freeform model by forming a smooth transition between
at least two profiles.
The Loft tool is drawing lines between the profiles from vertex to matching vertex, so the number of vertices need to matchup. You also provide a Match Line (Create ML) for that purpose.
This ML represents the first match-up between vertices. The tool
assumes the rest. Not only do you need to provide these things,
they need to be wrapped-up in a nice package called a Workplane
Set before you can begin your loft. Ribbon Structure 
Workplane ...More Workplane Set. Once you have
everything together, execute your Loft Add and most of the
options are defaulted for you.
Use Add Tan to add tangency controls to the vertices
before lofting. The dialogue allows you to adjust the references and weighting of the tangency as well. All this adjusts how the lines connecting your profiles are drawn. Do
they shoot directly from one vertex to another, or do they bow
and curve to achieve tangency or curvature continuity with
existing parts or faces? Try adding multiple workplanes to your
set and rotating them in different directions.
Helix. The Helix operation sweeps one
profile about an axis (see Right-Hand Rule)
in order to create a helical part. Adjust the
pitch and number of turns in the dialogue
and click the Preview until your helix is perfect before completing the operation.
ALERT: There must always be a gap, even a micro-inch, between each turn of your helix. If the
turns touch, the intersection will cause an error.
2D SKETCHING WITH SPLINES
2D Splines come in two flavors; Interpolation and Control. In an interpolation
spline, you define a series of points through
which the curve passes exactly through.
With control splines, the shape of the spline
is influenced by a dynamically created control polygon formed by control points against
the spline curvature.
BEST PRACTICE: Use Containers to group all of your workplanes,
workplane set, and match line together for future reference.
Sweep. Only one workplane and one spline
curve to worry about in a Sweep. The profile(s) from
the workplane is swept along the spline curve (the
Spine) to create a freeform part.
ALERT: If you create prismatic geometry with
splines like straight lines or circles, your part my
later appear corrupt. Use the right tool for the
job to avoid more work down the road.
Modeling
3D CURVES AND POINTS
Sketching in 3D space can be an unsettling proposition. When it comes down to it,
what you’re doing is defining points in 3
axes. See your tools. They can be found
under the 3D Geometry tab in your ribbon.
The different commands like line, circle, spline, or arc are all just doing different
things with the points you define. So how do
you define points in 3D space?
Note: Cursor icon may change to have 3 dots
under it during these commands to indicate a command specific right-click menu.
The trick is really the first
vertex. From then on, each subsequent point can reference the
previously created one. Rather
than simply clicking on the
screen, try defining coordinates with the
user input line or capitalizing on the Catch
tool to grab an existing 3D reference for
your first point. Each tool will have its own
snap helpers too. Face, edge, and axis, for
example. If you have nothing to snap to, you
can use the 3D CoPilot helper for your first
point.
It may take a little getting
use to, but this u, v, and w axis
widget represents the local
coordinates of each point. Click on its axes
or planes to restrict movement and select
your target location. This same widget is
then used for each subsequent point. From
then on it’s much like sketching in 2D.
16
CREATING 2D PROFILES FROM 2D AND 3D GEOMETRY
There are a series of projection tools available for the purpose
of speeding your 2D profile creation. With the typical tool set,
you’d need to grab references to 2D or 3D geometry and draw over
them, much in the same way that you might create construction
geometry and use the Overdraw command to trace what you want
to keep. Creo Elements/Direct has done away with the absolute
need for Overdraw and likewise done away with the need to trace
already existing 2D and 3D geometry into new profiles. These
commands can be found in the Project drop-down in the Draw
command group of the Modeling tab. Ribbon Modeling 
Project.
The distinction between Construction and Geometry commands defines how the resulting projection will appear in your
workplane; as construction lines or 2D geometry. The Face and Edge commands don’t have
command details, so you wouldn’t be able to toggle between the two as if they were part of
the same command.
BEST PRACTICE: Commands can be separated like this to make it easier to access the
exact function you want on a keyboard shortcut or abbreviation. If the commands were
consolidated, your shortcut would only get you to a details dialogue that you’d then need
to manually, or through a mini toolbar, adjust for your needs. Try assigning common
commands in File Customize to speed your work.
Project Face, 2D Edge, and 3D Edge do as their namesakes suggest. They project the
geometry of a face, 2D edge, or 3D edge respectively onto the target workplane. The General command does have a command dialogue and allows for a bit more control over your
projection options. Cross Section projects a cross section onto a target workplane(s) wherever it intersect a part(s), while Outline will project only the outline of a part or face(s) onto
the intersecting workplane.
Along the same line, there are two combo commands that will
create a workplane and create 2D profiles for you at the same time.
The projected profile works more like a cross section than an outline. Internal features that intersect the workplane are projected as
well. New WP on Face and Project Real and New WP on Face and
Project Constr don’t have command details either. Just activate the
command and select a face. You can find these commands on the
Workplane dropdown in your Ribbon Modeling Workplane.
The 3D Surface Tools group is located
under the 3D Geometry tab along with 3D
Curve and 3D Point command groups.
These tools have more of a repair and recover feel to them. Granted, you can get extremely advanced surfaces by using 3D
Curves and Insert Face, but mostly the toolset is basic in its face operations; Can be
much less organic and much more rigid in
execution than what you would see in the
Advanced Surfacing Module.
Face Parts are made-up of individual
faces that do not form a solid body. This
allows you to design complex models by
adding individual surfaces to existing designs or starting new ones from scratch.
Once the faces converge into a closed shell,
Creo Elements/Direct will automatically
convert the face part into a solid part.
Insert Face is arguably the most advanced tool in the group. Insert Face creates faces by interpolating from a set of
boundary curves or edges. If you’re using
3D elements (Collectively occupying more
than one plane in 3D space), there’s a limit
of six edges. On a 2D plane, there’s no
limit. Many of the subsequent tool functions can be achieved with an Insert Face.
Grow Surface will grow a face(s) in the
direction of the edge(s) you choose. This
Modeling
growth will happen infinitely, so you must
define boundaries in the way of parts, faces,
planes, or surfaces to limit your growth.
Otherwise the command will likely fail.
Reintersect Faces will grow several
faces or edges at once using their own intersection as your boundary definition. Best
used to close gaps between neighboring
faces.
Untrim is, in essence, a reverse engineering aid. It creates a new face part representing the geometry that was used to
trim away at your selected geometry.
Thicken creates a solid part from a
face part by creating an offset copy of the
face(s) and growing side-surfaces between
the original and the copy.
Show Gaps highlights unbound edges
in a face part. These edges mean the differences between a face part and a solid part.
Gather Faces allows you to select
faces from a solid part and copy them to a
new face part. Very similar to the Copy command, but without the position option.
Delete Face will poke holes in your
solid part turning it in to a face part or allow
you to take your face part to pieces one face
at a time.
Flip Faces will flip the direction of the
normal on a given face or set of faces.
Trim will use one face as a boundary
(Tool Face)to cut another (Blank Face(s)).
17
FEATURES
A Feature is a set of faces grouped
together and saved in a named container in
the structure browser under the given part.
They can be used as a method for selection, can contain information for downstream processes, and are also used to
create patterns.
There are two variations on the Feature functionality. You can create a Face
Set Feature of four specific geometry types
or a User Defined Feature for
everything else. The difference
is that a Face Set Feature can
be patterned while a User Defined Feature can not.
A feature can consist of any number of
3D elements but they must all belong to the
same part. 3D elements are recognized as
edges, vertices, or faces. You can access
these feature commands and a few more
on the Feature tab of your ribbon.
Your geometry does
not need to match the
icon exactly. The icon for
each of the four Face Set
Features is strictly conveying a simple set of requirements for each.
PATTERNS
If your feature needs to change, you
can alter the type of Face Set Feature you’ve
selected. Use the Exchange command in
the More drop-down to
select a new type.
When defining a
Face Set Feature, you’ll have 3 attributes
automatically defined for you. The local
coordinates for the feature, the main direction used for a manufacturing process, and
the secondary direction.
Ref. Pos. This local coordinate system
can have a big impact on future patterns.
Consider a boss whose diameter changes
down the road. If the local coordinate system had not been centered, the resulting
pattern would be affected by a diameter
change.
MainDir. A manufacturing process
would be a drill, mill, punch, etc. This can
help define which side of the part should be
worked during manufacturing.
TIP: A User Defined Feature can still be patterned
using Copy Face and Paste Face commands. You
just don’t have the creation and redefinition options available for pattern features.
Patterns can be accessed from the
Feature tab as well.
You’re able to pattern
Machining features,
Mold Design features, or
Face Set features. You
can also create patterns
of parts within the same
assembly.
Modify the pattern
at any time by excluding
elements or include elements that were previously excluded. It can’t be deleted with the
delete key or a right-click option. Use the
delete command from the Pattern group.
TIP: When making changes to features, be sure to
use the correct Modify command. There are 3 on
the Feature tab and they’re not interchangeable.
Geometry in a pattern is shared out
from the initial feature. If you make changes to any of the features in the pattern, all of
the other features in the pattern have the
potential to change to match. You can use
Modify to restore the altered pattern member to its original, or use the OwnPat checkbox to propagate the changes to the pattern.
TIP: Use the TAB key to flip a direction widget
from the 3D CoPilot.
StartDir. Should not be parallel to
MainDir. Helps define where a machining
process should begin.
Modeling
Defining a pattern can depend on the
type of pattern, but generally the definition
shares some common characteristics.
Linear Direction. You need 1 for a Linear pattern and Radial Grid, and 2 for a
Linear Grid. This uses the 3D CoPIlot
widget to define which way these patterns point.
The Number of pattern members is tied
to the direction. In a grid, if you define 4
in one direction and 4 in another, you’ll
have 16 total pattern members. In nongrid patterns, the number is exactly how
many total pattern members you’ll end
up with. A Free pattern’s members are added one at a time.
The Start Position defines where the
pattern should begin. Normally, the start
position is the origin of the originating feature, but this can be offset according to your
needs.
Your Distance can be defined as the
distance between each pattern member in a
given direction, or as the Total Distance in a
given direction. In either case, the members
are evenly distributed.
In Radial patterns, you must define an
Axis. Normally this is the center of your
source feature, but can be changed. The
Radius determines how far out from your
start position the pattern members will start
to occur in a circular pattern. The Angle
determines how much space is between
each pattern member. Similarly to the linear distance, you can define this as a gap or
as the Total Angle to be covered by the pattern.
18
MODULES: MACHINING
Activate Machining
FileModulesMachining
Access Machining
RibbonFeatureMachining
Creo Elements/Direct Machining is an
advisor module. It assists during the design phase by allowing easy specification of
common machining features, providing
easy modification of those features, and by
providing advice about machining operations. Machining assists further when creating documentation by providing methods
to transfer dimensional tolerances into the
annotation module in a streamlined process. You can even transfer technical information into select CAM systems.
Modifying Holes. Simply right-click on
the hole feature in the browser and select
modify to go right back into the hole dialogue.
Machining Settings. Under File 
Settings Machining, you can make quick
adjustments to common controls for machining features.
BEST PRACTICE: Adding threads as a feature
is usually preferable over an actual helix.
Conserve your graphics capability for your
design imperatives.
Specifying Tolerances. You can add
tolerances to hole features. By default,
they’re appended to the dimension label,
not the note hole
note text. You
can add Upper/
Lower, Plus/
Minus, Limits, or
ISO. Inside the
hole dialogue,
click on the Show
T&Q button for the extended tolerance options to appear under Diameter Tol.
Creating Holes. Click on the hole of the
desired type (Through, Tapped, or Blind) for
the placement dialogue. Fill the yellow dialogue boxes and complete your new feature.
Notice that the hole is created as a feature
in the structure browser and matching annotation was generated.
During the feature dialogue step, you can click
Show Image for a detailed
image explaining your hole
options.
Also during feature specification, the
advisor component kicks in. These checks
are based on general rules and can be
changed using the CED Integration Kit.
Adding Threads to Cylinders. The machining module can also
add thread features to existing cylinders for the creation of bolt or screw models. Choose one of the
outer threads from the machining options
and select your bolt or screw’s cylinder as
the target face.
Hole Patterns. Create a New Pattern
from the Feature tab and choose the hole
feature from the 3D viewport as the source.
You can create linear, linear grid, radial,
radial grid, or free patterns in this manner.
The pattern feature is fully parameterized
and can be modified just as easily as the
hole feature itself.
Specifying Quality. Surface quality can
be assigned to all machining features.
These are best used in the 2D drawing from
the information stored in the 3D note or
further downstream in manufacturing
through the machining output reports. Also
under the Show
T&Q options,
click on the Side
Quality button for
your options.
Modules
NOTE: Settings changed in this way work for
your current session only unless you save the
settings to an environment file.
Data Table Customization. A more
permanent form of adjustment is achieved
with data table customization. This method
allows you to customize the machining environment to suit your design needs exactly.
You can create custom holes, defaults,
change advisor validations, and more. This
is typically done by your CAD administrator
through the use of the CED Integration Kit.
ALERT: Changes made through the Integration Kit are not guaranteed to work with future releases of Creo Elements/Direct.
CED Integration Kit. The kit itself is a
collection of tools typically used to program
add-on applications for CED. Making changes with the Integration Kit requires a thorough understanding of CED, some basic
programming skills, and a basic knowledge
of the Common Lisp Programming Language.
19
MODULES: SURFACING
Activate Surfacing Module
FileModulesSurfacing
Access Surfacing Module
The Surfacing Module is a much more
organic set of surfacing tools than are
available out-of-the-box. Each command
takes much more time and dedication to
master, but the resulting capability and
possibilities are well worth it.
series of profiles and draw lines between
them to create a solid body. Guided Loft
combines them by removing the need for
multiple profiles, adding a line or spline as
a guide for your loft, and automatically adding helper profiles along the path.
Skin is like Insert Face times ten.
You’re inserting a face via 2D or 3D curves
or edges like Insert Face, but here you can
use curves inside a mesh as guides in addition to the boundary curves. This apparently simple change opens the door to a wide
range of capability, command options, optimization, and built-in surface analysis
tools. Many of the subsequent tool functions can be achieved with a Skin.
Cap creates a
freeform cap on a part
using a Cap Point and
looped edges.
Advanced Sweep adds three new
additions over normal
Sweep; The option to
create face parts, the
use of any collection
of edges as the sweep
profile, and the use of
a second guiding
curve for the sweep.
Guided Loft is a marriage of the
Sweep and Loft tools. A Sweep allows you
to take a single profile and sweep it along a
single guiding line or spline. Loft will take a
Face Round. Like a 3D fillet between
faces, Face Round creates a chain of
rounded faces to connect two face part
sets tangentially or curvature continuously.
Bridge. A quick way
to fill the gap between two
faces. Does not need to
be fully bounded. Just select two edges or sets of
edges you want to bridge.
The connection can be
made tangential and the
curvature weighted.
Extrude Edges. Similar to Grow Surface, but here you’re creating a new face
part and can change the direction and
length of growth with the 3D CoPilot.
Extrude Face Part. Similar to Thicken, but you’re not creating a uniform thickness offset. You’re extruding directly from
the original face part to create a solid part.
Surface Editor. An extremely powerful surface tool used to control surface
contours with a wire model and parametriclike constraints.
RibbonSurfacing
Offset Face Part. Similar to Offset,
this tool will offset a face part normal to the
original faces while making adjustments to
the face geometry based on the offset distance (similar to the adjustments a Thicken
might make).
ALERT: Surface Editor requires the Parametrics
module as well as the Surfacing module.
Adjust Faces is used to work the transition between faces. Typically, it’s a good
idea to create good face transitions during
design, but Adjust Faces can be used to
repair poor connections.
Smooth Surface.
Easily analyze and
smooth surface transitions with color coded
feedback and real time
surface analysis.
Analysis. Skin, Guided Loft, Cap,
Bridge, Smooth Surface, Modify Surface,
and Adjust Faces have built-in real-time
surface analysis capability. Once Surfacing
is activated, you can also access these
tools under the Analysis tab.
Modify Surface. Quickly and easily
manipulate custom surface meshes to create complex surfaces. A favorite tool for
making bold surface changes. You build
your custom mesh by click points on the
surface. The
tool creates
intersection
lines that you
can grab and
manipulate.
Modules
The Surface Analysis tool
will analyze the quality and
curvature of a surface or surface transitions. You can also
check min-max radius values.
Types are Gaussian curvature, Mean curvature, and Zebra stripes.
Angle Analysis will determine the maximum angle
along an edge between two
faces along the intersection.
20
MODULES: BASIC SHEETS
Activate Basic Sheets Module
FileModulesBasic Sheets
Access Basic Sheets Module
RibbonSheets
Add Lip
Basic Sheets is a free module with a
small, but surprisingly effective set of sheet
metal creation and modification tools. You
can start using sheets by either creating a
new piece of sheet metal from scratch (New
By Outline) or by using these sheet metal
operations on any model that would meet
the physical requirements to be manufactured as sheet metal. Keep in mind that
using this module does not preclude you
from using standard modeling commands.
By combining the techniques, though, you
run the risk of creating a part that can no
longer be modified by the Basic Sheet commands. For example, a non-uniform thickness part will eliminate or hamper most of
your options.
New By Outline. Create a brand new
sheet metal part from an active workplane
and a sketched closed region. The dialogue
box will allow you to choose a material which
will derive your sheet thickness for you.
Material. The Attach Material command can initiate or modify the material
definition of your sheet metal part. It brings
up a list of thicknesses from the Basic Shop.
Careful when deleting these thicknesses.
Adding them back is not as easy.
Unfold and Refold. Simple, but essential in sheet metal design. These commands will do just as their namesake suggests. They’ll unfold or refold your entire
sheet metal part. Simply select the command and choose the face(s) that are to
remain stationary during the process.
Fold/Unfold. This single command will
recognize and toggle the bend status of any
given bend. It doesn’t matter if the bend
was created with Basic Sheets or some other process.
Create Bends and Modify Bends. You
could create the entire sheet metal part in
the flat, then use bends to fold it up. To
create a bend, you’ll need an active workplane with a sketched line on it. Your line
is extrapolated infinitely and intersected
with your sheet metal part for bending.
Breaks in the sheet metal are recognized
so if you want multiple flanges to bend,
make sure your sketched line crosses into
each if they’re on the same plane.
Bend Animation. Visually simulate the
folding and unfolding of a bend. You can
change angle between each step in the
animation. Step in and out of the animation one frame at a time. Finally export
your animation as an AVI.
Add Lip. Once you have a
sheet metal part, you’ll need to
start designing with it. Lip is a deceptively simple command with a
significant amount of complexity
tied into it. On the simple side, just
grab an edge, type in a length, and
Lip it. Done. On the complex side,
there’s a myriad of options available for the Lip command.
ALERT: Once a lip is created, it’s
treated like any other bend. You
won’t get back the same dialogue
when making changes.
L/R AutoMiter. Turn this on to
detect a miter situation. If detected, the system retrieves as many
parameters as possible.
Left/Right Lip. Select corner
options. The green area is the new
lip to be added.
Angle
Distance
Left/Right Angle/Dist. Angle
in/out from and Distance from
each end reference.
Connection. Options to prevent material deformation where
the lip connects to the original
sheet. Defaults to automatic for
each end.
Modules
21
ASSEMBLIES: BUILDING ASSEMBLY STRUCTURES
ASSEMBLY STRUCTURES
STRUCTURE BROWSER
NEW ASSEMBLIES
Assembly structure refers to a logical collection of parts and assemblies in a hierarchical structure. In Creo Elements/Direct, the assembly structure is visually represented in
the Structure Browser. Each individual assembly in CED is a simple Bill of Material (BoM)
that acts as a container for parts and sub-assemblies. You can manage assembly membership in the structure browser through a drag-and-drop interface. Assembly tools can be
found in the Structure tab.
The Structure Browser lists all 3D objects and elements in a hierarchical structure which illustrates their relationships to
each other. Check and uncheck individual
items to show or hide them in the viewport.
Use Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple items. You can also right-click for a
menu of actions to execute against the selected item(s). Click the plus or minus signs
to show or hide the children of a container
in the hierarchy display of the browser.
Using New Assembly will create the container in the structure
browser. The dialogue box asks
for the name of the new assembly, the model name, and the
owner. Adding an owner allows
you to avoid the drag-and-drop by starting
the assembly under another container. The
model name is optional. It refers to the
name of the Contents Data container.
BEST PRACTICE: Containers can help organize workplanes or other useful objects in the Structure
Browser. Structure Parts & Assemblies More Tools New Container
POSITIONING PARTS
GLOBAL AND LOCAL COORDINATES
Creo Elements/Direct uses two 3D coordinate systems; global (X, Y, Z) and local (U, V,
W). While there is only one global, all children of the world of CED have their own local coordinate systems. It follows that an assembly container has its own local 3D coordinate system. Further, each part and assembly within can be considered to have a relative position
to the parent coordinates. Likewise, each element in the hierarchy of the Structure Browser
can be considered to have a relative position to its parent up to the root of the hierarchy
where the global coordinate system is the parent.
Global Container (X,Y,Z)
/a1 Container. Local U,V,W relative to Global XYZ
/a2 Container. Local U,V,W relative to /a1
Local U,V,W Relative to /a2
Local U,V,W Relative to /a1
You can position a part by using the Position command from the ribbon UI, by double
left-clicking the part in your structure browser and clicking the Position command from the
mini toolbar, or by the right-click context menu in
TIP: You can also initiate the Position comthe 3D viewport. Dynamic and Mate Align are only
mand by left-clicking on any vertex in a part.
two of the fifteen methods available for positioning.
Dynamic position is the default, and allows you to use the 3D
CoPilot widget to position your part.
The Mate Align option opens another set of options with which
you can position a part by face relationships.
Aligned
Parallel
Mated
Parallel
Align Axis is another very important placement option under Mate Align. Especially useful when employing Coordinate System features to position complex parts. (By Ref CS works well there too.)
Local U,V,W Relative to Global X,Y,Z
ALERT: Positioning a part does not constrain the part permanently. Any
implied constraints are only used to aid in placement and are temporary.
The part is free to be moved in any direction after positioning.
Assemblies
22
ASSEMBLIES: CONTAINERS, COPY, SHARE, AND INSTANCING
CONTAINERS
SELECTIVE INSTANCING
You can find the New Container command under the Structure tab in the
Part & Assembly group’s More overflow menu. A container is a structural organization tool. They can be used to hold models, assemblies, and workplanes. They are particularly useful for organizing complex geometry modification elements.
None of this reference data or geometry will be transferred to Annotation so these building
blocks will not appear in the drawing. Without a container, you’d likely need to manually
remove these references from each drawing view.
Sharing is a huge time saver and it’s also just good practice to have
one master part that’s shared when possible. Still, there are some situations where the inherent association between shared parts and assemblies can become a problem. For example, if you wanted to move a bolt
in a set of shared assemblies independently from the others without
affecting the BoM. You might selectively unshared the instance and
make your changes.
COPY VS. SHARE
Unshare and select the bolt in question. Chose a new name if you
have one and the new context. Notice in the images below that the Sel
Inst Context is set to the container above the shared parts. The default
is one container upwards in the hierarchy where the selected instance has an impact, but
you can change this manually in the Unshare command dialogue box.
It’s best to use Share for any part or assembly that you’re using more than once rather
than making a copy. Making a copy will duplicate the part or assembly entirely. Sharing
does not create a copy, but an instance of the original. This will ensure that any modifications you make to the part or assembly Contents Data are automatically reflected in all other shared instances (Instance Data). This applies to geometry as well as changes in the
base settings and other shareable attributes. Any previously shared part or assembly can
be unshared. This will, in effect, create copies where once were only instances.
Instance
Data
Content
Data
Instance
Data
Instance
Data
Content
Data
Instance
Data
Instance
Data
Content
Data
Content
Data
Use Reshare when you’ve changed your mind or circumstances require the reversal of
your previous Unshare. The part or subassembly will revert back to its original state.
The Cleanup command is used when a selective instance exists, but all the other
shares have been deleted or unshared. There would be nothing to revert back to if Reshare
was used. The Cleanup command effectively removes any sharing baggage and makes the
selective instance independent. This command will not work if there are still shares that
would be affected by the removal of the share data.
Master. Selective instancing can cause issues with assembly instances that are shown
in the documentation. Master allows you to specify which assembly share is to be used
when computing view geometry.
View Details
When you create a share, the system automatically creates a folder to contain share
data and places your newly shared items underneath. Creo Elements/Direct has no distinction between the original part and the shared instances. If you change one, it changes
them all. However, each instance can have its own part
and instance data while remaining an instance.
For example, you can change the position, name,
and part colors of instances. To change part instance
colors, examine the properties of any of the shared
parts. The dialogue box shows appearance properties
for Instances separately from Base properties.
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23
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ADVANCED ASSEMBLIES: CLIPPING PLANES, STOCK/FINISH,
AND COORDINATE SYSTEMS
CLIPPING PLANES
STOCK/FINISH
A clipping plane allows you to look through a part or assembly
as if you’d cut away from them along a plane to reveal the features, parts, or assemblies behind. A familiarity with clipping
planes will allow you to navigate and inspect your designs much
more effectively. You can find the clipping plane commands on
the View tab in the Clipping group.
A stock finish relationship does not propagate changes from one member to another like
a share relationship. The idea is that you may have a situation where you have a stock part
that is somehow altered in its finished form. Color, extra holes, draft, etc. Maybe you actually
have a literal stock/finish relationship where you buy copper bar stock and cut your own finished lengths. The Stock/Finish operation will create a relationship between the two parts to
aid the process of managing different related product states.
A stock part can have many finished parts, but a finished part can only come from one
stock piece. However, you can also chain the effect. So the finished product from one operation can be come the stock for another finished piece.
Once defined, a clipping plane remains in your
design as a clipping plane feature that can then be
activated or deactivated as needed. You can view
particularly troublesome areas and access their
clipping planes whenever needed.
TIP: You can also activate/deactivate
clipping planes by double-clicking
them in the Structure Browser.
A single clipping plane feature can contain many clipping
planes. In fact, you can not have multiple clipping plane features
active at once. Only one per viewport active. So, if you want to
clip from multiple directions, you’ll need to define each plane in a
single feature’s dialogue box. Up to six total clipping planes can
interact with each other in a single feature.
Fin
To change which parts will be clipped and which will not, use the Targets command.
Your selection will define the targets for all clipping features in your model. To change how
your clipping planes are viewed in the viewport, change the viewport show properties via a
right-click Show Properties, or change the clipping plane settings. Use the settings button
on the Clipping group in the ribbon UI.
TIP: You can now create new workplanes off of existing clipping planes. This is a command option in the dialogue box for a new workplane and can also be accessed via the
context menu (right-click in viewport).
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COORDINATE SYSTEMS
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TIP: Coordinate Systems can be extremely helpful for advanced
positioning. Try adding them to complex objects.
When dealing with advanced assemblies, it can sometimes become
difficult to find handles or attachment points between geometry. One way
to alleviate this issue is to add custom coordinate systems to your parts or
assemblies. You can line them up to your part or assembly in whatever
direction suits your needs and reference them for movement or assembly placement. These
coordinate systems will attach themselves to their owner and can therefore be shown or hidden like any other object in the Structure Browser.
Create a new Coordinate System from the command group of the
same name in the Structure tab. You’ll need an
owner, name, and position. They can always be
renamed and repositioned as well. For your visualization needs, the Coordinate Systems can be
resized and recolored.
TIP: You can manipulate geometry while clipping
planes are active. Try modeling with clipping on.
TIP: You can always snap to the center of a 2D circular feature or 3D spherical one by holding down
Shift+Ctrl. You’ll need to press Shift+Ctrl regardless of your 2D or 3D CoPilot snap key settings.
Assemblies
24
ADVANCED ASSEMBLIES: CONFIGURATIONS AND EXPLISIONS
CONFIGURATIONS
EXPLOSIONS
A configurations is used to store the positions of parts, what’s hidden or shown in the
viewport, and different camera direction through various stages of an assembly. To create
a configuration you must have an assembly, but the configuration itself can be owned by an
assembly that’s further up the hierarchy if needed. The
owner of the configuration can not be the root of the
structure browser. Configuration operations can be
found in the Structure tab in the Configurations group.
An Explosion is the most common kind of Configuration. You can build from scratch or
change an existing configuration into an explosion. This is also the same method used to
modify existing explosions since an explosion is considered just another configuration when
you’re done creating it. The command will take your assembly and blow it apart. You decide how it explodes and how far. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?
Once you’ve created your configuration, making
changes relies upon your activation or deactivation of
the configuration. Use the Act/Deact commands or
simply double click your configuration in the Structure
Browser. Once it’s active, any changes that you make
to the assembly or any subassemblies underneath the
configuration’s owner are recorded by the configuration. Toggle Act/Deact to see your parts
smoothly float in and out of the various positions set by each of your custom configurations.
ALERT: Configurations do NOT change the original position of your assembly. Activate and Deactivate configurations to see your assembly in different positions/configurations. The original remains
the same throughout.
If you do not move a part while your configuration is active, then no positional information is stored for that part. If you want to make sure positional informational is stored,
click the Hold command. This can be important especially when considering how subassembly components may get moved around in your design.
When creating an assembly process, it can be convenient to Copy the previous configuration as a starting point. To capture camera position or draw list, use the right-click menu
on your configuration. This information is not automatically stored like part position. You
can even make changes to this information without the configuration being active. Use
Highlight to see which parts are being controlled by the current configuration.
If you make a mistake or want to remove some of the data you’ve captured, use Remove Data. The dialogue box will ask if you want to move positioning, camera, or drawlist
information. Of course, you can do away with a configuration entirely with the Delete command or by right-click delete. To show multiple configurations at the same time, use the
Multiple Positions command.
To create an explosion, select Explode from the Configurations command group in the
Structure tab. Choose your configuration or create a new one. The One Level check box
indicates if you want the subassemblies to behave as single parts of if you want the individual parts to move as well. The Scale determines how far the parts will be moved from the
explosion center. In the case of a Cylindrical explosion, you’ll have an Axial and Radial
Scale. The Show Move Feedback checkbox determines if you’ll have a visual representation
of the movement or not. This is shown as green lines extending from original positions to
ending positions. The movement references are temporary and will disappear as soon as
you’re done configuring the explosion.
Align Axes. This mode constrains objects with coincident axial
faces to explode along their common axes. Objects without are exploded spherically.
Spherical. A spherical explosion will move all objects in all directions away from the explosion center.
Cylindrical. Move objects away from an axis radially and axially.
You can set the axial and radial scales of movement separately in a
cylindrical explosion.
By Direction. You’re shaping the direction of the explosion. An
explosion is typically spherical; where everything radiates
away from the explosion center. This will move objects
away from the explosion center as well, but only in the direction you specify only.
Pos Dynamic. If none of the default explosion types are working for you, you can always manually position the parts.
NOTE: Please note that each Explosion feature can have a series of
explosions inside. The explode and back buttons inside the dialogue box
allow you to work through each explosion individually.
ALERT: You should not use the Formations goodie. The Configurations feature replaces its functionality. Use the Convert command to upgrade any Formations you may have in existing assemblies.
Assemblies
25
ADVANCED ASSEMBLIES: CLASH ANALYSIS
CREATE CLASH ANALYSIS
CLASH ANALYSIS ISSUE BROWSER
RESOLVING CLASH RESULTS
The Create Analysis command will create a Clash Analysis object in your structure
browser.
This object will contain the
parameters for your analysis and any results you may
have calculated. If the icon
is green
it means
you’re analysis is out of
date.
Once you run the analysis, the Clash Analysis Issue
Browser will show up. If you close it, you can always resummon it with the right-click command in the Structure
Browser. This is where you view your clash results. The
issues are listed numerically in the browser and can be
searched, filtered, and sorted for your easy perusal.
There are only three ways to
resolve a clash. The most obvious being fix the problem. The
Clash Analysis tools provide a
number of methods for finding
and refining your models by giving you easy access and detailed
information about each issue. In particular, Recalculate
Issue will give you the Draw Only in New VP, but with a translucent model that highlights the volume of intersection in
red. The clash dialogue box that pops-up from the Recalculate Issue will give you quick access to methods for redefining the analysis for that specific issue. Change the status to
“Modified” in the properties pop-up when your changes are
complete.
Once it’s been created,
you can always modify,
rename, delete, calculate,
clear issues, and bring up
the Clash Issue Browser
from right-click commands
on the object in your Structure Browser or from commands in the ribbon UI.
When you execute the Calculate option, it will run
through your assembly to discover if there are interferences
based on the parameters you set in the definition of the
clash analysis. Once you’ve selected what will be analyzed
and where the analysis will reside, you can change options
like ignoring press fit parts, ignore parts from the 3D library,
ignore threaded parts and holes, specify specific clearance,
and exclude parts from the analysis.
Just like the Structure Browser, you can define very
complex searches through the binoculars icon. It will allow
you to define a list of custom criteria and store those
searches for later use. Filtering is much the same.
Once you have the list narrowed, you can right-click on
individual issues for a list of commands. Draw Only will
remove everything from your viewport but the parts brought
into question by the issue. Draw Only in new VP will do the
same as Draw Only, but create a new viewport to view the
parts in. Recalculate Issue will bring up a command dialogue for a single clash and an auxiliary viewport with your
issue specific parts in it. Search Clash Analysis in Structure
will find the clash analysis in the Structure Browser (in case
you’ve lost it). Search Parts in Structure will find your issue
specific parts in the Structure Browser. The Properties of
the Issue are also available and provide a detailed status
and resolution pop-up.
The second way is to accept and ignore the problem.
You will definitely run into situations where a clash is intentional. Press fits, interference fits, etc. Add a note to the
issue’s properties and select “Accepted” in the status
dropdown.
The third and final way to resolve a clash result is to
ignore it. Yes, you can mark the issue as “Conditional Open”
or “Conditional Accepted” and write a note for posterity describing why this issue was unavoidable or when it will be
revisited.
A Clash Analysis must be owned by an assembly and
not by the root “/” or a selective instance of the assembly.
If the selective instance is created after the analysis, your
icon in the Structure Browser will turn red.
This indicates an invalid analysis. To repair the situation, attach the
Clash Analysis to a valid owner and recalculate. When the
icon is yellow
it means that the assembly is only partially loaded, might contain lightweight parts, or the state of
the analysis is undefined.
Assemblies
26
ANNOTATIONS: ANNOTATION APPLICATION
APPLICATION: ANNOTATION
DRAWING STRUCTURE
TEMPLATE BROWSER
The Annotation application in Creo Elements/Direct is the 2D tool used for creating
drawings from 3D designs. To use Annotation, you can select File Modules and find the
Applications submenu. Put a check in the Annotation check box. Once you’ve done that,
you can switch between Modeling and Annotation by going to the Applications tab of your
ribbon UI. Toggle between the applications as needed. Annotation runs in parallel with
Modeling.
Within the drawing structure, ownership falls to the parent. When a parent
object is moved or deleted, the child is also
moved or deleted. Navigate from object to
object by clicking on their icons in the
Drawing Browser. The hierarchy of the
drawing structure looks like this:
Templates allow you to reuse common
text, sketches, and symbols. When added
to a drawing, symbol templates can allow
you to specify new values for named parameters. The “Smart” fields are filled-in as
needed. The templates are viewed in your
Template browser which became a new tab
in your Structure Browser with the Annotation Application.
Standard templates include GD&T
Datum and Tolerance, Surface symbols, and
Welding symbols. To add a Template to a
drawing, simply double left-click the Template from your template browser and fill-in
the dialogue box for parameters and placement. New user-defined Templates can be
created and added to the Template browser
as needed.
Define text and symbol can be found
in the More dropdown of the Annotation
group of the Annotation tab. Define sketch
can be found under the Insert tab in the
Sketch group.
To define a text or sketch template,
use the appropriate type, enter a unique
name, select a category from the dropdown
list or create a new category, click the
thumbnail checkbox to create a thumbnail,
fill-in any other required boxes, and complete the operation.
To defined new symbol templates,
start with one that was defined from the
standard templates. It can then be added
to your templates itself to create a new template; preserving your dialogue box settings
for future use.
NOTE: When you click New Session in Annotation, it only clears the session
within Annotation. To clear Annotation and Modeling, you’ll need to switch
to the Modeling app and start a New Session as well.
Look and Feel. The Annotations application has the same look and feel of Creo Elements/Direct Modeling. It has the same menu and dialogue functions — Even the same
interface layout and navigation as the Modeling application. When toggling between the
two, it’s seamless enough to be considered the same application.
Associativity. The Annotation application maintains association with the 3D model. As
the 3D model is modified, the drawing will reflect the changes in 2D.
2D Features. Just as you would expect in any other 2D CAD application, you can create
dimensions, text, and 2D geometry using the Annotation application for CED. Add these
features to your 3D view projections to complete your drawings.
Bills of Material. A Bill of Material (BoM) can be generated in Annotation using multiple
sources. You can also manually adjust the BoM in Annotation. BoM flags can be added to
the drawing using DIN, ISO, or custom flag standards.
Browsers. The Annotation application adds two new browsers to your interface. In
Modeling, you only have the Structure browser. In Annotation, you’ve gained the Template
browser and the Drawing browser. Similar to the Structure browser, both of your new
browser are organized in a hierarchical fashion. The Templates browser organizes and enables the reuse of common objects. The Drawing browser organizes all drawing entities in
session.
Drawing
Sheets
Frame
Sketch
Geometry of title block
Text of title block
Views
Dimensions
Text
Additional geometry
VIEW SYNCHRONIZATION
View synchronization is color coded.
Dark Blue indicates that
a view is totally up-todate. Cyan shows when
a view is not updated,
but the model is currently loaded in the
Modeling application.
Red tells you when the
view cannot be updated because its associated model isn’t in memory.
NOTE: Drawing-Model associativity is
dictated by the views in the drawing.
Annotations
27
STARTING A DRAWING
DRAWING VIEWS
Start a drawing from the New Drawing command located under the Annotation tab in the Setup group. You can not create any other annotation
features until you create a drawing. You can only have one drawing loaded
at a time, but each drawing can have multiple sheets. Take care to save
your current drawing before opening another or starting a new one. New Drawing creates a drawing and
a sheet object in the Drawing Browser and then the
dialogue box appears.
CED can generate several types
of views. Use the New Std View command on your Annotation tab. The
command dialogue box breaks your options
down into different view categories.
Orthogonal View. Orthogonal views
refer to the common “Front”, “Top”, and
“Right” viewing convention. Technically,
views are orthogonal if they’re perpendicular
to each other. So, together these three views
form an orthogonal representation of a part or
assembly.
The dialogue offers you three Modes of operation. 2D Process is the default and typical method.
It will assume you want to take your 3D model and
create 2D documentation from it. The 3D Process is
all about creating 2D documentation from 3D docuplanes. The third and final mode is No Model. It
assumed there will be no 3D model association. You
can always add it later.
The dialogue that’s common to all three modes
is Number, Sheet Frame, and Scale (Auto). Number
represents the Sheet number. What do you want to
call your sheet? It doesn’t need to be numeric and
will accept alphanumeric characters, underscores,
and spaces. It defaults to your model name. Select
a sheet frame or None from the dropdown list to select a frame for your drawing.. Default
options range from A0-4 to WM-E. The Scale (Auto) attempts to choose the correct scale
based on the 3D model and the sheet frame chosen as you add views to the sheet frame in
an attempt to make them all fit. You can choose a scale from the dropdown or specify one
manually. You can always modify the individual view scale afterwards if necessary. If you
click Add Views or simply complete the command, you’ll be immediately moved over into the
New Std View command dialogue.
Once you’ve created your drawing and initial sheet, you can create new
sheets with the New Sheet command. You’ll be asked for the sheet Number,
Sheet Frame, and Scale. Much as you were in the New Drawing dialogue.
This dialogue doesn’t not automatically throw you into the New Std View command dialogue, though. You’re free to create new views or annotations as
needed.
NOTE: All ME10 and Creo Elements/Direct Drafting drawings can be
imported and re-associated with their models
Isometric. An isometric view of an object
is defined as viewing it in
such a way that the angles between the projection of the 3 axes are all
the same (120°). Objects drawn with isometric projection do not appear larger or smaller as
they extend from the
viewer.
General. Describes
a view that ascribes to
no specific convention.
Choose a direction in the
viewport and use the
right-click menu to assign the view.
Annotations
Profiles refer to a collection of
settings that give you an optimal combination of accuracy and performance.
For example, you may want to use a
Large Assembly profile for assemblies
with over 500 parts. If so, the views update
faster and small parts and tiny circles are
automatically removed. Available profiles
are Single Part, Small Assy, Medium Assy,
Large Assy, Photo-Realistic, Shaded Only,
Shaded+Geometry, and NC.
Once your
views are created, you can
adjust how the
graphic data is
updated by each view individually. Use your View Properties to adjust the Calc Mode.
You can choose from Classic,
Classic+Shaded, Graphics,
Graphic+Shaded, and Shaded update modes. Classic is
the traditional dimensioned
method. Graphics is better
for larger models. Shaded
best with renders that don’t
geometry to be dimensioned.
Just below the Calc
Mode, you’ll see Econofast.
Econofast uses occlusion
culling to give you a very fast
and efficient view update, but
requires an OpenGL-based
graphics card. If you don’t
have a compatible video
card, the option will be
grayed out.
28
PLACING VIEWS
CREATE DEPENDENT VIEWS
UPDATING VIEWS
The New Std View dialogue box starts off with the
owner of the view, and the orientation of the view. What
this means is that CED can’t generate a view for you
unless it understands the relative orientation of your part
or assembly. The command chooses some defaults for
you to make things easier, but understanding these requirements can avoid a lot of frustration when working
with more complex parts.
Under the Annotation tab in the Setup
group, you’ll see the Dep View drop-down.
Each command has its
own dialogue box. As you
use a command you’ll notice that the icon for the
Dep View drop-down
changes. You can quickly
repeat the last command.
You can Move and Scale a drawing view.
You can also change a few options on dependent views, but you can not change view
type. The views are actually created in Creo
Elements/Direct Modeling.
Use the Front Dir or Up Dir options to open a 3D
viewer that will present your part or assembly. You can then spin the model(s) around and
use the 3D CoPilot widget to choose a front or up direction. These directions act as the
references for all other view options in the dialogue box. You can also change the scale as
needed. Scale is a ratio describing the relative size of your part or assembly on the drawing.
A scale of 5:1 would indicate that every 5 units of measure in the drawing represented only
1 on the part. Meaning that the drawing is five times larger than actual size. 1:1 being
actual size. (Drawing : Part/Assy)
tion application has the position on paper,
scale, and such, but the Model contains the
actual view. The two must work together to
complete a drawing.
At any point during the view definition where you have at least one type of view defined,
you can click a point on your drawing to define placement. If you’re not happy with the
placement, use Reposition Views to make updates until you are satisfied. Up until you complete the view definition, you can add, remove, or reposition views as many times as you’d
like.
Your views will show-up as a hatched box on your drawing until you complete your view
creation dialogue box. Once you’re done creating the views, you will not get the same dialogue box to edit the views you created.
After you’ve placed your views, you can use the Move View command to
reposition, or simply click on the view border twice. The first click will bring up a
mini toolbar in case you want to access some other view command. From there
you can right-click for a contextual menu or click again. The second click activates Move View.
NOTE: Choose a Configuration
from the view dialogue box or
edit the view properties to
display a Configuration rather
than the assembled position.
The Annota-
To keep them working together, use
Update View. This command will check the
validity of your 3D model references and
recreate your 2D projections if there’s been
an update.
OUTLINE VIEWS
Updated view geometry will change color
according to the status of the 2D and 3D
geometry. To see the colors, change Viewport
Show Setting Upd Color.
If you want to conserve some time and
don’t need the interior detail of a view,
change the “Calculate Outline Only” property
on your view. It will leave your view with
nothing but the outline of whatever part or
assembly was within. View Properties >
Visibility > Calculate.
Unchanged Geometry = Magenta
Changed Geometry = Yellow
New Geometry = Cyan
Changed 3D Documentation = Orange
Transferred 2D Elements = Green
Updated 2D Elements = Blue
The dependent view will show-up in
the browsers underneath its parent.
BEST PRACTICE: Always save your model after
making Annotation changes and updates. Not
just the drawing. Even if you don’t think that anything in the model was changed. This prevents
accidental inconsistencies between the two.
Annotations
29
ANNOTATION
Annotation is mainly about placing your
2D features along with your projected views
to complete the full representation of your
3D objects for the purposes of illustration
and/or manufacture. To that end, Creo
Elements/Direct provides several tools for
annotating your views.
DIMENSIONS
Each dimension
has a type, attachment, unit of measure,
and adheres to one of
four dimension standards. (or a custom
standard)
Dimension commands are found on
the Annotation tab in the Annotate command group. Relocate a dimension the
same way you would a View. Left-click the
dimension twice. First click brings-up a mini
toolbar and a right-click from that point will
show the contextual menu where you can
access dim properties. The second click
initiates the Move Dim command against
Chain
Coordinate
Datum Long
Diameter
your selection. There are a series of Mod
Position commands
available in the same
command group if
you plan on moving
more than the dimension.
Single. Typical
distance dimension
from one point to another.
Datum Long. A series of
single dimensions attached to a
datum on one end.
Datum Short. Same as Datum Long
except there’s no extension line on the
datum.
Tangential. Dimensions
a circle in tangential mode.
Would be used for the length
of a slot or distance between
a point and a tangent point
on a non-linear edge.
Arc. Specify the actual linear length and
actual angle of an arc.
Angle. Measured in a clockwise direction. Switch between your selected angle,
adjacent +, Opposite, and adjacent – by
right-clicking during the dimension creation.
DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS
Chain. A stacked series of single dimensions where you have one occurring
after the other in turn.
ASME/ANSI. American Society of Mechanical Engineers standards adopted from
the American National Standards Institute.
Coordinate. A series of dimension
lines in the X or Y direction based off of a
single reference point.
DIN. Deutsches Institut fur Normung.
German institute for standardization. Member of ISO.
Chamfer. Dimensional call-out attached to chamfer geometry.
ISO. International Organization for
Standardization is composed of representatives from various national standards organizations.
Sym Single. Same as a Single dimension but attached to a symmetry line.
Sym Long. Same as a Symmetry Single, but will automatically position subsequent dimensions relative to the first one.
JIS. Japanese Industrial Standards provided by the Japanese Industrial Standards
committee and published through the Japanese Standards Association.
NOTE: Value, tolerance, format, text, and
Custom. You can also create custom
dimension standards to suit your needs.
arrow adjustments can be made in the
dimension properties dialogue box.
Chamfer
Aside from Linear dimensions, you also
have Circular and Angular dimensions to
choose from.
ADDING TEXT
Text can be added to drawings by manually creating text, importing text from a file,
or using a text template.
Manually add text through
the Text New command in the
Annotation tab under the Annotate group. The dialogue allows
for changing style, angle, size, adjust point,
ratio, slant, line space, font, fill, frame and
color. Fill-in your text with the pop-up text
editor and define a placement position.
Import/Export text in the same Text
New command using the pop-up text editor.
Use the save and open options to grab or
save *.txt, *.lsp, or *.rec files.
Edit text with the Edit Text
command through the mini
toolbar, ribbon, or by rightclicking on a selected text entity and selecting the command from the context menu.
INSERTING OBJECTS
You can insert pictures and OLE objects through the Insert tab of the Annotation application. Pictures require a *.bmp,
*.png, *.tif, *.jpg, *.jpeg, or *.tiff file type.
You can also take a picture of a 3D or 2D
viewport as your image using the Viewport
dialogue box option.
You can embed objects from other
applications into your drawing using an OLE
object. For example, you could display a
Microsoft Word or Excel document.
Single
Annotations
30
SKETCHING GEOMETRY
BOM TABLES
PRINTING
Creo Elements/Direct Annotation Application comes with your typical 2D geometry creation tools under the Geometry tab; lines, rectangles, circles, splines, etc. It also includes
the associated modification tools; copy, paste, rotate, mirror, stretch, trim, etc.
Your Bill of Material (BoM) commands
can be found under the Insert tab in the
BoM command group. To place a BoM table, you must first generate or import one.
Use Scan Model to grab your BoM from an
existing assembly.
Printing is done in
two ways depending on
the type of printer chosen
from the print dialogue
box. Find the print dialogue in File Print.
Note: You can scan an existing BoM from
Use these tools to create new 2D geometry in your drawing. The Annotation CoPilot will
help guide your geometry creation. It provides incremental movement, size indication, snap
lines, and 2D geometry snaps.
Incremental movement can be adjusted using the Page Up or
Page Down keys while creating geometry. The grid size will go from 3
decimal places up to increments of 50,000 units in 26 steps.
Size indication label shows the new element size or the modification distance in a convenient X,Y format as you work.
Snap lines appear when you move your cursor close enough to
the catch point. By default, these snap lines are green. The catch
points are added to your buffer by holding the cursor over a vertex
for .5 seconds. (by default) A small plus sign will appear on the vertex.
You can snap to start, end, and midpoints of lines, centers, and 2D geometry intersections.
Horizontal
Perpendicular
2D geometry snaps occur whenever a constraint
Vertical
Tangent
requirement is met. You’ll see a green symbol if the
constraint is snapping to snap lines or an orange symbol if it’s snapping to geometry.
A Sketch acts as a container for 2D geometry. It can be found on the Insert tab under
the Sketch group. To group geometry under a sketch, you can either create the geometry first, and then use the Move command to change the owner of all your required
geometry or you can create an empty sketch first and change owner of your geometry
as you create it. You only need to set the owner dialogue of new geometry
once. All subsequent geometry will default to the last owner.
Tip: Try using the Grid Settings under File Settings Grid ...
the 3D Documentation Application or send
the data from Model Manager BoM Editor.
Once you have BoM data, it can be
accessed from the BoM Table command.
Assign numbering using the BoM Numbering
command.
Draw your BoM onto the drawing using
the Draw BoM command. In this dialogue,
you assign the table layout and configure
the growth direction, table range, and the
table adjustment point.
The table layout is what determines
how the table is displayed and what data
should be mapped. Default table layouts
are Company, DIN, and ISO. Configure your
own for specific columns, titles, or other
requirements using the BoM Table Layout
command.
Place position flags using the Pos Flags
command. Use dialogue option From 
Table to preserve your BoM Table numbering. Use flag layouts to govern the look of
your position flags. Select the item from the
BoM table, the geometry view, then flag
position.
If you’re using a GDI printer, the raw
print data is sent to the print spooler. The
spooler then produces the final output. If
using one of the generic printer types, the
internal print drivers will generate the output
and send it to a print file.
Depending on your output device(s)
configured on your machine, the Print Manager may allow you to set several printer
options in addition to those offered by Creo
Elements/Direct Annotation.
Typical print configurations are PDF,
Clipboard, Laser (B&W), Laser (Color), Plotter (Ink), and Plotter (Pen). You can choose
from a large list of paper sizes, select an
orientation, and even preview your settings
directly on your Annotation viewport.
3D SCREEN DUMPS
If you want to capture your 3D viewport
screen, you can create a High Resolution
Print. Select the High Resolution Print from
your print dialogue in the Creo Elements/
Direct Modeling Application. Alternately,
right-click in your 3D viewport and select
Viewport Properties. HR Print is one of the
options and will bring up your printer settings dialogue. You can also use this dialogue to Print the output to TIFF file
rather that directly to a printer.
NOTE: You can’t move a selection list of 2D geometry by selecting and double click-
ing. You must either group the geometry into a sketch or use the Move command.
Annotations
31
ANNOTATIONS: 3D DOCUMENTATION APPLICATION
APPLICATION: 3D DOCUMENTATION
SETUP COMMAND GROUP
The goal of the 3D Documentation Application is to communicate design ideas and
thoughts in the 3D environment. It provides various capabilities to attach information to
your design that may not have been easily captured by the geometry itself. For example, a
specific manufacturing process. Activate the application by selecting File Modules and
finding the Applications submenu. Put a check in the 3D Documentation check box.
A docuplane is similar to a workplane
with only a few differences. A docuplane
can be active at any time. A docuplane
can not exist outside of a docuplane set.
Also, docuplanes can not be saved individually. They are married to their owning part or assembly. Finally, they are different in their purpose. A docuplane
only exists to transfer 3D documentation into the 2D Annotation Application.
Activating 3D Documentation creates three new tabs, one new environment, and opens the template browser for your use. Annotate, 3D
Documentation and Insert are your new tabs, but only the Annotate tab
and template browser are accessible from the main Modeling application.
The Annotate tab appears to the right of your existing tabs and is highlighted in blue.
The new environment is accessed through the Applications tab. From there, you can
switch back and forth between both environments. This is not a totally new session as with
the Annotate Application, though. This is more like a modified Modeling environment. If you
select New Session in either environment, it applies to both. They share the same memory
space. In this 3D Documentation environment, the new Annotate tab becomes a command
group under the 3D Documentation tab and you gain Setup and Display. Under the new
Insert tab you gain BoM, Group, and Index. There are three other tabs available (Analysis,
View, and Application), but these are standard fare from the Modeling application.
With 3D Documentation, you can create 3D dimensions, GD&T symbols, and notes.
You can construct and implement Bills of Material (BoM) and attach position flags. Finally,
you can create transfer your 3D dimensions and annotations over to the Annotation Application.
3D documentation has distinct advantages, like sharing important design information in the 3D environment with subsequent
designers, indicating important dimensions, and describing specific
manufacturing processes. Even so, you may not be able to share
your 3D annotations with every manufacturer or simply want to complete the documentation in the traditional 2D format. Your 3D
documentation work is not lost. Using docuplanes, you can leverage your work and transfer it into the 2D Annotations Application.
TIP: Matching Templates in the Template browser can make it easier to trans-
fer symbols between the 3D Documentation and Annotation Applications.
First, create a docuplane set using New Set. This combo-command asks for the name
and owner of the new set and also defines and underlying reference direction with the Front
Dir and Up Dir options. As soon as you accept these options, the docuplane set is created
and you’re thrown into the New Docuplane dialogue. The owning DP Set is already filled-in
and you’re ready to choose a type and any other positional options for your new plane. You
can create plane after plane from the same dialogue
NOTE: Annotations are seen from either
by clicking Next after each one.
side of a docuplane. The labels flip as
you rotate the view to remain readable.
It’s important to understand how docuplanes
are used to transfer data before you begin adding
3D documentation to your design. If an annotation is not attached to a
docuplane, it will not transfer. To attach an annotation to a docuplane,
the annotation and docuplane must share an owner. Also, dimensions
can not be transferred unless the docuplane it’s attached to is a valid
display plane that is parallel to the measure direction of the dimension.
Whenever you create an annotation, you’re given the option to attach it to a docuplane. You can also modify an annotation for attachment after it’s been created or use
the Gather command to assign free 3D annotations to docuplanes. To transfer these annotations you must use the Transfer Docuplane from the Annotations Application and use
Sync to DP to keep them up-to-date.
In this relationship between docuplane and Annotation Application view, the docuplane is the master. Dimension positions are not synchronized, but things like scale, up
direction, normal, section line, detail border, name, or component list are all controlled by
the docuplane. The synchronization will override any conflicting changes made in the Annotations Application with docuplane values. If you need to alter these values more permanently, make your changes in the docuplane to avoid having your changes overridden with
the next sync.
Annotations
32
ANNOTATE COMMAND GROUP
MODIFY WITH DIMENIONS
Whether it be attached to a docuplane or free
floating, an annotation can be created and modified
through a series of commands in the Annotate command group. (The Annotate command group also
exists in the Modeling application once the 3D Documentation application is activated.)
You may have noticed that the Move
3D command has the option to use a dimension as a transformation reference.
Dimensions. Linear, circular, angular, coordinate, and datum
long dimensions can be generated using the corresponding commands. Coordinate dimensions form series of individual dimension
lines based off of a single reference. Datum long dimensions are a
series of single dimensions attached to a single datum on one end.
The interface for attaching them to 3D geometry is a little different
than what you’re used to in a 2D environment, but not by much. When you activate a dimension command, an elaborate dialogue box appears, but the actual dimension placement is intuitive. Click the element or start and end-points needed for your dimension operation, then place the dimension text.
The 3D Note command will ask you for an element to attach a reference line. This
referenced part becomes the owner of the note and the 3D Note a feature within it. For this
reason, a 3D Note can only reference one feature of the model. They are generally used to
specify manufacturing processes or specifications.
The dialogue will ask you for a docuplane or free placement. Then you can fill-in the
actual note text using the pop-up text editor. This same editor will allow you to save and
open text files. If you enter a Ref. URL, it will be displayed as a hyperlink in the feature report’s URL column. If you click Ref. File, the browser options and allows you to link a file.
Finally, you can choose the note type from Generic, Engineering, Manufacturing, or Inspection. These categories can be useful when filtering customer process features for reporting
or highlighting purposes.
Text objects are generally much more generic than the 3D Note. The dialogue box
starts off asking for the text to be entered since reference lines are much less important to
a text object. Enter or open your text as before, then add a primary reference. Optionally,
add as many secondary references as you’d like. Define placement as docuplane or free,
and place your text.
Text generated in a dimension, 3D Note, or Text can be formatted using the Annotation 3D Properties command. You can change
color, frame, display mode, anchor point, arrow type, size, and more.
Access the Annotations 3D Properties command from the mini
toolbar, the More dropdown, or right-click for the context menu.
Modify your annotations first with Orientation (if needed) and
then with Position. The
Orientation command asks for Text Dir and
Up Dir. Use any 3D references you’d like.
Surprisingly, these two simple commands
will quickly orient your annotations exactly
as required. Once you have the annotation
in the correct plane, use the Position command to move it In Plane (left and right, up
and down, as if you were viewing it straight
on a piece of paper directly in front of your
eyes), or Thru Plane (closer or further away
from you if viewed from the same orientation). Use Ref Position and Refline to
change the reference line targets and orientation.
DISPLAY COMMAND GROUP
Display has a few
functions to help manage
the visibility of your annotations. Show will drop
down to several commands for docuplanes,
groups, annotations, features, tolerances,
and indexes. The Highlight drop down
works for docuplanes, annotations, and
features. HTML Reports can be generated
to display a list of all custom features attached to a model, assembly, workplane,
WP set, or selection list. Create filters in
the dialogue box before completing the
command for cleaner output.
Annotations
This will allow you to guide a transformation using a dimension, similar to how a
parametric dimension might control geometric properties. The difference is that this
relationship in CED is not exclusive. You’re
fully capable of making more modifications
with other references. Conversely, you can
guide the transformation of any geometry
using any dimensional reference. It’s not
fully restricted to the geometry that’s been
dimensioned. However, at least one element must be directly to related to the dimensioned reference.
This is very similar
to behavior you might
achieve using reference cones. With this
method, though,
there’s some semblance of permanency.
The dimensional reference remains to be
used over and over if
necessary.
33
INSERT TAB
GROUP COMMAND GROUP
TEMPLATE BROWSER
The Insert tab contains command groups for the insertion and management of a Bill of
Material (BoM) and an annotation Group. The BoM works similarly to the one in the Annotation Application, but you’ll not be drawing the actual BoM table from here. This BoM group
is geared towards placing flags only. A Group is an organizational tool for annotations.
All annotation types can be contained
in groups. Groups can also contain other
groups. When selected, a group will return
all children directly within it and all children
of any subgroups.
The Template browser in the 3D Documentation application is identical in behavior to the one in the Annotation application
with a few restrictions on the geometry allowed in your symbols. You can not use
splines, hatches, dimensions, symmetry
lines, centerlines, construction lines, or
points. Further, your elements can not have
a line size of zero. Text can not have a ratio
of 1 and slant of 0. You must also have a
frame on your text.
Note: BoM data can be
used by the Annotations
Application using the
Scan Model command.
BOM COMMAND GROUP
Use Collect to grab BoM data from your assembly or data management source. Collect
a flat or multi-level BoM as needed. You can then use Table to see a pop-up dialogue describing your collected BoM, the new BoM table will start with empty position numbers.
Placing flags will fill-in position numbers as you go.
Placing flags with the New Pos
Flag command will pop-up
both the flag dialogue and the
BoM table. You need to use
them both, along with the 3D
viewport for flag positioning.
Double-click on a BoM table entry to fill in the BoM Entry box. The
part highlights in the 3D viewport. Type a Number or go with the
automatically assigned one. Choose docuplane or free. Optionally
adjust your text orientation. Before you can complete the dialogue,
you must choose a reference for the flag, which is some element on
the geometry of the BoM Entry that your flag reference line will point to. An arrowhead will
appear at the point you choose and a stretching reference line will allow you to place the
label. The dialogue is set-up such that using the Next option can quickly take you through a
BoM.
Using Modify Pos Flag will take you to a very similar dialogue to the one used in creation, but the BoM table doesn’t appear and you’re not able to change the owner of the position flag. You can, however, use Delete Pos Flag to remove ALL position flags from a given
assembly. Simply use the command, click on the assembly, and confirm. If you need individual deletion, just select a flag and hit your delete key. Use the annotation positioning
and property commands to make adjustments to the display of your flag.
A New Fixed group can be quickly produced from a selection list. Simply define
by clicking on the specific annotations
you’re interested in grouping. Your selections can belong to any part or assembly
owned by the group’s owner or by any subassembly or subgroup thereof.
You can create general or exclusive
fixed groups. Within general fixed groups, a
single annotation can belong to multiple
groups. A general fixed group can be a
parent or subgroup. Exclusive fixed groups
can only be subgroups. They must have a
parent group. Within exclusive fixed
groups, an annotation can only belong to
one group. That same annotation, however, can belong to several owners outside of
the exclusive group hierarchy.
A New Variable group is created with
the intention of having the group update its
own membership list. Membership is controlled by a rule you generate from any
number of annotation properties.
To modify a group’s options or memberships, right-click the group in your structure browser and choose the modify option.
Use Show to highlight and traverse
your annotation group hierarchies. You can
also use Show to hide/show entire groups
of annotations.
Annotations
Standard templates include GD&T Datum and Tolerance, Surface symbols, and
Welding symbols. The selection has been
pruned to comply with the restrictions of
being affixed to geometry in 3 dimensional
space. To add a template, simply double
left-click the template from your template
browser or use the Create Symbol command
and fill-in the dialogue box for parameters
and placement. When added to a
drawing, symbol templates can
allow you to specify new values for
named parameters. The “Smart”
fields are filled-in as needed.
New user-defined templates
can be created and added to the
template browser as needed
using Define Template.
Specify the default owner of
any GD&T templates using GDT
Owner. Any subsequently created
GD&T templates will default to
the specified owner. It’s located
in the overflow menu More
under the Annotate command
group.
34
MODEL MANAGER: INTRODUCTION
PRODUCT DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Model Manager is the fully integrated Product Data Management (PDM) system for Creo Elements/Direct. Data management is extremely important when working with a large number
of files and an extended design team. Manual file shares can be managed for a time, but quickly become more of a burden than a solution. Compare common data management concerns
without and with a software solution in place.
WITHOUT A PDM SYSTEM
CONCERNS
 Product structure and file structure are maintained separately.
 Manually managed by a CAD administrator or by each designer. They create an elaborate system of folders to maintain
data integrity.
 There is usually nothing to prevent a designer from operating
outside the convention other than doctrine.
DATA STRUCTURE
VOLUME OF DATA
VERSION CONTROL
PERMISSION CONTROL
ment, project, team, or individual as necessary. You can even
configure external access safely; Secure in the knowledge that
your external visitors only have access to what they were given
access to.
 All objects in the system have a series of searchable attributes
 Data reuse is normally a file copy/paste exercise. Aside from
the relationship corruptions, the difficulty is in knowing what’s
available for reuse. Some teams print catalogs of categorized
part images with file locations that are not kept up-to-date.
 In larger file share environments, some have given-up on reuse in general. The best they can manage is keeping the
same designers on subsequent projects so they’re knowledgeable enough to know what can be reused.
resentative of the latest version and all previous versions.
Default interaction assumes the latest version, but version
history is always available when needed.
 Permissions can be left open or narrowed down to depart-
 Permissions are usually ignored beyond the need to maintain
a separation between administration and design.
 In larger file share environments, departments are given ownership of file structure trees or segments in their entirety.
Library data is copied across each segment.
 Team or project based permission management is out of the
question in most cases.
software solutions mitigate the impact of hardware and networking shortcomings on the design team. Hardware and
networking issues are relegated to the IT department and data
integrity is maintained automatically regardless of the file size
or number of files within those limits.
 Versions are maintained by the system. One file name is rep-
 CAD administrators usually develop a complex system of file
naming to accommodate the need to maintain version history.
 There is usually nothing to prevent a designer from operating
outside the convention other than doctrine.
 Versions become confused. Newer versions are overwritten
due to lack of control. Older versions are duplicated across
the elaborate data structure.
What makes sense for the product is kept isolated from data
management concerns. File structure become irrelevant to
design and is maintained automatically.
 File stores are still at the mercy of hardware limitations, but
 Large numbers of files become increasingly difficult to manage
as you approach the critical limit for hardware, networking, or
have exhausted manual intervention options.
 The IT department refuses to take ownership because of the
overriding engineering knowledge required to decrypt the data
structure and version control conventions.
 Communicating data outside of the design team in a consistent and efficient manner becomes virtually impossible.
WITH A PDM SYSTEM
DATA REUSE
Model Manager
and notes associated with them that have been configured by
your administration team to include everything your designers
feel is important. Parts and assemblies have a special SaveAs type function that allows the user to reuse data without
corrupting relationships.
35
MODEL MANAGER: MODEL MANAGER BREAKDOWN
INTERFACE BREAKDOWN
DATA BREAKDOWN
ORGANIZATION BREAKDOWN
Model Manager comes in three pieces, generally speaking. First, your interface in Creo
Elements/Direct Modeling is altered to accommodate Model Manger. Second, you get a
brand new Workspace window for data management. Third, there’s a centralized database
and a server application on your network that manage the storage and access of all CED
hosted data. This guide will cover the first two pieces of Model Manager from the user perspective by describing, from a high level, the interface and capabilities.
Model Manager stores all of your files
in one large repository. Think of it as a
software managed network drive without
subfolders. The local workspace window
provides a representation of the data sored
in that central repository. That view is refreshed every 15 minutes (configurable).
The default method for data organization is through the use of save/search/
load. All data resides in one place and you
must fish for what you need through the
use of search strings and attribute hooks.
BEST PRACTICE: Model Manager is highly configurable and is rarely used for long without
alteration. It excels at matching your preferences and processes. Plan on it.
BEST PRACTICE: Use the Refresh command
First, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling gains new right-click menus, file management
menus, a new DB Attributes Browser, a new Model Manager tab and matching toolbar (View
Toolbars), and most visibly gains bracket symbols [ ] to the right of each object in the
Structure Browser. The Model Manager information is displayed in the Structure Browser as
— Name [MajorRev.MinorRev] Status.
Second, the interface for the workspace window of Model Manager is very similar to
Creo Elements/Direct. It has a quick access toolbar, ribbon UI, and a Details Panel on the
left where the Structure Browser would be. The main viewport, now Information Panel,
shows information specific to each tab of the Workspace Bar rather than your 3D models.
The workspace acts as your window
to data management outside of
Creo Elements/Direct.
1) Quick Access Toolbar
2) Ribbon UI
3) Workspace Bar
4) Quick Search
5) Details Panel
6) Info Panel
to get the latest view of your data before
making critical decisions with data that’s
being manipulated by multiple designers.
From Creo Elements/Direct, a refresh
will show you a status message to the right
of your model name. You’ll see things like
New, Up-to-date, Locally modified, and Conflict. From the right-click menu you can
choose to reload, save, or resolve data
differences as needed.
<EnablePackets>true</EnablePackets>
Beyond save/search/load, the primary
method for organizing, controlling, and
sharing your data is through the use of
Packets. Your administrator must turn
Packets on through the XML configuration
file.
Packets are used to control and organize data within and send data outside
of your PDM system. Once implemented,
Packets change the typical workflow in
Model Manager.
Nothing can be created, modified, or
deleted unless it’s in a packet. Think of a
packet as an envelope. Each user has their
own envelope (or mailbox). You can’t open
someone else's mail and they can’t open
yours. However, for collaboration, you can
send envelopes to whoever you need.
The default method for file storage is
the 3D Data format provided by Creo Elements/Direct. It’s a very flexible format
and offers direct access to part and assembly files. There is only one data source per
part or assembly. All iterations of the same Tip: Create new packets (envelopes) to organize
your data into groups (mailboxes). Logically label
part or assembly are simply references to
them according to project, design phase, etc.
the original. (This is contrary to package
files where the same source data might be
<EnableProjects>false</EnableProjects>
found in two different files)
Projects and Folders offer a logical
organization
and permission control of data
If you have an assembly with four
based
on
container
ownership. These
unique parts in it, then the CED format will
methods are provided for backwards comproduce six files.
patibility only. They’re off by default. One
One assembly instance. *.sda
major deficiency in Projects is that you canOne assembly contents. *.sdac
not assign roles or permissions directly to
Four part contents.
*.sdpc
Folders.
Model Manager
36
MODEL MANAGER: SEARCH AND LOAD
SEARCHING
LOAD OPTIONS
Search for information in your workspace window
for Model Manager or the File Open From Model Manager dialogue from CED. Use the quick search function
or use the main search interface. Switch to the main
search interface in Model Manger by clicking the Search tab in the Workspace Bar.
Single select or multi-select your models from the Recent List, Favorites, or Open
dialogue. Load from your search results by
right-click, double click, or ribbon UI. All
roads lead to the same pop-up dialogue.
If you’re not using the Project, Folder, and Packet functionality,
searching is your only method for finding data. There is no browsing
other than any lists you’ve created; Recent List and Favorites.
The quick search includes the Name, Version, and Data Class of
the objects in the database. Results are presented in the Information
Panel below your Workspace Bar.
A full search can be executed from the Search tab in the Workspace Bar. First, choose your data type. Then, you’ll see a set of attributes associated with your data type. Your top 1000 search results
(or fewer) will appear in the Information Panel. Search options, object
preview, and details are available in the Detail Panel as you click
through your results.
You can run similar searches from the File Open From Model
Manager dialogue from Creo Elements/Direct.
Having chosen your files, the Load
Options Dialogue allows you to more specifically decide which versions, structure
members, and level of geometry you want
to load. In most cases, you could likely
forgo any further specification and simply
click Load when this dialogue appears. The
defaults will load your files at the highest
revision with full geometry.
fiable Items, Non Modifiable Items, Full
Geometry, Lightweight Model, or Partial
(structure only). Notice that you can alter
each individual item in the list by clicking
the dropdown arrow next to the object icon.
Masterdata is a meta-placeholder for
all models, drawings, supporting documents, and BoM data for a specific manufactured instance. Masterdata is helpful
when you have a part or assembly represented by more than one drawing or document. It’s also helpful when you have one
document that needs to be attached to
many drawings. Picture a part that’s cast
and molded in different colors with different logos. When more than one master
data exists you can select between them
from the masterdata column. This will load
the geometry and attach the information
stored with the alternate masterdata.
Navigate the assembly structure by
using the plus/minus icons on the left side
of the table.
Load Rules and Revision column. The
Load rules are As Stored, Highest Revisions, or Highest Released Revisions. Default is Highest Revision. Make your rule
selection to alter the entire list, but note
that you can still make changes to the Revision column individually as needed.
TIP: You can use ? as a single character and * as a general wildcard in searches.
Use the Filter to scrub the list for Modi-
The Options submenu allows you to
configure the way loading takes place.
Your selections are saved and will carry
from session to session.
TIP: Save your complex searches so you can run them again later.
Model Manager
37
MODEL MANAGER: SAVE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
SAVING DATA
CONFLICTS
You can save data from several interface options. You
can use the Model Manger tab inside Creo Elements/Direct
(CED) ribbon. You can use the File Save to Model Manager command from CED. Right-click your model in the Structure Browser for model manger save options. Use the model manger toolbar (View 
Toolbars). All roads lead to the same pop-up dialogue.
Model Manager identifies potential problems before they happen. Without Model
Manager these conflicts are usually left undetected until they become a major issue. The
two types of conflicts are Name and SysID.
The Save Options Dialogue allows you to
specify save type, name, whether or not to
create thumbnails, search, and filter. In most
cases, you could likely forgo any further
specification and simply click Save when this
dialogue appears. Understanding your options will help you decide when that’s the
case and when it’s not.
A Name conflict occurs when someone attempts to save a model into Model Manager
that has the same name, but different SysID of a model that already exists in Model Manager. If it were a historical revision of the same part, it would have the same name and
the same SysID.
There are several ways to resolve a name conflict through the numerous methods to
rename parts and assemblies. The Auto Number Generator can even help you avoid the
issue altogether. If parts are set-up to use the Auto Number Generator, no duplicates
occur. When they do occur, the name conflict resolution wizard can suggest a resolution
for you. You can also use the wizard to enable a renaming rule to batch resolve a collection of similar conflicts.
The name value synchronizes with the
Model Name attribute in Modeling. It
NOTE: If you’ve configured the number generator,
can be set in the part properties, but if
use the
button to get the next number. Each
you don’t set it Model Manager will
subsequent click will increase the number by the
use the instance name. You’re given
configured value.
the opportunity to change the name in
the save dialogue. This will be autopopulated if using a number generator.
Toggle the binocular icon to highlight or un-highlight table entries based on their status
as modified items or new entries. Use the filter capability to scrub your table for modified
items or new entries.
There are four different Set Save Types. They will alter the versioning method across
all entries in your table. Note that you can still make individual changes even after selecting
a Set Save Type. Major Rev ALL Items will assume you want to go up one major revision for
everything being saved regardless of its change status. Minor Rev MODIFIED Items (the
Default) will add to your version history one minor revision level for every modified item in
your save table. Major Rev MODIFIED Items will do the same but bump the major revision
level. Overwrite MODIFIED Items doesn’t create a new revision. It overwrites the last revision with your new data.
ALERT: If you're using Packets, you can
NOTE: You can now save a full structure by
not overwrite unless the data is in a
packet you own.
saving the highest member. Lower members
are automatically saved with the parent.
A SysID conflict occurs when you have a model in session from outside Model Manager that has the same SysID and name as a model already stored in Model Manager. This
usually happens when you load data from the hard drive while working with Model Manager data.
With a SysID conflict you can assign a new SysID to the object in session, replace your
conflicting local data with Model Manager data, or replace Model Manager data with your
local information. You should very rarely ever need to replace Model Manager data with
your local information. If your session information is truly a newer revision of the existing
Model Manager data, you should use the Make Version command rather than overwriting
any data.
Likewise, you should rarely use the Continue to Save option when you run into a conflict during a save operation. Investigate the conflict unless you’re absolutely certain of
the issue and the impact of saving into Model Manager.
BEST PRACTICE: SysID conflicts can also happen when storing package file data into
Model Manager for the first time and when re-using data by making a copy and
renaming it.
The Assign new SysID to local model command should be used any time new
data is introduced into the system or copied from existing data. This will prevent
corruptions and confusion down the road.
Model Manager
38
MODEL MANAGER: BOMS, VERSIONING, AND INSEPERABLE OBJECTS
BILL OF MATERIAL EDITOR
VERSIONING
The Bill of Material (BoM) Editor is a separately licensed add-on module for Model Manager. It can construct a BoM from the product structures housed in Model Manager. The
use of the BoM Editor doesn’t require Creo Elements/Direct (CED). You can therefore relegate BoM Editor responsibilities outside of design engineering.
Versioning can be found in Creo Elements/Direct (CED) on
the Structure tab under the Part & Assembly group. Companies
don’t always model every component that they use internally.
They’ll often send models out for revision, be contracted to work
on a section of another design in progress, or themselves subcontract a section of a design to someone who doesn’t use Creo
Elements/Direct. This situation can create major disturbances
in the design process as each participant revises their section of
the design.
The BoM Editor uses masterdata information. Alternative masterdata entries can be
used to build different BoMs so that multiple products can be made without needing to duplicate the design. To create masterdata, right click on your assembly and select Scan from
the context menu. You can also find Scan under the Structure tab in the BoM group.
Once you have masterdata to work with, use the BoM Editor command from the same
right click context menu. You can also find the BoM Editor command under the Structure
tab in the BoM group. From the BoM editor, you can add non-modeled parts like solder,
paint, or lubricants. You can add spare and documentation items. You can also add process specific tools or materials for manufacturing.
The first time an item is added in this fashion, you will likely need to use the New Masterdata command. An item that already has masterdata can be added with the Existing
Masterdata command. Compare BoMs between versions or assemblies by using the Compare BoMs command.
Generate custom BoM reports from the Tools menu with the Generate Reports command. You can create flat, consolidated, and structured BoM reports. Include, exclude,
show, and hide parts as necessary for your reports. You can explode an assembly structure
using the Phantom option (uses the parts but not assembly structure) or define Inseparable
assembly structures that should be treated as a single part rather than an assembly. Add
or remove custom fields for the report like Effectivity or Options. Save all this back to your
masterdata as a Configuration so you don’t
need to repeat the
effort as things change.
You can also use the
Send To command to
export a BoM to HTML,
MS Excel, CSV, Annotation, Drafting, and Modeling.
The main issue being resolved for CED has to do with the
Model ID. Any time you load an imported model, it’s viewed
as a new model and assigned a new Model ID. Therefore,
you would need to manually re-integrate the new version into
your design. As far as Model Manager is concerned, two different Model IDs means two different parts.
Use Make Version to load and version the original part or assembly. This is where you
might take a model from a vendor or contractor that’s done work on something you’ve
already integrated into your design.
INSEPARABLE OBJECTS
Also in CED, you can Create Inseperable objects from the
Inseperable dropdown under the Structure tab in the Part & Assembly group. Inseperable objects are created from assemblies
that need to be represented in BoMs as a single part. For example, you may have a welded assembly that is actually several
parts but is purchased as and needs to be listed as a single part
in the BoM.
The Inseperable object will appear as a single part in subsequent BoM scans and appear in the Structure Browser with a distinctive red circle next to the assembly and part
icons. See the Structure Browser icons in the appendix for examples. Reverse your changes with the Separate command.
The Bill of Material Editor in Model Manager can also flag objects as inseperable and
reverse the change during the generation of a BoM report. The settings can be saved as a
Configuration and reused as the BoM progresses through design.
Model Manager
39
PLATFORM SUPPORT
Creo Elements/Direct 18.1
Model Manager 18.1 Client
Operating System
Operating System
Windows 7 32-bit Editions: Ultimate, Enterprise, and Professional
Windows Vista 32-bit Editions: Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise
Windows XP Professional
System Memory (RAM)
Minimum: 512MB
CPU
Intel Pentium (III, 4, M, D)
Intel Xenon
Intel Celeron
Intel Core
AMD Athelon
AMD Opteron
Note: Support for single and multi-core CPUs.
Optical Drive
DVD
Hard Disk Space
During DVD Installation: 3GB
Minimum: 300MB
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Professional x64
System Memory (RAM)
Minimum: 1GB
Recommended: 2GB or more
Very large assemblies: 64-bit processor with 6GB or more
CPU
Intel Pentium (III, 4, M, D)
Intel Xenon
Intel Celeron
Intel Core
AMD Athelon
AMD Opteron
Note: Support for single and multi-core CPUs.
Video Display
Minimum: 1024x768
Note: Available dual monitor support
Workstations
Available certified/supported workstations from different partners.
http://www.ptc.com/partners/hardware/current/support.htm
Optical Drive
DVD
Hard Disk Space
Minimum: 2GB
License Server
At least one Create Elements/Direct License Server is required
locally or within a network to host and maintain licenses for Creo
Elements/Direct 18 products
Virtual Machines
Creo Elements/Direct Modeling 18.1 is not tested or certified on
virtual machines such as Microsoft VirtualPC or VMware products.
Platform support information is kept up-to-date by PTC at
http://www.ptc.com/partners/hardware/current/support.htm
Model Manager 18.1 Server
Operating System
Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit Edition
Windows Server 2008 32-bit and 64-bit Editions of Standard and Enterprise
Windows Server 2003 32-bit and 64-bit Editions of Standard and Enterprise
Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit Editions of Ultimate, Enterprise, and Professional
Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit Editions of Ultimate, Enterprise, and Business
Windows XP Professional 32-bit and 64-bit Editions
System Memory (RAM)
Minimum: 2GB (1-20 Creo Elements/Direct Model Manager clients)
Optical Drive
DVD
Hard Disk Space
Minimum: 18GB
License Server
At least one Creo Elements/Direct License Server is required locally or within a
network to host and maintain licenses for Creo Elements/Direct 18 products.
Virtual Machines
Creo Elements/Direct Model Manager client and server are not tested or certified on virtual machines such as Microsoft VirtualPC or VMware products.
Additional Information
For specific, detailed system requirements please refer to
http://www.ptc.com/partners/hardware/current/creo-elements-direct-
Appendix A: Support
40
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
CREATING A PTC ACCOUNT
PTC TECHNICAL SUPPORT—PHONE
PTC can be contacted via the phone for technical support and license management in
In order to access PTC web support,
local time zones and local languages. Support outside of the Monday-Friday business hours
users are required to create an account.
is provided only in English. If you’re current on maintenance and unless you made an addiThis can be done by accessing the PTC
tional investment in PTC support, you’re a Gold-level support customer. As such, you will
website at www.ptc.com and clicking the
receive phone support 24x5 during the workweek. GOLDplus customers get the addition of
“Login” link. From there click the “Create
weekend support for critical issues. Platinum support customers receive continuous 24x7
Basic Account” link and follow the dialogue.
phone support.
United States and Canada Technical Support (800) 477-6435
NOTE: Signing up for a basic account will only give
United States and Canada Customer Care (877) ASK-4-PTC (877-275-4782)
you access to basic functionality at PTC’s website.
To gain access commensurate with your purchasPTC TECHNICAL SUPPORT—WEB
es, it will be necessary to upgrade the account.
PTC provides a wealth of tools and information on the web. First, you need to have a
UPGRADING A PTC ACCOUNT
PTC account. Once that’s in place, you may need to upgrade the account based on your
customer information. PTC provides a knowledge base, case logger, case tracker, SPR
Upgrade a basic account through the
Tracker, subscriptions, and more for your web based technical support needs.
“Upgrade to a Customer Support Web Account” link and dialogue. Upgrading enables access to tools such as logging and
tracking calls, software downloads, and
searching the Knowledge Base.
Case Logger
PTC’s Support Website
http://www.ptc.com/support/
CASE TRACKER
The Case Tracker allows customers to
view the status of a case, see who’s assigned to the case, view history, and upload
additional files. This is also where you’d
escalate a case if necessary. Escalation will
push the call up to a technical support manager.
SPR TRACKER
A software performance report (SPR)
documents an issue that requires a software correction due to a bug or problem
with the current software version and datecode. An SPR can be generated if multiple
call numbers or customers refer to a single
issue. The SPR Tracker allows a customer
to track the status and resolution of an
SPR.
BEST PRACTICE: The following are required in order
to successfully upgrade a basic account.
1. Customer Number
2. Service Contract Number (SCN) or
Sales Order Number (SON)
To find out how to obtain the customer number,
SCN, and SON, refer to the Frequently Asked
Questions page for Licensing on the PTC website
by searching for the key word: PTC Order and
License Support FAQ.
CASE LOGGER
Create a new case to document a single issue through the web or phone and a
case number is generated for you. Subsequent emails, phone calls, file references,
and all other records are tied to your case
number. Find the Case Logger on the PTC
support web site while logged-in.
Appendix A: Support
PTC/USER SUBSCRIPTIONS
PTC/User is a free, dedicated forum for
the PTC user community. Share information, tips and tricks, and issues with other users across the globe. It’s a great site to
ask questions, receive answers, and discuss
multiple PTC-related topics.
http://www.ptcuser.org
COCREATE USER FORUM
The forum was originally sponsored by
the CoCreate America’s User Group which
has since dissolved. The main site hasn’t
been updated since 2003, but the user
forums are still active. They provide a historical archive and current conversations.
http://www.cocreateusers.org/forum
41
CREO ELEMENTS/DIRECT SHORTCUTS
MOUSE BEHAVIOR
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
F1
Help on Current Context
Ctrl+Z
Undo One
F2
Open Selection Menu
Ctrl+Y
Redo One
F3
Toggle Global Axis
Ctrl+Q
Hide/Show Open Menus
F4
Toggle 3D Hidden Edges Visibility
Ctrl+X
Cut Selection to Clipboard
F5
Toggle 3D Geometry Visibility
Ctrl+C
Copy Selection to Clipboard
F6
Toggle 3D Shaded/Wireframe View
Ctrl+V
Paste Selection Contents
F7
Toggle Workplane Borders Visibility
Ctrl+N
F8
Toggle Local Workplane Axis Visibility
F11
F12
Left-Click
Single select
Start selection window (while dragging mouse)
Selection list: Toggle selection list membership
Middle-Click
Ok/complete command (when mouse is still)
Dynamic rotate (while dragging mouse)
Right-Click
Pop-up context sensitive menu (when mouse is still)
Dynamic pan (while dragging mouse)
New Session
Shift+Left-Click
Select list start/resume
Ctrl+O
Open Load Dialogue Window
Shift+Middle-Click
Toggle Full Screen for Current Viewport
Ctrl+S
Open Save Dialogue Window
Shift+Right-Click
Pop-up menu with catch, select, and show options
Toggle Structure Browser
Ctrl+F
Opens Search/Filter Dialogue from Structure Browser
Ctrl+Left-Click
Ctrl+Middle-Click
Dynamic rotate (while dragging mouse)
Ctrl+Right-Click
Dynamic zoom (while dragging mouse)
Alt+Middle-Click
Over a face: New workplane on face then start Line/Arc
ANNOTATION APPLICATION KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
Ctrl+H
Hide elements
Shift+F5
Toggle sketched geometry
Shift+F11 Show template browser
Ctrl+U
Unhide elements
Shift+F7
Toggle vertexes
Shift+F12 Show drawing browser
Shift+F4 Toggle tangent lines
Shift+Alt+Middle-Click Over planar face: Move face by typed distance
Shift+F10 Toggle update colors
Shift+Alt+Left-Click
Over planar face: Move face by From point and To point
2D COPILOT SHORTCUTS
VIEWPORT SHORTCUTS
R
Relative measurement
Space
Open command specific mini toolbar
B
Create a bend (arc)
Shift+Space
Toggle command dialogue box
STRUCTURE BROWSER SHORTCUTS
DIALOGUE BOX
CONVERSIONS
Z
Undo the last 2D command
Delete
Delete selected 2D and 3D elements
Left Click
Select a single item
Length Units
Shift
Suspend snapping
Tab
Ctrl+Left Click
Select multiple items
I
Ignore a snap
Initiate or cycle to next selection method in
sequence starting from initially highlighted face
um, mm, cm, m, km, uin, mil,
inch, foot, yard mile
L
Toggle snap locking
Delete
Clear catch memory
PgUp
Increase adaptive grid size
PgDn
Decrease adaptive grid size
Home
Reset adaptive grid
Shift+Ctrl Snap to center
Shift+Tab
Initiate or cycle to previous selection method in
sequence starting from initially highlighted face
(Boss/Pocket, Rib, Slot, Boss, and Pocket)
Ctrl+Tab
Activate probe selection
Arrow keys
Rotate view by 45°
Shift+Arrow keys
Rotate view by 3°
Ctrl+Arrow keys
Pan view
Left Click and Hold Drag and drop
Angle Units
Shift+Middle Click
Expand or collapse selected object
Right-Click
Display context-sensitive
menu
Angle Degrees to Decimal
Apply selection
Math
Double-Click
Right-Click  Apply Apply selection
deg, rad, grd
Degrees:Minutes:Seconds
+, -, *, /, sin, cos, tan, asin,
acos, atan, sqrt, exp, PI
floor(n), ceil(n), ^ (power)
Appendix B: Creo Elements/Direct Shortcuts
42
STRUCTURE BROWSER ICONS
OBJECTS
ANNOTATION
FEATURES
MACHINING MODULE
Part
Drawing
Feature
Stepped Hole
Assembly
Sheet
Part group
Countersunk Partially Toleranced Through Hole
Container
View updated using Econofast mode
Countersunk Through Hole
Stock/finish relation
View updated using Graphics mode
Fixed or variable 3D annotation group
Workplane
View — updated
GD&T datum
Counterbored Through Hole with Chamfers
Workplane set
View—not updated
GD&T tolerance
Threaded Hole
Face part
View—error
Applied taper feature
Partially Threaded Through Hole
Not applied taper feature
Partially Threaded Blind Hole
Clipping feature
Flat Blind Hole
Wire frame part (3D curve)
Coordinate system
3D view set of an Annotation drawing
3D view of an Annotation drawing
3D docuplane set
3D docuplane
Multi-section
Part loaded with the lightweight option
selected
Configuration
STATUS
Modified
Locked
Flat view—updated
Flat view—not updated
Flat view—error
Countersunk Partially Toleranced Flat Blind Hole
OLE object
Countersunk Partially Toleranced Blind Hole
Sketch
Countersunk Flat Blind Hole
Modified
CLASH ANALYSIS
Frame
Up-to-date
Shared view—updated
Out-of-date
Shared view—not updated
Invalid
Shared view—error
Partially loaded or lightweight
subject or undefined
Section line
INSEPARABLE
Picture
PARTIALLY LOADED
Partial assembly
Selective instance
Partial part
Untouchable—due to open references
the object cannot be modified
Partial container
Open references
Partial workplane set
Partial workplane
Blind Hole
VERSIONS
Part which is a version of an original
Cutaway border
Shared assembly
Countersunk Blind Hole
Assembly which is a version of an original
Detail border
Multiple versions of a part loaded
Shared part
Counterbored Through Hole
Container which is a version of an original
Inseparable assembly
Workplane which is a version of an original
Inseparable container
Workplane set which is a version of an original
Inseparable face part
Face part which is a version of an original
Inseparable part
Wire frame part which is a version of an original
Inseparable stock/finish relation
Partially loaded objects are displayed with the
same icons shown in the partially loaded ob-
Inseparable wire part
Inseparable workplane
Inseparable workplane set
Appendix C: Structure Browser Icons
43
QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR, RIBBON, PROMPT, AND USER INPUT LINE
User Input Line. Several commands within Creo Elements/Direct
will require keyboard input to complete without a dedicated
dialogue box. Also, when drawing in 2D, you can enter coordinates instead of clicking on the viewport. Use the U,V syntax
with each coordinate separated by a comma. To specify several
coordinates, separate each with a space.
Enter a command name to start that command. For example, type “LINE” to start the Line command. You can also set
and retrieve variable values using setf (S E T F) and the variable
name. For example, “setf a 20” will make the variable “a” equal
to the number “20”. Typing the variable name into the User
Input Line is the same as typing its value. Note: String values
must be contained in double quotes.
Quick Access Toolbar. Located in the upper left hand corner of the
interface, it provides quick access to frequently-used commands.
You can customize it by adding, removing and reordering commands
(buttons and groups) to it. Right-click any command from the command search or ribbon UI to add them to the Quick Access Toolbar.
The Ribbon UI is an interface style where a set of toolbars are placed
on tabs in a tab bar at the top of the screen. Each tab in the ribbon
contains icon commands that are organized into groups. This is also
where you’ll see new colored tabs appear as modules and applications need them.
The ribbon UI provides an efficient layout for modeling
commands. The most frequently used commands are displayed in
large icons. Less common commands are displayed with smaller
icons. Uncommonly used commands are grouped into submenus
within each section of the ribbon.
Functional Areas Divided Into Tabs
Settings. Most command groups provide a settings button that provides quick access to a dialogue for those system settings that are related to that command group.
These same settings can also be accessed from the Settings menu located in the
File tab.
Closely Related Command Groups
Prompt Bar. By default, displayed in the status bar on the bottom left corner of the interface. It provides general feedback, messages, and guidance. It can be removed from the Status Bar as its own entity using the Ribbon ViewToolbarsPrompt Bar.
Appendix D: Interface Breakdown
Utilities Command Group Is
commonly located on all but the
View and Application tabs. It
provides quick access to several
frequently used utilities.
44
STRUCTURE BROWSER, CATCH TOOLBAR, AND STATUS BAR
Structure Browser lists all currently loaded 3D objects and elements and shows their interrelationships through its hierarchal structure. You can control the display of 3D objects and elements using the check box next to each one. You can also expand and collapse the hierarchy as needed with the plus and minus symbols. The structure browser has a details display
option toggled by the blue table icon located just below the Structure Browser tab icon. This alternate view will show a context sensitive list of properties. The browser area will also house
new tabs like the Template Browser, Drawing Browser, and DB Attributes Browser as your active modules and applications that require a browser. It’s located on the left pane of the interface but can be undocked and moved about.
Search and Filter icons will pop-up a dialogue
used to find, filter, and display items from the
Structure Browser based on your criteria.
Catch Toolbar can be activated from the View tab or by clicking
the Catch icon on the Status Bar. It controls the settings for your 2D
and 3D snaps with three unique groups of settings.
Next Catch settings only apply to the very next caught entity. It
returns to default settings after the next catch operation.
Default 2D and Default 3D refer to the default behavior in 2D
mode and 3D mode for your next catch and every subsequent operation. Take care when making changes to these settings as they can
have a drastic impact on the 2D and 3D modeling environments.
Status Bar is found on the lower right hand section of the main interface. It
shows the alert history, current workplane, part, and settings for Catch and
Units. Also shows pre-selection focus, quick viewport settings, and a "previous
application" switch. Configurable on right-click.
Quick Viewport Settings. From left to
right the viewport commands are Full
Screen, Window, Last View, and Fit.
45
FILE TAB
File Tab is a unique tab providing the application’s most intrinsic commands. It provides load and save functionality, database access, print capability, and customization.
New Session will wipe all objects from your current environment and start
fresh. There is no Close option so a New Session is the best way to start anew other
than closing and reopening the application. Open, Save, and Print work much like
you’d expect from any other Windows based application with the exceptions of CAD
specific nuances such as, opening a myriad of CAD data formats with extensible
translation capabilities. Also, saving data out selectively to different file formats.
The interaction with different data storage methods might also be a little different
than Windows users may be use to, but the concept is the same — New, Open, Save,
and Print.
Edit file will open the selected file in a separate text editor. The Modules section is where you’ll make adjustments to which modules, applications, and interfaces
are active in your environment. Some of these options will require licenses beyond
the standard, but that’s clearly indicated in the dialogue.
Toolbox is an empty menu
that you can use to place
your frequently-used commands. You can drag this
menu item to any toolbar
or to the top menu bar
itself in order to get faster
access to the Toolbox
buttons.
Use Settings to tweak how your various functional areas look and operate while
Customize will get into extensive toolbar, pop-up, and keyboard modifications. Options is where you make modifications to the Quick Access Toolbar, Ribbon UI, and
your Command Mini Toolbars.
Finally, search for any command in the interface with your command finder at
the bottom of the File tab. Results will be displayed in a list which replaces the rest
of your File tab options while you’re searching. You can right-click results to add
them to your Quick Access Toolbar or execute directly. Take note that the command
finder search text looks in the command description as well as the command name.
46
MODELING, STRUCTURE, AND FEATURE TABS
Modeling Tab contains most of your 2D and 3D object creation and manipulation tools. You’ll need to start with a workplane and a 2D profile to create 3D geometry, so those tools are available
on this tab in the New and Draw groups. The 2D CoPilot will help streamline 2D profile creation. Tweak your 2D profile with commands from the Modify 2D group. Once you Pull some geometry,
shape it with your intuitive 3D CoPilot and/or use the Model and Modify 3D commands. Round or Chamfer your edges or put your final Tapers in place with the Engineering group.
Structure Tab. Through the use of different types of containers, the Structure Tab offers faster assembly manipulation, complex feature intelligence storage, helper object creation, and even a
special container to store different assembly positions for your process drawings. Everything you would need to organize and prepare for assembly management and documentation. The Structure Tab also introduces the concepts of part and assembly sharing and instancing to capitalize on reuse. Your more advanced workplane commands are found here too. Some of the commands in the Modeling tab and 3D Geometry tabs may require you to use the more advanced workplane tools found here.
Feature Tab. The Feature tab organizes your parts. While Creo Elements/Direct is history free, it may become necessary, and it’s even recommended in some cases, to organize part history or
design specific elements into containers for future reference. These commands allow you to group faces and other elements together into their own containers. The New Pattern command can
only be executed against certain containers fashioned in this way. Part Group extends beyond the standard feature capability and can contain full parts, assemblies, and other containers. This
tab is also where you’ll find the Machining operations if you’ve activated the Machining module. Finally, you have 3D dimensional annotations that can be added to your designs. These basic
Annotation 3D commands are representative of the functionality you see extended in the 3D Documentation Application and can provide dimension features that can also be used as a modification reference by the Move 3D command.
47
3D GEOMETRY, ANALYSIS, AND VIEW TABS
3D Geometry Tab contains your basic surfacing commands. You can add 3D curves, splines, and points. Use these to create and modify Face
Parts for complex freeform surfaces. This is also where you’d gain access to the Wire Editor if you’ve activated the Parametrics Application.
Analysis Tab provides Check Part to troubleshoot corrupt parts, Compare Parts to compare geometric and topologic information, and Clash/Interference reports and single evaluations. You’ll
also find a comprehensive set of measurement tools here, some of which are repeated in the Utilities command group. Run color coded Draft analyses on your parts and Curve analyses on
your 2D and 3D curves. This is also where you’d gain access to Angle and Surface analysis tools if you’ve activated the Surfacing Module.
View Tab. Many of the view commands are built-in to the interface through the use of shortcut commands. Many, like isometric positioning and center selection, are exclusive to the Viewing
group. Store custom camera views with Edit Camera and cycle through the list with the Next camera and Previous Camera commands. Create custom lighting, create, modify, and cycle through
new viewports, and adjust model shading modes from the View tab. From here you can open or close current and legacy toolbars. The Clipping group provides invaluable visualization tools by
adding methods to cut away model visibility with real-time editing capability. This is also where you’d gain access to the Render command if you have the Rendering module active.
48
APPLICATIONS TAB
Applications Tab comes fully loaded with all of the application icons available
for Creo Elements/Direct Modeling. If the application is not active, the icon
will be grayed out. You can activate/deactivate the applications, if you have
access to the proper licenses, from the Modules dialogue box shown below.
You can get to the Modules dialogue box from any of the three settings buttons under the Applications tab groups or from File Modules.
There’s also an Previous Application function that switches between your
current application and the previously used application. The icon is located on
the bottom right hand corner of your interface in the Status Bar. The Previous
Application function is not a recognized command that can be found
using the command search, but it can be added elsewhere in the
interface using File Options.
49
GLOSSARY
2D Copilot Refers to the automated toolset which provides
the functionality and feedback for creating all 2D geometry
in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.
3D Copilot Refers to the 3D widgets and functionality provided by Creo Elements/Direct Modeling to facilitate the
creation of all 3D elements.
Access Control List (ACL) Describes a list of permissions
for a given object or set of objects in a computer file system. The ACL dictates who has access as well as what
operations can be executed against an object.
Bill of Material (BoM) In Creo Elements/Direct, a list of sub
assemblies, parts, and the quantities of each as derived
from a given assembly. A final production level BoM may
include additional reference designators, attributes, and
documentation. CED provides tools to derive, modify, and
maintain production level BoMs.
Bundle File (*.bdl) Creo Elements/Direct file type that
ideally includes a 3D model and associated drawing that
have been saved together from the Creo Elements/Direct
Annotation application.
Computer Aided Design (CAD) The use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or
optimization of a design.
Camera Position In Creo Elements/Direct, refers to the
position and orientation of the viewing perspective in a 3D
viewport.
Content File (*.sd*c) Creo Elements/Direct standard file
type that contains the master workplane, part, or assembly
properties, geometry, and topology information.
Creo PTC’s newest line of CAD software applications featuring a common data model, common user interface, and
common application framework. The name Creo represents the software framework along with PTC’s development path and vision for the future of CAD.
Creo Elements/Direct (CED) PTC’s direct modeling mechanical CAD software. Purchased in 2007 as CoCreate.
Re-branded to Creo Elements/Direct in 2010 as one of the
three core elements that make-up the Creo software
framework.
CED Integration Kit A Creo Elements/Direct tools and documentation collection provided for the purposes of customizing Creo Elements/Direct and programming add-on applications on top of Creo Elements/Direct.
in the Structure Browser. A separate drawlist is also stored
with each Configuration feature.
Drawing File (*.mi) Creo Elements/Direct Annotation
standard file type for 2D drawings. The files maintain relationship information about the 3D models referred to by
the associated 2D views in the drawing. The relationship is
maintained on both ends and therefore both files must be
saved after edits to maintain the relationship.
Creo Direct (CD) PTC’s new stand-alone Direct modeling
software released under the Creo software framework in
2011.
Docuplanes Creo Elements/Direct 3D Documentation
feature represented as a plane in the 3D viewport. Docuplanes provide a position reference for annotations and a
medium for the transfer of annotations from 3D to 2D.
Creo Parametric (CP) PTC’s mechanical CAD software released under the Creo software framework in 2011. Historically referred to as Pro/E.
Dynamic Modeling Term originally coined by Hewlett Packard to describe their method for history free 3D CAD modeling. Later referred to as Direct Modeling.
Creo Simulate (CP) PTC’s FEA software package released
under the Creo software framework in 2011. Available as
an extension to Creo Parametric or as a standalone application. Historically referred to as Mechanica.
Environment File (*.env) Creo Elements/Direct standard
file type for the storage of user specific environmental data. The environment file contains information such as
units, color of 2D geometry, and part and workplane appearance settings.
Creo View (CV) PTC’s viewing and interrogation software
suite released under the Creo software framework in
2011. Historically referred to as ProductView.
Direct Modeling is the history free method of CAD where
objects are manipulated based on existing geometry only;
without conforming to a rigidly controlled design constraints system. (see Parametric)
Drawing Browser Creo Elements/Direct Annotations interface element located on the left pane. The drawing browser provides a hierarchical display of object, container, and
relationship information about drawing elements in session memory.
Drawlist In Creo Elements/Direct, refers to the list of objects and elements to be drawn in the 3D viewport. Its
contents can be edited through the use of the check boxes
Glossary
Face Part A 3D part that is made-up of individual faces
that do not form a solid body. In Creo Elements/Direct
Modeling, a Face Part becomes a solid body automatically
once the faces converge into a closed shell.
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) The process of generating a
computer model that then has theoretical stresses applied
to it for the purposes of deriving the most likely physical
results.
Flexible Modeling Extension (FMX) Refers to a breakthrough extension for Creo Parametric that allows a user to
apply Direct modeling modification techniques to geometry
in conjunction with the native parametric environment.
Fluid UI PTC’s terminology for the interface of their Creo
suite. Includes a Ribbon UI and Quick Access Toolbar simi-
50
GLOSSARY
lar to the Microsoft Office Fluent UI, unique mouse navigation, and a fluid look and feel to the overall colors, layout,
and interface behaviors.
Formations Goodie Creo Elements/Direct Modeling depreciated add-on package provided to create assembly process views. Replaced by Configuration features.
GDI Printer Refers to a printer that has built-in support for
the Windows Graphical Device Interface (GDI).
GRANITE Refers to PTC’s feature-based interoperability,
3D surface, and 3D solid modeling kernel. Specifically
built to support a robust parametric modeling environment
and data transitions between related software packages.
HP Precision Engineering (HP PE) Hewlett-Packard’s suite
of mechanical engineering centric CAD software.
HP PE/ME30 Hewlett-Packard’s mechanical CAD package
introduced in 1986 and transitioned away from in 1995.
Instance File (*.sd*i) Creo Elements/Direct standard file
type for a workplane, part, or assembly that works in conjunction with a parent Content File. The Instance File contains additional property and position data unique to the
instance, but is dependent upon the Content File for base
information.
Package File (*.pkg) Creo Elements/Direct file type that
potentially stores an entire design; assemblies, parts, and
drawings. Typically used by solo engineers, design groups
using file system storage, and designers who need to create a complete design package to be sent to a partner.
The package format is slower to update and comes with
the intrinsic danger of creating multiple copies of data
originally intended to be unique.
Parametric Refers to the concept of a design being completely value driven; using dimensions and parameters to
rigidly define and control the size and location of features
and components. This is done for the purposes of captur-
ing design intent and enabling the easy modification of the
design within those constraints.
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) As one of the
world’s largest and fastest-growing technology companies,
PTC works with over 27,000 businesses worldwide in a
wide array of manufacturing industries. They help manufacturers address the biggest business challenges they
face. PTC provides software solutions for Product Lifecycle
Management (PLM), Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Service Lifecycle Management (SLM).
Pro/Engineer (Pro/E) PTC’s parametric mechanical CAD
software. Re-branded to Creo Elements/Pro in 2010 as
one of the three core elements that make-up the Creo software framework. Re-branded to Creo Parametric in 2011
and released under the Creo framework.
Product Data Management (PDM) Refers to the use of
software to track and control file data related to product
development. In CAD, a PDM also maintains the integrity
of CAD specific file relationships, version control, and access control.
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Refers to the use of
software to manage a single source of product information
through its entire lifecycle; from inception to obsolescence.
A PLM integrates people, data, process, and business systems to provide a software backbone for product development companies. PLM systems typically have a wide range
of functionality that’s uniquely configured to meet the individual needs of each production environment they support.
A PLM system is generally defined as providing multi-CAD
product data management, varying degrees of embedded
visualization, distributed collaboration capabilities, document management, BoM management, configurable process workflows, change management, and configuration
management. Many PLM systems start with these capabilities and scale well beyond them as needed.
Glossary
ProductView PTC’s viewing and interrogation software
suite. Re-branded to Creo Elements/View in 2010 as one
of the three core elements that make-up the Creo software
framework. Re-branded to Creo View in 2011 and released under the Creo framework.
Quick Access Toolbar Coined by Microsoft to refer to one
of their user interface elements, the phrase refers to a
customizable toolbar on the upper left corner of an application that houses frequently used command icons and
groups of the same.
Ribbon UI Describes a major software interface element
where virtually all toolbars and menus are placed in a series of narrow tabs that span the top of the window. Each
tab in the ribbon contains command icons that are organized into functional groups and arranged according to
frequency of use. These command groupings are fully configurable in most environments. The Ribbon UI element is
commonly recognized as part of Microsoft’s Fluent UI released with their Office suite.
Session FIle (*.ses) Creo Elements/Direct file type meant
for a fast and easy saving of all current data. They’re used
for temporary storage of projects in progress typically outside of a PDM system. The session file saves all parts,
assemblies, workplanes, workplane sets, and all environment settings.
Structure Browser Creo Elements/Direct Modeling interface element located on the left pane. The structure
browser provides a hierarchical display of object, container, and relationship information for 3D elements in session
memory.
Template Browser Creo Elements/Direct interface element
located on the left pane. The template browser provides
clear display of stored templates of design symbols, registered sketches, and registered texts that can be added as
3D and 2D annotation elements within the active session.
51

Quick Reference Guide

Transcription

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