Pro/MECHANICA Motion:

Mechanism Design and Analysis

Release 2000i

Kuang-Hua Chang, Ph.D.

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
The University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

www.SDCpro.com
Simple Pendulum 2-1

Lesson 2: A Simple Pendulum

Integrated Mode

2.1 Overview of the Lesson

Purpose of this lesson is to give you a quick start on using the Pro/MECHANICA Motion in the Integrated
mode. The example employed is a simple pendulum. The pendulum rotates freely due to gravity. In this
chapter, you will learn how to create the pendulum motion model, run the motion analysis, and visualize
the analysis results. Motion analysis result of the simple pendulum example can be verified easily using
particle dynamics theory. We will formulate the equation of motion, calculate the angular velocity of the
pendulum, and compare our calculations with results obtained from Pro/MECHANICA Motion.
Validating results obtained from motion simulations is extremely important. The Pro/MECHANICA
Motion software is not foolproof. It requires certain level of experience and expertise to master the
software. Before you arrive at that level, it will be very helpful to verify the simulation results if possible.
Verifying the simulation results will increase your confidence in using the software and prevent you from
being fooled by the erroneous simulations produced by the software.

2.2 The Simple Pendulum Example

Physical Model Solid circular rod of

radius r = 0.5 mm
The physical model of the pendulum is composed of a
sphere with radius 10 mm and a thin rod of 90 mm long
and radius 0.5 mm that are rigidly connected, as shown in
Figure 2-1. The top end of the rod is connected to the wall
with a pin joint. This pin joint allows the pendulum to 90 mm
rotate. The rod and sphere are made up of aluminum and
steel, respectively. Note that in Pro/ENGINEER material
library the AL2014 and STEEL material types will be
chosen for rod and sphere, respectively. The pendulum
will be released from a position of 0.1 radian from the
Solid sphere
vertical direction. The gravity acceleration is assumed
of radius
9,806 mm/sec2.
R=10 mm
Note that the rotation angle is kept small so that the Figure 2-1 Pendulum Physical Model
particle dynamics theory can be applied to verify the
simulation result.

In this lesson, parts and assembly of the pendulum example have been created for you. You can find the
model files in the attached CD. As mentioned in Lesson 1, datum points are extremely important in
creating motion model. Pro/MECHANICA Motion converts assembly datum points into ground points and
assembly datum coordinate system into the World Coordinate System (WCS) of the motion model. In
addition, joints and forces are defined at datum points created in parts. Note that WCS is the coordinate
Simple Pendulum 2-2

system that is fixed to the ground body. Pay attention to the datum points and datum coordinate system
created in the part and assembly models.

Pro/ENGINEER Parts and Assembly

The pendulum assembly consists of two parts, rod

and sphere (see the exploded view in Figure 2-2). In
addition, there are three datum planes (ADTM1, rod
ADTM2, and ADTM3), a datum axis (AA_1), a sphere
datum coordinate system (ACS0), and a datum point
(APNT0) defined in the assembly.

You may open the pendulum assembly by:

Copy the lesson2 folder in the CD attached in

this book to your hard drive;

Invoke Pro/ENGINEER and change your
working directory to the lesson2 folder in your
hard drive;

Open the pendulum assembly by choosing, from
the pull-down menu, File > Open

In the file open window, choose pend.asm. Figure 2-2 Pendulum Assembly
(Exploded View)
In order to understand more about the
assembly features and the order they are
assembled, you may choose, from the Info
pull-down menu,

Regen Info

In the START OPTS scroll-down menu

appearing after you choose the Regen Info
(Figure 2-3), choose Beginning to start the
regeneration from the beginning. Choose
Continue in the INFO REGEN scroll-
down menu to continue the regeneration.
You should see, in the Graphics Area, the
assembly datum features, such as datum
planes ADTM1, 2, 3, and coordinate
system ACS0, appear first, then the Figure 2-3 Regen
components rod and sphere are brought Info Menu
into the assembly. The complete assembly
should appear in the Graphics Area,
similar to the one shown in Figure 2-4.

You may choose, from the View pull-

down menu,

Explode Figure 2-4 Pendulum Assembly

(Unexploded View)
Simple Pendulum 2-3

to see the exploded view like the one in Figure 2-2.

Motion Model

The datum point APNT0 in the assembly will be converted as the ground body. The rod and sphere will
be connected using a weld joint, hence no relative motion will appear between them. The welded parts
(pendulum) are defined as the only movable body in this example. A pin joint is defined between the
pendulum and the ground body.

The pendulum will rotate freely from its initial position due to gravity. Friction between the pendulum
and the ground body is assumed zero. We will define a gravity force in the negative Y-direction to drive
the motion.

2.3 Using Pro/MECHANICA Motion

Motion Model Generation

Start Pro/ENGINEER and open the assembly model:

pend.asm. Before we proceed, you may want to make
sure that the unit system is properly chosen for the part.
Check the units by choosing, from the ASSEMBLY scroll-
down menu,

Set Up > Units

In the Unit Manager window appears next, make sure

that the millimeter Newton Second (mmNs) is chosen. The
red arrow must point to the units system that you intend
to use, as shown in Figure 2-5. If the mmNs is not chosen,
click millimeter Newton Second (mmNs), then click the
Set push button.

In the Warning window appears, choose: Figure 2-5 Units Manager Window

Interpret Existing Numbers (Same Dims), then

click OK.

Close the Units Manager window by clicking

the Close push button.

Now we are ready to enter Pro/MECHANICA

Motion. From the Applications pull-down menu,
choose

Mechanica

Before entering Pro/MECHANICA, an

information window appears to remind you of
the units system you have defined (Figure 2-6). Figure 2-6 Units Confirmation Window
You should have mmNs units. If not, go back to
Pro/ENGINEER by choosing
Simple Pendulum 2-4

Applications > Standard

to change the units system. Note that the units system can only be
changed in Pro/ENGINEER.

Click Continue push button to proceed. The MECHANICA scroll-

down menu appears (Figure 2-7). Select Motion to enter
Pro/MECHANICA Motion.

Note that a default coordinate system (WCS, World Coordinate

System) is added to the model automatically, as shown in Figure 2- Figure 2-7 Figure 2-8
9. This coordinate system is identical to the default datum
coordinate system defined in the assembly, i.e., ACS0.
Pro/MECHANICA will refer to this coordinate system for motion
model definition, computations, and result display.

Note that the ground body symbol has been added WCS
to the motion model at the assembly datum point.
You may want to turn off the displays of datum
planes, datum axes, and coordinate systems, to see
the ground body symbol.

We will use the capabilities in the Model option to Rod LCS

define the motion model. Choose Model from the
MEC MOTION scroll-down menu (Figure 2-8), the
MOTN MODEL menu appears (Figure 2-10). We will
use Property, Bodies, Connections, Loads, and Init
Conds options to define material properties, bodies,
joints, loads, and initial conditions, respectively, for
the motion model. Sphere LCS

Define material properties Figure 2-10

We will choose AL2014 and STEEL in the Motion Figure 2-9 Default Coordinate
material library for rod and sphere, respectively. Systems Created by
Motion
From the MOTN MODEL scroll-down menu, choose

Model > Properties > Materials > Assign > Part > Pick [rod] > Done Sel

In the Material Property Sets window appears (Figure 2-11), choose AL2014. The next window, Material
Properties window (Figure 2-12), lists material property values of the material type you selected.

You may change some of them to make a new material type and put it back to the material library for
later use. For the time being, click Accept bush button. In the Material Property Sets window, click
Accept. Repeat the same process to assign STEEL as the material for sphere.

Define bodies

From the MOTN MODEL scroll-down menu, choose

Simple Pendulum 2-5

Figure 2-11 Material Property Sets Window

Model > Bodies

In the Bodies window appears (Figure 2-13), Figure 2-12 Material Properties Window
there are three bodies listed, i.e., ROD,
SPHERE and Ground. Also, the Ground body
is highlighted as the default. It is shown in the
Bodies window (Figure 2-13) that the number
of bodies is 3.

Apparently, by default, Motion assigns each part in the

assembly as a single body. This is fine with us. Click
the Done push button in the Bodies window to go back
to the scroll-down menu.

Define connections (Joints)

We will create two joints, a pin joint between rod and

Ground, and a weld joint between rod and sphere.

Create the pin joint by choosing from the MEC

MOTION scroll-down menu
Figure 2-13 Bodies Window
Model > Connections > Joints > Create

At this point, make sure that you turn on the display of Points Symbols and Point Tags. You may do so by
clicking the Short Cut button . Also, the exploded view will help (View > Explode).

Pick the datum point APNT0 (Ground) and PNT1 (rod), the Joint Create window appears (Figure 2-14).
Input name of the joint as pin, and select Type: Pin (default), and click Accept. The pin joint symbol
appears in the motion model (see Figure 2-15).

To define the weld joint, pick the datum point PNT0 at the end of the rod and PNT1 of the sphere, enter
weld as the joint name, choose Weld as the joint type, then Accept the joint. The weld joint symbol
appears in the motion model (Figure 2-15).
Simple Pendulum 2-6

Define loads

In this example, the load applied to the pendulum

will be the gravitational force. In the Model scroll-
down menu, choose:

Loads > Create > Gravity

Pin Joint: pin

Figure 2-14 Joint Create Window

Weld Joint: weld

Figure 2-15 Joints in the Motion Model Figure 2-16 Edit Gravity Load Vector
in WCS Window
The Edit Gravity Load Vectors window
appears (Figure 2-16). Note that the
gravity accelerations are defined with
respect to the WCS of the system. In the
mmNs unit system, the gravity is 9,806
mm/sec2 in the negative Y-direction.
Enter the value –9806 in the Y: text box,
then, click Accept.

Defining initial conditions

To define the initial conditions, you may

choose:
Figure 2-17 Initial Conditions for Joint Axis Window
Model > Init Conds > Create > Joint
Axis > Pick [pin]

The Initial Conditions window appears (Figure 2-17). Enter Initial Rotation (Radians) as 0.1, keep the
Initial Angular Velocity as 0, and select Required for both Initial Rotation and Initial Angular Velocity.
Click Accept. Click Done/Return in the scroll-down menu to return to the Model section in the scroll-
down menu.
Simple Pendulum 2-7

At this point, the pendulum motion model is completely defined. We are ready to go to the next step:
analysis. Select Done/Return from the scroll-down menu to return to the MEC MOTION menu.

Motion Analysis

Define analysis

We will define a motion analysis, run the analysis, and visualize the motion analysis results. In this
example, we are conducting dynamics analysis since the gravity load is involved.

In the MEC MOTION menu, choose

Analysis

The Analyses window appears (Figure 2-18). The default analysis type is Motion. Click Review to see the
motion analysis definition, the Analysis Definition window appears (Figure 2-19).

The Analysis Definition window shows a number of parameters that are needed for the analysis. Note that
the default start time, duration, and increment are 0, 10, and 0.1, respectively. We will change the
duration to 1.5 and increment to 0.005. Click Accept to return to the Analyses window. In the Analyses
window, click Done.

Figure 2-18 Analyses Window

Run analysis Figure 2-19 Analysis Definition Window

In the MEC MOTION menu, choose

Run

The Run window appears (Figure 2-20). The default selection is Motion (Standard/Motion), click Start to
run the analysis. In the Prompt/Message window, it shows that the Pro/MECHANICA Motion is
formulating the equations of motion, compiling the equations, and solving the equations at the time steps
you specified. Note that in this example, 301 time steps are defined since the start and end time are 0 and
Simple Pendulum 2-8

1.5 seconds, respectively, with an increment 0.005. Pro/MECHANICA Motion will report results at these
301 time steps.

When the analysis is completed (pay attention to the

message appearing in the Prompt/Message window),
click Done in the Run window to return to the MEC
MOTION menu.

Results Visualization

We will see the animation of the pendulum motion and

create graphics for displaying analysis results of the
pendulum.

Motion animation
Figure 2-20 Run Window
From the MEC MOTION scroll-down menu, choose

Results > Animate > Start

In the Animate window (Figure 2-21), click (Play) to start the

animation, and click to stop it. The motion animation is
displayed in the Graphics window (Figure 2-22). Does the animation
make sense to you?

View result graph

We want to plot the angular position of the pin joint axis as a function
of time. To display a graph, you will choose, from the MEC MOTION
menu, Figure 2-21 Animate Window
Results > Graph > Jt Axis Pos > Pick [pin (rotational axis)] > Done Sel

In the Graphics window (Figure 2-23) a sinusoidal curve with an amplitude in [0.1, 0.] is shown. Is the
result what you expected? Click Done/Return to close the graph. Repeat the process to show angular
velocity and acceleration of the pin joint, as shown in Figures 2-24 and 25.

Create additional datum point for displaying results

We want to also display the velocity magnitude of the center of gravity of the rod. Since there is no
reference point (datum point) at the center of gravity of the rod, we will have to first create a datum point.
The datum point will be created by offsetting PNT0 45 mm toward PNT1 in rod (see Figure 2-15). To
create a datum point, we will choose from the MEC MOTION menu

Model > Datum Points > Create > Pick [rod] > Offset Point > Entity/Edge > Pick

Read the message in the Prompt/Message window, it says:

Select an axis, straight edge or straight curve.

Simple Pendulum 2-9

You may want to use the exploded view to see the datum entities
more clearly. We will pick axis A_1 of the rod as the direction for
the offset (see Figure 2-26). You may pick the axis label instead
of the axis itself since the rod and sphere are off from their initial
assembled position due to the motion animation. You may also
use Query Sel or Sel By Menu to make sure you pick the right
axis.

Once you pick the axis A_1, the message in the Prompt/Message
window shows the message:

Figure 2-22 Motion Animation

Figure 2-24 Angular Velocity of Pin1

Select vertices, points or coordinate systems to

offset from.
Figure 2-23 Angular Position of Pin1
Pick PNT0 of the rod (see Figure 2-26) and choose
Done Sel, a red arrow appears at PNT0 pointing to
PNT1 along the axis A_1.

Enter 45 in the Prompt/Message window, and

click the Enter key. A datum point PNT2 is
created at the center of the rod. Select Done >
Done/Return in the MEC MOTION menu to
complete the datum point creation.

Since there is no result recorded for this new

datum point, we have to run the analysis again to
generate motion data for the datum point. It is
better to create datum points before the motion
analysis to ensure you have complete results.

Before you re-run the analysis, you may want to

make sure that the initial conditions are Figure 2-25 Angular Acceleration of Pin1
Simple Pendulum 2-10

unchanged. To check the initial condition, choose

from MOTN MODEL scroll-down menu
Pick A_1
Init Conds > Edit > Joint Axis > Pick [pin joint, rotational (Label A_1 is
axis] behind PNT0)

In the Initial Conditions for Joint Axis window appearing

next, make sure that the INITIAL ROTATION is 0.1 and
the Required button is checked.
Pick PNT0
Run the motion analysis again, then display position result
for this datum point by choosing

Results > Graph > Pt Position > Pick [PNT2 in the rod]

A Select the Component window appears (Figure 2-27).

Choose Magnitude and Accept. Choose Done Sel from the Figure 2-26 Creating New Datum Point
scroll-down menu, the position graph will appear. What do
you expect to see? (A straight line? Why?) Choose
Done/Return to close the graph.

Choose X in the Select the Component window, and display the

datum point position. You should see a graph like the one in
Figure 2-28. We will verify the result in Section 2.4. Choose
different options and display more graphs.

Query results

You may query results from the motion analysis. For example,
if we want to query the joint axis pin at certain time steps, we
can choose
Figure 2-27 Select the
Results > Query > Jt Axis > Pick [pin] Component Window
The Query Joint Axis window (Figure 2-29)
appears. In this window, both definition and
results of the joint are displayed. Use the "+"
button to increase time steps, or directly type
a time step for desired results.

Report

You may generate a report for the motion

analysis. To create the report, choose

Results > Report

A Report Results window (Figure 2-30)

appears. Select Reactions (you may choose
other results) and click Accept. A report file
Figure 2-28 Position of Datum Point PNT2 in rod
Simple Pendulum 2-11

with a default name "results.rep" will be

created in your working directory.

2.4 Result Verifications

In this section, we will verify Motion results

using particle dynamics theory.

There are four assumptions that we have to

make in order to apply the particle dynamics
theory to this simple pendulum problem:

(1) mass of the rod is negligible;

(2) the sphere is of a concentrated mass;
(3) rotation angle is small; Figure 2-29 Query Joint Axis Results Window
(4) no friction is present.

The pendulum motion has been created to comply

with these assumptions as much as possible. We
expect that the particle dynamics theory will give us
results close to those of Motion. Two approaches
will be presented to formulate the equations of
motion for the pendulum. They are energy
conservation and Newton’s law.

Energy Conservation

Referring to Figure 2-31, the kinetic energy and

potential energy of the pendulum mass can be
written, respectively, as

1

T
J, (2.1)
2 Figure 2-30 Report Results Window

where J is the polar moment of inertia, i.e., J = m
2;

and

U = mg
(1cos ). (2.2)

According to the energy conservation theory, the total mechanical energy, which is the sum of the kinetic
and potential energies, is a constant with respect to time, i.e.,

d

T
U  0 , (2.3)
dt

where t represents time. Hence

Simple Pendulum 2-12

d 1 2

2


y
 m

mg
(1  cos )
 m
2 
mg
sin  0 . (2.4)
dt  2

Therefore,
x


g

sin  0 , and

g

  0 (2.5) 

when   0.

Newton’s Law
m
From the free-body diagram shown in Figure 2-32, the equilibrium
equation of moment at the origin along the z-direction (perpendicular to g
the paper) can be written as:
Figure 2-31 Particle





 M
 mg
sin = I  = m
 . 2
(2.6) Dynamics of Pendulum

Hence
y


g

sin  0 , and

g x

  0 , (2.7)

when   0.


Note that the same equation of motion has been derived from two
different approaches. The linear ordinary second order differential
equation can be solved analytically.

Solving the Differential Equation mg sin

It is well known that the solution to the differential equation is

mg cos

A1 cos  n t  A 2 sin  n t , (2.8) W = mg

g
where  n
, and A1 and A2 are constants to be determined by Figure 2-32 Free Body

Diagram
initial conditions.

The initial conditions for the pendulum are:

Simple Pendulum 2-13

(0) = 0 = 0.1 rad, and

(0)
0 .

Plug the initial conditions into the solution, we have

A1 = 0 = 0.1 rad, and

A2 = 0.

Hence, the solutions are


 0 cos  n t , (2.9a)



 0  n sin  n t , (2.9b)




 0  n 2 cos  n t . (2.9c)

The above equations for angular position, velocity, and

acceleration of the pin joint can be implemented into, for
example Microsoft Excel shown in Figure 2-33, for
numerical solutions. Columns B, C, and D in the
spreadsheet show the results of Eqs. 2.9a, b, and c,
respectively, at time 0 to 1.5 with an increment 0.005. Data
in these three columns are plotted in Figures 2-34, 35, and
36, respectively. Comparing Figures 2-34 to 2-36 with
Figures 2-23 to 2-25, the results obtained from theory and
Motion are very close, which means the motion model has Figure 2-33 Excel Spreadsheet
been properly defined, and Motion gives us good results.

Figure 2-34 Angular Position from Theory Figure 2-35 Angular Velocity from Theory
Simple Pendulum 2-14

However, these results are not identical. This is because that the Motion model is not really a simple
pendulum since mass of the rod is non-zero. If you reduce the diameter of the rod, the Motion results
should approach those of the theory.

The maximum angular velocity can be found at

  0 , where nt = n/2. In this case,  = 0 cos
(n/2) = 0. Hence

n
 max   0   0  n sin 

 2
g
  0  n   0


= 0.1 (9.903) = 0.9903 rad/sec.

Note that t = 0.1586, 0.3173, 0.4759 for n = 1, 2,

3, respectively.

From Pro/MECHANICAL Motion, the maximum

Figure 2-36 Angular Acceleration from Theory
angular velocity is 0.987789 rad/sec, which is very
close to our calculations (in magnitude).

How to show the maximum angular velocity in

Motion? Give a try to see if you can figure out
how to do it. Hint: define a measure for maximum
angular velocity at the pin joint. You should see a
graph of the measure like the one in Figure 2-37.
Then query the measure at time around 0.47 and
0.475. The measure changes from 0.98557 to
0.987789 (the maximum value), which means that
the maximum angular velocity appears between
0.47 and 0.475. This is very close to our
calculation for n = 3, i.e., t = 0.4759. Why n = 3?
Not n =1?
Figure 2-37 Maximum Angular Velocity
Simple Pendulum 2-15

Exercises:

1. A 1" 1" 1" block slides from the top of a 45o slope without
friction (due to gravity) as shown. Mass of the block is 1 slug.

(i) Create a Pro/MECHANICA Motion model to analyze

motion of the block. Report positions, velocities, and
accelerations of the block at 1 second in both vertical and
horizontal directions from your Motion analysis:

(ii) Derive and solve the equation of motion for the system.
Compare your results with those obtained from Motion.
45o
(iii) How to make the block to stop? For example, stop the
block at vertical height 100"? What will be the velocity of
Figure E2-1 The Block
the block right before it stops?
Sliding Problem

2. Simulate path of the ball that travel with an initial velocity Vx

= Vy = 100 in/sec, as shown in Figure E2-2. The ball radius is Y
0.5 in.

(i) Animate the path of the ball, and find out from Motion
how far the ball will travel?
X
(ii) Derive and solve the equation of motion for the ball.
Compare your results with those obtained from Motion. Figure E2-2 The Single Particle
Problem

3. Find the velocity of point B of rod R if end A has constant

velocity 2m/s to the right as shown in Figure E2-3. The rollers B
are small.
20 m
(i) Construct a Motion model and use Velocity Analysis
option to find the answer. R 12
(ii) Solve the problem analytically. Compare your results A 2 m/s
with those obtained from Motion. 5

X= 10 m

Figure E2-3 Sliding Rod




 





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Mechanical Engineering Design with
Pro/ENGINEER Release 2000i

Dr. Mark Archibald

Grove City College

Mechanical Engineering
Please note: This file contains the first 23 pages of Chapter 2. The entire
chapter is 53 pages long.
 CHAPTER 2
BASIC FEATURE CREATION AND MODEL
MANIPULATION

Chapter Objective:

• To teach students basic feature creation techniques.

• To teach students the importance of model

structure.

• To teach students to manipulate and save model

views.

2-1
The Pro/E Interface

The Main Window

Pro/E uses a graphical user interface that combines menus, toolbars, and windows to provide an
efficient working environment. The active model appears in the graphics area of the main
window (Fig 1).

Figure 3 Main Window

The header bar at the top of this window displays the model type and name, and indicates that
the model is active. (Active models display ***** before and after the model name.)

Figure 4 Header bar

The figure shows the header bar for a Pro/E part model named bracket2. The stars indicate that
this window is active.

The menu bar, containing non-model specific menus, lies just below the header bar.

Figure 5 Menu Bar

2-2
Following is a brief description of the menu bar options. Most of these menus are treated
extensively in later chapters.

File File commands, such as set working directory, save, open, create new
object, erase from RAM, delete either old versions or all versions of a file.

Note 1: When Pro/E saves a file, it does not overwrite the previously
saved version, but creates a new file with an incremented version number,
such as frame.prt.4 . Old versions of model files must be deleted, or
purged, periodically to prevent excessive numbers of files on disk.

Note 2: When a window is closed (see window menu), the model remains
in memory. To remove it from memory, use the erase command (be sure
to save the file first!)

Info Access model information commands, such as bills of material, model or

feature information, parent-child relations, etc.

View Access image viewing commands such as repaint screen, shade image,
model orientation, model colors and lights.

Utilities Set environmental variables, modify configuration options, set system

colors, etc.

Applications Select other applications, such a Pro/MECHANICA, Pro/SHEETMETAL,

or Pro/NCPOST.

Analysis Analyze the model and obtain measurements such as distance between
entities, lengths and areas; curvature, etc.

Window Activate, close or select a window. (Note that Pro/E can have multiple
windows open at any time, but only one will be active. In order to work on
a model, its window must be activated from this menu.)

Help Activate on-line help, either general or context-sensitive.

A toolbar, with icons for frequently-used commands, follows the menu bar. It contains icons of
frequently used commands, such as create new object, save model, open model, repaint screen,
orient model, and blank datums, axes, points or coordinate systems. The toolbar is easily
customized to contain icons for most Pro/E commands.

Figure 6 Toolbar

2-3
The main graphics area contains the Pro/E model, and is where most of the modeling work
occurs. A message area is located just above the graphics area. Important information and
prompts are provided in this area.

Important: Always check the message area to avoid missing important information.

A one-line help area appears on the bottom line of the window. When the cursor is placed over
a menu item or icon, a succinct description of the command is provided here.

When a model is opened or created, additional menus appear that are specific to the type of
model. These menus will be discussed in the exercises. Most menus have multiple levels, which
usually remain open as you move down the menu tree.

Model Tree

An additional window, called the Model Tree (Fig 2), also opens when a
model is activated or created. The model tree displays the hierarchy of
the model. For part models, features are listed in order, along with an
icon indicating the feature class (solid feature, datum feature, or surface.)
(By default, only components are shown for assembly models, although
assembly and part features can be easily shown on the tree.) Additional
columns can be added for more information. For example, it is often
useful to see feature IDs. The model tree is a "roadmap" for your model.
Good designers quickly learn to use the model tree frequently and
effectively. Figure 7 Model Tree

Usually, model features can be selected from either the model tree or the model itself. Also, if
the highlight option is activated (it is by default), the model feature is highlighted when the
cursor is placed over a feature on the model tree. This is very useful for identification of features
in complex models.

When Pro/E is started, an additional window may appear at the top of the screen. This window is
called the application manager, and is used to navigate between various applications and
windows. It contains a button for each open window. To pop a window to the foreground,
simply click on its button. When ending your work session, first exit Pro/E, then exit the
application manager.

Figure 8 Application Manager

2-4
Pro/E model views can be manipulated with the mouse easier than from the view menu. Mouse
view control -- zoom, spin, and pan -- is accomplished by pressing the control key while
simultaneously pressing one of the mouse keys and dragging.

Mouse View Control

Zoom Press Ctrl and the left mouse key while dragging right or left.

For a window zoom, press Ctrl and left click the mouse on opposite
corners of the zoom box.

Spin Press Ctrl and center mouse key while dragging.

Pan Press Ctrl and right mouse key while dragging

Good Design Practice

Design Intent

To effectively use Pro/E as a design tool, designers must not only know and understand the
software functionality, they must also know how to build models that behave as desired during
modifications or downstream applications. This is known as capturing design intent, and is
extremely important for reducing design cycle time. Unlike many CAD programs, Pro/E requires
the designer to think beyond basic geometry. Most parts designed in Pro/E will be modified,
sometimes drastically. Most will also be used with other applications, such as
Pro/MECHANICA, NC machining, mold design, injection molding simulation,
stereolithography, etc. If the part model is poorly constructed, modifications will be difficult,
perhaps requiring that the part be completely remodeled. Also, much time may be required to
repair or remodel the part prior to using any of the downstream applications. Some of the prime
benefits of the Pro/E package can be nullified by poor modeling.

Throughout this book, emphasis is placed on capturing design intent. Examples and tutorials
show good modeling practice and illustrate how the design intent is realized. Emphasis is placed
on understanding the model and what it will be used for prior to modeling. The importance of
model structure, especially parent-child relationships, is treated extensively. The Pro/E student
should strive not just to understand how to obtain desired geometry, but how to obtain the
desired geometry with a robust model.

Good practice starts at the feature creation level, where parameters and parent-child relationships
are defined. The structure of the model -- as reflected in the model tree -- is the second tier in
developing good models. Building robust assemblies is the third tier. Attention, planning, and
foresight will ensure that good design practice is obtained at all three levels.

2-5
Model Structure

Understanding how to structure a model is the first step to good design practice. Pro/E models
are hierarchical. Each feature (except the base feature) references earlier features in the model.
When the model is changed in any way, features regenerate in sequence. If the model has
changed in such a way as to delete the references for a feature, the regeneration process will fail
when it gets to that feature. (What to do then is covered in Chapter 6.) Thus it is very important
to understand the relationships between model features. These are known as parent-child
relationships.

Pro/E models are also parametric. Model geometry is defined by a set of parameters. The two
most common ways to define parameters are dimensions and alignments. When a dimension is
defined, it becomes a parameter of the model. It is important to consider this when creating
geometry, as the model parameters define how the model will behave when modified.
Alignments indicate that new geometry should be aligned with existing features (essentially a
dimension that always has a value of zero.)

Every Pro/E model should start with default datum planes.

These are three orthogonal datum planes that provide references,
either directly or indirectly, for all subsequent features in the
model. Recall that datum planes are infinite planes and have both
a red and a yellow side. Datum planes provide excellent
references for other features, and frequently models will contain
many of them. However, the default datum planes are special, in
that they provide a three-dimensional anchor for the entire model.

The first feature in any model should be default datum planes.

Figure 9 Default Datum
Thought should be given to the order of subsequent features. Planes
Sometimes the order is obvious: to model a cylindrical shaft with
a keyway, create a cylindrical protrusion followed by a cut. Other times careful thought is
required to ensure a robust model results. In addition, there are usually many different ways to
obtain a particular geometry. Learn as many of these methods as possible, then select the ones
that will best capture the design intent.

As features are added, parent-child relationships are created. For example, when a hole is placed
in a flat plate, three references are required: the surface on which the hole is placed and two
edges or surfaces used to define the location of the hole on the placement surface. All three
references could be to a single feature -- the flat plate, or they could be to different features, say
the flat plate, a datum plane and the surface of a cut in the plate. In the former case, the hole
would have only one parent. In the latter case, the hole would have three parents. It is usually
good to minimize the number of parent-child relationships in the model. Thus the first method is
usually, but not always, the best. It is always important to know what you are using for
references during feature creation.

2-6
In short, a Pro/E model is comprised of an ordered set of features held together in a web of
dimensions, alignments, and references. The web defines the parent-child relationships between
features.

Data Base Management

Although model structure is the most important aspect of good design practice, data base
management is also important. The File menu contains most of the commands needed. Selected
commands are discussed here, along with some tips for good file management.

New Creates a new model. A dialog box opens with the type of model (part is the
default) and the name of the new model (Fig 3). Select the model type by
clicking on the appropriate button, and enter the new name. Note that only the
base name should be provided -- Pro/E will append the correct extension based
on the type of file (For example, if the model is a part and bracket is entered,
the actual file name is bracket.prt.1.) There is also a button called copy from.
This loads an existing model into the new model (without affecting the old
model.) It is very useful if the new part is similar to an existing part. The
tutorials show how this feature is used to expedite model creation for all
models.

Open Opens an existing model. A dialog box appears showing file names of objects
in the current working directory. Click on the desired file and click the open
button. Note that the Type box permits files to be filtered by type, such as
part, assembly, manufacturing, etc. Icons provide shortcuts to navigate
through directories.

Working Sets the working directory. The working directory is the directory that Pro/E
Directory uses to look for files or to write new files (unless otherwise specified.) At the
start of each work session, set the working directory to ensure the files are read
and written correctly.

Erase Erases models from memory. When a window is closed, the model remains in
memory, or In Session. To clear memory, use the erase function. Two
options are available: Current or Not Displayed. Current will erase the
model in the active window from memory. Not Displayed brings up a dialog
box of all items in memory that are not displayed on the screen -- select all or
some for erasure. Note that files are NOT saved prior to erasing from
memory.

Delete Deletes files from the hard drive. The two options are to delete All Versions
or delete Old Versions. The latter purges all versions of the file except the
most recent.

2-7
 Save Save the current model to the hard drive. Note that you are prompted for the
object to save, which must exist in session (in memory.) The current model is
the default.

Other options include Save As (save model as a different object), Backup (save to a different
directory), and Rename (change the name of the model.)

Tips for good data management...

1. Create a new directory for each new project, with subdirectories as needed.
Pro/E can generate a large number of files and good project organization is
imperative.

2. Create subdirectories for each Mechanica analysis and each manufacturing

model.

3. Purge old versions frequently to prevent using excessive disk space. One
approach is to always purge prior to saving -- then you will always have
just one backup version. (Clearly, do not delete old versions if they are
needed for archives.)

4. Typing "purge" from a system window will delete old versions of all files
in the directory.

5. Remember that closing a window removes the model from the screen, but
does not erase it from memory or save it. To clear memory, use the Erase
command.

6. Always start Pro/E from the home directory, then use the working directory
command to change to the desired directory.

Pro/E Customization

There are many ways in which Pro/E can be customized. While some of these methods should
only be attempted by advanced users, many others are both important enough and simple enough
for the novice Pro/E user to use. The most important is the configuration file, typically called
config.pro. This file should reside in the same directory from which Pro/E is started (the home
directory.) It is an ASCII text file that contains configuration commands. When Pro/E is started,
it looks for this file, and automatically executes all the commands. This configures Pro/E for an
individual designer. The config.pro file can be modified during a session, but must be loaded

2-8
before changes take effect. The Edit Config and Load Config commands accomplish this (they
are found under Preferences on the Utilities menu.)

It is also quite simple to customize the toolbar. While the default toolbar is usually fine for
beginners, experienced Pro/E users may find that some additional commands are used very often.
It is convenient to place these commands as icons on the toolbar. In fact, several different
toolbars can be created, each with its own set of commands. To modify the toolbar, position the
cursor on the toolbar and press the right mouse button.

Pro/Help

This manual provides an introduction to Pro/E and is designed to get the student productive as
rapidly as possible. However, no tutorial or lab manual can include all the details of the many
Pro/E commands. Students should form the habit of using the on-line help to obtain more
information. On-line help, available through a web browser, is accessed in several ways. To
obtain access to all on-line manuals, use the Pro/HELP command on the Help menu. This
method permits browsing through any help manual desired. To obtain context-sensitive help on
a particular topic, use the What's This command on the Help menu. The cursor becomes a
question mark. Select a command from any menu, and the help screen for that topic appears.
Alternately, position the cursor over any command and press the right mouse button to bring up
context-sensitive help.

Develop the habit of using on-line help on a regular basis. This helps beginners master Pro/E
much more quickly.

Basic Feature Creation

A sound understanding of feature creation is crucial for effective modeling in Pro/E. Frequently
several feature types can be used to create the desired geometry. The designer must choose the
types that best capture his or her design intent. Then he or she must know the steps required to
create each feature.

This section presents an overview of four of the most fundamental solid features -- protrusions,
cuts, slots, and holes. (Solid features either add or remove solid "chunks" of material to the
model.) The intent is to familiarize the student with the nature of each type of feature so that
appropriate choices can be made regarding which to use for a particular task. The lab exercises
demonstrate implementation steps for each feature. Subsequent sections address additional
feature types, and are accompanied by appropriate lab exercises. A separate section describes
sketcher.

 Hint: Use context-sensitive online help to learn more details about each of the
following features.

2-9
Protrusions

A protrusion adds solid material to the model. Most protrusions are sketched features, meaning
that 2D geometry is first created using sketcher, and then swept through space in such a way as to
create a solid. There are several types of protrusions, depending on how the sketch is moved to
form the solid. A brief description of the protrusion menu picks:

Extrude The 2D sketch is moved in a straight line perpendicular to the sketch

plane. The resulting solid is prismatic.

Revolve The 2D sketch is rotated about an axis, through any desired angle. If the
angle is 360
, the resulting solid is axisymmetric

Sweep The 2D sketch is moved along a 3D path called a trajectory. The resulting
solid may be complex, but will always have a constant cross-section.

Several 2D sketches are used, located on parallel planes separated by

Blend distances prescribed by the user. The resulting solid changes cross-
sectional shape as it goes from one sketch to the next. The cross sections
may have any shape, but must be comprised of the same number of
segments. The resulting geometry is often complex.

From Quilt The solid is generated from a surface quilt (several connected surfaces.)
This type of protrusion is not sketched, and will be discussed in Chapter
12.

Advanced Several advanced methods of creating protrusions are also available, such
as the Variable Section Sweep and the Swept Blend. These features are
quite powerful, but somewhat more complex than the basic protrusions.
Some of these will be treated in later chapters.

Cuts

A cut removes solid material from the model. This menu option is only available if the model
contains solid geometry. Cuts are created exactly like protrusions, except that where the
protrusion adds material, the cut removes material. The menu options are identical to those for
protrusions -- Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, Blend, From Quilt, and Advanced. Like protrusions,
most cuts are sketched features. Once the section has been sketched, Pro/E prompts the user for
the which side of the section (sketch) should be removed.

2-10
Holes

Holes are pick-and-place features, meaning that they are not sketched. A hole always removes
material from the model, and always has a circular cross section. To create a hole, Pro/E only
needs to know on what surface the hole is to be placed, the location of the center of the hole on
the surface, the hole diameter, and the depth of the hole. Prompts are provided for all these
items.

There are two types of holes: Straight and Sketched. A straight hole is always cylindrical in
shape. A sketched hole is similar to a 360
revolved cut in that the axial cross section can be
sketched. Counterbores, countersinks, tapered holes, etc. can be created more easily with the
sketched hole feature than with a revolved cut.

Sketcher and Intent Manager

Sketcher, along with an enhancement called Intent Manager, is used for creating most Pro/E
features. It is a powerful tool for generating 2D sections, which are subsequently used to
generate 3D geometry. Sections are the resulting 2D entities which are produced by sketcher.
Typically, sketcher is invoked within a feature creation sequence, such as a protrusion, cut, or
slot. (It can also be used independently to create and save sections for later use, but that
functionality is not discussed here.) Mastery of sketcher is essential for efficient and effective
use of Pro/E. Fortunately, it is easy and intuitive – and smart. This section provides a brief
overview of sketcher. Chapter 5 describes sketcher assumptions and use in much greater detail.

Sections are created by sketching a rough approximation of the desired geometry. Dimensions,
alignments, and sketcher assumptions refine the sketch. The values of each dimension can then
be modified to obtain the exact desired geometry.

Sketcher automatically makes assumptions as the sketch is created. The Intent Manager
automatically places “weak” dimensions and alignments. If a user understands how sketcher and
intent manager work, he or she can usually ensure that most of the automatic dimensions,
alignments, and assumptions are correct. (Those that are not correct can easily be changed,
however.) This is the key to using sketcher effectively.

In order to create solid geometry, a section must be located with respect to the part. This is done
by first defining a sketching plane, then by aligning or dimensioning the section to the part. The
sketch plane is defined prior to entering sketcher mode. It can be either a datum plane or a flat
surface. The section is sketched on this plane. A point or an edge of a sketch can be forced to
always lie directly on an existing part entity, such as a datum plane, edge, side, or curve. This is
called alignment, and is one way to locate the section to the part within the sketch plane.
Alternatively, dimensions can be placed between the sketch an part entities. In either case,
sufficient alignments and dimensions must be provided to locate the section in both the vertical
and horizontal directions.

2-11
Intent manager automatically creates alignments and dimensions. However, the user must tell
intent manager what references should be used to do this. A sketch can not be started until
sufficient references are selected. Choosing references is important! Choosing correct references
will ensure that desired alignments and most dimensions are obtained automatically. This affects
not only the current section, but also parent/child relationships within the model. Some
guidelines for choosing references:

Any and all part entities to be aligned to the sketch must be selected.

Part entities to be used for dimensioning should be selected.

Choose references to obtain desired parent/child relationships. For example, choose

references that all belong to one feature to minimize the number of parents.

Sketching can begin once references are defined. Sketches consist of lines, arcs, circles, points,
and several advanced entities such as splines. Geometry types are selected either from the
GEOMETRY menu or from a pop-up menu activated by the right mouse button. Note that
entities snap to the references. Also, lines that are nearly vertical or horizontal snap to vertical or
horizontal respectively, and symbols V or H appear. These are two of the assumptions that
sketcher makes. (If you want a line at a very small angle from the horizontal, sketch it at a large
angle, and modify the angle value later.) Other assumptions are described below. As each
segment of the sketch is completed, dimensions appear in white.

 Note: Do not confuse a dimension (a parameter in the Pro/E model) with its value. It
is very important to create the correct dimension scheme, but values can be
changed very easily – within sketcher or later, in part mode.

These are “weak” dimensions, because they were created by the Intent Manager. Frequently
some of these need to be replaced with more desirable dimensions. Desirable dimensions can be
strengthened – that is, the user tells Pro/E that these dimensions should not be deleted. “Strong”
dimensions are shown in yellow. New dimensions can then be created. As they are created,
weak dimensions are removed. User-created dimensions are always “strong.” If a new
dimension conflicts with an existing strong dimension, Pro/E asks which dimension should be
deleted.

Understanding assumptions is important for effective sketcher use. Typically, assumptions are
obvious during a sketch because the pointer snap to the appropriate entity and a symbol for the
assumption appears. Sketcher assumptions are summarized below:

2-12
 Assumption Description Sym.

Equal radius Circles or arcs sketched with approximately equal R

radii are assumed to have exactly the same radii. (index)
The radius snaps to the assumed value.

Symmetry Entities approximately symmetric about a sketched 

centerline are assumed to be symmetric. Vertices
snap to symmetric positions.

Horizontal & Nearly horizontal or vertical lines are assumed to H or V

vertical lines be so. Lines snap to horizontal or vertical. (index)

Parallel or Lines nearly parallel or perpendicular to existing
or 

Perpendicular lines are assumed parallel or perpendicular. Lines (index)
lines snap to parallel or perpendicular.

Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to each T

other are assumed tangent. Entities snap to (index)
tangency.

Equal segment Lines of approximately the same length are L

length assumed to have the same length. Line snaps to (index)
length.

Point entities Point entities that lie near other entities (lines, arcs, 
lying on other circles) are assumed to lie on them. Point snaps to
entities entity. (Note: point entities include end points of
lines and arcs and center points of arcs and circles.)

Equal Center points of arcs and circles with nearly the  or 

coordinates same X and Y coordinates are assumed to have the (pairs)
same coordinates. Centers snap to X or Y
coordinate.

Sketcher assumptions can be used very effectively during sketching to quickly obtain the desired
section. If an assumption needs to be avoided, exaggerate the sketch. For example, place two
circles that should lie near, but not on, the same horizontal line well away from each other. This
forces sketcher to place a dimension rather than make an assumption. The value of the
dimension can be modified later to any desired value (even zero, but that is poor practice!)

2-13
After the sketch is complete, the values of the dimensions must be modified, and the sketch
regenerated. Additions, deletions, and further modification may then take place.

Some rules of thumb for sketcher:

Choose references carefully in order to achieve desired alignments, dimensions, and

parent/child relationships.

Exaggerate the sketch – avoid very small entities and undesirable assumptions. Use
Modify to achieve the desired geometry.

2-14
Exercise 2.1 Base

Objective: To introduce students to fundamental feature creation techniques, including extruded

protrusions, slots, and holes.

This exercise involves modeling the base part shown below. The best way to learn Pro/E
software is to dive right in and create a part model. That is exactly what this exercise involves.

 Note 1: Prior to starting this lesson, create a new directory called tutorial. (Do this in
a system window.)

 Note 2: Strive to complete the exercise as presented, however, explore the menus and
toolbar to become familiar with their functionality.

2-15
1. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory. Select File>Working Directory.

Select the tutorial directory to highlight it and select okay.

2. Create a new part named base. Select the create new object icon (blank paper).
(Or use File>New.)

Note that the radio button for part is selected by default. Enter the name base
and select OK. Create
New
3. Create default datums. From the Part menu, Select
Feature>create>datum>plane>default. The datums appear.

4. Create the base feature. Select Feature>Create>Protrusion.

Accept the defaults of Extrude and Solid. Select Done.

Accept the default of One Side. Select Done.

At the prompt to create a sketching plane pick on DTM3. (Note: To select a datum plane
pick either on the name tag or the border of the datum plane.) Accept the default direction by
selecting Okay.

For the second reference select Top and then pick on DTM2.

The model now reorients and Pro/E enters sketcher mode. The first task is to specify
references for the sketch. DTM2 and DTM3 will be used for references.

Verify that Specify Refs is highlighted and pick DTM1 and DTM2.

To create the section geometry, select Sketch (Note: the middle mouse key also selects
Sketch.)

For this example, it is important to have the plate symmetric about DTM2 and DTM3. To
ensure this symmetry, create two centerlines, aligned to DTM2 and DTM3.

From the LINE TYPE menu, select Centerline, accepting the default of 2 Points. Pick once
on DTM2 to begin the centerline. Note that this becomes a pivot point for the line. Drag the
line so that it aligns with DTM2 (a pair of small solid rectangles appear when aligned.) Pick a
second time on DTM2. The first centerline is created. Repeat for the second centerline,
using DTM3 as the alignment reference.

2-16
 Figure 12 Sketch of rectangular base feature.
Sketch a rectangle symmetric about the two centerlines. From the GEOMETRY menu, select
Rectangle. Use the grid and pick two diagonal corners of a rectangle symmetric about the two
centerlines. Note that the rectangle snaps to symmetry. Also, small arrows at the vertices
indicate the symmetry constraints. (Do not sketch a square!)

Dimensions for the width and height of the rectangle appear in white. These are called weak
dimensions (system-supplied dimensions.) The values for these dimensions may be quite
large at this point. We will now modify those dimensions.

From the SKETCHER menu, select Modify . Pick the horizontal dimension and enter a
value of 6.0. Pick the vertical dimension and enter a value of 4.0. To update the model to
conform to these new dimensions, it must be regenerated.

From the SKETCHER menu, select Regenerate. The sketch is now complete.

From the SKETCHER menu, select Done.

The depth of the solid rectangle must now be defined. From the SPEC TO menu, select
Blind>Done. Enter a value of .25.

To preview the base select Preview from the extrude dialog box. Press the control key while
dragging the mouse with the middle mouse key depressed to spin the model and view it from
different angles. Select OK from the PROTRUSION:Extrude dialog box. The protrusion is
now complete.

5. Create a cut in the protrusion. Select Feature>Create>Cut. Accept the defaults of

Extrude and Solid. Select Done.

2-17
Accept the default of One Side. Select Done.

At the prompt to create a sketching plane pick on the front side of the base. Ensure that the
arrow points into the base. If so, select Okay. If not, select Flip and check that the arrow
flips direction into the base, then select Okay. (The slot feature will begin on the sketching
plane and extend into the direction shown by the arrow. Clearly, in this case we want the slot
to extent into the part, rather than out into empty space.)

For the second reference select Top and then pick the top side of the part.

Figure 13 Orientation references for sketching the slot feature.

Turn off datum plane display for clarity. Select the Datum Planes on/off icon
from the toolbar to toggle the display.

Verify that Specify Refs is highlighted and pick the bottom edge of the part and
the right edge of the part. Datum
Planes

Figure 15 Sketcher references and the first line

Select Sketch. Accept the defaults for Line and Geometry. To sketch a single line as shown
(do not worry about dimensions yet) use a left pick to start and end the line, and middle pick
to terminate drawing lines. Note the H symbol, denoting a horizontal line.

2-18
Select Arc|Tangent End and create the 180
arc by a left pick on the end of the line
followed by a left pick when the sketch indicates 180
. The arc will snap to 180
. Note the
T indicating a tangency constraint and the two small solid rectangles representing the 180

constraint.

Figure 16 Line and arc showing constraint symbols

(Horizontal, Tangent, and 180
arc.)

Select Line to sketch a second straight line. Make sure the second line snaps to the same
length as the first line -- look for the L1 symbol indicating the equal length constraint. Finish
with a second tangent arc. It should complete the loop.

Figure 17 Completed sketch, prior to dimensioning.

2-19
Shortcuts  In sketcher, the middle mouse key toggles between the Line and Arc menus.

 The right mouse key initiates a pop-up menu with common sketcher
commands.

The default dimension scheme is not what is desired, so create new dimensions to replace the
undesired ones. Select Dimension|Normal. Pick the two center marks (center of the arcs),
place the pointer below the part and click the middle mouse key to place the dimension.
Select Horizontal and the dimension appears.

Now select the center mark of the left arc and select the bottom edge of the part (or the
dashed brown line representing the reference.) Middle mouse pick to the left of the slot to
place the dimension. The remaining default dimensions are acceptable.

To move any dimension, select Move and drag to the new position.

Add axis points at the centers of the arcs. Sketched axis points will become datum axes
when the slot feature is complete. Select Sketch>Adv Geometry>Axis Point.

Pick the center mark for each slot. A small x indicated the axis point is placed.

Figure 18 Completed sketch of cut after modifying

dimensions and regenerating.

2-20
 Modify the dimensions. Select Modify.

Pick the dimension from the right edge to the center and enter 1.75.
Pick the center-to-center dimension enter 2.5.
Pick the dimension from the bottom edge to the center mark and enter .75.
Pick the radius and enter .375.

Select Regenerate. The section is now complete. Select Done.

For the direction, the arrow should point toward the inside of the cut. If it is correct, select
Okay, otherwise select Flip>Okay.

Figure 19 Correct arrow direction for cut feature.

The SPEC TO menu defines the depth of the slot. Select Through All and Done.

Select Preview to review the slot, then select Okay to accept it. Shading the part by
selecting the Shaded View icon may be helpful.

Note the model tree and how the features appear in the model tree.

6. Create four holes for mounting feet to the base. Select Feature>Create>Solid>Hole. Select
Straight and Done.

Accept the default Linear and select Done.

The placement plane is the surface where the hole starts. Spin the model and select the top
surface of the part approximately 3/4" from the corner.

2-21
 Figure 20 References for hole placement.

Two references must be selected to provide dimensions to locate the hole on the placement
surface. The two side surfaces forming the corner of the plate should be chosen. Spin the
model and use Query Select to pick the first of these surfaces. Accept it when the entire
surface highlights, not just a single edge.

 Recall: right mouse key initiates Query Select; left mouse key picks, right mouse key
goes to next entity, middle mouse key accepts)

Enter .75 for the distance. Query select the second side and enter .75.

Accept the default of One Side and select Done. From the Spec To menu select Through
All and Done. Enter the diameter .25.

Preview the hole and select OK from the dialog box to complete the hole feature.

Figure 21 The completed hole feature

2-22
7. Turn on datum plane display by selecting the Datum Planes on/off icon.

Mirror the hole to create dependent copies. Select

Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent and Done.

Select the hole (Query Select may be helpful.) Select Done Select and then Done.

The command line prompts for a plane or datum to mirror about. Query select DTM2. The
second hole now appears.

Mirror both holes about DTM1. Select Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent and Done.

Select both holes. Select Done Select and then Done.

The command line prompts for a plane or datum to mirror about. Select DTM1. The second
set hole now appears.

Selecting the Dependent option, all three of the copied holes have the same parameters as the
initial hole. Thus, if the hole is modified, say to change the diameter, all four holes change
together. Subsequent lessons will address Independent copies.

Figure 22 Holes after using Copy>Mirror twice.

8. Save the part. From the toolbar, select the Save icon. Press Enter to accept the
default part name.

9. Review the model tree. From the PTC Application Manager window, select
Model Tree. The model tree window appears. Note the features on the tree:
Save icon
the three default datums, the base protrusion, the slot, the hole and the two
mirror features (listed as Group COPIED_GROUP.) Picking the + sign by either copy
feature explodes the feature to show the individual elements copied. Additional model tree
functionality is discussed in later lessons.

2-23
10. Modify the hole diameters. From the PART menu (select Done to return to this menu)
select Modify.

Pick any one of the four holes. The two linear placement dimensions and the diameter
dimension appear. Pick the .25 diameter dimension and enter .1875. Select Regenerate.

All four holes change to the new diameter. Any model parameter can be easily changed in
this way. Note that our design intent – ensuring that the four holes remain the same
diameter and the same distances from their respective corners – is captured in this model.

11. Experiment with the icons on the toolbar. Try shaded image, hidden line, and no hidden
views. Blank the datum planes and axes. The Saved View icon includes only one view, the
default view. The next lesson will include saving additional views.

Figure 24 The completed part.

End Exercise 2.1

2-24
Pro/ENGINEER Tutorial
Release 2000i 2
A Click-by-Click Primer

and Multimedia CD

Text by
Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta
Multimedia CD-ROM by
Jack Zecher, P.E.
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis


PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-1

Lesson 1 :
P ull-D ow n T op T oolchest

P rom pt/M essage

W indow
M enus

M A IN
(shortcut buttons) Q U IT
Introducing Pro/E and
C reate
N ew
O bject
G R A P H IC S
AREA
R ight T oolchest
(shortcut buttons)
Creating a Simple Object using
C om m and D escription
Sketcher

Synopsis
How to start Pro/E; representation of Pro/E command syntax; command flow in Pro/E; special
mouse functions; Pro/E windows; creating a part; using Sketcher; Sketcher constraints; changing
the view; saving a part; part templates.

Overview of this Lesson

We are going to cover a lot of introductory ground in this lesson. The main objectives are to
introduce you to the general procedure for creating features and let you “get into” the Pro/E
environment. We will go at quite a slow pace and not really accomplish much in terms of part
creation, but the central ideas will be elaborated and emphasized.

1. Starting Pro/ENGINEER

Pro/E windows
2. How commands are entered into Pro/ENGINEER

menu picks

command window

special mouse functions
3. How this tutorial will represent the command sequence
4. How to get On-Line Help
5. Creating a Simple Part

creating and naming the part

creating datum planes

creating a solid protrusion using Sketcher
6. Saving the part
7. Sketcher constraints during Regeneration

implicit constraints

unsuccessful regeneration

the “Sadder Mister” sequence
8. View controls: Orientation and Environment

naming views
9. Using Part Templates
10. Leaving Pro/ENGINEER
1-2 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction we are
going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which you probably
won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

Good luck and have fun!

Suggestion:
You may find it helpful to work with a partner on some of these lessons because you
can help each other with the "tricky bits." You might split the duties so that one
person is reading the tutorial while the other is doing the Pro/E keyboard and mouse
stuff, and then switching duties periodically. It will also be handy to have two people
scanning the menus for the desired commands and watching the screen. Pro/E uses a
lot of visual queues to alert you to what the program is doing or requires next.

Starting Pro/ENGINEER

To start Pro/ENGINEER, type proe2000i2 at your system prompt and press the Enter key1. The
program takes a while to load so be patient. The startup is complete when your screen looks like
Figure 1. The screen shown in the figure is the bare-bones, default Pro/E screen. If your system
has been customized, your interface may look slightly different from this. The main graphics area
is, of course, where most of the action will take place. Windows users will be quite at home with
the pull-down menus and the use of the short-cut buttons at the top and right side of the screen
(called the toolbars or toolchest). As you move the mouse across the short-cut buttons (several
will be grayed out and inactive at this time), a brief description will appear on the bottom of the
Pro/E window, and a tool tip window will pop up. The prompt/message window below the top
toolchest shows brief system messages (including errors and warnings) during command
execution. Pro/E is usually set up to show only the last 2 lines of text in this message area, but
you can resize this area by dragging on the lower horizontal border. You can also use the scroll
bars at the right to review the message history. The prompt/message area is also where text is
typed at command prompts that ask for information such as dimensions and part names.

1
You may have to check this sequence with your local system administrator, as different
installations may handle the Pro/E launch differently. Under Windows, there may be an icon on
your desktop, or you can look in the Start menu on the Windows Taskbar.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-3

P u ll-D o w n T o p T o o lch est

M enus (sh o rtcu t b u tto n s) Q U IT
P ro m p t/M e ssa g e
W in d o w
M A IN
G R A P H IC S
C re a te AREA R ig h t T o o lch est
New
O bje ct (sh o rtcu t b u tto n s)

C o m m a n d D e scrip tio n

Figure 1 The Pro/ENGINEER 2000i2 screen (default settings)

We will digress a bit to discuss how this tutorial will deal with command entry.

How commands are entered into Pro/ENGINEER

There are a number of ways that you will be interacting with the program: menu picks, buttons,
keyboard entry, and special mouse functions. These are described below.

Pull-Down Menus

The main pull-down menus are presented across the top of the Pro/E window. Click on the File
menu to open it and scan down the list of available commands. Many of these have direct
analogs and similar functions to familiar Windows commands. Move your cursor across to each
pull-down menu in turn and have a quick look at the available commands. We will introduce
these on as “as-needed” basis as we go through the lessons. Some menu commands will open up
a second level menu (these have a
symbol). Commands unavailable in the current context are
always grayed out. The available menu choices will also change depending on the current
operating mode.
1-4 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Short-cut Buttons

Immediately below the pull-down menus is a row of short-cut buttons. The buttons in the default
screen setup are shown in Figure 2. There are basically four groups of buttons, as indicated on
the figure. Other buttons may appear on this row as you enter different parts of the program.
Buttons not relevant to the current program status are either not shown or are grayed out. Move
your cursor across the buttons, and a pop-up window will tell you the name of the button and the
command associated with the button is described in a line of text below the graphics window.
Note that there is another set of buttons on the right side of the graphics window. These are
discussed a bit later. You can add your own buttons to customize either of these areas2.

VIE W
R epaint D ATU M S
Zoom In
Z oom O ut D atum P lanes on/off
R efit to S creen D atum A xes on/off
O rient M odel D atum points on/off
S aved V iew List C oord S ystem s on/off

C ontext
S ensitive
H elp

P rint M odel Tree on/off

S ave A s S hading
S ave N o H idden
O pen O bject H idden Line
C reate N ew O bject W irefram e

FILE S D ISP LA Y
Figure 2 Top toolchest (default) with groups (toolbars) of related buttons

Menu Picks

Many other commands (and command options) are initiated using picks on menus that will
appear at the time they are needed. These function menus will show up to the right of the main
window, with commands arranged vertically. As you move the mouse pointer up and down
within the command menus, a one-line message describing the command under the pointer will

2
Customization of the interface is discussed in Lesson #1 in the Pro/ENGINEER
Advanced Tutorial available from Schroff Development Corp.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-5

appear at the bottom of the graphics window.

Suggestion:
As you start to learn Pro/E, each time you come to a new menu get in the habit of quickly
scanning up and down the listed commands and noting the brief message in the command
window. In this way, you will build a familiarity with the location of all the commands.

You execute a command by picking it using the left mouse button. Menu choices that are
"grayed-out" are either not available on your system or are not valid commands at that particular
time. Often, when you pick a command, other menus will pop open below the current one. When
these represent options for the current command, the default option will be highlighted. You can
select another option by clicking on it. There may be several groups of options on a single menu
separated by horizontal lines. Any options not currently valid are grayed out. When all the
options in a menu are set the way you want, click on Done at the bottom of the option menu
window.

Helpful Hint:
Clicking the middle mouse button is often synonymous with selecting Done or pressing the
Enter key on the keyboard.

You can often back out of a command menu by pressing an available Done-return or Quit
command, or by pressing a command on a higher menu. At some times, you will be given a
chance to Cancel a command. This often requires an explicit confirmation, so you don’t have to
worry about an accidental mouse click canceling some of your work.

Very Important Hint:

Regarding window management, DO NOT maximize the main Pro/E screen, and DO NOT
resize or move the main or menu windows. Pro/E is pretty good about placing these so that
they don’t collide or overlap. If you start messing with the window size and placement,
sooner or later you will bury a command menu behind other windows, particularly if your
computer has a small screen. This will cause you a lot of confusion. Let Pro/E do its own
window management for now.

Pop-Up Menus

One of the big changes in Pro/E 2000i2 is the number of pop-up menus used. These are available
in a number of operating modes by clicking (and holding down) the right mouse button. This
brings up a pop-up menu at the cursor location which contains currently relevant commands, that
is, they are context sensitive. These commands are often listed in the menus to the right, but
having them pop-up at the cursor location means you don’t have to keep taking your attention off
the graphics window.

Command Window

Occasionally, you will enter commands from the keyboard. Generally, we will only use the
keyboard to enter alphanumeric data when requested, such as object or file names, numerical
1-6 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

values, and so on. Note that when Pro/E is expecting input in the command window, none of the
menu picks will be "live."

Helpful Hint:
If your mouse ever seems "dead", that is the menus won’t respond to mouse clicks, check
the message window; Pro/E is probably waiting for you to type in a response.

You will have to get used to watching three areas on the screen: the menu(s), the graphics
window, and the command/message window. At the start, this will get a little hectic at times.
Until you become very familiar with the menu picks and command sequence, keep an eye on the
one-line message description in the message window. There is often enough information there to
help you complete a command sequence.

Special Mouse Functions

Locations within the graphics window and menu commands are generally identified and/or
selected using a left mouse click. However, all three mouse buttons have been set up to provide
shortcuts for operations within the graphics window. The basic ones are shown in Table 1.1. The
more comfortable you get with these mouse functions, the quicker you will be able to work. They
will become second nature after a while.

Other mouse functions will be introduced a bit later in the lessons. These have to do with the use
of a powerful mode of operation of a program (called Sketcher) using a new program feature
introduced in Pro/E 20 (called the Intent Manager). When we get to creating drawings (Lesson
#8), we will find some more mouse commands specifically for that mode.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-7

Table 1-1 Pro/ENGINEER Mouse Commands (PART MODE)

Mouse Mode LEFT MIDDLE RIGHT

Regular Pick Done Query Select
Done Select or
Enter pop-up menu
Dynamic View Control (drag) (drag) (drag)
(press and hold CTRL + mouse Zoom In/Out 3D Spin Pan
button...)
Zoom Window Click opposite
(press CTRL plus ...) corners of zoom
box
Query Select Pick Accept Next
Mouse Sketch - Draw Entity Line Circle Tangent Arc
Mouse Sketch - Line mode Abort/End
Mouse Sketch - Circle mode Abort/End
Mouse Sketch - Tangent arc mode Abort/End
Sketcher Dimension - Linear Pick entity Place Dimension
Sketcher Dimension - Radius Pick arc/circle Place Dimension
Sketcher Dimension - Diameter Double pick Place Dimension
arc/circle

How this tutorial will represent the command sequence

In the early lessons, we will try to discuss each new command as it is entered (usually by
selecting from a menu). Eventually, you will be told to enter a long sequence of commands that
may span several menus and/or require keyboard input. We will use the following notation in
these long sequences:

 If you select a command that starts up another menu window, followed by a selection from
the new menu, you will see the notation using the “>” sign as follows:

menu1 > menu2

 If a number of picks are to be made from the same menu you will see the notation using the
1-8 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

“|” sign as follows (these are generally selected in a top-to-bottom order in the menu):

option1 | option2 | option3

 If you are to enter data through the keyboard, you will see the notation using square
brackets “[...]” as follows:

[block]

In this case, just enter the characters inside the square brackets.

Thus you might see a command sequence in a lesson that looks like this:

Feature > Create > Solid > Protrusion > Extrude | Solid | Done

If a command is launched using a toolbar button, that will be stated in the text.

How to get On-Line Help

Since Release 18 of Pro/E, extensive on-line help has been available. The help pages, consisting
of the entire Pro/E user manual set (many thousands of pages), are viewed using a browser (the
default is Netscape). There are three ways to access the help files:

1. Right-clicking on a command in the menus will show a button that you can press to
bring up the relevant pages in the manual (context sensitive help).

2. Selecting the Pro/E Help System command from the Help pull-down menu.

3. Click the What’s This button on the right end of the top toolbar. Then click on
any command or dialog window.

3. Launch your browser and point the URL to the location3

file:/e|/ptc/proe2000i2/html/usascii/proe/master.htm

where e:/ptc/proe2000i2 is the drive and directory where you have the program
installed. Some installations may have the help files installed on a separate file server.

Once the Help pages are launched (this may take a few seconds), you can page forward or back,
or bring up additional navigation tools by selecting the “Contents” button. These tools include a
contents listing (Figure 3), an index (Figure 4), and a search function (Figure 5). The last two

3
Check this location with your local system administrator.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-9

require some time to load the data.

Figure 3 On-line Help - Figure 4 On-line Help - Index Figure 5 On-line Help - Search
Contents

Helpful Hint:
When you are finished browsing through the help pages, you should minimize the browser
rather than closing it. This will save you time if you want to start it up again later.

You are strongly urged to explore the on-line help. If you have a few minutes to spare now and
then, browse through the manuals (especially the Pro/ENGINEER Foundation sections). In the
beginning, it will be a rare event when you do this and don’t pick up something useful. If you
desire and have the local facilities, you can obtain hard copy of these manual pages using your
browser. Your system may have postscript versions of these pages - check with your system
administrator. Be aware of the cost and time involved in printing off large quantities of
documentation.

Creating a Simple Part using Sketcher

In the first two lessons, we will create a simple block with a circular hole and a central slot. By
the end of the second lesson your part should look like Figure 6 below. This doesn't seem like
such a difficult part, but we are going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts.
Try not to go through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your understanding of how
Pro/E works.

Not only are we going to go slowly here, but we are going to turn off some of the default actions
of Pro/E. This will require us to do several things manually instead of letting the program do
them automatically. This is so that you will have a better understanding of what the many default
actions are and do. Furthermore, eventually you will come across situations where you don’t
want the default and you’ll need to know what to do.

The first thing to do here is to turn off a special window called the Model Tree. We will be
1 - 10 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

discussing this later on. Close it by selecting

View > Model Tree

to turn off the check mark or press the short-cut button in the top toolbar so that it is not
pressed in.

Next, we are going to turn off Intent Manager, which is a tool used in Sketcher. From the pull-
down menus select

Utilities > Environment

Near the bottom of this menu, turn off the check beside Sketcher Intent Manager. Then OK (not
Close).

Figure 6 Final block at the end of lesson 2

Figure 7 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the Part

Click the “Create new object” short-cut button (see Figure 2), or select File > New. A window
will open (Figure 7) showing a list of different types and sub-types of objects to create (parts,
assemblies, drawings, and so on). In this lesson we are going to make a single solid object called
a part. Select

Part | Solid

Deselect the Use Default Template option at the bottom. Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc.
can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient computer memory) in the current session. All
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 11

objects are identified by unique names4. A default name for the new part is presented at the
bottom of the window, something like [PRT0001]. It is almost always better to have a more
descriptive name. So, double click (left mouse) on this text to highlight it and then type in

[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part name and press Enter or select OK.

The New File Options dialog window opens, as

shown to the right. Since we elected (in the
previous window) to not use the default template
for this part (NOTE: templates are discussed
towards the end of this lesson), Pro/E is presenting
a list of alternative templates defined for your
system. As mentioned previously, we are going to
avoid using defaults this time through. So, for now,
select

Empty | OK.

At this time, BLOCK should appear in the title

area of the graphics window. Also, the PART
menu should appear to the right of the main
window.
Figure 8 Setting options for new parts

Create Datum Planes and Coordinate System

We will now create the first features of the part:

three reference planes to locate it in space. These D a tu m P lan e
are called datum planes. It is not strictly D a tu m A xis
necessary to have datum planes, but it is a very
good practice, particularly if you are going to D a tu m C u rve
make a complex part or assembly. The three D a tu m P o in t
default datum planes are created using the
“Datum Plane” button on the right toolbar, as C o o rd S yste m
shown in Figure 9. Do that now. A n a lysis F e a tu re
Figure 9 Right toolbar buttons for creation
of datums
The datum planes represent three orthogonal
planes to be used as references for features to be created later. You can think of these planes as
XY, YZ, XZ planes, although you generally aren’t concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation.

4
Pro/E can keep track of objects of different types with the same names. For example a
part and a drawing can have the same name since they are different object types.
1 - 12 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Your screen should have the datum planes visible, as shown in Figure 10. (If not, see the Hint
below.) They will resemble something like a star due to the default 3D viewing direction. Note
that each plane has a name: DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3. This view is somewhat hard to
visualize, so Figure 11 shows how the datum planes would look if they were solid plates.

Although not strictly necessary for this part, we will establish a datum coordinate system. The
command is started using the “Coord System” shortcut button shown in Figure 9. This opens a
menu with a number of options for creating the position and orientation of the system. For now,
select

Default | Done

There should now be an x, y, z icon labeled CSO in the middle of the datum planes. Your screen
should now look like Figure 10. Again, depending on your system settings, you may also have a
red-green-blue triad located at the center of the screen. This is called the Spin Center. This is
not included in the part model but is strictly a display device to help visualize the 3D orientation
of the model. Note the sequence red-green-blue (RGB) and the default axis directions (XYZ).

Figure 11 Datum planes represented as

Figure 10 Default Datum Planes solids

Hint:
You can change the visibility of the datum planes in two ways:
click the “Datum
planes” short-cut button in the top toolbar (not the one on the right side - it does
something different), or  select Utilities > Environment and change the check box
beside Datum Planes. Note that the Environment command lets you change the
visibility and display of a number of items. Scan this list quickly before closing the
window by clicking OK. Many of these environment settings (the most common ones)
are duplicated by the short-cut buttons. Turning the datums off does not mean they are
deleted, just not displayed. You may turn them back on at any time by re-issuing
either of these commands.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 13

Creating a Solid Protrusion using Sketcher

Now its time to start building our part! The base feature is the primary shape of a part and is
(usually) the first solid feature made in the model. For the block we’re working on, it is an
extruded polygon. Later, we will add the hole and slot as child features. In Pro/E, new geometric
features are usually created by specifying some sketching plane, creating a 2D shape or sketch in
that plane, and then extending the shape into 3D either by extrusion, sweeping, or revolving.
Let's see how that works for the simple block. We will perform the following steps that are
common to most solid features:

1. Identify the Feature Type

2. Identify/Specify Feature Elements/Attributes
3. Make a 2D sketch of the basic geometry
4. Generate the feature by manipulating the sketch into 3D by extrusion, revolving,
sweeping, blending and so on
5. Preview the feature
6. Accept the new feature

At any time during this process, you can cancel the operation. For the block, the base feature type
is a solid protrusion. Feature elements include the sketching plane, the sketched shape, extrusion
direction and depth. The shape is set up in a program called Sketcher.

To start the block, follow this sequence of commands

(starting from the PART menu):

Feature > Create > Solid

Protrusion > Extrude | Solid | Done

A window will open as shown in Figure 12. This shows

the elements that must be defined to specify this feature.
The current feature type (extruded protrusion) is shown
at the top of the window. The window shows that we are
defining the feature attributes. As we go through the Figure 12 The Feature Elements
process of defining elements, we will use a mix of menu Window
picks and, possibly, some values entered at the keyboard
(usually numerical). This window will show us a summary of the specified data and record our
progress as we create the feature.

As you proceed, you will be asked several questions and be presented with a considerable
number of options. We won't go into a lot of detail on all these options now, because you
probably want to get on to the good stuff as soon as possible. Just follow the menu picks
described below.

First you must specify whether you want the extrusion to happen on one or both sides of the
sketch plane (we'll set that up next). For now, choose the following (and remember that a
highlighted menu item is pre-selected, and the middle mouse button means Done):
1 - 14 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

One Side | Done

Now (see the message window) you need to choose a sketch plane on which to draw the cross-
sectional shape. For the block, the sketch plane will be one of the datum planes. You can use
any planar entity as a sketch plane (including the surface of an object). The sketch plane is
selected by using the left mouse button on either the edge or the nametag of the datum plane (or
by clicking on any planar part surface). In this instance, you will use DTM3 as your sketch plane,
so click on the label DTM3.

A red arrow will appear somewhere on the edge of DTM3. Read the bottom line in the message
window. For practice, choose the command Flip on the DIRECTION menu. This enables you to
determine the direction of the extrusion off the sketching plane. For this step, ensure the arrow is
pointing down/forward from DTM3 (in the positive Z direction) using Flip if necessary. Then
choose Okay to commit the direction.

Next, a sketching reference plane must be chosen. This can cause a lot of confusion for new
users, so pay attention! This reference plane is used to orient how we will look at the sketching
plane just selected (DTM3). Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane5 and one-sided
protrusions are always created towards you (coming out of the screen from the sketch). This
means, in the present case, that we are going to be looking directly at the yellow side of the
datum plane, in the -Z direction. Since we can rotate our view of the sketch arbitrarily around the
Z axis, we must tell Pro/E how we want to set the orientation of our view of the sketch. We
orient our view by choosing a reference plane. This can be any datum plane or planar part surface
that is perpendicular to the sketch plane. We specify the direction that plane or surface will face
in our view of the sketch (top, right, bottom, or left side of the screen). Unfortunately, Pro/E
requires us to specify these in the opposite order - that is, first we select the direction we want the
reference to face, then we select the reference plane itself. Read this paragraph again, since
new users are quite liable to end up drawing their sketches upside-down!

To illustrate this crucial point, consider the images shown in Figure 13. These show two cases
where different datums were chosen as the Top sketching reference. In both cases, the sketching
plane was DTM3. On the left, the Top reference chosen was DTM2. On the right, the Top
reference chosen was DTM1. The identical sketch, shown in the center, was used for both cases.
However, notice the difference in the orientation of the part obtained in the final shaded images.
Both of these models are displayed in the default orientation (check the datum planes). Clearly,
choosing the sketching reference is important, particularly for the base feature.

5
Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can manipulate
your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane. We will not attempt
that here.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 15

Figure 13 The importance of the sketching reference plane!

Note that there is a default setting available for the sketch reference. Until you get more
experience with Pro/E, it is suggested that you avoid this. The default is chosen based on the
current view orientation of the part. Therefore, the results can be unpredictable and quite likely
not what you want.

Select Top from the SKET VIEW menu. The plane or surface we select next will face the Top
of the screen in the sketch we are about to make. Click on DTM2 (this determines the plane that
you want to orient in the direction chosen).

IMPORTANT:
Another window titled “Sketcher Enhancement - Intent Manager” may also open up. We
will be discussing this powerful tool a bit later in Lesson 2. For now, Close this window.
1 - 16 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

The graphics window should now appear

as shown in Figure 14. The background
color may have changed depending on your
system settings. Note that the datum plane
DTM3, that you identified as the sketching
plane, is facing towards you (you should
see a yellow square). The other datum
planes (DTM1 and DTM2) appear in edge
view, with a yellow side and a red side.
The yellow and red sides of datum planes
will be more clear when you view them in
3D in a couple of minutes.

The yellow side (positive) of DTM2 faces

the top of the sketch, exactly as you
specified above. Note that we could have
obtained the same orientation by selecting Figure 14 The drawing window in Sketcher
Right > DTM1.

Observe the location and orientation of the coordinate system CSO and the spin center.

The Sketcher menus at the right of the screen are what you will use to create the 2D sketch for
the part. Note also that some new short-cut buttons have appeared at the top of the screen. One of
these is to turn the dashed grid off - try that now, then use the “Repaint” button to clean up the
screen.

Defining the Sketch using Sketcher

The Sketcher menu is now open on the right side of the screen. This is actually the old version of
the Sketcher menu used prior to the incorporation of Intent Manager (which occurred in Release
20). As mentioned above, we have turned off Intent Manager for now so that you can understand
some of the underlying principles involved in creating a sketch. You need to know this clearly in
order to use Intent Manager effectively. Furthermore, there will be rare occasions when you want
to turn Intent Manager off and do everything yourself. Some practice with the old Sketcher
interface will be useful.

Sketcher is a powerful tool for entering 2D shapes. It is where most of the part geometry creation
happens and goes considerably beyond ordinary 2D computer drawing. It is truly a sketching tool
since you don't have to be particularly accurate with the geometric shape you give it, as shown in
the two figures below.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 17

Figure 15 Geometry input by user. Note

misaligned vertices, non-parallel edges, non- Figure 16 Geometry after processing by
tangent curves. Sketcher. Note aligned vertices, parallel
edges, tangent curves.

Sketcher is fun (but sometimes also frustrating) to use because it is so smart. Sketcher has a
number of built-in rules for interpreting your sketch. For example, lines that "look like" they are
at 90 degrees to each other are assumed to be exactly that; lines that "look" horizontal are
assumed to be; and so on. The only thing Sketcher requires is that you give it just enough
information (not too little or too much) to be able to construct the shape unambiguously using its
internal rule set and the dimensions that you provide.

Familiarity with Sketcher is very important. We won't go into a lot of detail with it at this time,
but will gain experience steadily as we progress through the lessons. You would be well-advised
to come back later and play around with more of the Sketcher functions as often as you can
(perhaps doing some of the exercises at the end of the lesson). In any part creation, you probably
spend more time in Sketcher than anywhere else in Pro/E.

Before we proceed, make sure that the Sketch and Mouse Sketch commands are highlighted.
You might also like to review the mouse commands in Table 1-1.

Drawing the Sketch

With the left mouse button, click once at each of the four corners of a rectangle as described
below and illustrated in Figure 17. After each click, you will see a straight line rubber-band from
the previous position to the cursor position. You do not have to be super accurate with these click
positions. You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these actually
extend off to infinity. The displayed extent of datum planes will (eventually) adjust to the
currently displayed object(s). Here are the points to sketch the rectangle:

1. left-click at the origin (intersection of DTM1 and DTM2)

2. left-click above the origin on DTM1
1 - 18 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

3. left-click horizontally to the right

4. left-click straight down on DTM2
5. left-click back at the origin
6. middle-click anywhere on the screen

This will complete the polygon and the screen should look similar to this (minus the balloons):

Figure 17 Drawing the Sketch

The sketched entities are shown in light blue (actually, cyan). The visible lines may only be
partially seen due to the datum planes. Note that we didn't need to specify any drawing
coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for that matter, are any coordinate values displayed anywhere
on the screen. This is a significant departure from standard CAD programs. We also didn’t need
the grid or a snap function (although both of these are available in Pro/E).

To help us see the orientation of the part in 3D wireframe, we’ll add a couple of rounded corners
on the top corners of the sketch. In the GEOMETRY menu, select

Arc > Fillet

and pick on the top and right lines in the sketch close to but not at the corner. A circular fillet is
created to the closest pick point. Then pick on the top and left lines. Your sketch should look
like Figure 18. Don’t worry if your proportions are slightly different, or the rounded corners are
not this size.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 19

Figure 18 Sketch with fillets

Quick note:
If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, you can choose Delete from the
SKETCHER menu and click on whatever you wish to remove. Then replace or add
lines by selecting Sketch and Mouse Sketch again. We will cover more advanced
Sketcher commands a bit later.

 Aligning the Sketch

Next the sketch will be aligned with the datum planes. Aligning is how you specify locational
relations between lines and vertices in your sketch and existing part features. By aligning
sketched entities, you are essentially telling Pro/E to "keep this entity in the sketch lined up with
this previously created line, edge, or surface." Here are some important things to note about
alignments:

 You can only align new sketched features (in light blue) to previously defined features (in
white or gray) or datums (planes, axes, curves, or points).
 You can't align any part of a sketch to another part of the same sketch.
 Alignment does not mean “make this line parallel to that one,” which is a very common
misinterpretation with new users.

Explicitly defining alignments is one reason why our sketch doesn't have to be absolutely precise
- Pro/E will make sure that the geometry will be created as you specify using alignments and
dimensions. Select the following

Alignment > Align > Pick

1 - 20 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Read the message in the message window. Click on the lower horizontal line of the sketch and
then anywhere on the datum DTM2. In the message window,

--- ALIGNED ---

appears indicating a successful alignment, and a brown patterned line appears on the sketch at the
alignment location. If alignment fails, you will see an error message. Try to align the top
horizontal line of the sketch with DTM2. This will fail. Why? In order for alignment to
succeed, the line must be "close" to the object you are aligning to (and remember that alignment
does NOT mean “make parallel”). In the future, if your sketch is very inaccurate, you might have
to zoom out on your sketch to bring the entity and the alignment reference closer together (within
a few pixels on the screen).

Align the left vertical line and the plane DTM1. You can do this very quickly by double clicking
on the sketch line since the datum plane is right underneath it.

 Dimensioning the Sketch

So far, we have told Sketcher where our sketch is located using the alignments. Now we have to
tell it how big the sketch is using dimensions. These (location and size) are two basic
requirements for a successful sketch.

Click on Dimension in the SKETCHER menu. There are many ways to dimension this sketch.
What follows is the easiest way (not necessarily the best!). Again, you might like to review the
table of special mouse functions (Table 1-1).

Click the left mouse button on the lower horizontal edge of the sketch. Position the cursor below
the sketch and click the middle mouse button. A dimension will appear with letters something
like 'sd0'. The sd indicates that this is a sketch dimension; the 0 is a dimension identifier/counter
generated by Pro/E. Each dimension in a sketch, part, or assembly has a unique identifier - this
will be important later when we get to relations. This is the basis of the parametric nature of
Pro/E. Dimensions are numbered successively, (eg. sd0, sd1,etc). So, if sd0 has already been
used, the next dimension will be labeled sd1.

With Dimension > Pick still highlighted, left click on the upper and lower horizontal lines.
Move the cursor to the right of the sketch and click the middle mouse button to place the
dimension. Now left click on one of the arcs at the top, move away from the arc, and middle-
click. Dimension the other arc the same way. Your dimensioned sketch should look something
like Figure 19. Don’t worry if your dimension symbols are different; what matters is the intent of
the dimensioning scheme.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 21

Figure 19 Dimensioned sketch (before

regeneration)

 Regenerate

Click on the command Regenerate on the SKETCHER menu. What does regeneration do? You
will recall that Sketcher has a number of built-in rules to interpret your sketch. (We will discuss
these rules at length a bit later in this lesson.) Regeneration calls on these rules (if necessary) to
"clean up" your freehand drawing, also using the dimensional references and any alignments that
you supplied. During regeneration, Sketcher determines correctness of your sketch. The three
possible outcomes are

1. geometry underspecified
This is usually caused by missing alignments or incomplete dimensioning. The locations
and lines that Sketcher cannot locate are shown in red (this is called "the measles" and
everyone gets them sooner or later!). A message appears in the message window telling you
to locate the indicated vertices. The Dimension command is automatically selected,
although it may be that you have just forgotten to align some part of the sketch to the
existing features.

2. geometry overspecified
There are more dimensional references than are required to specify the geometry.
Redundant dimensions are shown in red, and the Delete command is automatically selected.
Click on any dimension (ie. not just the red ones) to delete it. Be warned that clicking on
any dimension may not necessarily solve your problem, since the problem may be
elsewhere in the sketch. Note also that if a sketch is created by aligning all the geometric
entities to previously created features, it may not be necessary to supply any dimensions for
the new sketch. You may sometimes find that Sketcher needs fewer dimensions than you
think it should. This is because it can figure out "missing" dimensions using its internal rule
set. This can be good or bad, depending if you want any of those internal rules to be
1 - 22 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

invoked. If any dimensions that you specify are not needed, the geometry is overspecified.
If any dimensions that you give cause a conflict with the internal rule set, the regeneration
will fail.

3. regeneration successful
Everything went just fine and the message "Section regenerated successfully." appears in
the message window. Give yourself a pat on the back!

You can see that Sketcher is a very powerful geometry engine. And you can see why you only
need to provide a rough sketch of the geometry - most of the work is done by Sketcher.

Sketcher will show you the result of any internal rules that it has used to regenerate your sketch.
These appear as symbols beside the lines and vertices in your sketch. You can look for symbols
indicating horizontal, vertical, parallel, tangent, same length, and so on. For our simple block,
only two or three rules (probably) were fired. All the Sketcher rules are discussed a bit later in
this lesson. You might investigate the Constraints > Explain command at this time.

 Modifying Dimensional Values

After regeneration, numerical dimension values should appear in place of the 'sd' dimension
labels. These values are generated according to the scale of the existing features (or seemingly at
random if this is the first solid feature in the model). You need to change these numbers to the
desired values.

To do this, select the Modify command on the SKETCHER menu. Then click on the horizontal
dimension - it should turn red. In the message window, a prompt appears asking for the new
value. The current value is shown, which will be the value used if you just hit the Enter key (ie.
value is unchanged). Usually, you want to enter a new value here. For the horizontal dimension
use 20. After modifying, the dimension value appears in white, but our sketch hasn’t changed
size or shape. Change the vertical dimension to 30. The radius of the arc on the right side is 10,
and on the left side is 5.

 Regenerate the Sketch

This is the step most often missed. After modifying any dimensions or alignments, the sketch
must be updated. It is necessary to regenerate the sketch. You can tell when regeneration is
needed because some of the dimensions will be showing in white.

Select Regenerate from the SKETCHER menu again. You will now see an animation of
Sketcher going about its business. This animation will become useful when you create complex
sketches, since you will be able to see the reasons why Sketcher might fail or your dimensioning
scheme or values are not quite right. In that case, the animation will proceed up to the point
where the sketch fails - usually caused by incompatible requirements on the sketch.

At this time your screen should look like Figure 20.

Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 23

Figure 20 The final regenerated sketch

Assuming that the sketch regenerates successfully, then you are finished with Sketcher for this
feature. To complete the process, select Done from the bottom of the SKETCHER menu (it may
be partially hidden behind one of the smaller menu windows). Be careful that you don’t click on
Quit by mistake, although you can cancel that if you do.

Important Note:
For the time being, you should never leave Sketcher with unresolved errors or warnings
that prevent a clean regeneration. Many errors are fatal, but some result only in warnings.
Always resolve these problems and get a successful regeneration before leaving, indicated
by the message "Section regenerated successfully." You will come to love seeing this
message! We will see a few cases later when a warning is generated that we will ignore,
but this situation is very rare.

 Specifying Extrusion Depth

This is the final element to specify for the base feature (check out the element window). Recall
that we set up this feature as a one-sided protrusion off DTM3 (the sketch plane). To make the
block, we will extrude the polygon for a specified distance - this is called a blind protrusion.
From the SPEC TO menu, choose

Blind | Done

You will be prompted in the message window for an extrusion depth. Enter

10

and press return.

1 - 24 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

A message should indicate that "All elements have been defined." meaning that the extrusion was
created successfully.

Previewing the Feature

Before accepting this new feature, we can have a look at it's 3D shape and relation to other
features on the part. In the element window, click on the Preview button. Make sure the mouse is
in the graphics window, then press and
hold down the CTRL key while
dragging with the middle mouse button.
This will cause the shaded block to spin
around following the mouse. You can do
as much spinning as you want. You might
note that, when viewed from the
left/back/bottom, you will see the red side
of the datum planes (these may not be
visible while you are spinning). Also, note
the new position of the spin center (if it is
turned on). You can use the left and right
mouse buttons (with CTRL) to zoom and
pan in the graphics window.

Figure 21 The final SOLID PROTRUSION feature

Accepting the Feature

Once you are satisfied with the feature you have created, click on OK in the element window (or
middle click). In the present case, you should see the message "Protrusion has been created
successfully." in the message window. The final part shown in default view orientation (press
CTRL-D or select View > Default) should look like Figure 21.

Saving the Part

It is a good idea to periodically save your model, just in case something serious goes wrong.
From the top toolchest, select the “Save” button.

In the command window, you will be asked for the name of the object to be saved (remember
that you can have more than one loaded into memory at a time). Accept the default [block.prt]
(this is the active part) by pressing the enter key or the middle mouse button. Pro/E will
automatically put a .prt extension on the file. In addition, if you save the part a number of times,
Pro/E will automatically number each saved version (like block.prt.1, block.prt.2, block.prt.3,
and so on). Since these files can get pretty big, you will eventually run out of disk space. So, be
aware of how much space you have available. It may be necessary to delete some of the
previously saved versions; or you can copy them to a diskette. You can do both of these tasks
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 25

from within Pro/E - we'll talk about that later.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this command at
that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketch with the file extension
sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated and may be used again on a different
part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be read in from the saved file. In these lessons,
none of the sketches are complicated enough to warrant saving them to disk.

Working With Sketcher Constraints during Regeneration

Implicit Constraints

As alluded to above, Sketcher is a powerful geometry engine that is capable of “assuming” things
about your input sketch that indicate your design intent. These assumptions are embodied in a
number of rules (see Table 1-2) that Sketcher will invoke if necessary in order to successfully
regenerate your sketch. It will only do this if the specified dimensions and/or alignments are not
sufficient to completely define the geometry. You should become familiar with these rules, and
learn how to use them to your advantage. Conversely, if you do not want a rule invoked, you
must either (a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or (b) exaggerate the geometry so that if
fired, the rule will fail, or (c) tell Pro/E explicitly to disable the constraints. For example, if a
line in a sketch must be 2 away from vertical, draw it at 15 and explicitly dimension it,
otherwise it will be assumed to be exactly vertical with no dimension required (thus no way to
make it 2 off). After the sketch regenerates, you can modify the dimension to the desired 2.
When geometry is driven by an explicitly created dimension, some internal rules will not fire.
1 - 26 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Table 1-2 Implicit Rules in Sketcher

Rule Description
Equal radius and diameter If you sketch two or more arcs or circles with
approximately the same radius, the system
may assume that the radii are equal
Symmetry Entities may be assumed to be symmetric
about a centerline
Horizontal and vertical lines Lines that are approximately horizontal or
vertical may be considered to be exactly so.
Parallel and perpendicular lines Lines that are sketched approximately parallel
or perpendicular may be considered to be
exactly so.
Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to
each other may be assumed to be tangent
Equal segment lengths Lines of approximately the same length may
be assumed to have the same length
Point entities lying on other entities or Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
collinear with other entities circles may be considered to be exactly on
them. Points that are near the extension of a
line may be assumed to lie on it.
Equal coordinates Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates
Midpoint of line If the midpoint of a line is close to a sketch
reference, it will be placed on the reference.

When a sketch is regenerated, the rules that have been fired are indicated on the graphics window
using one (or more) symbols beside each affected entity. The symbols are shown in Table 1-3 on
the next page.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 27

Table 1-3 Graphical Display of Sketcher Constraints

Constraint Symbol

Horizontal entities "H"

Vertical entities "V"

Line segments with equal lengths "L" with an index in subscript (for example: L1)

Perpendicular lines Perpendicularity symbol with or without an index

number in subscript

Parallel lines Parallel symbol with an index in subscript

Equal coordinates Small thick dashes between the points

Tangent entities "T"

Midpoint of line “M”

Symmetry

Equal radii "R" with an index in subscript

Point entity

An example of a solved sketch with the geometric constraints is shown in Figure 22. Note how
few dimensions are required to define this sketch.
1 - 28 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Figure 22 A regenerated sketch showing implicit

constraints

Unsuccessful Regeneration of a Sketch

If a sketch cannot be solved using the dimensioning scheme and implicit rules, Pro/ENGINEER
issues a message and highlights the error. The basic categories of errors are as follows:

 The sketch does not communicate the intent. For example, a line that you want
tangent to an arc is not “close enough” for Sketcher to figure out what to do.
 The sketch is underdimensioned.
 The sketch is overdimensioned.
 The segment is too small. If you have modified dimensions such that a line segment
becomes very small, then Sketcher will flag this as an error. If you really do want the
short segment, zoom in on the sketch and regenerate again.
 The segment is of zero length. This is similar to the previous error which arises if you
have modified dimensions so that in the recomputed position a line segment must
have zero length. This is an error that must be fixed in the sketch.
 There are inappropriate sections. For example, a sketch that crosses over itself, or an
open sketch for a feature that requires a closed one (eg. for a revolved protrusion).

The “Sadder Mister” Order of Operations

A common “error” that can lead to problems getting a successful regeneration is NOT following
the sequence below:
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 29

Sketch
Align
Dimension
Regenerate
Modify
Regenerate

You can remember this sequence using the acronym “Sadder Mister” taken from the first letter of
each step:
S A D R M R

Remember that Sketcher will automatically provide values for all new dimensions based on the
existing features when it regenerates a sketch. Let it do that! There is no need to “modify”
dimension values prior to the first regeneration, and doing so can often cause you grief!
This means, do not Modify a dimension shown in its symbolic (sdxx) form!

Now, all that being said, we will see in the next lesson how the Intent Manager is able to assist
you in obtaining a “legal” sketch, usually with considerably fewer commands and mouse clicks
and without having to deal with regeneration failures. It is important, however, to understand the
basic principles of Sketcher, and the implicit rules, in order to use Intent Manager efficiently.
Also, sometimes, you may not want to use Intent Manager.

The exercises at the end of this lesson are to give you practice using Sketcher and to explore
commands in the Sketcher menus.

View Controls: Orientation and Environment

In addition to the dynamic viewing capabilities available with the mouse, you can go to
predefined orientations. To view the object in the default orientation (called "trimetric"), select
the “Saved view list” shortcut button and click on Default, the only view currently defined.
Alternatively, you can select

View > Default

or press CTRL-D (hold the Control key while you press D). Your screen should now look like
Figure 21 above.

You can experiment with the View > Orientation menu (see Figure 23) to change the display (or
use the “Orient model” shortcut button, Figure 2). Read any prompts/messages in the message
window. The general procedure for the Orient by Reference type is to select a pair of orthogonal
surfaces that will face the front, right, top, or left in the desired view. These are called the view
references. For example, Front:DTM3 and Top:DTM2 will give the same view as our sketch.
You can also obtain a new view by an explicit rotation around an axis in the part, or relative to
the screen.
1 - 30 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Naming Views

Views that you are going to use over and over are usually named
so that it is easy to return to them later. When a desired view is
obtained (like one of the standard engineering top-front-right
orientations), the view can be saved by entering a view name and
selecting Save. See Figure 23. Once a view has been named,
you can easily return to it using the “Saved view list” button. Try
this by creating and naming the standard engineering Top, Front,
and Right views of the block by selecting the following
references:

Standard Reference 1 Reference 2

Engineering
View
Top Front:DTM2 Right:DTM1
Front Front:DTM3 Top:DTM2
Right Front:DTM1 Top:DTM2
Figure 23 View creation and
naming menu

Modifying the View Environment

Try using some of the commands under the Utilities > Environment menu. These commands
include hidden line, no hidden or turning on/off the datum planes or the coordinate system. The
default settings usually show hidden lines and tangent edges as gray lines. Your new settings will
take effect when you select Apply or leave the Environment menu. Note that the most common
display styles are easily obtained using the short-cut buttons in the top toolchest. Experiment
with these buttons, leaving the view showing wireframe with hidden lines. Note that hidden lines
are shown in a slightly darker shade than visible lines. With practice, you will be able to use this
visible clue to help you understand the 3D orientation of the part in space.

The view control commands sometimes interact in strange ways. For example, to see a shaded
image, select

View > Shade

Note that this view turns off the datum planes. If you dynamically spin this view, the shading
will disappear. The “Shading” shortcut button, however, will leave the datum planes visible and
you can spin the shaded image.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 31

Using Part Templates

This is one of the exciting enhancements in Pro/E 2000i2. In the block part created previously,
the first thing we did was to create default datum planes. In the last section, we created named
views. These are very common features and aspects of part files, and it would be handy if this
was done automatically. This is exactly the purpose of part templates.

A template is a previously created “empty” part file that contains the common features and
aspects of almost all part files you will ever make. These include, among other things, default
datum planes and named views. Pro/E actually has several templates available for parts,
drawings, and assemblies. There are variations of the templates for each type of object. One
important variation consists of the unit system used for the part (inches or millimeters).
Templates also contain some common model parameters and layer definitions6.

A template is selected when a new model is first created. Let’s see how that works. Create a new
part (note that you don’t have to remove the block - Pro/E can have several parts “in session” at
the same time) by selecting

File > New

or using the “Create New Object” button. The New dialog window opens. Select the options

Part | Solid

and enter a new name, like exercise_1. Remove the check mark beside Use default template
and then select OK.

In the New File Options dialog window, the default template is shown at the top. It is likely
“inlbs_part_solid”. This template is for solid parts with the units set to inch-pound-second. It
seems strange to have force and time units in a CAD geometry program. Actually, this is
included so that the part units are known by downstream applications like Pro/MECHANICA
which perform finite element analysis (FEA) or mechanism dynamics calculations. These
programs are very picky about units!

Note that there are templates available for sheet-metal parts and for metric units (millimeter-
Newton-second). While we are mentioning units, be aware that if you make a wrong choice of
units here, it is still possible to change the units of a part after it has been created.

There are only two model parameters in the default template. DESCRIPTION is for an extended
title for the part, like “UPPER PUMP HOUSING”. This title can (eventually) be called up and
placed automatically on a drawing of the part using, you guessed it, a drawing template.
Similarly, the MODELED_BY parameter is available for you to record your name or initials as
the originator of the part. Fill in these parameter fields and select OK.

6
Model parameters and layers are discussed in the Advanced Tutorial.
1 - 32 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

The new part is created which automatically displays the default datums. They are even named
for you (we will see how to name features in lesson 2): instead of DTM1, we have RIGHT. TOP
replaces DTM2, and FRONT replaces DTM3. The part also contains a coordinate system, named
views (look in the Saved Views List), and other data that we’ll discover as we go through the
lessons. The named views correspond to the standard engineering views. Thus, it is important to
note that if you are planning on using a drawing template (discussed in Lesson #8), your model
orientation relative to the default datums is critical. The top-front-right views of the part are the
ones that will be automatically placed on the drawing later. If your model is upside down or
backwards in these named views, then so will be your drawing. This is embarrassing!

Now, having created this new part, you are all set up to do some of the exercises at the end of the
lesson!

Leaving Pro/ENGINEER
When you want to quit Pro/E entirely, after you have saved your part(s), you can leave by using
the Exit command in the File menu or the X at the top-right corner. Depending on how your
system has been set up, Pro/E may prompt you to save your part and any sketches you made. In
these lessons, you do not need to save the sketches. If you are sure you have saved the most
recent version of the part, you don’t need to do that again.

This completes Lesson #1. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the commands
that have been presented in this lesson. Create new parts for your experiments since we will need
the block part in its present form for the next lesson. The only way to become proficient with
Pro/E is to use it a lot!

In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of relations,
and spend some time learning about the Intent Manager in Sketcher.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 33

Questions for Review

Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

7. What is meant by a blind protrusion?

8. What is the purpose of the sketching reference plane?
9. What aspect of feature creation results in the parametric nature of the model?
10. What mouse action can be used to spin the object?
11. What is meant by alignment?
12. What three outcomes are possible when you regenerate a sketch? What do these mean?
13. What is the correct order of the following activities for using Sketcher:
 sketch drawing
 modify dimensions
 regenerate
 alignments
 place dimensions
 regenerate
14. Why do datum planes have a red and yellow side?
15. What is the purpose of the datum planes?
16. When you look at a sketch, in which direction will a one-sided solid protrusion occur?
17. How do you specify the name of a part?
18. What are three ways to get on-line help?
19. When you are in Mouse Sketch mode, what do the three mouse buttons do?
20. How can you get a shaded image of the part?
21. What mouse action can be used to zoom in on the part?
22. How do you turn the datum plane visibility on and off?
23. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
24. How do you save a part?
25. What is the difference in operation between View > Shade and the “Shading” shortcut
button?
26. What is a template?
27. What is your system’s default template?
28. Where does your system store your part files when they are saved?
29. What is meant by the active part?
30. How does Sketcher determine the radius of a fillet created on two lines?
31. Try to create sketches/procedures that cause the errors noted in the section “Unsuccessful
Regeneration of a Sketch” on page 1-28.
1 - 34 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Exercises
Here are some simple shapes that you can make with a single solid protrusion. They should
give you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Create these with
Intent Manager turned off. Choose your own dimensions and pay attention to alignments and
internal constraints. The objects should appear in roughly the same orientation in default view.
 

Release 2001

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER 1-1

Lesson 1
Parametric Modeling Fundamentals
1-2 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Introduction
The feature-based parametric modeling technique enables the designer to incorporate
the original design intent into the construction of the model. The word parametric means
the geometric definitions of the design, such as dimensions, can be varied at any time in
the design process. Parametric modeling is accomplished by identifying and creating the
key features of the design with the aid of computer software. The design variables,
described in the sketches and features, can be used to quickly modify/update the design.

In Pro/ENGINEER, the parametric part modeling process involves the following steps:

1. Set up Units and Basic Datum Geometry.

2. Determine the type of the base feature, the first solid feature, of the design.
Note that Extrude, Revolve, or Sweep operations are the most common
types of base features.

3. Create a rough two-dimensional sketch of the basic shape of the base feature
of the design.

4. Apply/modify constraints and dimensions to the two-dimensional sketch.

5. Transform the parametric two-dimensional sketch into a 3D solid.

6. Add additional parametric features by identifying feature relations and

complete the design.

7. Perform analyses/simulations, such as finite element analysis (FEA) or cutter

path generation (CNC), on the computer model and refine the design as
needed.

8. Document the design by creating the desired 2D/3D drawings.

The approach of creating three-dimensional features using two-dimensional sketches is

an effective way to construct solid models. Many designs are in fact the same shape in
one direction. Computer input and output devices we use today are largely two-
dimensional in nature, which makes this modeling technique quite practical. This method
also conforms to the design process that helps the designer with conceptual design along
with the capability to capture the design intent. Most engineers and designers can relate
to the experience of making rough sketches on restaurant napkins to convey conceptual
design ideas. Note that Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful modeling and design
tools, and there are many different approaches to accomplish modeling tasks. The basic
principle of feature-based modeling is to build models by adding simple features one at
a time. In this chapter, a very simple solid model with extruded features is used to
introduce the general feature-based parametric modeling procedure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-3

The Adjuster design

Starting Pro/ENGINEER

How to start Pro/ENGINEER depends on the type of workstation and the particular
software configuration you are using. With most Windows and UNIX systems, you may
select Pro/ENGINEER on the Start menu or select the Pro/ENGINEER icon on the
desktop. Consult your instructor or technical support personnel if you have difficulty
starting the software.

1. Select the Pro/ENGINEER option on the Start menu or select the

Pro/ENGINEER icon on the desktop to start Pro/ENGINEER. The
Pro/ENGINEER main window will appear on the screen.

2. Click on the New icon, located in the Standard

toolbar as shown.

3. In the New dialogue box, confirm the model’s Type is set to Part (Solid Sub-
type).
1-4 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

4. Enter Adjuster as the part Name as

shown in the figure.

5. Turn off the Use default template

option.

6. Click on the OK button to accept the

settings.

7. In the New File Options dialogue box,

select EMPTY in the option list to not
use any template file.

8. Click on the OK button to accept the

settings and enter the Pro/ENGINEER
Part Modeling mode.

Note that the part name, Adjuster,

appears in the title area of the main
window and in the Model Tree
window.

 If the Pro/ENGINEER screen layout

appeared differently on your screen,
open the saved config.win file to
adjust the screen layout to the
customized screen layout outlined
on page Intro-12:

Utilities
Customize Screen

File
Open Settings

config.win (If necessary,
change directory to locate the file.)
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-5

Step 1: Units and Basic Datum Geometry Setups

♦ Units Setup and Pro/ENGINEER Menu Structure

When starting a new model, the first thing we should do is to choose the set of units we
want to use.

1. Use the left-mouse-button and select Set Up in the Menu

Manager window. In the Menu Manager window, the Set
Up submenu is displayed underneath the PART menu. The
Pro/ENGINEER menu system uses a tree structure; we start
at the root and follow the branches to reach the leaves
(commands).

2. Select the Units option. Notice that more submenu selections

are displayed. A scrollbar is available as more submenus are
displayed.

1. Pick Set Up

2. Pick Units

3. In the Units Manager-System of

Units form, the Pro/ENGINEER default
setting Inch lbm Second is displayed.
The set of units is stored with the model
file when you save. Pick Inch Pound
Second (IPS), by clicking in the list
window as shown.

4. Pick Set

4. Click on the Set button to accept the

selection.

5. In the Warning dialog box, click on the

OK button to accept the change of the
units.
1-6 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

6. Click on the Close button to exit the Units Manager dialog box.

7. Pick Done to exit the PART Set Up submenu.

7. Pick Done

 Note that the submenu appeared and disappeared as

different options were selected; this is known as the tree
structure menu system.

♦ Tree Structure
Root

Submenu 1 Submenu 2 Command 1 (Leaf)

Command 2 (Leaf) Submenu 3 Command 3 (Leaf) Command 4 (Leaf)

Command 5 (Leaf) Command 6 (Leaf) Command 7 (leaf)

The tree structure is an effective way to organize menu items. Similar items are placed in
a group that could belong to another subgroup based on the grouping method. The
submenus represent different categories of items. The tree structure is used extensively in
the majority of CAD software menu systems.

Using the tree structure shown, we will follow Submenu 1 to Submenu 3 and reach
Command 5. If we then want to switch to Command 4, we will trace back to the root
then branch off to Submenu 2. Keep this tree structure in mind while using the
Pro/ENGINEER menu system. Think of the overall scheme and it will be quite easy to
get to where you want to go. In Pro/ENGINEER, the Done option will usually return you
to the previous level in the menu structure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-7

♦ Adding the First Part Features — Datum Planes

Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful tools for model creation. In doing feature-
based parametric modeling, it is a good practice to establish three reference planes to
locate the part in space. The reference planes can be used as location references in
feature constructions.

 Move the cursor toward the right side of the main

window and click on the Datum Plane icon as
shown.

Datum planes

In the display area, three datum planes represented by three rectangles are displayed.
Datum planes are infinite planes and they are perpendicular to each other. We can
consider these planes as XY, YZ, and ZX planes of a Cartesian coordinate system.
Notice in the Model Tree window, three datum plane features are added to the tree
structure.
1-8 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Step 2: Determine/Set Up the Base Solid Feature

• For the Adjuster design, we will create an extruded solid

as the base feature.

1. In the Menu Manager window, select

Feature
Create
Solid
Protrusion

1. Pick Feature

2. Pick Create

3. Pick Solid

4. Pick Protrusion

2. In the SOLID OPTS submenu, select

Extrude
Solid
Done

Select
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-9

• The protrusion's feature dialog box appears on the screen. We will need to define all
the elements listed to complete the feature.

Feature
dialog box

Required
elements

3. In the ATTRIBUTES submenu, select

One Side
Done

Sketching plane – It is an XY CRT, but an XYZ World

Design modeling software is becoming more
powerful and user friendly, yet the system
still does only what the user tells it to do.
When using a geometric modeler, we
therefore need to have a good understanding
of what its inherent limitations are. We
should also have a good understanding of
what we want to do and what to expect, as
the results are based on what is available.

In most 3D geometric modelers, 3D objects

are located and defined in what is usually
called world space or global space.
Although a number of different coordinate
systems can be used to create and manipulate
objects in a 3D modeling system, the objects
are typically defined and stored using the
world space. The world space is usually a 3D
Cartesian coordinate system that the user
cannot change or manipulate.
1-10 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

In most engineering designs, models can be very complex, and it would be tedious and
confusing if only the world coordinate system were available. Practical 3D modeling
systems allow the user to define Local Coordinate Systems (LCS) or User Coordinate
Systems (UCS) relative to the world coordinate system. Once a local coordinate system
is defined, we can then create geometry in terms of this more convenient system.

Although objects are created and stored in 3D space coordinates, most of the geometric
entities can be referenced using 2D Cartesian coordinate systems. Typical input devices
such as a mouse or digitizer are two-dimensional by nature; the movement of the input
device is interpreted by the system in a planar sense. The same limitation is true of
common output devices, such as CRT displays and plotters. The modeling software
performs a series of three-dimensional to two-dimensional transformations to correctly
project 3D objects onto the 2D display plane.

The Pro/ENGINEER sketching plane is a special construction approach that enables the
planar nature of the 2D input devices to be directly mapped into the 3D coordinate
system. The sketching plane is a local coordinate system that can be aligned to an
existing face of a part, or a reference plane.

Think of the sketching plane as the surface on which we can sketch the 2D sections of the
parts. It is similar to a piece of paper, a white board, or a chalkboard that can be attached
to any planar surface. The first sketch we create is usually drawn on one of the
established datum planes. Subsequent sketches/features can then be created on sketching
planes that are aligned to existing planar faces of the solid part or datum planes.

Defining the Sketching Plane

1. The sketching plane is a reference location where we create the two-
dimensional sketch. The sketching plane can be any planar part surface or
datum plane. We will use datum plane DTM2 as the sketching plane. Pick
DTM2 by clicking the left-mouse-button on either the edge or the nametag of
the datum plane.

2. A red arrow appears on the edge of

DTM2, and the message “Arrow shows
direction of feature creation. Pick Flip
or Okay.” is displayed in the message
area. The arrow direction indicates the
direction of the feature we are creating.
In this case, it is the direction of
extrusion. Confirm the arrow is
pointing upward from DTM2 as shown
in the figure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-11

3. In the DIRECTION submenu, pick Okay to accept the

selection of the sketching plane.

Pick Okay

Defining the Orientation of the Sketching Plane

• Although we have selected the sketching plane, Pro/ENGINEER still needs additional
information to define the orientation of the part with respect to the other two planes.
Pro/ENGINEER asks us to define a reference plane relative to the computer screen.

To define the orientation of the sketching plane, select the facing

direction of the reference plane with respect to the computer screen.

The selected sketching plane,

DTM2, will be aligned parallel
to the 2D computer screen.

We will orient the sketching

plane by setting the positive
side of DTM1 to face toward
the right edge of the computer
screen.
1-12 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

1. In the SKET VIEW submenu, pick Right.

2. In the display area, pick the positive side (yellow side) of

DTM1.

1. Pick Right

3. Pick Close to exit the Sketcher Enhancement form, which

provides general improvement information of the
Pro/ENGINEER Intent Manager.

• Pro/ENGINEER will now rotate the three datum planes: DTM2 aligned to the screen
and the positive side of DTM1 facing toward the right edge of the computer screen.

The orientation of the sketching plane can be very confusing to new users. It is
strongly recommended that you read this section again.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-13

Step 3: Creating 2D rough sketches

♦ Shape Before Size – Creating Rough Sketches

Quite often during the early design stage, the shape of a design may not have any precise
dimensions. Most conventional CAD systems require the user to input the precise lengths
and location dimensions of all geometric entities defining the design, and some of the
values may not be available during the early design stage. With parametric modeling, we
can use the computer to elaborate and formulate the design idea further during the initial
design stage. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can use the computer as an electronic sketchpad
to help us concentrate on the formulation of forms and shapes for the design. This
approach is the main advantage of parametric modeling over conventional solid-
modeling techniques.

As the name implies, rough sketches are not precise at all. When sketching, we simply
sketch the geometry so it closely resembles the desired shape. Precise scale or dimensions
are not needed. Pro/ENGINEER provides us with many tools to assist in finalizing
sketches, known as sections. For example, geometric entities such as horizontal and
vertical lines are set automatically. However, if the rough sketches are poor, much more
work will be required to generate the desired parametric sketches. Here are some general
guidelines for creating sketches in Pro/ENGINEER:

• Create a sketch that is proportional to the desired shape. Concentrate on the

shapes and forms of the design.

• Keep the sketches simple. Leave out small geometry features such as fillets, rounds,
and chamfers. They can easily be placed using the Fillet and Chamfer commands
after the parametric sketches have been established.

• Exaggerate the geometric features of the desired shape. For example, if the
desired angle is 85 degrees, create an angle that is 50 or 60 degrees. Otherwise,
Pro/ENGINEER might assume the intended angle to be a 90-degree angle.

• Draw the geometry so that it does not overlap. The sketched geometry should
eventually form a closed region. Self-intersecting geometric shapes are not allowed.

• The sketched geometric entities should form a closed region. To create a solid
feature, such as an extruded solid, a closed region section is required so that the
extruded solid forms a 3D volume.

 Note: The concepts and principles involved in parametric modeling are very
different, and sometimes they are totally opposite, to those of the conventional
computer aided drafting systems. In order to understand and fully utilize
Pro/ENGINEER’s functionality, it will be helpful to take a Zen approach to learning
the topics presented in this text: Temporarily forget your knowledge and
experiences using conventional computer aided drafting systems.
1-14 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

♦ The Pro/ENGINEER SKETCHER and INTENT MANAGER

In previous generation CAD programs, construction of models relies on exact

dimensional values, and adjustments to dimensional values are quite difficult once the
model is built. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can now treat the sketch as if it is being done
on a napkin, and it is the general shape of the design that we are more interested in
defining. The Pro/ENGINEER part model contains more than just the final geometry. It
also contains the design intent that governs what will happen when geometry changes.
The design philosophy of “shape before size” is implemented through the use of the
Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher. This allows the designer to construct solid models in a higher
level and leave all the geometric details to Pro/ENGINEER.

One of the main improvements in Pro/ENGINEER since Release 20 is the introduction

and enhancements of the Intent Manager in the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

The Intent Manager enables us to do:

• Dynamic dimensioning and constraints
• Add or delete constraints explicitly
• Undo any Sketcher operation

The first thing that Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher expects us to do, which is displayed in the
References window, is to specify sketching references. In the previous sections, we
created the three datum planes to help orient the model in 3D space. Now we need to
orient the 2D sketch with respect to the three datum planes. At least two references are
required to orient the sketch in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. By
default, the two planes (in our example, DTM1 and DTM3) that are perpendicular to the
sketching plane (DTM2) are automatically selected.

1. Note that DTM1 and DTM3 are pre-

selected as the sketching references. In
the graphics area, the two references are
highlighted and displayed with two
dashed lines.

 The Reference status, as shown in the

References dialog box, indicates the 2D
sketch can be Fully Placed with the two
references identified. We can proceed to
creating 2D sketches. Click on the
Close button to close the References
dialog box.

Next, we will create a rough sketch by using some of the visual aids available, and
then update the design through the associated control parameters.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-15

2. Move the graphics cursor to the Line icon in the

Sketcher toolbar. A help-tip box appears next to the
cursor and a brief description of the command options is
displayed in the message area.

The Sketcher toolbar, located on the right side of the main window, provides tools for
creating the basic 2D geometry that can be used to create features and parts.

Graphics Cursors

Notice the cursor changes from an arrow to an
arrow with a small crosshair when graphical input
is expected.

3. Move the cursor near the

intersection of the two references,
and notice that the small crosshair
Point 2
attached to the cursor will
automatically snap to the
intersection point. Left-click once
Constraint Symbol to place the starting point as
shown.

Start Point 4. As you move the graphics cursor,

you will see different symbols
appear at different locations.

5. Move the cursor along the vertical reference and create a vertical line by
clicking at a location above the start point (Point 2) as shown. Notice the
geometric constraint symbol, V, indicating the created line is vertical.
1-16 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Geometric Constraint Symbols

Pro/ENGINEER displays different visual clues, or symbols, to show you alignments,
perpendicularities, tangencies, etc. These constraints are used to capture the design
intent by creating constraints where they are recognized. Pro/ENGINEER displays the
governing geometric rules as models are built.

V Vertical indicates a segment is vertical

H Horizontal indicates a segment is horizontal

L Equal Length indicates two segments are of equal length

R Equal Radii indicates two curves are of equal radii

T Tangent indicates two entities are tangent to each other

Parallel indicates a segment is parallel to other entities

Perpendicular indicates a segment is perpendicular to other entities

Symmetry indicates two points are symmetrical

Point on Entity indicates the point is on another entity

6. Complete the sketch as

shown, a closed region
Point 2 ending at the starting point
Point 3
(Point 1). Watch the
displayed constraint symbols
while sketching, especially
the applied Equal Length
constraint, L1, to the two
short horizontal edges. All
Point 1 line segments are sketched
Point 4 horizontally or vertically.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-17

7. Inside the graphics area, click once with the middle-mouse-button to end the
current line sketch.

Pro/ENGINEER’s Intent Manager automatically places dimensions and constraints

on the sketched geometry. This is known as the Dynamic Dimensioning and
Constraints feature. Constraints and dimensions are added “on the fly.” Do not be
concerned with the size of the sketched geometry or the displayed dimensional
values; we will modify the sketched geometry in the following sections.

Dynamic Viewing Functions

Pro/ENGINEER provides a special user interface, Dynamic Viewing, which enables
convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time. The Dynamic
Viewing functions are controlled with the [Ctrl] key on the keyboard and the mouse
buttons.

Zooming – [Ctrl] key and [left-mouse-button]

Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press down the left-mouse-button in the display
area. Drag the mouse vertically on the screen to adjust the scale of the display.
Moving upward will reduce the scale of the display, making the entities display
smaller on the screen. Moving downward will magnify the scale of the display.

Zoom Ctrl + Left mouse button

Panning – [Ctrl] key and [right-mouse-button]

Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press down the right-mouse-button in the display
area. Drag the mouse to pan the display. This allows you to reposition the
display while maintaining the same scale factor of the display. This function
acts as if you are using a video camera. You control the display by moving the
mouse.

Pan Ctrl + Right mouse button

 On your own, use the Dynamic Viewing functions to reposition and magnify the scale
of the 2D sketch to the center of the screen so that it is easier to work with.
1-18 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Step 4: Apply/modify constraints and dimensions

 As the sketch is made, Pro/ENGINEER automatically applies geometric constraints
(such as horizontal, vertical and equal length) and dimensions to the sketched
geometry. We can continue to modify the geometry, apply additional constraints
and/or dimensions, or define/modify the size and location of the existing geometry. It
is more than likely that some of the automatically applied dimensions may not match
with the design intent we have in mind. For example, we might want to have
dimensions identifying the overall-height, overall-width, and the width of the inside-
cut of the design, as shown in the figures below.

Current Sketch

Sketch in mind
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-19

1. Click on the Dimension icon in the Sketcher toolbar as

shown. This command allows us to create defining
dimensions.

2. Select the inside-horizontal line by left-clicking once on the

line as shown.

2. Pick the inside-

horizontal line as the
geometry to dimension.

3. Place the dimension

at a location that is
below the line.

3. Move the graphics cursor below the selected line and click once with the
middle-mouse-button to place the dimension. (Note that the value displayed
on your screen might be different than what is shown in the above figure.)

4. Select the right-

vertical line.
4. Pick the right-vertical
line as the geometry to 5. Place the dimension,
dimension. by clicking once with
the middle-mouse-
button at a location
toward the right of the
sketch.
5. Place the dimension
toward the right side.
The Dimension
command will create a
length dimension if a
single line is selected.

• Notice the overall-height dimension applied automatically by the Intent Manager is

removed as the new dimension is defined.
1-20 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Note that the dimensions we just created are displayed with a different color than
those that are applied automatically. The dimensions created by the Intent Manager
are called weak dimensions, which can be replaced/deleted as we create specific
defining dimensions to satisfy our design intent.

6. Select the top-horizontal line as shown below.

7. Select the inside-horizontal line as shown below.

8. Place the dimension, by clicking once with the middle-mouse-button, at a

location in between the selected lines as shown below.

6. Pick the top-line as the

1st geometry to dimension

7. Pick this line as

8. Place the dimension
the 2nd geometry
in between the two
to dimension
selected lines.

When two parallel

lines are selected, the
Dimension command
will create a
dimension measuring
the distance in
between.

9. On you own, confirm

there are four
dimensions applied to
the sketch that appear
as shown.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-21

Modifying the dimensions of the sketch

1. Click on the Select icon in the Sketcher toolbar as shown. The Select
command allows us to perform several modification operations on the
sketched geometry and dimensions.

2. Select the overall height dimension of the

2. Modify the overall
height-dimension.
sketch by double-clicking with the left-
mouse-button on the dimension text.
3. In the Dimension Value box, the current
length of the line is displayed. Enter 3 as
the new value for the dimension.

4. Press the ENTER key once to accept the

entered value.

 Pro/ENGINEER will
update the sketch using
the entered dimension
value. Since the other
dimensions are much
larger, the sketch
becomes greatly
distorted. We will take a
different approach to
modify the geometry.

5. Click on the Undo icon in the Standard toolbar to

undo the Modify Dimension performed.

 Notice that the Redo icon is also available in the

Standard toolbar.
1-22 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

6. In the pull-down menu area, click on Edit to display the option list and select
the following option items:

Edit
Select
All (Note that Crtl+Alt+A can also activate this option.)

7. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Modify icon as shown.

• With the pre-selection option, all dimensions are selected and listed in the Modify
Dimensions dialog box.

8. Turn off the Regenerate

option by left-clicking once
on the option as shown.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-23

9. On you own, adjust the dimensions as shown below. Note that the dimension
selected in the Modify Dimensions dialog box is identified with an enclosed
box in the display area.

10. Inside the Modify Dimensions dialog box, click on the Accept
button to regenerate the sketched geometry and exit the Modify
Dimensions command.

Repositioning Dimensions
1. Confirm the Select icon, in the Sketcher toolbar, is activated as
shown.

2. Press and hold down the left-mouse-button on any dimension text,

then drag the dimension to a new location in the display area.
(Note the cursor is changed to a hand icon during this operation.)
1-24 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Step 5: Completing the Base Solid Feature

Now that the 2D sketch is completed, we will proceed to the next step: creating a 3D
part from the 2D section. Extruding a 2D section is one of the common methods that
can be used to create 3D parts. We can extrude planar faces along a path. In
Pro/ENGINEER, each plane has a positive side and a negative side. The current
sketch we're working on is set to extrude in the positive side of DTM3.

1. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.

2. In the Spec To submenu, confirm Blind is highlighted as

shown.

3. Click on Done to proceed with the blind extrusion option.

• Note that the Blind option allows us to enter a value to

define the depth of the extrusion.

4. In the message area, enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth.

5. In the message area, click on the Accept button to proceed with

the feature definition.

In the message area, the message “All elements have been defined” is displayed. We
can proceed to create the solid feature.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-25

6. We are now returned

to the feature dialogue
Required elements box with all the
required elements
are defined
defined. Click on the
OK icon to create the
solid feature.

Note that all dimensions disappeared from the screen. All parametric definitions are
stored in the Pro/ENGINEER database and any of the parametric definitions can be
displayed and edited at any time.

The Third Dynamic Viewing Function

3D Dynamic Rotation – [Ctrl] key and [middle mouse button]

Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse on the screen to rotate the model about the
screen.

3D Rotation Ctrl + Middle mouse button

1-26 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Display Modes: Wireframe, Shaded, Hidden Edge, No Hidden

• The display in the graphics window has three display-modes: wireframe, hidden edge
displayed as hidden lines, no hidden lines, and shaded image. To change the display
mode in the active window, click on one of the display mode buttons on the Standard
toolbar, as shown in the figure below.

Wireframe Image:
The first icon in the display mode button group allows the display of
3D objects using the basic wireframe representation scheme.

Hidden-Edge Display:
The second icon in the display mode button group can be used to
generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
shown as hidden lines.

No Hidden-Edge Display:
The third icon in the display mode button group can be used to
generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
removed.

Shaded Solid:
The fourth icon in the display mode button group generates a shaded
image of the 3D object.

On your own, use the different viewing options described in the above sections to
familiarize yourself with the 3D viewing/display commands.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-27

Step 6: Adding additional features

• Next, we will create another extrusion feature that will be added to the existing solid
object.

1. In the Menu Manager window, select

Feature
Create
Solid
Protrusion

2. In the SOLID OPTS submenu, select

Extrude
Solid
Done

3. In the ATTRIBUTES submenu, select

One Side
Done

4. Pick the right vertical face of the solid model as the sketching plane.

Select this vertical face of

the base feature as the
sketching plane for the 2nd
solid feature.

5. In the DIRECTION submenu, pick Okay to accept the extrusion direction as

shown in the figure above.

6. In the SKET VIEW submenu, pick Top.

1-28 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

7. In the display area, pick the top face of the base feature as shown.

Select the top face of the

base feature as the
reference plane to set the
orientation of the sketch
plane.

8. Note that the top surface of the solid model and DTM3 are pre-selected as the
sketching references. In the graphics area, the two references are highlighted
and displayed with two dashed lines.

9. Select the right edge and the bottom edge of

the base feature so that the four sides of the
selected sketching plan, or corresponding
datum planes, are used as references as
shown.

10. In the References dialog box, click on the

Close button to accept the selections.

11. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Rectangle icon

as shown to activate the Create Rectangle
command.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-29

12. Create a rectangle by clicking on the lower left corner of the solid model as
shown below.

13. Move the cursor downward and place the opposite corner of the rectangle
along the right edge of the base solid as shown below.

12. Align the first

corner of the rectangle 13. Locate the second
to the lower left corner corner of the rectangle
of the base solid. along this vertical edge.

14. On your own, modify the height dimensions to 0.75 as shown.

• Note that only one dimension, the height dimension, is applied to the 2D sketch; the
width of the rectangle is defined by the references.

15. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept icon

to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher and
proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.
1-30 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

16. In the Spec To submenu, confirm Blind is highlighted as

shown.

17. Click on Done to proceed with the blind extrusion option.

• Note that the Blind option allows us to enter a value to

define the depth of the extrusion.

18. In the message area, enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth.

19. In the message area, click on the Accept button to proceed with
the feature definition.

20. We are now returned to the feature dialogue box with all the required
elements defined. Click on the OK icon to create the solid feature.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-31

Creating a CUT Feature

• We will create a circular cut as the next solid feature of the design.

1. In the Menu Manager window, select

Feature
Create
Solid
Cut

2. In the SOLID OPTS submenu,

confirm the Extrude and Solid
options are highlighted, then select
Done.

Extrude
Solid
Done

The CUT: Extrude feature dialog box

appears on the screen. We will need to
define all elements listed to complete the
feature.

3. In the ATTRIBUTES submenu, select

One Side
Done

Next, Pro/ENGINEER expects us to define and orient the sketching plane to create
the 2D section required for the cut feature. Note that the procedure in creating a cut
feature is almost the same as creating a protrusion feature.
1-32 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Define and Orient the Sketching Plane

1. We will use the top of the cylinder as the sketching plane. Click once, with the
left-mouse-button, inside the top surface of the rectangular solid feature as
shown in the figure below.

2. A red arrow appears on the screen, and the message “Arrow

shows direction of feature creation. Pick FLIP or OKAY.” is
displayed in the message area. The arrow direction indicates the
direction of extrusion. Make sure the arrow is pointing
downward as shown in the below figure. In the DIRECTION
submenu, pick Okay.

3. In the SKET VIEW submenu, pick Right.

4. Pick the right vertical face of the second solid feature as the
reference plane, which will be oriented toward the right edge of
the computer screen.

Sketching Plane

Orient this reference

plane to face the right
Extrusion edge of the computer
Direction screen.

• Pro/ENGINEER will now align and orient the sketching plane to the computer screen.
Note that the extrusion direction is aligned perpendicular to the screen.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-33

Creating the 2D Section of the CUT Feature

1. Note that no references are pre-selected

for the new sketch.

• At least one horizontal reference and one

vertical reference are required to position
a 2D sketch.

2. Select the right surface

of the solid model and
DTM3 as the horizontal
and sketching references
as shown. In the graphics
area, the two references
are highlighted and
displayed with two
dashed lines.

3. Click on the Close button to accept the

selected references and proceed to
entering the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher
module.
1-34 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

4. In the Sketcher toolbar, select Circle as shown. The default option is to

create a circle by specifying the center point and a point through which
the circle will pass. The message “Select the center of a circle” is
displayed in the message area.

5. On your own, create a circle of arbitrary size on the sketching plane as shown.

6. On your own, edit/modify the dimensions as shown.

7. Inside the Modify Dimensions dialog box, click on the Accept

button to regenerate the sketched geometry and exit the Modify
Dimensions command.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-35

8. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept icon to

exit the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher and proceed to
the next element of the feature definition.

9. Confirm the arrow points toward the center of the circle, and
pick Okay to continue.

10. In the SPEC TO submenu, select the Thru All option as

shown.

11. Click on Done to proceed with the extrusion option.

• Note that the Thru All option does not require us to enter a
value to define the depth of the extrusion; Pro/ENGINEER
will calculate the required value to assure the extrusion is
through the entire solid model.

We are now returned to the feature dialogue box with all the required elements
defined.
1-36 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

12. In the feature dialog box, click on the OK button to create the cut feature.

Save the Part and Exit

1. Select Save in the Standard toolbar, or you
can also use the “Ctrl-S” combination
(press down the [Ctrl] key and hit the [S]
key once) to save the part.

2. In the message area, the part name is

displayed. Click on the Accept button to
save the file.

It is a good habit to save your model periodically, just in case something might go
wrong while you are working on it. In general, you should save your work onto the
disk at an interval of every 15 to 20 minutes. You should also save before you make
any major modifications to the model.

3. Use the left-mouse-button and click on File at the top of the Pro/ENGINEER
main window, then choose Exit from the pull-down menu.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-37

Questions:

1. What is the first thing we should set up in Pro/ENGINEER when creating a new
model?

2. How does the Intent Manager assist us in sketching?

3. How do we reposition dimensions in the Sketcher?

4. List three of the geometric constraint symbols used by the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

5. How many definitions are required to define a protrusion-extrude feature?

6. Describe the steps required to define the orientation of the sketching plane?

7. Identify the following commands:

(a)

(b)

Ctrl + Left mouse button

(c)

Ctrl + Right mouse button

1-38 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Exercises: (All dimensions are in inches.)

1. Plate Thickness: 0.25

2. Plate Thickness: 0.5

 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-39

3.

4.
Pro/ENGINEER® Tutorial
Release 2001
A Click-by-Click Primer

and MultiMedia CD

Text
Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

MultiMedia CD-ROM
Jack Zecher, P.E.
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-1

Lesson 2

Creating a Simple Object

(Part I)
Protrusions, Introduction to Sketcher

Synopsis
Creating a part; introduction to Sketcher; Sketcher constraints; saving a part; part templates.

Overview of this Lesson

We are going to cover more introductory ground in this lesson. The main objective is to
introduce you to the general procedure for creating features. We will go at quite a slow pace and
not really accomplish much in terms of part creation, but the central ideas need to be elaborated
and emphasized so that they are very clearly understood. Some of the material presented here is
a repeat of the previous lesson - take this as an indication that it is important!

1. Creating a Simple Part

< creating and naming the part
< creating datum planes
< creating a solid protrusion using Sketcher
2. Saving the part
3. Sketcher constraints during Regeneration
< implicit constraints
< unsuccessful regeneration
< the “Sadder Mister” sequence
4. Using Part Templates

It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction we are
going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which you probably
won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

Start Pro/E as usual. If it is already up, close all windows (except the base window) and erase all
objects in session using File > Erase > Current and File > Erase > Not Displayed.

Creating a Simple Part using Sketcher

In the next two lessons, we will create a simple block with a circular hole and a central slot. By
2-2 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

the end of Lesson #3 your part should look like Figure 1 below. This doesn't seem like such a
difficult part, but we are going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts in some
depth. Try not to go through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your understanding of
how Pro/E works.

Not only are we going to go slowly here, but we are going to turn off some of the default actions
of Pro/E. This will require us to do several things manually instead of letting the program do
them automatically. You will then have a better understanding of what the many default actions
are. Furthermore, eventually you will come across situations where you don’t want the defaults
and you’ll need to know your way around the program.

The first thing to do here is to turn off the model tree. Close it by selecting the short-cut button in
the top toolbar.

Next, we are going to turn off Intent Manager, which is a tool used in Sketcher. From the pull-
down menus select

Utilities > Environment

Near the bottom of this menu, turn off the check beside Sketcher Intent Manager. Then OK (not
Close).

Figure 1 Final block at the end of lesson 2

Figure 2 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the Part

Click the “Create new object” short-cut button (see Figure 2 in Lesson 1), or select File > New.
A window will open (Figure 2) showing a list of different types and sub-types of objects to create
(parts, assemblies, drawings, and so on). In this lesson we are going to make a single solid object
called a part. Keep the default radio button settings
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-3

Part | Solid

Deselect the Use Default Template option at the bottom. We will discuss templates at the end of
this lesson. Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc. can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient
computer memory) in the current session. All objects are identified by unique names1. A default
name for the new part is presented at the bottom of the window, something like [PRT0001]. It is
almost always better to have a more descriptive name. So, double click (left mouse) on this text
to highlight it and then type in

[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part name

and press Enter or select OK.

The New File Options dialog window opens, as

shown to the right. Since we elected (in the
previous window) to not use the default template
for this part, Pro/E is presenting a list of alternative
templates defined for your system. As mentioned
previously, we are going to avoid using defaults
this time around. So, for now, select

Empty | OK.

At this time, BLOCK should appear in the title Figure 3 Setting options for new parts
area of the graphics window. Also, the PART
menu should appear to the right of the main window.

Create Datum Planes and Coordinate System

We will now create the first features of the part:

three reference planes to locate it in space. These
are called datum planes. It is not strictly necessary
to have datum planes, but it is a very good practice,
particularly if you are going to make a complex
part or assembly. The three default datum planes
are created using the “Datum Plane” button on the
right toolbar, as shown in Figure 4. Do that now.

Figure 4 Right toolbar buttons for creation

of datums

1
Pro/E can keep track of objects of different types with the same names. For example a
part and a drawing can have the same name since they are different object types.
2-4 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The datum planes represent three orthogonal planes to be used as references for features to be
created later. You can think of these planes as XY, YZ, XZ planes, although you generally aren’t
concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation. Your screen should have the datum planes visible, as
shown in Figure 5. (If not, see the Hint below.) They will resemble something like a star due to
the default 3D viewing direction. Note that each plane has a name: DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3.
This view may be somewhat hard to visualize, so Figure 6 shows how the datum planes would
look if they were solid plates in the same orientation.

Figure 6 Datum planes represented as solids

Figure 5 Default Datum Planes

Helpful Hint
You can change the visibility of the datum planes in two ways: Î click the “Datum
planes” short-cut button in the top toolbar (not the one on the right side shown in
Figure 4 - it does something different), or Ï select Utilities > Environment and
change the check box beside Datum Planes. Note that the Environment command lets
you change the visibility and display of a number of items at the same time. Scan this
list quickly before closing the window by clicking OK. Many of these environment
settings (the most common ones) are duplicated by the short-cut buttons at the top.
Turning the datums off does not mean they are deleted, just not displayed. You may
turn them back on at any time by re-issuing either of these commands.

Although not strictly necessary for this part, we will establish a datum coordinate system. The
command is started using the “Coord System” shortcut button shown in Figure 4. This opens a
menu with a number of options for creating the position and orientation of the system. For now,
select

Default | Done
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-5

There should now be an x, y, z icon labeled CS0 in the middle of the datum planes. Your screen
should now look like Figure 5. Again, depending on your system settings, you may also have a
red-green-blue triad located at the center of the screen. This is called the Spin Center. This is
not included in the part model but is strictly a display device to help visualize the 3D orientation
of the model. Note the sequence red-green-blue (RGB) and the default axis directions (XYZ).

Creating a Solid Protrusion using Sketcher

Now its time to start building our part! The base feature is the primary shape of a part and is
(usually) the first solid feature made in the model. For the block we’re working on, it is an
extruded protrusion. This is called a sketched feature and is created by specifying a sketching
plane, creating a 2D shape or sketch in that plane, and then extending the shape into 3D either by
extrusion, sweeping or revolving the sketch. We will perform the following steps that are
common to most sketched features:

1. Identify the Feature Type

2. Identify/Specify Feature Elements/Attributes
3. Make a 2D sketch of the basic geometry
4. Indicate how far to extend into 3D
5. Preview the feature
6. Accept the new feature

At any time during this process, you can cancel the operation. For the part we are making, the
base feature type is a solid protrusion. Feature elements include the sketching plane, the sketched
shape, extrusion direction and depth. Most of the work is done in step 3, where the shape is set
up in a program called Sketcher.

To start the block, follow this sequence of commands

(starting from the PART menu):

Feature > Create > Solid

Protrusion > Extrude | Solid | Done

A window will open as shown in Figure 7. This shows

the elements that must be defined to specify this feature.
The current feature type (extruded protrusion) is shown
at the top of the window. The window shows that we are
defining the feature attributes. As we go through the Figure 7 The Feature Elements
process of defining elements, we will use a mix of menu Window
picks and, possibly, some values entered at the keyboard
(usually numerical). This window will show us a summary of the specified data and record our
progress as we create the feature.

As you proceed, you will be asked several questions and be presented with a considerable
number of options. We won't go into a lot of detail on all these options now, because you
2-6 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

probably want to get on to the good stuff as soon as possible. Just follow the menu picks
described below.

First you must specify whether you want the extrusion to happen on one or both sides of the
sketch plane (we'll set that up next). Choose the following (and remember that a highlighted
menu item is pre-selected, and the middle mouse button means Done):

One Side | Done

Now (see the message window) you need to choose a sketch plane on which to draw the cross-
sectional shape. For the block, the sketch plane will be one of the datum planes. You can use
any planar entity as a sketch plane (including the surface of an object). The sketch plane is
selected by using the left mouse button on either the edge or the nametag of the datum plane (or
by clicking on any planar part surface). In this instance, you will use DTM3 as your sketch plane,
so click on the label DTM3.

A red arrow will appear somewhere on the edge of DTM3. Read the bottom line in the message
window. For practice, choose the command Flip on the DIRECTION menu. This enables you to
determine the direction of the extrusion off the sketching plane. For this step, ensure the arrow is
pointing down/forward from DTM3 (in the positive Z direction) using Flip if necessary. Then
choose Okay to commit the direction.

Our next job is to specify the sketching reference plane. This generally causes a lot of
confusion for new users, so pay attention! The SKET VIEW menu opens, giving you several
choices (Top, Bottom, Left, Right). These choices refer to directions relative to the computer
screen, as in “Facing the TOP edge of the screen” or “Facing the RIGHT edge of the screen” and
so on. Which direction should we pick in SKET VIEW, how do we choose the sketching
reference plane, and, more importantly, how do these choices work together? Remember that at
this point we have already chosen our sketching plane (DTM3), the one we are going to create
our sketch on.

The sketching reference plane is used to orient how we will look at the sketching plane just
selected (DTM3). Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane2 and one-sided
protrusions are always created towards you (coming out of the screen from the sketch). This
means, in the present case, that we are going to be looking directly at the yellow side of the
datum plane (we will be looking in the -Z direction). Since we can rotate our view of the sketch
plane arbitrarily around the Z axis, we must tell Pro/E how we want to set the orientation of our
view of the sketch. Instead of turning our head sideways, we can get Pro/E to rotate the sketch
plane around the Z axis for us. We orient our view by choosing a reference plane, which can be
any datum plane or planar part surface that is perpendicular to the sketch plane. We specify the
direction that the reference plane or surface will face in our view of the sketch by picking from
the choices Top, Bottom, Left, Right in SKET VIEW. Unfortunately, Pro/E requires us to

2
Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can manipulate
your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane. We will not attempt
that here.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-7

specify these choices in the opposite order - that is, first we select the direction we want the
reference to face by picking an option in SKET VIEW, then we select the reference plane itself.
Read the last couple of paragraphs again, since new users are quite liable to end up
drawing their sketches upside-down!

To illustrate the crucial importance of the reference plane, consider the images shown in Figure
8. These show two cases where the same sketching plane DTM3 was used, the same sketched
shape was drawn, the same reference direction TOP was chosen, but where different datums were
chosen as the sketching reference. On the left, the TOP reference chosen was DTM2. On the
right, the TOP reference chosen was DTM1. The identical sketch, shown in the center, was used
for both cases (rounded end of sketch towards the top of the screen). However, notice the
difference in the orientation of the part obtained in the final shaded images. Both of these
models are displayed in the default orientation (check the datum planes). Clearly, choosing the
sketching reference is important, particularly for the base feature.

Figure 8 The importance of the sketching reference plane!

Note that in the SKET VIEW menu there is a Default choice available for the sketch reference.
Until you get more experience with Pro/E, it is suggested that you avoid this. The default is
chosen based on the current view orientation of the part. Therefore, the results can be
2-8 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

unpredictable and quite likely not what you want.

Let’s continue on with our part creation...

Select Top from the SKET VIEW menu. The plane or surface we select next will face the Top
of the screen in the upcoming sketch. Click on the horizontal datum DTM2 (this determines the
plane that you want to orient in the direction chosen). The orientation of a datum plane is
determined by which way its yellow side will face. For a solid surface, the orientation is
determined by the outward normal.

IMPORTANT:
Another window titled “Sketcher Enhancement - Intent Manager” may also open up. We
will be discussing this powerful tool a bit later. For now, Close this window.

The graphics window should now appear

as shown in Figure 9. The background
color may have changed depending on your
system settings. Note that the datum plane
DTM3, that you identified as the sketching
plane, is facing towards you (you should
see a yellow square). The other datum
planes (DTM1 and DTM2) appear in edge
view, with a yellow side and a red side.
The yellow and red sides of datum planes
will be more clear when you view them in
3D in a couple of minutes.

The yellow side (positive) of DTM2 faces

the top of the sketch, exactly as you
specified above for the sketching reference. Figure 9 The drawing window in Sketcher
Note that we could have obtained the same
orientation by selecting Right > DTM1.

Observe the location and orientation of the coordinate system CS0 and the spin center. We are
looking at the XY plane, with the Z axis coming toward us.

The Sketcher menus at the right of the screen are what you will use to create the 2D sketch for
this part. Note also that some new display short-cut buttons (the ones with the eyeballs!) have
appeared at the top of the screen. One of these is to turn the dashed grid on and off - try that now.
Others are for display of sketch dimensions, constraints, and small yellow dots at the vertices.
Leave all these on.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-9

Defining the Sketch using Sketcher

The Sketcher menu now open on the right side of the screen is actually for the old version of
Sketcher used prior to the incorporation of Intent Manager (which occurred in Release 20). As
mentioned above, we have turned off Intent Manager for now so that you can understand some of
the underlying principles involved in creating a sketch. You need to know this clearly in order to
use Intent Manager effectively. Furthermore, there will be (rare) occasions when you want to turn
Intent Manager off and do everything yourself. Some practice with the old Sketcher interface will
be useful.

Sketcher is a powerful tool for entering 2D shapes. It is where most of the part geometry creation
happens and goes considerably beyond ordinary 2D computer drawing. It is truly a sketching tool
since you don't have to be particularly accurate with the geometric shape you give it, as shown in
the two figures below.

Figure 10 Geometry input by user. Note

misaligned vertices, non-parallel edges, non- Figure 11 Geometry after processing by
tangent curves. Sketcher. Note aligned vertices, parallel
edges, tangent curves.
Sketcher is fun (but sometimes also frustrating) to use because it is so smart. Sketcher uses a
number of built-in rules for interpreting your sketch. For example, lines that "look like" they are
perpendicular to each other are assumed to be exactly that; lines that "look" horizontal are
assumed to be; and so on. The only thing Sketcher requires is that you give it just enough
information (not too little or too much) to be able to construct the shape unambiguously using its
internal rule set and the dimensions that you provide.

Familiarity with Sketcher is very important. We won't go into a lot of detail with it at this time,
but will gain experience steadily as we progress through the lessons. You would be well-advised
to come back later and play around with more of the Sketcher functions as often as you can
(perhaps doing some of the exercises at the end of the lesson). In any part creation, you probably
spend more time in Sketcher than anywhere else in Pro/E.

Before we proceed, make sure that the Sketch and Mouse Sketch commands are highlighted.
Also, Table 2-1 shows some special mouse button shortcuts that are available in Sketcher.
2 - 10 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Table 2-1 Pro/ENGINEER Mouse Commands (Sketcher)

Mouse Mode LEFT MIDDLE RIGHT

Mouse Sketch - Draw Entity Line Circle Tangent Arc
Mouse Sketch - Line mode Abort/End
Mouse Sketch - Circle mode Abort/End
Mouse Sketch - Tangent arc mode Abort/End
Sketcher Dimension - Linear Pick entity Place Dimension
Sketcher Dimension - Radius Pick arc/circle Place Dimension
Sketcher Dimension - Diameter Double pick Place Dimension
arc/circle

Î Drawing the Sketch

With the left mouse button, click once at each of the four corners of a rectangle as described
below and illustrated in Figure 12. After each click, you will see a straight line rubber-band from
the previous position to the cursor position. You do not have to be super accurate with these click
positions. You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these actually
extend off to infinity. The displayed extent of datum planes will (eventually) adjust to the
currently displayed object(s). Here are the points to sketch the rectangle:

1. left-click at the origin (intersection of DTM1 and DTM2)

2. left-click above the origin on
DTM1
3. left-click horizontally to the
right
4. left-click straight down on
DTM2
5. left-click back at the origin
6. middle-click anywhere on the
screen

(Compare these mouse buttons with the top

two lines in Table 2-1.) This will complete
the polygon and the screen should look like
Figure 12 (minus the balloons).

The sketched entities are shown in light

blue (actually, cyan). The visible lines may
only be partially seen due to the datum
Figure 12 Drawing the Sketch
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 11

planes. Note that we didn't need to specify any drawing coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for that
matter, are any coordinate values displayed anywhere on the screen. This is a significant
departure from standard CAD programs. We also didn’t need the grid or a snap function
(although both of these are available in Pro/E).

To help us see the orientation of the part in

3D wireframe, we’ll add a couple of
rounded corners on the top corners of the
sketch. In the GEOMETRY menu, select

Arc > Fillet

and pick on the top and right lines in the

sketch close to but not at the corner. A
circular fillet is created to the closest pick
point. Then pick on the top and left lines.
Your sketch should look like Figure 13.
Don’t worry if your proportions are slightly
different, or the rounded corners are not this
size.
Figure 13 Sketch with fillets

Helpful Hint
If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, you can choose Delete from the
SKETCHER menu and click on whatever you wish to remove. Then replace or add
lines by selecting Sketch and Mouse Sketch again. We will cover more advanced
Sketcher commands a bit later.

Ï Aligning the Sketch

Next the sketch will be aligned with the datum planes. Aligning is how you specify locational
relations between lines and vertices in your sketch and existing part features. By aligning
sketched entities, you are essentially telling Pro/E to "keep this entity in the sketch lined up with
this previously created line, edge, or surface." Here are some important things to note about
alignments:

L You can only align new sketched features (in light blue) to previously defined features (in
white or gray) or datums (planes, axes, curves, or points).
L You can't align any part of a sketch to another part of the same sketch.
L Alignment does not mean “make this line parallel to that one,” which is a very common
misinterpretation with new users.

Explicitly defining alignments is one reason why our sketch doesn't have to be absolutely precise
2 - 12 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

- Pro/E will make sure that the geometry will be created as you specify using alignments and
dimensions. Select the following

Alignment > Align > Pick

Read the message in the message window. Click on the lower horizontal line of the sketch and
then anywhere on the datum DTM2. In the message window,

--- ALIGNED ---

appears indicating a successful alignment, and a brown patterned line appears on the sketch at the
alignment location. If alignment fails, you will see an error message. Try to align the top
horizontal line of the sketch with DTM2. This will fail. Why? In order for alignment to
succeed, the line must be "close" to the object you are aligning to (and remember that alignment
does NOT mean “make parallel”). In the future, if your sketch is very inaccurate, you might have
to zoom out on your sketch to bring the entity and the alignment reference closer together (within
a few pixels on the screen).

Align the left vertical line and the plane DTM1. You can do this very quickly by double clicking
on the sketch line since the datum plane is right underneath it. You know it is aligned by the
appearance of the brown patterned line and the message above.

Ð Dimensioning the Sketch

So far, we have told Sketcher where our sketch is located using the alignments. Now we have to
tell it how big the sketch is using dimensions. These (location and size) are two basic
requirements for a successful sketch.

Click on Dimension in the SKETCHER menu. There are many ways to dimension this sketch.
What follows is the easiest way (not necessarily the best!). Some special mouse functions are
shown back in Table 2-1.

Click the left mouse button on the lower horizontal edge of the sketch. Position the cursor below
the sketch and click the middle mouse button. A dimension will appear with letters something
like 'sd2'. The sd indicates that this is a sketch dimension; the 2 is a dimension identifier/counter
generated by Pro/E. Each dimension in a sketch, part, or assembly has a unique identifier - this
will be important later when we get to relations. This is the basis of the parametric nature of
Pro/E. Dimensions are numbered successively, (eg. sd2, sd3,etc). So, if sd2 has already been
used, the next dimension will be labeled sd3.

With Dimension > Pick still highlighted, left click on the upper and lower horizontal lines.
Move the cursor to the right of the sketch and click the middle mouse button to place the
dimension. Now left click on one of the arcs at the top, move away from the arc, and middle-
click. Dimension the other arc the same way. Your dimensioned sketch should look something
like Figure 14. Don’t worry if your dimension symbols are different; what matters is the intent of
the dimensioning scheme.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 13

Figure 14 Dimensioned sketch (before

regeneration)

Ñ Regenerate

Click on the command Regenerate on the SKETCHER menu. What does regeneration do? You
will recall that Sketcher has a number of built-in rules to interpret your sketch. (We will discuss
these rules at length a bit later in this lesson.) Regeneration calls on these rules (if necessary) to
"clean up" your freehand drawing, also using the dimensional references and any alignments that
you supplied. During regeneration, Sketcher determines correctness of your sketch. The three
possible outcomes are

1. geometry underspecified
This is usually caused by missing alignments or incomplete dimensioning. The locations
and lines that Sketcher cannot locate are shown in red (this is called "the measles" and
everyone gets them sooner or later!). A message appears in the message window telling you
to locate the indicated vertices. The Dimension command is automatically selected,
although it may be that you have just forgotten to align some part of the sketch to the
existing features.

2. geometry overspecified
There are more dimensional references than are required to specify the geometry.
Redundant dimensions are shown in red, and the Delete command is automatically selected.
Click on any dimension (ie. not just the red ones) to delete it. Be warned that clicking on
any dimension may not necessarily solve your problem, since the problem may be
elsewhere in the sketch. Note also that if a sketch is created by aligning all the geometric
entities to previously created features, it may not be necessary to supply any dimensions for
the new sketch. You may sometimes find that Sketcher needs fewer dimensions than you
think it should. This is because it can often figure out "missing" dimensions using its
internal rule set. This can be good or bad, depending if you want any of those internal rules
to be invoked. If any dimensions that you specify are not needed, the geometry is
2 - 14 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

overspecified. If any dimensions that you give cause a conflict with the internal rule set, the
regeneration will fail.

3. regeneration successful
Everything went just fine and the message "Section regenerated successfully." appears in
the message window. Give yourself a pat on the back!

You can see that Sketcher is a very powerful geometry engine. And you can see why you only
need to provide a rough sketch of the geometry - most of the work is done by Sketcher.

Sketcher will show you the result of any internal rules that it has used to regenerate your sketch.
These appear as symbols beside the lines and vertices in your sketch. You can look for symbols
indicating horizontal, vertical, parallel, tangent, same length, and so on. For our simple block,
only two or three rules (probably) were fired. All the Sketcher rules are discussed a bit later in
this lesson. You might investigate the Constraints > Explain command at this time.

Ò Modifying Dimensional Values

After regeneration, numerical dimension values should appear in place of the 'sd' dimension
labels. These values are generated according to the scale of the existing features (or seemingly at
random if this is the first solid feature in the model). You need to change these numbers to the
desired values.

To do this, select the Modify command on the SKETCHER menu. Then click on the horizontal
dimension - it should turn red. In the message window, a prompt appears asking for the new
value. The current value is shown, which will be the value used if you just hit the Enter key (ie.
value is unchanged). Usually, you want to enter a new value here. For the horizontal dimension
use 20. After modifying, the dimension value appears in white, but our sketch hasn’t changed
size or shape. Change the vertical dimension to 30. The radius of the arc on the right side is 10,
and on the left side is 5.

Ó Regenerate the Sketch

This is the step most often missed. After modifying any dimensions or alignments, the sketch
must be updated. It is necessary to regenerate the sketch. You can tell when regeneration is
needed because some of the dimensions will be showing in white.

Select Regenerate from the SKETCHER menu again. You will now see an animation of
Sketcher going about its business. This animation will become useful when you create complex
sketches, since you will be able to see the reasons why Sketcher might fail or your dimensioning
scheme or values are not quite right. In that case, the animation will proceed up to the point
where the sketch fails - usually caused by incompatible requirements on the sketch.

At this time your screen should look like Figure 15.

Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 15

Figure 15 The final regenerated sketch

Assuming that the sketch regenerates successfully, then you are finished with Sketcher for this
feature. To complete the process, select Done from the bottom of the SKETCHER menu (it may
be partially hidden behind one of the smaller menu windows). Be careful that you don’t click on
Quit by mistake, although you can cancel that if you do.

Helpful Hint
For the time being, you should never leave Sketcher with unresolved errors or
warnings that prevent a clean regeneration. Many errors are fatal, but some result
only in warnings. Always resolve these problems and get a successful regeneration
before leaving, indicated by the message "Section regenerated successfully." You
will come to love seeing this message! We will see a few cases later when a warning
is generated that we will ignore, but this situation is very rare.

Ô Specifying Extrusion Depth

This is the final element to specify for the base feature (check out the element window). Recall
that we set up this feature as a one-sided protrusion off DTM3 (the sketch plane). To make the
block, we will extrude the polygon for a specified distance - this is called a blind protrusion.
From the SPEC TO menu, choose

Blind | Done

You will be prompted in the message window for an extrusion depth. Enter

10
2 - 16 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

and press return. A message should indicate that "All elements have been defined." meaning that
the extrusion was created successfully.

Õ Previewing the Feature

Before accepting this new feature, we can

have a look at it's 3D shape and relation to
other features on the part. In the element
window, click on the Preview button.
Make sure the mouse is in the graphics
window, then press and hold down the
CTRL key while dragging with the
middle mouse button. This will cause the
shaded block to spin around following the
mouse. You can do as much spinning as
you want. You might note that, when
viewed from the left/back/bottom, you will
see the red side of the datum planes (these
may not be visible while you are spinning).
Also, note the new position of the spin
Figure 16 The final SOLID PROTRUSION feature
center (if it is turned on). You can use the
left and right mouse buttons (with CTRL) to zoom and pan in the graphics window.

Ö Accepting the Feature

Once you are satisfied with the feature you have created, click on OK in the element window (or
middle click). In the present case, you should see the message "PROTRUSION has been created
successfully." in the message window. The final part shown in default view orientation (press
CTRL-D or select View > Default) should look like Figure 16.

Saving the Part

It is a good idea to periodically save your model, just in case something serious goes wrong.
From the top toolbar, select the “Save” button.

In the command window, you will be asked for the name of the object to be saved (remember
that you can have more than one object loaded into memory at a time). Accept the default
[block.prt] (this is the active part) by pressing the enter key or the middle mouse button. Pro/E
will automatically put a .prt extension on the file. In addition, if you save the part a number of
times, Pro/E will automatically number each saved version (like block.prt.1, block.prt.2,
block.prt.3, and so on). Since these files can get pretty big, you will eventually run out of disk
space. So, be aware of how much space you have available. It may be necessary to delete some of
the previously saved versions; or you can copy them to a diskette. You can do both of these tasks
from within Pro/E - we'll talk about that later.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 17

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this command at
that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketch with the file extension
sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated and may be used again on a different
part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be read in from the saved file. In these lessons,
none of the sketches are complicated enough to warrant saving them to disk.

Working With Sketcher Constraints during Regeneration

Implicit Constraints

As alluded to above, Sketcher is a powerful geometry engine that is capable of “assuming” things
about your input sketch that indicate your design intent. These assumptions are embodied in a
number of rules (see Table 2-2) that Sketcher will invoke (“fire”) if necessary in order to
successfully regenerate your sketch. It will only do this if the specified dimensions and/or
alignments are not sufficient to completely define the geometry. You should become familiar
with these rules, and learn how to use them to your advantage. Conversely, if you do not want a
rule invoked, you must either
(a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or
(b) exaggerate the geometry so that if fired, the rule will fail, or
(c) tell Pro/E explicitly to ignore the rule (disable the constraint).

You will most often use option (a) by specifying your desired alignments and dimensions and
letting Sketcher worry about whatever else it needs to solve the sketch. When geometry is driven
by an explicit dimension, fewer internal rules will fire. Option (b) is slightly less common. An
example is if a line in a sketch must be 2E away from vertical, you would draw it some much
larger angle (like 15E or so) and explicitly dimension it, otherwise it will be assumed to be
exactly vertical with no dimension required (thus no way to make it 2E off). After the sketch
regenerates with the exaggerated angle, you can modify the dimension to the desired 2E. For
method (c), there is a command available that explicitly turns off the rule checking during
regeneration. This is very rarely used.

When a sketch is regenerated, the rules that have been fired are indicated on the graphics window
using one (or more) symbols beside each affected entity. The symbols are shown in Table 2-3 on
the next page.
2 - 18 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Table 2-2 Implicit Rules in Sketcher

Rule Description
Equal radius and diameter If you sketch two or more arcs or circles with
approximately the same radius, the system
may assume that the radii are equal
Symmetry Entities may be assumed to be symmetric
about a centerline
Horizontal and vertical lines Lines that are approximately horizontal or
vertical may be considered to be exactly so.
Parallel and perpendicular lines Lines that are sketched approximately parallel
or perpendicular may be considered to be
exactly so.
Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to
each other may be assumed to be tangent
Equal segment lengths Lines of approximately the same length may
be assumed to have the same length
Point entities lying on other entities or Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
collinear with other entities circles may be considered to be exactly on
them. Points that are near the extension of a
line may be assumed to lie on it.
Equal coordinates Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates
Midpoint of line If the midpoint of a line is close to a sketch
reference, it will be placed on the reference.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 19

Table 2-3 Graphical Display of Sketcher Constraints

Constraint Symbol

Horizontal entities "H"

Vertical entities "V"

Line segments with equal lengths "L" with an index in subscript (for example: L1)

Perpendicular lines Perpendicularity symbol with or without an index

number in subscript

Parallel lines Parallel symbol with an index in subscript

Equal coordinates Small thick dashes between the points

Tangent entities "T"

Midpoint of line “M”

Symmetry

Equal radii "R" with an index in subscript

Point entity
2 - 20 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

An example of a solved sketch with the

geometric constraints is shown in Figure
17. Note how few dimensions are required
to define this sketch. How do you suppose
Sketcher is able to determine the radius of
the fillets on the top and bottom corners on
the left edge?

Figure 17 A regenerated sketch showing implicit

constraints

Unsuccessful Regeneration of a Sketch

If a sketch cannot be solved using the dimensioning scheme and implicit rules, Pro/ENGINEER
issues a message and highlights the error. The basic categories of errors are as follows:

C The sketch does not communicate the intent. For example, a line that you want
tangent to an arc is not “close enough” for Sketcher to figure out what to do.
C The sketch is underdimensioned.
C The sketch is overdimensioned.
C The segment is too small. If you have modified dimensions such that a line segment
becomes very small, then Sketcher will flag this as an error. If you really do want the
short segment, zoom in on the sketch and regenerate again.
C The segment is of zero length. This is similar to the previous error which arises if you
have modified dimensions so that in the recomputed position a line segment must
have zero length. This is an error that must be fixed in the sketch.
C There are inappropriate sections. For example, a sketch that crosses over itself, or an
open sketch for a feature that requires a closed one (eg. for a revolved protrusion).

The “Sadder Mister” Order of Operations

A common “error” that can lead to problems getting a successful regeneration is NOT following
the sequence below:
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 21

Sketch
Align
Dimension
Regenerate
Modify
Regenerate

You can remember this sequence using the acronym “Sadder Mister” taken from the first letter of
each step:
S A D R M R

Remember that Sketcher will automatically provide values for all new dimensions based on the
existing features when it regenerates a sketch. Let it do that! There is no need to “modify”
dimension values prior to the first regeneration, and doing so can often cause you grief!
This means, do not Modify a dimension shown in its symbolic (sdxx) form!

Now, all that being said, we will see in the next lesson how the Intent Manager is able to assist
you in obtaining a “legal” sketch, usually with considerably fewer commands and mouse clicks
and without having to deal with regeneration failures. It is important, however, to understand the
basic principles of Sketcher, and the implicit rules, in order to use Intent Manager efficiently.
Also, sometimes, you may not want to use Intent Manager.

The exercises at the end of this lesson are to give you practice using Sketcher and to explore
commands in the Sketcher menus.

Using Part Templates

You will recall that in the block part created earlier, the first thing we did was to create default
datum planes. These (plus the named views based on them) are very standard features and
aspects of part files, and it would be handy if this was done automatically. This is exactly the
purpose of part templates.

A template is a previously created part file that contains the common features and aspects of
almost all part files you will ever make. These include, among other things, default datum planes
and named views. Pro/E actually has several templates available for parts, drawings, and
assemblies. There are variations of the templates for each type of object. One important variation
consists of the unit system used for the part (inches or millimeters). Templates also contain some
common model parameters and layer definitions3.

A template is selected when a new model is first created. Let’s see how that works. Create a new

3
Model parameters and layers are discussed in the Advanced Tutorial.
2 - 22 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

part (note that you don’t have to remove the block - Pro/E can have several parts “in session” at
the same time) by selecting

File > New

or using the “Create New Object” button. The New dialog window opens. Select the options

Part | Solid

and enter a new name, like exercise_1. Remove the check mark beside Use default template
and then select OK.

In the New File Options dialog window, the default template is shown at the top. It is likely
“inlbs_part_solid”. This template is for solid parts with the units set to inch-pound-second. It
seems strange to have force and time units in a CAD geometry program. Actually, this is
included so that the part units are known by downstream applications like Pro/MECHANICA
which perform finite element analysis (FEA) or mechanism dynamics calculations. These
programs are very picky about units!

Note that there are templates available for sheet-metal parts and for metric units (millimeter-
Newton-second). While we are mentioning units, be aware that if you make a wrong choice of
units here, it is still possible to change the units of a part after it has been created.

There are only two model parameters in the default template. DESCRIPTION is for an extended
title for the part, like “UPPER PUMP HOUSING”. This title can (eventually) be called up and
placed automatically on a drawing of the part using, you guessed it, a drawing template.
Similarly, the MODELED_BY parameter is available for you to record your name or initials as
the originator of the part. Fill in these parameter fields and select OK.

The new part is created which automatically displays the default datums. They are even named
for you (we will see how to name features in lesson 3): instead of DTM1, we have RIGHT. TOP
replaces DTM2, and FRONT replaces DTM3. The part also contains a coordinate system, named
views (look in the Saved Views List), and other data that we’ll discover as we go through the
lessons. The named views correspond to the standard engineering views. Thus, it is important to
note that if you are planning on using a drawing template (discussed in Lesson #8), your model
orientation relative to the default datums is critical. The top-front-right views of the part are the
ones that will be automatically placed on the drawing later. If your model is upside down or
backwards in these named views, then so will be your drawing. This is embarrassing!

Now, having created this new part, you are all set up to do some of the exercises at the end of the
lesson!
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 23

This completes Lesson #2. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the commands
that have been presented in this lesson. Create new parts for your experiments since we will need
the block part in its present form for the next lesson. The only way to become proficient with
Pro/E is to use it a lot!

In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of relations,
and spend some time learning about the Intent Manager in Sketcher.

Questions for Review

Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

7. What is meant by a blind protrusion?

8. What is the purpose of the sketching reference plane?
9. What aspect of feature creation results in the parametric nature of the model?
10. What is meant by alignment?
11. What three outcomes are possible when you regenerate a sketch? What do these mean?
12. What is the correct order of the following activities for using Sketcher:
‚ sketch drawing
‚ modify dimensions
‚ regenerate
‚ alignments
‚ place dimensions
‚ regenerate
13. When you look at a sketch, in which direction will a one-sided solid protrusion occur?
14. How do you specify the name of a part?
15. When you are in Mouse Sketch mode, what do the three mouse buttons do?
16. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
17. How do you save a part?
18. What is a template?
19. What is your system’s default template?
20. Where does your system store your part files when they are saved?
21. What is meant by the active part?
22. How does Sketcher determine the radius of a fillet created on two lines?
23. Try to create sketches/procedures that cause the errors noted in the section “Unsuccessful
Regeneration of a Sketch”.
2 - 24 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Exercises
Here are some simple shapes that you can make with a single solid protrusion. They should give
you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Create these with Intent
Manager turned off. Choose your own dimensions and pay attention to alignments and internal
constraints. The objects should appear in roughly the same orientation in default view. Have a
contest with a buddy to see who can create each object with the fewest number of dimensions.
This is not necessarily a goal of good modeling, but is a good exercise!
Pro/MECHANICA Tutorial
Structure
Release 2001 - Integrated Mode

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
FEM with MECHANICA 2-1

Chapter 2 :

Finite Element Modeling with

MECHANICA

Synopsis
Background information on FEA. The concept of modeling. Particular attention is directed at
concerns of accuracy and convergence of solutions, and the differences between h-code and p-
code FEA. Overview of MECHANICA.

Overview of this Lesson

This chapter presents an overall view of FEA in general, and discusses a number of ideas and
issues involved. The major differences between Pro/M, which uses a p-code method, and other
packages, which typically use h-code, are presented. The topics of accuracy and convergence are
discussed. The major sections in this chapter are:

‚ overview and origins of FEA

‚ discussion of the concept of the “model”
‚ general procedure for FEA solutions
‚ FEA models versus CAD models
‚ p-elements and h-elements
‚ convergence and accuracy
‚ sources of error
‚ overview of MECHANICA

Although you are probably anxious to get started with the software, your understanding of the
material presented here is very important. We will get to the program soon enough!

Finite Element Analysis : An Introduction

In this section, we will try to present the essence of FEA without going into a lot of mathematical
detail. This is primarily to set up the discussion of the important issues of accuracy and
convergence later in the chapter. Some of the statements made here are generalizations and over-
2-2 FEM with MECHANICA

simplifications, but we hope that this will not be too misleading. Interested users can consult a
number of text and reference books (some are listed at the end of this chapter) which describe the
theoretical underpinnings of FEA in considerably greater detail.

In the following, the ideas are illustrated using a planar (2D) solution region, but of course these
ideas extend also to 3D. Let's suppose that we are faced with the following problem: We are
given a connected region (or volume) R with a boundary B as shown in Figure 1(a). Some
continuous physical variable, e.g. temperature T, is governed by a physical law within the region
R and subjected to known conditions on the boundary B. In a finite element solution, the
geometry of the region is typically generated by a CAD program, such as Pro/ENGINEER.

Figure 1 The problem to be solved is specified in a) the physical domain and b) the
discretized domain used by FEA

For a two dimensional problem, the governing physical law or principle might be expressed by a
partial differential equation (PDE), for example1:

M2 T M2 T
% ' 0
2 2
Mx My

that is valid in the interior of the region R. The solution to the problem must satisfy some
boundary conditions or constraints, for example T = T(x,y), prescribed on the boundary B. Both
interior and exterior boundaries might be present and can be arbitrarily shaped. Note that this
governing PDE may be (and usually is!) the result of simplifying assumptions made about the

1
The PDE given represents the temperature within a solid body which is governed by the
conduction of heat within the body. There are no heat sources, and temperature on the boundary
of the body is known.
FEM with MECHANICA 2-3

physical system, such as the material being homogeneous and isotropic, with constant linear
properties, and so on.

In order to analyze this problem, the region R is discretized into individual finite elements that
collectively approximate the shape of the region, as shown in Figure 1(b). This discretization is
accomplished by locating nodes along the boundary and in the interior of the region. The nodes
are then joined by lines to create the finite elements. In 2D problems, these can be triangles or
quadrilaterals; in 3D problems, the elements can be tetrahedra or 8-node "bricks". In some FEA
software, other higher order types of elements are also possible (e.g. hexagonal prisms). Some
higher order elements also have additional nodes along their edges. Collectively, the set of all
the elements is called a finite element mesh. In the early days of FEM, a great deal of effort was
required to set up the mesh. More recently, automatic meshing routines have been developed in
order to do most, if not all, of this tedious task.

In the FEA solution, values of the dependent variable (T, in our example) are computed only at
the nodes. The variation of the variable within each element is computed from the nodal values
so as to approximately satisfy the governing PDE. One way of doing this is by using
interpolating polynomials. In order for the PDE to be satisfied, the nodal values of each element
must satisfy a set of conditions represented by several linear algebraic equations usually
involving other nodal values.

The boundary conditions are implemented by specifying the values of the variables on the
boundary nodes. There is no guarantee that the true boundary conditions on the continuous
boundary B are satisfied between the nodes on the discretized boundary.

When all the individual elements in the mesh are combined, the discretization and interpolation
procedures result in a conversion of the problem from the solution of a continuous differential
equation into a very large set of simultaneous linear algebraic equations. This system can
typically have many thousands of equations in it, requiring special and efficient numerical
algorithms,. The solution of this algebraic system contains the nodal values that collectively
represent an approximation to the continuous solution of the initial PDE. An important issue,
then, is the accuracy of this approximation. In classical FEM solutions, the approximation
becomes more accurate as the mesh is refined with smaller elements. In the limit of zero mesh
size, requiring an infinite number of equations, the FEM solution to the PDE would be exact.
This is, of course, not achievable. So, a major issue revolves around the question “How fine a
mesh is required to produce answers of acceptable accuracy?” and the practical question is “Is it
feasible to compute this solution?” We will see a bit later how Pro/M solves these problems.

IMPORTANT POINT: In FEA stress analysis problems, the dependent variable in the
governing PDE's is the displacement from the reference (usually unloaded) position. The
material strain (displacement per unit length) is then computed from the displacement by
taking the derivative with respect to position. Finally, the stress components at any point in
the material are computed from the strain at that point. Thus, if the interpolating
polynomial for the spatial variation of the displacement field is linear within an element,
then the strain and stress will be constant within that element, since the derivative of a
linear function is a constant. The significance of this will be illustrated a bit later in this
lesson.
2-4 FEM with MECHANICA

The FEA Model and General Processing Steps

Throughout this manual, we will be using the term “model” extensively. We need to have a clear
idea of what we mean by the FEA model.

To get from the “real world” physical problem to the approximate FEA solution, we must go
through a number of simplifying steps. At each step, it is necessary to make decisions about what
assumptions or simplifications will be required in order to reach a final workable model. By
“workable”, we mean that the FEA model must allow us to compute the results of interest (for
example, the maximum stress in the material) with sufficient accuracy and with available time
and resources. It is no good building a model that is over-simplified to the point where it cannot
produce the results with sufficient accuracy. It is also no good producing a model that is “perfect”
but will not yield useful computational results for several weeks! Quite often, the FEA user must
compromise between the two extremes - accepting a slightly less accurate answer in a reasonable
solution time.

Real World

Simplified
Physical Model

Mathematical
Model

Discretized
FEA Model

Figure 2 Developing a Model for Finite Element Analysis

To arrive at a model suitable for FEA, we must go through the simplifying steps shown in Figure
2, as follows:

Real World º Simplified Physical Model

This simplification step involves making assumptions about physical properties or the physical
layout and geometry of the problem. For example, we usually assume that materials are
homogeneous and isotropic and free of internal defects or flaws. It is also common to ignore
aspects of the geometry that will have no (anticipated) effect on the results, such as the
chamfered and filleted edges on the bracket shown in Figure 3, and perhaps even the mounting
FEM with MECHANICA 2-5

holes themselves. Ignoring these “cosmetic” features, as shown in Figure 4, is often necessary in
order to reduce the geometric complexity so that the resulting FEA model is practical.

Figure 4 The idealized physical

Figure 3 The “Real World” Object model

Simple Physical Model º Mathematical Model

To arrive at the mathematical model, we make assumptions like linearity of material properties,
idealization of loading conditions, and so on, in order to apply our mathematical formulas to
complex problems. We often assume that loading is steady, that fixed points are perfectly fixed,
beams are long and slender, and so on. As discussed above, the mathematical model usually
consists of one or more differential equations that describe the variation of the variable of interest
within the boundaries of the model.

Mathematical Model º FEA Model

The simplified geometry of the model is discretized (see

Figure 5), so that the governing differential equations can
be rewritten as a (large) number of simultaneous linear
equations representing the assembly of elements in the
model.

Figure 5 A mesh of solid brick

elements
In the operation of FEA software, the three modeling steps described above often appear to be
merged. In fact, most of it occurs below the surface (you will never see the governing PDE, for
example) or is inherent in the software itself. For example, Pro/M automatically assumes that
materials are homogeneous, isotropic, and linear. However, it is useful to remind yourself about
these separate aspects of modeling from time to time, because each is a potential source of error
or inaccuracy in the results.
2-6 FEM with MECHANICA

Steps in Preparing an FEA Model for Solution

Starting from the simplified geometric model, there are generally several steps to be followed in
the analysis. These are:

1. identify the model type

2. specify the material properties, model constraints, and applied loads
3. discretize the geometry to produce a finite element mesh
4. solve the system of linear equations
5. compute items of interest from the solution variables
6. display and critically review results and, if necessary, repeat the analysis

The overall procedure is illustrated in Create Geometry

Figure 6. Some additional detail on each of with Pro/E
these steps is given below. The major steps
must be executed in order, and each must
be done correctly before proceeding to the Model Type
next step. When a problem is to be re-
Pro/MECHANICA

analyzed (for example, if a stress analysis is Simulation Parameters:

to be performed for the same geometry but - material properties
different loads), it will not usually be - model constraints
- applied loads
necessary to return all the way to the
beginning. The available re-entry points
will become clear as you move through Discretize Model
"RUN"

these tutorials. to Form

Finite Element Mesh
The steps shown in the figure are:
Set up and
Solve Linear System
1. The geometric model of the
part/system is created using
Pro/ENGINEER. Compute/Display
Results of Interest
2. On entry to Pro/M, the model type
must be identified. The default is a
Review
solid model.
Figure 6 Overall steps in FEA Solution
3. A) Specify material properties for
the model. It is not necessary that all the elements have the same properties. In an
assembly, for example, different parts can be made of different materials. For stress
analysis the required properties are Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. Most FEA
packages contain built-in libraries containing properties of common materials (steel,
iron, aluminum, etc.).
B) Identify the constraints on the solution. In stress analysis, these could be fixed points,
points of specified displacement, or points free to move in specified directions only.
C) Specify the applied loads on the model (point loads, uniform edge loads, pressure on
surfaces, etc.).
FEM with MECHANICA 2-7

4. Once you are satisfied with your model, you set up and run a processor that actually
performs the solution to the posed FEA problem. This starts with the automatic creation of
the finite element mesh from the geometric model by a subprogram within Pro/M called
AutoGEM. Pro/M will trap some modeling errors here. The processor will produce a
summary file of output messages which can be consulted if something goes wrong - for
example, a model that is not sufficiently constrained by boundary conditions.

5. FEA produces immense volumes of output data. The only feasible way of examining this is
graphically. Pro/M has very powerful graphics capabilities to examine the results of the
FEA - displaced shape, stress distributions, mode shapes, etc. Hard copy of the results file
and screen display is easy to obtain.

6. Finally, the results must be reviewed critically. In the first instance, the results should agree
with our modeling intent. For example, if we look at an animated view of the deformation,
we can easily see if our boundary constraints have been implemented properly. The results
should also satisfy our intuition about the solution (stress concentration around a hole, for
example). If there is any cause for concern, it may be advisable to revisit some aspects of
the model and perform the analysis again.

P-Elements versus H-Elements

Not all discretized finite elements are created equal! Here is where a major difference arises
between MECHANICA and most other FEA programs.

Convergence of H-elements (the “classic” approach)

Following the classic approach, other programs often use low order interpolating polynomials in
each element. This has significant ramifications, especially in stress analysis. As mentioned
above, in stress analysis the primary solution variables are the displacements of the nodes. The
interpolating functions are typically linear (first order) within each element. Strain is obtained by
taking the derivatives of the displacement field and the stress is computed from the material
strain. For a first order interpolating polynomial within the element, this means that the strain and
therefore the stress components within the element are constant everywhere. The situation is
depicted in Figure 7, which shows the computed Von Mises stress in each of the elements
surrounding a hole in a thin plate under tension. Such discontinuity in the stress field between
elements is, of course, unrealistic and will lead to inaccurate values for the maximum stress.
Low order elements lead to the greatest inaccuracy precisely in the regions of greatest interest,
typically where there are large gradients within the real object.

An even more disastrous situation is shown in Figure 8. This is a solid cantilever beam with a
uniform transverse load modeled using solid brick elements. With only a single first-order
element through the thickness, the computed stress will be the same on the top and bottom of the
beam. This is clearly wrong, yet the FEA literature and product demonstrations abound with
examples similar to this.
2-8 FEM with MECHANICA

Figure 7 Von Mises stress in 1/4 Figure 8 A disaster waiting to

model of thin plate under tension happen using first order elements
using first order elements

This situation is often masked by the post-processing capabilities of the software being used,
which will sometimes average or interpolate contour values within the mesh or perform other
“smoothing” functions strictly for visual appearance. This is strictly a post-processing step, and
may bear no resemblance at all to what is actually going on in the model or the real object.

Using first order elements, then, in order to get a more accurate estimate of the stress, it is
necessary to use much smaller elements, a process called mesh refinement. It may not always be
possible to easily identify regions where mesh refinement is required, and quite often the entire
mesh is modified. The process of mesh refinement continues until further mesh division and
refinement does not lead to significant changes in the obtained solution. The process of
continued mesh refinement leading to a “good” solution is called convergence analysis. Of
course, in the process of mesh refinement, the size of the computational problem becomes larger
and larger and we may reach a limit for practical problems (due to time and/or memory limits)
before we have successfully converged to an acceptable solution.

The use of mesh refinement for convergence analysis leads to the h-element class of FEA
methods. This “h” is borrowed from the field of numerical analysis, where it denotes the fact that
convergence and accuracy are related (sometimes proportional to) the step size used in the
solution, usually denoted by h. In FEA, the h refers to the size of the elements. The elements,
always of low order, are referred to as h-elements, and the mesh refinement procedure is called h-
convergence. This situation is depicted in parts (a) and (b) of Figure 9, where a series of
constant-height steps is used to approximate a smooth continuous function. The narrower the
steps, the more closely we can approximate the smooth function. Note also that where the
gradient of the function is large (such as near the left edge of the figure), then mesh refinement
will always produce increasingly higher maximum values.
FEM with MECHANICA 2-9

h h/2

(a) first order elements lead (b) error is reduced by reducing

to constant stress within the element size O(h)
each element

(c) second order element leads to (d) higher order element will reduce
linear stress variation within error even further without changing
each element the element size

Figure 9 Approximation of stress function in a model

The major outcome of using h-elements is the need for meshes of relatively small elements.
Furthermore, h-elements are not very tolerant of shape extremes in terms of skewness, rapid size
variation through the mesh, large aspect ratio, and so on. This further increases the number of
elements required for an acceptable mesh, and this, of course, greatly increases the computational
cost of the solution.

Convergence of P-elements (the Pro/MECHANICA approach)

Now, the major difference incorporated in MECHANICA is the following: instead of constantly
refining and recreating finer and finer meshes, convergence is obtained by increasing the order of
the interpolating polynomials on each element. The mesh stays the same for every iteration,
called a p-loop pass. The use of higher order interpolating polynomials for convergence analysis
leads to the p-element class of FEA methods, where the “p” denotes polynomial. This method is
depicted in parts (c) and (d) of the Figure 9. Only elements in regions of high gradients are
bumped up to higher order polynomials. Furthermore, by examining the effects of going to
higher order polynomials, MECHANICA can monitor the expected error in the solution, and
automatically increase the polynomial order only on those elements were it is required. Thus, the
convergence analysis is performed quite automatically, with the solution proceeding until an
accuracy limit (set by the user) has been satisfied. With MECHANICA, the limit for the
polynomial order is 9. In theory, it would be possible to go to higher orders than this, but the
computational cost starts to rise too quickly. If the solution cannot converge even with these 9th
2 - 10 FEM with MECHANICA

order polynomials, it may be necessary to recreate the mesh at a slightly higher density so that
lower order polynomials will be sufficient. This is a very rare occurrence.

Figure 10 A mesh of solid tetrahedral (4

node) h-elements Figure 11 A mesh of tetrahedral p-elements
produced by MECHANICA.

The use of p-elements has a number of features/advantages:

< The same mesh can be used throughout the convergence analysis, rather than
recreating meshes or local mesh refinement required by h-codes.
< The mesh is virtually always more coarse and contains fewer elements than h-codes.
Compare the meshes in Figures 10 and 11, and note that the mesh of h-elements in
Figure 10 would probably not produce very good results, depending on the loads and
constraints applied. The reduced number of elements in Pro/M (which can be a
couple of orders of magnitude smaller) initially reduces the computational load, but as
the order of the polynomials gets higher, this advantage is somewhat diminished.
< The restrictions on element size and shape are not nearly as stringent for p-elements
as they are for h-elements (where concerns of aspect ratio, skewness, and so on often
arise).
< Automatic mesh generators, which can produce very poor meshes for h-elements, are
much more effective with p-elements, due to the reduced requirements and limitations
on mesh geometry.
< Since the same mesh is used throughout the analysis, this mesh can be tied directly to
the geometry. This is the key reason why MECHANICA is able to perform sensitivity
and optimization studies during which the geometric parameters of a body can
change, but the program does not need to be constantly re-meshing the part.

Convergence and Accuracy in the Solution

It should be apparent that, due to the number of simplifying assumptions necessary to obtain
results with FEA, we should be quite cautious about the results obtained. No FEA solution
FEM with MECHANICA 2 - 11

should be accepted unless the convergence properties have been examined.

For h-elements, this generally means doing the problem several times with successively smaller
elements and monitoring the change in the solutions. When decreasing the element size results
in a negligible (or acceptably small) change in the solution, then we are generally satisfied that
the FEA has wrung all the information out of the model that it can.

As mentioned above, with p-elements, the

convergence analysis is built in to the
program. Since the geometry of the mesh
does not change, no remeshing is required.
Rather, each successive solution (called a
p-loop pass) is performed with increasing
orders of polynomials (only on elements
where this is required) until the change
between iterations is “small enough”.
Figure 12 shows the convergence behavior
of two common measures used to monitor
convergence in MECHANICA. These are
the maximum Von Mises stress and the
total strain energy. Note that the Von Mises
stress will generally always increase during
the convergence test, but can behave quite
erratically as we will see later. Because
Von Mises stress is a local measure, the Figure 12 Two common convergence measures
strain energy is probably a better measure using p-elements.
to use to control convergence.

Sources of Error
Error enters into the FEA process in a number of ways:

‚ errors in problem definition - are the geometry, loads, and constraints known and
implemented accurately? Is the correct analysis being performed? Are the material
properties correct and/or appropriate?
‚ errors in creating the physical model - can we really use symmetry? Is the material
isotropic and homogeneous, as assumed? Are the physical constants known? Does the
material behave linearly?
‚ errors in creating the mathematical model - is the model complete enough to capture the
effects we wish to observe? Is the model overly complex? Does the mathematical model
correctly express the physics of the problem?
‚ errors in discretization - is the mesh too coarse or too fine? Have we left accidental
“holes” in the model? If using shell elements, are there tears or rips (free edges) between
elements where there shouldn’t be?
‚ errors in the numerical solution - when dealing with very large computational problems,
2 - 12 FEM with MECHANICA

we must always be concerned about the effects of accumulated round-off error. Can this
error be estimated? How trustworthy is the answer going to be?
‚ errors in interpretation of the results - are we looking at the results in the right way to
see what we want and need to see? Are the limitations of the program understood2? Has the
possible misuse of a purely graphical or display tool obscured or hidden a critical result?

You will be able to answer most of these questions by the time you complete this tutorial. The
answers to others will be problem dependent and will require some experience and further
exposure before you are a confident and competent FEA user.

A CAD Model is NOT an FEA Model!

One of the common misconceptions within the engineering community is the equivalence of a
CAD solid model with a model used for FEA. These are, in fact, not the same despite
proclamations of the CAD vendors that their solid models can be “seamlessly” ported to one or
another FEA program. In fact, this is probably quite undesirable! It should not be surprising that
CAD and FEA models are different, since the two models are developed for different purposes.

The CAD model is usually developed to provide a data

base for manufacturing. Thus, dimensions must be fully
specified (including tolerances), all minor features (such as
fillets, rounds, holes) must be included, processing steps
and surface finishes are indicated, threads are specified,
and so on. Figure 13 shows a CAD solid model of a
hypothetical piping component, complete with bolt holes,
flanges, o-ring grooves, chamfered edges, and carrying
lugs. Not visible in the figure are the dimensions,
tolerances, and welding instructions for fabrication which
are all part of the CAD model.

FEA is usually directed at finding out other information

about a proposed design. To do this efficiently, the FEA
model can (and often needs to) be quite different from the Figure 13 A hypothetical 3D solid
CAD model. A simple example of this is that the model of a piping junction
symmetry of an object is often exploited in the preparation of the FEA model. In one of the
exercises we will do later, we will model a thin tapered plate with a couple of large holes. The
plate has a plane of symmetry so that we only need to do FEA of one-half of the plate. It is also

2
The author once had a student who was rightly concerned about the very large
deflections in a truss computed using a simple FEM program. It turned out that the program was
performing a linear analysis, and was computing stresses in some members several orders of
magnitude higher than the yield strength of the material. It took some time to explain that the
FEM software knew nothing about failure of the material. It turned out that a simple data entry
error had reduced the cross sectional area of the members in the truss.
FEM with MECHANICA 2 - 13

quite common in FEA to ignore minor features like

rounds, fillets, chamfers, holes, minor changes in surface
profile, and other cosmetic features unless these features
will have a large effect on the measures of interest in the
model. Most frequently, they do not, and can be ignored.

Figure 14 shows an FEA model of the piping component

created to determine the maximum Von Mises stress in the
vicinity of the filleted connection between the two pipes.
The differences between the two models shown in Figures
13 and 14 are immediately obvious. Figures 15 and 16
show the mesh of shell elements created from the surface,
and the computed Von Mises stress. Figure 14 The 3D solid model of
pipe junction

Figure 15 Shell elements of

specified thickness created from 3D Figure 16 Von Mises stress in the
model FEA model

In summary, the stated goal of FEA (the “Golden Rule”, if you like) might be expressed as:

Use the simplest model possible that will yield sufficiently reliable
results of interest at the lowest computational cost.

You can easily see how this might be at odds with the requirements of a CAD model. For further
discussion of this, see the excellent book Building Better Products with Finite Element
Analysis by Vince Adams and Abraham Askenazi, Onword Press, 1998.
2 - 14 FEM with MECHANICA

Overview of Pro/MECHANICA Structure

Basic Operation

We are going to start using Pro/M in the next chapter. Before we dive in, it will be useful to have
an overall look at the function and organization of the software. This will help to explain some of
the Pro/M terminology and see how the program relates to the ideas presented in this chapter’s
overview of FEA.

We can divide the operation and functionality of Pro/M Structure according to the rows in Table
I below. These entries are further elaborated in the next few pages. In the process of setting up
and running a solution, you will basically need to pick one option from each row in the table. The
top-down organization of the table is roughly in the order that these decisions must be made.
Other issues such as creation of the model geometry and post-processing and display of final
results will be left to subsequent chapters.

TABLE I - An Overall View of Pro/M Capability and Function

MECHANICA Description
Options
Mode of Independent how Pro/M is operated with respect to
Operation Integrated Pro/ENGINEER

Type of Model 3D basic structure of the model

Plane Stress
Plane Strain
Axisymmetric

Type of Shell element types that can be used in a model

Elements Beam
Solid
Spring
Mass

Analysis Static the fundamental solution being sought for the

Methods Modal model
Buckling
Pre-stress modal
Pre-stress buckling

Convergence Quick Check method of monitoring convergence in the

Methods Single Pass Adaptive solution
Multi-Pass Adaptive

Design Studies Standard high level methods to organize essentially

Sensitivity repetitive computations
Optimization
FEM with MECHANICA 2 - 15

Modes of Operation

A discussion of the full details of operating modes gets pretty confusing, so only the main points
are presented here. These are:

1. Pro/M can operate in two modes3, in relation to its cousin application Pro/ENGINEER.
These are: independent and integrated. A special license is required to run the
independent version. In the student edition, only integrated mode is possible.
2. The user interface is determined by the mode:
‚ integrated mode - Pro/ENGINEER interface
‚ independent mode - Pro/MECHANICA interface
3. If you start out in Pro/ENGINEER to create the part (or assembly) geometry and call up
MECHANICA, you will initially be running in integrated mode. You can then switch to
independent mode if desired (and if your license allows it), as illustrated here (note that the
arrow is a one-way transfer - you can’t get back again!):

Integrated º Independent
Mode Mode
4. If you switch to independent mode, the connection with Pro/ENGINEER will be severed.
Any changes in design parameters (for example following an optimization) must be
manually transferred back into the Pro/E model.
5. In integrated mode, a few Pro/M commands and result displays are not available. However
the tight integration with Pro/E makes it very easy to perform design modification and
quick FEA.
6. In integrated mode, the user interface is the same as Pro/E. Only one set of controls to
learn! The independent mode user interface is quite different.
7. The full set of Pro/M commands and functions are available in independent mode (for
example: display of some types of results such as element p-levels, manual and semi-
automatic mesh generation for difficult models).
8. Although independent mode gives access to the complete range of MECHANICA
functionality, the benefits of feature-based geometry creation/modification are lost.

A condensed comparison of these operating modes is shown in Table II on the next page. As
mentioned above, all the tutorials in this manual are meant to be run in integrated mode.

3
A third mode, called linked, was available up until Release 2000i, but has been
removed.
2 - 16 FEM with MECHANICA

TABLE II - Pro/MECHANICA Modes of Operation

Integrated Mode Independent Mode

Pro/E interface
all analyses available
2D and 3D models
some measures of results not available
some analysis options not available
(eg excluding elements)
all elements generated automatically
sensitivity and optimization using
Pro/E parameters only
Pro/M interface
all analyses available
2D and 3D models
all measures available
all options available
element creation manual or automatic
sensitivity and optimization uses Pro/M
variables

Types of Models

This is fairly self-explanatory. In addition to 3D solid, shell, and beam models, Pro/M in both
modes can treat 2D models (plane stress, plane strain, or axisymmetric). Note that all geometry
and model entities (loads and constraints) for all 2D model types must be defined in the XY
plane of a selected coordinate system. Also, a very thin plate might be modeled as a 2D shell,
but if it is loaded with any force components normal to the plate, then it becomes a 3D problem.

Independent Pro/M contains a good set of tools to create both 2D and 3D geometry.
Complicated 3D geometry of parts would be easier to make in Pro/E or some other CAD
package, and brought into Pro/M in integrated mode. The model geometry is generally created
entirely in Pro/E. It is possible to create some (non-solid) simulation features while in Pro/M,
such as datum points and curves.

Types of Elements

The various types of elements that can be used in Pro/M are listed in Table I. It is possible to use
different types of elements in the same model (e.g. combining solid + beam + spring elements),
but we will discuss only a couple of models of this degree of complexity in these tutorials. At
first glance, this seems like a limited list of element types. H-element programs typically have
large libraries of different element types, but these are often necessary to overcome the
limitations of low order simple h-elements. In Pro/M, we do not have this problem and you can
do practically anything with the elements available.
FEM with MECHANICA 2 - 17

Analysis Methods

For a given model, several different analysis types are possible. For example, the static analysis
will compute the stresses and deformations within the model, while the modal analysis will
compute the mode shapes and natural frequencies. Buckling analysis will compute the buckling
loads on the body, and so. Other analysis methods are available but in this manual, we will only
look at static stress and modal analysis.

Convergence Methods

As discussed above, using the p-code method allows Pro/M to monitor the solution and modify
the polynomial edge order until a solution has been achieved to a specified accuracy. This is
implemented with three options:

# Quick Check - This actually isn’t a convergence method since the model is run only for a
single fixed (low, usually 3) polynomial order. The results of a Quick Check should
never be trusted. What a Quick Check is for is to quickly run the model through the solver
in order to pick up any errors that may have been made, for example in the constraints. A
quick review of the results will also indicate whether any gross modeling errors have been
made and possibly to point out potential problem areas in the model.

# Single Pass Adaptive - More than a Quick Check, but less than a complete convergence
run, the single pass adaptive method performs one pass at a low polynomial order, assesses
the accuracy of the solution, modifies the p-level of “problem elements”, and does a final
pass with some elements raised to an order that should provide reasonable results. Unless
the model is very computationally intensive and/or is very well behaved and understood,
avoid this method. The Single Pass Adaptive analysis is available for most model types.

# Multi-Pass Adaptive - The ultimate in convergence analysis. Multiple “p-loop” passes are
made through the solver, with edge orders of “problem elements” being increased with each
pass. This iterative approach continues until either the solution converges to a specified
accuracy or the maximum specified edge order (default 6, maximum 9) is reached. At the
conclusion of the run, the convergence measures may be examined. These are typically the
Von Mises stress and the total strain energy, as shown in Figure 12. Unless you have a very
good reason not to, always base your final conclusions on the results obtained using this
convergence method.

Design Studies

A Design Study is a problem or set of problems that you define for a particular model. When you
ultimately press the Run button on Pro/M, what will execute is a design study - it is the top-most
level of organization in Pro/M. There are three types of design studies:

# A Standard design study is the most basic and simple. It will include at least one but
possibly several analyses (for example a static analysis plus a modal analysis). For this
2 - 18 FEM with MECHANICA

study, you need to specify the geometry, create the elements, assign material properties, set
up loads and constraints, determine the analysis and convergence types, and then display
and review the final results. The Standard design study is what most people would consider
“Finite Element Analysis.”

# A sensitivity design study can be set up so that results are computed for several different
values of designated design variables or material properties. In addition to the standard
model, you need to designate the design variables and the range over which you want them
to vary. You can use a sensitivity study to determine, for example, which design variables
will have the most effect on a particular measure of performance of the design like the
maximum stress or total mass.

# Finally, the most powerful design study is an optimization. For this, you start with a basic
FEA model. You then specify a desired goal (such as minimum mass of the body),
geometric constraints (such as dimensions or locations of geometric entities), material
constraints (such as maximum allowed stress) and one or more design variables which can
vary over specified ranges. Pro/M will then search through the space of the design variables
and determine the best design that satisfies your constraints. Amazing!

A Brief Note about Units

It is crucial to use a consistent set of units throughout your Pro/M activities. The program itself
has no default set of units (other than those brought in with the model from Pro/E), and only uses
the numerical values provided by you. Thus, if your geometry is created with a particular linear
unit like mm or inches in mind, you must make sure that any other data supplied, such as loads
(force, pressure) and material properties (density, Young’s modulus, and so on) are defined
consistently. The built-in material libraries offer properties for common materials in four sets of
units (all at room temperature):
inch - pound - second
foot - pound - second
meter - Newton - second
millimeter - Newton - second
Note that the weight of the material is obtained by multiplying the mass density property by the
acceleration of gravity expressed in the appropriate unit system.

If you require or wish to use a different system of units, you can enter your own material
properties, but must look after consistency yourself. Table III outlines the common units in the
various systems including how some common results will be reported by MECHANICA. For
further information on units, consult the on-line help page “Unit Conversion Tables.”
FEM with MECHANICA 2 - 19

TABLE III - Common unit systems in Pro/MECHANICA

Quantity System and Units

SI Metric English FPS English IPS
MNS mm-N-s ft-lb-sec in-lb-sec
length m mm ft in
time s s sec sec
mass kg tonne (1000 kg) slug lbf-sec2 / in
density kg/m3 tonne/mm3 slug/ft3 lbf-sec2 / in4
gravity, g 9.81 m/s2 9810 mm/s2 32.2 ft/sec2 386.4 in/sec2
force N N lbf lbf
stress, pressure,
N/m2 = Pa N/mm2 = MPa lbf/ft2 lbf/in2 = psi
Young’s modulus

Files and Directories Produced by Pro/MECHANICA

Since you will be working in integrated mode in this book, note that your entire simulation model
is stored in the Pro/E part file. You do not need to store a special copy of this. Simulation
entities like loads and constraints will appear when you transfer into Pro/M from Pro/E.

Pro/M produces a bewildering array of files and directories. Unless you specify otherwise (or
specified in your default system configuration), all of these will be created in the Pro/E working
directory. It is therefore wise to create a new subdirectory for each model, make it your working
directory, and store the part file there. Locations for temporary and output files can be changed
at appropriate points in the program. For example, when you set up to run a design study, you can
designate the location for the subdirectory which Pro/M will create for the output files.

The important files and directories are indicated in the Table IV. In the table, the symbol Î
represents the directory specified in the Run > Settings dialog box for output files, and Ï
represents the directory specified in the same dialog box for temporary files. Unless the run
terminates abnormally, all temporary files are deleted on completion of a run. The names model,
study, and filename are supplied by you during execution of the program. Note that many of
these files are stored in a binary format and are not readable by normal file editors.
2 - 20 FEM with MECHANICA

Table IV - Some Files Produced by Pro/MECHANICA

File Type File/Directory Name Comments

Model Files model.mdb the mdb file contains the last-saved

model.mbk model database. mbk is a backup
that can be used if the mdb file is
lost or corrupted
Engine Files Î/study/study.mdb contains the entire model database at
the time a design study is started
Engine output files:
Î/study/study.cnv - convergence information
Î/study/study.hst - model updates during optimization
Î/study/study.res - measures at each pass
Î/study/study.rpt - output report for a design study
(also accessible with the Run >
Summary command)
Exchange Files filename.dxf file formats used for import/export
filename.igs of geometry information
Temporary Files Ï/study.tmp/*.tmp should delete automatically on
Ï/study.tmp/*.bas completion of design study
Results Files filename.rwd result window definitions stored
with Save in the Result Windows
dialog box
AutoGEM Files model.agm information about the most recent
AutoGEM operation. If the model
has not yet been named, this file is
untitled.agm
Miscellaneous mechevnt a complete history of the most
Files recent Pro/M session (every
command, mouse click, and data
entry). Automatically overwritten
with next session.

On-line Documentation

For further details on any of these functions or operating commands, consult the on-line
documentation available with MECHANICA. See your local system administrator for
FEM with MECHANICA 2 - 21

information on how to access these files.

Summary
This chapter has introduced the background to FEA. In particular, the difference between h-code
and p-code methods have been discussed. The general procedure involved in performing an
analysis was described. Finally, an overview of MECHANICA has been presented to give you a
view of the forest before we start looking at the individual trees!

You are strongly urged to have a look at the articles written by Dr. Paul Kurowski that are listed
in the References at the end of this chapter. These offer an in-depth look at common errors made
in FEA, the concept of convergence, a comparison of h- and p-elements, and more comments on
the difference between CAD and FEA.

In the next Chapter, we will start to look at the basic tools within MECHANICA. We will
produce a simple model and go through the process of setting up a standard design study for
static analysis of a simple 3D solid model. We will also take a first look at the methods for
viewing the results of the analysis.

References

“Avoiding Pitfalls in FEA,” Paul Kurowski, Machine Design, November 1994.

“When good engineers deliver bad FEA,” Paul Kurowski, Machine Design, November, 1995.

“Good Solid Modeling, Bad FEA,” Paul Kurowski, Machine Design, November, 1996.

Finite Element Methods for Engineers, Roger T. Fenner, Macmillan, 1975.

Building Better Products with Finite Element Analysis, Vince Adams and Abraham Askenazi,
Onword Press, 1998.

The Finite Element Method in Mechanical Design, Charles E. Knight, Jr., PWS-Kent, 1993.

CAD/CAM Theory and Practice, Ibrahim Zeid, McGraw-Hill, 1991.

The Finite Element Method, T.J.R. Hughes, Prentice Hall, 1987.

Computer-Assisted Mechanical Design, J.Ed Akin, Prentice Hall, 1990.

2 - 22 FEM with MECHANICA

Questions for Review

1. What is the purpose of interpolating polynomials in FEA?
2. What is a “model?” What are some different types of models and how do these relate to the
real world?
3. Is it ever possible for a FEM solution to be “exact?” Why or why not?
4. What is the primary source of error when using first-order h-elements for stress analysis?
5. Give an outline of the necessary steps in performing FEA.
6. Why is it probably not a good idea to use a CAD model directly in an FEA solution?
7. What is the “Golden Rule” of FEA?
8. How is convergence of the solution obtained using h-code and p-code methods?
9. Does mesh refinement always yield higher maximum stresses?
10. What is the maximum edge order available in Pro/M? In the (unlikely) event that the
solution will not converge, what needs to be done?
11. What measures are typically used in Pro/M to monitor convergence?
12. How will error enter into an FEA?
13. What is a design study? What types are available in Pro/M?
14. What are the three methods of convergence analysis? When would each be appropriate?
15. What types of 2D models can be created? In what operating modes? What restrictions are
there on 2D models?
16. What types of analyses can be performed on a model?
17. How can you gain access to the on-line help on your system?
18. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of integrated and independent modes of
operation.
19. What is the maximum edge order available in Pro/M? In the (unlikely) event that the
solution will not converge, what needs to be done?
20. What measures are typically used in Pro/M to monitor convergence?
21. What are the steps required to perform a complete FEA with Pro/MECHANICA?
22. Where and how do you set up the units for the Mechanica model?

Exercises
1. Consult a numerical methods textbook and find out what algorithms are used to solve very
large linear systems. What effect does round-off error have, and can this be quantified? Are
some methods more susceptible to round-off than others?

2. Locate some product brochures for FEM software, and look for the kind of modeling errors
discussed in this chapter. Compare the models to the “real thing” and comment on any
differences you notice.
DESIGN MODELING
with
Pro/ENGINEER
6th Edition (Pro/E 2001)

James E. Bolluyt
Iowa State University

Schroff Development Corporation

Shawnee-Mission, Kansas
Introduction to 1
Computers in Design
1.0 COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
It is difficult to grasp how rapidly computer technology is changing
the way we live and work and play. Electronic brains in the form of
microprocessors are parts of the cars we drive, the planes in which we
fly, the televisions we watch, the telephone systems we communicate
with, the automated tools we use to produce such products, and the
computer-aided design (CAD) systems used to design such products
and tools. Computer hardware for CAD systems continues to become
faster and more powerful and less expensive. Much of the software
continues to become more sophisticated in order to take advantage of
the more powerful hardware, and also less expensive. And there is no
apparent end in sight to such mind-boggling developments.
The first CAD packages were "Computer-aided Drafting"
packages – little more than electronic equivalents of the drafting
board. Though they offered some advantages over manual drafting,
especially as the software became more sophisticated and "user
friendly," the 3-D model was still only in the designer's mind, not in
the computer file or database. 3-D computer modeling requires
exponentially more computing power than 2-D electronic drafting,
and the first computers, even mainframes, did not have that kind of
computational power.
But the power of computers grew rapidly, especially after such
developments as the transistor and integrated circuit (late 1950s),
microprocessor or "computer on a chip" (1971), and very large scale
integration or VLSI (thousands and eventually millions of electronic
devices on a single chip of silicon). Developments in display technol-
ogy such as the raster scan display also made sophisticated graphics
applications more attractive as well as practical.
Such developments in computer hardware made possible
substantial developments in 3-D computer modeling theory and
software in the 1960s and 1970s. But these early efforts were carried
on mostly by large, technology-intensive companies like McDonnell-
Douglas and General Motors for their own applications and the
software was therefore proprietary, at least initially. These early
packages also required mainframe computers on which to run and so
1
2 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

were not practical for smaller companies, much less individual users.
It was the rapid development of large-scale integrated circuit
technology in the 1980s and, in particular, the introduction of 32-bit
processors that made "personal computers" (PCs) and "personal
workstations" possible. (Bit is short for binary digit; i.e., the 0 or 1 in
the binary system of numbers. 32-bit processors handle data in 32-bit
chunks.) Such developments brought the power of mainframes to the
desktop and made 3-D modeling, along with a host of other sophisti-
cated software applications, practical for an ever increasing number of
users. The increasing power, speed, and affordability of computer
hardware also made it attractive for software designers and program-
mers to develop increasingly sophisticated applications to take advan-
tage of the newest hardware. The number and variety of 3-D com-
puter-aided design packages increased dramatically, and most of these
were available to anyone willing to pay.
The 3-D modeling packages developed in the late 1980s and
early 1990s tended to fall into one of two categories – those that could
run on smaller systems (PCs) and those that required the power of a
high-end workstation or minicomputer. By the mid 1990s, however,
PCs had become powerful enough to make that distinction blur. The
newest PCs now come with processors that run at 1000 megahertz
(MHz) or faster, 256 or more megabytes (MB) of random access
memory or RAM, hard disks of 40 gigabytes (GB) or more, and
reasonably high resolution monitors. That is enough power to run
many of the CAD packages that would run only on high-end worksta-
tions less than a decade ago.
This text is intended to be an introduction to computer model-
ing concepts that are characteristic of current 3-D modeling software.
In particular, it is an introduction to the 3-D computer-aided design
software Pro/ENGINEER™. Pro/ENGINEER is one of the more
sophisticated CAD packages on the market, that, until fairly recently,
would not run on a typical PC. All the examples in this text, how-
ever, were done on a PC with a 650 MHz Pentium III processor, 256
MB of RAM, and a 20 GB hard disk. By current PC standards (mid
2001), that is not all that much of a machine.

Modeling and the Design Process

We design (and build, manufacture, fabricate, etc.) things in order to
solve a problem or fulfill a perceived need. Design is a primary
activity in a wide variety of disciplines. Regardless of the design
field, however, the process of design includes a characteristic set of
"steps." A typical set of "steps" or activities would include:
• Need Identification
• Problem Definition
• Search
 Section 1.1 Model Representation Schemes 3

• Determination of Constraints
• Selection of Criteria
• Development of Alternative Solutions
• Analysis
• Selection of Best Solution
• Specification of Best Solution
• Communication of Best Solution

Though there is definite logic to the order in which these activities are
listed, design is by nature an iterative process. Rarely, if ever, do we
proceed step-by-step through the list to an acceptable result. Fre-
quently, steps are repeated for one reason or another. Some steps,
such as "Search" (which might include such things as literature
reviews, existing product analyses, interviews, lab tests, etc.) are often
done repeatedly, perhaps almost continuously throughout much of the
design process.

The Electronic Model Database

During this design process, much information pertaining to the design
and the process itself is generated. Computer systems offer a means
of easy storage and retrieval for most, if not all, of this information.
Ideally, the 3-D computer model database can serve as the central
storehouse for all the information that describes one or more alterna-
tive designs as they develop (see Figure 1-1). The model database
might include any or all of the following:
• design components as 3-D solid models
• assembly and subassembly models
• production drawing files for nonstandard components
• manufacturing specifications
• bill of materials (or parts list, schedules, etc.)
• files required for CAM (computer-aided manufacturing)
or CIM (computer-integrated manufacturing)
• results of any computer analyses done for the design

The more tightly all this information is bound together, the

better. Ideally, for example, we should be able to make a modifica-
tion to a component model and see that change reflected in appropri-
ate assemblies, production files, and analyses results either automati-
cally or semiautomatically. Current high-end CAD packages, includ-
ing Pro/ENGINEER (or Pro/E for short), have this tight integration
of all design database information as a primary goal.
4 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design
Figure 1-1 The computer and the
computerized design database can
ideally be the central storehouse for
all the information gathered and
used during the design process,
from initial need identification to final
production/construction.
Figure 1-2 Traditional and compu-
ter-aided drafting use 2-D "wire-
frames" to represent 3-D models.
But the 3-D model exists only in the
designer's or drafter's mind.
Figure 1-3 A 3-D wireframe is often
difficult to interpret. For example, is
the cylindrical projection facing
toward us or away from us? Do the
smallest circles represent "pins"?
"holes"? some combination?
Identify and Define
Need
NO YES
Analysis:
OK? Best?
Design
Research
Loop Final Product,
Process, etc.
The
Develop / Refine Design
Concepts
Data-
Base
Inputs
Design / Production / Construction / Marketing / Management / etc.
1.1 MODEL REPRESENTATION SCHEMES
Many current CAD packages allow us to create “models” using any
one of several representation schemes. For example, even if the
software is a 3-D modeler, we might decide to ignore the 3rd dimen-
sion and use it to “draw” one or more views of an object on the screen
as if we were drawing on paper. We might call this a “2-D wire-
frame” representation since we would be using a set of 2-D views to
represent the 3-D model and we would be using lines or "wires" to
represent the edges and surface boundaries seen in each 2-D view as
illustrated in Figure 1-2. In this case, however, the 3-D model exists
only in our minds, not in the computer database.
Wireframe Representation
Choices of 3-D representation schemes might include wireframe,
surface, or solid. The representation scheme used determines the
kinds of operations we can do on the model and the kinds of informa-
tion that can be associated with the model. In a 3-D wireframe
representation, the model definition consists of nodes (or vertices or
points) in xyz space and lines or wires between appropriate pairs of
nodes, but no surface definitions (connectivity) or “solidness”. This
was the scheme employed in the first 3-D modelers because it is the
simplest and requires the least computer power to achieve useful
performance. But because surface definition is not part of a true
wireframe representation, no "hiding" of what would be invisible
edges in the real physical model is possible. A 3-D wireframe image
is therefore inherently ambiguous as illustrated in Figure 1-3.
Surface Representation
A second possible 3-D representation scheme is a surface representa-
tion. In a 3-D surface representation, the model definition consists of
 Section 1.1 Model Representation Schemes 5

nodes (points) in xyz space, lines (edges) between appropriate pairs

of nodes, and connectivity. Connectivity means that sets of edges are
somehow “linked” together by the software such that they enclose one
or more “surfaces” (see Figure 1-4). Surface models make possible
such things as hides (hidden line and surface routines for showing
correct visibility), surface colors, textures, and patterns, and analyses
based on surfaces (area, perimeter, planar relationships, etc.). Such a
scheme therefore offers important advantages compared to wireframe
representation.
Figure 1-4 In a surface representa-
Surface Types
tion, edges are connected such that
Good modelers provide tools for creating a variety of surface types they enclose one or more surfaces.
including planar, single-curved, double-curved, and warped surfaces In the model above, for example, the
(see Figure 1-5 on page 6). Though planar and single-curved surfaces "front" surface could be represented
are the most commonly used surface types, double-curved and as the "connectivity list" 1-2-3-4-5-6-
7-8-9-10 (vertices or "nodes").
warped surfaces also have important applications. Methods for
defining complex curves and curved surfaces have been developed
specifically for computer modeling.
What characterizes most single-curved surfaces is that all the
lines or elements that help define the surface are either parallel (as in
cylinders) or intersect at a common point (as in cones). Cones and
cylinders are by far the most common single-curved surfaces. A
useful characteristic of single-curved surfaces is that they are develop-
able; i.e., they can be rolled out or "developed" onto a planar surface
(see Figure 1-6).
Double-curved surfaces, as the name implies, are character-
ized by curvature in two directions. A straight line can lie completely
in a single-curved surface, but not in a double-curved surface.
Spheres and torii are the most common examples of double-curved Figure 1-6 Single-curved surfaces
surfaces, but this category includes a host of more exotic types includ- have the advantage of being
ing some specifically developed for computer applications. "developable," a useful characteris-
Warped surfaces are characterized by straight-line elements tic in many manufacturing and
that are skew to one another (i.e., nonparallel and non-intersecting fabrication operations.
elements). Two fairly common warped surface types are hyperbolic
paraboloid and hyperboloid (see Figure 1-5) but this category also
includes quite an assortment. Though warped surfaces tend to be
difficult to construct or fabricate, they have the structural advantage
of being inherently rigid and are useful as transitional surfaces.

Solid Representation
The third and most sophisticated 3-D representation scheme is a solid
representation. A solid representation includes nodes, edges, and
surface definitions like a surface representation scheme, but in addi-
tion, a "key" to differentiate "inside" from "outside" of an appropriate
set of surfaces. It is a complete and unambiguous mathematical
representation of a precisely enclosed and “filled” volume. Since the
6 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

(a) tetrahedron (b) cube (c) dodecahedron

(d) cone (e) circular cylinder (f) elliptical cylinder

(g) sphere (h) torus (i) ellipsoid (oblate)

(j) hyperboloid (one nappe) (k) hyperbolic paraboloid (l) helicoid (around cylinder)
Figure 1-5 Various surface types may be used to define or help define solid models (or surface models). Surface
types include planar (a, b, and c), single-curved (d, e, and f), double-curved (g, h, and i), and warped (j, k, and l).
 Section 1.2 Solid Model Creation Techniques 7

Figure 1-7 If a computer model is Figure 1-8 Constructive Solid Figure 1-9 Sweeping involves
defined as a solid, cutting through Geometry involves the combining of moving geometry through space to
the model with a "cutting plane" will simple solid shapes to produce more produce new geometry.
produce one or more new surfaces. complex solid shapes.

software defines the volume as “filled”, a modeling operation that

somehow “cuts” through the volume will produce one or more new
surfaces as suggested in Figure 1-7.

1.2 SOLID MODEL CREATION TECHNIQUES

Though several techniques have been developed for creating and
defining solid models, the two most commonly provided or applied in
CAD software are constructive solid geometry (CSG) and sweeping
techniques (see Figures 1-8 and 1-9). In practical modeling, various
combinations of these two techniques are typically used to create the
final model.

Constructive Solid Geometry

Constructive Solid Geometry or CSG can be defined as the combining
of 3-D solid primitives in various ways to create more complex
objects. What is considered a “primitive” is rather arbitrary, though
modelers that offer basic CSG techniques usually provide definitions
for the simpler 3-D solid shapes such as block, pyramid, cylinder,
cone, sphere, etc. As applied in practical CSG modeling, however, a
"primitive" can be very complex itself, and, in fact, often is. The
combining is done using what are called Boolean operators (or
logical or set operators) applied to 3-D solid geometry.
In some modelers, the solid model is stored as a CSG tree (or
binary tree). In this form, the model is represented as a set of primi-
tive shapes which are related to one another using an appropriate set
of Boolean operators as illustrated in Figure 1-10. The shape, size,
orientation, and location of each primitive, along with the Boolean
operations that relate each primitive to one or more other primitives is
stored in the model database. In a sense, such a CSG tree is like a
recipe for the final model.
8 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

Figure 1-10 If a computer model is created using Constructive Solid

Geometry techniques, it can be represented and stored as a CSG tree.

Boolean Operators
There are three basic Boolean operators, but current modelers usually
provide the basic three plus several to many variations on the three.
The three basic Boolean operators are called union, difference, and
intersection. In CSG, the union operator (mathematical symbol ∪)
combines two solids or volumes into a single solid or volume (see
Figure 1-11). The union operator corresponds to the OR logical
operator (A ∪ B = all of the volume in A OR B). In theory, the two
initial solids can be overlapping, just touching, or some distance
apart. Some modelers only allow the union operation under the first
two conditions since making two separated solids into a single piece
without moving one of them is not physically meaningful. For the
union operator, order of operands does not effect the geometry of the
result; i.e., A ∪ B = B ∪ A.
The second of the three is the difference or subtraction
operator (mathematical symbol -). The difference operation removes
the volume of one solid from that of a second solid (see Figure 1-12);
the solid subtracted is generally deleted from the model. The differ-
ence operator corresponds to the NOT logical operator (A - B = all
the volume in A but NOT that which is also in B). For the difference
operation, order of operands does effect the outcome; i.e., in general,
A - B ≠ B - A as illustrated in Figure 1-13. The difference operation
can result in one or more new solids.
 Section 1.2 Solid Model Creation Techniques 9

(a) two separate volumes (a) two separate volumes (a) two separate volumes

(b) two volumes combined (b) cone subtracted from box (b) box subtracted from cone

Figure 1-11 The UNION operator Figure 1-12 The SUBTRACTION Figure 1-13 For the SUBTRAC-
combines two volumes or solids as operator subtracts the volume of one TION operator, order of operands is
in (a) into a single volume or solid solid from that of a another. important to the resulting geometry
as in (b). (compare Figure 1-12).

The third and last of the

basic Boolean operators is the
intersection operator (mathemati-
cal symbol ∩). The intersection
operator keeps only that volume
common to two solids (see Figure
1-14). The intersection operator
corresponds to the logical AND (A
∩ B = all the volume common to
both A AND B). As for the union (b) the common volume
(a) two separate volumes
operator, order of operands does
not effect the geometry of the Figure 1-14 The INTERSECTION operator finds the volume common to
outcome; i.e., A ∩ B = B ∩ A. both of the initial volumes and makes that the new volume or solid.

Sweeping
The second technique provided by typical modelers for creating solid
models is sweeping. Sweeping is a valuable modeling tool since
there are some shapes that are difficult if not impossible to create with
10 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

CSG alone (see Figure 1-15).

Sweeps might be used to create
wireframe and surface models as
well as solid models, depending on
how the CAD package works. In
theory, moving (sweeping) any
geometry (point, line, surface, solid)
through space along an arbitrary path
defines new geometry. In practice,
the shapes and paths that are al-
lowed, and the resulting model
definition, are a function of the
software and the limitations of the
computer hardware.
The most common types of
sweeps in computer modeling use a
planar shape as the generator and a
straight or curved line as the path of
the sweep (see Figure 1-16). In
theory, a straight line path might be
Figure 1-15 Some shapes are difficult if not impossible to create using perpendicular, oblique, or parallel to
CSG techniques but quite easy to create with sweeping techniques. (in the plane of) the planar genera-

Figure 1-16 The most common sweeps involve a planar generator and
either a straight or curved line path.
 Section 1.3 Parametric Modeling 11

tor. In some modelers, the path for linear sweeps is always assumed
to be perpendicular to the plane of the generator, though sweep paths
that are oblique to the plane of the generator are also sometimes
useful. Some modelers, including Pro/E, use the term extrusion
instead of linear sweep.
Circular sweeps are the most common curved-path sweeps,
though other types of curved path sweeps such as spiral, elliptical,
and more “exotic” forms can also be useful. Most current modelers
offer circular sweeps and many, including Pro/E, offer some more
exotic variations as well. Some modelers use the term revolve instead
of circular sweep. Figure 1-17 illustrates several variations of a
curved-path sweep.

(a) original model

Figure 1-17 There is a large variety of curved paths that a sweep might
follow, limited only by the curves definable in the software and within the
practical limits of the hardware.

1.3 PARAMETRIC MODELING

In early solid modelers and many current modelers, the shape of the
model is defined using user-directed CSG and/or sweeping tech-
niques. If dimensioned views are required for production documenta-
tion, the dimensions are derived from the completed model. In some (b) modified model
current modelers, the dimensions are associative, meaning that if we
make a change in the model, appropriate dimensions will change Figure 1-18 If dimensions are
associative, changes in the model
accordingly (see Figure 1-18). (This works only for changes that do will automatically be reflected by
not require a different dimensioning scheme; i.e., if features with changes in the appropriate
which dimensions are associated change in basic shape, a new asso- dimensions as illustrated above.
12 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

ciative dimensioning scheme must be established.) In other modelers,

Figure 1-19 In some CAD soft-
ware, dimensions are treated as
model-defining parameters which
can be changed and automatically
produce corresponding changes in
the model geometry.
a change in the model requires making dimensioning changes "by
hand" based on the new geometry. In either case, we could say that
the dimensions are derived from the model or the model is "driving"
the dimensions.
Another approach to the model-dimension relationship is to let
the dimensions be model "parameters." Webster defines parameter as
"a constant that varies with the functions of its application." The
phrase "a constant that varies" may seem contradictory. The idea,
however, as applied in some modelers, is that a real value (constant)
is initially assigned to each shape-defining dimension. But the value
of any given dimension can be changed (can vary) and the model
geometry will change accordingly (see Figure 1-19). In other words,
the shape-defining dimensions drive the geometry of the model.
In parametric modeling, we first define the characteristic 3-D
shape or topology of the model. As we define this model topology,
the modeler assumes or requires us to specify the parameters neces-
sary to control the size, orientation, and location of each feature of the
model, as well as logical relationships among features and dimen-
sions. The modeler also assigns initial values to the parameters so a
meaningful image of the characteristic shape can be generated. We
can then assign a new value to any given parameter (e.g., dimension
value dimval1 shown in Figure 1-19) as appropriate and the model
will be automatically updated. (The modeler typically checks any
new values to make sure they are consistent with the original topology
and don't conflict with any other parameter values before confirming
the updated model.)

CHAPTER 1 EXERCISES
1.1 Determine the following information about the system you are
using: type of CPU, clock speed of CPU, type of display processor,
clock speed of display processor, display resolution, number of
simultaneous colors possible, amount of RAM, operating system(s)
supported, size of hard disk, peak performance in MIPS (Millions of
Instructions Per Second), MFLOPS (Millions of FLoating-point
Operations Per Second), or other benchmarks.

1.2 Find definitions for the following acronyms: CAD, CAM, CAE,
CG, AI, RAM, ROM, NC, CNC, FEM, CPU.

1.3 Research each of the following terms. Write a brief description/

definition of each and be prepared to share your information with the
rest of the class.
 Chapter 1 Exercises 13

transistor integrated circuit (IC)

very large scale integration (VLSI) raster scan display
megahertz (MHz) parallel processing
Bezier curve B-spline curve
constraint criterion

1.4 Find and record two examples of each of the following in exist-
ing designs: single-curved surface; double-curved surface; warped
surface. For each example, sketch enough of the design to make it
clear how the particular type of surface was used to help define design
geometry.

1.5 In a linear sweep operation, why might a sweep path parallel to

the plane of the generating shape be considered trivial?

1.6 Sketch two variations of the characteristic shape shown in Figure Figure E1.6
E1.6 at right (i.e., same block-with-hole but different proportions or
dimension parameter values). Use pictorial sketches and orient them
like the pictorial shown.

1.7 Sketch a CSG tree illustrating how the model in Figure E1.7
might be created using Constructive Solid Geometry techniques.
Assume that the simple primitives block, cone, circular cylinder,
rectangular pyramid, and sphere are predefined and that the three
basic Boolean operators UNION, DIFFERENCE, and INTERSEC-
TION are available. Show the primitives in pictorial with orientations
consistent with the final model image shown in the figure.

1.8 Make a sketch illustrating how the model represented in Figure

E1.7 might be created using linear and/or circular sweeps and Bool- Figure E1.7
ean operations. Assuming the modeler had no restrictions on the
complexity of the profile to be swept, what is the fewest number of
each type of sweep (linear and circular) necessary to create this
model? What is the fewest number of Boolean operations necessary?

1.9 Sketch a CSG tree for the model represented in Figure 1-2.
Make the same assumptions given in Exercise 1.7. Show the primi-
tives with orientations consistent with the final model image shown.

1.10 Make a sketch illustrating how the model represented in Figure

1-2 might be created using two linear sweeps and a Boolean union
operation (assuming complex profiles including "holes" are allowed).

1.11 Make a sketch illustrating how the final model represented in

Figure 1-10 might be created using linear and circular sweeps and
Boolean operations. Assuming the modeler had no restrictions on the
14 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

complexity of the profile to be swept, what is the fewest number of

each type of sweep (linear and circular) necessary to create this
model? What is the fewest number of Boolean operations necessary?

1.12 Make a sketch illustrating how the model in Figure E1.12 might
be created using linear and circular sweeps and Boolean operations.
What is the simplest set of sweeps and Boolean operations necessary
to create this model? (Assume all holes, including the one in the
center that is barely visible, are "through" holes.)
Figure E1.12
1.13 Sketch a CSG tree for the model in Figure
E1.13. Make the same assumptions as in Exercise
1.7 and, in addition, assume there is a variation of
the Boolean difference operator that allows us to
clip or cut off any portion of a solid with an arbi-
trary "cutting plane."

1.14 Make a sketch illustrating how the model in

Figure E1.13 can be created using linear sweeps
and Boolean operations. Assuming the modeler
had no restrictions on the complexity of the profile
to be swept, what is the fewest number of linear
sweeps necessary to create this model? What is the
fewest number of Boolean operations necessary?
Figure E1.13
1.15 Determine as much as you can about how the
hardware on which you will run Pro/ENGINEER is
set up. For example, how is Pro/ENGINEER installed on your
system(s) and where is the actual software stored – locally or on a
network server? How is it accessed from the machine you are/will be
using? What are the default directories for model files, plot files, trail
files, etc? Will you be using the CONFIG.PRO file that goes with the
text (see p. ix), a modified version thereof, or one specifically created
for a specific course or purpose? If different from the CONFIG.PRO
that goes with the text, research the differences in as much detail as
possible. Will you be using the files available with the text? If so,
where will they be stored and how can they be accessed? Where are
printing and/or plotting peripherals located and what will be the
general procedure for using them? Are they connected to your ma-
chine and, if so, how can plot or print files be sent for processing?
Mechanical Engineering Design with
Pro/ENGINEER Release 2001

Dr. Mark Archibald

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
 CHAPTER 2
BASIC FEATURE CREATION AND MODEL
MANIPULATION

Chapter Objectives:

$ To teach students basic feature creation techniques.

$ To teach students the importance of model

structure.

$ To teach students to manipulate and save model

views.

2-1
The Pro/E Interface

The Main Window

Pro/E uses a graphical user interface that combines menus, toolbars, and windows to provide an
efficient working environment. The active model appears in the graphics area of the main
window (Fig 1).

Figure 1 Main Window

The header bar at the top of this window displays the model type and name, and indicates
whether the model is active. The active model displays (Active) after the model name.

Figure 2 Header bar

The figure shows the header bar for a Pro/E part model named bracket. Note that this is the
active window.

The menu bar, containing non-model specific menus, lies just below the header bar.

Figure 3 Menu Bar

2-2
Following is a brief description of the menu bar options. Most of these menus are treated
extensively in later chapters.

File File commands, such as set working directory, save, open, create new
object, erase from RAM, delete either old versions or all versions of a
file.

K Note 1: When Pro/E saves a file, it does not overwrite the

previously saved version, but creates a new file with an
incremented version number, such as frame.prt.4 . Old versions of
model files must be deleted, or purged, periodically to prevent
excessive numbers of files on disk.

K Note 2: When a window is closed (see the Window menu), the

model remains in memory. To remove it from memory, use the
Erase command (be sure to save the file first!)

Edit Modify, redefine, or manipulate pre-selected features of the model.

View Access image viewing commands such as repaint screen, shade image,
model orientation, model colors and lights.

Insert Inserts features into the model.

Sketch Access sketcher tools such as lines, arcs, move, text, etc. (This menu
is only available in sketcher mode.)

Analysis Analyze the model and obtain measurements such as distance between
entities, lengths and areas, curvature, etc.

Info Access model information commands, such as bills of material, model

or feature information, parent-child relations, etc.

Applications Select other applications, such a Pro/MECHANICA,

Pro/SHEETMETAL, or Pro/NCPOST.

Utilities Set environmental variables, modify configuration options, set system

colors, etc.

Window Activate, close or select a window. (Note that Pro/E can have multiple
windows open at any time, but only one will be active. In order to
work on a model, its window must be activated from this menu.)

Help Activate on-line help, either general or context-sensitive.

2-3
A toolbar, with icons for frequently-used commands, follows the menu bar. It contains icons
of frequently used commands, such as create new object, save model, open model, repaint
screen, orient model, and blank datums, axes, points or coordinate systems. The toolbar is
easily customized to contain icons for most Pro/E commands. Toolbars can also be placed on
the right or left side of the main graphics window.

Figure 4 Top Toolbar

The main graphics area contains the Pro/E model, and is where most of the modeling work
occurs. A message area is located just above the graphics area. Important information and
prompts are provided in this area.

U Important: Always check the message area to avoid missing important information.

A one-line help area appears on the bottom line of the window. When the cursor is placed
over a menu item or icon, a succinct description of the command is provided here.

When a model is opened or created, additional menus appear that are specific to the type of
model. These menus will be discussed in the exercises. Most menus have multiple levels,
which usually remain open as you move down the menu tree.

Model Tree

An additional window, called the Model Tree, also opens when a

model is activated or created. The model tree displays the hierarchy
of the model. For part models, features are listed in order, along with
an icon indicating the feature class (solid feature, datum feature,
surface, etc.) (By default, only components are shown for assembly
models, although assembly and part features can be easily shown on
the tree.) Additional columns can be added for more information.
For example, it is often useful to see feature IDs. The model tree is a
"roadmap" for your model. Good designers quickly learn to use the
model tree frequently and effectively.

Usually, model features can be selected from either the model tree or
the model itself. Also, if the highlight option is activated (it is by
default), the model feature is highlighted when the cursor is placed Figure 5 Model Tree
over a feature on the model tree. This is very useful for identification of features in complex
models.

When Pro/E is started, an additional window may appear at the top of the screen. This
window is called the application manager, and is used to navigate between various
applications and windows. It contains a button for each open window. To pop a window to

2-4
the foreground, simply click on its button. When ending your work session, first exit Pro/E,
then exit the application manager.

Figure 6 Application Manager

Pro/E model views can be manipulated with the mouse more easily than from the view menu.
Mouse view control -- zoom, spin, and pan -- is accomplished by pressing the control key
while simultaneously pressing one of the mouse keys and dragging.

Mouse View Control

Zoom Press Ctrl and the left mouse key while dragging right or left.

For a window zoom, press Ctrl and left click the mouse on opposite
corners of the zoom box.

Spin Press Ctrl and center mouse key while dragging.

Pan Press Ctrl and right mouse key while dragging.

Good Design Practice

Design Intent

To effectively use Pro/E as a design tool, designers must not only know and understand the
software functionality, they must also know how to build models that behave as desired
during modifications or downstream applications. This is known as capturing design
intent, and is extremely important for reducing design cycle time. Unlike many CAD
programs, Pro/E requires the designer to think beyond basic geometry. Most parts designed
in Pro/E will be modified, sometimes drastically. Most will also be used with other
applications, such as Pro/MECHANICA, NC machining, mold design, injection molding
simulation, stereolithography, etc. If the part model is poorly constructed, modifications will
be difficult, perhaps requiring that the part be completely remodeled. Also, much time may
be required to repair or remodel the part prior to using any of the downstream applications.
Some of the prime benefits of the Pro/E package can be nullified by poor modeling.

Throughout this book, emphasis is placed on capturing design intent. Examples and tutorials
show good modeling practice and illustrate how the design intent is realized. Emphasis is
placed on understanding the model and what it will be used for prior to modeling. The

2-5
importance of model structure, especially parent-child relationships, is treated extensively.
The Pro/E student should strive not just to understand how to obtain desired geometry, but
how to obtain the desired geometry with a robust model.

Good practice starts at the feature creation level, where parameters and parent-child
relationships are defined. The structure of the model -- as reflected in the model tree -- is the
second tier in developing good models. Building robust assemblies is the third tier.
Attention, planning, and foresight will ensure that good design practice is obtained at all three
levels.

Model Structure

Understanding how to structure a model is the first step to good design practice. Pro/E
models are hierarchical. Each feature (except the base feature) references earlier features in
the model. When the model is changed in any way, features regenerate in sequence. If the
model has changed in such a way as to delete the references for a feature, the regeneration
process will fail when it gets to that feature. (What to do then is covered in Chapter 6.) Thus
it is very important to understand the relationships between model features. These are known
as parent-child relationships.

Pro/E models are also parametric. Model geometry is defined by a set of parameters. The
two most common ways to define parameters are dimensions and alignments. When a
dimension is defined, it becomes a parameter of the model. It is important to consider this
when creating geometry, as the model parameters define how the model will behave when
modified. Alignments indicate that new geometry should be aligned with existing features
(essentially a dimension that always has a value of zero.)

Every Pro/E model should start with default datum planes.

These are three orthogonal datum planes that provide
references, either directly or indirectly, for all subsequent
features in the model. Recall that datum planes are infinite
planes and have both a red and a yellow side. Datum planes
provide excellent references for other features, and frequently
models will contain many of them. However, the default
datum planes are special, in that they provide a three-
dimensional anchor for the entire model.

The first feature in any model should be default datum planes. Figure 7 Default Datum
Planes
Thought should be given to the order of subsequent features.
Sometimes the order is obvious: to model a cylindrical shaft with a keyway, create a
cylindrical protrusion followed by a cut. Other times careful thought is required to ensure a
robust model results. In addition, there are usually many different ways to obtain a particular
geometry. Learn as many of these methods as possible, then select the ones that will best
capture the design intent.

2-6
As features are added, parent-child relationships are created. For example, when a hole is
placed in a flat plate, three references are required: the surface on which the hole is placed
and two edges or surfaces used to define the location of the hole on the placement surface.
All three references could be to a single feature -- the flat plate, or they could be to different
features, say the flat plate, a datum plane and the surface of a cut in the plate. In the former
case, the hole would have only one parent. In the latter case, the hole would have three
parents. It is usually good to minimize the number of parent-child relationships in the model.
Thus the first method is usually, but not always, the best. It is always important to know
what you are using for references during feature creation.

In short, a Pro/E model is comprised of an ordered set of features held together in a web of
dimensions, alignments, and references. The web defines the parent-child relationships
between features.

Data Base Management

Although model structure is the most important aspect of good design practice, data base
management is also important. The File menu contains most of the commands needed.
Selected commands are discussed here, along with some tips for good file management.

New Creates a new model. A dialog box opens with the type of model (part is
the default) and the name of the new model (Fig 3). Select the model type
by clicking on the appropriate button, and enter the new name. Note that
only the base name should be provided -- Pro/E will append the correct
extension based on the type of file. (For example, if the model is a part
and bracket is entered, the actual file name is bracket.prt.1.) There is also
a button called copy from. This loads an existing model into the new
model (without affecting the old model.) It is very useful if the new part is
similar to an existing part. The tutorials show how this feature is used to
expedite model creation for all models.

Open Opens an existing model. A dialog box appears showing file names of
objects in the current working directory. Click on the desired file and click
the open button. Note that the Type box permits files to be filtered by
type, such as part, assembly, manufacturing, etc. Icons provide shortcuts
to navigate through directories.

Set Sets the working directory. The working directory is the directory that
Working Pro/E uses to look for files or to write new files (unless otherwise
Directory specified.) At the start of each work session, set the working directory to
ensure the files are read and written correctly.

Close Closes the model window. Closing the window does NOT erase the part
Window from memory.

2-7
 Save Save the current model to the hard drive. Note that you are prompted for
the object to save, which must exist in session (in memory.) The current
model is the default.

Save a This option can save a copy of the model as:

Copy
1) an native Pro/E file with a different name or location
2) an image of the model (TIFF, encapsulated postscript, etc.)
3) a different type of file (STL, IGES, CATIA, etc.)

Erase Erases models from memory. When a window is closed, the model
remains in memory, or In Session. To clear memory, use the erase
function. Two options are available: Current or Not Displayed. Current
will erase the model in the active window from memory. Not Displayed
brings up a dialog box of all items in memory that are not displayed on the
screen -- select all or some for erasure.

Note that files are NOT saved prior to erasing from memory.

Delete Deletes files from the hard drive. The two options are to delete All
Versions or delete Old Versions. The latter purges all versions of the file
except the most recent.

Other options include Backup (save to a different directory), Rename (change the name of
the model), and Print.

Tips for good data management...

1. Create a new directory for each new project, with subdirectories as needed. Pro/E can
generate a large number of files and good project organization is imperative.

2. Create subdirectories for each Mechanica analysis and each manufacturing model.

3. Purge old versions frequently to prevent using excessive disk space. One approach is
to always purge prior to saving -- then you will always have just one backup version.
(Clearly, do not delete old versions if they are needed for archives.)

4. Typing "purge" from a system window will delete old versions of all files in the
directory.

5. Remember that closing a window removes the model from the screen, but does not
erase it from memory or save it. To clear memory, use the Erase command.

2-8
Pro/E Customization

There are many ways in which Pro/E can be customized. While some of these methods
should only be attempted by advanced users, many others are both important enough and
simple enough for the novice Pro/E user to use. The most important is the configuration file,
typically called config.pro. This file should reside in the same directory from which Pro/E is
started (the home directory.) It is an ASCII text file that contains configuration commands.
When Pro/E is started, it looks for this file, and automatically executes all the commands.
This configures Pro/E for an individual designer. The config.pro file can be modified during
a session, but must be loaded before changes take effect. The Edit Config and Load Config
commands accomplish this (they are found under Preferences on the Utilities menu.)

It is also quite simple to customize the toolbar. While the default toolbar is usually fine for
beginners, experienced Pro/E users may find that some additional commands are used very
often. It is convenient to place these commands as icons on the toolbar. In fact, several
different toolbars can be created, each with its own set of commands. To modify the toolbar,
position the cursor on the toolbar and press the right mouse button.

Pro/Help

This manual provides an introduction to Pro/E and is designed to get the student productive
as rapidly as possible. However, no tutorial or lab manual can include all the details of the
many Pro/E commands. Students should form the habit of using the on-line help to obtain
more information. On-line help, available through a web browser, is accessed in several
ways. To obtain access to all on-line manuals, use the Pro/HELP command on the Help
menu. This method permits browsing through any help manual desired. To obtain context-
sensitive help on a particular topic, use the What's This command on the Help menu. The
cursor becomes a question mark. Select a command from any menu, and the help screen for
that topic appears. Alternately, position the cursor over any command and press the right
mouse button to bring up context-sensitive help.

K Develop the habit of using on-line help on a regular basis. This helps beginners
master Pro/E much more quickly.

Basic Feature Creation

A sound understanding of feature creation is crucial for effective modeling in Pro/E.

Frequently several feature types can be used to create the desired geometry. The designer
must choose the types that best capture his or her design intent. Then he or she must know
the steps required to create each feature.

This section presents an overview of four of the most fundamental solid features --
protrusions, cuts, slots, and holes. (Solid features either add or remove solid "chunks" of
material to the model.) The intent is to familiarize the student with the nature of each type of
feature so that appropriate choices can be made regarding which to use for a particular task.

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The lab exercises demonstrate implementation steps for each feature. Subsequent sections
address additional feature types, and are accompanied by appropriate lab exercises. A
separate section describes sketcher.

K Hint: Use context-sensitive online help to learn more details about each of the
following features.

Protrusions

A protrusion adds solid material to the model. Most protrusions are sketched features,
meaning that 2D geometry is first created using sketcher, and then swept through space in
such a way as to create a solid. There are several types of protrusions, depending on how the
sketch is moved to form the solid. A brief description of the protrusion menu picks:

Extrude The 2D sketch is moved in a straight line perpendicular to the sketch

plane. The resulting solid is prismatic.

Revolve The 2D sketch is rotated about an axis, through any desired angle. If
the angle is 360E, the resulting solid is axisymmetric.

Sweep The 2D sketch is moved along a 3D path called a trajectory. The

resulting solid may be complex, but will always have a constant cross-
section.

Blend Several 2D sketches are used, located on parallel planes separated by

distances prescribed by the user. The resulting solid changes cross-
sectional shape as it goes from one sketch to the next. The cross
sections may have any shape, but must be comprised of the same
number of segments. The resulting geometry is often complex.

Use Quilt The solid is generated from a surface quilt (several connected
surfaces.) This type of protrusion is not sketched, and will be
discussed in Chapter 12.

Advanced Several advanced methods of creating protrusions are also available,

such as the Variable Section Sweep and the Swept Blend. These
features are quite powerful, but somewhat more complex than the basic
protrusions. Some of these will be treated in later chapters.

Cuts

A cut removes solid material from the model. This menu option is only available if the
model contains solid geometry. Cuts are created exactly like protrusions, except that where
the protrusion adds material, the cut removes material. The menu options are identical to
those for protrusions -- Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, Blend, Use Quilt, and Advanced. Like

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protrusions, most cuts are sketched features. Once the section has been sketched, Pro/E
prompts the user for the which side of the section (sketch) should be removed.

Holes

Holes are pick-and-place features, meaning that they are not sketched. A hole always
removes material from the model, and always has a circular cross section. To create a hole,
Pro/E only needs to know on what surface the hole is to be placed, the location of the center
of the hole on the surface, the hole diameter, and the depth of the hole. Prompts are provided
for all these items.

There are three types of holes: Straight, Sketched and Standard. A straight hole is always
cylindrical in shape. A sketched hole is similar to a 360E revolved cut in that the axial cross
section can be sketched. Tapered holes and other non-cylindrical holes can be created more
easily with the sketched hole feature than with a revolved cut. Standard holes include
counterbores, countersinks, standard threads, and notes. This is an easy way to create tapped
holes complete with thread notes.

Sketcher and Intent Manager

Sketcher, along with an enhancement called Intent Manager, is used for creating most Pro/E
features. It is a powerful tool for generating 2D sections, which are subsequently used to
generate 3D geometry. Sections are the resulting 2D entities which are produced by sketcher.
Typically, sketcher is invoked within a feature creation sequence, such as a protrusion, cut, or
slot. (It can also be used independently to create and save sections for later use, but that
functionality is not discussed here.) Mastery of sketcher is essential for efficient and
effective use of Pro/E. Fortunately, it is easy and intuitive B and smart. This section provides
a brief overview of sketcher. Chapter 5 describes sketcher assumptions and use in much
greater detail.

Sections are created by sketching a rough approximation of the desired geometry.

Dimensions, alignments, and sketcher assumptions refine the sketch. The values of each
dimension can then be modified to obtain the exact desired geometry.

Sketcher automatically makes assumptions as the sketch is created. The Intent Manager
automatically places "weak" dimensions and alignments. If a user understands how sketcher
and intent manager work, he or she can usually ensure that most of the automatic dimensions,
alignments, and assumptions are correct. (Those that are not correct can easily be changed,
however.) This is the key to using sketcher effectively.

In order to create solid geometry, a section must be located with respect to the part. This is
done by first defining a sketching plane, then by aligning or dimensioning the section to the
part. The sketch plane is defined prior to entering sketcher mode. It can be either a datum
plane or a flat surface. The section is sketched on this plane. A point or an edge of a sketch
can be forced to always lie directly on an existing part entity, such as a datum plane, edge,

2-11
side, or curve. This is called alignment, and is one way to locate the section to the part
within the sketch plane. Alternatively, dimensions can be placed between the sketch and part
entities. In either case, sufficient alignments and dimensions must be provided to locate the
section in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

Intent manager automatically creates alignments and dimensions. However, intent manager
must know what references should be used to do this. A dialog box presents default
references. In most cases, the default choices should be accepted. Sometimes a user needs to
specify additional references or replace default references. A warning is issued in sufficient
references are not selected prior to starting the sketch. Choosing references is important!
Choosing correct references will ensure that desired alignments and most dimensions are
obtained automatically. This affects not only the current section, but also parent/child
relationships within the model. Some guidelines for choosing references:

U Any and all part entities to be aligned to the sketch must be selected.

U Part entities to be used for dimensioning should be selected.

U Choose references to obtain desired parent/child relationships. For example,

choose references that all belong to one feature to minimize the number of
parents.

Sketching can begin once references are defined. Sketches consist of lines, arcs, circles,
points, and several advanced entities such as splines. Geometry types are selected either from
the sketcher toolbar or from a pop-up menu activated by the right mouse button. Note that
entities snap to the references. Also, lines that are nearly vertical or horizontal snap to
vertical or horizontal respectively, and symbols V or H appear. These are two of the
assumptions that sketcher makes. (If you want a line at a very small angle from the
horizontal, sketch it at a large angle, and modify the angle value later.) Other assumptions
are described below. As each segment of the sketch is completed, dimensions appear in
white.

K Note: Do not confuse a dimension (a parameter in the Pro/E model) with its
value. It is very important to create the correct dimension scheme, but
values can be changed very easily B within sketcher or later, in part mode.

These are "weak" dimensions, because they were created by the Intent Manager. Frequently
some of these need to be replaced with more desirable dimensions. Desirable dimensions can
be strengthened B that is, the user tells Pro/E that these dimensions should not be
automatically deleted. "Strong" dimensions are shown in yellow. New dimensions can then
be created. As they are created, weak dimensions are removed. User-created dimensions are
always "strong." If a new dimension conflicts with an existing strong dimension, Pro/E asks
which dimension should be deleted.

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Sketcher Assumptions

Understanding assumptions is important for effective sketcher use. Typically, assumptions

are obvious during a sketch because the pointer snap to the appropriate entity and a symbol
for the assumption appears. Sketcher assumptions are summarized in the following table:

Assumption Description Sym.

Equal radius Circles or arcs sketched with approximately equal R

radii are assumed to have exactly the same radii. (index)
The radius snaps to the assumed value.

Symmetry Entities approximately symmetric about a sketched ÿ

centerline are assumed to be symmetric. Vertices
snap to symmetric positions.

Horizontal & Nearly horizontal or vertical lines are assumed to H or V

vertical lines be so. Lines snap to horizontal or vertical. (index)

Parallel or Lines nearly parallel or perpendicular to existing * or z

Perpendicular lines are assumed parallel or perpendicular. Lines (index)
lines snap to parallel or perpendicular.

Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to each T

other are assumed tangent. Entities snap to (index)
tangency.

Equal segment Lines of approximately the same length are L

length assumed to have the same length. Line snaps to (index)
length.

Point entities Point entities that lie near other entities (lines, arcs, 
lying on other circles) are assumed to lie on them. Point snaps to
entities entity. (Note: point entities include end points of
lines and arcs and center points of arcs and circles.)

Equal Center points of arcs and circles with nearly the › or ,

coordinates same X and Y coordinates are assumed to have (pairs)
the same coordinates. Centers snap to X or Y
coordinate.

Sketcher assumptions can be used very effectively during sketching to quickly obtain the
desired section. If an assumption needs to be avoided, exaggerate the sketch. For example,
place two circles that should lie near, but not on, the same horizontal line well away from

2-13
each other. This forces sketcher to place a dimension rather than make an assumption. The
value of the dimension can be modified later to any desired value (even zero, but that is poor
practice!)

After the sketch is complete, the values of the dimensions must be modified, and the sketch
regenerated. Additions, deletions, and further modification may then take place.

Some rules of thumb for sketcher:

U Choose references carefully in order to achieve desired alignments, dimensions,

and parent/child relationships.

U Exaggerate the sketch B avoid very small entities and undesirable assumptions.
Use Modify to achieve the desired geometry.

2-14
Exercise 2.1 Base

Objective: To introduce students to fundamental feature creation techniques, including

extruded protrusions, slots, and holes.

This exercise involves modeling the base part shown below. The best way to learn Pro/E
software is to dive right in and create a part model. That is exactly what this exercise
involves.

K Note 1: Prior to starting this lesson, create a new directory called tutorial. (Do
this in a system window.)

K Note 2: Strive to complete the exercise as presented, however, explore the menus
and toolbar to become familiar with their functionality.

2-15
1. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory. Select File>Set Working
Directory.

Select the tutorial directory to highlight it and select OK.

2. Create a new part named base. Select the Create New Object icon (blank
paper). (Or use File>New.) The New dialog box opens.

$ Note that the radio button for part is selected by default.

Create
$ Also note that Use default template is selected. This ensures that the model New
starts with default datum planes, coordinate system, and saved views.

Enter the name base and select OK.

3. Create the base feature. Select Insert>Protrusion>Extrude.

Accept the default of One Side. Select Done.

K Shortcut: The default menu selections are shown in bold. To accept them, simply
click the middle mouse key.

At the prompt to create a sketching plane pick on datum FRONT. (Note: To select a
datum plane pick either on the name tag or the border of the datum plane.) Accept the
default direction by selecting Okay.

For the second reference select Default.

The model now reorients and the References dialog box opens.
Note that datums RIGHT and TOP are selected by default. These
are the desired references, so no action is required. Select Close.

$ Note that the selected references are indicated with brown

dashed lines in the main graphics window.

$ Pro/E is now in sketcher mode. Note the sketcher toolbar on the

right. Figure 8 References

For this example, it is important to have the plate symmetric about datums RIGHT and
TOP. To ensure this symmetry, create two centerlines aligned to these datums.

Press the right mouse key to activate the pop-up menu. Select Centerline. (Alternately,
select the Line icon arrowhead, then select the Centerline icon.) Pick once on datum

2-16
RIGHT to begin the centerline. Note that this becomes a pivot point for the line. Drag
the line so that it aligns with datum RIGHT (a pair of small solid rectangles appear when
aligned.) Pick a second time on datum RIGHT. The first centerline is created. Repeat for
the second centerline, using datum TOP as the alignment reference.

Figure 9 Sketch of rectangular base feature.

Sketch a rectangle symmetric about the two centerlines. Select the Rectangle
icon. Use
the grid and pick two diagonal corners of a rectangle symmetric about the
two centerlines. Note that the rectangle snaps to symmetry. Also, small Rectangle
arrows at the vertices indicate the symmetry constraints. (Do not sketch a
square!)

K Tip: The sketching grid can be toggled on and off with the Toggle the grid on/off icon.

Dimensions for the width and height of the rectangle appear in white. These are called
weak dimensions (system-supplied dimensions.) The values for these dimensions may be
quite large at this point -- they must be modified.

Click the middle mouse key to cancel rectangles and

return to selection mode. Drag a selection box around
the sketched rectangle, being sure to include both
dimensions. Select the Modify icon. Modify
icon
Deselect the Regenerate box. Then enter 4 for the
vertical dimension and 6 for the horizontal
dimension. Select the Done icon. The sketch is now Done icon Figure 10 Modify
complete. Dialog Box

2-17
 Select the Done icon from the toolbar.

The depth of the solid rectangle must now be defined. From the SPEC TO menu, select
Blind>Done. Enter a value of .25.

To preview the base select Preview from the extrude dialog box. Press and hold the
Control key while dragging the mouse with the middle mouse key depressed to spin the
model and view it from different angles. Select OK from the PROTRUSION:Extrude
dialog box. The protrusion is now complete.

4. Create a cut in the protrusion. Select Insert>Cut>Extrude.

Accept the default of One Side. Select Done.

Turn off datum plane display for clarity. Select the Datum Planes on/off icon
from the toolbar to toggle the display.

Pick on the front side of the base to create a sketching plane. Ensure that the
arrow points into the base. If so, select Okay. If not, select Flip and check Datum
that the arrow flips direction into the base, then select Okay. (The slot Planes
feature will begin on the sketching plane and extend into the direction shown by the
arrow. Clearly, in this case we want the slot to extend into the part, rather than out into
empty space.)

For the second reference select Top and then pick the top side of the part.

Figure 11 Orientation references for sketching the slot feature.

When the References dialog box opens, select both default references and delete them.
Then pick the bottom edge of the part and the right edge of the part.

It may be easier to see the sketch if shading is turned off. Select the Hidden
Line icon to change the display.

Hidden
line

2-18
 Figure 13 Sketcher references and the first line

Sketch a single line as shown in Fig 6 (do not worry about dimensions yet.) Select the
Line icon or use the right mouse key pop-up menu. Use a left pick to start and end the
line, and middle pick to terminate drawing lines. Note the H symbol, denoting a
horizontal line.

Select the 3 Point/Tangent End arc icon and create the 180E arc by a left pick
on the end of the line followed by a left pick directly above the line end point.
Note the two small solid rectangles representing the 180E constraint. The
pointer may need to be moved left or right to capture the tangency constraint Arc icon
(denoted by a T.) A third left mouse click completes the arc.

Figure 14 Line and arc showing constraint symbols

(Horizontal, Tangent, and 180E arc.)

Repeat for the second arc. Be sure to look for the R1 symbol denoting equal radius with
the first arc.

2-19
Select the Line icon and sketch a second straight line. It should complete the loop.

Figure 15 Completed sketch, prior to dimensioning.

Shortcuts K In sketcher, the middle mouse key cancels the current mode and returns to
selection mode.

K The right mouse key initiates a pop-up menu with common sketcher
commands.

The default dimension scheme is not what is desired, so create new

dimensions to replace the undesired ones. Select the Dimension icon. Pick
the two center marks (center of the arcs), place the pointer below the part and
click the middle mouse key to place the dimension. Dimension

Now select the center mark of the left arc and select the bottom edge of the part (or the
dashed brown line representing the reference.) Middle mouse pick to the left of the slot
to place the dimension. The remaining default dimensions are acceptable.

To move a dimension, first return to selection mode with a middle mouse click, then
simply drag it to the new position.

Add axis points at the centers of the arcs. Sketched axis points will become datum axes
when the slot feature is complete. From the menu bar, select Sketch>Axis Point.

Pick the center mark for each slot. A small x indicating the axis point is placed.

2-20
 Figure 16 Completed sketch of cut after modifying
dimensions and regenerating.

Modify the dimensions. Return to selection mode with a middle mouse click, then drag a
selection box around all four dimensions and select the Modify icon.

Pick the dimension from the right edge to the center and enter 1.75.
Pick the center-to-center dimension enter 2.5.
Pick the dimension from the bottom edge to the center mark and enter .75.
Pick the radius and enter .375.

Select the Done icon from the dialog box. The section is now complete. Select the Done
icon from the right toolbar.

For the direction, the arrow should point toward the inside of the cut. If it is correct,
select Okay, otherwise select Flip>Okay.

Figure 17 Correct arrow direction for cut feature.

The SPEC TO menu defines the depth of the slot. Select Thru All and Done.

2-21
 Select Preview to review the slot, then select OK to accept it. Shading the part by
selecting the Shaded View icon may be helpful.

Note the model tree and how the features appear in the model tree.

5. Create four holes for mounting feet to the base. Select

Insert>Hole. The HOLE dialog box opens.

Verify that the Straight Hole radio button is selected.

Diameter and depth parameters are defined in the

Hole Placement section. enter a diameter of 0.25. Use
the pull-down menu for Depth One, and select Thru
All.

(Depth Two is only used for two-sided holes -- those

that extend in both directions from the placement
plane.)

Placement references are selected in the Hole

Placement section. The Primary Reference is the Figure 18 Hole dialog box
surface where the hole starts. Spin the model and
select the top surface of the part approximately 3/4" from the corner.

Figure 19 References for hole placement.

Linear placement requires two references to provide dimensions locating the hole on the
placement surface. The two side surfaces forming the corner of the plate should be
chosen. Spin the model and use Query Select to pick the first of these surfaces. Accept
it when the entire surface highlights, not just a single edge.

K Recall: right mouse key initiates Query Select; left mouse key picks, right mouse key
goes to next entity, middle mouse key accepts.

2-22
 Enter .75 for the distance from both references.

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon from the dialog box to complete the
hole feature.

Figure 20 The completed hole feature

6. Turn on datum plane display by selecting the Datum Planes on/off icon.

Mirror the hole to create dependent copies. Select

Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent and Done.

Select the hole (Query Select may be helpful.) Select Done Select and then Done.

The command line prompts for a plane or datum to mirror about. Query select datum
RIGHT. The second hole now appears.

Mirror both holes about datum TOP. Select Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent

and Done. Select both holes. Select Done Select and then Done.

The command line prompts for a plane or datum to mirror about. Select datum TOP.
The base should now have four holes.

K With the Dependent option, all three of the copied holes have the same parameters as
the initial hole. Thus, if the hole is modified, say to change the diameter, all four
holes change together. Subsequent lessons will address Independent copies.

2-23
 Figure 21 Holes after using Copy>Mirror twice.

7. Save the part. From the toolbar, select the Save icon. Press Enter to accept
the default part name.

8. Review the model tree. (If the model tree is not visible, turn it on with the
Model Tree on/off icon.) The model tree window appears. Note the features
Save icon
on the tree: the three default datums and coordinate system included in the
default template, the base protrusion, the slot, the hole and the two mirror
features (listed as Group COPIED_GROUP.) Picking the + sign by either
copy feature explodes the feature to show the individual elements copied.
Additional model tree functionality is discussed in later lessons.

9. Explore the predefined model views. Select the Saved View List icon and Model
select FRONT. The model reorients to the front view. Try some of the Tree
other views. on/off

10. Modify the hole diameters. From the PART menu (select Done to return to this menu)
select Modify.

Pick any one of the four holes. The two linear placement dimensions and the diameter
dimension appear. Pick the .25 diameter dimension and enter .1875. Select
Regenerate.

All four holes change to the new diameter. Any model parameter can be easily changed
in this way. Note that our design intent B ensuring that the four holes remain the same
diameter and the same distances from their respective corners B is captured in this
model.

2-24
11. Experiment with the icons on the toolbar. Try shaded image, hidden line, and no hidden
views. Blank the datum planes and axes.

Figure 23 The completed part.

% End Exercise 2.1

2-25
Chamfers and Rounds

Chamfers and rounds are also pick-and-place features. In Pro/E jargon, a round can be
either concave or convex, defined by the surfaces to which it is attached. Both chamfers and
rounds replace edges created where two surfaces meet. Individual edges and chains or loops
of edges can be selected. A chamfer can be specified by the depth from each edge, or by the
depth of one edge and an angle. Rounds can be either simple or advanced. Simple rounds
have a constant radius along their entire length. Advanced rounds provide much more
functionality and flexibility, but are more complex to create. Advanced rounds are treated in
Chapter 7.

Cosmetic Threads

Cosmetic features do not affect model geometry, but may contain important model
parameters. A Cosmetic Thread feature is represented by a simplified thread symbol. It
includes all parameters required to define the thread (type, pitch, accuracy, depth, etc.) It is
much more efficient -- in terms of model size and regeneration time -- to model threads
cosmetically, rather than as a solid feature. Once a cosmetic thread is created, a thread
symbol and thread note can be easily shown on a drawing.

Info Menu

Pro/E can provide a wealth of information about a part or assembly model. Measurements of
the model can be made, mass properties computed, feature and parent/child information
provided. A brief overview of the more commonly used Info menu items is provided here.
For more information, use the on-line help.

Feature Provides list of references, parents, children, and dimensions of a

selected feature.

Model Provides list of model units and feature information for ALL
model features. (Note: This option generates a LOT of
information.)

Global Reference Shows feature or component references, both external and internal.
Viewer The referenced features are listed, and may be highlighted in the
main graphics area.

Parent/Child Highlights or lists the parents and children of a selected feature.

Can also show references or provide information about
parents/children/references.

Relations and Opens an information box showing model relations, parameters,

Parameters and parameter values.

2-26
Exercise 2.2 Adapter

Objective: To provide practice in basic feature creation techniques including introducion to

features such as revolved protrusions, chamfers, rounds, and cosmetic threads.

Figure 24 Adapter drawing

1. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory if it is not already selected.

2. Create a new part named adapter. From the toolbar, select the Create a new object icon.
Enter the name adapter and select OK.

3. Create the base feature using revolved protrusion. Select Insert>Protrusion>Revolve.

Accept the default One Side and select Done.

For the sketch plane pick the FRONT datum and accept the default direction by selecting
Okay.

2-27
For the second reference, select Top and pick on the TOP datum.

Figure 25 Sketch for revolved protrusion feature

The model reorients and Pro/E enters sketcher mode. Accept the default references: the
TOP datum and the RIGHT datum.

K Revolved protrusions require a centerline to define the axis of revolution.

Create a centerline and align it to the TOP datum. Press the right mouse key and select
Centerline from the pop-up menu. Pick somewhere on datum TOP. A centerline
appears. Pick a second time on datum TOP to snap into alignment with the datum. Note
that two bars appear to indicate alignment.

Select Line from the pop-up menu.

Create a sketch that looks like the figure shown. Note that the cursor snaps to the
references as you bring it near. Left mouse picks define each vertex. A middle mouse
pick ends the line. For revolved solid protrusions, the section must be closed. Be sure to
sketch a line along the centerline to close the sketch.

The default dimensions that appeared are not the dimensions we want. Select the
Dimension icon.

To create a diametral dimension, pick the object on which the dimension is to be placed,
then pick on the centerline, then again on the first object. Place the dimension with the
middle mouse key.

Place a diametral dimension on the large end of the section. Pick the edge parallel to the
TOP datum, then pick the centerline, and finally pick a second time on the first edge.

2-28
 Place the dimension by moving the cursor to the right of the sketch, and clicking the
middle mouse key. A diametral dimension should appear.

Repeat the procedure for the smaller diameter section on the left side of the part.

Add a dimension for the overall length. Pick the right edge of the sketch and then the far
left edge. Place the dimension above the part with the middle mouse button.

Add a dimension for the length of the right end (the larger diameter end.) Pick on the
edge and then place the dimension above the line with the middle mouse key. (Only one
initial pick is required for dimensioning line segments.)

All dimensions are now defined. To modify these dimensions to the the desired values,
drag a selection rectangle around the entire sketch. Select the Modify icon. Check the
box marked Lock Scale, and change the right (large) end diametral dimension to 2. This
rescales the entire sketch. Deselect Lock scale.

Change the remaining dimensions, entering the values shown in the figure. Select the
Done icon to close the dialog box.

Select the Done icon from the toolbar to complete the sketch.

The protrusion is to be swept through a full 360E. From the REV TO menu select 360
and Done.

The message window prompts that all elements have been defined. Select Preview from
the dialog box to view the finished feature prior to accepting it. Select OK if all is
correct.

4. Create a one inch diameter axial hole on the large end of the part. Select Insert>Hole.
The hole dialog box appears.

Enter a diameter of 1.0 and a Variable depth of 2.0.

For the placement plane, pick the large end surface of the part. From the Placement Type
pull-down menu, select Coaxial. This will place the hole coaxial with axis A1.

Select axis A1 by picking on the axis. Preview the hole and select the Build
Feature icon. The hole is created.

5. Create a datum plane to be used in Step 6. Select the Create Datum Plane
icon from the right toolbar. Select Tangent, and pick the large cylindrical
surface of the part. Select Parallel and pick datum TOP. Select Done. Note
the new datum plane, named DTM1. Create
Datum
Plane

2-29
 K Note that datum features can be created during creation of another feature. Thus, this
datum plane could have been created while creating the following hole feature.

6. Create a transverse hole to be used for a ¼-20 threads per inch set screw. Select
Insert>Hole.

Accept the default Straight Hole.

The correct tap drill size for a 1/4-20 UNC thread is a number 7 drill, which is .201 in
diameter. Enter .201 for the hole diameter. Select the Thru Next for the depth one.

Pick the new datum plane for the primary reference. When prompted for the location,
pick a point near datum FRONT and about 1 inch from the large diameter end.

For the first linear reference, pick the large end surface of the part. Enter a value of 1.

For the second reference, pick the datum FRONT. Using query select will help ensure
that you get the correct surface. The prompt asks if you wish to align the feature to the
reference. Select Yes to align it. (If the alignment prompt does not appear, enter 0.0 for
the dimension.)

Figure 27 Transverse hole picks

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon.

7. Rename the new datum plane. From the Feature menu, select Done. Select
Setup>Name. Pick on DTM1.

At the prompt Enter New DATUM NAME enter hole_start_pln. Note the name change
in the graphics window and the model tree.

8. Create the sled-runner keyway as an extruded cut. Select InsertCut>Extrude.

2-30
The cut will be sketched on datum FRONT, and extruded in both directions. Select Both
Sides and Done.

For the sketching plane, pick the FRONT datum. Accept the default direction by
selecting Okay.

For the second reference, select Top and pick the TOP datum. The model reorients and
Pro/E enters sketcher mode.

Figure 28 Sketch for keyway (cut feature)

Delete the default references. For references, pick the top edge of the small-diameter end
of the part and the edge on the left end of the part. These references are important -- they
will ensure that the section is correctly aligned to the part. Use query select and read the
command line prompt if there is any doubt.

Sketch a line and tangent arc as in the figure. Note that the cursor snaps to the references
as you bring it near. Circles at the beginning of the line and the end of the arc indicate
alignment.

One dimension needs to be replaced -- the keyway depth. The remaining dimensions are
acceptable. Select the Dimension icon and pick the sketched line and the bottom edge of
the part. Place the dimension to the left of the part with the middle mouse key.

2-31
 Modify the dimensions. Rather than using the Modify dialog box, simply double-click on
each dimension and enter the correct value as shown in the figure.

The sketch is complete -- select the Done icon.

The direction arrow should point upward, toward the material to be removed. Select
Okay.

From the Spec To menu, select Blind. Enter a depth of .1875.

K Note that for two-sided features, the Blind option prompts for a single depth which is
symmetric about the sketching plane. If different depths on each side of the sketching
plane are desired, use the 2Side Blind option.

Select Preview from the dialog box to view the finished feature prior to accepting it.
Spin and shade the model to get a better view of the cut. Select OK if all is correct.

9. Create a round where the shaft protrudes from the large diameter end. Select
Insert>Round>Simple>Done.

Accept the defaults of Constant and Edge Chain, and select Done.

Accept the default Tangent Chain, and pick the edge where the small diameter shaft
meets the large diameter adapter. Select Done.

Enter a radius of .125.

Select Preview to view the round. If it is correct, select Okay.

Figure 29 Round and first chamfer picks

10. Create chamfers on the end of the small diameter shaft and the edge of the large hole.
Select Insert>Chamfer>Edge Chamfer>45 x d.

2-32
 Enter a chamfer dimension of .03 .

First, pick the edge of the small diameter shaft. Next, pick the edge of the hole on the
large diameter end.

Select Rehighlight to verify that all edges are selected.

Select Done Sel and Done Refs.

Select Preview to review the chamfers. If they are correct, select Okay.

11. Create chamfers on each end of the large diameter section of the part. Select
Insert>Chamfer>Edge Chamfer>45 x d

Enter a chamfer dimension of .05 .

For the edges to chamfer, pick the edges of the large diameter segment of the adapter.
Select Rehighlight to verify that both ends are selected. Select Done Sel and Done
Refs.

Select Preview to review the chamfers. If they are correct, select Okay.

Figure 30 Second chamfer picks

12. Create a cosmetic thread for the setscrew hole. Recall that the setscrew has a ¼-20 UNC
thread. Select Insert>Cosmetic>Thread.

The COSMETIC THREAD dialog box appears. For the thread surface, pick the inner
cylindrical surface of the small transverse hole. Use query select to ensure the correct
surface is selected.

Pick the outer cylindrical surface of large protrusion for the thread start surface.

2-33
 The direction arrow appears. It should point into the hole. If so, select Okay, otherwise
select Flip and Okay.

For the thread depth, select Up To Surface and Done. Pick the inner cylindrical surface
of large coaxial hole.

Enter a diameter of .25.

K Note: This diameter is the diameter of the thread symbol. For internal threads, such
as in this case, it should be the major diameter of the thread. For external threads, it
should be the root diameter.

The FEAT PARAM menu appears. The thread parameters (which will appear on a
drawing as a thread note) are defined in this step. Select Mod Params. Pro/TABLE,
Pro/E’s spreadsheet, appears. To use Pro/TABLE, pick on the field to be edited and
enter the desired text. For many entries, keywords are available by pressing the F4 key.

Complete the table as shown in the figure. To use keywords to change the Metric field,
select the TRUE field, press F4, and select FALSE and Okay from the dialog box.

MAJOR_DIAMETER .25
THREADS_PER_INCH 20
FORM UNC
CLASS 2
PLACEMENT B
METRIC FALSE

When the parameters are correct, select File>Exit from the Pro/TABLE menu. Select
Done/Return.

The thread is defined. Select OK from the dialog box. The thread symbol appears.

13. The adapter model is complete. Save the model by selecting the Save icon (or selecting
File>Save.)

14. To remove the model from the memory, select File>Erase>Current. When Erase
Confirm box appears, select Yes.

K Note: If the Window>Close command were used, the window would disappear from
the screen, but the model would remain in memory. The Erase command is the only
way to purge the model from memory

2-34
 Figure 31 The Adapter part

% End Exercise 2.2

2-35
Parent/child Relationships

The importance of parent/child relationships is stressed throughout this manual. The ability
to capture design intent, and the robustness of a model (with respect to both modifications
and downstream applications) depend on building good parent/child relationships into a
model. Either the Global Reference Viewer or the Parent/Child option -- both found on
the Info menu -- is used to investigate feature references, parents, and children. The
functionality of the two options are very similar.

The Global Reference Viewer dialog box consists of

three sections. The Filter Setting area enables filters
for Reference Type, Reference Extent (local references
within the model, or external references outside of the
model,) and Displayed Objects (objects with parents,
children or both.) The Main Tree shows the model
tree, from which objects can be selected. The current
object is indicated by an icon on the tree and is listed
above the tree. The Parent/Child Tree shows the
parents and the children of the current object. This
graphical interface provides an easy way to visualize
relationships between Pro/E objects.

A Reference Graph can be opened as a separate

window. It graphically shows relationships between
objects with arrows from child to parent feature. This
is a handy tool for sorting through complex model
relationships.
Figure 32 Global Reference Viewer
When models become large and complex,
understanding parent/child relationships can be very difficult. The most likely cause of a
problem model is poor management parent/child relations. These can lead to regeneration
failures, circular references, or unexpected model behavior. The tools described here help to
identify and correct problems arising from inappropriate references.

Following are a few guidelines for managing parent/child relationships. Subsequent chapters
address these issues in more detail.

2-36
 1. Know specifically each reference for every feature created. (Using query select is the
best way to ensure the correct references are selected.)

2. Know the consequences of selecting a particular reference. (This is addressed in

many examples in this manual.)

3. Minimize the number of parents for a given feature. This often makes a more robust
model, and helps to minimize regeneration problems.

4. Use the Global Reference Viewer to see references (Chapter 8.)

The Feature Menu

Features comprise the heart and core of Pro/E part models. The Feature menu contains a
number of commands for creating or changing model features. Many of the options on this
menu are familiar from previous exercises. Most can be accessed from different menus as
well. A brief description of each menu option is provided here, with the alternate location of
the command. Most commands are also accessible from the model tree or with the right
mouse key pop-up menu. Many of these options are discussed in detail later in this manual.
As always, refer to the on-line help for more information.

The Feature menu options are:

Option Alt Description

Create Insert Create new features in the current model. New features are added to the model at
the bottom of the current model tree.

Pattern Edit Make multiple copies of a feature. The Pattern feature is a very powerful and
flexible way to make many copies of a feature. The individual instances can
either be identical to the original or can vary along prescribed parameters. This
feature type is discussed in Chapter 7.

Copy Makes a single copy of a feature or set of features, either with the same references
as the original feature or with new references.

Delete Edit Delete features from the model.

Delete To delete a pattern, this option must be used. It deletes all patterned instances of
Pattern a feature, but leaves the original intact.

UDF User Defined Features are custom features created by the user. They can be
Library stored and retrieved for later use, either in the same part or in different parts.

Group Insert Features can be grouped together. The grouped feature will appear as a single
entry on the model tree.

2-37
 Option Alt Description
Suppress Edit A feature can be "turned off" by suppressing it. A suppressed feature does not
appear in the model and does not regenerate with the model. It will not appear in
the model tree unless the "Show Suppressed" option is selected. If so, suppressed
features are indicated by a small black square.

A less-important feature (a complex round, for example) might be suppressed to

reduce regeneration time. Features are also suppressed in order to view
alternative design options. (Each option can be modeled and then suppressed. To
view a design option, simply Resume the associated feature or features.)

Resume Edit "Turns on" suppressed features.

Reorder Features can be moved around in the model tree (and in regeneration order) by
reordering them. This is useful for making a poor model more robust. Of course,
no feature can be reordered to appear prior to any of its parents.

Read Only This option will prevent any modifications to be made to a feature and all
previous features. It is useful in start parts and some other situations.

Redefine Permits almost any parameter associated with a feature to be changed, including
the section for sketched features. This is a very powerful way to change a feature
in many ways at once. Note that if the feature has children, care must be
exercised to ensure that references for children are not deleted.

Reroute References can be rerouted, or changed, to new parent features. This is a very
useful tool for improving parent/child relationships within a model or for
redefining references. (References can be rerouted using the Redefine option,
but the Reroute option is faster if that is all that is required.)

Mirror A mirror image copy of the entire part can be created with the Mirror Geom
Geom option. It is very useful for symmetric parts. The mirrored copy is dependent on
the original and does not regenerate (making an efficient model.) Do not use this
option if the mirrored copy needs to be modified independently of the original.

Insert Model Toggles Insert Mode on and off. Insert mode permits new features to be created
Mode Tree at a point in the model other than the last feature. All features after the insertion
point are temporarily and automatically suppressed. After toggling Insert mode
off, Pro/E prompts to resume all features suppressed when insert mode was
started.

2-38
Delete Feature

Features can be deleted using the Delete option under the Feature menu. It can also be
found on the Edit menu. Normally, its usage is straightforward -- select Delete and pick the
feature to be deleted (either from the screen or off the model tree.) However, if the feature
has children, Pro/E must do something about them before it can delete the selected feature.
Otherwise, the children's references will be missing, and it will be impossible for Pro/E to
regenerate them. Pro/E highlights each child in succession and offers the following options:

Show Ref Highlights each reference of the child that needs to be fixed. The SHOW
REF menu provides the options described under Parent/Child Info above.

Reroute Reroutes references for the child to be fixed.

Mod Enters redefine mode for the child feature. Dimensions and alignments
Scheme can be removed and replaced. (Note: If no children are sketched features,
this option is grayed out.)

Delete Deletes the child feature.

Delete All Deletes ALL children of the feature initially selected for deletion

Suspend Suspends action of child until next regeneration. (Note: this option never
fixes the problem, just postpones it. The next regeneration, which is
usually as soon as the Delete feature is complete, will fail. Resolve mode
can then be used to fix the child.) Rarely is suspend the best choice.

Suspend Suspends action on all children of the feature initially selected for deletion.
All

Freeze For assemblies only, freezes component children. This option is grayed
out for part mode.

Info Opens an information window containing feature information for the child.

2-39
Exercise 2.3 Bracket

Objective: To teach students how to modify and redefine model features.

To teach students fundamentals of parent/child relationships and capturing

design intent.

This exercise involves modeling the bracket shown in the figure. It is intended that the four
holes should always be the same diameter and be located the same distance from their
respective corners. Modification of one hole should cause all holes to update. Also, the slots
are to be identical in dimension, and should be located symmetrically on the part.

The initial model does not capture the design intent. The holes do not all update if one is
modified. The model is then redefined to illustrate two different methods of correctly
capturing design intent.

Figure 33 Bracket Drawing

8. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory (if it is not already there.)

2-40
9. Create a new part named bracket. Select the Create new object icon and enter the name
bracket. Accept the default template.

3. Create the base feature using a thin extruded protrusion. Select Insert>Thin
Protrusion>Extrude. Select Both Sides and Done.

For the setup plane, pick the FRONT datum and accept the default direction.

For the second reference, select Default.

Accept the default references -- datums TOP and RIGHT.

Sketch the section shown in the diagram. Ensure that all dimensions appear as in the
figure. Also note that two lines are aligned with the TOP and RIGHT datum respectively.

Figure 34 Sketch for thin protrusion. Note that the section is open.

2-41
 Helpful hints:

1. Start sketching at the right-hand end of the top line (that is aligned to datum TOP.)

2. While sketching arcs, look for the symbols indicating 90E arcs and equal radii (R1).

3. If the third arc cannot terminate on datum RIGHT with a radius equal to the previous
arcs, sketch it with any radius that works. Then select the Constraints icon. Select
the Equality constraint and pick the arc and the first arc. This will enforce the
constraint.

K An alternative, and quicker way is to initially sketch lines only, without the arcs.
Then use the right mouse key pop-up menu and select Fillet (or select the Fillet icon.)
Pick each leg of a sharp corner to create a fillet arc. When all three fillets are created,
select the Constraint icon, and then the Equality icon (the equal sign.) Pick two arcs
to constrain their radii to be equal. Repeat for the third arc.

It may be helpful to reposition dimensions for clarity. Select and drag dimensions to the
desired positions.

Box select all dimensions and select Modify. Deselect Regenerate, and change the
dimension values to those shown. Picking on a dimension in the graphics area highlights
that dimension in the Modify Dimensions box, making modifications easier. Select the
OK icon. If the section appears correct, select the OK icon from the sketcher toolbar.

The Thin Opt menu prompts for the side of the section on which to add material. Flip
the arrow until it points to the inside of the bracket and select Okay.

For thickness enter .125.

Select Blind>Done and enter 5 to define the depth of the bracket.

Preview the protrusion and select OK.

4. Create a saved isometric view of the model.

Select the Orient the model icon. The Orientation dialog box appears.
Expand the Saved Views bar and select FRONT, then Set. The model
reorients to the front view.
Orient the
Use the pull-down menu under Type to select Dynamic Orient. In the Model
vertical field, enter 45 and hit enter. Then, in the horizontal field, enter 35. The resulting

2-42
 view is isometric. By the Name bar, enter iso_1 and select Save. The name ISO_1
appears in the Saved Views box.

Select OK to close the Orientation dialog box.

5. Explore the Saved view list icon.

Select the Saved view list icon from the tool bar. The names of the views in
the default template appear, as well as the ISO_1 view just created. Select
each view and see how the model reorients. Finally, select the ISO_1 view. Saved
View list
Note: Views can be saved for any orientation of the model, and they may

6. Create slots in the bracket. Select Insert>Cut>Extrude.

Accept the default of One Side and select Done.

For the sketching plane pick in the area shown in the figure. Accept the default direction.

From the SKET VIEW menu select Top and pick on the large top surface of the part.

Figure 31 Sketching plane and TOP reference picks for the

cut

Delete the left edge reference, and pick the right edge as shown. (It may be helpful to
turn off datum plane display to select these references.)

2-43
 Figure 32 Sketching reference picks

K Note: Since the top surface was used for sketcher orientation, this minimizes both the
number of parent/child relationships and the number of references for the slot feature.

Sketch the slot shown in the figure using lines and tangent arcs.

Figure 33 Slot sketch

Select the Dimension and create the slot width dimension by picking on each of the center
marks followed by clicking the middle mouse key above the part. Likewise, create a

2-44
 dimension from the top reference to the left arc center mark. Finally, create a diametral
dimension for the arc by double-clicking on the arc and then placing the dimension with
the middle mouse key.

Modify the dimensions. Use a box to select all the dimensions. Select Modify and enter
the correct values as shown in the figure.

Add axis points at the slot center marks. Select Sketch>Axis Point from the menu bar.
(Alternatively, select the Axis Point icon, accesses via the flyout next to the Coordinate
system icon on the sketcher toolbar.)

Pick on each center mark. (Note that the pointer snaps to the center marks.) An X
appears over the center mark to indicate that an axis point is created. This creates an axis
through each center mark of the slot.

Select the Done icon from the sketcher toolbar.

Make sure the arrow points toward the inside of the slot, and select Okay. (If it points
toward the outside of the slot, select Flip and Okay.)

For depth enter Thru Next and select Done. Select OK to accept the slot.

Figure 34 Bracket with first slot

7. Create a hole in the upper flange. Spin the part slightly so you can see the upper large
flange as well as two edges comprising one of the external corners. Select
Insert>Hole.

2-45
 Accept the default Straight Hole. Enter .375 for the diameter and select Thru Next for
Depth One.

For the placement plane (the Primary Reference), pick the top surface near the corner.
For the first linear reference, pick the thin back surface (use query select) and enter .5 for
the distance. Pick the thin on the left side of the part and enter .75.

Figure 35 Reference picks for the first hole

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon.

8. Use the Info menu to identify the parents and the references for the hole feature. Select
Info>Parent/Child. Select the hole. The Reference Information Window appears.

The left column shows that the hole has no children. The right column shows that the
thin protrusion is the only parent feature of the hole. (If you mistakenly picked on a datum
plane for one of the references, it would be highlighted as well.) Select the parent feature
in the right column, and the feature is highlighted. This is very handy for large models.

Expand the parent list by selecting the + box. This shows the references used to create
the hole. Select each reference in turn to highlight the reference in the main graphics
area.

The first reference is the top surface of the protrusion. That reference was created by
selecting the placement plane for the hole. The thin back surface and left surfaces of the
part are the remaining two references. These were used for the linear dimensions for the
hole.

Close the dialog box.

9. Create a second hole on the short flange of the part with the same dimensions and the
same diameter as the first hole.

2-46
K Note! The hole feature created in this step will NOT capture our design intent. It is
included here to illustrate this point. It is deleted and replaced with a better feature in
a later step.

Spin the part slightly so you can see the smaller flange as well as two edges, including the
same side as the first hole. Select Insert>Hole.

Figure 36 Second hole reference picks

For the diameter enter .375. For the depth, select Thru Next.

For the placement plane, pick the flange surface near the corner. Pick the thin front
surface (use query select) and enter .5 for the distance. Pick the thin surface on the side of
the part and enter .75.

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon.

2-47
 Figure 37 Bracket with slot and holes after Step 9.

10. Modify the first hole diameter and placement. Select Modify.

Pick the first hole. Change the diameter to .75 and the dimension from the side to 1.5.

Note that the modified dimensions turn white to indicate that the model needs
regeneration. Select Regenerate from the PART menu.

Note that only one hole changes B the second hole is unaffected. The design intent is not
captured in this model. To fix this problem, delete the second hole and recreate it using
the Feature>Copy option.

First, modify the part again to return the hole to its original dimensions. Select Modify
and pick the hole. Change the two dimensions to their original values. Select
Regenerate.

11. Delete the second hole. Select Feature>Delete. Accept the default Normal and pick on
the second hole. Select Done and the hole disappears.

K Shortcut: With the Select Primary items icon selected, pick the hole in the main
graphics area or on the model tree. When it highlights, activate the right
mouse key pop-up menu. Select Delete. Select OK at the prompt to
delete.

This also works for Modify and several other commands.

2-48
12. Create a dependent copy of the first hole. To do this, two of the original references B the
hole placement plane and the back thin surface B must be replaced. Select
Feature>Copy>New Refs|Select|Dependent|Done

Pick the hole and select Done Sel and Done.

The Group Elements dialog box appears. Since all three dimensions for the hole will
remain unchanged, do not check any boxes. Select Done.

Figure 38 Copy hole reference picks

The WHICH REF menu appears with Alternate as the default. The placement surface
is highlighted. Use query select to pick the inside surface of the small flange. (If the
outside surface is chosen, the hole will be created off of the part. Why?) The next
reference is highlighted. Replace the back edge by picking the thin front edge of the
small flange as the new reference. When the side surface highlights, select Same to keep
it. The new hole should appear highlighted. If it is correct, select Done. If not, select
Redefine and fix the references.

13. Repeat step 10 to modify the holes. Note that both holes now update together. The
design intent is realized.

Modify the part again to return the holes to their original dimensions.

14. Mirror the two holes and the slot so they appear on the opposite side of the part. Select
Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent|Done

Pick the two holes and the slot to be mirrored. Use query select to select the two holes
and the slot. (Note: To ensure that the correct items are selected use the rehighlight
option under the Get Select menu.) Select Done Sel and Done.

2-49
 When prompted to select a plan to mirror about, pick the FRONT datum. (If datum
planes are turned off, pick on the toolbar icon to turn them on again.) The holes and the
slot are now mirrored about that datum.

15. Modify the holes to demonstrate that the new features are dependent on the original.
Select Done from the Feature menu followed by Modify from the PART menu.

Pick one of the holes. Change the .75 dimension to 1.5 and the .375 diameter to .75.

Pick one of the slots. Change the 1.0 width of the slot dimension to .5. Change the .5
dimension from the right edge of the part to 1. Select Regenerate.

Notice that all four holes and both slots are changed. This illustrates how dependent
copies can be used to capture design intent.

Modify the part again to return the holes and slots to their original dimensions.

Save the part by selecting the Save icon from the tool bar and accepting the default name
of the part.

16. Examine the model structure. Look at the model tree. There should be three default
datum planes and a coordinate system, a protrusion, a cut, a hole and two group
COPIED_GROUP features. Each of these features regenerates with the model. Since
this part is symmetric, a more compact model could be made using the Mirror Geom
command.

K Note that the next few steps demonstrate an entirely different method of modeling
the part. The resulting geometry will be identical.

17. Delete the copy mirror feature. Select Feature>Delete.

Pick the mirror feature either by picking on any one of the mirrored features or directly
from the model tree. Select Done Sel>Done.

18. Redefine the thin protrusion feature so that it is extruded on only one side. Select
Feature>Redefine. Pick the thin protrusion feature. The Protrusion:Extrude dialog
box appears.

We need only alter the attributes element. Select Attributes and Define. The
ATTRIBUTES menu appears. Select One Side and Done.

The depth should be one-half the original five inches. Select Blind|Done and enter 2.5.

2-50
 Select Preview to view the redefined feature. Note that the holes and slots are not
shown in the preview, because they were added to the model after the protrusion. Select
OK.

Figure 39 Bracket after redefinition in Step 18.

19. Mirror all geometry to complete the revised part. Select Feature>Mirror Geom. Pick
the FRONT datum. All part geometry is mirrored.

20. The part now looks the same as it did after Step 14. Look at the model tree. Notice that
the second group copied feature has been replaced with a single merge feature. Repeat
Step 15 to ensure that the holes and slots still meet our design objective of updating
together.

2-51
 Figure 40 The Bracket part

K There are subtle, but important differences in this model and the model as completed
in Step 15, although the final geometry is identical.

1. The model regenerates faster because only the first half is regenerated (this is not
significant for a small part like the bracket, but may be important for large or
complex models.)

2. The parameter defining the width of the part only defines one-half of the actual
width. This is apparent when a drawing is created from the part B the width
dimension would extend from the center of the part to one edge. Usually this is
undesirable, and may justify the original method of model creation. (There are fixes
for this problem, but it is always more elegant to obtain the desired parameters
within the model.)

3. If the model is to be used for a finite element analysis, and if the loads are also
symmetric about the FRONT datum, it can be a very big advantage to use the Mirror
Geom feature. It is easy to suppress this feature, thus facilitating a symmetric
analysis.

% End Exercise 2.3

2-52
Review Questions

1. Explain what is meant by "capturing design intent." Why is it important?

2. Describe the structure of a Pro/E part model.
3. List several methods of creating protrusions.
4. What is the difference between a "pick-and-place" feature (such as a hole) and a
sketched feature?
5. List three ways to access on-line help for a particular menu option.
6. What is the Model Tree, and how is it used?
7. What should always be the first feature in a new Pro/E model?
8. What are parent/child relationships? Why are they so important?
Problems

P2.1 Create a model of the hub shown.

Hints: $ Use a revolved protrusion for the basic hub shape.

$ Use an extruded cut to create the keyseat.
$ Use a Standard Hole type with 5/16 UNC threads for the setscrew hole. Use
the keyseat for the placement plane.
$ Use Copy>Mirror to copy the bolt holes.

2-53
P2.2 Create a model of the spider shown in the figure. (Note: this will be a component in
the reducer assembly created later in this tutorial.

Hints: $ Use an extruded protrusion for the small central circle.

$ Use an extruded protrusion to create the first arm.
$ Use Copy>Move with the Rotate option to rotate the arm 60E. Rotate about
either the central axis or the default coordinate system Z axis.
$ Use Copy>Mirror three times to obtain the remaining arms.

2-54
 Pro/ENGINEER®
Advanced Tutorial
Release 2001

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

Schroff Development Corporation

Shawnee-Mission, Kansas
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-1

Lesson 1

Pro/E Customization Tools

and
Project Introduction

Synopsis:
Configuration settings; customizing the screen toolbars and menus; mapkeys; part templates;
introduction to the project

Overview
This lesson will introduce tools for customizing your Pro/E configuration and working
environment and show you how to create some useful shortcuts for accessing Pro/E commands.
The major customization tool is the use of one or more configuration files (default file:
config.pro). The lesson also includes managing and creating your own custom toolbars and
mapkeys. We’ll also see how you can create your own part templates.

The major project used in this tutorial is introduced and the first four parts are presented.

Configuration Files (config.pro)

By now, you should be familiar with the commands for environment settings that are available in

Utilities > Environment

These aspects of the Pro/Engineer working environment (and much more!) can also be controlled
using settings stored in configuration files (config files for short). Pro/E has several hundred
individual configuration settings. All settings have default values that will be used if not
specifically set in a config file.

The most important config file is a special file called config.pro that is automatically read when
Pro/E starts up a new session. You can also read in (and/or change) additional configuration
settings at any time during a session. For example, you may want to have one group of settings
for one project you are working on, and another group for a different project that you switch to
during a single session. In this tutorial, we will deal only with the use of the single configuration
file, config.pro, loaded at start-up.
1-2 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Several copies of config.pro might exist on your system, and they are read in the following order
when Pro/E is launched:

‚ config.sup - this is a protected system file which is read by all users but is not available for
modification by users. Your system administrator has control of this file.
‚ Pro/E loadpoint - this is read by all users and would usually contain common settings
determined by the system administrator such as search paths, formats, libraries, and so on.
This file cannot normally be altered by individual users.
‚ user home directory - unique for each user (Unix)
‚ startup directory - the current or working directory when Pro/E starts up. To find where
this directory is, select File > Open and observe the directory name in the top box1

Settings made in the first copy (config.sup) cannot be overridden by users. This is handy for
making configuration settings to be applied universally across all users at a Pro/E installation
(search paths for part libraries, for instance). An individual user can modify entries in the last
two copies of config.pro to suit their own requirements. If the same entry appears more than
once, the last entry encountered in the start-up sequence is the one the system will use. After
start-up, additional configuration settings can be read in at any time. These might be used to
create a configuration unique to a special project, or perhaps a special type of modeling. Be
aware that when a new configuration file is read in, some options may not take effect until Pro/E
is restarted. This is discussed more a bit later.

Settings in config.pro are composed of two entries in the following form:

config_option_name config_option_value

Option values can be composed either of text, single numbers, or series of numbers. A complete
listing and description of all config options is contained in the on-line help. With the Help page
visible in your browser, select

Contents > Pro/ENGINEER Foundation > Using Configuration File Options

This gives a (very long) list of all the options, with a short description of each. Note that the
default value is indicated in italics. You will have a hard time remembering the meaning of all
these options, let alone their names! Fortunately, the dialog window for working with
configuration files contains a one line description of any selected option. There is also a new
search capability for finding option names. Although this makes finding the options much easier,
you are encouraged to explore the on-line help - you might find just the setting you need to make
your life easier!

Your system may have a standard configuration file available for you to use as a basis for your
own work. Look for the config.pro file in the pro_stds (“standards”) directory in the Pro/E
installation.

1
In Windows, right click on the Pro/E icon on the desktop (if it exists), select Properties
> ShortCut and examine the Start In text entry field.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-3

Before we proceed, if you have access to this file, copy it to your start-up directory, along with
the file config.win (this is a file containing customized screen layout settings which are discussed
later). Now launch Pro/E, or if it is already up erase everything currently in session and set your
working directory to your normal start-up directory.

The Configuration File Editor

You can access your current configuration file using

Utilities > Options

This brings up the Options window. If your

system has options set already, these will
appear in the window. If not, the central
area of the window will be blank, as in
Figure 1. We’ll discuss the operation of
this dialog window from the top down.

The Showing pull-down list at the top will

let you choose from a number of
configuration groups (Current Session, your
start-up config.pro, or elsewhere)

Deselect the check box just below the

Showing pull-down box. After a couple of
seconds, a complete list of all the Pro/E Figure 1 The Options window for setting and
configuration options will appear. The first editing configuration files
column shows its name, and the second
column shows its current value. An entry with an asterisk indicates a default value.

Browse down through the list. There are a lot of options here! Note that the options are arranged
alphabetically. This is because of the setting in the Sort pull-down menu in the top-right corner.
Change this to By Category. This rearranges the list of options to group them by function. For
example, check out the settings available in the Environment and Sketcher groups. Fortunately,
there are a couple of tools to help you find the option name you’re looking for. Let’s see how
they work.

Check the box beside “Show only options loaded from file” and select Sort(Alphabetical). Note
that the options listed here are only those that are different from the default settings.

Adding Settings to config.pro

Assuming you have a blank config.pro, let’s create a couple of useful settings. At the bottom of
the Preferences window are two text boxes for entering option names and values. If you know
the name of the option, you can just type it in to the first box. One of the most common settings
1-4 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

is to turn off the (annoying!) beep that Pro/E emits from time to time. In the text box below
Option, enter the option name bell. In the pull-down list under Value, select No. Note that the
option name is not case sensitive and the default value is indicated by an asterisk in the pull-
down list. Now select the Add/Change button on the right. The entry now appears in the data
area. A bright green star in the Status column indicates that the option has been defined but has
not yet taken effect.

Now enter a display option. The default part display mode in the graphics window is Shaded.
Many people prefer to work in hidden line mode - let’s make it the default on start-up. Once
again, we will enter the configuration option name. As you type this in, notice that Pro/E
anticipates the rest of the text box based on the letters you have typed in. After typing the “dis”
characters, the rest of the option will appear; just hit the Enter key. The option name and value
we want are

display hiddenvis

Now select Add/Change as before (or just hit the Enter key after typing the “h”).

Another common setting is the location of the Pro/E trail file. As you recall, the trail file
contains a record of every command and mouse click during a Pro/E session. The default
location for this is the start-up directory. Theoretically, trail files can be used to recover from
disastrous crashes of Pro/E, but this is a tricky operation. Most people just delete them. It is
handy, therefore, to collect trail files for each session in a single directory, where they can be
easily removed later. There is an option for setting the location of this directory. Suppose we
don’t know its specific name. Here is where a search function will come in handy.

At the bottom of the Preferences window, click the Find button. This
brings up the Find Option window (Figure 2). Type in the keyword trail
and select

All Categories > Find Now

Several possibilities come up. The option we want is listed as trail_dir.

Select this option and Browse to a suitable location on your system for
the value. Perhaps something like c:\temp. Then select Add/Change. Figure 2 Finding a
The new entry appears in the Preferences window. In the Find Option configuration file
window, select Close. option

For some options, the value is numeric (eg setting a default tolerance, number of digits, or the
color of entities on the screen). In these cases, you can enter the relevant number (or numbers
separated by either spaces or commas). For example, under Option, enter the name
system_hidden_color. Then under Value, enter the numbers 60 60 60 (separated by spaces).
These give the values of red, green, and blue (out of 100). Equal values yield gray; this setting
will brighten the hidden lines a bit from the default value. Select Add/Change.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-5

We have now specified four options. To have them take effect, select the Apply button at the
bottom. The green stars change to small green circles in the Status column.

Note that you can resize the column widths by dragging on the short vertical column separator
bars at the top of the display area. At the far right is a long (scrollable) one-line description of
the option.

For practice, enter the options

shown in Figure 3. The order that
the configuration options are
declared does not matter (the
exception is mapkeys, discussed
below). Check the on-line help for a
description of these configuration
settings and feel free to add new
settings to your file. Investigate
settings for search paths, libraries,
default editors, default decimal
places, import/export settings, and
so on.

Figure 3 Settings in config.pro

Notice the icons in the first column
beside the option names. These mean the following:

(lightning) - option takes effect immediately

(wand) - option will take effect for the next object created

(screen) - option will take effect the next time Pro/E is started

If you are using a config file from a previous version of Pro/E you may see a “stop sign” (actually
a red circle with a line through it), which means that the option is no longer used.

Try to add an illegal option name. For example, in Release 2000i there was an option
sketcher_readme_alert. Type that in to the Option field. When you try to set a value for this,
it will not be accepted (the Add/Change button stays gray). Pro/E only recognizes valid option
names! Thus, if you mistype or enter an invalid name, this is indicated by not being able to enter
a value for it.

We will be making more changes to this config.pro a bit later in this lesson when we discuss
mapkeys.
1-6 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Saving Your config.pro Settings

To store the settings we have just created, select the Save As button at the top of the Options
window. At the bottom of the new window, type in the desired name for the file - in this case
config.pro and select OK.

Deleting Configuration Options

With the configuration file name visible in the Showing field at the top, highlight one of the
options and select Delete. Selecting Apply automatically saves the new settings. Close the
window.

Loading a Configuration File

To load a new configuration file, select the Open File button beside the Showing list. Select the
desired file and then Open. Note that these settings will be read in but not activated immediately
(note the green star). Select the Apply button and observe the green star.

Now select Close in the Options window.

Checking Your Configuration Options

Because some settings will not activate until Pro/E is restarted, many users will exit Pro/E after
making changes to their config.pro file and then restart, just to make sure the settings are doing
what they are supposed to. Do that now. This is not quite so critical since the window shows
you with the lightning/wand/screen icons whether an option is active. However be aware of
where Pro/E will look for the config.pro file on start-up, as discussed above. If you have saved
config.pro in another working directory than the one you normally start in, then move it before
starting Pro/E. On the other hand, if you have settings that you only want active when you are in
a certain directory, keep a copy of config.pro there and load it once Pro/E has started up and you
have changed to the desired directory. To keep things simple, and until you have plenty of
experience with changing the configuration settings, it is usually better to have only one copy of
config.pro in your startup directory.

Note that it is probably easier to make some changes to the environment for a single session
using Utilities > Environment. Also, as is often the case when learning to use new computer
tools, don’t try anything too adventurous with config.pro in the middle of a part or assembly
creation session - you never know when an unanticipated effect might clobber your work!
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-7

Customizing the Interface

In addition to the environment settings, there
are several ways of customizing the Pro/E
interface: using config.pro, toolbars, menus,
and mapkeys. An example of a customized
interface is shown in the figure at the right.
When you modify the interface layout, your Menu Font
changes will be saved in a config.win file in a Message Window
directory of your choice (usually the current (size; top or bottom)

working directory). It is possible and

permissible to have several different config.win
files in different directories, each with a
different customization of the screen to suit the
Toolbars
work you may be doing on files in that (customized buttons;
top, right, and/or left)
directory.

In this section, we will introduce methods to

customize the toolbars and menus. Figure 4 A customized screen layout

Toolbars

With the cursor on the top toolbar, hold down the right mouse button. This brings up the menu
shown in Figure 5. This shows the toolbar groups currently displayed (see check marks); the
groups can be toggled to include/exclude them from the display. Each group contains a set of
functionally-related shortcut buttons.

Figure 5 Toolbar Figure 6 The Toolbars tab in the Customize

toggle menu window
1-8 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

At the bottom of this pop-up menu, select Toolbars. This brings up the Customize menu which
contains a list of all available toolbars, and their location (see Figure 6). At the bottom of this
window you can specify whether or not, and where, to automatically save the current layout
settings. The default is config.win in the current working directory. As mentioned above, you
can create multiple config.win files, and use File > Save Settings and File > Open Settings in the
Customize window to store and recall previous files. Note that in addition to the eleven standard
toolbar groups there are three initially empty groups (Toolbars 1 through 3), which you can
populate with short-cut buttons using methods described below. The pull-down lists at the right
allow you to place the selected toolbars at different places on the screen (left, right, top of
graphics window).

Changing Toolbar Buttons

In the Customize window, select the Commands tab. (This is also available by selecting
Commands... in the menu shown in Figure 5 or using Utilities > Customize Screen in the pull-
down menu.) The window shown in Figure 7 will open. Groups of toolbar commands are listed
in a tree structure in the Categories area on the left. Click on any of the group names and the
available short-cut buttons will appear in the Commands area on the right. As you move the
mouse over these buttons, a tool tip will display.

To add a button to a toolbar, just drag and

drop it onto an existing toolbar at the top,
right, or left. The button will be added
wherever you drop it on the toolbar. To
remove it, drag it off the toolbar and drop it
somewhere else (on the graphics window,
for example). Note that it is possible to
mix and match the short-cut buttons: any
button can be placed on any toolbar. For
example, a button listed under the File
category can also be added to the View
toolbar. Buttons can also be present on
more than one toolbar. The possibilities are
endless!

While we are here, notice that at the bottom

of the Categories list is Mapkeys. We will Figure 7 Choosing short-cut buttons for toolbars
be discussing mapkeys a bit later. You can
add a button representing any of your defined mapkeys to any of the toolbars. It is helpful to
keep your mapkey descriptive names short for this.

At the bottom of the Categories list is New Menu. You can drag this up to the menu area at the
top of the screen to create your own pull-down menus.

If you turn on one of the user toolbars (select Toolbar 1, 2, or 3 under the Toolbars tab), an
initially empty button will appear in the designated location (top, left, or right). You can use the
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-9

Commands selector to drag any button to define your own toolbar.

Notice that the final tab in the Customize window is Options. This lets you set the position of
the Command/Message window (above or below the graphics area) and some other settings.

When you leave the Customize dialog box, your new settings can be written to the file
designated in the bottom text entry box. Each new config.win file is numbered sequentially
(config.win.2, config.win.3, and so on).

Helpful Hint
It is tempting, especially if you are blessed with a lot of screen space, to over-
populate the toolbars by trying to arrange every commonly used command on the
screen at once. This is reminiscent of many other Windows-based CAD programs.
Before you do that, you should work with Pro/E for a while. You will find that Pro/E
will generally bring up the appropriate toolbars for your current program status
automatically. For example, if you are in Sketcher, the Sketcher short-cut buttons
will appear. Furthermore, many commands are readily available in the right-mouse
pop-up menus. Thus, adding these buttons permanently to any toolbar is unnecessary
and the buttons will be grayed out when you are not in Sketcher anyway - you are
introducing screen clutter with no benefit.

Keyboard Shortcuts - Mapkeys

A mapkey is a short sequence of keyboard key strokes or a function key that will launch one or a
series of Pro/E commands. Mapkeys are very similar to macros that can be defined in other
software packages. Mapkey definitions are contained/included in your config.pro file, so they are
loaded at start-up.

The mapkey key stroke sequence can be as long as you want; most users restrict mapkeys to only
2, or sometimes 3, characters. This gives several hundred possible mapkey sequences - more
than you can probably remember effectively. Pro/E constantly monitors the keyboard for input
and will immediately execute a defined command sequence when its mapkey is detected. Single
character mapkeys should be avoided due to the way that Pro/E processes keyboard input. If you
have two mapkeys “v” and “vd”, for example, the second mapkey would never execute since
Pro/E will trap and execute the first one as soon as the “v” is pressed. For the same reason, a 3-
character mapkey can never have the same two first letters as a 2-character mapkey.

Ideally, you would like to have mapkey sequences that are very easy to remember, like “vd”
(view default), or “rg” (regenerate). Because it is common to only use two characters, it will take
some planning to decide how you want to set up your definitions to use only a couple of easy-to-
remember key strokes! The mapkey should be mnemonic, but can’t collide with other
definitions. You don’t want to have to remember that “qy” means “repaint the screen.”
1 - 10 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

A practical limit on usable mapkeys is perhaps in the range of 20 to 30, although some “power
users” can use over a hundred.

For this exercise, clear your session and load any single simple part file. We will not be
modifying the part.

Listing Current Mapkeys

To see a list of your current mapkeys (some are defined in the

config.pro contained in the pro_stds directory) select

Utilities > Mapkeys

This dialog window (Figure 8) allows you to define and record,

modify, delete, run, and save mapkeys. Note that each mapkey
has a short Name and Description. The Name will be used on
any short-cut button (described below), and the Description will
appear at the bottom of the main graphics window. Mapkeys
that start with a “$” are function keys.

Note that mapkeys created using a previous release may differ in

command syntax and it is likely that some mapkey definitions
from previous releases will not function properly. However,
mapkeys are easy enough to record. Before you do that, you
might try to get hold of the config.pro file in the pro_stds
directory mentioned above. A list of these mapkeys is in the file
usually stored in

/ptc/pro_stds/mapkeys.htm
Figure 8 Accessing Mapkeys
In the following, it is assumed that you have no mapkeys defined currently in session
as yet. If any of these tutorial mapkeys collide with existing
mapkeys shown in the mapkeys list (Figure 8), you can modify the keyboard sequence (for
example, use “dv” instead of “vd”) for the new mapkey.

Creating Mapkeys

New mapkeys are created as follows. We will create a mapkey sequence “vd” that will reorient
the view to the default orientation. To set this up, you will have to bring in one of your
previously created parts. We will not be modifying the part.

Select the New button in the menu of Figure 8. The Record Mapkey dialog box shown in
Figure 9 will open. Enter the data shown in the figure: key sequence, name, description. Now
we record the command sequence:
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 11

Record
View > Default Orientation (in the top pull-down menus)
Stop > OK

It’s that easy! Spin the model with CTRL-middle. In the Mapkeys window, highlight the new
mapkey “vd” and select the Run button. It’s a good idea to check your mapkey definitions now
when it is easy to modify them.

As mentioned above, mapkey definitions are saved in a

configuration file (as in config.pro). New mapkey definitions are
appended to the end of the file. If you redefine a mapkey (or use a
duplicate keystroke sequence), the definition closest to the bottom
of the config file is the one that will be used. When saving a
mapkey you can choose either config.pro or current_session.pro.
There are three ways to save the mapkeys using the buttons in the
Mapkeys window:

Save - saves only the highlighted mapkey

Changed - saves any mapkeys changed this session
All - saves all mapkeys defined for session

Remember that if you save the mapkey in the current_session.pro

or elsewhere, it will not be loaded automatically the next time you
start Pro/E. To do that, you must explicitly save the mapkey
definitions into the config.pro file.

Close the Mapkeys window. Figure 9 Creating a mapkey

Minimize Pro/E and open config.pro using your system text editor. Scroll down to the bottom of
the file to see the new line(s) that describe the mapkey. Obviously, these lines should never be
separated since they are a continuation of the same sequence. It is possible, but probably not
advisable, to try to edit the mapkey definitions manually - leave that to the power users! Exit
your text editor and restore the Pro/E window.

Some final points about mapkeys: it is possible to set up the mapkey so that execution will pause
to allow user input during the command sequence, either by picking on the screen or through the
keyboard. Mapkeys can also call other mapkeys. You might like to experiment with these ideas
on your own. The possibilities for customization are almost limitless!

As mentioned above, the config.pro file provided in the pro_stds directory contains several
dozen mapkeys. Some of these are listed in Table 1-1 on the next page.

We will return to mapkeys after the next section.

1 - 12 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Table 1-1 Some commonly used mapkeys

General Mapkeys Feature Creation Mapkeys

wc Window Close ct Create Cut
wa Window Activate cp Create Protrusion
rg Regenerate ch Create Hole
dd Done cr Create Round
qq Quit cc Create datum Curve
View Mapkeys cd Create Datum plane
rr Repaint Utility Mapkeys
sd Shade fr Feature Redefine
vd View Default fs Feature Suppress
vr View Refit fd Feature Delete
vf View Front fe Feature Resume
vb View Back fm Feature Modify
vt View Top fi Feature Information
vl View Left
vg View Right

Working with Part Templates

Most part files that you create contain many common elements such as datums, defined views,
coordinate systems, parameters, and so on. Creating these from scratch for every new part that
you start is tedious and inefficient. Prior to Release 2000i2 a very handy model creation tool used
the notion of a “start part” which contain these common elements. Users would then create a
mapkey that would bring the part into session and then rename it. This made the creation of new
parts very quick and efficient, with the added bonus that standard part setups could be employed.

This “start part” functionality has been built into the program using part templates. Several part
templates are included with a standard Pro/E installation for solid and sheet metal parts in
different systems of units. You may have a reason at some point to create your own template,
which we will do here. We’ll also define a mapkey to quickly bring it in session and allow you
to change its name. Then you can immediately get on with the job of creating features. We will
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 13

create the part template from scratch, although you could use any of the existing templates as a
basis for this.

Select File > New. Make sure the Part and Solid radio buttons are selected. Deselect the Use
Default Template box, and enter a name mytemplate. Select OK and in the next window, select
the Empty template and OK.

Create the default datums and use Part > Set Up > Name to rename the datums SIDE (DTM1),
TOP (DTM2), and FRONT (DTM3). Now set up some named views.

View > Orientation

and create the following three named views:

View Reference 1 Reference 2

Name
Direction Pick Datum Direction Pick Datum
FRONT Front FRONT Top TOP
TOP Front TOP Right SIDE
RIGHT Front SIDE Top TOP

The completed list of saved views should appear as shown in

Figure 10. Feel free to add additional standard views (Left,
Back, Bottom, Iso_Right, ...). Select OK to leave the
Orientation dialog.

Check out our previously defined mapkey for setting the

default view (“vd”).

Set the part units using

Set Up > Units

and picking “millimeter-Newton-Second”, then

Set > OK > Close

We are finished with creating the start part, so save it with the
name mytemplate.prt. If you have write access, move the part
file to the Pro/E installation directory, something like

\ptc\proe2001\templates

This is the default directory where Pro/E will look for part Figure 10 Saved views in
templates. If you do not have write access to this directory, mytemplate.prt
1 - 14 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

leave the part file in your working directory. You can rename the file to remove the version
number if you want, so that it appears as as mytemplate.prt rather than mytemplate.prt.1.

Creating More Mapkeys

Before we leave this new part template, let’s create some more mapkeys to go directly to the
named views. Select

Utilities > Mapkeys > New

Use the key sequence “vt” and enter a short name like “View Top” and description “Orientation
Top View”. Now record the mapkey using

Record
Saved View List (a toolbar button) > TOP
Stop > OK

Spin the datum planes, and select Run to try out the mapkey. Similarly, create and test two more
mapkeys to go to the front view (“vf”) and the right side view (“vg”)2. Don’t forget to save all
the changed/new mapkeys in your config.pro file. Open up your config.pro to confirm that they
are there.

Using the New Part Template

Erase the current part from the session3. Select

File > New

Deselect the Use Default Template box, enter a name (like test), and select OK. In the New File
Options window, scroll to and highlight the template mytemplate. This is the copy in the
default templates directory. If you weren’t able to put your file there, use the Browse button to
find it in the working directory. Once the template is located, select OK. A copy of the template
is now brought into session and given the name you specified.

Setting the Default Part Template

We can tell Pro/E to use our new template as the default by setting an option in config.pro.

2
The mapkey “vr”, which is more logical for the right view, is usually used for “View
Refit”
3
If you have stored your template part in the templates directory you must close Pro/E
and restart it.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 15

Select

Utilities > Options

and enter the Option template_solidpart. Set the value for the option by browsing to the
template directory (or use the current working directory, wherever you have saved the template
file) and selecting the part file mytemplate.prt we created above. Select Add/Change and then
Apply the new setting (remember that this automatically saves the config file).

Creating a Mapkey to Start a New Part

Erase the current part from the session. Select

Utilities > Mapkeys > New

Enter the key sequence “cp” (“create part”), name “Create Part”, and description “Create a New
Part and Rename”. Now select

Record
File > New

Choose Part | Solid | OK. Leave the default part name as prt0001, and the check beside Use
Default Template. Now select

File > Rename

This is where we want the mapkey to stop, so select STOP > OK in the Record Mapkey dialog.
In the Rename window, enter a new name for the part, like test, then select OK twice. We have
a new mapkey called “cp”, so highlight this in the Mapkeys dialog and save it. Close the
Mapkeys dialog window. Open the config.pro file to see the listing added for this new mapkey.

To try out the mapkey, erase the new file with File > Erase > Current. Type “cp”. Several
windows will quickly open and close, and you will be left with the dialog box for renaming the
part. You can now enter the desired name for a new part, which will contain the default datums,
units, and named views set up above to work with the view mapkeys we created earlier. Pretty
slick!

We have created a very simple part template here. You can make this as elaborate as you like
with parameters, units, materials, layers, datum features and so on - even solid features. For
example, if you often create parts whose base feature is a cylindrical solid, consider including
this in a special template, perhaps called cylinder.prt. You can include as many features as you
want in a template and, of course, use any of the provided part templates as a starting point for
any new ones.
1 - 16 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Adding Mapkeys to Menus and Toolbars

Mapkeys can be added to any of the existing toolbars and pull-down menus. You might like to
do this for mapkeys that you do not use frequently, and are likely to forget.

To see how this is done, select the

Commands tab in the Customize window
(see Figure 11). At the bottom of the
Categories list, you will find an entry
called Mapkeys. Select this. This shows
the tree structure of the pull-down menus
on the left, and your currently defined
mapkeys on the right. In the Mapkeys pane
on the right, select the mapkey Create
Part. The two buttons Description and
Modify Selection are now active. Selecting
the former shows you the description you
entered when defining the mapkey.
Selecting the latter allows you to modify Figure 11 Adding mapkeys to menus and toolbars
the mapkey button image (currently a
“happy face”) and display. You might like to get rid of the “happy face”, since all mapkeys use
this same icon. You can select from a large collection of Pro/E icons, or design your own.

Drag the Create Part mapkey in the right pane up to the File pull-down menu and drop it in a
convenient location, as in Figure 12. Selecting this will launch the mapkey.

Another way to utilize mapkeys is to create shortcut buttons on

the toolbars. Again select the Create Part mapkey in the right
pane and drag it to a toolbar.

We now have three different ways to launch the Create Part

mapkey:

‚ from the keyboard, with “cp”

‚ from the pull-down File menu
‚ from the toolbar
Figure 12 Create Part
Experiment with these to find out which one is most suitable for mapkey added to a pull-down
you. Again, remember the cautionary note about cluttering up menu
your screen.

Introduction to the Project

The assembly project to be completed in this tutorial involves the modeling and assembly of the
three-wheeled utility cart shown in Figure 12. The cart contains 26 or so parts, many of which
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 17

are repeated in the assembly. The total assembly has about 75 parts (mostly bolts!). We will use
the techniques introduced in the lessons to model various parts of the cart as exercises at the end
of each lesson. We will average about 4 parts per lesson, so you should get lots of practice! In
the final lesson, we will assemble the cart, using a number of advanced functions for dealing with
assemblies. Try not to “jump the gun” on this assembly task, since the functions to be covered in
the last lesson can really speed up your job of putting the cart together.

Figure 13 The assembly project - a three-wheeled utility cart

For your modeling exercises, the parts shown at the end of each lesson will illustrate the critical
dimensions. A figure will also be provided to show where the parts fit into the overall assembly.
Not all dimensions are shown on each part - you can use your judgement and creativity to
determine the remaining dimensions. In this regard, please take note of the following:

‚ ALL UNITS ARE IN MILLIMETERS! You might set up your default part template
with this setting.
‚ Dimensions are usually multiples of 5mm. For instance, all the plate material and the
wall of the cargo box are 5mm thick. The tubing is 25mm square.
‚ All holes and cylinders, unless otherwise dimensioned, are φ10. This applies to bolt
holes, pins, rods, and so on.
‚ All holes, unless otherwise dimensioned, are coaxial with cylindrical surfaces or
located on symmetry planes.
‚ For some of the trickier parts, in addition to the figures showing the dimensions, there
will be some discussion and hints to help you get going.

When we get to the final assembly in Lesson 8, remember that it is an easy matter to modify
dimensions of the various parts so that the assembly fits together. Don’t be too concerned when
you are modeling the parts if you have to guess at one or two dimensions. These can be modified
later if the need arises.
1 - 18 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

When you are creating the parts, try to be aware of the design intent for the part and how it might
eventually be placed in the assembly4. For example, if the part has one or more planes of
symmetry, it is common practice to use the default datum planes for these. In the assembly, the
Align constraint using these datum planes is an easy way to position the part (usually with
another symmetric part).

Although a suggested part name is given, feel free to make up your own part names (although
this might cause confusion in Lesson 8!). Remember that Pro/E is fussy about files that get
renamed in isolation, or moved to another directory. If a part has been used in an assembly (or
sub-assembly) or drawing, make sure the assembly or drawing is in session if you rename or
move the part so that the related files can also be updated.

For the entire project, you will require about 10 Megabytes of disk space to store all the parts and
assemblies. This does not include parts we will make during the lessons themselves, just the cart
project parts. If you are not particularly careful about disk housekeeping (like deleting older
version of the part files), you will require more space.

This lesson should have given you enough ideas and ammunition to allow you to customize the
interface so that it will be most efficient for the type of work that you do. There are a surprising
number of users who are unaware of many options available in config.pro. Check them out!

In the next lesson we will look at functions directly involved in model creation. These are for the
creation of sweeps.

Questions for Review

1. What is the name of the file containing your configuration settings?
2. What is the name of the file containing your screen layout settings?
3. When, and from where, are your configuration settings loaded? Why is there more than
one location?
4. What happens if your configuration file contains multiple entries for the same option, each
with different values?
5. How can you find out where your start-up directory is?
6. How can you create/edit/delete configuration settings?
7. When do configuration settings become active?
8. Is it possible to have more than one customized screen layout?
9. How do you place toolbars on the top/left/right edge of the graphics window?
10. How do you add/delete shortcut buttons on the toolbars?
11. How many empty toolbars are there?
12. Where are the toolbar definitions saved?
13. What is a mapkey?

4
You might like to look ahead to the last lesson to see what assembly constraints are used
for each part.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 19

14. Why do you usually want to keep mapkey names short?

15. How is the mapkey name different from the mapkey sequence?
16. How do you create a new mapkey?
17. Are new mapkeys stored automatically? Where?
18. What is the purpose of a part template? Where are they stored and how do you access
them?

Exercises
1. Create an assembly template. This should have named datums and named views to match
your view selection mapkeys and default units to match your default part template. Make
this the default template for assemblies.
2. Set up a mapkey to create a new assembly using the default assembly template.
3. Put the Create Assembly mapkey on the pull-down File menu.
1 - 20 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Project Exercises
We’re going to start off with some of the easier parts in the cart. These should give you some
time to experiment with your configuration file, mapkeys, and part template. The project parts
are shown in the figures below. Their location in the cart is also shown for reference in the
Figure here:

Figure 14 Project parts in Lesson #1

Part: handle_pin Part: front_spr_plate

Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 21

Part: arm_vbrack

Part: arm_brack
 A Pro/Manufacturing Tutorial
PRO/ENGINEER - Release 2001

Paul E. Funk Loren Begly, Jr

University of Evansville Whirlpool Corporation
Evansville, IN Evansville, IN

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
 Section 1 -- A Quick Run Through

In this section we’ll develop the CNC code for a 3 axis CNC mill to produce a simple

rectangular block with a raised letter.

Part 1-1
Part for Section 1

Pro/Manufacturing can quickly become very involved and complex. This exercise is designed to

work through a single manufacturing sequence to familiarize the user with the general procedure

involved. Although a single manufacturing sequence (volume milling), it still involves a lot of

commands. Since we’re just trying to gain familiarity with the general procedure, we’ll present

this example with a minimum of explanation. At the beginning of each step we’ll explain what

we’re going to do, then we’ll do it and at the end of the step we’ll tell you what we (and you) did.

Later sections will go into detail about why you made the choices you were told to make and

what alternatives you have available to you.

Produce the Part Model

We’ll follow the steps discussed in the preface. First, 1) Produce the part model. Before

entering the Manufacturing menu, enter the Part menu and create the block shown above. A

click-by-click procedure is included in the Appendix A and B. You can name the part whatever

you wish, but we’ll refer to it as “block” throughout the remainder of this section. Save the part

1-1
and

Window

Close

File

New

uManufacturing

uNC Part

Enter the name you want to use for your manufacturing process. We’ll use “block”. (Pro/E will

add a .mfg extension.) Select

OK

and pick on the part name for the part we want to manufacture (block.prt).

Open

Pro/E displays the part. We’ll use this part as a guide to generate code for in the manufacturing

module. That completes step 1).

Assemble the Part and Workpiece

We’re now ready for step 2). We’ll create the workpiece material the part will be

machined from using our part as a guide. We’ll make the workpiece bigger than our original

part.

Figure 1-2
Part/Workpiece Assembly

1-2
We begin by selecting

Mfg Model

Create

Workpiece

We gave it the name, block_wp. We’re now going to enter Sketcher, just as if we were building

a part in part mode, to model the workpiece. Select

Protrusion

Done

Done

and select the sketching plane. Use Query/Select to select the bottom surface of the block (Refer

to Figure A if you don’t recall which is the bottom surface). We don’t want the workpiece to

protrude outward from the part; we want the workpiece to encompass the part so select

Flip

Okay

Select

Bottom

and pick on the front surface (Refer to Figure A) of the block. Use the top-left edge and top-front

edge as references. Select

and create a rectangular section as the outline for the workpiece so that it completely

encompasses the outline of our block. Dimension the rectangle you just created to be ½ inch

bigger than block.prt on each side.

1-3
Select

Done

and enter 1.0 inch as the depth of the protrusion. Select

OK

Done/Return

and we’ve completed the creation of our workpiece. In default view the part/workpiece

assembly should appear as shown in Figure 1-2.

We’ve completed step 2). We have our original part model assembled within the

workpiece from which it is to be machined.

Manufacturing Setup

We’re now ready to 3) perform the manufacturing setup. We will specify a 3 axis milling

operation, create a coordinate system for our operation and create the volume of material to

remove by milling. Select

Mfg Setup

Pro/E displays the Operation Setup dialogue box. Click on the “mill icon” at the far right

of the NC Machine box.

Make sure the Machine Type is “Mill” and the Number of Axes is “3 Axis”. Select

OK

and click on the arrow next to Machine Zero. Select

Create

1-4
and pick on the workpiece. Select

2 Axes

Done

Place an axis at the front-top-left corner of the workpiece. Select the two edges of the workpiece

at the front-top-left corner (Figure A).

Figure 1-3
Pro/ E Axis Display

Pro/E will place a coordinate system at the intersection of the two axes and, depending on the

order they were picked, highlight one direction. Specify the positive z-axis as pointing upward,

away from the top surface, the positive x-axis to the right, and the positive y-axis pointing from

the front toward the back of the workpiece. This agrees with a standard mill axis. The bottom

surface of the workpiece will sit on the milling table. Use Reverse if the axis displayed does not

point in the positive direction. After getting the direction correct, pick on the appropriate axis

selection. Repeat the process for a second axis. The third axis will be defined by the right hand

rule.

Figure 1-4
Part Home

1-5
Select

OK

To complete the manufacturing setup, we still need to specify the volume of material to be

removed. We’ll select the entire workpiece and the “remove” the part from this volume. Select

Mfg Geom

Mill Volume

Create

and enter a name. We’ll use “mv1". Now we must specify an upward direction for the

workpiece by selecting a plane perpendicular to the upward direction. Select the top surface

(Refer to Figure A) of the workpiece. Pro/E will display an arrow. The arrow should point in the

upward (positive z) direction. Select

Okay

We’ll use the sketch command to create the volume of material to be removed from our

workpiece. We’ll remove all the workpiece material that lies outside the part. Select

Sketch

Done

Done

Use Prev

Okay

Again use the top-left and top-front edge as references. Select

Close

1-6
 Sketch

Edge

Use

and select all four outer edges of the workpiece (not the part). Select

Close

Up to Surface

Done

and pick the top (Figure A) surface of the workpiece. (You may want to use the default view.)

Select

Ok

We’ve selected our entire workpiece as the mill volume. But we need to leave the

material that represents our part. At this point Pro/E provides a Trim function that will “trim”

the part from the mill volume. Select

Trim

Done/Return

Done/Return

Done/Return

and we’ve defined the volume to be removed (the workpiece minus our part).

And we’ve completed the manufacturing setup. We defined a 3-axis milling operation,

created a coordinate system for our workpiece, and created a mill volume representing the

material that is to be removed by machining.

1-7
Machining Sequence

Let’s 4) define the machining operations. We’ll select a volume milling sequence, define

our tool and machining parameters (tool size, cutting speed, etc.), create a retraction plane and

specify the volume of material to be removed (created in the previous step). Select

Machining

NC Sequence

Done

Done (notice the checked parameters we must define)

Figure 1-5
SetUp Parameters

Pro/E will display a Tool Setup Table.

Figure 1-6
Tool Setup Table

1-8
 While the user can modify any of the values, we’ll just specify the diameter and length for

this example. Click on the specified parameter and change to the following values:

Cutter_Diam .25

Length 2

To save the values and exit the Setup table,

Apply

File

Done

Set

and Pro/E will display the remaining machining parameters. While the user can modify any of

the values, all parameters that have a value of -1 must be specified.

Figure 1-7
Machining Parameters

Use the following values:

Cut_Feed 60

Step_Depth .125

Step_Over .125

Scan_type Type_Spiral (We’ll explain why you change this later.)

1-9
Spindle_Speed 1000

Clear_Dist 1

After entering all the above values, select

File

Exit

to save the values and exit the table. Select

Done

Pro/E now prompts us to create a retraction plane; ie, a plane to determine the height the tool will

withdraw to each time it retracts from the workpiece. We’ll put a retraction plane one inch above

the part (0.5 inches above our coordinate system). Select

Along Z-Axis

and enter a value of 0.5 (½ “ above the workpiece).

Ok

Pro/E displays the retraction plane above the workpiece.

Figure 1-8
Retraction Plane

1-10
Now we must specify the volume of material to be machined. Since we’ve already created the

volume (recall we called it mv1), all we have to do is select it. Select

Select Vol

MV1

Select

and we’ve finished the process.

And we’ve finished defining our machining sequence. We defined a volume milling

sequence, entered tooling and machining parameters, created a retraction plane and selected the

volume of material to be removed by milling.

Viewing and Outputting Results

Although we’re done, at this point we need some “proof” that everything we’ve done is

okay. We can get that proof by creating the tool path (CL - cutter location) and viewing the

cutter location as it removes the material. We’ll “play the path” of the tool. Select

Play Path

Screen Play

and Pro/E plays a radio control, Play Path window. And if you’ve done everything correctly, you

can use the radio buttons to display the cutting tool’s path centerline as it removes the material

you’ve indicated to be mv1.

1-11
 Figure 1-9
Cutting Path Display

After you’ve played the tool path (CL data), you can also run an NC check to graphically

depict the material removal. Choose

NC Check

and use Vericut controls (the green button on the bottom right of the screen) to watch as Pro/E

simulates how the material is removed.

Figure 1-10
NC Check

That’s everything involved in the process except posting or postprocessing the CL data to

generate the G-code. That’s pretty straight forward and basically just requires a listing of menu

picks. We’ll save that as part of a later exercise.

1-12
 Pro/MECHANICA Motion:
Mechanism Design and Analysis
Release 2001

Kuang-Hua Chang, Ph.D.

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
The University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-1

Lesson 1: Introduction to
Pro/MECHANICA Motion

1.1 Overview of the Lesson

The purpose of this lesson is to provide you with a brief overview of Pro/MECHANICA Motion, also
called Motion in this book. Motion is a virtual prototyping tool for mechanism analysis and design.
Instead of building and testing physical prototypes of the engineering products, you can use Motion to test
and refine a mechanism design before you finalize the design and move into functional prototyping stage.
Motion will help you design better engineering products in a relatively shorter time. In addition, Motion
will provide you with information about the mechanism behavior, which you will usually obtain from
tests of functional prototypes. You will be able to modify your design and usually achieve better design
alternatives using the more convenient and less expensive virtual prototypes. With such information, you
will gain insight on how the mechanism works and why they behave in certain ways. In the long run, this
will help you become a more experienced and competent design engineer.

In this lesson, we will start with a brief introduction to Motion and various types of physical problems that
Motion supports. We will then discuss capabilities supported by Motion for constructing motion model,
conducting motion analyses, and viewing motion analysis results. We will also discuss design capabilities
available in Motion, and how to use these capabilities to obtain better designs. In the final section, we will
present design examples employed in this book and things you will learn from these examples.

Note that materials presented in this lesson will be kept brief. More details on various aspects of
mechanism design and analysis using Motion will be given in later lessons.

1.2 What is Pro/MECHANICA Motion?

Pro/MECHANICA Motion is a computer software tool that supports design and analysis of mechanisms.
Motion is a module of Pro/ENGINEER product family developed by Parametric Technology
Corporation. Motion supports you in creating virtual mechanisms that answer the following general
questions in product design. An internal combustion engine shown in Figures 1-1 and 1-2 will be used to
illustrate these questions.

1. Will the components of the mechanism collide in operation? For example, will the connecting rod
collide with the inner surface of the piston or the engine case during operation?

2. Will the components in the mechanism you design move according to your intent? For example, will
the piston stay entirely in the piston sleeve? Will the system lock up when the firing force aligns
vertically with the connection rod and crank?

3. How fast will your mechanism move?

1-2 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

4. How much torque or force does it take to move the mechanism? For example, what will be the
minimum firing load to drive the engine? Note that in this case, proper friction forces and inertia
must be added to simulate the resistance of the mechanism before a realistic firing force can be
calculated.

5. What are the reaction loads generated on a connection (or joint) between components during
motion? For example, what is the reaction force at the connection between the connecting rod and
piston pin? This reaction load is critical since the structural integrity of the connecting rod must be
maintained, i.e., the connecting rod must be strong and durable enough to sustain the reaction load in
operation.

The modeling and analysis capabilities in Motion will help you answer those common questions
realistically, as long as your motion model is properly defined.

Motion also supports you in modifying your mechanism to find better design alternatives. The changes
that you can make in Motion include component size, geometric shape, mass properties, load magnitudes,
etc. Some of these changes will be discussed in later lessons.

Piston Piston Sleeve

Piston Pin

Connecting Rod

Figure 1-1 An Internal Combustion

Engine (Unexploded View)

The design capabilities available in

Crank Shaft
Motion lead you to better design
alternatives in a systematic way. A Engine Case
better design alternative can be, for the
engine example,
Figure 1-2 Internal Combustion
1. A smaller reaction force applied to
Engine (Exploded View)
the connecting rod;
2. No collisions between components.

1.3 Mechanism and Motion Analysis

A mechanism is a mechanical device that transfers motion and/or force from a source to an output. It is an
abstraction (simplified model) of a mechanical system. A linkage consists of links (or bodies), which are
connected by connections, such as a pin joint, to form open or closed chains (or loops, see Figure 1-3).
Such kinematic chains, with at least one link fixed, become mechanisms. In this book, all links are
assumed rigid. In general, a mechanism can be represented by its corresponding schematic drawing for
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-3

analysis and design purposes. For example, a slider-crank mechanism represents the motion model of the
engine, as shown in Figure 1-4, which is a closed loop mechanism.

Ground

Slider
Links (Bodies) Connecting
(Piston)
Rod
Connections

Ground

(a) Open Loop Mechanism (b) Closed Loop Mechanism Crank

Figure 1-3 General Mechanisms
Figure 1-4 Schematic View of the
Engine Motion Model

In general, there are two types of motion problems that you will solve in order to answer those questions.
They are kinematics and dynamics.

Kinematics is the study of motion without regard for the forces that cause the motion. A kinematic
mechanism must be driven by a driver so that the position, velocity, and acceleration of each link of the
mechanism can be analyzed at any given time. Usually, a kinematic analysis must be conducted before
dynamic behavior of the mechanism can be simulated properly.

Dynamics is the study of motion in response to externally applied loads. The dynamic behavior of a
mechanism must follow Newton’s laws of motion. The simplest dynamic problem is particle dynamics
that you learned in your Sophomore Dynamics, for example, a spring-mass-damper system shown in
Figure 1-5. In this case, motion of the mass is governed by the following equation derived from Newton’s
second law,
y
• ••

∑ F = p( t ) − kx − c x = m x (1.1)
x
where (•) appears on top of the physical k c
quantity represents time derivative of the
quantity. l
m
For a rigid body, mass properties (such as θ
moment of inertia) are taken into account c.g.
for dynamic analysis. For example, p(t) g
x
motion of a pendulum shown in Figure 1-
6 is governed by the following equation of
motion, Figure 1-5 The Spring-
Mass-Damper System
•• ••
2
∑ M = − mgl sinθ = I θ = ml θ (1.2)
Figure 1-6 A Simple
Pendulum
1-4 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

where M is the external moment or torque, I is the polar moment of inertia of the pendulum, m is the
••

pendulum mass, g is the gravitational acceleration, and θ is the angular acceleration of the pendulum.

Dynamics of a rigid body system, as illustrated in Figure 1-3, is a lot more complicated than the single
body problems. Usually, a system of differential and algebraic equations governs the motion and dynamic
behavior of the system. Newton’s law must be obeyed by every single body in the system all the time.
The motion of the system will be determined by the loads acting on the bodies or joint axis (e.g., a torque
driving the system). Reaction loads at joint connections hold the bodies together.

1.4 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Capabilities

Overall Process Ground Body

Bodies
The overall process of using Motion for analyzing Motion Model Connections
Generation Drivers
a mechanism consists of three main steps: model
Loads
creation, analysis, and result visualization, as Initial Conditions
illustrated in Figure 1-7. Key entities that
constitute a motion model include ground body Assembly
Motion Velocity
that is always fixed, bodies that are movable, Analysis Static
connections that connect bodies, drivers that Motion (Kinematics
drive the mechanism for kinematic analysis, and Dynamics)
loads, and initial conditions of the mechanism. Kinetostatics
More details about these entities will be discussed Results Animation
later in this lesson. Visualization Graph
Query
The analysis capabilities in Motion include Report
assembly, velocity, static, motion, and
kinetostatics. For example, the assembly analysis Figure 1-7 General Process
brings bodies closer within a prescribed tolerance of Motion Analysis
at each connection to create an initial assembled
configuration of the mechanism. More details
about the analysis capabilities in Motion will be
discussed later in this lesson.

The analysis results can be visualized in various forms. You Pro/ENGINEER

may animate motion of the mechanism, or generate graphs
for more specific information, such as reaction force of a Pro/MECHANICA
joint in time domain. You may query results at a specific Motion
location for a given time. In addition, you may ask for a
report on results that you specified, for example, acceleration
of a moving body in time domain. Figure 1-8 The Integrated Mode

Two Operation Modes

There are two operation modes that you may choose in Motion: Integrated and Independent. The
Integrated mode allows you to work in a unified Pro/ENGINEER user interface environment. You can
access Motion through menus inside Pro/ENGINEER. You will use the same assembly in both
Pro/ENGINEER and Motion. In this case, Motion is considered a module of Pro/ENGINEER, as
illustrated in Figure 1-8.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-5

In the Independent mode, you have two options. You may create an assembly in Pro/ENGINEER and
transfer it to the separate Motion user interface (option 1), or you may create your model from scratch in
Motion (option 2), as illustrated in Figure 1-9. In option 2, you will have to use less general capabilities to
create body geometry.

Body geometry is essential for mass property computations in

motion analysis. The advantage of using Pro/ENGINEER in Pro/ENGINEER
either mode of Motion is that the geometry of the bodies can
be created conveniently and accurately. When the mass
properties of bodies are pre-calculated or pre-measured,
creating motion models directly in Motion (Option 2) is more
straightforward.
Pro/MECHANICA
Note that the interference checking is only available in the Motion
Integrated mode. More details of the differences between these
two modes will be discussed in Lesson 3.
Figure 1-9 The Independent Mode
User Interfaces

User interfaces of the Integrated and Independent modes are similar but not identical. User interface of
the Integrated mode is identical to that of Pro/ENGINEER, as shown in Figure 1-10. Pro/ENGINEER
users should find it is straightforward to maneuver in Motion.

As shown in Figure 1-10, user interface window of Pro/ENGINEER, i.e., Motion Integrated mode,
consists of pull-down menus, short-cut buttons, prompt/message window, scroll-down menu, graphics
area, datum feature buttons, and command description area.
Title Bar Pull-Down Menus Quit

Short-Cut Buttons
Prompt/Message Window

Create New
Model

Datum
Feature
Buttons
Command Graphics Area
Description
Scroll-
Down Menu

Figure 1-10 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Integrated Mode

1-6 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

The graphics area displays your Motion model. This is where most of the action will take place. The pull-
down menus and the short-cut buttons at the top of the screen allow you to manipulate the Motion model.
The scroll-down menu supports you in creating and editing your model. As you move the mouse across
the menu options, a brief description will appear on the command description area (lower left corner).
When you click the menu options, the prompt/message window shows brief messages describing the
menu commands and shows system messages following command execution.

The Independent mode of Motion consists of three separate windows. They are Tools Menu and
Command Area Window, Work Area Window, and Design Menu Window as shown in Figure 1-11. Each
of the windows contains one or more components.

Tools Menu and Command Area Window—Located at the top of the Motion screen. This window
contains the following components:

command area—displays prompts and messages;

tool menu bar (pull-down menu)—displays the top-level tool menus;

tool button area—displays four tool buttons.

This window's title bar displays the version number of the current Motion software release.

Work Area Window—This is the graphics window below the command area. The work area displays the
current model.

Tools Menu and Command Area Window

Title Bar
Tool Menu Bar
(Pull-Down Menu) Tool Button Area

Command Area
Design Menu Window

Work Area Window

Figure 1-11 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Independent Mode

Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-7

Design Menu Window—Located at the right of the Motion screen. This window displays the current
design menu and its ancestors.

The Design Menu options allow you to create geometry, build models for your mechanisms, perform
analysis and design studies, and review results. The tool menus (pull-down menus) allow you to access
various tools, including file utilities, editing functions, and options for displaying entities and creating
multiple windows for the work area. The tool buttons are used to access frequently used utilities. These
buttons are always visible in the Tools Menu and Command Area Window.

Figure 1-12 shows a typical user interface window of both Integrated and Independent modes. The
common buttons and options in the window are identified in the figure. We will refer to these buttons and
options in the rest of the book.

Text box Pull-down options

Push button
Radio button

Graphics Area

Check box

Scrolling
Display-only text
list

Figure 1-12 Buttons and Selections in a Typical Motion Window

Defining Motion Entities

The basic entities of a motion model consist of ground points, bodies, connections, drivers, and loads.
Each of the basic entities will be briefly introduced. More details can be found in later lessons.

Ground Points

A ground point represents a fixed location in space. Once defined, a ground point symbol will appear
in the model. You must have at least one ground point in your model. All ground points are grouped as a
single ground body. Note that in the Integrated mode, assembly datum points will be converted into
ground points automatically. In the Independent mode, you may create your own ground points.
1-8 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

Bodies

A body represents a single rigid component (or link) that moves relative to the other body (or bodies in
some cases). A body may consist of several Pro/ENGINEER parts “welded” together. A body must
contain a local coordinate system (LCS), body points, and mass properties. Note that body points are
created for defining connections, force applications, etc. In Independent mode, geometric points can be
created and attached to bodies. In Integrated mode, datum points created for part solid models are
converted to body points by Motion.

A spatial body consists of 3 translational and 3 rotational degrees of freedom (dof's). That is, a rigid body
can translate and rotate along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes of a coordinate system. Rotation of a rigid body is
measured by referring the orientation of its LCS to the global coordinate system, which is fixed to the
ground body.

In the Integrated mode, the LCS is assigned by Motion automatically, and the mass properties are
calculated using part geometry and material properties. Body points are essential in creating motion
model since they are employed for defining connections and where the external loads are applied.

In the Independent mode, you will choose the LCS, and generate the mass properties. The mass properties
can be either input to Motion directly, or calculated from mass primitives you choose for the body. Note
that the mass properties of a body are calculated relative to the body’s LCS. The mass primitives available
in Motion are sphere, cylinder, brick, cone, and plate. An example of a typical body created in the
Independent mode is shown in Figure 1-13.

Mass primitives Joint Rotational dof

Part schematic Translational dof
Reactions

LCS Body1
Body points Body2
(Defining joints or
forces)
Figure 1-14 A Joint Defined in Motion
Center of mass

Figure 1-13 A Body in Independent Mode

Connections

A connection in Motion can be a joint, cam, gear, or slot that connects two bodies. The connection will
constrain the relative motion between bodies.

Each independent movement permitted by a connection is called degree of freedom (dof). The degrees of
freedom that a connection allows can be translation and rotation along three perpendicular axes, as shown
in Figure 1-14. The connections produce equal and opposite reactions (forces and/or torques) on the
bodies connected.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-9

The symbol of a given joint

tells the translational and/or
rotational dof that the joint
allows for the bodies to move
relative to each other. (a) TranslationEach Arrow Signifies (b) RotationSingle
Understanding the basic four a Translational dof (Slider Joint) Rotation (Pin Joint)
symbols shown in Figure 1-
15 will enable you to read
any joint in Motion. More
details about joint types
available in Motion will be (c) Translation and Rotation (d) No AxesAny Rotation
discussed in Lesson 4. (Bearing Joint) (Spherical Joint)
Degrees of Freedom Figure 1-15 Basic Joint Symbols

An unconstrained body in space has 6 degrees of freedom, i.e., 3 translational and 3 rotational. This is
what Motion assumes, i.e., spatial bodies with 6 dof's per body. When connections are added to connect
bodies, constrains are imposed to restrict the relative motion between bodies. For example, a slider joint
will impose 5 constraints so that only one translational motion is allowed between bodies. If one of the
bodies is a ground body, the other body (slider) will slide back and forth along the given direction (joint
axis), specified by the slider joint. The arrow in Figure 1-15a signifies the translational dof that the
connection allows. Therefore, there is only one degree of freedom left in this two-body mechanism. In
most motion models, you can determine their degrees of freedom using the following formula:

D = 6M – N (1.3)
Slider Joint
where D is the degrees of (Piston/Ground)
freedom of the mechanism, M is
number of bodies not including
the ground body, and N is the Ground Body
number of constraints imposed
Shaft Body (Crank)
by all connections.

For example, the engine shown Piston Body (Slider)

in Figure 1-16 consists of four
bodies, two pin joints, 1 slider Pin Joint
joint, and 1 bearing joint. Pin, (Piston/Rod)
slider, and bearing joints impose
5, 5, and 2 constraints, LCS of
respectively, to the mechanism. Crank
According to Eq. 1.3, the
Pin Joint
degrees of freedom of the
(Crank/Rod)
engine is
Connecting Rod Body
D = 6×(4−1) − 2×5 − 1×5 − 1×2 Bearing Joint (Crank/Ground)
=1
Driver (Crank)
In this example, if the bearing
joint is replaced by a pin joint,
the degrees of freedom becomes Figure 1-16 A Complete Motion Model In Exploded View
1-10 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

D = 6×(4−1) − 3×5 − 1×5 = −2

Mechanisms should not have negative degrees of freedom. When using pin joint instead of bearing, you
have defined joints that impose redundant constraints. You always want to eliminate the redundant
constraints in your motion model. The challenge is to find the joints that will impose non-redundant
constraints and still allow the intended motion. Examples included in this book should give you some
ideas on choosing proper joints.

Loads

Loads are used to drive a mechanism. Physically, loads are

produced by motors, springs, dampers, gravity, tires, etc. A
load entity in Motion is represented by the symbol shown in Figure 1-17 The Load Symbol
Figure 1-17.

Note that a load can be applied to a body, a point in a body, a

joint axis, or between two points in different bodies. Symbols
of loads applied to joint axis and between two points are
shown in Figure 1-18. Applied to joint axis

Drivers Point-to-Point Load

Drivers are used to drive a joint axis with a particular motion, Figure 1-18 Symbols of Special Load
either translational or rotational. Drivers are specified as
functions of time. The driver symbol is shown in Figure 1-19.
Note that a driver must be defined along a movable axis of the
joint you select. Otherwise, no motion will occur. When Joint Axes
properly defined, drivers will account for the remaining dof's
of the mechanism calculated using Eq. 1.3.
Driver
An example of a complete motion model is shown in Figure
1-16. In this engine example, 26 Pro/ENGINEER parts are
grouped into four bodies. In addition, 4 joints plus a driver are
defined for kinematic analysis. Figure 1-19 Symbols of Driver

Types of Mechanism Analyses

There are five analysis types supported in Motion: assembly analysis, velocity analysis, static analysis,
kinetostatics (inverse dynamics), and motion (kinematics and forward dynamics).

The assembly analysis that puts the mechanism together, as illustrated in Figure 1-20, is performed before
any other type of analysis. The assembly analysis determines an initial configuration of the mechanism
based on the body geometry, joints, and initial conditions of bodies. The points chosen for defining joints
will be brought to within a small tolerance.

Velocity analysis is similar to assembly analysis but matches part velocities, instead of positions. Velocity
analysis ensures that all prescribed velocities of points, including initial conditions are satisfied. Velocity
analysis is also computed to within a tolerance. An example of the velocity analysis is shown in Figure 1-
21.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-11

Static analysis is used to find the rest position (equilibrium condition) of a mechanism, in which none of
the bodies are moving. Static analysis is related to mechanical advantage, for example, how much load
can be resisted by a driving motor. A simple example of the static analysis is shown in Figure 1-22.

Figure 1-20 Assembly Analysis

ω = ? rpm

ω = 200 rpm k1 K2
V=?
m
g

Figure 1-21 Velocity Analysis Figure 1-22 Static Analysis

Kinetostatics is used to find desired driving loads that produce the prescribed motion of a mechanism. A
typical kinetostatic analysis is illustrated in Figure 1-23.

Forward dynamic analysis is used to study the motion in response to loads, as illustrated in Figure 1-24.
This is the most complicate and common, but time-consuming analysis.

Input: Output:
Prescribed Motion ω(t) Resulting Motion ω(t)
Output: Input:
Driving Load p(t) Driving Load p(t)

ω p(t) ω p(t)

Figure 1-23 Kinetostatic Analysis Figure 1-24 Forward Dynamic Analysis

Viewing Results

In Motion, results of the motion analysis can be realized using animations, graphs, reports, and queries.
Animations show the configuration of the mechanism in consecutive time frames. Animations will give
1-12 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

you a global view on how the mechanism behaves, as shown in Figure 1-25. You may choose a joint or a
point to generate a graph on, for example, velocity vs. time.

The graph in Figure 1-26 shows the angular position of a simple pendulum example (Lesson 2 or 3).
These graphs give you a quantitative understanding on the behavior of the mechanism. You may also pick
a joint or point to query the results of your interest at a specific time frame. In addition, you may ask
Motion for a report that includes a complete set of results output in the form of numerical data.

In addition to the capabilities discussed above, Motion allows you to check interference between bodies
during motion. Furthermore, the reaction forces calculated can be converted to support structural analysis
using Pro/MECHANICA Structure.

Figure 1-25 Motion Animation Figure 1-26 Result Graph (Independent Mode)

1.5 Mechanism Design Using Motion

The ultimate goal of using Motion is searching for better design alternatives. The design study capabilities
available in Motion will help you achieve your design objectives following a systematic approach,
including both local and global sensitivity studies, and optimization.

The overall design process using Motion is shown in Figure 1-27. After creating motion model,
performing initial motion analyses, and reviewing the results, you may identify the performance of the
mechanism you want Motion to improve.

In order for Motion to search for better designs, you must define a design problem. A design problem
must include (i) measures that monitor the performance of the mechanism, and (ii) design variables or
design parameters that characterize the changes you intend to make. Motion will search for designs that
achieve the desired measure values by varying the design variables (or design parameters) you defined.
Motion provides both sensitivity study and optimization capabilities for achieving better designs.

A global sensitivity study calculates the changes in the measure values when you vary a parameter over a
specified range. Motion provides graph results for global sensitivity by plotting the measures in a
parameter range. For example, Figure 1-28 shows the global sensitivity of the maximum slider velocity of
a slider-crank mechanism (Lesson 5) with respect to the crank length d2. The global sensitivity study
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-13

provides you with a global view on how the motion model is supposed to behave when you vary a single
parameter in a prescribed range.

A local sensitivity study calculates the

Motion Model
sensitivity of your model’s measures to a
slight change, plus or minus 0.05%, in one
or more design variables (or design
parameters). Motion will report you the Design Problem
numerical values of each measure’s Definition
sensitivity with respect to the parameters.
The advantage of the local sensitivity
study is that it allows you to combine Motion Analysis
changes in more than one parameter.

Both studies should point you to a

direction for design changes that will Yes
improve the performance of your Stop Satisfactory Design Change
mechanism. With such an understanding, ?
you may decide on a set of new parameter No
values and update your motion model for
a new motion analysis. You may repeat Global Sensitivity
this process until a satisfactory design is Study or Local
obtained. Sensitivity Study
Sensitivity studies help you understand
how parameter changes affect your model.
Ultimately, you want to find the Optimization
combination of parameter values that give
you the best possible design. In an Figure 1-27 Design Process in Motion
optimization study, Motion searches for an
optimal design by adjusting one or more
parameters to best achieve prescribed goal
and constraint functions through an
iterative process.

The goal (or objective) involves

minimizing or maximizing measures that
represent the most desired motion
performance. At the same time, constraint
functions defined by measures are retained
within desired limits.

The optimization study is performed in a

batch mode, i.e., you will let Motion take
over all the design decision-makings. An
optimal design, if exists, will be
determined by Motion automatically.
More details on design studies will be
discussed in later lessons.
Figure 1-28 Global Sensitivity Graph (Integrated Mode)
1-14 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

1.6 Motion Examples

Various motion examples will be introduced in the following lessons to illustrate step-by-step details of
modeling, analysis, and design capabilities in Motion. You will learn from these examples both
Independent and Integrated modes, as well as analysis and design capabilities in Motion. We will start
with a simple pendulum example in Integrated mode. This example will give you a quick start and a brief
overview on Motion. Lessons 2 through 8 focus on analysis and design of regular mechanisms. Lessons 2,
4, 5 use Integrated mode; and lessons 3, 6, 7, and 8 discuss Independent mode of Motion. Design studies
will be introduced in Lessons 5 and 7 for sensitivity and optimization studies, respectively. All examples
and key subjects to discuss in each lesson are summarized in the following table.

Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn

2 A Simple Particle 1. This lesson gives quick run-through
Pendulum Dynamics of modeling and analysis capabilities
Integrated Mode in the Integrated mode of Motion.
2. You will learn the general process of
using Motion to construct a motion
model, run analysis, and visualize the
motion analysis results.
3 A Simple Particle 1. The same simple pendulum example
Pendulum Dynamics is modeled and analyzed in the
Independent Independent mode of Motion.
Mode 2. You will learn the general process of
using Independent mode of Motion.
3. You will also learn the main
differences between these two modes.
4 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. The lesson uses a more general
Mechanism Kinematic mechanism to discuss joint types,
Initial Assembly Analysis initial assembly analysis, and
and Motion kinematic analysis.
Analyses 2. You will learn more about joints and
drivers, perform initial assembly
analysis, and use Motion and
analytical method for motion analysis.
5 A Slider Crank Design of 1. The lesson introduces design study
Mechanism Kinematics of capabilities in Motion, including local
Design Study Mechanisms and global sensitivity studies.
2. You will learn how to define design
parameters and measures, conduct
design studies, and visualize the
design study results.
6 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. The lesson discusses modeling and
Mechanism Kinematic and analysis of the same slider-crank
Independent Dynamic mechanism using Independent mode.
Mode and Analyses 2. You will learn more capabilities in the
Dynamic Independent mode, such as defining
Analysis mass primitives, defining and editing
joint types, defining force for dynamic
analysis, etc.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-15

Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn

7 A Slider Crank Optimization 1. The lesson discusses how to define
Mechanism Design Study and run an optimization design study,
Optimization plus visualize optimization results.
Design Study
8 Multiple Multibody 1. The lesson introduces multibody
Pendulum Dynamic dynamic analysis in the Independent
Analysis mode.
2. You will learn how to create joints,
loads, and measures for constructing
the multibody system using
subassembly capability.
3. You will also learn how to model
impact phenomena using force entities
supported in Motion.
PRO/MECHANICA 2001 STRUCTURE:
ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS
Integrated Mode

Pro/MECHANICA analysis of a structural steel bracket

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
 Estimated time: 1½ hours

Exercise 1: Beam Elements

Objectives

At the end of this exercise, the learner should be able to:

1. Set up a model using standard cross-sections beam elements with proper orientation;
2. Set up and run a static analysis;
3. Understand the units used in Pro/Mechanica®;
4. View maximum VM stress and maximum displacement results;
5. Create shear and moment diagrams;
6. Understand the basic solving principle of the Finite Element method.

Introduction

Beam elements are fast and efficient elements in FEA. They are 1-D in nature but still
represent what is called a 3-D idealization. A 3-D idealization is a FEA modeling
perspective of the model. For a beam element, imagine an I-beam. It could be
represented as a straight line, with a cross-section the shape of an “I” assigned to it. This
is, in essence, how a beam element is represented.

From a modeling perspective, beam elements are relatively easy to create. They are
defined by:
- A datum curve determining the position of the end points of the beam;
- A material;
- A cross-sectional area (which will give an area moment of inertia and a torsional
stiffness)
- A defined orientation for the cross-section.

Each beam element has its own internal coordinate system (let’s name it the Beam
Section Coordinate System or BSCS). The BCSC has the following characteristics in
Pro/Mechanica®:
- The x-axis is along the length of the beam (the beam’s axis);
- The y-axis defines the perpendicular orientation of the beam section with respect to
the beam’s axis;
- The z-axis will follow according the first two axis’ above.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

The restriction of using beam elements in Pro/Mechanica®, as with any other software is
that the section remains perpendicular and planar to the datum curve (the beam axis)
through the entire FEA solution. Before using beam elements, make sure that the part
looks similar to a beam and that the aspect ratio (l/t) > 10.

Procedure

(Note: Before you start, create a directory named: beam using explorer)

The problem to be solved:

F = 4500 lbs

2”

40” 1”

X-SECTION

Objectives: Draw Shear and Moment diagrams, and find the Maximum VM stress and
maximum deflection.

24
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Flow Chart of Procedure

Here is an overview of the exercise, in the form of a flow chart, showing the different
steps involve in the analysis.

In Pro/Engineer® In Pro/Mechanica®

Create part & Create Beam

Start Model Section and
Datum Curve Orientation

Assign beam section &

orientation & material to
datum curve

Assign boundary
conditions to model

Create and Run a

static analysis.

Check out results

(stresses, END
displacements, etc…)

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

1. Start up Pro/Engineer 2001

Details on how to this is different from system to system. For a typical windows
platform:

Start > Programs > Pro/Engineer2001 > Pro/Engineer

(It takes 30 seconds approximately for Pro/Engineer to start.)

Set up your working directory. (File > Set Working Directory)

Select your working directory, then click on Accept.

2. Create a part named: beam

Select File>new

Select part and type in: beam; then Click on OK.

3. Setting up in Pro/ENGINEER for FEA modeling

Before we go to Pro/Mechanica, we must understand how beam elements are created.

Think of beam modeling as a sweep-type protrusion in Pro/Engineer. Except in the case
of FEA modeling, we will create a datum curve in Pro/Engineer, then assign the cross-
section (the beam element) in Pro/Mechanica.

3.1 Creating a datum curve for beam assignment

Click on the icon.

From the right menu, select: sketch > Done.

Use front as your sketching plane and accept the default viewing direction; click on OK.

26
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Select top from the right menu and select the top plane as the top reference for the
plane.

Once in sketcher, Use the line sketching tool icon and sketch a horizontal datum
curve as shown below with the following characteristics:
• 40 units long;
• Aligned with the top plane, symmetric about the right plane.

Figure 1: View of sketch for datum curve

Note: To modify your dimension, select the dimension to be modified and click on this
icon. (or alternatively double click on the dimension)

Select done out of sketcher ( icon) and click on OK off the dialog box. Turn datum
planes off using the datum icon at the top of your screen.

27
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

(Pro/Mechanica portion)

1. Go to Pro/Mechanica from Pro/Engineer

Select Applications>Mechanica from the top pull-down menu.

(Wait a few seconds)

You will see a unit info dialogue box come up on the screen as shown below:

Important: Have a look at the working units and then Click Continue to accept the units
message.

Select Structure from the right menu.

2. Beam Assignment

2.1 Beam Section

Select Model>idealizations>Beams>Sections. The following dialogue box will come

up.

Click on New.

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 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

The dialogue box shown below will come up. Enter the information as seen below.

STOP
What we are doing at this time is giving the cross-sectional dimensions of the beam
element used for the analysis. At this time you must know these dimensions. The cross-
section is constant through the datum curve representing the beam. The beam for our
analysis is 1 in wide and 2 inches high.

Once the information is entered, click on OK. Then close the beam section dialogue box.
Then select Done/Return.

Note: if the section is not in the above menu of pre-defined X-section, you can sketch it
easily using the sketch options off the type menu. The menu picks are ‘sketch thin’ or
sketch solid. It will then take you to the Pro/Engineer sketcher.

STOP
We must now orient the vector of the cross-section. Even though it will show up on the
screen if we don’t, Pro/M wants to make sure that it is oriented the proper way. The
software needs insight here as to which way to go and to make sure that we know what
we are doing!
A vector will be used to determine the orientation. This vector will determine the beam
section coordinate system orientation.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

2.2 Beam Orientation

Select Model>idealizations>Beams>Orientations

Once the Beam orientation dialogue box comes up, click on New. Enter the following
information in the box.

Click on Ok then close the beam orientation dialogue box.

2.3 Beam Definition

Select New off the beams menu. The following beam definition window comes up.
Enter and select information as shown.

Under Name: Enter beam1.

Under references: Select Edge/Curve
Under edges, click on the arrow and select the datum curve on the screen, then click on
done sel.
(pay attention, selecting it more than once reverses the selection here.)
Material: Select Steel.
Under type: select More…, the following window will come up:

30
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Select steel off the left column and move it to the right column by clicking on the triple
arrows box in the center. Then click on OK.

Defined by: Y direction of vector in WCS Vector (0, 0, 1) (this defines the orientation of
the cross-section, as explained on the precious page in the stop note.)
Select section and orientation as shown. There are no beam releases for this analysis.

Select OK – Done/Return and note that cyan rectangles appear along the datum curve.
Zoom in on one of the rectangles and look! You can see a vector inside the beam. This
vector is oriented in the coordinates given above (0, 0, 1). You could easily change the
orientation of that vector simply by changing the coordinates of the vector.

Our beam idealization is fully defined. Good job!

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

3. Constraints

Select Model > Constraints > New > Point from the right side menu.

The following dialogue box will come up. Enter and select the following information:

Name: End_constr_1
Member of set: ConstraintSet1
Under points, click on the arrow icon.
From the datum points menu that comes up, Select Create > On vertex and click on the
positive X-axis end of the beam.

Click on Done select and then Done off the right menu. (or middle mouse click twice)

A point should then show up at the positive x-axis end of the beam.

Nothing further is needed for this box. We accept the defaults for the WCS and keep all
degrees of freedom fixed.

All translation
DOF fixed

All rotation
DOF fixed

Select OK off the constraint dialog box. Select Done/Return off the right side menu.

32
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

4. Loads

Select Loads > New > Point

The following dialogue box will appear. Fill out the information as seen below.

Under reference-points, click on the arrow icon.

From the datum points menu that comes up, Select Create>On vertex and select the
negative X-axis end of the beam.

Click on Done select and then Done off the right menu. (or middle mouse button click
twice)

Under Force-components, enter 4500 in the Z direction box.

Select OK off the constraint dialog box. Select Done/Return off the right side menu.

In order to properly show the load, from the top pull-down menu, select
View>Simulation display>Settings and click on tails touching under load arrows.
Also, click on value under Load/Constraint display.

Click on OK to close the window.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

The resulting window should look like the following:

5. Set up and run Analysis

5.1 Static analysis

Select Analyses from the right menu and select Static > New from the analysis form.
The following dialogue box will come up. Enter the following information:

Name: Static1
Description: Analysis of cantilever beam.
Constraints and Loads as shown below.
Method: Multi-Pass Adaptive with 1 percent convergence (since beams are fast and
accurate)
Converge on local displacement and strain energy.

34
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Click on OK and then Close.

5.2 Run Analysis

Select Run > Start. The analysis will now be running.

The software will ask you if you want error detection (yes / no)? Answer yes.

To check things as the calculations are performed, click on Summary.

(Note how fast the solution converged)

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

From the summary file, the following information is important to consider.

Displacements (*)

Vm stress

We are getting a maximum bending stress of 2.7 e+05 psi or 270 ksi. Which is the same
value as the exact solution.

What you should look for from the results of this analysis:

Item Description Where to find it What it should be

The convergence will let us

Convergence know if all elements Click on Summary For beams, less
converged and if they all under the Run menu than 1%
converged to a solution. and scroll down (0% for this
analysis)
270 ksi
Maximum Gives the maximum Von Click on Summary (max_stress_vm)
VM stress or Mises Stress or under the Run menu
displacement displacement for the and scroll down .012885 (*)
of Model analysis (max_displ_z)
Depends on
VM stress or Gives the Von Mises Stress See procedure below boundary
displacement for the analysis for the entire conditions and
over entire model geometry
model

36
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Note: (*) Be careful with the units of displacement in the results given by
Pro/Mechanica®. This is discussed later in the exercise. (See p. 23)

Select Close and Done.

6. Analysis results

Select Results. The following box will come up. Answer yes.

Once the empty window comes up, Click on this icon named ‘insert a new definition’.

The following box will come up. Type in vm_stress (for Von Mises stress)

Select static1 for the analysis. Then click on Accept. The following contents definition
box will come up. Select and type in all information as shown below.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Click on Accept. From pull-down menu, select view > display. The following window
will come up:

Select vm_stress then OK. Then the following results window will come up:

38
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

The results from a beam analysis are not the most impressive to look at. But they are
accurate, providing your geometry and boundary conditions are precise. The only colors
that we see are along the beam axis. We can see that the maximum stresses are at the
fixed end of the beam. Note that the maximum value is the same as the one given in the
summary file.

Note: you can save this window by simply selecting the save or save as icon on the top of
the window.

Select File/Exit Results and answer no to the question: Do you want to save the current
window?

As an exercise, create the following result window in order to look at the maximum
displacement from the model. Simply follow procedure 6 above, the only changes being
under quantity on the definition form.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Approximate Finite Element Analysis Solution (Theory)

(Don’t skip this, as there is some more Pro/Mechanica® procedures included with it
to make it more fun)

Solving the beam analysis with FEA theory, the problem can be seen as follows:

F = 4,500 lbs

Miz

y L = 40 in.
x Fyi
z vi , θzi vj , θzj

Symbol Definition:

Symbol Definition
L Length of beam
Miz Bending moment at the fixed end of the beam
Fyi
E E is the young’s modulus of elasticity of the
material.
nd
I the 2 moment of Area
d2v/dx2 the curvature of the beam
vi The vertical deflection at x = 0.

θzi The beam slope at x = 0.

vj The vertical deflection at x = L.

θzj The beam slope at x = L.

40
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

The general equation for beam deflection is from beam theory:

d 2v
M z = EI z 2
dx
where;
M z = Fyi x + M zi

Consequently;

d 2v
EI z = Fyi x + M zi
dx 2 (1-1)

Let’s get the moment diagrams from Pro/Mechanica®, this will be fun:

From your beam model, where you are in Applications > Mechanica > Structure, select
Results > then click on the insert a new definition icon.

The following box will come up.

Answer yes.

Select create and then the following box will come up. Type in shr_moments (we will
show both diagrams on the same window.)

Click on Accept.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Select static1 for the analysis. Then click on Accept. The following contents definition
box will come up. Select and type in all information as shown below.

Enter and select the following information as indicated:

• Title: Shear and Moment Diagrams

• Quantity: Select shear and moment (and de-select P, Vz, Mx and My as they are
not necessary for this problem). Refer to the coordinate system on the beam
model for those. We only need The shear along the z-axis and the moment with
respect to the y-axis. (if you are not sure that you followed the modeling properly
for this exercise, you can keep all shear and moment selected, it is not going to
change the answer.)

• Location: Make sure that beams is selected. Click on Select and select the
beam off the screen. You will then be prompted the following message as
Pro/Mechanica® highlights one of the ends of the beam.

Make sure that you look at the coordinate system presented to you when you get this
message as it affect the de-selection of the 2nd bullet point above,

42
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

We have no choice to accept this message, we must note where the point is though as it
will help us interpret the diagrams below. Click on OK, then Accept then Show.

The result window should look as follows, where:

• The maximum shear is 4,500 lbs and;
• The maximum bending moment is 180,000 in.lbs.

Figure 2: Shear and moment diagrams

Select File > Exit Results.

From the diagrams above, it looks like Pro/Mechanica® has taken the point where the
load was applied as the reference point. We must understand where the reference point
is, as it affects the shape (not the actual values) of the diagrams.

Let’s integrate twice (Yahoo!) equation 1-1 above. This will give the following:

2
dv Fyi x
EI z = + M zi x + A1 1st integration
dx 2

Fyi x 3 M zi x 2 2nd integration

EI z v = + + A1 x + A2
6 2

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

From our problem definition, we have the following boundary conditions:

At x = 0 At x = L
vi = 0 vj
θzj
θzi = 0
Where v is the deflection (vertical) and θ is the slope at the respective locations.

Which will give the following 2 equations for the bending moment and the reaction force
at the fixed end of the beam (i):

6 EI z 2 EI z
Mi = 2
vj + θ zj
l l
(1-2)
12 EI z 6 EI
Fyi = 3
v j + 2 z θ zj
l l

Which can be written under the following matrix form: {K} {D} = {F} as follows:

12 6
l3 l2 v j   Fyi 
EI  = 
6 2 θ zj  M zi 
l2 l

Where {K} is the stiffness matrix for our beam deflection problem:

From our diagrams and figure above, we have the following data:

- Fyi = 4,500 lbs and;

- Mzi = 180,000 in. lbs
- E = 29 X 106 psi
- I = bh3/12 = (1) (2)3 / 12 = .667 in.3

What we are looking for here is the value of vj, solving the matrices above using the
Gauss elimination method for vj gives a maximum displacement of 4.95 in.

Do you remember how to solve matrices?

44
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Let’s bring back those bad memories:

We have from equation (1-2):

 EI12 EI 6 
 3 4,500  Line 1
 l l2 
 EI 6 EI 2 
 2 180,000  Line 2
 l l 

We need to bring the matrix to a form as follows:

1 A1 C1 
 
0 1 C2 

So let’s perform the following operations on the matrix:

- Divide line 1 by EI12 / l3 and;

- Divide line 2 by EI6 / l2.

Which gives the following matrix:

 l3 
1 l/2 375 
 EI 
 l 2 
1 l/3 30,000 
 EI 

Let’s now subtract line 1 from line 2.

 l3 
1 l/2 375 
 EI 
 l 2
l 3 
0 − l/6 30,000 - 375 
 EI EI 

45
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Finally, let’s divide line 2 by –l/6

 l3 
1 l/2 375 
 EI 
 l l2 
0 1 - 180000 + 4,500 
 EI EI 

Which gives the following solution, when all proper values are put in the matrix:

θzj = -.186 rd and

vj = 4.95 in.

Comparing the deflections:

FEA approximate solution Pro/Mechanica® solution Exact Solution (PL3 / 3EI)

4.95 in. .0129 (sec2) 4.96 in.

The above results do not concur. Well, the software ones anyway. What went wrong
here? Pro/Mechanica® actually gives a deflection value much smaller that the exact and
FEA approximation solutions. But the maximum Von Mises stress calculated by
Pro/Mechanica® was accurate?

The problem is with the system of units that Pro/Mechanica® uses. We need to multiply
the answer we got for deflection by the gravitational (386.4 in/sec2), so the final
Pro/Mechanica® solution answer will be 4.98 in.

Conclusion

Beam elements are fast and accurate elements. They are mainly used by analysis for
getting an idea of the big picture of an assembly of different cross-section. The frame rail
of a trailer for instance. They are also useful to get the shear and moment diagrams of
structures.

The modeling is fast (datum curves) and the beam assignment is also fast. Remember: If
it looks and smells like a beam, then use beam elements for the analysis. On the other
hand, you will not be able to study stress concentrations around holes for instance, shell
elements should then be used for this type of analysis.

46
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

Be careful with the units of displacement in the results given by Pro/Mechanica®,

multiply your answer by the gravitational constant in order to get to the units that you are
looking for (inches in this case).

Project 1

Problem Definition

Determine the location and magnitudes of the maximum VM stress and the maximum
displacement (in y) of the following application (diving board).

F= 250 lbs.
(8 X 1) in.2

Beam section
25 in.

50 in.

y
x
z

Notes and Hints:

Fixes the location in all 6 DOFs.

Fixes the y direction DOF and the rotation with respect to x axis.

Material: Use Aluminum 2024

47
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Results

Figure 3: Summary file results for project1

Figure 4: Von Mises Stress fringe plot for project1

48
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS – BEAM ELEMENTS

References

1. Toogood, Roger, Pro/Mechanica Structure Tutorial (release 2000i), SDC Publ.,

1999.
2. Adams, V., and Askenazi, A., Building Better Products with FEA, On word Press,
1999.
3. Mott, L.M., Applied Strength of Materials, Prentice-Hall, 1996.
4. Buchanan, G.R., Finite Element Analysis: Schaum’s Outline Series, McGraw-Hill,
1995.

End of Exercise

49
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

NOTES:

50
DESIGN PROCESS MANAGEMENT
USING PRO/INTRALINK
(Tutorials for Users)

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Professor
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Exercise 1

Introduction to Pro/INTRALINK®
(40 minutes)

Objectives

By the end of this exercise, the learner should be able to:

1. Start Pro/INTRALINK and the Applications Manager;
2. Select object(s) and retrieve information;
3. Generate reports in Pro/WORKSPACE (info, where used and BOM);
4. View and Customise the table displays;
5. Link Pro/ENGINEER with Pro/INTRALINK.

Introduction

The fundamentals of Pro/INTRALINK are straightforward providing you have some

Pro/ENGINEER knowledge and practice under your belt. In this exsercise, we will
introduce the user to the different configurations in Pro/WORKSPACE , and how objects
are manipulated within the workspace browser. Information, where used, relationship
and BOM reports will be generated and the user should be able to access those with ease.

The assembly that is used for the exercise is named M711-00003-01.ASM . It is made of
the following components:
- M711-00003-02.PRT (1)
- M711-00003-03.PRT (2)
- M711-00003-05.PRT (2)

Procedure

Introduction

To start Pro/INTRALINK, double click on the Pro/INTRALINK icon on your screen

(shortcut to prolink2). It takes about 30 seconds for the software to start.

The above procedure will start the application manager which will appear on the top left
corner of your screen as shown below.

10
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Each Pro/INTRALINK module is accessed from the applications manager.

Pro/ENGINEER will be started from this location in order to operate in linked mode with
Pro/INTRALINK.

To start a new workspace, select Start > Pro/WORKSPACE > New Workspace. The
following window will come up:

Concept design for

training course

Select Create New workspace and;

Enter name: M711-00003-01
Enter in Description box: Concept Design for training course.
Select OK.

A login window will come up similar to the one seen below, TYPE IN your user name
and password in the appropriate box.

Note:
1.User Name and P/W should have been handed by your INTRALINK
ADMINISRATOR. (If you don’t have a user name and password yet, please see the
instructor.)

11
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Select Login. A workspace window (empty) will come up on your screen. Minimize
this window for now.

Linking Pro/ENGINEER with Pro/INTRALINK

As mentioned previously, Pro/ENGINEER must be opened from the applications

manager in order to be linked with Pro/INTRALINK and be able to save objects directly
from the Pro/ENGINEER session into the Workspace created. From the Applications
Manager menu: Select Start > Pro/ENGINEER > 2000I (optional) > M711-00003-01.
For meeting all the exercise objectives, you need to add the following settings to your
config.pro file (temporarily).

(Ask the instructor or a colleague if you are not sure how to do this or alternatively load
the configuration file named config_i_link.pro located in the
C:/training/intralink_training/ex_1directory.)
Open the assembly M711-00003-01.ASM in the directory path:
C:/training/intralink_training/ex_1. The following assembly should open successfully:

Shade the assembly.

12
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Have a look and study the assembly for a minute. Note the number of parts used and
quantity for each using the model tree. Close the model tree when completed your
review. Select View > Default and Save the assembly.

STOP
Saving the assembly while Pro/ENGINEER in linked mode with Pro/INTRALINK
automatically creates objects in the pre-created workspace.

You will get a notification window that some ‘filebased attributes’ are not available.

What are filebased attributes?

They are attributes to which Pro/INTRALINK provides linked Pro/ENGINEER sessions

access by default. When working with instances or generic objects, you can only set
values for filebased attributes from within Pro/ENGINEER. For all other objects, you
can set filebased attributes either in Pro/INTRALINK or in Pro/ENGINEER. You can
change filebased attributes to nonfilebased, but you cannot change a non-filebased
attribute to a filebased attribute.To ensure that they are compatible with existing
information, the system defines attributes that were created in earlier Pro/INTRALINK
releases as filebased.

Close the window. Exit Pro/ENGINEER.

Restore the workspace window brought up earlier (Click on the green icon containing
the assembly name at the top of your screen. Click on the Refresh button and the
window should look as shown below.

Select All
Deselect All

13
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Have a look at the Pro/WORKSPACE window above (which should be the same as the
one on your screen); it contains several objects. Each object was created when you saved
the assembly in Pro/ENGINEER. The first object is the top level (assembly), followed by
the parts used in the assembly.

Object Selection

To select multiple objects that are consecutive, it is done the same way as in Microsoft
ExplorerTM. Select the first object, then press and hold the [shift] key then select the
last object that you want in the list. The system selects the group of objects that you
selected.

To select non-consecutive objects, select the first object, then hold down the [cntrl] key
and select all the other objects that you wish. To deselect an object, still hold the
[cntrl] key and select the object pre-selected.

To select all objects in a list, it is faster to use the select the green rectangular icon in
the lower right corner of the browser. To deselect all objects in a list, select the white
rectangular icon located in the same corner of the browser.

To set the revision of an object, it can be done in two ways, when objects are checked in
the commonspace and in the workspace as follows:

Select All objects using the green icon. Then select Objects > Set Revision. Fill out the
window as seen below:

14
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Select Relationship Display and the following box should appear:

STOP
From the box above, it is important to understand that objects can be related in
Pro/INTRALINK in a number of ways. Two objects may be part of the same design
configuration, or may be different versions of the same model.

The scope of the related objects that are affected can be selected. The configuration box
above will determine the dependencies between objects. In this box:
All: means that all related objects will be affected by the action.
Required: related objects required for Pro/ENGINEER regeneration.
None: No related objects.

You also can include drawings and instances in the regeneration of the objects, by
checking off the appropriate boxes.

Make the appropriate selections as seen in the Choose dependencies box then Select OK
> OK. Hit the Refresh button to activate the revision column in the workspace.
Minimize the workspace.

Setting up Local Preferences

To set up user local preferences for configurations, you need to start Pro/PREFERENCE
from the applications manager. Select Start > Pro/PREFERENCE for the preference
dialogu box to appear:

Click on the configurations tab for the following box to appear. Make the following
selections:

15
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

• Select Local;
• Others as seen below:

What we are doing here is setting up local user preferences so when a related action is
performed, such as revision changes, relationships don’t have to be set every time.

Select Apply > OK.

Restore the workspace. With all the objects still selected (hilighted in green). Select
Objects > Set Folder. Make sure all items are selected and Click on the … button at the
bottom of the box (gray area) to select the folders as shown in the dialogu box below.

16
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Select OK > OK. Hit the Refresh button on the workspace. For better visualizing the
workspace attributes information, change the width of the columns in order to see all
information provided.

Reports that can be generated in the workspace

Reports are an integral part of the workspace and are usefull to the user in knowing ‘what
is going on’ with the objects in the used workspace.

Info Reports

Using the left mouse button, select the assembly M711-00003-01.asm. The system
highlights the selected object in green. To generate a report for this part, select the info
icon. An info box will come up.

Note: The image in the info box comes from the bitmap file saved.
You can review the information; select the close icon on the report window when
completed.

From the workspace window, Select the following parts: M711-00003-02.PRT and
M711-00003-05.PRT. Select Reports > object info from the pull down menu. Review
the information in each of the report windows shown and close them when completed.

Where Used Report

Select the part M711-00003-03.prt. Select Reports > where used from the pull down
menu. The following window will appear: (Do not close the window yet)

From the where used report above, select the assembly, then select Reports > bill of
materials. Review the BOM report. When completed, close both the BOM and the
Where Used Report windows. Minimize the window.

17
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

To set up user local preferences for configurations, you need to start Pro/PREFERENCE
from the applications manager. Select Start > Pro/PREFERENCE for the preference
dialogue box to appear. Go to the reports tab to get the following window.

We won’t perform any changes to that window for now. Select Cancel.

Customized table display

An important application of Pro/I to help organizing objects within the spaces (work and
common) is the Table Configuration Editor. It is used to create or modify table displays
for your configurations settings while you work in Pro/WORKSPACE .

To activate the table configuration editor, select Choose Display > Configure display
from the pull down menu. The following window will appear:

18
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Make yourself familiar with the table configuration editor above. The right side of the
Table Configuration Editor dialog box contains three tabbed pages. Click on the
following tabs of the box:

1. Column Display Tab: Use to define what columns appear in a table.

2. Sort Objects Tab: Use to define how objects in the table are sorted by row.

3. Filter Objects tab: Use to define under what conditions objects are displayed in a
table.

The information from the three tabbed pages is combined into one table display setting. A
list of saved table display settings is displayed on the left side of the Table Configuration
Editor dialog box. This is the same list that appears in the Table Display drop down list in
the browser. When you select a table display from the list of saved table displays, the
information for that display appears on the tabbed pages.

In the table configuation editor, select the column display tab to display the sytem and
user-defined attributes. The sytem lists the currently diplayed attributes on the right in
the Displayed column list.

Add the version attribute to the display. Select Version > >> .

Change the column order for the Version attribute by selecting version from the
Displayed columns list. Choose up until you positioned it below the revision attribute.

To add a user defined attribute to the display columns list select Material > >> .

Select the Sort Objects tab. Use the [Ctrl] key to select the attributes Release level and
Type.

Select >>. The system sorts both attributes in ascending order.

Save this display by selecting Save as from the table display name area, enter [my
training projects] as the name for this display configuration, and then select Apply >
OK.

Select a new display configuration by basing it on the default one. Select the Default

19
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

display and then choose save As.

Enter [no bitmap] as the name. Select Apply > OK

Choose the column display tab. Select ? from the display columns list, then choose
remove (<<).

Add the File size attribute to the display columns list, then add the user-defined attribute
of Material so the final displayed columns should look as seen below.

Filter out the bitmaps by selecting the Filter objects tab.

Select Attributes > Type Name from the drop-down list
Select != from the operator drop down list.
Select value and enter [Bmp]
Select Add.

The system will now filter out all objects with Type Name of Bmp. The correctly
configured filter should read: !match (Value("Type Name"), quote "Bmp" )

Note : Brackets do not appear on the filter window.

Select (Save > Apply > OK). Change windows to display the workspace.

20
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Select My training projects from the table Display drop down list.

The system then updates the workspace table display. To specify a configuration
without bitmaps, select no bitmap from the drop down list. The system should now
remove all bitmap files (.bmp) from the table display.

In the workspace browser, select M711-00003-01.ASM. Select Reports > Relationship

(pull down menu). Note the display configuration that the system uses for this report
type. Select the Set Display icon.

Add the Stream and Row number attributes to the displayed Columns list. Reposition it
up the list to just below the type. Save the display table as the default. (Select Default
from the Table Display name then Save). Select OK. You can view the changes of the
report by selecting the close icon.

From the workspace, select the part M711-00003-05.PRT. Select Object > View from
the pull down menu. Pro/ENGINEER will start and you will be able to see the part.
Close Pro/ENGINEER.

We will delete all the work that you have done in this exercise. It will only be a memory!
Delete the workspace by selecting workspace > delete.

Note: (It is actually good work management practice to delete the workspace, once you
are finished with it.)

21
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Select the workspace M711-00003-01 as shown above. Select OK.

The following message box will come up:

Select OK. Exit the Applications Manager. Select Start > Exit > OK.

End of Exercise. Good Job!

22
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

GOOD PRACTICES WITH PRO/INTRALINK

As it is the case with Pro/ENGINEER, good practices are in order when using
Pro/INTRALINK. We will introduce recommended good practices at the end of each
exercise which will apply to the knowledge just covered. You should review these
regularly until you become familiar with its contents.

1. Creating and deleting a WorkSpace

You should always create a WS when you are:

• Conducting a Engineering Change;

• Making the drawing of a part;
• Investigating an assembly for future use in another project;
• Modifying the object attributes for a specific set of objects;

It is also good practice to delete the workspace when you are finished with it. (This
deceases the amount of storage space)

Pro/ENGINEER usage

It is also good practice to always use Pro/ENGINEER in linked mode when you save
parts.

Commitment is Rule #1

Remember that you must commit to Pro/INTRALINK as a user and as a group of user
once you start using it in order to be successful with it and make use of its advantages.

23
Applications in Sheet Metal
Using Pro/ENGINEER and
Pro/SHEETMETAL
A Step-by-Step Tutorial for Designing Pro/SHEETMETAL
Parts, Assemblies and Drawings
Release 2001

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

www.schroff.com
Project 2 Create a Box Container

Project Objective

Redesign an electrical box to decrease assembly time. Consolidate three assembled parts
in to a single formed part.

Design Intent

The design intent is to reduce

the number of parts that
configures the customer’s
electrical box. You are
presented with the current box
configuration. The box
consists of 3 parts:
• C-shaped plate
• Left flat plate
• Right flat plate
The flat plates are welded at
each end to the C-shaped plate,
(Figure 2-1). The design Figure 2-1 Current Design Situation
challenge is to reduce three
parts into 1 flat sheetmetal part
that can be formed into a 3D box, (Figure 2-2).

Figure 2-2 Flatten Sheetmetal Part and

Formed Box
2-2 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Types of Wall Features

In this project, you will utilize three different Wall features:

• Extruded Wall
• Flat Wall
• Extended Wall
The Extruded Wall feature is a sketched 2D profile with an offset wall thickness. Bend
angles are sketched as a fillet radius in the 2D profile. Note: Similar to Pro/E Thin Wall
Protrusion.
The Flat Wall feature is a sketched boundary in a 2D plane (flat) at a specified bend
angle. Note: Similar to Pro/E Extrude Protrusion. The Extended Wall feature creates an
extension of a wall surface to another wall surface, usually at a corner.

New Sheetmetal Part

Create a new sheetmetal part. Select File, New, Part. Select Sheetmetal under the
SUB-TYPE menu. Enter partname MYBOX in the name window. Select OK.

File>New>Part>Sheetmetal>[Enter partname MYBOX]>OK

The default datum planes, FRONT, TOP and RIGHT are displayed.

Base Feature –Extruded Wall

The Base feature is the foundation of the part. The Base feature is an Extruded Wall
feature sketched utilizing a simple “C” profile. The box consists of two locating tabs
with holes. The holes are used to mount an electrical assembly. The outside dimensions
are critical. The box is used as a sub-component in an assembly.
Create the Base feature. Select Create Unattached Extruded Wall from the Sheetmetal
toolbar.

[Expand the toolbar]>Create Unattached Extruded Wall

Locating the center of the holes on the RIGHT datum plane saves time
during future assembly. Create the “C” profile symmetrical on either
side of the RIGHT plane. Select the Both Sides option from the
ATTRIBUTES menu, (Figure 2-3a). Select Done.
Figure 2-3a
ATTRIBUTES
Both Sides|Done
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2-3

The Sketch Plane contains: 2D geometry profile, dimensions and alignments. The
Reference Plane orients the viewing direction of the Sketch Plane inside Sketcher. Select
RIGHT as the Sketch Plane. The view direction arrow points to the left. Select Okay
from the DIRECTION menu. The yellow square in Sketcher mode represents the RIGHT
plane. Select Top from the SKET VIEW (Sketch View) menu. Select TOP as the
Reference Plane. In Sketcher mode, the yellow line represents the top side of the TOP
plane.

SeupNew|Plane|[Select Sketch Plane: RIGHT]>Okay>

Top|[Select Sketch View Reference Plane: TOP]

Create the Sketch

The 2D section for the feature is created in Sketcher
mode. Sketcher mode includes dimensions and geometry
relationships. The References are F2(TOP) and
F3(FRONT), (Figure 2-3b). The “C” profile and it’s
dimensions are aligned to these planes.
Sketch the “C” shaped profile. Select Line. The bottom
line is collinear with the TOP plane. The endpoints are
coincident with the FRONT plane, (Figure 2-3c).
Figure 2-3b
References
Sketch>Line>[Sketch the C-Shape]
FRONT

The dimension of the “C” profile is 3” x 2” x

2.5” with a thickness of 0.1”. Modify the
dimension values. Click the Select icon from
the Sketch toolbar. Double-click the vertical
dimension value. Enter 3 for the vertical Sketch Plane
dimension. Double-click the horizontal RIGHT
dimension value. The text turns red. Enter 2.

Select
[Double-click the vertical dimension value.
Enter 3]>
[Double-click the horizontal dimension value. TOP
Enter 2]>

Note: You must click the green checkmark to Figure 2-3c

accept the value after every entry. Sketch
2-4 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Round the corners. Select Fillet. Select two lines in the bottom right corner.
Use the grid lines to create a 90° arc. The center point should be equally spaced between
the vertical and horizontal lines. Create a second arc fillet in the top corner. Modify the
arc. Click the Select icon. Double-click the arc dimension value. Enter 0.20.

Fillet [Select 2 lines]

Select>[Double-click the arc dimension value. Enter 0.20]

Wall Thickness
In the Sketch, material thickness is
added with the Thicken command. The
Thicken command is located in the
Sketch, Feature Tools menu. The
direction arrow points towards the inside
of the “C” profile. This is to address
material thickness. Create the wall
thickness to the inside of the profile.
Select Okay from the DIRECTION
menu. Enter material thickness, 0.10.
An offset profile is created as a dotted
line, (Figure 2-4a).

Sketch>Feature Tools>
Arrow Direction for
Thicken>Okay>[Enter 0.10] Thicken

Redefine the dimension scheme.

Represent the true design intent with
overall length and inside radii. Select
Dimension from the SKETCHER
toolbar. Select the inside dotted radius.
Place the new dimension with the Figure 2-4a 2D Profile for Extruded Wall
middle mouse button. Delete
conflicting older dimension. Re-dimension the inside radius for the second arc.

Modify the vertical dimension. Enter 3. Modify the horizontal dimension. Enter 2.
Modify the inside radii. Enter 0.10. Exit the Sketcher. Select Continue.

Dimension>[Select inside radius]

Modify>[Vertical dimension, Enter 3. Horizontal dimension, Enter 2. Radius, Enter 0.10]
Continue
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2-5

Note: System default is automatic regeneration. You must have a valid sketch before you
exit Sketcher!

Wall Depth
Specify the wall depth. Select
Blind, Done from the SPEC
TO menu. The feature is
constructed symmetrically
around the RIGHT datum
plane. Enter depth, 2.5.
View the feature. Select
Preview from the ELEMENT
DIALOG BOX.
View, Default, Shade from
the Main Tool Bar,
(Figure 2-4b). Commit the
feature to the database. Select
OK from the ELEMENT
DIALOG BOX. Save the
feature to disk. Select Save
from the Main Tool Bar.
Figure 2-4b Extruded First Wall Feature
Blind|Done>
[Enter 2.5]
Preview
View>Default
OK
Save
2-6 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Setup Fixed Surface

A Fixed surface is required when

applying the Unbend and Bend Back
features. Specify the fixed surface
during the Unbend/Bend Back
process. Select Setup from the
PART menu. Select Fixed Geom
(Geometry) from the SMT SETUP
(Sheetmetal) menu. Select Select
from the FIXED GEOM menu.
Select the white surface,
(Figure 2-5). The system highlights
the surface in red. Select Fixed Surface
Done\Return from the SMT SETUP (white)
menu.

Part>Setup>Fixed Geom>Select>
[Select white surface]>
Figure 2-5 Extrude Wall Feature
Done|Return

Unbend Feature

The Unbend feature represents the 3D part

in its 2D flatten state. Create an Unbend
feature before removing material at the
bends. This helps to alleviate part stress.
Select Create Unbend from the
Sheetmetal toolbar. Select Regular, Done
from the UNBEND OPTS menu. Select
Unbend All, Done from the UNBEND
SELECT menu, (Figure 2-6). Select
Preview, OK. Select Save.

Create Unbend
Regular|Done>Unbend All|Done
Preview>OK
Save

Figure 2-6 Unbend Feature

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2-7

Cut Feature

The Cut feature removes material.

When corners are formed, stress occurs.
Stress can cause a buckle or wrinkle
effect. The Cut feature is used to
address stress at the four corners.
Sketch Plane
for Cut
Note: Obtain dimensions for the Cut (white)_
feature from the standard tools available
from your sheetmetal manufacturing
partner. In this example, the Cut
feature dimensions are increased for
improved visualization.
Bottom Reference
Plane

Create the Solid Cut feature. Select

Insert Cut from the Main toolbar.
Select Extrude. Select One Side,
Figure 2-7a Unbend Feature, Sketch
Done.
Plane and Reference Plane for Cut
Select the top white surface of the Feature
Sketch Plane from the SETUP PLANE
menu. The red direction arrow points down. Select Okay from the DIRECTION menu.
Select Bottom from the SKET VIEW (Sketch) menu, (Figure 2-7a). Select the thin right
surface to face the bottom, as the horizontal reference for sketching. The system places
you in Sketcher.

Insert Cut>Extrude>OneSide|Done
SetupNew|Plane|[Select Sketch Plane: top white surface]>Okay>
Bottom[Select Sketch View Reference Plane: thin right surface]

Enlarge the area around the bottom of the A-1

axis. Select Zoom In from the Main Tool
Bar, (Figure 2-7b).

First cut
Zoom In centered on
Axis A-1

Figure 2-7b Sketch View for First

Cut
2-8 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Select the References. Select the A-1 axis as the

vertical alignment reference. Select the thin bottom
edge as the horizontal reference, (Figure 2-7c).
Sketch the profile, (Figure 2-7d). Select Line. Sketch a
vertical line. Select Arc, Tangent End. Create a 180°
arc. The Intent Manager temporarily produces a red
dashed line at 180°. Select Line. Sketch a line. Line 1
and Line 2 are equal and vertical.

Modify the dimensions. Click Select. Double-click the

vertical dimension value. Enter 0.30. Double-click the
Figure 2-7c References
arc dimension value. Enter 0.25. Select Continue.

Arc Tangent Ends, 180°

Vertical and Horizontal Alignment

References

Bend Radius from Extruded

Wall Feature
Figure 2-7d Sketched Profile for Cut

References>[Select A1-Axis. Select bottom horizontal edge]

Line>[Sketch vertical line]
Arc>[Sketch Tangent arc]
Line>[Sketch vertical line]
Select>[Double-click the vertical text. Enter 0.30. Double-click the arc text. Enter 0.25]]
Continue

Select Flip|Okay for Cut direction. The direction arrow points towards the center of the
Cut. Select Thru All, Done from the SPEC TO menu. Select Okay from the
DIRECTION menu.
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2-9

View the newly created Cut. Select Preview

from the ELEMENT DIALOG BOX.
View Cut 1. Select View, Default from the
Main Tool Bar.
Insert the new feature into the database,
(Figure 2-8). Select OK from the ELEMENT
DIALOG BOX. Save to disk. Select Save from
the Main Tool Bar.

Flip|Okay>Thru All|Done
Figure 2-8 First Cut Feature
Okay
Preview>View>Default>OK
Save

Note: All Corner Cuts are of equal size. This is to save design and manufacturing time.
Utilize the Copy and Copy Mirror features to perform Cut 2, Cut 3 and Cut 4. The
relief Corner Cuts are enlarged for improved clarity.
2 - 10 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Copy Feature

Utilize the Copy feature to create Cut 2. Use the same placement plane and Reference
Planes as Cut 1. The new Reference axis is A2.
Create the Copy feature. Select Feature, Copy. Select New Refs, Select, Dependent,
Done from the COPY FEATURE menu. Select Cut 1. Select Done from the SELECT
FEAT menu. Select Done from the GP VAR DIMS menu to accept the same reference
dimensions from Cut 1.
• Select Same from the WHICH REF menu to accept the sketching plane reference.
• Select Same from the WHICH REF menu to accept the horizontal sketcher reference.
• Select Alternate from the WHICH REF menu. Select a new axis reference. Select
A-2 axis, (Figure 2-9a). The Flip the red direction arrow to point upward.
• Select Done from the GRP PLACE menu (Figure 2-9b). Cut 2 is located.

Feature>Copy>NewRefs|Select|Dependent|Done>[Select Cut1]|Done>Done>
Same for sketching plane>
Same horz sketcher >
Alternate axis A-2>Flip|Okay
Done

Axis A-2 for new reference

Figure 2-9a Axis A-2 Reference for Second Hole

Cut 2 Cut 1

Figure 2-9b Cut 2, Using the Copy Feature

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 11

Copy Mirror Feature

The Copy Mirror feature creates the ability to mirror features around a datum plane.
Create the Copy Mirror feature. Select Copy from the FEATURE menu. Select
Mirror, Select, Dependent, Done from the COPY FEATURE menu. Select Cut 1 and
Cut 2. Both Cuts turn red. Select Done Sel from the GET SELECT menu. Select Done
from the SELECT FEAT menu. Select the RIGHT plane as the mirror plane,
(Figure 2-10).
The Copy Mirror feature creates and displays Cut 3 and Cut 4, (Figure 2-11).

Feature>Create>Copy>Mirror>Select>Dependent>Done
[Select Cut 1 and Cut 2]>Done Sel>Done
Plane>[Select mirror plane: RIGHT]

Cut 3 and Cut 4

Cut 1 and Cut 2

Mirror Plane RIGHT

Figure 2-10 Copy Mirror Feature Figure 2-11 Cut 3 and Cut 4
2 - 12 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Bend Back Feature

Create the Bend Back feature. Select

Create Bend Back from the Sheetmetal
toolbar. Select Regular, Done from the
BEND OPTS menu. Select Bend Back
All from the BEND BACK SEL,
(Select) menu.
View the feature. Select Preview.
Select OK, (Figure 2-12). Save to disk.
Select Save from the Main Tool Bar.
Note: You created the Fixed Surface in
the SETUP menu. Select Done.

Create Bend Back

Figure 2-12 Bend Back Feature to View 4
Regular|Done>Bend Back All|Done Cuts in Their Folded Position
Preview>OK>Save

Flat Wall Feature

The Flat Wall feature is a wall:

• Created planar to an existing surface
• Created at a specified bend angle
The Flat Wall feature requires a sketched open boundary in a 2D plane which is attached
to an existing wall.

Attachment Edge and Intent Manager

The Attachment Edge is a line on an existing wall, where a new wall is connected. The
new wall is attached to a green or white edge. The two endpoints of the Attachment
Edge are diplayed with an X symbol in Sketcher. The system aligns the new sketched
endpoints to the attachment edge endpoints.
The Intent Manager is used for alignments with existing wall geometry. The alignments
are expicitely stated to avoid confusion between the design intent and the system’s
assumptions.
Note: Verify that the alignments support the design intent.
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 13

No Radius\Use Radius
In the Flat Wall feature, there are two
selections in the Sheetmetal toolbar: Create Flat Wall No Radius
• No Radius
Create Flat Wall Use Radius
• Use Radius
The No Radius option creates a new wall, planar to the adjacent wall. A profile is
sketched, (Figure 2-13).
The Use Radius option creates a new wall, in which a bend radius is added. A profile is
sketched on a datum plane, through a bend angle, and attached to an edge of the existing
wall, (Figure 2-14).

Figure 2-13

Flat Wall, No
Radius
Option

Figure 2-14
Flat Wall, Use
Radius Option,
90° Bend
2 - 14 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Inside\Outside Radius Side

In the Flat Wall feature, there are two selections in the Outside
RADIUS SIDE menu: (Figure 2-15). Radius
• Inside Rad (RADIUS) Inside
Radius
• Outside Rad (RADIUS)
There is a green and white side to a bend. There is an Figure 2-15 Inside and
inside and outside radius to a bend. Construct the bend Outside Radius
either by selecting the Inside or Outside Radius Side
Option, (Figure 2-16).

Outside Rad
Option

Inside Rad
Option

Figure 2-16 Outside and Inside Radius Side Option

Relief Options
The Relief Options decreases stress in a wall with a bend. There are five types of stress
relief options:

• No Relief
• Stretch Relief
• Rip Relief
• Rectangular Relief
• Obround Relief

The No Relief option does not provide stress relief in a wall with a bend.
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 15

The Stretch Relief option decreases stress in a wall with a bend. The material is
stretched where the bend crosses an edge of the fixed material. The Stretch Relief
option requires a stretch relief angle and width of stretch.
The Rip Relief option decreases stress in a bend. The option performs this function by
cutting the fixed material normal to the bend line. A rip is a cut of zero thickness. Apply
Rip Relief to both sides of the bend, (Figure 2-17a).

Angle
Rip Relief

Distance

Figure 2-17a Rip Relief and Stretch Relief

The Rectangular (Rect) Relief and Obround (ObRnd) Relief options decreases stress
in a bend. These options perform this function by cutting material away in the shape of a
rectangle or obround respectfully, (Figure 2-17b).

Rectangular Relief
Obround Relief

Figure 2-17b Rectangular Relief and Obround Relief

2 - 16 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Flat Wall Feature – Use Radius Option- Right Side

The Flat Wall feature with the Use Radius option creates a wall attached to the Base
feature. The Use Radius option creates a bend at the attachment edge with a user
specified bend angle and direction.
Create the Flat Wall feature with the Use Radius option. Create the right vertical wall.
Select Create Flat Wall Use Radius from the Sheetmetal toolbar.
Select Part Bend Tbl, Done/Return from the USE TABLE menu. Table 2 is the default
Part Bend Table for Steel and Aluminum. There are three Part Bend Tables included
with Pro/SHEETMETAL. Create your own Part Bend
Tables for different materials.
Inside
White
Edge
Select Inside Rad (RADIUS), Done/Return from the
RADIUS SIDE menu. Select Add from the FEATURE
REF menu.
Select the inside vertical white edge, (Figure 2-18a).

Figure 2-18a Attachment

Edge
Specify bend angle and direction. Select 90 from the
DEF BEND ANGLE menu. Select the Flip check box
so the yellow 90° angle symbol points out of the screen, (Figure
2-18b). Select Done. Select Flip|Okay from the DIRECTION
menu. The direction view arrow points to the left. Use this
direction to view the Sketching Plane.

Create Flat Wall Use Radius Figure 2-18b

Part Bend Tbl|Done/Return>Inside Rad>Done/Return Bend Angle
Add [Select inside right vertical white edge]> 90|Flip|Done
Flip|Okay[direction arrow points to the left]
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 17

The system places you in Sketcher. There are two attachment points labeled with Xs.
Turn the Grid off to provide improve visibility of the X symbols. The attachment points
are aligned automatically as the Reference Vertex Edge, (Figure 2-18c).
Create additional alignment references. Select the three inside walls. Select the FRONT
plane. Select the horizontal edge of Cut1 and Cut2.

Do not reference to the

bend lines

References

Figure 2-18c
Reference for Flat Wall Feature-Right Side

Grid off
References>[Select three inside walls. Select FRONT. Select horizontal Cut1 and Cut2]
2 - 18 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Sketch the profile. Select Line. Sketch the 2D profile with 5 line segments,
(Figure 2-19). The first and last sketched points are aligned to the attachment edge. The
sketched vertical lines are collinear to the inside wall edges. The sketched horizontal line
is aligned to the FRONT datum plane. Select Continue.

Sketch>Line[Sketch the 2D profile, 5 line segments]

Continue

Attachment edge Bend Radius

CUT1

FRONT

Figure 2-19 Sketch Profile for Right Wall

Note: Do not align the sketched points to the extruded wall bend radius. Align the sketch
in the default view to select the correct geometry. If an incorrect bend radius is chosen,
the feature will fail due to thickness.
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 19

Address the stress relief for the bend with

Cut 1 and Cut 2. Select NoRelief, Done from
the RELIEF menu. Select Thickness from
the SEL RADIUS menu.
View the feature. Select Preview. Select
OK, (Figure 2-20).

No Relief|Done
Thickness
Preview>OK
Figure 2-20 Flat Wall Feature
Save
Right Side

Select Zoom in to enlarge the bend, (Figure 2-21).

Zoom in

Figure 2-21 Corner View

2 - 20 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Flat Wall Feature – Use Radius Option - Left Side

The Flat Wall feature with the Use Radius option creates a wall attached to the Base
feature. The Use Radius option creates a bend at the attachment edge with a user
specified bend angle and direction.
Create the left vertical wall. The attachment edge is the inside left white vertical edge,
(Figure 2-22).
Flip the 90° direction symbol, so that the new wall direction is created out of the screen.
The view direction arrow points to the right.
Sketch the profile, (Figure 2-19). Select No Relief.
Inside white
Select Thickness. Select Preview, (Figure 2-23). edge

Create Flat Wall Use Radius

Part Bend Tbl|Done/Return>Inside
Rad>Done/Return
Add [Select inside left white vertical edge]> 90| FLIP|
Done
Flip|Okay[Direction arrow points to the right]
References>
[Sketch the Profile] Figure 2-22 Attachment
Continue Edge, Inside Left White Edge
No Relief|Done
Thickness
Preview>OK>Save
Save
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 21

Flat Wall - No Radius Option - Right Side

The Flat Wall with the No Radius option creates a

planar wall attached to the right side of the box. There
are no bends.
Create the Flat Wall with the No Radius option.
Select Create Flat Wall No Radius from the
Sheetmetal toolbar. Select Part Bend Tbl from the
USE TABLE menu. Select Done. Green
vertical
Select Add from the FEATURE REFs menu. Select edge
the green vertical edge to attach the new wall,
(Figure 2-24). View the Sketching plane. Accept the
direction arrow. The direction arrow points to the left.
Select Okay from the DIRECTION menu. Figure 2-24 Attachment Edge

Create Flat Wall No Radius

Part Bend Tbl|Done
Add [Select right green vertical edge]>Okay

The system places you in Sketcher. Two attachment points are labeled with an X.
Sketch the flat wall profile. Create a reference with the FRONT plane. Dimension the
two corner angles, and the vertical height of the wall. Modify the dimensions. The
profile is automatically aligned to the two end points, (Figure 2-25).

Reference FRONT

Figure 2-25 Sketch for Flat Wall – No Radius

2 - 22 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

View the feature. Select Preview. Accept the

feature, (Figure 2-26). Select OK. Select Save.

References>
[Sketch the Profile]
Continue
Preview>OK
Save

Figure 2-26 Flat Wall – No

Flat Wall with No Radius - Left Side Radius Right Side

The Flat Wall with No Radius option, Left Side is

similar to the Right Side. Create the Flat Wall with
No Radius. Select Create Flat Wall No Radius
from the Sheetmetal toolbar. The attachment edge is
the outside left green vertical edge, (Figure 2-27a).
Sketch the same profile as the right side,
(Figure 2-27b).
Green Vertical
Outside Edge
Create Flat Wall No Radius
Part Bend Tbl|Done
Add [Select left green vertical edge]
Okay Figure 2-27a Left Attachment
Sketch the profile Edge
Save time. Use the alignments from the previous Flat Wall to sketch the profile with no
dimensions.

Figure 2-27b Sketch Using Alignments

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 23

View the feature. Select Preview, (Figure 2-28).

Preview>OK>Save

Unbend\Bend Back Feature

The Unbend, Bend Back feature is used to ensure that

you can flatten the part correctly.
Create the Unbend feature. Select Create Unbend.
Select Regular, Done. Select Unbend All, Done.
The Unbend feature creates a flat pattern,
(Figure 2-29). Figure 2-28 Flat
Wall – No Radius
Create the Bend Back feature. Select Create Bend Left Side
Back Select Bend Back All, Done.
Avoid unnecessary features in the Model Tree. Delete the Unbend and Bend Back
features after the flat pattern is viewed.

Create Unbend
Regular|Done> Unbend All|Done

Create Bend Back

Bend Back All|Done
Feature>Delete>[Select the last Unbend and Bend Back features from the Model Tree]

Figure 2-29 Unbend Feature

2 - 24 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Flat Wall with Use Radius and Rip Relief – Top

The two tabs with locating holes are created using the
Flat Wall feature with the Use Radius and Rip Relief
options. Each wall is attached to the horizontal inside
edges.
Create the Flat Wall with the Use Radius and Rip
Relief options. Select Create Flat Wall Use Radius.
Select Part Bend Tbl., Done from the USE TABLE
menu. Select Inside Rad, Done from the RADIUS Inside White
SIDE menu. Select Add from the FEATURE REFs Edge
(Reference) menu. Figure 2-30
Select the inside top white edge as the attachment Attachment Edge
edge, (Figure 2-30).

Specify bend angle and direction. Select 90, Done from the DEF BEND ANGLE menu.
The 90° symbol points in a vertical up direction to the bend. Select Okay from the
DIRECTION menu. The direction view arrow points into the screen. Create the
References, Sketch and Dimension, (Figure 2-31).

Specify the Relief Type. Select w/Relief from the RELIEF TYPE menu. Select Rip
Relief, Done at both endpoints.
Select Thickness from the SEL RADIUS menu. This provides the material rip distance
equal to the thickness of the wall.

References

Figure 2-31 Sketch for Top Tab

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 25

Select Preview, OK, (Figure 2-32). Select

View, Default. Select Save.

Create Flat Wall Use Radius

Part Bend Tbl|Done/Return>Inside
Rad>Done/Return
Add [Select inside top white vertical edge]>
90|Done
Okay
References>
Figure 2-32 Top Tab
[Sketch the Profile]
Continue
w/Relief|Done>Rip Relief|Done >Rip
Relief|Done>
Thickness
Preview>OK>Save

Flat Wall with Use Radius and Rip Relief – Bottom

The Flat Wall with Use Radius and Rip Relief - Bottom side is similar to the top side.
The attachment edge is the inside bottom white horizontal edge, (Figure 2-33). The
direction view arrow points inward.

Create Flat Wall Use Radius

Part Bend Tbl|Done/Return>Inside Rad>Done/Return
Add [Select inside bottom white vertical edge]> 90|Done
Okay
References>
[Sketch the Profile]
Continue
w/Relief|Done>Rip Relief|Done >Rip Relief|Done>
Thickness
Preview>OK
Save
2 - 26 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Unbend\Bend Back Feature

The Unbend feature followed by the

Bend Back feature is used to ensure that
the part is flatten correctly. Create the
Unbend feature. View the material in
its flatten state, (Figure 2-34). Create
the Bend Back feature to return the part
to its original state.

Create Unbend
Regular|Done> Unbend All|Done

Create Bend Back

Bend Back All|Done
Feature>Delete>[Select the last Unbend
and Bend Back features from the Model
Tree] Figure 2-34 Unbend Feature with Top
Preview>OK>Save and Bottom Tabs Flattened

Note: Avoid unnecessary features in the Model Tree. Delete the Unbend and Bend
Back features after you are finished viewing the flat pattern.

Extended Walls

The Extended Wall feature creates Surface to

an extension of a wall surface to Extent to
another wall.
Create an Extended Wall feature.

Select Create Extended Wall

from the Sheetmetal Toolbar. Select
the right outside green edge, (Figure
2-35). Wall Edge to
Extend
Select UpToPlane, Plane from the
SETUP PLANE menu. Select the
top green surface as the Reference
Plane to the wall.

Figure 2-35 Wall to Extend

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 27

The thin right surface is extended to the top

surface, (Figure 2-36).

Create Extended Wall

[Select the right outside green edge]
UpToPlane|Plane>
[Select the top green surface]
Preview>Ok>Save

Create the Extend Wall for the top left outside

green edge, the bottom left outside green edge Figure 2-36 Enlarged
and the bottom right outside green edge. Extended Wall Result

Create Extended Wall

[Repeat for each edge]

Rounds
Rounds are solid features that remove sharp edges. Complete the Top and Bottom tabs.
Use the Solid Round feature to create a smooth surface. Combine Solid features with
Sheetmetal features during the part design process.
Create the Round. Select Insert, Round. Select Simple, Done, from the ROUND
TYPE menu. Select Full Round, Edge Pair, Done from the RND SET ATTR (Round
Set Attributes) menu. Select the small right edge. Select the small left edge, (Figure 2-
37). The sharp edges are removed and replaced by a full round, (Figure 2-38).
For Top Tab:

Select 2
Small Edges
for Full
Round

Select 2 Small
Edges for Full
Round

Figure 2-37 Edges to Select for Figure 2-38 Full Round Results to Top
Full Round and Bottom Tabs
2 - 28 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Insert>Round>Simple|Done> Full Round|Edge Pair| Done>

[Select right edge. Select left edge.]

For Bottom Tab:

Insert>Round>Simple|Done>Full Round|Edge Pair| Done>

[Select right edge. Select left edge.]
Save

Create Locating Holes

The Hole feature is a solid feature that removes material. The part that you are creating
has two locating holes. The holes are to be used to mount an electrical assembly. To
conserve time, place the center point of a locating hole on the RIGHT datum plane.
Create the Hole. Select Insert, Hole. The Hole feature dialog box is displayed, (Figure
2-39).

Figure 2-39 Hole Entries

Enter 0.20 for Diameter. Select Thru All for Depth One.
Select the front white surface on the upper tab as the Primary Reference placement plane
for Hole 1.
Select RIGHT as Linear Reference 1. Enter 0 as the offset distance from RIGHT. The
hole is centered on the datum plane.

Select the horizontal edge of the bend as Linear Reference 2. Enter 0.25 as the vertical
distance from the horizontal edge, (Figure 2-40a).
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 29

The hole is located centered on the RIGHT datum plane and through the top tab,

Reference 2

Reference 1
RIGHT

Primary
Reference
Plane

Figure 2-40a Hole 1 Placement Plane Figure 2-40b Hole 1 Result

and References
(Figure 2-40b).

Insert Hole
[Enter diameter, 0.20]>Thru All
[Select Primary Reference, flat white surface]
[Select RIGHT as Linear Reference 1]>[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0]
[Select the horizontal edge as Linear Reference 2]>[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0.25]
One Side|Done>Thru All|Done
[Enter 0.20]
Preview>OK>
Save
2 - 30 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Copy Feature

The geometry of the locating holes are the same. Create the locating hole on the bottom
tab using the COPY feature. Select Feature, Copy, New Refs, Dependent, Done.
Do not required to check Dim1, Dim2 or Dim3 since the dimension values for Hole 1 are
the same as Hole 2. Select Done from the GP VAR DIMS (Group Variable) menu.
Select the front surface on the bottom tab as the placement plane, (Figure 2-41).
Select the horizontal bottom tab line as an Alternate reference. Select SAME for the
RIGHT plane vertical reference. Select the front surface for location of Hole. Select
Done from the GRP PLACE menu. The locating holes are complete, (Figure 2-42).

Placement
Plane

Figure 2-41 Hole 2 Placement Plane Figure 2-42 Locating Holes Result

Feature>Copy>NewRefs|Dependent|Done
Done
[Placement plane: Select front surface]>
[Horizontal Reference: Alternate|[Select horizontal bottom line]
[Vertical Reference(RIGHT): Same]
[Hole location: [Select front surface]]>Done
Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 31

Create A Pattern of Holes

A Pattern feature creates parametric multiple instances of a single feature. This feature
is called the leader feature. Create the leader feature.
Increment the leader feature’s dimensions. The Pattern feature’s parameters that can be
modified include:
• Distances between instances
• Number of instances
• leader feature
In this project, the Hole feature is the leader feature. The Pattern feature creates six
instances of holes, 3 rows by 2 columns. The number of holes is modified from six to
eight. The leader feature’s diameter is modified resulting in eight updated instances.
Note: When patterns are created, the results may not meet your expectations. Do not use
Delete to remove the Pattern feature. Delete will remove the leader feature. Instead,
use Delete Pattern.

Create the Leader Feature

Select Primary
Reference, green
Create a linear hole on the right
surface as the leader feature for the
Pattern feature. Select the right
green surface as the Primary
Reference placement plane. Select
TOP and FRONT as Linear
Reference 1 and Linear Reference 2 Select
FRONT
respectively, (Figure 2-43a). Select TOP
Enter 0.4 Enter 0.5

Figure 2-43a Leader Feature

Placement and References
2 - 32 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Enter a distance of 0.50 for Linear Reference 1. Enter a distance of 0.40 for Linear
Reference 2, (Figure 2-43b).
Enter a diameter of 0.25. The Thru All option allows the hole to go through both the
right and left wall.

Insert>Hole
[Enter diameter, 0.25]>Thru All
[Select Primary Reference, green surface]
[Select TOP as Reference 1]>[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0.50]
[Select FRONT as Reference 2]>[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0.40]

Figure 2-43b Pattern Dimensions

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 33

Create the Pattern Feature

Create a pattern with 6 instances, 3 rows by 2 columns. A two-direction pattern needs to
be defined.
Building flexibility in two directions allows you to address future modifications. Modify
the overall size of an array by selecting the row and column parameter values. For
example, create a 4 x 1 array. Select the 3 row value. Enter 4. Select the 2 column
value. Enter 1.
Create the Pattern. Select Edit, Pattern. For the leader, select the Hole feature. Select
Identical, Done from the PAT OPTIONS (Pattern options) menu. The Identical option
is the fastest pattern feature for regeneration. Multiple instances contain the same
geometry as the leader feature. Each hole is the same.
Use the Varying or General option from the PAT OPTIONS menu to incrementally
change the size of the holes as you create multiple instance.

Edit>Pattern>[Select Hole]>Identical|Done

The pattern uses the vertical 0.50 and the horizontal 0.40 reference dimensions of the
leader feature.

For vertical direction (Number of rows):

Select 0.50 as the pattern dimension in the first direction. Enter an incremental value of
0.625, the vertical distance between the holes. Select Done. Enter 3 for the number of
instances.
For the horizontal direction (Number of columns):
Select 0.40 as the pattern dimension in the second direction. Enter an incremental value
of 0.75, the horizontal distance between holes, (Figure 2-44). Select Done. Enter 2 for
the number on instances. Select Done.

Figure 2-44 Pattern Dimensions

2 - 34 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

[First Direction: Select 0.50]>[Enter an incremental value of 0.625]|Done

[Number of instances including original, Enter 3]

[Second Direction: Select 0.40]>[Enter an incremental value of 0.75]|Done

[Number of instances including original, Enter 2]|Done

Modify the Pattern Feature

Modify the Pattern. Select Modify. Select Pattern feature. Select 3 HOLES. Enter
new parameter 4. Select Regenerate to view the eight holes in the pattern.
Select Modify. Select the leader feature, HOLE, (Figure 2-45a). Select diameter 0.25.
For design consistency, all holes are of the same dimensions. Enter new value 0.20.
Select Regenerate to view the eight holes with a new diameter, (Figure 2-45b). Select
Save.

Modify>[Select Pattern]>[Select 3 HOLES, Enter 4]

Regenerate
Modify>[Select HOLE]> Select 0.25, Enter .20]
Regenerate
Save

Figure 2-45a Leader Feature Figure 2-45b Box Project Complete

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 35

Unbend\Bend Back Feature

The Unbend feature is used to ensure that
the final version of the part can be flatten
correctly, (Figure 2-46). Create the Bend
Back feature. Avoid unnecessary features
in the Model Tree. Delete the Unbend and
Bend Back features.

Create Unbend
Regular|Done> Unbend All|Done

Create Bend Back

Bend Back All|Done
Feature>Delete>[Select the last Unbend
and Bend Back features from the Model Figure 2-46 Final Unbend Feature
Tree]

Customer Drawing

The electrical box drawing is created. You feel good and are ready to go home for the
night. The phone rings. Guess who? The customer requires reference dimensions for
the electrical box, tonight. The dimension in question is the vertical distance between the
2 tab holes. You agree to determine the vertical dimension, and fax a copy of the
drawing, (Figure2-47). Create the drawing view on a B size format.
If you need assistance, review the Drawing Section in Project 1.
The Dimension between the two holes was not generated in Part mode. Create a vertical
dimension in Detail mode. Select Insert, Dimension, New References from the Main
menu.
Select Center, from the ATTACH TYPE menu. Select the top circle and bottom circle.
Click the middle mouse button to place the dimension on the drawing. Select Vertical
from the DIM ORIENT (Orientation) menu. Select Done Sel, Done Return from the
LIN ORD menu.

Insert>Dimension>New References
Center>
[Select the top circle. Select the bottom circle. Click the middle mouse button to place the
dimension text]
Vertical>Done Sel>Done/Return
2 - 36 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Create the other key dimensions required by the customer. Save the drawing.

Figure 2-47 Key Customer Dimensions

Try a few examples. Let’s go!

Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER 2 - 37

Questions:

1. What is the difference between an Extruded Wall feature and a Flat Wall feature?
2. In a Flat Wall feature, what is the difference between the Use Radius and No Radius
Options?
3. How do you change the dimensioning scheme of an arc when utilizing the
FeatureTools, Thicken option?
4. Why is a fixed surface necessary?
5. How can the Cut feature be used to reduce stress in a sheetmetal cabinet or box?
6. How can you determine the attachment edge for a Flat Wall feature in Sketcher?
7. What are the stress relief options in creating a bend?
8. How do you extend a flat wall?
9. How do you ensure that the mounting holes align with other components in an
assembly?
2 - 38 Applications in Sheet Metal Using Pro/ENGINEER

Additional Exercises

Create the sheetmetal parts and drawings. Start each bracket with the Extruded Wall feature. Use the
Flat Wall w/ Radius feature to add perpendicular walls. Approximate the dimensions. Concentrate on the
Extruded Wall and Flat Wall features. Use Bend/Unbend features to test your model.

2-1 2-2

2-3

2-4 Two brackets

shown mirrored,
create one
Mechanical Engineering Design with
Pro/ENGINEER Release 2000i2

Dr. Mark Archibald


PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
 CHAPTER 2
BASIC FEATURE CREATION AND MODEL
MANIPULATION

Chapter Objectives:

• To teach students basic feature creation techniques.

• To teach students the importance of model

structure.

• To teach students to manipulate and save model

views.

2-1
The Pro/E Interface

The Main Window

Pro/E uses a graphical user interface that combines menus, toolbars, and windows to provide an
efficient working environment. The active model appears in the graphics area of the main
window (Fig 1).

Figure 1 Main Window

The header bar at the top of this window displays the model type and name, and indicates that
the model is active. (Active models display ***** before and after the model name.)

Figure 2 Header bar

The figure shows the header bar for a Pro/E part model named bracket2. The stars indicate that
this window is active.

The menu bar, containing non-model specific menus, lies just below the header bar.

Figure 3 Menu Bar

2-2
Following is a brief description of the menu bar options. Most of these menus are treated
extensively in later chapters.

File File commands, such as set working directory, save, open, create new
object, erase from RAM, delete either old versions or all versions of a file.

Note 1: When Pro/E saves a file, it does not overwrite the previously
saved version, but creates a new file with an incremented version number,
such as frame.prt.4 . Old versions of model files must be deleted, or
purged, periodically to prevent excessive numbers of files on disk.

Note 2: When a window is closed (see window menu), the model remains
in memory. To remove it from memory, use the erase command (be sure
to save the file first!)

Edit Modify, redefine, or manipulate pre-selected features of the model.

View Access image viewing commands such as repaint screen, shade image,
model orientation, model colors and lights.

Datum Create datum features, such as planes, axes, points and coordinate systems.

Sketch Access sketcher tools such as lines, arcs, move, text, etc. These
commands are only available in sketcher mode.

Analysis Analyze the model and obtain measurements such as distance between
entities, lengths and areas; curvature, etc.

Info Access model information commands, such as bills of material, model or

feature information, parent-child relations, etc.

Applications Select other applications, such a Pro/MECHANICA, Pro/SHEETMETAL,

or Pro/NCPOST.

Utilities Set environmental variables, modify configuration options, set system

colors, etc.

Window Activate, close or select a window. (Note that Pro/E can have multiple
windows open at any time, but only one will be active. In order to work on
a model, its window must be activated from this menu.)

Help Activate on-line help, either general or context-sensitive.

2-3
A toolbar, with icons for frequently-used commands, follows the menu bar. It contains icons of
frequently used commands, such as create new object, save model, open model, repaint screen,
orient model, and blank datums, axes, points or coordinate systems. The toolbar is easily
customized to contain icons for most Pro/E commands. Toolbars can also be placed on the right
or left side of the main graphics window.

Figure 4 Top Toolbar

The main graphics area contains the Pro/E model, and is where most of the modeling work
occurs. A message area is located just above the graphics area. Important information and
prompts are provided in this area.

Important: Always check the message area to avoid missing important information.

A one-line help area appears on the bottom line of the window. When the cursor is placed over
a menu item or icon, a succinct description of the command is provided here.

When a model is opened or created, additional menus appear that are specific to the type of
model. These menus will be discussed in the exercises. Most menus have multiple levels, which
usually remain open as you move down the menu tree.

Model Tree

An additional window, called the Model Tree (Fig 2), also opens when a
model is activated or created. The model tree displays the hierarchy of
the model. For part models, features are listed in order, along with an
icon indicating the feature class (solid feature, datum feature, or surface.)
(By default, only components are shown for assembly models, although
assembly and part features can be easily shown on the tree.) Additional
columns can be added for more information. For example, it is often
useful to see feature IDs. The model tree is a "roadmap" for your model.
Good designers quickly learn to use the model tree frequently and
effectively. Figure 5 Model Tree

Usually, model features can be selected from either the model tree or the model itself. Also, if
the highlight option is activated (it is by default), the model feature is highlighted when the
cursor is placed over a feature on the model tree. This is very useful for identification of features
in complex models.

When Pro/E is started, an additional window may appear at the top of the screen. This window is
called the application manager, and is used to navigate between various applications and
windows. It contains a button for each open window. To pop a window to the foreground,
simply click on its button. When ending your work session, first exit Pro/E, then exit the
application manager.

2-4
 Figure 6 Application Manager

Pro/E model views can be manipulated with the mouse easier than from the view menu. Mouse
view control -- zoom, spin, and pan -- is accomplished by pressing the control key while
simultaneously pressing one of the mouse keys and dragging.

Mouse View Control

Zoom Press Ctrl and the left mouse key while dragging right or left.

For a window zoom, press Ctrl and left click the mouse on opposite
corners of the zoom box.

Spin Press Ctrl and center mouse key while dragging.

Pan Press Ctrl and right mouse key while dragging.

Good Design Practice

Design Intent

To effectively use Pro/E as a design tool, designers must not only know and understand the
software functionality, they must also know how to build models that behave as desired during
modifications or downstream applications. This is known as capturing design intent, and is
extremely important for reducing design cycle time. Unlike many CAD programs, Pro/E requires
the designer to think beyond basic geometry. Most parts designed in Pro/E will be modified,
sometimes drastically. Most will also be used with other applications, such as
Pro/MECHANICA, NC machining, mold design, injection molding simulation,
stereolithography, etc. If the part model is poorly constructed, modifications will be difficult,
perhaps requiring that the part be completely remodeled. Also, much time may be required to
repair or remodel the part prior to using any of the downstream applications. Some of the prime
benefits of the Pro/E package can be nullified by poor modeling.

Throughout this book, emphasis is placed on capturing design intent. Examples and tutorials
show good modeling practice and illustrate how the design intent is realized. Emphasis is placed
on understanding the model and what it will be used for prior to modeling. The importance of
model structure, especially parent-child relationships, is treated extensively. The Pro/E student
should strive not just to understand how to obtain desired geometry, but how to obtain the
desired geometry with a robust model.

2-5
Good practice starts at the feature creation level, where parameters and parent-child relationships
are defined. The structure of the model -- as reflected in the model tree -- is the second tier in
developing good models. Building robust assemblies is the third tier. Attention, planning, and
foresight will ensure that good design practice is obtained at all three levels.

Model Structure

Understanding how to structure a model is the first step to good design practice. Pro/E models
are hierarchical. Each feature (except the base feature) references earlier features in the model.
When the model is changed in any way, features regenerate in sequence. If the model has
changed in such a way as to delete the references for a feature, the regeneration process will fail
when it gets to that feature. (What to do then is covered in Chapter 6.) Thus it is very important
to understand the relationships between model features. These are known as parent-child
relationships.

Pro/E models are also parametric. Model geometry is defined by a set of parameters. The two
most common ways to define parameters are dimensions and alignments. When a dimension is
defined, it becomes a parameter of the model. It is important to consider this when creating
geometry, as the model parameters define how the model will behave when modified.
Alignments indicate that new geometry should be aligned with existing features (essentially a
dimension that always has a value of zero.)

Every Pro/E model should start with default datum planes.

These are three orthogonal datum planes that provide references,
either directly or indirectly, for all subsequent features in the
model. Recall that datum planes are infinite planes and have both
a red and a yellow side. Datum planes provide excellent
references for other features, and frequently models will contain
many of them. However, the default datum planes are special, in
that they provide a three-dimensional anchor for the entire model.

The first feature in any model should be default datum planes.

Figure 7 Default Datum
Thought should be given to the order of subsequent features. Planes
Sometimes the order is obvious: to model a cylindrical shaft with
a keyway, create a cylindrical protrusion followed by a cut. Other times careful thought is
required to ensure a robust model results. In addition, there are usually many different ways to
obtain a particular geometry. Learn as many of these methods as possible, then select the ones
that will best capture the design intent.

As features are added, parent-child relationships are created. For example, when a hole is placed
in a flat plate, three references are required: the surface on which the hole is placed and two
edges or surfaces used to define the location of the hole on the placement surface. All three
references could be to a single feature -- the flat plate, or they could be to different features, say
the flat plate, a datum plane and the surface of a cut in the plate. In the former case, the hole

2-6
would have only one parent. In the latter case, the hole would have three parents. It is usually
good to minimize the number of parent-child relationships in the model. Thus the first method is
usually, but not always, the best. It is always important to know what you are using for
references during feature creation.

In short, a Pro/E model is comprised of an ordered set of features held together in a web of
dimensions, alignments, and references. The web defines the parent-child relationships between
features.

Data Base Management

Although model structure is the most important aspect of good design practice, data base
management is also important. The File menu contains most of the commands needed. Selected
commands are discussed here, along with some tips for good file management.

New Creates a new model. A dialog box opens with the type of model (part is the
default) and the name of the new model (Fig 3). Select the model type by
clicking on the appropriate button, and enter the new name. Note that only the
base name should be provided -- Pro/E will append the correct extension based
on the type of file. (For example, if the model is a part and bracket is entered,
the actual file name is bracket.prt.1.) There is also a button called copy from.
This loads an existing model into the new model (without affecting the old
model.) It is very useful if the new part is similar to an existing part. The
tutorials show how this feature is used to expedite model creation for all
models.

Open Opens an existing model. A dialog box appears showing file names of objects
in the current working directory. Click on the desired file and click the open
button. Note that the Type box permits files to be filtered by type, such as
part, assembly, manufacturing, etc. Icons provide shortcuts to navigate
through directories.

Working Sets the working directory. The working directory is the directory that Pro/E
Directory uses to look for files or to write new files (unless otherwise specified.) At the
start of each work session, set the working directory to ensure the files are read
and written correctly.

Erase Erases models from memory. When a window is closed, the model remains in
memory, or In Session. To clear memory, use the erase function. Two
options are available: Current or Not Displayed. Current will erase the
model in the active window from memory. Not Displayed brings up a dialog
box of all items in memory that are not displayed on the screen -- select all or
some for erasure. Note that files are NOT saved prior to erasing from
memory.

2-7
 Delete Deletes files from the hard drive. The two options are to delete All Versions
or delete Old Versions. The latter purges all versions of the file except the
most recent.

Save Save the current model to the hard drive. Note that you are prompted for the
object to save, which must exist in session (in memory.) The current model is
the default.

Other options include Save As (save model as a different object), Backup (save to a different
directory), and Rename (change the name of the model.)

Tips for good data management...

1. Create a new directory for each new project, with subdirectories as needed.
Pro/E can generate a large number of files and good project organization is
imperative.

2. Create subdirectories for each Mechanica analysis and each manufacturing

model.

3. Purge old versions frequently to prevent using excessive disk space. One
approach is to always purge prior to saving -- then you will always have
just one backup version. (Clearly, do not delete old versions if they are
needed for archives.)

4. Typing "purge" from a system window will delete old versions of all files
in the directory.

5. Remember that closing a window removes the model from the screen, but
does not erase it from memory or save it. To clear memory, use the Erase
command.

6. Always start Pro/E from the home directory, then use the working directory
command to change to the desired directory.

Pro/E Customization

There are many ways in which Pro/E can be customized. While some of these methods should
only be attempted by advanced users, many others are both important enough and simple enough
for the novice Pro/E user to use. The most important is the configuration file, typically called
config.pro. This file should reside in the same directory from which Pro/E is started (the home
directory.) It is an ASCII text file that contains configuration commands. When Pro/E is started,

2-8
it looks for this file, and automatically executes all the commands. This configures Pro/E for an
individual designer. The config.pro file can be modified during a session, but must be loaded
before changes take effect. The Edit Config and Load Config commands accomplish this (they
are found under Preferences on the Utilities menu.)

It is also quite simple to customize the toolbar. While the default toolbar is usually fine for
beginners, experienced Pro/E users may find that some additional commands are used very often.
It is convenient to place these commands as icons on the toolbar. In fact, several different
toolbars can be created, each with its own set of commands. To modify the toolbar, position the
cursor on the toolbar and press the right mouse button.

Pro/Help

This manual provides an introduction to Pro/E and is designed to get the student productive as
rapidly as possible. However, no tutorial or lab manual can include all the details of the many
Pro/E commands. Students should form the habit of using the on-line help to obtain more
information. On-line help, available through a web browser, is accessed in several ways. To
obtain access to all on-line manuals, use the Pro/HELP command on the Help menu. This
method permits browsing through any help manual desired. To obtain context-sensitive help on
a particular topic, use the What's This command on the Help menu. The cursor becomes a
question mark. Select a command from any menu, and the help screen for that topic appears.
Alternately, position the cursor over any command and press the right mouse button to bring up
context-sensitive help.

Develop the habit of using on-line help on a regular basis. This helps beginners master Pro/E
much more quickly.

Basic Feature Creation

A sound understanding of feature creation is crucial for effective modeling in Pro/E. Frequently
several feature types can be used to create the desired geometry. The designer must choose the
types that best capture his or her design intent. Then he or she must know the steps required to
create each feature.

This section presents an overview of four of the most fundamental solid features -- protrusions,
cuts, slots, and holes. (Solid features either add or remove solid "chunks" of material to the
model.) The intent is to familiarize the student with the nature of each type of feature so that
appropriate choices can be made regarding which to use for a particular task. The lab exercises
demonstrate implementation steps for each feature. Subsequent sections address additional
feature types, and are accompanied by appropriate lab exercises. A separate section describes
sketcher.

2-9
  Hint: Use context-sensitive online help to learn more details about each of the
following features.

Protrusions

A protrusion adds solid material to the model. Most protrusions are sketched features, meaning
that 2D geometry is first created using sketcher, and then swept through space in such a way as to
create a solid. There are several types of protrusions, depending on how the sketch is moved to
form the solid. A brief description of the protrusion menu picks:

Extrude The 2D sketch is moved in a straight line perpendicular to the sketch

plane. The resulting solid is prismatic.

Revolve The 2D sketch is rotated about an axis, through any desired angle. If the
angle is 360
, the resulting solid is axisymmetric.

Sweep The 2D sketch is moved along a 3D path called a trajectory. The resulting
solid may be complex, but will always have a constant cross-section.

Several 2D sketches are used, located on parallel planes separated by

Blend distances prescribed by the user. The resulting solid changes cross-
sectional shape as it goes from one sketch to the next. The cross sections
may have any shape, but must be comprised of the same number of
segments. The resulting geometry is often complex.

From Quilt The solid is generated from a surface quilt (several connected surfaces.)
This type of protrusion is not sketched, and will be discussed in Chapter
12.

Advanced Several advanced methods of creating protrusions are also available, such
as the Variable Section Sweep and the Swept Blend. These features are
quite powerful, but somewhat more complex than the basic protrusions.
Some of these will be treated in later chapters.

Cuts

A cut removes solid material from the model. This menu option is only available if the model
contains solid geometry. Cuts are created exactly like protrusions, except that where the
protrusion adds material, the cut removes material. The menu options are identical to those for
protrusions -- Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, Blend, From Quilt, and Advanced. Like protrusions,
most cuts are sketched features. Once the section has been sketched, Pro/E prompts the user for
the which side of the section (sketch) should be removed.

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Holes

Holes are pick-and-place features, meaning that they are not sketched. A hole always removes
material from the model, and always has a circular cross section. To create a hole, Pro/E only
needs to know on what surface the hole is to be placed, the location of the center of the hole on
the surface, the hole diameter, and the depth of the hole. Prompts are provided for all these
items.

There are three types of holes: Straight, Sketched and Standard. A straight hole is always
cylindrical in shape. A sketched hole is similar to a 360
revolved cut in that the axial cross
section can be sketched. Tapered holes and other non-cylindrical holes can be created more
easily with the sketched hole feature than with a revolved cut. Standard holes include
counterbores, countersinks, standard threads, and notes. This is an easy way to create tapped
holes complete with thread notes.

Sketcher and Intent Manager

Sketcher, along with an enhancement called Intent Manager, is used for creating most Pro/E
features. It is a powerful tool for generating 2D sections, which are subsequently used to
generate 3D geometry. Sections are the resulting 2D entities which are produced by sketcher.
Typically, sketcher is invoked within a feature creation sequence, such as a protrusion, cut, or
slot. (It can also be used independently to create and save sections for later use, but that
functionality is not discussed here.) Mastery of sketcher is essential for efficient and effective
use of Pro/E. Fortunately, it is easy and intuitive – and smart. This section provides a brief
overview of sketcher. Chapter 5 describes sketcher assumptions and use in much greater detail.

Sections are created by sketching a rough approximation of the desired geometry. Dimensions,
alignments, and sketcher assumptions refine the sketch. The values of each dimension can then
be modified to obtain the exact desired geometry.

Sketcher automatically makes assumptions as the sketch is created. The Intent Manager
automatically places “weak” dimensions and alignments. If a user understands how sketcher and
intent manager work, he or she can usually ensure that most of the automatic dimensions,
alignments, and assumptions are correct. (Those that are not correct can easily be changed,
however.) This is the key to using sketcher effectively.

In order to create solid geometry, a section must be located with respect to the part. This is done
by first defining a sketching plane, then by aligning or dimensioning the section to the part. The
sketch plane is defined prior to entering sketcher mode. It can be either a datum plane or a flat
surface. The section is sketched on this plane. A point or an edge of a sketch can be forced to
always lie directly on an existing part entity, such as a datum plane, edge, side, or curve. This is
called alignment, and is one way to locate the section to the part within the sketch plane.
Alternatively, dimensions can be placed between the sketch and part entities. In either case,
sufficient alignments and dimensions must be provided to locate the section in both the vertical
and horizontal directions.

2-11
Intent manager automatically creates alignments and dimensions. However, intent manager must
know what references should be used to do this. A dialog box presents default references. In
most cases, the default choices should be accepted. Sometimes a user needs to specify additional
references or replace default references. A sketch can not be started until sufficient references are
selected. Choosing references is important! Choosing correct references will ensure that desired
alignments and most dimensions are obtained automatically. This affects not only the current
section, but also parent/child relationships within the model. Some guidelines for choosing
references:

Any and all part entities to be aligned to the sketch must be selected.

Part entities to be used for dimensioning should be selected.

Choose references to obtain desired parent/child relationships. For example, choose

references that all belong to one feature to minimize the number of parents.

Sketching can begin once references are defined. Sketches consist of lines, arcs, circles, points,
and several advanced entities such as splines. Geometry types are selected either from the
sketcher toolbar or from a pop-up menu activated by the right mouse button. Note that entities
snap to the references. Also, lines that are nearly vertical or horizontal snap to vertical or
horizontal respectively, and symbols V or H appear. These are two of the assumptions that
sketcher makes. (If you want a line at a very small angle from the horizontal, sketch it at a large
angle, and modify the angle value later.) Other assumptions are described below. As each
segment of the sketch is completed, dimensions appear in white.

 Note: Do not confuse a dimension (a parameter in the Pro/E model) with its value. It
is very important to create the correct dimension scheme, but values can be
changed very easily – within sketcher or later, in part mode.

These are “weak” dimensions, because they were created by the Intent Manager. Frequently
some of these need to be replaced with more desirable dimensions. Desirable dimensions can be
strengthened – that is, the user tells Pro/E that these dimensions should not be deleted. “Strong”
dimensions are shown in yellow. New dimensions can then be created. As they are created,
weak dimensions are removed. User-created dimensions are always “strong.” If a new
dimension conflicts with an existing strong dimension, Pro/E asks which dimension should be
deleted.

Understanding assumptions is important for effective sketcher use. Typically, assumptions are
obvious during a sketch because the pointer snap to the appropriate entity and a symbol for the
assumption appears. Sketcher assumptions are summarized in the following table:

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 Assumption Description Sym.

Equal radius Circles or arcs sketched with approximately equal R

radii are assumed to have exactly the same radii. (index)
The radius snaps to the assumed value.

Symmetry Entities approximately symmetric about a sketched 

centerline are assumed to be symmetric. Vertices
snap to symmetric positions.

Horizontal & Nearly horizontal or vertical lines are assumed to H or V

vertical lines be so. Lines snap to horizontal or vertical. (index)

Parallel or Lines nearly parallel or perpendicular to existing
or 

Perpendicular lines are assumed parallel or perpendicular. Lines (index)
lines snap to parallel or perpendicular.

Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to each T

other are assumed tangent. Entities snap to (index)
tangency.

Equal segment Lines of approximately the same length are L

length assumed to have the same length. Line snaps to (index)
length.

Point entities Point entities that lie near other entities (lines, arcs, 
lying on other circles) are assumed to lie on them. Point snaps to
entities entity. (Note: point entities include end points of
lines and arcs and center points of arcs and circles.)

Equal Center points of arcs and circles with nearly the  or 

coordinates same X and Y coordinates are assumed to have the (pairs)
same coordinates. Centers snap to X or Y
coordinate.

Sketcher assumptions can be used very effectively during sketching to quickly obtain the desired
section. If an assumption needs to be avoided, exaggerate the sketch. For example, place two
circles that should lie near, but not on, the same horizontal line well away from each other. This
forces sketcher to place a dimension rather than make an assumption. The value of the
dimension can be modified later to any desired value (even zero, but that is poor practice!)

After the sketch is complete, the values of the dimensions must be modified, and the sketch
regenerated. Additions, deletions, and further modification may then take place.

2-13
Some rules of thumb for sketcher:

Choose references carefully in order to achieve desired alignments, dimensions, and

parent/child relationships.

Exaggerate the sketch – avoid very small entities and undesirable assumptions. Use
Modify to achieve the desired geometry.

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Exercise 2.1 Base

Objective: To introduce students to fundamental feature creation techniques, including extruded

protrusions, slots, and holes.

This exercise involves modeling the base part shown below. The best way to learn Pro/E
software is to dive right in and create a part model. That is exactly what this exercise involves.

 Note 1: Prior to starting this lesson, create a new directory called tutorial. (Do this in
a system window.)

 Note 2: Strive to complete the exercise as presented, however, explore the menus and
toolbar to become familiar with their functionality.

2-15
1. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory. Select File>Working Directory.

Select the tutorial directory to highlight it and select okay.

2. Create a new part named base. Select the Create New Object icon (blank
paper). (Or use File>New.)

• Note that the radio button for part is selected by default.

Create
• Also note that Use default template is selected. This ensures that the model New
starts with default datum planes, coordinate system, and saved views.

Enter the name base and select OK.

3. Create the base feature. Select Feature>Create>Protrusion.

Accept the defaults of Extrude and Solid. Select Done.

Accept the default of One Side. Select Done.

 Shortcut: The default menu selections are shown in bold. To accept them, simply click
the middle mouse key.

At the prompt to create a sketching plane pick on datum FRONT. (Note: To select a datum
plane pick either on the name tag or the border of the datum plane.) Accept the default
direction by selecting Okay.

For the second reference select Default.

The model now reorients and the References dialog box opens. Note
that datums RIGHT and TOP are selected by default. These are the
desired references, so no action is required. Select Close.

• Note that the selected references are indicated with brown dashed
lines in the main graphics window.

• Pro/E is now in sketcher mode. Note the sketcher toolbar on the

right. Figure 8 References

For this example, it is important to have the plate symmetric about datums RIGHT and TOP.
To ensure this symmetry, create two centerlines aligned to these datums.

2-16
Press the right mouse key to activate the pop-up menu. Select Centerline. (Alternately,
select the Line icon arrowhead, then select the Centerline icon.) Pick once on datum RIGHT
to begin the centerline. Note that this becomes a pivot point for the line. Drag the line so
that it aligns with datum RIGHT (a pair of small solid rectangles appear when aligned.) Pick
a second time on datum RIGHT. The first centerline is created. Repeat for the second
centerline, using datum TOP as the alignment reference.

Figure 9 Sketch of rectangular base feature.

Sketch a rectangle symmetric about the two centerlines. Select the Rectangle
icon. Use the
grid and pick two diagonal corners of a rectangle symmetric about the two
centerlines. Note that the rectangle snaps to symmetry. Also, small arrows at the Rectangle
vertices indicate the symmetry constraints. (Do not sketch a square!)

Dimensions for the width and height of the rectangle appear in white. These are called weak
dimensions (system-supplied dimensions.) The values for these dimensions may be quite
large at this point -- they must be modified.

Click the middle mouse key to cancel rectangles and

return to selection mode. Drag a selection box around the
sketched rectangle, being sure to include both
dimensions. Select the Modify icon. Modify
icon
Deselect the Regenerate box. Then enter 4 for the
vertical dimension and 6 for the horizontal dimension.
Select the OK icon. The sketch is now complete. Figure 10 Modify
Dialog Box
Select the OK icon from the toolbar.

2-17
 The depth of the solid rectangle must now be defined. From the SPEC TO menu, select
Blind>Done. Enter a value of .25.

To preview the base select Preview from the extrude dialog box. Press the control key while
dragging the mouse with the middle mouse key depressed to spin the model and view it from
different angles. Select OK from the PROTRUSION:Extrude dialog box. The protrusion is
now complete.

4. Create a cut in the protrusion. Select Feature>Create>Cut. Accept the defaults of

Extrude and Solid. Select Done.

Accept the default of One Side. Select Done.

Turn off datum plane display for clarity. Select the Datum Planes on/off icon
from the toolbar to toggle the display.

At the prompt to create a sketching plane pick on the front side of the base.
Ensure that the arrow points into the base. If so, select Okay. If not, select Flip Datum
and check that the arrow flips direction into the base, then select Okay. (The slot Planes
feature will begin on the sketching plane and extend into the direction shown by the arrow.
Clearly, in this case we want the slot to extend into the part, rather than out into empty
space.)

For the second reference select Top and then pick the top side of the part.

Figure 11 Orientation references for sketching the slot feature.

When the References dialog box opens, select both default references and delete them. Then
pick the bottom edge of the part and the right edge of the part.

2-18
 Figure 12 Sketcher references and the first line

Sketch a single line as shown in Fig 6 (do not worry about dimensions yet.) Select the Line
icon or use the right mouse key pop-up menu. Use a left pick to start and end the line, and
middle pick to terminate drawing lines. Note the H symbol, denoting a horizontal line.

Select the 3 Point/Tangent End arc icon and create the 180
arc by a left pick on
the end of the line followed by a left pick directly above the line end point. Note
the two small solid rectangles representing the 180
constraint. The pointer may
need to be moved left or right to capture the tangency constraint (denoted by a T.) Arc icon
A third left mouse click completes the arc.

Figure 13 Line and arc showing constraint symbols

(Horizontal, Tangent, and 180
arc.)

Repeat for the second arc. Be sure to look for the R1 symbol denoting equal radius with the
first arc.

Select the Line icon and sketch a second straight line. It should complete the loop.

2-19
 Figure 14 Completed sketch, prior to dimensioning.

Shortcuts  In sketcher, the middle mouse key cancels the current mode and returns to
selection mode.

 The right mouse key initiates a pop-up menu with common sketcher
commands.

The default dimension scheme is not what is desired, so create new dimensions
to replace the undesired ones. Select the Dimension icon. Pick the two center
marks (center of the arcs), place the pointer below the part and click the middle
mouse key to place the dimension. Dimension

Now select the center mark of the left arc and select the bottom edge of the part (or the
dashed brown line representing the reference.) Middle mouse pick to the left of the slot to
place the dimension. The remaining default dimensions are acceptable.

To move a dimension, first return to selection mode with a middle mouse click, then simply
drag it to the new position.

Add axis points at the centers of the arcs. Sketched axis points will become datum axes
when the slot feature is complete. From the menu bar, select Sketch>Axis Point.

Pick the center mark for each slot. A small x indicating the axis point is placed.

2-20
 Figure 15 Completed sketch of cut after modifying
dimensions and regenerating.

Modify the dimensions. Return to selection mode with a middle mouse click, then drag a
selection box around all four dimensions and select the Modify icon.

Pick the dimension from the right edge to the center and enter 1.75.
Pick the center-to-center dimension enter 2.5.
Pick the dimension from the bottom edge to the center mark and enter .75.
Pick the radius and enter .375.

Select the OK icon from the dialog box. The section is now complete. Select the OK icon
from the right toolbar.

For the direction, the arrow should point toward the inside of the cut. If it is correct, select
Okay, otherwise select Flip>Okay.

Figure 16 Correct arrow direction for cut feature.

The SPEC TO menu defines the depth of the slot. Select Thru All and Done.

2-21
 Select Preview to review the slot, then select Okay to accept it. Shading the part by
selecting the Shaded View icon may be helpful.

Note the model tree and how the features appear in the model tree.

5. Create four holes for mounting feet to the base. Select

Feature>Create>Solid>Hole. The HOLE dialog box
opens.

Verify that the Straight Hole dialog box is selected.

Diameter and depth parameters are defined in the Hole

Placement section. enter a diameter of 0.25. Use the pull-
down menu for Depth One, and select Thru All.

(Depth Two is only used for two-sided holes -- those that

extend in both directions from the placement plane.)

Placement references are selected in the Hole Placement

section. The Primary Reference is the surface where the
hole starts. Spin the model and select the top surface of Figure 17 Hole dialog box
the part approximately 3/4" from the corner.

Figure 18 References for hole placement.

Linear placement requires two references to provide dimensions locating the hole on the
placement surface. The two side surfaces forming the corner of the plate should be chosen.
Spin the model and use Query Select to pick the first of these surfaces. Accept it when the
entire surface highlights, not just a single edge.

 Recall: right mouse key initiates Query Select; left mouse key picks, right mouse key
goes to next entity, middle mouse key accepts.)

2-22
 Enter .75 for the distance from both references.

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon from the dialog box to complete the hole
feature.

Figure 19 The completed hole feature

6. Turn on datum plane display by selecting the Datum Planes on/off icon.

Mirror the hole to create dependent copies. Select

Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent and Done.

Select the hole (Query Select may be helpful.) Select Done Select and then Done.

The command line prompts for a plane or datum to mirror about. Query select datum
RIGHT. The second hole now appears.

Mirror both holes about datum TOP. Select Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent and

Done. Select both holes. Select Done Select and then Done.

The command line prompts for a plane or datum to mirror about. Select datum TOP. The
base should now have four holes.

• Selecting the Dependent option, all three of the copied holes have the same parameters as
the initial hole. Thus, if the hole is modified, say to change the diameter, all four holes
change together. Subsequent lessons will address Independent copies.

2-23
 Figure 20 Holes after using Copy>Mirror twice.

7. Save the part. From the toolbar, select the Save icon. Press Enter to accept the
default part name.

8. Review the model tree. From the PTC Application Manager window, select
Model Tree. The model tree window appears. Note the features on the tree:
Save icon
the three default datums and coordinate system included in the default template,
the base protrusion, the slot, the hole and the two mirror features (listed as Group
COPIED_GROUP.) Picking the + sign by either copy feature explodes the feature to show
the individual elements copied. Additional model tree functionality is discussed in later
lessons.

9. Explore the predefined model views. Select the Saved View List icon and select FRONT.
The model reorients to the front view. Try some of the other views.

10. Modify the hole diameters. From the PART menu (select Done to return to this menu)
select Modify.

Pick any one of the four holes. The two linear placement dimensions and the diameter
dimension appear. Pick the .25 diameter dimension and enter .1875. Select Regenerate.

All four holes change to the new diameter. Any model parameter can be easily changed in
this way. Note that our design intent – ensuring that the four holes remain the same
diameter and the same distances from their respective corners – is captured in this model.

11. Experiment with the icons on the toolbar. Try shaded image, hidden line, and no hidden
views. Blank the datum planes and axes.

2-24
 Figure 21 The completed part.

End Exercise 2.1

2-25
Chamfers and Rounds

Chamfers and rounds are also pick-and-place features. In Pro/E jargon, a round can be either
concave or convex, defined by the surfaces to which it is attached. Both chamfers and rounds
replace edges created where two surfaces meet. Individual edges and chains or loops of edges
can be selected. A chamfer can be specified by the depth from each edge, or by the depth of one
edge and an angle. Rounds can be either simple or advanced. Simple rounds have a constant
radius along their entire length. Advanced rounds provide much more functionality and
flexibility, but are more complex to create. Advanced rounds are treated in Chapter 7.

Cosmetic Thread

Cosmetic features do not affect model geometry, but may contain important model parameters.
A Cosmetic Thread feature is represented by a simplified thread symbol. It includes all
parameters required to define the thread (type, pitch, accuracy, depth, etc.) It is much more
efficient -- in terms of model size and regeneration time -- to model threads cosmetically, rather
than as a solid feature. Once a cosmetic thread is created, a thread symbol and thread note can be
easily shown on a drawing.

Info Menu

Pro/E can provide a wealth of information about a part or assembly model. Measurements of the
model can be made, mass properties computed, feature and parent/child information provided. A
brief overview of the more commonly used Info menu items is provided here. For more
information, use the on-line help.

Feature Provides list of references, parents, children, and dimensions of a

selected feature.

Provides a list of all features in the model, with feature number,

Feature List feature ID, type and status. This information can also be displayed on
the model tree.

Provides list of model units and feature information for ALL model
Model features. (Note: This option generates a LOT of information.)

Highlights or lists the parents and children of a selected feature. Can

Parent/Child also show references or provide information about
parents/children/references.

Regenerates the model feature by feature. This is useful for

Regen Info debugging models with problems.

2-26
Model Analysis Opens a dialog box with a variety of analysis options. The most often
used option is Mass Properties, which provides the mass, mass
moments of inertia, and CG of the model.

Measure Opens a dialog box taking measurements from the model. Options
include Curve Length, Distance, Area, and Diameter measurements,
among others.

Curve Analysis Opens a dialog box for analyzing curves. Includes Curvature, Radius,
and Tangency analyses, among others.

Surface Analysis Opens a dialog box for analyzing surfaces. Includes Gaussian
curvature, Porcupine Plots of curvature, and Reflection directions.

2-27
Exercise 2.2 Adapter

Objective: To provide practice in basic feature creation techniques including introducion to

features such as revolved protrusions, chamfers, rounds, and cosmetic threads.

Figure 22 Adapter drawing

1. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory if it is not already selected.

2. Create a new part named adapter. From the toolbar select the create new object icon. Enter
the name adapter and select OK.

3. Create the base feature using revolved protrusion. Select Feature>Create>Protrusion

Select Revolve|Solid and Done. (Solid should already be selected by default.)

Accept the default One Side and select Done.

2-28
For the sketch plane pick the FRONT datum and accept the default direction by selecting
Okay.

For the second reference, select Top and pick on the TOP datum.

Figure 23 Sketch for revolved protrusion feature

The model reorients and Pro/E enters sketcher mode. Accept the default references: the TOP
datum and the RIGHT datum.

• Revolved protrusions require a centerline to define the axis of revolution. Create a

centerline and align it to the TOP datum.

Expand the Line icon and select the Centerline icon. (Or use the pop-up menu.) Pick
somewhere on datum TOP. A centerline appears. Pick a second time on datum TOP to snap
into alignment with the datum. Note that two bars appear to indicate alignment.

Expand the Line icon again and select the Geometry icon. (Or select Line from the pop-up
menu.)

Create a sketch that looks like the figure shown. Note that the cursor snaps to the references
as you bring it near. Left mouse picks define each vertex. A middle mouse pick ends the
line. For revolved solid protrusions, the section must be closed. Be sure to sketch a line
along the centerline to close the sketch.

The default dimensions that appeared are not the dimensions we want. Select the
Dimension icon.

To create a diametral dimension, pick the object on which the dimension is to be placed, then
pick on the centerline, then again on the first object. Place the dimension with the middle
mouse key.

2-29
 Place a diametral dimension on the large end of the section. Pick the edge parallel to the
TOP datum, then pick the centerline and finally pick a second time on the edge you selected
first. Place the dimension by moving the cursor to the right of the sketch, and clicking the
middle mouse key. A diametral dimension should appear.

Repeat the procedure for the smaller diameter section on the left side of the part.

Add a dimension for the overall length. Pick the right edge of the sketch and then the far left
edge. Place the dimension above the part with the middle mouse button.

Add a dimension for the length of the right end (the larger diameter end.) Pick on the edge
and then place the dimension above the line with the middle mouse key. (Only one initial
pick is required for dimensioning line segments.)

All dimensions are now defined. To modify these dimensions to the the desired values, drag
a selection rectangle around the entire sketch. Select the Modify icon. Check the box marked
Lock Scale, and change the right (large) end diametral dimension to 2. This rescales the
entire sketch. Deselect Lock scale.

Change the remaining dimensions, entering the values shown in the figure. Select the OK
icon to close the dialog box.

Select the OK icon from the toolbar to complete the sketch.

The protrusion is to be swept through a full 360
. From the Rev To menu select 360 and
Done.

The message window prompts that all elements have been defined. Select Preview from the
dialog box to view the finished feature prior to accepting it. Select Okay if all is correct.

4. Create a one inch diameter axial hole on the large end of the part. Select Create>Hole. The
hole dialog box appears.

Enter a diameter of 1.0 and a depth of 2.0.

For the placement plane, pick the large end surface of the part. From the Placement Type
pull-down menu, select Coaxial. This will place the hole coaxial with axis A1.

Select axis A1 by picking on the axis. Preview the hole and select the Build Feature and
Repeat icon. The hole is created and the dialog box reappears.

5. Create a datum plane to be used in Step 6. Select the Create Datum Plane icon from the right
toolbar. Select Tangent, and pick the large cylindrical surface of the part. Select Parallel
and pick datum TOP. Select Done. Note the new datum plane, named DTM1.

2-30
 • Note that this datum could also be created during the process of creating the hole feature.
Datum features may be created any time -- even during creation of another feature.

6. Create a transverse hole to be used for a ¼-20 threads per inch set screw.

Accept the default Straight Hole.

The correct tap drill size for a 1/4-20 UNC thread is a number 7 drill, which is .201 in
diameter. Enter .201 for the hole diameter. Select the Thru Next for the depth one.

Pick the new datum plane for the primary reference. When prompted for the location, pick a
point near datum FRONT and about 1 inch from the large diameter end.

For the first linear reference, pick the large end surface of the part. Enter a value of 1.

For the second reference, pick the datum FRONT. Using query select will help ensure that
you get the correct surface. The prompt asked if you wish align the feature to the reference.
Select Yes to align it.

Figure 24 Transverse hole picks

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon.

7. Rename the new datum plane. From the Feature menu, select Done. Select Setup>Name.
Pick on DTM1.

At the prompt Enter new DATUM NAME enter hole_start_pln. Note the name change in
the graphics window and the model tree.

8. Create the sled-runner keyway as an extruded cut. Select

Feature>Create>Cut>Extrude|Solid|Done.

2-31
The cut will be sketched on datum FRONT, and extruded in both directions. Select Both
Sides and Done.

For the sketching plane, pick the FRONT datum. Accept the default direction by selecting
Okay.

For the second reference, select Top and pick the TOP datum. The model reorients and Pro/E
enters sketcher mode.

Figure 25 Sketch for keyway (cut feature)

Delete the default references. For references, pick the top edge of the small-diameter end of
the part and the edge on the left end of the part. These references are important -- they will
ensure that the section is correctly aligned to the part. Use query select and read the
command line prompt if there is any doubt.

Sketch a line and tangent arc as in the figure. Note that the cursor snaps to the references as
you bring it near. Circles at the beginning of the line and the end of the arc indicate
alignment.

One dimension needs to be replaced -- the keyway depth. The remaining dimensions are
acceptable. Select the Dimension icon and pick the sketched line and the bottom edge of the
part. Place the dimension to the left of the part with the middle mouse key.

2-32
 Modify the dimensions. Drag a selection box around all three dimensions and select the
Modify icon. Enter correct values as shown in the figure.

The sketch is complete -- select the OK icon.

The direction arrow should point upward, toward the material to be removed. Select Okay.

From the Spec To menu, select Blind. Enter a depth of .1875.

(Note that for two-sided features, the Blind option prompts for a single depth which is
symmetric about the sketching plane. If different depths on each side of the sketching plane
are desired, use the 2Side Blind option.)

Select Preview from the dialog box to view the finished feature prior to accepting it. Spin
and shade the model to get a better view of the cut. Select Okay if all is correct.

9. Create a round where the shaft protrudes from the large diameter end. Select

Feature>Create>Solid|Round>Simple|Done

Accept the defaults of Constant and Edge Chain, and select Done

Accept the default Tangent Chain, and pick the edge where the small diameter shaft meets
the large diameter adapter. Select Done.

Enter a radius of .125.

Select Preview to view the round. If it is correct, select Okay.

Figure 26 Round and first chamfer picks

2-33
10. Create chamfers on the end of the small diameter shaft and the edge of the large hole. Select
Create>Solid>Chamfer>Edge>45 x d.

Enter a chamfer dimension of .03 .

First, pick the edges of the small diameter shaft. Note that two arc segments must be picked
in order to select the entire edge. (Pro/E breaks all circles into 180
arcs.)

Next, pick the two edges of the hole on the large diameter end.

Select Rehighlight to verify that all edges are selected.

Select Done Sel and Done Refs.

Select Preview to review the chamfers. If they are correct, select Okay.

11. Create chamfers on each end of the large diameter section of the part. Select
Create>Solid>Chamfer>Edge>45 x d

Enter a chamfer dimension of .05 .

For the edges to chamfer, pick the (four) edges of the large diameter segment of the adapter.
Select Rehighlight to verify that both ends are selected. Select Done Sel and Done Refs.

Select Preview to review the chamfers. If they are correct, select Okay.

Figure 27 Second chamfer picks

12. Create a cosmetic thread for the setscrew hole. Recall that the setscrew has a ¼-20 UNC
thread. Select Feature>Create>Cosmetic>Thread.

2-34
 The COSMETIC THREAD dialog box appears. For the thread surface, pick the inner
cylindrical surface of the small transverse hole. Use query select to ensure the correct
surface is selected.

Pick the outer cylindrical surface of large protrusion for the thread start surface.

The direction arrow appears. It should point into the hole. If so, select Okay, otherwise
select Flip and Okay.

For the thread depth, select Up To Surface and Done

Pick the inner cylindrical surface of large coaxial hole.

Enter a diameter of .25. (Note: This diameter is the diameter of the thread symbol. For
internal threads, such as in this case, it should be the major diameter of the thread. For
external threads, it should be the root diameter.)

The FEAT PARAM menu appears. The thread parameters (which will appear on a drawing
as a thread note) are defined in this step. Select Mod Params. Pro/TABLE, Pro/E’s
spreadsheet, appears. To use Pro/TABLE, pick on the field to be edited and enter the
desired text. For many entries, keywords are available by pressing the F4 key.

Complete the table as shown in the figure. To use keywords to change the Metric field,
select the TRUE field, press F4, and select FALSE and Okay from the dialog box.

MAJOR_DIAMETER .25
THREADS_PER_INCH 20
FORM UNC
CLASS 2
PLACEMENT B
METRIC FALSE

When the parameters are correct, select File>Exit from the Pro/TABLE menu. Select
Done/Return.

The thread is defined. Select Okay from the dialog box. The thread symbol appears.

13. The adapter model is complete. Save the model by selecting the Save icon (or selecting
File>Save.)

14. To remove the model from the memory, select File>Erase>Current. When Erase Confirm
box appears, select Yes.

2-35
 Note: If the Window>Close command were used, the window would disappear from the
screen, but the model would remain in memory. The Erase command is the only way to
purge the model from memory

Figure 28 The Adapter part

End Exercise 2.2

2-36
Parent/child Relationships

The importance of parent/child relationships is stressed throughout this manual. The ability to
capture design intent, and the robustness of a model (with respect to both modifications and
downstream applications) depend on building good parent/child relationships into a model. The
Parent/Child option under the Info menu is used to investigate feature references, parents, and
children. The options under the Parent/Child menu are:

Parents Shows all features that are parents of the selected feature. Options are:

File Lists parent information to an information window, which may be saved if

desired.

Highlight Highlights each parent of the selected feature on the screen.

Children Shows all features that are children of the selected feature. Options are the
same as for Parents.

References Shows each reference for the selected feature. References are highlighted one
at a time. The SHOW REF menu appears with the following options:

Next Highlights the next reference.

Previous Highlights the previous reference.

Info Opens an information window with complete information about

each reference.

Child Ref Shows each feature that references the selected feature, and highlights the
specific reference. Options are the same as for References.

Following are a few guidelines for managing parent/child relationships. Subsequent chapters
address these issues in more detail.

1. Know specifically each reference for every feature created. (Using query select is the best way
to ensure the correct references are selected.)

2. Know the consequences of selecting a particular reference. (This is addressed in many examples
in this manual.)

3. Minimize the number of parents for a given feature. This often makes a more robust model, and
helps to minimize regeneration problems.

4. Use the Global Reference Viewer to see references (Chapter 8.)

2-37
The Feature Menu

Features comprise the heart and core of Pro/E part models. Model development is done, for the
most part, using the Feature menu. Some options on this menu are familiar from previous
exercises. An introduction to all of the options is required to fully understand Pro/E model
modification and structure. A brief description of each menu option is provided here. Many of
these options are discussed in detail later in this manual. As always, refer to the on-line help for
more information. The Feature menu options are:

Create Create new features in the current model. New features are added to the
model at the bottom of the current model tree.

Pattern Make multiple copies of a feature. The Pattern feature is a very powerful and
flexible way to make many copies of a feature. The individual instances can
either be identical to the original or can vary along prescribed parameters.
This feature type is discussed in Chapter 7.

Copy Makes a single copy of a feature or set of features, either with the same
references as the original feature or with new references.

Delete Delete features from the model.

Delete To delete a pattern, this option must be used. It deletes all patterned instances
Pattern of a feature, but leaves the original intact.

UDF User Defined Features are custom features created by the user. They can be
Library stored and retrieved for later use, either in the same part or in different parts.

Group Features can be grouped together. The grouped feature will appear as a single
entry on the model tree.

Suppress A feature can be "turned off" by suppressing it. A suppressed feature does not
appear in the model and does not regenerate with the model. It will not appear
in the model tree unless the "Show Suppressed" option is selected. If so,
suppressed features are indicated by a small black square.

A less-important feature (a complex round, for example) might be suppressed

to reduce regeneration time. Features are also suppressed in order to view
alternative design options. (Each option can be modeled and then suppressed.
To view a design option, simply Resume the associated feature or features.)

Resume "Turns on" suppressed features.

2-38
 Reorder Features can be moved around in the model tree (and in regeneration order) by
reordering them. This is useful for making a poor model more robust. Of
course, no feature can be reordered to appear prior to any of its parents.

Read This option will prevent any modifications to be made to a feature and all
Only previous features. It is useful in start parts and some other situations.

Redefine Permits almost any parameter associated with a feature to be changed,

including the section for sketched features. This is a very powerful way to
change a feature in many ways at once. Note that if the feature has children,
care must be exercised to ensure that references for children are not deleted.

Reroute References can be rerouted, or changed, to new parent features. This is a very
useful tool for improving parent/child relationships within a model or for
redefining references. (References can be rerouted using the Redefine option,
but the Reroute option is faster if that is all that is required.)

Mirror A mirror image copy of the entire part can be created with the Mirror Geom
Geom option. It is very useful for symmetric parts. The mirrored copy is dependent
on the original and does not regenerate (making an efficient model.) Do not
use this option if the mirrored copy needs to be modified independently of the
original.

Insert Toggles Insert Mode on and off. Insert mode permits new features to be
Mode created at a point in the model other than the last feature. All features after the
insertion point are temporarily and automatically suppressed. After toggling
Insert mode off, Pro/E prompts to resume all features suppressed when insert
mode was started.

Done Returns to the Part menu.

Delete Feature

Features can be deleted using the Delete option under the Feature menu. Normally, its usage is
straightforward -- select Delete and pick the feature to be deleted (either from the screen or off
the model tree.) However, if the feature has children, Pro/E must do something about them
before it can delete the selected feature. Otherwise, the children's references will be missing, and
it will be impossible for Pro/E to regenerate them. Pro/E highlights each child in succession and
offers the following options:

Show Ref Highlights each reference of the child that needs to be fixed. The SHOW
REF menu provides the options described under Parent/Child Info above.

Reroute Reroutes references for the child to be fixed.

2-39
Mod Enters redefine mode for the child feature. Dimensions and alignments can be
Scheme removed and replaced. (Note: If no children are sketched features, this option
is grayed out.)

Delete Deletes the child feature.

Delete All Deletes ALL children of the feature initially selected for deletion

Suspend Suspends action of child until next regeneration. (Note: this option never
fixes the problem, just postpones it. The next regeneration, which is usually as
soon as the Delete feature is complete, will fail. Resolve mode can then be
used to fix the child.) Rarely is suspend the best choice.

Suspend Suspends action on all children of the feature initially selected for deletion.
All

Freeze For assemblies only, freezes component children. This option is grayed out
for part mode.

Info Opens an information window containing feature information for the child.

2-40
Exercise 2.3 Bracket

Objective: To teach students how to modify and redefine model features.

To teach students fundamentals of parent/child relationships and capturing design

intent.

This exercise involves modeling the bracket shown in the figure. It is intended that the four
holes should always be the same diameter and be located the same distance from their respective
corners. Modification of one hole should cause all holes to update. Also, the slots are to be
identical in dimension, and should be located symmetrically on the part.

The initial model does not capture the design intent. The holes do not all update if one is
modified. The model is then redefined to illustrate two different methods of correctly capturing
design intent.

Figure 29 Bracket Drawing

2-41
8. Change the working directory to the tutorial directory (if it is not already there.)

9. Create a new part named bracket. Select the Create new object icon and enter the name
bracket. Accept the default template.

10. Create our base feature using a thin extruded protrusion. Select
Feature>Create>Solid>Protrusion>Extrude|Thin|Done. Select Both Sides and Done.

For the setup plane, pick the FRONT datum and accept the default direction.

For the second reference, select Top and pick on the TOP datum.

Accept the default references -- datums TOP and RIGHT.

Sketch the section shown in the diagram. Ensure that all dimensions appear as in the figure.
Also note that two lines are aligned with the TOP and RIGHT datum respectively.

Figure 30 Sketch for thin protrusion. Note that the section is open.

2-42
 Helpful hints:

1. Start sketching at the right-hand end of the top line (that is aligned to datum TOP.)

2. While sketching arcs, look for the symbols indicating 90
arcs and equal radii (R1).

3. If the third arc cannot terminate on datum RIGHT with a radius equal to the previous
arcs, sketch it with any radius that works. Then select Constraints>Equal Radii and
pick the arc and the first arc. This will enforce the constraint.

 An alternative, and quicker way is to initially sketch lines only, without the arcs. Then
use the right mouse key pop-up menu and select Fillet (or select the Fillet icon.) Pick
each leg of a sharp corner to create a fillet arc. When all three fillets are created, select
the Constraint icon, and then the Equality icon (the equal sign.) Pick two arcs to
constrain their radii to be equal. Repeat for the third arc.

It may be helpful to reposition dimensions for clarity. Select and drag dimensions to the
desired positions.

Box select all dimensions and select Modify. Deselect Regenerate, and change the
dimension values to those shown. Picking on a dimension in the graphics area highlights that
dimension in the Modify Dimensions box, making modifications easier. Select the OK icon.
If the section appears correct, select the OK icon from the sketcher toolbar.

The Thin Opt menu prompts for the side of the section on which to add material. Flip the
arrow until it points to the inside of the bracket and select Okay.

For thickness enter .125.

Select Blind>Done and enter 5 to define the depth of the bracket.

Preview the protrusion and select Okay.

4. Create a saved isometric view of the model.

Select the Orient the model icon. The Orientation dialog box appears. Expand
the Saved Views bar and select FRONT, then Set. The model reorients to the
front view.
Orient the
Use the pull-down menu under Type to select Dynamic Orient. In the vertical Model
field, enter 45 and hit enter. Then, in the horizontal field, enter 35. The resulting view is

2-43
 isometric. By the Name bar, enter iso_1 and select Save. The name ISO_1 appears in the
Saved Views box.

Select OK from the Orientation dialog box.

5. Explore the Saved view list icon.

Select the Saved view list icon from the tool bar. The names of the views in the
default template appear, as well as the ISO_1 view just created. Select each view
and see how the model reorients. Finally, select the ISO_1 view. Saved
View list
Note: Views can be saved for any orientation of the model, and they may

6. Create slots in the bracket. Select Feature>Create>Cut>Extrude>Solid>Done.

Accept the default of One Side and select Done.

For the sketching plane pick in the area shown in the figure. Accept the default direction.
From the SKET VIEW menu select Top and pick on the large top surface of the part.

Figure 31 Sketching plane and TOP reference picks for the

cut

Delete the left edge reference, and pick the right edge as shown. (It may be helpful to turn off
datum plane display to select these references.)

2-44
 Figure 32 Sketching reference picks

 (Note: Since the top surface was used for sketcher orientation, this minimizes both the
number of parent/child relationships and the number of references for the slot feature.)
Select Sketch (or click the middle mouse button.) Sketch the slot shown in the figure using
lines and tangent arcs.

Figure 33 Slot sketch

2-45
 Select the Dimension and create the slot width dimension by picking on each of the center
marks followed by clicking the middle mouse key above the part. Likewise, create a
dimension from the top reference to the left arc center mark. Finally, create a diametral
dimension for the arc by double-clicking on the arc and then placing the dimension with the
middle mouse key.

Modify the dimensions. Use a box to select all the dimensions. Select Modify and enter the
correct values as shown in the figure.

Add axis points at the slot center marks. Select Sketch>Axis Point from the menu bar.

Pick on each center mark. (Note that the pointer snaps to the center marks.) An X appears
over the center mark to indicate that an axis point is created. This creates an axis through
each center mark of the slot.

Select the OK icon from the sketcher toolbar.

Make sure the arrow points toward the inside of the slot, and select Okay. (If it points
toward the outside of the slot, select Flip and Okay.)

For depth enter Thru Next and select Done. Select Okay to accept the slot.

Figure 34 Bracket with first slot

7. Create a hole in the upper flange. Spin the part slightly so you can see the upper large flange
as well as two edges comprising one of the external corners. Select
Feature>Create>Hole.

2-46
 Accept the default Straight Hole. Enter .375 for the diameter and select Thru Next for
Depth One.

For the placement plane (the Primary Reference), pick the top surface near the corner. For
the first linear reference, pick the thin back surface (use query select) and enter .5 for the
distance. Pick the thin on the left side of the part and enter .75.

Figure 35 Reference picks for the first hole

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon.

8. Use the Info menu to identify the parents and the references for the hole feature. Select
Info>Parent/Child. Select the hole.

The Reference Information Window appears. Select Parents>Highlight.

The left column shows that the hole has no children. The right column shows that the thin
protrusion is the only parent feature of the hole. (If you mistakenly picked on a datum plane
for one of the references, it would be highlighted as well.) Select the parent feature in the
right column the feature highlights. This is very handy for large models.

Expand the parent list by selecting the + box. This shows the references used to create the
hole. Select each reference in turn to highlight the reference in the main graphics area.

The first reference is the top surface of the protrusion. That reference was created by
selecting the placement plane for the hole. The thin back surface and left surfaces of the part
are the remaining two references. These were used for the linear dimensions for the hole.

Close the dialog box.

9. Create a second hole on the short flange of the part with the same dimensions and the same
diameter as the first hole.

2-47
Note! The hole feature created in this step will NOT capture our design intent. It is included
here to illustrate this point. It is deleted and replaced with a better feature in a later step.

Spin the part slightly so you can see the smaller flange as well as two edges, including the
same side as the first hole. Select Feature>Create>Hole.

Figure 36 Second hole reference picks

For the diameter enter .375. For the depth, select Thru Next.

For the placement plane, pick the flange surface near the corner. Pick the thin front surface
(use query select) and enter .5 for the distance. Pick the thin surface on the side of the part
and enter .75.

Preview the hole and select the Build Feature icon.

2-48
 Figure 37 Bracket with slot and holes after Step 9.

10. Modify the first hole diameter and placement. Select Done from the FEAT menu, then
select Modify.

Pick the first hole. Change the diameter to .75 and the dimension from the side to 1.5. Note
that the modified dimensions turn white to indicate that the model needs regeneration.
Select Regenerate from the PART menu.

Note that only one hole changes – the second hole is unaffected. The design intent is not
captured in this model. To fix this problem, delete the second hole and recreate it using the
Feature>Copy option.

First, modify the part again to return the hole to its original dimensions. Select Modify and
pick the hole. Change the two dimensions to their original values. Select Regenerate.

11. Delete the second hole. Select Featue>Delete. Accept the default Normal and pick on the
second hole. It disappears.

 Shortcut: Pick the hole in the main graphics area or on the model tree. When it
highlights, activate the right mouse key pop-up menu. Select Delete. Select
OK at the prompt to delete.

This also works for Modify and several other commands.

2-49
12. Create a dependent copy of the first hole. To do this, two of the original references – the
hole placement plane and the back thin surface – must be replaced. Select
Feature>Copy>New Refs|Select|Dependent|Done

Pick the hole and select Done Sel and Done.

The Group Elements dialog box appears. Since all three dimensions for the hole will
remain unchanged, do not check any boxes. Select Done.

Figure 38 Copy hole reference picks

The WHICH REF menu appears with Alternate as the default. The placement surface is
highlighted. Use query select to pick the inside surface of the small flange. (If the outside
surface is chosen, the hole will be created off of the part. Why?) The next reference is
highlighted. Replace the back edge by picking the thin front edge of the small flange as the
new reference. When the side surface highlights, select Same to keep it. The new hole
should appear highlighted. If it is correct, select Done. If not, select Redefine and fix the
references.

13. Repeat step 13 to modify the holes. Note that both holes now update together. The design
intent is realized.

Modify the part again to return the holes to their original dimensions.

14. Mirror the two holes and the slot so they appear on the opposite side of the part. Select
Feature>Copy>Mirror|Select|Dependent|Done

Pick the two holes and the slot to be mirrored. Use query select to select the two holes and
the slot. (Note: To ensure that the correct items are selected use the rehighlight option under
the Get Select menu.) Select Done Sel and Done.

2-50
 When prompted to select a plan to mirror about, pick the FRONT datum. (If datum planes
are turned off, pick on the toolbar icon to turn them on again.) The holes and the slot are
now mirrored about that datum.

15. Modify the holes to demonstrate that the new features are dependent on the original. Select
Done from the Feature menu followed by Modify from the PART menu.

Pick one of the holes. Change the .75 dimension to 1.5 and the .375 diameter to .75.

Pick one of the slots. Change the 1.0 width of the slot dimension to .5. Change the .5
dimension from the right edge of the part to 1. Select Regenerate.

Notice that all four holes and both slots are changed. This illustrates how dependent copies
can be used to capture design intent.

Modify the part again to return the holes and slots to their original dimensions.

Save the part by selecting the save icon from the tool bar and accepting the default name of
the part.

16. Examine the model structure. Look at the model tree. There should be three default datum
planes and a coordinate system, a protrusion, a cut, a hole and two group COPIED_GROUP
features. Each of these features regenerates with the model. Since this part is symmetric, a
more compact model could be made using the Mirror Geom command.

Note that the next few steps demonstrate an entirely different method of modeling the part.

17. Delete the copy mirror feature. Select Feature>Delete.

Pick the mirror feature either by picking on any one of the mirrored features or directly from
the model tree. Select Done Sel>Done.

18. Redefine the thin protrusion feature so that it is extruded on only one side. Select
Feature>Redefine. Pick the thin protrusion feature. The Protrusion:Extrude dialog box
appears.

We need only alter the attributes element. Select Attributes and Define. The
ATTRIBUTES menu appears. Select One Side and Done.

The depth should be one-half the original five inches. Select Blind|Done and enter 2.5.

Select Preview to view the redefined feature. Note that the holes and slots are not shown in
the preview, because they were added to the model after the protrusion. Select OK.

2-51
 Figure 39 Bracket after redefinition in Step 18.

19. Mirror all geometry to complete the revised part. Select Feature>Mirror Geom. Pick the
FRONT datum. All part geometry is mirrored.

20. The part now looks the same as it did after Step 14. Look at the model tree. Notice that the
second group copied feature has been replaced with a single merge feature. Repeat Step 15
to ensure that the holes and slots still meet our design objective of updating together.

Figure 40 The Bracket part

2-52
 There are subtle, but important differences in this model and the model as completed in Step
17, although the final geometry is identical.

1. The model regenerates faster because only the first half is regenerated (this is not
significant for a small part like the bracket, but may be important for large or complex
models.)

2. The parameter defining the width of the part only defines one-half of the actual width.
This is apparent when a drawing is created from the part – the width dimension would
extend from the center of the part to one edge. Usually this is undesirable, and may
justify the original method of model creation. (There are fixes for this problem, but it is
always more elegant to obtain the desired parameters within the model.)

3. If the model is to be used for a finite element analysis, and if the loads are also symmetric
about the FRONT datum, it can be a very big advantage to use the Mirror Geom feature.
It is easy to suppress this feature, thus facilitating a symmetric analysis.

End Exercise 2.3

Review Questions

1. Explain what is meant by “capturing design intent.” Why is it important?

2. Describe the structure of a Pro/E part model.

3. List several methods of creating protrusions.

4. What is the difference between a “pick-and-place” feature (such as a hole) and a sketched
feature.

5. List three ways to access on-line help for a particular menu option.

6. What is the Model Tree, and how is it used?

7. What should always be the first feature in a new Pro/E model?

8. What are parent/child relationships?

2-53
Problems

P2.1 Create a model of the spider shown in the figure. (Note: this will be a component in the
reducer assembly created later in this tutorial.

Figure 41 Drawing of the spider part.

2-54


  


 


 





 
 






 
Introduction 1-1

Chapter 1 :

Introduction to the Tutorials

Synopsis
An introduction to finite element analysis, with some cautions about its use and misuse;
examples of problems solved with MECHANICA; organization of the tutorials; tips and tricks
for using MECHANICA

Overview of this Lesson

general comments about using Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

examples of problems solved using Pro/MECHANICA Structure

layout of the tutorials

how the tutorial will present command sequences

tips and tricks for using MECHANICA

Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA), also known as the Finite Element Method (FEM), is probably the
most important tool added to the mechanical design engineer's toolkit this century. The
development of FEA has been driven by the desire for more accurate design computations in
more complex situations, allowing improvements in both the design procedure and products. The
growing use of FEA has been made possible by the creation of computation engines that are
capable of handling the immense volume of calculations necessary to carry out an analysis and
easily display the results for interpretation. With the advent of very powerful desktop
workstations, FEA is now available at a practical cost to virtually all engineers and designers.

The Pro/MECHANICA software described in this introductory tutorial is only one of many
commercial systems that are available. All of these systems share many common capabilities. In
this tutorial, we will try to present both the commands for using MECHANICA and the reasons
behind those commands, so that the general procedures can be transferred to other FEA
packages. Notwithstanding this desire, it should be realized that Pro/M is unique in many ways
among packages currently available. Therefore, numerous topics treated will be specific to
Pro/M.
1-2 Introduction

Pro/MECHANICA (or Pro/M as we will call it) is actually a suite of three programs: Structure,
Thermal, and Motion. The first of these, Structure, is able to perform the following:

linear static stress analysis

modal analysis (mode shapes and natural frequencies)

buckling analysis

large deformation analysis

and others. This manual will be concerned only with the first two of these analyses. The
remaining types of problems are beyond the scope of an introductory manual. Once having
finished this manual, however, interested users should not find the other topics too difficult. The
other two programs (Thermal and Motion) are used for thermal analysis and dynamic analysis of
mechanical systems, respectively. These are planned to be the topics of further tutorials in the
Click-by-Click series. In this book, the use of Pro/M is meant to imply Structure only.

Pro/M offers much more than simply an FEA engine. We will see that Pro/M is really a design
tool since it will allow parametric studies as well as design optimization to be set up quite easily.
Moreover, unlike many other commercial FEM programs where determining accuracy can be
difficult or time consuming, Pro/M will be able to compute results with some certainty as to the
accuracy1.

Pro/M does not currently have the ability to handle non-linear problems, for example a stress
analysis problem involving a non-linearly elastic material like rubber. New capability introduced
in Release 2000i, however, allows problems involving very large geometric deflections to be
treated, as long as the stresses remain within the linearly elastic range for the material.

In this tutorial, we will concentrate on the main concepts and procedures for using the software
and focus on topics that seem to be most useful for new users and/or students doing design
projects and other course work. We assume that readers do not know anything about the
software. A short overview of the FEA theoretical background has been included, but it should
be emphasized that this is very limited in scope. Our attention here is on the use and capabilities
of the software, not providing a complete course on using FEA, its theoretical origins, or the
“art” of FEA modeling strategies. For further study of these subjects, see the reference list at the
end of the second chapter.

Examples of Problems Solved using MECHANICA

To give you a taste of what is to come, here are three examples of what you will be able to do
with MECHANICA on completion of these tutorials. The examples are a simple analysis, a
parametric design study called a sensitivity analysis, and a design optimization. In

1
This refers to the problem of “convergence” whereby the FEA results must be verified or
tested so that they can be trusted. We will discuss convergence at some length later on and refer
to it continually throughout the manual.
Introduction 1-3

MECHANICA’s language, these are called design studies.

Example #1 : Analysis
This is the “bread and butter” type of problem for
MECHANICA. A model is defined by some geometry (in
2D or 3D), material properties are specified, loads and
constraints are applied, and one of several different types
of analysis can be run on the model. In the figure at the
right, a model of a somewhat crude connecting rod is
shown. This part is modeled using 3D solid elements. The
hole at the large end is fixed and a lateral bearing load is
applied to the inside surface of the hole at the other end.
The primary results are shown in Figures 2 and 3. These
are contours of the Von Mises stress2 on the part, shown in
a fringe plot (these are, of course, in color on the computer Figure 1 Solid model of a part
screen), and a wireframe view of the total (exaggerated)
deformation of the part (this can be shown as an animation). Here, we are usually interested in
the value and location of the maximum Von Mises stress in the part, and the magnitude and
direction of deformation of the part.

Figure 2 Von Mises stress fringe plot Figure 3 Deformation of the part

Example #2 : Sensitivity Study

Often you need to find out the overall effect of varying one or more design parameters, such as

2
The Von Mises stress is obtained by combining all the stress components at a point in a
way which produces a single value that can be compared to the yield strength of the material.
This is the most common way of examining the computed stress in a part.
1-4 Introduction

dimensions. You could do this by performing a number of similar analyses, and changing the
geometry of the model between each analysis. MECHANICA has an automated routine which
allows you to specify the parameter to be varied, and the overall range. It then automatically
performs all the modifications to the model, and computes results for the intermediate values of
the design parameters.

The example shown in Figure 4 is a quarter-model (to take advantage of symmetry) of a

transition between two thin-walled cylinders. The transition is modeled using shell elements.

Figure 4 3D Shell quarter-model Figure 5 Von Mises stress in

of transition between cylinders shell model

Figure 5 shows the contours of the Von Mises stress on the part. The maximum stress occurs at
the edge of the fillet on the smaller cylinder just where it meets the intermediate flat portion. The
design parameter to be varied is the radius of this fillet, between the minimum and maximum
shapes shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 6 Minimum radius fillet Figure 7 Maximum radius fillet

Introduction 1-5

Figure 8 shows the variation in the maximum Von

Mises stress in the model as a function of radius of
the fillet. Other information about the model, such
as total mass, or maximum deflection is also
readily available.

Figure 8 Variation of Von Mises stress with

fillet radius in shell model

Example #3 : Design Optimization

This capability of MECHANICA is really astounding! When a model is created, some of the
geometric parameters can be designated as design variables. Then MECHANICA is turned loose
to find the combination of values of these design variables that will minimize some objective
function (like the total mass of the model) subject to some design constraints (like the allowed
maximum stress and/or deflection). Pro/M searches through the design space (for specified
ranges of the design variables) and will find the optimum set of design variables automatically!

The example shown is of a plane stress model of a

thin, symmetrical, tapered plate under tension. The
plate is fixed at the left edge, while the lower edge
is along the plane of symmetry. A uniform tensile
load is applied to the vertical edge on the right end.
The Von Mises stress contours for the initial
design are shown in Figure 9. The maximum
stress, which exceeds a design tolerance, has
occurred at the large hole located on the plate
centerline, at about the 12:30 position. The stress
level around the smaller hole is considerably less,
and we could probably increase the diameter of this
hole in order to reduce mass. The question is: how Figure 9 Initial Von Mises stress
much? distribution in plate before optimization

The selected design variables are the radii of the two holes. Minimum and maximum values for
these variables are indicated in the Figures 10 and 11. The objective of the optimization is to
minimize the total mass of the plate, while not exceeding a specified maximum stress.
1-6 Introduction

Figure 10 Minimum values of design Figure 11 Maximum values of design

variables variables

Figure 12 shows a history of the design optimization computations. The figure on the left shows
the maximum Von Mises stress in the part - note that this initially exceeds the allowed maximum
stress, but Pro/M very quickly adjusts the geometry to produce a design within the allowed stress.
The figure on the right shows the mass of the part. As the optimization proceeds, this is slowly
reduced until a minimum value is obtained (approximately 20% less than the original). Pro/M
allows you to view the shape change occurring at each iteration.

Figure 12 Optimization history: Von Mises stress (left) and total

mass (right)

The final optimized design is shown in Figure 13. Notice the increased size of the interior hole,
and the more efficient use of material. The design limit stress now occurs on both holes.
Introduction 1-7

Figure 13 Von Mises stress distribution in

optimized plate

FEA User Beware!

Users of this (or any other FEA) software should be cautioned that, as in other areas of computer
applications, the GIGO (“Garbage In = Garbage Out”) principle applies. Users can easily be
misled into blind acceptance of the answers produced by the programs. Do not confuse pretty
graphs and pictures with correct modeling practice and accurate results.

A skilled practitioner of FEA must have a considerable amount of knowledge and experience.
The current state of sophistication of CAD and FEA software may lead non-wary users to
dangerous and/or disastrous conclusions. Users might take note of the fine print that
accompanies all FEA software licenses, which usually contains some text along these lines: “The
supplier of the software will take no responsibility for the results obtained . . .” and so on.
Clearly, the onus is on the user to bear the burden of responsibility for any conclusions that might
be reached from the FEA.

We might plot the situation something like Figure 14 on the next page. In order to intelligently
(and safely) use FEA, it is necessary to acquire some knowledge of the theory behind the method,
some facility with the available software, and a great deal of modeling experience. In this
manual, we assume that the reader's level of knowledge and experience with FEA initially places
them at the origin of the figure. The tutorial (particularly Chapter 2) will extend your knowledge
a little bit in the “theory” direction, at least so that we can know what the software requires for
input data, and how it computes the results. The step-by-step tutorials and exercises will extend
your knowledge in the “experience” direction. Primarily, however, this tutorial is meant to extend
your knowledge in the “FEA software” direction, as it applies to using Pro/MECHANICA.
Readers who have already moved out along the "theory" or "experience" axes will have to bear
with us - at least this manual should assist you in discovering the capabilities of the
1-8 Introduction

MECHANICA software package.

modeling experience

knowledge of
FEA theory
knowledge of
FEA software

Figure 14 Knowledge, skill, and experience requirements for FEA users

In summary, some quotes from speakers at an FEA panel at a recent ASME Computers in
Engineering conference should be kept in mind:

"Don't confuse convenience with intelligence."

In other words, as more powerful functions (such as automatic mesh generation) get
built in to FEA packages, do not assume that these will be suitable for every modeling
situation, or that they will always produce trustworthy results. If an option has
defaults, be aware of what they are and their significance to the model and the results
obtained. Above all, remember that just because it is easy, it is not necessarily right!

"Don't confuse speed with accuracy."

Computers are getting faster and faster. This also means that they can compute an
inaccurate model faster than before - a wrong answer in half the time is hardly an
improvement!

and finally, the most important:

"FEA makes a good engineer better and a poor engineer dangerous."

As our engineering tools get more sophisticated, there is a tendency to rely on them
more and more, sometimes to dangerous extremes. Relying solely on FEA for design
verification might be dangerous. Don’t forget your intuition, and remember that a lot
of very significant engineering design work has occurred over the years on the back of
an envelope. Let FEA become a tool that extends your design capability, not define it.
Introduction 1-9

Layout of this Manual

Running the Pro/MECHANICA software is not a trivial operation. However, with a little
practice, and learning only a fraction of the capabilities of the program, you can perform FEA of
reasonably complex problems. This manual is meant to guide you through the major features of
the software and how to use it. The manual is not meant to be a complete guide to either the
software or FEA modeling - consider it the elementary school of practical FEA!

Chapter 2 of the tutorial will present an overview of the theory and mathematics behind how
FEA is implemented in MECHANICA. In particular, the origin and differences between h-code
analysis and the p-code method in MECHANICA are discussed. The primary purpose of this
chapter is to outline the main capabilities of MECHANICA as they apply to the design and
analysis of mechanical parts. These include simple analyses, sensitivity studies, and parameter
optimization. This chapter will basically introduce you to the terminology used in the program,
and give you an overview of its operation.

Chapters 3 and 4 will present the basic procedure and commands for performing design studies
on solid models. This is a natural starting point, given that models imported from Pro/E are
usually solids. Common methods of displaying results are shown. Some issues of modeling are
discussed, such as symmetry. Several modeling pitfalls, which also occur in other model types
are investigated, and solutions proposed.

Chapter 5 will introduce you to the analysis of 2D models using idealizations. These are plane
stress and plane strain analyses. Geometry for these models is selected from the 3D part
geometry as created in Pro/E. The idealization, when applicable, results in a significant
reduction in the computational effort for the model.

The subject of Chapter 6 is axisymmetric models. These require that the geometry, loads, and
constraints can be based on a 2D layout that represents the problem.

Chapter 7 is devoted to a very important idealization - the shell model. Shells occur when the
model contains all or some thin-walled solid features. This idealization results in a greatly
reduced problem size and faster solution.

Beams and frames are dealt with in Chapter 8. Both single continuous beams and beams as
components of frames are discussed. Beams can also be used in combination with shells and
solids.

Finally, Chapter 9 will deal with some miscellaneous topics including cyclic symmetry, spring
and mass elements, modal analysis, and contact analysis in assemblies.

At the end of each of these chapters, a number of additional exercises are presented. You should
try to do as many of these as you can in order to build up your knowledge and repertoire of
modeling scenarios.
1 - 10 Introduction

Tips for using MECHANICA

In the tutorial examples that follow, you will be lead through a number of simple problems
keystroke by keystroke. Each command will be explained in depth so that you will know the
“why” as well as the “what” and “how”. Resist the temptation to just follow the keystrokes - you
must think hard about what is going on in order to learn it. You should go through the tutorials
while working on a computer so that you experience the results of each command as it is entered.
Not much information will sink in if you just read the material. We have tried to capture exactly
the key-stroke, menu selection, or mouse click sequences to perform each analysis. These
actions are indicated in bold face italic type. Characters entered from the keyboard are enclosed
within square brackets. When more than one command is given in a sequence, they are separated
by the symbol ">". When several commands are entered on a single menu or window, they are
separated by the pipe symbol “ | ”. An option from a pull-down list will be indicated with the list
title and selected option in parantheses. So, for example, you might see command sequences
similar to the following:

Materials > Assign > Part > STEEL_IPS | Accept

Analysis (QuickCheck)
Results > Create > [VonMises] | Accept

At the end of each chapter in the manual, we have included some Questions for Review and
some simple Exercises which you should do. These have been designed to illustrate additional
capabilities of the software, some simple modeling concepts, and sometimes allow a comparison
with either analytical solutions or with alternative modeling methods. The more of these
exercises you do, the more confident you can be in setting up and solving your own problems.

Finally, here a few hints about using the software. Menu items and/or graphics entities on the
screen are selected by clicking on them with the left mouse button. We will often refer to this as a
‘left click’ or simply as a ‘click’. The middle mouse button (‘middle click’) can be used
(generally) whenever Accept, Enter, Close or Done is required. The dynamic view controls are
obtained by holding down the Ctrl key and dragging with a mouse button (left = zoom, middle =
spin, right = pan). Users of Pro/ENGINEER will be quite comfortable with these mouse controls.
Any menu commands grayed out are unavailable for the current context. Otherwise, any menu
item is available for use. You can, for example, jump from the design menus to the pulldown
menus at any time. Many operations can be launched by clicking and holding down the right
mouse button on an entry in the model tree.

So, with all that out of the way, let’s get started. The next chapter will give you an overview of
FEA theory, and how MECHANICA is different from other commercial packages.
Introduction 1 - 11

Questions for Review

1. In MECHANICA-ese, what is a design study?
2. What are the three types of design study that can be performed by Pro/M?
3. What is the Von Mises stress? From a strength of materials textbook, find out how this is
computed and its relation to yield strength. Also, for what types of materials is this a useful
computation?
4. Can Pro/M treat non-linear problems?
5. What does GIGO mean?
6. What three areas of expertise are required to be a skilled FEA practitioner?

Exercises
1. Find some examples of cases where seemingly minor and insignificant computer-related
errors have resulted in disastrous consequences.
 Pro/ENGINEER®
Advanced Tutorial
2
(Release 2000i )

A Click-by-Click Primer

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

w w w .schroff.com
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-1

Lesson 1 :
Pro/E Customization Tools
and
Project Introduction

Synopsis:
Configuration settings; customizing the screen toolbars and menus; mapkeys; part templates;
introduction to the project

Overview
This lesson will introduce tools for customizing your Pro/E configuration and working
environment and show you how to create some useful shortcuts for accessing Pro/E commands.
The major customization tool is the use of one or more configuration files (default file:
config.pro). The lesson also includes managing and creating your own custom toolbars and
mapkeys. We’ll also see how you can create your own part templates.

The major project used in this tutorial is introduced. The first four parts are presented for
modeling.

Configuration Files (config.pro)

By now, you should be familiar with the commands for environment settings that are available in

Utilities > Environment

These aspects (and much more!) of the Pro/Engineer working environment can also be controlled
using configuration files (config files for short). Pro/E has several hundred individual
configuration settings. All settings have default values that will be used if not specifically set in
a config file.

The most important config file is a special file called config.pro that is automatically read when
Pro/E starts up a new session. You can also read in (and/or change) additional configuration
settings at any time during a session. For example, you may want to have one group of settings
for one project you are working on, and another group for a different project that you switch to
during a single session. In this tutorial, we will deal only with the use of the single configuration
1-2 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

file, config.pro, loaded at start-up.

Several copies of config.pro might exist on your system, and they are read in the following order
when Pro/E is launched:

config.sup - this is a protected system file which is read by all users but is not available for
modification by users. Your system administrator has control of this file.

Pro/E loadpoint - this is read by all users and would usually contain common settings
determined by the system administrator such as search paths, formats, libraries, and so on.
This file cannot normally be altered by individual users.

user home directory - unique for each user (Unix)

startup directory - the current or working directory when Pro/E starts up. To find where
this directory is, select File > Open and observe the directory name in the top box1

Settings made in the first copy (config.sup) cannot be overridden by users. This is handy for
making configuration settings to be applied universally across all users at a Pro/E installation
(search paths for part libraries, for instance). An individual user can modify entries in the last
two copies of config.pro to suit their own requirements. If the same entry appears more than
once, the last entry encountered in the start-up sequence is the one the system will use. After
start-up, additional configuration settings can be read in at any time. These might be used to
create a configuration unique to a special project, or perhaps a special type of modeling. Be
aware that when a new configuration file is read in, some options may not take effect until Pro/E
is restarted. This is discussed further a bit later.

Settings in config.pro are composed of two entries in the following form:

config_option_name config_option_value

Option values can be composed either of text, single numbers, or series of numbers. A complete
listing and description of all config options is contained in the on-line help. With the Help page
visible in your browser, select

Contents > Pro/ENGINEER Foundation > Using Configuration File Options

As of Pro/E 2000i2, the dialog window for working with configuration files is totally new. This
window will contain a one line description of any selected option. There is also a new search
capability for finding option names. Although this makes finding the options much easier, you
are encouraged to explore the on-line help.

Your system may have a standard configuration file available for you to use as a basis for your
own work. In a Windows installation, look for the config.pro file in the pro_stds directory in the
Pro/E installation.

1
In Windows, right click on the Pro/E icon on the desktop (if it exists), select Properties
> ShortCut and examine the Start In text entry field.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-3

Before we proceed, if you have access to this file, copy it to your start-up directory, along with
the file config.win (this is a file containing customized screen layout settings which are discussed
below). Now launch Pro/E, or if it is already up erase everything currently in session and set
your working directory to your normal start-up directory.

The Configuration File Editor

You can access your current configuration file using

Utilities > Preferences

This brings up the Preferences window. If

your system has options set already, these
will appear in the window. If not, the
central area of the window will be blank, as
in Figure 1. We’ll discuss the operation of
this dialog window from the top down.

The Showing pull-down list at the top will

let you choose from a number of
configuration groups (Current Session, your
start-up config.pro, or elsewhere)

Now deselect the check box just below the

Showing pull-down box. After a couple of
seconds, a complete list of all the Pro/E
configuration options will appear. The first Figure 1 The Preferences window for editing
column shows its name, and the second configuration files
column shows its current value. An entry
with an asterisk indicates a default value.

Browse down through the list. There are a lot of options here! Note that the options are arranged
alphabetically. This is because of the setting in the Sort pull-down menu in the top-right corner.
Change this to By Category. This rearranges the list of options to group them by function. For
example, check out the settings available in the Environment and Sketcher groups. Fortunately,
there are a couple of tools to help you find the option name you’re looking for. Let’s see how
they work.

Check the box beside “Show only options loaded from file” and select Sort(Alphabetical). Note
that the options listed here are only those that are different from the default settings.

Adding Settings to config.pro

Assuming you have a blank config.pro, let’s create a couple of useful settings. At the bottom of
the Preferences window are two text boxes for entering option names and values. If you know
the name of the option, you can just type it in to the first box. One of the most common settings
is to turn off the (annoying!) beep that Pro/E emits from time to time. In the text box below
1-4 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Option, enter the option name bell. In the pull-down list under Value, select No. Note that the
option name is not case sensitive and the default value is indicated by an asterisk in the pull-
down list. Now select the Add/Change button on the right. The entry now appears in the data
area. A bright green star in the Status column indicates that the option has been defined but has
not yet taken effect.

Now enter a display option. The default part display mode in the graphics window is Shaded.
Many people prefer to work in hidden line mode - let’s make it the default on start-up. Once
again, we will enter the configuration option name. As you type this in, notice that Pro/E
anticipates the rest of the text box based on the letters you have typed in. After typing the “dis”
characters, the rest of the option will appear; just hit the Enter key. The option name and value
we want are

display hiddenvis

Now select Add/Change as before (or just hit the Enter key after typing the “h”).

Another common setting is the location of the Pro/E trail file. As you recall, the trail file
contains a record of every command and mouse click during a Pro/E session. The default
location for this is the start-up directory. Theoretically, trail files can be used to recover from
disastrous crashes of Pro/E, but this is a tricky operation. Most people just delete them. It is
handy, therefore, to collect trail files for each session in a single directory, where they can be
easily removed later. There is an option for setting the location of this directory. Suppose we
don’t know its specific name. Here is where a new function in 2000i2 will come in handy.

At the bottom of the Preferences window, click

the Find button. This brings up the Find Option
window (Figure 2). Type in the keyword trail and
select

All Categories > Find Now

Several possibilities come up. The option we want

is listed as trail_dir. Select this option and
Browse to a suitable location on your system for
the value. Perhaps something like c:\temp. Then
select Add/Change. The new entry appears in the
Preferences window. In the Find Option window,
select Close.

Figure 2 Finding a configuration file option

For some options, the value is numeric (eg setting a default tolerance, number of digits, or the
color of entities on the screen). In these cases, you can enter the relevant number (or numbers
separated by either spaces or commas). For example, under Option, enter the name
system_hidden_color. Then under Value, enter the numbers 60 60 60 (separated by spaces).
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-5

These give the values of red, green, and blue (out of 100). Equal values yield gray; this setting
will brighten the hidden lines a bit from the default value. Select Add/Change.

We have now specified four options. To have them take effect, select the Apply button at the
bottom. The green stars change to small green circles in the Status column.

Note that you can resize the column widths by dragging on the short vertical column separator
bars at the top of the display area. At the far right is a long (scrollable) one-line description of
the option.

For practice, enter the options

shown in Figure 3. The order that
the configuration options are
declared does not matter (the
exception is mapkeys, discussed
below). Check the on-line help for a
description of these configuration
settings and feel free to add new
settings to your file. Investigate
settings for search paths, libraries,
default editors, default decimal
places, import/export settings, and
so on.
Figure 3 Settings in config.pro
Notice the icon in the first column beside the name. These mean the following:

(lightning) - option takes effect immediately

(wand) - option will take effect for next object created

(screen) - option will take effect the next time Pro/E is started

If you are using a config file from a previous version of Pro/E you may see a “stop sign” (actually
a red circle with a line through it), which means that the option is no longer used in 2000i 2.

Try to add an illegal option name. For example, in Release 2000i there was an option
sketcher_readme_alert. Type that in to the Option field. When you try to set a value for this,
it will not be accepted. Pro/E only recognizes valid option names! Thus, if you mistype or enter
an invalid name, this is indicated by not being able to enter a value for it.

We will be making more changes to this config.pro a bit later in this lesson when we discuss
mapkeys.

Saving Your config.pro Settings

To store the settings we have just created, select the Save As button at the top of the
1-6 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Preferences window. At the bottom of the new window, type in the desired name for the file - in
this case config.pro and select OK.

Now select Close in the Preferences window.

Loading a Configuration File

To see what happens when you load a new configuration file, select

Utilities > Preferences

again. In the Showing list, select Current Session. This displays the options just set. Now,
beside the Showing list, select the Open File button. In the next dialog window, select the file
config.pro and Open.

Note that these settings in config.pro will be read in but not activated immediately (note the
green star). Select the Apply button and observe the green star.

Deleting Configuration Options

Highlight the option pro_unit_length and select Delete. Then Apply. This automatically saves
the new settings. Close the window.

Checking Your Configuration Options

Because some settings will not activate until Pro/E is restarted, many users will exit Pro/E after
making changes to their config.pro file and then restart, just to make sure the settings are doing
what they are supposed to. Do that now. This is not quite so critical with 2000i2 since it shows
you using the lightning/wand/screen icons whether an option is active. However be aware of
where Pro/E will look for the config.pro file on start-up, as discussed above. If you have saved
config.pro in another working directory than the one you normally start in, then move it before
starting Pro/E. On the other hand, if you have settings that you only want active when you are in
a certain directory, keep a copy of config.pro there and load it once Pro/E has started up and you
have changed to the desired directory. To keep things simple, and until you have plenty of
experience with changing the configuration settings, it is usually better to have only one copy of
config.pro in your startup directory.

Note that it is probably easier to make some changes to the environment for a single session
using Utilities > Environment. Also, as is often the case when learning to use new computer
tools, don’t try anything too adventurous with config.pro in the middle of a part or assembly
creation session - you never know when an unanticipated effect might clobber your work!
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-7

Customizing the Interface

In addition to the environment settings, there
are several ways of customizing the Pro/E
interface: using config.pro, toolbars, menus,
and mapkeys. An example of a customized
interface is shown in the figure at the right.
When you modify the interface layout, your M enu Fo nt

changes will be saved in a config.win file in a M essage W ind ow

directory of your choice (usually the current (siz e; top or bottom )

working directory). It is possible and

permissible to have several different config.win
files in different directories, each with a
different customization of the screen to suit the
Toolbars
work you may be doing on files in that (custom ized buttons;
top, right, and/or left)
directory.

In the next section, we will introduce methods

to customize the toolbars and menus. Figure 4 A customized screen layout

Toolbars

With the cursor on the top toolbar, hold down the right mouse button. This brings up the menu
shown in Figure 5. This shows the toolbar groups currently displayed (see check marks); the
groups can be toggled to include/exclude them from the display. Each group contains a set of
functionally-related shortcut buttons.

Figure 5 Toolbar Figure 6 The Toolbars tab in the Customize

toggle menu window
1-8 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

At the bottom of this pop-up menu, select Toolbars. This brings up the Customize menu which
contains a list of all available toolbars, and their location (see Figure 6). At the bottom of this
window you can specify whether or not, and where, to automatically save the current layout
settings. The default is config.win in the current working directory. As mentioned above, you
can create multiple config.win files, and use File > Save Settings and File > Open Settings in the
Customize window to store and recall previous files. Note that in addition to the eleven standard
toolbar groups there are three initially empty groups (Toolbars 1 through 3), which you can
populate with short-cut buttons using methods described below. The pull-down lists at the right
allow you to place the selected toolbars at different places on the screen (left, right, top of
graphics window).

Changing Toolbar Buttons

In the Customize window, select the Commands tab. (This is also available by selecting
Commands... in the menu shown in Figure 5.) The window shown in Figure 7 will open. Groups
of toolbar commands are listed in a tree structure in the Categories area on the left. Click on any
of the group names and the available short-cut buttons will appear in the Commands area on the
right. As you move the mouse over these buttons, a tool tip will display.

To add a button to a toolbar, just drag and

drop it onto an existing toolbar at the top,
right, or left. The button will be added
wherever you drop it on the toolbar. To
remove it, drag it off the toolbar and drop it
somewhere else (on the graphics window,
for example). Note that it is possible to
mix and match the short-cut buttons: any
button can be placed on any toolbar. For
example, a button listed under the File
category can be added to the View toolbar.
Buttons can also be present on more than
one toolbar. The possibilities are endless!

While we are here, notice that at the bottom

of the Categories list is Mapkeys. We will
be discussing mapkeys a bit later. You can
add a button representing any of your Figure 7 Choosing short-cut buttons to add to
defined mapkeys to any of the toolbars. It toolbars
is helpful to keep your mapkey descriptive
names short for this.

At the bottom of the Categories list is New Menu. You can drag this up to the menu area at the
top of the screen to create your own pull-down menus.

If you turn on one of the user toolbars (select Toolbar 1, 2, or 3 under the Toolbars tab), an
initially empty button will appear in the designated location (top, left, or right). You can use the
Commands selector to drag any button to define your own toolbar.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-9

Notice that the final tab in the Customize window is Options. This lets you set the position of
the Command/Message window (above or below the graphics area) and some other settings.

When you leave the Customize dialog box, your new settings can be written to the file
designated in the bottom text entry box. Each new config.win file is numbered sequentially
(config.win.2, config.win.3, and so on).

IMPORTANT TIP ABOUT CUSTOMIZATION:

It is tempting, especially if you are blessed with a lot of screen space, to over-populate the
toolbars by trying to arrange every commonly used command on the screen at once. This is
reminiscent of many other Windows-based CAD programs. Before you do that, you should
work with Pro/E for a while. You will find that Pro/E will generally bring up the
appropriate toolbars for your current program status automatically. For example, if you are
in Sketcher, the Sketcher short-cut buttons will appear. Thus, adding these buttons
permanently to any toolbar is unnecessary and the buttons will be grayed out when you are
not in Sketcher anyway - you are introducing screen clutter with no benefit.

Keyboard Shortcuts - Mapkeys

A mapkey is a short sequence of keyboard key strokes or a function key that will launch one or a
series of Pro/E commands. Mapkeys are very similar to macros that can be defined in other
software packages. Mapkey definitions are contained/included in your config.pro file, so they are
loaded at start-up.

The mapkey key stroke sequence can be as long as you want; most users restrict mapkeys to only
2, or sometimes 3, characters. This gives several hundred possible mapkey sequences - more
than you can probably remember effectively. Pro/E constantly monitors the keyboard for input
and will immediately execute a defined command sequence when its mapkey is detected. Single
character mapkeys should be avoided due to the way that Pro/E processes keyboard input. If you
have two mapkeys “v” and “vd”, for example, the second mapkey would never execute since
Pro/E will trap and execute the first one as soon as the “v” is pressed. For the same reason, a 3-
character mapkey can never have the same two first letters as a 2-character mapkey.

Ideally, you would like to have mapkey sequences that are very easy to remember, like “vd”
(view default), or “rg” (regenerate). Because it is common to only use two characters, it will take
some planning to decide how you want to set up your definitions to use only a couple of easy-to-
remember key strokes! The mapkey should be mnemonic, but can’t collide with other
definitions. You don’t want to have to remember that “qy” means “repaint the screen.”

A practical limit on usable mapkeys is perhaps in the range of 20 to 30, although some “power
users” can use over a hundred.

For this exercise, clear your session and load any single simple part file. We will not be
modifying the part.
1 - 10 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Listing Current Mapkeys

To see a list of your current mapkeys (some are defined in the

config.pro contained in the pro_stds directory) select

Utilities > Mapkeys

This dialog window (Figure 8) allows you to define and record,

modify, delete, run, and save mapkeys. Note that each mapkey
has a short Name and Description. The Name will be used on
any short-cut button (described below), and the Description will
appear at the bottom of the main graphics window. Mapkeys
that start with a “$” are function keys.

Note that (starting in Release 20) mapkeys use a new syntax

from previous releases and it is unlikely that all mapkey
definitions from previous releases will function properly.
However, mapkeys are easy enough to record. Before you do
that, you might try to get hold of the config.pro file in the
pro_stds directory mentioned above. A list of these mapkeys is
in the file usually stored in

/ptc/pro_stds/mapkeys.htm
Figure 8 Accessing Mapkeys
In the following, it is assumed that you have no mapkeys defined currently in session
as yet. If any of these tutorial mapkeys collide with existing
mapkeys shown in the mapkeys list (Figure 8), you can modify the keyboard sequence (for
example, use “dv” instead of “vd”) for the new mapkey.

Creating Mapkeys

New mapkeys are created as follows. We will create a mapkey sequence “vd” that will reorient
the view to the default orientation. To set this up, you will have to bring in one of your
previously created parts.

Select the New button in the menu of Figure 8. The Record Mapkey dialog box shown in
Figure 9 will open. Enter the data shown in the figure: key sequence, name, description. Now
we record the command sequence:

Record
View > Default (in the top pull-down menus)
Stop > OK

It’s that easy! Spin the model with CTRL-middle. In the Mapkeys window, highlight the new
mapkey “vd” and select the Run button. It’s a good idea to check your mapkey definitions now
when it is easy to modify them.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 11

As mentioned above, mapkey definitions are saved in a

configuration file (as in config.pro). New mapkey definitions are
appended to the end of the file. If you redefine a mapkey (or use a
duplicate keystroke sequence), the definition closest to the bottom
of the config file is the one that will be used. When saving a
mapkey you can choose either config.pro or current_session.pro.
There are three ways to save the mapkeys using the buttons in the
Mapkeys window:

Save - saves only the highlighted mapkey

Changed - saves any mapkeys changed this session
All - saves all mapkeys defined for session

Remember that if you save the mapkey in the current_session.pro

or elsewhere, it will not be loaded automatically the next time you
start Pro/E. To do that, you must explicitly save the mapkey
definitions into the config.pro file.

Close the Mapkeys window. Figure 9 Creating a mapkey

Minimize Pro/E and open config.pro using your system text editor. Scroll down to the bottom of
the file to see the new line(s) that describe the mapkey. Obviously, these lines should never be
separated since they are a continuation of the same sequence. It is possible, but probably not
advisable, to try to edit the mapkey definitions manually - leave that to the power users! Exit
your text editor and restore the Pro/E window.

Some final points about mapkeys: it is possible to set up the mapkey so that execution will pause
to allow user input during the command sequence, either by picking on the screen or through the
keyboard. Mapkeys can also call other mapkeys. You might like to experiment with these ideas
on your own. The possibilities for customization are almost limitless!

As mentioned above, the config.pro file provided in the pro_stds directory contains several
dozen mapkeys.

We will return to mapkeys after the next section.

Working with Part Templates

Most part files that you create contain many common elements such as datums, defined views,
coordinate systems, parameters, and so on. Creating these from scratch for every new part that
you start is tedious and inefficient. Prior to Release 2000i2 a very handy model creation tool used
the notion of a “start part” which contain these common elements. Users would then create a
mapkey that would bring the part into session and then rename it. This made the creation of new
parts very quick and efficient, with the added bonus that standard part setups could be employed.
1 - 12 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

As of Release 2000i2 this functionality has been built into the program using part templates.
Several part templates are included with a standard Pro/E installation for solid and sheet metal
parts in different systems of units.

In this section, we will create a simple part template and then define a mapkey to quickly bring it
into a session and allow you to change its name. Then you can immediately get on with the job
of creating features. We will create the part template from scratch, although you could use any of
the existing templates as a basis for this.

Select File > New. Make sure the Part and Solid radio buttons are selected. Deselect the Use
Default Template box, and enter a name mytemplate. Select OK and in the next window, select
the Empty template and OK.

Create the default datums and use Part > Set Up > Name to rename the datums SIDE (DTM1),
TOP (DTM2), and FRONT (DTM3). Now set up some named views.

View > Orientation

and create the following three named views:

View Reference 1 Reference 2

Name
Direction Pick Datum Direction Pick Datum
FRONT Front FRONT Top TOP
TOP Front TOP Right SIDE
RIGHT Front SIDE Top TOP
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 13

The completed list of saved views should appear as shown in

Figure 10. Feel free to add additional standard views (Left,
Back, Bottom, Iso_Right, ...). Select OK to leave the
Orientation dialog.

Check out our previously defined mapkey for setting the

default view (“vd”).

Set the part units using

Set Up > Units

and picking “millimeter-Newton-Second”, then

Set > OK > Close

We are finished with creating the start part, so save it with the
name mytemplate.prt. If you have write access, move the part
file to the Pro/E installation directory

\ptc\proe2000i2\templates

This is the default directory where Pro/E will look for part Figure 10 Saved views in
templates. If you do not have write access to this directory, mytemplate.prt
leave the part file in your working directory. Rename the file
to remove the version number (it should appear in a directory listing as mytemplate.prt rather
than mytemplate.prt.1).

Creating More Mapkeys

Before we leave this new part template, let’s create some more mapkeys to go directly to the
named views. Select

Utilities > Mapkeys > New

Use the key sequence “vt” and enter a short name like “View Top” and description “Orientation
Top View”. Now record the mapkey using

Record
Saved View List (a toolbar button) > TOP
Stop > OK

Spin the datum planes, and select Run to try out the mapkey. Similarly, create and test two more
1 - 14 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

mapkeys to go to the front view (“vf”) and the right side view (“vg”)2. Don’t forget to save all
the changed/new mapkeys in your config.pro file. Open up your config.pro to confirm that they
are there.

Using the New Part Template

Erase the current part from the session3. Select

File > New

Deselect the Use Default Template box, enter a name (like test), and select OK. In the New File
Options window, scroll to and highlight the template mytemplate. Select OK. Our template is
now brought into session (actually it is copied) and given the name you specified.

Setting the Default Part Template

We can tell Pro/E to use our new template as the default by setting an option in config.pro.
Select

Utilities > Preferences

and enter the Option template_solidpart. Set the value for the option by browsing to the
template directory (or use the current working directory, wherever you have saved the template
file) and selecting the part file mytemplate.prt we created above. Select Add/Change and then
Apply the new setting (remember that this automatically saves the config file).

Creating a Mapkey to Start a New Part

Erase the current part from the session. Select

Utilities > Mapkeys > New

Enter the key sequence “cp” (“create part”), name “Create Part”, and description “Create a New
Part and Rename”. Now select

Record
File > New

2
The mapkey “vr”, which is more logical for the right view, is usually used for “View
Refit”
3
As of build 2000100 of Release 2000i2, if you have stored your template part in the
templates directory you must close Pro/E and restart it. Otherwise, it will not see your new
template plate and list it with the others. It is possible this might change with later builds.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 15

Choose Solid | Part | OK. Leave the default part name as prt0001, and the check beside Use
Default Template. Now select

File > Rename

This is where we want the mapkey to stop, so select STOP > OK in the Record Mapkey dialog.
In the Rename window, enter a new name for the part, like test, then select OK twice. We have
a new mapkey called “cp”, so highlight this in the Record Mapkey dialog and save it. Close the
Mapkeys dialog window. Open the config.pro file to see the listing added for this new mapkey.

To try out the mapkey, erase the new file with File > Erase > Current. Type “cp”. Several
windows will quickly open and close, and you will be left with the dialog box for renaming the
part. You can now enter the desired name for a new part, which will contain the default datums,
units, and named views set up above to work with the view mapkeys we created earlier. Pretty
slick!

We have created a very simple part template here. You can make this as elaborate as you like
with parameters, units, materials, layers, datum features and so on - even solid features. You can,
of course, use any of the provided part templates as a starting point for these.

Adding Mapkeys to Menus and Toolbars

Mapkeys can be added to any of the existing toolbars and pull-down menus. You might like to
do this for mapkeys that you do not use frequently, and are likely to forget.

To see how this is done, select the

Commands tab in the Customize window
(see Figure 11). This shows the tree
structure of the pull-down menus on the
left, and your currently defined mapkeys on
the right. At the bottom of the Categories
list, you will find an entry called Mapkeys.
Select this. In the Mapkeys pane on the
right, select the mapkey Create Part. The
two buttons Description and Modify
Selection are now active. Selecting the
former shows you the description you
entered when defining the mapkey.
Selecting the latter allows you to modify Figure 11 Adding mapkeys to menus and toolbars
the mapkey button image (currently a
“happy face”) and display. You might like to get rid of the “happy face”, since all mapkeys use
this same icon.

Drag the Create Part mapkey in the right pane up to the File pull-down menu and drop it in a
1 - 16 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

convenient location, as in Figure 12. Selecting this will launch the mapkey.

Another way to utilize mapkeys is to create shortcut buttons on

the toolbars. Again select the Create Part mapkey in the right
pane and drag it to a toolbar.

We now have three different ways to launch the Create Part

mapkey:

from the keyboard, with “cp”

from the pull-down File menu

from the toolbar
Figure 12 Create Part
Experiment with these to find out which one is most suitable for mapkey added to a pull-down
you. Again, remember the cautionary note about cluttering up menu
your screen.

Introduction to the Project

The assembly project to be completed in this tutorial involves the modeling and assembly of the
three-wheeled utility cart shown in Figure 12. The cart contains 26 or so parts, many of which
are repeated in the assembly. The total assembly has about 75 parts (mostly bolts!). We will use
the techniques introduced in the lessons to model various parts of the cart as exercises at the end
of each lesson. We will average about 4 parts per lesson, so you should get lots of practice! In
the final lesson, we will assemble the cart, using a number of advanced functions for dealing with
assemblies. Try not to “jump the gun” on this assembly task, since the functions to be covered in
the last lesson can really speed up your job of putting the cart together.

Figure 13 The assembly project - a three-wheeled utility

cart
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 17

For your modeling exercises, the parts shown at the end of each lesson will illustrate the critical
dimensions. A figure will also be provided to show where the parts fit into the overall assembly.
Not all dimensions are shown on each part - you can use your judgement and creativity to
determine the remaining dimensions. In this regard, please take note of the following:

ALL UNITS ARE IN MILLIMETERS! You might set up your default part template
with this setting.

Dimensions are usually multiples of 5mm. For instance, all the plate material and the
wall of the cargo box are 5mm thick. The tubing is 25mm square.

All holes and cylinders, unless otherwise dimensioned, are
10. This applies to bolt
holes, pins, rods, and so on.

All holes, unless otherwise dimensioned, are coaxial with cylindrical surfaces or
located on symmetry planes.

For some of the trickier parts, in addition to the figures showing the dimensions, there
will be some discussion and hints to help you get going.

When we get to the final assembly in Lesson 8, remember that it is an easy matter to modify
dimensions of the various parts so that the assembly fits together. Don’t be too concerned when
you are modeling the parts if you have to guess at one or two dimensions. These can be modified
later if the need arises.

When you are creating the parts, try to be aware of the design intent for the part and how it might
eventually be placed in the assembly4. For example, if the part has one or more planes of
symmetry, it is common practice to use the default datum planes for these. In the assembly, the
Align constraint using these datum planes is an easy way to position the part (usually with
another symmetric part).

Although a suggested part name is given, feel free to make up your own part names. Remember
that Pro/E is fussy about files that get renamed in isolation, or moved to another directory. If a
part has been used in an assembly (or sub-assembly) or drawing, make sure the assembly or
drawing is in session if you rename or move the part so that the related files can also be updated.

For the entire project, you will require about 10 Megabytes of disk space to store all the parts and
assemblies. This does not include parts we will make during the lessons themselves, just the cart
project parts. If you are not particularly careful about disk housekeeping (like deleting older
version of the part files), you will require more space.

4
You might like to look ahead to the last lesson to see what assembly constraints are used
for each part.
1 - 18 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

This lesson should have given you enough ideas and ammunition to allow you to customize the
interface so that it will be most efficient for the type of work that you do. There are a surprising
number of users who are unaware of many options available in config.pro. Check them out!

In the next lesson we will look at functions directly involved in model creation. These are for the
creation of sweeps.

Questions for Review

1. What is the name of the file containing your configuration settings?
2. What is the name of the file containing your screen layout settings?
3. When, and from where, are your configuration settings loaded? Why is there more than
one location?
4. What happens if your configuration file contains multiple entries for the same option, each
with different values?
5. How can you find out where your start-up directory is?
6. How can you create/edit/delete configuration settings?
7. When do configuration settings become active?
8. Is it possible to have more than one customized screen layout?
9. How do you place toolbars on the top/left/right edge of the graphics window?
10. How do you add/delete shortcut buttons on the toolbars?
11. How many empty toolbars are there?
12. Where are the toolbar definitions saved?
13. What is a mapkey?
14. Why do you usually want to keep mapkey names short?
15. How is the mapkey name different from the mapkey sequence?
16. How do you create a new mapkey?
17. Are new mapkeys stored automatically? Where?
18. What is the purpose of a part template? Where are they stored and how do you access
them?

Exercises
1. Create an assembly template. This should have named datums and named views to match
your view selection mapkeys and default units to match your default part template. Make
this the default template for assemblies.
2. Set up a mapkey to create a new assembly using the default assembly template.
3. Put the Create Assembly mapkey on the pull-down File menu.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 19

Project Exercises
We’re going to start off with some of the easier parts in the cart. These should give you some
time to experiment with your configuration file, mapkeys, and part template. The project parts
are shown in the figures below. Their location in the cart is also shown for reference in the
Figure here:

Figure 14 Project parts in Lesson #1

Part: handle_pin Part: front_spr_plate

1 - 20 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Part: arm_vbrack

Part: arm_brack
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3-1

Chapter 3 :

Plane Stress Analysis of a

Thin Plate (Part 1)

Synopsis:
A simple model is created using the built-in geometry tools in Pro/MECHANICA. The complete
sequence of steps required for a static analysis will be outlined, and basic result display options
presented.

Overview of this Lesson

Running Pro/MECHANICA in independent mode, we will create a model of a thin plate loaded
in tension. The plate (see Figure 1) has two holes and is fixed at the wide end and loaded on the
narrow end. As long as the plate thickness is small compared to its length/width and the load
stays in the plane of the plate, we can treat this as a plane stress problem. This geometry will be
used to illustrate some simple construction tools in Pro/M and allow us to go through an entire
analysis to find the stresses acting in the plate and its deformation.

180

ø60

120
60

60

ø40

60 ALL UNITS mm

130
Figure 1 The thin plate
3-2 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

The steps to be performed are the following:

1. Create the geometry

2. Create the elements
3. Set the material properties
4. Apply loads and constraints
5. Set up the design study
6. Run the analysis
7. View the results.

You will quickly get in the habit of performing these steps automatically.

There will be lots to do here. It is ALL important, so go slowly. If necessary, you might have to
come back and redo the lesson.

Let’s get started...

Starting Pro/MECHANICA
Start up Pro/MECHANICA on your
system. Details on how to do this will vary
from system to system. If it is not clear how
to do this, see your system administrator.
On Windows systems, the command
sequence will be something like:

Start
Programs
Pro/MECHANICA
Structure

or your system may be set up with a

shortcut to launch Pro/M directly from the Figure 2 The main screen in Pro/MECHANICA
desktop.

After a few seconds the main screen will appear as shown in Figure 2. This includes the main
graphics window, the command/message window (with pull-down menus), and the Main menu.
The graphics window will be were you will view your model and analysis results. The main
menu leads to the major Pro/M command sub-menus. The pull-down menus at the top contain
many of the utility tools and controls for the screen display and editing tasks. The
command/message window will be where Pro/M tells you of its progress and prompts you for
required data. This data can be entered either by typing in values or selecting graphical elements
in the graphics window.

You will have to get used to watching the three critical areas on the screen at the same time: the
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3-3

main menu on the right, the graphics window, and the command/message window.

Let’s have a look at the Main menu buttons (Figure 3):

Geometry - leads to sub-menus used to create the geometric

structure of the model by drawing points, curves, surfaces,
volumes, and so on

Model - this brings up commands for specifying the model based

on the geometry. This includes creating elements,
specifying material properties, adding loads and
constraints.

Analysis - here is where we specify the type of analysis to be Figure 3 Main menu options
performed on the model (static, modal, ...)

Design Study - allows you to choose the type of design study (standard, sensitivity,
optimization) and set appropriate parameters

Run - after the model is fully specified, this leads to a menu to set the run parameters and
perform the model analysis

Results - lets you set up window definitions and view the results for the model (stresses,
deformations, strains, modal shapes, and so on)

As you go through the modeling steps, the flow of your work will be from the top to the bottom
on this menu.

Before we start creating anything, we should set up the graphics display. In the pull-down menus
select:

Display > Master Visibilities > All On | Accept

That is, turn everything on except the grid. Note that we have separate visibility control over
many different kinds of entities: geometry, elements, model, and miscellaneous. Turning
everything on will make sure that we will see everything as it is created.

Finally, notice the coordinate system icon in the lower corner of the graphics window. This
shows us that our default drawing or working plane is the XY plane (the two red axes), with Z
coming out of the screen.

Creating the Geometry

We will create the geometry by entering coordinates of key points on the model from the
3-4 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

keyboard. It is possible to import the geometry either from IGES files

or directly from Pro/ENGINEER. As required, we will use other
built-in tools. Start with the four corners of the plate:

Main > Geometry

Point > Single Points
Snap(Point)

The Snap menu (Figure 4) will be very important. Scan down the list
of snap options. The message window prompts you

“Select a point or enter coordinates:”

Type in the coordinates of the lower left corner of the plate as Figure 4 The Snap menu

0, 0

A small yellow circle will appear in the center of your screen. Note
that we did not have to enter a value for Z; if omitted, it is assumed to
be 0. Type in some more sets of coordinates for the other corners (our
dimensions are mm):

0 120
180 30
180 90

Note we didn’t need a comma, just a space, to separate the numbers.

Finally, press the Enter key on a blank input line to close out the
command, or click the middle mouse button. The middle mouse
button will always be interpreted by Pro/M as if you had pressed
the Enter key.

It may be that nothing shows up on your screen. At the right end of

the command window, select

View > Fit | Done

The View menu (Figure 5) presents controls for the graphical display.
For now, just scan the list of commands on this menu. The Fit
command will refit the current view so that all defined entities are
visible in the graphics window. Continue entering coordinates as
follows (these are the circle centers):

Single Points > Snap(Point)

60, 60
130, 60
Figure 5 The View menu
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3-5

If you make a data entry error and put a point at the wrong place, you can delete it with

Edit > Delete > Entity > Points

and click on the wrong point, then middle click twice.

Here’s another useful hint: You can zoom in or out on your model using CTRL-left, that is
hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard and click and drag with the left mouse button. Users of
Pro/Engineer will be quite familiar with this, and will correctly anticipate that CTRL-middle will
spin the model, and CTRL-right will pan. If you spin the model, return to the original orientation
with View > Front | Done.

Now we will connect the four corner points with edges. Select

Geometry > Curve > Line > Point Chain > Snap(Point)

Left click on each of the four corner points in sequence around the plate. Middle click when the
last side is closed.

We’ll add the circular holes. Keep your eye on the command/message window while you do this,
since the mouse will be used for short-cuts here. Select

Geometry > Curve > Circle > Radius-Center

For the larger hole, enter a radius of 30 and left click on the appropriate center point. Then
middle click once to back up one level in the command. Enter the radius of the smaller hole as
20. Left click on the other center point and middle click twice to completely exit the circle
command. Your geometry should now look like the figure below.

Figure 6 All edges of the plate defined

3-6 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

We will now use these edges to create more points that will be used to set up the elements. Select

Geometry > Point > Along Curve

Click on the left edge of the plate. Read the message window and enter the number of points to
create 1. Do the same for the right edge. When prompted for the number of points, note the
default <1>. Middle click to accept. Now click on the upper edge and create 2 new points. Do
the same for the lower edge. Finally, middle click to exit the command. Note the default for
Along Curve is equally spaced points.

For the next step (adding points to the circles), we will need a construction line. This is not an
edge of the model, but just a convenience. Select

Geometry > Curve > Construction Geom > Horizontal > Snap(Point)

and click on the point in the center of the large circle.

Now we’ll create points on the circles. Note that we are backing out of a command by selecting
a higher level menu. Select

Geometry > Point > Along Curve

Select the big circle and enter the number of points to insert as 4. For a closed curve, we need to
specify where the first point is; the rest will be equally spaced around the curve. This is why we
needed the construction line. Select

Snap(Intersect)

and click first on the large circle and then on the construction line at about the 3 o’clock position
on the circle. Four points should appear on the circle. Everything is all set up for the second
circle so we only need a few mouse clicks to do the job:

click on the smaller circle,

middle click to accept the default number of points as 4,
click on the circle again,
click on the construction line at the 3 o’clock position,
and finally, middle click to exit the command.

Your model should now look like Figure 7.

Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3-7

Figure 7 All points constructed

All the geometry for this model is now defined. On to the next step - creating the finite elements.

Creating the Elements

Select

Main > Model

Since this is the first time into the model menu, we

are faced with the Model Type window shown in
Figure 8. This shows the four types of models that
Pro/M can treat. Click on Plane Stress > Accept.

We will now proceed to define aspects of the

model, going down the list presented in the menu Figure 8 The Model Types window
at the right on the screen (Elements, Properties,
Constraints, and so on)..

First, we need to construct the elements. We will use a mix of 3- and 4-sided elements (triangles
and quads). Select

Elements > 2D Plate > Quad | Point

Have a look at Figure 9 below to identify the quad elements (there are eight). These are set up by
clicking on the four vertices that make up the corners of each element. IMPORTANT: Use a
symmetric layout of the elements here. We will come back to this point in the next lesson and
create an asymmetric layout to see if this affects the results.
3-8 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

Figure 9 Quad elements defined

If you make a mistake selecting vertices for an element, you can get rid of the element with

Edit > Delete > Entity > 2D Plates

and click on the element to be deleted. Middle click twice to return to the Elements menu.

Now select

Tri | Point

and click on the vertices of the triangular elements at each end. Click the middle button when all
the elements have been defined.

To help distinguish between the geometry (edges and curves of the model) and the elements, we
can adjust the display using (in the pull-down menus)

Display > Settings > Shrink All Elements > Accept

Some installations may have this set by default and should result in the display of the model
shown in Figure 10.
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3-9

Figure 10 Elements shrunk

In the Display > Settings menu, you can experiment with different marking schemes for the 2D
plate elements and the points. You might also like to shade the elements (the default is
wireframe). This will make it quite obvious when elements are missing.

Assigning Properties
We have to define material properties and specify the thickness of the plate. First, the material
properties - select:

Model > Properties > Material

This opens the Materials dialog window

(Figure 11). This lists all the materials
contained in the Pro/M library with the
physical properties defined in various
systems of units. We will not need to add
new materials to this list in these lessons.
For now, since our length units are
millimeters, select AL2014_mmNS in the
left column and transfer it to the right pane
using the >>> button. Now select

Assign > 2D Plate > All

Figure 11 The Materials dialog window
The elements will be highlighted in red. Click the middle button to accept the selection.

To see the material properties, select Edit. The properties window comes up showing the values
of Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio and other constants for the material. Accept this box with
3 - 10 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

no changes. In the Materials window, select Close.

Now we specify the plate thickness. Select

Properties > Shell Property > 2D Plate > All

Once again the elements highlight in red. Accept

with the middle button and the Shell Properties
window comes up. Enter thick2 in the top box, a
description in the middle box, and finally a
thickness of 2. The complete box should look like
Figure 12. Accept the window.

We are now finished defining the element and

model properties. On to the next step...

Figure 12 Entering the plate thickness

Defining the Constraints

At a minimum, all models must be constrained against rigid body motion (translation or
rotation). In our case, the plate will be fixed at the left end. This means no translation will be
allowed in any direction for points along the edges of the elements on the left end.

VERY IMPORTANT POINT: We will define the constraint using the GEOMETRY rather
than the ELEMENTS! Why do this? First, the elements are associated with the geometry through
the points we specified. This means that the constraint defined on the geometry will be passed on
to the elements automatically. Secondly, if we define the constraints on the elements themselves
and decide later to delete, rearrange, or modify the elements, the defined constraints will be lost
and we would have to create them again. This is only mildly annoying for a simple model, but
when we get to optimization we will want the geometry to be constrained and not the elements
themselves because in the course of the calculations the elements may be rearranged
automatically.

Select

Model > Constraints > Curve

This brings up the Constraint dialog window (Figure 13). Each constraint (and load) that we
create in a model has a name and is assigned to a particular constraint (or load) set. For simple
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 11

models you can probably live with the default names. But when your models become more
complex, you will want to use more descriptive names.

For our model, enter the constraint name fixededge, and leave the default ConstraintSet1 as is.
Select the button under Curves and pick on the left vertical edge. This is another advantage of the
shrunken elements, since this edge is easy to pick out. When the desired edge highlights, click
the middle button. Note the default coordinate system is the WCS, as shown in the graphics
window.

At the bottom of the Constraint window are the allowed degrees of freedom. This area will
change depending on your model type. For plane stress, only translations in the X and Y
directions can be specified. Leave both of these Fixed using the center button. The other buttons
are for Free and Prescribed translations. Finally, accept the dialog with OK.

Trans X Trans Y Trans Z

Rot X Rot Y Rot Z

Figure 14 The Constraint symbol

Figure 13 Specifying the constraint

A constraint symbol will appear on the left edge. This symbol is coded as shown in Figure 14.
Any degree of freedom that is fixed is color filled in the boxes at the bottom of the symbol. An
empty box indicates that degree of freedom is free or unconstrained.

We have now constrained the plate, and can get on with specifying the load on the other end.

Specifying the Load

We will set a uniformly distributed load on the narrow end of the plate, putting the plate in
tension. Once again, we apply the load to the geometry rather than directly to the elements, for
3 - 12 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

the same reasons as for the constraints described above. Select

Model > Loads > Curve

This opens the Force/Moment dialog window (Figure 15). As for

constraints, loads are given names and contained within load sets. A
model can have many load sets, each containing one or more loads. We
will discuss multiple load sets a bit later in the lessons. Enter a load
name xhoriz and leave the default set LoadSet1. Select the button under
Curves and click on the right edge. It will highlight. Middle click. Make
sure that Total Load and Uniform are selected in the pull-down lists, and
enter the force components (in Newtons) X = 1000 and Y = 0. When all
the data is entered, you can select Preview to see load arrows applied.
This is useful to check directions before accepting the dialog. Accept the Figure 15 Specifying
dialog box with OK (or middle click). the load

Shrink the display a bit with CTRL-left, then select

Display > Settings > Display Load Magnitudes | Precision(1)

This will put a label on the model, which should now look like Figure 16. This completes our
definition of the model.
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 13

Figure 16 Completed model

Setting the Analysis

Now we specify the type of analysis we want Pro/M to perform. We generally always start out
with a “quick and dirty” run through the computation to see if there are any gross errors in the
model. This is called a Quick Check. Select:

Main > Analysis

In the Analyses window, open the pull-

down list at the top to see the available
analysis types. The default is Static. Now
select

New

The Static Analysis Definition window

opens (Figure 17). At the top, enter a
unique analysis name such as plate1. Enter
a description, like “tapered plate with two
hole”. The only existing constraint and load
sets should already be selected. Select
Quick Check from the Convergence pull-
down list. Finally, Accept the dialog.

Figure 17 Defining a static analysis

Back in the Analyses window, all the currently defined analyses will be listed. So far, we only
have one. When we come back to modify the analysis, we get at it through this window using the
Edit button. For now, select Done.
3 - 14 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

Running the Analysis

We can now run the model. Select

Main > Run

In the window that opens (Figure 18), plate1 is shown as a Standard/Static analysis. Select

Settings

and change temporary and output directories to \temp\, or some other easy-to-identify place with
lots of free disk space and that you won’t bother about keeping later. IMPORTANT: Make a
note of the location of the output directory. Then Accept the settings.

Figure 18 The Run window

Ready to go? Select

Start

You will be asked if you want error detection. Answer Yes. You may be informed that the
material assigned to the model does not contain failure data. This is used to plot contours of
factor of safety. Ignore this for now by selecting Continue. If all goes well, Pro/M will process
the model and report that there are no errors. If errors are found, follow the prompts and retrace
your steps. Once the model has passed the error check, if you haven’t done this already you will
have to specify a file name in which to save the model. Save it as plate1 in the current working
directory (Pro/M will automatically add the mdb extension).

You will then see the message

“The design study has started.”

up in the message window. The run should only take a few seconds for this simple model. In the
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 15

Run window, click on

Summary

A scrollable text window will open that reports data on the run. This includes: run settings, a
model summary (number of geometry entities, number of elements), design study type,
convergence method, convergence loop log, warnings and errors, some model properties,
summary of primary measures, and CPU and memory utilization. In this window find the value
of the measure max_stress_vm (maximum Von Mises Stress, should be about 24 MPa) and total
CPU time (should be just a few seconds).

If everything went well with the Quick Check, that is, no warnings or errors were reported, we
can go back and specify a more accurate analysis type. Select Close in the Summary text window
and Done in the Run window. Select

Main > Analysis > Edit

and change Quick Check to Multi-Pass

Adaptive, use Lcl Disp & Lcl SE & Glbl
RMS Stress, set the convergence limit to
5% and set the polynomial (edge) order
maximum to 9 as shown in Figure 19.

Accept the dialog box, return to the Run

menu, and select Start. You will be notified
that output files already exist. Answer Yes
to remove them. We will not need error
detection. The design study will start up.
While it is running, you can select
Summary to watch the progress of the run.
The multi-pass run will go to loop 6, with a
maximum edge order of 6 on convergence.
Check out the measure max_stress_vm (it
will have increased from before, to about
28 MPa) and the total CPU time (it will
have roughly doubled from before). Close
the text window and select Done in the Run
window. Now we can have a look at the
results. This might be a good time to take a
little stretch break! Figure 19 Setup for Multi-Pass Adaptive run
3 - 16 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

Viewing the Results

There are many ways that we can view the results of this run. Each view is identified with a
unique window name that you supply. Then you specify what is to be plotted in the window. We
will introduce a few of the most common window views here. Select

Main > Results > Create

Displaying the Stress Contours

In the first window, we will create a fringe plot of the Von Mises stress1 in the plate. In the small
window that opens, enter the window name as vm, and Accept the dialog (don’t forget you can
do this either by clicking the Accept button, pressing the Enter key, or clicking the middle mouse
button).

We now have to tell Pro/M where the data is that we want to plot. We do this by identifying the
design study, for which we supplied a name back in Figure 17. This was “plate1". We also told
Pro/M where to store all the output files (under Settings in the Run window). All we have to do
is identify the location of those results2. Go to the directory that you designated to store the
results files - we used temp\ above. In that directory, there should be a subdirectory called
plate1\ that was the name of the analysis. Select this subdirectory (DO NOT OPEN IT) by a
single click. The directory name will appear in the top box. Accept the dialog.

Now we define what we want to see in the result window. See Figure 20. Enter the following
data or select from the pull-down lists (accept all other defaults):

Title “Von Mises Stress”

Quantity Stress Total Von Mises
Display Fringe
Levels 9 Continuous Tone (deselect Average)

and Accept the dialog box.

1
The Von Mises stress is obtained by combining all the stress components at a point in a
way which yields a single value that can be compared directly to the yield strength of the
material.
2
This seems a bit round-about at this time, since we just finished doing the analysis and
all this information should be available to Pro/M already. However, it is possible to go directly to
the Results command on entering Pro/M, in which case these locations would be unknown, or we
might like to set up a result window from a totally different run. In either case, we have to
provide the location of the results files.
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 17

Figure 20 Defining the contents for the Result

window

Now select

Show

The following image should come up on your screen. Your display will, of course, be in color.

Figure 21 Fringe display of Von Mises stress

3 - 18 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

This shows that the maximum Von Mises stress is at the top and bottom of the two circular
holes, as expected. We also note that the stress pattern is symmetrical about the horizontal line
through the hole centers, again as expected. This leads us to think that we could solve this
problem by analyzing only the upper or lower half the plate. We will do that in the next lesson.

For now, close out this result window (select Done). We will create a few more result windows
containing different data. The easiest way to do this is by copying the current window (vm),
supplying the copy with a new name, and changing its definition.

Displaying an Animated Deformation

Let’s set up a window to show an animation of the deformation. Make sure vm is highlighted in
the Edit column of the Results window and select:

Copy > [deform] > Review

and enter the following definition (accept the defaults for other data fields)

Title “Deformed Shape”

Quantity Displacement Magnitude
Display Animation
Frames 24 Reverse
Accept

In the Show column of the Result window, make sure that only the window name deform is
highlighted. Then select Show. A static image will appear showing the plate geometry in
wireframe. Select the Controls button under the Main Menu, and then click on Start. The
wireframe will animate to show you an exaggerated view of the deformation. Note the scale
factor is indicated. See Figure 22.

This animated view is most useful for

checking whether the boundary constraints have
been set properly, since the fixed edge of the plate
should not move. It also will give you a more
intuitive feel for the deformation within the part.

Select Done (twice) to return to the Result

window.

Figure 22 The deformed plate

Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 19

Examining the Convergence Behavior

Following the same procedure, make two more copies and modify the window contents to define
the following result windows. Make sure the correct window name is highlighted in the right
column (Edit) in the Result window.

Name convm
Title “Von Mises Convergence”
Quantity Measure Select: Max_stress_vm
Accept

Name constr
Title “Strain Energy Convergence”
Quantity Measure Select: Strain_energy
Accept

With only the titles convm and constr highlighted in the Show column of the Result window,
select Show. Both windows will appear on the screen showing graphs of the two quantities as a
function of the loop pass. See Figure 23.

Figure 23 Convergence behavior - Von Mises and strain

energy

Notice that the Von Mises stress increases with each pass, while the strain energy steadily
approaches a limiting value. This is one reason why we NEVER use the Von Mises stress to
monitor convergence. The strain energy will always converge monotonically. Also notice that if
we had done this analysis with first order (linear) elements, the maximum Von Mises stress
would be wrong by a factor of 2 from the converged value.

Examining the Model Edge Order

During the multi-pass solution, some element edges within the model required higher and higher
order polynomials in order to ensure an accurate solution. In our case, the maximum edge order
3 - 20 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

was 6. To see where this occurred, and what the other edges were doing, we can plot the model
with the edge order data.

Make another copy of a result window and modify the definition as follows:

Name plevel
Title “Element Edge Polynomial Order”
Quantity P-level
Display Fringe
Accept

Now, Show this window. You will see a colored plot similar to Figure 24. This indicates the
polynomial order on each edge - note the maximum and minimum values. This information is
useful since if the model is having difficulty converging, or requires very high polynomial orders
(up to 9), we will know by examining this plot where we need to make modifications to the
element mesh.

Figure 24 Edge order in converged solution

Summary
This concludes our first look at the basic functionality in Pro/MECHANICA. We have analyzed
a very simple model, but you have seen all the major steps involved in doing a standard static
analysis, probably the most common FEA problem.

In the next lesson, we will return to this model and explore some issues in modeling (such as the
use of symmetry), more geometry commands, how to get the element mesh to generate
automatically, and more view and display controls.

Meanwhile, you are encouraged to explore what we have covered. You will only become more
proficient with the software by continued practice. Some exercises are given below, but feel free
to make up your own problems.
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 21

Questions for Review

See how many of these you can answer without referring to the text.

1. What are the seven steps required to perform a complete FEA with Pro/MECHANICA?
2. What functions/commands are performed or available with the following buttons on the
Main menu:
Geometry
Run
Design Study
Results
Model
Analysis
3. Which of the buttons in the last question did we not use in this lesson?
4. In what order are the commands/functions listed in question #2 executed?
5. Suppose your display is showing all the geometry, elements, loads, and constraints in the
model. How do you:
i. shrink the elements
ii. show only the geometry
iii. show only the elements
iv. show the elements in shaded mode
v. zoom in on a small area of the display
vi. zoom out so that all visible entities are within the display
6. What are five of the Snap options?
7. What function is performed by the middle mouse button?
8. What are three different ways to create a circle?
9. When creating new points using Along Curve, what is the difference between open and
closed curves? How are the new points distributed?
10. How do you create a construction line?
11. What are the two element types available for plane stress analysis?
12. How do you specify the thickness of a plate?
13. How do you tell Pro/M what the part being studied is made of?
14. Why do we apply loads and constraints to geometry instead of elements?
15. Sketch the constraint symbol and identify the six boxes.
16. The first analysis usually performed is simply to determine if there are any errors in the
model. This is called a _______. How is this set up?
17. What is the purpose of a multi-pass adaptive analysis?
18. How do you set up a window to view the results of an analysis?
19. What is the main benefit of seeing an animated deformation?
20. What is meant by “convergence”? How is this set up? What are two ways of examining
the convergence behavior?
21. How can you find out the edge order of each element in the model? Why is this
information significant?
3 - 22 Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1)

Exercises
Perform an FEA of the following problems. All are thin plates with a thickness of 2mm. All
dimensions in millimeters. Produce plots of Von Mises stress, deformation, P-level, and
convergence behavior.

Exercise #1: This is the same plate we used in this lesson, but with the load containing a
component in the Y direction.

Total Load
1000 N

15°
ø 40

160

(Same Plate Geometry)

80
Exercise #1

Exercise #2: This is the “classic” hole-in-a-plate problem. You

50
can compare the results you obtain to analytically obtained
solutions, or to tabulated values for the stress concentration 100

around the hole. What effect does the length of the plate have? Exercise #2
An analytical solution will likely assume an infinitely long plate.

Exercise #3: This problem should give you lots of practice with the geometry commands
covered in this lesson. Think carefully about how you might like to arrange the elements, and
therefore where you want to create points.

50

2 X ø40

ø60
110 Total Load
1000 N

30 30
220 60

ALL UNITS mm

120

180

Exercise #3
Plane Stress in Thin Plate (Part 1) 3 - 23
 A Pro/Manufacturing Tutorial
PRO/ENGINEER - Release 2000i 2

Paul E. Funk Loren Begly, Jr

University of Evansville Whirlpool Corporation
Evansville, IN Evansville, IN


PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.SDCpro.com
 Section 1 -- A Quick Run Through

In this section we’ll develop the CNC code for a 3 axis CNC mill to produce a simple

rectangular block with a raised letter.

Part 1-1
Part for Section 1

Pro/Manufacturing can quickly become very involved and complex. This exercise is designed to

work through a single manufacturing sequence to familiarize the user with the general procedure

involved. Although a single manufacturing sequence (volume milling), it still involves a lot of

commands. Since we’re just trying to gain familiarity with the general procedure, we’ll present

this example with a minimum of explanation. At the beginning of each step we’ll explain what

we’re going to do, then we’ll do it and at the end of the step we’ll tell you what we (and you) did.

Later sections will go into detail about why you made the choices you were told to make and

what alternatives you have available to you.

Produce the Part Model

We’ll follow the steps discussed in the preface. First, 1) Produce the part model. Before

entering the Manufacturing menu, enter the Part menu and create the block shown above. A

click-by-click procedure is included in the Appendix A and B. You can name the part whatever

you wish, but we’ll refer to it as “block” throughout the remainder of this section. Save the part

1-1
and

Window

Close

File

New

Manufacturing

NC Part

Enter the name you want to use for your manufacturing process. We’ll use “block”. (Pro/E will

add a .mfg extension.) Select

OK

and pick on the part name for the part we want to manufacture (block.prt).

Open

Pro/E displays the part. We’ll use this part as a guide to generate code for in the manufacturing

module. That completes step 1).

Assemble the Part and Workpiece

We’re now ready for step 2). We’ll create the workpiece material the part will be

machined from using our part as a guide. We’ll make the workpiece bigger than our original

part.

Figure 1-2
Part/Workpiece Assembly

1-2
We begin by selecting

Mfg Model

Create

Workpiece

We gave it the name, block_wp. We’re now going to enter Sketcher, just as if we were building

a part in part mode, to model the workpiece. Select

Protrusion

Done

Done

and select the sketching plane. Use Query/Select to select the bottom surface of the block (Refer

to Figure A if you don’t recall which is the bottom surface). We don’t want the workpiece to

protrude outward from the part; we want the workpiece to encompass the part so select

Flip

Okay

Select

Bottom

and pick on the front surface (Refer to Figure A) of the block. Use the top-left edge and top-front

edge as references. Select

and create a rectangular section as the outline for the workpiece so that it completely

encompasses the outline of our block. Dimension the rectangle you just created to be ½ inch

bigger than block.prt on each side.

1-3
Select

Done

and enter 1.0 inch as the depth of the protrusion. Select

OK

Done/Return

and we’ve completed the creation of our workpiece. In default view the part/workpiece

assembly should appear as shown in Figure 1-2.

We’ve completed step 2). We have our original part model assembled within the

workpiece from which it is to be machined.

Manufacturing Setup

We’re now ready to 3) perform the manufacturing setup. We will specify a 3 axis milling

operation, create a coordinate system for our operation and create the volume of material to

remove by milling. Select

Mfg Setup

Pro/E displays the Operation Setup dialogue box. Click on the “mill icon” at the far right

of the NC Machine box.

Make sure the Machine Type is “Mill” and the Number of Axes is “3 Axis”. Select

OK

and click on the arrow next to Program Zero. Select

Create

1-4
and pick on the workpiece. Select

2 Axes

Done

Place an axis at the front-top-left corner of the workpiece. Select the two edges of the workpiece

at the front-top-left corner (Figure A).

Figure 1-3
Pro/ E Axis Display

Pro/E will place a coordinate system at the intersection of the two axes and, depending on the

order they were picked, highlight one direction. Specify the positive z-axis as pointing upward,

away from the top surface, the positive x-axis to the right, and the positive y-axis pointing from

the front toward the back of the workpiece. This agrees with a standard mill axis. The bottom

surface of the workpiece will sit on the milling table. Use Reverse if the axis displayed does not

point in the positive direction. After getting the direction correct, pick on the appropriate axis

selection. Repeat the process for a second axis. The third axis will be defined by the right hand

rule.

Figure 1-4
Part Home

1-5
Select

OK

To complete the manufacturing setup, we still need to specify the volume of material to be

removed. We’ll select the entire workpiece and the “remove” the part from this volume. Select

Mfg Geom

Mill Volume

Create

and enter a name. We’ll use “mv1". Now we must specify an upward direction for the

workpiece by selecting a plane perpendicular to the upward direction. Select the top surface

(Refer to Figure A) of the workpiece. Pro/E will display an arrow. The arrow should point in the

upward (positive z) direction. Select

Okay

We’ll use the sketch command to create the volume of material to be removed from our

workpiece. We’ll remove all the workpiece material that lies outside the part. Select

Sketch

Done

Done

Use Prev

Okay

Again use the top-left and top-front edge as references. Select

Close

1-6
 Sketch

Edge

Use

and select all four outer edges of the workpiece (not the part). Select

Close

Up to Surface

Done

and pick the top (Figure A) surface of the workpiece. (You may want to use the default view.)

Select

Ok

We’ve selected our entire workpiece as the mill volume. But we need to leave the

material that represents our part. At this point Pro/E provides a Trim function that will “trim”

the part from the mill volume. Select

Trim

Done/Return

Done/Return

Done/Return

and we’ve defined the volume to be removed (the workpiece minus our part).

And we’ve completed the manufacturing setup. We defined a 3-axis milling operation,

created a coordinate system for our workpiece, and created a mill volume representing the

material that is to be removed by machining.

1-7
Machining Sequence

Let’s 4) define the machining operations. We’ll select a volume milling sequence, define

our tool and machining parameters (tool size, cutting speed, etc.), create a retraction plane and

specify the volume of material to be removed (created in the previous step). Select

Machining

NC Sequence

Done

Done (notice the checked parameters we must define)

Figure 1-5
SetUp Parameters

Pro/E will display a Tool Setup Table.

Figure 1-6
Tool Setup Table

1-8
 While the user can modify any of the values, we’ll just specify the diameter and length for

this example. Click on the specified parameter and change to the following values:

Cutter_Diam .25

Length 2

To save the values and exit the Setup table,

Apply

File

Done

Set

and Pro/E will display the remaining machining parameters. While the user can modify any of

the values, all parameters that have a value of -1 must be specified.

Figure 1-7
Machining Parameters

Use the following values:

Cut_Feed 60

Step_Depth .125

Step_Over .125

Scan_type Type_Spiral (We’ll explain why you change this later.)

1-9
Spindle_Speed 1000

Clear_Dist 1

After entering all the above values, select

File

Exit

to save the values and exit the table. Select

Done

Pro/E now prompts us to create a retraction plane; ie, a plane to determine the height the tool will

withdraw to each time it retracts from the workpiece. We’ll put a retraction plane one inch above

the part (0.5 inches above our coordinate system). Select

Along Z-Axis

and enter a value of 0.5 (½ “ above the workpiece).

Ok

Pro/E displays the retraction plane above the workpiece.

Figure 1-8
Retraction Plane

1-10
Now we must specify the volume of material to be machined. Since we’ve already created the

volume (recall we called it mv1), all we have to do is select it. Select

Select Vol

MV1

and we’ve finished the process.

And we’ve finished defining our machining sequence. We defined a volume milling

sequence, entered tooling and machining parameters, created a retraction plane and selected the

volume of material to be removed by milling.

Viewing and Outputting Results

Although we’re done, at this point we need some “proof” that everything we’ve done is

okay. We can get that proof by creating the tool path (CL - cutter location) and viewing the

cutter location as it removes the material. We’ll “play the path” of the tool. Select

Play Path

Screen Play

and Pro/E plays a radio control, Play Path window. And if you’ve done everything correctly, you

can use the radio buttons to display the cutting tool’s path centerline as it removes the material

you’ve indicated to be mv1.

Figure 1-9
Cutting Path Display

1-11
 After you’ve played the tool path (CL data), you can also run an NC check to graphically

depict the material removal. Choose

NC Check

and use Vericut controls (the green button on the bottom right of the screen) to watch as Pro/E

simulates how the material is removed.

Figure 1-10
NC Check

That’s everything involved in the process except posting or postprocessing the CL data to

generate the G-code. That’s pretty straight forward and basically just requires a listing of menu

picks. We’ll save that as part of a later exercise.

1-12
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE 2000i2:
ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS
INTEGRATED MODE

Pro/MECHANICA analysis of a structural steel bracket

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Okanagan University College


PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.
pro.com
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Estimated time: 1 + hours

Exercise 1: Beam Elements

Introduction

Beam elements are fast and efficient elements in FEA. They are 1-D in nature but still
represent what is called a 3-D idealization. From a modeling perspective, they are
relatively easy to create. Before using beam elements, make sure that the part looks
similar to a beam and that the aspect ratio (l/t) > 10.

Overview

This exercise will demonstrate how to use the automatic selection of beam elements in
Pro/Mechanica using integrated mode.
The procedures will be as follows:
1. Create file;
2. Set up datum curve;
3. Set up datum points for orientation of beam cross- section;
4. Assign beam element and orientation;
5. Assign material properties;
6. Create boundary conditions;
7. Set up and run the analysis;
8. Check out results.

The problem to be solved:

F = 4500 lbs

2"

40” 1"

X-SECTION

13
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Procedure

1. Start up Pro/Engineer 2000i2

Details on how to this is different from system to system. For a typical windows
platform:

Start > Programs > Pro/engineer2000i2 > Pro/Engineer

(it takes 30 seconds approximately for Pro/Engineer to start)

Set up your working directory. (File > Working Directory)

Select your working directory, then click on Accept.

2. Create a part named: beam

Select File>new
Select part and type in: beam; then Click on OK.

3. Setting up in Pro/Engineer for FEA modeling

Before we go to Pro/Mechanica, we must understand how beam elements are created.

Think of beam modeling as a sweep-type protrusion in Pro/Engineer. Except in the case
of FEA modeling, we will create a datum curve in Pro/Engineer, then assign the cross-
section (the beam element) in Pro/Mechanica.

3.1 Creating a datum curve for beam assignment

Click on the icon.

From the right menu, select: sketch > Done.

Use front as your sketching plane and accept the default viewing direction; click on OK.
Select top from the right menu and select the top plane as the top reference for the plane.

14
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Once in sketcher, Use the line sketching tool icon and sketch a horizontal datum
curve as shown below with the following characteristics:

 40 units long;

 Aligned with the top plane, symmetric about the right plane.

Figure 1: View of sketch for datum curve

Note: To modify your dimension, select the dimension to be modified and click on this
icon.

Select done out of sketcher ( icon) and click on OK off the dialog box. Then Done
off the pull down menu.

Turn datum planes off using the datum icon at the top of your screen.

15
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Go to Pro/Mechanica from Pro/Engineer

Select Applications>Mechanica from the top pull-down menu.

(Wait a few seconds)

You will see a unit info dialogue box come up on the screen, have a look at the working
units and then Click Continue to accept the units message.

Select Structure from the right menu.

Beam Assignment

2.1 Beam Section

Select Model > idealizations > Beams > Sections

The following dialogue box will come up. Click on New.

Click on Close.

The dialogue box shown below will come up. Enter the information as seen below.

STOP

What we are doing at this time is giving the cross-sectional dimensions of the beam
element used for the analysis. At this time you must know these dimensions. The cross-
section is constant through the datum curve representing the beam. The beam for our
analysis is 1 in wide and 2 inches high.

16
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Once the information is entered, click on OK. Then close the beam section dialogue box.

Note: if the section is not in the above menu of pre-defined X-section, you can sketch it
easily using the sketch options off the type menu. The menu picks are ‘sketch thin’ or
sketch solid. It will then take you to the Pro/Engineer sketcher.

STOP

We must now orient the vector of the cross-section. Even though it will show up on the
screen if we don’t, Pro/M wants to make sure that it is oriented the proper way. The
software needs insight here as to which way to go and to make sure that we know what
we are doing!
A vector will be used to determine the orientation. This vector will determine the beam
section co-ordinate system orientation.

2.2 Beam Orientation

Select Model > idealizations > Beams > Orientations

Once the Beam orientation dialogue box comes up, click on New.

17
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Enter the following information in the box.

Click on Ok then close the beam orientation dialogue box.

2.3 Beam Definition

Select New off the beams menu. The following beam definition window comes up.
Enter and select information as shown.

Under Name: Enter beam1.

Under references: Select Edge/Curve
Under edges, click on the arrow and select the datum curve on the screen, then click on
done sel.
(pay attention, selecting it more than once reverses the selection here.)
Material: Select Steel.
Under type: select beam
Defined by: Y direction of vector Vector (0, 0, 1) (this defines the orientation of the
cross-section, as explained on the precious page in the stop note.)
Select section and orientation as shown. There are no beam releases for this analysis.

18
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Select OK and note that cyan rectangles appear along the datum curve. Zoom in on one
of the rectangles and look! You can see a vector inside the beam. This vector is oriented
in the coordinates given above (0, 0, 1). You could easily change the orientation of that
vector simply by changing the coordinates of the vector.

Our beam idealization is fully defined. Good job!

3. Constraints

Select Model > Constraints > Create > Point from the right side menu.

19
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

The following dialogue box will come up. Enter and select the following information:

Name: End_constr_1
Member of set: ConstraintSet1
Under points, click on the arrow icon. .
From the datum points menu that comes up, Select Create > On vertex and click on the
positive X-axis end of the beam.

Click on Done select and then Done off the right menu. (or middle mouse click twice)

A point should then show up at the positive x-axis end of the beam.

Nothing further is needed for this box. We accept the defaults for the WCS and keep all
degrees of freedom fixed.

All translation
DOF fixed

All rotation
DOF fixed

Select OK off the constraint dialog box. Select Done/Return off the right side menu.

20
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

4. Loads

Select Loads > Create > Point

The following dialogue box will appear. Fill out the information as seen below.

Under reference-points, click on the arrow icon. .

From the datum points menu that comes up, Select Create>On vertex and select the
negative X-axis end of the beam.

Click on Done select and then Done off the right menu. (or middle mouse button click
twice)

Under Force-components, enter 4500 in the Z direction box.

Select OK off the constraint dialog box. Select Done/Return off the right side menu.

In order to properly show the load, from the top pull-down menu, select
View>Simulation display>Settings and click on tails touching under load arrows.
Also, click on value under Load/Constraint display.

Click on OK to close the window.

21
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

The resulting window should look like the following:

5. Set up and run Analysis

5.1 Static analysis

Select Analyses from the right menu and select Static > New from the analysis form.
The following dialogue box will come up. Enter the following information:

Name: Static1
Description: Analysis of cantilever beam.
Constraints and Loads as shown below.
Method: Multi-Pass Adaptive with 1 percent convergence (since beams are fast and
accurate)
Converge on local displacement and strain energy.

22
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Click on OK and then Close.

5.2 Run Analysis

Select Run > Start. The analysis will now be running. To check things as the
calculations are performed, click on summary.

The software will ask you if you want error detection (yes / no)? Answer yes.

(Note how fast the solution converged)

23
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

From the summary file, the following information is important to consider.

We are getting a maximum bending stress of 2.7 e+05 psi or 270 ksi. Which is the same
value as the exact solution.

6. Analysis results

Select Results > Create. The following box will come up. Answer yes.

Select create and then the following box will come up.

Type in vm_stress (for Von Mises stress).

24
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Select static1 for the analysis. Then click on Accept. The following contents definition
box will come up. Select and type in all information as shown below.

Click on Accept. Then, from the Result window, click on show.

25
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Select Done/Return and done.

Save your model.

As an exercise, create the following result window in order to look at the maximum
displacement from the model. Simply follow procedure 6 above.

26
 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS: BEAM ELEMENTS

Conclusion

Beam elements are fast and accurate elements. They are mainly used by analysis for
getting an idea of the big picture of an assembly of different cross-section. Take the
frame rail of a trailer, for instance. The modeling is fast (datum curves) and the beam
assignment is also fast. Remember: If it looks and smells like a beam, then use beam
elements for the analysis. On the other hand, you will not be able to study stress
concentrations around holes for instance, shell elements should then be used for this type
of analysis.

27
 Applications in Sheet Metal:
Using Pro/SHEETMETAL and Pro/ENGINEER
A Step-by-Step Tutorial for Designing Pro/SHEETMETAL Parts,
Assemblies and Drawings
Release 2000i2

David C. Planchard and Marie P. Planchard


PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

w w w .
pro.com
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 1

 
 



Create a reinforcing L-Bracket to assemble wood boards. The L-Bracket will adhere to wood
construction industry standards. Use standard fasteners.

Ready to start a session of Pro/SHEETMETAL? Stop! Ask yourself what is the design
intent? What are the design requirements? Before you begin, review the following questions:

1. How will the customer use

the L-Bracket?

2. How is the L-Bracket used in

the assembly?

3. What other components

effect the L-Bracket?

4. Do you need to be concerned

about loads, or other
engineering properties?

5. What is the most cost-

effective material for the
L-Bracket?

6. How is the L-Bracket

manufactured? What
features could be
Figure 1-1 Stong-Tie Reinforcing Brackets
implemented during the
Courtesy of Simpson Strong Tie Corporation of California initial model creation that
would make manufacturing
more cost effective and
successful?

7. Is Pro/SHEETMETAL the right product for the design?

  

You may not have access to all of the required design information. Placed in a concurrent
engineering situation, you are dependent upon others and are ultimately responsible for the
final design, (Figure 1-1).
Page 1 - 2 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

Product information is provided from various sources. The customer uses the L-Bracket to
connect perpendicular boards. The Engineering group initial specifies that 4 fasteners are
required to complete the assembly. The analysis group determines loads on test samples. A
material suppler indicates that aluminum is the most cost-effective material, but until the
analysis is completed, you first investigate steel.

In the real world there are time constraints. The customer requires a quote and a delivery
schedule for 10,000 units, YESTERDAY! Your manager suggests that you use
Pro/SHEETMETAL. Near the end of this project you will receive additional information
from the Engineering and Materials Planning departments to complete the assembly.





Pro/SHEETMETAL is a separate module of

Pro/ENGINEER foundation. In Part mode,
there are three subtype options: Solid,
Composite and Sheetmetal, (Figure 1-2).

The Sheetmetal option in the SUB-TYPE

menu initiates a variety of commands and
features. These commands and features are
only available in the Sheetmetal mode.

Sheetmetal parts are solid models. Solid

models are required to calculate mass
properties and perform engineering analysis.
Sheetmetal parts contain additional features
and options: Wall; Forms, Bends and
Unbends. Represent sheetmetal parts in
their flat manufactured material state.

Start a sheetmetal part. Select File, New.

Select Part under the TYPE menu.

Select Sheetmetal under the SUB-TYPE Figure 1-2 Sheetmetal Sub-type

menu. Enter partname L-BRACKET in the Menu
Name window. Select OK.

File>New>Part>Sheetmetal>[Enter partname L-BRACKET]>OK

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 3

The Default Datum Planes are

displayed.


 

Datum Planes, (Figure 1-3)

represent infinite 2D planes in
3-D space. Sometimes it is
difficult to visualize the default
datum planes. The default
datum planes do not have
thickness or mass.

Note: Before version 2000i2,

Datum Planes were created
from the Feature menu. The
Datum Planes were called
DTM1, DTM2 and DTM3.

In third angle orthographic

projection, the default datum
planes: FRONT, TOP and
RIGHT are compared to the:
Front view, Top view and
Right view respectively, Figure 1-3 Default Datum Planes
(Figure 1-4).

In geometric tolerancing, the default datum

planes are referred to as the primary,
secondary and tertiary planes.

Datum planes have two sides: yellow side

and red side. The yellow and red colors are
important to recognize for:

 Sketching the profile

 Orienting the part in the assembly

 Adding additional features

The first feature of a part is the default

datum. The default datum planes develop
correct parent-child relationships. Note:
New geometry has no dependency on Figure 1-4 Cosmetic Representation to
previously created geometry. Clarify Default Datum Planes
Page 1 - 4 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

It is important to use default datum planes. It is also important to orient the Base feature with
respect to the planes.

We will now discuss the design intent and the Base feature location.

   

Design Questions:

 How is the L-Bracket created in

Pro/SHEETMETAL,
(Figure 1-5)?

 The L-Bracket is fastened to solid

wood. How are datum planes
used to assist in the design?

 How are datum planes used to

orient the part in the final
assembly?

 Do you understand the form, fit

and function of the parts used in
the assembly?

These are critical questions that need

to be addressed before you can Figure 1-5 Utilizing Default Datum Planes to
successfully create the Base feature. Capture Design Intent

The parts are manufactured with the X-axis and Y-axis as datum lines.

Note: Dimensioning to datums in Assembly mode creates fewer problems with external
references. This practice leads you to continually think about the intent of the design.

!

What is the Base feature? The Base feature is the foundation of the part. The Base feature
should be kept simple. For this bracket, the 2D profile is an “L” shape sketch. The Sketch
Plane is located on the FRONT plane and the “L” profile is sketched colinear to the RIGHT
and TOP planes. The TOP plane is the Reference Plane. The FRONT plane is the Sketch
Plane. The yellow side of the TOP plane faces the top. The yellow side of the FRONT plane
faces the front.
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 5

!


Features are classified as:

 Solid

 Surface

 Datum

 Sheetmetal

in the FEAT CLASS, (Feature Class) menu. Create a Sheetmetal

feature. Select Feature, Create, Sheet Metal, (Figure 1-6).
Figure 1-6
The SHEET METAL FEATURE menu expands containing Notch,
Punch and Wall. Wall is a feature in Pro/SHEETMETAL similar to FEAT CLASS,
a thin wall protrusion in Pro/ENGINEER. After Sheet Metal is (Feature Class) Menu
selected, Wall is the only highlighted option, (Figure 1-7).

Parts require Solid and Sheet Metal features. Activate the Solid or
Sheetmetal option found in the Applications menu on the Main Tool
Bar, (Figure 1-8).

Figure 1-8 Applications Menu

Standard Part and Sheetmetal Part
Options

The Standard option contains Solid features. The Sheetmetal option Figure 1-7 SHEET
contains sheetmetal features. METAL FEATURE
Menu
Page 1 - 6 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

   

Walls are created as:

 Extruded

 Flat

 Revolve

 Blend

and others as shown in the OPTIONS menu, (Figure 1-9). We will first
investigate the Extruded Wall option.

Walls are displayed with two sides: a green side and a white side. The
green side is called the driving side. The white side represents thickness.
Sheetmetal parts have a uniform cross section. Create the first Wall.
Select Feature, Create, Sheetmetal. Select Wall from the SHEET
METAL menu. Select Extruded, Done, from the OPTIONS menu.

Control the bend radius through the sketched profile.

Figure 1-9
Feature>Create>SheetMetal>Wall>Extruded|Done
Use Table
Menu

The ATTRIBUTES menu, (Figure 1-10) provides two design options:

One Side and Both Sides. The One Side option creates a feature only
on one side of the datum plane. The Both Sides option creates a feature
symmetrically on either side of the datum plane. Select One Side.
Select Done.

One Side|Done

Figure 1-10
Attributes Menu
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 7

 "

A helpful tool in feature creation is the Element

Dialog Box, (Figure 1-11). The Element column lists
the required and optional elements of the feature.
The Info, (Information) column lists the current state
of each element.

Example: The element Attributes corresponds to the

Info state of One Side. The element Section
corresponds to the Info state of Defining.

You are in the process of defining the Element

Dialog Box. Enter additional information for
completion. A greater than symbol, ‘>’ indicates the
current element being defined. An element can be Figure 1-11 Element Dialog Box
redefined in its creation state by selecting the element
and then selecting the Define Button.

Once a feature is created, the Element Dialog Box

reappears in the Feature>Redefine command.

#
  $%& 
 

The Section requires three components:

 Sketch Plane

 Reference Plane

 Sketch

The Sketch Plane contains the 2D profile. The Reference Plane orients the direction of the
Sketch Plane for viewing. The Sketch contains the geometry profile, dimensions and
alignments.
Page 1 - 8 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

FRONT is the Sketch Plane. Plane is the default option in the SETUP PLANE menu,
(Figure 1-12). Select the FRONT text in the Model Tree. The red viewing arrow indicates
the feature creation direction. The arrow direction points into the screen. Accept the
direction. Select Okay.

TOP is the Reference Plane. Select Top from the SKET VIEW (Sketch View) menu,
(Figure 1-13). Select the TOP plane text.

Setup New|Plane| [FRONT]>Okay>Top|[TOP]

Figure 1-12
Sketch Plane
Menu

Figure 1-13
Reference View
Plane Menu
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 9

In Sketcher mode, the yellow side of the TOP plane faces upwards. The red side of the TOP
plane faces downwards, (Figure 1-14).

FRONT
Yellow
Side TOP
Sketch Yellow Side
Plane faces up.
Reference
Viewing
Plane

RIGHT
Yellow Side
faces right.
Vertical
Reference
Plane

 Figure 1-14 Datum Plane Orientation in Sketcher

#

Create the 2D section of the feature in Sketcher mode.

Sketcher mode includes dimensions and geometry
relationships. Display the Reference dialog box,
(Figure 1-15). The Intent Manager utilizes the F2(TOP)
and F1(RIGHT) References. The Intent Manager
provides the ability to define alignments to other
features such as: plane, axis or edge.

Figure 1-15 Reference

Dialog Box
Page 1 - 10 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

The “L” shaped profile is aligned to the TOP and RIGHT planes. The TOP plane is
represented as a horizontal line in the 2D Sketcher. The RIGHT plane is represented as a
vertical line, (Figure 1-16).

TOP

Alignment References

RIGHT

Figure 1-16 Alignment

References

&'('#'(

The Default view is a 3D view that corresponds to the default datum planes. To display
alignment lines:

 Select SavedView List, Default View from the Main Tool Bar

 Select Grid Off,

(Figure 1-17a) Saved View
List/Default
Note: You can create Grid On/Off
references alignments in
both the Default View and 2D Sketch View
the 2D views (Top, Front and Right).

Return to the 2D Sketch Figure 1-17a View and Sketch Icons

View. Select 2D Sketch
View from the Main Tool Bar

Saved View List>Default View

Grid Off

2D Sketch View
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 11

#  $)

Execute Sketch commands from the Sketch Menu or the Sketch Toolbar, (Figure 1-17b).

Select

Line

Rectangle

Circle

Arc

Fillet

Spline

Ref. Coordinate

Use Edge

Dimension

Modify

Constrain
Trim

Mirror
Continue/
Confirm

Figure 1-17b Sketch Menu and Sketch Toolbar

Page 1 - 12 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

##

Select Line from the Sketch toolbar. Use Line to

create the “L” shape profile colinear with the
RIGHT (vertical) and TOP (horizontal) plane,
(Figure 1-18a).
TOP
Line>[Sketch the L-Shape]

Alignment References

RIGHT

Note: The vertical line segment does not equal the Figure 1-18a Alignment
horizontal line segment. References and “L” Profile

If the vertical and horizontal lines are of equal

length, the system draws the “L1” symbol above both sketched lines. Dimensions are
referenced from the datum planes.

The L-Bracket has a 3” x 2” x 1” dimension with a 0.1” thickness. Modify the dimension
values. Click the Select icon from the Sketch toolbar. Double-click the vertical dimension
text. The text turns red. In the message window, the system prompts you to enter a new
value. Enter 3 for the vertical dimension. Select the green check mark at the right of the
message window. The action updates the value. Double-click the horizontal dimension text.
The text turns red. Enter 2, (Figure 1-18b).

Select

[Double-click the vertical dimension text and in the message

window, Enter 3]>

[Double-click the horizontal dimension text. Enter 2]>

Figure 1-18b Select

Dimensions and Modify
Values
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 13

Select Fillet from the Sketch Toolbar.

Select two entities at system prompt.
Select a point on the vertical line
approximately 0.25” from the corner
intersection. Select a point on the
horizontal line. Use the grid lines to
create a 90 arc. The center point should
be equally spaced between the vertical
and horizontal lines, (Figure 1-18c).
Sketch a Fillet
Click the Select icon. Double-click the Use the Grid intersection
arc dimension text. Enter 0.25. points to create a fillet
Approximately 0.25R

Fillet [Select 2 points]

Select>

[Double-click the arc dimension text.

Enter 0.25]

The overall length is correct. The dimension

scheme does not represent the correct design Figure 1-18c ARC FILLET
intent. Create the wall thickness. This will
modify the dimension scheme to represent the true design intent. Dimensions created from
the Intent Manager can be redefined in Sketcher mode.

*# 

Material thickness in the Sketch is added with the

Thicken command. The Thicken command is
located in the Sketch, Feature Tools menu,
(Figure 1-19).

Figure 1-19 Feature Tools

Menu
Page 1 - 14 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

The direction arrow points towards the right of the “L” to address material thickness. Select
Okay for direction arrow selection. Enter thickness, 0.10. An offset profile is created. The
offset profile is a dotted line, (Figure 1-20a).

Sketch>Feature Tools>Thicken>Okay>[Enter 0.10]

Direction of Thicken
Command Figure 1-20a Thicken
Command to Offset
Profile

0.15R Re dimension radius to

new inside wall

# #   

To change the design intent, address the

dimension scheme.

Most sheetmetal parts require inside dimension

radii. Redefine the radius dimension. Select
Dimension. Select the inside dotted line arc.

Note: Use the Resolve Sketch dialog box to

address conflicting dimensions (Figure 1-20b).

The system automatically highlights conflicting

dimensions in red. Delete the conflicting outside
arc dimension.

Figure 1-20b Resolve Sketch

Dimension>[Select the inside arc]

[Select the 0.25 outside arc dimension]>Delete

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 15

Dimension the sketch according

to (Figure 1-20c).

Exit the Sketcher. Select

Continue.

Dimension[Create an overall
vertical dimension, Enter 3.0]

Dimension[Create an overall
horizontal dimension, Enter
2.0]

Continue

Have a valid sketch before you

leave the Sketcher!

Specify the depth. Select Blind,

Done, from the SPEC TO menu. Figure 1-20c Complete Sketch

The system arrow displays the

profile depth direction. The red X mark represents the tail of the arrow. The arrow direction
points into the screen. The bulls eye symbol, (two concentric circles) represents the head of
the arrow. The arrow direction points out of the screen.

For the “L” profile, the arrow direction indicates that the extrusion is drawn from the Sketch
Plane (FRONT) into the screen. Enter profile depth value, 1.2.

Blind|Done>[Enter 1.2]
Page 1 - 16 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

View the newly created wall. Select Preview from the ELEMENT DIALOG BOX. Select
View, Default from the Main Tool Bar. The 3D Extruded Wall feature is displayed. Select
Shade from the Main Tool Bar, (Figure 1-21).

Insert the creation into the database.

Select OK from the ELEMENT
DIALOG BOX.

Preview>

View>Default>Shade>OK

Note: Always PREVIEW the feature

before inserting it into the database.
Save to disk. Select on File, Save.

File>Save

Figure 1-21 Base Feature – Extruded Wall,

Shaded

#$

Massaging is the modification of the model and its dimensions to test the limits of the feature.
Massaging address the question; Can the feature dimensions be changed and still obtain a
successful model regeneration?

The Extruded Wall is a simple feature. Note: Always massage a feature after it has been
created. Massage the Model. Select Modify, Value from the FEATURE menu. Select the
Extruded Wall feature. Dimensions are displayed. Select dimension 2.00 to change the
vertical length. The value 2.00 is highlighted in red. Enter 5 from the keyboard.

Change the arc fillet length. Select dimension 0.15. The value 0.15 is highlighted in red.
Enter 0.4 from the keyboard.

Select Done from the GET SELECT menu. Select Regenerate from the FEATURE menu.
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 17

Feature>Modify>Value>[Select Extruded Wall]

[Select on the dimension text 2.00|Enter 5]

[Select on the dimension text 0.15|Enter 0.4]

Regenerate

Modify the L-BRACKET dimensions 1.75” x 2.00” x 1.375” as displayed, (Figure 1-22).

Figure 1-22 First Wall Feature

 Page 1 - 18 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

+$ #

Sheetmetal bends require material thickness, type, inside radius and bend angle information.
See the following inputs:

 Material thickness, 0.1”

 Material type, soft steel

 Inside radius, 0.15”

 Bend angle, 90

This information is required for the system to calculate DEV-L .(developed Length) 029.
Default Part Bend Table 2 uses an inside radius of 0.15” and a material thickness of 0.10” to
calculate DEV-L .029.

, $ 

Example: Use a flexible eraser, 2” or longer. Bend the eraser in a U shape. The eraser displays
tension and compression forces. The area where there is no compression or tension is called
the neutral axis or neutral bend line, (Figure 1-23).

 Neutral Bend
Tension
Force
line


 Compression
Force

 Figure 1-23 Bending a Flexible

Eraser to Display Tension and
 Compression Forces
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 19

+$ #

Assume the material has no thickness. The length of the material formed into a 360 circle is
the same as its circumference. The length of a 90 bend would be ¼ of the circumference of a
circle, (Figure 1-24).

Circumference of R Length of a ¼ circle =

a circle = 2R 2R*(90/360) = R/2

L = 2R L1/4 = R/2

Figure 1-24 Length of a Circle, Circumference and Quarter Circle

In the real world, materials do have thickness. Materials develop different lengths when
formed in a bend depending on their thickness. There are three major properties which
determines the length of a bend:

1. Bend radius

2. Material thickness

3. Bend angle
Page 1 - 20 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

The distance from the inside radius of the bend to the neutral bend line is labeled, . The
symbol ‘’ is the Greek letter, delta. The amount of flat material required to create a bend is
greater than the inside radius and depends upon the neutral bend line. As the material
hardness increases, the distance between the inside radius and the neutral bend line increases.
The true developed flat length is measured from the endpoints of the neutral bend line.

Example: (Figure 1-25) Material thickness, T = 0.1”. Create a 90 bend with an inside radius
of R = 0.15”.

T
R



T 

L L

90 Bent
Flat Developed Flat Developed
Material
Length Length
(Soft steel L = 0.29) (Hard steel L = 0.31)

Figure 1-25 Flat Developed Length, L for a 90
Bend, Using Soft Steel and Hard
Steel


#&!

The Chamfer feature is a solid feature that removes material from an edge. Solid features
such as Chamfers, Rounds and Holes are used with sheetmetal parts.

Who are the users? A user could be a construction worker who would install the L-Bracket on
wooden boards. Sharp metal corners are dangerous for installer. Your design should
eliminate sharp corners or edges to address safety concerns.
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 21

There are many angles to choose from during design. The 45 angle is the most common
chamfer in manufacturing. All 4 corner chamfers for the design are 45. The Chamfer
feature creates the edge cut.

Create a Chamfer feature. Select Feature,

Create, Solid. Select Chamfer. Select the Edge Select the 4 small
option from the CHAMF, (Chamfer) menu. corner edges

Figure 1-26 Figure 1-27 Corners to

Chamfer Options Chamfer

Select the 45 x d option in the SCHEME menu, (Figure 1-26). 45 x d represents a 45 angle
by the distance of the chamfer cut d.

Feature>Create>Solid>Chamfer>Edge>45 x d

At system prompt, enter 0.25 for the Chamfer Dimension d. Chamfer the 4 corner edges.
Choose the small lines, (Figure 1-27). Select Done Refs, (References) from the FEATURE
REFs menu.

[Enter CHAMFER DIMENSION for d: 0.25]

[Select one or more edges to CHAMFER. Select the 4 corner edges]>Done Refs
Page 1 - 22 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

View the edge chamfers. Select Preview from the Element Dialog Box, (Figure 1-28). Select
OK from the Element Dialog Box. This commits the feature to the database. Save the feature
to disk. Select SAVE from the Main Tool Bar.

Preview>OK>Save

Figure 1-28
L-Bracket with 4
Corner 45

Chamfers

!

Sheetmetal holes are created either through a punch or drill process. There is a Punch and
Hole feature in Pro/E to simulate the punch and drill manufacturing process respectively.
Each process has advantages and disadvantages: costs, time, accuracy, etc.

In this exercise, investigate the Hole feature. A Hole feature is a solid feature that removes
material. The Hole feature is a complex feature. There are various menus and options.
Understand the current design situation before starting the Hole feature.

Areas to review:

 Review hole diameter selection with your customers; internal and external

 Dimension for design flexibility

 Review the Hole and Copy features

  

The Engineering group is evaluating the L-Bracket with four fasteners, 10d x 1- ½ ” nails.
Select a hole diameter of 5/32”, (0.156”). This will allow for a clearance fit. The holes should
be of equal size and utilize the same fasteners. Why?
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 23

You need to ensure a cost effect design that is price competitive. Your company must be
profitable with their designs to ensure financial stability and future growth.

Another important reason for fastener commonly and simplicity is the customer. The
construction worker is the targeted user for the part. In the field, the construction worker does
not want to supply a variety of tools for different fasteners.

A designer needs to be prepared for changes. At this time, you do not have the final overall
mounting dimension locations. Design flexibility is key!

Placement Plane
– Primary Reference 1
Reference Surface

Reference 2 First
Surface hole
Drill
here

Figure 1-29 Placement Plane and Reference

Surfaces

A Hole feature requires a Placement Plane as a Primary Reference. The Placement Plane
simulates the drill bit location for hole creation, (Figure 1-29). Two perpendicular Linear
References are required to locate the hole.

Create a solid Hole feature. Select Feature, Create, Solid from the PART menu. Select
Hole from the FEATURE CLASS menu.

Feature>Create>Solid>Hole
Page 1 - 24 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

The Hole dialog box is displayed, (Figure 1-30a).

Figure 1-30a Hole dialog box

Select Straight Hole is the default Hole Type. Enter 0.156 for Hole Diameter.
Select Thru All for Depth One.

Straight Hole

[Enter diameter, 0.156]> Thru All

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 25

Select the top white surface as the

Primary Reference. Select the right
surface for Linear Reference 1.
Select the front surface for Linear 0.875
Reference 2. Enter the distances
from Linear Reference 1 and Linear
Reference 2. From the right surface
0.156
0.75
enter 0.875. From the front surface Primary Linear
enter 0.75, (Figure 1-30b). Reference Reference 1

[Select Primary Reference, top

white surface] Linear
Reference 2
[Select Linear Reference 1, right Figure 1-30b First Hole Feature Placed
surface ]>

[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0.875]

[Select Linear Reference 2, front surface]>

[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0.75]

Select the Build Feature (OK) green check mark from the Hole Dialog box.

The Solid Hole feature is created and listed in the Model Tree. Save to feature to disk. Select
Save from the Main Tool Bar.

Build Feature

Save

!&'$

A flat surface is a 2D plane. An Edge is a line. To locate a hole, identify a flat surface for
Reference 1 & Reference 2.
Page 1 - 26 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

Why is a flat surface chosen over an edge?

 Sheetmetal parts are traditionally thin, edges are close together and difficult to distinguish

 Additional time is required to zoom in, rotate the model and locate an edge

 In future feature creations, edges can turn into chamfers or rounds and become redefined

# $

The second hole is drilled on the same surface as

the first. The Placement Plane and Reference
Planes for the second hole are the same as the
first hole. The diameter of the second hole is the
same as the first hole. Select Feature, Copy.
Select Same Refs (References). Select,
Dependent, Done from the COPY FEATURE
menu, (Figure 1-31). Select Hole 1. Select
Done from the DELECT FEAT menu.
Figure 1-31
COPY Menu
Feature>Copy>

Same Refs|Select|Dependent|Done

[Select Hole 1]>Done

Dim1 is the hole diameter dimension, 0.156”.

Modify the Linear Reference 1 & 2 dimensions. Select Dim2 and Dim3
from the GP VAR DIMS (Group Variable) menu, (Figure 1-32).

The system highlights dimensions 0.875” and 0.75” respectively. Select

Done.

[Select Dim2 checkbox]

[Select Dim 3 checkbox] Figure 1-32 GROUP

VAR DIMS menu
Done
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 27

The system displays 0.875. Enter Reference 1 dimension for the second hole. Enter 0.375.

The system displays 0.750. Enter Reference 2 dimension for the second hole. Enter 0.400.

The second hole diameter, 0.156 utilizes the

Copy feature for DIM, (Figure 1-33). Select
OK from the Group Elements attribute
dialog box. .875

.750
[Enter Dim 2, 0.375]>
0.375
[Enter Dim 3, 0.400]>
0.40
OK>

Save
0.156

The Model Tree lists: Group Figure 1-33 Second Hole Created as a
COPIED_GROUP as the newly created Copy Feature
feature.

Note: Select Features from the Model Tree to save time.

- $.

Create Hole 3 and 4. Select COPY from the FEATURE menu,

(Figure 1-34). Select New Refs, Select, Independent, Done from
the COPY FEATURE menu.

Select Hole 1 and Hole 2 (HOLE and Group COPIED_GROUP)

from the Model Tree.

Hole 1 and Hole 2 turns red. Select Done from the SELECT
FEATURE menu.

Feature>Copy>New Refs|Select|Independent|Done>
[Select Hole 1 and Hole2]|Done>

Figure 1-34
Copy Feature
Menu New Refs
Page 1 - 28 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

Select Dim2, Dim3, Dim5 and Dim6 from the GP VAR DIMS menu, (Figure 1-35). The
corresponding dimension turns red as you drag the mouse over each Dim value. Select Done.

[Select Dim2, Dim3, Dim5, Dim6 checkbox]

Done

Do not select Dim1 or Dim4. Dim1 and Dim4 are the hole diameter
dimensions. The following are the current Dim values:

Hole 1:

Dim1 = 0.156 “Default valve”

Dim2 = 0.875

Dim3 = 0.750

Hole 2:
Figure 1-35 Dim 1
Dim4 = 0.156 “Default value” Though Dim 6
Values to Modify
Dim5 = 0.375

Dim6 = 0.400

You are prompted by the system to enter the following dimensions:

[Enter Dim2] 0.375

[Enter Dim3] -0.750

[Enter Dim5] 0.875

[Enter Dim6] -0.400

The negative sign for -0.750 and -0.400 indicates the direction of the features.
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 29

Place Hole 3 and Hole 4. Select the Reference 1 Surface

left white surface as the Primary
Reference placement plane.
Back Surface
Select the top surface for Linear
Reference 1. Select the front surface
for Linear Reference 2,
(Figure 1-36). Select Done.
Primary Reference
Save to disk. Select Save. Placement Plane

[Select Primary Reference, left white

surface] Reference 2 Surface

[Select Linear Reference 1, top

surface]

[Select Linear Reference 2, front

surface]>Done

Save Figure 1-36 Placement Plane and Reference

Surfaces for Hole 3 and Hole 4

  $
)

The holes will be drawn in space if you do not enter the negative signs for Dim3 & Dim6 and
select the top left Reference 1 surface and the front left Reference 2 surface.

The dimension scheme will cause the model to fail during regeneration if you do not enter the
negative signs for Dim3 & Dim6.

#$(#
/!

Massage the model. Modify the dimensions of the parent feature (Extruded Wall). Ensure
that the children (Holes) meet your expectations during regeneration.

Select Feature, Modify, Value. Select the depth dimension of the Extruded wall. Increase
depth to 2.0. Increase the diameter of the first hole to 0.16. Select Regenerate.

Feature>Modify>Value>[Select depth dimension, Enter 2.0] >[Select diameter dimension. Enter 0.16]

Regenerate
Page 1 - 30 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

!   &01

Modify the dimensions as displayed, (Figure 1-37). Regenerate. Save.

Modify>[Select dimensions]>Regenerate

Save

Figure 1-37 New Dimensions for L-Bracket

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 31

2 ) $!

The Unbend feature is used to flatten a sheetmetal

part. Create an Unbend. Select Feature, Create,
Sheetmetal, Unbend. Select Regular, Done from Select the top
white surface
the UNBEND OPTs, (Options) menu. Select the
top white surface as the fixed surface,
(Figure 1-38). Select Unbend All, Done from the
UNBEND SEL, (Select) menu. Select Preview.
Select OK. Save to disk. Select Save.

Feature>Create>SheetMetal>Unbend

Regular|Done> [select the top white surface]

Figure 1-38 Fixed
Unbend All|Done
Surface (white)
Preview>OK>Save

A flat pattern is a planar layout of a sheetmetal piece, (Figure 1-39a). The Unbend feature
with the Unbend All option creates a flat pattern for the L-Bracket.

Figure 1-39a Unbend All - A Flat Pattern

Page 1 - 32 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

3+ #

Measure the overall length. Select Analysis from the Main Tool Bar. Select Measure.
Select Distance under the TYPE pull down menu. Select the left surface and the right
surface of the Flat Pattern, (Figure 1-39b). The RESULTS window displays the overall
length of the flatten material.
Select the left surface and the right
surface to measure overall length

Analysis>Measure> Distance

[Select left surface]

[Select right surface]

Close

Figure 1-39b Measure Overall Length

 $!

The Bend Back feature returns

the previous Unbend feature to Select the top white surface
its original 3D bent state.
Select Feature, Create,
Sheetmetal, Bend Back.
Select the right top white
surface as the fixed surface,
(Figure 1-40).

Note: Always select the same

fixed surface for both the
Unbend and Bend Back
features.

Select Bend Back All from the

BEND BACK SEL, (Select)
menu. Select Preview. Select
OK. Save to disk. Select Save Figure 1-40 Bend Back All Fixed Surface
from the Main Tool Bar.

Feature>Create>Sheetmetal>Bend Back>[Select top white surface]>Bend Back All|Done

Preview>OK>Save
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 33

2 ) $ $ $4 

The Unbend and Bend Back features are used in sequence to illustrate the 3D part unfolded
into its flat pattern state. The Model Tree contains two new features: Unbend and Bend
Back. As you create additional Wall features, use the Unbend and Bend Back sequence to
visually confirm that a flat pattern is physically possible. Delete both the Unbend and Bend
Back feature from the Model Tree. Otherwise the Model Tree fills with unnecessary features.
This will have a negative impact on regenerate time.

3$
' 

When you Save a part, the system creates a file with the partname plus an incremental version
number. Select File from the Main Tool Bar. Select Delete. Select Delete Old Versions.
The system prompts “Enter object whose old version should be deleted.” Select “ ” (Check
Mark) to accept the current part.

File>Delete>Delete Old Versions>

[Enter object whose old version should be deleted] L-BRACKET

#
$ ( $

The Production Drawing Module consists of two sections: Drawing mode and Detail mode.
In Drawing mode, you create and modify drawing views, formats and drawing sheets. In
Detail mode, you create and modify model dimensions and detail dimensions.

Review the following areas before starting a new drawing:

1. Verify the Part. Select File, Open. Select the Sheetmetal Part to be dimensioned. The
part shares the same database as the drawing. Do not delete or move the part. The
drawing will not be valid. The drawing requires the associated part.

2. View dimensions in Part mode. Select Info, Regen Info, Beginning, Continue. Review
all features and dimensions. Activate the Regen Info. Display the PART menu.

3. Maximize the number of dimensions created in Part mode. As a rule, the creation of
dimensions in Part mode takes less time then dimensions created in Detail mode. Only
dimensions created in Part mode are associative.
Page 1 - 34 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

Note: When a dimension in Part mode is modified, the drawing dimension is updated. When
a dimension in Drawing mode is modified, the part dimension is updated.

For multiple parts in an assembly:

Open each part in the assembly. Repeat Steps 1 through 3.

,(( 

Situation: You require a customer drawing.

Create a new drawing. Select File, New

from the Main Tool Bar. Select Drawing
under the TYPE menu. Enter drawing name
L-BRACKET in the Name window.

Select OK, (Figure 1-41).

Note: Drawing and part names have different

file extensions.

Files>New>Drawing>[Enter L-BRACKET]

The drawing name is L-BRACKET.DRW.

The part name is L-BRACKET.PRT.

Figure 1-41 New Menu, Drawing

Type
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 35

The default model is L-BRACKET. The default

Template is c_drawing. The default Template
corresponds to a C size drawing. A C size drawing
is too large for the part drawing at a 1:1 scale.
Specify a new template. Select a_drawing.
Accept the values. Select OK, (Figure 1-42a).

a_drawing>

OK

The three standard views, Top, Front and Right are

automatically displayed, (Figure 1-42b).

 Figure 1-42a NEW

DRAWING Menu

Figure 1-42b Three

Standard Views
Page 1 - 36 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER


'(

The General view is used to create a 3D Pictorial view. The view can
be rotated at any angle. Create a General view, (Figure 1-43). Digitize
a center point in the top right corner of the drawing. This provides a
location for the General view. Select Angles from the TYPE drop
down list in the ORIENTATION menu. Enter –15 in the ANGLE
menu box. Select Apply. Select OK, (Figure 1-44).

Views>Add View>General|Full View|NoXsec|NoScale|Done

[Select a point at the top right corner]

Angles>[Enter -15]|Apply>OK

Figure 1-43
View Menu

Digitize Center Point for

General View

Figure 1-44 General View Used to Create a Pictorial View

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 37

Turn off the Default Datum Planes. Select Default Datum Planes from the Main Tool Bar.
Display no datum planes. Select View, Repaint.

Default Datum Planes

View>Repaint

Note: When turning on/off Datum planes and or erasing dimensions, you may need to refresh
the display with the View, Repaint command.

+'(

Select Views from the DRAWING menu. Select Move View. Select Front view. Drag the
Front view; left, right, up or down. The Top and Right Projection views move respectively.
When the Front view moves, all corresponding projected views move aligned.

Views>Move View>[Select the Front View]>[Drag the Front View]

Select the Right view. Slide the Right view towards the right side of the drawing.

Note: The Front view does not move.

[Select the Right View] >[Drag the Right View]

$$!

A drawing format contains information such as:

Company name Part name

Drawing number Material

Tolerance Revision history

Page 1 - 38 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

A drawing format can be added anytime to the drawing. Deactivate

the drawing format feature to save regeneration time. Most
companies create their own drawing formats in Pro/E or import them
from other software packages.

Add a format. Select Sheets from the DRAWING menu. Select

Format from the SHEET menu. Select Add/Replace from the
DRAW FORM menu, (Figure 1-45). Locate the format directory
proe20\formats in the OPEN menu LOOK IN box. Add the A size
format to the drawing. Select A.frm. Place the views. Select Move
View, (Figure 1-46).

Drawing>Sheets>Format>Add/Replace>

[Format Directory>A.frm]
Figure 1-45
Drawing>Views>Move View>[Position the Views
Draw Format

Figure 1-46 Adding a Format


Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 39

  

Most dimensions required to accurately document the drawing were

created in Part mode. In Detail mode, you can save time to
Show/Erase and Move dimensions created in Part mode rather than to
create them in Drawing mode.

Dimensions which use the Show command are automatically updated in

Part, Assembly and Drawing mode. The Show/Erase and Move
commands are located in the DETAIL menu, (Figure 1-47).

#("

Select Show\Erase from the

DETAIL menu, (Figure 1-48). Figure 1-47
Display the dimensions. Select Detail Menu
Show. Select the
1.2  from
the TYPE menu. Select Feature from the SHOW BY
menu. Select Preview, With Preview. Select the
Extruded First Wall feature from the Model Tree.
Dimensions are displayed in blue.

Select Done Sel. Place the dimensions. Select Accept

All. Dimensions are displayed in yellow. Close the
Show/Erase menu.

Select Move from the DETAIL menu. Select the

horizontal dimension in the Front view. Slide the
dimension away from the profile line.

Show/Erase>Show|Feature>

Preview|With Preview>

[Select First Wall|DoneSel>Accept All>Close

Move>[Select the horizontal dimension]

Figure 1-48 Show \ Erase Menu

Page 1 - 40 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

The right mouse button is used to manipulate

dimensions, leader lines and attachment points in
Asynchronous mode.

Place the mouse icon over the dimension text. Hold

the right mouse button down. Drag the mouse to
select Modify Item. Select Activate from the
START EDIT menu. Release the mouse button,
(Figure 1-49). Select the 1.50 dimension with the left
mouse button. Select Move/Activate with the left
mouse button from the EDIT ACTIONS menu,
(Figure 1-50). Figure 1-49
Start Edit
The dimension turns magenta. Small locator squares Menu
appear on the dimension text, arrows and leader lines,
(Figure 1-51).

Each small square performs a different function. Select the middle

locator square with the left mouse button. Hold the mouse button
down. Drag the dimension into the new location. Release the left
mouse button. Figure 1-50 EDIT
ACTIONS Menu
Select and drag different locator squares to explore their behavior.
Note: Using the dimension Asynchronous mode saves time. Select Done. Select to exit
Asynchronous mode.

Repeat the Show/Erase and Move commands for the Chamfer feature at the first Hole
feature.

Modify Item|Activate>[Select 1.50]

Move/Activate>[Drag the dimension]>Done

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 41

Clip leader lines Select Middle Square

away from profile to Move dimension
freely
Slide text Locator square
parallel to symbols have been
dimension enlarged for
line illustration

Rotate dimension
screwed.

Figure 1-51 Dimension in Asynchronous Mode

Clarify the dimensions. Select Tools, Clean Dims from the DETAIL menu. Accept the
default values. Select the horizontal and vertical dimensions in crowded areas. Select
Apply from the CLEAN DIMENSIONS menu. Select Close.

Tools|CleanDims>[Select horizontal and vertical dimensions]

Apply|Close
Page 1 - 42 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

  


(#'(

Position dimensions for ease of visibility and identification. Example, a drill thru hole should
be dimensioned in the view where the circle profile is located. Do not dimension to the first
Hole in the Front view. The horizontal and vertical dimensions which locates the first hole
should be displayed in the TOP view, (Figure 1-52). Switch the dimensions to a different
view. Select Switch View from the EDIT ACTIONS menu. Select the dimension in the
Front view. Place the dimensions. Select the Top view.

SwitchView>[Select hole dimension in Front view]>[Select Top view]

Figure 1-52 Drawing Dimensioned

Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 43

( ,

A drawing note is a note on a drawing. A drawing note contains additional drawing

information. Dimension multiple holes and chamfers with a note. Add a drawing note.
Select Modify from the DETAIL menu. Select Text from the MODIFY DRAW menu.
Select Full Note. Select the diameter dimension.

The system places you in the text editor (Notepad). The first line contains the current diameter
text. Enter text, 4 PLACES on the second line. Select File, Save from Notepad. Close the
text editor. Select Exit. Save the note.

Note: Chamfer appears in 4 places. Repeat a note for Chamfer.

Detail>Modify>Text>Full Note>[Select diameter dimension. Enter 4 PLACES]

File>Save

File>Exit

Note: Some systems may use a different editor other than Notepad. Exit Notepad before
resuming the drawing commands.



The Erase command hide dimensions on the drawing. Erase the three hole diameter
dimensions on the drawing. Display the horizontal and vertical placement dimensions.

Select Show\Erase from the DETAIL menu. Display dimensions. Select Show. Select the

1.2  from the TYPE menu. Select Feature from the SHOW BY menu. Select the
COPIED HOLE feature from the Model Tree. Select the Top view. Move the horizontal
and vertical dimensions using the right mouse button.

Select the Erase option from the SHOW/ERASE menu. Select the second hole diameter
dimension to Erase the dimension. Repeat the Show and Erase commands for Hole 3 and
Hole 4. Save the drawing to disk. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar.

Erase>[Select hole diameter dimensions]

Save


Page 1 - 44 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

,

A Parametric note is text that reflects changes that are made to the associated model. The
Extruded Wall feature contains the dimension text 0.48 Thick. Material thickness is
normally placed as a separate piece of text on the drawing.

The part thickness was created in Part mode. Associate thickness to the model by creating a
parametric note.

Select Create from the DETAIL menu. Select NOTE from the DETAIL menu. Select
NoLEADER, Enter, Horizontal, Standard, Default, Make Note from the NOTE TYPE
menu. Pick a point on the drawing in the lower right hand corner to locate the text. The
dimensions on the drawing will change into their symbolic representation. Example, the
system changes the 0.48 Thick dimension to “d6”. At system prompt, enter text
[MATERIAL THICKNESS &d6]. The “&” symbol creates a parametric note for the
symbolic dimension “d6”. The system places the text, “MATERIAL THICKNESS 0.48” as
a parametric note on the drawing.

Save drawing to disk. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar.

Detail>Create>Note|NoLeader|Enter|Horizontal|Standard|Default|Make Note

[Digitize a Point]>[Enter Note MATERIAL THICKNESS &d6]

Save


# 

You finished your work for the day and are ready to go home. The phone rings. The
customer voices a concern with corrosion. You make a suggestion. Let’s use galvanized
steel. The customer agrees but wants to view a copy of the drawing tonight!

Galvanized steel contains a thin coating of Zinc, which increases the thickness of the material
to 0.053”. By creating a parametric note, you can Modify the dimension in Part mode and
then Regenerate. The drawing is updated automatically.

Select File, Open, Par, L-BRACKET. Select Modify from the PART menu. Select the
Extruded Wall feature. Select the THICK value 0.048. Enter 0.053. Select Regenerate
from the PART menu. Save the part to disk. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar.

Select File, Open, Drawing, L-BRACKET. The parametric note that was created in
Drawing mode has been updated, MATERIAL THICKNESS 0.053, (Figure 1-53). Save
drawing to disk. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar.
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 45

File>Open>Part>[L-BRACKET]

Part>Modify>[Select Extruded Wall]

[Select value 0.048. Enter 0.053]

Regenerate>Save

File>Open>Drawing>[L-BRACKET]>Save

Figure 1-53 Final Drawing to Customer

Project 1 is completed. Ready to start Project 2? Stop. Pro/E requires time to comprehend.
Go back and build the part again, experiment, have fun. Do not be concerned about exact
dimensions. Repeat the commands for familiarity. Perform other examples. Project 1
contains the minimal Pro/E functionality you require before proceeding to the next Project. In
Project 2, we will explore Sheetmetal Wall Commands.
Page 1 - 46 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER

5 6

1. A customer presents your company with a new Sheetmetal project. What questions
should you ask before you begin the design?

2. How do you begin a Sheetmetal part?

3. What are the default datum planes?

4. What is the Base feature and why should it be kept simple?

5. How does the L-Bracket change if the TOP was the Sketch Plane and FRONT was the
Reference Plane? For the Reference Plane, how does the view direction change if Top or
Bottom was chosen from the SKET VIEW menu. Try it out.

6. How is a Sheetmetal part differ from a solid part?

7. What is the difference between a green surface and a white surface

8. What is an Extruded Wall feature?

9. What is the Unbend feature? What is the Bend Back feature?

10. Can solid features be used in Sheetmetal parts?

11. How is a drawing created for a Sheetmetal part?

Note: Examples at the end of Project 1 & 2 are courtesy of Strong Arm Corporation. To
obtain additional engineering information regarding dimensions and bearing loads, refer to the
provided web site: www.strongtie.com. Similar parts can be located in local hardware and
lumber stores. An actual physical model provides a great advantage in learning
Pro/SHEETMETAL.
Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER Page 1 - 47

$$ "6

What questions should you ask before starting Pro/SHEETMETAL? Create the
Sheetmetal parts and drawings. In examples 1-3, select the Sketch Plane and
Reference Plane to orient the L-Bracket as displayed. Beams are 2” x 4”, posts are 4”
x 4”. Estimate the length, width and depth dimensions. Concentrate on the Extruded
Wall features. Use Bend/Unbend features to test your model.


1-2
 1-1


1-3



Page 1 - 48 Applications in Sheet Metal with Pro/ENGINEER


1-4

1-5



 Design for Manufacturing with
Pro/MANUFACTURING Release 2001

Dr. Mark Archibald

Grove City College
Mechanical Engineering

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 CHAPTER 2
Pro/CASTING FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter Objectives:

• To teach students fundamentals of

Pro/CASTING and Pro/MOLDESIGN
software.

2-1
Chapter Overview

Task: To model simple cavity inserts for a cast part.

Elements: • Model preparation and analysis

• Shrinkage
• Cast model components – reference model, workpiece, cavity inserts
• Cast model features – parting surface, die volumes
• Mold opening analysis

Description: This chapter describes fundamental concepts and elements common to

both Pro/CASTING or Pro/MOLDESIGN. An exercise gives practice
with basic methods for creating simple mold or die block cavities.
Although the exercise uses a cast model, mold models are very similar.
This chapter emphasizes the similarities of the two programs.
Differences in nomenclature and functionality are described in
subsequent chapters.

Model Preparation and Analysis

A Pro/CASTING or Pro/MOLDESIGN session always begins with a design model – a

Pro/E part model that represents the final product design. The design model may not
contain all features required for manufacturability, such as drafts, rounds and shrinkage.
It may include features such as machined holes that should not be included in cast model.
Further, the design part may contain poor geometry that creates casting problems such as
hot spots, weld lines, voids, etc. A manufacturability review of the design part – prior to
starting a cast or mold model – can identify features that need to be suppressed or added
and problem areas that should be addressed.

Pro/ENGINEER contains several tools that help to assess the manufacturability of a part.
The Draft Check feature evaluates surfaces or an entire part for adequate draft. The
Thickness Check option helps to identify areas in the part that are excessively thin or
thick. This helps avoid hot spots and other casting problems.

The manufacturability assessment reveals features that need to be suppressed or added to

the model. All features that need to be suppressed – post-casting machined features for
example – should be suppressed in the design model. Features to be added can be treated
in two different ways. The first is to add draft and rounds directly to the design model.
This is the recommended approach in concurrent engineering environments where design
and manufacturing work closely together. In some cases, manufacturing may not want to
add features directly to the design model. Pro/CASTING and Pro/MOLDESIGN allow
changes to be made in a reference model, which is created within a manufacturing model.

2-2
Reference models are merged copies of the design part. They have one-directional
associativity with the design model. If the design model changes, the reference model
updates with the next regeneration. However, changes made to the reference model do
not affect the design model. This permits manufacturing to add shrinkage and other
features without changing the design model.

Pro/CASTING and Pro/MOLDESIGN provide an option for using either a reference part
or the design part within the manufacturing model. In general it is best to use a reference
model. Shrinkage in particular is generally not desirable in the design part, and is better
added to a reference part.

Shrinkage

A part that is cast or molded generally shrinks as the material cools and solidifies. The
dies or molds must be sized such that the final dimensions of the part – after the material
has shrunk – are correct. The shrinkage feature enlarges the reference model by the
specified amount, thus correcting the final dimensions of the part.

Shrinkage is applied to the model by scaling the part or by changing the dimensions.
(Shrinkage by dimension is always applied to the design part, because the reference part
contains no dimensions.) In either case the scaling factor is computed by one of two
formulas. The 1+S formula computes shrinkage based on the original size of the part.
For example, if the shrink ratio S = .1, the final size of a part or dimension would be 1.1
times as large as the original part. The 1/(1+S) formula computes shrinkage based on the
final size of the part. If S = .1, the original part would be 1.1 times smaller than the final
part. The table provides an example to compart the difference between the two formulas:

1+S 1/(1-S)
Shrink ratio .1 .1
Shrink factor 1.1 1.1111
Initial length 10 inches 10 inches
Final length 1.1000 inches 1.1111 inches
Comparison Final length is 10% Original length is 10%
larger than the original. smaller than the final.

To apply shrinkage, first select the desired formula, then choose whether the shrinkage is
to be applied by dimension or by scaling. If by scaling, select a coordinate system and
enter the shrink ratio S for each direction x, y, and z. If by dimension, the shrink formula
can be applied to all dimensions in the design part. Individual dimensions may be shrunk
using either the shrink formula or by specifying the final dimension.

2-3
Cast Model Components

During a Pro/CASTING or Pro/MOLDESIGN session, a variety of models and

components are created. Understanding what these different components are and how
they are used is important. The following table describes the various files created or used
in the casting or molding environment

File Ext. Description Created in

Mold or cast process .mfg Contains all manufacturing Pro/E
information and features
Mold or cast .asm Pro/E assembly file. Contains Manufacturing
assembly assembly information for all model
components within the (automatic)
manufacturing model
Design part .prt Contains designer’s concept of final Pro/E
part to be manufactured
Reference part .prt Merged copy of the design part with Manufacturing
uni-directional associativity model
(explicit)
Workpiece or die .prt Part that represents the overall Manufacturing
block volume of the components that model
shape the final part (core and cavity (explicit)
side inserts together, etc.)
Extracted .prt Completed die blocks or inserts that Manufacturing
components make up the mold or die model
(explicit)
Molding or casting .prt Part that represents the actual Manufacturing
molded or cast part, as it comes out model
of the mold or die (explicit)

Cast Model Features

Several features are unique to mold and cast manufacturing models. Parting surfaces and
mold or die volumes are important features common to most cast or mold models. A
parting surface is an open quilt used to split the core and cavity sides of the die. In some
cases a very simple flat parting surface is sufficient, but many models require more
complex surface geometry. Parting surfaces can be created manually using surface
modeling techniques, or – in some cases – automatically generated. Mold models have
extra tools for creating parting surfaces.

2-4
Die volumes (for cast models) or mold volumes (for mold models) are closed quilts that
define the die block or mold geometry. They are usually created automatically by
splitting a workpiece with a parting surface. When the workpiece is split, either one or
two die volumes are created on either side of the parting surface after the volume of the
reference piece has been trimmed, or removed. The result represents the core and/or
cavity side of the mold or die.

Mold or die volumes are also constructed manually using surface creation and
manipulation tools. Menus are available to facilitate creating, modifying, and displaying
the volumes. Volumes created by splitting may be modified as well.

Additional cast and mold features, such as runners and water lines, are described in
subsequent chapters.

Mold Opening Analysis

The mold or die opening sequence can be defined and checked within the cast or mold
model. The individual movement of each component can be specified in the proper
sequence. It is important to verify that the mold or die can be opened without
interference. After the component moves are defined, interference with other components
can be checked. Draft checks are also available during the mold opening analysis.

2-5
Exercise 2.1 Cast Base

Objective: To introduce students to mold design basics.

Description: This exercise leads the student step-by-step through a basic exercise in
tooling design. The exercise is not tailored for any specific process, and
many mold details such as sprue, runners, etc. are omitted. These details
are included in Chapters 6, 7, and 8.

1. Create a new directory called manuf_tutorial. Copy all the files provided with this
text to this directory.

Create a sub-directory called base.

K A typical Pro/Manufacturing session generates many files, so create a new

directory for each manufacturing project.

In Pro/E, set the working directory to base.

2. Open the part base. Become familiar with the part by examining model parameters
and the model structure.

Select Setup>Parameters>Info to view model parameters. Note the material is gray

cast iron.

Examine the model structure with the model tree. Add a column to display layer
names. Note that the last three features will be machined, and should not be included
in the mold design process. These features are conveniently placed on the layer
named MACHINED_FEATURES.

Base model

2-6
3. Suppress the machined features. Select Feature>Suppress>Layer and pick the layer
MACHINED_FEATURES.

4. Check the part for draft. Select Analysis>Surface Analysis. From the pull-down
menu, select Draft Check. Under Surface, select Part. For the pull direction, pick
the datum FRONT. Select Both directions and enter a draft angle of 3.00 degrees.

The results show that all surfaces on the part have at least 3.00 degrees of draft.

5. Check the part for proper thickness. Select Analysis>Model Analysis. From the
pull-down menu, select Thickness. Verify that the Planes button is selected and pick
the RIGHT datum plane. Enter .75 for the Max thickness and .25 for the Min
thickness and select Compute.

The results indicate two possible areas of concern: the center boss and the three foot
bosses. These areas should be evaluated for problems such as voids or sinks.

Thickness check results

6. Create the cast model. Select the Create a new object icon and pick the buttons for
Manufacturing and Cast Cavity. Name the new model base.

K Note that the default cast model template uses descripive names for the datum
planes and coordinate system. Note also the pull direction arrow.

Add the reference model to the manufacturing assembly. Select the Select part icon
and open the part base. Create a merged reference model and accept the default
name.

The default part coordinate system and the default cast coordinate system are

2-7
 automatically selected for defining the cast layout. Since this model will use a single
cavity mold, the layout is complete. Select OK.

7. Apply shrinkage to the model. Select the Specify Shrinkage icon. Use the default
formula 1 + S and select By Scaling. Pick the PRT_DEF_CSYS coordinate system
and enter a shrink ratio of .01 for the X, Y, and Z directions.

Select Shrink Info to verify the correct shrinkage values are applied. Note that the
shrinkage is only applied to the reference model (BASE_REF.PRT) not to the design
model (BASE.PRT.)

8. Create a workpiece for the cast model. Select the Create a workpiece icon. The
Automatic Workpiece dialog box opens and Pro/E prompts for the mold origin
coordinate system. Select the CAST_DEF_CSYS coordinate system.

Select the Standard Round shape for the workpiece. To offset the workpiece from the
reference model, enter Uniform Offsets of 1.0. (Radial and +/- Z offsets can be
individually set if required.)

In the Translate Workpiece section, verify that the X and Y offsets are both 0.0.

Select OK to create the workpiece.

Cast model showing reference part and workpiece

9. Create a parting surface. Select Cast Feature>Cavity Assem>Surface>Flat. Sketch

on the MAIN_PARTING_PLN. Accept the default references and sketch a circle that
is larger than the workpiece.

2-8
 Sketch for parting surface

10. Create die volumes. Select the Split into new die volumes icon. Accept the defaults
Two volumes and All Die Blcks. When prompted to select the parting surface, pick
the surface just created.

K The die volumes are created from the workpiece. The total volume is split in
two at the parting surface, and the reference model is trimmed to remove it from
the volumes. Three islands are left -- the volume above the reference part and
the parting surface, the volume below the reference part and above the parting
surface, and the volume below the parting surface. Pro/E needs to know how to
group the three islands into the two volumes.
Place the cursor over each item on the ISLAND LIST to highlight the island. The
first island is to be one die volume, while islands two and three will form the other.
Select Island 1 and Done Sel. Select OK.

The Volume Name dialog provides an opportunity to shade the volumes as well as
rename them. Shade the first volume. Name it mv_base_cavity. Name the second
volume mv_base_core.

2-9
 Shaded mold volume mv_base_cavity

Shaded mold volume mv_base_core

11. Extract die components from the die volumes. Select the Create cavity insert parts
icon. Select both volumes and expand the Advanced bar.

K The Advanced bar provides options to rename the die components and to use
copy from templates. Using templates will ensure that the extracted die
components include datum planes, coordinate systems, layers, parameters, etc.

2-10
 Retain the default names and Copy From an appropriate part template. Select Ok to
extract the components.

12. Blank the workpiece. Select the Bring up MOLD-CAST blank dialog icon and blank
the workpiece (BASE_WRK.)

13. Analyze the die opening sequence. Select the Perform die opening analysis icon.
Select Define Step>Define Move.

Pick the MV_BASE_CAVITY part to move, and select Done Sel. To define the
direction, select Sel by Menu. Under Datum option, select Datum and pick the
main_parting_pln. Select Select and enter 15 inches to move the part.

Select Interference>Move 1 to check for interference during mold opening. First,

pick the MV_BASE_CORE. No interference was detected. Select Static Part again
and pick the BASE_REF part. Again, no interference was detected. Select Done to
complete the first step.

Create the second step to move the MV_BASE_CORE. Move it 15 inches in the
opposite direction. Be sure to check for interference.

Exploded cast model assembly

14. Save the model and close the window.

% End Exercise 2.1

2-11
Review Questions

1. What is the first step in the casting process? Why is it important?

2. Describe at least two analyses available in Pro/E that help evaluate the
manufacturability of a cast part.

3. What is the difference in the design part and the reference part? How are reference
parts created?

4. What is the difference between the shrink formulas 1+S and 1/(1-S)?

5. What is the difference between applying shrinkage By Scaling and applying

shrinkage By Dimension?

6. What is the workpiece used for?

7. What is a mold or die volume?

2-12
DESIGN PROCESS MANAGEMENT
USING PRO/INTRALINK
(Tutorials for Users – Revision 3)

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Professor
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Exercise 1

Introduction to Pro/INTRALINK® 3.0

(20 minutes)

Objectives

By the end of this exercise, the learner should be able to:

1. Start Pro/INTRALINK and the Applications Manager;
2. Select object(s) and retrieve information;
3. Generate reports in Pro/WORKSPACE (Info, Where Used, and BOM);
4. View and Customize table displays;
5. Link Pro/ENGINEER 2001 with Pro/INTRALINK;
6. Set the Commonspace folder.

Introduction

The fundamentals of Pro/INTRALINK are straightforward providing you have some

Pro/ENGINEER knowledge and practice under your belt. In this exercise, we will
introduce the user to the different configurations in Pro/WORKSPACE, and how objects
are manipulated within the Workspace browser. Information, where used, relationship
and BOM reports will be generated and the user should be able to access those with ease.

The assembly that is used for the exercise is named M711-00003-01.ASM . It is made of
the following components:
- M711-00003-02.PRT (1)
- M711-00003-03.PRT (2)
- M711-00003-05.PRT (2)

Procedure

Introduction

To start Pro/INTRALINK, select Start > Program > ProIntralink Client > Pro Ilink
3.0. It takes about 30 seconds for the software to start. The above procedure will start
the application manager. Click log in.
Note:
User Name and Passwords should have been given to you by your INTRALINK
ADMINISRATOR. (The author will use INTRALINK AND INTRALINK in both boxes
AND LOG IN AS SHOWN:
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Each Pro/INTRALINK module is accessed from the Intralink box. Pro/ENGINEER will
be started from this location in order to operate in linked mode with Pro/INTRALINK. It
can also be started as stand alone, though not recommended.

Linking Pro/ENGINEER with Pro/INTRALINK

To start a new Workspace, select Workspace. The following window will come up:

Concept design for

training course

Select Create New Workspace

Enter name: M711-00003-01
Enter in Description box: Concept Design for training course.
Select OK.

1-2
 PRO/INTRALINK 3.0 USER COURSE
EXERCISE 1

To launch Pro/ENGINEER, Select Intralink > LaunchPro/Engineer > M711-00003-

01.
Open the assembly M711-00003-01.ASM in the directory path that you saved the
assembly downloaded or copied. The following assembly should open successfully:

Shade the assembly. Have a look and study the assembly for a minute. Note the number
of parts used and quantity for each using the model tree. Close the model tree when
completed your review. Select View > Default and Save the assembly.

STOP
Saving the assembly while Pro/ENGINEER in linked mode with Pro/INTRALINK
automatically creates objects in the pre-created Workspace.

You will get a notification window that some ‘filebased attributes’ are not available, as
shown below.

1-3
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

What are filebased attributes?

They are attributes to which Pro/INTRALINK provides linked Pro/ENGINEER sessions

access by default. When working with instances or generic objects, you can only set
values for filebased attributes from within Pro/ENGINEER. For all other objects, you
can set filebased attributes either in Pro/INTRALINK or in Pro/ENGINEER. You can
change filebased attributes to nonfilebased, but you cannot change a nonfilebased
attribute to a filebased attribute.To ensure that they are compatible with existing
information, the system defines attributes that were created in earlier Pro/INTRALINK
releases as filebased.

Close the window. Exit Pro/ENGINEER.

Restore the Workspace window brought up earlier. Click on the Refresh button and the
window should look as shown below.

Have a look at the Pro/WORKSPACE window above (which should be the same as the
one on your screen); it contains several objects. Each object was created when you saved
the assembly in Pro/ENGINEER. The first object is the top level (assembly), followed by
the parts used in the assembly.

Object Selection

To select multiple objects that are consecutive, it is the same way as in Microsoft
ExplorerTM. Select the first object, then press and hold the [shift] key then select the
last object that you want in the list. The system selects the group of objects that you
selected.

1-4
 PRO/INTRALINK 3.0 USER COURSE
EXERCISE 1

To select non-consecutive objects, select the first object, then hold down the [Ctrl] key
and select all the other objects that you wish. To deselect an object, still hold the [Ctrl]
key and select the object pre-selected.

To set the revision of an object, it can be done in two ways, when objects are checked in
the Commonspace and in the Workspace as follows:
Select All objects, then select Object > Modify. The following window will come up:

• Set the revisions to 1 as shown,

• Select None as Dependency (see note below)
• Select Include drawings.
• Then click apply then OK.

STOP
From the box above, it is important to understand that objects can be related in
pro/Intralink in a number of ways. Two objects may be part of the same design
configuration, or may be different versions of the same model.

The scope of the related objects that are affected can be selected. The configuration box
above will determine these dependencies between objects. In this box:
All: means that all related objects will be affected by the action.
Required: related objects required for Pro/Engineer regeneration.
None: No related objects.

You also can include drawings and instances in the regeneration of the objects, by
checking off the appropriate boxes.

1-5
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Customized table display

An important application of Pro/INTRALINK to help organizing objects within the
spaces (work and common) is the Table Configuration Editor. It is used to create or
modify table displays for your configurations settings while you work in
Pro/WORKSPACE.

To activate the table configuration editor, select View > Table configuration > Modify
from the pull down menu. The following window will appear:

Make yourself familiar with the table configuration editor above. The right side of the
Table Configuration Editor dialog box contains three tabbed pages. Click on the
following tabs of the box:

1. Column Display Tab: Use to define what columns appear in a table.

2. Sort Order Tab: Use to define how objects in the table are sorted by row.

3. Filter Objects tab: Use to define under what conditions objects are displayed in a
table.

The information from the three tabbed pages is combined into one table display setting. A
list of saved table display settings is displayed on the left side of the Table Configuration
Editor dialog box under configuration name. This is the same list that appears in the
Table Display drop down list in the browser. When you select a table display from the list
of saved table displays, the information for that display appears on the tabbed pages.

In the table configuration editor, select the Column Display tab to display the system
and user-defined attributes. The system lists the currently displayed attributes on the
right in the Displayed Columns list.

1-6
 PRO/INTRALINK 3.0 USER COURSE
EXERCISE 1

Add the Commonspace attribute to the display. Select Commonspace status > >> .
Change the column order for the Version attribute by selecting Commonspace status
from the Displayed columns list. Choose up until you positioned it above the Release
Level.
To add a user defined attribute to the display columns list select File size > >> . Select
the Sort Order tab. Use the [Ctrl] key to select the attributes Quantity and row
number.
Select >> . The system sorts both attributes in ascending order. Sort all attributes as
shown below (use the Displayed Columns as a reference. When completed, your table
display should look as shown below, omitting the left column where yours should be
empty).

Save this display by selecting Create from the table display name area; enter [my
training display] as the name for this display configuration.

Select OK > OK. From the Workspace window, make sure that Select My training
display is selected from the table Display drop down list located at the top center of your
Workspace. From the Workspace, select the part M711-00003-05.PRT. Select Object >
View from the pull down menu. Pro/ENGINEER will start and you will be able to see
the part. Close Pro/ENGINEER.

1-7
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Setting up Local Preferences

To set up user local preferences for configurations, you need to start Pro/PREFERENCE
from the applications manager. Select Intralink > Preferences. The preference
dialogue box to appear as shown:

Select the Configurations tab and select Workspace under Browser and make sure that
Local is checked. What we are doing here is setting up local user preferences so when a
Workspace is created, the default display is set to ‘My training display’.

Select the Check in tab and check Set Table Display and select My training display.
Also check Workspace clean up and update Workspace. This will give us some lead
work for the next exercise.

1-8
 PRO/INTRALINK 3.0 USER COURSE
EXERCISE 1

Select Apply > OK. Restore the Workspace. Select all the objects. Select Object >
Modify (or alternatively use the right mouse button to access the menu).

Make sure all objects are highlighted in blue, then select folder under “For Selected
Items” Set and select the M711-0003 folder as shown (under path training > yourname)
as shown in the dialogue box above. What we are doing at this time is setting up the
folder for the Commonspace, a necessary step before we check in the files.

Select Apply > OK. Hit the Refresh button on the Workspace. For better visualizing
the Workspace attributes information, change the width of the columns by clicking and
dragging the column title sidebars, in order to see all information provided. Your final
Workspace window should look similar to the one below.

1-9
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

Reports that can be generated in the Workspace

Reports are an integral part of the Workspace and are useful to the user in knowing ‘what
is going on’ with the objects in the used Workspace.

Information Reports

Select the assembly (.asm object) and right mouse click on it and select information. The
following window will come up.

1-10
 PRO/INTRALINK 3.0 USER COURSE
EXERCISE 1

This information window, which is empty of most information at this time since we just
saved it from Pro/ENGINEER, is where you can access all the information pertaining to
an object. Take a minute to study it and see what type of information Pro/INTRALINK
actually keeps for each object. This is a very powerful tool. Close window.

Bill of Materials Reports

Using the left mouse button, select the assembly M711-00003-01.asm. The system
highlights the selected object in green. To generate a report for this part, select the
BOM icon. An info box will come up.

From the Workspace window, select the following parts: M711-00003-02.PRT and
M711-00003-05.PRT. Select Reports > BOM > WS Relationship Report from the pull
down menu. Review the information in each of the report windows shown and close
them when completed.

Where Used Report

Select the part M711-00003-03.prt. Select Reports > Where Used from the pull down
menu. The following window will appear: (do not close the window yet)

1-11
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

From the where used report above, select the assembly, then select Reports > Bill of
Materials > Graph. Click and Drag on the X and Y gaps to rearrange the objects in a
preferred view.

Review the BOM graph, when completed. Close both the BOM and the Where Used
Report windows.

1-12
 PRO/INTRALINK 3.0 USER COURSE
EXERCISE 1

We will delete all the work that you have done in this exercise. It will only be a memory!
Delete the Workspace by selecting workspace > delete. Are you sure?: answer yes
YES.
Note: (It is actually good Workspace management practice to delete the Workspace, once
you are finished with it)

End of Exercise.

GOOD PRACTICES WITH PRO/INTRALINK

As it is the case with Pro/ENGINEER, good practices are in order when using
Pro/INTRALINK. We will introduce recommended good practices at the end of each
exercise which will apply to the knowledge just covered. You should review these
regularly until you become familiar with its contents.

1. Creating and deleting a WorkSpace

You should always create a WS when you are:

• Conducting a Engineering Change;

• Making the drawing of a part;
• Investigating an assembly for future use in another project;
• Modifying the object attributes for a specific set of objects;

It is also good practice to delete the Workspace when you are finished with it. (This
deceases the amount of storage space)

Pro/ENGINEER usage

It is also good practice to always use Pro/ENGINEER in linked mode when you save
parts.

Commitment is Rule #1

Remember that you must commit to Pro/INTRALINK as a user and as a group of user
once you start using it in order to be successful with it and make use of its advantages.

1-13
 EXERCISE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/INTRALINK

NOTES:

1-14
INSIDE:

®
Pro | ENGINEER
MultiMedia CD
by Jack Zecher

W I L D F I R E™
An audioi/visual
presentation of the
tutorial exercises

Tutorial
and MultiMedia CD

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

WWW.schroff.com
WWW.schroff-europe.com
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-1

Lesson 2

Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Introduction to Sketcher

Synopsis
Creating a part; introduction to Sketcher; Sketcher constraints; creating datum curves,
protrusions, cuts; using the dashboard; saving a part; part templates.

Overview of this Lesson

The main objective this lesson is to introduce you to the general procedures for creating sketched
features. We will go at quite a slow pace and the part will be quite simple (see Figure 1 on the
next page), but the central ideas need to be elaborated and emphasized so that they are very
clearly understood. Some of the material presented here is a repeat of the previous lesson - take
this as an indication that it is important! Here’s what we are going to cover:

1. Creating a Simple Part

2. Feature Types and Menus
3. Introduction to Sketcher
< Sketcher menus
< Intent Manager and Sketcher constraints
4. Creating a Datum Curve
5. Creating an Extruded Protrusion
< Using the Dashboard
6. Creating an Extruded Cut
7. Saving the part
8. Using Part Templates

It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction we are
going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which you probably
won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

Start Pro/E as usual. If it is already up, close all windows (except the base window) and erase all
objects in session using File > Erase > Current and File > Erase > Not Displayed. Close the
Navigator and Browser windows.
2-2 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Creating a Simple Part

In this lesson, we will create a simple block with a U-shaped central slot. By the end of the lesson
your part should look like Figure 1 below. This doesn't seem like such a difficult part, but we are
going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts in some depth. Try not to go
through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your understanding of how Pro/E works. We
will be adding some additional features to this part in the next lesson.

Not only are we going to go slowly here, but we are going to turn off some of the default actions
of Pro/E. This will require us to do some things manually instead of letting the program do them
automatically. This should give you a better understanding of what the many default actions are.
Furthermore, eventually you will come across situations where you don’t want the defaults and
you’ll need to know your way around the program.

The first thing to do here is to close the Navigator and Browser panes.

Figure 1 Part at the end of this lesson Figure 2 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the Part

Click the Create New Object short-cut button, or select File > New. A window will open (Figure
2) showing a list of different types and sub-types of objects to create (parts, assemblies,
drawings, and so on). In this lesson we are going to make a single solid object called a part.
Keep the default radio button settings

Part | Solid

IMPORTANT: Turn off (remove the check) the Use Default Template option at the bottom. We
will discuss templates at the end of this lesson.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-3

Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc. can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient computer
memory) in the current session. All objects are identified by unique names1. A default name for
the new part is presented at the bottom of the window, something like [PRT0001]. It is almost
always better to have a more descriptive name. So, double click (left mouse) on this text to
highlight it and then type in

[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part

name and press Enter or select OK.

The New File Options dialog window

opens, as shown to the right. Since we
elected (in the previous window) to not use
the default template for this part, Pro/E is
presenting a list of alternative templates
defined for your system. As mentioned
previously, we are going to avoid using
defaults this time around. So, for now,
select

Empty | OK.
Figure 3 Setting options for new parts
At this time, BLOCK should appear in the
title area of the graphics window. Also, some of the toolbar icons at the right are now “live” (ie.
not grayed out).

Create Datum Planes and Coordinate System

We will now create the first features of the part: three

reference planes to locate it in space. These are called datum Datum Plane
planes. It is not absolutely necessary to have datum planes, Datum Axis
but it is a very good practice, particularly if you are going to
Datum Curve
make a complex part or assembly. The three default datum
planes are created using the “Datum Plane” button on the Sketched Curve
right toolbar, as shown in Figure 4. Note that these icons look
quite similar to the buttons on the top toolbar that control the Datum Point
display of datums. What’s the difference? Coord System

Select the Datum Plane button now. Analysis Feature

Figure 4 Right toolbar buttons

for creating DATUMS

1
Pro/E can keep track of objects of different types with the same names. For example a
part and a drawing can have the same name since they are different object types.
2-4 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The datum planes represent three orthogonal planes to be used as references for features to be
created later. You can think of these planes as XY, YZ, XZ planes, although you generally aren’t
concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation. Your screen should have the datum planes visible, as
shown in Figure 5. (If not, check the datum display button in the top toolbar.) They will resemble
something like a star due to the default 3D viewing direction. Note that each plane has an
attached tag that gives its name: DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3. This view may be somewhat hard
to visualize, so Figure 6 shows how the datum planes would look if they were solid plates in the
same orientation. An important point to note is, while the plates in Figure 6 are finite in size, the
datum planes actually extend off to infinity. Finally, before we move on to the next topic, notice
that the last feature created (in this case DTM3), is highlighted in red. This is a normal
occurrence and means that the last feature created is always preselected for you as the “object”
part of the object/action command sequence.

Figure 5 Default datum planes Figure 6 Datum planes as solid plates

Pro/ENGINEER Feature Overview

Below the datum creation buttons in the toolbar on the right are three other groups of buttons.
These are shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9. If you move the cursor over the buttons, the tool tip box
will show the button name.

Two of these menus contain buttons for creating features, organized into the following
categories:

Placed Features (Figure 7) - (holes, rounds, shells, ...) These are features that are created directly
on existing geometry. Examples are placing a hole on an existing surface, or creating a round on
an existing edge of a part.

Sketched Features (Figure 8) - (extrusions, revolves, sweeps, blends, ..) These features require
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-5

the definition of a two-dimensional cross section which is then manipulated into the third
dimension. Although they usually use existing geometry for references, they do not specifically
require this. These features will involve the use of an important tool called Sketcher.

The final group of buttons (Figure 9) is used for editing and modifying existing features (copy,
mirror, pattern, ...). We will deal with some of these commands later in the Tutorial.

Hole Copy
Shell Extrusion Mirror
Rib Revolve Move
Draft Sweep Merge
Round Blend Trim
Chamfer Style Pattern
Figure 7 The Placed Figure 8 The Sketched Figure 9 The Edit
Features toolbar Features toolbar toolbar

In this lesson we will be using the Extrude command to create two types of sketched features (a
protrusion and a cut). In the next lesson, we will use the Hole, Round, and Chamfer commands
to create three placed features. Before we continue, though, we must find out about an important
tool - Sketcher.

Introducing Sketcher
Sketcher is the single, most important tool for creating features in Pro/E. It is therefore critical
that you have a good understanding of how it works. We will take a few minutes here to describe
its basic operation and will explore the Sketcher tools continually through the next few lessons. It
will take you a lot of practice and experience to fully appreciate all that it can do.

Basically, Sketcher is a tool for creating two-dimensional figures. These can be either stand-alone
features (Datum Curves) or form the cross sectional shape of some solid features. The aspects of
these figures that must be defined are shape, location, and size. Within Sketcher you will find the
usual (and expected) drawing tools for lines, arcs, circles, and so on, to create the shape. The
location and size aspects are handled by specifying alignments with or dimensions to existing
geometry.

Sketcher is really “smart”, that is, it will anticipate what you are going to do (usually correctly!)
and do many things automatically. Occasionally, it does make a mistake in guessing what you
want. So, learning how to use Sketcher effectively involves understanding exactly what it is
doing for you (and why) and discovering ways that you can easily over-ride this when necessary.

The “brain” of Sketcher is called the Intent Manager. We will be discussing the notion of design
2-6 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

intent many times in this tutorial. In Sketcher, design intent is manifest not only in the shape of
the sketch but also in how constraints and dimensions are applied to the drawing so that it is both
complete and conveys the important design goals for the part. Completeness of a drawing implies
that it contains just enough geometric specification so that it is uniquely determined. Too little
information means the drawing is under-specified; too much means that it is over-specified. The
function of Intent Manager is to make sure that the sketch always contains just the right amount
of information. Moreover, it tries to do this in ways that, most of the time, make sense. Much of
the frustration involved in using Sketcher arises from not understanding (or even sometimes
realizing) the nature of the choices it is making for you or knowing how easy it is to make
alternate choices. When you are using Sketcher, Intent Manager must be treated like a partner -
the more you understand how it works, the better the two of you will be able to function2.

The term sketch comes from the fact that you do not have to be particularly exact when you are
“drawing” the shape, as shown in the two figures below. Sketcher (or rather Intent Manager) will
interpret what you are drawing within a built-in set of rules. Thus, if you sketch a line that is
approximately vertical, Sketcher assumes that you want it vertical. If you sketch two circles or
arcs that have approximately the same radius, Sketcher assumes that’s what you want. In cases
like this, you will see the sketched entity “snap” to a particular orientation or size as Intent
Manager fires one of the internal rules.

Figure 10 Geometry input by user. Note

misaligned vertices, non-parallel edges, non- Figure 11 Geometry after processing by
tangent curves. Sketcher. Note aligned vertices, parallel
edges, tangent curves.
When Sketcher fires one of its internal rules (this occurs while you are sketching), you will be
alerted by a symbol on the sketch that indicates the nature of the assumed condition. If you accept
the condition, it becomes a constraint on the sketch. These symbols are summarized in Table 2-1
below. You should become familiar with these rules or constraints, and learn how to use them to
your advantage. Conversely, if you do not want a rule invoked, you must either

2
Intent Manager was introduced several releases ago. Some veteran Pro/E users still have
not made the switch from “the old days”. For those users, Pro/E has the ability to turn off the
Intent Manager and let them do everything manually. This tutorial will not discuss the use of
Sketcher in this old style - it really isn’t as efficient as Intent Manager.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-7

(a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or

(b) exaggerate the geometry so that if fired, the rule will fail, or
(c) tell Pro/E explicitly to ignore the rule (disable the constraint).

You will most often use option (a) by specifying your desired alignments and dimensions and
letting Sketcher worry about whatever else it needs to solve the sketch. When geometry is driven
by an explicit dimension, fewer internal rules will fire. Option (b) is slightly less common. An
example is if a line in a sketch must be 2E away from vertical, you would draw it some much
larger angle (like 15E or so) and put an explicit dimension on the angle. This prevents the
“vertical” rule from firing. Once the sketch has been completed with the exaggerated angle, you
can modify the dimension value to the desired 2E. For method (c), there is a command available
that explicitly turns off the rule checking (for all rules or selected ones only) during sketching.
This is very rarely used.

Table 2-1 Implicit Constraints in Sketcher

Rule Symbol Description

Equal radius and
diameter
Symmetry
Horizontal or vertical
lines
Parallel or
perpendicular lines
Tangency
Equal segment lengths
Point entities lying on
other entities or
collinear with other
entities
Equal coordinates
Midpoint of line
R If you sketch two or more arcs or circles with
approximately the same radius, the system
may assume that the radii are equal
Two vertices may be assumed to be
symmetric about a centerline
H or V Lines that are approximately horizontal or
vertical may be considered to be exactly so.
2 or z Lines that are sketched approximately parallel
or perpendicular may be considered to be
exactly so.
T Entities sketched approximately tangent to
each other may be assumed to be tangent
L Lines of approximately the same length may
be assumed to have the same length
Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
circles may be considered to be exactly on
them. Points that are near the extension of a
line may be assumed to lie on it.
(( (( Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates
M If the midpoint of a line is close to a sketch
reference, it will be placed on the reference.
2-8 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

An example of a sketch with the geometric

constraints is shown in Figure 14. Note
how few dimensions are required to define
this sketch. See if you can pick out the
following constraints:

< vertical lines

< horizontal lines
< perpendicular lines
< tangency
< three sets of equal length lines
< equal radius
< vertical alignment (two cases)

How do you suppose Sketcher is able to

determine the radius of the rounded corners
(fillets) at the top and bottom on the left
edge?

In this lesson, we will use two methods to Figure 14 A regenerated sketch showing implicit
create a couple of sketched features. The constraints
two methods differ in how they use
sketcher to define the cross section of the features. The method you use in your own modeling is
a matter of personal preference. Both features we will make are extrusions: one will be a
protrusion (which adds material) and the other is a cut (which removes material). Either of the
two methods shown here can be used to create either protrusions or cuts; for either method,
whether you add or remove material is determined by a single mouse click!

In the first method, we invoke Sketcher first to create the cross sectional shape of the extrusion.
This shape is defined in a sketched datum curve which becomes a stand-alone feature in the
model. We then launch the extrude command, specifying the datum curve to define the cross
section of the feature. In the second method, we do not create a separate curve but rather invoke
Sketcher from inside the extrusion creation sequence.

Creating a Sketched Curve

When we left the model last, the datum plane DTM3 was highlighted in red. If that is not the case
now, use preselection highlighting to select that datum now.

In the datum toolbar on the right of the screen, pick the Sketched Datum Curve button. Be
careful not to pick the button just above it - that one will create a datum curve using sets of
existing datum points, points read from a file, or using equations. If you accidentally pick the
wrong button, you can back out with the Quit command.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-9

Setting Sketch Orientation

The Sketched Datum Curve dialog window opens

as shown in Figure 15. Since DTM3 was
highlighted (in red) prior to the present command,
it has been preselected as the Sketch Plane. It is
now highlighted in the graphics window in orange.
This is the plane on which we will draw the sketch.
Notice the yellow arrow attached to the edge of
DTM3 pointing back into the screen. This is the
direction of view onto the sketch plane. You can
reverse that with the Flip button in the dialog
window. Leave it pointing towards the back.
DTM1 is now highlighted in red in the graphics
Figure 15 Defining the sketch plane and
window. In the dialog window, DTM1 is identified
orientation for a Sketched Curve
as the Sketch Orientation Reference, with the
Orientation set to Right. What is all this about?

The relation between the sketch plane and the sketch orientation reference generally causes
a lot of confusion for new users, so pay attention!

The meaning of the sketch plane is pretty obvious - it is the plane on which we will draw the
sketch - in this case DTM3. Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane3. That is not
enough by itself to define our view of the sketch since we can be looking at that plane from an
infinite number of directions (imagine the sketch plane rotating around an axis perpendicular to
the screen). The Orientation option list in the dialog window (Top, Bottom, Left, Right) refers to
directions relative to the computer screen, as in “TOP edge of the screen” or “BOTTOM edge of
the screen” and so on. We must combine this orientation with a chosen reference plane (which
must be perpendicular to the sketch plane) so that we get the desired direction of view onto the
sketching plane.

In the present case, when we get into Sketcher we will be looking directly at the brown (positive)
side of DTM3. So that the sketch is the right way up, we can choose either DTM2 to face the Top
of the screen, or (as was chosen automatically for us) DTM1 can face the Right of the screen.
Note that both DTM1 and DTM2 are both perpendicular to the sketch plane, as required. The
direction a plane or surface “faces” is determined by its normal vector. The normal vector for a
datum plane is perpendicular to the brown side. For a solid surface, the orientation is determined
by the outward normal.

Read the last couple of paragraphs again, since new users are quite liable to end up
drawing their sketches upside-down!

3
Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can manipulate
your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane. We will not attempt
that here.
2 - 10 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

To illustrate the crucial importance of the reference plane, consider the images shown in Figure
16. These show two cases where the same sketching plane DTM3 was used, the same sketched
shape was drawn, the same reference orientation TOP was chosen, but where different datums
were chosen as the sketching reference. On the left, the TOP reference was DTM2. On the
right, the TOP reference was DTM1. The identical sketch, shown in the center, was used for
both cases (rounded end of sketch towards the top of the screen). However, notice the difference
in the orientation of the part obtained in the final shaded images. Both of these models are
displayed in the default orientation (check the datum planes). Clearly, choosing the sketching
reference is important, particularly for the base feature.

Figure 16 The importance of the sketching reference plane!

Let’s continue on with creating the curve. Make sure the Sketched Datum Curve dialog window
is completed as in Figure 15. Select the Sketch button in the dialog window.

Several things will happen: the graphics window color changes to black, two dashed gray lines
appear that cross in center of the screen, an orange square appears to indicate our sketching plane
(DTM3).
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 11

At the top right of the screen is another References dialog

window. In this window we select existing geometry to
help Sketcher locate the new sketch relative to the part. In
the present case, there isn’t much to choose from, and two
references have been chosen for us - DTM1 and DTM2.
These references are responsible for the two dashed lines
in the graphics window. The number of references you
choose is not limited - there may be several listed here.
You are also free to delete the ones chosen for you.
However, notice the Reference Status at the bottom of
this dialog. Fully Placed means enough references have
been specified to allow Sketcher to locate your sketch in
Figure 17 Choosing references in
the model. If there are not enough references, the status
Sketcher
will be Partially Placed. For now, do not proceed beyond
this window unless you have a Fully Placed status indicated. Once you have that, select Close in
the References window.

The drawing window is shown in Figure 18. Note that you are looking edge-on to the datums
DTM1 and DTM2. The datum DTM1 (actually, its brown side) is facing the right edge of the
screen, as specified in the dialog back in Figure 15. Note that we could have obtained the same
orientation by selecting DTM2 to face the top of the screen.

Reorient to 2D
Sketcher view

Vertices On/Off
Grid On/Off
Constraints On/Off

Dimensions On/Off
Figure 18 The drawing window Figure 19 Sketcher top toolbar buttons

Another change is the addition of some new toolbar buttons at the top of the screen. These
control the display of entities in the sketch. See Figure 19. The four buttons with the eyeballs
control display of dimensions, constraints, the grid (default off), and vertices. Leave these
buttons in their default position. It is seldom (if ever) that you will need to turn on the grid in
Sketcher. The button at the left will return you to the default view of the sketch if you should
accidentally (or intentionally) go into 3D view.
2 - 12 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The Sketcher Toolbar

The major addition to the screen is the new toolbar on

the right of the screen. This contains the Sketcher tools Select
and is shown in Figure 20. Several buttons on this menu
have fly-outs, indicated by the ' symbol on the right Create Lines
edge. These fly-outs lead to related buttons, and are Create Rectangle
listed in Table 2-2. Compared to some 2D drawing
programs, this doesn’t seem like such a large number of Create Circle/Ellipse
drawing commands. Rest assured that there will not be Create Arc
much that you cannot draw with these4.
Create Fillet
When you are sketching, many of the commands in the Create Spline
right toolbar are instantly available (but context
sensitive) by holding down the right mouse button in the Create Point/Csys
graphics window. This will bring up a pop-up window of Use Edge/Offset
commands relevant in the current situation.
Dimension
A handy hint: from wherever you are in the Sketcher
menu structure, a single middle mouse click will often Modify
abort the current command and return you to the toolbar Constraints
with the Select command already chosen. Sometimes,
Create Text
you may have to click the middle button twice.
Trim
Move/Mirror/Rotate
Accept
QUIT

Figure 20 The Sketcher toolbar

4
One command that some people miss is for creating regular polygons - like a hexagon.
Once you get used to the Sketcher commands, though, even that is easy to do with the existing
drawing tools.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 13

Table 2-2 Sketcher Toolbar Flyout Buttons

Button Flyout Group Button Commands

Line 5 Tan-Tan Line 5 Centerline

Circle 5 Concentric 5 3 Point 5 3 Tan 5 Ellipse

Tangent End 5 Concentric 5 Center 5 3 Tan 5 Conic Arc

Circular fillet 5 Conic fillet

Point 5 Coordinate System

Use Edge 5 Offset edge

Dynamic trim (delete) 5 Trim(extend) 5 Divide

Mirror 5 Rotate 5 Move

Creating the Sketch

Select the Line tool using one of the following three methods:

• using the Line toolbar button on the right, OR

• in the pull-down menus select Sketch > Line > Line, OR
• hold down the right mouse button and select Line from the
pop-up menu (Figure 21).

You will now see a small yellow X which will chase the cursor
around the screen. Notice that the X will snap to the dashed Figure 21 RMB pop-up
references when the cursor is brought nearby. While you are creating menu in Sketcher
the figure, watch for red symbols (V, H, L) that indicate Intent
Manager is firing an internal rule to set up a constraint (Vertical, Horizontal, Equal Length).
These symbols will come and go while you are sketching. The trick with Sketcher is to get Intent
Manager to fire the rule you want, then click the left mouse button to accept the position of the
vertex. Click the corners in the following order. After each click, you will see a straight line
rubber-band from the previous position to the cursor position:
2 - 14 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

1. left-click at the origin

(intersection of DTM1 and
DTM2)
2. left-click above the origin on
DTM1 (watch for V)
3. left-click horizontally to the
right (watch for H and L - we
do not want L)
4. left-click straight down on
DTM2 (watch for V)
5. left-click back at the origin
(watch for H)
6. middle-click anywhere on the
screen

Figure 22 Drawing the Sketch

When you are finished this sequence, you are still in Line creation mode (notice the yellow X on
screen and the Line toolbar button). If you middle click again, you will leave that and return to
Select mode - the same as if you picked on the Select button in the right toolbar, but much faster.

The sketched entities are shown in yellow. Note that we didn't need to specify any drawing
coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for that matter, are any coordinate values displayed anywhere
on the screen. This is a significant departure from standard CAD programs. We also didn’t need
the grid or a grid snap function (although both of these are available in Pro/E).

You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these actually extend off to
infinity. The displayed extent of datum planes will (eventually) adjust to the currently displayed
object(s).

Helpful Hint
If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, here are some ways to delete entities:
1. Pick the Select tool in the right toolbar and left click on any entity you want to
delete. Then either press the Delete key on the keyboard, or hold down the RMB and
choose Delete.
2. If there are several entities to delete, hold the CTRL key down while you left click
on each entity. Then pick Delete as before.
3. You can click and drag to form a rectangle around a set of entities. Anything
completely inside the rectangle is selected. Use Delete as before.
4. Notice the Undo and Redo buttons on the top toolbar
We will cover more advanced Sketcher commands for deleting and trimming lines a
bit later.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 15

After you have finished the sequence above,

Sketcher will put two dimensions on the sketch -
for the height and width of the rectangle. These
will be in gray, so may be hard to see, but similar
to those shown in Figure 23. For the first feature in
a part, the numerical values of these dimensions
are picked more-or-less at random (although they
are in correct proportion to each other). For later
features in the part, Sketcher will know the sketch
size more accurately because it will have some
existing geometry to set the scale. Figure 23 Completed sketch with weak
dimensions

Weak vs Strong Dimensions

A dimension created by Sketcher is called “weak” and is shown in gray. Strong dimensions, on
the other hand, are those that you create. You can make a strong dimension in any of three ways:

L modify the value of a weak dimension

or L create a dimension from scratch by identifying entities in the sketch and placing a new
dimension on the drawing
or L select a weak dimension and promote it to strong using the RMB pop-up menu

Strong dimensions will be shown in yellow.

The special significance of weak and strong dimensions is as follows. When Intent Manager is
“solving” a sketch, it considers the sketch references, any implicit rules that have fired (like H, V,
and so on) and any existing dimensions. If there is not enough information to define the drawing,
Sketcher will create the necessary and sufficient missing dimensions. These are the weak
dimensions. If Sketcher finds the drawing is overconstrained (too many dimensions or
constraints) it will first try to solve the sketch by deleting one or more of the weak dimensions
(the ones it made itself earlier). It will do this without asking you. This is one way for you to
override Intent Manager - if you don’t like the dimensioning scheme chosen by Sketcher, just
create your own (automatically strong) dimensions. Sketcher will remove whichever of the weak
dimensions are no longer needed to define the sketch. Sketcher assumes that any strong
dimensions you have created shouldn’t be messed with! However, if Sketcher still finds the
drawing overconstrained, it will tell you what the redundant information is (which may be
dimensions or constraints), and you can choose what you want deleted. Thus, although weak
dimensions can be deleted without asking you, Sketcher will never delete a strong dimension
without your explicit confirmation.
2 - 16 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

We want to modify the two weak dimensions on the

rectangle in a couple of ways. First, we can make a
cosmetic improvement by selecting the dimension text
(the number) and performing a drag-and-drop to move
it to a better location. Note in passing that preselection
highlighting also works with dimensions and
constraints.

Next we want to change the numeric value of the

dimension. Double-click on the horizontal dimension.
In the text entry box, enter the value 20. When you hit
Enter, the sketch geometry will be updated with this
new dimension. The dimension is now strong. Change
the vertical dimension to 30. It will also now be
strong. (Click anywhere on the graphics window to Figure 24 Modified sketch
remove the red highlight.) See Figure 24. Notice that
the indicated extent of the datum plane DTM3 adjusts to the sketch.

Now we’ll add a couple of rounded corners, technically

known as fillets, on the top corners of the sketch to help us
“see” the orientation of the feature in 3D. Select the Fillet
toolbar button on the right (or from the RMB pop-up
menu) and pick on the top and right lines in the sketch
close to but not at the corner. A circular fillet is created to
the pick point closest to the corner. Two tangent
constraints (T) are added, along with a weak dimension for
the fillet radius. Do the same on the top and left lines.
Middle click to return to Select mode. Because our fillet
command has removed two vertices on the top of the
sketch, Intent Manager has removed our two strong
dimensions (which used those vertices) and replaced them
with weak ones. You can make them strong by selecting Figure 25 Completed sketch
them, clicking the RMB, and selecting Strong in the pop-
up menu. Modify the cosmetics and values of the fillet
radius dimensions as shown in Figure 25.

This completes the creation of our sketched datum curve.

Select the Accept (or Continue) toolbar icon. This returns
us to the regular graphics window with our new sketched
curve shown in red (last feature created). You can spin the
model around with the middle mouse button to see this
curve from different view points. When you are finished
with this, return the model to approximately the default
orientation - Figure 26.

Figure 26 Datum curve - default

orientation
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 17

Creating a Solid Protrusion

Most of the work to create this protrusion has been done already - creating the sketched datum
curve that defines its shape. This curve should be highlighted in red. If you have been playing
around with the model and the sketch is blue, just left click on it to select it again.

There are a number of ways to launch the protrusion creation command. With the sketched
datum curve highlighted, the easiest way is to pick the Extrude button in the right toolbar.

A message window will open (Section Selection). Read this carefully. The essence of the
message is that the sketched datum curve is going to be copied into the extrude feature, but once
the feature is created the datum curve will not be associated with it. We will find out that this
behavior in Pro/E is somewhat unusual - hence the message window. Normally, when a feature is
used as a reference to create another feature, there is a parent/child relation set up. In essence,
what is going to happen here is that Pro/E will make a copy of the sketched datum curve in the
extrude feature and no parent relation will be created to the curve. The message window gives
you a chance to turn off future appearances of itself. You should probably not do that - just press
Continue.

What you will see now is a yellow shaded image of

the protrusion, Figure 27. On this shape, you will
see a yellow arrow that indicates the extrusion
direction, which by default comes off the positive
side of the sketch. There is also a dashed line
ending in a white square. This is a drag handle.
Click on this with the mouse and you can drag it to
change the length of the extrusion. This length is
also shown in a dimension symbol. You can even
drag this out the back of the sketch to extrude in
the opposite direction. This direct manipulation of
the feature on the screen is called, in Pro/E
vernacular, Direct Modeling. Bring the protrusion
out the front and double click on the numeric
dimension, and enter the value 30.

Figure 27 The protrusion preview

At the bottom of the graphics window is a new collection of tools. These comprise the
Dashboard, which is a major innovation in the Pro/E Wildfire interface. Many features are
constructed with tools arranged using this new interface element. It is worth spending some time
exploring this one in detail, since you will probably be using it the most.
2 - 18 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The Extrude Dashboard

The dashboard collects all of the commands Extrusion

and options for feature creation in an easily
navigated interface. Moreover, most
optional settings have been set to default
values which will work in the majority of
cases. You can change options at any time
and in any order. This is a welcome and
significant departure from previous releases Depth Thin/Solid Toggle
of Pro/E. Specification
Options Cut/Protrude Toggle
Surface
The dashboard contains two areas. On the Flip Side Toggle
Solid
left (Figure 28) are commands, settings, and
Sketcher
so on for the particular feature under
construction. On the top row, the feature is Figure 28 The Extrude dashboard
identified with the toolbar icon - extrusion
in this case. The icons on the second row operate as follows:

Sketcher - selecting this will launch you into Sketcher to

select a sketch plane, sketch reference, and so on.
We don’t need to go there now because we already
have a sketch. If you wanted to change the sketch,
this is how you access it. You can also enter this way
to create a sketch for a new feature - we will go this
route in the next feature.

Solid and Surface buttons - these are an either/or set. The

default button is to create a solid. If you pick the next
button, Surface, the sketch will be extruded as an
infinitely thin surface (Figure 29). Return this to the
Solid selection. Figure 29 Extruded surface

Depth Spec Options - the next button is a pull-up menu that lists
Symmetric
all the possibilities for setting the depth of the extrusion.
These are indicated in Figure 30. The default is a Blind To Selected
extrusion, which means the extrusion is for a fixed distance. Blind
Other options may appear here as more part geometry
appears (as in the cut which we will do next). Figure 30 Depth Spec options

Blind Depth - this contains the numeric value of the length of the protrusion. If the depth
specification on the button to the left is not Blind, this text input area is grayed out.

Flip - selecting this will reverse the direction of the protrusion (the yellow arrow).
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 19

Cut/Protrude - this allows you to change the meaning of the solid feature from a protrusion
(which adds solid material) to a cut (which removes solid material). Since there is nothing
to remove at this time, this command is grayed out - all we can do is add.

Solid/Thin - press this to see the solid block replaced by a

thin-walled extrusion. A new dimension appears in
the graphics window and on the dashboard. This is
the thickness of the solid wall. Try changing this
thickness to something like 1.0. On which side of the
sketched curve has this been added? Another Flip
button has also appeared. Press this a couple of times
- it controls which side of the sketch the material is
added to. Actually, it is a three way switch since you
can also add material equally on both sides. Press the
Solid/Thin button again to return to a full solid
protrusion.

The slide-up panels do the following: Figure 31 A Thin extruded solid

Placement - allows you to identify the section, or re-enter Sketcher

Options - more information about the depth specification. We will find out what is meant by
“Side 2" in a later lesson.

Properties - specify the name of the feature

As you explore the creation of new features in Pro/E you should investigate what is in each of
these menus. They are context sensitive, so there is a lot of variety in what you will find.

On the right end of the dashboard are several common tools that Pause
appear for all features. See Figure 32. These function as follows: Creation QUIT

Pause - allow you to temporarily suspend work on this feature so

that you can, for example, create a missing reference like a
datum plane, measure something in the model, etc. When
you are finished with the side trip, press the symbol < that
appears here to continue where you left off. Accept

Preview - (default on = checked) this is responsible for the View Geometry

shaded yellow display of the feature under construction. Preview Feature
Uncheck this - all you will see is the feature creation Figure 32 Common
direction, drag handle, and depth dimension. Turn this back dashboard controls
on.

View Geometry (or Verify) - this shows what the geometry will look like when the feature is
fully integrated into the part. Not much happens with this first protrusion. Press again to
return to preview.
2 - 20 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Accept and Quit - do just what you expect!

Select Accept. The message window informs you

that the feature has been created successfully. The
block now appears, Figure 33, with its edges
highlighted in red (last feature created).

We will now add another extruded feature - this

time we will create a cut that removes material.
Furthermore, instead of creating the sketched shape
first, as we did for the solid protrusion, we will
create the sketch within the feature itself.

Figure 33 Completed protrusion

Creating an Extruded Cut

Start by launching the Extrude command from the right
toolbar. The extrude dashboard at the bottom of the
screen opens. Select the Sketcher button at the left end
of the dashboard. The Section dialog window appears.
This time, however, nothing has been preselected for us
as it was for the previous sketch. We’ll have to enter
the data ourselves.

First, the dialog is waiting for you to select the

sketching plane, so pick on the right side surface of the
block (see Figure 34). Pay attention to preselection
here. Notice the preselection filter setting; you will not
be able to pick an edge or a curved surface (both of
these would be illegal). As soon as you pick the
sketching plane (it highlights in orange), a yellow arrow Figure 34 Setting up to sketch the cut
will appear showing our direction of view relative to
the surface. The Flip button can be used to reverse this direction, but leave it as it is. Pro/E
makes a guess at a potential reference plane for you to use. This may depend on the current
orientation of your view, and might result in a strange view orientation in sketcher (like sideways
or even upside down). We want to be a bit more careful and specific here. Pick on the top planar
surface (Figure 34), between the two tangent lines of the rounded corners; the surface will
highlight in red. In the Orientation pull-down list, select Top so that the reference will face the
top of the screen. We now have our sketch plane and reference set up, so select Sketch at the
bottom of the dialog window.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 21

We are now in Sketcher (Figure 35). Two references Sketch reference

have been chosen for us (the back and top surfaces of
the object). These will be OK for now, so select Close
in the References window. We are going to create the
U-shaped figure shown in Figure 36. Note that there is
no sketched line across the top of the U - there is no
inside or outside. Thus, it is technically called an open
sketch (as opposed to a closed sketch for our previous
feature). There are some restrictions on the use of
open sketches which we will run across in a minute or
two. In general, try to keep your sketches closed - you
will have fewer problems that way.

Sketch reference
Figure 35 References for cut sketch

Use the RMB pop-up menu to select the Line 1 4

command. Start your sketch at vertex 1 in Figure
36 - the cursor will snap to the reference. Then
drag the mouse down and pick vertex 2 (note the V
constraint), and middle click to end the Line
command. Some weak dimensions will appear. Do
nothing about them yet because, since they are
weak, they are liable to disappear anyway. If we
make them strong, this will cause us extra work
dealing with Intent Manager. Wait until the
geometry of the sketch is finished before you start
worrying about the dimensioning scheme. 2 3

Figure 36 Sketch geometry

Use the RMB pop-up menu again and select the 3-Point/Tangent End command. Pick on the
end of the sketched line and drag the mouse downwards in the direction of tangency. Once the
arc has been established, drag the cursor over to the right (the arc will rubber-band while
maintaining the tangency constraint) and click at vertex 3. (If you drag straight across to vertex 3
you will get a 3-point arc which is not automatically tangent at vertex 2.) You should see two
small blips that indicate when vertex 3 is at the same height as the center of the arc. Use the
RMB menu to pick Line again.

Now left click at vertex 3 and draw a vertical line up to snap to the reference at vertex 4. Our
sketch is complete. Use the middle mouse button to return to Select mode. Your dimensions may
be different from those shown in Figure 36. Your dimensioning scheme may even be slightly
different. It may be easier to see this if you go to hidden line display instead of shading.
2 - 22 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

All the dimensions should be weak. Drag them to a better location if necessary (off the part).
Compare the dimensioning scheme with the one in Figure 37. We want to have a dimension from
the reference at the back of the part to the center of the arc of the U. If you do not have that
dimension, we’ll have to add one manually. This will illustrate a case where we will override the
Intent Manager.

To create your own dimension, select the

Dimension command from the right toolbar. Click
on the vertex at the center of the arc (it will
highlight) then click again on the dashed reference
line at the right. Now middle click in the space
above the part where you want the dimension text
to appear. It’s that easy! Note that this dimension
shows immediately in yellow since it is strong. One
of the weak linear dimensions should be gone.
Middle click to get back to Select.

Modify the values of the dimensions to match

those in Figure 37.

Figure 37 Final sketch for cut

The sketch is now complete, so click on the Accept button in the toolbar. If you are in hidden line
display, return to shading display.

The feature will now be previewed. A couple of new buttons have appeared on the dashboard.
First, in the Depth Spec pull-up list, there are a few more options available (Figure 38). For this
cut, we would like the sketch to be extruded through the entire part, so pick the Through All
option. Note that the dimension for a blind extrusion disappears from the screen. To the right of
this area, click the Flip button to make the extrusion go through the part. The Remove Material
button needs to be selected. Now, there are two yellow arrows attached to the sketch. The one
perpendicular to the plane of the sketch shows the direction of the extrusion. The other shows
which side of the sketched line we want to remove material from. These should be set as shown
in Figure 39.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 23

Blind
Symmetric
To Next
Through All
Sketch
Through Until
Extrusion
Material Direction
To Selected Removal
Side
Figure 38 More Depth Spec
options in the dashboard Figure 39 Defining cut attributes (direction
and material removal side)

Now select the Verify button in the right area of the dashboard. If you have the Remove Material
button set wrong, that is for a protrusion instead of a cut, Pro/E will not be able to create the
feature. It will display thick dark green lines on the block and give you an error message about
“unattached protrusion”. The source of this problem is the open sketch for the U. This sketch is
ambiguous since when the sketch starts out from the sketch plane, the vertices at the ends are out
in the open air; Pro/E does not know how to create the solid to attach it to the existing part. This
problem does not occur with a cut as long as the open ends of the sketch stay outside or on the
surface of the part.

Another common error with cuts is having the material removal side set wrong (the second
yellow arrow in Figure 39). If you do that for this part, you will end up with Figure 40. Make sure
the material removal arrow points to the inside of the U. Plus, you should explore the Placement,
Options, and Properties menus on the dashboard before you leave.

Figure 40 Removing from the Figure 41 Cut feature completed

wrong side of the sketch
2 - 24 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

We are finished creating this feature, so select the Accept button at the right end of the
dashboard. The part should now look like Figure 41 when in default orientation. The cut will be
highlighted in red as usual, as the last feature created.

Saving the Part

It is a good idea when you are just getting started to save your model quite frequently, just in case
something serious goes wrong. If you have to bail out of the program, you can always reload the
most recently saved copy of the part and continue from there.

There are (as usual!) several ways to save the part:

• in the top toolbar, select the Save button, or

• in the pull-down menus select File > Save, or
• use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-S.

In the command/message window, you will be asked for the name of the object to be saved
(remember that you can have more than one object loaded into memory at a time). Accept the
default [block.prt] (this is the active part) by pressing the enter key or the middle mouse button.
Pro/E will automatically put the part extension (prt) on the file. If you save the part a number of
times, Pro/E will automatically number each saved version (like block.prt.1, block.prt.2,
block.prt.3, and so on). Be aware of how much space you have available. It may be necessary to
delete some of the previously saved versions; or you can copy them to a diskette. You can do
both of these tasks from within Pro/E - we'll talk about that later.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this command at
that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketch with the file extension
sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated and may be used again on a different
part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be read in from the saved file. In these lessons,
none of the sketches are complicated enough to warrant saving them to disk.

Using Part Templates

You will recall that in the block part created earlier, the first thing we did was to create default
datum planes. These (plus the named views based on them, which we didn’t create this lesson)
are very standard features and aspects of part files, and it would be handy if this was done
automatically. This is exactly the purpose of part templates.

A template is a previously created part file that contains the common features and aspects of
almost all part files you will ever make. These include, among other things, default datum planes
and named views. Pro/E actually has several templates available for parts, drawings, and
assemblies. There are variations of the templates for each type of object. One important variation
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 25

consists of the unit system used for the part (inches or millimeters). Templates also contain some
common model parameters and layer definitions5.

A template is selected when a new model is first created. Let’s see how that works. Create a new
part (note that you don’t have to remove the block - Pro/E can have several parts “in session” at
the same time) by selecting

File > New

or using the “Create New Object” button. The New dialog window opens. The

Part | Solid

are selected by default. Enter a new name, like exercise_1. Remove the check mark beside Use
default template and then select OK.

In the New File Options dialog window, the default template is shown at the top. It is likely
“inlbs_part_solid”. This template is for solid parts with the units set to inch-pound-second. It
seems strange to have force and time units in a CAD geometry program. Actually, this is
included so that the part units are known by downstream applications like Pro/MECHANICA
which perform finite element analysis (FEA) or mechanism dynamics calculations. These
programs are very picky about units!

Note that there are templates available for sheet-metal parts and for metric units (millimeter-
Newton-second). While we are mentioning units, be aware that if you make a wrong choice of
units here, it is still possible to change the units of a part after it has been created.

There are only two model parameters in the default template. DESCRIPTION is for an extended
title for the part, like “UPPER PUMP HOUSING”. This title can (eventually) be called up and
placed automatically on a drawing of the part using, you guessed it, a drawing template.
Similarly, the MODELED_BY parameter is available for you to record your name or initials as
the originator of the part. Fill in these parameter fields and select OK.

The new part is created which automatically displays the default datums. They are even named
for you (we will see how to name features in lesson 3): instead of DTM1, we have RIGHT. TOP
replaces DTM2, and FRONT replaces DTM3. The part also contains a coordinate system, named
views (look in the Saved Views List), and other data that we’ll discover as we go through the
lessons. The named views correspond to the standard engineering views. Thus, it is important to
note that if you are planning on using a drawing template (discussed in a later lesson), your
model orientation relative to the default datums is critical. The top-front-right views of the part
are the ones that will be automatically placed on the drawing later. If your model is upside down
or backwards in these named views, then your drawing will be too. This is embarrassing and not
likely to win favor with your boss or instructor!

5
Model parameters and layers are discussed in the Advanced Tutorial.
2 - 26 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Now, having created this new part, you are all set up to do some of the exercises at the end of the
lesson. Do as many of these as you can. Perhaps do some of them in different ways by
experimenting with your sketch orientation, Sketcher commands, and so on.

This completes Lesson #2. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the commands
that have been presented in this lesson. Create new parts for your experiments since we will need
the block part in its present form for the next lesson.

In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of relations,
and spend some time learning about the utility functions available to give you information about
the model.

Questions for Review

Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

1. What is meant by a blind protrusion?

2. What is the purpose of the sketching reference?
3. How do you specify the name of a part?
4. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
5. How do you save a part?
6. What is a template?
7. What is your system’s default template?
8. Where does your system store your part files when they are saved?
9. What is meant by the active part?
10. How does Sketcher determine the radius of a fillet created on two lines?
11. What happens if you delete any of the constraints (H, V, etc.) on a sketch?
12. What happens if you set the thickness of a thin solid greater than the radius of a filleted
corner of the sketch?
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 27

Exercises
Here are some simple shapes that you can make with a single solid protrusion. They should give
you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Choose your own
dimensions and pay attention to alignments and internal constraints. The objects should appear
in roughly the same orientation in default view. Have a contest with a buddy to see who can
create each object with the fewest number of dimensions. This is not necessarily a goal of good
modeling, but is a good exercise! Feel free to add additional features to these objects.
2 - 28 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

These parts are a bit more complicated, requiring two or more simple extruded features
(protrusions or cuts). Think about these carefully before you try to make them.

1.

2.

3.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-1

Lesson 1
Menus

Message Window
(and Dashboard; top or bottom)
Pro/E Customization Tools
and
Project Introduction
Toolbars
Customized buttons on
left, top, and/or right

Synopsis:
Configuration settings; customizing the screen toolbars and menus; mapkeys; part templates;
introduction to the project

Overview
This lesson will introduce tools for customizing your Pro/E configuration and working
environment and show you how to create some useful shortcuts for accessing Pro/E commands.
The major customization tool is the use of one or more configuration files (default file:
config.pro). The lesson also includes managing and creating your own custom toolbars and
mapkeys. We’ll also see how you can create your own part templates.

The major project used in this tutorial is introduced and the first four parts are presented.

Configuration Files (config.pro)

By now, you should be familiar with the commands for environment settings that are available in

Tools > Environment

These aspects of the Pro/Engineer working environment (and much more!) can also be controlled
using settings stored in configuration files (config files for short). Pro/E has several hundred
individual configuration settings. All settings have default values that will be used if not
specifically set in a config file.

The most important config file is a special file called config.pro that is automatically read when
Pro/E starts up a new session. You can also read in (and/or change) additional configuration
settings at any time during a session. For example, you may want to have one group of settings
for one project you are working on, and another group for a different project that you switch to
during a single session. In this tutorial, we will deal only with the use of the single configuration
1-2 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

file, config.pro, loaded at start-up.

Several copies of config.pro might exist on your system, and they are read in the following order
when Pro/E is launched:

‚ config.sup - this is a protected system file which is read by all users but is not available for
modification by users. Your system administrator has control of this file.
‚ Pro/E loadpoint - this is read by all users and would usually contain common settings
determined by the system administrator such as search paths, formats, libraries, and so on.
This file cannot normally be altered by individual users.
‚ user home directory - unique for each user (Unix)
‚ startup directory - the working directory when Pro/E starts up. To find where this directory
is, select File > Open and observe the directory name in the top box1

Settings made in the first copy (config.sup) cannot be overridden by users. This is handy for
making configuration settings to be applied universally across all users at a Pro/E installation
(search paths for part libraries, for instance). An individual user can modify entries in the last
two copies of config.pro to suit their own requirements. If the same entry appears more than
once, the last entry encountered in the start-up sequence is the one the system will use. After
start-up, additional configuration settings can be read in at any time. These might be used to
create a configuration unique to a special project, or perhaps a special type of modeling. Be
aware that when a new configuration file is read in, some options may not take effect until Pro/E
is restarted. This is discussed more a bit later.

Settings in config.pro are arranged in a table. Each row is composed of two entries in the
following form:

config_option_name config_option_value

Option values can be composed either of text, single numbers, or series of numbers. A listing
and description of many config options is contained in the on-line help. Select the following
(starting in the pull-down menus):

Help > Help Center

Then pick the links:

Fundamentals > Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals

In the Contents pane, expand the topics

r Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals
r Configuring Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals

1
In Windows, right click on the Pro/E icon on the desktop (if it exists), select Properties
> ShortCut and examine the Start In text entry field.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-3

Although this shows quite a long list, it does not include every possible option (by a long shot!).
Fortunately, as we will see in a minute, the dialog window for working with configuration files
contains a one line description of the options. There is also a search capability for finding option
names. Although this makes finding the options much easier, you are encouraged to explore the
on-line help - you might find just the setting you need to make your life easier!

Your system may have a standard configuration file available for you to use as a basis for your
own work. Look for the config.pro file in the pro_stds (“standards”) directory in the Pro/E
installation.

Before we proceed, if you have access to this file, copy it to your start-up directory, along with
the file config.win (this is a file containing customized screen layout settings which are discussed
later). Now launch Pro/E, or if it is already up erase everything currently in session and set your
working directory to your normal start-up directory.

The Configuration File Editor

You can access your current configuration file using

Tools > Options

This brings up the Options window. If your
system has options set already, these will
appear in the window. If not, the central area
of the window will be blank, as in Figure 1.
We’ll discuss the operation of this dialog
window from the top down.

The Showing pull-down list at the top will

let you choose from a number of
configuration groups (Current Session, your
start-up config.pro, or elsewhere). Select
Current Session.

Deselect the check box just below the

Figure 1 The Options window for setting and
Showing pull-down box. After a couple of
editing the configuration file
seconds, a complete list of all the Pro/E
configuration options will appear. The first column shows its name, and the second column
shows its current value. An entry with an asterisk indicates a default value.

Note that you can resize the column widths by dragging on the vertical column separator bars at the
top of the display area. At the far right is a long (scrollable) one-line description of each option.

Browse down through the list. There are a lot of options here (over 750!). Note that the options
are arranged alphabetically. This is because of the setting in the Sort pull-down menu in the top-
right corner. Change this to By Category. This rearranges the list of options to group them by
function. For example, check out the settings available in the Environment and Sketcher
groups. Fortunately, there are a couple of tools to help you find the option name you’re looking
1-4 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

for. Let’s see how they work.

Check the box beside “Show only options loaded from file” and select Sort(Alphabetical). Note
that the options listed here are only those that are different from the default settings.

Adding Settings to config.pro

Assuming you have a blank config.pro, let’s create a couple of useful settings. At the bottom of
the Options window are two text boxes for entering option names and values. If you know the
name of the option, you can just type it in to the first box. For new users, a useful setting is the
following. In the text box below Option, enter the option name prompt_on_exit. As you type
this in, notice that Pro/E anticipates the rest of the text box based on the letters you have typed
in. After typing enough characters (up to the “x” in “exit”), the rest of the desired option will
appear; just hit the Enter key. In the pull-down list under Value, select Yes. Note that the option
name is not case sensitive and the default value is indicated by an asterisk in the pull-down list.
Now select the Add/Change button on the right. The entry now appears in the data area. A
bright green star in the Status column indicates that the option has been defined but has not yet
taken effect.

Now enter a display option. The default part display mode in the graphics window is Shaded.
Many people prefer to work in hidden line mode - let’s make it the default on start-up. Once
again, we will enter the configuration option name and pick the value from a drop-down list.
The option name and value we want are

display hiddenvis

Now select Add/Change as before (or just hit the Enter key after typing the “h”). Add the
following option to control how tangent edges should be displayed

tangent_edge_display dimmed

Another common setting is the location of the Pro/E

trail file. As you recall, the trail file contains a
record of every command and mouse click during a
Pro/E session. The default location for this is the
start-up directory. Theoretically, trail files can be
used to recover from disastrous crashes of Pro/E,
but this is a tricky operation. Most people just
delete them. It is handy, therefore, to collect trail
files in a single directory, where they can be easily
removed later. There is an option for setting the
location of this directory. Suppose we don’t know
the configuration option’s specific name. Here is
where a search function will come in handy.

At the bottom of the Options window, click the

Find button. This brings up the Find Option
window (Figure 2). Type in the keyword trail and
Figure 2 Finding a configuration file option
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-5

select

Look in(ALL_CATEGORY) > Find Now

Several possibilities come up. The option we want is listed as trail_dir - scroll the description to
the right to confirm this. Select this option and then pick the Browse button at the bottom to
identify a suitable location on your system for the value. Perhaps something like c:\temp. Then
select Add/Change. The new entry appears in the Options window. In the Find Option
window, select Close.

For some options, the value is numeric (eg setting a default tolerance, number of digits, or the
color of entities on the screen). In these cases, you can enter the relevant number (or numbers
separated by either spaces or commas). For example, under Option, enter the name
system_hidden_color. Then under Value, enter the numbers 60 60 60 (separated by spaces).
These give the values of red, green, and blue (out of 100). Equal values yield gray; this setting
will brighten the hidden lines a bit from the default value. Select Add/Change.

We have now specified four options. To have them take effect, select the Apply button at the
bottom. The green stars change to small green circles in the Status column.

For practice, enter the options shown in Figure 3. The order that the configuration options are
declared does not matter. Feel free to add new settings to your file (for search paths, libraries,
default editors, default decimal places, import/export settings, and so on).

Figure 3 Some settings in config.pro

1-6 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Notice the icons in the first column beside the option names. These mean the following:

(lightning) - option takes effect immediately

(wand) - option will take effect for the next object created
(screen) - option will take effect the next time Pro/E is started

If you are using a config file from a previous version of Pro/E you may see a “stop sign”
(actually a red circle with a line through it), which means that the option is no longer used.

Try to add an illegal option name. For example, in Release 2000i there was an option
sketcher_readme_alert. Type that in to the Option field. When you try to set a value for this,
it will not be accepted (the Add/Change button stays gray). Pro/E only recognizes valid option
names! Thus, if you mistype or enter an invalid name, this is indicated by not being able to enter
a value for it.

Saving Your config.pro Settings

To store the settings we have just created, select the Save As button at the top of the
Preferences window. At the bottom of the new window, type in the desired name for the file -
in this case config.pro and select OK.

Deleting Configuration Options

With the configuration file name visible in the Showing field at the top, highlight one of the
options and select Delete. Selecting Apply automatically saves the new settings. Close the
window.

Loading a Configuration File

To load a new configuration file, select the Open File button beside the Showing list. Select the
desired file and then Open. Note that these settings will be read in but not activated immediately
(note the green star). Select the Apply button and observe the green star.

Now select Close in the Options window.

Checking Your Configuration Options

Because some settings will not activate until Pro/E is restarted, many users will exit Pro/E after
making changes to their config.pro file and then restart, just to make sure the settings are doing
what they are supposed to. Do that now. This is not quite so critical since the window shows
you with the lightning/wand/screen icons whether an option is active. However be aware of
where Pro/E will look for the config.pro file on start-up, as discussed above. If you have saved
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-7

config.pro in another working directory than the one you normally start in, then move it before
starting Pro/E. On the other hand, if you have settings that you only want active when you are in
a certain directory, keep a copy of config.pro there and load it once Pro/E has started up and you
have changed to the desired directory. To keep things simple, and until you have plenty of
experience with changing the configuration settings, it is usually better to have only one copy of
config.pro in your startup directory.

Note that it is probably easier to make some changes to the environment for a single session
using Tools > Environment. Also, as is often the case when learning to use new computer tools,
don’t try anything too adventurous with config.pro in the middle of a part or assembly creation
session - you never know when an unanticipated effect might clobber your work!

Customizing the Interface

In addition to the environment settings,
there are several ways of customizing the
Pro/E interface: using config.pro, toolbars,
menus, and mapkeys. An example of a
customized interface is shown in the figure
at the right. When you modify the interface
layout, your changes will be saved in a Menus
config.win file in a directory of your choice
(usually the current working directory). It Message Window
is possible and permissible to have several (and Dashboard; top or bottom)

different config.win files in different

directories, each with a different
customization of the screen to suit the work Toolbars
you may be doing on files in that directory. Customized buttons on
left, top, and/or right

In this section, we will introduce methods

to customize the toolbars and menus.

Figure 4 A (somewhat cluttered) customized screen

layout

Toolbars

With the cursor on the top toolbar, hold down the right mouse button. This brings up the menu
shown in Figure 5. This shows the toolbar groups currently displayed (see check marks); the
groups can be toggled to include/exclude them from the display. Each group contains a set of
functionally-related shortcut buttons.
1-8 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Figure 5 The Figure 6 The Toolbars tab in the Customize window

Toolbar toggle menu

At the bottom of this pop-up menu, select Toolbars. This brings up the Customize menu which
contains a list of all available toolbars, and their location (see Figure 6). At the bottom of this
window you can specify whether or not, and where, to automatically save the current layout
settings. The default is config.win in the current working directory. As mentioned above, you
can create multiple config.win files, and use File > Save Settings and File > Open Settings in the
Customize window to store and recall previous files. Note that in addition to the eleven
standard toolbar groups there are three initially empty groups (Toolbars 1 through 3), which you
can populate with short-cut buttons using methods described below. The pull-down lists at the
right allow you to place the selected toolbars at different places on the screen (left, right, top of
graphics window).

Changing Toolbar Buttons

In the Customize window, select the Commands tab. (This is also available by selecting
Commands... in the menu shown in Figure 5 or using Tools > Customize Screen in the pull-
down menu.) The window shown in Figure 7 will open. Groups of toolbar commands are listed
in a tree structure in the Categories area on the left. Click on any of the group names and the
available short-cut buttons will appear in the Commands area on the right. As you move the
mouse over these buttons, a tool tip will display.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-9

To add a button to a toolbar, just drag and

drop it onto an existing toolbar at the top,
right, or left. The button will be added
wherever you drop it on the toolbar. To
remove it, drag it off the toolbar and drop it
somewhere else (on the graphics window,
for example). Note that it is possible to
mix and match the short-cut buttons: any
button can be placed on any toolbar. For
example, a button listed under the File
category can also be added to the View
toolbar. Buttons can also be present on
more than one toolbar. The possibilities are
endless!

At the bottom of the Categories list is New

Menu. You can drag this up to the menu Figure 7 Choosing short-cut buttons to add to
area at the top of the screen to create your toolbars
own pull-down menus.

If you turn on one of the user toolbars (select Toolbar 1, 2, or 3 under the Toolbars tab), an
initially empty button will appear in the designated location (top, left, or right). You can use the
Commands selector to drag any button to define your own toolbar.

Check out the Navigation and Browser tabs. Notice that the final tab in the Customize window
is Options. This lets you set the position of the dashboard and command/message window
(above or below the graphics area) and some other settings.

When you leave the Customize dialog box, your new settings can be written to the file
designated in the bottom text entry box. Each new or altered config.win file is numbered
sequentially (config.win.2, config.win.3, and so on).

Helpful Hint
It is tempting, especially if you are blessed with a lot of screen space, to over-
populate the toolbars by trying to arrange every commonly used command on the
screen at once. This is reminiscent of many other Windows-based CAD programs.
Before you do that, you should work with Pro/E for a while. You will find that
Pro/E will generally bring up the appropriate toolbars for your current program status
automatically. For example, if you are in Sketcher, the Sketcher short-cut buttons
will appear. Thus, adding these buttons permanently to any toolbar is unnecessary
and the buttons will be grayed out when you are not in Sketcher anyway - you are
introducing screen clutter with no benefit. Furthermore, many commands are readily
available in the right-mouse pop-up menus.
1 - 10 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Keyboard Shortcuts - Mapkeys

A mapkey is a short sequence of keyboard key strokes or a function key that will launch one or a
series of Pro/E commands. Mapkeys are very similar to macros that can be defined in other
software packages. Mapkey definitions are contained/included in your config.pro file, so they are
loaded at start-up.

The mapkey key stroke sequence can be as long as you want; most users restrict mapkeys to only
2, or sometimes 3, characters. This gives several hundred possible mapkey sequences - more
than you can probably remember effectively. Pro/E constantly monitors the keyboard for input
and will immediately execute a defined command sequence when its mapkey is detected. Single
character mapkeys should be avoided due to the way that Pro/E processes keyboard input. If you
have two mapkeys “v” and “vd”, for example, the second mapkey would never execute since
Pro/E will trap and execute the first one as soon as the “v” is pressed. For the same reason, a 3-
character mapkey can never have the same two first letters as a 2-character mapkey.

Ideally, you would like to have mapkey sequences that are very easy to remember, like “vd”
(view default), or “rg” (regenerate). Because it is common to only use two characters, it will
take some planning to decide how you want to set up your definitions to use only a couple of
easy-to-remember key strokes! The mapkey should be mnemonic, but can’t collide with other
definitions. You don’t want to have to remember that “qy” means “repaint the screen.”

A practical limit on usable mapkeys is perhaps in the range of 20 to 30, although some “power
users” can use over a hundred.

For this exercise, clear your session and load any single simple
part file. We will not be modifying the part.

Listing Current Mapkeys

To see a list of your current mapkeys (some are defined in the
config.pro contained in the pro_stds directory) select

Utilities > Mapkeys

This dialog window (Figure 8) allows you to define and record,

modify, delete, run, and save mapkeys. Note that each mapkey
has a short Name and Description. The Name will be used on
any short-cut button (described below), and the Description will
appear at the bottom of the main graphics window. Mapkeys
that start with a “$” are function keys.

Note that mapkeys created using a previous release may differ in

command syntax and it is likely that some mapkey definitions
from previous releases will not function properly. However,
mapkeys are easy enough to record. Before you do that, you
might try to get hold of the config.pro file in the pro_stds Figure 8 Accessing Mapkeys
currently in session
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 11

directory mentioned above. A list of these mapkeys is in the file usually stored in

/ptc/pro_stds/mapkeys.htm

In the following, it is assumed that you have no mapkeys defined as yet. If any of these tutorial
mapkeys collide with existing mapkeys shown in the mapkeys list (Figure 8), you can modify the
keyboard sequence (for example, use “dv” instead of “vd”) for the new mapkey.

Creating Mapkeys

New mapkeys are created as follows. We will create a mapkey sequence “vd” that will reorient
the view to the default orientation. To set this up, you will have to bring in one of your
previously created parts. We will not be modifying the part.

Select the New button in the menu of Figure 8. The Record Mapkey dialog box shown in
Figure 9 will open. Enter the data shown in the figure: key sequence, name, description. Now
we record the command sequence:

Record
View > Default Orientation (in the top pull-down menus)
Stop > OK

It’s that easy! Spin the model with CTRL-middle. In the Mapkeys window, highlight the new
mapkey “vd” and select the Run button. It’s a good idea to check your mapkey definitions now
when it is easy to modify them.

As mentioned above, mapkey definitions are saved in a

configuration file (as in config.pro). New mapkey definitions are
appended to the end of the file. If you redefine a mapkey (or use
a duplicate keystroke sequence), the definition closest to the
bottom of the config file is the one that will be used. When
saving a mapkey you can choose either config.pro or
current_session.pro. There are three ways to save the mapkeys
using the buttons in the Mapkeys window:

Save - saves only the highlighted mapkey

Changed - saves any mapkeys changed this session
All - saves all mapkeys defined for session

Remember that if you save the mapkey in the current_session.pro

or elsewhere, it will not be loaded automatically the next time you
start Pro/E. To do that, you must explicitly save the mapkey
definitions into the config.pro file.

Close the Mapkeys window.

Figure 9 Creating a mapkey
1 - 12 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Minimize Pro/E and open config.pro using your system text editor. Scroll down to the bottom of
the file to see the new line(s) that describe the mapkey. Obviously, these lines should never be
separated since they are a continuation of the same sequence. It is possible, but probably not
advisable, to try to edit the mapkey definitions manually - leave that to the power users! Exit
your text editor and restore the Pro/E window.

Some final points about mapkeys: it is possible to set up the mapkey so that execution will pause
to allow user input during the command sequence, either by picking on the screen or through the
keyboard. Mapkeys can also call other mapkeys. You might like to experiment with these ideas
on your own. The possibilities for customization are almost limitless!

As mentioned above, the config.pro file provided in the pro_stds directory contains several
dozen mapkeys. Some of these are listed in Table 1-1 on the next page.

We will return to mapkeys after the next section.

Table 1-1 Some commonly used mapkeys

General Mapkeys Feature Creation Mapkeys

wc Window Close ct Create Cut
wa Window Activate cp Create Protrusion
rg Regenerate ch Create Hole
dd Done cr Create Round
qq Quit cc Create datum Curve
View Mapkeys cd Create Datum plane
rr Repaint Utility Mapkeys
sd Shade fr Feature Redefine
vd View Default fs Feature Suppress
vr View Refit fd Feature Delete
vf View Front fe Feature Resume
vb View Back fm Feature Modify
vt View Top fi Feature Information
vl View Left
vg View Right
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 13

Working with Part Templates

Most part files that you create contain many common elements such as datums, defined views,
coordinate systems, parameters, and so on. Creating these from scratch for every new part that
you start is tedious and inefficient. Prior to Release 2000i2 a very handy model creation tool used
the notion of a “start part” which contain these common elements. Users would then create a
mapkey that would bring the part into session and then rename it. This made the creation of new
parts very quick and efficient, with the added bonus that standard part setups could be employed.

This “start part” functionality has been built into the program using part templates. Several part
templates are included with a standard Pro/E installation for solid and sheet metal parts in
different systems of units. You may have a reason at some point to create your own template,
which we will do here. We’ll also define a mapkey to quickly bring it in session and allow you
to change its name. Then you can immediately get on with the job of creating features. We will
create the part template from scratch, although you could use any of the existing templates as a
basis for this.

Select File > New. Make sure the Part and Solid radio buttons are selected. Deselect the Use
Default Template box, and enter a name mytemplate. Select OK and in the next window, select
the Empty template and OK.

Create the default datums and use Part > Set Up > Name to rename the datums SIDE (DTM1),
TOP (DTM2), and FRONT (DTM3). Now set up some named views.

View > Orientation

and create the following three named views:

View Reference 1 Reference 2

Name
Direction Pick Datum Direction Pick Datum
FRONT Front FRONT Top TOP
TOP Front TOP Right SIDE
RIGHT Front SIDE Top TOP
1 - 14 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

The completed list of saved views should appear as shown in

Figure 10. Feel free to add additional standard views (Left,
Back, Bottom, Iso_Right, ...). Select OK to leave the
Orientation dialog.

Check out our previously defined mapkey for setting the

default view (“vd”).

Set the part units using

Set Up > Units

and picking “millimeter-Newton-Second”, then

Set > OK > Close

We are finished with creating the start part, so save it with the
name mytemplate.prt. If you have write access, move the
part file to the Pro/E installation directory, something like

\ptc\proe2001\templates

This is the default directory where Pro/E will look for part Figure 10 Saved views in
templates. If you do not have write access to this directory, mytemplate.prt
leave the part file in your working directory. You can rename
the file to remove the version number if you want, so that it appears as as mytemplate.prt rather
than mytemplate.prt.1.

Creating More Mapkeys

Before we leave this new part template, let’s create some more mapkeys to go directly to the
named views. Select

Utilities > Mapkeys > New

Use the key sequence “vt” and enter a short name like “View Top” and description “Orientation
Top View”. Now record the mapkey using

Record
Saved View List (a toolbar button) > TOP
Stop > OK

Spin the datum planes, and select Run to try out the mapkey. Similarly, create and test two more
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 15

mapkeys to go to the front view (“vf”) and the right side view (“vg”)2. Don’t forget to save all
the changed/new mapkeys in your config.pro file. Open up your config.pro to confirm that they
are there.

Using the New Part Template

Erase the current part from the session3. Select

File > New

Deselect the Use Default Template box, enter a name (like test), and select OK. In the New
File Options window, scroll to and highlight the template mytemplate. This is the copy in the
default templates directory. If you weren’t able to put your file there, use the Browse button to
find it in the working directory. Once the template is located, select OK. A copy of the template
is now brought into session and given the name you specified.

Setting the Default Part Template

We can tell Pro/E to use our new template as the default by setting an option in config.pro.
Select

Utilities > Options

and enter the Option template_solidpart. Set the value for the option by browsing to the
template directory (or use the current working directory, wherever you have saved the template
file) and selecting the part file mytemplate.prt we created above. Select Add/Change and then
Apply the new setting (remember that this automatically saves the config file).

Creating a Mapkey to Start a New Part

Erase the current part from the session. Select

Utilities > Mapkeys > New

Enter the key sequence “cp” (“create part”), name “Create Part”, and description “Create a New
Part and Rename”. Now select

Record
File > New

2
The mapkey “vr”, which is more logical for the right view, is usually used for “View
Refit”
3
If you have stored your template part in the templates directory you must close Pro/E
and restart it.
1 - 16 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Choose Part | Solid | OK. Leave the default part name as prt0001, and the check beside Use
Default Template. Now select

File > Rename

This is where we want the mapkey to stop, so select STOP > OK in the Record Mapkey dialog.
In the Rename window, enter a new name for the part, like test, then select OK twice. We have
a new mapkey called “cp”, so highlight this in the Mapkeys dialog and save it. Close the
Mapkeys dialog window. Open the config.pro file to see the listing added for this new mapkey.

To try out the mapkey, erase the new file with File > Erase > Current. Type “cp”. Several
windows will quickly open and close, and you will be left with the dialog box for renaming the
part. You can now enter the desired name for a new part, which will contain the default datums,
units, and named views set up above to work with the view mapkeys we created earlier. Pretty
slick!

We have created a very simple part template here. You can make this as elaborate as you like
with parameters, units, materials, layers, datum features and so on - even solid features. For
example, if you often create parts whose base feature is a cylindrical solid, consider including
this in a special template, perhaps called cylinder.prt. You can include as many features as you
want in a template and, of course, use any of the provided part templates as a starting point for
any new ones.

Adding Mapkeys to Menus and Toolbars

Mapkeys can be added to any of the existing toolbars and pull-down menus. You might like to
do this for mapkeys that you do not use frequently, and are likely to forget.

To see how this is done, select the

Commands tab in the Customize window
(see Figure 11). At the bottom of the
Categories list, you will find an entry
called Mapkeys. Select this. This shows
the tree structure of the pull-down menus
on the left, and your currently defined
mapkeys on the right. In the Mapkeys pane
on the right, select the mapkey Create
Part. The two buttons Description and
Modify Selection are now active. Selecting
the former shows you the description you
entered when defining the mapkey.
Selecting the latter allows you to modify
Figure 11 Adding mapkeys to menus and toolbars
the mapkey button image (currently a
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 17

“happy face”) and display. You might like to get rid of the “happy face”, since all mapkeys use
this same icon. You can select from a large collection of Pro/E icons, or design your own.

Drag the Create Part mapkey in the right pane up to the File pull-down menu and drop it in a
convenient location, as in Figure 12. Selecting this will launch the mapkey.

Another way to utilize mapkeys is to create shortcut buttons on

the toolbars. Again select the Create Part mapkey in the right
pane and drag it to a toolbar.

We now have three different ways to launch the Create Part

mapkey:

‚ from the keyboard, with “cp”

‚ from the pull-down File menu
‚ from the toolbar
Figure 12 Create Part
Experiment with these to find out which one is most suitable for mapkey added to a pull-down
you. Again, remember the cautionary note about cluttering up menu
your screen.

Introduction to the Project

The assembly project to be completed in this tutorial involves the modeling and assembly of the
three-wheeled utility cart shown in Figure 13. The cart contains 26 or so parts, many of which
are repeated in the assembly. The total assembly has about 75 parts (mostly bolts!). We will use
the techniques introduced in the lessons to model various parts of the cart as exercises at the end
of each lesson. We will average about 4 parts per lesson, so you should get lots of practice! In
the final lesson, we will assemble the cart, using a number of advanced functions for dealing
with assemblies. Try not to “jump the gun” on this assembly task, since the functions to be
covered in the last lesson can really speed up your job of putting the cart together.
1 - 18 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Figure 13 The assembly project - a three-wheeled utility cart

For your modeling exercises, the parts shown at the end of each lesson will illustrate the critical
dimensions. A figure will also be provided to show where the parts fit into the overall assembly.
Not all dimensions are shown on each part - you can use your judgement and creativity to
determine the remaining dimensions. In this regard, please take note of the following:

‚ ALL UNITS ARE IN MILLIMETERS! You might set up your default part template
with this setting.
‚ Dimensions are usually multiples of 5mm. For instance, all the plate material and the
wall of the cargo box are 5mm thick. The tubing is 25mm square.
‚ All holes and cylinders, unless otherwise dimensioned, are φ10. This applies to bolt
holes, pins, rods, and so on.
‚ All holes, unless otherwise dimensioned, are coaxial with cylindrical surfaces or
located on symmetry planes.
‚ For some of the trickier parts, in addition to the figures showing the dimensions, there
will be some discussion and hints to help you get going.

When we get to the final assembly in Lesson 8, remember that it is an easy matter to modify
dimensions of the various parts so that the assembly fits together. Don’t be too concerned when
you are modeling the parts if you have to guess at one or two dimensions. These can be
modified later if the need arises.

When you are creating the parts, try to be aware of the design intent for the part and how it might
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 19

eventually be placed in the assembly4. For example, if the part has one or more planes of
symmetry, it is common practice to use the default datum planes for these. In the assembly, the
Align constraint using these datum planes is an easy way to position the part (usually with
another symmetric part).

Although a suggested part name is given, feel free to make up your own part names (although
this might cause confusion in Lesson 8!). Remember that Pro/E is fussy about files that get
renamed in isolation, or moved to another directory. If a part has been used in an assembly (or
sub-assembly) or drawing, make sure the assembly or drawing is in session if you rename or
move the part so that the related files can also be updated.

For the entire project, you will require about 10 Megabytes of disk space to store all the parts
and assemblies. This does not include parts we will make during the lessons themselves, just the
cart project parts. If you are not particularly careful about disk housekeeping (like deleting older
version of the part files), you will require more space.

This lesson should have given you enough ideas and ammunition to allow you to customize the
interface so that it will be most efficient for the type of work that you do. There are a surprising
number of users who are unaware of many options available in config.pro. Check them out!

In the next lesson we will look at functions directly involved in model creation. These are for
the creation of sweeps.

Questions for Review

1. What is the name of the file containing your configuration settings?
2. What is the name of the file containing your screen layout settings?
3. When, and from where, are your configuration settings loaded? Why is there more than
one location?
4. What happens if your configuration file contains multiple entries for the same option, each
with different values?
5. How can you find out where your start-up directory is?
6. How can you create/edit/delete configuration settings?
7. When do configuration settings become active?
8. Is it possible to have more than one customized screen layout?
9. How do you place toolbars on the top/left/right edge of the graphics window?
10. How do you add/delete shortcut buttons on the toolbars?
11. How many empty toolbars are there?
12. Where are the toolbar definitions saved?
13. What is a mapkey?
14. Why do you usually want to keep mapkey names short?

4
You might like to look ahead to the last lesson to see what assembly constraints are
used for each part.
1 - 20 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

15. How is the mapkey name different from the mapkey sequence?
16. How do you create a new mapkey?
17. Are new mapkeys stored automatically? Where?
18. What is the purpose of a part template? Where are they stored and how do you access
them?

Exercises
1. Create an assembly template. This should have named datums and named views to match
your view selection mapkeys and default units to match your default part template. Make
this the default template for assemblies.
2. Set up a mapkey to create a new assembly using the default assembly template.
3. Put the Create Assembly mapkey on the pull-down File menu.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 21

Project Exercises
We’re going to start off with some of the easier parts in the cart. These should give you some
time to experiment with your configuration file, mapkeys, and part template. The project parts
are shown in the figures below. Their location in the cart is also shown for reference in the
Figure here:

Figure 14 Project parts in Lesson #1

Part: handle_pin Part: front_spr_plate

1 - 22 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Part: arm_vbrack

Part: arm_brack
Parametric Modeling
With
Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE
An Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE

Randy H. Shih
Oregon Institute of Technology

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation _

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER 1-1

Lesson 1
Parametric Modeling Fundamentals
1-2 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Introduction
The feature-based parametric modeling technique enables the designer to incorporate
the original design intent into the construction of the model. The word parametric means
the geometric definitions of the design, such as dimensions, can be varied at any time in
the design process. Parametric modeling is accomplished by identifying and creating the
key features of the design with the aid of computer software. The design variables,
described in the sketches and features, can be used to quickly modify/update the design.

In Pro/ENGINEER, the parametric part modeling process involves the following steps:

1. Set up Units and Basic Datum Geometry.

2. Determine the type of the base feature, the first solid feature, of the design.
Note that Extrude, Revolve, or Sweep operations are the most common
types of base features.

3. Create a rough two-dimensional sketch of the basic shape of the base feature
of the design.

4. Apply/modify constraints and dimensions to the two-dimensional sketch.

5. Transform the parametric two-dimensional sketch into a 3D solid.

6. Add additional parametric features by identifying feature relations and

complete the design.

7. Perform analyses/simulations, such as finite element analysis (FEA) or cutter

path generation (CNC), on the computer model and refine the design as
needed.

8. Document the design by creating the desired 2D/3D drawings.

The approach of creating three-dimensional features using two-dimensional sketches is

an effective way to construct solid models. Many designs are in fact the same shape in
one direction. Computer input and output devices we use today are largely two-
dimensional in nature, which makes this modeling technique quite practical. This method
also conforms to the design process that helps the designer with conceptual design along
with the capability to capture the design intent. Most engineers and designers can relate
to the experience of making rough sketches on restaurant napkins to convey conceptual
design ideas. Note that Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful modeling and design
tools, and there are many different approaches to accomplish modeling tasks. The basic
principle of feature-based modeling is to build models by adding simple features one at
a time. In this chapter, a very simple solid model with extruded features is used to
introduce the general feature-based parametric modeling procedure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-3

The Adjuster design

Starting Pro/ENGINEER

How to start Pro/ENGINEER depends on the type of workstation and the particular
software configuration you are using. With most Windows and UNIX systems, you may
select Pro/ENGINEER on the Start menu or select the Pro/ENGINEER icon on the
desktop. Consult your instructor or technical support personnel if you have difficulty
starting the software.

1. Select the Pro/ENGINEER option on the Start menu or select the

Pro/ENGINEER icon on the desktop to start Pro/ENGINEER. The
Pro/ENGINEER main window will appear on the screen.

2. Click on the New icon, located in the Standard

toolbar as shown.

3. In the New dialog box, confirm the model’s Type is set to Part (Solid Sub-
type).
1-4 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

4. Enter Adjuster as the part Name as

shown in the figure.

5. Turn off the Use default template

option.

6. Click on the OK button to accept the

settings.

7. In the New File Options dialog box,

select EMPTY in the option list to
not use any template file.

8. Click on the OK button to accept the

settings and enter the
Pro/ENGINEER Part Modeling
mode.

Note that the part name,

Adjuster, appears in the title
area of the main window and in
the Navigator Model Tree
window.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-5

Step 1: Units and Basic Datum Geometry Setups

♦ Units Setup and Pro/ENGINEER Menu Structure

When starting a new model, the first thing we should do is to choose the set of units
we want to use.

1. Use the left-mouse-button and select Edit in

the pull-down menu area.

1. Pick Edit 2. Use the left-mouse-button and select

Setup… in the pull-down list as shown.

 Note that the Pro/ENGINEER menu system

is context-sensitive, which means that the
menu items and icons of the non-applicable
options are grayed out (temporarily
disabled).

3. Select the Units option in the Menu

Manager window that appeared to the right
of the Pro/ENGINEER main window.

2. Pick Setup…

3. Pick Units

5. Pick Set

4. In the Units Manager - System of

Units form, the Pro/ENGINEER
default setting Inch lbm Second is
displayed. The set of units is stored
with the model file when you save.
Pick Inch Pound Second (IPS) by
clicking in the list window as shown.

5. Click on the Set button to accept the

selection.
1-6 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

6. In the Warning dialog box, click on the OK

button to accept the change of the units.

 Note that Pro/ENGINEER allows us to

change model units even after the model
has been constructed.

7. Click on the Close button to exit the

Units Manager dialog box.

8. Pick Done to exit the PART SETUP submenu.

 Note that the submenu appeared and disappeared as different

options were selected; this is known as the tree structure menu
system.

♦ Tree Structure system

Root

Submenu 1 Submenu 2 Command 1 (Leaf)

Command 2 (Leaf) Submenu 3 Command 3 (Leaf) Command 4 (Leaf)

Command 5 (Leaf) Command 6 (Leaf) Command 7 (leaf)

The tree structure is an effective way to organize menu items. Similar items are placed in
a group that could belong to another subgroup based on the grouping method. The
submenus represent different categories of items. The tree structure is used extensively in
the majority of CAD software menu systems.

Using the tree structure shown, we will follow Submenu 1 to Submenu 3 and reach
Command 5. If we then want to switch to Command 4, we will trace back to the root
then branch off to Submenu 2. Keep this tree structure in mind while using the
Pro/ENGINEER menu system. Think of the overall scheme and it will be quite easy to
get to where you want to go. In Pro/ENGINEER, the Done option will usually return you
to the previous level in the menu structure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-7

♦ Adding the First Part Features — Datum Planes

Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful tools for model creation. In doing feature-
based parametric modeling, it is a good practice to establish three reference planes to
locate the part in space. The reference planes can be used as location references in
feature constructions.

 Move the cursor toward the right side of the main

window and click on the Datum Plane Tool icon
as shown.

Datum planes

In the display area, three datum planes represented by three rectangles are displayed.
Datum planes are infinite planes and they are perpendicular to each other. We can
consider these planes as XY, YZ, and ZX planes of a Cartesian coordinate system.
Notice in the Navigator Model Tree window, three datum plane features are added to
the tree structure.
1-8 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Step 2: Determine/Set Up the Base Solid Feature

• For the Adjuster design, we will create an extruded solid as the base feature.

1. In the Feature Toolbars

(toolbars aligned to the
right edge of the main
window), select the
Extrude Tool icon as
shown.

1. Pick Extrude Tool

• The Feature Option

Dashboard, which
contains applicable
construction options, is
displayed above the
message area near the
bottom of the
Pro/ENGINEER main
window.

Feature option dashboard

2. On your own, move the cursor over the icons and

read the descriptions of the different options
available. Note that the default extrude option is
set to Extrude as Solid.

3. Click the Sketch button, the first

icon in the Feature Option
Dashboard, to begin creating a new
section.

• In Pro/ENGINEER, SECTION is a special type of two-dimensional sketch, the

parametric sketch. In parametric modeling, parametric sketches typically consist
of two-dimensional geometric entities and parametric definitions. Understanding
and mastering the procedure in creating sections is the first step, and perhaps the
most important step, in using Pro/ENGINEER.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-9

Sketching plane – It is an XY CRT, but an XYZ World

Design modeling software is becoming more
powerful and user friendly, yet the system still
does only what the user tells it to do. When
using a geometric modeler, we therefore need
to have a good understanding of what its
inherent limitations are. We should also have
a good understanding of what we want to do
and what to expect, as the results are based on
what is available.

In most 3D geometric modelers, 3D objects

are located and defined in what is usually
called world space or global space. Although
a number of different coordinate systems can
be used to create and manipulate objects in a
3D modeling system, the objects are typically
defined and stored using the world space. The
world space is usually a 3D Cartesian
coordinate system that the user cannot
change or manipulate.

In most engineering designs, models can be very complex, and it would be tedious and
confusing if only the world coordinate system were available. Practical 3D modeling
systems allow the user to define Local Coordinate Systems (LCS) or User Coordinate
Systems (UCS) relative to the world coordinate system. Once a local coordinate system
is defined, we can then create geometry in terms of this more convenient system.

Although objects are created and stored in 3D space coordinates, most of the geometric
entities can be referenced using 2D Cartesian coordinate systems. Typical input devices
such as a mouse or digitizer are two-dimensional by nature; the movement of the input
device is interpreted by the system in a planar sense. The same limitation is true of
common output devices, such as CRT displays and plotters. The modeling software
performs a series of three-dimensional to two-dimensional transformations to correctly
project 3D objects onto the 2D display plane.

The Pro/ENGINEER sketching plane is a special construction approach that enables the
planar nature of the 2D input devices to be directly mapped into the 3D coordinate
system. The sketching plane is a local coordinate system that can be aligned to an
existing face of a part, or a reference plane.

Think of the sketching plane as the surface on which we can sketch the 2D sections of the
parts. It is similar to a piece of paper, a white board, or a chalkboard that can be attached
to any planar surface. The first sketch we create is usually drawn on one of the
1-10 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

established datum planes. Subsequent sketches/features can then be created on sketching

planes that are aligned to existing planar faces of the solid part or datum planes.

Defining the Sketching Plane

• The sketching plane is a reference location where two-dimensional sketches are

created. The sketching plane can be any planar part surface or datum plane. Note that
Pro/ENGINEER uses a two-step approach in setting up the selection and alignment of
the sketching plane.

In the Section Placement window, the

selection of the sketch plane and the
orientation of the sketching plane are
organized into two groups. The default
Sketch Plane is set to DTM3 and the
Sketch Orientation is set to Reference
DTM1 as shown.

1. Click inside the Plane option box in the Section-

Placement window as shown. The message “Select a
plane or surface to define sketch plane.” is displayed
in the message area.

2. In the graphic area, select DTM2 by

clicking on the text DTM2 as shown.

Notice an arrow appears on the edge of

DTM2. The arrow direction indicates the
viewing direction of the sketch plane. The
viewing direction can be reversed by
clicking on the Flip button in the Sketch
Orientation section of the popup window.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-11

Defining the Orientation of the Sketching Plane

• Although we have selected the sketching plane, Pro/ENGINEER still needs additional
information to define the orientation of the sketch plane. Pro/ENGINEER expects us
to choose a reference plane (any plane that is perpendicular to the selected sketch
plane) and the orientation of the reference plane is relative to the computer screen.

To define the orientation of the sketching plane, select the facing

direction of the reference plane with respect to the computer screen.

The selected sketching plane,

DTM2, will be aligned parallel
to the 2D computer screen.

We will orient the sketching

plane by setting the positive
side of DTM3 to face toward
the bottom edge of the
computer screen.

1. Click inside the Plane option box in the Section-Placement window as

shown. The message “Select a reference, such as surface, plane or edge to
define view orientation.” is displayed in the message area.

2. In the graphic area, select DTM3 by clicking on the text DTM3 as shown in
the above figure.

3. In the Sketch Orientation menu,

pick Bottom as the reference plane
orientation.
1-12 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

4. Pick Sketch to exit the Section

Placement window and proceed to
enter the Pro/ENGINEER sketcher
mode.

• Pro/ENGINEER will now rotate the three datum planes: DTM2 aligned to the screen
and the positive side of DTM3 facing toward the bottom edge of the computer screen.

The orientation of the sketching plane can be very confusing to new users. It is
strongly recommended that you read this section again.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-13

Step 3: Creating 2D Rough Sketches

♦ Shape Before Size – Creating Rough Sketches

Quite often during the early design stage, the shape of a design may not have any precise
dimensions. Most conventional CAD systems require the user to input the precise lengths
and location dimensions of all geometric entities defining the design, and some of the
values may not be available during the early design stage. With parametric modeling, we
can use the computer to elaborate and formulate the design idea further during the initial
design stage. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can use the computer as an electronic sketchpad
to help us concentrate on the formulation of forms and shapes for the design. This
approach is the main advantage of parametric modeling over conventional solid-
modeling techniques.

As the name implies, rough sketches are not precise at all. When sketching, we simply
sketch the geometry so it closely resembles the desired shape. Precise scale or dimensions
are not needed. Pro/ENGINEER provides us with many tools to assist in finalizing
sketches, known as sections. For example, geometric entities such as horizontal and
vertical lines are set automatically. However, if the rough sketches are poor, much more
work will be required to generate the desired parametric sketches. Here are some general
guidelines for creating sketches in Pro/ENGINEER:

• Create a sketch that is proportional to the desired shape. Concentrate on the

shapes and forms of the design.

• Keep the sketches simple. Leave out small geometry features such as fillets, rounds,
and chamfers. They can easily be placed using the Fillet and Chamfer commands
after the parametric sketches have been established.

• Exaggerate the geometric features of the desired shape. For example, if the
desired angle is 85 degrees, create an angle that is 50 or 60 degrees. Otherwise,
Pro/ENGINEER might assume the intended angle to be a 90-degree angle.

• Draw the geometry so that it does not overlap. The sketched geometry should
eventually form a closed region. Self-intersecting geometric shapes are not allowed.

• The sketched geometric entities should form a closed region. To create a solid
feature, such as an extruded solid, a closed region section is required so that the
extruded solid forms a 3D volume.

 Note: The concepts and principles involved in parametric modeling are very
different, and sometimes they are totally opposite, to those of the conventional
computer aided drafting systems. In order to understand and fully utilize
Pro/ENGINEER’s functionality, it will be helpful to take a Zen approach to learning
the topics presented in this text: Temporarily forget your knowledge and
experiences using conventional computer aided drafting systems.
1-14 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

♦ The Pro/ENGINEER SKETCHER and INTENT MANAGER

In previous generation CAD programs, construction of models relies on exact

dimensional values, and adjustments to dimensional values are quite difficult once the
model is built. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can now treat the sketch as if it is being done
on a napkin, and it is the general shape of the design that we are more interested in
defining. The Pro/ENGINEER part model contains more than just the final geometry. It
also contains the design intent that governs what will happen when geometry changes.
The design philosophy of “shape before size” is implemented through the use of the
Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher. This allows the designer to construct solid models in a higher
level and leave all the geometric details to Pro/ENGINEER.

One of the main improvements in Pro/ENGINEER since Release 20 is the introduction

and enhancements of the Intent Manager in the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

The Intent Manager enables us to do:

• Dynamic dimensioning and constraints

• Add or delete constraints explicitly
• Undo any Sketcher operation

The first thing that Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher expects us to do, which is displayed in the
References window, is to specify sketching references. In the previous sections, we
created the three datum planes to help orient the model in 3D space. Now we need to
orient the 2D sketch with respect to the three datum planes. At least two references are
required to orient the sketch in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. By
default, the two planes (in our example, DTM1 and DTM3) that are perpendicular to the
sketching plane (DTM2) are automatically selected.

1. Note that DTM1 and DTM3 are pre-

selected as the sketching references. In the
graphics area, the two references are
highlighted and displayed with two dashed
lines.

2. The Reference status, as shown in the

References dialog box, indicates the 2D
sketch can be Fully Placed with the two
references identified. We can proceed to
creating 2D sketches. Click on the Close
button to close the References dialog box.

Next, we will create a rough sketch by using some of the visual aids available, and
then update the design through the associated control parameters.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-15

3. Move the graphics cursor to the Line icon in the Sketcher

toolbar. A help-tip box appears next to the cursor and a
brief description of the command options is displayed in the
message area.

The Sketcher toolbar, located on the right side of the main window, provides tools for
creating the basic 2D geometry that can be used to create features and parts.

Graphics Cursors

Notice the cursor changes from an arrow to an
arrow with a small crosshair when graphical input
is expected.

4. Move the cursor near the

intersection of the two references,
and notice that the small crosshair
Point 2
attached to the cursor will
automatically snap to the
intersection point. Left-click once
Constraint Symbol to place the starting point as
shown.

Start Point 5. As you move the graphics cursor,

you will see different symbols
appear at different locations.

6. Move the cursor along the vertical reference and create a vertical line by
clicking at a location above the start point (Point 2) as shown. Notice the
geometric constraint symbol, V, indicating the created line is vertical.
1-16 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Geometric Constraint Symbols

Pro/ENGINEER displays different visual clues, or symbols, to show you alignments,
perpendicularities, tangencies, etc. These constraints are used to capture the design
intent by creating constraints where they are recognized. Pro/ENGINEER displays the
governing geometric rules as models are built.

V Vertical indicates a segment is vertical

H Horizontal indicates a segment is horizontal

L Equal Length indicates two segments are of equal length

R Equal Radii indicates two curves are of equal radii

T Tangent indicates two entities are tangent to each other

Parallel indicates a segment is parallel to other entities

Perpendicular indicates a segment is perpendicular to other entities

Symmetry indicates two points are symmetrical

Point on Entity indicates the point is on another entity

7. Complete the sketch as

shown, a closed region
Point 2 ending at the starting point
Point 3
(Point 1). Watch the
displayed constraint symbols
while sketching, especially
the applied Equal Length
constraint, L1, to the two
short horizontal edges. All
Point 1 line segments are sketched
Point 4 horizontally or vertically.

8. Inside the graphics area, click once with the middle-mouse-button to end the
current line sketch.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-17

Pro/ENGINEER’s Intent Manager automatically places dimensions and constraints

on the sketched geometry. This is known as the Dynamic Dimensioning and
Constraints feature. Constraints and dimensions are added “on the fly.” Do not be
concerned with the size of the sketched geometry or the displayed dimensional
values; we will modify the sketched geometry in the following sections.

Dynamic Viewing Functions

Pro/ENGINEER provides a special user interface, Dynamic Viewing, which enables
convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time. The Dynamic
Viewing functions are controlled with the combinations of the middle mouse button,
the [Ctrl] key and the [Shift] key on the keyboard.

Zooming – [Ctrl] key and [middle-mouse-button]

Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse vertically on the screen to adjust the scale of the
display. Moving upward will reduce the scale of the display, making the
entities display smaller on the screen. Moving downward will magnify the
scale of the display.

Zoom Ctrl + Middle mouse button

Panning – [Shift] key and [middle-mouse-button]

Hold down the [Shift] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse to pan the display. This allows you to reposition
the display while maintaining the same scale factor of the display. This
function acts as if you are using a video camera. You control the display by
moving the mouse.

Pan Shift + Middle mouse button

 On your own, use the Dynamic Viewing functions to reposition and magnify the scale
of the 2D sketch to the center of the screen so that it is easier to work with.
1-18 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Step 4: Apply/modify constraints and dimensions

 As the sketch is made, Pro/ENGINEER automatically applies geometric constraints
(such as horizontal, vertical and equal length) and dimensions to the sketched
geometry. We can continue to modify the geometry, apply additional constraints
and/or dimensions, or define/modify the size and location of the existing geometry. It
is more than likely that some of the automatically applied dimensions may not match
with the design intent we have in mind. For example, we might want to have
dimensions identifying the overall-height, overall-width, and the width of the inside-
cut of the design, as shown in the figures below.

Current Sketch

Sketch in mind
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-19

1. Click on the Dimension icon in the Sketcher toolbar

as shown. This command allows us to create defining
dimensions.

2. Select the inside horizontal line by left-clicking once

on the line as shown.

2. Pick the inside

horizontal line as the
geometry to dimension.

3. Place the dimension

at a location that is
below the line.

3. Move the graphics cursor below the selected line and click once with the
middle-mouse-button to place the dimension. (Note that the value displayed
on your screen might be different than what is shown in the above figure.)

4. Select the right

vertical line.
4. Pick the right vertical
line as the geometry to 5. Place the dimension,
dimension. by clicking once with
the middle-mouse-
button at a location
toward the right of the
sketch.
5. Place the dimension
toward the right side.
The Dimension
command will create a
length dimension if a
single line is selected.

• Notice the overall-height dimension applied automatically by the Intent Manager is

removed as the new dimension is defined.
1-20 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Note that the dimensions we just created are displayed with a different color than
those that are applied automatically. The dimensions created by the Intent Manager
are called weak dimensions, which can be replaced/deleted as we create specific
defining dimensions to satisfy our design intent.

6. Select the top horizontal line as shown below.

7. Select the inside horizontal line as shown below.

8. Place the dimension, by clicking once with the middle-mouse-button, at a

location in between the selected lines as shown below.

6. Pick the top line as the

1st geometry to dimension

7. Pick this line as

8. Place the dimension
the 2nd geometry to
in between the two
dimension
selected lines.

When two parallel

lines are selected, the
Dimension command
will create a
dimension measuring
the distance in
between.

9. On you own, confirm

there are four
dimensions applied to
the sketch that appear
as shown.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-21

Modifying the dimensions of the sketch

1. Click on the Select icon in the Sketcher toolbar as shown.

The Select command allows us to perform several
modification operations on the sketched geometry and
dimensions.

2. Select the overall height dimension of the

sketch by double-clicking with the left-
mouse-button on the dimension text.
2. Modify the overall 3. In the dimension value box, the current
height-dimension. length of the line is displayed. Enter 3 as
the new value for the dimension.

4. Press the ENTER key once to accept the

entered value.

 Pro/ENGINEER will
update the sketch using
the entered dimension
value. Since the other
dimensions are much
larger, the sketch
becomes greatly
distorted. We will take a
different approach to
modify the geometry.

5. Click on the Undo icon in the Standard toolbar to undo the Modify
Dimension performed.

 Notice that the Redo icon is also available in the Standard toolbar.
1-22 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

6. In the pull-down menu area, click on Edit to display the option list and select
the following option items:

Edit
Select
All (Note that Crtl+Alt+A can also activate this option.)

7. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Modify icon

as shown.

• With the pre-selection option, all dimensions are selected and listed in the Modify
Dimensions dialog box.

8. Turn off the Regenerate option by

left-clicking once on the option as
shown.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-23

9. On you own, adjust the dimensions as shown below. Note that the dimension
selected in the Modify Dimensions dialog box is identified with an enclosed
box in the display area.

10. Inside the Modify Dimensions dialog box, click on the Accept
button to regenerate the sketched geometry and exit the Modify
Dimensions command.

Repositioning Dimensions
1. Confirm the Select icon, in the Sketcher toolbar, is
activated as shown.

2. Press and hold down the left-mouse-button on any

dimension text, then drag the dimension to a new location in
the display area. (Note the cursor is changed to a hand icon
during this operation.)
1-24 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Step 5: Completing the Base Solid Feature

Now that the 2D sketch is completed, we will proceed to the next step: creating a 3D
part from the 2D section. Extruding a 2D section is one of the common methods that
can be used to create 3D parts. We can extrude planar faces along a path. In
Pro/ENGINEER, the default extrusion direction is perpendicular to the sketching
plane, DTM2.

1. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.

2. In the Feature Option Dashboard, confirm the Depth Value option is set as
shown. This option sets the extrusion of the section by Extrude from
sketch plane by a specific depth value.

3. In the depth value box, enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth.

4. In the message area, click on the Accept button to

proceed with the feature definition.

Note that all dimensions disappeared from the screen. All parametric definitions are
stored in the Pro/ENGINEER database, and any of the parametric definitions can be
displayed and edited at any time.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-25

The Third Dynamic Viewing Function

3D Dynamic Rotation – [middle mouse button]

Press down the middle-mouse-button in the display area. Drag the mouse on
the screen to rotate the model about the screen.

3D Rotation Middle mouse button

On your own, practice the use of the Dynamic Viewing functions, which
enables convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time.
1-26 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Display Modes: Wireframe, Shaded, Hidden Edge, No Hidden

• The display in the graphics window has four display-modes: wireframe, hidden edge
displayed as hidden lines, no hidden lines, and shaded image. To change the display
mode in the active window, click on one of the display mode buttons on the Standard
toolbar, as shown in the figure below.

Wireframe Image:
The first icon in the display mode button group allows the display of
3D objects using the basic wireframe representation scheme.

Hidden-Edge Display:
The second icon in the display mode button group can be used to
generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
shown as hidden lines.

No Hidden-Edge Display:
The third icon in the display mode button group can be used to
generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
removed.

Shaded Solid:
The fourth icon in the display mode button group generates a shaded
image of the 3D object.

On your own, use the different viewing options described in the above sections to
familiarize yourself with the 3D viewing/display commands.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-27

Step 6: Adding additional features

• Next, we will create another extrusion feature that will be added to the existing solid
object.

1. In the Feature Toolbars (toolbars aligned to the right edge of

the main window), select the Extrude Tool option as
shown.

2. Click the Sketch button, the first icon in the Feature Option
Dashboard, to begin creating a new section.

3. Pick the right vertical face of the solid model as the sketching plane as shown
in the below figure.

4. On your own, confirm the viewing direction is set as shown in the figure
above.
1-28 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

5. In the display area, pick the top face of the base feature as shown.

Select the top face of the

base feature as the
reference plane to set the
orientation of the sketch
plane.

6. In the Sketch Orientation menu, pick Top to set

the reference plane Orientation.

7. Pick Sketch to exit the Section Placement window and

proceed to enter the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher mode.

8. Note that the top surface of the solid model and DTM3 are pre-selected as the
sketching references. In the graphics area, the two references are highlighted
and displayed with two dashed lines.

9. Select the right edge and the bottom edge of

the base feature so that the four sides of the
selected sketching plane, or corresponding
datum planes, are used as references as
shown.

10. In the References dialog box, click on the

Close button to accept the selections.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-29

11. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Rectangle icon as

shown to activate the Create Rectangle command.

12. Create a rectangle by clicking on the lower left corner of the solid model as shown
below.

13. Move the cursor upward and place the opposite corner of the rectangle along the right
edge of the base solid as shown below.

10. Align the first

corner of the rectangle 11. Locate the second
to the lower left corner corner of the rectangle
of the base solid. along this vertical edge.

14. On your own, modify the height dimension to 0.75 as shown.

• Note that only one dimension, the height dimension, is applied to the 2D sketch; the
width of the rectangle is defined by the references.
1-30 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

15. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.

16. In the Feature Option Dashboard, confirm the Depth Value option is set and
enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth as shown.

17. In the message area, click on the Accept button to

proceed with the feature definition.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-31

Creating a CUT Feature

We will create a circular cut as the next solid feature of the design. Note that the
procedure in creating a cut feature is almost the same as creating a protrusion feature.

1. In the Feature Toolbars (toolbars aligned to the right edge of

the main window), select the Extrude Tool option as
shown.

2. Click the Sketch button, the first icon in the Feature Option
Dashboard, to begin creating a new section.

3. We will use the top surface of the last feature as the

sketching plane. Click once, with the left-mouse-button,
inside the top surface of the rectangular solid feature as
shown in the figure below.

4. In the Sketch Orientation menu, confirm the

reference plane Orientation is set to Right.

5. Pick the right vertical face of the second solid

feature as the reference plane, which will be
oriented toward the right edge of the computer
screen.

Sketching Plane

Orient this reference

plane to face the right
View edge of the computer
Direction screen.

6. Pick Sketch to exit the Section Placement window and

proceed to enter the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher mode.
1-32 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Creating the 2D Section of the CUT Feature

1. Note that no references are pre-selected for

the new sketch.

• At least one horizontal reference and one

vertical reference are required to position a 2D
sketch.

2. Select the right surface

of the solid model and
DTM3 as the horizontal
and vertical sketching
references as shown. In
the graphics area, the two
references are highlighted
and displayed with two
dashed lines.

3. Click on the Close button to accept the

selected references and proceed to entering
the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher module.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-33

4. In the Sketcher toolbar, select Circle as shown. The default

option is to create a circle by specifying the center point and a
point through which the circle will pass. The message “Select
the center of a circle” is displayed in the message area.

5. On your own, create a circle of arbitrary size on the sketching plane as shown.

6. On your own, edit/modify the dimensions as shown.

7. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to exit the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the
feature definition.
1-34 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

8. Click on the Remove Material icon as shown in the below figure.

9. In the Feature Option

Dashboard, select the Extrude
to intersect with all surface
option as shown.

• Note that the Thru All option

does not require us to enter a
value to define the depth of the
extrusion; Pro/ENGINEER will
calculate the required value to
assure the extrusion is through
the entire solid model.

10. On your own, use the Dynamic Rotate function to view the feature.

11. Click on the Flip direction icon as shown in the below figure to set the cut
direction.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-35

12. Click on Accept to proceed with the extrusion option.

Save the Part and Exit

1. Select Save in the Standard toolbar, or you can
also use the “Ctrl-S” combination (press down the
[Ctrl] key and hit the [S] key once) to save the part.

2. In the message area, the part name is displayed.

Click on the Accept button to save the file.

It is a good habit to save your model periodically, just in case something might go
wrong while you are working on it. In general, you should save your work onto the
disk at an interval of every 15 to 20 minutes. You should also save before you make
any major modifications to the model.

3. Use the left-mouse-button and click on File at the top of the Pro/ENGINEER
main window, then choose Exit from the pull-down menu.
1-36 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Questions:

1. What is the first thing we should set up in Pro/ENGINEER when creating a new
model?

2. How do we modify more than one dimension in the Sketcher?

3. How do we reposition dimensions in the Sketcher?

4. List three of the geometric constraint symbols used by the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

5. Describe two different ways to modify dimensions in the Sketcher.

6. Describe the steps required to define the orientation of the sketching plane?

7. Identify the following commands:

(a)

(b)

Ctrl + Middle mouse button

(c)

Middle mouse button

 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-37

Exercises: (All dimensions are in inches.)

1. Plate Thickness: 0.25

2. Plate Thickness: 0.5

1-38 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

3.

4.
Modeling Using Pro | ENGINEER W I L D F I R E

Sridhar Condoor

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 LESSON 2
BEARINGS
Learning Objectives: Design Information:
Bearings allow relative motion between two
• Understand the concept of datum planes. components while minimizing frictional losses. For
instance, the main bearings in an automobile allow the
• Explore the use of mouse for zoom, spin,
and pan functions. wheels to rotate relative to the body. Rolling element
bearings are often used in machinery. They consist of an
• Learn Extrude and Round tools. outer race and an inner race separated by rolling elements
(balls or cylinders). The rolling elements reduce friction
by providing rolling contact. As bearings are purchased
items, only the outer profile is modeled. Typically,
rolling element bearings are mounted using interference
fit. Therefore, the inner and outer diameters of the
bearing are critical dimensions. For proper assembly, the
edges of the bearing are rounded. The radius of the round
is another critical dimension.

Page 2-1
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-2

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

We will set up a working

directory. ProE always saves
the parts in the selected
1. Set up the working working directory.
directory.
FILE
SET WORKING
DIRECTORY
Select the
working directory
OK

We will create the bearing as a

solid part.
Open a new
file for the FILE
NEW
Part
Solid

bearing part bearing
OK Fig. 2.1.

Refer Fig. 2.1.

2. Open a new file. ProE displays the three default

datum planes – front, top and
right - in the graphics window.
Also, the part coordinate
system (PRT_CSYS_DEF) is
placed at the intersection of
these three datum planes.

Refer Fig. 2.2.

Fig. 2.2.

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-3

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-4

Goal Step Commands

In ProE, the mouse is a very

powerful tool. We can zoom,
spin and pan the model by
holding CTRL/SHIFT key and
the middle mouse button, and
moving the mouse
simultaneously.

Fig. 2.3 illustrates the mouse

functions. The center of the
zoom occurs at the cursor
location. Explore each of these
functions. Middle Mouse CTRL +Middle SHIFT + Middle
Mouse Mouse
The view can be scaled up or
down by factor of 2 by holding
Experiment 3. Use the mouse to
either SHIFT or CTRL key,
with the zoom, spin and pan
and rotating the middle mouse
mouse the model. or Rotate the wheel
button.
Spin Zoom Pan
To get back to the default view,
use the following command: Fig. 2.3.
VIEW
ORIENTATION

STANDARD ORIENTATION.

The default view is typically set

as trimetric. However, it can be
changed to isometric or user-
defined by using the following
command:

VIEW
ORIENTATION

REORIENT
(Type)
Preferences.

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

ProE creates three default

datum planes named as
FRONT, TOP and RIGHT.
Each datum plane has two sides
marked by two different colors:
ORANGE and BLACK. We
can visualize the planes better
by looking at Fig. 2.4 where the
planes are shaded.

Understand In the default view shown in

4. Understand the Fig. 2.2, only the orange sides
the datum
datum planes. are visible. We can notice the
planes
two colors when we rotate the
datum planes.

In Figs. 2.2 and 2.4, we can also

see the default coordinate
system “PRT-CSYS-DEF” at
the center. The spin center is
shown in Red, Green and Blue
(RGB) color lines representing
X, Y and Z axes respectively.
The spin center helps in
rotating the part.

INSERT
EXTRUDE
Create the 5. Start “Extrude” Fig. 2.4.
base cylinder feature. [Or click in the feature
toolbar – left side]

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-5

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-6

Goal Step Commands

To select the sketching plane,

Click in the dashboard -
lower part of the screen

ProE brings up the section

placement window where we
define the placement of the
section.

Refer Fig. 2.5.

We are going to sketch the

section on the TOP datum
plane. Note that ProE
highlights different planes as we
move the mouse over the Fig. 2.5.
Create the
6. Define the planes.
base cylinder
sketching plane.
(Continued)
Select the TOP datum plane in the
graphics window or in the model
tree by clicking on the word
“TOP”

Refer Fig. 2.6.

The red arrow points to the

direction of feature creation.
We can reverse the direction by
clicking “Flip” in the section
placement window. At this
stage, ProE automatically
orients the sketching plane.

Fig. 2.6.
Click

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

The screen changes to the

sketcher mode. It is advisable to
rotate the model to understand
where we are sketching.

Move the mouse holding Middle

Mouse

To get back to the previous

view, use the following
command:
VIEW
SKETCH VIEW

Or

Create the 7. Understand the
base cylinder orientation of the The “References” window has
(Continued) sketcher. two references: F1(RIGHT)
and F3(FRONT).

Refer Fig. 2.7.

If this window is not visible,

select

SKETCH
REFERENCES
Fig. 2.7.
All dimensions are placed with
respect to the references. If
necessary, additional references
can be added to this list. It is
advisable to select all the
references before sketching.

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-7

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-8

Goal Step Commands

Select the center of the

circle as the intersection of the
FRONT and RIGHT datum planes

Refer Fig. 2.8.

8. Draw an outer The cursor snaps onto the

circle. intersection.

Select a point to define the outer

edge of the circle

ProE automatically puts the

dimension for the circle.

Create the Refer Fig. 2.8. Fig. 2.8.

base cylinder
(Continued)
Select the center of the
circle as the intersection of the
9. Create an inner FRONT and RIGHT datum planes
circle.
Select a point to define the
inner circle

Refer Fig. 2.9.

It is a good practice to modify
smaller dimensions first.

Double click the inner

10. Modify the circle dimension
1
ENTER
dimensions.
Double click the outer circle
dimension
2
ENTER

ProE automatically regenerates

the section. Fig. 2.9.

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

11. Exit sketcher.

The depth dimension is shown

in two places – in the dash and
on the part.

Refer Figs. 2.10 and 2.11.

12. Define the depth.
Modify the depth dimension. Fig. 2.10.

Create the Click on the depth dimension

base cylinder 0.5
ENTER
(Continued) Fig. 2.11.

VIEW
ORIENTATION

STANDARD ORIENTATION
13. Accept the
feature creation after


previewing.
Refer Fig. 2.12.

Fig. 2.12.

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-9

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-10

Goal Step Commands

Fig. 2.13.

We will specify the radius of all

rounds to be 0.025.

0.025
ENTER

Round the 14. Round the four Refer Fig. 2.13.

edges edges of the bearing.
Select the four edges to be Fig. 2.14.
rounded

Refer Fig. 2.14.

Refer Fig. 2.15.

Fig. 2.15.

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

Click on the following icons to

switch off the datums, axis, datum
points and default coordinate
system.

Fig. 2.16.
These icons help in turning the
datum planes, axis, datum
points and coordinate system on
and off.

Refer Fig. 2.16.

View the 15. Turn the datum
model planes off. Modifying the display may help
in visualizing the model better.
One of the four model display
options can be selected by a. Wire-frame b. Hidden line
clicking on the corresponding
icon:
Wire-frame -
Hidden line -
No hidden line -
Shaded -

Fig. 2.17 shows the model in the

four display types. c. No hidden line d. Shaded

Fig. 2.17.

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-11

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-12

Goal Step Commands

Select the protrusion feature by
clicking on the bearing in the
graphics window or from the
model tree
Right Mouse

Edit

Refer Fig. 2.18.

Modify 16. Modify the Select the 2.0 dimension
1.25

dimensions dimensions.
ENTER
Select the 1.0
dimension
0.6
ENTER

EDIT
REGENERATE Fig. 2.19.

Modifications take affect after

regeneration. Fig. 2.18.

Refer Fig. 2.19.

FILE
SAVE

Save the file 17. Save the file and
and exit ProE exit ProE. BEARING.PRT

FILE

EXIT
Yes

About ProE files

ProE creates several files. Part files with .prt.X extension. Each time we save the part, ProE creates another file. For instance, the first time we save the
bearing part, ProE creates a file “bearing.prt.1.” Next time we save the same part, it creates another file “bearing.prt.2.” We really need the last file for
most purposes. However, if we want to roll back be can look at the previous versions of the file. The previous versions can be deleted by selecting
following list of commands: FILE
DELETE
OLDER VERSIONS.
ProE records all the commands, menu selections used, and dialog choices in a file called “trail.txt.” This file can be used to either re-create a session or
create training files. Note that the file should be renamed before opening it in ProE. This file can be edited in a text editor. A trail file can be played in
ProE by the following command: UTILITIES
PLAY TRAIL/TRAINING FILES

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Exercise

Create the following parts.

Problem 1 Hints:
Create the bearing part using “Extrude – Thin” option.
1. Use extrude tool.
2. Select the top datum plane as the
sketching plane.
3. In the sketcher, create a circle of 0.6″
diameter.

TOP
FRONT

RIGHT

4. Select thin option and define the

thickness as 0.325″. Sample dash is
shown in the figure below.

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-13

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-14

Problem 2

Hints:
1. Use extrude tool.
2. Create a rectangle (1×1) using the
create rectangle tool in the
sketcher.
3. Select thin option and define the
thickness as 0.125. Sample dash is
shown in the figure below.

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Problem 3

Hints:
1. The sketch is shown in the figure
below.

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-15

Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E Page 2-16

Notes:

Lesson 2 – Bearings
 P r o | E N G I N E E R®
W I L D F I R E™

MECHANICA Structure
Tutorial
Integrated Mode

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Introduction 1-1

Chapter 1 :

Introduction to the Tutorials

Synopsis
An introduction to finite element analysis, with some cautions about its use and misuse; examples of
problems solved with MECHANICA; organization of the tutorials; tips and tricks for using
MECHANICA

Overview of this Lesson

This lesson will be used to get you set up for the rest of the tutorials - to set the stage for what is to
come. It will go over some basic ideas about FEA and what you can do with MECHANICA. The
lesson is quite short, and will cover the following:

‚ general comments about using Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

‚ examples of problems solved using Pro/MECHANICA Structure
‚ layout of the tutorials
‚ how the tutorial will present command sequences
‚ some tips and tricks for using MECHANICA

Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA), also known as the Finite Element Method (FEM), is probably the
most important tool added to the mechanical design engineer's toolkit in recent years. The
development of FEA has been driven by the desire for more accurate design computations in more
complex situations, allowing improvements in both the design procedure and products. The growing
use of FEA has been made possible by the creation of affordable computers that are capable of
handling the immense volume of calculations necessary to prepare and carry out an analysis and
easily display the results for interpretation. With the advent of very powerful desktop workstations,
FEA is now available at a practical cost to virtually all engineers and designers.

The Pro/MECHANICA software described in this introductory tutorial is only one of many
commercial systems that are available. All of these systems share many common capabilities. In
1-2 Introduction

this tutorial, we will try to present both the commands for using MECHANICA and the reasons
behind those commands, so that the general procedures can be transferred to other FEA packages.
Notwithstanding this desire, it should be realized that Pro/M is unique in many ways among
packages currently available. Therefore, numerous topics treated will be specific to Pro/M.

Pro/MECHANICA (or Pro/M as we will call it) is actually a suite of three programs: Structure,
Thermal, and Motion. The first of these, Structure, is able to perform the following:

‚ linear static stress analysis

‚ modal analysis (mode shapes and natural frequencies)
‚ buckling analysis
‚ large deformation analysis (non-linear)

and others. This manual will be concerned only with the first two of these analyses. The remaining
types of problems are beyond the scope of an introductory manual. Once having finished this
manual, however, interested users should not find the other topics too difficult. The other two
programs (Thermal and Motion) are used for thermal analysis and dynamic analysis of mechanical
systems, respectively. Both of these programs can pass information (for example temperature
distributions) back to Structure in order to compute the associated stresses. In this book, the use of
Pro/M is meant to imply Structure only.

Pro/M offers much more than simply an FEA engine. We will see that Pro/M is really a design tool
since it will allow parametric studies as well as design optimization to be set up quite easily.
Moreover, unlike many other commercial FEM programs where determining accuracy can be
difficult or time consuming, Pro/M will be able to compute results with some certainty as to the
accuracy1.

Pro/M does not currently have the ability to handle non-linear problems, for example a stress
analysis problem involving a non-linearly elastic material like rubber. However, as of Release
2000i, problems involving very large geometric deflections can be treated, as long as the stresses
remain within the linearly elastic range for the material.

In this tutorial, we will concentrate on the main concepts and procedures for using the software
and focus on topics that seem to be most useful for new users and/or students doing design
projects and other course work. We assume that readers do not know anything about the software,
but are quite comfortable with Pro/ENGINEER. A short and very qualitative overview of the FEA
theoretical background has been included, but it should be emphasized that this is very limited in
scope. Our attention here is on the use and capabilities of the software, not providing a complete
course on using FEA, its theoretical origins, or the “art” of FEA modeling strategies. For further
study of these subjects, see the reference list at the end of the second chapter.

1
This refers to the problem of “convergence” whereby the FEA results must be verified or
tested so that they can be trusted. We will discuss convergence at some length later on and refer
to it continually throughout the manual.
Introduction 1-3

Examples of Problems Solved using MECHANICA

To give you a taste of what is to come, here are three examples of what you will be able to do with
MECHANICA on completion of these tutorials. The examples are a simple analysis, a parametric
design study called a sensitivity analysis, and a design optimization. In MECHANICA’s language,
these are called design studies.

Example #1 : Analysis
This is the “bread and butter” type of problem for
MECHANICA. A model is defined by some geometry
(in 2D or 3D) in the geometry pre-processor,
Pro/ENGINEER (or Pro/E as we will call it). This is
not as simple or transparent as it sounds, as discussed
below. The model is transferred into Pro/M where
material properties are specified, loads and constraints
are applied, and one of several different types of
analysis can be run on the model. In the figure at the
right, a model of a somewhat crude connecting rod is
shown. This part is modeled using 3D solid elements.
The hole at the large end is fixed and a lateral bearing
load is applied to the inside surface of the hole at the Figure 1 Solid model of a part
other end. The primary results are shown in Figures 2
and 3. These are contours of the Von Mises stress2 on the part, shown in a fringe plot (these are, of
course, in color on the computer screen), and a wireframe view of the total (exaggerated)
deformation of the part (this can be shown as an animation). Here, we are usually interested in the
value and location of the maximum Von Mises stress in the part, whether the solution agrees with
our desired boundary conditions, and the magnitude and direction of deformation of the part.

2
The Von Mises stress is obtained by combining all the stress components at a point in a
way which produces a single value that can be compared to the yield strength of the material.
This is the most common way of examining the computed stress in a part.
1-4 Introduction

Figure 2 Von Mises stress fringe plot

Figure 3 Deformation of the part

Example #2 : Sensitivity Study

Often you need to find out the overall effect on the solution of varying one or more design
parameters, such as dimensions. You could do this by performing a number of similar analyses,
and changing the geometry of the model between each analysis. MECHANICA has an automated
routine which allows you to specify the parameter to be varied, and the overall range. It then
automatically performs all the modifications to the model, and computes results for the
intermediate values of the design parameters.

The example shown in Figure 4 is a quarter-model (to take advantage of symmetry) of a transition
between two thin-walled cylinders. The transition is modeled using shell elements.

Figure 4 3D Shell quarter-model Figure 5 Von Mises stress in

of transition between cylinders shell model

Figure 5 shows the contours of the Von Mises stress on the part. The maximum stress occurs at the
edge of the fillet on the smaller cylinder just where it meets the intermediate flat portion. The
design parameter to be varied is the radius of this fillet, between the minimum and maximum
shapes shown in Figures 6 and 7.
Introduction 1-5

Figure 6 Minimum radius fillet Figure 7 Maximum radius fillet

Figure 8 shows the variation in the maximum Von

Mises stress in the model as a function of radius of
the fillet. Other information about the model, such
as total mass, or maximum deflection is also readily
available, also as a function of the radius.

Figure 8 Variation of Von Mises stress with

fillet radius in shell model

Example #3 : Design Optimization

This capability of MECHANICA is really
astounding! When a model is created, some of the
geometric parameters can be designated as design
variables. Then MECHANICA is turned loose to
find the combination of values of these design
variables that will minimize some objective function
(like the total mass of the model) subject to some
design constraints (like the allowed maximum stress
and/or deflection). Pro/M searches through the
design space (for specified ranges of the design
variables) and will find the optimum set of design
variables automatically!
Figure 9 Initial Von Mises stress
The example shown is of a plane stress model of a distribution in plate before optimization
thin, symmetrical, tapered plate under tension. The
1-6 Introduction

plate is fixed at the left edge, while the lower edge is along the plane of symmetry. A uniform
tensile load is applied to the vertical edge on the right end. The Von Mises stress contours for the
initial design are shown in Figure 9. The maximum stress, which exceeds a design tolerance, has
occurred at the large hole located on the plate centerline, at about the 12:30 position. The stress
level around the smaller hole is considerably less, and we could probably increase the diameter of
this hole in order to reduce mass. The question is: how much?

The selected design variables are the radii of the two holes. Minimum and maximum values for
these variables are indicated in the Figures 10 and 11. The objective of the optimization is to
minimize the total mass of the plate, while not exceeding a specified maximum stress.

Figure 10 Minimum values of design Figure 11 Maximum values of design

variables variables
Figure 12 shows a history of the design optimization
computations. The figure on the left shows the maximum Von Mises stress in the part that initially
exceeds the allowed maximum stress, but Pro/M very quickly adjusts the geometry to produce a
design within the allowed stress. The figure on the right shows the mass of the part. As the
optimization proceeds, this is slowly reduced until a minimum value is obtained (approximately
20% less than the original). Pro/M allows you to view the shape change occurring at each iteration.

Figure 12 Optimization history: Von Mises stress (left) and total mass
(right)

The final optimized design is shown in Figure 13. Notice the increased size of the interior hole,
and the more efficient use of material. The design limit stress now occurs on both holes.
Introduction 1-7

Figure 13 Von Mises stress distribution in

optimized plate

In these lessons, we will explore variations of these three types of design study (simple analysis,
sensitivity studies, and optimization). We will explore a number of different types of models while
doing this (solids, shells, beams, plates, etc.).

FEA User Beware!

Users of this (or any other FEA) software should be cautioned that, as in other areas of computer
applications, the GIGO (“Garbage In = Garbage Out”) principle applies. Users can easily be
misled into blind acceptance of the answers produced by the programs. Do not confuse pretty
graphs and pictures with correct modeling practice and accurate results.

A skilled practitioner of FEA must have a considerable amount of knowledge and experience. The
current state of sophistication of CAD and FEA software may lead non-wary users to dangerous
and/or disastrous conclusions. Users might take note of the fine print that accompanies all FEA
software licenses, which usually contains some text along these lines: “The supplier of the
software will take no responsibility for the results obtained . . .” and so on. Clearly, the onus is on
the user to bear the burden of responsibility for any conclusions that might be reached from the
FEA.

We might plot the situation something like Figure 14 on the next page. In order to intelligently
(and safely) use FEA, it is necessary to acquire some knowledge of the theory behind the method,
some facility with the available software, and a great deal of modeling experience. In this manual,
we assume that the reader's level of knowledge and experience with FEA initially places them at
the origin of the figure. The tutorial (particularly Chapter 2) will extend your knowledge a little bit
in the “theory” direction, at least so that we can know what the software requires for input data,
and (generally) how it computes the results. The step-by-step tutorials and exercises will extend
your knowledge in the “experience” direction. Primarily, however, this tutorial is meant to extend
your knowledge in the “FEA software” direction, as it applies to using Pro/MECHANICA.
Readers who have already moved out along the "theory" or "experience" axes will have to bear
1-8 Introduction

with us - at least this manual should help you discover the capabilities of the MECHANICA
software package.
modeling experience

knowledge of
FEA theory
knowledge of
FEA software

Figure 14 Knowledge, skill, and experience requirements for FEA users

In summary, some quotes from speakers at an FEA panel at an ASME Computers in Engineering
conference in the early 1990's should be kept in mind:

"Don't confuse convenience with intelligence."

In other words, as more powerful functions get built in to FEA packages (such as
automatic or even adaptive mesh generation), do not assume that these will be suitable
for every modeling situation, or that they will always produce trustworthy results. If an
option has defaults, be aware of what they are and their significance to the model and
the results obtained. Above all, remember that just because it is easy, it is not
necessarily right!

"Don't confuse speed with accuracy."

Computers are getting faster and faster. This also means that they can compute an
inaccurate model faster than before - a wrong answer in half the time is hardly an
improvement!

and finally, the most important:

"FEA makes a good engineer better and a poor engineer dangerous."

As our engineering tools get more sophisticated, there is a tendency to rely on them
more and more, sometimes to dangerous extremes. Relying solely on FEA for design
verification might be dangerous. Don’t forget your intuition, and remember that a lot of
very significant engineering design work has occurred over the years on the back of an
envelope. Let FEA become a tool that extends your design capability, not define it.
Introduction 1-9

Layout of this Manual

Running the Pro/MECHANICA software is not a trivial operation. However, with a little practice,
and learning only a fraction of the capabilities of the program, you can perform FEA of reasonably
complex problems. This manual is meant to guide you through the major features of the software
and how to use it. It is not meant to be a complete guide to either the software or FEA modeling -
consider it the elementary school of practical FEA!

Chapter 2 of the tutorial will present an overview of the theory and mathematics behind how FEA
is implemented in MECHANICA. In particular, the origin and differences between h-code analysis
and the p-code method in MECHANICA are discussed. The primary purpose of this chapter is to
outline the main capabilities of MECHANICA as they apply to the design and analysis of
mechanical parts. These include simple analyses, sensitivity studies, and parameter optimization.
This chapter will basically introduce you to the terminology used in the program, and give you an
overview of its operation.

Chapters 3 and 4 will present the basic procedure and commands for performing design studies on
solid models. This is a natural starting point, given that models imported from Pro/E are usually
solids. Common methods of displaying results are shown. Some issues of modeling are discussed,
such as symmetry. Several modeling pitfalls, which also occur in other model types are
investigated, and solutions proposed.

Chapter 5 will introduce you to the analysis of 2D models using idealizations. These are plane
stress and plane strain analyses. Geometry for these models is selected from the 3D part geometry
as created in Pro/E. The idealization, when applicable, results in a significant reduction in the
computational effort for the model.

The subject of Chapter 6 is axisymmetric models. These require that the geometry, loads, and
constraints can be based on a 2D layout that represents the problem.

Chapter 7 is devoted to a very important idealization - the shell model. Shells occur when the
model contains all or some thin-walled solid features. This idealization results in a greatly reduced
problem size and faster solution.

Beams and 2D and 3D frames (including trusses) are dealt with in Chapter 8. Both single
continuous beams and beams as components of frames are discussed. Beams can also be used in
combination with shells and solids.

Finally, Chapter 9 will deal with some miscellaneous topics including cyclic symmetry, spring and
mass elements, modal analysis, and contact analysis in assemblies.

At the end of each of these chapters, a number of additional exercises are presented. You should
try to do as many of these as you can in order to build up your knowledge and repertoire of
modeling scenarios.
1 - 10 Introduction

Tips for using MECHANICA

In the tutorial examples that follow, you will be lead through a number of simple problems
keystroke by keystroke. Each command will be explained in depth so that you will know the
“why” as well as the “what” and “how”. Resist the temptation to just follow the keystrokes - you
must think hard about what is going on in order to learn it. You should go through the tutorials
while working on a computer so that you experience the results of each command as it is entered.
Not much information will sink in if you just read the material. We have tried to capture exactly
the key-stroke, menu selection, or mouse click sequences to perform each analysis. These actions
are indicated in bold face italic type. Characters entered from the keyboard are enclosed within
square brackets. When more than one command is given in a sequence, they are separated by the
symbol ">". When several commands are entered on a single menu or window, they are separated
by the pipe symbol “ | ”. An option from a pull-down list will be indicated with the list title and
selected option in parantheses. So, for example, you might see command sequences similar to the
following:

Materials > Assign > Part > STEEL_IPS | Accept

Analysis (QuickCheck)
Results > Create > [VonMises] | Accept

At the end of each chapter in the manual, we have included some Questions for Review and some
simple Exercises which you should do. These have been designed to illustrate additional
capabilities of the software, some simple modeling concepts, and sometimes allow a comparison
with either analytical solutions or with alternative modeling methods. The more of these exercises
you do, the more confident you can be in setting up and solving your own problems.

Finally, here a few hints about using the software. Menu items and/or graphics entities on the
screen are selected by clicking on them with the left mouse button. We will often refer to this as a
‘left click’ or simply as a ‘click’. The middle mouse button (‘middle click’) can be used
(generally) whenever Accept, Enter, Close or Done is required. The dynamic view controls are
obtained using the mouse as shown in Table 1. Users of Pro/E will be quite comfortable with these
mouse controls. Any menu commands grayed out are unavailable for the current context.
Otherwise, any menu item is available for use. You can, for example, jump from the design menus
to the pulldown menus at any time. Many operations can be launched by clicking and holding
down the right mouse button on an entry in the model tree or in the graphics window. This will
produce a (context sensitive) pop-up menu of relevant commands.
Introduction 1 - 11

Table 1-1 Common Pro/M Mouse Functions

Function Operation Action

Selection LMB entity or command
(click left button) under cursor selected

MMB Spin

Direct Shift + MMB Pan

View
Control Ctrl + MMB Zoom
(drag holding (drag vertical)
middle button
Ctrl + MMB Rotate around axis
down)
(drag horizontal) perpendicular to screen
Roll MMB Zoom
scroll wheel
(if available)
Pop-up Menus RMB with cursor over launch context-
(click right button) blank graphics window sensitive pop-up menus

As of Release 2001, Pro/E and Pro/M incorporated a new “object-action” operating paradigm (as
opposed to the previous “action-object” form). This means you can pick an object on the screen
(like a part surface), then specify the action to be performed on it (like applying a load). This is a
much more streamlined and natural sequence to process commands. Of course, the previous
action-object form will still work. In this Tutorial, command sequences are represented at various
times in either of the two forms. Hopefully, this will not get confusing.

So, with all that out of the way, let’s get started. The next chapter will give you an overview of
FEA theory, and how MECHANICA is different from other commercial packages.
1 - 12 Introduction

Questions for Review

1. In MECHANICA-ese, what is meant by a “design study?”
2. What are the three types of design study that can be performed by Pro/M?
3. What is the Von Mises stress? From a strength of materials textbook, find out how this is
computed and its relation to yield strength. Also, for what types of materials is this a useful
computation?
4. Can Pro/M treat non-linear problems?
5. What does GIGO mean?
6. What three areas of expertise are required to be a skilled FEA practitioner?

Exercises
1. Find some examples of cases where seemingly minor and insignificant computer-related
errors have resulted in disastrous consequences.
 PRO/MECHANICA WILDFIRE
ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS SERIES

PART 1: IDEALIZATIONS

Pro/Mechanica Mesh of a sheet metal plate

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Professor
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted Exercice 1
Estimated time: 1½ hours

Material
Beam Elements

Objectives

At the end of this exercise, the learner should be able to:

Copyrighted
1. Set up a model using standard cross-sections beam elements with proper orientation;
2. Set up and run a static analysis;
3. Understand the units used in Pro/Mechanica®;
4. View maximum VM stress and maximum displacement results;

Material
5. Create shear and moment diagrams;
6. Understand the basic solving principle of the Finite Element method.

Introduction

Beam elements are fast and efficient elements in FEA. They are 1-D in nature but still

Copyrighted
represent what is called a 3-D idealization. A 3-D idealization is a FEA modeling
perspective of the model. For a beam element, imagine an I-beam. It could be
represented as a straight line, with a cross-section the shape of an “I” assigned to it. This
is, in essence, how a beam element is represented.

Material
From a modeling perspective, beam elements are relatively easy to create. They are
defined by the following:
- A datum curve determining the position of the end points of the beam;
- A material;
- A cross-sectional area (which will give an area moment of inertia and a torsional
stiffness)
- A defined orientation for the cross-section.

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Each beam element has its own internal coordinate system (let’s name it the Beam
Section Coordinate System or BSCS). The BCSC has the following characteristics in
Pro/Mechanica®:

Material
- The x-axis is along the length of the beam (the beam’s axis);
- The y-axis defines the perpendicular orientation of the beam section with respect to
the beam’s axis;

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
- The z-axis will follow according the first two axes above.
The restriction of using beam elements in Pro/Mechanicas, as with any other software is
that the section remains perpendicular and planar to the datum curve (the beam axis)
through the entire FEA solution. Before using beam elements, make sure that the part is

Material
fairly representative of a beam and that the aspect ratio (l/t) > 10.

Procedure

(Note: Before you start, create a folder named: beam using explorer; this will be
the working directory for the exercise.)

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The problem to be solved:
F = 4500 lbs

Material
2″

40″ 1″

X-SECTION

Objectives: Draw Shear and Moment diagrams, and obtain the Maximum VM stress and
maximum deflection fringe plots.

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Material

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Material
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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Flow Chart of Procedure

Here is an overview of the exercise, in the form of a flow chart, showing the different
steps involve in the analysis.

Material
In Pro/E WILDFIRE® In Pro/Mechanica®

Create part & Create Beam Section and

Start Model Orientation
Datum Curve

Copyrighted Assign beam section &

orientation & material to
datum curve

Material Assign boundary Create and Run

conditions to model a static analysis.

Copyrighted Check out results (stresses,

displacements, etc…)

Material
1. Start up Pro/E WILDFIRE

Details on how to this is different from system to system. For a typical windows
platform:

Start > Programs > proewildfire > Pro/Engineer

(It takes 30 seconds approximately for Pro/Engineer to start.)

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Set up your working directory. (File > Set Working Directory)

Material
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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
Material

Copyrighted
Material
Figure 1

Select your working directory, then select OK.

2. Create a part named: beam

Select File > New

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Material
Figure 2

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Select part and type in: beam; then Click on OK.

3. Setting up in Pro/E WILDFIRE for FEA modeling

Material
Before we go to Pro/Mechanica, we must understand how beam elements are created.
Think of beam modeling as a sweep-type protrusion in Pro/E WILDFIRE. In this case of
FEA modeling, a datum curve is created in Pro/Engineer, then the beam cross-section (the
beam element) is assigned in Pro/Mechanica.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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3.1 Creating a datum curve for beam assignment

Click on the sketch datum curve icon. From the right menu, select: Sketch > Done.
Use front as your sketching plane and accept the default viewing direction and other

Material
references. (See dialog box below.)

Copyrighted Figure 3

Material
Click on Sketch. Once in sketcher, Use the line sketching tool icon and sketch a
horizontal datum curve as shown below with the following characteristics:
• 40 units long;
• Aligned with the top plane, symmetric about the right plane.

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Material

Copyrighted Figure 4: View of sketch for datum curve

Material
Note: To modify your dimension, select the dimension to be modified and click
on this icon (or alternatively double click on the dimension).

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
Select done out of sketcher ( icon). Turn datum planes off using the datum icon
at the top of your screen. Select Tools > Environment (pull-down menu) and check
off the spin center for increased visibility. Select OK.

Material
[Pro/Mechanica portion]

1. Go to Pro/Mechanica from Pro/Engineer

Select Applications>Mechanica from the top pull-down menu. (Wait a few

seconds.)
You will see a unit info dialogue box come up on the screen as shown below:

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Material
Figure 5: Unit Info Window

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Important: Have a look at the working units and then Click Continue. This box will
only reappear for that part if Pro/E WILDFIRE is exited. Select Structure from the
right menu.

Material
2. Beam Assignment

2.1 Beam Section

Select Model>idealizations>Beams>Sections. The following dialogue box will

come up.

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Material Figure 6

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Click on New.

The dialogue box shown below will come up. Enter the information as seen below.

Material
STOP
What we are doing at this time is giving the cross-sectional dimensions of the beam
element used for the analysis. At this time you must know these dimensions. The cross-
section is constant through the datum curve representing the beam. The beam for our
analysis is a rectangle 1 in wide and 2 inches high.

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1. Enter text

Material
2. Select

3. Enter dimensions

Copyrighted Figure 7

Once the information is entered, click on OK. Then close the beam section dialogue

Material
box. Then select Done/Return.

Note: if the section is not in the above menu of pre-defined X-section, you can sketch it
easily using the sketch options off the type menu. The menu picks are ‘sketch thin’ or
sketch solid. It will then take you to the Pro/Engineer sketcher.

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STOP
We must now orient the vector of the cross-section. Even though it will show up on the
screen if we don’t, Pro/M wants to make sure that it is oriented the proper way. The
software needs insight here as to which way to go and to make sure that we know what

Material
we are doing!
A vector will be used to determine the orientation. This vector will determine the beam
section coordinate system orientation.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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2.2 Beam Orientation
Select Model > idealizations > Beams > Orientations. Once the Beam orientation
dialogue box comes up, click on New. Enter the following information in the box.

Material

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Material Figure 8

Defined by: Y direction of vector in WCS Vector (0, 0, 1) (This defines the
orientation of the cross-section, as explained on the precious page in the STOP note.)
Click on Ok then close the beam orientation dialogue box.

2.3 Beam Definition

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Select New off the beams menu. The following beam definition window comes up.
Enter and select information as shown.

Material

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Material
Under Name: Enter beam_exercise1.
Figure 9

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Under references: Select Edge/Curve
Under edges, click on the arrow and select the datum curve on the screen, then
click on done sel.
(Pay attention. Selecting it more than once reverses the selection here.)

Material
Material: Select More…, the following window will come up:

Copyrighted Figure 10

Select steel by scrolling down off the left column and move it to the right column

Material
by clicking on the triple arrows box in the center. Then click on OK.
Select section and orientation as shown. There are no beam releases for this analysis.
Select OK – Done/Return and note that small rectangles appear along the datum
curve. Zoom in on one of the rectangles and look!

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Material

Copyrighted Figure 11

Material
You should be able to see a vector inside the beam. This vector is oriented in the
coordinates given above (0, 0, 1). You could easily change the orientation of the

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
rectangular section and the vector simply by changing the directional coordinates of
the vector. Our beam idealization is fully defined. Good job!

3. Constraints

Material
Select Model > Constraints > New > Point from the right side menu.

The following dialogue box will come up. Enter and select the following
information:

Name: End_constr_1
Member of set: ConstraintSet1

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Under points, click on the arrow icon .
From the datum points menu that comes up, Select Create.

Material

Copyrighted Figure 12

Material
Select the end of curve F5 by clicking on the positive X-axis end of the beam. Select
OK. A point should then show up at the positive X-axis end of the beam. Accept the
defaults for the WCS and keep all degrees of freedom fixed as shown.

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Material
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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Material
All translation
DOF fixed

All rotation
DOF fixed

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Material Figure 13

Select OK off the constraint dialog box. Select Done/Return off the right side menu.

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4. Loads
Select Loads > New > Point
The following dialogue box will appear. Fill out the information

Material
as seen below.

Under reference-points, click on the arrow icon .

From the datum points menu that comes up, Select Create >.

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Material Figure 14

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
Similar to the constraint point selection, select the vertex (located on the negative X-axis
end of the beam. Click on OK. Under Force-components, enter 4500 in the Z direction
box.

Material

Copyrighted
Material Figure 15

Select OK off the Force/Moment dialog box. In order to properly show the load, from
the top pull-down menu, select View>Simulation display and select appropriate
selections as shown in the dialog box below.

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Material

Copyrighted
Material Figure 16

Click on OK to close the window. Then Done-Return.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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The resulting window should look like the following (default view):

Material

Copyrighted
Material

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5. Generating Beam elements
Figure 17

Material
5.1 Automatic generation of elements

We now need to generate the finite element mesh. The nice feature about Pro/E
WILDFIRE is that now we can control the mesh of the model without having to go to
independent mode. There will be more applications of this new feature in subsequent
exercises. For the time being, Select Model > AutoGEM. The following box will
come up:

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Material Figure 18

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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This box controls the mesh features, type and density. Click on create. The
following dialog box will come up.

Material

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Figure 19

One beam element has been created, as you can see. Click on Close > Close and
answer yes to the following:

Material
Figure 20

6. Set up and run Analysis

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6.1 Static analysis

We will now attempt the static analysis of the beam. Select Analyses/Studies from

Material
the right menu, the following window will come up:

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Material Figure 21

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Select File > New static from the top left corner menu. The following dialogue box will
come up. Enter the following information:
• Name: Static1
• Description: Analysis of cantilever beam.

Material
• Constraints and Loads as shown below.
• Method: Multi-Pass Adaptive with 10 percent convergence.
• Converge on local displacement and strain energy and global RMS stress.

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Material

Copyrighted Figure 22

Material
Click on OK.

6.2 Running the Analysis

With the following window still up, select the analysis, use your right mouse button to
scroll down to Start. The analysis will now be running. The software will ask you if
you want error detection (yes / no)? Answer yes.

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Material
Figure 23

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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To check things as the calculations are performed, still using the right mouse button,
select Status. (Note how fast the solution converged). From the status summary file,
the following information is important to consider.

Material Displacements (*)

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Vm stress

Material Figure 24

We are getting a maximum bending stress of 2.7 e+05 psi or 270 ksi. Which is the
same value as the exact solution from Mechanics of Solids. The following table gives
an overview of what details you should look for from the results of an analysis:

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TABLE 1: OVERVIEW OF SUMMARY FILE

Item Description Where to find it What it should be

Material
The convergence will let us
Convergence know if all elements Click on Status For beams, less
converged and if they all than 1%
converged to a solution. (0% for this
analysis)
270 ksi
Maximum Gives the maximum Von Click on Status (max_stress_vm)
VM stress or Mises Stress or

Copyrighted
displacement displacement for the .012885 (*)
of Model analysis (max_displ_z)
Depends on
VM stress or Gives the Von Mises Stress See procedure below boundary

Material
displacement for the analysis for the entire conditions and
over entire model geometry
model

52
 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Note: (*) Be careful with the units of displacement in the results given by
Pro/Mechanicas. This is discussed later in the exercise. This is discussed later in
the exercise. Select Close and Close. This will bring you back to the FEA model
with the MEC STRUCT menu on the right hand side.

Material
7. Analysis of results

Select Results. Once the empty window comes up, Click on this icon named ‘insert a
new definition.’

Copyrighted Figure 25

The following box will come up. Type in vm_stress (for Von Mises stress).

Material

Copyrighted
Material
Figure 26

Select the open file folder and select static1 for the analysis (click Open). Then fill out

Copyrighted
the contents definition box as shown above. Once completed, select OK. Click on
Accept. From pull-down menu, select view > display. The following window will come
up:

Material
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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
Material
Figure 27

Select vm_stress then OK. Then the following results window will come up:

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Material

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Material
Figure 28: Von Mises Stress Results For Beam Analysis (Hard to represent on a document)

The results from a beam analysis are not the most impressive to look at and are very
difficult to reproduce on a document. But they provide accuracy, given that your

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geometry and boundary conditions are precise. The only colors that we see are along the
beam curve that represents the point on the beam cross-section where the Von Mises
Maximum stress is located. We can see that the maximum stresses are at the fixed end of
the beam. Note that the maximum value is the same as the one given in the summary file.

Material
Note: you can save this window by simply selecting the save or save as icon on the
top of the window. Select File/Exit Results and answer no to the question: Do you
want to save the current window?

54
 BEAM ELEMENTS

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As a practice exercise, create the following result window in order to look at the
maximum displacement from the model. Simply follow procedure 7 above, the only
changes being under quantity on the definition form.

Material

Copyrighted
Material
Figure 28
Select OK and Show.

Approximate Finite Element Analysis Solution (Theory Warning)

(Don’t skip this, as there are some more Mechanicas procedures included with it to

Copyrighted
make it more fun.)

In solving the beam analysis using FEA theory, the problem can be seen as follows,
including all reactions and forces:

Material F = 4,500 lbs

Miz

y L = 40 in.

Copyrighted
x Fyi
z vi , θzi vj , θzj

Figure 29

Material
Where Table 2 gives the symbol definitions:

55
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
TABLE 2: SYMBOL DEFINITIONS
Symbol Definition
L Length of beam
Miz Bending moment at the fixed end of the beam

Material
Fyi Vertical reaction at the fixed end of the beam
E E is the Young’s Modulus of Elasticity of the
material.
nd
I the 2 moment of Area
2 2
d v/dx the curvature of the beam (not shown)
vi The vertical deflection at x = 0.
θzi The beam slope at x = 0.
vj The vertical deflection at x = L.

θzj
Copyrighted The beam slope at x = L.

Material
The general equation for beam deflection is from beam theory as follows:
d 2v
M z = EI z 2
dx
where;
M z = Fyi x + M zi

Consequently;

CopyrightedEI z
d 2v
dx 2
= Fyi x + M zi
(1-1)

Material
Let’s get the moment diagrams from Mechanicas. This will be fun. From your beam
model, where you are in Applications > Mechanica > Structure, select Results > then
click on the insert a new definition icon.

Copyrighted Figure 30

Select static1 for the analysis. Then click on Accept. The following contents definition

Material
box will come up. Select and type in all information as shown below.

56
 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Material

Copyrighted
Material Figure 31

Enter and select the following information as indicated in the figure above:

• Name and Title: V_M and Shear and Moment Diagrams

• Design Study: Select the open folder and open the static1 analysis.
• Display Type: Select Graph.
• Quantity: Select shear and moment (and de-select P, Vz, Mx and My as they are

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not necessary for this two-dimensional problem). Refer to the coordinate system
on the beam model for those. We only need the shear along the z-axis and the
moment with respect to the y-axis. (if you are not sure that you followed the
modeling properly for this exercise, you can keep all shear and moment selected,

Material
it is not going to change the answer.)
• Graph Location: Make sure that curve is selected. Click on Select and select
the beam curve off the screen. Click on the middle mouse button. You will
then be prompted the following message as Pro/Mechanicas highlights one of the
ends of the beam. Select toggle once. Then OK.

Copyrighted Figure 32

Material
Click on OK, then Accept and Show.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material

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Material
Figure 33: Shear and moment diagrams

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It may be difficult to see the numbers on the graphs above but on your screen, you should
get the results we were expecting, where the maximum shear is 4,500 lbs and the
maximum bending moment is 180,000 in.lbs. Select File > Exit Results. Do not save
the result window.

dv Fyi x
Material
Now let’s integrate twice equation 1-1 above. This will give the following:

EI z = + M zi x + A1 1st integration
dx 2

Fyi x 3 M zi x 2 2nd integration

EI z v = + + A1 x + A2

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6 2

From our problem definition, we have the following boundary conditions:

Material
At x = 0 At x = L
vi = 0 vj

θzi = 0 θzj

58
 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Where v is the deflection (vertical) and θ is the slope at the respective locations. Which
will give the following 2 equations for the bending moment and the reaction force at the
fixed end of the beam (i):

Material
6 EI z 2 EI z
Mi = 2
vj + θ zj
l l
(1-2)
12 EI z 6 EI
Fyi = 3
v j + 2 z θ zj
l l

Which can be written under the following matrix form: {K} {D} = {F} as follows:

Copyrighted EI
12
l3
6
6
l2
2
v j   Fyi 
 = 
θ zj  M zi 

Material
l2 l

Where {K} is the stiffness matrix for our beam deflection problem. From our diagrams
and figure above, we have the following data:

- Fyi = 4,500 lbs and;

- Mzi = 180,000 in. lbs
- E = 29 X 106 psi

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- I = bh3/12 = (1) (2)3 / 12 = .667 in.3

What we are looking for here is the value of vj, solving the matrices above using the
Gauss elimination method for vj gives a maximum displacement of 4.95 in. Do you

Material
remember how to solve matrices? Let’s bring back those bad memories:

We have from equation (1-2):

 EI 12 EI 6 
 3 4,500  Line 1
 l l2 
 EI 6 EI 2 
 2 180,000  Line 2
 l l 

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We need to bring the matrix to a form as follows:

1 A1 C1 

Material
 
0 1 C2 

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
So let’s perform the following operations on the matrix:

- Divide line 1 by EI12 / l3 and;

- Divide line 2 by EI6 / l2.

Material
Which gives the following matrix:


1 l/2
l3
375 

 EI 
 l 2 
1 l/3 30,000 
 EI 

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Let’s now subtract line 1 from line 2.

 l3 

Material
1 l/2 375 
 EI 
 l 2
l 3 
0 − l/6 30,000 - 375 
 EI EI 

Finally, let’s divide line 2 by –l/6

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 l3 
1 l/2 375 
 EI 
 l l 2 
0 1 - 180000 + 2,250 
 EI EI 

Material
Which gives the following solution, when all proper values are put in the matrix:

θzj = -.186 rd and

vj = 4.95 in.

Comparing the deflections:

FEA approximate solution Pro/Mechanicas solution Exact Solution (PL3 / 3EI)

Copyrighted
4.95 in. .0129 (sec2)

The above results do not concur. Well, the software ones anyway. What went wrong
4.96 in.

Material
here? Pro/Mechanicas actually gives a deflection value much smaller that the exact and
FEA approximation solutions. But the maximum Von Mises stress calculated by
Pro/Mechanicas was accurate?

60
 BEAM ELEMENTS

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The problem is with the system of units that Pro/Mechanicas uses. We need to multiply
the answer we got for deflection by the gravitational (386.4 in/sec2), so the final
Pro/Mechanicas solution answer will be 4.97, almost the magnitude of the exact solution.

Material
Conclusion

Beam elements are fast and accurate elements. They are mainly used by analyst for
getting an idea of the big picture of an assembly of different cross-section, the frame rail
of a trailer, for instance. They are also useful to get the shear and moment diagrams of
structures.

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The modeling is fast (datum curves) and the beam assignment is also fast. Remember: If
it looks and smells like a beam, then use beam elements for the analysis. On the other
hand, you will not be able to study stress concentrations around holes for instance, shell

Material
elements should then be used for this type of analysis.

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Material

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Material
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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Copyrighted
Be careful with the units of displacement in the results given by Pro/Mechanicas.
Multiply your answer by the gravitational constant in order to get to the units that you are
looking for (inches in this case).

Project 1

Problem Definition
Material
Determine the location and magnitudes of the maximum VM stress and the maximum
displacement (in y) of the following application (diving board).

Copyrighted F= 250 lbs.

(8 X 1) in.2

Material
25 in.

50 in.
Beam section

y
x

Copyrighted
z
Figure 34: Diving Board Loading Diagram

Notes and Hints: Material

1. Fixes the location in all 6 DOFs.

2. Fixes the y direction DOF and the rotation with respect to x axis.

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3. Material: Use Aluminum 2014.

4. Create a datum point at the center reaction, use vertex for the left reaction and the
load.

Material
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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Results

Material

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Material

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Figure 35: Summary file results for Project 1

Material

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Material
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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material

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Material

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Figure 36 Von Mises Stress fringe plot for Project 1

References Material
1. Toogood, Roger, Pro/Mechanica Structure Tutorial (release 2000i), SDC
Publications, 1999.
2. Adams, V., and Askenazi, A., Building Better Products with FEA, OnWord Press,

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1999.
3. Mott, L.M., Applied Strength of Materials, Prentice-Hall, 1996.
4. Buchanan, G.R., Finite Element Analysis: Schaum’s Outline Series, McGraw-Hill,
1995.

Material End of Exercise

64
 Lesson 1: Introduction to
Pro/MECHANICA Motion

1.1 Overview of the Lesson

The purpose of this lesson is to provide you with a brief overview of Pro/MECHANICA Motion, also
called Motion in this book. Motion is a virtual prototyping tool for mechanism analysis and design.
Instead of building and testing physical prototypes of the engineering products, you can use Motion to test
and refine a mechanism design before you finalize the design and move into functional prototyping stage.
Motion will help you design better engineering products in a relatively shorter time. In addition, Motion
will provide you with information about the mechanism behavior, which you will usually obtain from
tests of functional prototypes. You will be able to modify your design and usually achieve better design
alternatives using the more convenient and less expensive virtual prototypes. With such information, you
will gain insight on how the mechanism works and why they behave in certain ways. In the long run, this
will help you become a more experienced and competent design engineer.

In this lesson, we will start with a brief introduction to Motion and various types of physical problems that
Motion can solve. We will then discuss capabilities supported by Motion for constructing motion model,
conducting motion analyses, and viewing motion analysis results. We will also discuss design capabilities
available in Motion, and how to use these capabilities to obtain better designs. In the final section, we will
present design examples employed in this book and things you will learn from these examples.

Note that materials presented in this lesson will be kept brief. More details on various aspects of
mechanism design and analysis using Motion will be given in later lessons.

1.2 What is Pro/MECHANICA Motion?

Pro/MECHANICA Motion is a computer software tool that supports design and analysis of mechanisms.
Motion is a module of Pro/ENGINEER product family developed by Parametric Technology
Corporation. Motion supports you in creating virtual mechanisms that answer the following general
questions in product design. An internal combustion engine shown in Figures 1-1 and 1-2 will be used to
illustrate these questions.

1. Will the components of the mechanism collide in operation? For example, will the connecting rod
collide with the inner surface of the piston or the engine case during operation?

2. Will the components in the mechanism you design move according to your intent? For example, will
the piston stay entirely in the piston sleeve? Will the system lock up when the firing force aligns
vertically with the connection rod and crank?

3. How fast will your mechanism move?

1-2 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

4. How much torque or force does it take to move the mechanism? For example, what will be the
minimum firing load to drive the engine? Note that in this case, proper friction forces and inertia
must be added to simulate the resistance of the mechanism before a realistic firing force can be
calculated.

5. What are the reaction loads generated on a connection (or joint) between components during
motion? For example, what is the reaction force at the connection between the connecting rod and
piston pin? This reaction load is critical since the structural integrity of the connecting rod must be
maintained, i.e., the connecting rod must be strong and durable enough to sustain the reaction load in
operation.

The modeling and analysis capabilities in Motion will help you answer these common questions
realistically, as long as your motion model is properly defined.

Motion also supports you in modifying your mechanism to find better design alternatives. The changes
that you can make in Motion include component size, geometric shape, mass properties, load magnitudes,
etc. Some of these changes will be discussed in later lessons.

Piston Piston Sleeve

Piston Pin

Connecting Rod

Figure 1-1 An Internal Combustion

Engine (Unexplode View)

The design capabilities available in

Crank Shaft
Motion lead you to better design
alternatives in a systematic way. A Engine Case
better design alternative can be, for the
engine example,
Figure 1-2 Internal Combustion
1. A smaller reaction force applied to
Engine (Explode View)
the connecting rod;
2. No collisions between components.

1.3 Mechanism and Motion Analysis

A mechanism is a mechanical device that transfers motion and/or force from a source to an output. It is an
abstraction (simplified model) of a mechanical system. A linkage consists of links (or bodies), which are
connected by connections, such as a pin joint, to form open or closed chains (or loops, see Figure 1-3).
Such kinematic chains, with at least one link fixed, become mechanisms. In this book, all links are
assumed rigid. In general, a mechanism can be represented by its corresponding schematic drawing for
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-3

analysis and design purposes. For example, a slider-crank mechanism represents the motion model of the
engine, as shown in Figure 1-4, which is a closed loop mechanism.

Ground

Slider
Links (Bodies) Connecting
(Piston)
Rod
Connections

Ground

(a) Open Loop Mechanism (b) Closed Loop Mechanism Crank

Figure 1-3 General Mechanisms
Figure 1-4 Schematic View of the
Engine Motion Model

In general, there are two types of motion problems that you will solve in order to answer those questions.
They are kinematics and dynamics.

Kinematics is the study of motion without regard for the forces that cause the motion. A kinematic
mechanism must be driven by a driver so that the position, velocity, and acceleration of each link of the
mechanism can be analyzed at any given time. Usually, a kinematic analysis must be conducted before
dynamic behavior of the mechanism can be simulated properly.

Dynamics is the study of motion in response to externally applied loads. The dynamic behavior of a
mechanism must follow Newton’s laws of motion. The simplest dynamic problem is particle dynamics
that you learned in your Sophomore Dynamics, for example, a spring-mass-damper system shown in
Figure 1-5. In this case, motion of the mass is governed by the following equation derived from Newton’s
second law,
y
• ••

∑ F = p( t ) − kx − c x = m x (1.1)
x
where (•) appearing on top of the physical k c
quantity represents time derivative of the
quantity. l
m
For a rigid body, mass properties (such as θ
moment of inertia) are taken into account c.g.
for dynamic analysis. For example, p(t) g
x
motion of a pendulum shown in Figure 1-
6 is governed by the following equation of
motion, Figure 1-5 The Spring-
Mass-Damper System
•• ••
2
∑ M = − mgl sinθ = I θ = ml θ (1.2)
Figure 1-6 A Simple
Pendulum
1-4 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

where M is the external moment or torque, I is the polar moment of inertia of the pendulum, m is the
••

pendulum mass, g is the gravitational acceleration, and θ is the angular acceleration of the pendulum.

Dynamics of a rigid body system, as illustrated in Figure 1-3, is a lot more complicated than the single
body problems. Usually, a system of differential and algebraic equations governs the motion and dynamic
behavior of the system. Newton’s law must be obeyed by every single body in the system all the time.
The motion of the system will be determined by the loads acting on the bodies or joint axes (e.g., a torque
driving the system). Reaction loads at joint connections hold the bodies together.

1.4 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Capabilities

Overall Process

The overall process of using Motion for analyzing Ground Body

a mechanism consists of three main steps: model Bodies
creation, analysis, and result visualization, as Motion Model Connections
illustrated in Figure 1-7. Key entities that Generation Drivers
Loads
constitute a motion model include ground body
Initial Conditions
that is always fixed, bodies that are movable,
connections that connect bodies, drivers that Assembly
Motion Velocity
drive the mechanism for kinematic analysis,
Analysis Static
loads, and initial conditions of the mechanism.
Motion (Kinematics
More details about these entities will be discussed and Dynamics)
later in this lesson. Kinetostatics
Results Animation
The analysis capabilities in Motion include Visualization Graph
assembly, velocity, static, motion, and
Query
kinetostatics. For example, the assembly analysis Report
brings bodies closer within a prescribed tolerance
at each connection to create an initial assembled Figure 1-7 General Process
configuration of the mechanism. More details of Motion Analysis
about the analysis capabilities in Motion will be
discussed later in this lesson.

The analysis results can be visualized in various forms. You may animate motion of the mechanism, or
generate graphs for more specific information, such as reaction force of a joint in time domain. You may
query results at a specific location for a given time. In addition, you may ask for a report on results that
you specified, for example, acceleration of a moving body in time domain.

Two Operation Modes

There are two operation modes that you may choose in
Motion: Integrated and Independent. The Integrated mode
allows you to work in a unified Pro/ENGINEER user Pro/ENGINEER
interface environment. You can access Motion through
menus inside Pro/ENGINEER. You will use the same Pro/MECHANICA
assembly in both Pro/ENGINEER and Motion. In this case, Motion
Motion is considered a module of Pro/ENGINEER, as
illustrated in Figure 1-8. Figure 1-8 The Integrated Mode
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-5

In the Independent mode, you have two options. You may create an assembly in Pro/ENGINEER and
transfer it to the separate Motion user interface (option 1), or you may create your model from scratch in
Motion (option 2), as illustrated in Figure 1-9. In option 2, you will have to use less general capabilities to
create body geometry.

Body geometry is essential for mass property computations in

motion analysis. The advantage of using Pro/ENGINEER in Pro/ENGINEER
either mode of Motion is that the geometry of the bodies can
be created conveniently and accurately. When the mass
properties of bodies are pre-calculated or pre-measured,
creating motion models directly in Motion (Option 2) is more
straightforward.
Pro/MECHANICA
Note that the interference checking is only available in the Motion
Integrated mode. More details of the differences between these
two modes will be discussed in Lesson 3.
Figure 1-9 The Independent Mode
User Interfaces

User interfaces of the Integrated and Independent modes are similar but not identical. User interface of
the Integrated mode is identical to that of Pro/ENGINEER, as shown in Figure 1-10. Pro/ENGINEER
users should find it is straightforward to maneuver in Motion.

As shown in Figure 1-10, user interface window of Pro/ENGINEER, i.e., Motion Integrated mode,
consists of pull-down menus, short-cut buttons, prompt/message window, scroll-down menu, graphics
area, datum feature buttons, model tree window, and command description area.

Title Bar Pull-Down Menus Quit

Datum Feature
Short-Cut Buttons Buttons

Create New
Model

Model Tree
Window

Command Graphics Area

Description
Scroll-
Prompt/Message Window Down Menu

Figure 1-10 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Integrated Mode

1-6 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

The graphics area displays your Motion model. This is where most of the action will take place. The pull-
down menus and the short-cut buttons at the top of the screen allow you to manipulate the Motion model.
The scroll-down menu supports you in creating and editing your model. As you move the mouse across
the menu options, a brief description will appear on the command description area (lower left corner).
When you click the menu options, the prompt/message window shows brief messages describing the
menu commands and shows system messages following command execution.

The Independent mode of the Motion consists of three separate windows. They are Tools Menu and
Command Area Window, Work Area Window, and Design Menu Window as shown in Figure 1-11. Each
of the windows contains one or more components.

Tools Menu and Command Area Window—Located at the top of the Motion screen. This window
contains the following components:

command area—displays prompts and messages;

tool menu bar (pull-down menu)—displays the top-level tool menus;

tool button area—displays four tool buttons.

This window's title bar displays the version number of the current Motion software release.

Work Area Window—This is the graphics window below the command area. The work area displays the
current model.

Tools Menu and Command Area Window

Title Bar
Tool Menu Bar
(Pull-Down Menu) Tool Button Area

Command Area
Design Menu Window

Work Area Window

Figure 1-11 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Independent Mode

Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-7

Design Menu Window—Located at the right of the Motion screen. This window displays the current
design menu and its ancestors.

The Design Menu options allow you to create geometry, build models for your mechanisms, perform
analysis and design studies, and review results. The tool menus (pull-down menus) allow you to access
various tools, including file utilities, editing functions, and options for displaying entities and creating
multiple windows for the work area. The tool buttons are used to access frequently used utilities. These
buttons are always visible in the Tools Menu and Command Area Window.

Figure 1-12 shows a typical user interface window of both Integrated and Independent modes. The
common buttons and options in the window are identified in the figure. We will refer to these buttons and
options in the rest of the book.

Text box Pull-down options

Push button
Radio button

Graphics Area

Check box

Scrolling
Display-only text
list

Figure 1-12 Buttons and Selections in a Typical Motion Window

Defining Motion Entities

The basic entities of a motion model consist of ground points, bodies, connections, initial conditions,
drivers, and loads. Each of the basic entities will be briefly introduced. More details can be found in later
lessons.

Ground Points

A ground point represents a fixed location in space. Once defined, a ground point symbol will appear
in the model. You must have at least one ground point in your model. All ground points are grouped as a
single ground body. Note that in the Integrated mode, assembly datum points will be converted into
ground points automatically. In the Independent mode, you may create your own ground points.
1-8 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

Bodies

A body represents a single rigid component (or link) that moves relative to the other body (or bodies in
some cases). A body may consist of several Pro/ENGINEER parts “welded” together. A body must
contain a local coordinate system (LCS), body points, and mass properties. Note that body points are
created for defining connections, force applications, etc. In Independent mode, geometric points can be
created and attached to bodies. In Integrated mode, datum points created for part solid models are
converted to body points by Motion.

A spatial body consists of 3 translational and 3 rotational degrees of freedom (dof's). That is, a rigid body
can translate and rotate along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes of a coordinate system. Rotation of a rigid body is
measured by referring the orientation of its LCS to the global coordinate system, which is fixed to the
ground body.

In the Integrated mode, the LCS is assigned by Motion automatically, and the mass properties are
calculated using part geometry and material properties. Body points are essential in creating motion
model since they are employed for defining connections and where the external loads are applied.

In the Independent mode, you will choose the LCS, and generate the mass properties. The mass properties
can be either entered to Motion directly, or calculated from mass primitives you choose for the body. Note
that the mass properties of a body are calculated relative to the body’s LCS. The mass primitives available
in Motion are sphere, cylinder, brick, cone, and plate. An example of a typical body created in the
Independent mode of Motion is shown in Figure 1-13.

Mass primitives Joint Rotational dof

Part schematic Translational dof
Reactions

LCS Body1
Body points Body2
(Defining joints or
forces)
Figure 1-14 A Joint Defined in Motion
Center of mass

Figure 1-13 A Body in Independent Mode

Connections

A connection in Motion can be a joint, cam, gear, or slot that connects two bodies. The connection will
constrain the relative motion between bodies.

Each independent movement permitted by a connection is called degree of freedom (dof). The degrees of
freedom that a connection allows can be translation and rotation along three perpendicular axes, as shown
in Figure 1-14. The connections produce equal and opposite reactions (forces and/or torques) on the
bodies connected.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-9

The symbol of a given joint

tells the translational and/or
rotational dof that the joint
allows for the bodies to move
relative to each other. (a) Translation⎯Each Arrow Signifies (b) Rotation⎯Single
Understanding the basic four a Translational dof (Slider Joint) Rotation (Pin Joint)
symbols shown in Figure 1-
15 will enable you to read
any joint in Motion. More
details about joint types
available in Motion will be (c) Translation and Rotation (d) No Axes⎯Any Rotation
discussed in Lesson 4. (Bearing Joint) (Spherical Joint)

Degrees of Freedom Figure 1-15 Basic Joint Symbols

An unconstrained body in space has 6 degrees of freedom, i.e., 3 translational and 3 rotational. This is
what Motion assumes spatial bodies with 6 dof's per body. When connections are added to connect
bodies, constraints are imposed to restrict the relative motion between bodies. For example, a slider joint
will impose 5 constraints so that only one translational motion is allowed between bodies. If one of the
bodies is a ground body, the other body (slider) will slide back and forth along the given direction (joint
axis), specified by the slider joint. The arrow in Figure 1-15a signifies the translational dof that the
connection allows. Therefore, there is only one degree of freedom left in this two-body mechanism. In
most motion models, you can determine their degrees of freedom using the following formula:

D = 6M – N (1.3)
Slider Joint
where D is the degrees of (Piston/Ground)
freedom of the mechanism, M is
number of bodies not including
the ground body, and N is the Ground Body
number of constraints imposed
Shaft Body (Crank)
by all connections.

For example, the engine shown Piston Body (Slider)

in Figure 1-16 consists of four
bodies, two pin joints, 1 slider Pin Joint
joint, and 1 bearing joint. Pin, (Piston/Rod)
slider, and bearing joints impose
5, 5, and 2 constraints, LCS of
respectively, to the mechanism. Crank
According to Eq. 1.3, the
Pin Joint
degrees of freedom of the
(Crank/Rod)
engine is
Connecting Rod Body
D = 6×(4−1) − 2×5 − 1×5 − 1×2 Bearing Joint (Crank/Ground)
=1
Driver (Crank)
In this example, if the bearing
joint is replaced by a pin joint,
the degrees of freedom becomes Figure 1-16 A Complete Motion Model In Exploded View
1-10 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

D = 6×(4−1) − 3×5 − 1×5 = −2

Mechanisms should not have negative degrees of freedom. When using a pin joint instead of a bearing,
you have defined joints that impose redundant constraints. You always want to eliminate the redundant
constraints in your motion model. The challenge is to find the joints that will impose non-redundant
constraints and still allow the intended motion. Examples included in this book should give you some
ideas on choosing proper joints.

Loads

Loads are used to drive a mechanism. Physically, loads are

produced by motors, springs, dampers, gravity, tires, etc. A
load entity in Motion is represented by the symbol shown in Figure 1-17 The Load Symbol
Figure 1-17.

Note that a load can be applied to a body, a point in a body, a

joint axis, or between two points in different bodies. Symbols
of loads applied to joint axis and between two points are
shown in Figure 1-18. Applied to joint axis

Drivers Point-to-Point Load

Figure 1-18 Symbols of Special Load
Drivers are used to drive a joint axis with a particular motion,
either translational or rotational. Drivers are specified as
functions of time. The driver symbol is shown in Figure 1-19.
Note that a driver must be defined along a movable axis of the
joint you select. Otherwise, no motion will occur. When Joint Axes
properly defined, drivers will account for the remaining dof's
of the mechanism calculated using Eq. 1.3.
Driver
An example of a complete motion model is shown in Figure
1-16. In this engine example, 26 Pro/ENGINEER parts are
grouped into four bodies. In addition, 4 joints plus a driver are
defined for kinematic analysis. Figure 1-19 Symbols of Driver

Types of Mechanism Analyses

There are five analysis types supported in Motion: assembly analysis, velocity analysis, static analysis,
kinetostatics (inverse dynamics), and motion (kinematics and forward dynamics).

The assembly analysis that puts the mechanism together, as illustrated in Figure 1-20, is performed before
any other type of analysis. The assembly analysis determines an initial configuration of the mechanism
based on the body geometry, joints, and initial conditions of bodies. The points chosen for defining joints
will be brought to within a small tolerance.

Velocity analysis is similar to assembly analysis but matches part velocities, instead of positions. Velocity
analysis ensures that all prescribed velocities of points, including initial conditions are satisfied. Velocity
analysis is also computed to within a tolerance. An example of the velocity analysis is shown in Figure 1-
21.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-11

Static analysis is used to find the rest position (equilibrium condition) of a mechanism, in which none of
the bodies are moving. Static analysis is related to mechanical advantage, for example, how much load
can be resisted by a driving motor. A simple example of the static analysis is shown in Figure 1-22.

Figure 1-20 Assembly Analysis

ω = ? rpm

ω = 200 rpm k1 K2
V=?
m
g

Figure 1-21 Velocity Analysis Figure 1-22 Static Analysis

Kinetostatics is used to find desired driving loads that produce the prescribed motion of a mechanism. A
typical kinetostatic analysis is illustrated in Figure 1-23.

Forward dynamic analysis is used to study the motion in response to loads, as illustrated in Figure 1-24.
This is the most complicated and common, but time-consuming analysis.

Input: Output:
Prescribed Motion ω(t) Resulting Motion ω(t)
Output: Input:
Driving Load p(t) Driving Load p(t)

ω p(t) ω p(t)

Figure 1-23 Kinetostatic Analysis Figure 1-24 Forward Dynamic Analysis

Viewing Results

In Motion, results of the motion analysis can be realized using animations, graphs, reports, and queries.
Animations show the configuration of the mechanism in consecutive time frames. Animations will give
1-12 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

you a global view on how the mechanism behaves, as shown in Figure 1-25. You may choose a joint or a
point to generate a graph on, for example, velocity vs. time.

The graph in Figure 1-26 shows the angular position of a simple pendulum example (Lesson 2 or 3).
These graphs give you a quantitative understanding on the behavior of the mechanism. You may also pick
a joint or point to query the results of your interest at a specific time frame. In addition, you may ask
Motion for a report that includes a complete set of results output in the form of numerical data.

In addition to the capabilities discussed above, Motion allows you to check interference between bodies
during motion. Furthermore, the reaction forces calculated can be converted to support structural analysis
using Pro/MECHANICA Structure.

Figure 1-25 Motion Animation

Figure 1-26 Result Graph (Independent Mode)
1.5 Mechanism Design Using Motion

The ultimate goal of using Motion is searching for better design alternatives. The design study capabilities
available in Motion will help you achieve your design objectives following a systematic approach,
including both local and global sensitivity studies, and optimization.

The overall design process using Motion is shown in Figure 1-27. After creating motion model,
performing initial motion analyses, and reviewing the results, you may identify the performance of the
mechanism you want Motion to improve.

In order for Motion to search for better designs, you must define a design problem. A design problem
must include (i) measures that monitor the performance of the mechanism, and (ii) design variables or
design parameters that characterize the changes you intend to make. Motion will search for designs that
achieve the desired measure values by varying the design variables (or design parameters) you defined.
Motion provides both sensitivity study and optimization capabilities for achieving better designs.

A global sensitivity study calculates the changes in the measure values when you vary a parameter over a
specified range. Motion provides graph results for global sensitivity by plotting the measures in a
parameter range. For example, Figure 1-28 shows the global sensitivity of the maximum slider velocity of
a slider-crank mechanism (Lesson 5) with respect to the crank length d2. The global sensitivity study
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-13

provides you with a global view on how the Motion Model

motion model is supposed to behave when
you vary a single parameter in a prescribed
range.
Design Problem
A local sensitivity study calculates the Definition
sensitivity of your model’s measures to a
slight change, plus or minus 0.05%, in one or
more design variables (or design parameters). Motion Analysis
Motion will report you the numerical values
of each measure’s sensitivity with respect to
the parameters. The advantage of the local
sensitivity study is that it allows you to Yes
combine changes in more than one Stop Satisfactory Design Change
parameter. ?
No
Both studies should point you to a direction
for design changes that will improve the Global
performance of your mechanism. With such Sensitivity Study
an understanding, you may decide on a set of or Local
new parameter values and update your
motion model for a new motion analysis.
You may repeat this process until a
Optimization
satisfactory design is obtained.

Sensitivity studies help you understand how Figure 1-27 Design Process in Motion
parameter changes affect your model.
Ultimately, you want to find the combination
of parameter values that give you the best
possible design. In an optimization study,
Motion searches for an optimal design by
adjusting one or more parameters to best
achieve prescribed goal and constraint
functions through an iterative process.

The goal (or objective) involves minimizing

or maximizing measures that represent the
most desired motion performance. At the
same time, constraint functions defined by
measures are retained within desired limits.

The optimization study is performed in a

batch mode, i.e., you will let Motion take
over all the design decision-makings. An
optimal design, if exists, will be determined
by Motion automatically. More details on
design studies will be discussed in later
lessons.

Figure 1-28 Global Sensitivity Graph (Integrated Mode)

1-14 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

1.6 Motion Examples

Various motion examples will be introduced in the following lessons to illustrate step-by-step details of
modeling, analysis, and design capabilities in Motion. You will learn from these examples both
Independent and Integrated modes, as well as analysis and design capabilities in Motion. We will start
with a simple pendulum example in the Integrated mode. This example will give you a quick start and a
brief overview on Motion. Lessons 2 through 8 focus on analysis and design of regular mechanisms.
Lessons 2, 4, 5 use Integrated mode; and lessons 3, 6, 7, and 8 discuss Independent mode of Motion.
Design studies will be introduced in Lessons 5 and 7 for sensitivity and optimization studies, respectively.
All examples and key subjects to be discussed in each lesson are summarized in the following table.

Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn

2 A Simple Particle 1. This lesson gives quick run-through
Pendulum⎯ Dynamics of modeling and analysis capabilities
Integrated Mode in the Integrated mode of Motion.
2. You will learn the general process of
using Motion to construct a motion
model, run analysis, and visualize the
motion analysis results.
3 A Simple Particle 1. The same simple pendulum example
Pendulum⎯ Dynamics is modeled and analyzed in the
Independent Independent mode of Motion.
Mode 2. You will learn the general process of
using Independent mode of Motion.
3. You will also learn the main
differences between these two modes.
4 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. The lesson uses a more general
Mechanism⎯ Kinematic mechanism to discuss joint types,
Initial Assembly Analysis initial assembly analysis, and
and Motion kinematic analysis.
Analyses 2. You will learn more about joints and
drivers, perform initial assembly
analysis, and use Motion and
analytical method for motion analysis.
5 A Slider Crank Design of 1. The lesson introduces design study
Mechanism⎯ Kinematics of capabilities in Motion, including local
Design Study Mechanisms and global sensitivity studies.
2. You will learn how to define design
parameters and measures, conduct
design studies, and visualize the
design study results.
6 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. The lesson discusses modeling and
Mechanism⎯ Kinematic and analysis of the same slider-crank
Independent Dynamic mechanism using Independent mode.
Mode and Analyses 2. You will learn more capabilities in the
Dynamic Independent mode, such as defining
Analysis mass primitives, defining and editing
joint types, defining force for dynamic
analysis, etc.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-15

Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn

7 A Slider Crank Optimization 1. The lesson discusses how to define
Mechanism⎯ Design Study and run an optimization design study,
Optimization plus visualize optimization results.
Design Study
8 Multiple Multibody 1. The lesson introduces multibody
Pendulum Dynamic dynamic analysis in the Independent
Analysis mode.
2. You will learn how to create joints,
loads, and measures for constructing
the multibody system using
subassembly capability.
3. You will also learn how to model
impact phenomena using force entities
supported in Motion.
1-16 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

NOTES:
 PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Estimated time: 2 hrs

Exercise 1

Sensitivity and Optimization Studies

Introduction

The purpose of the optimisation study is to help the designer in optimising predetermined
design parameters as a function of known measures, such as Von Mises stress or
maximum displacement for a specific goal (i.e. minimise total mass). Your knowledge of
stress analysis comes in handy here, as the software cannot do all the work in the
optimisation process. There are a few more tasks involved than just clicking the
“optimise my model” button. Consequently, the designer has to take the optimisation
from the start to a certain stage, and then let the software (Pro/Mechanica®) take over for
the final optimization steps.

An optimisation study is divided into two main phases:

• Design phase I uses a static analysis combined with local sensitivity and global
sensitivity studies in Pro/Mechanica®. In this phase, the finite element analyst uses
Pro/E WILDFIRE to set design parameters. A design parameter is used by the
Pro/Mechanica® studies as a variable for measures. The measures also have to be
determined by the analyst.

1. The main objective of a local sensitivity study is to look at changes of the

measures (most likely Von Mises stress) for small variations of each design
parameter (+ 1%) independently.
2. The objective of the global sensitivity study is to look at the variations of all
parameters, within their respective range, into each step of the process as defined
by the user.

• Design phase II completes the optimisation of the part according to your design
objectives (goals). All parameters are optimised concurrently. A goal could be to
minimise the total mass or the total costs of a model. There are also other goals that
can be defined in the optimisation study.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

In Pro/E WILDFIRE® In Pro/Mechanica®

Create part, Create FEA modelling

Start features & set entities (shells)
parameters

Assign design
parameters

Assign boundary
conditions to model

Create and Run a local sensitivity

study. (Then analyse results)

Create and Run a global sensitivity

study. (Then analyse results)

Set up and run an optimization

study (determine goal)

Figure 1: Overview of Design Optimization Study

As you can appreciate, an optimization study is a lot of work. So let’s get right to it.

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Overview

This exercise will demonstrate the know-how and uses of sensitivity, global and
optimisation studies in Pro/Mechanica. A simple plate with two circular notches will be
used for the model. A shell mid-plane compression idealisation will be used to model the
plate for FEA; and a combination of triangular and quadrilateral shell elements will be
used for the mesh. The procedure is as follows:

1. Create (Open) the part in Pro/Engineer and create the shell mid-plane compression
idealisation in Pro/Mechanica;
2. Create the mesh and boundary conditions (loads and constraints);
3. Run an analysis (quick check) to make sure that the model converges to a solution;
while establishing a preliminary goal, with respect to a measure (Von Mises stress);
4. Set up design parameters for the preliminary design study;
5. Run a local sensitivity study and select parameters that have an effect on the measures
pre-determined;
6. Run a global sensitivity study on selected parameters and find the parameter value
(maximum or minimum) that has the greatest effect on the measure;
7. Run an optimisation study for the above parameters, setting the starting point of the
study using the findings of point #6 above. Optimise for your design objective(s).
The design objective for this case is to minimise the mass of the plate.

The following figure shows the model that will be used for the study. It is a simple plate
with two notched cuts located 6 in. from the left end. The loads are applied at the tip of
the right end of the plate, while the left end is constrained.

500 lbs

500 lbs

Figure 2: Notched cantilever plate

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Our design objectives are to optimise the location and radius of the notch with respect to
the left end of the plate. We will also look at plate thickness and optimise all three
parameters above for the total mass, using the Von Mises stresses as the measure.

Procedure

Phase 1: Preliminary Optimisation Work

Please refer to the model represented in Figure 2. It is a flat bar made of steel. Even
though a simple model, it will illustrate the entire procedure of the optimization study.
First, it is important to understand what our objectives are for the optimization study, as it
may help you understand better each step involved in the process. Consequently, let’s
define our objectives and determine the measure to be studied for the selected design
parameters. Table 1 gives an overview of the objectives for this study.

TABLE 1: OPTIMISATION OBJECTIVES, MEASURES AND DESIGN PARAMETERS

Design Parameters to be optimized
Optimisation Measure to
Goal be used for Name Description Initial value
optimization (in.)

Minimise weight Von Mises Cut_length Dimension from

of the part stress left edge to cut 6
Cut_radius Notch radius .25
thickness Plate thickness .25

It is important keep the above objective, design parameters and measure(s) in mind as we
move throughout the procedures of the optimisation study.

Part A: Building the model and the design parameters

Before you start the procedures below, create a directory named ‘opt_study’ using
Microsoft Explorer®. Move the part named notch_flatbar.prt to that directory.

1. Start up Pro/E WILDFIRE

Details on how to do this are different from system to system. For a typical Windows
platform, select Start > Programs > Proewildfire
(It takes 30 seconds approximately for Pro/Engineer to start.)

Set up your working directory. (File > Set Working Directory)

Select your working directory ‘opt_study,’ then click on Accept.

14
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

2. Open the following part: notched_flatbar

Once open, the following part should show up on your screen.

Figure 3: Notch_flatbar.prt (bar dimensions: 3″ X 12″ X 1/4″)

3. Modifying dimension cosmetics

Before we go to Pro/Mechanica, we will modify the dimension cosmetics in Pro/Engineer

for ease of recognising each optimized design parameter during the process. From the
model tree, select NOTCH_CUT and right mouse click on it to select Edit. At this time
the dimensions for the feature should show up on the screen. From the filter at the
bottom right corner of the screen, select dimensions.

- Select the R.25 dimension and right mouse click on it to select properties. From
the window that comes up (see below), change the dimension text name to
cut_radius.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure 4

Select OK. Repeat same procedure as above for the 6.00 dimension. This time change
the dimension text name to cut_length as shown below.

Figure 5

Select OK. Edit the feature FLAT_BAR (select it from the model tree and right click on
it and select Edit). Change the .25 dimension text name as shown below to thickness.

16
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Figure 6

Select OK.

This completes the Pro/E WILDFIRE portion of the exercise. Next we go to

Pro/Mechanica and

4. Creating Shell Mid-surface Compression

Select Applications > Mechanica > Continue. Then from the right menu select
Structure > Model > idealizations > Shells > Midsurface > New

Holding down the CTRL key, first select one of the faces of the plate, and then select the
other face (then release the CTRL key and middle button mouse click). To make sure
that the compression of the shells works, select Compress > shells only > show
compress, and you should see the yellow colour contour of the part on the screen as
shown below.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure 7: Notched plate shell model

Select Done-Return > Done Return.

5. Assign materials

The plate is made of standard ASTM A-36 steel (36 ksi yield strength). Select Materials
and the following window will come up.

Figure 8

18
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Select steel off the left column and click on the arrow to move in under the Materials in
Model column. Click on Assign > Parts and select the plate. Click on the middle mouse
button to accept. Click on Close.

6. Meshing of the part

We will keep the all default shell elements and settings that AutoGEM will create. Select
AutoGEM from the right menu, the following dialog box comes up on your screen.

Figure 9

Select create. The following confirmation of elements box should come up after about 5
seconds.

Figure 10

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Note that five triangular and 8 quadrilateral elements have been created. Select Close.
Use the display setting to shrink all elements to 10%. Your window should then look as
follows:

Figure 11: Meshed Notched Plate

The mesh looks adequate for further analysis. Select Close and answer yes to saving the
mesh.

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

7. Assignment of boundary conditions to the model

7.1 Loads

The end load has 500 lbs in both the X and Y directions, as shown in an
earlier figure. We will set this load as and edge load. Create the following
curve/edge loads and constraints on the part.
Select Loads > New > Edge-Curve (or click on the corresponding icon)
Enter information as seen below.

Figure 12: Force/Moment Definition Box

Note: For Reference-curves, click on the arrow and select the right vertical edge
from the model.

Click on OK. Set to simulation display to tails touching. The model should now show
as follows:

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

This edge for loads

Figure 13: Notched Plate showing end load

7.2 Constraints

The plate is basically a cantilever beam with the left end being fixed. To apply
the end constraints, select Model > Constraints > New > Edge-Curve (or
click on the corresponding icon)

22
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Fill in and select the appropriate information from the dialogue box below.

Figure 14: Constraint Definition Box

Note: For Reference-curves, click on the arrow and select the left vertical edge
from the model.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Keep all DOF fixed (translations and rotations). Click on OK. The plate FEA model
should now look as follows:

This edge for constraints

Figure 15: Boundary conditions of the notched plate.

8. Create the static analysis

8.1 Quick Check

Create and run a quick check-no convergence analysis named static_1 (see from below)
to make sure that you can get to a solution. Select Analyses/studies so the
corresponding dialog box comes up. Then File > New Static and enter information as
shown below:

24
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Figure 16

Select OK. Then select the analysis and right mouse click on it to select Start. Answer
yes to do you want error detection? Right mouse click to Status and make sure that you
can get to a solution. Once the run is completed, double-check your analysis results with
the figure below:

Figure 17: Status summary File (quick check)

Select Close.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

STOP
You will know that the model completed the solution by seeing Run Completed at the
bottom of the summary file. Results are not important at this point, we just want to make
sure that the model can get to a solution.

8.2 Multi-pass Adaptive convergence

Next Edit the quick check analysis (right mouse click on it and select Edit). Enter
information as seen in the box below.

Figure 18: Static Analysis Definition (Multi-Pass Adaptive)

Select OK then Run the analysis. Answer yes to do you want error detection?
Select Status and make sure that you can get to a solution by showing Run
Completed at the bottom of the status window.

26
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

The solution converges within 10% in 3 passes. Check your status window with the
one shown below:

Figure 19: Status Summary File

8.3 Results of static analysis

Check out the results, record the max Von Mises stress off the summary window. The
analysis should converge after 6 passes and the VM stress results should be around 1.86
X 104 psi Select Close > Close. Select results and create the maximumVon Mises
stress definition sheet as follows:

Click on this icon named ‘Insert a new definition.’

Figure 20

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Fill out result definition window as follows:

Figure 21: a) Quantity Tab b) Display Options Tab

Select OK and Show. Animate the part to make sure that it behaves, as we would expect
it to, given the current loads and constraints.

Movement
direction is
down and
to the right.

Figure 22: Static Analysis Von Mises Stress results

28
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Once you are satisfied, Select File > Exit Results > No.

STOP
Important: We must make sense of the above results before we go to the optimization.
Ask yourself the following question:
• Are the maximum VM stresses above the material design stress that we want to use?
Say (Sy/1.5) for static? If they are, there is no need really for an optimization study to
minimise weight right?
But let’s say that we want to use steel with (Sy = 36 ksi).
Then our design stress is 36/1.5 = 24 ksi.
The difference in value of (24 ksi - our results 18.6 = 5.4 ksi) is an important design
criteria. If this number is greater than 1 and less than 10 ksi, then this leaves us some
room for weight optimization using this material, without wasting our time.

Note that phase 1 of the optimization demands a lot out of the user (from knowledge and
experience). The software cannot make the preliminary design decisions for us. For
instance, we may want to change the thickness of the plate, say 5/16″ and rerun the
analysis to give us some more room to maneuver from an optimization standpoint. For
the sake of this example, let’s keep the thickness at 1/4″.

Phase 1 (continued)

Part B: Local Sensitivity study

Recall:

1. The objective of a local sensitivity study is to look at small changes of the measures
(in our case Von Mises stresses) for small independent variations of each design
parameters used (+ 1 to 2%).
2. Our design parameters for this study, as defined earlier in Pro/E WILDFIRE are: plate
thickness, the cut location with respect to the left edge and the cut radius.

Procedure

1. From the Pro/Mechanica menu select Model > dsgncontrols > Design params >
Create and select the type dimension (as shown below).

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure 23

2. Click on select and click on the cut (notch). Select the .25″ radius of the cut and
enter the text shown below. Note the values entered for the minimum and
maximum are set at approximately plus and minus a few percent only of the
nominal value as we are only interested at this stage in the effect of the small
changes of the parameter on VM stress or how ‘sensitive’ the parameter is to the
measure.

Figure 24: Design Parameter 1 Definition

Click on Accept.

3. Repeat same procedure for the cut_length and plate thickness (see below for values
to be entered).

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

• For cut length, select the 6″ dimension and enter 5.9 and 6.1 for the
minimum and maximum values as shown below.

Figure 25: Design Parameter 2 Definition

• For the thickness, select the .25 inch dimension and enter .24 and .26 for
minimum and maximum values as shown below.

Figure 26: Design Parameter 3 Definition

Click on Accept, once all parameters have been defined; the design parameters window
should look as follows.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure 27

Click on done when completed.

4. To make sure of the effect of our parameters. Play around with the shape animate
under the dsgncontrols menu. Select the parameter cut length and change the
minimum and maximum values to 4 and 8 (as seen below).

Figure 28: Shape Animation Definition Window

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

5. Click on animate and answer yes to all the prompts, at the same time, check the
movement of the feature on the screen. Repeat procedure for each parameter
independently or animate as a group.

6. Once completed with the animation of the parameters, select Done off the animate
window.

7. Create a design study as shown below. Select Analyses/design studies. Select File
> New design Study. Make the following selections for the study:

• Select local sensitivity study from the analysis menu and name it:
loc_sens_stud1.
• Check off all three parameters previously defined.
• For settings, select the nominal dimension value for each of our
previously defined parameter in Pro/Engineer i.e. 6″, .25″ and .25″.
• Select static_1 under analysis.

Figure 29: Design Study Definition Window

Select Accept.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

8. Run the local sensitivity created above. With the design study selected, click on
Run.

Figure 30

Answer yes to “Do you want error detection?” It takes approximately two to three
minutes for the analysis to complete. Verify your status window to the one below shown
below:

Begin Sensitivity Analysis, Parameter: cut_radius

Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Calculating Element Equations (19:29:54)

Total Number of Equations: 492
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (19:29:58)
Post-Processing Solution (19:29:59)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (19:30:04)

RMS Stress Error Estimates:

Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str

------------- --------------- ------------------------
LoadSet1 4.27e+03 21.2% of 2.02e+04

Resource Check (19:30:06)

Elapsed Time (sec): 482.15
CPU Time (sec): 6.95
Memory Usage (kb): 167396
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 0

Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (19:30:06)

Derivatives of Measures for Analysis: notch_plate_static

With Respect to Parameter: cut_radius

total_cost: 0.000000e+00
total_mass: -1.132648e-01
com_x: 2.960725e-08
com_y: -5.787104e-09
com_z: 0.000000e+00
inertia_xx: -2.033609e-01
inertia_xy: 3.912722e-08
inertia_xz: 0.000000e+00

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

inertia_yy: -3.683823e-03
inertia_yz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_zz: -2.070448e-01

Load Set: LoadSet1

max_beam_bending: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_tensile: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_torsion: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_total: 0.000000e+00
max_disp_mag: 1.432914e-05
max_disp_x: 3.515730e-06
max_disp_y: -1.391126e-05
max_disp_z: 0.000000e+00
max_prin_mag: 2.998970e+04
max_rot_mag: 2.394071e-06
max_rot_x: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_y: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_z: -2.394071e-06
max_stress_prin: 2.998970e+04
max_stress_vm: 2.950060e+04
max_stress_xx: 2.971161e+04
max_stress_xy: -1.168241e+04
max_stress_xz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_yy: -2.327032e+02
max_stress_yz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_zz: 0.000000e+00
min_stress_prin: -2.324522e+04
strain_energy: 3.496831e-03

Begin Sensitivity Analysis, Parameter: cut_length

Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Calculating Element Equations (19:54:04)

Total Number of Equations: 492
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (19:55:07)
Post-Processing Solution (19:55:45)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (19:56:41)

RMS Stress Error Estimates:

Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str

------------- --------------- ------------------------
LoadSet1 4.34e+03 21.9% of 1.98e+04

Resource Check (19:58:47)

Elapsed Time (sec): 2200.55
CPU Time (sec): 10.02
Memory Usage (kb): 168484
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 0

Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (19:59:49)

Derivatives of Measures for Analysis: notch_plate_static

With Respect to Parameter: cut_length

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

total_cost: 0.000000e+00
total_mass: 6.043610e-10
com_x: -5.484068e-03
com_y: -1.227412e-09
com_z: 0.000000e+00
inertia_xx: -4.448353e-09
inertia_xy: -8.720819e-09
inertia_xz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_yy: -1.387973e-04
inertia_yz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_zz: -1.388018e-04

Load Set: LoadSet1

max_beam_bending: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_tensile: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_torsion: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_total: 0.000000e+00
max_disp_mag: -5.465288e-07
max_disp_x: -2.288639e-08
max_disp_y: 5.525955e-07
max_disp_z: 0.000000e+00
max_prin_mag: -2.787973e+03
max_rot_mag: 3.250554e-08
max_rot_x: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_y: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_z: -3.250554e-08
max_stress_prin: -2.787973e+03
max_stress_vm: -2.936599e+03
max_stress_xx: -2.902010e+03
max_stress_xy: 4.588746e+02
max_stress_xz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_yy: 4.885327e+01
max_stress_yz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_zz: 0.000000e+00
min_stress_prin: 4.651636e+03
strain_energy: -1.340397e-04

Begin Sensitivity Analysis, Parameter: thickness

Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Calculating Element Equations (20:07:32)

Total Number of Equations: 492
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (20:07:40)
Post-Processing Solution (20:07:42)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (20:07:43)

RMS Stress Error Estimates:

Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str

------------ --------------- ------------------------
LoadSet1 4.18e+03 21.9% of 1.91e+04

Resource Check (20:07:45)

Elapsed Time (sec): 2741.65
CPU Time (sec): 12.50

36
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Memory Usage (kb): 168484

Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 0

Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (20:07:47)

Derivatives of Measures for Analysis: notch_plate_static

With Respect to Parameter: thickness

total_cost: 0.000000e+00
total_mass: 1.012423e+01
com_x: -3.509118e-14
com_y: -2.488438e-15
com_z: 0.000000e+00
inertia_xx: 7.526698e+00
inertia_xy: 2.972349e-08
inertia_xz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_yy: 1.221562e+02
inertia_yz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_zz: 1.296829e+02

Load Set: LoadSet1

max_beam_bending: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_tensile: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_torsion: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_total: 0.000000e+00
max_disp_mag: -1.897407e-04
max_disp_x: -3.682606e-05
max_disp_y: 1.861326e-04
max_disp_z: 0.000000e+00
max_prin_mag: -7.643958e+04
max_rot_mag: -2.339174e-05
max_rot_x: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_y: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_z: 2.339174e-05
max_stress_prin: -7.643958e+04
max_stress_vm: -7.167290e+04
max_stress_xx: -7.621604e+04
max_stress_xy: 1.593076e+04
max_stress_xz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_yy: -1.764033e+04
max_stress_yz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_zz: 0.000000e+00
min_stress_prin: 6.959613e+04
strain_energy: -4.719402e-02

Use Results to plot measures.

------------------------------------------------------------

Memory and Disk Usage:

Machine Type: Windows NT/x86

RAM Allocation for Solver (megabytes): 128.0

Total Elapsed Time (seconds): 2776.18

Total CPU Time (seconds): 13.40
Maximum Memory Usage (kilobytes): 168484
Working Directory Disk Usage (kilobytes): 0
Total Elapsed Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
1420.12
Total Engine Elapsed Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):

37
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

1356.06
Total CPU Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
1.58
Total Engine CPU Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):
11.82

Results Directory Size (kilobytes):

386 .\loc_sens_study1

------------------------------------------------------------
Run Completed
Sat Apr 05, 2003 20:08:23
------------------------------------------------------------

Figure 31: Status Summary File for local sensitivity study (partial)

9. Select Close > Close. Select Results and create the maximumVon Mises stress
definition sheet as follows:

Click on this icon named ‘Insert a new definition.’

Figure 32

Let’s create results graph plotting each design parameter versus the Von Mises stress
measure. Under results, create three windows, one for each parameter defined. Name
the first result window the following: Vm_thickness. Fill out and make appropriate
selections as shown.

Figure 33: Result Window Definition (Thickness)

38
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

10. Next, select maxvmstress as a measure and select Design Var from the Graph
location. Click on the select (coloured) icon from the quantity row and select
max_stress_vm as seen below:

Figure 34

39
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Select Accept. Click on the arrow icon and select the parameter thickness as shown:

Figure 35

Select Accept and OK. Repeat the procedure above to create two additional result
graphs, as shown below.

Figure 36: Result Window Definition (Cut length)

40
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Select OK. Create a new result window as shown:

Figure 37: Result Window Definition (Cut radius)

Select OK. Select View > Display and select all three windows as shown:

Figure 38

Select OK. The three result graphs should come up on your screen.

11. View and understand results presented in the three graphs below, look at the
variation of the VM stress vs each parameter. Establish the relationship between
each measure and the Von Mises stresses.

41
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure 39: Local Sensitivity Study Parameter Results

12. Analyse how sensitive each parameter is to the Von Mises stresses. With the results
shown, you should come to the following conclusions:

That the VM stress is sensitive to all parameters.

This was the main objective of the local sensitivity study. So we will carry all three
parameters into the next phase. Please note that should the VM stress not be sensitive to
one of the parameter, we would not carry it on any further in the optimization study.
Select File > Exit Results > No.

42
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Phase 1 (Continued)

Part C: Global sensitivity study

Recall:
1. The objective of the global sensitivity study is to look at the variations of all
parameters into each step of the process as defined by the user.

Procedure

1. In Pro/Mechanica, Go back to dsgn controls > design parameters and the

following window should come up on your screen.

Figure 40

Select Review. Review each parameter and change the minimum and maximum
values to the following magnitudes.

Note that in practice, the designer would set these values as he has an understanding of
the model by now.

43
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

For modifying the parameter cut length, select cut_length > Review. The following
window will come up:

Figure 41

Modify minimum values to 4 and 6 as shown. Click on Accept. Repeat procedure for
the other design parameters, values to be entered are shown in the following table:

TABLE 2: DESIGN PARAMETERS

Design parameter Minimum Current Maximum
Cut_length (in.) 4 6 8
Thickness (in.) .135 .25 .375
Cut_radius (in.) .1 .25 .5

Click on Done when you have completed all design parameters.

2. Next, create a design study called:glob_sens_stud1. Select Analyses/Design

Studies and fill out the design study sheet as shown with the following settings:

• Select global sensitivity under type;

• Under analysis, select anlys_1 (static);
• For the parameters: set as seen on the figure below;
• Set the number of intervals to 6 for this analysis.
• Do not check repeat P-loop convergence for this analysis (saves time).

44
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Figure 42

Note that the minimum and maximum values are set to minimise the plate weight as
the study progresses according to the results of the local sensitivity study:
loc_sens_stud1. Select Accept.

45
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

3. Run the design study by selecting the design study and click on Run. (Answer yes to
‘Do you want error detection?’) It takes approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Take a
well-deserved break. If you want to follow the analysis, click on the status icon:

Figure 43: Status Summary File (global sensitivity study)

Once the analysis is completed, check the last step (step 11) with the partial status file
below:

Sensitivity Step 11 of 11

Parameters:
cut_radius 0.5
cut_length 8
thickness 0.135

Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Convergence Loop Log: (21:49:36)

>> Pass 1 <<

Calculating Element Equations (21:49:36)
Total Number of Equations: 330
Maximum Edge Order: 1
Solving Equations (21:49:37)
Post-Processing Solution (21:49:37)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (21:49:37)
Checking Convergence (21:49:37)
Elements Not Converged: 51
Edges Not Converged: 107
Local Disp/Energy Index: 100.0%
Global RMS Stress Index: 100.0%

46
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Resource Check (21:49:37)

Elapsed Time (sec): 2951.92
CPU Time (sec): 59.03
Memory Usage (kb): 166628
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 2048

>> Pass 2 <<

Calculating Element Equations (21:49:38)
Total Number of Equations: 966
Maximum Edge Order: 2
Solving Equations (21:49:38)
Post-Processing Solution (21:49:38)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (21:49:38)
Checking Convergence (21:49:39)
Elements Not Converged: 33
Edges Not Converged: 106
Local Disp/Energy Index: 100.0%
Global RMS Stress Index: 67.3%
Resource Check (21:49:39)
Elapsed Time (sec): 2953.28
CPU Time (sec): 60.14
Memory Usage (kb): 166628
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 2048

>> Pass 3 <<

Calculating Element Equations (21:49:39)
Total Number of Equations: 1734
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (21:49:39)
Post-Processing Solution (21:49:40)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (21:49:40)
Checking Convergence (21:49:41)
Elements Not Converged: 0
Edges Not Converged: 0
Local Disp/Energy Index: 7.6%
Global RMS Stress Index: 4.5%
RMS Stress Error Estimates:
Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str
------------ ------------ -----------------------
LoadSet1 3.74e+03 12.0% of 3.12e+04
Resource Check (21:49:41)
Elapsed Time (sec): 2955.73
CPU Time (sec): 61.43
Memory Usage (kb): 166628
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 2048
The analysis converged to within 10% on
edge displacement, element strain energy,
and global RMS stress.
Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (21:49:42)
Completed Global Sensitivity Study
Use Results to plot measures.
------------------------------------------------------------
Memory and Disk Usage:
Machine Type: Windows NT/x86
RAM Allocation for Solver (megabytes): 128.0
Total Elapsed Time (seconds): 2956.72
Total CPU Time (seconds): 61.84
Maximum Memory Usage (kilobytes): 166628
Working Directory Disk Usage (kilobytes): 2048
Total Elapsed Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
2647.64
Total Engine Elapsed Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):

47
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

309.08
Total CPU Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
4.88
Total Engine CPU Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):
56.96
Results Directory Size (kilobytes):
789 .\glob_sens_stud_stat1
Maximum Data Base Working File Sizes (kilobytes):
2048 .\glob_sens_stud_stat1.tmp\kel1.bas
------------------------------------------------------------
Run Completed
Sat Apr 05, 2003 21:49:43
------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 44: Status Summary File (Partial) – global sensitivity study

Select Close > Close.

Results

Select results
Select Results and create the maximumVon Mises stress definition sheet as follows:

Click on this icon named ‘Insert a new definition.’

Figure 45

Create and show the design parameter graphs, similar to the ones for the local sensitivity
study. The three result windows are presented below.

48
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Figure 46: Result Window Definition (Thickness)

The First result window is titled: vm_thickness_gss. Fill out definition sheet as shown
above, then select OK. Create a second result definition window as follows.

Figure 47: Result Window Definition (Cut length)

The second result window is titled: vm_stress_cut_length_gss. Fill out definition sheet as
shown above, then select OK. Similarly , create a third definition window titled:
VM_cut_radius_gss. Select the radius as the design variable and Select OK. Select
View > Display and select all three windows (as shown).

49
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure 48

Select OK. The three result graphs should come up on your screen as shown below.

Figure 49: Local Sensitivity Study Results

The intent here is to find the best combination of parameters that will be carried on to the
final optimization study. What conclusions do you come to with regards to each design
parameter as a function of our measure (the Von Mises Stress)?

50
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Your conclusion looking at the results above should be the following. That for minimum
VM stress, we need the following:

• maximum thickness,
• maximum cut length and;
• minimum cut radius.

I know, these results may be evident to us strength of materials expert, but in practice of
other design projects, it may not be so easy to get to them. We suggest carrying this
procedure for any project regardless of your expertise and confidence, especially for
larger assemblies and design parameters that the effects on the measure are unknown.
This will minimise the optimization time in all cases!

Phase 2: The Optimization study on Total Mass

We now can move to the final phase of optimization. Let’s review what we have done so
far:
1. With our knowledge of the model and boundary conditions, we determined the
parameters that we wish to optimize on for minimum weight design.
2. We ran a static analysis to determine if our material of choice actually will fit the
application and the study.
3. We ran a local sensitivity study on each parameter to see the effects of VM stress
as the parameter is modified slightly;
4. We ran a global sensitivity study (minimum and maximum values set by the
designer) to look at the best possible combination of parameters that will lead to
our optimized design.
5. We then concluded by selecting parameter values that will minimize the VM
stress.

Now, let’s perform the steps for the final optimization.

Procedure

1. Create a design study of type:optimization study named: opt_study_1. Select

Design Studies and make the following settings: (see procedures on figure
below).

Select Design Study and enter the following information:

51
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

24000

These are pre-determined

from our global sensitivity study,
Type in our design stress value (psi).
Click on create and select Max_stress_vm from the list.

Set to 10 for this exercise

but suggest a minimum of 15 in practice.

Figure 50: Optimization Study Definition

2. Run the design study. This may take a while. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
The study should go through 5 optimization passes. Check the status file and
compare it to the one shown below. Locate the following results on your status
file and write them down here:

• Goal (Minimum mass of the model): __________

• Optimized thickness: __________
• Optimized cut_length: __________
• Optimized cut_radius: ___________

52
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Figure 51: Status Summary File (partial) – Optimization Study

Select Close > Close.

Results

We can create and plot the graphs to visualise the different parameters as a function of
mass and Von Mises stresses. Though we will only show a few result windows for this
part of the exercise, there are a lot for the finite element analyst to play around with in
this section.

Select Results. Once the empty window comes up, Click on this icon named ‘Insert a
new definition.’

Figure 52

Create the following two windows:

53
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

From the result window, click on select; and select the max_vm stress as a measure as
seen below:

Figure 53: Result Window1 Definition (optimization study)

Select OK. Insert the following definition window.

Figure 54: Result Window1 Definition (optimization study)

54
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Repeat the same procedure to get the results for total mass. Select OK. Select View
>display and select both windows. Show both windows as shown below:

Figure 55: Result Graphs (optimization study)

Conclusion

First, congratulations on your first optimization study! I hope you realise that this is a
lot of work! We have reduced the weight of the plate to a minimum with the
parameters that we wanted to measure, which should lead to reduce cost.

Look at the optimization passes above. After the first pass, Pro/Mechanica starts
moving towards our limit on the VM stress. The reason that so few passes were
needed is that we did the right work prior to the optimization. All the preliminary
work that we performed with the local and global sensitivity studies lead us to the
general area of optimization, and then we used the optimization design study to refine
it to perfection using the least amount of optimization pass.

55
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Project

Problem Definition

We would like to optimise the sheet metal bracket in Figure 3 in order to minimise
weight and cost.

TABLE 3: OPTIMISATION PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Optimisation Objective Measure to be used for Parameters to be used for

analysis of parameter optimisation study
effect on part

Minimise mass of the Von Mises stress 3. Material Thickness and;

part 4. Bend radius

The model is built from two features (you can omit the holes shown in the figures
below). It is simply a swept protrusion which can be built as shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4: BRACKET MODEL FEATURES

Feature # Description Reference figure
1 Datum Curve (sketched) P1
2 Thin swept protrusion P2
3 Hole Pattern P4

56
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Boundary Conditions

Flat vertical flange surfaces (back): fixed in all DOF.

Load (1000 lbs): Applied on curve surface (top of hat section) though the centre point.

Hint: In load definition form, select Load through a point from load type.

Figure P1: Suspension bracket (3-D view)

57
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure P2: Dimensions of datum curve (2-D)

58
 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

Cross section

Figure P3: Cross-section of suspension bracket - Thickness and BR are: 3/16″

59
PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

Figure P4: Hole Pattern – Holes (.36 in. diameter) are two inches apart (vertically)

Objective: Optimize combined material thickness and bend radius for a design stress of
34 ksi.

Answer: (after ‘manually’ rounding up to nearest nominal values)

Thickness: .25″
Bend Radius: 5/16″

60
 INSIDE:

MultiMedia CD
Pro | ENGINEER ®

An audio/visual
W I L D F I R E™ 2.0
presentation of the
tutorial projects

Tutorial
and MultiMedia CD

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-1

Lesson 2

Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Introduction to Sketcher

Synopsis
Creating a part; introduction to Sketcher; Sketcher constraints; creating datum curves,
protrusions, cuts; using the dashboard; saving a part; part templates.

Overview of this Lesson

The main objective of this lesson is to introduce you to the general procedures for creating
sketched features. We will go at quite a slow pace and the part will be quite simple (see Figure 1
on the next page), but the central ideas need to be elaborated and emphasized so that they are very
clearly understood. Some of the material presented here is a repeat of the previous lesson - take
this as an indication that it is important! Here’s what we are going to cover:
1. Creating a Simple Part
2. Feature Types and Menus
3. Introduction to Sketcher
< Sketcher menus
< Intent Manager and Sketcher constraints
4. Creating a Datum Curve
5. Creating an Extruded Protrusion
< Using the Dashboard
6. Creating an Extruded Cut
7. Saving the part
8. Using Part Templates
It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction we are
going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which you probably
won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

Start Pro/E as usual. If it is already up, close all windows (except the base window) and erase all
objects in session using File > Erase > Current and File > Erase > Not Displayed. Close the
Navigator and Browser windows.
2-2 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Creating a Simple Part

In this lesson, we will create a simple block with a U-shaped central slot. By the end of the lesson
your part should look like Figure 1 below. This doesn't seem like such a difficult part, but we are
going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts in some depth. Try not to go
through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your understanding of how Pro/E works. We
will be adding some additional features to this part in the next lesson.

Not only are we going to go slowly here, but we are going to turn off some of the default actions
of Pro/E. This will require us to do some things manually instead of letting the program do them
automatically. This should give you a better understanding of what the many default actions are.
Furthermore, eventually you will come across situations where you don’t want the defaults and
you’ll need to know your way around the program.

The first thing to do here is to close the Navigator and Browser panes.

Figure 1 Part at the end of this lesson Figure 2 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the Part

Click the Create New Object short-cut button, or select File > New. A window will open (Figure
2) showing a list of different types and sub-types of objects to create (parts, assemblies, drawings,
and so on). In this lesson we are going to make a single solid object called a part. Keep the
default radio button settings

Part | Solid

IMPORTANT: Turn off (remove the check) the Use Default Template option at the bottom. We
will discuss templates at the end of this lesson.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-3

Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc. can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient computer
memory) in the current session. All objects are identified by unique names1. A default name for
the new part is presented at the bottom of the window, something like [PRT0001]. It is almost
always better to have a more descriptive name. So, double click (left mouse) on this text to
highlight it and then type in

[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part name. The Common

Name of the part is an option for specifying an even more
descriptive name. For example, you might have a number of part
files named using a part or catalog number such as “TG123_A29".
This is not very descriptive, so you could enter a common name
such as “small flat rubber washer”. We will not use common
names in this tutorial, so leave this blank and just press Enter or
select OK.

The New File Options dialog window opens, as shown to the

right. Since we elected (in the previous window) to not use the
default template for this part, Pro/E is presenting a list of
alternative templates defined for your system. As mentioned
previously, we are going to avoid using defaults this time around.
So, for now, select
Figure 3 Options for new
Empty | OK. parts

At this time, BLOCK should appear in the title area of the graphics window. Also, some of the
toolbar icons at the right are now “live” (ie. not grayed out).

Create Datum Planes and Coordinate System

We will now create the first features of the part: three reference Datum Plane
planes to locate it in space. It is not absolutely necessary to have Datum Axis
datum planes, but it is a very good practice, particularly if you are Datum Curve
going to make a complex part or assembly. Datum planes are Sketched Curve
created using the “Datum Plane” button on the right toolbar, as Datum Point
shown in Figure 4. Note that these icons look quite similar to the
Coord System
buttons on the top toolbar that control the display of datums.
What’s the difference? Analysis Feature
Reference Feature
Select the Datum Plane button now. Since we currently have no
Figure 4 Right toolbar
features in the model, Wildfire rightly assumes that we want to
buttons for creating
create the three standard datum planes.
DATUMS

1
Pro/E can keep track of objects of different types with the same names. For example a part
and a drawing can have the same name since they are different object types.
2-4 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The datum planes represent three orthogonal planes to be used as references for features to be
created later. You can think of these planes as XY, YZ, XZ planes, although you generally aren’t
concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation. Your screen should have the datum planes visible, as
shown in Figure 5. (If not, check the datum display button in the top toolbar.) They will resemble
something like a star due to the default 3D viewing direction. Note that each plane has an
attached tag that gives its name: DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3. This view may be somewhat hard to
visualize, so Figure 6 shows how the datum planes would look if they were solid plates in the
same orientation. An important point to note is, while the plates in Figure 6 are finite in size, the
datum planes actually extend off to infinity. Finally, before we move on to the next topic, notice
that the last feature created (in this case DTM3), is highlighted in red. This is a normal
occurrence and means that the last feature created is always preselected for you as the “object”
part of the object/action command sequence.

Figure 5 Default datum planes Figure 6 Datum planes as solid plates

Pro/ENGINEER Feature Overview

Below (and/or to the right of) the datum creation buttons in the right toolbar are three other
groups of buttons. These are shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9. If you move the cursor over the
buttons, the tool tip box will show the button name.

Two of these menus contain buttons for creating features, organized into the following categories:

Placed Features (Figure 7) - (holes, rounds, shells, ...) These are features that are created directly
on existing solid geometry. Examples are placing a hole on an existing surface, or creating a
round on an existing edge of a part.

Sketched Features (Figure 8) - (extrusions, revolves, sweeps, blends, ..) These features require
the definition of a two-dimensional cross section which is then manipulated into the third
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-5

dimension. Although they usually use existing geometry for references, they do not specifically
require this. These features will involve the use of an important tool called Sketcher.

The final group of buttons (Figure 9) is used for editing and modifying existing features. We will
deal with some of these commands (Mirror and Pattern) later in the Tutorial.

Hole
Shell Extrude
Rib Revolve Mirror
Draft Sweep Merge
Round
Blend Trim
Chamfer Style Pattern
Figure 7 The Placed Figure 8 The Sketched Figure 9 The Edit
Features toolbar Features toolbar toolbar

In this lesson we will be using the Extrude command to create two types of sketched features (a
protrusion and a cut). In the next lesson, we will use the Hole, Round, and Chamfer commands
to create three placed features. Before we continue, though, we must find out about an important
tool - Sketcher.

Introducing Sketcher
Sketcher is the single, most important tool for creating features in Pro/E. It is therefore critical
that you have a good understanding of how it works. We will take a few minutes here to describe
its basic operation and will explore the Sketcher tools continually through the next few lessons. It
will take you a lot of practice and experience to fully appreciate all that it can do.

Basically, Sketcher is a tool for creating two-dimensional figures. These can be either stand-alone
features (Datum Curves) or form the cross sectional shape of some solid features. The aspects of
these figures that must be defined are shape, location, and size. Within Sketcher you will find the
usual drawing tools for lines, arcs, circles, and so on, to create the shape. The location and size
aspects are handled by specifying alignments with or dimensions to existing geometry.

Sketcher is really quite “smart”, that is, it will anticipate what you are going to do (usually
correctly!) and do many things automatically. Occasionally, it does make a mistake in guessing
what you want. So, learning how to use Sketcher effectively involves understanding exactly what
it is doing for you (and why) and discovering ways that you can easily over-ride this when
necessary.

The “brain” of Sketcher is called the Intent Manager. We will be discussing the notion of design
intent many times in this tutorial. In Sketcher, design intent is manifest not only in the shape of
the sketch but also in how constraints and dimensions are applied to the sketch so that it is both
2-6 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

complete and conveys the important design goals for the feature. Completeness of a sketch
implies that it contains just enough geometric specification so that it is uniquely determined. Too
little information means the drawing is under-specified; too much means that it is over-specified.
The function of Intent Manager is to make sure that the sketch always contains just the right
amount of information. Moreover, it tries to do this in ways that, most of the time, make sense.
Much of the frustration involved in using Sketcher arises from not understanding (or even
sometimes realizing) the nature of the choices it is making for you or knowing how easy it is to
make alternate choices. When you are using Sketcher, Intent Manager must be treated like a
partner - the more you understand how it works, the better the two of you will be able to
function2.

The term sketch comes from the fact that you do not have to be particularly exact when you are
“drawing” the shape, as shown in the two figures below. Sketcher (or rather Intent Manager) will
interpret what you are drawing within a built-in set of rules. Thus, if you sketch a line that is
approximately vertical, Sketcher assumes that you want it vertical. If you sketch two circles or
arcs that have approximately the same radius, Sketcher assumes that’s what you want. In cases
like this, you will see the sketched entity “snap” to a particular orientation or size as Intent
Manager fires one of the internal rules.

Figure 10 Geometry input by

user. Note misaligned vertices, Figure 11 Geometry after
non-parallel edges, non- processing by Sketcher. Note
tangent curves. aligned vertices, parallel edges,
tangent curves.

When Sketcher fires one of its internal rules (this occurs while you are sketching), you will be
alerted by a symbol on the sketch that indicates the nature of the assumed condition. If you accept
the condition, it becomes a constraint on the sketch. These symbols are summarized in Table 2-1
below. You should become familiar with these rules or constraints, and learn how to use them to
your advantage. If you do not want a rule invoked, you must either
(a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or
(b) exaggerate the geometry so that if fired, the rule will fail, or
(c) tell Pro/E explicitly to ignore the rule (disable the constraint).

2
Intent Manager was introduced several releases ago. Some veteran Pro/E users still have
not made the switch from “the old days”. For those users, Pro/E has the ability to turn off the
Intent Manager and let them do everything manually. This tutorial will not discuss the use of
Sketcher in this old style - it really isn’t as efficient as Intent Manager.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-7

You will most often use option (a) by specifying your desired alignments and dimensions and
letting Sketcher worry about whatever else it needs to solve the sketch. When geometry is driven
by an explicit dimension, fewer internal rules will fire. Option (b) is slightly less common. An
example is if a line in a sketch must be 2E away from vertical, you would draw it some much
larger angle (like 15E or so) and put an explicit dimension on the angle. This prevents the
“vertical” rule from firing. Once the sketch has been completed with the exaggerated angle, you
can modify the dimension value to the desired 2E. For method (c), there is a command available
that explicitly turns off the rule checking (for all rules or selected ones only) during sketching.
This is very rarely used.

Table 2-1 Implicit Constraints in Sketcher

Rule Symbol Description

Equal radius and
diameter
Symmetry
Horizontal or vertical
lines
Parallel or
perpendicular lines
Tangency
Equal segment lengths
Point entities lying on
other entities or
collinear with other
entities
Equal coordinates
Midpoint of line
R If you sketch two or more arcs or circles with
approximately the same radius, the system
may assume that the radii are equal
Two vertices may be assumed to be
symmetric about a centerline
H or V Lines that are approximately horizontal or
vertical may be considered to be exactly so.
2 or z Lines that are sketched approximately parallel
or perpendicular may be considered to be
exactly so.
T Entities sketched approximately tangent to
each other may be assumed to be tangent
L Lines of approximately the same length may
be assumed to have the same length
Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
circles may be considered to be exactly on
them. Points that are near the extension of a
line may be assumed to lie on it.
(( (( Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates
M If the midpoint of a line is close to a sketch
reference, it will be placed on the reference.
2-8 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

An example of a sketch with the geometric

constraints is shown in Figure 12. Note
how few dimensions are required to define
this sketch. See if you can pick out the
following constraints:

< vertical lines

< horizontal lines
< perpendicular lines
< tangency
< three sets of equal length lines
< equal radius
< vertical alignment (two cases)

How do you suppose Sketcher is able to

determine the radius of the rounded corners
(fillets) at the top and bottom on the left
edge?

In this lesson, we will use two methods to Figure 12 A regenerated sketch showing implicit
create a couple of sketched features. The constraints
two methods differ in how they use
sketcher to define the cross section of the features. The method you use in your own modeling is
a matter of personal preference. Both features we will make are extrusions: one will be a
protrusion (which adds material) and the other is a cut (which removes material). Either of the
two methods shown here can be used to create either protrusions or cuts; for either method,
whether you add or remove material is determined by a single mouse click!

In the first method, we invoke Sketcher first to create the cross sectional shape of the extrusion.
This shape is defined in a sketched curve which becomes a stand-alone feature in the model. We
then launch the extrude command, specifying the curve to define the cross section of the feature.
In the second method, we do not create a separate curve but rather invoke Sketcher from inside
the extrusion creation sequence.

Creating a Sketched Curve

When we left the model last, the datum plane DTM3 was highlighted in red. If that is not the case
now, use preselection highlighting to select it datum now.

In the datum toolbar on the right of the screen, pick the Sketch Tool button. Be careful not to pick
the button just above it - that one will create a datum curve using sets of existing datum points,
points read from a file, or using equations. If you accidentally pick the wrong button, you can
back out with the Quit command.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-9

Setting Sketch Orientation

The Sketch dialog window opens as shown in Figure 13.
Since DTM3 was highlighted (in red) prior to the present
command, it has been preselected as the Sketch Plane. It is
now highlighted in the graphics window in orange. This is
the plane on which we will draw the sketch. Notice the
yellow arrow attached to the edge of DTM3 pointing back
into the screen. This is the direction of view onto the
sketch plane. You can reverse that with the Flip button in
the dialog window. Leave it pointing towards the back.
DTM1 is now highlighted in red in the graphics window.
In the dialog window, DTM1 is identified as the Sketch
Orientation Reference, with the Orientation set to Right.
What is all this about? Figure 13 Defining the sketch plane
and sketch orientation reference
The relation between the sketch plane and the sketch
orientation reference generally causes a lot of confusion for new users, so pay attention!

The meaning of the sketch plane is pretty obvious - it is the plane on which we will draw the
sketch - in this case DTM3. Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane3. That is not
enough by itself to define our view of the sketch since we can be looking at that plane from an
infinite number of directions (imagine the sketch plane rotating around an axis perpendicular to
the screen). The Orientation option list in the dialog window (Top, Bottom, Left, Right) refers to
directions relative to the computer screen, as in “TOP edge of the screen” or “BOTTOM edge of
the screen” and so on. We must combine this orientation with a chosen reference plane (which
must be perpendicular to the sketch plane) so that we get the desired direction of view onto the
sketching plane.

In the present case, when we get into Sketcher we will be looking directly at the brown (positive)
side of DTM3. So that the sketch is the right way up, we can choose either DTM2 to face the Top
of the screen, or (as was chosen automatically for us) DTM1 can face the Right of the screen.
Note that both DTM1 and DTM2 are both perpendicular to the sketch plane, as required. The
direction a plane or surface “faces” is determined by its normal vector. The normal vector for a
datum plane is perpendicular to the brown side. For a solid surface, the orientation is determined
by the outward normal.

Read the last couple of paragraphs again, since new users are quite liable to end up drawing
their sketches upside-down!

To illustrate the crucial importance of the reference plane, consider the images shown in Figure
14. These show two cases where the same sketching plane DTM3 was used, the same sketched
shape was drawn, the same reference orientation TOP was chosen, but where different datums

3
Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can manipulate
your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane. We will not attempt
that here.
2 - 10 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

were chosen as the sketching reference. On the left, the TOP reference was DTM2. On the right,
the TOP reference was DTM1. The identical sketch, shown in the center, was used for both
cases (rounded end of sketch towards the top of the screen). However, notice the difference in the
orientation of the part obtained in the final shaded images. Both of these models are displayed in
the default orientation (check the datum planes). Clearly, choosing the sketching reference is
important, particularly for the base feature.

Figure 14 The importance of the sketching reference plane!

Let’s continue on with creating the curve. Make sure the Sketch dialog window is completed as
in Figure 13. Select the Sketch button in the dialog window.

Several things will happen: the graphics window color changes to black, two dashed orange lines
appear that cross in center of the screen, an orange square appears to indicate our sketching plane
(DTM3).
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 11

At the top right of the screen is another References dialog

window. In this window we select existing geometry to
help Sketcher locate the new sketch relative to the part. In
the present case, there isn’t much to choose from, and two
references have been chosen for us - DTM1 and DTM2.
These references are responsible for the two dashed lines in
the graphics window. The number of references you choose
is not limited - there may be several listed here. You are
also free to delete the ones chosen for you. However,
notice the Reference Status at the bottom of this dialog.
Fully Placed means enough references have been specified
to allow Sketcher to locate your sketch in the model. If
there are not enough references, the status will be Partially Figure 15 Choosing references in
Placed. For now, do not proceed beyond this window Sketcher
unless you have a Fully Placed status indicated. Once you have that, select Close in the
References window.

The drawing window is shown in Figure 16. Note that you are looking edge-on to the datums
DTM1 and DTM2. The datum DTM1 (actually, its brown side) is facing the right edge of the
screen, as specified in the dialog back in Figure 13. Note that we could have obtained the same
orientation by selecting DTM2 to face the top of the screen.

Reorient to 2D
Sketcher view

Vertices On/Off
Grid On/Off
Constraints On/Off

Dimensions On/Off
Figure 16 The drawing window Figure 17 Sketcher top toolbar buttons

Another change is the addition of some new toolbar buttons at the top of the screen. These control
the display of entities in the sketch. See Figure 17. The four buttons with the eyeballs control
display of dimensions, constraints, the grid (default off), and vertices. Leave these buttons in their
default position. It is seldom (if ever) that you will need to turn on the grid in Sketcher. The
button at the left will return you to the default view of the sketch if you should accidentally (or
intentionally) go into 3D view.
2 - 12 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The Sketcher Toolbar

The major addition to the screen is the new toolbar

on the right of the screen. This contains the Select
Sketcher tools and is shown in Figure 18. Several Create Line
buttons on this menu have fly-outs, indicated by the
' symbol on the right edge. These fly-outs lead to Create Rectangle
related buttons, and are listed in Table 2-2. Create Circle/Ellipse
Compared to some 2D drawing programs, this Create Arc
doesn’t seem like such a large number of drawing
Create Fillet
commands. Rest assured that there will not be much
that you cannot draw with these4. Create Spline
Create Point/Csys
When you are sketching, many of the commands in Use Edge/Offset
the right toolbar are instantly available (but context
sensitive) by holding down the right mouse button Dimension
in the graphics window. This will bring up a pop-up Modify
window of commands relevant in the current Explicit Constraints
situation.
Create Text
Trim/Divide
Helpful Hint
Move/Mirror/Rotate
From wherever you are in the Sketcher Accept or Continue
menu structure, a single middle mouse QUIT
click will often abort the current command
and return you to the toolbar with the Select
Figure 18 The Sketcher toolbar
command already chosen. Sometimes, you
may have to click the middle button twice.

Finally, a new Sketch pull-down menu is available at the top of the screen. Open this and have a
look at the available commands there. Two commands not in the toolbar are Data From File and
Options. The first of these lets you read in a previously created sketch. The second lets you
change the default settings used by Sketcher. Have a look at these but don’t change anything just
yet.

4
One command that some people miss is for creating regular polygons - like a hexagon.
Once you get used to the Sketcher commands, though, even that is easy to do with the existing
drawing tools.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 13

Table 2-2 Sketcher Toolbar Flyout Buttons

Button Flyout Group Button Commands

Line 5 Tan-Tan Line 5 Centerline

Circle 5 Concentric 5 3 Point 5 3 Tan 5 Ellipse

Tangent End 5 Concentric 5 Center 5 3 Tan 5 Conic Arc

Circular fillet 5 Conic fillet

Point 5 Coordinate System

Use Edge 5 Offset edge

Dynamic trim (delete) 5 Trim(extend) 5 Divide

Mirror 5 Rotate 5 Move

Creating the Sketch

Select the Line tool using one of the following three methods:

• using the Line toolbar button on the right, OR

• in the pull-down menus select Sketch > Line > Line, OR
• hold down the right mouse button and select Line from the
pop-up menu (Figure 19).

You will now see a small yellow X which will chase the cursor Figure 19 RMB pop-up
around the screen. Notice that the X will snap to the dashed menu in Sketcher
references when the cursor is brought nearby. While you are
creating the figure, watch for red symbols (V, H, L) that indicate
Intent Manager is firing an internal rule to set up a constraint (Vertical, Horizontal, Equal
Length). These symbols will come and go while you are sketching. The trick with Sketcher is to
get Intent Manager to fire the rule you want, then click the left mouse button to accept the
position of the vertex. Click the corners in the following order. After each click, you will see a
straight line rubber-band from the previous position to the cursor position:
2 - 14 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

1. left-click at the origin

(intersection of DTM1 and
DTM2)
2. left-click above the origin on
DTM1 (watch for V)
3. left-click horizontally to the
right (watch for H and L - we do
not want L)
4. left-click straight down on
DTM2 (watch for V)
5. left-click back at the origin
(watch for H)
6. middle-click anywhere on the
screen

Figure 20 Drawing the Sketch

When you are finished this sequence, you are still in Line creation mode (notice the yellow X on
screen and the Line toolbar button). If you middle click again, you will leave that and return to
Select mode - the same as if you picked on the Select button in the right toolbar, but much faster.

The sketched entities are shown in yellow. Note that we didn't need to specify any drawing
coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for that matter, are any coordinate values displayed anywhere
on the screen. This is a significant departure from standard CAD programs. We also didn’t need
the grid or a grid snap function (although both of these are available in Pro/E).

You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these actually extend off to
infinity. The displayed extent of datum planes will (eventually) adjust to the currently displayed
object(s).

Helpful Hints
If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, here are some ways to delete entities:
1. Pick the Select tool in the right toolbar and left click on any entity you want to
delete. Then either press the Delete key on the keyboard, or hold down the RMB and
choose Delete.
2. If there are several entities to delete, hold the CTRL key down while you left click
on each entity. Then pick Delete as before.
3. You can left-click and drag to form a rectangle around a set of entities. Anything
completely inside the rectangle is selected. Use Delete as before.
4. Notice the Undo and Redo buttons on the top toolbar
We will cover more advanced Sketcher commands for deleting and trimming lines a
bit later.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 15

After you have finished the sequence above,

Sketcher will put two dimensions on the sketch -
for the height and width of the rectangle. These
will be
in gray, so may be hard to see, but similar to those
shown in Figure 21. For the first feature in a part,
the numerical values of these dimensions are
picked more-or-less at random (although they are
in correct proportion to each other)5. For later
features in the part, Sketcher will know the sketch
size more accurately because it will have some
Figure 21 Completed sketch with weak
existing geometry to set the scale.
dimensions

Weak vs Strong Dimensions

A dimension created by Sketcher is called “weak” and is shown in gray. Strong dimensions, on
the other hand, are those that you create. You can make a strong dimension in any of three ways:

L modify the value of a weak dimension

or L create a dimension from scratch by identifying entities in the sketch and placing a new
dimension on the sketch
or L select a weak dimension and promote it to strong using the RMB pop-up menu

Strong dimensions will be shown in white (actually a very pale yellow).

The special significance of weak and strong dimensions is as follows. When Intent Manager is
“solving” a sketch, it considers the sketch references, any implicit rules that have fired (like H, V,
and so on) and any existing dimensions. If there is not enough information to define the drawing
(it is underconstrained), Sketcher will create the necessary and sufficient missing dimensions.
These are the weak dimensions. If Sketcher finds the drawing is overconstrained (too many
dimensions or constraints) it will first try to solve the sketch by deleting one or more of the weak
dimensions (the ones it made itself earlier). It will do this without asking you. This is one way for
you to override Intent Manager - if you don’t like the dimensioning scheme chosen by Sketcher,
just create your own (automatically strong) dimensions. Sketcher will remove whichever of the
weak dimensions are no longer needed to define the sketch. Sketcher assumes that any strong
dimensions you have created shouldn’t be messed with! However, if Sketcher still finds the
drawing overconstrained, it will tell you what the redundant information is (which may be
dimensions or constraints), and you can choose what you want deleted. Thus, although weak
dimensions can be deleted without asking you, Sketcher will never delete a strong dimension
without your explicit confirmation.

5
The default datum extent with no other features present is actually ±250 units from
where they cross.
2 - 16 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

We want to modify the two weak dimensions on the

rectangle in a couple of ways. First, we can make a
cosmetic improvement by selecting the dimension text
(the number) and performing a drag-and-drop to move
it to a better location. Note in passing that preselection
highlighting also works with dimensions and
constraints.

Next we want to change the numeric value of the

dimension. Double-click on the horizontal dimension.
In the text entry box, enter the value 20. When you hit
Enter, the sketch geometry will be updated with this
new dimension. The dimension is now strong. Change
the vertical dimension to 30. It will also now be
strong. (Click anywhere on the graphics window to Figure 22 Modified sketch
remove the red highlight.) See Figure 22. Notice that
the indicated extent of the datum plane DTM3 adjusts to the sketch.

Now we’ll add a couple of rounded corners, technically

known as fillets, on the top corners of the sketch to help us
“see” the orientation of the feature in 3D. Select the Fillet
toolbar button on the right (or from the RMB pop-up
menu) and pick on the top and right lines in the sketch
close to but not at the corner. A circular fillet is created to
the pick point closest to the corner. Two tangent
constraints (T) are added, along with a weak dimension for
the fillet radius. Do the same on the top and left lines.
Middle click to return to Select mode. Because our fillet
command has removed two vertices on the top of the
sketch, Intent Manager has removed our two strong
dimensions (which used those vertices) and replaced them
with weak ones (see the message window). You can make Figure 23 Completed sketch
them strong by selecting them, clicking the RMB, and
selecting Strong in the pop-up menu. Modify the cosmetics
and values of the fillet radius dimensions as shown in Figure
23.

This completes the creation of our first sketch. Select the

Accept (or Continue) toolbar icon. This returns us to the
regular graphics window with our new sketched curve shown
in red (last feature created). You can spin the model around
with the middle mouse button to see this curve from different
view points. When you are finished with this, return the
model to approximately the default orientation - Figure 24.

Figure 24 Sketched curve

Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 17

Creating a Solid Protrusion

Most of the work to create this protrusion has been done already - creating the sketched curve
that defines its shape. This curve should be highlighted in red. If you have been playing around
with the model and the sketch is blue, just left click on it to select it again.

There are a number of ways to launch the protrusion creation command. With the sketched curve
curve highlighted, the easiest way is to pick the Extrude button in the right toolbar.

What you will see now is a yellow shaded image of the

protrusion, Figure 25. On this shape, you will see a yellow
arrow that indicates the extrusion direction, which by
default comes off the positive side of the sketch. There is
also a dashed line ending in a white square. This is a drag
handle. Click on this with the mouse and you can drag it to
change the length of the extrusion. This length is also
shown in a dimension symbol. You can even drag this out
the back of the sketch to extrude in the opposite direction.
This direct manipulation of the feature on the screen is
called, in Pro/E vernacular, Direct Modeling. Bring the
protrusion out the front and double click on the numeric
dimension, and enter the value 30.
Figure 25 The protrusion preview
At the bottom of the graphics window is a new collection of tools. These comprise the
Dashboard, which is a major innovation in the Pro/E Wildfire interface. Many features are
constructed with tools arranged using this new interface element. It is worth spending some time
exploring this one in detail, since you will probably be using it the most.

The Extrude Dashboard

The dashboard collects all of the commands Extrude Icon

and options for feature creation in an easily Sketch plane and Sketcher
navigated interface. Moreover, most optional
settings have been set to default values which
will work in the majority of cases. You can
change options at any time and in any order.
This is a welcome and significant departure
from previous releases of Pro/E.
Blind depth Thicken Sketch
The dashboard contains two areas. On the left Depth spec options
Remove Material
(Figure 26) are commands, settings, and so Surface
on for the particular feature under Flip direction
Solid
construction. On the top row, the feature is
Figure 26 The Extrude Dashboard
2 - 18 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

identified with the toolbar icon - extrude in this case - and several slide-up panels which do the
following:

Placement - allows you to select, create, or modify the 2D section to be used for the feature.
Since we preselected the sketched curve, it is now listed on this panel. If we had not
preselected the curve, we could have chosen it now, or launched Sketcher from this panel to
create a new sketch. This would involve selecting the sketching plane, sketcher reference,
and so on. We will go this route in the next feature. If you wanted to change the sketch for
the extrude, this is how you access it. The Unlink button is currently displayed on the
Placement panel. This button appears if, like now, you have preselected a curve to serve as
the sketch for the extrude. Thus, the extrude is linked to the previous curve feature; changes
to the geometry or dimensions of the curve would drive changes in the shape of the extrude.
The curve itself is a separate entry on the model tree. The purpose of unlinking is to break
this (parent/child) connection to the original curve. If you were to select this command
(don’t do this now), a copy of the original curve will be brought into the extrude feature. In
that case, a change to the original curve would not affect the extrude. The original curve
could be modified, moved, or even deleted, and the extrude would still be able to
regenerate. The use of external curves to drive feature geometry is an important aspect of an
advanced modeling technique that makes use of skeleton models.

Options - information about the depth specification for the

feature. We will find out what is meant by “Side 2" in
a later lesson. For a simple extrude, the depth
specification is easiest to set using one of the icons in
the lower dashboard area (see below).

Properties - specify the name of the feature

The icons on the second row operate as follows:

Solid and Surface buttons - these are an either/or toggle

set. The default button is to create a solid. If you pick
the next button, Surface, the sketch will be extruded
as an infinitely thin surface (Figure 27). Return this to Figure 27 Extruded surface
the Solid selection.

Depth Spec Options - the next button is a pull-up list of all the
Symmetric
possibilities for setting the depth of the extrusion. These are
indicated in Figure 28. The default is a Blind extrusion, To Selected
which means the extrusion is for a fixed distance. Other Blind
options may appear here as more part geometry appears (as
in the cut which we will do next). Figure 28 Depth Spec
options
Blind Depth - this contains the numeric value of the length of the
protrusion. If the depth specification on the button to the left is not Blind, this text input
area is grayed out.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 19

Flip - selecting this will reverse the direction of the protrusion (the yellow arrow).

Remove Material - this allows you to change the meaning of the solid feature from a protrusion
(which adds solid material) to a cut (which removes solid material). Since there is nothing
to remove at this time, this command is grayed out - all we can do is add.

Thicken Sketch - press this to see the solid block replaced

by a thin-walled extrusion (formerly called a Thin
Solid). A new dimension appears in the graphics
window and on the dashboard. This is the thickness
of the solid wall. Try changing this thickness to
something like 1.0. On which side of the sketched
curve has this been added? Another Flip button has
also appeared. Press this a couple of times - it
controls which side of the sketch the material is
added to. Actually, it is a three way switch since you
can also add material equally on both sides. Press the
Thicken button again to return to a full solid
protrusion.
Figure 29 A Thick extruded solid
As you explore the creation of new features in Pro/E you should investigate what is in each of
these menus. They are context sensitive, so there is a lot of variety in what you will find.

On the right end of the dashboard are several common tools that Pause
appear for all features. See Figure 30. These function as follows: Creation QUIT

Pause - allow you to temporarily suspend work on this feature so

that you can, for example, create a missing reference like a
datum plane, measure something in the model, etc. When
you are finished with the side trip, press the symbol < that
appears here to continue where you left off. Accept

Preview - (default on = checked) this is responsible for the shaded View Geometry
yellow display of the feature under construction. Uncheck Preview Feature
this - all you will see is the feature creation direction, drag Figure 30 Common
handle, and depth dimension. Turn this back on. dashboard controls
View Geometry (or Verify) - this shows what the geometry will look like when the feature is fully
integrated into the part. Not much happens with this first protrusion. Press again to return to
preview.

Accept and Quit - do just what you expect!

2 - 20 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Select Accept. The message window informs you that

the feature has been created successfully. The block
now appears, Figure 31, with its edges highlighted in
red (last feature created).

You might open the Navigator pane to see the model

tree. The three default datum planes are listed. Then
comes the sketched curve SKETCH 1 (hidden) and the
extrude EXTRUDE 1. Open the listing for the extrude
and you will see the internal sketch (also SKETCH 1)
that uses the hidden curve and is currently linked to it. If
you have used the Unlink button in the Placement
panel, the model tree will appear somewhat differently -
the sketch stored inside the extrude is called S2D0001
and is independent of SKETCH 1.
Figure 31 Completed protrusion
We will now add another extruded feature - this time we will create a cut that removes material.
Furthermore, instead of creating the sketched shape first, as we did for the solid protrusion, we
will create the sketch within the feature itself.

Creating an Extruded Cut

Sketching
Start by launching the Extrude command from the right Reference
toolbar. The extrude dashboard at the bottom of the (TOP)
screen opens. Open the Placement slide-up panel in the
dashboard and select Define. The Sketch dialog window
appears. This time, however, nothing has been
preselected for us as it was for the previous sketch. We’ll
have to enter the data ourselves.

First, the dialog is waiting for you (notice the pale yellow
data entry field) to select the sketching plane. Pay
attention to preselection here. Notice the preselection Sketching
filter setting (should be Surface); you will not be able to Plane
pick an edge or a curved surface (both of these would be Figure 32 Setting up to sketch the cut
illegal). Pick on the right side surface of the block (see
Figure 32). As soon as you pick the sketching plane (it highlights in orange), a yellow arrow
will appear showing the default direction of view relative to the surface. The Flip button can be
used to reverse this direction, but leave it as it is. Pro/E makes a guess at a potential reference
plane for you to use. This may depend on the current orientation of your view, and might result in
a strange view orientation in sketcher (like sideways or even upside down). We want to be a bit
more careful and specific here. Pick on the top planar surface (Figure 32), between the two
tangent lines of the rounded corners; the surface will highlight in red. In the Orientation pull-
down list, select Top so that the reference will face the top of the screen. We now have our sketch
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 21

plane and reference set up, so select Sketch at the bottom of the dialog window.

We are now in Sketcher (Figure 33). Two references

Sketch reference
have been chosen for us (the back and top surfaces of
the object). These will be OK for now, so select Close
in the References window. We are going to create the
U-shaped figure shown in Figure 34. Note that there is
no sketched line across the top of the U - there is no
inside or outside. Thus, it is technically called an open
sketch (as opposed to a closed sketch for our previous
feature). There are some restrictions on the use of open
sketches which we will run across in a minute or two.
In general, try to keep your sketches closed - you will
have fewer problems that way.
Sketch reference
You might prefer to set your display mode to Hidden
Line at this point. Figure 33 References for cut sketch

1 4
Use the RMB pop-up menu to select the Line
command. Start your sketch at vertex 1 in Figure
34 - the cursor will snap to the reference. Then
drag the mouse down and pick vertex 2 (note the V
constraint), and middle click to end the Line
command. Some weak dimensions will appear. Do
nothing about them yet because, since they are
weak, they are liable to disappear anyway. If we
make them strong, this will cause us extra work
dealing with Intent Manager. Wait until the
geometry of the sketch is finished before you start 2 3
worrying about the dimensioning scheme.

Figure 34 Sketch geometry

Use the RMB pop-up menu again and select the 3-Point/Tangent End command. Pick on the end
of the sketched line and drag the mouse downwards in the direction of tangency. Once the arc has
been established, drag the cursor over to the right (the arc will rubber-band while maintaining the
tangency constraint) and click at vertex 3. (If you drag straight across to vertex 3 you will get a 3-
point arc which is not automatically tangent at vertex 2.) You should see two small blips that
indicate when vertex 3 is at the same height as the center of the arc. Use the RMB menu to pick
Line again.

Now left click at vertex 3 and draw a vertical line up to snap to the reference at vertex 4. Our
sketch is complete. Use the middle mouse button to return to Select mode. Your dimensions may
be different from those shown in Figure 34. Your dimensioning scheme may even be slightly
different. It will be easier to see this if you go to hidden line display instead of shading.
2 - 22 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

All the dimensions should be weak. Drag them to a better location if necessary (off the part).
Don’t be afraid to resize your display so that you can see everything clearly. Compare the
dimensioning scheme with the one in Figure 35. We want to have a horizontal dimension of 15
from the reference at the back of the part to the center of the arc of the U. If you do not have that
dimension, we’ll have to add one manually. This will illustrate a case where we will override the
Intent Manager.

To create your own dimension, select the

Dimension command from the right toolbar (or the
RMB pop-up). Click on the vertex at the center of
the arc (it will highlight) then click again on the
dashed reference line at the right. Now middle click
in the space above the part where you want the
dimension text to appear. It’s that easy! Note that
this dimension shows immediately in pale yellow
(almost white) since it is strong. One of the weak
linear dimensions should be gone. Middle click to
get back to Select.

We now have the implicit constraints and

dimensioning scheme we want. So now we can
worry about the dimension values. Get in the habit
of dealing with your sketches in that order (shape, Figure 35 Final sketch for cut
constraints, dimension scheme, dimension values). Modify the values of the dimensions to match
those in Figure 35.

The sketch is now complete, so click on the Accept button in the toolbar. If you are in hidden line
display, return to shading display. In the Sketch dialog window, select OK.

The feature will now be previewed. A couple of new buttons have appeared on the dashboard.
First, in the Depth Spec pull-up list, there are a few more options available (Figure 36). For this
cut, we would like the sketch to be extruded through the entire part, so pick the Through All
option. Note that the dimension for a blind extrusion disappears from the screen. To the right of
this area, click the Flip button to make the extrusion go through the part. The Remove Material
button needs to be selected. Now, there are two yellow arrows attached to the sketch. The one
perpendicular to the plane of the sketch shows the direction of the extrusion. The other shows
which side of the sketched line we want to remove material from. These should be set as shown
in Figure 37.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 23

Blind
Symmetric
To Next
Through All
Sketch
Through Until
Extrusion
Material Direction
To Selected Removal
Side
Figure 36 More Depth Spec
options in the dashboard Figure 37 Defining cut attributes (direction
and material removal side)

Now select the Verify button in the right area of the dashboard. If you have the Remove Material
button set wrong, that is for a protrusion instead of a cut, Pro/E will not be able to create the
feature. You will be launched into a Troubleshooter dialog window. You might come back and
explore this later. For now, if you are in this window, select Cancel, turn Verify off, and select
Remove Material again. The source of this problem is the open sketch for the U. This sketch is
ambiguous since when the sketch starts out from the sketch plane, the vertices at the ends are out
in the open air; Pro/E does not know how to create the solid to attach it to the existing part. This
problem does not occur with a cut as long as the open ends of the sketch stay outside or on the
surface of the part.

Another common error with cuts is having the material removal side set wrong (the second
yellow arrow in Figure 37). If you do that for this part, you will end up with Figure 38. Make sure
the material removal arrow points to the inside of the U. Plus, you should explore the Placement,
Options, and Properties menus on the dashboard before you leave.

Figure 38 Removing from the Figure 39 Cut feature completed

wrong side of the sketch
2 - 24 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

We are finished creating this feature, so select the Accept button at the right end of the dashboard.
The part should now look like Figure 40 when in default orientation. The cut will be highlighted
in red as usual, as the last feature created.

Saving the Part

It is a good idea when you are just getting started to save your model quite frequently, just in case
something serious goes wrong. If you have to bail out of the program, you can always reload the
most recently saved copy of the part and continue from there.

There are (as usual!) several ways to save the part:

• in the top toolbar, select the Save button, or

• in the pull-down menus select File > Save, or
• use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-S.

Make sure that the Save Object dialog is showing the desired directory at the top. One of the
icons to the right of this will select the current working directory. At the bottom, you enter the
name of the object to be saved (remember that you can have more than one object loaded into
memory at a time). Accept the default model name [block.prt] (this is the active part) by pressing
the enter key or the middle mouse button. Pro/E will automatically put the part extension (prt) on
the file. If you save the part a number of times, Pro/E will automatically number each saved
version (like block.prt.1, block.prt.2, block.prt.3, and so on). Be aware of how much space you
have available. It may be necessary to delete some of the previously saved versions; or you can
copy them to a diskette. You can do both of these tasks from within Pro/E - we'll talk about that
later.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this command at
that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketched section with the file
extension sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated and may be used again on a
different part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be read in from the saved file (using
Data from File). In these lessons, none of the sketches are complicated enough to warrant
saving them to disk.

Using Part Templates

You will recall that in the block part created earlier, the first thing we did was to create default
datum planes. These (plus the named views based on them, which we didn’t create this lesson)
are very standard features and aspects of part files, and it would be handy if this was done
automatically. This is exactly the purpose of part templates.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 25

A template is a previously created part file that contains the common features and aspects of
almost all part files you will ever make. These include, among other things, default datum planes
and named views. Pro/E actually has several templates available for parts, drawings, and
assemblies. There are variations of the templates for each type of object. One important variation
consists of the unit system used for the part (inches or millimeters). Templates also contain some
common model parameters and layer definitions6.

A template can be selected only when a new model is first created. Let’s see how that works.
Create a new part (note that you don’t have to remove the block - Pro/E can have several parts “in
session” at the same time) by selecting

File > New

or using the “Create New Object” button. The New dialog window opens. The

Part | Solid

are selected by default. Enter a new name, like exercise_1. Remove the check mark beside Use
default template and then select OK.

In the New File Options dialog window, the default template is shown at the top. It is likely
“inlbs_part_solid”. This template is for solid parts with the units set to inch-pound-second. It
seems strange to have force and time units in a CAD geometry program. Actually, this is included
so that the part units are known by downstream applications like Pro/MECHANICA which
perform finite element analysis (FEA) or mechanism dynamics calculations. These programs are
very picky about units!

Note that there are templates available for sheet-metal parts and for metric units (millimeter-
Newton-second). While we are mentioning units, be aware that if you make a wrong choice of
units here, it is still possible to change the units of a part after it has been created (see Edit >
Setup > Units).

There are only two model parameters in the default template. DESCRIPTION is for an extended
title for the part, like “UPPER PUMP HOUSING”. This title can (eventually) be called up and
placed automatically on a drawing of the part using, you guessed it, a drawing template.
Similarly, the MODELED_BY parameter is available for you to record your name or initials as
the originator of the part. Fill in these parameter fields and select OK.

The new part is created which automatically displays the default datums. They are even named
for you (we will see how to name features in lesson 3): instead of DTM1, we have RIGHT. TOP
replaces DTM2, and FRONT replaces DTM3. The part also contains a coordinate system, named
views (look in the Saved Views List), and other data that we’ll discover as we go through the
lessons. The named views correspond to the standard engineering views. Thus, it is important to
note that if you are planning on using a drawing template (discussed in a later lesson), your model
orientation relative to the default datums is critical. The top-front-right views of the part are the

6
Model parameters and layers are discussed in the Advanced Tutorial.
2 - 26 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

ones that will be automatically placed on the drawing later. If your model is upside down or
backwards in these named views, then your drawing will be too. This is embarrassing and not
likely to win favor with your boss or instructor!

Now, having created this new part, you are all set up to do some of the exercises at the end of the
lesson. Do as many of these as you can. Perhaps do some of them in different ways by
experimenting with your sketch orientation, Sketcher commands, and so on.

This completes Lesson #2. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the commands
that have been presented in this lesson. Create new parts for your experiments since we will need
the block part in its present form for the next lesson.

In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of relations,
and spend some time learning about the utility functions available to give you information about
the model.

Questions for Review

Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

1. What is meant by a blind protrusion?

2. What is the purpose of the sketching reference?
3. How do you specify the name of a part?
4. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
5. How do you save a part?
6. What is a template?
7. What is your system’s default template?
8. Where does your system store your part files when they are saved?
9. What is meant by the active part?
10. How does Sketcher determine the radius of a fillet created on two lines?
11. What happens if you delete any of the constraints (H, V, etc.) on a sketch?
12. In and extrude, what happens if you set the thickness of a thickened sketch greater than the
radius of a filleted corner of the sketch?
13. What is meant by Linking to a sketch?
14. In Sketcher, what is the difference between a gray and a white (pale yellow) dimension?
15. In Sketcher, how do you create an explicit dimension?
16. In Sketcher, how do you indicate where you want the dimension text placed?
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 27

Exercises
Here are some simple shapes that you can make with a single solid protrusion. They should give
you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Choose your own
dimensions and pay attention to alignments and internal constraints. The objects should appear in
roughly the same orientation in default view. Have a contest with a buddy to see who can create
each object with the fewest number of dimensions. This is not necessarily a goal of good
modeling, but is a good exercise! Feel free to add additional features to these objects.
2 - 28 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

These parts are a bit more complicated, requiring two or more simple extruded features
(protrusions or cuts). Think about these carefully before you try to make them.

1.

2.

3.
Pro | ENGINEER®
W I L D F I R E™ 2.0

Advanced Tutorial

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-1

Lesson 1
Menus

Message Window
(and Dashboard; top or bottom)
Pro/E Customization Tools
and
Project Introduction
Toolbars
Customized buttons on
left, top, and/or right

Synopsis:
Configuration settings; customizing the screen toolbars and menus; mapkeys; part templates;
introduction to the project

Overview
This lesson will introduce tools for customizing your Pro/E configuration and working
environment and show you how to create some useful shortcuts for accessing Pro/E commands.
The major customization tool is the use of one or more configuration files (default files
config.pro and config.win). The lesson also includes managing and creating your own custom
toolbars and mapkeys. We’ll also see how you can create your own part templates. The major
project used in this tutorial is introduced and the first four parts are presented.

Configuration Files (config.pro)

By now, you should be familiar with the commands for environment settings that are available in

Tools > Environment

These aspects of the working environment (and much more!) can also be controlled using
settings stored in configuration files (config files for short). Pro/E has several hundred
individual configuration settings. All settings have default values that will be used if not
specifically set in a config file, or changed during a session.

The most important config file is a special file called config.pro that is automatically read when
Pro/E starts up a new session. You can also read in (and/or change) additional configuration
settings at any time during a session. For example, you may want to have one group of settings
for one project you are working on, and another group for a different project that you switch to
during a single session. In this tutorial, we will deal only with the use of the single configuration
file, config.pro, loaded at start-up.
1-2 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Several copies of config.pro might exist on your system, and they are read in the following order
when Pro/E is launched:

‚ config.sup - this is a protected system file which is read by all users but is not available for
modification by users. Your system administrator has control of this file.
‚ Pro/E loadpoint - this is read by all users and would usually contain common settings
determined by the system administrator such as search paths, formats, libraries, and so on.
This file cannot normally be altered by individual users.
‚ user home directory - unique for each user (Unix)
‚ startup directory - the working directory when Pro/E starts up. To find where this directory
is, open the Folder Navigator when you first launch Pro/E1.

Settings made in the first copy (config.sup) cannot be overridden by users. This is handy for
making configuration settings to be applied universally across all users at a Pro/E installation
(search paths for part libraries, for instance). An individual user can modify entries in the last
two copies of config.pro to suit their own requirements. If the same entry appears more than
once, the last entry encountered in the start-up sequence is the one the system will use (except
that settings in config.sup cannot be overridden). After start-up, additional configuration settings
can be read in at any time. These might be used to create a configuration unique to a special
project, or perhaps a special type of modeling. Be aware that when a new configuration file is
read in (or some settings changed), some options may not take effect until Pro/E is restarted.
This is discussed more a bit later.

Settings in config.pro are arranged in a table. Each row in the table is composed of two entries in
the following form:

config_option_name config_option_value

Option values can be composed either of text, single numbers, or series of numbers. A listing
and description of many config options is contained in the on-line help. Select the following
(starting in the pull-down menus):

Help > Help Center

Then pick the links:

Fundamentals > Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals

Consider adding a bookmark for this page. In the Contents pane, expand the topics

r Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals
r Configuring Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals

This shows quite a long list (partially shown in Figure 1) of possible options. Click on some of

1
In Windows, right click on the Pro/E icon on the desktop (if it exists), select Properties
> ShortCut and examine the Start In text entry field.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-3

these to see a short description and default values (in italics). You will have a hard time
remembering the meaning of all these options. Fortunately, as we will see in a minute, the
dialog window for working with configuration files contains a one line description of each
option and there is also a search capability for finding option names. Although this makes
finding the options much easier, you are encouraged to explore the on-line help - you might find
just the setting you need to make your life easier!

Figure 1 On-line help for configuration options

The Configuration File Editor

You can access your current configuration file using

Tools > Options

This brings up the Options window

shown in Figure 2. If your system has
options set already, these will appear in
the window. If not, the central area of
the window will be blank, as in Figure 2.
We’ll discuss the operation of this dialog
window from the top down.

The Showing pull-down list at the top

will let you choose from a number of
configuration groups (Current Session,
your start-up config.pro, or elsewhere).
Select Current Session.

Deselect the check box just below the Figure 2 The Options window for setting and
Showing pull-down box. After a couple editing the configuration file
of seconds, a complete list of all the
Pro/E configuration options will appear. The first column shows its name, and the second
column shows its current value. An entry with an asterisk indicates a default value.
1-4 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Note that you can resize the column widths by dragging on the vertical column separator bars at
the top of the display area. At the far right (possibly out of the initial window view) is a long
(scrollable) one-line description of each option.

Browse down through the list. There are a lot of options here (over 750!). Note that the options
are arranged alphabetically. This is because of the setting in the Sort pull-down menu in the top-
right corner. Change this to By Category. This rearranges the list of options to group them by
function. For example, check out the settings available in the Environment and Sketcher
groups. Fortunately, there are a couple of tools to help you find the option name you’re looking
for. Let’s see how they work.

Check the box beside “Show only options loaded from file” and select Sort(Alphabetical). Note
that the options listed here are only those that are different from the default settings.

Adding Settings to config.pro

Assuming you have a blank config.pro, let’s create a couple of useful settings. At the bottom of
the Options window are two text boxes for entering option names and values. If you know the
name of the option, you can just type it in to the first box. For new users, a useful setting is the
following. In the text box below Option, enter the option name prompt_on_exit. As you type
this in, notice that Pro/E anticipates the rest of the text box based on the letters you have typed
in. After typing enough characters (up to the “x” in “exit”), the rest of the desired option will
appear; just hit the Enter key. In the pull-down list under Value, select Yes. Note that the option
name is not case sensitive and the default value is indicated by an asterisk in the pull-down list.
Now select the Add/Change button on the right. The entry now appears in the data area. A
bright green star in the Status column indicates that the option has been defined but has not yet
taken effect.

Now enter a display option. The default part display mode in the graphics window is Shaded.
Many people prefer to work in hidden line mode - let’s make it the default on start-up. Once
again, we will enter the configuration option name and pick the value from a drop-down list.
The option name and value we want are

display hiddenvis

Now select Add/Change as before (or just hit the Enter key after typing the “h”). Add the
following option to control how tangent edges should be displayed (HINT: try typing in the
following: tan<enter>d<enter>):

tangent_edge_display dimmed
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-5

Another common setting is the location of the

Pro/E trail file. As you recall, the trail file
contains a record of every command and mouse
click during a Pro/E session. The default
location for this is the start-up directory.
Theoretically, trail files can be used to recover
from disastrous crashes of Pro/E, but this is a
tricky operation. Most people just delete them.
It is handy, therefore, to collect trail files in a
single directory, where they can be easily
removed later. There is an option for setting the
location of this directory. Suppose we don’t
know the configuration option’s specific name.
Here is where a search function will come in
handy.

At the bottom of the Options window, click the

Find button. This brings up the Find Option
Figure 3 Finding a configuration file option
window (Figure 3). Type in the keyword trail
and select

Look in(ALL_CATEGORY) > Find Now

Several possibilities come up. The option we want is listed as trail_dir - scroll the description to
the right to confirm this. Select this option and then pick the Browse button at the bottom to
identify a suitable location on your system for the value. Perhaps something like c:\temp. Then
select Add/Change. The new entry appears in the Options window. In the Find Option
window, select Close.

For some options, the value is numeric (eg setting a default tolerance, number of digits, or the
color of entities on the screen). In these cases, you can enter the relevant number (or numbers
separated by either spaces or commas). For example, under Option, enter the name
system_hidden_color. Then under Value, enter the numbers 60 60 60 (separated by spaces).
These give the values of red, green, and blue (out of 100). Equal values yield gray; this setting
will brighten the hidden lines a bit from the default value. Select Add/Change.

We have now specified five options. To have them take effect, select the Apply button at the
bottom. The green stars change to small green circles in the Status column. The settings are
automatically saved in a file current_session.pro in the working directory.

For practice, enter the options shown in Figure 4. The order that the configuration options are
declared does not matter. Feel free to add new settings to your file (for search paths, libraries,
default editors, default decimal places, import/export settings, and so on).
1-6 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Figure 4 Some settings in config.pro

Notice the icons in the first column beside the option names. These mean the following:

(lightning) - option takes effect immediately

(wand) - option will take effect for the next object created

(screen) - option will take effect the next time Pro/E is started

If you are using a config file from a previous version of Pro/E you may see a “stop sign”
(actually a red circle with a line through it), which means that the option is no longer used.

Try to add an illegal option name. For example, in Release 2000i there was an option
sketcher_readme_alert. Type that in to the Option field. When you try to set a value for this,
it will not be accepted (the Add/Change button stays gray). Pro/E only recognizes valid option
names! Thus, if you mistype or enter an invalid name, this is indicated by not being able to enter
a value for it.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-7

Saving Your config.pro Settings

To store the settings we have just created so that they will be loaded automatically, select the
Save A Copy button at the top of the Options window. At the bottom of the new window,
type in the desired name for the file - in this case config.pro and select OK. It should be saved in
your default (start-up) working directory. To confirm that the settings have saved properly, use
the Open File button at the top of the Options window. Select the config.pro file you just saved,
then Open. You will have to Apply the new settings.

Loading a Configuration File

To load a new configuration file, select the Open File button beside the Showing list. Select the
desired file and then Open. Note that these settings will be read in but not activated immediately
(note the green star). Select the Apply button and observe the green star.

Deleting Configuration Options

With the configuration file name visible in the Showing field at the top, highlight one of the
options and select Delete. Selecting Apply automatically saves the current settings.

Now select Close in the Options window.

Checking Your Configuration Options

Because some settings will not activate until Pro/E is restarted, many users will exit Pro/E after
making changes to their config.pro file and then restart, just to make sure the settings are doing
what they are supposed to. Do that now. This is not quite so critical since the Options window
shows you with the lightning/wand/screen icons whether an option is active. However be aware
of where Pro/E will look for the config.pro file on start-up, as discussed above. If you have
saved config.pro in another working directory than the one you normally start in, then move it
before starting Pro/E. On the other hand, if you have settings that you only want active when
you are in a certain directory, keep a copy of config.pro there and load it once Pro/E has started
up and you have changed to the desired directory. To keep things simple, and until you have
plenty of experience with changing the configuration settings, it is usually better to have only
one copy of config.pro in your startup directory.

Note that it is probably easier to make some changes to the environment for a single session
using Tools > Environment. Also, as is often the case when learning to use new computer tools,
don’t try anything too adventurous with config.pro in the middle of a part or assembly creation
session - you never know when an unanticipated effect might clobber your work!
1-8 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Customizing the Interface (config.win)

In addition to the environment settings,
there are several ways of customizing the
Pro/E interface: using config.pro, toolbars,
menus, and mapkeys. An example of a
customized interface is shown in the figure
at the right. When you modify the interface
layout, your changes will be saved in a Menus
config.win file in a directory of your choice
(usually the current working directory). It Message Window
is possible and permissible to have several (and Dashboard; top or bottom)

different config.win files in different

directories, each with a different
customization of the screen to suit the work Toolbars
you may be doing on files in that directory. Customized buttons on
left, top, and/or right

In this section, we will introduce methods

to customize the toolbars and menus.

Figure 5 A (somewhat cluttered) customized screen

layout
Toolbars

With the cursor on the top toolbar, hold down the right mouse button. This brings up the menu
shown in Figure 6. This shows the toolbar groups currently displayed (see check marks); the
toolbars can be toggled to include/exclude them from the display. The contents of the menu
might depend on the current program status. Each group contains a set of functionally-related
shortcut buttons.

At the bottom of this pop-up menu, select Toolbars. This opens the Customize window which
contains a list of all available toolbars, and their location (see Figure 7). At the bottom of this
window you can specify whether or not, and where, to automatically save the current layout
settings. The default is config.win in the current working directory. As mentioned above, you
can create multiple config.win files, and use File > Save Settings and File > Open Settings in the
Customize window to store and recall previous files. Note that in addition to the standard
toolbar groups there are three initially empty groups (Toolbars 1 through 3), which you can
populate with short-cut buttons using methods described below. The pull-down lists at the right
allow you to place the selected toolbars at different places on the screen (left, right, top of
graphics window).
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-9

Figure 6 The Figure 7 The Toolbars tab in the Customize window

Toolbar toggle menu

Changing Toolbar Buttons

In the Customize window, select the Commands tab. (This is also available by selecting
Commands... in the menu shown in Figure 6 or using Tools > Customize Screen in the pull-
down menu.) The window shown in Figure 8 will open. Groups of toolbar commands are listed
in a tree structure in the Categories area on the left. Click on any of the group names and the
available short-cut buttons will appear in the Commands area on the right. As you move the
mouse over these buttons, a tool tip will display. As usual, commands that are not relevant to the
current program status are grayed out. If you don’t have a part or assembly loaded, for example,
the display buttons (wireframe, shaded, etc.) are grayed out. It is probably best not to place these
on a toolbar unless you are sure you need them, since they will likely come up automatically
when Pro/E enters particular modes.

If you really do want to add a button to a toolbar, just drag from the Commands area (in Figure
8) and drop it onto an existing toolbar at the top, right, or left. The button will be added
wherever you drop it on the toolbar. To remove it, drag it off the toolbar and drop it somewhere
else (on the graphics window, for example). Note that it is possible to mix and match the short-
cut buttons: any button can be placed on any toolbar. For example, a button listed under the File
category can also be added to the View toolbar. Buttons can also be present on more than one
toolbar. The possibilities are endless!

At the bottom of the Categories list is New Menu. You can drag this up to the pull-down menu
area at the top of the screen to create your own menus of commonly used commands. There is
also a New Flyout command which allows you to create your own flyout groupings in any
toolbar.
1 - 10 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

If you turn on one of the user toolbars

(select Toolbar 1, 2, or 3 under the
Toolbars tab), an initially empty button
will appear in the designated location
(top, left, or right). You can use the
Commands selector to drag any button
to define your own toolbar.

Check out the Navigation and Browser

tabs. One option available in the
Browser area will prevent the Browser
window from opening every time you
start Pro/E. Notice that the final tab in
the Customize window is Options. This
lets you set the position of the dashboard
and command/message window (above
or below the graphics area) and some Figure 8 Choosing short-cut buttons to add to
other settings. toolbars

When you leave the Customize dialog

box, your new settings can be written to the file designated in the bottom text entry box. Each
new or altered config.win file is numbered sequentially (config.win.2, config.win.3, and so on).

Helpful Hint
It is tempting, especially if you are blessed with a lot of screen space, to over-
populate the toolbars by trying to arrange every commonly used command on the
screen at once. This is reminiscent of many other Windows-based CAD programs.
Before you do that, you should work with Pro/E for a while. You will find that
Pro/E will generally bring up the appropriate toolbars for your current program status
automatically. For example, if you are in Sketcher, the Sketcher short-cut buttons
will appear. Thus, adding these buttons permanently to any toolbar is unnecessary
and the buttons will be grayed out when you are not in Sketcher anyway - you are
introducing screen clutter with no benefit. Furthermore, many commands are readily
available in the context-sensitive, right-mouse pop-up menus.

Keyboard Shortcuts - Mapkeys

A mapkey is a short sequence of keyboard key strokes or a function key that will launch one or a
series of Pro/E commands. Since many simple commands are launched using toolbar buttons,
mapkeys are typically used to start extended command sequences. Mapkeys are very similar to
macros that can be defined in other software packages. Mapkey definitions are
contained/included in your config.pro file, so they are loaded at start-up. Mapkeys are meant to
be used with command sequences that you use frequently.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 11

The mapkey key stroke sequence can be as long as you want; most users restrict mapkeys to only
2, or sometimes 3, characters. This gives several hundred possible mapkey sequences - more
than you can probably remember effectively. Pro/E constantly monitors the keyboard for input
and will immediately execute a defined command sequence when its mapkey is detected. Single
character mapkeys should be avoided due to the way that Pro/E processes keyboard input. If you
have two mapkeys “v” and “vd”, for example, the second mapkey would never execute since
Pro/E will trap and execute the first one as soon as the “v” is pressed. For the same reason, a 3-
character mapkey can never have the same two first letters as a 2-character mapkey.

Ideally, you would like to have mapkey sequences that are very easy to remember, like “vd”
(view default), or “rg” (regenerate). Because it is common to only use two characters, it will
take some planning to decide how you want to set up your definitions to use only a couple of
easy-to-remember key strokes! The mapkey should be mnemonic, but can’t collide with other
definitions. You don’t want to have to remember that “qy” means “repaint the screen.”

A practical limit on usable mapkeys is perhaps in the range

of 20 to 30, although some “power users” can use over a
hundred. With the development of the Pro/E interface
(where some commands used to be several menus deep into
the program, requiring numerous mouse clicks), the need
for dozens of mapkeys is diminishing - you can probably
get by with just a few.

Listing Current Mapkeys

To see a list of your current mapkeys (some may be defined

in your config.pro file) select

Tools > Mapkeys

This dialog window (Figure 9) allows you to define and

record, modify, delete, run, and save mapkeys. Note that
each mapkey has a short Name and Description. The
Name will be used on any short-cut button (described
below), and the Description will appear at the bottom of the
main graphics window. Mapkeys that start with a “$” are
function keys. Figure 9 Defining mapkeys
Note that mapkeys created using a previous release may
differ in command syntax and it is likely that some mapkey definitions from previous releases
will not function properly. However, mapkeys are easy enough to record.

In the following, it is assumed that you have no mapkeys defined as yet. If any of these tutorial
mapkeys collide with existing mapkeys shown in the mapkeys list (Figure 8), you can modify the
keyboard sequence (for example, use “dv” instead of “vd”) for the new mapkey.
1 - 12 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Creating Mapkeys

New mapkeys are created as follows. We will create a mapkey sequence “vd” that will reorient
the view to the default orientation. To set this up, you will have to bring in one of your
previously created parts. We will not be modifying the part.

Select the New button in the Mapkeys menu. The Record Mapkey dialog box shown in Figure
10 will open. Enter the data shown in the figure: key sequence, name, description. Now we
record the command sequence:

Record
View > Orientation > Standard Orientation (in the top pull-down menus)
Stop > OK

Every command and keystroke between Record and Stop is

added to the mapkey. It’s that easy! Spin the model with
the middle mouse button. In the Mapkeys window,
highlight the new mapkey “vd” and select the Run button.
It’s a good idea to check your mapkey definitions now
when it is easy to modify them.

As mentioned above, mapkey definitions are saved in a

configuration file (as in config.pro). New mapkey
definitions are appended to the end of the file. If you
redefine a mapkey (or use a duplicate keystroke sequence),
the definition closest to the bottom of the config file is the
one that will be used. When saving a mapkey you can
choose either config.pro or current_session.pro. There are
three ways to save the mapkeys using the buttons in the
Mapkeys window:

Save - saves only the highlighted mapkey

Changed - saves any mapkeys changed this session
All - saves all mapkeys defined for session
Figure 10 Creating a mapkey
Remember that if you save the mapkey in the
current_session.pro or elsewhere, it will not be loaded
automatically the next time you start Pro/E. To do that, you must explicitly save the mapkey
definitions into the config.pro file. Select one of the three options and save our “vd” mapkey.

Also, be aware that if you save all mapkeys defined in the session, they are appended to the end
of the config.pro file. If you do this excessively, the file can become quite large (and slow to
load). You should occasionally edit the file with a text editor to remove the early duplicates.

Close the Mapkeys window. Minimize Pro/E and open config.pro using your system text editor.
Scroll down to the bottom of the file to see the new lines that describe the mapkey. It is possible
to move the mapkey definitions elsewhere in the file but for each definition these lines should
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 13

never be separated since they are a continuation of the same sequence. It is possible, but
probably not advisable, to try to edit the mapkey definitions manually - leave that to the power
users! Exit your text editor and restore the Pro/E window.

Some final points about mapkeys: it is possible to set up the mapkey so that execution will pause
to allow user input during the command sequence, either by picking on the screen or through the
keyboard. Mapkeys can also call other mapkeys. You might like to experiment with these ideas
on your own. The possibilities for customization are almost limitless! Some commonly used
mapkeys are listed in Table 1-1 below. As mentioned earlier, with the “flattening” of the user
interface in Wildfire, the need for mapkeys is diminishing. They are primarily used as shortcuts
for a few, very common command sequences. We will return to mapkeys after the next section.

Table 1-1 Some commonly used mapkeys

General Mapkeys Feature Creation Mapkeys

wc Window Close ct Create Cut
wa Window Activate cp Create Protrusion
rg Regenerate ch Create Hole
dd Done cr Create Round
qq Quit cc Create datum Curve
View Mapkeys cd Create Datum plane
rr Repaint Utility Mapkeys
sd Shade fr Feature Redefine
vd View Default fs Feature Suppress
vr View Refit fd Feature Delete
vf View Front fe Feature Resume
vb View Back fm Feature Modify
vt View Top fi Feature Information
vl View Left
vg View Right
1 - 14 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Creating a Customized Part Template

Most part files that you create contain many common elements such as datums, defined views,
coordinate systems, parameters, and so on. Creating these from scratch for every new part that
you start is tedious and inefficient. Prior to Release 2000i2 a very handy model creation tool used
the notion of a “start part” which contained these common elements. Users would then create a
mapkey that would bring the part into session and then rename it. This made the creation of new
parts very quick and efficient, with the added bonus that standard part setups could be employed.

This “start part” functionality has been built into the program using part templates. Several part
templates are included with a standard Pro/E installation for solid and sheet metal parts in
different systems of units. You may have a reason at some point to create your own template,
which we will do here. We’ll also define a mapkey to quickly bring it in session and allow you
to change its name. Then you can immediately get on with the job of creating features. We will
create the part template from scratch, although you could use any of the existing templates as a
basis for this.

Select File > New. Make sure the Part and Solid radio buttons are selected. Deselect the Use
Default Template box, and enter a name mytemplate. Select OK and in the next window, select
the Empty template and OK.

Create the default datum planes and use Edit > Set Up > Name (or select the features in the
model tree and use the RMB pop-up menu) to rename the datums SIDE (DTM1), TOP (DTM2),
and FRONT (DTM3). Now set up some named views.

View > Orientation > Reorient

and create the following three named views:

View Reference 1 Reference 2

Name
Direction Pick Datum Direction Pick Datum
FRONT Front FRONT Top TOP
TOP Front TOP Right SIDE
RIGHT Front SIDE Top TOP

The completed list of saved views should appear as shown in Figure 11. Feel free to add
additional standard views (Left, Back, Bottom, Iso_Right, ...). Select OK to leave the
Orientation dialog.

Check out our previously defined mapkey for setting the default view (“vd”).
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 15

Set the part units using

Edit > Set Up > Units

and picking (or confirming) “millimeter-Newton-Second”,

then

Set > OK > Close

We are finished with creating the start part, so save it with

the name mytemplate.prt. If you have write access, move
the part file to the Pro/E installation directory, something
like

\ptc\wildfire20\templates

This is the default directory where Pro/E will look for part
templates. If you do not have write access to this directory,
leave the part file in your working directory. You can
rename the file to remove the version number if you want,
so that it appears as as mytemplate.prt rather than
mytemplate.prt.1.
Figure 11 Creating named views

Creating More Mapkeys

Before we leave this new part template, let’s create some more mapkeys to go directly to the
named views. Select

Tools > Mapkeys > New

Use the key sequence “vt” and enter a short name like “View Top” and description “Orientation
Top View”. Now record the mapkey using

Record
Saved View List (a toolbar button) > TOP
Stop > OK

Spin the datum planes, and select Run to try out the mapkey. Similarly, create and test two more
mapkeys to go to the front view (“vf”) and the right side view (“vg”)2. Don’t forget to save all
the changed/new mapkeys in your config.pro file. Open up your config.pro to confirm that they
are there.

2
The mapkey “vr”, which is more logical for the right view, is usually used for “View
Refit”
1 - 16 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Using the New Part Template

Erase the current part from the session. Select

File > New

Deselect the Use Default Template box, enter a name (like test), and select OK. Depending on
what you did before, your template is either in your working directory or in the default templates
directory (or possibly both!). In the New File Options window, scroll to and highlight the
template mytemplate. This is the copy in the default templates directory. If you weren’t able to
put your file there, use the Browse button to find it in the working directory. Once the template
is located, select OK. A copy of the template is now brought into session and given the name
you specified.

Setting the Default Part Template

We can tell Pro/E to use our new template as the default by setting an option in config.pro.
Select

Tools > Options

and enter the Option template_solidpart. Set the value for the option by browsing to the
template directory (or use the current working directory, wherever you have saved the template
file) and selecting the part file mytemplate.prt we created above. Select Add/Change and then
Apply the new setting (remember that this automatically saves the config file).

Creating a Mapkey to Start a New Part

Erase the current part from the session. Select

Tools > Mapkeys > New

Enter the key sequence “cp” (“create part”), name “Create Part”, and description “Create a New
Part and Rename”. Now select

Record
File > New

Choose Part | Solid | OK. Leave the default part name as prt0001, and the check beside Use
Default Template. Now select

File > Rename

This is where we want the mapkey to stop, so select STOP > OK in the Record Mapkey dialog.
In the Rename window, enter a new name for the part, like test2, then select OK twice. We
have a new mapkey called “cp”, so highlight this in the Mapkeys dialog and save it. Close the
Mapkeys dialog window. Open the config.pro file to see the listing added for this new mapkey.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 17

To try out the mapkey, erase the new file with File > Erase > Current. Type “cp”. Several
windows will quickly open and close, and you will be left with the dialog box for renaming the
part. You can now enter the desired name for a new part, which will contain the default datums,
units, and named views set up above to work with the view mapkeys we created earlier. Pretty
slick!

We have created a very simple part template here. You can make this as elaborate as you like
with parameters, units, materials, layers, datum features and so on - even solid features. For
example, if you often create parts whose base feature is a cylindrical solid, consider including
this in a special template, perhaps called cylinder.prt. You can include as many features as you
want in a template and, of course, use any of the provided part templates as a starting point for
any new ones.

Adding Mapkeys to Menus and Toolbars

Mapkeys can be added to any of the existing toolbars and pull-down menus. You might like to
do this for mapkeys that you do not use frequently, and are likely to forget.

To see how this is done, select

the Commands tab in the
Customize window (see Figure
12). At the bottom of the
Categories list, you will find an
entry called Mapkeys. Select this
to see your currently defined
mapkeys on the right. In the
Mapkeys pane, select the mapkey
Create Part. The two buttons
Description and Modify
Selection are now active.
Selecting the former shows you
the description you entered when
defining the mapkey. Selecting Figure 12 Adding mapkeys to menus and toolbars
the latter allows you to modify
the mapkey button image
(currently a “happy face”) and display. You might like to get rid of the “happy face”, since all
mapkeys use this same icon. You can select from a large collection of Pro/E icons, or design
your own.

Drag the Create Part mapkey in the right pane up to the File pull-down menu and drop it in a
convenient location, as in Figure 13 (notice the changed button icon). Selecting this will launch
the mapkey.
1 - 18 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Another way to utilize mapkeys is to create shortcut

buttons on the toolbars. Again select the Create Part
mapkey in the right pane and drag it to a toolbar.

We now have three different ways to launch the Create

Part mapkey:

‚ from the keyboard, with “cp”

‚ from the pull-down File menu
‚ from the toolbar

Experiment with these to find out which one is most

suitable for you. Again, remember the cautionary note
about cluttering up your screen. Figure 13 Create Part mapkey
added to a pull-down menu

Introduction to the Project

The assembly project to be completed in this tutorial involves the modeling and assembly of the
three-wheeled utility cart shown in Figure 14. The cart contains 26 or so parts, many of which
are repeated in the assembly. The total assembly has about 75 parts (mostly bolts!). We will use
the techniques introduced in the lessons to model various parts of the cart as exercises at the end
of each lesson. We will average about 4 parts per lesson, so you should get lots of practice! In
the final lesson, we will assemble the cart, using a number of advanced functions for dealing
with assemblies. Try not to “jump the gun” on this assembly task, since the functions to be
covered in the last lesson can really speed up your job of putting the cart together.

For your modeling exercises, the parts shown at the end of each lesson will illustrate the critical
dimensions. A figure will also be provided to show where the parts fit into the overall assembly.
Not all dimensions are shown on each part - you can use your judgement and creativity to
determine the remaining dimensions. In this regard, please take note of the following:

‚ ALL UNITS ARE IN MILLIMETERS! You might set up your default part template
with this setting.
‚ Dimensions are usually multiples of 5mm. For instance, all the plate material and the
wall of the cargo box are 5mm thick. The tubing is 25mm square.
‚ All holes and cylinders, unless otherwise dimensioned, are φ10. This applies to bolt
holes, pins, rods, and so on.
‚ All holes, unless otherwise dimensioned, are coaxial with cylindrical surfaces or
located on symmetry planes.
‚ For some of the trickier parts, in addition to the figures showing the dimensions, there
will be some discussion and hints to help you get going.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 19

Figure 14 The assembly project - a three-wheeled utility cart

When we get to the final assembly in Lesson 8, remember that it is an easy matter to modify
dimensions of the various parts so that the assembly fits together. Don’t be too concerned when
you are modeling the parts if you have to guess at one or two dimensions. These can be
modified later if the need arises.

When you are creating the parts, try to be aware of the design intent for the part and how it might
eventually be placed in the assembly3. For example, if the part has one or more planes of
symmetry, it is common practice to use the default datum planes for these. In the assembly, the
Align constraint using these datum planes is an easy way to position the part (usually with
another symmetric part).

Although a suggested part name is given, feel free to make up your own part names (although
this might cause confusion in Lesson 8!). Remember that Pro/E is fussy about files that get
renamed in isolation, or moved to another directory. If a part has been used in an assembly (or
sub-assembly) or drawing, make sure the assembly or drawing is in session if you rename or
move the part so that the related files can also be updated.

For the entire project, you will require about 10 Megabytes of disk space to store all the parts
and assemblies. This does not include parts we will make during the lessons themselves, just the
cart project parts. If you are not particularly careful about disk housekeeping (like deleting older
version of the part files), you will require more space.

3
You might like to look ahead to the last lesson to see what assembly constraints are
used for each part.
1 - 20 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

This lesson should have given you enough ideas and ammunition to allow you to customize the
interface so that it will be most efficient for the type of work that you do. There are a surprising
number of users who are unaware of many options available in config.pro. Check them out!

In the next lesson we will look at functions directly involved in model creation. These are for
the creation of sweeps.

Questions for Review

1. What is the name of the file containing your configuration settings?
2. What is the name of the file containing your screen layout settings?
3. When, and from where, are your configuration settings loaded? Why is there more than
one location?
4. What happens if your configuration file contains multiple entries for the same option, each
with different values?
5. How can you find out where your start-up directory is?
6. How can you create/edit/delete configuration settings?
7. When do configuration settings become active?
8. Is it possible to have more than one customized screen layout?
9. How do you place toolbars on the top/left/right edge of the graphics window?
10. How do you add/delete shortcut buttons on the toolbars?
11. How many empty toolbars are there?
12. Where are the toolbar definitions saved?
13. What is a mapkey?
14. Why do you usually want to keep mapkey names short?
15. How is the mapkey name different from the mapkey sequence?
16. How do you create a new mapkey?
17. Are new mapkeys stored automatically? Where?
18. What is the purpose of a part template? Where are they stored and how do you access
them?

Exercises
1. Create an assembly template. This should have named datums and named views to match
your view selection mapkeys and default units to match your default part template. Make
this the default template for assemblies.

2. Set up a mapkey Create Assembly to create a new assembly using the default assembly
template.

3. Put the Create Assembly mapkey on the pull-down File menu.

Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 21

Project Exercises
We’re going to start off with some of the easier parts in the cart. These should give you some
time to experiment with your configuration file, mapkeys, and part template. The project parts
are shown in the figures below. Their location in the cart is also shown for reference in the
Figure here:

Part: handle_pin Part: front_spr_plate

1 - 22 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Part: arm_vbrack

Part: arm_brack
Parametric Modeling
with
Pro/ENGINEER® Wildfire 2.0
An Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE

Randy H. Shih
Oregon Institute of Technology

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER 1-1

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Lesson 1
Parametric Modeling Fundamentals

Material

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Material

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Material
♦ Create Simple Extruded Solid Models.
♦ Understand the Basic Parametric
Modeling Process.
♦ Create 2-D Sketches.
♦ Understand the "Shape Before Size"
approach.

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♦ Use the Dynamic Viewing commands.
♦ Create and Modify Parametric
Dimensions.

Material
1-2 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Introduction
The feature-based parametric modeling technique enables the designer to incorporate
the original design intent into the construction of the model. The word parametric means

Material
the geometric definitions of the design, such as dimensions, can be varied at any time in
the design process. Parametric modeling is accomplished by identifying and creating the
key features of the design with the aid of computer software. The design variables,
described in the sketches and features, can be used to quickly modify/update the design.

In Pro/ENGINEER, the parametric part modeling process involves the following steps:

1. Set up Units and Basic Datum Geometry.

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2. Determine the type of the base feature, the first solid feature, of the design.
Note that Extrude, Revolve, or Sweep operations are the most common
types of base features.

Material
3. Create a rough two-dimensional sketch of the basic shape of the base feature
of the design.

4. Apply/modify constraints and dimensions to the two-dimensional sketch.

5. Transform the parametric two-dimensional sketch into a 3D solid.

6. Add additional parametric features by identifying feature relations and

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complete the design.

7. Perform analyses/simulations, such as finite element analysis (FEA) or cutter

path generation (CNC), on the computer model and refine the design as
needed.

Material
8. Document the design by creating the desired 2D/3D drawings.

The approach of creating three-dimensional features using two-dimensional sketches is

an effective way to construct solid models. Many designs are in fact the same shape in
one direction. Computer input and output devices we use today are largely two-
dimensional in nature, which makes this modeling technique quite practical. This method
also conforms to the design process that helps the designer with conceptual design along

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with the capability to capture the design intent. Most engineers and designers can relate
to the experience of making rough sketches on restaurant napkins to convey conceptual
design ideas. Note that Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful modeling and design
tools, and there are many different approaches to accomplish modeling tasks. The basic

Material
principle of feature-based modeling is to build models by adding simple features one at
a time. In this chapter, a very simple solid model with extruded features is used to
introduce the general feature-based parametric modeling procedure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-3

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The Adjuster design

Material

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Material

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Starting Pro/ENGINEER

How to start Pro/ENGINEER depends on the type of workstation and the particular

Material
software configuration you are using. With most Windows and UNIX systems, you may
select Pro/ENGINEER on the Start menu or select the Pro/ENGINEER icon on the
desktop. Consult your instructor or technical support personnel if you have difficulty
starting the software.

1. Select the Pro/ENGINEER option on the Start menu or select the

Pro/ENGINEER icon on the desktop to start Pro/ENGINEER. The
Pro/ENGINEER main window will appear on the screen.

Copyrighted 2. Click on the New icon, located in the Standard

toolbar as shown.

Material
1-4 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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3. In the New dialog box, confirm the model’s Type is set to Part (Solid Sub-
type).

4. Enter Adjuster as the part Name as

Material
shown in the figure.

5. Turn off the Use default template

option.

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6. Click on the OK button to accept the
settings.

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7. In the New File Options dialog box,
select EMPTY in the option list to
not use any template file.

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8. Click on the OK button to accept the
settings and enter the

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Pro/ENGINEER Part Modeling
mode.

Note that the part name, Adjuster,

appears in the title area of the main
window and in the Navigator

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Model Tree window.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-5

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Step 1: Units and Basic Datum Geometry Setups

♦ Units Setup and Pro/ENGINEER Menu Structure

When starting a new model, the first thing we should do is to choose the set of units

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we want to use.

1. Use the left-mouse-button and select Edit

in the pull-down menu area.

1. Pick Edit 2. Use the left-mouse-button and select

Setup… in the pull-down list as shown.

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 Note that the Pro/ENGINEER menu
system is context-sensitive, which means
that the menu items and icons of the non-
applicable options are grayed out

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(temporarily disabled).

3. Select the Units option in the Menu

Manager window that appeared to the
right of the Pro/ENGINEER main
window.

2. Pick Setup…

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3. Pick Units

5. Pick Set

4. In the Units Manager - System of

Units form, the Pro/ENGINEER

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default setting Inch lbm Second is
displayed. The set of units is stored
with the model file when you save.
Pick Inch Pound Second (IPS) by

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clicking in the list window as shown.

5. Click on the Set button to accept the

selection.
1-6 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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on the OK button to accept the change of the
units.

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 Note that Pro/ENGINEER allows us to change
model units even after the model has been
constructed.

7. Click on the Close button to exit the Units Manager

dialog box.

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8. Pick Done to exit the PART SETUP submenu.

 Note that the submenu appeared and disappeared as different

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options were selected; this is known as the tree structure menu
system.

♦ Tree Structure system

Root

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Submenu 1 Submenu 2 Command 1 (Leaf)

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Command 2 (Leaf) Submenu 3 Command 3 (Leaf) Command 4 (Leaf)

Command 5 (Leaf) Command 6 (Leaf) Command 7 (leaf)

The tree structure is an effective way to organize menu items. Similar items are placed in
a group that could belong to another subgroup based on the grouping method. The

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submenus represent different categories of items. The tree structure is used extensively in
the majority of CAD software menu systems.

Using the tree structure shown, we will follow Submenu 1 to Submenu 3 and reach
Command 5. If we then want to switch to Command 4, we will trace back to the root

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then branch off to Submenu 2. Keep this tree structure in mind while using the
Pro/ENGINEER menu system. Think of the overall scheme and it will be quite easy to
get to where you want to go. In Pro/ENGINEER, the Done option will usually return you
to the previous level in the menu structure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-7

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♦ Adding the First Part Features — Datum Planes

Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful tools for model creation. In doing feature-
based parametric modeling, it is a good practice to establish three reference planes to

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locate the part in space. The reference planes can be used as location references in
feature constructions.

 Move the cursor toward the right side of the main

window and click on the Datum Plane Tool icon as
shown.

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Datum planes

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In the display area, three datum planes represented by three rectangles are displayed.

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Datum planes are infinite planes and they are perpendicular to each other. We can
consider these planes as XY, YZ, and ZX planes of a Cartesian coordinate system.
Notice in the Navigator Model Tree window, three datum plane features are added to
the tree structure.
1-8 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Step 2: Determine/Set Up the Base Solid Feature
• For the Adjuster design, we will create an extruded solid as the base feature.

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1. In the Feature
Toolbars (toolbars
aligned to the right
edge of the main
window), select the
Extrude Tool icon
as shown.

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• The Feature Option Dashboard, which contains applicable construction options, is
displayed above the message area near the bottom of the Pro/ENGINEER main
window.

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Feature option dashboard

2. On your own, move the cursor over the icons and

read the descriptions of the different options
available. Note that the default extrude option is set
to Extrude as Solid.

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choose Define to begin creating

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a new Internal sketch.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-9

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Sketching plane – It is an XY CRT, but an XYZ World
Design modeling software is becoming more
powerful and user friendly, yet the system still

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does only what the user tells it to do. When
using a geometric modeler, we therefore need
to have a good understanding of what its
inherent limitations are. We should also have
a good understanding of what we want to do
and what to expect, as the results are based on
what is available.

In most 3D geometric modelers, 3D objects

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are located and defined in what is usually
called world space or global space. Although
a number of different coordinate systems can
be used to create and manipulate objects in a

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3D modeling system, the objects are typically
defined and stored using the world space. The
world space is usually a 3D Cartesian
coordinate system that the user cannot
change or manipulate.

In most engineering designs, models can be very complex, and it would be tedious and
confusing if only the world coordinate system were available. Practical 3D modeling
systems allow the user to define Local Coordinate Systems (LCS) or User Coordinate

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Systems (UCS) relative to the world coordinate system. Once a local coordinate system
is defined, we can then create geometry in terms of this more convenient system.

Although objects are created and stored in 3D space coordinates, most of the geometric

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entities can be referenced using 2D Cartesian coordinate systems. Typical input devices
such as a mouse or digitizer are two-dimensional by nature; the movement of the input
device is interpreted by the system in a planar sense. The same limitation is true of
common output devices, such as CRT displays and plotters. The modeling software
performs a series of three-dimensional to two-dimensional transformations to correctly
project 3D objects onto the 2D display plane.

The Pro/ENGINEER sketching plane is a special construction approach that enables the

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planar nature of the 2D input devices to be directly mapped into the 3D coordinate
system. The sketching plane is a local coordinate system that can be aligned to an
existing face of a part, or a reference plane.

Think of the sketching plane as the surface on which we can sketch the 2D sections of the

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parts. It is similar to a piece of paper, a white board, or a chalkboard that can be attached
to any planar surface. The first sketch we create is usually drawn on one of the
established datum planes. Subsequent sketches/features can then be created on sketching
planes that are aligned to existing planar faces of the solid part or datum planes.
1-10 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Defining the Sketching Plane

• The sketching plane is a reference location where two-dimensional sketches are

created. The sketching plane can be any planar part surface or datum plane. Note that

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Pro/ENGINEER uses a two-step approach in setting up the selection and alignment of
the sketching plane.

In the Section Placement window, the

selection of the sketch plane and the
orientation of the sketching plane are
organized into two groups. The default
Sketch Plane is set to DTM3 and the

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Sketch Orientation is set to Reference
DTM1 as shown.

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1. Click inside the Plane option box in the Sketch
window as shown. The message “Select a plane or
surface to define sketch plane.” is displayed in the

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message area.

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2. In the graphic area, select DTM2 by
clicking on the text DTM2 as shown.

Notice an arrow appears on the edge of

DTM2. The arrow direction indicates the
viewing direction of the sketch plane. The
viewing direction can be reversed by
clicking on the Flip button in the Sketch

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Orientation section of the popup window.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-11

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Defining the Orientation of the Sketching Plane

• Although we have selected the sketching plane, Pro/ENGINEER still needs additional
information to define the orientation of the sketch plane. Pro/ENGINEER expects us

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to choose a reference plane (any plane that is perpendicular to the selected sketch
plane) and the orientation of the reference plane is relative to the computer screen.

To define the orientation of the sketching plane, select the facing

direction of the reference plane with respect to the computer screen.

The selected sketching plane,

DTM2, will be aligned parallel
to the 2D computer screen.

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We will orient the sketching
plane by setting the positive
side of DTM3 to face toward
the bottom edge of the
computer screen.

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Material 1. Click inside the Reference option box in the Sketch-
Orientation window as shown. The message “Select a
reference, such as surface, plane or edge to define
view orientation.” is displayed in the message area.

2. In the graphic area, select DTM3 by clicking on the text DTM3 as shown in

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the above figure.

3. In the Orientation list, pick Bottom to

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set the orientation of the reference plane.
1-12 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Copyrighted 4. Pick Sketch to exit the Section

Placement window and proceed to
enter the Pro/ENGINEER sketcher
mode.

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Pro/ENGINEER will now rotate the three datum planes: DTM2 aligned to the screen
and the positive side of DTM3 facing toward the bottom edge of the computer screen.

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The orientation of the sketching plane can be very confusing to new users. It is
strongly recommended that you read this section again.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-13

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Step 3: Creating 2D Rough Sketches

♦ Shape Before Size – Creating Rough Sketches

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Quite often during the early design stage, the shape of a design may not have any precise
dimensions. Most conventional CAD systems require the user to input the precise lengths
and location dimensions of all geometric entities defining the design, and some of the
values may not be available during the early design stage. With parametric modeling, we
can use the computer to elaborate and formulate the design idea further during the initial
design stage. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can use the computer as an electronic sketchpad
to help us concentrate on the formulation of forms and shapes for the design. This
approach is the main advantage of parametric modeling over conventional solid-
modeling techniques.

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As the name implies, rough sketches are not precise at all. When sketching, we simply
sketch the geometry so it closely resembles the desired shape. Precise scale or dimensions
are not needed. Pro/ENGINEER provides us with many tools to assist in finalizing

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sketches, known as sections. For example, geometric entities such as horizontal and
vertical lines are set automatically. However, if the rough sketches are poor, much more
work will be required to generate the desired parametric sketches. Here are some general
guidelines for creating sketches in Pro/ENGINEER:

• Create a sketch that is proportional to the desired shape. Concentrate on the

shapes and forms of the design.

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• Keep the sketches simple. Leave out small geometry features such as fillets, rounds,
and chamfers. They can easily be placed using the Fillet and Chamfer commands
after the parametric sketches have been established.

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Exaggerate the geometric features of the desired shape. For example, if the
desired angle is 85 degrees, create an angle that is 50 or 60 degrees. Otherwise,
Pro/ENGINEER might assume the intended angle to be a 90-degree angle.

• Draw the geometry so that it does not overlap. The sketched geometry should
eventually form a closed region. Self-intersecting geometric shapes are not allowed.

• The sketched geometric entities should form a closed region. To create a solid
feature, such as an extruded solid, a closed region section is required so that the

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extruded solid forms a 3D volume.

 Note: The concepts and principles involved in parametric modeling are very
different, and sometimes they are totally opposite, to those of the conventional

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computer aided drafting systems. In order to understand and fully utilize
Pro/ENGINEER’s functionality, it will be helpful to take a Zen approach to learning
the topics presented in this text: Temporarily forget your knowledge and
experiences using conventional computer aided drafting systems.
1-14 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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♦ The Pro/ENGINEER SKETCHER and INTENT MANAGER

In previous generation CAD programs, construction of models relies on exact

dimensional values, and adjustments to dimensional values are quite difficult once the

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model is built. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can now treat the sketch as if it is being done
on a napkin, and it is the general shape of the design that we are more interested in
defining. The Pro/ENGINEER part model contains more than just the final geometry. It
also contains the design intent that governs what will happen when geometry changes.
The design philosophy of “shape before size” is implemented through the use of the
Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher. This allows the designer to construct solid models in a higher
level and leave all the geometric details to Pro/ENGINEER.

One of the main improvements in Pro/ENGINEER since Release 20 is the introduction

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and enhancements of the Intent Manager in the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

The Intent Manager enables us to do:

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Dynamic dimensioning and constraints
• Add or delete constraints explicitly
• Undo any Sketcher operation

The first thing that Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher expects us to do, which is displayed in the
References window, is to specify sketching references. In the previous sections, we
created the three datum planes to help orient the model in 3D space. Now we need to
orient the 2D sketch with respect to the three datum planes. At least two references are
required to orient the sketch in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. By

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default, the two planes (in our example, DTM1 and DTM3) that are perpendicular to the
sketching plane (DTM2) are automatically selected.

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1. Note that DTM1 and DTM3 are pre-
selected as the sketching references. In the
graphics area, the two references are
highlighted and displayed with two dashed
lines.

2. The Reference status, as shown in the

References dialog box, indicates the 2D

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sketch can be Fully Placed with the two
references identified. We can proceed to
creating 2D sketches. Click on the Close
button to close the References dialog box.

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Next, we will create a rough sketch by using some of the visual aids available, and
then update the design through the associated control parameters.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-15

Copyrighted 3. Move the graphics cursor to the Line icon in the Sketcher
toolbar. A help-tip box appears next to the cursor and a
brief description of the command options is displayed in
the message area.

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The Sketcher toolbar, located on the right side of the main window, provides tools for
creating the basic 2D geometry that can be used to create features and parts.

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Graphics Cursors

Notice the cursor changes from an arrow to an
arrow with a small crosshair when graphical input

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is expected.

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1. Move the cursor near the
intersection of the two references,
and notice that the small crosshair
Point 2
attached to the cursor will

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automatically snap to the
intersection point. Left-click once
Constraint Symbol to place the starting point as
shown.

Start Point 2. As you move the graphics cursor,

you will see different symbols

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appear at different locations.

3. Move the cursor along the vertical reference and create a vertical line by
clicking at a location above the start point (Point 2) as shown. Notice the

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geometric constraint symbol, V, indicating the created line is vertical.
1-16 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Geometric Constraint Symbols

Pro/ENGINEER displays different visual clues, or symbols, to show you alignments,
perpendicularities, tangencies, etc. These constraints are used to capture the design
intent by creating constraints where they are recognized. Pro/ENGINEER displays the

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governing geometric rules as models are built.

V Vertical indicates a segment is vertical

H Horizontal indicates a segment is horizontal

L Equal Length indicates two segments are of equal length

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R Equal Radii indicates two curves are of equal radii

T Tangent indicates two entities are tangent to each other

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Parallel indicates a segment is parallel to other entities

Perpendicular indicates a segment is perpendicular to other entities

Symmetry indicates two points are symmetrical

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Point on Entity indicates the point is on another entity

1. Complete the sketch as

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shown, a closed region
Point 2 ending at the starting point
Point 3
(Point 1). Watch the
displayed constraint symbols
while sketching, especially
the applied Equal Length
constraint, L1, to the two
short horizontal edges. All

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Point 1 line segments are sketched
Point 4 horizontally or vertically.

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2. Inside the graphics area, click once with the middle-mouse-button to end the
current line sketch.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-17

Pro/ENGINEER’s Intent Manager automatically places dimensions and constraints

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on the sketched geometry. This is known as the Dynamic Dimensioning and
Constraints feature. Constraints and dimensions are added “on the fly.” Do not be
concerned with the size of the sketched geometry or the displayed dimensional
values; we will modify the sketched geometry in the following sections.

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Dynamic Viewing Functions

Pro/ENGINEER provides a special user interface, Dynamic Viewing, which enables
convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time. The Dynamic
Viewing functions are controlled with the combinations of the middle mouse button,
the [Ctrl] key and the [Shift] key on the keyboard.

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Zooming – [Ctrl] key and [middle-mouse-button]

Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse vertically on the screen to adjust the scale of the

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display. Moving upward will reduce the scale of the display, making the
entities display smaller on the screen. Moving downward will magnify the
scale of the display.

Zoom Ctrl + Middle mouse button

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Panning – [Shift] key and [middle-mouse-button]

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Hold down the [Shift] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse to pan the display. This allows you to reposition
the display while maintaining the same scale factor of the display. This
function acts as if you are using a video camera. You control the display by
moving the mouse.

Shift

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Pan + Middle mouse button

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 On your own, use the Dynamic Viewing functions to reposition and magnify the scale
of the 2D sketch to the center of the screen so that it is easier to work with.
1-18 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Step 4: Apply/modify constraints and dimensions
 As the sketch is made, Pro/ENGINEER automatically applies geometric constraints
(such as horizontal, vertical and equal length) and dimensions to the sketched
geometry. We can continue to modify the geometry, apply additional constraints

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and/or dimensions, or define/modify the size and location of the existing geometry. It
is more than likely that some of the automatically applied dimensions may not match
with the design intent we have in mind. For example, we might want to have
dimensions identifying the overall-height, overall-width, and the width of the inside-
cut of the design, as shown in the figures below.

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Current Sketch

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Material Sketch in mind

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-19

Copyrighted 1. Click on the Dimension icon in the Sketcher toolbar

as shown. This command allows us to create defining
dimensions.

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2. Select the inside horizontal line by left-clicking once
on the line as shown.

2. Pick the inside

horizontal line as the
geometry to dimension.

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3. Place the dimension
at a location that is
below the line.

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3. Move the graphics cursor below the selected line and click once with the
middle-mouse-button to place the dimension. (Note that the value displayed
on your screen might be different than what is shown in the above figure.)

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4. Select the right
vertical line.
4. Pick the right vertical
line as the geometry to 5. Place the dimension,
dimension. by clicking once with
the middle-mouse-
button at a location
toward the right of the
sketch.

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5. Place the dimension
toward the right side.

The Dimension
command will create a
length dimension if a

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single line is selected.

• Notice the overall-height dimension applied automatically by the Intent Manager is

removed as the new dimension is defined.
1-20 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Note that the dimensions we just created are displayed with a different color than

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those that are applied automatically. The dimensions created by the Intent Manager
are called weak dimensions, which can be replaced/deleted as we create specific
defining dimensions to satisfy our design intent.

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6. Select the top horizontal line as shown below.

7. Select the inside horizontal line as shown below.

8. Place the dimension, by clicking once with the middle-mouse-button, at a

location in between the selected lines as shown below.

6. Pick the top line as the

1st geometry to dimension

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8. Place the dimension
in between the two
7. Pick this line as
the 2nd geometry to

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dimension
selected lines.

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When two parallel
lines are selected, the
Dimension command
will create a
dimension measuring
the distance in
between.

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9. On you own, confirm
there are four
dimensions applied to
the sketch that appear

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as shown.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-21

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Modifying the dimensions of the sketch

1. Click on the Select icon in the Sketcher toolbar as shown.

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The Select command allows us to perform several
modification operations on the sketched geometry and
dimensions.

2. Select the overall height dimension of the

sketch by double-clicking with the left-
mouse-button on the dimension text.

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2. Modify the overall 3. In the dimension value box, the current
height-dimension. length of the line is displayed. Enter 3 as
the new value for the dimension.

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4. Press the ENTER key once to accept the
entered value.

 Pro/ENGINEER will
update the sketch using
the entered dimension
value. Since the other

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dimensions are much
larger, the sketch
becomes greatly
distorted. We will take a

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different approach to
modify the geometry.

5. Click on the Undo icon in the Standard toolbar to undo the Modify
Dimension performed.

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 Notice that the Redo icon is also available in the Standard toolbar.
1-22 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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6. In the pull-down menu area, click on Edit to display the option list and select
the following option items:

Edit
Select
All (Note that Crtl+Alt+A can also activate this option.)

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Material 7. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Modify icon
as shown.

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With the pre-selection option, all dimensions are selected and listed in the Modify
Dimensions dialog box.

Material 8. Turn off the Regenerate option by

left-clicking once on the option as
shown.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-23

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9. On you own, adjust the dimensions as shown below. Note that the dimension
selected in the Modify Dimensions dialog box is identified with an enclosed
box in the display area.

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Material 10. Inside the Modify Dimensions dialog box, click on the Accept
button to regenerate the sketched geometry and exit the Modify
Dimensions command.

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Repositioning Dimensions

1. Confirm the Select icon, in the Sketcher toolbar, is activated

as shown.

Material 2. Press and hold down the left-mouse-button on any dimension

text, then drag the dimension to a new location in the display
area. (Note the cursor is changed to a moving arrow icon
during this operation.)

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1-24 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Step 5: Completing the Base Solid Feature

Now that the 2D sketch is completed, we will proceed to the next step: creating a 3D
part from the 2D section. Extruding a 2D section is one of the common methods that

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can be used to create 3D parts. We can extrude planar faces along a path. In
Pro/ENGINEER, the default extrusion direction is perpendicular to the sketching
plane, DTM2.

1. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.

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2. In the Feature Option Dashboard, confirm the Depth Value option is set as
shown. This option sets the extrusion of the section by Extrude from
sketch plane by a specific depth value.

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3. In the depth value box, enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth.

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4. In the message area, click on the Accept button to
proceed with the feature definition.

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Note that all dimensions disappeared from the screen. All parametric definitions are
stored in the Pro/ENGINEER database, and any of the parametric definitions can be

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displayed and edited at any time.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-25

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The Third Dynamic Viewing Function
3D Dynamic Rotation – [middle mouse button]

Press down the middle-mouse-button in the display area. Drag the mouse on

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the screen to rotate the model about the screen.

3D Rotation Middle mouse button

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On your own, practice the use of the Dynamic Viewing functions, which
enables convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time.

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Zoom Ctrl + Middle mouse button

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Pan Shift + Middle mouse button
1-26 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Display Modes: Wireframe, Shaded, Hidden Edge, No Hidden

• The display in the graphics window has four display-modes: wireframe, hidden edge
displayed as hidden lines, no hidden lines, and shaded image. To change the display

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mode in the active window, click on one of the display mode buttons on the Standard
toolbar, as shown in the figure below.

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Wireframe Image:

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The first icon in the display mode button group allows the display of
3D objects using the basic wireframe representation scheme.

Hidden-Edge Display:
The second icon in the display mode button group can be used to

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generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
shown as hidden lines.

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No Hidden-Edge Display:
The third icon in the display mode button group can be used to
generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
removed.

Shaded Solid:
The fourth icon in the display mode button group generates a shaded

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image of the 3D object.

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On your own, use the different viewing options described in the above sections to
familiarize yourself with the 3D viewing/display commands.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-27

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Step 6: Adding additional features

• Next, we will create another extrusion feature that will be added to the existing solid
object.

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edge of the main window), select the Extrude Tool
option as shown.

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and choose Define to begin
creating a new Internal sketch.

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3. Pick the right vertical face of the solid model as the sketching plane as shown
in the below figure.

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Material Select this face of the base
feature as the sketching
plane for the 2nd solid
feature.

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4. On your own, confirm the viewing direction is set as shown in the figure
above.
1-28 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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5. In the display area, pick the top face of the base feature as shown.

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Select the top face of the
base feature as the
reference plane to set the
orientation of the sketch
plane.

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Material 6. In the Sketch Orientation menu, pick Top to set
the reference plane Orientation.

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7. Pick Sketch to exit the Section Placement window and
proceed to enter the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher mode.

8. Note that the top surface of the solid model and DTM3 are pre-selected as the

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sketching references. In the graphics area, the two references are highlighted
and displayed with two dashed lines.

9. Select the right edge and the

bottom edge of the base feature so
that the four sides of the selected
sketching plane, or corresponding
datum planes, are used as

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references as shown.

10. In the References dialog box, click

on the Close button to accept the

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selections.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-29

Copyrighted 11. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Rectangle icon as

shown to activate the Create Rectangle command.

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12. Create a rectangle by clicking on the lower left corner of the solid model as
shown below.

13. Move the cursor upward and place the opposite corner of the rectangle along
the right edge of the base solid as shown below.

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corner of the rectangle
to the lower left corner
11. Locate the second
corner of the rectangle

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of the base solid. along this vertical edge.

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14. On your own, modify the height dimension to 0.75 as shown.

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Note that only one dimension, the height dimension, is applied to the 2D sketch; the
width of the rectangle is defined by the references.
1-30 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Copyrighted 15. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.

Material
16. Click OK to close the Sketch dialog box.

17. In the Feature Option Dashboard, confirm the Depth Value option is set and
enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth as shown.

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Material 18. In the message area, click on the Accept button to
proceed with the feature definition.

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Material

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Material
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-31

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Creating a CUT Feature

We will create a circular cut as the next solid feature of the design. Note that the
procedure in creating a cut feature is almost the same as creating a protrusion feature.

Material 1. In the Feature Toolbars (toolbars aligned to the right edge

of the main window), select the Extrude Tool option as
shown.

2. Click the Placement option and

choose Define to begin creating a

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new Internal sketch.

3. We will use the top surface of the last feature as the sketching plane. Click once,

Material
with the left-mouse-button, inside the top surface of the rectangular solid feature
as shown in the figure below.

4. In the Sketch Orientation menu, confirm the

reference plane Orientation is set to Right.

5. Pick the right vertical face of the second solid

feature as the reference plane, which will be
oriented toward the right edge of the computer

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screen.

Material Sketching Plane

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Orient this reference
Viewing plane to face the right
Direction edge of the computer
screen.

Material 6. Pick Sketch to exit the Sketch dialog window and proceed to
enter the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher mode.
1-32 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Creating the 2D Section of the CUT Feature

1. Note that no references are pre-selected for

Material
the new sketch.

• At least one horizontal reference and one

vertical reference are required to position a 2D
sketch.

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Material
2. Select the right surface
of the solid model and
DTM3 as the horizontal
and vertical sketching
references as shown. In
the graphics area, the two
references are highlighted
and displayed with two

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dashed lines.

Material 3. Click on the Close button to accept the

selected references and proceed to entering
the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher module.

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Material
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-33

Copyrighted 4. In the Sketcher toolbar, select Circle as shown. The default

option is to create a circle by specifying the center point and a
point through which the circle will pass. The message “Select
the center of a circle” is displayed in the message area.

Material
5. On your own, create a circle of arbitrary size on the sketching plane as shown.

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Material
6. On your own, edit/modify the dimensions as shown.

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Material

Copyrighted 7. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept icon to

exit the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher and proceed to
the next element of the feature definition.

Material
8. Click OK to close the Sketch dialog box..
1-34 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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9. Click on the Remove Material icon as shown in the below figure.

Material 10. In the Feature Option Dashboard,

select the Extrude to intersect
with all surface option as shown.

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Note that this Thru All option does
not require us to enter a value to
define the depth of the extrusion;
Pro/ENGINEER will calculate the
required value to assure the extrusion

Material
is through the entire solid model.

11. On your own, use the Dynamic Rotate function to view the feature.

12. Click on the Flip direction icon as shown in the below figure to set the cut
direction.

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Material

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Material
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-35

Copyrighted 13. Click on Accept to proceed with the extrusion option.

Material

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Material

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Save the Part and Exit
1. Select Save in the Standard toolbar, or you can

Material
also use the “Ctrl-S” combination (press down the
[Ctrl] key and hit the [S] key once) to save the part.

2. In the message area, the part name is displayed.

Click on the Accept button to save the file.

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It is a good habit to save your model periodically, just in case something might go
wrong while you are working on it. In general, you should save your work onto the
disk at an interval of every 15 to 20 minutes. You should also save before you make

Material
any major modifications to the model.

3. Use the left-mouse-button and click on File at the top of the Pro/ENGINEER
main window, then choose Exit from the pull-down menu.
1-36 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Questions:

1. What is the first thing we should set up in Pro/ENGINEER when creating a new
model?

Material
2. How do we modify more than one dimension in the Sketcher?

3. How do we reposition dimensions in the Sketcher?

4. List three of the geometric constraint symbols used by the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

5. Describe two different ways to modify dimensions in the Sketcher.

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6. Describe the steps required to define the orientation of the sketching plane?

7. Identify the following commands:

Material
(a)

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(b)

Material
Ctrl + Middle mouse button

(c)

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Material
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-37

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Exercises: (All dimensions are in inches.)
1. Plate Thickness: 0.25

Material

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Material
2. Plate Thickness: 0.5

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Material

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Material
1-38 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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3.

Material

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4.
Material

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Material

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Material
Modeling Using Pro | ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Sridhar Condoor

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 LESSON 2
BEARINGS
Learning Objectives: Design Information:
Bearings allow relative motion between two
• Understand the concept of datum planes. components while minimizing frictional losses. For
instance, the main bearings in an automobile allow the
• Explore the use of mouse for zoom, spin,
and pan functions. wheels to rotate relative to the body. Rolling element
bearings are often used in machinery. They consist of an
• Learn Extrude and Round features. outer race and an inner race separated by rolling elements
(either balls or cylinders). The rolling elements reduce
friction by providing rolling contact. As bearings are
purchased items, only the outer profile is modeled.
Typically, rolling element bearings are mounted using
interference fit. Therefore, the inner and outer diameters
of the bearing are critical dimensions. For proper
assembly, the edges of the bearing are rounded. The
radius of the round is another critical dimension.

2-1
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

2-2
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

The working directory is where

ProE tries to find or save files.
1. Set up the working
directory. FILE
SET WORKING
DIRECTORY
Select the
working directory
OK

We will create the bearing as a

solid part.
Open a new
file for the FILE
NEW
Part
Solid

bearing part bearing
OK
Fig. 2.1.
Refer Fig. 2.1.

ProE displays the three default

2. Open a new file.
datum planes – front, top and
right - in the graphics window.
Also, the default part
coordinate system
(PRT_CSYS_DEF) is shown at
the intersection of these three
datum planes.

Refer Fig. 2.2.

Fig. 2.2.

2-3
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Goal Step Commands

The mouse is a very powerful

tool in ProE. We can zoom, spin Middle Mouse CTRL +Middle SHIFT + Middle
and pan the model by holding Mouse Mouse
the middle mouse button and
CTRL/SHIFT key, and moving
the mouse simultaneously.

Fig. 2.3 illustrates the mouse or Rotate the wheel

functions. The center of the Spin Zoom Pan
zoom occurs at the cursor
location. Explore each of these Fig. 2.3.
functions.

The view can be scaled up or

down by a factor of 2 by
holding either SHIFT or CTRL
Experiment 3. Use the mouse to
key, and rotating the middle
with the zoom, spin and pan
mouse button.
mouse the model.
To get back to the default view,
use the following command:
VIEW
ORIENTATION

STANDARD ORIENTATION.

The default view is typically set

as trimetric. However, it can be
changed to isometric or user-
defined by using the following
command:

VIEW
ORIENTATION

REORIENT
(Type)
Preferences
(Default Fig. 2.4.
orientation) Trimetric
OK

2-4
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

ProE creates three default

datum planes named as
FRONT, TOP and RIGHT.
Each datum plane has two sides
marked by two different colors:
ORANGE and BLACK. We
can visualize the planes better
by looking at Fig. 2.5 where the
planes are shaded.

In the default view shown in

Fig. 2.2, only the orange sides
Understand
4. Understand the are visible. We can notice the
the datum
datum planes. black color when we rotate the
planes
datum planes. The orange side
is considered the active side of
the datum plane.

In Figs. 2.2 and 2.5, we can also

see the default coordinate
system “PRT-CSYS-DEF” at
the center. The spin center is
shown in Red, Green and Blue
(RGB) color lines representing
X, Y and Z axes respectively.
The spin center helps in
rotating the part.

INSERT
EXTRUDE
Create the 5. Start “Extrude” Fig. 2.5.
base cylinder feature. [Or click in the feature
toolbar – left side]

2-5
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Goal Step Commands

To select the sketching plane,
Placement (in the dashboard -
lower part of the screen)

Define

Refer Fig. 2.6.

ProE brings up the section

window where we define the
placement of the section.

Refer Fig. 2.7.

We are going to sketch the Fig. 2.6.

section on the TOP datum
plane. Note that ProE
Create the highlights different planes as
6. Define the
base cylinder we move the mouse over the
sketching plane.
(Continued) planes.

Select the TOP datum plane in

the graphics window or in the
model tree by clicking on “TOP”

Refer Fig. 2.8.

The arrow points to the view

direction. We can reverse the
viewing direction by clicking Fig. 2.7. Fig. 2.8.
“Flip” in the section window.
ProE automatically orients the
sketching plane.

2-6
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

The screen changes to the
sketcher mode. The
“References” popup window
has two references: F1(RIGHT)
and F3(FRONT).

Refer Fig. 2.9.

If this window is not visible,

select

SKETCH
REFERENCES

All dimensions are placed with

respect to the references. If
necessary, additional references
can be added to this list. It is
Create the 7. Understand the advisable to select the
base cylinder orientation of the references before sketching.
(Continued) sketcher.
Close

Let us rotate the model to

understand where we are
sketching.
Fig. 2.9.
Move the mouse holding Middle
Mouse

To get back to the previous

view, use the following
command:
VIEW
SKETCH VIEW

(Or )

2-7
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Goal Step Commands

Select the center of the

circle as the intersection of the
FRONT and RIGHT datum
planes

Refer Fig. 2.10.

8. Draw an outer The cursor snaps onto the

circle. intersection.

Select a point to define the outer

edge of the circle

ProE automatically puts the

dimension for the circle.

Create the Refer Fig. 2.10. Fig. 2.10.

base cylinder
(Continued)
Select the center of the
circle as the intersection of the
9. Create an inner FRONT and RIGHT datum
circle. planes
Select a point to define
the inner circle

Refer Fig. 2.11.

It is a good practice to modify
smaller dimensions first.

Double click the inner

10. Modify the circle dimension
1
ENTER
dimensions.
Double click the outer circle
dimension
2
ENTER

ProE automatically regenerates

the section. Fig. 2.11.

2-8
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

11. Exit sketcher.

The depth dimension is shown

in two places – in the dash and
on the part.
12. Define the depth. Fig. 2.12.
Refer Figs. 2.12 and 2.13.

Select the depth dimension
0.5

Create the
ENTER
base cylinder
(Continued)
Fig. 2.13.

VIEW
ORIENTATION

STANDARD ORIENTATION
13. Accept the
feature creation after


previewing.
Refer Fig. 2.14.

Fig. 2.14.

2-9
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Goal Step Commands

Fig. 2.15.

INSERT
ROUND (or )

We will specify the radius of all

rounds to be 0.025.

0.025
ENTER

Round the 14. Round the four Refer Fig. 2.15.

edges edges of the bearing.
Select the four edges to be Fig. 2.16.
rounded

Refer Fig. 2.16.

Refer Fig. 2.17.

Fig. 2.17.

2-10
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

Click on the following icons to

switch off the datums, axis, datum
points and default coordinate
system.

These icons help in turning the

datum planes, axis, datum Fig. 2.18.
points and coordinate system
on and off.

Refer Fig. 2.18.

Modifying the display may help

View the 15. Turn the datum
in visualizing the model better.
model planes off.
One of the four model display
options can be selected by
clicking on the corresponding
icon: a. Wire-frame b. Hidden line
Wire-frame -
Hidden line -
No hidden line -
Shaded -

Fig. 2.19 shows the model in the

four display types.

Spin center can be turned c. No hidden line d. Shaded

on/off by clicking . Fig. 2.19.

2-11
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Goal Step Commands

Select the extrusion feature by
clicking on the bearing in the
graphics window or from the
model tree
Right Mouse

Edit

Refer Fig. 2.20.

Select the 2.0 dimension
1.25

Modify 16. Modify the
ENTER
Select the 1.0
dimensions dimensions. dimension
0.6
ENTER

EDIT
REGENERATE Fig. 2.21.

(or )

Modifications take affect after

regeneration.
Fig. 2.20.
Refer Fig. 2.21.
FILE
SAVE

Save the file 17. Save the file and
BEARING.PRT
OK
FILE
and exit ProE exit ProE.

EXIT
Yes

About ProE files

ProE creates several files. Part files with .prt.X extension. Each time we save the part, ProE creates another file. For instance, the first time we save the
bearing part, ProE creates a file “bearing.prt.1.” Next time we save the same part, it creates another file “bearing.prt.2.” We really need the last file for
most purposes. However, if we want to roll back, we can look at any previous saved versions of the part. The previous versions can be deleted to save disk
space by selecting following list of commands: FILE
DELETE
OLDER VERSIONS.
ProE records all the commands, menu selections used, and dialog choices in a file called “trail.txt.” This file can be used to either re-create a session or
create training files. Note that the file should be renamed before opening it in ProE. This file can be edited in a text editor. A trail file can be played in
ProE by the following command: UTILITIES
PLAY TRAIL/TRAINING FILES

2-12
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Exercise

Create the following parts.

Problem 1

Hints:
1. Start the extrude feature.
2. Create a rectangle (1×1) using the
create rectangle tool in the
sketcher.
3. Select thin option and define the
thickness as 0.125. Sample dash is
shown in the figure below.

2-13
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Problem 2 Hints:
Create the bearing part using “Extrude – Thin” option.
1. Start the extrude feature.
2. Select the top datum plane as the
sketching plane.
3. In the sketcher, create a circle of 0.6″
diameter.

TOP
FRONT

RIGHT

4. Select thin option and define the

thickness as 0.325″. Sample dash is
shown in the figure below.

2-14
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Problem 3

Hints:
1. The sketch is shown in the figure
below.

2-15
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 2.0

Notes:

2-16
P r o | E N G I N E E R®
W I L D F I R E™ 2.0

MECHANICA Tutorial
(Structure / Thermal)
Integrated Mode

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Introduction 1-1

Chapter 1 :

Introduction to the Tutorials

Synopsis
An introduction to finite element analysis, with some cautions about its use and misuse;
examples of problems; organization of the tutorials; tips and tricks for using MECHANICA

Overview of this Lesson

This lesson will be used to get you set up for the rest of the tutorials - to set the stage for what is
to come. It will go over some basic ideas about FEA and what you can do with MECHANICA.
The lesson is quite short, and will cover the following:
‚ general comments about using Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
‚ examples of problems solved using MECHANICA Structure
‚ layout of the tutorials
‚ how the tutorial will present command sequences
‚ some tips and tricks for using MECHANICA

Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA), also known as the Finite Element Method (FEM), is probably the
most important tool added to the mechanical design engineer's toolkit in recent years. The
development of FEA has been driven by the desire for more accurate design computations in
more complex situations, allowing improvements in both the design procedure and products. The
growing use of FEA has been made possible by the creation of affordable computers that are
capable of handling the immense volume of calculations necessary to prepare and carry out an
analysis and easily display the results for interpretation. With the advent of very powerful
desktop workstations, FEA is now available at a practical cost to virtually all engineers and
designers.

The MECHANICA software described in this introductory tutorial is only one of many
commercial systems that are available. All of these systems share many common capabilities. In
this tutorial, we will try to present both the commands for using MECHANICA and the reasons
behind those commands, so that the general procedures can be transferred to other FEA
1-2 Introduction

packages. Notwithstanding this desire, it should be realized that MECHANICA is unique in

many ways among packages currently available. Therefore, numerous topics treated will be
specific to MECHANICA.

MECHANICA is actually a suite of three programs: Structure, Thermal, and Motion. The first of
these, Structure, is able to perform the following:
‚ linear static stress analysis
‚ modal analysis (mode shapes and natural frequencies)
‚ buckling analysis
‚ large deformation analysis (non-linear)
and others. This manual will be concerned only with the first two of these analyses. The
remaining types of problems are beyond the scope of an introductory manual. Once having
finished this manual, however, interested users should not find the other topics too difficult. The
other two programs (Thermal and Motion) are used for thermal analysis and dynamic analysis of
mechanical systems, respectively. Both of these programs can pass information (for example
temperature distributions) back to Structure in order to compute the associated stresses. This
book contains an introduction to Thermal for analysis of simple steady and transient problems in
heat transfer. The final program, Motion, is not treated here. Some of the functionality of that
program has been included within Wildfire itself (mechanism kinematics, with limited dynamic
capability) with the appropriate license configuration (MDX -Mechanism Design Extension).
Full dynamic simulation capabilities remain the domain of Motion.

MECHANICA offers much more than simply an FEA engine. We will see that MECHANICA is
really a design tool since it will allow parametric studies as well as design optimization to be set
up quite easily. Moreover, unlike many other commercial FEM programs where determining
accuracy can be difficult or time consuming, MECHANICA will be able to compute results with
some certainty as to the accuracy1.

MECHANICA does not currently have the ability to handle non-linear problems, for example a
stress analysis problem involving a non-linearly elastic material like rubber. However, as of
Release 2000i, problems involving very large geometric deflections can be treated, as long as the
stresses remain within the linearly elastic range for the material.

In this tutorial, we will concentrate on the main concepts and procedures for using the software
and focus on topics that seem to be most useful for new users and/or students doing design
projects and other course work. We assume that readers do not know anything about the
software, but are quite comfortable with Pro/ENGINEER. A short and very qualitative overview
of the FEA theoretical background has been included, but it should be emphasized that this is
very limited in scope. Our attention here is on the use and capabilities of the software, not
providing a complete course on using FEA, its theoretical origins, or the “art” of FEA modeling
strategies. For further study of these subjects, see the reference list at the end of the second
chapter.

1
This refers to the problem of “convergence” whereby the FEA results must be verified or
tested so that they can be trusted. We will discuss convergence at some length later on and refer
to it continually throughout the manual.
Introduction 1-3

Examples of Problems Solved using MECHANICA

To give you a taste of what is to come, here are three examples of what you will be able to do
with MECHANICA on completion of these tutorials. The examples, all solved with Structure,
are a simple analysis, a parametric design study called a sensitivity analysis, and a design
optimization. In MECHANICA’s language, these are called design studies.

Example #1 : Analysis
This is the “bread and butter” type of problem for
MECHANICA. A model is defined by some geometry (in
2D or 3D) in the geometry pre-processor. This is not as
simple or transparent as it sounds, as discussed below.
The model is transferred into MECHANICA where
material properties are specified, loads and constraints
are applied, and one of several different types of analysis
can be run on the model. In the figure at the right, a
model of a somewhat crude connecting rod is shown.
This part is modeled using 3D solid elements. The hole at
the large end is fixed and a lateral bearing load is applied
Figure 1 Solid model of a part
to the inside surface of the hole at the other end. The
primary results are shown in Figures 2 and 3. These are
contours of the Von Mises stress2 on the part, shown in a fringe plot (these are, of course, in
color on the computer screen), and a wireframe view of the total (exaggerated) deformation of
the part (this can be shown as an animation). Here, we are usually interested in the value and
location of the maximum Von Mises stress in the part, whether the solution agrees with our
desired boundary conditions, and the magnitude and direction of deformation of the part.

Figure 2 Von Mises stress fringe

Figure 3 Deformation of the part
plot

2
The Von Mises stress is obtained by combining all the stress components at a point in a
way which produces a single value that can be compared to the yield strength of the material.
This is the most common way of examining the computed stress in a part.
1-4 Introduction

Example #2 : Sensitivity Study

Often you need to find out the overall effect on the solution of varying one or more design
parameters, such as dimensions. You could do this by performing a number of similar analyses,
and changing the geometry of the model between each analysis. MECHANICA has an automated
routine which allows you to specify the parameter to be varied, and the overall range. It then
automatically performs all the modifications to the model, and computes results for the
intermediate values of the design parameters.

The example shown in Figure 4 is a quarter-model (to take advantage of symmetry) of a

transition between two thin-walled cylinders. The transition is modeled using shell elements.

Figure 4 3D Shell quarter-model Figure 5 Von Mises stress in

of transition between cylinders shell model

Figure 5 shows the contours of the Von Mises stress on the part. The maximum stress occurs at
the edge of the fillet on the smaller cylinder just where it meets the intermediate flat portion. The
design parameter to be varied is the radius of this fillet, between the minimum and maximum
shapes shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 6 Minimum radius fillet Figure 7 Maximum radius fillet

Introduction 1-5

Figure 8 shows the variation in the maximum Von

Mises stress in the model as a function of radius of
the fillet. Other information about the model, such
as total mass, or maximum deflection is also
readily available, also as a function of the radius.

Figure 8 Variation of Von Mises stress with

fillet radius in shell model

Example #3 : Design Optimization

This capability of MECHANICA is really
astounding! When a model is created, some of the
geometric parameters can be designated as design
variables. Then MECHANICA is turned loose to
find the combination of values of these design
variables that will minimize some objective
function (like the total mass of the model) subject
to some design constraints (like the allowed
maximum stress and/or deflection). MECHANICA
searches through the design space (for specified
ranges of the design variables) and will find the
optimum set of design variables automatically!
Figure 9 Initial Von Mises stress
The example shown is of a plane stress model of a distribution in plate before optimization
thin, symmetrical, tapered plate under tension. The
plate is fixed at the left edge, while the lower edge is along the plane of symmetry. A uniform
tensile load is applied to the vertical edge on the right end. The Von Mises stress contours for the
initial design are shown in Figure 9. The maximum stress, which exceeds a design tolerance, has
occurred at the large hole located on the plate centerline, at about the 12:30 position. The stress
level around the smaller hole is considerably less, and we could probably increase the diameter of
this hole in order to reduce mass. The question is: how much?

The selected design variables are the radii of the two holes. Minimum and maximum values for
these variables are indicated in the Figures 10 and 11. The objective of the optimization is to
minimize the total mass of the plate, while not exceeding a specified maximum stress.
1-6 Introduction

Figure 10 Minimum values of design Figure 11 Maximum values of design

variables variables

Figure 12 shows a history of the design optimization computations. The figure on the left shows
the maximum Von Mises stress in the part that initially exceeds the allowed maximum stress, but
MECHANICA very quickly adjusts the geometry to produce a design within the allowed stress.
The figure on the right shows the mass of the part. As the optimization proceeds, this is slowly
reduced until a minimum value is obtained (approximately 20% less than the original).
MECHANICA allows you to view the shape change occurring at each iteration.

Figure 12 Optimization history: Von Mises stress (left) and total mass
(right)

The final optimized design is shown in Figure 13. Notice the increased size of the interior hole,
and the more efficient use of material. The design limit stress now occurs on both holes.
Introduction 1-7

Figure 13 Von Mises stress distribution in

optimized plate

In these lessons, we will explore variations of these three types of design study (simple analysis,
sensitivity studies, and optimization). We will explore a number of different types of models
while doing this (solids, shells, beams, plates, etc.).

FEA User Beware!

Users of this (or any other FEA) software should be cautioned that, as in other areas of computer
applications, the GIGO (“Garbage In = Garbage Out”) principle applies. Users can easily be
misled into blind acceptance of the answers produced by the programs. Do not confuse pretty
graphs and pictures with correct modeling practice and accurate results.

A skilled practitioner of FEA must have a considerable amount of knowledge and experience.
The current state of sophistication of CAD and FEA software may lead non-wary users to
dangerous and/or disastrous conclusions. Users might take note of the fine print that
accompanies all FEA software licenses, which usually contains some text along these lines: “The
supplier of the software will take no responsibility for the results obtained . . .” and so on.
Clearly, the onus is on the user to bear the burden of responsibility for any conclusions that might
be reached from the FEA.

We might plot the situation something like Figure 14 on the next page. In order to intelligently
(and safely) use FEA, it is necessary to acquire some knowledge of the theory behind the method,
some facility with the available software, and a great deal of modeling experience. In this
manual, we assume that the reader's level of knowledge and experience with FEA initially places
them at the origin of the figure. The tutorial (particularly Chapter 2) will extend your knowledge
a little bit in the “theory” direction, at least so that we can know what the software requires for
input data, and (generally) how it computes the results. The step-by-step tutorials and exercises
will extend your knowledge in the “experience” direction. Primarily, however, this tutorial is
meant to extend your knowledge in the “FEA software” direction, as it applies to using
MECHANICA. Readers who have already moved out along the “theory” or “experience” axes
will have to bear with us - at least this manual should help you discover the capabilities of the
MECHANICA software package.
1-8 Introduction

modeling experience

knowledge of
FEA theory
knowledge of
FEA software

Figure 14 Knowledge, skill, and experience requirements for FEA users

In summary, some quotes from speakers at an FEA panel at an ASME Computers in Engineering
conference in the early 1990's should be kept in mind:

"Don't confuse convenience with intelligence."

In other words, as more powerful functions get built in to FEA packages (such as
automatic or even adaptive mesh generation), do not assume that these will be
suitable for every modeling situation, or that they will always produce trustworthy
results. If an option has defaults, be aware of what they are and their significance to
the model and the results obtained. Above all, remember that just because it is easy, it
is not necessarily right!

"Don't confuse speed with accuracy."

Computers are getting faster and faster. This also means that they can compute an
inaccurate model faster than before - a wrong answer in half the time is hardly an
improvement!

and finally, the most important:

"FEA makes a good engineer better and a poor engineer dangerous."

As our engineering tools get more sophisticated, there is a tendency to rely on them
more and more, sometimes to dangerous extremes. Relying solely on FEA for design
verification might be dangerous. Don’t forget your intuition, and remember that a lot
of very significant engineering design work has occurred over the years on the back of
an envelope. Let FEA become a tool that extends your design capability, not define it.
Introduction 1-9

Layout of this Manual

Running the MECHANICA software is not a trivial operation. However, with a little practice,
and learning only a fraction of the capabilities of the program, you can perform FEA of
reasonably complex problems. This manual is meant to guide you through the major features of
the software and how to use it. It is not meant to be a complete guide to either the software or
FEA modeling - consider it the elementary school of practical FEA!

Chapter 2 of the tutorial will present an overview of the theory and mathematics behind how
FEA is implemented in MECHANICA. In particular, the origin and differences between h-code
analysis and the p-code method in MECHANICA are discussed. The primary purpose of this
chapter is to outline the main capabilities of MECHANICA as they apply to the design and
analysis of mechanical parts. These include simple analyses, sensitivity studies, and parameter
optimization. This chapter will basically introduce you to the terminology used in the program,
and give you an overview of its operation.

Chapters 3 and 4 will present the basic procedure and commands for performing design studies
on solid models. This is a natural starting point, given that models imported from Pro/E are
usually solids. Common methods of displaying results are shown. Some issues of modeling are
discussed, such as symmetry. Several modeling pitfalls, which also occur in other model types
are investigated, and solutions proposed.

Chapter 5 will introduce you to the analysis of 2D models using idealizations. These are plane
stress and plane strain analyses. Geometry for these models is selected from the 3D part
geometry as created in Pro/E. The idealization, when applicable, results in a significant
reduction in the computational effort for the model.

The subject of Chapter 6 is axisymmetric models. These require that the geometry, loads, and
constraints can be based on a 2D layout that represents the problem.

Chapter 7 is devoted to a very important idealization - the shell model. Shells occur when the
model contains all or some thin-walled solid features. This idealization results in a greatly
reduced problem size and faster solution.

Beams and 2D and 3D frames (including trusses) are dealt with in Chapter 8. Both single
continuous beams and beams as components of frames are discussed. Beams can also be used in
combination with shells and solids.

Chapter 9 will deal with some miscellaneous topics in Structure including cyclic symmetry,
spring and mass elements, modal analysis, and contact analysis in assemblies.

The final chapter will introduce methods in Thermal to solve heat transfer problems in 2D and
3D geometries. These can be steady state or transient solutions that allow computation of
temperature distributions, heat flux through the model, or heat transfer from the boundary. You
must be especially careful with units in this module. Temperature distributions can be taken back
into Structure to compute thermally induced stresses.
1 - 10 Introduction

At the end of each of these chapters, a number of additional exercises are presented. You should
try to do as many of these as you can in order to build up your knowledge and repertoire of
modeling scenarios.

Tips for using MECHANICA

In the tutorial examples that follow, you will be lead through a number of simple problems
keystroke by keystroke. Each command will be explained in depth so that you will know the
“why” as well as the “what” and “how”. Resist the temptation to just follow the keystrokes - you
must think hard about what is going on in order to learn it. You should go through the tutorials
while working on a computer so that you experience the results of each command as it is entered.
Not much information will sink in if you just read the material. We have tried to capture exactly
the key-stroke, menu selection, or mouse click sequences to perform each analysis. These
actions are indicated in bold face italic type. Characters entered from the keyboard are enclosed
within square brackets. When more than one command is given in a sequence, they are separated
by the symbol ">". When several commands are entered on a single menu or window, they are
separated by the pipe symbol “ | ”. An option from a pull-down list will be indicated with the list
title and selected option in parantheses. So, for example, you might see command sequences
similar to the following:

Materials > Assign > Part > STEEL_IPS | Accept

Analysis (QuickCheck)
Results > Create > [VonMises] | Accept

At the end of each chapter in the manual, we have included some Questions for Review and
some simple Exercises which you should do. These have been designed to illustrate additional
capabilities of the software, some simple modeling concepts, and sometimes allow a comparison
with either analytical solutions or with alternative modeling methods. The more of these
exercises you do, the more confident you can be in setting up and solving your own problems.

Finally, here a few hints about using the software. Menu items and/or graphics entities on the
screen are selected by clicking on them with the left mouse button. We will often refer to this as a
‘left click’ or simply as a ‘click’. The middle mouse button (‘middle click’) can be used
(generally) whenever Accept, Enter, Close or Done is required. The dynamic view controls are
obtained using the mouse as shown in Table 1. Users of Pro/E will be quite comfortable with
these mouse controls. Any menu commands grayed out are unavailable for the current context.
Otherwise, any menu item is available for use. You can, for example, jump from the design
menus to the pulldown menus at any time. Many operations can be launched by clicking and
holding down the right mouse button on an entry in the model tree or in the graphics window.
This will produce a (context sensitive) pop-up menu of relevant commands.
Introduction 1 - 11

Table 1-1 Common Mouse Functions

Function Operation Action

Selection LMB entity or command
(click left button) under cursor selected

MMB Spin

Direct Shift + MMB Pan

View
Control Ctrl + MMB Zoom
(drag holding (drag vertical)
middle button
Ctrl + MMB Rotate around axis
down)
(drag horizontal) perpendicular to screen
Roll MMB Zoom
scroll wheel
(if available)
Pop-up Menus RMB with cursor over launch context-
(click right button) blank graphics window sensitive pop-up menus

As of Release 2001, Pro/E and MECHANICA incorporated a new “object-action” operating

paradigm (as opposed to the previous “action-object” form). This means you can pick an object
on the screen (like a part surface), then specify the action to be performed on it (like applying a
load). This is a much more streamlined and natural sequence to process commands. Of course,
the previous action-object form will still work. In this Tutorial, command sequences are
represented at various times in either of the two forms. Hopefully, this will not get confusing.

So, with all that out of the way, let’s get started. The next chapter will give you an overview of
FEA theory, and how MECHANICA is different from other commercial packages.
1 - 12 Introduction

Questions for Review

1. In MECHANICA-ese, what is meant by a “design study?”
2. What are the three types of design study that can be performed by MECHANICA?
3. What is the Von Mises stress? From a strength of materials textbook, find out how this is
computed and its relation to yield strength. Also, for what types of materials is this a useful
computation?
4. Can MECHANICA treat non-linear problems?
5. What does GIGO mean?
6. What three areas of expertise are required to be a skilled FEA practitioner?

Exercises
1. Find some examples of cases where seemingly minor and insignificant computer-related
errors have resulted in disastrous consequences.
 Pro/MECHANICA Motion:
Mechanism Design and Analysis
Wildfire 2.0

Kuang-Hua Chang, Ph.D.

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
The University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK

SDC
PUBLICATIONS
Schroff Development Corporation
www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis 1-1

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Lesson 1: Introduction to
Pro/MECHANICA Motion

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1.1 Overview of the Lesson

The purpose of this lesson is to provide you with a brief overview of Pro/MECHANICA Motion, also

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called Motion in this book. Motion is a virtual prototyping tool for mechanism analysis and design.
Instead of building and testing physical prototypes of the engineering products, you can use Motion to
evaluate and refine a mechanism design before finalizing the design and moving into functional
prototyping stage. Motion will help you design better engineering products and provide you with
information about the mechanism behavior, which you will usually obtain from tests of physical

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prototypes. You will be able to modify the design and usually achieve better design alternatives using the
more convenient and less expensive virtual prototypes. With such information, you will gain insight on
how the mechanism works and why they behave in certain ways. In the long run, this will help you
become a more experienced and competent design engineer.

In this lesson, we will start with a brief introduction to Motion and various types of physical problems that
Motion can solve. We will then discuss capabilities supported by Motion for constructing motion model,
conducting motion analyses, and viewing motion analysis results. We will also discuss design capabilities
available in Motion, and how to use these capabilities to obtain better designs. In the final section, we will

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present design examples employed in this book and things you will learn from these examples.

Note that materials presented in this lesson will be kept brief. More details on various aspects of
mechanism design and analysis using Motion will be given in later lessons.

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1.2 What is Pro/MECHANICA Motion?

Pro/MECHANICA Motion is a computer software tool that supports design and analysis of mechanisms.
Motion is a module of Pro/ENGINEER product family developed by Parametric Technology
Corporation. Motion supports you in creating virtual mechanisms that answer general questions in
product design described below. An internal combustion engine shown in Figures 1-1 and 1-2 will be
used to illustrate these questions.

1. Will the components of the mechanism collide in operation? For example, will the connecting rod

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collide with the inner surface of the piston or the engine case during operation?

2. Will the components in the mechanism you design move according to your intent? For example,
will the piston stay entirely in the piston sleeve? Will the system lock up when the firing force

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aligns vertically with the connection rod and the crank?

3. How fast will the mechanism move?

1-2 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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4. How much torque or force does it take to move the mechanism? For example, what will be the
minimum firing load to drive the engine? Note that in this case, proper friction forces and inertia
must be added to simulate the resistance of the mechanism before a realistic firing force can be
calculated.

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5. What are the reaction loads generated at a connection (or joint) between components (or bodies)
during motion? For example, what is the reaction force at the connection between the connecting
rod and the piston pin? This reaction load is critical since the structural integrity of the connecting
rod must be maintained; i.e., the connecting rod must be strong and durable enough to sustain the
reaction load in operation.

The modeling and analysis capabilities in Motion will help you answer these common questions
accurately and realistically, as long as the motion model is properly defined.

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Motion also supports you in finding better design alternatives. The changes that you can make in Motion
include component size, geometric shape, mass properties, load magnitudes, etc. Some of these changes
will be discussed in later lessons.

Material Piston
Piston Sleeve

Piston Pin

Connecting Rod

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Figure 1-1 An Internal Combustion
Engine (Unexploded View)

The design capabilities available in

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Motion lead you to better design Crank Shaft
alternatives in a systematic way. A
better design alternative is design Engine Case
problem dependent. A design problem
must be clearly defined by the designer
up front. For the engine example, a
better design alternative can be a design Figure 1-2 Internal Combustion Engine (Exploded View)
that reveals:

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1. A smaller reaction force applied to the connecting rod;
2. No collisions or interference between components.

1.3 Mechanism and Motion Analysis

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A mechanism is a mechanical device that transfers motion and/or force from a source to an output. It is an
abstraction (simplified model) of a mechanical system. A linkage consists of links (or bodies), which are
connected by connections, such as a pin joint, to form open or closed chains (or loops, see Figure 1-3).
Such kinematic chains, with at least one link fixed, become mechanisms. In this book, all links are
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-3

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assumed rigid. In general, a mechanism can be represented by its corresponding schematic drawing for
analysis and design purposes. For example, a slider-crank mechanism represents the engine motion, as
shown in Figure 1-4, which is a closed loop mechanism.

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Ground

Slider
Connecting
Links (Bodies) (Piston)
Rod
Connections

Ground

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(a) Open Loop Mechanism (b) Closed Loop Mechanism
Figure 1-3 General Mechanisms
Crank

Figure 1-4 Schematic View of the

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Engine Motion Model

In general, there are two types of motion problems that you will solve in order to answer general
questions regarding mechanism analysis and design. They are kinematics and dynamics.

Kinematics is the study of motion without regard for the forces that cause the motion. A kinematic
mechanism must be driven by a driver so that the position, velocity, and acceleration of each link of the
mechanism can be analyzed at any given time. Usually, a kinematic analysis must be conducted before
dynamic behavior of the mechanism can be simulated properly.

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Dynamics is the study of motion in response to externally applied loads. The dynamic behavior of a
mechanism is governed by Newton’s laws of motion. The simplest dynamic problem is particle dynamics
that you learned in Sophomore Dynamics, for example, a spring-mass-damper system shown in Figure
1-5. In this case, motion of the mass is governed by the following equation derived from Newton’s second

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law,
y
• ••

∑ F = p( t ) − kx − c x = m x (1.1) x
where (•) appearing on top of the physical k c
quantity represents time derivative of the l
quantity; m is the total mass of the block, k
is the spring constant, and c is the m θ

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damping coefficient.
c.g.
For a rigid body, mass properties (such as g
the total mass, center of mass, moment of p(t) x
inertia, etc.) are taken into account for

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dynamic analysis. For example, motion of Figure 1-5 The Spring-
a pendulum shown in Figure 1-6 is Mass-Damper System
governed by the following equation of
Figure 1-6 A Simple
motion,
Pendulum
1-4 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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•• ••
2
∑ M = −mgl sinθ = I θ = ml θ (1.2)

where M is the external moment (or torque), I is the polar moment of inertia of the pendulum, m is the
••

pendulum mass, g is the gravitational acceleration, and θ is the angular acceleration of the pendulum.

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Dynamics of a rigid body system, for example, those illustrated in Figure 1-3, is a lot more complicated
than the single body problems. Usually, a system of differential and algebraic equations governs the
motion and dynamic behavior of the system. Newton’s law must be obeyed by every single body in the
system all the time. The motion of the system will be determined by the loads acting on the bodies or joint
axes (e.g., a torque driving the system). Reaction loads at the joint connections hold the bodies together.

1.4 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Capabilities

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Overall Process

The overall process of using Motion for analyzing Ground Body

a mechanism consists of three main steps: model Bodies

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creation, analysis, and result visualization, as Motion Model Connections
illustrated in Figure 1-7. Key entities that Generation Drivers
Loads
constitute a motion model include ground body
Initial Conditions
that is always fixed, bodies that are movable,
connections that connect bodies, drivers that Assembly
Motion Velocity
drive the mechanism for kinematic analysis,
Analysis Static
loads, and initial conditions of the mechanism.
Motion (Kinematics
More details about these entities will be discussed and Dynamics)
later in this lesson. Kinetostatics

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Results Animation
The analysis capabilities in Motion include Visualization Graph
assembly, velocity, static, motion, and
Query
kinetostatics. For example, the assembly analysis Report
brings bodies closer within a prescribed tolerance

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at each connection to create an initial assembled Figure 1-7 General Process
configuration of the mechanism. More details of Motion Analysis
about the analysis capabilities in Motion will be
discussed later in this lesson.

The analysis results can be visualized in various forms. You Pro/ENGINEER

may animate motion of the mechanism, or generate graphs
for more specific information, such as reaction force of a Pro/MECHANICA
joint in time domain. You may query results at a specific Motion

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location for a given time. In addition, you may ask for a
report on results that you specified, for example, acceleration
of a moving body in the time domain. Figure 1-8 The Integrated Mode

Two Operation Modes

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There are two operation modes that you may choose in Motion: Integrated and Independent. The
Integrated mode allows you to work in a unified Pro/ENGINEER user interface environment. You can
access Motion through menus inside Pro/ENGINEER. You will use the same assembly in both
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-5

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Pro/ENGINEER and Motion. In this case, Motion is considered a module of Pro/ENGINEER, as
illustrated in Figure 1-8.

In the Independent mode, you will create models from scratch in Motion, completely separate from
Pro/ENGINEER. Therefore, you will have to use less general capabilities to create body geometry.

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Body geometry is essential for mass property computations in motion analysis. The advantage of using
the Integrated mode of Motion is that the geometry of the body can be created conveniently and
accurately. When the mass properties of bodies are pre-calculated or pre-measured, creating motion
models directly in Motion (Independent mode) is more straightforward.

Note that the interference checking is only available in the Integrated mode. More details of the
differences between these two modes will be discussed in Lesson 3.

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User Interfaces

User interfaces of the Integrated and Independent modes are similar but not identical. User interface of
the Integrated mode is identical to that of Pro/ENGINEER, as shown in Figure 1-9. Pro/ENGINEER users
should find it is straightforward to maneuver in Motion.

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As shown in Figure 1-9, user interface window of Pro/ENGINEER, i.e., Motion Integrated mode, consists
of pull-down menus, short-cut buttons, prompt/message window, scroll-down menu, graphics area, datum
feature buttons, model tree window, and command description area.

Title Bar Pull-Down Menus Quit

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Datum Feature
Short-Cut Buttons Buttons

Create New
Model

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Model Tree
Window

Command Graphics Area

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Description
Scroll-
Prompt/Message Window Down Menu

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Figure 1-9 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Integrated Mode
1-6 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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The Graphics Area displays the Motion model you are working on. This is where most of the action will
be shown. The pull-down menus and the short-cut buttons at the top of the screen allow you to manipulate
the Motion model. The scroll-down menu supports you in creating and modifying the model. As you
move the mouse across the menu options, a brief description about the option will appear on the
Command Description area (lower left corner). When you click the menu options, the Prompt/Message

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window shows brief messages describing the menu commands and shows system messages following
command execution.

The user interface of the Independent mode of Motion consists of three separate windows. They are Tools
Menu and Command Area Window, Work Area Window, and Design Menu Window as shown in Figure 1-
10. Each of the windows contains one or more components.

Tools Menu and Command Area Window – Located at the top of the Motion screen. This window
contains the following components:

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command area – displays prompts and messages;

tool menu bar (pull-down menu) – displays the top-level tool menus;

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tool button area – displays four tool buttons.

This window's title bar displays the version number of the current Motion software release.

Work Area Window – This is the graphics window below the command area. The Work Area displays the
current motion model.

Tools Menu and Command Area Window

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Tool Menu Bar
(Pull-Down Menu)

Title Bar
Command Area

Tool Button Area

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Work Area Window
Design Menu
Window

WCS

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Figure 1-10 Pro/MECHANICA Motion Independent Mode
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-7

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Design Menu Window (scroll-down menu)—Located at the right of the Work Area window. This window
displays the current design menu and its ancestors.

The Design Menu options allow you to create geometry, build models for the mechanisms, perform
analysis and design studies, and review results. The tool menus (pull-down menus) allow you to access

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various tools, including file utilities, editing functions, and options for displaying entities and creating
multiple windows for the work area. The tool buttons are used to access frequently used utilities. These
buttons are always visible in the Tools Menu and Command Area Window.

Figure 1-11 shows a typical user interface window of both Integrated and Independent modes. The
common buttons and options in the window are identified in the figure. We will refer to these buttons and
options in the rest of the book.

Text box Pull-down options

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Radio button
Push button

Graphics Area

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Check box

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Scrolling list
Display-only text

Figure 1-11 Buttons and Selections in a Typical Motion Window

Defining Motion Entities

The basic entities of a motion model consist of ground points, bodies, connections, initial conditions,

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drivers, and loads. Each of the basic entities will be briefly introduced. More details can be found in later
lessons.

Ground Points

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A ground point represents a fixed location in space. Once defined, a ground point symbol will appear
in the model. You must have at least one ground point in the model. All ground points are grouped as a
single ground body. Note that in the Integrated mode, assembly datum points will be converted into
ground points automatically. In the Independent mode, you may create ground points directly in Motion.
1-8 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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Bodies

A body represents a single rigid component (or link) that moves relative to the other body (or bodies in
some cases). A body may consist of several Pro/ENGINEER parts “welded” together. A body must
contain a local coordinate system (LCS), body points, and mass properties. Note that body points are

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created for defining connections, force applications, etc. In Independent mode, geometric points can be
created and attached to bodies. In Integrated mode, datum points created for part solid models are
converted to body points by Motion.

A spatial body consists of 3 translational and 3 rotational degrees of freedom (dof's). That is, a rigid body
can translate and rotate along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes of a coordinate system. Rotation of a rigid body is
measured by referring the orientation of its LCS to the global coordinate system (World Coordinate
System WCS), which is fixed to the ground body.

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In the Integrated mode, the LCS is assigned by Motion automatically, and the mass properties are
calculated using part geometry and material properties referring to the LCS. Body points are essential in
creating motion model since they are employed for defining connections and where the external loads are
applied.

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In the Independent mode, you will choose the LCS, and generate the mass properties. The mass properties
can be either entered to Motion directly, or calculated from mass primitives you choose for the body. Note
that the mass properties of a body are calculated relative to the body’s LCS. The mass primitives available
in Motion are sphere, cylinder, brick, cone, and plate. An example of a typical body created in the
Independent mode of Motion is shown in Figure 1-12.

Mass primitives Joint Rotational dof

Part schematic

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Translational dof
Reactions

LCS Body1

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Body points Body2
(Defining joints or
forces)
Figure 1-13 A Joint Defined in Motion
Center of mass

Figure 1-12 A Body in Independent Mode

Connections

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A connection in Motion can be a joint, cam, gear, or slot that connects two bodies. The connection will
constrain the relative motion between bodies.

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Each independent movement permitted by a connection is called degree of freedom (dof). The degrees of
freedom that a connection allows can be translation and rotation along three perpendicular axes, as shown
in Figure 1-13. The connections produce equal and opposite reactions (forces and/or torques) on the
bodies connected.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-9

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The symbol of a given joint tells the translational and/or rotational dof that the joint allows for the bodies
to move relative to each other. Understanding the basic four symbols shown in Figure 1-14 will enable
you to read any existing joints in motion models. More details about joint types available in Motion will
be discussed in later lessons. A complete list of joints available in Motion can be found in Appendix A.

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Degrees of Freedom

An unconstrained body in space

has 6 degrees of freedom, i.e., 3 (a) Translation⎯Each Arrow Signifies (b) Rotation⎯Single
translational and 3 rotational. a Translational dof (Slider Joint) Rotation (Pin Joint)
This is what Motion assumes;
i.e., spatial bodies with 6 dof's
per body. When connections are
added to connect bodies, (c) Translation and Rotation (d) No Axes⎯Any Rotation

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constraints are imposed to (Bearing Joint) (Spherical Joint)
restrict the relative motion
between bodies. Figure 1-14 Basic Joint Symbols

For example, a slider joint will impose 5 constraints so that only one translational motion is allowed

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between bodies. If one of the bodies is a ground body, the other body (slider) will slide back and forth
along the given direction (joint axis), specified by the slider joint. The arrow in Figure 1-14a signifies the
translational dof that the connection allows. Therefore, there is only one degree of freedom left in this
two-body mechanism. For a given motion model, you can determine its number of degrees of freedom
using the following formula:

D = 6M – N (1.3)

where D is the degrees of freedom of the mechanism, M is the number of bodies not including the ground

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body, and N is the number of constraints imposed by all connections.

For example, the engine shown in Figure 1-15 consists of four bodies, two pin joints, 1 slider joint, and 1
bearing joint. Pin, slider, and bearing joints impose 5, 5, and 2 constraints, respectively, to the
mechanism. According to Eq. 1.3, the degrees of freedom of the engine is

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D = 6×(4−1) − 2×5 − 1×5 − 1×2 = 1

In this example, if the bearing joint is replaced by a pin joint, the degrees of freedom becomes

D = 6×(4−1) − 3×5 − 1×5 = −2

Mechanisms should not have negative degrees of freedom. When using a pin joint instead of a bearing,
you have defined joints that impose redundant constraints. You may want to eliminate the redundant

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constraints in the motion model. The challenge is to find the joints that will impose non-redundant
constraints and still allow the intended motion. Examples included in this book should give you some
ideas on choosing proper joints. More about the joints can be found in Appendix A.

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1-10 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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Slider Joint
(Piston/Ground)

Ground Body

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Shaft Body (Crank)

Piston Body (Slider)

Pin Joint
(Piston/Rod)

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LCS of
Crank
Pin Joint
(Crank/Rod)

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Connecting Rod Body
Bearing Joint (Crank/Ground)
Driver

Figure 1-15 A Complete Motion Model in Exploded View

Loads
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Loads are used to drive a mechanism. Physically, loads are produced by motors, springs, dampers,

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gravity, tires, etc. A load entity in Motion is represented by the symbol shown in Figure 1-16.

Note that a load can be applied to a body, a point in a

body, a joint axis, or between two points in different
bodies. Symbols of loads applied to joint axis and
between two points are shown in Figure 1-17. Figure 1-16 The Load Symbol

Drivers

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Drivers are used to drive a joint axis with a particular
motion, either translational or rotational. Drivers are
specified as functions of time. The driver symbol is
shown in Figure 1-18. Note that a driver must be
Applied to joint axis

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defined along a movable axis of the joint you select.
Otherwise, no motion will occur. When properly Point-to-Point Load
defined, drivers will account for the remaining dof's of
the mechanism calculated using Eq. 1.3. Figure 1-17 Symbols of Special Load
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-11

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An example of a complete motion model is shown in
Figure 1-15. In this engine example, 26 Pro/ENGINEER
parts are grouped into four bodies. In addition, 4 joints Joint Axes
plus a driver are defined for a kinematic analysis.
Driver

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Types of Mechanism Analyses

There are five analysis types supported in Motion:

assembly analysis, velocity analysis, static analysis,
Figure 1-18 Symbols of Driver
kinetostatics (inverse dynamics), and motion (kinematics
and forward dynamics).

The assembly analysis that brings the mechanism together, as illustrated in Figure 1-19, is performed
before any other type of analysis. The assembly analysis determines an initial configuration of the

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mechanism based on the body geometry, joints, and initial conditions of bodies. The points chosen for
defining joints will be brought to within a small prescribed tolerance.

Velocity analysis is similar to assembly analysis but matches part velocities, instead of positions. Velocity
analysis ensures that all prescribed velocities, including initial conditions are satisfied. Velocity analysis

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is also computed to within a tolerance. An example of the velocity analysis is shown in Figure 1-20.

Static analysis is used to find the rest position (equilibrium condition) of a mechanism, in which none of
the bodies are moving. Static analysis is related to mechanical advantage, for example, how much load
can be resisted by a driving motor. A simple example of the static analysis is shown in Figure 1-21.

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Material Figure 1-19 Assembly Analysis

ω = ? rpm

ω = 200 rpm

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V=? k1 K2

m
g

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Figure 1-20 Velocity Analysis
Figure 1-21 Static Analysis
1-12 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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Kinetostatics is used to find desired driving loads that produce the prescribed motion of a mechanism. A
typical kinetostatic analysis is illustrated in Figure 1-22.

Forward dynamic analysis is used to study the mechanism motion in response to loads, as illustrated in
Figure 1-23. This is the most complicated and common, but usually time-consuming analysis.

Input: Material
Prescribed Motion ω(t)
Output:
Output:
Resulting Motion ω(t)
Input:
Driving Load p(t) Driving Load p(t)

ω p(t) ω p(t)

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Figure 1-22 Kinetostatic Analysis Figure 1-23 Forward Dynamic Analysis

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Viewing Results

In Motion, results of the motion analysis can be realized using animations, graphs, reports, and queries.
Animations show the configuration of the mechanism in consecutive time frames. Animations will give
you a global view on how the mechanism behaves, as shown in Figure 1-24.

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Material

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Figure 1-24 Motion Animation
Figure 1-25 Result Graph (Independent Mode)
You may choose a joint or a point to generate a graph on, for example, velocity vs. time. The graph in

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Figure 1-25 shows the angular position of a simple pendulum example (Lesson 4 or 5). These graphs give
you a quantitative understanding on the behavior of the mechanism. You may also pick a joint or a point
to query the results of your interest at a specific time frame. In addition, you may ask Motion for a report
that includes a complete set of results output in the form of numerical data.
Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-13

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In addition to the capabilities discussed above, Motion allows you to check interference between bodies
during motion (Lesson 6). Furthermore, the reaction forces calculated can be used to support structural
analysis using, for example, Pro/MECHANICA Structure.

1.5 Mechanism Design Using Motion

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The ultimate goal of using Motion is searching for better design alternatives. The design study capabilities
available in Motion will help you achieve the design objectives following a systematic approach,
including both local and global sensitivity studies, and optimization.

The overall design process using Motion is shown in Figure 1-26. After creating a motion model,
performing initial motion analyses, and reviewing the results, you may identify the performance of the
mechanism you want Motion to improve.

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In order for Motion to search for better
designs, you must define a design Motion Model
problem. A design problem must include
(i) measures that monitor the performance
of the mechanism, and (ii) design

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Design Problem
variables or design parameters that
Definition
characterize the changes you intend to
make. Motion will search for designs that
achieve the desired measure values by
varying the design variables (or design Motion Analysis
parameters) you defined. Motion provides
both sensitivity study and optimization
capabilities for achieving better designs.
Yes
Stop Satisfactory Design Change

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A global sensitivity study calculates the ?
changes in the measure values when you
vary a parameter over a specified range. No
Motion provides graph results for global
sensitivity by plotting the measures in a Global Sensitivity

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parameter range. For example, Figure 1- Study or Local
27 shows the global sensitivity of the Sensitivity Study
maximum slider velocity of a slider-crank
mechanism (Lesson 7) with respect to the
crank length d2. The global sensitivity Optimization
study provides you with a global view on
how the motion model is supposed to
behave when you vary a single parameter Figure 1-26 Design Process in Motion
in a prescribed range.

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A local sensitivity study calculates the sensitivity of the model’s measures to a slight change, plus or
minus 0.05 percent, in one or more design variables (or design parameters). Motion will report you the
numerical values of each measure’s sensitivity with respect to the parameters. The advantage of the local

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sensitivity study is that it allows you to combine changes of more than one parameter in a relatively less
time.

Both studies should point you to a direction for design changes that will improve the performance of the
mechanism. With such an understanding, you may decide on a set of new parameter values and update the
1-14 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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motion model for a new motion analysis. You may repeat this process until a satisfactory design is
obtained.

Sensitivity studies help you understand

how parameter changes affect the

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performance of the motion model.
Ultimately, you want to find the
combination of parameter values that give
you the best possible design. In an
optimization study, Motion searches for an
optimal design by adjusting one or more
parameters to best achieve prescribed goal
and constraint functions through an
iterative process.

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The goal (or objective) involves
minimizing or maximizing measures that
represent the most desired motion
performance. At the same time, constraint

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functions defined by measures are retained
within desired limits.

The optimization study is performed in a

batch mode; i.e., you will let Motion take
over all the design decision-makings. An
optimal design, if exists, will be
determined by Motion automatically. Figure 1-27 Global Sensitivity Graph (Integrated Mode)
More details on design studies will be

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discussed in later lessons.

1.6 Motion Examples

Various motion examples will be introduced in the following lessons to illustrate step-by-step details of

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modeling, analysis, and design capabilities in Motion. You will learn from these examples both
Independent and Integrated modes, as well as analysis and design capabilities in Motion. We will start
with a simple ball throwing example in the Integrated mode. This example will give you a quick start and
a brief overview on Motion. Lessons 2 through 10 focus on analysis and design of regular mechanisms.
Lessons 2, 4, 6, and 7 use Integrated mode; and Lessons 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 assume Independent mode of
Motion. Design studies will be introduced in Lessons 7 and 9 for sensitivity and optimization studies,
respectively. All examples and main topics to be discussed in each lesson are summarized in the
following table.

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Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion 1-15

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Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn

2 A Ball Throwing Particle 1. This lesson offers a quick run-

Example⎯ Dynamics through of modeling and analysis
Integrated Mode capabilities in the Integrated

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mode of Motion.
2. You will learn the general process
of using Motion to construct a
motion model, run analysis, and
visualize the motion analysis
results.
3. Motion analysis results are
verified using analytical equations
of motion.

3
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A Ball Throwing
Example⎯
Independent Mode
Particle
Dynamics
1. The same ball throwing example
is modeled and analyzed in the
Independent mode of Motion.

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2. You will learn the general process
of using Independent mode of
Motion.
3. You will also learn the main
differences between these two
modes.

4 A Simple Particle 1. This lesson provides more about

Pendulum⎯ Dynamics creating body and joints in the

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Integrated Mode Integrated mode of Motion.
2. You will learn the general process
of using Motion to construct a
motion model, run analysis, and
visualize the motion analysis

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results.
3. Motion analysis results are
verified using analytical equations
of motion.

5 A Simple Particle 1. The same simple pendulum

Pendulum⎯ Dynamics example is modeled and analyzed
Independent Mode in the Independent mode of
Motion.

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2. You will learn more about
creating body and joints using the
Independent mode of Motion.

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1-16 Pro/MECHANICA Motion: Mechanism Design and Analysis

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6 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. The lesson uses a more general
Mechanism⎯ Kinematic mechanism to discuss joint types,
Initial Assembly Analysis initial assembly analysis, and
and Motion kinematic analysis.

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Analyses 2. You will learn more about joints
and drivers, perform initial
assembly analysis, and use Motion
and analytical method for motion
analysis.
3. The interference checking
capability will be discussed.
4. Motion analysis results are
verified using analytical equations
of motion.

7
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A Slider Crank

Design Study
Design of
Kinematics of
Mechanisms
1. The lesson introduces design
study capabilities in Motion,
including local and global

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sensitivity studies.
2. You will learn how to define
design parameters and measures,
conduct design studies, and
visualize the design study results.

8 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. The lesson discusses modeling

Mechanism⎯ Kinematic and analysis of the same slider-
Independent Mode and Dynamic crank mechanism using

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and Dynamic Analyses Independent mode.
Analysis 2. You will learn more capabilities
in the Independent mode, such as
defining mass primitives, defining
and editing joint types, defining

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force for dynamic analysis, etc.

9 A Slider Crank Optimization 1. The lesson discusses how to

Mechanism⎯ Design Study define and run an optimization
Optimization design study, plus visualize
Design Study optimization results.

10 Multiple Multibody 1. The lesson introduces multibody

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Pendulums Dynamic dynamic analysis in the
Analysis Independent mode.
2. You will learn how to create
joints, loads, and measures for
constructing the multibody system

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using subassembly capability.
3. You will also learn how to model
impact phenomena using force
entities supported in Motion.
A Pro/Manufacturing Tutorial
Pro/ENGINEER - Wildfire 2.0

Paul E. Funk Loren Begly, Jr.

University of Evansville Whirlpool Corporation
Evansville, IN Evansville, IN

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Section 1 -- A Quick Run Through

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In this section we’ll develop the CNC code for a 3 axis CNC mill to produce a simple

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rectangular block with a raised letter.

Figure 1-1
Part for Section 1

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Pro/Manufacturing can quickly become very involved and complex. This exercise is designed to

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work through a single manufacturing sequence to familiarize the user with the general procedure

involved. Although a single manufacturing sequence (volume milling), it still involves a lot of

commands. Since we’re just trying to gain familiarity with the general procedure, we’ll present

this example with a minimum of explanation. At the beginning of each step we’ll explain what

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we’re going to do, then we’ll do it and at the end of the step we’ll tell you what we (and you)

did. Later sections will go into detail about why you made the choices you were told to make

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and what alternatives you have available to you.

Produce the Part Model

We’ll follow the steps discussed in the preface. First, 1) Produce the part model. Before

entering the Manufacturing menu, enter the Part menu and create the block shown above. A

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click-by-click procedure is included in the Appendix A and B. You can name the part whatever

you wish, but we’ll refer to it as “block” throughout the remainder of this section. Save the part

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and

1-1
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Window

Close

File

Material New

u Manufacturing (Leave NC Assembly checked.)

Enter the name you want to use for your manufacturing process. We’ll use “block”. (Pro/E will

add a .mfg extension.) Select

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OK

That completes step 1).

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Assemble the Part and Workpiece

We’re now ready for step 2). We’ll create the workpiece material the part will be

machined from using our part as a guide. We’ll make the workpiece bigger than our original

part.

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Figure 1-2
Part/Workpiece Assembly

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We begin by selecting

Mfg Model

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Assemble

Ref Model

Material
and pick on the part name for the part we want to manufacture (block.prt).

1-2
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Open

Pro/E displays the part. We’ll use this part as a guide to create the workpiece from which the

part will be machined.

Material
(Assemble component at default location.)

OK

Create

Workpiece

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We gave it the name, block_wp. We’re now going to enter Sketcher, just as if we were building

a part in part mode, to model the workpiece. Select

Material
Protrusion

Done

Placement

Define

and select the sketching plane. Use the right mouse button to highlight the bottom surface of the

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block and the left mouse button to select it. (Refer to Figure A if you don’t recall which is the

bottom surface). Pick on the front surface (Refer to Figure A) of the block for the Reference and

select
Material
Bottom

for the Orientation. Select

Sketch

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Select any two perpendicular edges as references. The actual references are not important the

way we’ll dimension the section. Select

Material
Close

1-3
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and create a rectangular section as the outline for the workpiece so that it completely

encompasses the outline of our block. Dimension the rectangle you just created to be ½ inch

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bigger than block.prt on each side.

Figure 1-3
Dimensioning Scheme

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Material
Select

Go to the default view and make sure that the protrusion encompasses the part. If it doesn’t drag

the depth handle or use

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Material
to change the depth direction. Enter 1.0 inch as the depth of the protrusion. Select

Done/Return

and we’ve completed the creation of our workpiece. In default view the part/workpiece

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assembly should appear as shown in Figure 1-2.

We’ve completed step 2). We have our original part model assembled within the

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workpiece from which it is to be machined.

1-4
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Manufacturing Setup

We’re now ready to 3) perform the manufacturing setup. We will specify a 3 axis milling

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operation, create a coordinate system for our operation and create the volume of material to

remove by milling. Select

Mfg Setup

Pro/E displays the Operation Setup dialogue box. Click on the “mill icon” at the far right

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of the NC Machine box.

Make sure the Machine Type is “Mill” and the Number of Axes is “3 Axis”. Select

OK
Material
and click on the arrow next to Machine Zero. Select

Create

and pick on the workpiece. Pro/Manufacturing displays a coordinate system dialogue box.

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We’ll place a coordinate system at the intersection of the top-left edge of the workpiece with the

top front edge. Click on the top-front edge to indicate the location of the first reference. Hold

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down the control key and click on the top-left edge to indicate the second reference for location

of the coordinate system.

Figure 1-4

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Pro/ E Axis Display

Material 1-5
Click on the Orientation Tab. If necessary, flip the x axis so that it extends to the right and flip

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the y axis so that it extends from the front to the back of the workpiece (Figure A).

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Select

OK
OK

Figure 1-5
Part Home

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Material
To complete the manufacturing setup, we still need to specify the volume of material to be

removed. We’ll select the entire workpiece and the “remove” the part from this volume. Select

Mfg Geom

Mill Volume

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Create

and enter a name. We’ll use “mv1". We’ll use the sketch command to create the volume of

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material to be removed from our workpiece. We’ll remove all the workpiece material that lies

outside the part. Select

Sketch

Done

Done

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Again use the right mouse button to highlight the bottom surface of the workpiece as the

sketching plane and the left mouse button to select it. Make sure te protrusion arrow extends

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from the bottom of the workpiece upward and select Okay. Select Bottom from the SKET

1-6
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VIEW menu and pick on the front surface of the workpiece. Again select two perpendicular

edges as references. Select

Close

Material
Sketch

Edge

Use

and select all four outer edges of the workpiece (not the part). Select

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Close

Material
Up to Surface

Done

and pick the top (Figure A) surface of the workpiece. (You may want to use the default view.)

Select

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Ok

We’ve selected our entire workpiece as the mill volume. But we need to leave the

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material that represents our part. At this point Pro/E provides a Trim function that will “trim”

the part from the mill volume. Select

Trim

and use the right mouse button to select the part we wish to be “trimmed” out of the mill volume.

Use the left mouse button to accept the selection.

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Done/Return

Done/Return

Material 1-7
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Done/Return

and we’ve defined the volume to be removed (the workpiece minus our part).

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And we’ve completed the manufacturing setup. We defined a 3-axis milling operation,

created a coordinate system for our workpiece, and created a mill volume representing the

material that is to be removed by machining.

Machining Sequence

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Let’s 4) define the machining operations. We’ll select a volume milling sequence, define

our tool and machining parameters (tool size, cutting speed, etc.), create a retraction plane and

specify the volume of material to be removed (created in the previous step). Select

Machining
Material
NC Sequence

Done (Leave Volume and 3 Axis highlighted)

Done (notice the checked parameters we must define)

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Material Figure 1-6
SetUp Parameters

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Material 1-8
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Pro/E will display a Tool Setup Table.

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Figure 1-7
Tool Setup Table

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Material

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While the user can modify any of the values, we’ll just specify the diameter and length for this

example. Click on the specified parameter and change to the following values:

Cutter_Diam .25

Length
Material 2

To save the values and exit the Setup table,

Apply

OK

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Set

and Pro/E will display the remaining machining parameters. While the user can modify any of

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the values, all parameters that have a value of -1 must be specified.

1-9
 Figure 1-8
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Material
Machining
Parameters

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Use the following values:

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Cut_Feed 60

Step_Depth .125

Step_Over .125

Scan_type Type_Spiral (We’ll explain why you change this later.)

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Spindle_Speed 1000

Clear_Dist 1

After entering all the above values, select

File

Exit
Material
to save the values and exit the table. Select

Done

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Pro/E now prompts us to create a retraction plane; ie, a plane to determine the height the tool

will withdraw to each time it retracts from the workpiece. We’ll put a retraction plane one inch

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above the part (0.5 inches above our coordinate system). Select

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Along Z-Axis

and enter a value of 0.5 (½ O above the workpiece).

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OK

Pro/E displays the retraction plane above the workpiece.

Figure 1-9
Retraction Plane

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Material
Now we must specify the volume of material to be machined. Since we’ve already created the

volume (recall we called it mv1), all we have to do is select it. Select

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Select Vol

and pick on the mill volume created earlier in this section. We’ve finished the process.

Material
And we’ve finished defining our machining sequence. We defined a volume milling

sequence, entered tooling and machining parameters, created a retraction plane and selected the

volume of material to be removed by milling.

Viewing and Outputting Results

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Although we’re done, at this point we need some “proof” that everything we’ve done is

okay. We can get that proof by creating the tool path (CL - cutter location) and viewing the

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cutter location as it removes the material. We’ll “play the path” of the tool. Select

1-11
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Play Path

Screen Play

Material
and Pro/E plays a radio control, Play Path window. And if you’ve done everything correctly,

you can use the radio buttons to display the cutting tool’s path centerline as it removes the

material you’ve indicated to be mv1.

Figure 1-10
Cutting Path Display

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Material
After you’ve played the tool path (CL data), you can also run an NC check to graphically

depict the material removal. Close the Play Path dialogue box and select

NC Check
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and use Vericut controls (the green button on the bottom right of the screen) to watch as Pro/E

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simulates how the material is removed.

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Material 1-12
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Material
Figure 1-11
NC Check

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That’s everything involved in the process except posting or postprocessing the CL data to

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generate the G-code. That’s pretty straight forward and basically just requires a listing of menu

picks. We’ll save that as part of a later exercise.

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Material

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Material 1-13
 Introduction to
® ™
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 2.0
Louis Gary Lamit

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Lesson 2 Direct Modeling

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Material

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.1 Eight Quick Modeling Parts

OBJECTIVES
• Modeling simple parts quickly using default selections
• Sample the Extrude Tool and the Revolve Tool
• Try out a variety of Engineering Tools including: Hole, Shell, Round, Chamfer, and
Draft
• Sketch simple sections
Modeling
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The purpose of this lesson is to quickly introduce you to a variety of Feature Tools and
Engineering Tools. You will model a variety of very simple parts (Fig. 2.1). Little or no

Material
explanation of the methodology or theory of the Tool or process will accompany the instructions.
By using almost all default selections; you will create models that will display the power and
capability of Pro/E Wildfire 2.0.
In Lesson 3, a detailed step-by-step systematic description will accompany all commands.
Here, we hope to get you up and running on Pro/E without any belabored explanations.

47
Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Lesson 2 STEPS

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Material

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Material

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Figure 2.2(a) Part One

Part Model One (PRT0001.PRT) (Extrude)

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The first model [Fig. 2.2(a)] will introduce the Extrude Tool to create a simple box-shape, the
Round Tool to add a round to one edge, and the Shell Tool to remove one surface and make the
part walls a consistent thickness. In this first quick modeling part we will provide step-by-step
illustrations. For subsequent parts, only important steps or illustrations displaying aspects of the
command sequence that represent new material will be provided. The same applies to Tool Tips

Material
that appear as you pass your cursor over a button or icon. All parts have been created with out-of-
the-box system settings for Pro/E Wildfire 2.0 including default templates, grid settings, and so
forth.

48
 Direct Modeling

Click: Launch Pro/E ⇒ File ⇒ Set Working Directory ⇒ select the working directory ⇒ OK ⇒

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Create a new object ⇒ zPart ⇒ OK ⇒ click the FRONT datum plane in the Model Tree
[Fig. 2.2(b)]

Material

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Material
Figure 2.2(b) Pre-select the FRONT Datum Plane in the Model Tree

Click: Extrude Tool ⇒ ⇒ Sketch dialog box opens with Sketch Plane and
Sketch Orientation selected [Fig. 2.2(c)]

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.2(c) Pre-selected FRONT Datum is the Sketch Plane, RIGHT Datum is Automatically Selected as the
Sketch Orientation Reference

49
Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

With your mouse pointer in the Pro/E graphics window, click: MMB References dialog box

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displays [Fig. 2.2(d)] ⇒ MMB accepts selection ⇒ MMB closes dialog box

Material

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Material
Figure 2.2(d) References Dialog Box Displays

Click: Create rectangle ⇒ sketch a rectangle by picking two corners [Fig. 2.2(e)] ⇒
Continue with the current section

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.2(e) Sketched Rectangle

50
 Direct Modeling

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Click: ⇒ Standard Orientation [Fig. 2.2(f)] ⇒ Shading ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.2(g)]

Material

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Figure 2.2(f) Trimetric View with Depth Handle Displayed

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Material

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Figure 2.2(g) Completed Extruded Protrusion

51
Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Slowly pick on the right front edge of the part until it highlights [Fig. 2.2(h)] ⇒ RMB ⇒

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Round Edges [Fig. 2.2(i)] ⇒ pick on and move the drag handle [Fig. 2.2(j)] ⇒ MMB [Fig.
2.2(k)]

Material

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Figure 2.2(h) Pick on Edge to Highlight

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Figure 2.2(i) Round Edges Figure 2.2(j) Move the Drag Handle

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Figure 2.2(k) Completed Round

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 Direct Modeling

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Slowly pick on the top surface of the part until it highlights [Fig. 2.2(l)] ⇒ Shell Tool [Fig.
2.2(m)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.2(n)] ⇒ Save the active object ⇒ MMB ⇒ File ⇒ Close Window

Material

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Figure 2.2(l) Selected Top Surface is Highlighted

Material

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Figure 2.2(m) Shell Tool Applied

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Figure 2.2(n) Completed Part

53
Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Part Model Two (PRT0002.PRT) (Draft)

Click:
Tree ⇒
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⇒ zPart (PRT0002.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ click on the TOP datum plane in the Model
Extrude Tool ⇒ ⇒

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Section dialog box opens with Sketch Plane and
Sketch Orientation selected [Fig. 2.3(a)] ⇒ MMB in the graphics window ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB

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Material
Figure 2.3(a) Pre-selected TOP Datum is the Sketch Plane, RIGHT Datum is Automatically Selected as the
Sketch Orientation Reference

Click: Create circle ⇒ sketch a circle by picking at the origin and then stretching the circle’s

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diameter [Fig. 2.3(b)] to a convenient size ⇒ pick again to establish the circle’s diameter [Fig.
2.3(c)]

Material

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Material
Figure 2.3(b) Sketch the Circle Figure 2.3(c) Pick to Establish the Circle’s Diameter

54
 Direct Modeling

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Click: ⇒ Standard Orientation [Fig. 2.3(d)] ⇒ [Fig. 2.3(e)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.3(f)] ⇒
Hidden Line ⇒ pick on the curved surface until it is selected and highlights [Fig. 2.3(g)] ⇒
Draft Tool

Material

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Material
Figure 2.3(d) Sketch in Standard Orientation Figure 2.3(e) Depth Preview of Extruded Circle

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Material

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Figure 2.3(f) Completed Extruded Circle Figure 2.3(g) Select the Curved Surface

Material
55
Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: ⇒ pick the TOP datum plane as the Draft hinges [Fig. 2.3(h)] ⇒ click in the
Angle Dimension Box and type 10 ⇒ Enter ⇒ Shading ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.3(i)] ⇒
pick on the top edge until it highlights [Fig. 2.3(j)] ⇒ Chamfer Tool ⇒ type 50

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⇒ Enter ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.3(k)] ⇒ press and hold MMB and spin the part ⇒ pick
on the bottom surface until it highlights ⇒ ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.3(l)] ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒
Window ⇒ Close

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Figure 2.3(h) TOP Datum Plane Selected as the Draft Hinges

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Figure 2.3(i) Completed Draft Figure 2.3(j) Select Front Edge

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Figure 2.3(k) Completed Chamfer Figure 2.3(l) Completed Part

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 Direct Modeling

Part Model Three (PRT0003.PRT) (Hole)

Click:
⇒
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⇒ zPart (PRT0003.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ pick the FRONT datum ⇒
⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒
Extrude Tool
Create rectangle ⇒ sketch a

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rectangle [Fig. 2.4(a)] ⇒ Create a circular fillet between two entities ⇒ pick the two lines
that form the upper right-hand corner [Fig. 2.4(b)] ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation [Fig.
2.4(c)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.4(d)] ⇒ Datum Axis Tool ⇒ pick on the cylindrical surface [Fig.
2.4(e)] ⇒ MMB

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Material
Figure 2.4(a) Sketch a Rectangle Figure 2.4(b) Create a Fillet

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Material
Figure 2.4(c) Depth Preview Figure 2.4(d) Completed Protrusion

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Material
Figure 2.4(e) Pick on the Cylindrical Surface to Establish the References for the Datum Axis

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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With the datum axis still highlighted, click: Hole Tool [Fig. 2.4(f)] ⇒ ⇒ click inside
the Secondary references collector (turns yellow) [Fig. 2.4(g)] ⇒ pick on the front face [Fig.
2.4(h)] ⇒ expand depth options by opening slide-up panel ⇒ Drill to intersect with

Material
all surfaces [Fig. 2.4(i)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.4(j)] ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ Window ⇒ Close

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Material
Figure 2.4(f) Hole Tool Display Preview Figure 2.4(g) Click to Activate the Secondary References

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Material
Figure 2.4(h) Pick on the Front Face Figure 2.4(i) Select Drill Depth Option

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Material
Figure 2.4(j) Completed Part

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 Direct Modeling

Part Model Four (PRT0004.PRT) (Cut)

Click:
⇒
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⇒ zPart (PRT0004.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ pick the FRONT datum ⇒
⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒
⇒
Create 2 point lines ⇒ sketch the outline using

Material
five lines forming a closed section [Fig. 2.5(a)] ⇒ MMB to end the current tool ⇒
Standard Orientation [Fig. 2.5(b)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.5(c)]
⇒ ⇒

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Material

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Figure 2.5(a) Sketch the Five Lines of the Enclosed Section

Material

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Material
Figure 2.5(b) Depth Preview Figure 2.5(c) Completed Protrusion

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Pick on the top horizontal surface of the part until it highlights [Fig. 2.5(d)] ⇒ Extrude Tool
⇒ Remove Material ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ Hidden
Line ⇒ Create rectangle ⇒ sketch a rectangle [Fig. 2.5(e)] ⇒ Shading ⇒ ⇒

Material
Standard Orientation [Fig. 2.5(f)] ⇒ [Fig. 2.5(g)] ⇒ expand ⇒ Extrude on
both sides ⇒ move a drag handle so that the cut passes thru the part [Fig. 2.5(h)] ⇒ MMB [Fig.
2.5(i)] ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ Window ⇒ Close

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Material
Figure 2.5(d) Select the Horizontal Surface Figure 2.5(e) Sketch a Rectangle

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Material
Figure 2.5(f) Sketch Displayed in Standard Orientation Figure 2.5(g) Previewed Cut

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Material
Figure 2.5(h) Drag a Depth Handle Figure 2.5(i) Completed Part

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 Direct Modeling

Part Model Five (PRT0005.PRT) (Mirror)

Click: Copyrighted
⇒ zPart (PRT0005.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ pick the FRONT datum ⇒
Thicken Sketch ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ RMB ⇒ Centerline ⇒
⇒

Material
pick two points vertically on the edge of the RIGHT datum plane [Figs. 2.6(a-b)] ⇒ MMB to end
the current tool ⇒ RMB ⇒ Line [Fig. 2.6(c)] ⇒ sketch the vertical and horizontal lines [Fig.
2.6(d)] ⇒ MMB to end the current line

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Material
Figure 2.6(a) Pick the First Point of the Vertical Figure 2.6(b) Pick the Second Point of the Centerline

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Vertical Centerline

Material

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Material
Figure 2.6(c) RMB Line Figure 2.6(d) Sketch Two Lines

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Click: RMB ⇒ Fillet [Fig. 2.6(e)] ⇒ pick the lines near the corner ⇒ MMB ⇒ press LMB and

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hold while dragging a window until it incorporates the two lines and fillet [Fig. 2.6(f)] ⇒
Mirror selected entities ⇒ pick the centerline [Fig. 2.6(g)] ⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation ⇒

Material
[Fig. 2.6(h)]

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Material
Figure 2.6(e) RMB Fillet Figure 2.6(f) Select Sketch Entities by Windowing

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Material
Figure 2.6(g) Mirrored Sketch

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Material
Figure 2.6(h) Depth Preview

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 Direct Modeling

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Click: ⇒ Extrude on both sides ⇒ drag a depth handle [Fig. 2.6(i)] ⇒ MMB ⇒
LMB ⇒ press and hold the Ctrl key and select the RIGHT and FRONT datum planes in the
Model Tree [Fig. 2.6(j)] ⇒ Datum Axis Tool [Fig. 2.6(k)] ⇒ Hole Tool ⇒ ⇒

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click inside the Secondary references collector (turns yellow) ⇒ pick on the top face ⇒ ⇒
[Fig. 2.6(l)] ⇒ MMB ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ Window ⇒ Close

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Material
Figure 2.6(i) Drag Depth Handle Figure 2.6(j) Select Datums

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Material
Figure 2.6(k) A_1 Axis Created

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Material
Figure 2.6(l) Hole Preview

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Part Model Six (PRT0006.PRT) (Revolve)

Click:
⇒ ⇒
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⇒ zPart (PRT0006.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ pick the RIGHT datum ⇒
⇒ Orientation Top [Fig. 2.7(a)] ⇒
Revolve Tool
⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒

Material
RMB ⇒ Centerline ⇒ create a horizontal centerline on the edge of the TOP datum ⇒ MMB ⇒
RMB ⇒ Line ⇒ sketch the outline of the closed section [Fig. 2.7(b)] ⇒ MMB to end the current
tool ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation [Fig. 2.7(c)] ⇒ MMB ⇒ LMB [Fig. 2.7(d)]

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Material

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Figure 2.7(a) Sketch Dialog Box

Material

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Figure 2.7(b) Sketch the Centerline and the Closed Section Outline

Material
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 Direct Modeling

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.7(c) Revolve Preview Figure 2.7(d) Completed Revolved Protrusion

Slowly pick on the front edge of the part until it highlights ⇒ press and hold the Ctrl key ⇒ pick
the other visible edges ⇒ RMB ⇒ Round Edges [Fig. 2.7(e)] ⇒ drag the handle [Fig. 2.7(f)] ⇒
MMB ⇒ LMB

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.7(e) Select the Edges Figure 2.7(f) Move the Drag Handle to Adjust the Size

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: View from the Menu Bar ⇒ [Fig. 2.7(g)] ⇒ [Fig. 2.7(h)] ⇒ [Fig.
2.7(i)] ⇒ type A ⇒ Enter [Fig. 2.7(j)] ⇒ MMB ⇒ select RIGHT from the Model Tree [Fig.
2.7(k)] ⇒ ⇒ [Fig. 2.7(l)] ⇒ ⇒ LMB ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒
Window ⇒ Close

Material

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Material
Figure 2.7(g) View Manager Figure 2.7(h) Select Xsec Tab Figure 2.7(i) New Xsec

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Material
Figure 2.7(j) Section A Figure 2.7(k) Select RIGHT Figure 2.7(l) Sectioned Part

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Material
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 Direct Modeling

Part Model Seven (PRT0007.PRT) (Revolve Ellipse)

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⇒ zPart (PRT0007.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ pick the FRONT datum ⇒ Revolve Tool
⇒ RMB ⇒ Define Internal Sketch ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ RMB ⇒ Centerline ⇒

Material
create a vertical centerline on the edge of the RIGHT datum ⇒ ⇒ Create a full ellipse
⇒ pick one point to locate the center and the second to determine the shape of the ellipse [Fig.
2.8(a)] ⇒ MMB to end the current tool ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation ⇒ ⇒
[Fig. 2.8(b)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.8(c)] ⇒ LMB

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Material

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Figure 2.8(a) Sketch a Horizontal Centerline and an Ellipse

Material

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Material
Figure 2.8(b) Select 180.00

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: Info from the Menu Bar ⇒ Model [Fig. 2.8(d)] ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ Window ⇒ Close

Material

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Figure 2.8(c) Completed Elliptical Torus

Material

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.8(d) Information about the Model Displayed in Web Browser

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 Direct Modeling

Part Model Eight (PRT0008.PRT) (Revolve Cut)

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⇒ zPart (PRT0008.PRT) ⇒ MMB ⇒ pick the FRONT datum ⇒
Extrude on both sides ⇒ ⇒
⇒
⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ RMB ⇒
⇒

Material
Centerline ⇒ create a vertical centerline on the edge of the RIGHT datum plane ⇒ MMB ⇒
RMB ⇒ Rectangle ⇒ sketch a rectangle [Fig. 2.9(a)] ⇒ MMB ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Standard
Orientation ⇒ MMB ⇒ LMB

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Material
Figure 2.9(a) Sketch a Rectangle

Click: ⇒
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Remove Material ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒
Select references ⇒ pick the top edge of the part [Fig. 2.9(b)] ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB

Material

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Figure 2.9(b) Select the Top Edge as a Reference

Material
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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Click: RMB ⇒ Centerline ⇒ create a vertical centerline through the middle of the part ⇒ RMB

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⇒ Circle ⇒ sketch a circle [Figs. 2.9(c-d)] ⇒ MMB ⇒
[Fig. 2.9(e)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.9(f)] ⇒ LMB
⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation

Material

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Figure 2.9(c) Sketch a Circle Figure 2.9(d) Completed Sketched Circle

Material

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Material
Figure 2.9(e) Revolved Cut Preview

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Material
Figure 2.9(f) Completed Cut

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 Direct Modeling

Slowly pick on the edge of the part until it highlights ⇒ press and hold the Ctrl key ⇒ pick the

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other edges ⇒ RMB ⇒ [Figs. 2.9(g-h)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.9(i)] ⇒ LMB

Material

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Figure 2.9(g) Select the Edges

Material

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Material
Figure 2.9(h) Round Preview

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Material
Figure 2.9(i) Completed Round

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Place your cursor on Axis A_2 ⇒ LMB until A_2 is highlighted [Fig. 2.9(j)] ⇒ Hole Tool ⇒
⇒ click inside the Secondary references collector (turns yellow) ⇒ pick on the top face
of the part [Fig. 2.9(k)] ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ MMB [Fig. 2.9(l)] ⇒ LMB ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒
Window ⇒ Close

Material

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Material
Figure 2.9(j) Select Axis A_2

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Material

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Material
Figure 2.9(k) Select the Top Face of the Part Figure 2.9(l) Completed Part

See www.cad-resources.com ⇒ Downloads, for extra Lessons and projects.

72
 Introduction to
® ™
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 2.0
Louis Gary Lamit

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Lesson 3 Extrusions

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Material

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Figure 3.1 Clamp

OBJECTIVES
•
•
Material
Create a feature using an Extruded protrusion
Understand Setup and Environment settings
• Define and set a Material type
• Create and use Datum features
• Sketch protrusion and cut feature geometry using the Sketcher
• Understand the feature Dashboard

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• Copy a feature
• Save and Delete Old Versions of an object

Extrusions

Material
The design of a part using Pro/E starts with the creation of base features (normally datum planes),
and a solid protrusion. Other protrusions and cuts are then added in sequence as required by the
design. You can use various types of Pro/E features as building blocks in the progressive creation
of solid parts (Fig. 3.1). Certain features, by necessity, precede other more dependent features in the
design process. Those dependent features rely on the previously defined features for dimensional
and geometric references.
The progressive design of features creates these dependent feature relationships known as
parent-child relationships. The actual sequential history of the design is displayed in the Model
Tree. The parent-child relationship is one of the most powerful aspects of Pro/E and parametric

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modeling in general. It is also very important after you modify a part. After a parent feature in a
part is modified, all children are automatically modified to reflect the changes in the parent feature.
It is therefore essential to reference feature dimensions so that Pro/E can correctly propagate design
modifications throughout the model.

Material
An extrusion is a part feature that adds or removes material. A protrusion is always the first
solid feature created. This is usually the first feature created after a base feature of datum planes.
The Extrude Tool is used to create both protrusions and cuts. A toolchest button is available for
this command or it can be initiated using Insert ⇒ Extrude from the menu bar. Figure 3.2 shows
four different types of basic protrusions.

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Material Extrude

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Material
Blend

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Material
Figure 3.2 Basic Protrusions
Sweep

The Design Process

It is tempting to directly start creating models. Nevertheless, in order to build value into a design,
you need to create a product that can keep up with the constant design changes associated with the

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design-through-manufacturing process. Flexibility must be “built in” to the design. Flexibility is the
key to a friendly and robust product design while maintaining design intent, and you can
accomplish it through planning. To plan a design, you need understand the overall function, form,
and fit of the product. This understanding includes the following points:

Material
• Overall size of the part
• Basic part characteristics
• The way in which the part can be assembled
• Approximate number of assembly components
• The manufacturing processes required to produce the part

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 Extrusions

Lesson 3 STEPS

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Material

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Figure 3.3 Clamp and Datum Planes

Material
Clamp
The clamp in Figure 3.3 is composed of a protrusion and two cuts. A number of things need to be
established before you actually start modeling. These include setting up the environment, selecting
the units, and establishing the material for the part.
Before you begin any part using Pro/E, you must plan the design. The design intent will
depend on a number of things that are out of your control and on a number that you can establish.
Asking yourself a few questions will clear up the design intent you will follow: Is the part a
component of an assembly? If so, what surfaces or features are used to connect one part to another?
Will geometric tolerancing be used on the part and assembly? What units are being used in the

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design, SI or decimal inch? What is the part’s material? What is the primary part feature? How
should I model the part, and what features are best used for the primary protrusion (the first solid
mass)? On what datum plane should I sketch to model the first protrusion? These and many other
questions will be answered as you follow the systematic lesson part. However, you must answer

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many of the questions on your own when completing the lesson project, which does not come with
systematic instructions.

Launch Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0 ⇒ File ⇒ Set Working Directory ⇒ select the
working directory ⇒ OK ⇒ Create a new object ⇒ zPart ⇒ Name CLAMP ⇒
⇒ OK ⇒ Edit ⇒ Setup ⇒ Units ⇒ Units Manager millimeter Newton
Second (mmNs) ⇒ Set ⇒ zConvert dimensions [Figs. 3.4(a-b)] ⇒ OK ⇒ Close ⇒ Material ⇒

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Define ⇒ type STEEL ⇒ [Fig. 3.4(c)] ⇒ File from the material
table ⇒ Save ⇒ File ⇒ Exit ⇒ Assign ⇒ pick STEEL ⇒ Accept ⇒ MMB ⇒ ⇒ MMB (or
Enter or OK)

Material
The material file, STEEL, is without any file information [Fig. 3.4(c)]. As an option, if your
instructor provides you with the specifications, or you are familiar with setting up material specs,
you can edit the file using: Edit ⇒ Setup ⇒ Material ⇒ Edit ⇒ Steel ⇒ Accept ⇒ fill in the
information ⇒ File ⇒ Save ⇒ File ⇒ Exit ⇒ Done.

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Material

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Figure 3.4(a-b) Units Manager Dialog Box and Changing Model Units Dialog Box

Material

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Material

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Figure 3.4(c) Material File

Since was selected, the default datum planes and the default coordinate
system are displayed in the graphics window and in the Model Tree (Fig. 3.5). The default datum

Material
planes and the default coordinate system will be the first features on all parts and assemblies. The
datum planes are used to sketch on and to orient the part’s features. Having datum planes as the
first features of a part, instead of the first protrusion, gives the designer more flexibility during the
design process. Picking on items in the Model Tree will highlight that item on the model (Fig. 3.5).

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 Extrusions

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Material

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Material
Figure 3.5 Default Datum Planes and Default Coordinate System

Pick the FRONT datum plane in the Model Tree ⇒ Sketch Tool from the right Toolbar ⇒
Sketch dialog box opens [Fig. 3.6(a)], click:

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Material

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Figure 3.6(a) Sketch Dialog Box

Material
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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: Close to accept the References [Fig. 3.6(b)] ⇒ Toggle the grid on from the top toolbar
[Fig. 3.6(c)]

Material

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Material
Figure 3.6(b) References Dialog Box Figure 3.6(c) Grid On

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The sketch is now displayed and oriented in 2D [Fig. 3.6(c)]. The coordinate system is at
the middle of the sketch, where datum RIGHT and datum TOP intersect. The X coordinate arrow
points to the right and the Y coordinate arrow points up. The Z arrow is pointing toward you (out
from the screen). The square box you see is the limited display of datum FRONT. This is similar to
sketching on a piece of graph paper. Pro/E is not coordinate-based software, so you need not enter

Material
geometry with X, Y, and Z coordinates as with many other CAD systems.

Use Shift MMB and Ctrl MMB to reposition and resize the sketch as needed. Since you now have
a visible grid, it is a good idea to have your sketch picks snap to the grid. Click: Tools from the
menu bar ⇒ Environment ⇒ [Fig. 3.6(d)] ⇒ Apply ⇒ OK

You can control many aspects of the environment in which Pro/E runs with the
Environment dialog box. To open the Environment dialog box, click Tools ⇒ Environment on the

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menu bar or click the appropriate icon in the toolbar. When you make a change in the Environment
dialog box, it takes effect for the current session only. When you start Pro/E, the environment
settings are defined by your configuration file, if any; otherwise, by Pro/E configuration defaults.

Material
Depending on which Pro/E Mode is active, some or all of the following options may be
available in the Environment dialog box:

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 Extrusions

Display:

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Dimension Tolerances Display model dimensions with tolerances
Datum Planes Display the datum planes and their names
Datum Axes Display the datum axes and their names
Point Symbols Display the datum points and their names

Material
Coordinate Systems Display the coordinate systems and their names
Spin Center Display the spin center for the model
3D Notes Display model notes

Notes as Names Display the note as a name, not the full note
Reference Designators Display reference designation of cabling, ECAD,
and Piping components
Thick Cables Display a cable with 3-D thickness
Centerline Cables Display the centerline of a cable with location points
Internal Cable Portions Display cable portions that are hidden from view
Colors Display colors assigned to model surfaces

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Textures Display textures on shaded models
Levels of Detail Controls levels of detail available in a shaded model
during dynamic orientation

Default Actions:

Material
Ring Message Bell Ring bell (beep) after each prompt or system message
Save Display Save objects with their most recent screen display
Make Regen Backup Backs up the current model before every
regeneration
Snap to Grid Make points you select on the Sketcher screen snap to a grid
Keep Info Datums Control how Pro/E treats datum planes, datum points,
datum axes, and coordinate systems created on the fly under the Info
functionality
Use 2D Sketcher Control the initial model orientation in Sketcher mode

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Sketcher Intent Manager Use the Intent Manager when in Sketcher
Use Fast HLR Make possible the hardware acceleration of dynamic
spinning with hidden lines, datums, and axes

Display Style:

Material
• Wireframe Model is displayed with no distinction between
visible and hidden lines
• Hidden Line Hidden lines are shown in gray
• No Hidden Hidden lines are not shown
• Shading All surfaces and solids are displayed as shaded
Figure 3.6(d) Environment Dialog Box

Standard Orient:
• Isometric Standard isometric orientation

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• Trimetric Standard trimetric orientation
• User Defined User-defined orientation

Tangent Edges:

Material
• Solid Display tangent edges as solid lines
• No Display Blank tangent edges
• Phantom Display tangent edges in phantom font
• Centerline Display tangent edges in centerline font
• Dimmed Display tangent edges in the Dimmed Menu system

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Because you checked , you can now sketch by simply picking grid points

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representing the part’s geometry (outline). Because this is a sketch in the true sense of the word,
you need only create geometry that approximates the shape of the feature; the sketch does not have
to be accurate as far as size or dimensions are concerned. No two sketches will be the same between
those using these steps, unless you count grid spaces (which is not necessary). Even with the grid

Material
snap off Pro/E, constrains the geometry according to rules, which include but are not limited to the
following:
• RULE: Symmetry
DESCRIPTION: Entities sketched symmetrically about a centerline are assigned equal values with
respect to the centerline
• RULE: Horizontal and vertical lines
DESCRIPTION: Lines that are approximately horizontal or vertical are considered exactly horizontal or
vertical
• RULE: Parallel and perpendicular lines

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DESCRIPTION: Lines that are sketched approximately parallel or perpendicular are considered exactly
parallel or perpendicular
• RULE: Tangency
DESCRIPTION: Entities sketched approximately tangent to arcs or circles are assumed to be exactly
tangent

Material
The outline of the part’s primary feature is sketched using a set of connected lines. The
part’s dimensions and general shape are provided in Figure 3.6(e). The cut on the front and sides
will be the created with separate sketched features. Sketch only one series of lines (8 lines in this
sketch). Do not sketch lines on top of lines.
It is important not to create any unintended constraints while sketching. Therefore,
remember to exaggerate the sketch geometry and not to align geometric items that have no
relationship. Pro/E is very smart: If you draw two lines at the same horizontal level, Pro/E thinks
they are horizontally aligned. Two lines the same length will be constrained as so.

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Material

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Material
Figure 3.6(e) Front View of Drawing Showing Dimensions for the Clamp

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 Extrusions

Click: RMB [Fig. 3.6(f)] ⇒ Centerline [Fig. 3.6(g)] ⇒ pick two positions to create the vertical

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centerline

Material

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Figure 3.6(f) RMB Options Figure 3.6(g) Create the Centerline

Material
Click: ⇒ RMB ⇒ Line ⇒ sketch the eight lines of the outline [Fig. 3.6(h)] ⇒ MMB to end the
line sequence [Fig. 3.6(i)] ⇒ MMB

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Material
Figure 3.6(h) Sketching the Outline

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Material
Figure 3.6(i) Default Dimensions Display

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

Dimensions, Constraints, Grid, and Vertices can be toggled on and off, as needed using the
toolbar buttons

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that is controlled by that constraint. Sketcher constraints can be turned on or off (enabled or
disabled) while sketching. An H next to a line means horizontal; a T means tangent. Dimensions
display, as they are needed according to the references selected and the constraints. Seldom are they

Material
the same as the required dimensioning scheme needed to manufacture the part. You can add, delete,
and move dimensions as required. The dimensioning scheme is important, not the dimension value,
which can be modified now or later.
Place and create the dimensions as required [Fig. 3.6(j)]. Do not be concerned with the
perfect positioning of the dimensions, but try to, in general, follow the spacing and positioning
standards found in the ASME Geometric Tolerancing and Dimensioning standards. This saves
you time when you create a drawing of the part. Dimensions placed at this stage of the design
process are displayed on the drawing document by simply showing all the dimensions.
To dimension between two lines, simply pick the lines with the left mouse button (LMB)

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and place the dimension value with the middle mouse button (MMB). To dimension a single line,
pick on the line (LMB), and then place the dimension with MMB.

Material
Click: Tools ⇒ Environment ⇒ (it is easier to position the dimensions with
Snap to Grid off) ⇒ Apply ⇒ OK ⇒ to see a clearer sketch, your may toggle off ⇒ off
⇒ off (Note that the textbook leaves these items on) ⇒ RMB ⇒ Dimension ⇒ Add and
reposition dimensions as needed [Fig. 3.6(j)]
(To move a dimension – click: ⇒ pick a dimension ⇒
hold down the LMB ⇒ move it to a new position ⇒ release
the LMB)

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If any of the dimension values are light gray in color, they are called weak dimensions. If a weak
dimension matches your dimensioning scheme, make them strong ⇒ pick on a weak dimension
value ⇒ RMB ⇒ Strong [Fig. 3.6(j)]

Material

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Material
Figure 3.6(j) Dimensioned Sketch (your initial dimensions will be different)

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Next, control the sketch by adding symmetry constraints, click: Impose sketcher constraints
on the section ⇒ Make two points or vertices symmetric about a centerline [Fig. 3.6(k)]
⇒ pick the centerline and then pick two vertices to be symmetric [Fig. 3.6(l)] ⇒ repeat the
process and make the sketch symmetrical [Fig. 3.6(m)] ⇒ Close

Material

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Dialog
Material
Figure 3.6(k) Constraint Figure 3.6(l) Adding Symmetry Constraint

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Material

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Material
Figure 3.6(m) Sketch is Symmetrical

You can now modify the dimensions to the design sizes. Your original sketch values will be
different from the example, but the final design values will be the same.

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: ⇒ Window-in the sketch (place the cursor at one corner of the window with the LMB
depressed, drag the cursor to the opposite corner of the window and release the LMB) to capture all
four dimensions. They will turn red. ⇒ RMB ⇒ Modify ⇒ ⇒ [Fig.
3.6(n)] ⇒ double-click on length dimension (here it is 660, but your dimension will be different) in

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the Modify Dimensions dialog box and type the design value at the prompt (123) [Fig. 3.6(o)] ⇒
Enter ⇒ Regenerate the section and close the dialog ⇒ double-click on another
dimension and modify the value [Fig. 3.6(p)] ⇒ Enter ⇒ continue until all of the values are
changed to the design sizes [Fig. 3.6(q)]

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Figure 3.6(n) Modify Dimensions

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Figure 3.6(o) Modify the Dimension Figure 3.6(p) Modify each Dimension Individually

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Figure 3.6(q) Modified Sketch showing the Design Values

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Click: ⇒ Standard Orientation [Fig. 3.6(r)] ⇒ on ⇒ Continue with the current
section [Fig. 3.6(s)] ⇒ Zoom Out as needed to see the whole object ⇒ ⇒ MMB

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Figure 3.6(r) Regenerated Dimensions

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Figure 3.6(s) Completed Sketched Curve (Datum Curve)

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The datum curve (Sketch1) will remain red, active and therefore selected.

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: Extrude Tool [Fig. 3.7(a)] ⇒ double-click on the depth value on the model ⇒ type 70
[Fig. 3.7(b)] ⇒ Enter ⇒ place your pointer over the square drag handle (it will turn black)
⇒ RMB ⇒ Symmetric [Fig. 3.7(c)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 3.7(d)] ⇒ ⇒ MMB

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Figure 3.7(a) Depth of Extrusion Previewed

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Figure 3.7(b) Modify the Depth Value Figure 3.7(c) Symmetric

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Figure 3.7(d) Completed Extrusion

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3.7(e)] ⇒
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Click: Tools ⇒
⇒
Environment ⇒ ⇒ Apply ⇒ OK [Fig.
⇒ MMB ⇒ File ⇒ Delete ⇒ Old Versions ⇒ MMB ⇒ LMB to deselect

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Storing an object on the disk does not overwrite an existing object file. To preserve earlier
versions, Pro/E saves the object to a new file with the same object name but with an updated
version number. Every time you store an object using Save, you create a new version of the object
in memory, and write the previous version to disk. Pro/E numbers each version of an object storage
file consecutively (for example, box.sec.1, box.sec.2, box.sec.3). If you save 25 times, you have 25
versions of the object, all at different stages of completion. You can use File ⇒ Delete ⇒ Old
Versions after the Save command to eliminate previous versions of the object that may have been
stored.

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When opening an existing object file, you can open any version that is saved. Although
Pro/E automatically retrieves the latest saved version of an object, you can retrieve any previous
version by entering the full file name with extension and version number (for example,
partname.prt.5). If you do not know the specific version number, you can enter a number relative

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to the latest version. For example, to retrieve a part from two versions ago, enter partname.prt.3
(or partname.prt.-2).
You use File ⇒ Erase to remove the object and its associated objects from memory. If you
close a window before erasing it, the object is still in memory. In this case, you use File ⇒ Erase
⇒ Not Displayed to remove the object and its associated objects from memory. This does not delete
the object. It just removes it from active memory. File ⇒ Delete ⇒ All Versions removes the file
from memory and from disk completely. You are prompted with a Delete All Confirm dialog box
when choosing this command. Be careful not to delete needed files.

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Figure 3.7(e) Isometric Orientation

Next, the cut through the middle of the part will be modeled.

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: Extrude Tool ⇒ RMB ⇒ Remove Material ⇒ RMB ⇒ Define Internal Sketch
[Fig. 3.8(a)] ⇒ Use Previous from the Sketch dialog box [Fig. 3.8(b)] ⇒ Sketch ⇒
RMB ⇒ Centerline [Fig. 3.8(c)] ⇒ create a vertical centerline ⇒ RMB ⇒ Line ⇒ sketch the
seven lines of the open outline [Fig. 3.8(d)] ⇒ MMB ⇒ Impose sketcher constraints on the
section ⇒
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[Fig. 3.6(k)] ⇒ pick the centerline and then pick two vertices to be symmetric
⇒ repeat the process and make the sketch symmetrical ⇒ If you attempt to create too many
constraints, Pro/E will open the Resolve Sketch dialog box [Fig. 3.8(e)]. Delete the extra symmetric
constraint if this happens. ⇒ Close

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Figure 3.8(a) RMB Options Figure 3.8(b) Sketch Dialog Box Figure 3.8(c) Centerline

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Figure 3.8(d) Sketch

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Figure 3.8(e) Resolve Sketch Dialog Box

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Click: RMB ⇒ Dimension ⇒ add and reposition dimensions, your values will be different ⇒
Hidden Line [Fig. 3.8(f)] ⇒ MMB to deselect dimension tool and activate Select items

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Figure 3.8(f) Dimensioned Sketch

Window-in the sketch to capture all four dimensions. They will turn red. ⇒ RMB ⇒ Modify ⇒

⇒ modify the values [Fig. 3.8(g)] ⇒ [Fig. 3.8(h)]

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Figure 3.8(g) Modified Dimensions Dialog Box

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Figure 3.8(h) Modified Sketch Dimensions

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Click: Shading ⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation ⇒ ⇒ note the yellow direction arrow
⇒ Zoom Out ⇒ Options from the Dashboard ⇒ Side 1 ⇒ ⇒ Through All [Fig. 3.8(i)] ⇒
Side 2 ⇒ ⇒ Through All [Fig. 3.8(j)] ⇒ MMB [Fig. 3.8(k)] ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ MMB ⇒ LMB

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Figure 3.8(i) Options Side 1 Figure 3.8(j) Options Side 2

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Figure 3.8(k) Completed Cut

The next feature will be a 20 × 20 centered cut (Fig. 3.9). Because the cut feature is

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identical on both sides of the part, you can mirror and copy the cut after it has been created.

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Figure 3.9 Top View of Drawing

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Create the cut, click: Extrude Tool ⇒ from the Dashboard ⇒
Sketch dialog box opens ⇒ Sketch Plane--- Plane: select TOP datum from the model as the sketch
plane [Fig. 3.10(a)] ⇒ ⇒ pick the left edge of the part to add it to the References
dialog box [Fig. 3.10(b)] ⇒ click Close to accept the References ⇒ Tools ⇒ Environment ⇒

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⇒ OK

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Figure 3.10(a) Sketch Plane Selection and Sketch Dialog Box

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Figure 3.10(b) Add the left edge/surface of the part to the References Dialog Box

Click: Hidden Line ⇒ RMB ⇒ Centerline ⇒ create a horizontal centerline through the center
of the part ⇒ RMB ⇒ Line ⇒ place the mouse on the left edge and create three lines [Fig. 3.10(c)]
⇒ MMB to end the line sequence [Fig. 3.10(d)] ⇒ Impose sketcher constraints on the

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section ⇒ ⇒ pick the centerline and then pick two vertices to be symmetric add the required
dimensions ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB ⇒ move and modify the values for the two dimensions (20 X 20)
[Fig. 3.10(e)] ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Standard Orientation ⇒ from the dashboard Remove

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Material ⇒ Options tab ⇒ ⇒ Through All (Extrude in first direction to interest with
all surfaces) [Fig. 3.10(f)] ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Shading ⇒ rotate your model using MMB to
see the cut clearly [Fig. 3.10(g)] ⇒ ⇒ MMB

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

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Figure 3.10(c) Three Line Sketch Figure 3.10(d) Default Dimensions Figure 3.10(e) Modified Values

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Figure 3.10(f) Options Through All

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Figure 3.10(g) Completed Second Cut

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Click: ⇒ Standard Orientation ⇒ with the new cut still highlighted [Fig. 3.11(a)], click:
Mirror Tool ⇒ select the RIGHT datum plane from the Model Tree [Fig. 3.11(b)] ⇒ MMB [Fig.
3.11(c)] ⇒ File ⇒ Save ⇒ MMB ⇒ MMB rotate part [Fig. 3.11(d)] ⇒ File ⇒ Close Window

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Figure 3.11(a) Extruded Cut is Highlighted (Selected)

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Figure 3.11(b) Select the RIGHT Datum Plane as the Mirroring Plane

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Figure 3.11(c) Mirror Cut Figure 3.11(d) Completed Part

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Lesson 3 is now complete. If you wish to model a project without instructions, a complete
set of projects and illustrations are available at www.cad-resources.com ⇒ Downloads.

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE 2.0

NOTES:

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 PRO/MECHANICA WILDFIRE 2.0
ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS SERIES

PART I - IDEALIZATIONS

PRO/MECHANICA Mesh of a Sheet Metal Plate

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Professor
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 PRO/MECHANICA ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS SERIES

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Exercice 1

Beam Elements

Objectives

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At the end of this exercise, the learner should be able to:

1. Set up a model using standard cross-sections beam elements with proper

orientation;

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2. Set up and run a static analysis;
3. Understand the units used in Pro/MECHANICA®;
4. View maximum VM stress and maximum displacement results;
5. Create shear and moment diagrams;
6. Understand the basic solving principle of the Finite Element method.

Introduction

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Beam elements are fast and efficient elements in FEA. They are 1-D in nature but still
represent what is called a 3-D idealization. A 3-D idealization is a FEA modeling
perspective of the model. For a beam element, imagine an I-beam. It could be
represented as a straight line, with a cross-section the shape of an “I” assigned to it. This

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is, in essence, how a beam element is represented.

From a modeling perspective, beam elements are relatively easy to create. They are
defined by the following:

- A datum curve determining the position of the end points of the beam;
- A material;
- A cross-sectional area (which will give an area moment of inertia and a

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torsional stiffness);
- A defined orientation for the cross-section.

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PRO/MECHANICA ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS SERIES

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Each beam element has its own internal coordinate system (let’s name it the Beam
Section Coordinate System or BSCS). The BSCS has the following characteristics in
Pro/MECHANICA®:

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- The x-axis is along the length of the beam (the beam’s axis);
- The y-axis defines the perpendicular orientation of the beam section with
respect to the beam’s axis;
- The z-axis will follow according the first two axis’ above.

The restriction of using beam elements in Pro/MECHANICA®, as with any other

software is that the section remains perpendicular and planar to the datum curve (the
beam axis) through the entire FEA solution. Before using beam elements, make sure that
the part is fairly representative of a beam and that the aspect ratio (l/t) > 10.

Procedure
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(NOTE: Before you start, create a folder named: beam using explorer; this will be the
working directory for the exercise.)

The problem to be solved:

F = 4500 lbs

2″

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40″ 1″

X-SECTION

Objectives: Draw Shear and Moment diagrams, and obtain the Maximum VM stress and

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maximum deflection fringe plots.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Flow Chart of Procedure

Here is an overview of the exercise, in the form of a flow chart, showing the different
steps involve in the analysis.

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In Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE In Pro/MECHANICA®

Create part & Model Create Beam Section

Start Datum Curve and Orientation

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Assign beam section &
orientation & material to
datum curve

Material Assign boundary

conditions to model
Create and Run
a static analysis.

Check out results (stresses,

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displacements, etc…)

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1. Start up Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE

Details on how to this is different from system to system. For a typical windows
platform:

Start > Programs > proewildfire > Pro/ENGINEER

(It takes 30 seconds approximately for Pro/ENGINEER® to start.)

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Set up your working directory (File > Set Working Directory).

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PRO/MECHANICA ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS SERIES

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Figure 1

Select your working directory, then select OK.

2. Create a part named: beam

Select File > New.

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Select part and type in: beam; then click on OK.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

3. Setting up in Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE for FEA Modeling

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Before we go to Pro/MECHANICA®, we must understand how beam elements are
created. Think of beam modeling as a sweep-type protrusion in Pro/ENGINEER®

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WILDFIRE. In the case of FEA modeling, a datum curve is created in Pro/ENGINEER®,
then the beam cross-section (the beam element) is assigned in Pro/MECHANICA®.

3.1 Creating a Datum Curve for Beam Assignment

Click on the sketch datum curve icon. From the right menu, select: sketch > Done.
Use front as your sketching plane and accept the default viewing direction and other
references. (See dialog box below.)

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Figure 3

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Click on Sketch. Once in sketcher, Use the line sketching tool icon and sketch a
horizontal datum curve as shown below with the following characteristics:

• 40 units long;

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• Aligned with the top plane, symmetric about the right plane.

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Figure 4: View of sketch for datum curve

NOTE: To modify your dimension, select the dimension to be modified and click on

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this icon (or alternatively double click on the dimension).

Select Done out of sketcher ( icon). Turn datum planes off using the datum icon
at the top of your screen. Select Tools > Environment (pull-down menu) and check
off the spin center for increased visibility. Select OK.

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Procedure in Pro/MECHANICA®

1. Go to Pro/MECHANICA® from Pro/ENGINEER®

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Select Applications > Mechanica from the top pull-down menu (wait a few seconds).
You will see a unit info dialog box come up on the screen as shown in Figure 5.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Important: Have a look at the working units and then Click Continue. This box will

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only reappear for that part if Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE is shut down. The following
box will come up:

Figure 6

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Select Structure from the menu, then OK.

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2. Beam Assignment

2.1 Beam Section

Select Insert > Beams. The dialog box in Figure 7 will come up.

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Material Figure 7

Under the Start tab, for the Section item, click on More; the following window will
come up:

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Figure 8

Click on New. The dialog box shown below will come up. Enter the information as
seen in Figure 9.

STOP
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What we are doing at this time is giving the cross-sectional dimensions of the beam
element used for the analysis. At this time you must know these dimensions. The

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cross-section is constant through the datum curve representing the beam. The beam
for our analysis is a rectangle 1 in wide and 2 inches high.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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1. Enter text

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2. Select

3. Enter
dimensions

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NOTE: If the section is not in the above menu of pre-defined X-section, you can sketch it
easily using the sketch options off the type menu. The menu picks are ‘sketch thin’ or
sketch solid. It will then take you to the Pro/ENGINEER® Sketcher.

Once the information is entered, click on OK. Then OK the beam section dialog box
to return to the Beam Definition dialog box.

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We must now orient the vector of the cross-section. Even though it will show up on
the screen if we don’t, Pro/M wants to make sure that it is oriented the proper way.
The software needs insight here as to which way to go and to make sure that we know
what we are doing! A vector will be used to determine the orientation. This vector

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will determine the beam section coordinate system orientation.

2.2 Beam Orientation

Under the Start tab, for the orientation item, click on More. The Beam Orientation
dialog box comes up; click on New. Enter the following information in the box as
shown in Figure 10.

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Copyrighted Figure 10

Defined by: Y direction of vector in WCS Vector (0, 1, 0). (This defines the

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orientation of the cross-section, as explained on the previous page in the STOP note.)
Click on OK then OK for the Beam Orientation dialog box.

2.3 Beam Definition

Complete the Beam Definition window as follows (also see the next page for menu
selection description):

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Material Figure 11

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Procedure to complete Figure 11:

Under Name: enter beam_exercise1.

Under References: select Edge/Curve. Click on the arrow and select the datum
curve on the screen, then click on done sel. (Pay attention: selecting it more than

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once reverses the selection here.)

Material: Select More… and the following window will come up:

Copyrighted Figure 12

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Select Steel by scrolling down the left column and moving it to the right column by
clicking on the triple arrows box in the center. Then click on OK. There are no beam
releases for this analysis. Select OK and note that small rectangles appear along the
datum curve. Zoom in on one of the rectangles and look!

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Figure 13

You should be able to see a vector inside the beam. This vector is oriented in the
coordinates given above (0, 1, 0). You could easily change the orientation of the

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rectangular section and the vector simply by changing the directional coordinates of
the vector. Our beam idealization is fully defined. Good job!

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3. Constraints

Select Insert > Displacement Constraints

or click on the icon as shown to the right.

The following dialog box will come up. Enter and select the information as
shown:

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All translation
DOF fixed

All rotation
DOF fixed Copyrighted
Material Figure 14

Name: end_constr_1

Member of set: ConstraintSet1

Under References, select Points. Click on the arrow icon and select the end

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point as shown in Figure 15:

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Material This point

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Figure 15

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Select OK to close the Constraint Definition box.

4. Loads

Material Select Insert > Force/Moment Load

or click on the icon as shown to the right.

The following dialog box will appear. Fill out the information as seen in
Figure 16.

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Material

Copyrighted Figure 16

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Under References, select Points. Click on the arrow icon and select the end point as
shown below:

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Figure 17

Similar to the constraint point selection, select the vertex (located on the opposite end of
the beam. Click on OK. Under Force > Components enter 4500 in the Y direction box.

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Select OK off the Force/Moment dialog box. In order to properly show the load, from
the top pull-down menu select View > Simulation display and select appropriate
selections as shown in the dialog box below:

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Figure 18

Click on OK to close the window. The resulting window should look like the following

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(default view):

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Material Figure 19

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5. Generating Beam Elements

We now need to generate the finite element mesh. The nice feature about
Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE is that now we can control the mesh of the model without

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having to go to independent mode. There will be more applications of this new feature in
subsequent exercises. For the time being, Select AutoGEM > Create. The following
box will come up:

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This box controls the mesh features, type and density. Click on create. The following

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dialog box will come up.

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One beam element has been created, as you can see. Click on Close > Close and answer
yes to the following:

Figure 22

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6. Set up and Run Analysis

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6.1 Static Analysis

We will now attempt the static analysis of the beam. Select Analysis > Mechanica
Analyses-Studies from the right menu; the window shown in Figure 23 will open.

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Material

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Select File > New static from the top left corner menu. The following dialog box

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will come up. Enter the following information:

Name: Static1

Description: Analysis of cantilever beam.

Constraints and Loads as shown below.

Method: Multi-Pass Adaptive with 10 percent convergence.

Converge on local displacement and strain energy and global RMS stress.

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Material Figure 24

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Click on OK.

6.2 Running the Analysis

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With the following window still up, select the analysis, use your right mouse button
to scroll down to Start. The analysis will now be running. The software will ask you
if you want error detection (yes / no)? Answer yes.

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Figure 25

To check things as the calculations are performed, still using the right mouse button,
select Status. (Note how fast the solution converged). From the status summary file,

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the following information is important to consider.

Displacements (*)

Vm stress Copyrighted
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Figure 26

We are getting a maximum bending stress of 2.7 e+05 psi or 270 ksi, which is the
same value as the exact solution from Mechanics of Solids. The following table gives

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an overview of what details you should look for from the results of an analysis:

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TABLE 1.1: OVERVIEW OF SUMMARY FILE
Item Description Where to find it What it should be
Convergence The convergence will let Click on Summary For beams, less
us know if all elements under the Run menu than 1%

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converged and if they all and scroll down. (0% for this
converged to a solution. analysis)
Maximum Gives the maximum Von Click on Summary 270 ksi
VM stress or Mises Stress or under the Run menu (max_stress_vm)
displacement displacement for the and scroll down.
of Model analysis .012885 (*)
(max_displ_z)

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VM stress or Gives the Von Mises See procedure Depends on
displacement Stress for the analysis for below. boundary
over entire the entire model conditions and
model geometry

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NOTE: (*) Be careful with the units of displacement in the results given by
Pro/MECHANICA®. This is discussed later in the exercise. Select Close and Close.
This will bring you back to the FEA model with the MEC STRUCT menu on the right
hand side.

7. Analysis of Results

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Select Analysis > Results. Once the empty window comes up, click on this icon named
‘insert a new definition.’

Material Figure 27

The following box will come up.

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Material Figure 28

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Type in vm_stress (for Von Mises stress).

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Material
Figure 29

Select the open file folder and select static1 for the analysis (click Open). Then fill out
the contents definition box as shown above. Once completed, select OK. Then from
pull-down menu, select view > display. The following window will come up:

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Material Figure 30

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Select vm_stress, then OK. Then the following results window will come up:

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Figure 31: Von Mises Stress Results for Beam Analysis
(Difficult to reproduce on a document)

The results from a beam analysis are not the most impressive to look at and are very
difficult to reproduce on a document. But they provide accuracy, given that your

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geometry and boundary conditions are precise. The only colors that we see are along the
beam curve that represents the point on the beam cross-section where the Von Mises
Maximum stress is located. We can see that the maximum stresses are at the fixed end of
the beam. Note that the maximum value is the same as the one given in the summary file.

Note: you can save this window by simply selecting the save or save as icon on the top of
the window. Select File/Exit Results and answer No to the question: Do you want to
save the current window?

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As a practice exercise, create the following result window in order to look at the
maximum displacement from the model. Simply follow the procedure in item 7 above.
The only changes being under quantity on the definition form.

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Figure 32

Select OK and Show.

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Approximate Finite Element Analysis Solution (Theory Warning)

(Don’t skip this! There are some more Mechanica® procedures included with it to
make it more fun.)

In solving the beam analysis using FEA theory, the problem can be seen as follows,
including all reactions and forces:

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y
Miz

x
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Fyi
L = 40 in.

z vi , θzi vj , θzj

Figure 33

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Table 1.2 gives the symbol definitions:

TABLE 1.2: SYMBOL DEFINITIONS

Symbol Definition

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L Length of beam.
Miz Bending moment at the fixed end of the beam.
Fyi Vertical reaction at the fixed end of the beam.
E E is the young’s modulus of elasticity of the material.
I The 2nd Moment of Area.
d2v/dx2 The curvature of the beam (not shown).

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vi The vertical deflection at x = 0.
θzi The beam slope at x = 0.
vj The vertical deflection at x = L.

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θzj The beam slope at x = L.

The general equation for beam deflection is from beam theory as follows:

d 2v
M z = EI z
dx 2
where;

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M z = Fyi x + M zi

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Consequently:
d 2v
EI z = Fyi x + M zi
dx 2 (1-1)

Let’s get the moment diagrams from Mechanica®; this will be fun. From your beam
model, where you are in Applications > Mechanica > Structure, select Results > then
click on the ‘insert a new definition’ icon.

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Material
Figure 34

Select static1 for the analysis. Then click on Accept. The following contents definition
box will come up. Select and type in all information as shown in Figure 35.

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Figure 35

Enter and select the following information as indicated in the figure above:

Name and Title: V_M and Shear and Moment Diagrams

Design Study: Select the open folder and open the static1 analysis.

Display Type: Select Graph.

Quantity: Select shear and moment (and de-select P, Vz, Mx and My as they are
not necessary for this two-dimensional problem). Refer to the coordinate system

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on the beam model for those. We only need the shear along the z-axis and the
moment with respect to the y-axis. (If you are not sure that you followed the
modeling properly for this exercise, you can keep all shear and moment selected,
it is not going to change the answer.)

Material

Graph Location: Make sure that curve is selected. Click on Select and select
the beam curve off the screen. Click on the middle mouse button. You will
then be prompted with the following message as Pro/MECHANICA® highlights
one of the ends of the beam. Select toggle once. Then OK.

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Click on OK, then Accept and Show.
Figure 36

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Material

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Figure 37: Shear and moment diagrams

It may be difficult to see the numbers on the graphs above but on your screen, you should
get the results we were expecting, where the maximum shear is 4,500 lbs and the

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maximum bending moment is 180,000 in.lbs. Select File > Exit Results. Do not save
the result window.

Now let’s integrate twice equation 1-1 above. This will give the following:

2
dv Fyi x
EI z = + M zi x + A1 1st integration
dx 2

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Fyi x 3 M zi x 2
EI z v = + + A1 x + A2 2nd integration
6 2

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From our problem definition, we have the following boundary conditions:

At x = 0 At x = L
vi = 0 vj

Material θzi = 0 θzj

Where v is the deflection (vertical) and θ is the slope at the respective locations. Which
will give the following 2 equations for the bending moment and the reaction force at the
fixed end of the beam (i):

6 EI z 2 EI z
Mi = 2
vj + θ zj
l

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l
(1-2)
12 EI z 6 EI
Fyi = 3
v j + 2 z θ zj
l l

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Which can be written under the following matrix form: {K} {D} = {F} as follows:

12 6
l3 l2 ⎪⎧v j ⎫⎪ ⎧ Fyi ⎫
EI ⎨ ⎬=⎨ ⎬
6 2 ⎪⎩θ zj ⎪⎭ ⎩M zi ⎭
l2 l

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Where {K} is the stiffness matrix for our beam deflection problem. From our diagrams
and figure above, we have the following data:

- Fyi = 4,500 lbs and;

Material
- Mzi = 180,000 in. lbs
- E = 29 X 106 psi
- I = bh3/12 = (1) (2)3 / 12 = .667 in.3

What we are looking for here is the value of vj, solving the matrices above using the
Gauss elimination method for vj gives a maximum displacement of 4.95 in. Do you
remember how to solve matrices? Let’s bring back those bad memories:

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We have from equation (1-2):

⎛ EI12 EI 6 ⎞
⎜ 3 4,500 ⎟ Line 1
⎜ l l2 ⎟

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⎜ EI 6 EI 2 ⎟ Line 2
⎜ 2 180,000 ⎟
⎝ l l ⎠

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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We need to bring the matrix to a form as follows:

⎛1 A1 C1 ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟
⎝0 1 C2 ⎟⎠

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So let’s perform the following operations on the matrix:
- Divide line 1 by EI12 / l3 and;
- Divide line 2 by EI6 / l2.

Which gives the following matrix:

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⎛ l3 ⎞
⎜1 l/2 375 ⎟
⎜ EI ⎟
⎜ l 2 ⎟
⎜1 l/3 30,000 ⎟
⎝ EI ⎠

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Let’s now subtract line 1 from line 2.

⎛ l3 ⎞
⎜1 l/2 375 ⎟
⎜ EI ⎟
⎜ l2 l3 ⎟
⎜0 − l/6 30,000 - 375 ⎟

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⎝ EI EI ⎠

Finally, let’s divide line 2 by -l/6

Material ⎛
⎜1
⎜
⎜
⎜0 1
l/2

l
l3
EI
375

- 180000 +
l2
⎞
⎟
⎟
⎟
2,250 ⎟
⎝ EI EI ⎠

Which gives the following solution, when all proper values are put in the matrix:

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θzj = -.186 rd and
vj = 4.95 in.

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Comparing the deflections:

FEA Approximate Pro/MECHANICA® Exact Solution

Solution Solution (PL3 / 3EI)

Material
4.95 in. .0129 (sec2) 4.96 in.

The above results do not concur. Well, the software ones anyway. What went wrong
here? Pro/MECHANICA® actually gives a deflection value much smaller that the exact
and FEA approximation solutions. But the maximum Von Mises stress calculated by
Pro/MECHANICA® was accurate?

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The problem is with the system of units that Pro/Mechanica® uses. We need to multiply
the answer we got for deflection by the gravitational (386.4 in/sec2), so the final
Pro/MECHANICA® solution answer will be 4.97, almost the magnitude of the exact
solution.

Conclusion Material
Beam elements are fast and accurate elements. They are mainly used by analyst for
getting an idea of the big picture of an assembly of different cross-section. The frame rail
of a trailer for instance. They are also useful to get the shear and moment diagrams of
structures.

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The modeling is fast (datum curves) and the beam assignment is also fast. Remember: If
it looks and smells like a beam, then use beam elements for the analysis. On the other
hand, you will not be able to study stress concentrations around holes for instance, shell

Material
elements should then be used for this type of analysis.

Be careful with the units of displacement in the results given by Pro/MECHANICA®,

multiply your answer by the gravitational constant in order to get to the units that you are
looking for (inches in this case).

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 BEAM ELEMENTS

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Project 1

Problem Definition

Material
Determine the location and magnitudes of the maximum VM stress and the maximum
displacement (in y) of the following application (diving board).

F= 250 lbs.
(8 × 1) in.2

Beam section

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25 in.

50 in.

Material
x
z
Figure 38: Diving Board Loading Diagram

Notes and Hints:

1. Fixes the location in all 6 DOFs.

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2. Fixes the y direction DOF and the rotation with respect to x axis.

3. Material: Use Aluminum 2014.

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4. Create a datum point at the center reaction, use vertex for the left reaction and the
load.

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Results

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MaterialFigure 39: Summary file results for Project 1

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Material

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Figure 40: Von Mises Stress fringe plot for Project 1

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References

1. Toogood, Roger, Pro/MECHANICA Structure Tutorial (release 2000i), SDC

Material
Publications., 1999.
2. Adams, V., and Askenazi, A., Building Better Products with FEA, On word Press,
1999.
3. Mott, L.M., Applied Strength of Materials, Prentice-Hall, 1996.
4. Buchanan, G.R., Finite Element Analysis: Schaum’s Outline Series, McGraw-Hill,
1995.

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Notes:

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PRO/MECHANICA WILDFIRE 2.0
ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS SERIES

PART 2 – STUDIES &

CONNECTIONS

Pro/MECHANICA Mesh of a Sheet Metal Weldment

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Professor
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Estimated time: 2 hours

Exercise 1

Material
Sensitivity and Optimization Studies

Introduction

The purpose of the optimisation study is to help the designer in optimizing predetermined
design parameters as a function of known measures, such as Von Mises stress or

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maximum displacement for a specific goal (i.e. minimise total mass). Your knowledge of
stress analysis comes in handy here, as the software cannot do all the work in the
optimisation process. There are a few more tasks involved than just clicking the
“optimize my model” button. Consequently, the designer has to take the optimization

Material
from the start to a certain stage, and then let the software (Pro/MECHANICA®) take over
for the final optimization steps.

An optimization study is divided into two main phases:

• Design phase I uses a static analysis combined with local sensitivity and global
sensitivity studies in Pro/MECHANICA®. In this phase, the finite element analyst
uses Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE to set design parameters. A design parameter is

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used by the Pro/MECHANICA® studies as a variable for measures. The measures
also have to be determined by the analyst.

1. The main objective of a local sensitivity study is to look at changes of the

Material
measures (most likely Von Mises stress) for small variations of each design
parameter (+ 1%) independently.
2. The objective of the global sensitivity study is to look at the variations of all
parameters, within their respective range, into each step of the process as defined
by the user.

• Design phase II completes the optimization of the part according to your design
objectives (goals). All parameters are optimised concurrently. A goal could be to
minimise the total mass or the total costs of a model. There are also other goals that

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can be defined in the optimization study.

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In Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE In Pro/MECHANICA®

Material
Create part, Create FEA modelling
Start features & set entities (shells)
parameters

Assign design
parameters

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conditions to model

Material Create and Run a local sensitivity

study. (Then analyse results)

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Create and Run a global sensitivity
study. (Then analyse results)

Material Set up and run an optimization

study (determine goal)

Figure 1: Overview of Design Optimization Study

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As you can appreciate, an optimization study is a lot of work. So let’s get right to it.

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Overview

This exercise will demonstrate the know-how and uses of sensitivity, global and
optimization studies in Pro/MECHANICA®. A simple plate with two circular notches

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will be used for the model. A shell mid-plane compression idealisation will be used to
model the plate for FEA and a combination of triangular and quadrilateral shell elements
will be used for the mesh. The procedure is as follows:

1. Create (Open) the part in Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE and create the shell mid-
plane compression idealisation in Pro/MECHANICA®;
2. Create the mesh and boundary conditions (loads and constraints);
3. Run an analysis (quick check) to make sure that the model converges to a solution;

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while establishing a preliminary goal, with respect to a measure (Von Mises stress);
4. Set up design parameters for the preliminary design study;
5. Run a local sensitivity study and select parameters that have an effect on the measures
pre-determined;

Material
6. Run a global sensitivity study on selected parameters and find the parameter value
(maximum or minimum) that has the greatest effect on the measure;
7. Run an optimization study for the above parameters, setting the starting point of the
study using the findings of point #6 above. Optimize for your design objective(s).
The design objective for this case is to minimise the mass of the plate.

The following figure shows the model that will be used for the study. It is a simple plate
with two notched cuts located 6 in. from the left end. The loads are applied at the tip of
the right end of the plate, while the left end is constrained.

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500 lbs

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Material Figure 2: Notched Cantilever Plate

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Our design objective is to optimize the location and radius of the notch with respect to the
left end of the plate. We will also look at plate thickness and optimize all three
parameters above for the total mass, using the Von Mises stresses as the measure.

Material
Procedure

Phase 1: Preliminary Optimization Work

Please refer to the model represented in Figure 2. It is a flat bar made of steel. Even
though a simple model, it will illustrate the entire procedure of the optimization study.
First, it is important to understand what our objectives are for the optimization study, as it
may help you understand better each step involved in the process. Consequently, let’s

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define our objectives and determine the measure to be studied for the selected design
parameters. Table 1 gives an overview of the objectives for this study.

TABLE 1: OPTIMIZATION OBJECTIVES, MEASURES AND DESIGN PARAMETERS

Material
Measure to Design Parameters to be optimized
Optimization
be used for
Goal Name Description Initial value (in.)
optimization

Minimise Von Mises Cut_length Dimension from

weight of the stress left edge to cut 6
part Cut_radius Notch radius .25
thickness Plate thickness .25

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It is important to keep the above objective, design parameters and measure(s) in mind as
we move through the procedures of the optimization study.

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Part A: Building the Model and the Design Parameters

Before you start the procedures below, create a directory named ‘opt_study’ using
Microsoft Explorer®. Move the part named notch_flatbar.prt to that directory.

1. Start up Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE

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Details on how to do this are different from system to system. For a typical Windows
platform, select Start > Programs > Proewildfire.
(It takes 30 seconds approximately for Pro/ENGINEER® to start.)

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Set up your working directory. (File > Set Working Directory)
Select your working directory ‘opt_study,’ then click on Accept.

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2. Open the Following Part: notched_flatbar
Once open, the following part should appear on your screen.

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Material

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Figure 3: Notch_flatbar.prt (bar dimensions: 3″ X 12″ X 1/4″)

3. Modifying Dimension Cosmetics

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Before we go to Pro/MECHANICA®, we will modify the dimension cosmetics in
Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE for ease of recognising each optimized design parameter
during the process. From the model tree, select NOTCH_CUT and right mouse click on
it to select Edit. At this time the dimensions for the feature should show up on the screen.
From the filter at the bottom right corner of the screen, select Dimensions.

Select the R.25 dimension and right mouse click on it to select Properties. From the

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window that comes up (see Figure 4), change the dimension text name to cut_radius.

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Material

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Material Figure 4

Select OK. Repeat same procedure as above for the 6.00 dimension. This time change
the dimension text name to cut_length as shown below.

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Material

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Select OK. Edit the feature FLAT_BAR by selecting it from the model tree, right click
on it and select Edit. Change the .25 dimension text name as shown in Figure 6 to
thickness.

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Material

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Select OK.
Figure 6

This completes the Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE portion of the exercise. Next we go to

Pro/MECHANICA®.

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4. Creating Shell Mid-surface Compression
Select Applications > Mechanica > Continue. Then from the right menu select
Structure > Model > Idealizations > Shells > Midsurface > New.

Material
Holding down the CTRL key, select one of the plate faces, and then select the other face
(then release the CTRL key and middle button mouse click). To make sure that the
compression of the shells works, select Compress > Shells Only > Show Compress, and
you should see the yellow colour contour of the part on the screen as shown in Figure 7.

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Material

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Figure 7: Notched plate shell model

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Select Done-Return > Done Return.

5. Assign Materials

Material
The plate is made of standard ASTM A-36 steel (36 ksi yield strength). Select Materials
and the following window will come up.

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Material Figure 8

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Select Steel from the left column and click on the arrow to move in under the Materials
in Model column. Click on Assign > Parts and select the plate. Click on the middle
mouse button to accept. Click on Close.

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6. Meshing of the Part
We will keep the all default shell elements and settings that AutoGEM will create. Select
AutoGEM from the right menu, the following dialog box comes up on your screen.

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Material
Figure 9

Select Create. The following confirmation of elements box should come up after about
five seconds.

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Material Figure 10

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Note that five triangular and eight quadrilateral elements have been created. Select
Close. Use the display setting to shrink all elements to ten. Your window should then
look as follows:

Material

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Material

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Material
Figure 11: Meshed Notched Plate

The mesh looks adequate for further analysis. Select Close and answer Yes to saving the
mesh.

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7. Assignment of Boundary Conditions to the Model

7.1 Loads

Material
The end load has 500 lbs in both the X and Y directions, as shown in
an earlier figure. We will set this load as and edge load. Create the
following Curve/Edge loads and constraints on the part.

Select Loads > New > Edge-Curve or click on the corresponding

icon. Enter information as seen below.

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Material

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Material Figure 12: Force/Moment Definition Box

Note: For reference-curves, click on the arrow and select the right vertical edge
from the model.

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Select OK. Set simulation display to Tails Touching. The model should now appear
as shown in Figure 13.

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Material This edge for loads

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Material

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Figure 13: Notched Plate showing end load

Material
7.2 Constraints

The plate is basically a cantilever beam with the left end being fixed. To
apply the end constraints, select Model > Constraints > New > Edge-
Curve or click on the corresponding icon.

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Fill in and select the appropriate information from the dialog box below.

Material

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Material Figure 14: Constraint Definition Box

Note: For reference-curves, click on the arrow and select the left vertical edge
from the model.

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Material

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Keep all DOF fixed (translations and rotations). Select OK. The plate FEA model
should now look as follows:

Material
This edge for constraints

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Material

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Figure 15: Boundary conditions of the notched plate.

Material
8. Create the Static Analysis

8.1 Quick Check

Create and run a quick check-no convergence analysis named static_1 (see from
below) to make sure that you can get to a solution. Select Analyses/studies so the
corresponding dialog box comes up. Then File > New Static and enter information

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as shown in Figure 16.

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Material

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Material Figure 16

Select OK. Then select the analysis and right mouse click on it to select Start.
Answer Yes to “Do you want error detection?” Right mouse click to Status and
make sure that you can get to a solution. Once the run is completed, double-check
your analysis results with the figure below:

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Material

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Material
Figure 17: Status summary File (quick check)

Select Close.

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STOP
You will know that the model completed the solution by seeing Run Completed at the
bottom of the summary file. Results are not important at this point, we just want to make
sure that the model can get to a solution.

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8.2 Multi-pass Adaptive Convergence

Next edit the quick check analysis by right mouse clicking on it and selecting Edit.
Enter the information as seen in the box below.

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Material

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Material
Figure 18: Static Analysis Definition (Multi-Pass Adaptive)

Select OK then Run the analysis. Answer Yes to “Do you want error detection?”
Select Status and make sure that you can get to a solution by showing Run
Completed at the bottom of the status window.

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The solution converges within 10 percent in three passes. Check your status window
with the one shown in Figure 19.

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Material

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Material Figure 19: Status Summary File

8.3 Results of Static Analysis

Check the results and record the max Von Mises stress off the summary window.
The analysis should converge after six passes and the VM stress results should be
around 1.86 X 104 psi Select Close > Close. Select Results and create the

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maximum Von Mises stress definition sheet as follows:

Click on this icon named “Insert a new definition.”

Material Figure 20

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Material
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Fill out result definition window as follows:

Material

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Material
Figure 21: a) Quantity Tab b) Display Options Tab

Select OK and Show. Animate the part to make sure that it behaves as we would
expect it to, given the current loads and constraints.

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Material
Movement
direction is
down and
to the right.

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Material
Figure 22: Static Analysis Von Mises Stress results

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Once you are satisfied, Select File > Exit Results > No.

STOP
Important: We must make sense of the above results before we go to the optimization.

Material
Ask yourself the following question:
• Are the maximum VM stresses above the material design stress that we want to use?
Say (Sy/1.5) for static? If they are, there is no need really for an optimization study
to minimise weight right?
But let’s say that we want to use steel with (Sy = 36 ksi).
Then our design stress is 36/1.5 = 24 ksi.
The difference in value of (24 ksi - our results 18.6 = 5.4 ksi) is an important design

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criteria. If this number is greater than 1 and less than 10 ksi, then this leaves us some
room for weight optimization using this material, without wasting our time.

Note that phase 1 of the optimization demands a lot out of the user (from knowledge

Material
and experience). The software cannot make the preliminary design decisions for us.
For instance, we may want to change the thickness of the plate, say 5/16″ and rerun
the analysis to give us some more room to maneuver from an optimization standpoint.
For the sake of this example, let’s keep the thickness at 1/4″.

Procedure

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Part B: Local Sensitivity Study

Material
Recall:

• The objective of a local sensitivity study is to look at small changes of the measures
(in our case Von Mises stresses) for small independent variations of each design
parameters used (+ 1 to 2%).
• Our design parameters for this study, as defined earlier in Pro/ENGINEER®
WILDFIRE are plate thickness, the cut location with respect to the left edge and the
cut radius.

1.
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From the Pro/MECHANICA® menu select Model > Dsgncontrols > Design
Params > Create and select the type Dimension as shown below.

Material
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Material

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2.
Material
Click on Select and click on the cut (notch). Select the .25″ radius of the cut and
enter the text shown below. Note the values entered for the minimum and
maximum are set at approximately plus and minus a few percent only of the
nominal value as we are only interested at this stage in the effect of the small
changes of the parameter on VM stress or how ‘sensitive’ the parameter is to the
measure.

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Material

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Click on Accept.
Figure 24: Design Parameter 1 Definition

3.
Material
Repeat same procedure for the cut_length and plate thickness (see below for values
to be entered).

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• For cut length, select the 6″ dimension and enter 5.9 and 6.1 for the
minimum and maximum values as shown below.

Material

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Material
Figure 25: Design Parameter 2 Definition

• For the thickness, select the .25 inch dimension and enter .24 and .26 for
minimum and maximum values as shown below.

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Material
Figure 26: Design Parameter 3 Definition

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Click on Accept once all parameters have been defined. The design parameters
window should look as shown in Figure 27.

Material
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Material

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Material
Figure 27

Click on Done when completed.

4. To make sure of the effect of our parameters. Play around with the Shape Animate
under the dsgncontrols menu. Select the Parameter Cut Length and change the
minimum and maximum values to 4 and 8 (as seen below).

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Material

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Material
Figure 28: Shape Animation Definition Window

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5. Click on Animate and answer Yes to all the prompts. At the same time, check the
movement of the feature on the screen. Repeat procedure for each parameter
independently or animate as a group.

Material
6. Once completed with the animation of the parameters, select Done from the animate
window.

7. Create a design study as shown below. Select Analyses/Design Studies. Select

File > New Design Study. Make the following selections for the study:

• Select local sensitivity study from the analysis menu and name it:
loc_sens_stud1.
• Check off all three parameters previously defined.

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• For settings, select the nominal dimension value for each of our
previously defined parameter in Pro/ENGINEER® WILDFIRE
i.e. 6″, .25″ and .25″.
• Select static_1 under analysis.

Material

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Material

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Select Accept.

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8. Run the local sensitivity created above. With the design study selected, click on
Run.

Material
Figure 30

Answer Yes to “Do you want error detection?” It takes approximately two to

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three minutes for the analysis to complete. Verify your status window to the one
below shown below:

Begin Sensitivity Analysis, Parameter: cut_radius

Material
Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Calculating Element Equations (19:29:54)

Total Number of Equations: 492
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (19:29:58)
Post-Processing Solution (19:29:59)

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Calculating Disp and Stress Results (19:30:04)

RMS Stress Error Estimates:

Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str

------------- --------------- ------------------------

Material
LoadSet1 4.27e+03 21.2% of 2.02e+04

Resource Check (19:30:06)

Elapsed Time (sec): 482.15
CPU Time (sec): 6.95
Memory Usage (kb): 167396
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 0

Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (19:30:06)

Derivatives of Measures for Analysis: notch_plate_static

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With Respect to Parameter: cut_radius

total_cost: 0.000000e+00
total_mass: -1.132648e-01
com_x: 2.960725e-08
com_y: -5.787104e-09

Material
com_z: 0.000000e+00
inertia_xx: -2.033609e-01
inertia_xy: 3.912722e-08
inertia_xz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_yy: -3.683823e-03

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inertia_yz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_zz: -2.070448e-01

Load Set: LoadSet1

max_beam_bending: 0.000000e+00

Material
max_beam_tensile: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_torsion: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_total: 0.000000e+00
max_disp_mag: 1.432914e-05
max_disp_x: 3.515730e-06
max_disp_y: -1.391126e-05
max_disp_z: 0.000000e+00
max_prin_mag: 2.998970e+04
max_rot_mag: 2.394071e-06
max_rot_x: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_y: 0.000000e+00

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max_rot_z: -2.394071e-06
max_stress_prin: 2.998970e+04
max_stress_vm: 2.950060e+04
max_stress_xx: 2.971161e+04
max_stress_xy: -1.168241e+04

Material
max_stress_xz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_yy: -2.327032e+02
max_stress_yz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_zz: 0.000000e+00
min_stress_prin: -2.324522e+04
strain_energy: 3.496831e-03

Begin Sensitivity Analysis, Parameter: cut_length

Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

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Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive
Plotting Grid: 4

Calculating Element Equations (19:54:04)

Total Number of Equations: 492

Material
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (19:55:07)
Post-Processing Solution (19:55:45)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (19:56:41)

RMS Stress Error Estimates:

Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str

------------- --------------- ------------------------
LoadSet1 4.34e+03 21.9% of 1.98e+04

Resource Check (19:58:47)

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Elapsed Time (sec): 2200.55
CPU Time (sec): 10.02
Memory Usage (kb): 168484
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 0

Material
Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (19:59:49)

Derivatives of Measures for Analysis: notch_plate_static

With Respect to Parameter: cut_length

total_cost: 0.000000e+00

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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total_mass: 6.043610e-10
com_x: -5.484068e-03
com_y: -1.227412e-09
com_z: 0.000000e+00
inertia_xx: -4.448353e-09
inertia_xy: -8.720819e-09

Material
inertia_xz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_yy: -1.387973e-04
inertia_yz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_zz: -1.388018e-04

Load Set: LoadSet1

max_beam_bending: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_tensile: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_torsion: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_total: 0.000000e+00

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max_disp_mag: -5.465288e-07
max_disp_x: -2.288639e-08
max_disp_y: 5.525955e-07
max_disp_z: 0.000000e+00
max_prin_mag: -2.787973e+03
max_rot_mag: 3.250554e-08

Material
max_rot_x: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_y: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_z: -3.250554e-08
max_stress_prin: -2.787973e+03
max_stress_vm: -2.936599e+03
max_stress_xx: -2.902010e+03
max_stress_xy: 4.588746e+02
max_stress_xz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_yy: 4.885327e+01
max_stress_yz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_zz: 0.000000e+00

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min_stress_prin: 4.651636e+03
strain_energy: -1.340397e-04

Begin Sensitivity Analysis, Parameter: thickness

Material
Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Calculating Element Equations (20:07:32)

Total Number of Equations: 492
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (20:07:40)
Post-Processing Solution (20:07:42)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (20:07:43)

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RMS Stress Error Estimates:

Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str

------------ --------------- ------------------------
LoadSet1 4.18e+03 21.9% of 1.91e+04

Material
Resource Check

CPU Time
Memory Usage
(sec): 12.50
(20:07:45)
Elapsed Time (sec): 2741.65

(kb): 168484

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 0

Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (20:07:47)

Derivatives of Measures for Analysis: notch_plate_static

With Respect to Parameter: thickness

Material
total_cost:
total_mass:
com_x:
com_y:
com_z:
0.000000e+00
1.012423e+01
-3.509118e-14
-2.488438e-15
0.000000e+00
inertia_xx: 7.526698e+00
inertia_xy: 2.972349e-08
inertia_xz: 0.000000e+00
inertia_yy: 1.221562e+02
inertia_yz: 0.000000e+00

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inertia_zz: 1.296829e+02

Load Set: LoadSet1

max_beam_bending: 0.000000e+00

Material
max_beam_tensile: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_torsion: 0.000000e+00
max_beam_total: 0.000000e+00
max_disp_mag: -1.897407e-04
max_disp_x: -3.682606e-05
max_disp_y: 1.861326e-04
max_disp_z: 0.000000e+00
max_prin_mag: -7.643958e+04
max_rot_mag: -2.339174e-05
max_rot_x: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_y: 0.000000e+00
max_rot_z: 2.339174e-05

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max_stress_prin: -7.643958e+04
max_stress_vm: -7.167290e+04
max_stress_xx: -7.621604e+04
max_stress_xy: 1.593076e+04
max_stress_xz: 0.000000e+00

Material
max_stress_yy: -1.764033e+04
max_stress_yz: 0.000000e+00
max_stress_zz: 0.000000e+00
min_stress_prin: 6.959613e+04
strain_energy: -4.719402e-02

Use Results to plot measures.

------------------------------------------------------------

Memory and Disk Usage:

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Machine Type: Windows NT/x86
RAM Allocation for Solver (megabytes): 128.0

Total Elapsed Time (seconds): 2776.18

Total CPU Time (seconds): 13.40

Material
Maximum Memory Usage (kilobytes): 168484
Working Directory Disk Usage (kilobytes): 0
Total Elapsed Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
1420.12
Total Engine Elapsed Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):
1356.06

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Total CPU Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
1.58
Total Engine CPU Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):
11.82

Results Directory Size (kilobytes):

Material
386 .\loc_sens_study1

------------------------------------------------------------
Run Completed
Sat Apr 05, 2003 20:08:23
------------------------------------------------------------

Figure 31: Status Summary File for local sensitivity study (partial)

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9. Select Close > Close. Select Results and create the maximum Von Mises stress
definition sheet as follows:

Click on this icon named “Insert a New Definition.”

Material
Figure 32

Let’s create results graph plotting each design parameter versus the Von Mises stress
measure. Under results, create three windows, one for each parameter defined.

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Name the first result window the following: Vm_thickness. Fill out and make the
appropriate selections as shown.

Material

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Material Figure 33: Result Window Definition (Thickness)

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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10. Next, select maxvmstress as a measure and select Design Var from the Graph
location. Click on the Select (colored icon) from the quantity row and select
max_stress_vm as shown below:

Material

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Material

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Material

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Select Accept. Click on the Arrow Icon and select the parameter thickness as
shown:

Material

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Select Accept and OK. Repeat the procedure above to create two additional result
graphs as shown below.

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Material
Figure 36: Result Window Definition (Cut length)

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Select OK. Create a new result window as shown:

Material

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Material Figure 37: Result Window Definition (Cut radius)

Select OK. Select View > Display and select all three windows as shown:

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Material Figure 38

Select OK. The three result graphs should come up on your screen.

11. Look at the three graphs in Figure 39. To understand the results, look at the
variation of the VM stress versus each parameter. Establish the relationship

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between each measure and the Von Mises stresses.

Material
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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material

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Material

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Figure 39: Local Sensitivity Study Parameter Results

12. Analyse how sensitive each parameter is to the Von Mises stresses. With the results
shown, you should come to the following conclusions:

Material
That the VM stress is sensitive to all parameters.

This was the main objective of the local sensitivity study. We will carry all three
parameters into the next phase. Please note that should the VM stress not be sensitive to
one of the parameters, we would not carry it on any further in the optimization study.
Select File > Exit Results > No.

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Procedure

Part C: Global Sensitivity Study

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Recall:
The objective of the global sensitivity study is to look at the variations of all
parameters into each step of the process as defined by the user.

1. In Pro/MECHANICA®, go back to Dsgn Controls > Design Parameters and the

following window should come up on your screen.

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Material

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Material
Figure 40

Select Review. Review each parameter and change the minimum and maximum
values to the following magnitudes.

Note: In practice, the designer would set these values as he has an understanding of
the model by now.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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To modify the parameter cut length, select cut_length > Review. The following
window will come up:

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Material
Figure 41

Modify minimum values to 4 and 6 as shown. Click on Accept. Repeat procedure

for the other design parameters, values to be entered are shown in the following
table:

TABLE 2: DESIGN PARAMETERS

Design parameter Minimum Current Maximum

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Cut_length (in.) 4 6 8
Thickness (in.) .135 .25 .375
Cut_radius (in.) .1 .25 .5

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Click on Done when you have completed all design parameters.

2. Next, create a design study called:glob_sens_stud1. Select Analyses/Design Studies

and fill out the design study sheet as shown with the following settings:

• Select global sensitivity under type.

• Under analysis, select anlys_1 (static).
•

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For the parameters: set as seen on the figure below.
• Set the number of intervals to six for this analysis.
• Do not check repeat P-loop convergence for this analysis (saves time).

Material
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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Material

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Material
Figure 42

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Note that the minimum and maximum values are set to minimize the plate weight as
the study progresses according to the results of the local sensitivity study:
loc_sens_stud1. Select Accept.

Material

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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3. Run the design study by selecting the design study and click on Run. (Answer Yes to
“Do you want error detection?”) It takes approximately five to six minutes. Take a
well-deserved break. If you want to follow the analysis, click on the status icon:

Material

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Material
Figure 43: Status Summary File (global sensitivity study)

Once the analysis is completed, check the last step (step 11) with the partial status
file below:

Parameters:
cut_radius
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Sensitivity Step 11 of 11

0.5

Material
cut_length 8
thickness 0.135

Static Analysis "notch_plate_static":

Convergence Method: Multiple-Pass Adaptive

Plotting Grid: 4

Convergence Loop Log: (21:49:36)

>> Pass 1 <<

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Calculating Element Equations (21:49:36)
Total Number of Equations: 330
Maximum Edge Order: 1
Solving Equations (21:49:37)
Post-Processing Solution (21:49:37)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (21:49:37)

Material
Checking Convergence (21:49:37)
Elements Not Converged: 51
Edges Not Converged: 107
Local Disp/Energy Index: 100.0%
Global RMS Stress Index: 100.0%

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Resource Check (21:49:37)
Elapsed Time (sec): 2951.92
CPU Time (sec): 59.03
Memory Usage (kb): 166628
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 2048

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>> Pass 2 <<
Calculating Element Equations (21:49:38)
Total Number of Equations: 966
Maximum Edge Order: 2
Solving Equations (21:49:38)
Post-Processing Solution (21:49:38)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (21:49:38)
Checking Convergence (21:49:39)
Elements Not Converged: 33
Edges Not Converged: 106
Local Disp/Energy Index: 100.0%

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Global RMS Stress Index: 67.3%
Resource Check (21:49:39)
Elapsed Time (sec): 2953.28
CPU Time (sec): 60.14
Memory Usage (kb): 166628

Material
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 2048

>> Pass 3 <<

Calculating Element Equations (21:49:39)
Total Number of Equations: 1734
Maximum Edge Order: 3
Solving Equations (21:49:39)
Post-Processing Solution (21:49:40)
Calculating Disp and Stress Results (21:49:40)
Checking Convergence (21:49:41)
Elements Not Converged: 0
Edges Not Converged: 0

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Local Disp/Energy Index: 7.6%
Global RMS Stress Index: 4.5%
RMS Stress Error Estimates:
Load Set Stress Error % of Max Prin Str
------------ ------------ -----------------------

Material
LoadSet1 3.74e+03 12.0% of 3.12e+04
Resource Check (21:49:41)
Elapsed Time (sec): 2955.73
CPU Time (sec): 61.43
Memory Usage (kb): 166628
Wrk Dir Dsk Usage (kb): 2048
The analysis converged to within 10% on
edge displacement, element strain energy,
and global RMS stress.
Analysis "notch_plate_static" Completed (21:49:42)
Completed Global Sensitivity Study
Use Results to plot measures.

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------------------------------------------------------------
Memory and Disk Usage:
Machine Type: Windows NT/x86
RAM Allocation for Solver (megabytes): 128.0
Total Elapsed Time (seconds): 2956.72

Material
Total CPU Time (seconds): 61.84
Maximum Memory Usage (kilobytes): 166628
Working Directory Disk Usage (kilobytes): 2048
Total Elapsed Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
2647.64
Total Engine Elapsed Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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309.08
Total CPU Time in Parameter Updates (seconds):
4.88
Total Engine CPU Time Minus Param. Updates (seconds):
56.96
Results Directory Size (kilobytes):

Material
789 .\glob_sens_stud_stat1
Maximum Data Base Working File Sizes (kilobytes):
2048 .\glob_sens_stud_stat1.tmp\kel1.bas
------------------------------------------------------------
Run Completed
Sat Apr 05, 2003 21:49:43
------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 44: Status Summary File (Partial) – Global Sensitivity Study

Select Close > Close.

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Material
Select Results and create the maximumVon Mises stress definition sheet as follows:

Click on this icon named ‘Insert a new definition.’

Figure 45

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Create and show the design parameter graphs, similar to the ones for the local sensitivity
study. The three result windows are presented below.

Material

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Material

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Material
Figure 46: Result Window Definition (Thickness)

The first result window is titled: vm_thickness_gss. Fill out the definition sheet as shown
above, then select OK. Create a second result definition window as follows.

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Material

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The second result window is titled: vm_stress_cut_length_gss. Fill out definition sheet as

Material
shown above, then select OK. Similarly, create a third definition window titled:
VM_cut_radius_gss. Select the radius as the design variable and select OK. Select View
> Display and select all three windows as in Figure 48.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material
Figure 48

Select OK. The three result graphs should come up on your screen as shown below.

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Material

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Material

CopyrightedFigure 49: Local Sensitivity Study Results

The intent here is to find the best combination of parameters that will be carried on to the

Material
final optimization study. What conclusions do you come to with regards to each design
parameter as a function of our measure (the Von Mises Stress)?

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Your conclusion looking at the results above should be the following. That for minimum
VM stress, we need the following:

• maximum thickness,

Material
• maximum cut length and;
• minimum cut radius.

I know, these results may be evident to us as strength of material experts. But in practice
of other design projects, it may not be so easy to get to them. We suggest carrying this
procedure for any project regardless of your expertise and confidence, especially for
larger assemblies and design parameters that the effects on the measure are unknown.
This will minimise the optimization time in all cases!

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Phase 2: The Optimization Study on Total Mass

Material
We now can move to the final phase of optimization. Let’s review what we have done so
far:
1. With our knowledge of the model and boundary conditions, we determined the
parameters that we wish to optimize on for minimum weight design.
2. We ran a static analysis to determine if our material of choice actually will fit the
application and the study.
3. We ran a local sensitivity study on each parameter to see the effects of VM stress
as the parameter is modified slightly;
4. We ran a global sensitivity study (minimum and maximum values set by the

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designer) to look at the best possible combination of parameters that will lead to
our optimized design.
5. We then concluded by selecting parameter values that will minimize the VM
stress.

Material
Now, let’s perform the steps for the final optimization.

Procedure

1. Create a design study of type: optimization study named: opt_study_1. Select Design
Studies and make the following settings (see procedures on figure below).

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Select Design Study and enter the information as shown in Figure 50.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material 24000

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Material
These are pre-determined
from our global sensitivity study,

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Type in our design stress value (psi).
Click on Create and select Max_stress_vm from the list.

Set to 10 for this exercise

but suggest a minimum of 15 in practice.

Material
Figure 50: Optimization Study Definition

2. Run the design study. This may approximately 20 to 30 minutes. The study should
go through five optimization passes. Check the status file and compare it to the one
shown below. Locate the following results on your status file and write them down
here:

• Goal (Minimum mass of the model): __________

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• Optimized thickness: __________
• Optimized cut_length: __________
• Optimized cut_radius: ___________

Material
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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Material

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MaterialFigure 51: Status Summary File (partial) – Optimization Study

Select Close > Close.

Results

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We can create and plot the graphs to visualise the different parameters as a function of
mass and Von Mises stresses. Though we will only show a few result windows for this
part of the exercise, there are a lot for the finite element analyst to play around with in
this section.

Material
Select Results. Once the empty window comes up, click on the icon named ‘Insert a
new definition.’

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Figure 52

Create the two windows shown in Figures 53 and 54.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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From the result window, click on Select; and select the max_vm stress as a measure as
seen below:

Material

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Material
Figure 53: Result Window1 Definition (optimization study)

Select OK. Insert the following definition window.

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Material

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Figure 54: Result Window1 Definition (optimization study)

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Repeat the same procedure to get the results for total mass. Select OK. Select
View >Display and select both windows as shown below:

Material

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Material
Figure 55: Result Graphs (optimization study)

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Conclusion

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First, congratulations on your first optimization study! I hope you realise that this is a lot
of work. We have reduced the weight of the plate to a minimum with the parameters that
we wanted to measure, which should lead to reduced costs.

Look at the optimization passes above. After the first pass, Pro/MECHANICA® starts
moving towards our limit on the VM stress. The reason that so few passes were needed
is that we did the right work prior to the optimization. All the preliminary work that we
performed with the local and global sensitivity studies lead us to the general area of

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optimization, and then we used the optimization design study to refine it to perfection
using the least amount of optimization pass.

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Project 1

Problem Definition

Material
We would like to optimise the sheet metal bracket in Table 3 in order to minimise
weight and cost.

TABLE 3: OPTIMIZATION PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Optimization Measure to be used for Parameters to be used for

Objective analysis of parameter optimisation study
effect on part

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Minimise mass of the
part
Von Mises stress 3. Material Thickness and;
4. Bend radius

Material
The model is built from two features (you can omit the holes shown in the figures
below). It is simply a swept protrusion which can be built as shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4: BRACKET MODEL FEATURES

Feature # Description Reference figure
1 Datum Curve (sketched) P1

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2 Thin swept protrusion P2
3 Hole Pattern P4

Material

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Boundary Conditions

Flat vertical flange surfaces (back): fixed in all DOF.

Material
Load (1000 lbs): Applied on curve surface (top of hat section) though the centre point.

Hint: In load definition form, select Load through a point from load type.

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Material

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Material
Figure P1: Suspension bracket (3-D view)

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material

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Material

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Figure P2: Dimensions of datum curve (2-D)

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 SENSITIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDIES

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Cross Section

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Material

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Material
Figure P3: Cross-section of suspension bracket - Thickness and BR are: 3/16″

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PRO/MECHANICA STRUCTURE: ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

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Material

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Material

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Figure P4: Hole Pattern – Holes (.36 in. diameter) are two inches apart (vertically)

Material
Objective: Optimize combined material thickness and bend radius for a design stress of
34 ksi.

Answer: (after “manually” rounding up to nearest nominal values)

Thickness: .25″
Bend Radius: 5/16″

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50
 INTRODUCTION TO
PRO/SHEETMETAL
WILDFIRE 2.0

Sheetmetal Assembly of a ‘Bucket’

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

Professor
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Okanagan University College

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Estimated time: ½ hour

Exercice 1a

Material First Wall Features

Objectives

At the end of this exercise, the user should be able to:

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1. Create a new file using sheet metal type;
Create first wall features of sheet metal parts using the following options:

Extruded wall

Material

Flat wall
3. Convert a solid model to a sheet metal model.

Designing in Sheetmetal Mode

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Introduction

In my numerous years of CAD and MCAD experience, I have yet to see software as
sophisticated as Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal mode. The enhancements done to

Material
Wildfire 2.0 are simply amazing. Finally, a software package that thinks as an engineer
or designer would.

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Material
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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Sheetmetal mode allows a designer to perform many sheet metal features. Examples
would be:

Simple Wall Features (Extruded, Flat);

Material

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Material

Flat forms (unbend and bend back features);

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Material

Advanced Wall Features (Revolve and blend);

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Material
2
 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Bends (Angles, Rolls) and twists and rolls

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Material

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Louver and Forms

Material

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And not forgetting:

Material

Bend Tables and Bend Order Tables;

Solid to Sheet Metal Conversion Features.

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal

Feature creation in Sheetmetal mode is quite different from Part mode. While some of

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the Part mode features (described as solid features) can be accessed from the Sheetmetal
mode menu, other features can be created, and all are related to sheet metal design.

The model building philosophy can also be quite different. Again, while some aspects of

Material
Part mode are integrated within the Sheetmetal environment, one thing is always true: “If
you don’t put any thinking into your first (base) feature, you will run into trouble at some
point in your modeling process.” Needless to say, sheet metal parts should be well
thought of ahead of time before the first feature (first wall) is created.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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There are numerous ways in which a sheet metal user can create a first wall option in
Sheetmetal mode. The options are:

1. In Sheetmetal mode, by creating an extruded section;

Material
2. In Sheetmetal mode, by creating a flat wall;
3. In solid type Part mode, by creating a thin section, then converting it to sheet
metal.

The following table gives a review and description of the basic wall feature types
available in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 2.0.

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TABLE 1: WALL FEATURE TYPES
Wall Feature Type Description
Extruded A sketched 2D profile with an offset wall thickness. Bend

Material
angles can be built into the 2D profile as in Project 1 (similar
to Pro/ENGINEER’s Thin Wall Protrusion)
Flat A sketched boundary in a 2D plane (flat) at a specified bend
angle (Similar to Pro/ENGINEER’s Extrude Protrusion)
Extended Creates an extension of a wall surface to another wall surface,
usually at a comer.
Revolved The cross-section of a revolved wall is sketched and rotated

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about an axis (similar to Solid mode Revolved Protrusion)
Blended The cross-section of the blended wall is sketched, with other
options such as parallel, rotational and general.
Offset An offset sheet metal wall is created by offsetting from an

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existing solid surface.

While extruded and flat are the most common first wall features used, the other features
prove to be quite useful in many applications.

Procedure

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We need to first get organized before beginning the training files. A working directory
needs to be created for locating all training files created in this manual. Most, if not all,
files will be created from scratch, and will be used for more than one exercise. Using

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your browser, create a folder named ‘sheetmetal_1’ in the location of your choice.

4
 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Launch Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire. Once it opens, a default browser is displayed on start
up (as shown below). The default URL directs you to a PTC site that provides a many
Wildfire tools.

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Figure 1

Select the Menu Mapper link as shown above. Menu Mapper provides you with a tool to
find where Release 2001 menu options can be found in Wildfire. Using the Mapper,
browse and find the location for Wildfire 2.0 to create a sheet metal wall (select
SheetMetal under Release Wildfire to Wildfire 2.0), then select Feature > Create >
Sheetmetal > Wall, as shown in Figure 2.

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5
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Figure 2

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The Menu Mapper reports that the Wildfire menu is Feature > Create > Sheetmetal >
Wall, as shown below.

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Close the Menu Mapper windows. Next, SELECT Tools > Options. The window

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shown in Figure 4 comes up.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Enter the Option and Value as shown above. The website listed is a great website for
sheet metal design research. If you have some time, browse through it.

Click Apply-Close. Next, select the home icon (it looks like a house) at the top of the
browser window to access the home page that you previously gave. You can compress
the browser by selecting the arrows along the right-hand edge of the browser as shown
in Figure 5.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Figure 5

Your screen should now have a gray background. Next, click Tools > Customize
Screen. Select the Browser tab and de-select “Expand Browser by default while

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loading ProE” as shown in Figure 6.

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8
 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Select OK.

Next, set sheetmetal_1 (the folder you created earlier) as your working directory for the
session, as shown below using the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Navigator.

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9
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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1. Creating a Wall Feature Using the Extruded Option

One of the ways you can create sheet metal parts is by creating the first feature
representing the part in a formed state. This type of wall feature is used when the user

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wants to build one or more bends into the feature. An example of a formed part created
using this method is shown below.

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An extruded wall extends from an edge into space. You can sketch the side section of the
wall and project it out a specified length. It is a primary wall, the first wall in your
design, or a secondary (additional) wall dependent on the primary wall.

The base feature for the part we will be creating in this exercise uses the unattached wall

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extruded option. Keep the following points in mind when using this option:

The sketch is an open loop (for simplicity and dimension control);

The thickness is added using the appropriate sketch option ‘thicken’;

Apply dimensioning intent to the sketch (i.e., apply the bend radius to the

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inside curve.

Create a new part file and select the Sheetmetal option under Sub-type in the NEW
dialog box, as shown in the Figure 9.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Ensure that the Use default template option is selected. Enter bracket as the part name,
then select OK.

Select Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Unattached > Extrude (Both Sides > Done). Select
the FRONT datum plane as the sketch plane. Use the default direction for the feature
creation (click OK), then select the TOP plane reference to face the top direction.
Sketch the open loop shown in the figure below with appropriate dimensions. Sketch
dimensions shown below are: 8 in. wide × 4 in. high (radius is .75 in).

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Once the sketch is completed, select Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken. Ensure that the
arrow points toward the inside of the loop sketch as shown in the figure below (select
Flip, if necessary).

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Figure 11

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Then select OK. Enter .135 (corresponding to a thickness of 10 gauge steel) for the
material thickness. Other gauge steel thicknesses are given in Table 2.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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TABLE 2: IMPERIAL SHEET METAL GAUGES
Gauge Number Decimal Equivalent (inch)
1/4 .25
3/16 .188

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7 ga. .179
8 .164
9 .149
10 .134
11 .119
12 .104
13 .089

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14 .074
15 .067
16 .059
17 .053

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18 .048
19 .041
20 .036
22 .030
24 .024
26 .018
28 .015

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29 .014
30 .012

In order to dimension for design intent, we need to delete the current radius dimension

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and re-dimension the radius by selecting the dotted arc previously created. Enter .375 as
the new inner radius value. Complete the sketch (select check mark) and enter a Blind
Depth of 8 when prompted. Select OK from the dialog box. The completed model
should now appear on your screen as shown in Figure 12.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Figure 12

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Set the display to Wireframe. Have a look at the different color schemes on the model.
Note that the geometry created in Sheetmetal mode has a distinctive color scheme. One
side of the model is green, and the other side white (or as per the user specified color
displayed). When a sheet metal part is modeled, its wall thickness is constant over the

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entire model. The software uses the green side as the ‘driving side.’ The white surface is
offset by a distance equal to the material thickness. In practice, you want to use the green
side for your sketching reference for creating geometry and other sheet metal features.

This completes the first wall creation and this exercise. Save the part for future use and
erase it from memory.

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End of Exercise

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14
 INSIDE:

MultiMedia CD
Pro | ENGINEER ®

WILDFIRE ™ 3.0
An audio/visual
presentation of the
tutorial projects

Tutorial
and MultiMedia CD

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-1

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Lesson 2

Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Introduction to Sketcher

Synopsis

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Creating a part; introduction to Sketcher; Sketcher constraints; creating datum curves,
protrusions, cuts; using the dashboard; saving a part; part templates.

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Overview of this Lesson
The main objective of this lesson is to introduce you to the general procedures for
creating sketched features. We will go at quite a slow pace and the part will be quite
simple (see Figure 1 on the next page), but the central ideas need to be elaborated and
emphasized so that they are very clearly understood. Some of the material presented here
is a repeat of the previous lesson - take this as an indication that it is important! Here’s
what we are going to cover:

1.
2.
3.
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Creating a Simple Part
Feature Types and Menus
Introduction to Sketcher

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< Sketcher menus
< Intent Manager and Sketcher constraints
4. Creating a Datum Curve
5. Creating an Extruded Protrusion
< Using the Dashboard
6. Creating an Extruded Cut
7. Saving the part
8. Using Part Templates

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It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction
we are going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which
you probably won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

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Start Pro/E as usual. If it is already up, close all windows (except the base window) and
erase all objects in session using File > Erase > Current and File > Erase > Not
Displayed. Close the Navigator and Browser windows.
2-2 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Creating a Simple Part
In this lesson, we will create a simple block with a U-shaped central slot. By the end of
the lesson your part should look like Figure 1 below. This doesn't seem like such a

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difficult part, but we are going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts
in some depth. Try not to go through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your
understanding of how Pro/E works. We will be adding some additional features to this
part in the next lesson.

We are going to turn off some of the default actions of Pro/E. This will require us to do
some things manually instead of letting the program do them automatically. This should
give you a better understanding of what the many default actions are. Furthermore,
eventually you will come across situations where you don’t want the defaults and you’ll

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need to know your way around these options.

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Figure 1 Part at the end of this lesson Figure 2 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the Part

Click the Create New Object short-cut button, or select File > New. A window will open
(Figure 2) showing a list of different types and sub-types of objects to create (parts,
assemblies, drawings, and so on). In this lesson we are going to make a single solid

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object called a part. Keep the default radio button settings

Part | Solid

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IMPORTANT: Turn off (remove the check) the Use Default Template option at the
bottom. We will discuss templates at the end of this lesson.

Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc. can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-3

computer memory) in the current session. All objects are identified by unique names1. A

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default name for the new part is presented at the bottom of the window, something like
[PRT0001]. It is almost always better to have a more descriptive name. So, double click
(left mouse) on this text to highlight it and then type in

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[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part name. The

Common Name of the part is an option for specifying
an even more descriptive name. For example, you
might have a number of part files named using a part
or catalog number such as “TG123_A29". This is not
very descriptive, so you could enter a common name

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such as “small flat rubber washer”. We will not use
common names in this tutorial, so leave this blank and
just press Enter or select OK.

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The New File Options dialog window opens. Since
we elected (in the previous window) to not use the
default template for this part, Pro/E is presenting a list
of alternative templates defined for your system. As
mentioned previously, we are going to avoid using Figure 3 Options for new parts
defaults this time around. So, for now, as shown in
Figure 3 at the right, select

Empty | OK (or middle click).

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At this time, BLOCK should appear in the title area of the graphics window. Also, some
of the toolbar icons at the right are now “live” (ie. not grayed out).

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Create Datum Planes and Coordinate System

We will now create the first features of the part:

Sketched Curve
three reference planes to locate it in space. It is not Datum Plane
absolutely necessary to have datum planes, but it is
Datum Axis
a very good practice, particularly if you are going
to make a complex part or assembly. Datum planes Datum Curve

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are created using the “Datum Plane” button on the
right toolbar, as shown in Figure 4. Note that these Datum Point
icons look quite similar to the buttons on the top Coord System
toolbar that control the display of datums. What’s

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the difference? Figure 4 Toolbar buttons for creating
DATUMS

1
Pro/E can keep track of objects of different types with the same names. A part
and a drawing can have the same name since they are different object types.
2-4 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Select the Datum Plane button now. Since we currently have no features in the model,

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Wildfire rightly assumes that we want to create the three standard datum planes.

The datum planes represent three orthogonal planes to be used as references for features
that will be created later. You can think of these planes as XY, YZ, XZ planes, although

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you generally aren’t concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation. Your screen should have
the datum planes visible, as shown in Figure 5. (If not, check the datum display button in
the top toolbar.) They will resemble something like a star due to the default 3D viewing
direction. Note that each plane has an attached tag that gives its name: DTM1, DTM2,
and DTM3. This view may be somewhat hard to visualize, so Figure 6 shows how the
datum planes would look if they were solid plates in the same orientation. An important
point to note is, while the plates in Figure 6 are finite in size, the datum planes actually
extend off to infinity. Finally, before we move on to the next topic, notice that the last

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feature created (in this case DTM3), is highlighted in red. This is a normal occurrence
and means that the last feature created is always preselected for you as the “object” part
of the object/action command sequence.

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Figure 5 Default datum planes Figure 6 Datum planes as solid plates

Pro/ENGINEER Feature Overview

Below (and/or to the right of) the datum creation buttons in the right toolbar are three

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other groups of buttons. These are shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9. If you move the cursor
over the buttons, the tool tip box will show the button name.

Two of these menus contain buttons for creating features, organized into the following

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categories:

Placed Features (Figure 7) - (holes, rounds, shells, ...) These are features that are created
directly on existing solid geometry. Examples are placing a hole on an existing surface,
or creating a round on an existing edge of a part.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-5

Sketched Features (Figure 8) - (extrusions, revolves, sweeps, blends, ..) These features

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require the definition of a two-dimensional cross section which is then manipulated into
the third dimension. Although they usually use existing geometry for references, they do
not specifically require this. These features will involve the use of an important tool
called Sketcher.

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The final group of buttons (Figure 9) is used for editing and modifying existing features.
We will deal with some of these commands (Mirror and Pattern) later in the Tutorial.

Hole
Shell Extrude
Rib Revolve Mirror

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Draft
Round
Sweep
Blend
Merge
Trim

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Chamfer Style Pattern
Figure 7 The Placed Figure 8 The Sketched Figure 9 The Edit toolbar
Features toolbar Features toolbar

In this lesson we will be using the Extrude command to create two types of sketched
features (a protrusion and a cut). In the next lesson, we will use the Hole, Round, and
Chamfer commands to create three placed features. Before we continue, though, we must

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find out about an important tool - Sketcher.

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Introducing Sketcher
Sketcher is the most important tool for creating features in Pro/E. It is therefore critical
that you have a good understanding of how it works. We will take a few minutes here to
describe its basic operation and will explore the Sketcher tools continually through the
next few lessons. It will take you a lot of practice and experience to fully appreciate all
that it can do.

Basically, Sketcher is a tool for creating two-dimensional figures. These can be either

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stand-alone features (Sketched Curves) or as embedded elements that define the cross
sectional shape of some solid features. The aspects of these figures that must be defined
are location, shape, and size, roughly in that order. The sketching plane where we will
create the 2D sketch is defined or selected first. Then, within Sketcher the location is

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further specified by selecting references to existing geometry. You will find the usual
drawing tools for lines, arcs, circles, and so on, to create the shape. Finally, you can
specify alignments or dimensions to control the size of the sketch.

Sketcher is really quite “smart”, that is, it will anticipate what you are going to do
2-6 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

(usually correctly!) and do many things automatically. Occasionally, it does make a

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mistake in guessing what you want. So, learning how to use Sketcher effectively involves
understanding exactly what it is doing for you (and why) and discovering ways that you
can easily over-ride this when necessary.

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The “brain” of Sketcher is called the Intent Manager. We will be discussing the notion of
design intent many times in this tutorial. In Sketcher, design intent is manifest not only in
the shape of the sketch but also in how constraints and dimensions are applied to the
sketch so that it is both complete and conveys the important design goals for the feature.
Completeness of a sketch implies that it contains just enough geometric specification so
that it is uniquely determined. Too little information would mean that the sketch is under-
specified; too much means that it is over-specified. The function of Intent Manager is to
make sure that the sketch always contains just the right amount of information.

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Moreover, it tries to do this in ways that, most of the time, make sense. Much of the
frustration involved in using Sketcher arises from not understanding (or even sometimes
realizing) the nature of the choices it is making for you or knowing how easy it is to
override these actions. When you are using Sketcher, Intent Manager must be treated like

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a partner - the more you understand how it works, the better the two of you will be able
to function2.

The term sketch comes from the fact that you do not have to be particularly exact when
you are “drawing” the shape, as shown in the two figures below. Sketcher (or rather
Intent Manager) will interpret what you are drawing within a built-in set of rules. Thus, if
you sketch a line that is approximately vertical, Sketcher assumes that you want it
vertical. If you sketch two circles or arcs that have approximately the same radius,
Sketcher assumes that’s what you want. In cases like this, you will see the sketched entity

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“snap” to a particular orientation or size as Intent Manager fires one of the internal rules.

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Figure 10 Geometry input by user. Note
misaligned vertices, non-parallel edges,
non-tangent curves.
Figure 11 Geometry after processing by
Sketcher. Note aligned vertices, parallel
edges, tangent curves.

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Intent Manager was introduced several releases ago. Some veteran Pro/E users
still have not made the switch from “the old days”. For those users, Pro/E has the ability
to turn off the Intent Manager and let them do everything manually.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-7

When Sketcher fires one of its internal rules (this occurs while you are sketching), you

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will be alerted by a symbol on the sketch that indicates the nature of the assumed
condition. If you accept the condition, it becomes a constraint on the sketch. These
constraint symbols are summarized in Table 2-1 on the next page. You should become
familiar with these rules or constraints, and learn how to use them to your advantage. If

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you do not want a rule invoked, you must either
(a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or
(b) exaggerate the geometry so that if fired, the rule will fail, or
(c) tell Pro/E explicitly to ignore the rule (disable the constraint).

You will most often use option (a) by specifying your desired alignments and dimensions
and letting Sketcher worry about whatever else it needs to solve the sketch. When
geometry is driven by an explicit dimension, fewer internal rules will fire. Option (b) is

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slightly less common. An example is if a line in a sketch must be 2E away from vertical,
you would draw it some much larger angle (like 15E or so) and put an explicit dimension
on the angle. This prevents the “vertical” rule from firing. Once the sketch has been
completed with the exaggerated angle, you can modify the dimension value to the desired

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2E. For method (c), there is a command available that explicitly turns off the rule
checking (for all rules or selected ones only) during sketching. This is very rarely used.

An example of a sketch with the

geometric constraints is shown in
Figure 12. Note how few
dimensions are required to define
this sketch. See if you can pick out
the following constraints:

<
<
<
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vertical lines
horizontal lines
perpendicular lines

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< tangency
< three sets of equal
length lines
< equal radius
< vertical alignment (two
cases)

How do you suppose Sketcher is

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able to determine the radius of the
rounded corners (fillets) at the top Figure 12 A sketch showing implicit constraints
and bottom on the left edge?

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2-8 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Table 2-1 Implicit Constraints in Sketcher

Rule Symbol Description

Equal radius and R If you sketch two or more arcs or circles

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diameter with approximately the same radius, the
system may assume that the radii are equal
Symmetry Two vertices may be assumed to be
symmetric about a centerline
Horizontal or vertical H or V Lines that are approximately horizontal or
lines vertical may be considered to be exactly so.

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Parallel or 2 or z Lines that are sketched approximately
perpendicular lines parallel or perpendicular may be considered
to be exactly so.
Tangency T Entities sketched approximately tangent to

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each other may be assumed to be tangent
Equal segment L Lines of approximately the same length
lengths may be assumed to have the same length
Point entities lying Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
on other entities or circles may be considered to be exactly on
collinear with other them. Points that are near the extension of a
entities line may be assumed to lie on it.

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Equal coordinates (( (( Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates

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Midpoint of line M If the midpoint of a line is close to a sketch
reference, it will be placed on the reference.

Two Ways to use Sketcher

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In this lesson, we will use two methods to create a couple of sketched features. The two
methods differ in how they use sketcher to define the cross section of the features. The
method you use in your own modeling is a matter of personal preference. Both features
we will make here are extrusions: one will be a protrusion (which adds material) and the

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other is a cut (which removes material). Either of the two methods shown here can be
used to create either protrusions or cuts; for either method, whether you add or remove
material is determined by a single mouse click!
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-9

In the first method, we invoke Sketcher first to create the cross sectional shape of the

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extrusion. This shape is defined in a sketched curve which becomes a stand-alone feature
in the model. We then launch the extrude command, specifying the curve to define the
cross section of the feature. In the second method, we do not create a separate curve but
rather invoke Sketcher from inside the extrusion creation sequence.

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In terms of design intent, the first method would be used if the sketched curve was going
to be used for additional features, for example an extrude and a revolve. The second
method (creating the sketch within the feature) is the traditional mode of operation, and
would be the method of choice if the sketched shape was to be used only in a single
feature.

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Creating a Sketched Curve
When we left the model last, the datum plane DTM3 was highlighted in red. If that is not

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the case now, use preselection highlighting to select it now.

In the datum toolbar on the right of the screen, pick the Sketched Curve button. Be
careful not to pick the datum curve button below it - that one will create a datum curve
using sets of existing datum points, points read from a file, or using equations. If you
accidentally pick the wrong button, you can back out with the Quit command.

Setting Sketch Orientation

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The Sketch dialog window opens as shown in
Figure 13. Since DTM3 was highlighted (in red)
prior to the present command, it has been

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preselected as the Sketch Plane. It is now
highlighted in the graphics window in orange.
This is the plane on which we will draw the
sketch. The view orientation has changed so that
you are looking directly at DTM3. Two dashed
lines represent sketch references that have been
chosen automatically - these are the other datum
planes seen on edge. A yellow circle is actually

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the “tail feathers” of a view direction arrow. Spin
the orientation with the middle mouse button to
Figure 13 Defining the sketch plane
see the arrow. The yellow arrow attached to the
and sketch orientation reference
edge of DTM3 should be pointing back into the
screen. This is the direction of view onto the

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sketch plane. The direction of view can be reversed with the Flip button in the dialog
window (Figure 13). Leave it pointing towards the back. DTM1 is now highlighted in red
in the graphics window. In the dialog window, DTM1 is identified as the Sketch
Orientation Reference, with the Orientation set to Right. What is all this about?
2 - 10 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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The relation between the sketch plane and the sketch orientation reference
generally causes a lot of confusion for new users, so pay attention!

The meaning of the sketch plane is pretty obvious - it is the plane on which we will draw
the sketch - in this case DTM3. Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane3.

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That is not enough by itself to define our view of the sketch since we can be looking at
that plane from an infinite number of directions (imagine the sketch plane rotating around
an axis perpendicular to the screen). The Orientation option list in the dialog window
(Top, Bottom, Left, Right) refers to directions relative to the computer screen, as in
“TOP edge of the screen” or “BOTTOM edge of the screen” and so on. We must
combine this direction with a chosen reference plane (which must be perpendicular to the
sketch plane) so that we get the desired orientation of view onto the sketching plane.

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In the present case, when we get into Sketcher we will be looking directly at the brown
(positive) side of DTM3. So that the sketch is the right way up, we can choose either
DTM2 to face the Top of the screen, or (as was chosen automatically for us) DTM1 can
face the Right of the screen. Note that both DTM1 and DTM2 are both perpendicular to

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the sketch plane, as required. The direction a plane or surface “faces” is determined by its
normal vector. The normal vector for a datum plane is perpendicular to the brown side.
For a solid surface, the orientation is determined by the outward normal.

Read the last couple of paragraphs again, since new users are quite liable to end up
drawing their sketches upside-down!

To illustrate the crucial importance of the reference plane, consider the images shown in
Figure 14. These show two cases where the same sketching plane DTM3 was used, the

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same sketched shape was drawn, the same reference orientation TOP was chosen, but
where different datums were chosen as the sketching reference. On the left, the TOP
reference was DTM2. On the right, the TOP reference was DTM1. The identical sketch,
shown in the center, was used for both cases (rounded end of sketch towards the top of

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the screen). However, notice the difference in the orientation of the part obtained in the
final shaded images. Both of these models are displayed in the default orientation (check
the datum planes). Clearly, choosing the sketching reference is important, particularly
for the base feature.

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Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can
manipulate your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane.
We will not attempt that here.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 11

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Figure 14 The importance of the sketching reference plane!

Let’s continue on with creating the curve. Make sure the Sketch dialog window is

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completed as in Figure 13. Select the Sketch button in the dialog window.

To verify the meaning of the dashed orange lines,

in the top pull-down menu, select

Sketch > References

This opens the References dialog window, Figure

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15. In this window we can select any existing
geometry to help Sketcher locate the new sketch
relative to the part. In the present case, there isn’t
much to choose from, and two references have

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been chosen for us - DTM1 and DTM2. These
references are responsible for the two dashed lines
in the graphics window. The number of references Figure 15 Choosing references in
you choose is not limited - there may be several Sketcher
listed here. You are also free to delete the ones chosen for you. However, notice the
2 - 12 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Reference Status at the bottom of this dialog. Fully Placed means enough references

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have been specified to allow Sketcher to locate your sketch in the model. If there are not
enough references, the status will be Partially Placed. For now, do not proceed beyond
this window unless you have a Fully Placed status indicated. Once you have that, select
Close in the References window.

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The drawing window is shown in Figure
16. Note that you are looking edge-on to
the datums DTM1 and DTM2. The datum
DTM1 (actually, its brown side) is facing
the right edge of the screen, as specified in
the dialog back in Figure 13. Note that we
could have obtained the same orientation

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by selecting DTM2 to face the top of the
screen.

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Another change is the addition of some Reorient to 2D

new toolbar buttons at the top of the screen.

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Sketcher view
These control the display of entities in the
sketch. See Figure 17. The four buttons
with the eyeballs control display of
dimensions, constraints, the grid (default

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off), and vertices. Leave these buttons in
their default position. It is seldom (if ever)
that you will need to turn on the grid in
Sketcher. The button at the left will return Vertices On/Off
you to the default view of the sketch if you Grid On/Off
should accidentally (or intentionally) go
into 3D view. Constraints On/Off

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Dimensions On/Off
Figure 17 Sketcher top toolbar buttons

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 13

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The Sketcher Toolbar

The major addition to the screen is

the new toolbar on the right of the Select
screen. This contains the Sketcher

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Create Line
tools and is shown in Figure 18.
Several buttons on this menu have Create Rectangle
fly-outs, indicated by the ' symbol Create Circle/Ellipse
on the right edge. These fly-outs lead
Create Arc
to related buttons, and are listed in
Table 2-2 on the next page. Create Fillet
Compared to some 2D drawing Create Spline
programs, this doesn’t seem like such

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Create Point/Csys
a large number of drawing
commands. Rest assured that there Use Edge/Offset
will not be much that you cannot Dimension
draw with these.

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Modify
When you are sketching, many of the Explicit Constraints
commands in the right toolbar are Create Text
instantly available (but context
sensitive) by holding down the right Sketch Palette
mouse button in the graphics Trim/Divide
window. This will bring up a pop-up Move/Mirror/Rotate
window of commands relevant in the
Accept or Continue

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current situation.
QUIT
Figure 18 The Sketcher toolbar

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Finally, a new Sketch pull-down menu is available at the top of the screen. Open this and
have a look at the available commands there. Two commands not in the toolbar are Data
From File and Options. The first of these lets you read in a previously created sketch.
The second lets you change the default settings used by Sketcher. Have a look at these
but don’t change anything just yet.

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From wherever you are in the Sketcher menu structure, a single middle mouse click

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will often abort the current command and return you to the toolbar with the Select
command already chosen. Sometimes, you may have to click the middle button
twice.
2 - 14 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Table 2-2 Sketcher Toolbar Flyout Buttons

Button Flyout Group Button Commands

Line 5 Tan-Tan Line 5 Centerline

Material Circle 5 Concentric 5 3 Point 5 3 Tan 5 Ellipse

Tangent End 5 Concentric 5 Center 5 3 Tan 5

Conic Arc
Circular fillet 5 Conic fillet

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Use Edge 5 Offset edge

Dynamic trim (delete) 5 Trim(extend) 5 Divide

Mirror 5 Rotate 5 Move

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Creating the Sketch

Select the Line tool using one of the following three methods:

• using the Line toolbar button on the right,

OR

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• in the pull-down menus select Sketch > Line > Line,

OR
Figure 19 RMB pop-up
• hold down the right mouse button and select Line

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menu in Sketcher
from the pop-up menu (Figure 19).

You will now see a small yellow X which will chase the cursor around the screen. Notice
that the X will snap to the dashed references when the cursor is brought nearby. While
you are creating the sketch, watch for red symbols (V, H, L) that indicate Intent Manager
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 15

is firing an internal rule to set up a constraint (Vertical, Horizontal, Equal Length). These

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symbols will come and go while you are sketching. The trick with Sketcher is to get
Intent Manager to fire the rule you want, then click the left mouse button to accept the
position of the vertex. Click the corners in the order shown in Figure 20. After each
click, you will see a straight line rubber-band from the previous position to the cursor

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position:

1. left-click at the origin

(intersection of DTM1
and DTM2)
2. left-click above the
origin on DTM1 (watch
for V)

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3. left-click horizontally to
the right (watch for H
and L - we do not want
L)

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4. left-click straight down
on DTM2 (watch for V)
5. left-click back at the
origin (watch for H)
6. middle-click anywhere
on the screen to end line
creation Figure 20 Drawing the Sketch

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When you are finished this sequence, you are still in Line creation mode (notice the
yellow X on screen and the Line toolbar button). If you middle click again, you will
leave that and return to Select mode - the same as if you picked on the Select button in
the right toolbar, but much faster.

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The sketched entities are shown in yellow. Note that we didn't need to specify any
drawing coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for that matter, are any coordinate values
displayed anywhere on the screen. This is a significant departure from standard CAD
programs. We also didn’t need the grid or a grid snap function (although both of these are
available if you want them).

You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these actually
extend off to infinity. The displayed extent of datum planes will (eventually) adjust to the

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currently displayed object(s).

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2 - 16 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Helpful Hints
If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, here are some ways to delete entities:
1. Pick the Select tool in the right toolbar and left click on any entity you want to
delete. Then either press the Delete key on the keyboard, or hold down the RMB and

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choose Delete.
2. If there are several entities to delete, hold the CTRL key down while you left click
on each entity. Then pick Delete as before.
3. You can left-click and drag to form a rectangle around a set of entities. Anything
completely inside the rectangle is selected. Use Delete as before.
4. Notice the Undo and Redo buttons on the top toolbar
We will cover more advanced Sketcher commands for deleting and trimming lines a
bit later.

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After you have finished the sequence

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above, Sketcher will put two dimensions on
the sketch - for the height and width of the
rectangle. These will be in dark gray, so
may be hard to see, but similar to those
shown in Figure 21. For the first feature in
a part, the numerical values of these
dimensions are picked more-or-less at
random (although they are in correct
proportion to each other)4. For later

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features in the part, Sketcher will know the
Figure 21 Completed sketch with weak
sketch size more accurately because it will
dimensions
have some existing geometry to set the
scale.

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Weak vs Strong Dimensions

A dimension created by Sketcher is called “weak” and is shown in gray. Strong

dimensions, on the other hand, are those that you create. You can make a strong
dimension in any of three ways:

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L modify the value of a weak dimension
or L create a dimension from scratch by identifying entities in the sketch and
placing a new dimension on the sketch
or L select a weak dimension and promote it to strong using the RMB pop-up

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menu

4
The default datum display with no other features present is actually ±250 units
from where they cross.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 17

Strong dimensions will be shown in white (actually a very pale yellow).

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The special significance of weak and strong dimensions is as follows. When Intent
Manager is “solving” a sketch, it considers the sketch references, any implicit rules that
have fired (like H, V, and so on) and any existing dimensions. If there is not enough

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information to define the drawing (it is underconstrained), Sketcher will create the
necessary and sufficient missing dimensions. These are the weak dimensions. If Sketcher
finds the drawing is overconstrained (too many dimensions or constraints) it will first try
to solve the sketch by deleting one or more of the weak dimensions (the ones it made
itself earlier). It will do this without asking you. This is one way for you to override
Intent Manager - if you don’t like the dimensioning scheme chosen by Sketcher, just
create your own (automatically strong) dimensions. Sketcher will remove whichever of
the weak dimensions are no longer needed to define the sketch. Sketcher assumes that

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any strong dimensions you have created shouldn’t be messed with! However, if Sketcher
still finds the drawing overconstrained, it will tell you what the redundant information is
(which may be dimensions or constraints), and you can choose what you want deleted.
Thus, although weak dimensions can be deleted without asking you, Sketcher will never

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delete a strong dimension without your explicit confirmation.

We want to modify the two weak

dimensions on the rectangle in a couple of
ways. First, we can make a cosmetic
improvement by selecting the dimension
text (the number) and performing a drag-
and-drop to move it to a better location.

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Note in passing that preselection
highlighting also works with dimensions
and constraints. Do that now, so that the
dimensions are located as in Figure 22

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(“off the sketch”).

Next we want to change the numeric value

of the dimension. Double-click on the
horizontal dimension. In the text entry Figure 22 Modified sketch
box, enter the value 20. When you hit
Enter, the sketch geometry will be updated with this new dimension. The dimension is
now strong. Change the vertical dimension to 30. It will also now be strong. (Click

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anywhere on the graphics window to remove the red highlight.) See Figure 22. Notice
that the indicated extent of the datum plane DTM3 adjusts to the sketch.

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2 - 18 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Now we’ll add a couple of rounded corners,

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technically known as fillets, on the top
corners of the sketch to help us “see” the
orientation of the feature in 3D. Select the
Fillet toolbar button on the right (or from

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the RMB pop-up menu) and pick on the top
and right lines in the sketch close to but not
at the corner. A circular fillet is created to
the pick point closest to the corner. Two
tangent constraints (T) are added, along
with a weak dimension for the fillet radius.
Do the same on the top and left lines.
Middle click to return to Select mode.

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Because our fillet command has removed
two vertices on the top of the sketch, Intent
Manager has removed our two strong
dimensions (which used those vertices) and Figure 23 Completed sketch

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replaced them with weak ones (see the message window). You can make them strong by
selecting them, clicking the RMB, and selecting Strong in the pop-up menu. Modify the
cosmetics and values of the fillet radius dimensions as shown in Figure 23.

This completes the creation of our first

sketch. Select the Accept (or Continue)
toolbar icon (the check mark). This returns
us to the regular graphics window with our
new sketched curve shown in red (last

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feature created). You can spin the model
around with the middle mouse button to see
this curve from different view points. When
you are finished with this, return the model

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to approximately the default orientation -
Figure 24.

Figure 24 Sketched curve

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Creating a Solid Protrusion
Most of the work to create this protrusion has been done already - creating the sketched
curve that defines its shape. This curve should be highlighted in red. If you have been

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playing around with the model and the sketch is blue, just left click on it to select it again.

There are a number of ways to launch the protrusion creation command. With the
sketched curve highlighted, the easiest way is to pick the Extrude button in the right
toolbar.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 19

What you will see now is a yellow shaded

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image of the protrusion, Figure 25. On this
shape, you will see a yellow arrow that
indicates the extrusion direction, which by
default comes off the positive side of the

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sketch. There is also a dashed line ending
in a white square. This is a drag handle.
Click on this with the mouse and you can
drag it to change the length of the
extrusion. This length is also shown in a
dimension symbol. You can even drag this
extrusion out the back of the sketch to
extrude in the opposite direction. This

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direct manipulation of the feature on the
screen is called, in Pro/E vernacular, Direct
Modeling. Bring the protrusion out the
front and double click on the numeric Figure 25 The protrusion preview

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dimension, and enter the value 30.

At the bottom of the graphics window is a new collection of tools. These comprise the
Dashboard. Many features are constructed with tools arranged using this interface
element. It is worth spending some time exploring this one in detail, since you will
probably be using it the most.

Helpful Hint

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You may accidentally leave the dashboard with an inadvertent click of the middle
mouse button. Remember that this is a short cut for “Accept.” If that happens, with
the protrusion highlighted in red, hold down the right mouse button and select Edit

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Definition. This will bring you back to the dashboard. The Undo command, if
executed immediately, will delete the feature.

The Extrude Dashboard

The dashboard collects all of the commands and options for feature creation in an easily

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navigated interface. Moreover, most optional settings have been set to default values
which will work in the majority of cases. You can change options at any time and in any
order. This is a welcome and significant departure from releases of Pro/E prior to
Wildfire.

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The dashboard contains two areas. On the left (Figure 26) are commands, settings, and so
on for the particular feature under construction. On the top row, the feature is identified
with the toolbar icon - extrude in this case - and several slide-up panels which do the
following:
2 - 20 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Extrude Icon
Placement - allows you to select,
Sketch plane and Sketcher
create, or modify the 2D
section to be used for the
feature. Since we preselected

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the sketched curve, it is now
listed on this panel. If we had
not preselected the curve, we
could have chosen it now, or Blind depth
launched Sketcher from this Thicken Sketch
Depth spec options
panel to create a new sketch. Surface
Remove Material
This would involve selecting Flip direction
the sketching plane, sketcher Solid

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reference, and so on. We will Figure 26 The Extrude Dashboard
go this route in the next
feature. If you wanted to change the sketch for the extrude, this is how you access
it. The Unlink button is currently displayed on the Placement panel. This button

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appears if, like now, you have preselected a curve to serve as the sketch for the
extrude. Thus, the extrude is linked to the previous curve feature; changes to the
geometry or dimensions of the curve would drive changes in the shape of the
extrude. The curve itself is a separate entry on the model tree. The purpose of
unlinking is to break this (parent/child) connection to the original curve. If you
were to select this command (don’t do this now), a copy of the original curve will
be brought into the extrude feature. In that case, a change to the original curve
would not affect the extrude. The original curve could be modified, moved, or even
deleted, and the extrude would still be able to regenerate. The use of external curves

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to drive feature geometry is an important aspect of an advanced modeling technique
that makes use of skeleton models.

Options - information about the depth specification

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for the feature. We will find out what is
meant by “Side 2" in a later lesson. For a
simple extrude, the depth specification is
easiest to set using one of the icons in the
lower dashboard area (see below).

Properties - specify the name of the feature

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The icons on the second row operate as follows:

Solid and Surface buttons - these are an either/or

toggle set. The default button is to create a

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solid. If you pick the next button, Surface,
the sketch will be extruded as an infinitely Figure 27 Extruded surface
thin surface (Figure 27). Return this to the
Solid selection.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 21

Depth Spec Options - the next button is a pull-up list of

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Symmetric
all the possibilities for setting the depth of the
extrusion. These are indicated in Figure 28. The To Selected
default is a Blind extrusion, which means the Blind
extrusion is for a fixed distance. Other options may

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appear here as more part geometry appears (as in Figure 28 Depth Spec
the cut which we will do next). options

Blind Depth - this contains the numeric value of the length of the protrusion. If the depth
specification on the button to the left is not Blind, this text input area is grayed out.

Flip - selecting this will reverse the direction of the

protrusion (the yellow arrow).

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Remove Material - this allows you to change the
meaning of the solid feature from a
protrusion (which adds solid material) to a

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cut (which removes solid material). Since
there is nothing to remove at this time, this
command is grayed out - all we can do is add.

Thicken Sketch - press this to see the solid block

replaced by a thin-walled extrusion (formerly
called a Thin Solid). A new dimension Figure 29 A Thick extruded solid
appears in the graphics window and on the
dashboard. This is the thickness of the solid wall. Try changing this thickness to

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something like 1.0. On which side of the sketched curve has this been added?
Another Flip button has also appeared. Press this a couple of times - it controls
which side of the sketch the material is added to. Actually, it is a three way switch
since you can also add material equally on both sides of the sketch. Press the

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Thicken button again to return to a full solid protrusion.

As you explore the creation of new features in Pro/E you should investigate what is in
each of these menus. They are context sensitive, so there is a lot of variety in what you
will find.
Pause
Creation QUIT
On the right end of the dashboard are several common
tools that appear for all features. See Figure 30. These

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function as follows:

Pause - allow you to temporarily suspend work on this

feature so that you can, for example, create a
Accept

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missing reference like a datum plane, measure
something in the model, etc. When you are finished View Geometry
with the side trip, press the symbol < that appears
here to continue where you left off. Preview Feature
Figure 30 Common
dashboard controls
2 - 22 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Preview - (default on = checked) this is responsible for the shaded yellow display of the

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feature under construction. Uncheck this - all you will see is the feature creation
direction, drag handle, and depth dimension. Turn this back on.

View Geometry (or Verify) - this shows what the geometry will look like when the

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feature is fully integrated into the part. Not much happens with this first protrusion.
Press again to return to preview.

Accept and Quit - do just what you expect!

Select Accept (or middle click). The

message window informs you that the
feature has been created successfully. The

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block now appears, Figure 31, with its
edges highlighted in red (last feature
created).

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We spent a lot of time discussing the
creation of this feature. Let’s create it again
without the discussion. Select the Undo
button at the top - this will delete the
protrusion. Now create it again:

T highlight the sketched curve

T select the Extrude tool
T change the depth to 30

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T middle click. Figure 31 Completed protrusion

You might open the Navigator pane to see the model tree. The three default datum planes
are listed. Then comes the sketched curve SKETCH 1 (hidden) and the extrude

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EXTRUDE 1. Open the listing for the extrude and you will see the internal sketch (also
SKETCH 1) that uses the hidden curve and is currently linked to it. If you have used the
Unlink button in the Placement panel, the model tree will appear somewhat differently -
the sketch stored inside the extrude is called S2D0001 and is independent of SKETCH 1.
Close the Navigator.

We will now add another extruded feature - this time we will create a cut that removes
material. Furthermore, instead of creating the sketch first, as we did for the solid

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protrusion, we will create the sketch within the feature itself. This is actually the more
common way to use Sketcher.

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 23

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Creating an Extruded Cut
Start by launching the Extrude command from Sketching
the right toolbar. The extrude dashboard at the Reference

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bottom of the screen opens. Open the (TOP)
Placement slide-up panel in the dashboard and
select Define. The Sketch dialog window
appears. This time, however, nothing has been
preselected for us as it was for the previous
sketch. We’ll have to enter the data ourselves.

First, the dialog is waiting for you to select the

sketching plane (notice the pale yellow data

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entry field). Pay attention to preselection here.
Notice the preselection filter setting (should be Sketching
Surface); you will not be able to pick an edge or Plane
a curved surface (both of these would be Figure 32 Setting up to sketch the cut

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illegal). Pick on the right side surface of the
block (see Figure 32). As soon as you pick the sketching plane (it highlights in orange),
a yellow arrow will appear showing the default direction of view relative to the surface.
The Flip button can be used to reverse this direction, but leave it as it is. Pro/E makes a
guess at a potential reference plane for you to use. This may depend on the current
orientation of your view, and might result in a strange view orientation in sketcher (like
sideways or even upside down). We want to be a bit more careful and specific here. Pick
on the top planar surface (Figure 32), between the two tangent lines of the rounded

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corners; the surface will highlight in red. In the Orientation pull-down list, select Top so
that the reference will face the top of the screen. We now have our sketch plane and
reference set up, so select Sketch at the bottom of the dialog window.

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We are now in Sketcher (Figure 33). Two Sketch reference
references have been chosen for us (the back
and top surfaces of the object). These will be
OK for now, so select Close in the References
window. We are going to create the U-shaped
figure shown in Figure 34. Note that there is
no sketched line across the top of the U - there
is no inside or outside. Thus, it is technically
called an open sketch (as opposed to a closed

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sketch for our previous feature). There are
some restrictions on the use of open sketches
which we will run across in a minute or two.

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You might prefer to set your display mode to Sketch reference
Hidden Line at this point.
Figure 33 References for cut sketch
2 - 24 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Helpful Hint

In general, try to keep your sketches closed - you will have fewer problems that way.

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Use the RMB pop-up menu to select the
Line command. Start your sketch at vertex
1 in Figure 34 - the cursor will snap to the
1 4
reference. Then drag the mouse down and
pick vertex 2 (note the V constraint), and
middle click twice to end the Line
command. Some weak dimensions will

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appear. Do nothing about them yet because,
since they are weak, they are liable to
disappear anyway. If we make them strong,
this will cause us extra work dealing with

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Intent Manager.
2 3

Figure 34 Sketch geometry

Helpful Hint

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Wait until the shape of the sketch is finished before you start worrying about the
dimensioning scheme or dimension values.

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Use the RMB pop-up menu again and select the 3-Point/Tangent End command. Pick on
the end of the sketched line (vertex 2) and drag the mouse downwards in the direction of
tangency. Once the arc has been established, drag the cursor over to the right (the arc will
rubber-band while maintaining the tangency constraint) and click at vertex 3. (If you drag
straight across to vertex 3 you will get a 3-point arc which is not automatically tangent at
vertex 2.) You should see two small blips that indicate when vertex 3 is at the same

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height as the center of the arc. Use the RMB menu to pick Line again.

Now left click at vertex 3 and draw a vertical line up to snap to the reference at vertex 4.
Our sketch is complete. Use the middle mouse button to return to Select mode. Your

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dimension values may be different from those shown in Figure 34. Your dimensioning
scheme may even be slightly different. It will be easier to see this if you go to hidden line
display instead of shading.

All the dimensions should be weak. Drag them to a better location if necessary (off the
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 25

part). Don’t be afraid to resize your display so that you can see everything clearly.

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Compare the dimensioning scheme with the one in Figure 36. We want to have a
horizontal dimension of 15 from the reference at the back of the part to the center of the
arc of the U. If you do not have that dimension, we’ll have to add one manually. This will
illustrate a case where we will override the Intent Manager.

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To create your own dimension, select the
Dimension command from the right toolbar
(or the RMB pop-up). Click on the vertex
at the center of the arc (it will highlight)
then click again on the dashed reference
line at the right. Now middle click in the
space above the part where you want the

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dimension text to appear. It’s that easy!
Note that this dimension shows
immediately in pale yellow (almost white)
since it is strong. One of the weak linear

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dimensions should be gone. Middle click to
get back to Select.

Figure 35 Final sketch for cut

We now have the implicit constraints and dimensioning scheme we want. So now we can
worry about the dimension values. Get in the habit of dealing with your sketches in that
order (shape, constraints, dimension scheme, dimension values). Modify the values of the
dimensions to match those in Figure 35.

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The sketch is now complete, so click on the Accept button in the toolbar5. If you are in
hidden line display, return to shading display. In the Sketch dialog window, select OK.

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The feature will now be previewed. A couple of new buttons have appeared on the
dashboard. First, in the Depth Spec pull-up list, there are a few more options available
(Figure 36). For this cut, we would like the sketch to be extruded through the entire part,
so pick the Through All option. Note that the dimension for a blind extrusion disappears
from the screen. To the right of this area, click the Flip button to make the extrusion go
through the part. The Remove Material button needs to be selected. Now, there are two
yellow arrows attached to the sketch. The one perpendicular to the plane of the sketch
shows the direction of the extrusion. The other shows which side of the sketched line we

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want to remove material from. These should be set as shown in Figure 37.

5
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This is one of the few times when a middle click does not mean “Accept”, which
is a good thing since inadvertent middle clicks happen often when you are in Sketcher.
2 - 26 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Blind

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Symmetric
To Next
Through All
Sketch
Through Until
Extrusion
Material Direction
To Selected Removal
Side
Figure 36 More Depth Spec

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options in the dashboard Figure 37 Defining cut attributes (direction
and material removal side)

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Now select the Verify button in the right area of the dashboard. If you have the Remove
Material button set wrong, that is for a protrusion instead of a cut, Pro/E will not be able
to create the feature. You will be launched into a Troubleshooter dialog window. You
might come back and explore this later. For now, if you are in this window, select
Cancel, turn Verify off, and select Remove Material again. The source of this problem is
the open sketch for the U. This sketch is ambiguous since when the sketch starts out from
the sketch plane, the vertices at the ends are out in the open air; Pro/E does not know how
to create the solid to attach it to the existing part. This problem does not occur with a cut
as long as the open ends of the sketch stay outside or on the surface of the part.

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Another common error with cuts is having the material removal side set wrong (the
second yellow arrow in Figure 37). If you do that for this part, you will end up with
Figure 38. Make sure the material removal arrow points to the inside of the U. Plus, you

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should explore the Placement, Options, and Properties menus on the dashboard before
you leave.

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Figure 38 Removing from the Figure 39 Cut feature completed
wrong side of the sketch
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 27

We are finished creating this feature, so select the Accept button at the right end of the

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dashboard. The part should now look like Figure 39 when in default orientation. The cut
will be highlighted in red as usual, as the last feature created.

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Saving the Part
It is a good idea when you are just getting started to save your model quite frequently,
just in case something serious goes wrong. If you have to bail out of the program, you
can always reload the most recently saved copy of the part and continue from there.

There are (as usual!) several ways to save the part:

•
•
•
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in the top toolbar, select the Save button, or
in the pull-down menus select File > Save, or
use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-S.

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Make sure that the Save Object dialog is showing the desired directory at the top. One of
the icons to the right of this will select the current working directory. At the bottom, you
enter the name of the object to be saved (remember that you can have more than one
object loaded into memory at a time). Accept the default model name [block.prt] (this is
the active part) by pressing the enter key or the middle mouse button. Pro/E will
automatically put the part extension (prt) on the file. If you save the part a number of
times, Pro/E will automatically number each saved version (like block.prt.1, block.prt.2,

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block.prt.3, and so on). Be aware of how much space you have available. It may be
necessary to delete some of the previously saved versions; or you can copy them to a
diskette. You can do both of these tasks from within Pro/E - we'll talk about that later.

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IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this
command at that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketched
section with the file extension sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated
and may be used again on a different part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be
read in from the saved file (using Data from File). In these lessons, none of the
sketches are complicated enough to warrant saving them to disk.

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Using Part Templates

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You will recall that in the block part created earlier, the first thing we did was to create
default datum planes. These (plus the named views based on them, which we didn’t
create this lesson) are very standard features and aspects of part files, and it would be
handy if this was done automatically. This is exactly the purpose of part templates.
2 - 28 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

A template is a previously created part file that contains the common features and aspects

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of almost all part files you will ever make. These include, among other things, default
datum planes and named views. Pro/E actually has several templates available for parts,
drawings, and assemblies. There are variations of the templates for each type of object.
One important variation consists of the unit system used for the part (inches or

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millimeters). Templates also contain some common model parameters and layer
definitions6.

A template can be selected only when a new model is first created. Let’s see how that
works. Create a new part (note that you don’t have to remove the block - Pro/E can have
several parts “in session” at the same time) by selecting

File > New

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or using the “Create New Object” button. The New dialog window opens. The

Part | Solid

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options are selected by default. Enter a new name, like exercise_1. Remove the check
mark beside Use default template and then select OK.

In the New File Options dialog window, the default template is shown at the top. It is
likely “inlbs_part_solid” (unless your system has been set up differently). This template
is for solid parts with the units set to inch-pound-second. It seems strange to have force
and time units in a CAD geometry program. Actually, this is included so that the part
units are known by downstream applications like Pro/MECHANICA which perform

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finite element analysis (FEA) or mechanism dynamics calculations. These programs are
very picky about units!

Note that there are templates available for sheet-metal parts and for metric units

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(millimeter-Newton-second). While we are mentioning units, be aware that if you make a
wrong choice of units here, it is still possible to change the units of a part after it has been
created (see Edit > Setup > Units).

There are only two model parameters in the default template. DESCRIPTION is for an
extended title for the part, like “UPPER PUMP HOUSING”. This title can (eventually)
be called up and placed automatically on a drawing of the part using, you guessed it, a
drawing template. Similarly, the MODELED_BY parameter is available for you to record

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your name or initials as the originator of the part. Fill in these parameter fields and select
OK.

The new part is created which automatically displays the default datums. They are even

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named for you (we will see how to name features in lesson 3): instead of DTM1, we have
RIGHT. TOP replaces DTM2, and FRONT replaces DTM3. The part also contains a
coordinate system, named views (look in the Saved Views List), and other data that we’ll

6
Model parameters and layers are discussed in the Advanced Tutorial.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 29

discover as we go through the lessons. The named views correspond to the standard

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engineering views. Thus, it is important to note that if you are planning on using a
drawing template, your model orientation relative to the default datums is critical. The
top-front-right views of the part are the ones that will be automatically placed on the
drawing later. If your model is upside down or backwards in these named views, then

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your drawing will be too. This is embarrassing and not likely to win favor with your boss
or instructor!

Now, having created this new part, you are all set up to do some of the exercises at the
end of the lesson. Do as many of these as you can. Perhaps do some of them in different
ways by experimenting with your sketch orientation, Sketcher commands, and so on.

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This completes Lesson #2. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the
commands that have been presented in this lesson. Create new parts for your experiments
since we will need the block part in its present form for the next lesson.

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In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of
relations, and spend some time learning about the utility functions available to give you
information about the model.

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2 - 30 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Questions for Review
Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

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1. What is meant by a blind protrusion?
2. What is the purpose of the sketching reference?
3. How do you specify the name of a part?
4. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
5. How do you save a part?
6. What is a template?
7. What is your system’s default template?
8. Where does your system store your part files when they are saved?
9. What is meant by the active part?

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10. How does Sketcher determine the radius of a fillet created on two lines?
11. What happens if you delete any of the constraints (H, V, etc.) on a sketch?
12. In an extrude, what happens if you set the thickness of a thickened sketch greater
than the radius of a filleted corner of the sketch?

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13. What is meant by Linking to a sketch?
14. In Sketcher, what is the difference between a gray and a white (pale yellow)
dimension?
15. In Sketcher, how do you create an explicit dimension?
16. In Sketcher, how do you indicate where you want the dimension text placed?

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 31

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Exercises
Here are some simple shapes that you can make with simple extrusions. They should
give you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Choose your

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own dimensions and pay attention to alignments and internal constraints. The objects
should appear in roughly the same orientation in default view. Have a contest with a
buddy to see who can create each object with the fewest number of dimensions. This is
not necessarily a goal of good modeling, but is a good exercise! Feel free to add
additional features to these objects.

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2 - 32 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

These parts are a bit more complicated, requiring two or more simple extruded features

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(protrusions or cuts). Think about these carefully before you try to make them.

1.

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2.
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3.
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 Pro|ENGINEER®
™
W I L D F I R E 3.0

Advanced Tutorial

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-1

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Lesson 1

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Message Window
(and Dashboard; top or bottom)
Pro/E Customization Tools
and
Toolbars
Customized buttons on
left, top, and/or right Project Introduction

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Synopsis:
Configuration settings; customizing the screen toolbars and menus; mapkeys; part

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templates; introduction to the project

Overview
This lesson will introduce tools for customizing your Pro/E configuration and working
environment and show you how to create some useful shortcuts for accessing Pro/E
commands. The major customization tool is the use of one or more configuration files

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(default files config.pro and config.win). The lesson also includes managing and creating
your own custom toolbars and mapkeys. We’ll also see how you can create your own
part templates. The major project used in this tutorial is introduced and the first four parts
are presented.

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Configuration Files (config.pro)
By now, you should be familiar with the commands for environment settings that are
available in

Tools > Environment

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These aspects of the working environment (and much more!) can also be controlled using
settings stored in configuration files (config files for short). Pro/E has several hundred
individual configuration settings. All settings have default values that will be used if not

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specifically set in a config file, or changed during a session.

The most important config file is a special file called config.pro that is automatically read
when Pro/E starts up a new session. You can also read in (and/or change) additional
configuration settings at any time during a session. For example, you may want to have
1-2 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

one group of settings for one project you are working on, and another group for a

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different project that you switch to during a single session. In this tutorial, we will deal
only with the use of the single configuration file, config.pro, loaded at start-up.

Several copies of config.pro might exist on your system, and they are read in the

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following order when Pro/E is launched:

‚ config.sup - this is a protected system file which is read by all users but is not
available for modification by users. Your system administrator has control of this
file.
‚ Pro/E loadpoint - this is read by all users and would usually contain common
settings determined by the system administrator such as search paths, formats,
libraries, and so on. This file cannot normally be altered by individual users.

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‚ user home directory - unique for each user (Unix)
‚ startup directory - the working directory when Pro/E starts up. To find where this
directory is, open the Folder Navigator when you first launch Pro/E1.

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Settings made in the first copy (config.sup) cannot be overridden by users. This is handy
for making configuration settings to be applied universally across all users at a Pro/E
installation (search paths for part libraries, for instance). An individual user can modify
entries in the last two copies of config.pro to suit their own requirements. If the same
entry appears more than once, the last entry encountered in the start-up sequence is the
one the system will use (except that settings in config.sup cannot be overridden). After
start-up, additional configuration settings can be read in at any time. These might be
used to create a configuration unique to a special project, or perhaps a special type of
modeling. Be aware that when a new configuration file is read in (or some settings

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changed), some options may not take effect until Pro/E is restarted. This is discussed
more a bit later.

Settings in config.pro are arranged in a table. Each row in the table is composed of two

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entries in the following form:

config_option_name config_option_value

Option values can be composed either of text, single numbers, or series of numbers. A
listing and description of many config options is contained in the on-line help. Select the
following (starting in the pull-down menus):

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Help > Help Center

Then pick the links:

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Fundamentals > Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals

1
In Windows, right click on the Pro/E icon on the desktop (if it exists), select
Properties > ShortCut and examine the Start In text entry field.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-3

Consider adding a bookmark for this page. In the Contents pane, expand the topics

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r Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals
r Configuring Pro/ENGINEER Fundamentals

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This shows quite a long list (partially shown in Figure 1) of possible options. Click on
some of these to see a short description and default values (in italics). You will have a
hard time remembering the meaning of all these options. Fortunately, as we will see in a
minute, the dialog window for working with configuration files contains a one line
description of each option and there is also a search capability for finding option names.
Although this makes finding the options much easier, you are encouraged to explore the
on-line help - you might find just the setting you need to make your life easier!

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Figure 1 On-line help for configuration options

The Configuration File Editor

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You can access your current
configuration file using

Tools > Options

This brings up the Options

window shown in Figure 2. If

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your system has options set
already, these will appear in the
window. If not, the central area
of the window will be blank, as

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in Figure 2. We’ll discuss the
operation of this dialog window
from the top down.
Figure 2 The Options window for setting and
editing the configuration file
1-4 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

The Showing pull-down list at the top will let you choose from a number of

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configuration groups (Current Session, your start-up config.pro, or elsewhere). Select
Current Session.

Deselect the check box just below the Showing pull-down box. After a couple of

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seconds, a complete list of all the Pro/E configuration options will appear. The first
column shows its name, and the second column shows its current value. An entry with
an asterisk indicates a default value.

Note that you can resize the column widths by dragging on the vertical column separator
bars at the top of the display area. At the far right (possibly out of the initial window
view) is a long (scrollable) one-line description of each option.

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Browse down through the list. There are a lot of options here (over 750!). Note that the
options are arranged alphabetically. This is because of the setting in the Sort pull-down
menu in the top-right corner. Change this to By Category. This rearranges the list of
options to group them by function. For example, check out the settings available in the

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Environment and Sketcher groups. Fortunately, there are a couple of tools to help you
find the option name you’re looking for. Let’s see how they work.

Check the box beside “Show only options loaded from file” and select
Sort(Alphabetical). Note that the options listed here are only those that are different
from the default settings.

Adding Settings to config.pro

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Assuming you have a blank config.pro, let’s create a couple of useful settings. At the
bottom of the Options window are two text boxes for entering option names and values.

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If you know the name of the option, you can just type it in to the first box. For new
users, a useful setting is the following. In the text box below Option, enter the option
name prompt_on_exit. As you type this in, notice that Pro/E anticipates the rest of the
text box based on the letters you have typed in. After typing enough characters (up to the
“x” in “exit”), the rest of the desired option will appear; just hit the Enter key. In the
pull-down list under Value, select Yes. Note that the option name is not case sensitive
and the default value is indicated by an asterisk in the pull-down list. Now select the
Add/Change button on the right. The entry now appears in the data area. A bright green
star in the Status column indicates that the option has been defined but has not yet taken

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effect.

Now enter a display option. The default part display mode in the graphics window is
Shaded. Many people prefer to work in hidden line mode - let’s make it the default on

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start-up. Once again, we will enter the configuration option name and pick the value
from a drop-down list. The option name and value we want are

display hiddenvis
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-5

Now select Add/Change as before (or just hit the Enter key after typing the “h”). Add the

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following option to control how tangent edges should be displayed (HINT: try typing in
the following: tan<enter>d<enter>):

tangent_edge_display dimmed

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Another common setting is the location
of the Pro/E trail file. As you recall, the
trail file contains a record of every
command and mouse click during a
Pro/E session. The default location for
this is the start-up directory.
Theoretically, trail files can be used to

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recover from disastrous crashes of
Pro/E, but this is a tricky operation.
Most people just delete them. It is
handy, therefore, to collect trail files in a

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single directory, where they can be
easily removed later. There is an option
for setting the location of this directory.
Suppose we don’t know the
configuration option’s specific name.
Here is where a search function will
come in handy.
Figure 3 Finding a configuration file option

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At the bottom of the Options window, click the Find button. This brings up the Find
Option window (Figure 3). Type in the keyword trail and select

Look in(ALL_CATEGORY) > Find Now

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Several possibilities come up. The option we want is listed as trail_dir - scroll the
description to the right to confirm this. Select this option and then pick the Browse
button at the bottom to identify a suitable location on your system for the value. Perhaps
something like c:\temp. Then select Add/Change. The new entry appears in the Options
window. In the Find Option window, select Close.

For some options, the value is numeric (eg setting a default tolerance, number of digits,

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or the color of entities on the screen). In these cases, you can enter the relevant number
(or numbers separated by either spaces or commas). For example, under Option, enter
the name system_hidden_color. Then under Value, enter the numbers 60 60 60
(separated by spaces). These give the values of red, green, and blue (out of 100). Equal

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values yield gray; this setting will brighten the hidden lines a bit from the default value.
Select Add/Change.

We have now specified five options. To have them take effect, select the Apply button at
the bottom. The green stars change to small green circles in the Status column. The
1-6 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

settings are automatically saved in a file current_session.pro in the working directory.

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For practice, enter the options shown in Figure 4. The order that the configuration
options are declared does not matter. Feel free to add new settings to your file (for search
paths, libraries, default editors, default decimal places, import/export settings, and so on).

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Figure 4 Some settings in config.pro

Notice the icons in the first column beside the option names. These mean the following:

(lightning) - option takes effect immediately

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(wand) - option will take effect for the next object created

(screen) - option will take effect the next time Pro/E is started

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If you are using a config file from a previous version of Pro/E you may see a “stop sign”
(actually a red circle with a line through it), which means that the option is no longer
used.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-7

Try to add an illegal option name. For example, in Release 2000i there was an option

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sketcher_readme_alert. Type that in to the Option field. When you try to set a value
for this, it will not be accepted (the Add/Change button stays gray). Pro/E only
recognizes valid option names! Thus, if you mistype or enter an invalid name, this is
indicated by not being able to enter a value for it.

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Saving Your config.pro Settings

To store the settings we have just created so that they will be loaded automatically, select
the Save A Copy button at the top of the Options window. At the bottom of the new
window, type in the desired name for the file - in this case config.pro and select OK. It
should be saved in your default (start-up) working directory. To confirm that the settings

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have saved properly, use the Open File button at the top of the Options window. Select
the config.pro file you just saved, then Open. You will have to Apply the new settings.

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Loading a Configuration File

To load a new configuration file, select the Open File button beside the Showing list.
Select the desired file and then Open. Note that these settings will be read in but not
activated immediately (note the green star). Select the Apply button and observe the
green star.

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Deleting Configuration Options

With the configuration file name visible in the Showing field at the top, highlight one of
the options and select Delete. Selecting Apply automatically saves the current settings.

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Now select Close in the Options window.

Checking Your Configuration Options

Because some settings will not activate until Pro/E is restarted, many users will exit
Pro/E after making changes to their config.pro file and then restart, just to make sure the

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settings are doing what they are supposed to. Do that now. This is not quite so critical
since the Options window shows you with the lightning/wand/screen icons whether an
option is active. However be aware of where Pro/E will look for the config.pro file on
start-up, as discussed above. If you have saved config.pro in another working directory
than the one you normally start in, then move it before starting Pro/E. On the other hand,

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if you have settings that you only want active when you are in a certain directory, keep a
copy of config.pro there and load it once Pro/E has started up and you have changed to
the desired directory. To keep things simple, and until you have plenty of experience
with changing the configuration settings, it is usually better to have only one copy of
config.pro in your startup directory.
1-8 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Note that it is probably easier to make some changes to the environment for a single

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session using Tools > Environment. Also, as is often the case when learning to use new
computer tools, don’t try anything too adventurous with config.pro in the middle of a part
or assembly creation session - you never know when an unanticipated effect might
clobber your work!

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Customizing the Interface (config.win)
In addition to the environment
settings, there are several ways of
customizing the Pro/E interface:

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using config.pro, toolbars, menus,
and mapkeys. An example of a
customized interface is shown in the
figure at the right. When you Menus

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modify the interface layout, your
changes will be saved in a Message Window
config.win file in a directory of your (and Dashboard; top or bottom)

choice (usually the current working

directory). It is possible and
permissible to have several different Toolbars
config.win files in different Customized buttons on
left, top, and/or right
directories, each with a different

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customization of the screen to suit
the work you may be doing on files
in that directory.
Figure 5 A (somewhat cluttered) customized screen

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In this section, we will introduce layout
methods to customize the toolbars
and menus.

Toolbars

With the cursor on the top toolbar, hold down the right mouse button. This brings up the

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menu shown in Figure 6. This shows the toolbar groups currently displayed (see check
marks); the toolbars can be toggled to include/exclude them from the display. The
contents of the menu might depend on the current program status. Each group contains a
set of functionally-related shortcut buttons.

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At the bottom of this pop-up menu, select Toolbars. This opens the Customize window
which contains a list of all available toolbars, and their location (see Figure 7). At the
bottom of this window you can specify whether or not, and where, to automatically save
the current layout settings. The default is config.win in the current working directory. As
mentioned above, you can create multiple config.win files, and use File > Save Settings
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1-9

and File > Open Settings in the Customize window to store and recall previous files.

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Note that in addition to the standard toolbar groups there are three initially empty groups
(Toolbars 1 through 3), which you can populate with short-cut buttons using methods
described below. The pull-down lists at the right allow you to place the selected toolbars
at different places on the screen (left, right, top of graphics window).

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Figure 6 The Figure 7 The Toolbars tab in the Customize window
Toolbar toggle menu

Changing Toolbar Buttons

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In the Customize window, select the Commands tab. (This is also available by selecting
Commands... in the menu shown in Figure 6 or using Tools > Customize Screen in the
pull-down menu.) The window shown in Figure 8 will open. Groups of toolbar
commands are listed in a tree structure in the Categories area on the left. Click on any of
the group names and the available short-cut buttons will appear in the Commands area
on the right. It is probably best not to place too many on a toolbar unless you are sure you
need them, since they will likely come up automatically when Pro/E enters particular

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modes.

If you really do want to add a button to a toolbar, just drag from the Commands area (in
Figure 8) and drop it onto an existing toolbar at the top, right, or left. The button will be

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added wherever you drop it on the toolbar. To remove it, drag it off the toolbar and drop
it somewhere else (on the graphics window, for example). Note that it is possible to mix
and match the short-cut buttons: any button can be placed on any toolbar. For example, a
button listed under the File category can also be added to the View toolbar. Buttons can
also be present on more than one toolbar. The possibilities are endless!
1 - 10 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

At the bottom of the Categories list is New Menu. You can drag this up to the pull-

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down menu area at the top of the screen to create your own menus of commonly used
commands. There is also a New Flyout command which allows you to create your own
flyout groupings in any toolbar.

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If you turn on one of the user toolbars (select Toolbar 1, 2, or 3 under the Toolbars tab),
an initially empty button will appear in the designated location (top, left, or right). You
can use the Commands selector to drag any button to define your own toolbar.

Check out the Navigation and

Browser tabs. One option available in
the Browser area will prevent the
Browser window from opening every

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time you start Pro/E. Notice that the
final tab in the Customize window is
Options. This lets you set the position
of the dashboard and

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command/message window (above or
below the graphics area) and some
other settings.

When you leave the Customize dialog

box, your new settings can be written
to the file designated in the bottom
text entry box. Each new or altered
config.win file is numbered

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sequentially (config.win.2,
config.win.3, and so on). Figure 8 Choosing short-cut buttons to add to
the toolbars

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It is tempting, especially if you are blessed with a lot of screen space, to over-
populate the toolbars by trying to arrange every commonly used command on the
screen at once. This is reminiscent of many other Windows-based CAD programs.
Before you do that, you should work with Pro/E for a while. You will find that
Pro/E will generally bring up the appropriate toolbars for your current program status
automatically. For example, if you are in Sketcher, the Sketcher short-cut buttons

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will appear. Thus, adding these buttons permanently to any toolbar is unnecessary
and the buttons will be grayed out when you are not in Sketcher anyway - you are
introducing screen clutter with no benefit. Furthermore, many commands are readily
available in the context-sensitive, right-mouse pop-up menus. When this occurs
within the graphics window, the commands are easier to get to than the toolbars.

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Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 11

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Keyboard Shortcuts - Mapkeys
A mapkey is a short sequence of keyboard key strokes or a function key that will launch
one or a series of Pro/E commands. Since many simple commands are launched using

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toolbar buttons, mapkeys are typically used to start extended command sequences.
Mapkeys are very similar to macros that can be defined in other software packages.
Mapkey definitions are contained/included in your config.pro file, so they are loaded at
start-up. Mapkeys are meant to be used with command sequences that you use frequently.

The mapkey key stroke sequence can be as long as you want; most users restrict mapkeys
to only 2, or sometimes 3, characters. This gives several hundred possible mapkey
sequences - more than you can probably remember effectively. Pro/E constantly
monitors the keyboard for input and will immediately execute a defined command

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sequence when its mapkey is detected. Single character mapkeys should be avoided due
to the way that Pro/E processes keyboard input. If you have two mapkeys “v” and “vd”,
for example, the second mapkey would never execute since Pro/E will trap and execute
the first one as soon as the “v” is pressed. For the same reason, a 3-character mapkey can

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never have the same two first letters as a 2-character mapkey.

Ideally, you would like to have mapkey sequences that are very easy to remember, like
“vd” (view default), or “rg” (regenerate). Because it is common to only use two
characters, it will take some planning to decide how you want to set up your definitions
to use only a couple of easy-to-remember key
strokes! The mapkey should be mnemonic, but
can’t collide with other definitions. You don’t want

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to have to remember that “qy” means “repaint the
screen.”

A practical limit on usable mapkeys is perhaps in

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the range of 20 to 30, although some “power users”
can use over a hundred. With the development of
the Pro/E interface (where some commands used to
be several menus deep into the program, requiring
numerous mouse clicks), the need for dozens of
mapkeys is diminishing - you can probably get by
with just a few.

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Listing Current Mapkeys

To see a list of your current mapkeys (some may be

defined in your config.pro file) select

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Tools > Mapkeys

This dialog window (Figure 9) allows you to define

and record, modify, delete, run, and save mapkeys. Figure 9 Defining mapkeys
1 - 12 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Note that each mapkey has a short Name and Description. The Name will be used on

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any short-cut button (described below), and the Description will appear at the bottom of
the main graphics window. Mapkeys that start with a “$” are function keys.

Note that mapkeys created using a previous release may differ in command syntax and it

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is likely that some mapkey definitions from previous releases will not function properly.
However, mapkeys are easy enough to record.

In the following, it is assumed that you have no mapkeys defined as yet. If any of these
tutorial mapkeys collide with existing mapkeys shown in the mapkeys list (Figure 9), you
can modify the keyboard sequence (for example, use “dv” instead of “vd”) for the new
mapkey.

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Creating Mapkeys

New mapkeys are created as follows. We will create a mapkey sequence “vd” that will

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reorient the view to the default orientation. To set this up, you will have to bring in one of
your previously created parts. We will not be modifying the part.

Select the New button in the Mapkeys menu. The Record Mapkey dialog box shown in
Figure 10 will open. Enter the data shown in the figure: key sequence, name, description.
Now we record the command sequence:

Record

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View > Orientation > Standard Orientation (in the top pull-down menus)
Stop > OK

Every command and keystroke between Record and

Stop is added to the mapkey. It’s that easy! Spin the

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model with the middle mouse button. In the Mapkeys
window, highlight the new mapkey “vd” and select the
Run button. It’s a good idea to check your mapkey
definitions now when it is easy to modify them.

As mentioned above, mapkey definitions are saved in a

configuration file (as in config.pro). New mapkey
definitions are appended to the end of the file. If you

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redefine a mapkey (or use a duplicate keystroke
sequence), the definition closest to the bottom of the
config file is the one that will be used. When saving a
mapkey you can choose either config.pro or

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current_session.pro. There are three ways to save the
mapkeys using the buttons in the Mapkeys window:

Figure 10 Creating a mapkey

Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 13

Save - saves only the highlighted mapkey

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Changed - saves any mapkeys changed this session
All - saves all mapkeys defined for session

Remember that if you save the mapkey in the current_session.pro or elsewhere, it will

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not be loaded automatically the next time you start Pro/E. To do that, you must explicitly
save the mapkey definitions into the config.pro file. Select one of the three options and
save our “vd” mapkey.

Also, be aware that if you save all mapkeys defined in the session, they are appended to
the end of the config.pro file. If you do this excessively, the file can become quite large
(and slow to load). You should occasionally edit the file with a text editor to remove the
early duplicates.

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wc
General Mapkeys
Window Close
Feature Creation Mapkeys
ct Create Cut
wa Window Activate cp Create Protrusion
rg Regenerate ch Create Hole
dd Done cr Create Round

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qq Quit
View Mapkeys
cc
cd
Create datum Curve
Create Datum plane

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rr Repaint Utility Mapkeys
sd Shade fr Feature Redefine
vd View Default fs Feature Suppress
vr View Refit fd Feature Delete
vf View Front fe Feature Resume

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vb View Back fm Feature Modify
vt View Top fi Feature Information
vl View Left

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vg View Right
1 - 14 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Close the Mapkeys window. Minimize Pro/E and open config.pro using your system text

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editor. Scroll down to the bottom of the file to see the new lines that describe the
mapkey. It is possible to move the mapkey definitions elsewhere in the file but for each
definition these lines should never be separated since they are a continuation of the same
sequence. It is possible, but probably not advisable, to try to edit the mapkey definitions

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manually - leave that to the power users! Exit your text editor and restore the Pro/E
window.

Some final points about mapkeys: it is possible to set up the mapkey so that execution
will pause to allow user input during the command sequence, either by picking on the
screen or through the keyboard. Mapkeys can also call other mapkeys. You might like
to experiment with these ideas on your own. The possibilities for customization are
almost limitless! Some commonly used mapkeys are listed in Table 1-1 on the previous

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page. As mentioned earlier, with the “flattening” of the user interface in Wildfire, the
need for mapkeys is diminishing. They are primarily used as shortcuts for a few, very
common command sequences. We will return to mapkeys after the next section.

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Creating a Customized Part Template
Most part files that you create contain many common elements such as datums, defined
views, coordinate systems, parameters, and so on. Creating these from scratch for every
new part that you start is tedious and inefficient. Prior to Release 2000i2 a very handy
model creation tool used the notion of a “start part” which contained these common
elements. Users would then create a mapkey that would bring the part into session and

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then rename it. This made the creation of new parts very quick and efficient, with the
added bonus that standard part setups could be employed.

This “start part” functionality has been built into the program using part templates.

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Several part templates are included with a standard Pro/E installation for solid and sheet
metal parts in different systems of units. You may have a reason at some point to create
your own template, which we will do here. We’ll also define a mapkey to quickly bring
it in session and allow you to change its name. Then you can immediately get on with
the job of creating features. We will create the part template from scratch, although you
could use any of the existing templates as a basis for this.

Select File > New. Make sure the Part and Solid radio buttons are selected. Deselect

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the Use Default Template box, and enter a name mytemplate. Select OK and in the next
window, select the Empty template and OK.

Create the default datum planes and use Edit > Set Up > Name (or select the features in

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the model tree and use the RMB pop-up menu) to rename the datums RIGHT (DTM1),
TOP (DTM2), and FRONT (DTM3). Now set up some named views.

View > Orientation > Reorient

and create the following three named views:

Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 15

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View Reference 1 Reference 2
Name
Direction Pick Datum Direction Pick Datum
FRONT Front FRONT Top TOP

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TOP
RIGHT
Front
Front
TOP
RIGHT
Right
Top
RIGHT
TOP

The completed list of saved views should appear as shown in Figure 11. Feel free to add
additional standard views (Left, Back, Bottom, Iso_Right, ...). Select OK to leave the

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Orientation dialog.

Check out our previously defined mapkey for setting the default view (“vd”).

Set the part units using

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Edit > Set Up > Units

and picking (or confirming) “millimeter-Newton-

Second”, then

Set > OK > Close

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We are finished with creating the start part, so save
it with the name mytemplate.prt. If you have write
access, move the part file to the Pro/E installation
directory, something like

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\ptc\wildfire30\templates

This is the default directory where Pro/E will look

for part templates. If you do not have write access
to this directory, leave the part file in your working
directory. You can rename the file to remove the
version number if you want, so that it appears as

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mytemplate.prt rather than mytemplate.prt.1.
Figure 11 Creating named views

Creating More Mapkeys

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Before we leave this new part template, let’s create some more mapkeys to go directly to
the named views. Select
1 - 16 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

Tools > Mapkeys > New

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Use the key sequence “vt” and enter a short name like “View Top” and description
“Orientation Top View”. Now record the mapkey using

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Record
Saved View List (a toolbar button) > TOP
Stop > OK

Spin the datum planes, and select Run to try out the mapkey. Similarly, create and test
two more mapkeys to go to the front view (“vf”) and the right side view (“vg”)2. Don’t
forget to save all the changed/new mapkeys in your config.pro file. Open up your
config.pro to confirm that they are there.

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Using the New Part Template

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Erase the current part from the session. Select

File > New

Deselect the Use Default Template box, enter a name (like test), and select OK.
Depending on what you did before, your template is either in your working directory or
in the default templates directory (or possibly both!). In the New File Options window,
scroll to and highlight the template mytemplate. This is the copy in the default

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templates directory. If you weren’t able to put your file there, use the Browse button to
find it in the working directory. Once the template is located, select OK. A copy of the
template is now brought into session and given the name you specified.

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Setting the Default Part Template

We can tell Pro/E to use our new template as the default by setting an option in
config.pro. Select

Tools > Options

and enter the Option template_solidpart. Set the value for the option by browsing to the

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template directory (or use the current working directory, wherever you have saved the
template file) and selecting the part file mytemplate.prt we created above. Select
Add/Change and then Apply the new setting (remember that this automatically saves the
config file).

2
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The mapkey “vr”, which is more logical for the right view, is usually used for
“View Refit”
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 17

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Creating a Mapkey to Start a New Part

Erase the current part from the session. Select

Tools > Mapkeys > New

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Enter the key sequence “cp” (“create part”), name “Create Part”, and description “Create
a New Part and Rename”. Now select

Record
File > New

Choose Part | Solid | OK. Leave the default part name as prt0001, and the check beside

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Use Default Template. Now select

File > Rename

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This is where we want the mapkey to stop, so select STOP > OK in the Record Mapkey
dialog. In the Rename window, enter a new name for the part, like test2, then select OK
twice. We have a new mapkey called “cp”, so highlight this in the Mapkeys dialog and
save it. Close the Mapkeys dialog window. Open the config.pro file to see the listing
added for this new mapkey.

To try out the mapkey, erase the new file with File > Erase > Current. Type “cp”.
Several windows will quickly open and close, and you will be left with the dialog box for

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renaming the part. You can now enter the desired name for a new part, which will
contain the default datums, units, and named views set up above to work with the view
mapkeys we created earlier. Pretty slick!

We have created a very simple part template here. You can make this as elaborate as you

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like with parameters, units, materials, layers, datum features and so on - even solid
features. For example, if you often create parts whose base feature is a cylindrical solid,
consider including this in a special template, perhaps called cylinder.prt. You can
include as many features as you want in a template and, of course, use any of the
provided part templates as a starting point for any new ones.

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Adding Mapkeys to Menus and Toolbars
Mapkeys can be added to any of the existing toolbars and pull-down menus. You might
like to do this for mapkeys that you do not use frequently, and are likely to forget.

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1 - 18 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

To see how this is done,

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select the Commands tab
in the Customize window
(see Figure 12). At the
bottom of the Categories

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list, you will find an entry
called Mapkeys. Select
this to see your currently
defined mapkeys on the
right. In the Mapkeys
pane, select the mapkey
Create Part. The two
buttons Description and

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Modify Selection are now
active. Selecting the Figure 12 Adding mapkeys to menus and toolbars
former shows you the
description you entered

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when defining the mapkey. Selecting the latter allows you to modify the mapkey button
image (currently a “happy face”) and display. You might like to get rid of the “happy
face”, since all mapkeys use this same icon. You can select from a large collection of
Pro/E icons, or design your own.

Drag the Create Part mapkey in the right pane up to the File pull-down menu and drop it
in a convenient location, as in Figure 13 (notice the changed button icon). Selecting this
will launch the mapkey.

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Another way to utilize mapkeys is to create
shortcut buttons on the toolbars. Again select
the Create Part mapkey in the right pane and
drag it to a toolbar.

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We now have three different ways to launch the
Create Part mapkey:

‚ from the keyboard, with “cp”

‚ from the pull-down File menu
‚ from the toolbar

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Experiment with these to find out which one is
most suitable for you. Again, remember the Figure 13 Create Part mapkey
cautionary note about cluttering up your screen. added to a pull-down menu

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Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 19

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Introduction to the Project
The assembly project to be completed in this tutorial involves the modeling and assembly
of the three-wheeled utility cart shown in Figure 14. The cart contains 26 or so parts,

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many of which are repeated in the assembly. The total assembly has about 75 parts
(mostly bolts!). We will use the techniques introduced in the lessons to model various
parts of the cart as exercises at the end of each lesson. We will average about 4 parts per
lesson, so you should get lots of practice! In the final lesson, we will assemble the cart,
using a number of advanced functions for dealing with assemblies. Try not to “jump the
gun” on this assembly task, since the functions to be covered in the last lesson can really
speed up your job of putting the cart together.

For your modeling exercises, the parts shown at the end of each lesson3 will illustrate the

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critical dimensions. A figure will also be provided to show where the parts fit into the
overall assembly. Not all dimensions are shown on each part - you can use your
judgement and creativity to determine the remaining dimensions. In this regard,
please take note of the following:

‚
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ALL UNITS ARE IN MILLIMETERS! You might set up your default part
template with this setting.
Dimensions are usually multiples of 5mm. For instance, all the plate material
and the wall of the cargo box are 5mm thick. The tubing is 25mm square.
‚ All holes and cylinders, unless otherwise dimensioned, are φ10. This applies
to bolt holes, pins, rods, and so on.
‚ All holes, unless otherwise dimensioned, are coaxial with cylindrical surfaces

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or located on symmetry planes.
‚ For some of the trickier parts, in addition to the figures showing the
dimensions, there will be some discussion and hints to help you get going.

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3
A complete list of project parts is included on page ix in the preface (right after
the Table of Contents) to this book.
1 - 20 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

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Figure 14 The assembly project - a three-wheeled utility cart

When we get to the final assembly in Lesson 8, remember that it is an easy matter to
modify dimensions of the various parts so that the assembly fits together. Don’t be too
concerned when you are modeling the parts if you have to guess at one or two
dimensions. These can be modified later if the need arises.

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When you are creating the parts, try to be aware of the design intent for the part and how
it might eventually be placed in the assembly4. For example, if the part has one or more
planes of symmetry, it is common practice to use the default datum planes for these. In
the assembly, the Align constraint using these datum planes is an easy way to position the

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part (usually with another symmetric part).

Although a suggested part name is given, feel free to make up your own part names
(although this might cause confusion in Lesson 8!). Remember that Pro/E is fussy about
files that get renamed in isolation, or moved to another directory. If a part has been used
in an assembly (or sub-assembly) or drawing, make sure the assembly or drawing is in
session if you rename or move the part so that the related files can also be updated.

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For the entire project, you will require about 10 Megabytes of disk space to store all the
parts and assemblies. This does not include parts we will make during the lessons
themselves, just the cart project parts. If you are not particularly careful about disk
housekeeping (like deleting older version of the part files), you will require more space.

4
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You might like to look ahead to the last lesson to see what assembly constraints
are used for each part.
Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 21

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Summary
This lesson should have given you enough ideas and ammunition to allow you to
customize the interface so that it will be most efficient for the type of work that you do.

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There are a surprising number of users who are unaware of many options available in
config.pro. Check them out!

In the next lesson we will look at functions directly involved in model creation. These
are for the creation of sweeps.

1.
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Questions for Review
What is the name of the file containing your configuration settings?

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2. What is the name of the file containing your screen layout settings?
3. When, and from where, are your configuration settings loaded? Why is there more
than one location?
4. What happens if your configuration file contains multiple entries for the same
option, each with different values?
5. How can you find out where your start-up directory is?
6. How can you create/edit/delete configuration settings?
7. When do configuration settings become active?
8. Is it possible to have more than one customized screen layout?

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9. How do you place toolbars on the top/left/right edge of the graphics window?
10. How do you add/delete shortcut buttons on the toolbars?
11. How many empty toolbars are there?
12. Where are the toolbar definitions saved?

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13. What is a mapkey?
14. Why do you usually want to keep mapkey names short?
15. How is the mapkey name different from the mapkey sequence?
16. How do you create a new mapkey?
17. Are new mapkeys stored automatically? Where?
18. What is the purpose of a part template? Where are they stored and how do you
access them?

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1 - 22 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

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Exercises
1. Create an assembly template. This should have named datums and named views to
match your view selection mapkeys and default units to match your default part

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template. Make this the default template for assemblies.

2. Set up a mapkey Create Assembly to create a new assembly using the default
assembly template.

3. Put the Create Assembly mapkey on the pull-down File menu.

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Pro/E Customization and Project Intro 1 - 23

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Project Exercises
We’re going to start off with some of the easier parts in the cart. These should give you
some time to experiment with your configuration file, mapkeys, and part template. The

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project parts are shown in the figures below. Their location in the cart is also shown for
reference in the Figure here:

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Part: handle_pin Part: front_spr_plate

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1 - 24 Pro/E Customization and Project Intro

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Part: arm_vbrack

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Part: arm_brack
Parametric Modeling
With
Pro/ENGINEER® Wildfire 3.0
An Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE

Randy H. Shih
Oregon Institute of Technology

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER 1-1

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Chapter 1
Parametric Modeling Fundamentals

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♦ Create Simple Extruded Solid Models.
♦ Understand the Basic Parametric
Modeling Process.
♦ Create 2-D Sketches.
♦ Understand the "Shape Before Size"
approach.

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♦ Use the Dynamic Viewing commands.
♦ Create and Modify Parametric
Dimensions.

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1-2 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Introduction
The feature-based parametric modeling technique enables the designer to incorporate
the original design intent into the construction of the model. The word parametric means

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the geometric definitions of the design, such as dimensions, can be varied at any time in
the design process. Parametric modeling is accomplished by identifying and creating the
key features of the design with the aid of computer software. The design variables,
described in the sketches and features, can be used to quickly modify/update the design.

In Pro/ENGINEER, the parametric part modeling process involves the following steps:

1. Set up Units and Basic Datum Geometry.

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2. Determine the type of the base feature, the first solid feature, of the design.
Note that Extrude, Revolve, or Sweep operations are the most common
types of base features.

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3. Create a rough two-dimensional sketch of the basic shape of the base feature
of the design.

4. Apply/modify constraints and dimensions to the two-dimensional sketch.

5. Transform the parametric two-dimensional sketch into a 3D solid.

6. Add additional parametric features by identifying feature relations and

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complete the design.

7. Perform analyses/simulations, such as finite element analysis (FEA) or cutter

path generation (CNC), on the computer model and refine the design as
needed.

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8. Document the design by creating the desired 2D/3D drawings.

The approach of creating three-dimensional features using two-dimensional sketches is

an effective way to construct solid models. Many designs are in fact the same shape in
one direction. Computer input and output devices we use today are largely two-
dimensional in nature, which makes this modeling technique quite practical. This method
also conforms to the design process that helps the designer with conceptual design along

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with the capability to capture the design intent. Most engineers and designers can relate
to the experience of making rough sketches on restaurant napkins to convey conceptual
design ideas. Note that Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful modeling and design
tools, and there are many different approaches to accomplish modeling tasks. The basic

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principle of feature-based modeling is to build models by adding simple features one at
a time. In this chapter, a very simple solid model with extruded features is used to
introduce the general feature-based parametric modeling procedure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-3

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The Adjuster design

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Starting Pro/ENGINEER

How to start Pro/ENGINEER depends on the type of workstation and the particular

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software configuration you are using. With most Windows and UNIX systems, you may
select Pro/ENGINEER on the Start menu or select the Pro/ENGINEER icon on the
desktop. Consult your instructor or technical support personnel if you have difficulty
starting the software.

1. Select the Pro/ENGINEER option on the Start menu or select the

Pro/ENGINEER icon on the desktop to start Pro/ENGINEER. The
Pro/ENGINEER main window will appear on the screen.

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toolbar as shown.

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1-4 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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3. In the New dialog box, confirm the model’s Type is set to Part (Solid Sub-
type).

4. Enter Adjuster as the part Name as shown

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in the figure.

5. Turn off the Use default template

option.

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6. Click on the OK button to accept the
settings.

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7. In the New File Options dialog box,
select EMPTY in the option list to
not use any template file.

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8. Click on the OK button to accept the
settings and enter the
Pro/ENGINEER Part Modeling

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mode.

Note that the part name, Adjuster,

appears in the title area of the main
window and in the Navigator

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Model Tree window.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-5

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Step 1: Units and Basic Datum Geometry Setups

♦ Units Setup and Pro/ENGINEER Menu Structure

When starting a new model, the first thing we should do is to choose the set of units

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we want to use.

1. Use the left-mouse-button and select Edit

in the pull-down menu area.

1. Pick Edit 2. Use the left-mouse-button and select

Setup… in the pull-down list as shown.

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 Note that the Pro/ENGINEER menu
system is context-sensitive, which means
that the menu items and icons of the non-
applicable options are grayed out

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(temporarily disabled).

3. Select the Units option in the Menu

Manager window that appeared to the
right of the Pro/ENGINEER main
window.

2. Pick Setup…

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3. Pick Units

5. Pick Set

4. In the Units Manager - System of

Units form, the Pro/ENGINEER

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default setting Inch lbm Second is
displayed. The set of units is stored
with the model file when you save.
Pick Inch Pound Second (IPS) by

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clicking in the list window as shown.

5. Click on the Set button to accept the

selection.
1-6 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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on the OK button to accept the change of the
units.

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 Note that Pro/ENGINEER allows us to change
model units even after the model has been
constructed.

7. Click on the Close button to exit the Units Manager

dialog box.

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8. Pick Done to exit the PART SETUP submenu.

 Note that the submenu appeared and disappeared as different

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options were selected; this is known as the tree structure menu
system.

♦ Tree Structure system

Root

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Submenu 1 Submenu 2 Command 1 (Leaf)

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Command 2 (Leaf) Submenu 3 Command 3 (Leaf) Command 4 (Leaf)

Command 5 (Leaf) Command 6 (Leaf) Command 7 (leaf)

The tree structure is an effective way to organize menu items. Similar items are placed in
a group that could belong to another subgroup based on the grouping method. The

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submenus represent different categories of items. The tree structure is used extensively in
the majority of CAD software menu systems.

Using the tree structure shown, we will follow Submenu 1 to Submenu 3 and reach
Command 5. If we then want to switch to Command 4, we will trace back to the root

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then branch off to Submenu 2. Keep this tree structure in mind while using the
Pro/ENGINEER menu system. Think of the overall scheme and it will be quite easy to
get to where you want to go. In Pro/ENGINEER, the Done option will usually return you
to the previous level in the menu structure.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-7

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♦ Adding the First Part Features — Datum Planes

Pro/ENGINEER provides many powerful tools for model creation. In doing feature-
based parametric modeling, it is a good practice to establish three reference planes to

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locate the part in space. The reference planes can be used as location references in
feature constructions.

 Move the cursor toward the right side of the main

window and click on the Datum Plane Tool icon as
shown.

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In the Navigator Model Tree window and the display area, three datum planes

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represented by three rectangles are displayed. Datum planes are infinite planes and
they are perpendicular to each other. We can consider these planes as XY, YZ, and
ZX planes of a Cartesian coordinate system.

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1. Note DTM3 is highlighted, click the Adjuster.PRT name in the
navigator window to deselect DTM3.
1-8 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Step 2: Determine/Set Up the Base Solid Feature
• For the Adjuster design, we will create an extruded solid as the base feature.

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1. In the Feature
toolbars (toolbars
aligned to the right
edge of the main
window), select the
Extrude Tool icon
as shown.

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• The Feature Option Dashboard, which contains applicable construction options, is
displayed above the message area near the bottom of the Pro/ENGINEER main
window.

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Feature option dashboard

2. On your own, move the cursor over the icons and

read the descriptions of the different options
available. Note that the default extrude option is set
to Extrude as Solid.

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choose Define to begin creating

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a new Internal sketch.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-9

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Sketching plane – It is an XY CRT, but an XYZ World
Design modeling software is becoming more
powerful and user friendly, yet the system still

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does only what the user tells it to do. When
using a geometric modeler, we therefore need
to have a good understanding of what its
inherent limitations are. We should also have
a good understanding of what we want to do
and what to expect, as the results are based on
what is available.

In most 3D geometric modelers, 3D objects

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are located and defined in what is usually
called world space or global space. Although
a number of different coordinate systems can
be used to create and manipulate objects in a

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3D modeling system, the objects are typically
defined and stored using the world space. The
world space is usually a 3D Cartesian
coordinate system that the user cannot
change or manipulate.

In most engineering designs, models can be very complex, and it would be tedious and
confusing if only the world coordinate system were available. Practical 3D modeling
systems allow the user to define Local Coordinate Systems (LCS) or User Coordinate

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Systems (UCS) relative to the world coordinate system. Once a local coordinate system
is defined, we can then create geometry in terms of this more convenient system.

Although objects are created and stored in 3D space coordinates, most of the geometric

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entities can be referenced using 2D Cartesian coordinate systems. Typical input devices
such as a mouse or digitizer are two-dimensional by nature; the movement of the input
device is interpreted by the system in a planar sense. The same limitation is true of
common output devices, such as CRT displays and plotters. The modeling software
performs a series of three-dimensional to two-dimensional transformations to correctly
project 3D objects onto the 2D display plane.

The Pro/ENGINEER sketching plane is a special construction approach that enables the

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planar nature of the 2D input devices to be directly mapped into the 3D coordinate
system. The sketching plane is a local coordinate system that can be aligned to an
existing face of a part, or a reference plane.

Think of the sketching plane as the surface on which we can sketch the 2D sections of the

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parts. It is similar to a piece of paper, a white board, or a chalkboard that can be attached
to any planar surface. The first sketch we create is usually drawn on one of the
established datum planes. Subsequent sketches/features can then be created on sketching
planes that are aligned to existing planar faces of the solid part or datum planes.
1-10 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Defining the Sketching Plane

• The sketching plane is a reference location where two-dimensional sketches are

created. The sketching plane can be any planar part surface or datum plane. Note that

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Pro/ENGINEER uses a two-step approach in setting up the selection and alignment of
the sketching plane.

In the Section Placement window, the

selection of the sketch plane and the
orientation of the sketching plane are
organized into two groups as shown in the
figure. The Sketch Plane can be set to any

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surfaces, including datum planes. The
Sketch Orientation is set based on the
selection of the Sketch plane.

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1. Move the cursor inside the Plane option
box in the Sketch window as shown. The
message “Select a plane or surface to

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define sketch plane.” is displayed in the
message area and in the tool tip box.

Material 2. In the graphic area, select DTM2 by

clicking on the text DTM2 as shown.

Notice an arrow appears on the edge of

DTM2. The arrow direction indicates the
viewing direction of the sketch plane. The
viewing direction can be reversed by

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clicking on the Flip button in the Sketch
Orientation section of the popup window.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-11

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Defining the Orientation of the Sketching Plane

• Although we have selected the sketching plane, Pro/ENGINEER still needs additional
information to define the orientation of the sketch plane. Pro/ENGINEER expects us

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to choose a reference plane (any plane that is perpendicular to the selected sketch
plane) and the orientation of the reference plane is relative to the computer screen.

To define the orientation of the sketching plane, select the facing

direction of the reference plane with respect to the computer screen.

The selected sketching plane,

DTM2, will be aligned parallel
to the 2D computer screen.

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We will orient the sketching
plane by setting the positive
side of DTM3 to face toward
the bottom edge of the
computer screen.

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Material 1. Click inside the Reference option box in the Sketch-
Orientation window as shown. The message “Select a
reference, such as surface, plane or edge to define
view orientation.” is displayed in the message area.

2. In the graphic area, select DTM3 by clicking on the text DTM3 as shown in

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the above figure.

3. In the Orientation list, pick Bottom to

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set the orientation of the reference plane.
1-12 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Copyrighted 4. Pick Sketch to exit the Section Placement

window and proceed to enter the
Pro/ENGINEER sketcher mode.

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• Pro/ENGINEER will now rotate the three datum planes: DTM2 aligned to the
screen and the positive side of DTM3 facing toward the bottom edge of the
computer screen.

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The orientation of the sketching plane can be very confusing to new users. Read

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through this section again and make sure you understand the steps involved.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-13

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Step 3: Creating 2D Rough Sketches

♦ Shape Before Size – Creating Rough Sketches

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Quite often during the early design stage, the shape of a design may not have any precise
dimensions. Most conventional CAD systems require the user to input the precise lengths
and location dimensions of all geometric entities defining the design, and some of the
values may not be available during the early design stage. With parametric modeling, we
can use the computer to elaborate and formulate the design idea further during the initial
design stage. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can use the computer as an electronic sketchpad
to help us concentrate on the formulation of forms and shapes for the design. This
approach is the main advantage of parametric modeling over conventional solid-
modeling techniques.

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As the name implies, rough sketches are not precise at all. When sketching, we simply
sketch the geometry so it closely resembles the desired shape. Precise scale or dimensions
are not needed. Pro/ENGINEER provides us with many tools to assist in finalizing

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sketches, known as sections. For example, geometric entities such as horizontal and
vertical lines are set automatically. However, if the rough sketches are poor, much more
work will be required to generate the desired parametric sketches. Here are some general
guidelines for creating sketches in Pro/ENGINEER:

• Create a sketch that is proportional to the desired shape. Concentrate on the

shapes and forms of the design.

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• Keep the sketches simple. Leave out small geometry features such as fillets, rounds,
and chamfers. They can easily be placed using the Fillet and Chamfer commands
after the parametric sketches have been established.

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Exaggerate the geometric features of the desired shape. For example, if the
desired angle is 85 degrees, create an angle that is 50 or 60 degrees. Otherwise,
Pro/ENGINEER might assume the intended angle to be a 90-degree angle.

• Draw the geometry so that it does not overlap. The sketched geometry should
eventually form a closed region. Self-intersecting geometric shapes are not allowed.

• The sketched geometric entities should form a closed region. To create a solid
feature, such as an extruded solid, a closed region section is required so that the

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extruded solid forms a 3D volume.

 Note: The concepts and principles involved in parametric modeling are very
different, and sometimes they are totally opposite, to those of the conventional

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computer aided drafting systems. In order to understand and fully utilize
Pro/ENGINEER’s functionality, it will be helpful to take a Zen approach to learning
the topics presented in this text: Temporarily forget your knowledge and
experiences using conventional computer aided drafting systems.
1-14 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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♦ The Pro/ENGINEER SKETCHER and INTENT MANAGER

In previous generation CAD programs, construction of models relies on exact

dimensional values, and adjustments to dimensional values are quite difficult once the

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model is built. With Pro/ENGINEER, we can now treat the sketch as if it is being done
on a napkin, and it is the general shape of the design that we are more interested in
defining. The Pro/ENGINEER part model contains more than just the final geometry. It
also contains the design intent that governs what will happen when geometry changes.
The design philosophy of “shape before size” is implemented through the use of the
Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher. This allows the designer to construct solid models in a higher
level and leave all the geometric details to Pro/ENGINEER.

One of the main improvements in Pro/ENGINEER since Release 20 is the introduction

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and enhancements of the Intent Manager in the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

The Intent Manager enables us to do:

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Dynamic dimensioning and constraints
• Add or delete constraints explicitly
• Undo any Sketcher operation

The first thing that Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher expects us to do, which is displayed in the
References window, is to specify sketching references. In the previous sections, we
created the three datum planes to help orient the model in 3D space. Now we need to
orient the 2D sketch with respect to the three datum planes. At least two references are
required to orient the sketch in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. By

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default, the two planes (in our example, DTM1 and DTM3) that are perpendicular to the
sketching plane (DTM2) are automatically selected.

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 Note that DTM1 and DTM3 are pre-
selected as the sketching references.
In the graphics area, the two
references are displayed with two
dashed lines.

• In Pro/E, a 2D sketch needs to be

Fully Placed with respect to at least

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two references. In this case, DTM1
is used to control the horizontal
placement of geometry, where
DTM3 is used to control the vertical
placements.

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Next, we will create a rough sketch by using some of the visual aids available, and
then update the design through the associated control parameters.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-15

Copyrighted • Move the graphics cursor to the Line icon in the Sketcher
toolbar. A help-tip box appears next to the cursor and a
brief description of the command options is displayed in

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the message area.

The Sketcher toolbar, located on the right side of the main window, provides tools for
creating the basic 2D geometry that can be used to create features and parts.

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Graphics Cursors

Notice the cursor changes from an arrow to an
arrow with a small crosshair when graphical input

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is expected.

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1. Move the cursor near the intersection of the two
references, and notice that the small crosshair attached to
the cursor will automatically snap to the intersection point.
Left-click once to place the starting point as shown.

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2. As you move the graphics cursor, you will see different symbols appear at
different locations.

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Constraint Symbol 3. Move the cursor along the vertical reference
and create a short horizontal line by clicking
Point 2 at a location to the right of the starting point
(Point 2) as shown. Notice the geometric
constraint symbol, H, indicating the created

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line is horizontal.
1-16 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Geometric Constraint Symbols

Pro/ENGINEER displays different visual clues, or symbols, to show you alignments,
perpendicularities, tangencies, etc. These constraints are used to capture the design
intent by creating constraints where they are recognized. Pro/ENGINEER displays the

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governing geometric rules as models are built.

V Vertical indicates a segment is vertical

H Horizontal indicates a segment is horizontal

L Equal Length indicates two segments are of equal length

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R Equal Radii indicates two curves are of equal radii

T Tangent indicates two entities are tangent to each other

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Parallel

Perpendicular
indicates a segment is parallel to other entities

indicates a segment is perpendicular to other entities

Symmetry indicates two points are symmetrical

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Point on Entity indicates the point is on another entity

4. Complete the sketch as

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shown, a closed region
ending at the starting point
Point 3
Point 4 (Point 1). Watch the
displayed constraint symbols
while sketching, especially
the applied Equal Length
constraint, L1, to the two
short horizontal edges.
Point 1

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Point 2  Note that all segments are
either vertical or horizontal.

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5. Inside the graphics area, click twice with the middle-mouse-button to end the
current line sketch.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-17

Pro/ENGINEER’s Intent Manager automatically places dimensions and constraints

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on the sketched geometry. This is known as the Dynamic Dimensioning and
Constraints feature. Constraints and dimensions are added “on the fly.” Do not be
concerned with the size of the sketched geometry or the displayed dimensional
values; we will modify the sketched geometry in the following sections.

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Dynamic Viewing Functions

Pro/ENGINEER provides a special user interface, Dynamic Viewing, which enables
convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time. The Dynamic
Viewing functions are controlled with the combinations of the middle mouse button,
the [Ctrl] key and the [Shift] key on the keyboard.

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Zooming – [Ctrl] key and [middle-mouse-button]

Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse vertically on the screen to adjust the scale of the

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display. Moving upward will reduce the scale of the display, making the
entities display smaller on the screen. Moving downward will magnify the
scale of the display.

Zoom Ctrl + Middle mouse button

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Panning – [Shift] key and [middle-mouse-button]

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Hold down the [Shift] key and press down the middle-mouse-button in the
display area. Drag the mouse to pan the display. This allows you to reposition
the display while maintaining the same scale factor of the display. This
function acts as if you are using a video camera. You control the display by
moving the mouse.

Shift

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Pan + Middle mouse button

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 On your own, use the Dynamic Viewing functions to reposition and magnify the scale
of the 2D sketch to the center of the screen so that it is easier to work with.
1-18 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Step 4: Apply/modify constraints and dimensions
 As the sketch is made, Pro/ENGINEER automatically applies geometric constraints
(such as horizontal, vertical and equal length) and dimensions to the sketched
geometry. We can continue to modify the geometry, apply additional constraints

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and/or dimensions, or define/modify the size and location of the existing geometry. It
is more than likely that some of the automatically applied dimensions may not match
with the design intent we have in mind. For example, we might want to have
dimensions identifying the overall-height, overall-width, and the width of the inside-
cut of the design, as shown in the figures below.

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Current Sketch

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Material Sketch in mind

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-19

Copyrighted 1. Click on the Dimension icon in the Sketcher toolbar

as shown. This command allows us to create defining
dimensions.

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2. Select the inside horizontal line by left-clicking once
on the line as shown.

2. Pick the inside

horizontal line as the
geometry to dimension.

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at a location that is

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below the line.

3. Move the graphics cursor below the selected line and click once with the

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middle-mouse-button to place the dimension. (Note that the value displayed
on your screen might be different than what is shown in the above figure.)

4. Select the right vertical

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4. Pick the right vertical line.
line as the geometry to
5. Place the dimension, by
dimension. clicking once with the
middle-mouse-button at a
location toward the right
of the sketch.

5. Place the dimension
The Dimension command

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toward the right side. will create a length
dimension if a single line
is selected.

•
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Notice the overall-height dimension applied automatically by the Intent Manager is
removed as the new dimension is defined.
1-20 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Note that the dimensions we just created are displayed with a different color than

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those that are applied automatically. The dimensions created by the Intent Manager
are called weak dimensions, which can be replaced/deleted as we create specific
defining dimensions to satisfy our design intent.

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6. Select the top horizontal line as shown below.

7. Select the inside horizontal line as shown below.

8. Place the dimension, by clicking once with the middle-mouse-button, at a

location in between the selected lines as shown below.

6. Pick the top line as the

1st geometry to dimension

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8. Place the dimension
in between the two
7. Pick this line as
the 2nd geometry to

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dimension
selected lines.

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When two parallel lines are
selected, the Dimension
command will create a
dimension measuring the
distance in between.

 Examine the established

dimensions and constraints

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in the sketch that you have
created, is the sketch fully
described? Or should we
add additional dimensions?

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-21

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Modifying the dimensions of the sketch

1. Click on the Select icon in the Sketcher toolbar as shown.

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The Select command allows us to perform several
modification operations on the sketched geometry and
dimensions.

2. Select the overall height dimension of the

sketch by double-clicking with the left-
mouse-button on the dimension text.

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2. Modify the overall 3. In the dimension value box, the current
height-dimension. length of the line is displayed. Enter 3 as
the new value for the dimension.

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4. Press the ENTER key once to accept the
entered value.

 Pro/ENGINEER will
update the sketch using the
entered dimension value.

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Since the other dimensions
are much larger, the sketch
becomes greatly distorted.
We will take a different

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approach to modify the
geometry.

5. Click on the Undo icon in the Standard toolbar to undo the Modify
Dimension performed.

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 Notice that the Redo icon is also available in the Standard toolbar.
1-22 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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6. In the pull-down menu area, click on Edit to display the option list and select
the following option items:

Edit
Select
All (Note that Crtl+Alt+A can also activate this option.)

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Material 7. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Modify icon
as shown.

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With the pre-selection option, all dimensions are selected and listed in the Modify
Dimensions dialog box.

Material 8. Turn off the Regenerate option by

left-clicking once on the option as
shown.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-23

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9. On you own, adjust the dimensions as shown below. Note that the dimension
selected in the Modify Dimensions dialog box is identified with an enclosed
box in the display area.

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Material 10. Inside the Modify Dimensions dialog box, click on the Accept
button to regenerate the sketched geometry and exit the Modify
Dimensions command.

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Repositioning Dimensions

1. Confirm the Select icon, in the Sketcher toolbar, is activated

as shown.

Material 2. Press and hold down the left-mouse-button on any dimension

text, then drag the dimension to a new location in the display
area. (Note the cursor is changed to a moving arrow icon
during this operation.)

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1-24 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Step 5: Completing the Base Solid Feature

Now that the 2D sketch is completed, we will proceed to the next step: creating a 3D
part from the 2D section. Extruding a 2D section is one of the common methods that

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can be used to create 3D parts. We can extrude planar faces along a path. In
Pro/ENGINEER, the default extrusion direction is perpendicular to the sketching
plane, DTM2.

1. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the feature
definition.

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2. In the Feature Option Dashboard, confirm the Depth Value option is set as
shown. This option sets the extrusion of the section by Extrude from
sketch plane by a specific depth value.

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3. In the depth value box, enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth.

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4. In the message area, click on the Accept button to
proceed with the feature definition.

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 Note that all dimensions disappeared from the screen. All parametric definitions are
stored in the Pro/ENGINEER database, and any of the parametric definitions can be

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displayed and edited at any time.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-25

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The Third Dynamic Viewing Function
3D Dynamic Rotation – [middle mouse button]

Press down the middle-mouse-button in the display area. Drag the mouse on

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the screen to rotate the model about the screen.

3D Rotation Middle mouse button

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On your own, practice the use of the Dynamic Viewing functions, which
enables convenient viewing of the entities in the display area at any time.

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Zoom Ctrl + Middle mouse button

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Pan Shift + Middle mouse button
1-26 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Display Modes: Wireframe, Shaded, Hidden Edge, No Hidden

• The display in the graphics window has four display-modes: wireframe, hidden edge
displayed as hidden lines, no hidden lines, and shaded image. To change the display

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mode in the active window, click on one of the display mode buttons on the Standard
toolbar, as shown in the figure below.

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Wireframe Image:

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The first icon in the display mode button group allows the display of
3D objects using the basic wireframe representation scheme.

Hidden-Edge Display:
The second icon in the display mode button group can be used to

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generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
shown as hidden lines.

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No Hidden-Edge Display:
The third icon in the display mode button group can be used to
generate a wireframe image of the 3D object with all the back lines
removed.

Shaded Solid:
The fourth icon in the display mode button group generates a shaded

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image of the 3D object.

 On your own, use the different viewing options described in the above sections to

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familiarize yourself with the 3D viewing/display commands.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-27

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Step 6: Adding additional features

• Next, we will create another extrusion feature that will be added to the existing solid
object.

Material 1. In the Feature Toolbars (toolbars aligned to the right

edge of the main window), select the Extrude Tool
option as shown.

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and choose Define to begin
creating a new Internal sketch.

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3. Pick the right vertical face of the solid model as the sketching plane as shown
in the below figure.

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Material Select this face of the base
feature as the sketching
plane for the 2nd solid
feature.

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4. On your own, confirm the viewing direction is set as shown in the figure
above.
1-28 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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5. In the display area, pick the top face of the base feature as shown.

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Select the top face of the
base feature as the
reference plane to set the
orientation of the sketch
plane.

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Material 6. In the Sketch Orientation menu, pick Top to set
the reference plane Orientation.

7. Pick Sketch to exit the Section Placement window and

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proceed to enter the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher mode.

8. Note that the top surface of the solid model and DTM3 are pre-selected as the
sketching references. In the graphics area, the two references are highlighted

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and displayed with two dashed lines.

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-29

Copyrighted 9. In the pull-down menu area, click

on Sketch to display the option list
and select the References option:

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Sketch
References...

 This will bring up the References

dialog box.

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surface of the solid model and DTM3 are pre-

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selected as the sketching references as shown.

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10. Select the right edge and the
bottom edge of the base feature
so that the four sides of the
selected sketching plane, or

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corresponding datum planes, are
used as references as shown.

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11. In the References dialog box,

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click on the Close button to
accept the selections.
1-30 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

Copyrighted 12. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Rectangle icon as

shown to activate the Create Rectangle command.

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Create a rectangle by clicking on the lower left corner of the solid model as
shown below.

14. Move the cursor upward and place the opposite corner of the rectangle along the
right edge of the base solid as shown below.

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corner of the rectangle
14. Locate the second
corner of the rectangle

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to the lower left corner along this vertical edge.
of the base solid.

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15. On your own, modify the height dimension to 0.75 as shown.

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Note that only one dimension, the height dimension, is applied to the 2D sketch; the
width of the rectangle is defined by the references.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-31

Copyrighted 16. In the Sketcher toolbar, click on the Accept

icon to end the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher
and proceed to the next element of the
feature definition.

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17. Click OK to close the Sketch dialog box.

18. In the Feature Option Dashboard, confirm the Depth Value option is set and
enter 2.5 as the extrusion depth as shown.

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Material 19. In the message area, click on the Accept button to
proceed with the feature definition.

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1-32 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Creating a CUT Feature

We will create a circular cut as the next solid feature of the design. Note that the
procedure in creating a cut feature is almost the same as creating a protrusion feature.

Material 1. In the Feature Toolbars (toolbars aligned to the right edge

of the main window), select the Extrude Tool option as
shown.

2. Click the Placement option and

choose Define to begin creating a

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new Internal sketch.

3. We will use the top surface of the last feature as the sketching plane. Click once,

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with the left-mouse-button, inside the top surface of the rectangular solid feature
as shown in the figure below.

4. In the Sketch Orientation menu, confirm the

reference plane Orientation is set to Right.

5. Pick the right vertical face of the second solid

feature as the reference plane, which will be
oriented toward the right edge of the computer

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screen.

Material Sketching Plane

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Orient this reference
Viewing plane to face the right
Direction edge of the computer
screen.

Material6. Pick Sketch to exit the Sketch dialog window and proceed to
enter the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher mode.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-33

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Creating the 2D Section of the CUT Feature

1. Note that the right vertical plane is pre-

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selected as a reference for the new sketch.

• Note that at least one horizontal reference and

one vertical reference are required to position
a 2D sketch. We will need at least one more
vertical reference for this sketch.

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2. Select DTM3 as the
vertical sketching
references as shown. In
the graphics area, the two
references are highlighted
and displayed with two
dashed lines.

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Material 3. Click on the Close button to accept the
selected references and proceed to entering
the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher module.

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1-34 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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4. In the Sketcher toolbar, select Circle as shown. The default
option is to create a circle by specifying the center point and a
point through which the circle will pass. The message “Select
the center of a circle” is displayed in the message area.

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5. On your own, create a circle of arbitrary size on the sketching plane as shown.

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6. On your own, edit/modify the dimensions as shown.

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exit the Pro/ENGINEER 2D Sketcher and proceed to
the next element of the feature definition.

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8. Click OK to close the Sketch dialog box..
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-35

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9. Click on the Remove Material icon as shown in the below figure.

Material 10. In the Feature Option Dashboard,

select the Extrude to intersect
with all surface option as shown.

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Note that this Thru All option does
not require us to enter a value to
define the depth of the extrusion;
Pro/ENGINEER will calculate the
required value to assure the extrusion

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is through the entire solid model.

11. On your own, use the Dynamic Rotate function to view the feature.

12. Click on the Flip direction icon as shown in the below figure to set the cut
direction.

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1-36 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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13. Click on Accept to proceed with the extrusion option.

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Save the Part and Exit

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1. Select Save in the Standard toolbar, or you can
also use the “Ctrl-S” combination (press down the
[Ctrl] key and hit the [S] key once) to save the part.

2. In the message area, the part name is displayed.

Click on the Accept button to save the file.

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It is a good habit to save your model periodically, just in case something might go
wrong while you are working on it. In general, you should save your work onto the
disk at an interval of every 15 to 20 minutes. You should also save before you make

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any major modifications to the model.

3. Use the left-mouse-button and click on File at the top of the Pro/ENGINEER
main window, then choose Exit from the pull-down menu.
 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-37

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Questions:

1. What is the first thing we should set up in Pro/ENGINEER when creating a new
model?

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2. How do we modify more than one dimension in the Sketcher?

3. How do we reposition dimensions in the Sketcher?

4. List three of the geometric constraint symbols used by the Pro/ENGINEER Sketcher.

5. Describe two different ways to modify dimensions in the Sketcher.

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6. Describe the steps required to define the orientation of the sketching plane?

7. Identify the following commands:

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(a)

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(b)

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Ctrl + Middle mouse button

(c)

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1-38 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Exercises: (All dimensions are in inches.)
1. Plate Thickness: 0.25

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2. Plate Thickness: 0.5

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 Parametric Modeling Fundamentals 1-39

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3.

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4.
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1-40 Parametric Modeling with Pro/ENGINEER

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Notes:

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 Modeling Using
Pro | ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Sridhar Condoor

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

LESSON 2
BEARING
Learning Objectives: Design Information:
Bearings allow relative motion between two
• Understand the concept of datum planes. components while minimizing frictional losses. In an
automobile, for instance, the main bearings allow the
• Explore the use of mouse for zoom, spin,
and pan functions. wheels to rotate relative to the body. Rolling element
bearings, a common type of bearing, consist of an outer
• Learn Extrude and Round features. race and an inner race separated by rolling elements
(either balls or cylinders). The rolling elements reduce
friction by providing rolling contact. As bearings are
purchased items, only the outer profile is modeled.
Typically, rolling element bearings are mounted using an
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interference fit. Therefore, the inner and outer diameters
of the bearing are critical dimensions. For proper
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Copyrighted assembly, the edges of the bearing are rounded. The
radius of the round is another critical dimension.

2-1
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Goal I: Experiment with the mouse

1. Learn spin, zoom and pan functions.
Sequence of Steps

Goal II: Understand datum planes

1. FRONT, TOP and RIGHT are the

three default datum planes.
2. PRT_CSYS_DEF is the default
coordinate system.
3. Spin center (Red, Green and Blue
lines) helps in rotating the part.
Goal IV: Round the edges of the bearing
1. Specify the radius.
2. Select the edges to be rounded.

Goal III: Create the base cylinder

1. Define the sketch plane.
2. Sketch two circles on the TOP
datum plane. TOP
3. Define the depth of extrusion.
FRONT

Material
Material
Material
Material

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RIGHT

2-2
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

ProE saves files in the working

directory. Also, it looks for files
in the working directory.
1. Set up the working
directory.
FILE
SET WORKING
DIRECTORY
Select the
working directory
OK

We will create the bearing as a

solid part.
Open a new
file for the FILE
NEW
Part
Solid
Fig. 2.1.
bearing part bearing
OK

Refer Fig. 2.1.

In the graphics window, ProE

2. Open a new file.
displays the three default
datum planes (front, top and
right), and the default part
Material
Material

Material
Material
coordinate system
(PRT_CSYS_DEF) at the
intersection of the three datum
planes.
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Copyrighted
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Refer Fig. 2.2.
Fig. 2.2.

2-3
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Goal Step Commands

The mouse is a very powerful

tool in ProE. We can zoom, spin
and pan the model by holding Middle Mouse CTRL +Middle SHIFT + Middle
the middle mouse button and Mouse Mouse
CTRL/SHIFT key, and moving
the mouse simultaneously.

Fig. 2.3 illustrates the mouse or Rotate the wheel

functions. The center of the
Spin Zoom Pan
zoom occurs at the cursor
location. Explore each of these
Fig. 2.3.
functions.

The view can be scaled by a

factor of 2 by holding SHIFT or
CTRL key, and rotating the
Experiment 3. Use the mouse to middle mouse button.
with the zoom, spin, and pan
mouse the model. To get back to the default view,
use the following command:
VIEW
ORIENTATION

STANDARD ORIENTATION
(or
STANDARD
ORIENTATION)
Material
Material

Material
Material
The default view is typically set Fig. 2.5.
as trimetric. However, it can be
changed to isometric or user-
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Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
defined by using the following
command:

VIEW
ORIENTATION
Fig. 2.4.

REORIENT
(Type)
Preferences
(Default
orientation) Trimetric
OK

2-4
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

ProE creates three default

datum planes named as
FRONT, TOP and RIGHT.
Each datum plane has two sides
marked by ORANGE and
BLACK colors. We can
visualize the planes better by
looking at Fig. 2.5 where the
planes are shaded.

In the standard orientation

Understand (shown in Figs. 2.2 and 2.5),
4. Understand the
the datum only the orange sides are
datum planes.
planes visible. We can notice the black
color when we rotate the datum
planes. The orange side is
considered the active side of the
datum plane.

In Figs. 2.2 and 2.5, we can also

see the default coordinate
system “PRT-CSYS-DEF” at
the center. The spin center ,
which helps in rotating, is
Material
Material

Material
Material
shown in Red, Green and Blue
(RGB) color lines.
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Create the 5. Start “Extrude”
Copyrighted
INSERT
EXTRUDE
Fig. 2.5.
base cylinder feature. [Or click in the feature
toolbar – left side]

2-5
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Goal Step Commands

To select the sketching plane,
click
Placement (in the dashboard –
bottom portion of the screen)

Define

Refer Fig. 2.6.

ProE brings up “Sketch”

window where we define the
sketching plane.

Refer Fig. 2.7.

We are going to sketch the Fig. 2.6.

section on the TOP datum
Create the plane. Note that ProE
6. Define the
base cylinder highlights different planes as we
sketching plane.
(Continued) move the mouse over the datum
planes.

Select the TOP datum plane in the

graphics window or in the model
tree by clicking on “TOP”

Material
Material

Material
Material
Refer Fig. 2.8.

The arrow points to the view

direction. We can reverse the
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Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
view direction by clicking
“Flip” in the section window.
Fig. 2.7. Fig. 2.8.

ProE automatically orients the

sketching plane.

2-6
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

The screen changes to the

sketcher mode. Activate
“References” window by
selecting:

SKETCH
REFERENCES
The “References” window has
two references: F1(RIGHT)
and F3(FRONT).
7. Identify and select
references. Refer Fig. 2.9.

All dimensions are placed with

respect to the references. If
necessary, additional references
Create the can be added to this list. It is
base cylinder advisable to select the
(Continued) references before sketching.

Close
Let us rotate the model to
understand where we are
sketching.
Fig. 2.9.
Move the mouse holding Middle
Material
Material

Material
Material
8. Understand the Mouse

orientation of the
sketcher. To get back to the sketch view,
use the following command:
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
VIEW
ORIENTATION

SKETCH ORIENTATION

(Or )

2-7
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Goal Step Commands

Select the center of the

circle as the intersection of the
FRONT and RIGHT datum planes

Refer Fig. 2.10.

9. Draw an outer The cursor snaps onto the

circle. intersection.

Select a point to define the outer

edge of the circle

ProE automatically puts the

dimension for the circle.

Refer Fig. 2.10. Fig. 2.10.

Create the
base cylinder
Select the center of the
(Continued) circle as the intersection of the
10. Create an inner FRONT and RIGHT datum planes
circle.
Select a point to define the
inner circle

Refer Fig. 2.11.

Material
Material

Material
Material
It is a good practice to modify
smaller dimensions first.

Double click the inner

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
11. Modify the
dimensions.
Copyrighted
diameter dimension
1

ENTER
Double click the outer
diameter dimension
2

ENTER

ProE automatically regenerates

Fig. 2.11.
the section.

2-8
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

12. Exit sketcher.

Fig. 2.12.

The depth dimension is shown

in two places – in the dash and
on the part.
13. Define the depth.
Refer Figs. 2.12 and 2.13.

Select the depth dimension
0.5

Create the
ENTER
base cylinder
(Continued)
Fig. 2.13.
Material
Material

Material
Material
14. Accept the
feature creation.
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
Refer Fig. 2.14.

Fig. 2.14.

2-9
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Goal Step Commands

INSERT
ROUND (or ) Fig. 2.15.

We will specify the radius of all

rounds to be 0.025.

0.025
ENTER

Refer Fig. 2.15.

Select the four edges to be

rounded while holding CTRL

Round the 15. Round the four Note that the four edges will be
edges edges of the bearing. rounded regardless whether we
Fig. 2.16.
hold CTRL key or not. Holding
CTRL puts the four edge
rounds in one round set.
Therefore, one parameter, the
radius of the round, controls
the geometry of all the four
rounds.
Material
Material

Material
Material
Refer Fig. 2.16.
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
Refer Fig. 2.17.
Fig. 2.17.

2-10
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Goal Step Commands

Click on the following icons to

switch off the datums, axis, datum
points and default coordinate
system.

These icons help in turning the

datum planes, axis, datum Fig. 2.18.
points and coordinate system on
and off.

Refer Fig. 2.18.

Modifying the display may help

View the 16. Turn the datum
in visualizing the model better.
model planes off.
One of the four model display
options can be selected by
clicking on the corresponding
icon: a. Wire-frame b. Hidden line
Wire-frame -
Hidden line -
No hidden line -
Material

Material
Material
Material
Shaded -

Fig. 2.19 shows the model in the

four display types.
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Spin center can be turned c. No hidden line d. Shaded

on/off by clicking . Fig. 2.19.

2-11
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Goal Step Commands

Select the extrusion feature by
clicking on the bearing in the
graphics window or from the
model tree
Right Mouse

Edit

Refer Fig. 2.20.

Select the 2.0 dimension
1.25

Modify 17. Modify the
ENTER
Select the 1.0
dimensions dimensions. dimension
0.6
ENTER

EDIT
REGENERATE Fig. 2.21.

(or )

Modifications take affect after

regeneration.
Fig. 2.20.
Refer Fig. 2.21.
FILE
SAVE

Save the file 18. Save the file and
BEARING.PRT
OK
FILE
and exit ProE exit ProE.

EXIT
Yes

Material
Material
Material
Material

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

2-12
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Information About Extrude and Round Features

Extrude Feature:
Extrude feature allows user to create a solid protrusion or cut. It can also be used to create a surface.
Several depth options are available. They include: blind (where the user specifies the depth), both sides
(where the extrusion occurs on both sides of the sketching plane), up to next surface (where the extrusion
stops when a new surface is encountered), thru all (where the extrusion extends through all the material),
up to specified surface (where the user specifies the surface), and up to specified point, curve, or plane.
EXTRUDE
The user can flip the direction of extrusion by clicking on . The thicken option allows the user to
create a thin features whose thickness is specified. Using icon next to the thickness, the user can add
the thickness to the outside/inside/either sides of the sketch. Typically, the default extrusion direction is
selected in such a way that a protrusion (solid feature) adds material away from the existing object and a
cut removes material from the object.

Round Feature
By default, ProEngineer activates the set mode. In the set mode, the user can specify and control the
dimensions for a set of round geometry. When a number of references (edges to be rounded), hold CTRL
button to place them in a single set. Two basic geometries for round are circular and conic. You can
control the sharpness of the round more using the conic option. In the transition mode, the user can
specify the transition between the edges that are rounded. The transition mode is useful when controlling
the geometry of the corners.
Material

Material
Material
Material
ROUND

About ProEngineer files

ProE creates several files. Part files with .prt.X extension. Each time we save a part, ProE creates another file. For instance, the first time we save the
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted
bearing part, ProE creates a file “bearing.prt.1.” Next time we save the same part, it creates “bearing.prt.2.” This feature allows us to roll back to any
previous saved version of the part. For most purposes, the last version is sufficient. The previous versions can be deleted to save disk space by selecting
following list of commands: FILE
DELETE
OLDER VERSIONS.
ProE records all the commands, menu selections used, and dialog choices in a file called “trail.txt.” This file can be used to either recreate a session or
create training files. Note that the file should be renamed before opening it in ProE. This file can be edited in a text editor. A trail file can be played in
ProE by the following command: TOOLS
PLAY TRAIL/TRAINING FILES

2-13
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Exercise

Create the following parts.

Hints:

1. Start the extrude feature.

Problem 1 2. Select the top datum plane as the
Create the bearing part using “Extrude – Thicken” option. sketching plane.
3. In the sketcher, create a circle of 0.6″
diameter. Exit sketcher. Define the
depth as 0.5.

TOP
FRONT

RIGHT

4. Select thicken option and define the

thickness as 0.325. You have to flip
the direction of material addition by
Material
Material

Material
Material
clicking the second . The dash is
shown in the figure below.
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted 5. Round the edges.

2-14
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Problem 2

Hints:
1. Use extrude feature. The sketch is
shown in the figure below.

2. Use round feature.

Material
Material

Material
Material
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

2-15
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Problem 3

Hints:
1. Create the first cylinder.
2. Select the top of the first cylinder as
the sketching plane when creating
the second cylinder.

Material
Material

Material
Material
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

2-16
 Lesson 2 – Bearings

Problem 4

Hints:
1. Start extrude feature.
2. Create the following sketch:

Material
Material

Material
Material
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

2-17
Modeling Using Pro|ENGINEER W I L D F I R E 3.0

Hints:
OPEN-ENDED DESIGN 1. Explore the sketcher tools.
2. Make sure that you read the message
Explore the sketcher & create your own logo.
window when creating any sketches.
ProE prompts the next step while
creating the geometry.
3. You may create several extrusions
one at a time. Remember that you
can not extrude intersecting
geometric entities.

4. The palette has several

sections which can be imported
directly. Double click the section
and then, click in the graphics
window to drop the section.
Material
Material

Material
Material
Copyrighted
Copyrighted

Copyrighted
Copyrighted

2-18



 
 



 



 
 






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 A Pro/Manufacturing Tutorial
PRO/ENGINEER Release 20

Paul E. Funk Loren Begly, Jr

University of Evansville Whirlpool Corporation
Evansville, IN Evansville, IN


PUBLICATIONS

www.
pro.com
 Section 1 -- A Quick Run Through

In this section we’ll develop the CNC code for a 3 axis CNC mill to produce a simple

rectangular block with a raised letter.

Part 1-1
Part for Section 1

Pro/Manufacturing can quickly become very involved and complex. This exercise is designed to

work through a single manufacturing sequence to familiarize the user with the general procedure

involved. Although a single manufacturing sequence (volume milling), it still involves a lot of

commands. Since we’re just trying to gain familiarity with the general procedure, we’ll present

this example with a minimum of explanation. At the beginning of each step we’ll explain what

we’re going to do, then we’ll do it and at the end of the step we’ll tell you what we (and you) did.

Later sections will go into detail about why you made the choices you were told to make and

what alternatives you have available to you.

Produce the Part Model

We’ll follow the steps discussed in the preface. First, 1) Produce the part model. Before

entering the Manufacturing menu, enter the Part menu and create the block shown above. A

click-by-click procedure is included in the Appendix A and B. You can name the part whatever

you wish, but we’ll refer to it as “block” throughout the remainder of this section. Save the part

and

1-1
 Window

Close

File

New

Manufacturing

Enter the name you want to use for your manufacturing process. We’ll use “block”. (Pro/E will

add a .mfg extension.) Select

OK

and pick on the part name for the part we want to manufacture (block.prt).

Open

Pro/E displays the part. We’ll use this part as a guide to generate code for in the manufacturing

module. That completes step 1).

Assemble the Part and Workpiece

We’re now ready for step 2). We’ll create the workpiece material the part will be

machined from using our part as a guide. We’ll make the workpiece bigger than our original

part.

Figure 1-2
Part/Workpiece Assembly

1-2
We begin by selecting

Mfg Model

Create

Workpiece

We gave it the name, block_wp. We’re now going to enter Sketcher, just as if we were building

a part in part mode, to model the workpiece. Select

Protrusion

Done

Done

and select the sketching plane. Use Query/Select to select the bottom surface of the block (Refer

to Figure A if you don’t recall which is the bottom surface). We don’t want the workpiece to

protrude outward from the part; we want the workpiece to encompass the part so select

Flip

Okay

Select

Bottom

and pick on the front surface (Refer to Figure A) of the block. Select

Rectangle

and create a rectangular section as the outline for the workpiece so that it completely

encompasses the outline of our block. Dimension the rectangle you just created to be ½ inch

bigger than block.prt on each side. Select

Regenerate

1-3
 Done

Done

and enter 1.0 inch as the depth of the protrusion. Select

OK

Done/Return

and we’ve completed the creation of our workpiece. In default view the part/workpiece

assembly should appear as shown in Figure 1-2.

We’ve completed step 2). We have our original part model assembled within the

workpiece from which it is to be machined.

Manufacturing Setup

We’re now ready to 3) perform the manufacturing setup. We will specify a 3 axis milling

operation, create a coordinate system for our operation and create the volume of material to

remove by milling. Select

Mfg Setup

Done Oper (notice this will require us to define a workcell and csys)

Mill (notice 3-axis highlights)

Done

Done

Create

and pick on the workpiece. Select

2 Axes

Done

1-4
Place an axis at the front-top-left corner of the workpiece. Select the two edges of the workpiece

at the front-top-left corner (Figure A).

Figure 1-3
Pro/ E Axis Display

Pro/E will place a coordinate system at the intersection of the two axes and, depending on the

order they were picked, highlight one direction. Specify the positive z-axis as pointing upward,

away from the top surface, the positive x-axis to the right, and the positive y-axis pointing from

the front toward the back of the workpiece. This agrees with a standard mill axis. The bottom

surface of the workpiece will sit on the milling table. Use Reverse if the axis displayed does not

point in the positive direction. After getting the direction correct, pick on the appropriate axis

selection. Repeat the process for a second axis. The third axis will be defined by the right hand

rule.

Figure 1-4
Part Home

Select

Done Oper

1-5
To complete the manufacturing setup, we still need to specify the volume of material to be

removed. We’ll select the entire workpiece and the “remove” the part from this volume. Select

Mfg Geom

Mill Volume

Create

and enter a name. We’ll use “mv1". Now we must specify an upward direction for the

workpiece by selecting a plane perpendicular to the upward direction. Select the top surface

(Refer to Figure A) of the workpiece. Pro/E will display an arrow. The arrow should point in the

upward (positive z) direction. Select

Okay

We’ll use the sketch command to create the volume of material to be removed from our

workpiece. We’ll remove all the workpiece material that lies outside the part. Select

Sketch

Done

Done

Use Prev

Okay

Select

Geom Tools

Use Edge

and select all four outer edges of the workpiece (not the part). Select

Regenerate

1-6
 Done

Up to Surface

Done

and pick the top (Figure A) surface of the workpiece. (You may want to use the default view.)

Select

Ok

We’ve selected our entire workpiece as the mill volume. But we need to leave the

material that represents our part. At this point Pro/E provides a Trim function that will “trim”

the part from the mill volume. Select

Trim

Done/Return

Done/Return

Done/Return

and we’ve defined the volume to be removed (the workpiece minus our part).

And we’ve completed the manufacturing setup. We defined a 3-axis milling operation,

created a coordinate system for our workpiece, and created a mill volume representing the

material that is to be removed by machining.

Machining Sequence

Let’s 4) define the machining operations. We’ll select a volume milling sequence, define

our tool and machining parameters (tool size, cutting speed, etc.), create a retraction plane and

specify the volume of material to be removed (created in the previous step). Select

Machining

1-7
 NC Sequence

Done

Done (notice the checked parameters we must define)

Figure 1-5
SetUp Parameters

Set

Pro/E will display a Tool Setup Table.

Figure 1-6
Tool Setup Table

1-8
While the user can modify any of the values, we’ll just specify the diameter and length for this

example. Click on the specified parameter and change to the following values:

Cutter_Diam .25

Length 2

To save the values and exit the Setup table,

File

Done

Set

and Pro/E will display the remaining machining parameters. While the user can modify any of

the values, all parameters that have a value of -1 must be specified.

Figure 1-7
Machining Parameters

Use the following values:

Cut_Feed 60

Step_Depth .125

Step_Over .125

Scan_type Type_Spiral (We’ll explain why you change this later.)

1-9
Spindle_Speed 1000

Clear_Dist 1

After entering all the above values, select

File

Exit

to save the values and exit the table. Select

Done

Pro/E now prompts us to create a retraction plane; ie, a plane to determine the height the tool will

withdraw to each time it retracts from the workpiece. We’ll put a retraction plane one inch above

the part (0.5 inches above our coordinate system). Select

Along Z-Axis

and enter a value of 0.5 (½ “ above the workpiece).

Ok

Pro/E displays the retraction plane above the workpiece.

Figure 1-8
Retraction Plane

1-10
Now we must specify the volume of material to be machined. Since we’ve already created the

volume (recall we called it mv1), all we have to do is select it. Select

Select Vol

MV1

and we’ve finished the process.

And we’ve finished defining our machining sequence. We defined a volume milling

sequence, entered tooling and machining parameters, created a retraction plane and selected the

volume of material to be removed by milling.

Viewing and Outputting Results

Although we’re done, at this point we need some “proof” that everything we’ve done is

okay. We can get that proof by creating the tool path (CL - cutter location) and viewing the

cutter location as it removes the material. We’ll “play the path” of the tool. Select

Play Path

Done

and if you’ve done everything correctly,

Pro/E will display the cutting tool’s

path centerline as it removes the

material you’ve indicated to be mv1.

Figure 1-9
Cutting Path Display

1-11
 After you’ve played the tool path (CL data), you can also run an NC check to graphically

depict the material removal. Choose

NC Check

Run

and you can watch as Pro/E simulates how the material is removed.

Figure 1-10
NC Check

That’s everything involved in the process except posting or postprocessing the CL data to

generate the G-code. That’s pretty straight forward and basically just requires a listing of menu

picks. We’ll save that as part of a later exercise.

1-12
Pro/ENGINEER Tutorial
Release 20/2000i
A Click-by-Click Primer

and MultiMedia CD

Text by
Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta
MultiMedia CD by
Jack Zecher, P. E.
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis


PUBLICATIONS

www.
pro.com
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-1

Lesson 1 :
Introducing Pro/E and
Creating a Simple Object using
Sketcher

Synopsis:
How to start Pro/E; representation of Pro/E command syntax; command flow in Pro/E; special
mouse functions; Pro/E windows; creating a part; using Sketcher; Sketcher constraints; changing
the view; saving a part.

Overview of this Lesson

We are going to cover a lot of introductory ground in this lesson. The main objectives are to
introduce you to the general procedure for creating features and let you “get into” the Pro/E
environment. We will go at quite a slow pace and not really accomplish much in terms of part
creation, but the central ideas will be elaborated and emphasized.

1. Starting Pro/ENGINEER

Pro/E windows
2. How commands are entered into Pro/ENGINEER

menu picks

command window

special mouse functions
3. How this tutorial will represent the command sequence
4. How to get On-Line Help
5. Creating a Simple Part

creating and naming the part

creating datum planes

creating a solid protrusion using Sketcher
6. Saving the part
7. Sketcher constraints during Regeneration

implicit constraints

unsuccessful regeneration

the “Sadder Mister” sequence
8. View controls: Orientation and Environment
9. Leaving Pro/ENGINEER
1-2 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction we are
going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which you probably
won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

Good luck and have fun!

Suggestion:
You may find it helpful to work with a partner on some of these lessons because you
can help each other with the "tricky bits." You might split the duties so that one
person is reading the tutorial while the other is doing the Pro/E keyboard and mouse
stuff, and then switching duties periodically. It will also be handy to have two people
scanning the menus for the desired commands.

Starting Pro/ENGINEER
To start Pro/ENGINEER, type pro21 at your system prompt and press the Enter key1. The
program takes a while to load so be patient.
The main Pro/E window will eventually
appear as shown at the right. The graphics
area is, of course, where most of the action
will take place. Windows users will be quite
at home with the pull-down menus and the
short-cut buttons at the top of the screen. As
you move the mouse across the short-cut
buttons (some may be grayed out and inactive
at this time), a brief description will appear on
the bottom of the window, and a tool tip
window will pop up. The prompt/message
window shows brief messages describing the
menu commands and shows system messages
following command execution. Pro/E is
usually set up to show only the last 4 lines of
text in this message area, but you can resize
Figure 1 The Pro/ENGINEER screen
this area by dragging on the top horizontal
border. You can also use the scroll bars at the right to review the message history. This window

1
You may have to check this sequence with your local system administrator, as different
installations may handle the Pro/E launch differently. Under Windows, there may be an icon on
your desktop, or you can look in the Start menu on the Taskbar.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-3

is also where text is typed at command prompts that ask for information such as dimensions and
part names. The startup is complete when your screen looks like the figure above (some of the
printing in the image is not very clear in order to reduce the image size).

We will digress a bit to discuss how this tutorial will deal with command entry.

How commands are entered into Pro/ENGINEER

There are a number of ways that you will be interacting with the program, involving menu picks,
buttons, keyboard entry, and special mouse functions. These are described below.

Pull-Down Menus

The main pull-down menus are presented across the top of the Pro/E window. Click on the File
menu to open it and scan down the list of available commands. Many of these have direct
analogs and similar functions to familiar Windows commands. Move your cursor across to each
pull-down menu in turn and have a quick look at the available commands. We will introduce
these on as “as-needed” basis as we go through the lessons. Some menu commands will open up
a second level menu (these have a
symbol). Commands unavailable in the current context are
always grayed out.

Short-cut Buttons

Immediately below the pull-down menus is a row of short-cut buttons (see Figure 2). The default
buttons are shown in the figure below. Other buttons may appear on this row as you enter
different parts of the program. Move your cursor across the buttons, and a pop-up window will
tell you the name of the button. Also, the command is described in a line of text below the
command/message window. You can also add your own buttons to customize this area.

Menu Picks

Many other commands (and command options) are initiated using picks on menus that will
appear at the time they are needed. These function menus will show up to the right of the main
window, with commands arranged vertically. As you move the mouse pointer up and down
within the command menus, a one-line message describing the command under the pointer will
appear at the bottom of the command/message window. As you start to learn Pro/E, each time
you come to a new menu get in the habit of quickly scanning up and down the listed commands
and noting the brief message in the command window. In this way, you will build a familiarity
with the location of all the commands. You execute a command by picking it using the left
mouse button. Commands that are "grayed-out" are either not available on your system or are not
valid choices at that particular time. Often, when you pick a command, other menus will pop
1-4 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Figure 2 Short-cut buttons

open. When these represent options for the current command, the default option will be
highlighted. You can select another option by clicking on it. There may be several groups of
options on a single menu separated by horizontal lines. Any options not currently valid are
grayed out. When all the options in a menu are set the way you want, click on Done at the
bottom of the option menu window.

You can often back out of a command by pressing an available Done-return or Quit command,
or by pressing a command on a higher menu. At some times, you will be given a chance to
Cancel a command. This often requires an explicit confirmation, so you don’t have to worry
about an accidental mouse click canceling some of your work.

Command Window

Occasionally, you will enter commands from the keyboard. Generally, we will only use the
keyboard to enter alphanumeric data when requested, such as part names, numerical values, and
so on. Note that when Pro/E is expecting input in the command window, none of the menu picks
will be "live." If your mouse ever seems "dead", that is the menus won’t respond to mouse
clicks, check the message window; Pro/E is probably waiting for you to type in a response.

You will have to get used to watching three areas on the screen: the menu(s), the graphics
window, and the command/message window. At the start, this will get a little hectic at times.
Until you become very familiar with the menu picks and command sequence, keep an eye on the
one-line message description in the message window. There is often enough information there to
help you complete a command sequence.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-5

Special Mouse Functions

Locations within the graphics window are generally identified using a left mouse click.
However, all three mouse buttons have been set up to provide shortcuts for operations within the
graphics window. The basic ones are shown in the following table. The more comfortable you
get with these mouse functions, the quicker you will be able to work. They will become second
nature after a while.

Other mouse functions will be introduced a bit later in the lessons. These have to do with a new
and powerful mode of operation of a program (called Sketcher) using a feature introduced in
Pro/E 20 (called the Intent Manager). When we get to creating drawings (Lesson #8), we will
find some more mouse commands specifically for that mode.

Table 1-1 Pro/ENGINEER Mouse Commands (PART MODE)

Mouse Mode LEFT MIDDLE RIGHT

Regular Pick Done Select Query Select
Dynamic View Control (drag) (drag) (drag)
(press CTRL plus ...) Zoom In/Out 3D Spin Pan
Zoom Window Click opposite
(press CTRL plus ...) corners of zoom
box
Query Select Pick Accept Next
Mouse Sketch - Draw Entity Line Circle Tangent Arc
Mouse Sketch - Line mode Abort/End
Mouse Sketch - Circle mode Abort/End
Mouse Sketch - Tangent arc mode Abort/End
Sketcher Dimension - Linear Pick entity Place Dimension
Sketcher Dimension - Radius Pick arc/circle Place Dimension
Sketcher Dimension - Diameter Double pick Place Dimension
arc/circle
1-6 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

How this tutorial will represent the command sequence

In the early lessons, we will try to discuss each new command as it is entered. Eventually, you
will be told to enter a long sequence of commands that may span several menus and/or require
keyboard input. We will use the following notation in these long sequences:

 If you select a command that starts up another menu window, followed by a selection from
the new menu, you will see the notation

menu1 > menu2

 If a number of picks are to be made from the same menu you will see the notation:

option1 | option2 | option3

 If you are to enter data through the keyboard, you will see the notation

[block]

In this case, just enter the characters inside the square brackets.

Thus you might see a command sequence that looks like this:

Feature > Create > Solid > Protrusion > Extrude | Solid | Done

How to get On-Line Help

Since Release 18 of Pro/E, extensive on-line help has been available. The help pages, consisting
of the entire Pro/E user manual set (many hundreds of pages), are viewed using a browser (the
default is Netscape). There are three ways to access the help files:

1. From within Pro/E, right-clicking on a command in the menus will bring up the
relevant pages in the manual.

2. From within Pro/E, selecting the Pro/Help command from the HELP pull-down
menu.

3. Launch your browser and point the URL to the location2

2
Check this location with your local system administrator.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-7

file:/e|/ptc/prohelp/html/usascii/home.htm
or
file:/e|/ptc/prohelp/html/usascii/help/helptoc.htm

You are urged to explore the on-line help, especially the search function. If you have a few
minutes to spare now and then, browse through the manuals (especially the Introduction to
Pro/ENGINEER and the Part Modeling User’s Guide). In the beginning, it will be a rare event
when you do this and don’t pick up something useful. If you desire and have the local facilities,
you can obtain hard copy of these manual pages using your browser (but be careful since this
could be expensive!).

Creating a Simple Part using Sketcher

In the first two lessons, we will create a simple block with a circular hole and a central slot. By
the end of the second lesson your part should look like Figure 3 below. This doesn't seem like
such a difficult part, but we are going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts.
Try not to go through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your understanding of how
Pro/E works.

Figure 3 Final block at the end of lesson 2 Figure 4 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the part

Click the “Create new object” short-cut button, or select File > New. A window will open
1-8 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

(Figure 4) showing a list of different objects to create and work with (parts, assemblies,
drawings, and so on). In this tutorial we are going to make an object called a part. Select

Part

Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc. can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient computer
memory) in the current session. A default name for the new part is presented at the bottom of the
window, something like [PRT0001]. It is almost always better to have a more descriptive name.
So, type in

[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part name at the prompt and press OK.

At this time, Part: BLOCK should appear in the title block of the graphics window. Also, the
PART menu should appear to the right of the main window. Depending on the settings for your
system, another window called the Model Tree may also appear. We don’t need this right now
so close it by selecting the X in the upper right corner, or using File > Exit.

Create Datum Planes and Coordinate System

At this point we will create three reference planes for our part to locate it in space. These are
called datum planes and will be our first part features. It is not strictly necessary to have datum
planes, but it is a very good practice, particularly if you are going to make a complex part or
assembly. The command sequence is (assuming the PART menu is visible):

Feature > Create > Datum > Plane > Default

Note the dimmed out menu commands - these are not available at this time (they wouldn’t make
any sense with nothing else created yet). The datum planes represent three orthogonal planes to
be used as references for features to be created later. You can think of these planes as XY, YZ,
XZ planes, although you generally aren’t concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation. Your
screen should have the datum planes visible, as shown in Figure 5. (If not, see the note below.)
They will resemble something like a star due to the default 3D viewing direction. Note that each
plane has a name: DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3. This view is somewhat hard to visualize, so
Figure 6 shows how the datum planes would look if they were solid plates.

Although not strictly necessary for this part, we will establish a datum coordinate system. The
sequence of commands is, starting in the FEAT menu:

Create > Datum > Coord Sys > Default | Done

There should now be an x, y, z icon labeled CSO in the middle of the datum planes. Your screen
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1-9

should now look like Figure 5. Again, depending on your system settings, you may also have a
red-green-blue triad located at the center of the screen. This is called the Spin Center. This is
not included in the part model but is strictly a display device to help visualize the 3D orientation
of the model.

Figure 6 Datum planes represented as solids

Figure 5 Default Datum Planes

Quick note
You can change the visibility of the datum planes in two ways:
click the “Datum
planes” short-cut button, or  select Utilities > Environment and change the check
box beside Datum Planes, then click OK. Note that the Environment command lets
you change the visibility and display of a number of items. Scan this list quickly
before closing the window. Many of these (the most common ones) are duplicated by
the short-cut buttons. Turning the datums off does not mean they are deleted, just not
displayed. You may turn them back on at any time by re-issuing the same command.

Creating a Solid Protrusion using Sketcher

The base feature is the primary shape of a part and is (usually) the first solid feature made in the
model. For the block, it is an extruded polygon. Later, we will add the hole and slot as child
features. In Pro/E, new geometric features are usually created by specifying some sketching
plane, creating a 2D shape or sketch in that plane, and then extending the shape into 3D either by
extrusion, sweeping, or revolving. Let's see how that works for the simple block. We will
perform the following steps that are common to most solid features:
1 - 10 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

1. Identify the Feature Type

2. Identify/Specify Attributes
3. Make a 2D sketch of the basic geometry
4. Generate the feature by manipulating the sketch into 3D by extrusion, revolving,
sweeping, blending and so on
5. Preview the feature
6. Accept the new feature

At any time during this process, you can cancel the operation. For the block, the base feature
type is a solid protrusion. Feature elements include the sketching plane, the sketched shape,
extrusion direction and depth. The shape is set up in a program called Sketcher.

To start the block, follow this sequence of commands (starting from the FEAT menu):

Create > Solid > Protrusion > Extrude | Solid | Done

A window will open as shown in Figure 7.

This shows the elements that must be defined to specify

this feature. The current feature type (extruded
protrusion) is shown at the top of the window. The
window shows that we are defining the feature
attributes. As we go through the process of defining
elements, we will use a mix of menu picks and,
possibly, some values entered at the keyboard (usually
numerical). This window will show us a summary of the
specified data and record our progress as we create the
Figure 7 The Feature Elements
feature.
Window

As you proceed, you will be asked several questions and be presented with a considerable
number of options. We won't go into a lot of detail on all these options now, because you
probably want to get on to the good stuff as soon as possible. Just follow the menu picks
described below.

First you must specify whether you want the extrusion to happen on one or both sides of the
sketch plane (we'll set that up next). For now, choose

One Side | Done

Now (see the message window) you need to choose a sketch plane on which to draw the cross-
sectional shape. For the block, the sketch plane will be one of the datum planes. You can use
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 11

any planar surface as a sketch plane (including the surface of an object). The sketch plane is
selected by using the left mouse button on either the edge or the nametag of the datum plane (or
by clicking on any planar part surface). In this instance, you will use DTM3 as your sketch
plane, so click on the label DTM3.

At this point a red arrow will appear somewhere on the edge of DTM3. Read the bottom lines in
the message window. For practice, choose the command Flip on the DIRECTION menu. This
enables you to determine the direction of the extrusion. For this step, ensure the arrow is
pointing down/forward from DTM3 (in the positive Z direction). Then choose Okay to commit
the direction.

Next, a sketching reference plane must be chosen. This can cause a lot of confusion for new
users, so pay attention! This reference plane is used to orient how we will look at the sketching
plane just selected (DTM3). Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane3 and
protrusions are always created towards you (coming out of the screen). This means, in the
present case, that we are going to be looking directly at the yellow side of the datum plane, in the
-Z direction. Since we can rotate the sketch arbitrarily around the Z axis, we must tell Pro/E how
we want to set the orientation of our view of the sketch. We orient our view by choosing a
reference plane, which can be any datum or part surface that is perpendicular to the sketch plane
and specifying the direction that plane will face in our view of the sketch (top, right, bottom, or
left). Unfortunately, Pro/E requires us to specify these in the opposite order - that is, first we
select the direction we want the reference
to face, then we select the reference plane
itself. Read this paragraph again, since
new users are quite liable to end up
drawing their sketches upside-down!

Select Top from the SKET VIEW menu.

The plane or surface we select next will
face the Top of the screen in the sketch
we are about to make. Click on DTM2
(this determines the plane that you want
to orient in the direction chosen). The
graphics window should now appear as
shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8 The drawing window in Sketcher

3
Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can manipulate
your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane. We will not attempt
that here.
1 - 12 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

IMPORTANT:
Another window titled “Sketcher Enhancement - Intent Manager” may also open up. We
will be discussing this new and powerful tool a bit later in lesson 2. For now, Close this
window and make sure that Intent Manager is not checked above the Sketcher menu at the
right.

Note that the datum plane DTM3, that you identified as the sketching plane, is facing towards
you (you should see a yellow rectangle). The other datum planes.(DTM1 and DTM2) appear in
edge view, with a yellow side and a red side. The yellow and red sides of datum planes will be
more clear when you view them in 3D in a couple of minutes. The yellow side (positive) of
DTM2 faces the top of the sketch, exactly as you specified above. Note that we could have
obtained the same orientation by selecting Right > DTM1. The Sketcher menus at the right of
the screen are what you will use to create the 2D sketch for the part. Note also that some new
blue short-cut buttons have appeared at the top of the screen. One of these is to turn the dashed
grid off - try that now.

Defining the Sketch using Sketcher

Sketcher is a powerful tool for entering 2D shapes. It is where most of the part geometry creation
happens and goes considerably beyond ordinary 2D computer drawing. It is truly a sketching
tool since you don't have to be particularly accurate with the geometric shape you give it, as we
will see.

Sketcher is fun (but sometimes also frustrating) to use because it is so smart. Sketcher has a
number of built-in rules for interpreting your sketch. For example, lines that "look like" they are
at 90 degrees to each other are assumed to be exactly that; lines that "look" horizontal are
assumed to be; and so on. The only thing Sketcher requires is that you give it just enough
information (not too little or too much) to be able to construct the shape unambiguously using its
internal rule set and the dimensions that you provide.

Familiarity with Sketcher is very important. We won't go into a lot of detail with it at this time,
but will gain experience steadily as we progress through the lessons. You would be well-advised
to come back later and play around with more of the Sketcher functions as often as you can. In
any part creation, you probably spend more time in Sketcher than anywhere else in Pro/E.

Before we proceed, make sure that the Sketch and Mouse Sketch commands are highlighted.
You might also like to review the mouse commands in Table 1-1.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 13

Drawing the Sketch

With the left mouse button, click once at each of the four corners of a rectangle as described
below and illustrated in Figure 9. After each click, you will see a straight line rubber-band from
the previous position to the cursor position. You do not have to be super accurate with these
click positions. You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these
actually extend off to infinity. The displayed portion will adjust to the currently displayed
object(s). Here are the points to sketch the rectangle:

1. left-click at the origin (intersection of DTM1 and DTM2)

2. left-click above the origin on DTM1
3. left-click horizontally to the right
4. left-click straight down on DTM2
5. left-click back at the origin
6. middle-click anywhere on the screen

This will complete the polygon and the screen should look similar to this (minus the balloons):

Figure 9 Drawing the Sketch

The visible lines may only be partially seen due to the grid lines or datum planes. Note that we
didn't need to specify any drawing coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for that matter, are any
coordinate values displayed anywhere on the screen. This is a significant departure from
standard CAD programs.

To help us see the orientation of the part in 3D wireframe, we’ll add a couple of rounded corners
1 - 14 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

on the top of the sketch. In the GEOMETRY menu, select

Arc > Fillet

and pick on the top and right lines in the sketch. Then pick on the top and left lines. Your
sketch should look like this:

Figure 10 Sketch with rounded corners

Quick note:
If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, you may choose Delete from the
SKETCHER menu and click on whatever you wish to remove. Then replace or add
lines by selecting Sketch and Mouse Sketch again. We will cover more advanced
Sketcher commands a bit later.

 Aligning the Sketch

Next the sketch will be aligned with the datum reference planes. Aligning is how you specify
locational relations between lines and vertices in your sketch and existing part features. By
aligning parts of the sketch, you are essentially telling Pro/E to "keep this entity in the sketch
lined up with this previously created line, edge, or surface." You can only align new sketched
features (in light blue) to previously defined features (in white or gray) or datum planes. You
can't align any part of a sketch to another part of the same sketch. Alignment does not mean
“make this line parallel to that one,” which is a very common misinterpretation with new users.

Explicitly defining alignments is one reason why our sketch doesn't have to be absolutely precise
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 15

- Pro/E will make sure that the geometry will be created as you specify using alignments and
dimensions. Select the following

Alignment > Align > Pick

Read the message in the message window. Click on the lower horizontal line of the sketch and
then anywhere on the datum DTM2. In the message window,

--- ALIGNED ---

appears indicating a successful alignment, and a brown patterned line appears on the sketch at
the alignment location. If alignment fails, you will see an error message. Try to align the top
horizontal line of the sketch with DTM2. This will fail. Why? In order for alignment to
succeed, the line must be "close" to the object you are aligning to (and remember that alignment
does NOT mean “make parallel”). In the future, if your sketch is very inaccurate, you might
have to zoom out on your sketch to bring the entity and the alignment reference closer together
(within a few pixels on the screen).

Align the left vertical line and the plane DTM1. You can do this very quickly by double clicking
on the sketch line since the datum plane is right underneath it..

 Dimensioning the Sketch

Click on Dimension in the SKETCHER menu. There are many ways to dimension this sketch.
What follows is the easiest way (not necessarily the best!). Again, you might like to review the
table of special mouse functions (Table 1-1).

Click the left mouse button on the lower horizontal edge of the sketch. Position the cursor below
the sketch and click the middle mouse button. A dimension will appear with letters something
like 'sd0'. The sd indicates that this is a sketch dimension; the 0 is a dimension identifier/counter
generated by Pro/E. Each dimension in a sketch, part, or assembly has a unique identifier - this
will be important later when we get to relations. This is the basis of the parametric nature of
Pro/E.

Quick note:
Dimensions are numbered successively, (eg. sd0, sd1,etc). So, if sd0 has already been
used, the next dimension will be labeled sd1.

With Dimension > Pick still highlighted, left click on the upper and lower horizontal lines.
Move the cursor to the right of the sketch and click the middle mouse button. Now left click on
1 - 16 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

one of the arcs at the top, move away from the arc, and middle-click. Dimension the other arc
the same way. Your dimensioned sketch should look something like this:

Figure 11 Dimensioned sketch (before

regeneration)

 Regenerate

Click on the command Regenerate on the SKETCHER menu. What does regeneration do? You
will recall that Sketcher has a number of built-in rules to interpret your sketch. (We will be
discuss these rules at length a bit later in this lesson.) Regeneration calls on these rules (if
necessary) to "clean up" your freehand drawing, also using the dimensional references and any
alignments that you supplied. During regeneration, Sketcher determines correctness of your
sketch. The three possible outcomes are

1. geometry underspecified
This is usually caused by missing alignments or incomplete dimensioning. The locations
and lines that Sketcher cannot locate are shown in red (this is called "the measles" and
everyone gets them sooner or later!). A message appears in the message window telling
you to locate the indicated vertices. The Dimension command is automatically selected,
although it may be that you have just forgotten to align some part of the sketch to the
existing features.

2. geometry overspecified
There are more dimensional references than are required to specify the geometry.
Redundant dimensions are shown in red, and the Delete command is automatically
selected. Click on any dimension (ie. not just the red ones) to delete it. Be warned that
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 17

clicking on any dimension may not necessarily solve your problem, since the problem may
be elsewhere in the sketch. Note also that if a sketch is created by aligning all the
geometric entities to previously created features, it may not be necessary to supply any
dimensions for the new sketch. You may sometimes find that Sketcher needs fewer
dimensions than you think it should. This is because it can figure out "missing" dimensions
using its internal rule set. This can be good or bad, depending if you want any of those
internal rules to be invoked. If any dimensions that you specify are not needed, the
geometry is overspecified. If any dimensions that you give cause a conflict with the
internal rule set, the regeneration will fail.

3. regeneration successful
Everything went just fine and the message "Section regenerated successfully." appears in
the message window. Give yourself a pat on the back!

You can see that Sketcher is a very powerful geometry engine. And you can see why you only
need to provide a rough sketch of the geometry - most of the work is done by Sketcher.

Sketcher will show you the result of any internal rules that it has used to regenerate your sketch.
These appear in beside the lines in your sketch. You can look for symbols indicating horizontal,
vertical, parallel, tangent, same length, and so on. For our simple block, only two or three rules
(probably) were fired. All the Sketcher rules are discussed a bit later. You might investigate the
Constraints > Explain command at this time.

 Modifying Dimensional Values

After regeneration, numerical dimension values should appear in place of the 'sd' dimension
labels. These values are generated according to the scale of the existing features (or seemingly at
random if this is the first solid feature in the model). You need to change these numbers to the
desired values.

To do this, select the Modify command on the SKETCHER menu. Then click on the horizontal
dimension - it should turn red. In the message window, a prompt appears asking for the new
value. The current value is shown, which will be the value used if you just hit the Enter key (ie.
value is unchanged). Usually, you want to enter a new value here. For the horizontal dimension
use 20. Change the vertical dimension to 30. The radius of the arc on the right side is 10, and on
the left side is 5. After modifying, the dimension values appear in white, but our sketch hasn’t
changed size or shape.

 Regenerate the Sketch

This is the step most often missed. After modifying any dimensions or alignments, the sketch
must be updated. It is necessary to regenerate the sketch. You can tell when regeneration is
needed because some of the dimensions will appear in white.
1 - 18 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Select Regenerate from the SKETCHER menu again. You will now see an animation of
Sketcher going about its business. This animation will become useful when you create complex
sketches, since you will be able to see the reasons why Sketcher might fail or your dimensioning
scheme or values are not quite right. In that case, the animation will proceed up to the point
where the sketch fails - usually caused by incompatible requirements on the sketch.

At this time your screen should look like the figure shown below.

Figure 12 The final regenerated sketch

Assuming that the sketch regenerates successfully, then you are finished with Sketcher for this
feature. To complete the process, select Done from the bottom of the SKETCHER menu (it may
be partially hidden behind one of the smaller menu windows). Be careful that you don’t click on
Quit by mistake, although you can cancel that if you do.

Important Note:
For the time being, you should never leave Sketcher with unresolved errors or
warnings that prevent a clean regeneration. Many errors are fatal, but some result only in
warnings. Always resolve these problems and get a successful regeneration before leaving,
indicated by the message "Section regenerated successfully." You will come to love seeing
this message! We will see a few cases later when a warning is generated that we will
ignore, but this situation is very rare.

 Specifying Extrusion Depth

This is the final element to specify for the base feature (check out the element window). Recall
that we set up this feature as a one-sided protrusion off DTM3 (the sketch plane). To make the
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 19

block, we will extrude the polygon for a specified distance - this is called a blind protrusion.
From the SPEC TO menu, choose

Blind | Done

You will be prompted in the message window for an extrusion depth. Enter

10

and press return.

A message should indicate that "All elements have been defined." meaning that the extrusion
was created successfully.

 Previewing the Feature

Before accepting this new feature, we can have a look at it's 3D shape and relation to other
features on the part. In the element window, click on the Preview button. Make sure the mouse
is in the graphics window, then
press and hold down the CTRL
key while dragging with the
middle mouse button. This will
cause the rectangular block, in
wireframe view, to spin around
following the mouse. You can do
as much spinning as you want. You
might note that, when viewed from
the left/back/bottom, you will see
the red side of the datum planes
(these may not be visible while you
are spinning). Also, note the
position of the spin center (if it is
turned on). You can use the left and
right mouse buttons (with CTRL)
to zoom and pan in the graphics
window. Figure 13 The final SOLID PROTRUSION feature

Accepting the Feature

Once you are satisfied with the feature you have created, click on OK in the element window. In
the present case, you should see the message "Protrusion has been created successfully." in the
message window. The final part shown in default view wireframe should look like Figure 13.
1 - 20 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Saving the Part

It is a good idea to periodically save your model, just in case something serious goes wrong.
From the button menu, select “Save”.

In the command window, you will be asked for the name of the object to be saved (remember
that you can have more than one loaded at a time). Accept the default [block.prt] (this is the
currently active part) by pressing the enter key. Pro/E will automatically put a .prt extension on
the file. In addition, if you save the part a number of times, Pro/E will automatically number
each saved version (like block.prt.1, block.prt.2, block.prt.3, and so on). Since these files can get
pretty big, you will eventually run out of disk space. So, be aware of how much space you have
available. It may be necessary to delete some of the previously saved versions; or you can copy
them to a diskette. You can do both of these tasks from within Pro/E - we'll talk about that later.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this command at
that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketch with the file extension
sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated and may be used again on a different
part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be read in from the saved file. In these lessons,
none of the sketches are complicated enough to warrant saving them to disk.

Working With Sketcher Constraints during Regeneration

Implicit Constraints

As alluded to above, Sketcher is a powerful geometry engine that is capable of “assuming”

things about your input sketch that indicate your design intent. These assumptions are embodied
in a number of rules (see Table 1-2) that Sketcher will invoke if necessary in order to
successfully regenerate your sketch. It will only do this if the specified dimensions and/or
alignments are not sufficient to completely define the geometry. You should become familiar
with these rules, and learn how to use them to your advantage. Conversely, if you do not want a
rule invoked, you must either (a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or (b) exaggerate the
geometry so that if fired, the rule will fail, or (c) tell Pro/E explicitly to disable the constraints.
For example, if a line in a sketch must be 2 away from vertical, draw it at 75 and explicitly
dimension it, otherwise it will be assumed to be exactly vertical. After the sketch regenerates,
you can modify the dimension to the desired 2.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 21

Table 1-2 Implicit Rules in Sketcher

Rule Description
Equal radius and diameter If you sketch two or more arcs or circles with
approximately the same radius, the system
may assume that the radii are equal
Symmetry Entities may be assumed to be symmetric
about a centerline
Horizontal and vertical lines Lines that are approximately horizontal or
vertical may be considered to be exactly so.
Parallel and perpendicular lines Lines that are sketched approximately
parallel or perpendicular may be considered
to be exactly so.
Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to
each other may be assumed to be tangent
Equal segment lengths Lines of approximately the same length may
be assumed to have the same length
Point entities lying on other entities or Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
collinear with other entities circles may be considered to be exactly on
them. Points that are near the extension of a
line may be assumed to lie on it.
Equal coordinates Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates

When a sketch is regenerated, the rules that have been fired are indicated on the graphics
window using one (or more) symbols beside each affected entity. The symbols are shown in
Table 1-3 on the next page.
1 - 22 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Table 1-3 Graphical Display of Sketcher Constraints

Constraint Symbol

Horizontal entities "H"

Vertical entities "V"

Line segments with equal lengths "L" with an index in subscript (for example: L1)

Perpendicular lines Perpendicularity symbol with or without an index

number in subscript

Parallel lines Parallel symbol with an index in subscript

Equal coordinates Small thick dashes between the points

Tangent entities "T"

Symmetry

Equal radii "R" with an index in subscript

Point entity

An example of a solved sketch with the geometric constraints is shown in Figure 14. Note how
few dimensions are required to define this sketch.
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 23

Figure 14 A regenerated sketch showing implicit

constraints

Unsuccessful Regeneration of a Section

If a section cannot be solved using the dimensioning scheme and implicit rules, Pro/ENGINEER
issues a message and highlights the error. The basic categories of errors are as follows:

 The sketch does not communicate the intent. For example, a line that you want
tangent to an arc is not “close enough” for Sketcher to figure out what to do.
 The sketch is underdimensioned.
 The sketch is overdimensioned.
 The segment is too small. If you have modified dimensions such that a line segment
becomes very small, then Sketcher will flag this as an error. If you really do want the
short segment, zoom in on the sketch and regenerate again.
 The segment is of zero length. This is similar to the previous error which arises if
you have modified dimensions so that in the recomputed position a line segment must
have zero length. This is an error that must be fixed in the sketch.
 There are inappropriate sections. For example, a sketch that crosses over itself, or an
open sketch for a feature that requires a closed one (eg. for a revolved protrusion).
1 - 24 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

The “Sadder Mister” Order of Operations

A common “error” that can lead to problems getting a successful regeneration is NOT following
the sequence below:

Sketch
Align
Dimension
Regenerate
Modify
Regenerate

You can remember this sequence using the acronym “Sadder Mister” taken from the first letter
of each step:
S A D R M R

Remember that Sketcher will provide values for all new dimensions based on the existing
features when it regenerates a sketch. There is no need to “modify” dimension values prior to
the first regeneration, and doing so can often cause you grief!

Now, all that being said, we will see in the next lesson how the Intent Manager is able to assist
you in obtaining a “legal” sketch. It is important, however, to understand the basic principles of
Sketcher, and the implicit rules, in order to use Intent Manager efficiently. Also, sometimes, you
may not want to use Intent Manager.

View Controls: Orientation and Environment

In addition to the dynamic viewing capabilities available with the mouse, you can go to
predefined orientations. To view the object in the default orientation (called "trimetric"), select
the “Saved view list” shortcut button and click on Default, the only view currently defined.
Alternatively, you can select

View > Default

or press CTRL-D (hold the Control key while you press D). Your screen should now look like
Figure 13 above.

You can experiment with the View > Orientation menu to change the display (or use the “Orient
the model” shortcut button). Read any prompts/messages in the message window. The general
procedure is to select a pair of orthogonal surfaces that will face the front, right, top, or left in the
desired view. These are called the view references. You can also obtain a new view by an
explicit rotation around an axis in the part, or relative to the screen. You usually name these
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 25

views so that it is easy to return to them later. When a desired view is obtained (like one of the
standard engineering top-front-right orientations), the view can be saved by entering a view
name and selecting Save and giving the view a special name. See Figure 15. Once a view has
been named, you can easily return to it using the “Saved view list” button.

Try using some of the commands under the Utilities > Environment menu. These commands
include hidden line, no hidden or turning on/off the datum planes or the coordinate system. The
default settings usually show hidden lines and tangent edges as gray lines. Your new settings
will take effect when you select Apply or leave the Environment menu. Note that the most
common display styles is most obtained using the short-cut buttons.

To see a shaded image, select

View > Shade

It may take a few seconds to bring this image up. If you dynamically spin this view, the shading
will disappear. Note that this view turns off the datum planes. Use View > Repaint to return to
wireframe. The “Shading” shortcut button, however, will leave the datum planes visible and you
can spin the shaded image. If your system doesn’t have the appropriate hardware, the motion
may be slow and jerky.

Figure 15 View Figure 16 Completed base feature

creation and naming
menu
1 - 26 Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher

Leaving Pro/ENGINEER
When you want to quit Pro/E entirely, after you have saved your part, you can leave by using the
Exit command in the File menu. Depending on how your system has been set up, Pro/E may
prompt you to save your part and any sketches you made. In these lessons, you do not need to
save the sketches. If you are sure you have saved the most recent version of the part, you don’t
need to do that either.

This completes Lesson #1. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the
commands that have been presented in this lesson. Create a new part for your experiments since
we will need the block part in its present form for the next lesson. The only way to become
proficient with Pro/E is to use it a lot!

In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of relations,
and spend some time learning about the Intent Manager in Sketcher.

Questions for Review

Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

1. What is meant by a blind protrusion?

2. What is the purpose of the sketching reference plane?
3. What aspect of feature creation results in the parametric nature of the model?
4. What mouse action can be used to spin the object?
5. What is meant by alignment?
6. What three outcomes are possible when you regenerate a sketch? What do these mean?
7. What is the correct order of the following activities for using Sketcher:
 sketch drawing
 modify dimensions
 regenerate
 alignments
 place dimensions
 regenerate
8. Why do datum planes have a red and yellow side?
9. What is the purpose of the datum planes?
10. When you look at a sketch, in which direction will a solid protrusion occur?
11. How do you specify the name of a part?
12. What are three ways to get on-line help?
13. When you are in Mouse Sketch mode, what do the three mouse buttons do?
14. How can you get a shaded image of the part?
Creating a Simple Object using Sketcher 1 - 27

15. What mouse action can be used to zoom in on the part?

16. How do you turn the datum plane visibility on and off?
17. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
18. How do you save a part?
19. What is the difference in operation between View > Shade and the Shade shortcut button?

Exercises
Here are some simple shapes that you can make with a single solid protrusion. They
should give you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Choose your
own dimensions. The objects should appear in roughly the same orientation in default view.
DESIGN MODELING
with
Pro/ENGINEER
4th Edition (Release 2000i)

James E. Bolluyt
Iowa State University

Schroff Development Corporation

Shawnee-Mission, Kansas
Introduction to 1
Computers in Design
1.0 COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
It is difficult to grasp how rapidly computer technology is changing
the way we live and work and play. Electronic brains in the form of
microprocessors are parts of the cars we drive, the planes in which we
fly, the televisions we watch, the telephone systems we communicate
with, the automated tools we use to produce such products, and the
computer-aided design or CAD systems used to design such products
and tools. Computer hardware for CAD systems continues to become
faster and more powerful and less expensive. Much of the software
continues to become more sophisticated in order to take advantage of
the more powerful hardware, and also less expensive. And there is no
apparent end in sight to such mind-boggling developments.
The first CAD packages were "Computer-aided Drafting"
packages - little more than electronic equivalents of the drafting
board. Though they offered some advantages over manual drafting,
especially as the software became more sophisticated and "user
friendly," the 3-D model was still only in the designer's mind, not in
the computer file or database. 3-D computer modeling requires
exponentially more computing power than 2-D electronic drafting,
and the first computers, even mainframes, did not have that kind of
computational power.
But the power of computers grew rapidly, especially after such
developments as the transistor and integrated circuit (late 1950s),
microprocessor or "computer on a chip" (1971), and very large scale
integration or VLSI (thousands and eventually millions of electronic
devices on a single chip of silicon). Developments in display technol-
ogy such as the raster scan display also made sophisticated graphics
applications more attractive as well as practical.
Such developments in computer hardware made possible
substantial developments in 3-D computer modeling theory and
software in the 1960s and 1970s. But these early efforts were carried
on mostly by large, technology-intensive companies like McDonnell-
Douglas and General Motors for their own applications and the
software was therefore proprietary, at least initially. These early
packages also required mainframe computers on which to run and so
1
2 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

were not practical for smaller companies, much less individual users.
It was the rapid development of large-scale integrated circuit
technology in the 1980s and, in particular, the introduction of 32-bit
processors that made "personal computers" (PCs) and "personal
workstations" possible. (Bit is short for binary digit; i.e., the 0 or 1 in
the binary system of numbers. 32-bit processors handle data in 32-bit
chunks.) Such developments brought the power of mainframes to the
desktop and made 3-D modeling, along with a host of other sophisti-
cated software applications, practical for an ever increasing number of
users. The increasing power, speed, and affordability of computer
hardware also made it attractive for software designers and program-
mers to develop increasingly sophisticated applications to take advan-
tage of the newest hardware. The number and variety of 3-D com-
puter-aided design packages increased dramatically, and most of these
were available to anyone willing to pay.
The 3-D modeling packages developed in the late 1980s and
early 1990s tended to fall into one of two categories - those that could
run on smaller systems (PCs) and those that required the power of a
high-end workstation or minicomputer. By the mid 1990s, however,
PCs had become powerful enough to make that distinction blur. The
newest PCs now come with processors that run at 300 megahertz
(MHz) or faster, 64 or more megabytes (MB) of random access
memory or RAM, hard disks of 4 gigabytes (GB) or more, and reason-
ably high resolution monitors. That is enough power to run many of
the CAD packages that would run only on high-end workstations just
a few years ago.
This text is intended to be an introduction to computer model-
ing concepts that are characteristic of current 3-D modeling software.
In particular, it is an introduction to the 3-D computer-aided design
software Pro/ENGINEER. Pro/ENGINEER is one of the more
sophisticated CAD packages on the market, that, until recently, would
not run on a typical PC. All the examples in this text, however, were
done on a PC with a 200 MHz Pentium II processor, 80 MB of RAM,
and a 6 GB hard disk. By current PC standards (late 1999), that is not
all that much of a machine.

Modeling and the Design Process

We design (and build, manufacture, fabricate, etc.) things in order to
solve a problem or fulfill a perceived need. Design is a primary
activity in a wide variety of disciplines. Regardless of the design
field, however, the process of design includes a characteristic set of
"steps." A typical set of "steps" or activities would include:
• Need Identification
• Problem Definition
• Search
 Section 1.1 Model Representation Schemes 3

• Determination of Constraints
• Selection of Criteria
• Development of Alternative Solutions
• Analysis
• Selection of Best Solution
• Specification of Best Solution
• Communication of Best Solution

Though there is definite logic to the order in which these activities are
listed, design is by nature an iterative process. Rarely, if ever, do we
proceed step-by-step through the list to an acceptable result. Fre-
quently, steps are repeated for one reason or another. Some steps,
such as "Search" (which might include such things as literature
reviews, existing product analyses, interviews, lab tests, etc.) are often
done repeatedly, perhaps almost continuously throughout much of the
design process.

The Electronic Model Database

During this design process, much information pertaining to the design
and the process itself is generated. Computer systems offer a means
of easy storage and retrieval for most, if not all, of this information.
Ideally, the 3-D computer model database can serve as the central
storehouse for all the information that describes one or more alterna-
tive designs as they develop (see Figure 1-1). The model database
might include any or all of the following:
• design components as 3-D solid models
• assembly and subassembly models
• production drawing files for nonstandard components
• manufacturing specifications
• bill of materials (or parts list, schedules, etc.)
• files required for CAM (computer-aided manufacturing)
or CIM (computer-integrated manufacturing)
• results of any computer analyses done for the design

The more tightly all this information is bound together, the

better. Ideally, for example, we should be able to make a modifica-
tion to a component model and see that change reflected in appropri-
ate assemblies, production files, and analyses results either automati-
cally or semiautomatically. Current high-end CAD packages, includ-
ing Pro/ENGINEER (or Pro/E for short), have this tight integration
of all design database information as a primary goal.

1.1 MODEL REPRESENTATION SCHEMES

Many current CAD packages allow us to create “models” using any
4 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design
Figure 1-1 The computer and the
computerized design database can
ideally be the central storehouse for
all the information gathered and
used during the design process,
from initial need identification to final
production/construction.
Figure 1-2 Traditional and compu-
ter-aided drafting use 2-D "wire-
frames" to represent 3-D models.
But the 3-D model exists only in the
designer's or drafter's mind.
Figure 1-3 A 3-D wireframe is
inherently ambiguous. For example,
is the cylindrical projection facing
toward us or away from us? Do the
smallest circles represent "pins"?
"holes"? some combination?
Identify and Define
Need
NO YES
Analysis:
OK? Best?
Design
Research
Loop Final Product,
Process, etc.
The
Develop / Refine Design
Concepts
Data-
Base
Inputs
Design / Production / Construction / Marketing / Management / etc.
one of several representation schemes. For example, even if the
software is a 3-D modeler, we might decide to ignore the 3rd dimen-
sion and use it to “draw” one or more views of an object on the screen
as if we were drawing on paper. We might call this a “2-D wire-
frame” representation since we would be using a set of 2-D views to
represent the 3-D model and we would be using lines or "wires" to
represent the edges and surface boundaries seen in each 2-D view as
illustrated in Figure 1-2. In this case, however, the 3-D model exists
only in our minds, not in the computer database.
Wireframe Representation
Choices of 3-D representation schemes might include wireframe,
surface, or solid. The representation scheme used determines the
kinds of operations we can do on the model and the kinds of informa-
tion that can be associated with the model. In a 3-D wireframe
representation, the model definition consists of nodes (or vertices or
points) in xyz space and lines or wires between appropriate pairs of
nodes, but no surface definitions (connectivity) or “solidness”. This
was the scheme employed in the first 3-D modelers because it is the
simplest and requires the least computer power to achieve useful
performance. But because surface definition is not part of a true
wireframe representation, no "hiding" of what would be invisible
edges in the real physical model is possible. A 3-D wireframe image
is therefore inherently ambiguous as illustrated in Figure 1-3.
Surface Representation
A second possible 3-D representation scheme is a surface representa-
tion. In a 3-D surface representation, the model definition consists of
nodes (points) in xyz space, lines (edges) between appropriate pairs
of nodes, and connectivity. Connectivity means that sets of edges are

Figure 1-4 In a surface representa-
tion, edges are connected such that
they enclose one or more surfaces.
In the model above, for example, the
"front" surface could be represented
as the "connectivity list" 1-2-3-4-5-6-
7-8-9-10.
Figure 1-6 Single-curved surfaces
have the advantage of being
"developable," a useful characteris-
tic in many manufacturing and
fabrication operations.
Figure 1-7 If a computer model is
defined as a solid, cutting through
the model with a "cutting plane" or
other solid will produce new
surfaces.
Section 1.1 Model Representation Schemes 5
somehow “linked” together by the software such that they enclose one
or more “surfaces” (see Figure 1-4). Surface models make possible
such things as hides (hidden line and surface routines for showing
correct visibility), surface colors, textures, and patterns, and analyses
based on surfaces (area, perimeter, planar relationships, etc.). Such a
scheme therefore offers important advantages compared to wireframe
representation.
Surface Types
Good modelers provide tools for creating a variety of surface types
including planar, single-curved, double-curved, and warped surfaces
(see Figure 1-5 on page 6). Though planar and single-curved surfaces
are the most commonly used surface types, double-curved and
warped surfaces also have important applications. Methods for
defining complex curves and curved surfaces have been developed
specifically for computer modeling.
What characterizes most single-curved surfaces is that all the
lines or elements that help define the surface are either parallel (as in
cylinders) or intersect at a common point (as in cones). Cones and
cylinders are by far the most common single-curved surfaces. A
useful characteristic of single-curved surfaces is that they are develop-
able; i.e., they can be rolled out or "developed" onto a planar surface
(see Figure 1-6).
Double-curved surfaces, as the name implies, are character-
ized by curvature in two directions. A straight line can lie completely
in a single-curved surface, but not in a double-curved surface.
Spheres and spheroids are the most common examples of double-
curved surfaces, but this category includes a host of more exotic types
including some specifically developed for computer applications.
Warped surfaces are characterized by straight-line elements
that are skew to one another (i.e., nonparallel and non-intersecting
elements). Two fairly common warped surface types are hyperbolic
paraboloid and hyperboloid (see Figure 1-5) but this category also
includes quite an assortment. Though warped surfaces tend to be
difficult to construct or fabricate, they have the structural advantage
of being inherently rigid and are useful as transitional surfaces.
Solid Representation
The third and most sophisticated 3-D representation scheme is a solid
representation. A solid representation includes nodes, edges, and
surface definitions like a surface representation scheme, but in addi-
tion, a "key" to differentiate "inside" from "outside" of an appropriate
set of surfaces. It is a complete and unambiguous mathematical
representation of a precisely enclosed and “filled” volume. Since the
software defines the volume as “filled”, a modeling operation that
somehow “cuts” through the volume will produce one or more new
6 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

(a) tetrahedron (b) cube (c) dodecahedron

(d) cone (e) circular cylinder (f) elliptical cylinder

(g) sphere (h) torus (i) ellipsoid (oblate)

(j) hyperboloid (one nappe) (k) hyperbolic paraboloid (l) helicoid (around cylinder)
Figure 1-5 Various surface types may be used to define or help define solid models (or surface models). Surface
types include planar (a, b, and c), single-curved (d, e, and f), double-curved (g, h, and i), and warped (j, k, and l).
 Section 1.2 Solid Model Creation Techniques 7

surfaces as suggested in Figure 1-7.

1.2 SOLID MODEL CREATION TECHNIQUES

Though several techniques have been developed for creating and
defining solid models, the two most commonly provided or applied in
CAD software are constructive solid geometry (CSG) and sweeping
techniques (see Figures 1-8 and 1-9). In practical modeling, various
combinations of these two techniques are typically used to create the
final model.
Figure 1-8 Constructive Solid
Constructive Solid Geometry
Geometry involves the combining of
Constructive Solid Geometry or CSG can be defined as the combining simple solid shapes to produce more
of 3-D solid primitives in various ways to create more complex complex solid shapes.
objects. What is considered a “primitive” is rather arbitrary, though
modelers that offer basic CSG techniques usually provide definitions
for the simpler 3-D solid shapes such as block, pyramid, cylinder,
cone, sphere, etc. As applied in practical CSG modeling, however, a
"primitive" can be very complex itself, and, in fact, often is. The
combining is done using what are called Boolean operators (or
logical or set operators) applied to 3-D solid geometry.
In some modelers, the solid model is stored as a CSG tree (or
binary tree). In this form, the model is represented as a set of primi-

Figure 1-9 Sweeping involves

moving geometry through space to
produce new geometry.

Figure 1-10 If a computer model is created using Constructive Solid

Geometry techniques, it can be represented and stored as a CSG tree.
8 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

tive shapes which are related to one another using an appropriate set
of Boolean operators as illustrated in Figure 1-10. The shape, size,
orientation, and location of each primitive, along with the Boolean
operations that relate each primitive to one or more other primitives is
stored in the model database. In a sense, such a CSG tree is like a
recipe for the final model.

Boolean Operators
There are three basic Boolean operators, but current modelers usually
provide the basic three plus several to many variations on the three.
The three basic Boolean operators are called union, difference, and
intersection. In CSG, the union operator (mathematical symbol ∪)
combines two solids or volumes into a single solid or volume (see
Figure 1-11). The union operator corresponds to the OR logical
operator (A ∪ B = all of the volume in A OR B). In theory, the two
initial solids can be overlapping, just touching, or some distance
apart. Some modelers only allow the union operation under the first
two conditions since making two separated solids into a single piece
without moving one of them is not physically meaningful. For the

(a) two separate volumes (a) two separate volumes (a) two separate volumes

(b) two volumes combined (b) cone subtracted from box (b) box subtracted from cone

Figure 1-11 The UNION operator Figure 1-12 The SUBTRACTION Figure 1-13 For the SUBTRAC-
combines two volumes or solids as operator subtracts the volume of one TION operator, order of operands is
in (a) into a single volume or solid solid from that of a another. important to the resulting geometry
as in (b). (compare Figure 1-12).
 Section 1.2 Solid Model Creation Techniques 9

union operator, order of operands does not effect the geometry of the
result; i.e., A ∪ B = B ∪ A.
The second of the three is the difference or subtraction
operator (mathematical symbol -). The difference operation removes
the volume of one solid from that of a second solid (see Figure 1-12);
the solid subtracted is generally deleted from the model. The differ-
ence operator corresponds to the NOT logical operator (A - B = all
the volume in A but NOT that which is also in B). For the difference
operation, order of operands does effect the outcome; i.e., in general,
A - B ≠ B - A as illustrated in Figure 1-13. The difference operation (a) two separate volumes
can result in one or more new solids.
The third and last of the basic Boolean operators is the inter-
section operator (mathematical symbol ∩). The intersection operator
keeps only that volume common to two solids (see Figure 1-14). The
intersection operator corresponds to the logical AND (A ∩ B = all the
volume common to both A AND B). As for the union operator, order
of operands does not effect the geometry of the outcome; i.e., A ∩ B
= B ∩ A.

Sweeping
The second technique provided by typical modelers for creating solid
(b) the common volume
models is sweeping. Sweeping is a valuable modeling tool since
there are some shapes that are difficult if not impossible to create with Figure 1-14 The INTERSECTION
CSG alone (see Figure 1-15). Sweeps might be used to create operator finds the volume common
to both of the initial volumes.

Figure 1-15 Some shapes are difficult if not impossible to create using CSG
techniques but quite easy to create with sweeping techniques.
10 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

wireframe and surface models as well as solid models, depending on

how the CAD package works. In theory, moving (sweeping) any
geometry (point, line, surface, solid) through space along an arbitrary
path defines new geometry. In practice, the shapes and paths that are
allowed, and the resulting model definition, are a function of the
software and the limitations of the computer hardware.
The most common types of sweeps in computer modeling use
a planar shape as the generator and a straight or curved line as the
path of the sweep (see Figure 1-16). In theory, a straight line path
might be perpendicular, oblique, or parallel to (in the plane of) the
planar generator. In some modelers, the path for linear sweeps is
always assumed to be perpendicular to the plane of the generator,
though sweep paths that are oblique to the plane of the generator are

Figure 1-16 The most common sweeps involve a planar generator and
either a straight or curved line path.

also sometimes useful. Some modelers, including Pro/E, use the term
extrusion instead of linear sweep.
Circular sweeps are the most common curved-path sweeps,
though other types of curved path sweeps such as spiral, elliptical,
and more “exotic” forms can also be useful. Most current modelers
offer circular sweeps and many, including Pro/E, offer some more
exotic variations as well. Some modelers use the term revolve instead
of circular sweep. Figure 1-17 illustrates several variations of a
curved-path sweep.
 Section 1.3 Parametric Modeling 11

Figure 1-17 There is a large variety of curved paths that a sweep might
follow, limited only by the curves definable in the software and within the
practical limits of the hardware.

1.3 PARAMETRIC MODELING

In early solid modelers and many current modelers, the shape of the
model is defined using user-directed CSG and/or sweeping tech-
niques. If dimensioned views are required for production documenta-
tion, the dimensions are derived from the completed model. In some
current modelers, the dimensions are associative, meaning that if we
make a change in the model, appropriate dimensions will change (a) original model
accordingly (see Figure 1-18). (This works only for changes that do
not require a different dimensioning scheme; i.e., if features with
which dimensions are associated change in basic shape, a new asso-
ciative dimensioning scheme must be established.) In other modelers,
a change in the model requires making dimensioning changes "by
hand" based on the new geometry. In either case, we could say that
the dimensions are derived from the model or the model is "driving"
the dimensions.
Another approach to the model-dimension relationship is to let
the dimensions be model "parameters." Webster defines parameter as
"a constant that varies with the functions of its application." The (b) modified model
phrase "a constant that varies" may seem contradictory. The idea,
however, as applied in some modelers, is that a real value (constant) Figure 1-18 If dimensions are
associative, changes in the model
is initially assigned to each shape-defining dimension. But the value
will automatically be reflected by
of any given dimension can be changed (can vary) and the model changes in the appropriate
geometry will change accordingly (see Figure 1-19). In other words, dimensions as illustrated above.
12 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

the shape-defining dimensions drive the geometry of the model.

Figure 1-19 In some CAD soft-
ware, dimensions are treated as
model-defining parameters which
can be changed and automatically
produce corresponding changes in
the model geometry.
In parametric modeling, we first define the characteristic 3-D
shape or topology of the model. As we define this model topology,
the modeler assumes or requires us to specify the parameters neces-
sary to control the size, orientation, and location of each feature of the
model, as well as logical relationships among features and dimen-
sions. The modeler also assigns initial values to the parameters so a
meaningful image of the characteristic shape can be generated. We
can then assign a new value to any given parameter (e.g., dimension
value dimval1 shown in Figure 1-19) as appropriate and the model
will be automatically updated. (The modeler typically checks any
new values to make sure they are consistent with the original topology
and don't conflict with any other parameter values before confirming
the updated model.)

CHAPTER 1 EXERCISES
1.1 Determine the following information about the system you are
using: type of CPU, clock speed of CPU, type of display processor,
clock speed of display processor, display resolution, number of
simultaneous colors possible, amount of RAM, operating system(s)
supported, size of hard disk, peak performance in MIPS (Millions of
Instructions Per Second), MFLOPS (Millions of FLoating-point
Operations Per Second), or other benchmarks.

1.2 Find definitions for the following acronyms: CAD, CAM, CAE,
CG, AI, RAM, ROM, NC, CNC, FEM, CPU.

1.3 Research each of the following terms. Write a brief description/

definition of each and be prepared to share your information with the
rest of the class.
transistor integrated circuit (IC)
very large scale integration (VLSI) raster scan display
megahertz (MHz) parallel processing
Bezier curve B-spline curve
constraint criterion

1.4 Find and record two examples of each of the following in exist-
ing designs: single-curved surface; double-curved surface; warped
surface. For each example, sketch enough of the design to make it
clear how the particular type of surface was used to help define design
geometry.

1.5 In a linear sweep operation, why might a sweep path parallel to

the plane of the generating shape be considered trivial?
 Chapter 1 Exercises 13

1.6 Sketch two variations of the characteristic shape shown in Figure

E1.6 at right (i.e., same block-with-hole but different proportions or
dimension parameter values). Use pictorial sketches and orient them
like the pictorial shown.

1.7 Sketch a CSG tree illustrating how the model in Figure E1.7
might be created using Constructive Solid Geometry techniques.
Assume that the simple primitives block, cone, circular cylinder,
rectangular pyramid, and sphere are predefined and that the three
basic Boolean operators UNION, DIFFERENCE, and INTERSEC- Figure E1.6
TION are available. Show the primitives in pictorial with orientations
consistent with the final model image shown in the figure.

1.8 Make a sketch illustrating how the model represented in Figure

E1.7 might be created using linear and/or circular sweeps and Bool-
ean operations. Assuming the modeler had no restrictions on the
complexity of the profile to be swept, what is the fewest number of
each type of sweep (linear and circular) necessary to create this
model? What is the fewest number of Boolean operations necessary?

1.9 Sketch a CSG tree for the model represented in Figure 1-2. Figure E1.7
Make the same assumptions given in Exercise 1.7. Show the primi-
tives with orientations consistent with the final model image shown.

1.10 Make a sketch illustrating how the model represented in Figure

1-2 might be created using two linear sweeps and a Boolean union
operation.

1.11 Make a sketch illustrating how the final model represented in

Figure 1-10 might be created using linear and circular sweeps and
Boolean operations. Assuming the modeler had no restrictions on the
complexity of the profile to be swept, what is the fewest number of
each type of sweep (linear and circular) necessary to create this
model? What is the fewest number of Boolean operations necessary?

1.12 Make a sketch illustrating how the model in Figure E1.12 might
be created using linear and circular sweeps and Boolean operations.
What is the simplest set of sweeps and Boolean operations necessary
to create this model? (Assume all holes, including the one in the
center that is barely visible, are "through" holes.)

1.13 Sketch a CSG tree for the model in Figure E1.13. Make the Figure E1.12
same assumptions as in Exercise 1.7 and, in addition, assume there is
a variation of the Boolean difference operator that allows us to clip or
cut off any portion of a solid with an arbitrary "cutting plane."
14 Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers in Design

1.14 Make a sketch illustrating how the model in

Figure E1.13 can be created using linear sweeps
and Boolean operations. Assuming the modeler
had no restrictions on the complexity of the profile
to be swept, what is the fewest number of linear
sweeps necessary to create this model? What is the
fewest number of Boolean operations necessary?

1.15 Determine as much as you can about how the

hardware on which you will run Pro/ENGINEER is
set up. For example, how is Pro/ENGINEER
installed on your system(s) and where is the actual
software stored - locally or on a network server?
Figure E1.13 How is it accessed from the machine you are/will
be using? What are the default directories for
model files, plot files, trail files, etc? Will you be using the
CONFIG.PRO file that comes with the text diskette, a modified
version thereof, or one specifically created for a specific course or
purpose? If different from the CONFIG.PRO that comes with the
text, research the differences in as much detail as possible. Will you
be using the files that come with the text diskette? If so, where will
they be stored and how can they be accessed? Where are printing
and/or plotting peripherals located and what will be the general
procedure for using them? Are they connected to your machine and,
if so, how can plot or print files be sent for processing?
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL
A Project Based Approach

Marie P. Planchard
Massachusetts Bay Community College
&

David C. Planchard
Middlesex Community College


PUBLICATIONS

www.
pro.com
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 1

 
 



Create a reinforcing bracket to assemble solid wood boards using standard fasteners.
Brackets adhere to wood construction industry standards and are manufactured in large
quantities. The retail market bares a maximum price of $0.50 each.

Ready to start a session of Pro/E. Stop! Ask yourself what is the intent of the design? The
design intent of this model goes far beyond creating a bracket and adding a few fasteners in
Pro/E. Before you begin this project, ask yourself these questions:

1. How will the customer use

this part?

2. How is the part used in the

assembly?

3. What other components

effect this part?

4. Do you need to be concerned

about loads, or other engineering
properties?

5. What is the most cost-

effective material?

6. How is this part

manufactured? What features
can be implemented during the
initial model creation that make
Figure 1-1 Stong-Tie Reinforcing Brackets
manufacturing more cost
Courtesy of Simpson Strong Tie Corporation of California effective and successful?

7. Is Pro/SHEETMETAL the
right product for the design?

 

You may not have access to all of the required information. Placed in a concurrent
engineering situation, you are dependent upon others and are ultimately responsible for the
final design.
Page 1 - 2 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Some information comes from your customer. The customer uses the L-Bracket to connect
perpendicular boards. The Engineering group initial specifies that 4 fasteners are required to
complete the assembly. The analysis group determines loads on test samples. Material
suppliers indicate that aluminum is the most cost-effective material but until the analysis is
completed, you also investigate steel.

In the real world there are time constraints. The customer requires a quote and a delivery
schedule for 10,000 units, YESTERDAY! Your manager suggests that you use
Pro/SHEETMETAL. Near the end of this project you will receive additional information
from the Engineering and Materials Planning departments to complete your assembly.

 
 ! "


Pro/SHEETMETAL is a separate module of

Pro/ENGINEER foundation. In Part mode,
there are three subtype options: Solid,
Composite, and Sheetmetal, (Figure 1-2).

The Sheetmetal option in the SUB-TYPE menu

initiates a variety of commands and features
only available in Sheetmetal mode.

To begin a new sheet metal part, select File,

New. Select Part under the TYPE menu.

Select Sheetmetal under the SUB-TYPE menu

Enter partname L-BRACKET in the Name
window. Select OK.
Figure 1-2 Sheetmetal Sub-Type
Menu

File>New>Part>Sheetmetal>[Enter partname L-BRACKET]>OK

Select Feature, Create. Select Datum from the FEATURE menu. Select Plane from the
DATUM menu. Select Default from the MENU DTM OPT menu.

Feature>Create>Datum>Plane>Default

Note: Sheet metal parts are solid models. With solid models, you can calculate mass
properties and perform engineering analysis. Sheet metal parts contain additional features and
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 3

options: Wall; Forms, Bends, and Unbends. Sheet metal parts can be represented in their
flat manufactured material state.

#
 

Datum Planes, (Figure 1-3) represent infinite 2D

planes in 3-D space as displayed in Pro/E. It is
sometimes difficult to visualize the default datum
planes; they have no thickness or mass.

In orthographic projection, the default datum

planes DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3 are compared
to Right view, Top view, and Front view
respectively, (Figure 1-4).

In geometric tolerancing, the default datum planes

are referred to as the primary, secondary, and
tertiary planes. Datum planes have two sides:
yellow side and red side. The yellow and red colors Figure 1-3 Default Datum
are important to recognize for: Planes

• Sketching the profile

• Orienting the part in the assembly

• Adding additional features

All parts start with the default datum as

the first feature. Default datum planes
develop correct parent-child relationships;
new geometry has no dependency on
previously created geometry.

Not only is it important to use default

datum planes, but also it is equally as
important to orient the base feature with
respect to the planes.

Figure 1-4 Cosmetic Representation to

Clarify Default Datum Planes
Page 1 - 4 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

We will now discuss the design intent and the

base feature location.

 $  

Design Questions:

• How is the bracket created in

Pro/SHEETMETAL, (Figure 1-5)?

• The bracket is fastened to solid wood.

How are datum planes used to assist in the
design?

• How are datum planes used to orient the

part in the final assembly? Figure 1-5 Utilizing Default Datum Planes
to Capture Design Intent
• Do you understand the form, fit, and
function of the parts used in the assembly?

These are all critical questions that need to be addressed before you can successfully create the
base feature.

The parts are manufactured with the X-axis and Y-axis as datum lines. Referencing to these
datum lines enforces proficient dimensioning practice. A poor dimensioning scheme adds to
the cost of the part.

Note: Dimensioning to datums in Assembly mode creates fewer problems with external
references. This practice leads you to continually think about the intent of the design.

%

What is the base feature? The base feature is the foundation of the part. The base feature
should be kept simple. For this bracket, the 2D profile is an “L” shape sketch. The Sketch
Plane is located on DTM3 and the “L” profile is sketched colinear to DTM1 and DTM2.
DTM2 is the Reference Plane. DTM3 is the Sketch Plane. The yellow side of DTM2 faces
the top. The yellow side of DTM3 faces the front.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 5

%


Features are classified as:

• Solid

• Surface

• Datum

• Sheet Metal

in the FEAT CLASS, (Feature Class) menu. Select Sheet

Metal, (Figure 1-6).
Figure 1-6
A new SHEET METAL FEATURE menu expands containing
Notch, Punch, and Wall. Wall is a feature in FEAT CLASS,
Pro/SHEETMETAL similar to a thin wall protrusion in (Feature Class) Menu
Pro/ENGINEER. After Sheet Metal is selected, Wall is the
only highlighted option, (Figure 1-7).

Time spent between Solid and Sheet Metal features, requires

the activation of the Sheetmetal option found in the
Applications menu on the Main Tool Bar, (Figure 1-8).

The Standard option contains Solid features. The Sheetmetal

option contains sheet metal features.

Figure 1-7 SHEET

METAL FEATURE
Menu

Figure 1-8 Applications Menu Standard Part and

Sheetmetal Part Options
Page 1 - 6 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

& '())

Walls are created as:

• Flat

• Extruded

• Revolve

• Blend

and others as shown in the OPTIONS menu, (Figure 1-9). We will first investigate the
Extruded Wall option.

Walls in sheet metal have two sides: a green side and a white side. The green side is called the
driving side, and the white side represents thickness. Sheet metal parts have a uniform cross
section. Select Feature, Create, Sheetmetal.. Select Wall from the SHEET METAL menu.
Select Extruded, Done, from the OPTIONS menu.

For the “L”-Bracket, control the bend radius through the sketched profile.

Feature>Create>SheetMetal>
Wall>Extruded|Done

Figure 1-9
Use Table
Menu
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 7

The ATTRIBUTES menu, (Figure 1-10) provides two design

options: One Side and Both Sides. The One Side option
creates a feature only on one side of the datum plane. The
Both Sides option creates a feature symmetrically on either
side of the datum plane. Select One Side. Select Done.

One Side|Done

Figure 1-10
 ( Attributes Menu

One of the most helpful tools in feature creation is

the Element Dialog Box, (Figure 1-11). The
Element column lists the required and optional
elements of the feature. The Info, (Information)
column lists the current state of each element.

Example: The element Attributes corresponds to

the Info state of One Side. The element Section
corresponds to the Info state of Defining.

You are in the process of defining the Element

Dialog Box. Enter additional information for Figure 1-11 Element Dialog
completion. A greater than symbol, “>” indicates the Box
current element being defined. Every element can be
redefined in its creation state by selecting the element
and then selecting the Define Button.

Once a feature is created, the Element Dialog Box reappears in the Feature>Redefine
command.

# 
  )*+ 
 

The Section requires three components:

• Sketch Plane

• Reference Plane

• Sketch
Page 1 - 8 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

The Sketch Plane contains the 2D profile. The Reference Plane orients the direction of the
Sketch Plane for viewing. The Sketch contains the geometry profile, dimensions, and
alignments.

DTM3 is the Sketch Plane. Plane is the default option in the SETUP PLANE menu,
(Figure 1-12). Select DTM3 text. You can use the Model Tree to select the DTM3 text. The
viewing arrow indicates feature creation direction. The arrow direction points into the screen.
Select Okay to accept the direction.

DTM2 is the Reference Plane. Select Top from the SKET VIEW (Sketch View) menu,
(Figure 1-13). In Sketcher mode, DTM2 (yellow side) faces the top. DTM2 (red side) faces
the bottom, (Figure 1-14).

Setup New|Plane|[DTM3]>Okay>Top|[DTM2]

Figure 1-12
Sketch Plane
Menu

Figure 1-13
Reference View
Plane Menu
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 9

DTM3
Yellow
DTM2
Side
Yellow Side
Sketch
faces up
Plane
Reference
Viewing
Plane

DTM1
Yellow Side
Faces right
Vertical
Reference
Plane

Figure 1-14 Datum Plane Orientation in Sketcher

#

The 2D section for the feature is created in Sketcher mode.

Sketcher mode includes dimensions and geometry relationships.
The Intent Manager is a new function in Release 20. The
Intent Manager provides the ability to define alignment
references of other feature such as: plane, axis, or edge before
you sketch new geometry. Select the corresponding check box,
to invoke the Intent Manager, (Figure 1-15).

The Specify Refs option is automatically highlighted. Select the

DTM1 and DTM2 datum planes as the Reference Planes. The
“L” shaped profile is aligned to these planes. Digitize on the
horizontal and vertical lines. The horizontal and vertical lines
display the 2D representation of the planes.

Figure 1-15
Sketcher Menu
Page 1 - 10 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Two orange alignment lines are displayed colinear to DTM1 and DTM2, (Figure 1-16).

+,-,#,-

The Default view is a 3D view that corresponds to the default datum planes. To display
alignment lines:

• Select Default View icon from the Main Tool Bar

• Select Grid Off icon, (Figure 1-17)

Note: You can create alignments in both the Default View and the Sketch View. The 2D
Sketch View is located in the SKETCHER menu.

 ##

Select Sketch from the SKECTHER menu. The

Line option is the default. Use Line to create the
“L” shape profile colinear with DTM1 (vertical) DTM2
and DTM2 (horizontal).

Sketch>Line Alignment References

[Sketch the L-Shape] DTM1

Figure 1-16 Alignment

References and “L” Profile

Note: Do not sketch the line segments the same size.

If the vertical and horizontal lines are of equal length, the “L1” symbol is drawn above both
sketched lines. With Intent Manager activated, the gray dimensions appear automatically,
referenced from the datum planes, (Figure 1-16).
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 11

Grid On/Off

Default View

Figure 1 – 17 Grid ON/OFF and Default View Icons

The dimension of the “L” bracket is 3” x 2” x 1” with a thickness of 0.1”. Select Modify from
the SKETCHER menu. Select the vertical dimension text. The text turns red. In the message
window, the system prompts you to enter a new value. Enter 3 for the vertical dimension.
Select the green check mark at the right of the message window. The action updates the
value. Select the horizontal dimension text. The text turns red. Enter 2. Select Regenerate
to update the dimensions.

Modify>

[Select on the vertical dimension text and in the message window. Enter 3]>

[Select on the horizontal dimension. Enter 2]>

Regenerate

Select Arc from the GEOMETRY

menu. Select Fillet from the ARC
TYPE menu. When prompted,
select two entities. Select a point
on the vertical line approximately 2.75
0.25 from the corner intersection.
Select a point, 0.25 on the
horizontal line. Use the grid lines
to create a 90° arc. The center
point should be equally spaced 1.75
between vertical and horizontal,
(Figure 1-18).

Figure 1-18 ARC FILLET

Page 1 - 12 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Select Modify. Select the arc dimension. Enter 0.25.

Arc>Fillet [Select 2 points]

Modify>[Select on the arc dimension. Enter 0.25]

The overall length is correct, but the dimension scheme does not
represent the design intent. Once the wall thickness is created, the
dimension scheme is modified to represent the true design intent.
Dimensions created from the Intent Manager can be redefined in
Sketcher mode.

& #  Figure 1-19

GEOMETRIC
In Sketcher, material thickness is added with the Thicken command TOOLS Menu
located in the GEOM TOOLS, (Geometric Tools) menu,
(Figure 1-19).

The direction arrow points towards the right of the “L” to address material thickness. Select
FLIP|Okay for direction arrow selection. Enter thickness, 0.10. An offset profile is created
as a dotted line, (Figure 1-20).

Geom Tools>Thicken>Okay>[Enter 0.10]

Direction of Thicken Figure 1-20 Thicken

Command Command to Offset
Profile
3.00

0.15

Re dimension radius to
2.00 new inside wall

Re dimension vertical and horizontal dimensions to datums

An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 13

#  # $  

To change the design intent, address the dimension scheme. Select Dimension from the
SKETCHER menu. For the vertical dimension, select the DTM2 plane. Select the top most
vertical point. Place the dimension by using the middle mouse button.

For the horizontal dimension, select the DTM1 plane. Select the right most horizontal point.
Place the dimension by using the middle mouse button.

Most Sheet metal parts require inside dimension radii. To redefine the radius dimension,
select the inside dotted line arc. If dimensioning conflicts occur in the sketch, Sketcher
prompts you to delete the conflicting dimensions. Note: The system automatically highlights
conflicting dimensions in red.

You must a valid sketch before exiting Sketcher. The sketch and the dimension scheme
should be similar, (Figure 1-20). If the dimension scheme and sketch are not similar, Modify
the dimensions to obtain similar values. Regenerate your sketch. Select Done to exit
Sketcher.

Dimension>[Create overall vertical dimension]

Dimension>[Create overall horizontal dimension]

Modify>

Regenerate>Done

Note: Regenerate to ensure retention of work before you leave Sketcher!

After leaving Sketcher, the next step is to specify the depth. Select Blind, Done, from the
SPEC TO menu.

The system arrow displays the profile depth direction. A red X mark represents the arrow tail
end. The arrow direction points into the screen. A bulls eye symbol, – (two concentric
circles) represents the arrow head. The arrow direction points out of the screen.

For the “L” profile, the arrow direction indicates that the extrusion is drawn from the Sketch
Plane (DTM3), into the screen. Enter profile depth value, 1.2.

Blind|Done>[Enter 1.2]
Page 1 - 14 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Select Preview from the ELEMENT DIALOG BOX, to view the newly created wall. Select
View, Default from the Main Tool Bar. The 3D Extruded Wall feature is displayed. Select
Shade from the Main Tool Bar to display, (Figure 1-21).

Select OK from the ELEMENT

DIALOG BOX to insert the creation into
the database.

Preview>

View>Default>Shade>OK

Note: Always PREVIEW the feature

before inserting it into the database.
Select on File, Save to save to disk.

File>Save
Figure 1-21 Base Feature – Extruded Wall,
Shaded

! #!)

Massaging is the modification of the model and its dimensions to test the limits of the feature.
Massaging helps answer the question; can the feature dimensions be changed and still obtain a
successful model regeneration?

The Extruded Wall is a simple feature. Note: Always massage a feature after it has been
created. Select Modify, Value from the FEATURE menu. Select the Extruded Wall
feature. Dimensions are displayed. Select dimension 2.00 to change the vertical length. The
value 2.00 is highlighted in red. From the keyboard, enter 5.

Select dimension 0.25 to change the arc fillet length. The value 0.25 is highlighted in red.
From the keyboard, enter 0.4.

Select Done from the GET SELECT menu. Select Regenerate from the FEATURE menu.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 15

Feature>Modify>Value>[Select Extruded
Wall]

[Select on the dimension text 2.00|Enter 5]

[Select on the dimension text 0.15|Enter 0.4]

Done

Regenerate

Note: If dimensions were altered, modify the

dimensions back to their original values,
(Figure 1-22).
Figure 1-22 DEV-L and THICK
Dimensions
) #

DEV-L, (Developed Length) is the true calculated length of the flat material required to create
a bend. The system generated DEV-L .029 from the Part Bend Table when the Extruded
Wall feature was created.

Sheet metal bends require material thickness, type, inside radius, and bend angle information.

• Material thickness, 0.1

• Material type, soft steel

• Inside radius, 0.15

• Bend angle, 90°

This information is required for the system to calculate DEV-L .029. Default bend Table 2
uses the inside radius of 0.15 and material thickness of 0.10 to calculate the DEV-L of 0.29.
Page 1 - 16 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

. ) 

Example: Use a flexible eraser, 2” or longer. Bend the eraser in a U shape. The eraser displays
tension and compression forces. The area where there is no compression or tension is called
the neutral axis or neutral bend line, (Figure 1-23).

Tension
Neutral Bend
Force
line

Compression
Force

Figure 1-23 Bending a Flexible

Eraser to Display Tension and
Compression Forces

 ) #

Assume the material has no thickness. The length of the material formed into a 360° circle is
the same as its circumference. The length of a 90° bend would be ¼ of the circumference of a
circle, (Figure 1-24).

Circumference of R Length of a ¼ circle =

a circle = 2πR 2πR*(90/360) = πR/2

L = 2πR L1/4 = πR/2

Figure 1-24 Length of a Circle, Circumference and Quarter Circle

In the real world, materials do have thickness. Materials develop different lengths when
formed in a bend depending on their thickness. There are three major properties which
determines the length of a bend:
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 17

1. Bend radius

2. Material thickness

3. Bend angle

The distance from the inside radius of the bend to the neutral bend line is labeled, δ. The
symbol ‘δ’ is the Greek letter, delta. The amount of flat material required to create a bend is
greater than the inside radius and depends upon the neutral bend line. As the material
hardness increases, the distance between the inside radius and the neutral bend line increases.
The true developed flat length is measured from the endpoints of the neutral bend line.

Example: (Figure 1-25)

Material thickness, T = 0.1. Create a 90°bend with an inside radius of R = 0.15.

T
R

δ
δ
T δ

L L

90° Bent
Flat Developed Flat Developed
Material
Length Length
(Soft steel L = 0.29) (Hard steel L = 0.31)

Figure 1-25 Flat Developed Length, L for a 90° Bend, Using Soft Steel and
Hard Steel

 
#+%

The Chamfer feature is a solid feature that removes material from an edge. Solid features
such as Chamfers, Rounds, and Holes are used with sheet metal parts.

Who are the users? A user could be a construction worker who would install the bracket on
wooden boards. Sharp metal corners are dangerous for installer. Your design should
eliminate sharp corners.
Page 1 - 18 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

There are many angles to choose from during design. The 45° angle is the most common
chamfer in manufacturing. All 4 corner chamfers for the design are 45°. The Chamfer
feature creates the edge cut.

Select Feature, Create, Solid. Select Chamfer.

Select Edge option from the CHAMF, (Chamfer) Select the 4 small
menu. corner edges

Figure 1-26
Chamfer Options Figure 1-27 Corners to
Chamfer

Select the 45 x d option in the SCHEME menu, (Figure 1-26). 45 x d represents a 45° angle
by the distance of the chamfer cut d.

Feature>Create>Solid>Chamfer>Edge>45 x d

At system prompt, enter 0.25 for the Chamfer Dimension d. Use Query Select to choose the
small lines to chamfer the 4 corner edges, (Figure 1-27). Select Done Select from the GET
SELECT menu. Select Done Refs, (References) from the FEATURE REFs menu.

[Enter CHAMFER DIMENSION for d: 0.25]

[Select one or more edges to CHAMFER. Select the 4 corners]>Done Refs

Select Preview from the Element Dialog Box to view the edge chamfers, (Figure 1-28).
Select OK from the Element Dialog Box. This commits the feature to the database. Select
SAVE from the Main Tool Bar to save the feature to disk.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 19

Preview>OK>Save

Figure 1-28
L-Bracket with 4
Corner 45°
Chamfers

 %

Sheet metal holes are created either through a punch or drill process. There is a Punch and
Hole feature in Pro/E to simulate the punch and drill manufacturing process respectively.
Each process has advantages and disadvantages: costs, time, accuracy, etc.

In this exercise, investigate the Hole feature. A Hole feature is a solid feature that removes
material. The Hole feature is a complex feature. There are many menus and options. Before
starting the Hole feature, you need to understand the current design situation.

Areas to review:

• Review hole diameter selection with your customers, internal and external

• Dimension for design flexibility

• Review the Hole and Copy features

 

The analysis group is evaluating the bracket with four fasteners, 10d x 1- ½ ” nails. To allow
for a clearance fit, select a hole diameter of 5/32”, (0.156). The holes should be of equal size
and utilize the same fasteners. Why?
Page 1 - 20 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

You need to ensure a cost effect design that is price competitive. Your company must be
profitable with their designs to ensure financial stability and future growth.

Another important reason for fastener commonly and simplicity is the customer. The
construction worker is the targeted user for the part. In the field, the construction worker does
not want to supply a variety of tools for different fasteners.

A designer needs to be prepared for changes. At this time, you do not have the final overall
mounting dimension locations. Design flexibility is key!

Placement
Plane Reference 1
Surface

Reference 2 First
Surface hole
Drill
here

Figure 1-29 Placement Plane and

Reference Surfaces

To create a solid Hole feature, execute the following commands:

• Select Feature, Create, Solid from the PART menu

• Select Hole from the FEATURE CLASS menu

• Select Straight from the HOLES OPTS menu

• Select Linear, then DONE from the PLACEMENT menu

At system prompt, select the placement plane for the hole. The placement plane is the flat
white surface. The flat white surface indicates hole start locations. The placement plane
simulates the drill bit location for a hole creation, (Figure 1-29).
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 21

Feature>Create> Solid> Hole> Straight> Linear|Done>[Select Placement Plane]

Two different perpendicular Reference Planes are required to determine hole location.
Select the right most vertical surface for Reference 1. Select the front most horizontal
surface for Reference 2, (Figure 1-29).
[Select TWO edges, axes, planar surfaces or datums, Reference 1, Reference 2]

At system prompt, enter the distances

from Reference 1 and Reference 2.
From the right surface enter 0.875. From
the front surface enter 0.75, 0.87
(Figure 1-30).
∅0.15
Select One Side|Done from the SIDES 0.75
menu. Select Thru ALL|Done from the
SPEC TO menu. Enter 0.156 for the
hole diameter.

[Select Reference 1]>

[Enter distance from highlighted

surface, 0.875]
Figure 1-30 First Hole Feature Placed
[Select Reference 2]>

[Enter distance from highlighted surface, 0.75]

OneSide|Done

Thru ALL|Done

[Enter hole diameter 0.156]

Select Preview from the Element Dialog Box. Select OK to commit the Solid Hole feature to
the database. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar to save the feature to disk.

Preview>OK>Save

%+,)

A flat surface is a 2D plane. An Edge is a line. To locate a hole, identify a flat surface for
Reference 1 & Reference 2.

Why is a flat surface chosen over an edge?

Page 1 - 22 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

• Sheet metal parts are traditionally thin, edges are close together and difficult to distinguish

• Additional time is required to zoom in, rotate the model and locate an edge

• In future feature creations, edges can turn into chamfers or rounds and become redefined

 # )

The second hole is drilled on the

same surface as the first. The
placement plane and Reference
Planes for the second hole are the
same as the first hole. The diameter
of the second should have the same
diameter of the first hole. Select
Feature, Copy. Select Same Refs
(References). Select, Dependent,
Done from the COPY FEATURE
menu, (Figure 1-31). Select Hole 1.
Select Done from the DELECT Figure 1-31
FEAT menu. COPY Menu

Feature>Copy>Same Refs|Select|Dependent|Done

[Select Hole 1]>Done

Select Dim1 and Dim2 from the GP VAR DIMS (Group Variable) menu, (Figure 1-32). This
is to modify Reference 1 & 2 dimensions.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 23

The system highlights dimensions 0.875 and 0.75 respectively. Select Done. Dim3 is the
hole diameter dimension, 0.156.

Figure 1-32 GP VAR

DIMS menu
The system displays 0.875. Enter 0.375 Reference 1
dimension for the second hole.

The system then displays 0.75. Enter 0.40

Reference 2 dimension of the second hole.

The second hole diameter, 0.156 utilizes the

Copy feature for DIM3. Select Preview to .875
view the Copy feature, (Figure 1-33).

.750
Preview>OK>Save 0.375

0.40

The Model Tree lists: GROUP COPIED as

the newly created feature. ∅0.157

Note: Features can be selected from the

Model Tree to save time.
Figure 1-33 Second Hole Created as a
Copy Feature
Page 1 - 24 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

 / )0

Select COPY from the FEATURE menu to create Hole 3 & 4,

(Figure 1-34). Select New Refs, Select, Independent, Done from
the COPY FEATURE menu.

Feature>Copy>New Refs|Select|Independent|Done

Select Hole 1 and Hole 2 (HOLE and GROUP COPY) from the
Model Tree.

Hole 1 and Hole 2 turns red. Select Done from the SELECT
FEATURE menu. Select Dim1, Dim2, Dim4, and Dim5 from the
GP VAR DIMS menu, (Figure 1-35).

Figure 1-34
Copy Feature
Do not select Dim3 or Dim6. Dim3 and Dim6 are the hole Menu New Refs
diameter dimensions. The following are the current Dim values:

Hole 1:

Dim1 = 0.875

Dim2 = 0.75

Dim3 = 0.156 “Default valve”

Hole 2:

Dim4 = .375

Dim5 = 0.4

Dim6 = 0.156 “Default value”

Figure 1-35 DIM 1

Though Dim 6
As you drag the mouse over each Dim value, the corresponding Values to Modify
dimension turns red. Select Done.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 25

The system prompts you to enter the following dimensions:

[Enter Dim1] 0.375

[Enter Dim2] -0.75 Reference 1 Surface

[Enter Dim4] 0.875

Back Surface
[Enter Dim5] -0.40

The negative sign for the value

-0.75 and -0.40 indicates
direction of the features. Placement Plane

Select the vertical white surface

as the placement plane to place
Hole 3 and Hole 4.

Select Query Select from the Reference 2 Surface

WHICH REF, (Reference) menu.
Select the top surface, Reference
1 and the front surface, Reference
2, (Figure 1-36). Select Done.

Select Save, to save to disk.

Figure 1-36 Placement Plane and Reference
Surfaces for Hole 3 and Hole 4

[Select Reference 1]

[Select Reference 2]

Done>

Save

  )

If you do not enter the negative signs for Dim2 & Dim5, and select the top left Reference 1
surface and the front left Reference 2 surface correctly, the holes are drawn in space.

If you do not enter the negative signs for Dim2 & Dim5, and select the back left Reference 2
surface, then when the wall depth is increased, the dimension scheme causes the model to fail
during regeneration, (Figure 1-36).
Page 1 - 26 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

! #!)-#
1%

To massage the model, modify the dimensions of the parent feature (Extruded Wall). Ensure
that the children (Holes) meet your expectations during regeneration.

Massage the model by using the Feature, Modify, Value. Select on the depth of the extruded
wall. Increase depth to 2.0. Increase the diameter of the first hole to 0.16. Select Regenerate.

Feature>Modify>Value>[Select text Enter 2.0] >[Select text. Enter 0.16]

Regenerate

%   +23

Modify the dimensions as displayed, (Figure 1-37). Regenerate. Save.

Figure 1-37 New Dimensions for L-Bracket

An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 27

4  )%

The Unbend feature is used to flatten any curved

surface of a Sheet metal part. Select Feature,
Create, Sheetmetal, and Unbend. Select Regular, Select the top
white surface
Done from the UNBEND OPTs, (Options) menu.
Select Query Select. Select the top white surface
as the fixed surface, (Figure 1-38). Select Unbend
All, Done from the UNBEND SEL, (Select) menu.
Select Preview. Select OK. Select Save from the
Main Tool Bar to save to disk.

Feature>Create>SheetMetal>Unbend

Regular|Done> [select the top white surface] Figure 1-38 Fixed

Surface (white)
Unbend All|Done

Preview>OK>Save

The Unbend feature with the Unbend All option creates a flat pattern for the “L” bracket. A
flat pattern is a planar layout of a sheet metal piece to be formed, (Figure 1-39).

Select the left surface and the right surface to

measure overall length

Figure 1-39 Unbend All - A Flat Pattern

Page 1 - 28 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

!  #

Select Info from the Main Tool Bar. Select Measure. Select Distance under the TYPE pull
down menu. Select the left most surface and the right most surface of the Flat Pattern,
(Figure 1-39). The RESULTS window displays the overall length of the flatten material.

Info>Measure>Distance

[Select 2 Surface]

Close

 )%

The Bend Back feature returns Select the top white surface
the previous Unbend feature to
its original 3D bent state. Select
Feature, Create, and
Sheetmetal, Bend Back. Select
Query Select. Select the top
right white surface as the fixed
surface, (Figure 1-40).

Note: Always select the same

fixed surface for both the
Unbend and Bend Back features.

Select Bend Back All from the

BEND BACK SEL, (Select)
menu. Select Preview. Select
OK. Select Save from the Main Figure 1-40 Bend Back All Fixed Surface
Tool Bar to save to disk.

Feature>Create>Sheetmetal>Bend Back>[Select top white surface]>Bend Back All|Done

Preview>OK>Save
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 29

4  ) ) )5 

The Unbend and Bend Back features are used in sequence to illustrate the 3D part unfolded
into its flat pattern state. The Model Tree contains two new features: Unbend and Bend Back
features. As you create additional Wall features, use the Unbend and Bend Back sequence to
visually confirm that a flat pattern is physically possible. Delete both the Unbend and Bend
Back feature from the Model Tree. Otherwise the Model Tree fills with unnecessary features.
This will have a negative impact on regenerate time.

 )
, 

When you Save a part, the system creates a file with the partname plus an incremental version
number. Select File from the Main Tool Bar. Select Delete. Select Delete Old Versions.
The system prompts “Enter object whose old version should be deleted.” Select “√ ” (Check
Mark) to accept the current part.

File>Delete>Delete Old Versions>

[Enter object whose old version should be deleted] L-BRACKET

#
) - !)

The Production Drawing Module consists of two sections: Drawing mode and Detail mode.
In Drawing mode, you create and modify drawing views, formats, and drawing sheets. In
Detail mode, you create and modify model dimensions and detail dimensions.

Review the following areas before starting a new drawing:

1. Verify the Part. Select File, Open. Select the Sheetmetal Part to be dimensioned. The
part shares the same database as the drawing. Do not delete or move the part. The
drawing will not be valid. The drawing requires the associated part.

2. View dimensions in Part mode. Select Info, Regen Info, Beginning, Continue to review
features and dimensions from the first feature, DTM1 to the last feature. To activate the
Regen Info, display the PART menu.

3. Maximize the number of dimensions created in Part mode. As a rule, the creation of
dimensions in Part mode takes less time then dimensions created in Detail mode. Only
dimensions created in Part mode are totally associative.
Page 1 - 30 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Note: When you modify a dimension in Part mode, the drawing dimension is updated. When
you modify a dimension in Drawing mode, the part dimension is updated.

For multiple parts in an assembly:

Open each part in the assembly. Repeat Steps 1 through 3.

 .-- 

Situation: You need a drawing to supply to the

customer.

Select File, New from the Main Tool Bar. Select

Drawing under the TYPE menu. Enter drawing
name L-BRACKET in the Name window.

Select OK, (Figure 1-41).

Note: Drawing and part names have different file

extensions.

Files>New>Drawing>[Enter L-BRACKET]

The drawing name is L-BRACKET.DRW and the

part name is L-BRACKET.PRT. Figure 1-41 New Menu, Drawing
Type
The default Sheet Size is C. This size is too large
for the part drawing at a 1:1 scale. Specify Sheet Size A by selecting the arrow symbol next
to Sheet Size C. Select A in the CREATE DRAWING menu. Landscape orientation and
the model Name L-BRACKET are the default values. Select OK to accept these values,
(Figure 1-42).

Set Dwg Size>Landscape>A>OK

An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 31

 "6 ,-

There are many views that can be created in Drawing

mode, (Figure 1-43). In this exercise, utilize the
General and Projection views to create a tradition
third-angle orthographic projection with three principle
views: Front, Top, and Right.

Create the Front view by first using the General view.

Select Views from the DRAWING menu. Select
AddView from the VIEWS menu.

Select General, Full View, No Xsec (Crosssection),

No Scale, Done from the VIEW TYPE menu.

Figure 1-43 View

Menu Figure 1-42 NEW
DRAWING Menu

View>AddView>General|FullView|NoXSec|NoScale|Done>

[Select center point for drawing view, bottom left]

Digitize a center point in the lower left portion of the drawing, approximately 2” over and 2”
up from the lower left corner. The General view displays the part in the Default view
orientation with the DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3 datum planes, (Figure 1-44).
Page 1 - 32 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

These datum planes are used to orient the 3D view into a 2D Front view.

Select Orient by Reference from the TYPE drop down list in the ORIENTATION menu.
You require two references to place the “L” profile in the Front view:

• Select Front for Reference 1.

Select DTM3 inside the General
view.

• Select Top for Reference 2. Select

DTM2 inside the General view.

• Select OK. The General view is

orientated as a Front view with the
“L” profile facing forward,
(Figure 1-45). Center
point

Figure 1-44 General View Placement and

Orientation Menu

 "
 ,-

In manual orthographic projection, “manual drawing” you drew a vertical baseline from the
Front view to align the left edge of the Top view. Then you drew a horizontal baseline from
the Front view to align the bottom location of the Right view, (Figure 1-45).

In Drawing mode, the Projection View automatically aligns the Top view to the Front view.

To create a projection Top view, select Views from the DRAWING menu. Select AddView
from the VIEWS menu. Select Projection, Full View, No Xsec (Cross section), No Scale,
Done from the VIEW TYPE menu.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 33

Baseline to align
Top view

Front
view Baseline to align
Right view

Figure 1-45 Front View and Projection

Baselines

Views>AddView>Projection|Full View|NoXsec|NoScale|Done

[Select a Point, upper right corner]

Digitize a center point in the upper left portion of the drawing, approximately 2” above the
Front view to locate the Top view, (Figure 1-46A).

The Right view is a Projection view. It is projected off of the Front view. Select Views from
the DRAWING menu. Select AddView from the VIEWS menu. Select Projection, Full
View, No Xsec (Cross section), No Scale, Done from the VIEW TYPE menu.

Digitize a center point to locate
Projection Views

Figure 1-46A Top and Right Projection Views

Page 1 - 34 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Views>AddView>Projection|Full View|NoXsec|NoScale|Done

[Select a Point, lower right, corner]

Digitize a center point in the lower right portion of the drawing approximately 2” to the right
of the Front view.

 "
,-

The General view can be used to create a Pictorial 3D view. The view can be rotated at any
angle. To create a General view, digitize a center point in the top right corner of the drawing.
This provides a location for the General view. Select Angles from the TYPE drop down list
in the ORIENTATION menu. Enter –15 in the ANGLE menu box. Select Apply. Select
OK, (Figure 1-46B).

Views>Add View>General|Full View|NoXsec|NoScale|Done

[Select a point, top right corner]

Angles>[Enter -15]|Apply>OK

Digitize Center Point for

General View

Figure 1-46B General View Used to Create a Pictorial View

An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 35

Select Default Datum Planes from the Main Tool Bar to turn off the Default Datum Planes.
Select View, Repaint to display no datum planes.

Note: In turning on/off Datum planes and or erasing dimensions, you may need to refresh the
display with the View, Repaint command.

! ,-

Select Views from the DRAWING menu. Select Move View. Select Front view. Move the
Front view; left, right, up or down. The Top and Right Projection views move respectively.
When you move the first General view, all corresponding projected views will move aligned.

Views>Move View>[Select the General View]

Select the Right view. Slide the Right view towards the right side of the drawing. Note: The
Front view does not move.

Views>Move View>[Select the Right View]

")) %

A drawing format contains

information such as:

• Company name

• Part name

• Drawing number

• Material

• Tolerance

• Revision history

Figure 1-47 Adding a Format

Page 1 - 36 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

A drawing format can be added anytime to the drawing. The drawing format feature can be
deactivated to save regeneration time. Most companies create their own drawing formats in
Pro/E or import them from other software packages.

Select Sheets from the DRAWING menu. Select Format from the SHEET menu. Select
Add/Replace from the DRAW FORM menu. Locate the format directory proe20\formats in
the OPEN menu LOOK IN box. Select A.frm to add the A size format to the drawing. Select
Move View from the VIEWS menu to place the views, (Figure 1-47).

Drawing>Sheets>Format>Add/Replace>

[Format Directory>A.frm]

Drawing>Views>Move View>[Select and Drag Views to move]

Figure 1-48 Detail

Menu
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 37

  

Most dimensions required to accurately document the drawing

were created in Part mode. In Detail mode, you can save
time to Show/Erase and Move dimensions created in Part
mode rather than to create them in Drawing mode.
Dimensions which use the Show command are automatically
updated in Part, Assembly, and Drawing mode. The
Show/Erase and Move commands are located in the DETAIL
menu, (Figure 1-48).

#-(

Select Show\Erase from the DETAIL menu, (Figure 1-49).

Select Show to display dimensions. Select the
1.2  from
the TYPE menu. Select Feature from the SHOW BY menu.
Select Preview, With Preview. Select the Extruded Wall
feature from the Model Tree. Dimensions are displayed in
blue.

Figure 1-49
Show\Erase Menu

Figure 1-50 Start

Edit Menu

Select Done Sel. Select Accept All to place dimensions. Dimensions are displayed in yellow.
Close the Show/Erase menu.
Page 1 - 38 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Select Move from the DETAIL menu. Select the horizontal dimension in the Front view.
Slide the dimension away from the profile line. The right mouse button is used to manipulate
dimensions, leader lines, and attachment points in Asynchronous mode.

Place the mouse over the dimension text. Hold the right mouse button down and select
Modify Item. Select Activate from the START EDIT menu, (Figure 1-50). Select the 1.50
dimension with the left mouse button. Select Move/Activate with the left mouse button from
the EDIT ACTIONS menu, (Figure 1-51).

The dimension turns magenta. Small locator squares appear on the dimension text, arrows,
and leader lines, (Figure 1-52).

Each small square performs a different function. Select the middle locator square with the left
mouse button. Hold the button down and drag the dimension into the new location. Digitize
the new location.

Select and drag different locator squares to explore their behavior.

Note: Using the dimension Asynchronous mode saves time. Select
Done. Select to exit Asynchronous mode.

Repeat the Show/Erase and Move commands for the Chamfer

feature at the first Hole feature.

Figure 1-51 EDIT

ACTIONS Menu

Clip leader lines Select Middle Square

away from profile to Move dimension
freely
Slide text Locator square
parallel to symbols have been
dimension enlarged for
line illustration

Rotate dimension
screwed.

Figure 1-52 Dimension in Asynchronous Mode

An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 39

Select Tools, Clean Dims from the DETAIL menu. Accept default values. Select the
horizontal and vertical dimension in crowded areas. Select Apply from the CLEAN
DIMENSIONS menu. Select Close.

Figure 1-53 Drawing Dimensioned

  


-#,-

Locate dimensions for ease of visibility and identification. Example, a drill thru hole should
be dimensioned in the view where the circle profile is located. You should not dimension to
the first Hole in the Front view, since only the profile is displayed. The horizontal and vertical
dimensions which locates the first hole should be displayed in the TOP view, (Figure 1-53).
Select Switch View from the EDIT ACTIONS menu. Select the dimensions in the Front
view. Select the Top view to place these dimensions.

- .

A note is a piece of text that complements or simplifies a dimension. Multiple holes and
chamfers are dimensioned with a note. Select Modify from the DETAIL menu. Select Text
from the MODIFY DRAW menu. Select Full Note. Select the dimension diameter text.
Page 1 - 40 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

The system places you in text editor (Notepad). The first line contains the current diameter
text. Enter text, 4 PLACES, on the second line. Select File, Save from Notepad. Save the
Note and update the diameter text. Select Exit to close the text editor. Select Save from the
Main Tool Bar.

Chamfer appears in 4 places. Repeat a note for Chamfer.

Detail>Modify>Text>Full Note>[Select dimension diameter text. Enter 4 PLACES]

File>Save

File>Exit

Note: Some systems may use a different editor other than Notepad. Exit Notepad before
resuming the drawing commands.



The Erase command blanks dimensions for the drawing. The other three diameter
dimensions need to be Erased from the drawing. You need to display the horizontal and
vertical placement dimensions.

Select Show\Erase from the DETAIL menu. Select Show to display dimensions. Select the

1.2  from the TYPE menu. Select Feature from the SHOW BY menu. Select the
COPIED HOLE feature from the Model Tree. Select the Top view. Move the horizontal
and vertical dimensions using the right mouse button.

Select the Erase option from the SHOW/ERASE menu. Select the second hole diameter
dimension to Erase the dimension. Repeat the Show and Erase commands for Hole 3 and
Hole 4. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar to save the drawing to disk.

.

A Parametric note is text that reflects changes that are made to the associated model. The
Extruded Wall feature contains the dimension 0.48 Thick. Material thickness is usually
placed as a separate piece of text on the drawing.

Thickness was created in Part mode. Associate thickness to the model by creating a
parametric note.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 41

Select Create from the DETAIL menu. Select NOTE from the DETAIL menu. Select
NoLEADER, Enter, Horizontal, Standard, Default, Make Note from the NOTE TYPE
menu. Pick a point on the drawing in the lower right hand corner to locate the text. The
dimensions on the drawing will change into their symbolic representation. Example, the
system changes the 0.48 Thick dimension to “d6”. At system prompt, enter text [Material
Thickness &d6]. The “&” symbol creates a parametric note for the symbolic dimension “d6”.
The system places the text, “Material Thickness 0.48” as a parametric note on the drawing.

Detail>Create>Note|NoLeader|Enter|Horizontal|Standard|Default|Make Note

[Digitize a Point]>[Enter Note Material Thicknes &d6]

Select Save from the Main Tool Bar to save the drawing to disk.


# 

You finished your work for the day and are ready to go home. The phone rings. The
customer voices a concern with corrosion. You make a suggestion. Let’s use galvanized
steel. The customer agrees but wants to view a copy of the drawing tonight!

Galvanized steel contains a thin coating of Zinc, which increases the thickness of the material
to 0.053”. By creating a parametric note, you can Modify the dimension in Part mode and
then Regenerate. The drawing is updated automatically.

Select File, Open, Par, and L-BRACKET. Select Modify from the PART menu. Select the
Extruded Wall feature. Select the THICK value 0.048. Enter 0.053. Select Regenerate
from the PART menu. Select Save from the Main Tool Bar to save the part to disk.

Select File, Open, Drawing, L-BRACKET. The parametric note that was created in
Drawing mode has been updated, MATERIAL THICKNESS 0.053 (Figure 1-54). Select
Save from the Main Tool Bar to save the drawing to disk.

File>Open>Part>[L-BRACKET]

Part>Modify>[Select Extruded Wall]

[Select value 0.048. Enter 0.053]

Regenerate>Save

File>Open>Drawing>[L-BRACKET]>Save
Page 1 - 42 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

Figure 1-54 Final Drawing to Customer

Project 1 is completed. Ready to start Project 2? Stop. Pro/E requires time to comprehend.
Go back and build the part again, experiment, have fun. Do not be concerned about exact
dimensions. Repeat the commands for familiarity. Perform other examples. Project 1
contains the minimal Pro/E functionality you require before proceeding to the next Project. In
Project 2, we will explore Sheet metal Wall Commands.
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 43

7 '

1. A customer presents your company with a new Sheet metal project. What questions
should you ask before you begin the design?

2. How do you begin a Sheet metal part?

3. What are the default datum planes?

4. What is the base feature and why should it be kept simple?

5. How does the L-Bracket change if DTM2 was the Sketch Plane and DTM3 was the
Reference Plane? For the Reference Plane, how does the view direction change if Top or
Bottom was chosen from the SKET VIEW menu. Try it out.

6. How is a Sheet metal part differ from a solid part?

7. What is the difference between a green surface and a white surface

8. What is an Extruded Wall feature?

9. What is the Unbend feature? What is the Bend Back feature?

10. Can are the solid features used in Sheet metal parts?

11. How is a drawing created for a Sheet metal part?

Note: Examples at the end of Project 1 & 2 are courtesy of Strong Arm Corporation. To
obtain additional engineering information regarding dimensions and bearing loads, refer to the
provided web site: www.strongtie.com. Similar parts can be located in local hardware and
lumber stores. An actual physical model provides a great advantage in learning
Pro/SHEETMETAL.
Page 1 - 44 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

")) ('

What questions should ask before starting Pro/SHEETMETAL? Create the Sheet
metal parts and drawings. In examples 1-3, select the Sketch Plane and Reference
Plane to orient the bracket as displayed. Beams are 2” x 4”, posts are 4” x 4”.
Estimate the length, width and depth dimensions. Concentrate on the Extruded Wall
features. Use Bend/Unbend features to test your model.

1-2
1-1

1-3
An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL Page 1 - 45

1-4

1-5
Page 1 - 46 An Introduction to Pro/SHEETMETAL

.'
Pro/MECHANICA Structure Tutorial
Release 20
2nd Edition (includes Integrated Mode)

A Click-by-Click Primer

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering
University of Alberta


PUBLICATIONS

www.
pro.com
Introduction 1-1

Chapter 1 :

Introduction to the Tutorials

Synopsis:
An introduction to finite element analysis, with some cautions about its use and misuse;
examples of problems solved with MECHANICA; organization of the tutorials; tips and tricks
for using MECHANICA

Overview of this Lesson

general comments about using Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

examples of solved problems using Pro/MECHANICA Structure

layout of the tutorials

how the tutorial will present command sequences

tips and tricks for using MECHANICA

Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA), also known as the Finite Element Method (FEM), is
probably the most important tool added to the design engineer's toolkit this century. The
development of FEA has been driven by the desire for more accurate design computations in
more complex situations, allowing improvements in both the design procedure and products. The
growing use of FEA has been made possible by the creation of computation engines that are
capable of handling the immense volume of calculations necessary to carry out an analysis and
easily display the results for interpretation. With the advent of very powerful desktop
workstations, FEA is now available at a practical cost to virtually all engineers and designers.

The Pro/MECHANICA software described in this introductory tutorial is only one of many
commercial systems that are available. All of these systems share many common capabilities. In
this tutorial, we will try to present both the commands for using MECHANICA and the reasons
behind those commands, so that the general procedures can be transferred to other FEA
packages. Notwithstanding this desire, it should be realized that Pro/M is unique in many ways
among packages currently available. Therefore, numerous topics treated will be specific to
Pro/M.

MECHANICA is actually a suite of three programs: Structure, Thermal, and Motion. The
first of these, Structure, is able to perform the following:
1-2 Introduction

linear static stress analysis

buckling analysis

modal analysis (mode shapes and natural frequencies)

This manual will be concerned only with the first of these. The remaining two types of problems
are beyond the scope of an introductory manual. Once having finished this manual, however,
interested users should not find the other topics too difficult. The other two programs
(MECHANICA/Thermal and MECHANICA/Motion) are used for thermal analysis and dynamic
analysis of mechanical systems, respectively. These are planned to be the topics of further
tutorials in the Click-by-Click series.

MECHANICA offers much more than simply an FEA engine. We will see that
MECHANICA is really a design tool since it will allow parametric studies as well as design
optimization to be set up quite easily. Moreover, unlike many other commercial FEM programs
where determining accuracy can be difficult or time consuming, MECHANICA will be able to
compute results with some certainty as to the accuracy1.

MECHANICA does not currently have the ability to handle non-linear problems, for
example a stress analysis problem involving a non-linearly elastic material like rubber or a
problem involving very large geometric deflections. This capability, apparently, is planned for a
future release.

In this tutorial, we will concentrate on the main concepts and procedures for using the
software and focus on topics that seem to be most useful for new users and/or students doing
design projects and other course work. We assume that readers do not know anything about the
software. We have included a short overview of the FEA theoretical background, but want to
emphasize that this is very limited in scope. Our attention here is on the use and capabilities of
the software, not providing a course on using FEA, its theoretical origins, or the “art” of FEA
modeling strategies.

Examples of Problems Solved using MECHANICA

To give you a taste of what is to come, here are three examples of what you will be able to
do with MECHANICA on completion of these tutorials. The examples are a simple analysis, a
parametric design study called a sensitivity analysis, and a design optimization. In
MECHANICA’s language, these are called design studies.

1
This refers to the problem of “convergence” whereby the FEA results must be verified or
tested so that they can be trusted. We will discuss convergence at some length later on and refer
to it continually throughout the manual.
Introduction 1-3

Example #1 : Analysis
This is the “bread and butter” type of problem for
MECHANICA. A model is defined by some geometry (in
2D or 3D), material properties specified, loads and
constraints are applied, and one of several different types
of analysis can be run on the model. In the figure at the
right, a model of a somewhat crude connecting rod is
shown. This part is modeled using 3D solid elements. The
hole at the large end is fixed and a lateral bearing load is
applied to the inside surface of the hole at the other end.
The primary results are shown in Figures 2 and 3. These
are contours of the Von Mises stress2 on the part, shown in Figure 1 Solid model of a part
a fringe plot (these are, of course, in color on the computer
screen), and a wireframe view of the total (exaggerated) deformation of the part (this can be
shown as an animation). Here, we are interested in the maximum Von Mises stress in the part,
and the magnitude and direction of maximum deformation of the part.

Figure 2 Von Mises stress fringe plot

Figure 3 Deformation of the part

Example #2 : Sensitivity Study

Often you need to find out the overall effect of varying one or more design parameters, such
as dimensions. You could do this by performing a number of similar analyses, and changing the
geometry of the model between each analysis. MECHANICA has an automated routine which
allows you to specify the parameter to be varied, and the overall range. It then automatically
performs all the modifications to the model, and computes results for the intermediate values of
the design parameters.

2
The Von Mises stress is obtained by combining all the stress components at a point in a
way which produces a single value that can be compared to the yield strength of the material.
This is the most common way of examining the computed stress in a part.
1-4 Introduction

The example shown in Figure 4 is a quarter-model (to take advantage of symmetry) of a

transition between two thin-walled cylinders. The transition is modeled using shell elements.

Figure 4 3D Shell quarter-model Figure 5 Von Mises stress in

of transition between cylinders shell model

Figure 5 shows the contours of the Von Mises stress on the part. The maximum stress
occurs at the edge of the fillet on the smaller cylinder just where it meets the intermediate flat
portion. The design parameter to be varied is the radius of this fillet, between the minimum and
maximum shapes shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 6 Minimum radius fillet Figure 7 Maximum radius fillet

Figure 8 shows the variation in the maximum Von

Mises stress in the model as a function of radius of
the fillet. Other information about the model, such
as total mass, or maximum deflection is also
readily available.

Figure 8 Variation of Von Mises stress with

fillet radius in shell model
Introduction 1-5

Example #3 : Design Optimization

This capability of MECHANICA is really astounding! When a model is created, some of
the geometric parameters can be designated as design variables. Then MECHANICA is turned
loose to find the combination of values of these design variables that will minimize some
objective function (like the total mass of the model) subject to some design constraints (like the
allowed maximum stress and/or deflection). Pro/M searches through the design space (for
specified ranges of the design variables) and will find the optimum set of design variables
automatically!

The example shown is of a plane stress model

of a thin, symmetrical, tapered plate under tension.
The plate is fixed at the left edge, while the lower
edge is along the plane of symmetry. A uniform
tensile load is applied to the vertical edge on the
right end. The Von Mises stress contours for the
initial design are shown in Figure 9. The maximum
stress, which exceeds a design tolerance, has
occurred at the hole located on the plate centerline,
at about the 12:30 position. The stress level around
the smaller hole is considerably less, and we could
probably increase the diameter of this hole in order
to reduce mass. The question is: how much?
Figure 9 Initial Von Mises stress
distribution in plate before optimization

The selected design variables are the radii of the two holes. Minimum and maximum values
for these variables are indicated in the two figures below. The objective of the optimization is to
minimize the total mass of the plate, while not exceeding a specified maximum stress.

Figure 10 Minimum values of design Figure 11 Maximum values of design

variables variables

Figure 12 shows a history of the design optimization computations. The figure on the left
shows the maximum Von Mises stress in the part - note that this initially exceeds the allowed
1-6 Introduction

maximum stress, but Pro/M very quickly adjusts the geometry to produce a design within the
allowed stress. The figure on the right shows the mass of the part. As the optimization proceeds,
this is slowly reduced until a minimum value is obtained (approximately 20% less than the
original). Pro/M allows you to view the shape change occurring at each iteration.

Figure 12 Optimization history: Von Mises stress (left) and total

mass (right)

The final design is shown in the figure below. Notice the increased size of the interior hole,
and the more efficient use of material. The design limit stress now occurs on both holes.

Figure 13 Von Mises stress distribution in

optimized plate
Introduction 1-7

FEA User Beware!

Users of this (or any other FEA) software should be cautioned that, as in other areas of
computer applications, the GIGO (“Garbage In = Garbage Out”) principle applies. Users can
easily be misled into blind acceptance of the answers produced by the programs. Do not confuse
pretty graphs and pictures with correct modeling practice and accurate results.

A skilled practitioner of FEA must have a considerable amount of knowledge and

experience. The current state of sophistication of CAD and FEA software may lead non-wary
users to dangerous and/or disastrous conclusions. Users might take note of the fine print that
accompanies all FEA software licenses, which usually contains some text along these lines: “The
supplier of the software will take no responsibility for the results obtained . . .” and so on.
Clearly, the onus is on the user to bear the burden of responsibility for any conclusions that might
be reached from the FEA.

We might plot the situation something like Figure 14 below. In order to intelligently (and
safely) use FEA, it is necessary to acquire some knowledge of the theory behind the method,
some facility with the available software, and a great deal of modeling experience. In this
manual, we assume that the reader's level of knowledge and experience with FEA places them at
the origin of the figure. The tutorial (particularly Chapter 2) will extend your knowledge a little
bit in the “theory” direction, at least so that we can know what the software requires for input
data, and how it computes the results. The step-by-step tutorials and exercises will extend your
knowledge in the “experience” direction. Primarily, however, this tutorial is meant to extend your
knowledge in the “FEA software” direction, as it applies to using Pro/MECHANICA. Readers
who have already moved out along the "theory" or "experience" axes will have to bear with us -
at least this manual should assist you in discovering the capabilities of the MECHANICA
software package.
modeling experience

knowledge of
FEA theory
knowledge of
FEA software

Figure 14 Knowledge, skill, and experience requirements for FEA users

1-8 Introduction

In summary, some quotes from speakers at an FEA panel at a recent ASME Computers in
Engineering conference should be kept in mind:

"Don't confuse convenience with intelligence."

In other words, as more powerful functions (such as automatic mesh generation) get
built in to FEA packages, do not assume that these will be suitable for every modeling
situation. If an option has defaults, be aware of what they are and their significance to
the model and the results obtained. Above all, remember that just because it is easy, it
is not necessarily right!

"Don't confuse speed with accuracy."

Computers are getting faster and faster. This also means that they can compute an
inaccurate model faster than before - an wrong answer in half the time is worse than
no answer at all!

and finally, the most important:

"FEA makes a good engineer better and a poor engineer dangerous."

As our engineering tools get more sophisticated, there is a tendency to rely on them
more and more, sometimes to dangerous extremes. Relying solely on FEA for design
verification might be dangerous. Don’t forget your intuition, and remember that a lot
of very significant engineering design work has occurred over the years on the back of
an envelope. Let FEA become a tool that extends your design capability, not define it.

Layout of this Manual

Running the Pro/MECHANICA software is not a trivial operation. However, with a little
practice, and learning only a fraction of the capabilities of the program, you can perform FEA of
reasonably complex problems. This manual is meant to guide you through the major features of
the software and how to use it. The manual is not meant to be a complete guide to either the
software or FEA modeling - consider it the elementary school of practical FEA!

Chapter 2 of the tutorial will present an overview of the theory and mathematics behind
how FEA is implemented in MECHANICA. In particular, the origin and differences between h-
code analysis and the p-code method in MECHANICA are discussed. The primary purpose of
this chapter is to outline the main capabilities of MECHANICA as they apply to the design and
analysis of mechanical parts. These include simple analyses, sensitivity studies, and parameter
optimization. This chapter will basically introduce you to the terminology used in the program,
and give you an overview of its operation.

Chapters 3 and 4 will present some commands for creating 2D geometry, and performing a
simple analysis of a plane stress problem. Common methods of displaying results are shown.
Some issues of modeling are discussed, such as symmetry. Several modeling pitfalls, which also
Introduction 1-9

occur in other model types (axisymmetric and 3D, for example) are investigated, and solutions
proposed. At the end of each of these chapters, a number of additional exercises are presented.
You should try to do as many of these as you can in order to build up your knowledge and
repertoire of modeling scenarios.

Chapter 5 will introduce you to sensitivity studies in Pro/M and the definition of design
variables. The context will be that of axisymmetric models using solid and shell elements. Some
new geometry commands will be introduced as well. Chapter 6 is devoted to setting up an
optimization. Here, the context will be simple plane stress and plane strain models. The use of a
temperature load is introduced.

Our first major foray into 3D modeling comes in Chapter 7 where we will have a look at
more geometry commands and models that utilize shell elements. Beams and frames are treated
in Chapter 8, including distributed loads, shear and moment diagrams, and beam releases.
Finally, solid models will be the topic of Chapter 9 where we will use three different models of
the same part, created using different command variations.

Tips for using MECHANICA

In the design study examples, you will be lead through a number of simple problems
keystroke by keystroke. Each command will be explained in depth so that you will know the
“why” as well as the “what” and “how”. You should go through the tutorials while working on a
computer so that you experience the results of each command as it is entered. Not much
information will sink in if you just read the manual. We have tried to capture exactly the key-
stroke, menu selection, or mouse click sequences to perform each analysis. These actions are
indicated in bold face italic type. Characters entered from the keyboard are enclosed within
square brackets. When more than one command is given in a sequence, they are separated by the
symbol ">". When several commands are entered on a single menu or window, they are
separated by the pipe symbol “ | ”. Sometimes, an option from a menu of buttons will be
indicated with the menu title and option in parantheses. So, for example, you might see
command sequences similar to the following:

Materials > Assign > Part > STEEL_IPS | Accept

Model > Geometry > Line > Two Points > Snap(Point)
Results > Create > [VonMises] | Accept

At the end of each chapter in the manual, we have included some Questions for Review and
some simple Exercises which you should carry out. These have been designed to illustrate
additional capabilities of the software, some simple modeling concepts, and sometimes allow a
comparison with either analytical solutions or with alternative modeling methods. The more of
these exercises you do, the more confident you can be in setting up and solving your own
problems.

Finally, here a few hints about using the software. Menu items and/or graphics entities on
1 - 10 Introduction

the screen are selected by clicking on them with the left mouse button. We will often refer to this
as a ‘left click’ or simply as a ‘click’. The middle mouse button (‘middle click’) can be used
whenever Accept or Enter is required. The dynamic view controls are obtained by holding down
the Ctrl key and dragging with a mouse button (left = zoom, middle = spin, right = pan). Users of
Pro/ENGINEER will be quite comfortable with these mouse controls. Any menu commands
grayed out are unavailable for the current context. Otherwise, any menu item is available for use.
You can, for example, jump from the design menus to the pulldown tools menus at any time.
Finally, any command sequence in progress can be immediately terminated/aborted using the
escape key, Esc.

So, with all that out of the way, let’s get started. The next chapter will give you an overview
of FEA theory, and how MECHANICA is different from other commercial packages.

Questions for Review

1. In MECHANICA-ese, what is a design study?
2. What are the three types of design study that can be performed by Pro/M?
3. What is the Von Mises stress? From a strength of materials textbook, find out how this is
computed and its relation to yield strength. Also, for what types of materials is this a useful
computation?

Exercises
1. Find some examples of cases where seemingly minor and insignificant computer-related
errors have resulted in disastrous consequences.
 INTRODUCTION TO
PRO/SHEETMETAL
WILDFIRE 3.0

Sheetmetal Assembly of a ‘Bucket’

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

Estimated time: ½ hour

Exercice 1a

First Wall Features

Objectives

At the end of this exercise, the user should be able to:

1. Create a new file using sheet metal type;

2. Create first wall features of sheet metal parts using the following options:

Extruded wall

Flat wall
3. Convert a solid model to a sheet metal model.

Designing in Sheetmetal Mode

Introduction

In my numerous years of CAD and MCAD experience, I have yet to see software as
sophisticated as Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal mode. The modeling features
available to version 3.0 are simply amazing. Finally, a software package that thinks as an
engineer or designer would. I am writing this manual for two reasons. Apart from
earning some royalties, I have yet to see a decent manual that is as practical as I have
been. The second reason is that there is no decent manual available in Wildfire 3.0.

1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

Sheetmetal mode allows a designer to perform many sheet metal features. Examples
would be:

Simple Wall Features (Extruded, Flat);

Flat forms (unbend and bend back features);

Advanced Wall Features (Revolve and blend);

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Bends (Angles, Rolls) and twists and rolls

Louver and Forms

And not forgetting:

Bend Tables and Bend Order Tables;

Solid to Sheet Metal Conversion Features.

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal

Feature creation in Sheetmetal mode is quite different from Part mode. While some of
the Part mode features (described as solid features) can be accessed from the Sheetmetal
mode menu, other features can be created, and all are related to sheet metal design.

The model building philosophy can also be quite different. Again, while some aspects of
Part mode are integrated within the Sheetmetal environment, one thing is always true: “If
you don’t put any thinking into your first (base) feature, you will run into trouble at some
point in your modeling process.” Needless to say, sheet metal parts should be well
thought of ahead of time before the first feature (first wall) is created.

3
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

There are numerous ways in which a sheet metal user can create a first wall option in
Sheetmetal mode. The options are:

1. In Sheetmetal mode, by creating an extruded section;

2. In Sheetmetal mode, by creating a flat wall;
3. In solid type Part mode, by creating a thin section, then converting it to sheet
metal.

The following table gives a review and description of the basic wall feature types
available in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3.0.

TABLE 1: WALL FEATURE TYPES

Wall Feature Type Description
Extruded A sketched 2D profile with an offset wall thickness. Bend
angles can be built into the 2D profile as in Project 1 (similar
to Pro/ENGINEER’s Thin Wall Protrusion)
Flat A sketched boundary in a 2D plane (flat) at a specified bend
angle (Similar to Pro/ENGINEER’s Extrude Protrusion)
Extended Creates an extension of a wall surface to another wall surface,
usually at a corner.
Revolved The cross-section of a revolved wall is sketched and rotated
about an axis (similar to Solid mode Revolved Protrusion).
Blended The cross-section of the blended wall is sketched, with other
options such as parallel, rotational and general.
Offset An offset sheet metal wall is created by offsetting from an
existing solid surface.

While extruded and flat are the most common first wall features used, the other features
prove to be quite useful in many applications.

Procedure

We need to first get organized before beginning the training files. A working directory
needs to be created for locating all training files created in this manual. Most, if not all,
files will be created from scratch, and will be used for more than one exercise. Using
your browser, create a folder named ‘sheetmetal_1’ in the location of your choice.

Launch Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire. Once it opens, a default browser is displayed on start

up (as shown below). The default URL directs you to a PTC site that provides many
Wildfire tools.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Figure 1

Select the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Menu Mapper link as shown above. Menu Mapper
provides you with a tool to find where Release 2001 menu options can be found in
Wildfire. Using the Mapper, browse and find the location for Wildfire 3.0 to create a
sheet metal wall (select SheetMetal under Release Wildfire 2.0 to Wildfire 3.0), then
select Insert > Sheetmetal > Unattached > Extrude, as shown below.

5
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

Figure 2
The Menu Mapper reports that the Wildfire 3.0 menu is Insert > Extrude, as shown
below.

Figure 3

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Close the Menu Mapper windows. Next, Select Tools > Options. The window shown in
Figure 4 comes up.

Figure 4

Enter the Option and Value as shown above. The website listed is a great website for
sheet metal design research. If you have some time, browse through it for future
reference.
Click Apply – Close. Next, select the home icon (it looks like a house) at the top of the
browser window to access the home page that you previously gave. You can compress
the browser by selecting the arrows along the right-hand edge of the browser as shown
in Figure 5.

7
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

Figure 5

Your screen should now have a gray background. Next, click Tools > Customize
Screen. Select the Browser tab and de-select “Expand Browser by default while
loading ProE” as shown in Figure 6.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Figure 6

Select OK.

Next, set sheetmetal_1 (the folder you created earlier) as your working directory for the
session, as shown below using the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Navigator.

Figure 7

9
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

1. Creating a Wall Feature Using the Extruded Option

One of the ways you can create sheet metal parts is by creating the first feature
representing the part in a formed state. This type of wall feature is used when the user
wants to build one or more bends into a single feature. An example of a formed part
created using this method is shown below.

Figure 8

An extruded wall extends from an edge into space. You can sketch the side section of the
wall and project it out a specified length. The primary wall is the first wall in your
design, or a secondary (additional) wall dependent on the primary wall.

The base feature for the part we will be creating in this exercise uses the unattached wall
extruded option. Keep the following points in mind when using this option:

The sketch is an open loop (for simplicity and dimension control);

The thickness is added using the appropriate sketch option ‘thicken’;

Apply dimensioning intent to the sketch (i.e., apply the bend radius to the
inside curve.

Create a new part file and select the Sheetmetal option under Sub-type in the NEW
dialog box, as shown in the Figure 9.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Figure 9

Ensure that the Use default template option is selected. Enter bracket as the part name,
then select OK. Select the template inlbs_part_sheetmetal and click OK.

Select Insert > Extrude. From the Dashboard, Select Placement > Define. Select the
FRONT datum plane as the sketch plane. Use the default direction for the feature
creation (click OK), then select the TOP plane reference to face the top direction. Select
Sketch. Sketch the open loop shown in the figure below with appropriate dimensions.
Sketch dimensions shown below are: 8 in. wide × 4 in. high (radius is .75 in).

Figure 10

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

Once the sketch is completed, select Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken. Ensure that the
arrow points toward the inside of the loop sketch as shown in the figure below (select
Flip, if necessary).

Figure 11

Then select OK. In order to dimension for design intent, we need to delete the current
radius dimension and re-dimension the radius by selecting the dotted arc previously
created. Enter .375 as the new inner radius value. Complete the sketch (select check
mark) and enter .135 (corresponding to a thickness of 10 gauge steel) for the material
thickness. Other gauge steel thicknesses are given in Table 2 below for your reference.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

TABLE 2: IMPERIAL SHEET METAL GAUGES

Gauge Number Decimal Equivalent (inch)
1/4 .25
3/16 .188
7 ga. .179
8 .164
9 .149
10 .134
11 .119
12 .104
13 .089
14 .074
15 .067
16 .059
17 .053
18 .048
19 .041
20 .036
22 .030
24 .024
26 .018
28 .015
29 .014
30 .012

Enter a Symmetrical Blind Depth of 8. Select the checkmark from the Dashboard to
complete the feature. The completed model should now appear on your screen as shown
in Figure 12.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

Figure 12

Set the display to Wireframe. Have a look at the different color schemes on the model.
Note that the geometry created in Sheetmetal mode has a distinctive color scheme. One
side of the model is green, and the other side white (or as per the user specified color
displayed). When a sheet metal part is modeled, its wall thickness is constant over the
entire model. The software uses the green side as the ‘driving side.’ The white surface is
offset by a distance equal to the material thickness. In practice, you want to use the green
side for your sketching reference for creating geometry and other sheet metal features.

This completes the first wall creation and this exercise. Save the part for future use and
erase it from memory.

End of Exercise

14
 INSIDE:

MultiMedia CD
Pro | ENGINEER ®

WILDFIRE ™ 4.0
An audio/visual
presentation of the
tutorial projects

Tutorial
and MultiMedia CD

Roger Toogood, Ph.D., P. Eng.

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-1

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Lesson 2

Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Material
Introduction to Sketcher

Synopsis

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Creating a part; introduction to Sketcher; sketch constraints; creating datum curves,
protrusions, cuts; sketch diagnostics; using the dashboard; saving a part; part templates.

Material
Overview of this Lesson
The main objective of this lesson is to introduce you to the general procedures for
creating sketched features. We will go at quite a slow pace and the part will be quite
simple (see Figure 1 on the next page), but the central ideas need to be elaborated and
emphasized so that they are very clearly understood. Some of the material presented here
is a repeat of the previous lesson - take this as an indication that it is important! Here’s
what we are going to cover:

1.
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Feature Types and Menus
Introduction to Sketcher
< Sketcher menus

Material
< Intent Manager and Sketcher constraints
< Sketcher Diagnostics
3. Creating a Datum Curve
4. Creating an Extruded Protrusion
< Using the Dashboard
5. Creating an Extruded Cut
6. Saving the part
7. Using Part Templates

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It will be a good idea to browse ahead through each section to get a feel for the direction
we are going, before you do the lesson in detail. There is a lot of material here which
you probably won’t be able to absorb with a single pass-through.

Material
Start Pro/E as usual. If it is already up, close all windows (except the base window) and
erase all objects in session using File > Erase > Current and File > Erase > Not
Displayed. Close the Navigator and Browser windows.
2-2 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Creating a Simple Part

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In this lesson, we will create a simple block with a U-shaped central slot. By the end of
the lesson your part should look like Figure 1 below. This doesn't seem like such a
difficult part, but we are going to cover a few very important and fundamental concepts

Material
in some depth. Try not to go through this too fast, since the material is crucial to your
understanding of how Pro/E works. We will be adding some additional features to this
part in the next lesson.

We are going to turn off some of the default actions of Pro/E. This will require us to do
some things manually instead of letting the program do them automatically. This should
give you a better understanding of what the many default actions are. Furthermore,
eventually you will come across situations where you don’t want the defaults and you’ll

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need to know your way around these options.

Material

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Material
Figure 1 Part at the end of this lesson Figure 2 Creating a new part

Creating and Naming the Part

Click the Create New Object short-cut button, or select File > New. A window will open
(Figure 2) showing a list of different types and sub-types of objects to create (parts,
assemblies, drawings, and so on). In this lesson we are going to make a single solid

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object called a part. Keep the default radio button settings

Part | Solid

Material
IMPORTANT: Turn off (remove the check) the Use Default Template option at the
bottom. We will discuss templates at the end of this lesson.

Many parts, assemblies, drawings, etc. can be loaded simultaneously (given sufficient
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-3

computer memory) in the current session. All objects are identified by unique names1. A

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default name for the new part is presented at the bottom of the window, something like
[prt0001]. It is almost always better to have a more descriptive name. So, double click
(left mouse) on this text to highlight it and then type in

Material
[block]

(without the square brackets) as your part name. The

Common Name of the part is an option for specifying
an even more descriptive name. For example, you
might have a number of part files named using a part
or catalog number such as “TG123_A29". This is not
very descriptive, so you could enter a common name

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such as “small flat rubber washer”. We will not use
common names in this tutorial, so leave this blank and
just press Enter or select OK.

Material
The New File Options dialog window opens. Since
we elected (in the previous window) to not use the
default template for this part, Pro/E is presenting a list
of alternative templates defined for your system. As
mentioned previously, we are going to avoid using Figure 3 Options for new parts
defaults this time around. So, for now, as shown in
Figure 3 at the right, select

Empty | OK (or middle click).

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At this time, BLOCK should appear in the title area of the graphics window. Also, some
of the toolbar icons at the right are now “live” (i.e. not grayed out).

Material
Create Datum Planes

We will now create the first features of the part:

Sketched Curve
three reference planes to locate it in space. It is not Datum Plane
absolutely necessary to have datum planes, but it is
Datum Axis
a very good practice, particularly if you are going
to make a complex part or assembly. Datum planes Datum Curve

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are created using the “Datum Plane” button on the
right toolbar, as shown in Figure 4. Note that these Datum Point
icons look quite similar to the buttons on the top Coord System
toolbar that control the display of datums. What’s

Material
the difference? Figure 4 Toolbar buttons for creating
DATUMS

1
Pro/E can keep track of objects of different types with the same names. A part
and a drawing can have the same name since they are different object types.
2-4 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Select the Datum Plane button now. Since we currently have no features in the model,

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Wildfire rightly assumes that we want to create the three standard datum planes.

The datum planes represent three orthogonal planes to be used as references for features
that will be created later. You can think of these planes as XY, YZ, XZ planes, although

Material
you generally aren’t concerned with the X,Y,Z form or notation. Your screen should have
the datum planes visible, as shown in Figure 5. (If not, check the datum display button in
the top toolbar.) They will resemble something like a star due to the default 3D viewing
direction. Note that each plane has an attached tag that gives its name: DTM1, DTM2,
and DTM3. This view may be somewhat hard to visualize, so Figure 6 shows how the
datum planes would look if they were solid plates in the same orientation. An important
point to note is, while the plates in Figure 6 are finite in size, the datum planes actually
extend off to infinity. Finally, before we move on to the next topic, notice that the last

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feature created (in this case DTM3), is highlighted in red. This is a normal occurrence
and means that the last feature created is always preselected for you as the “object” part
of the object/action command sequence.

Material

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Material
Figure 5 Default datum planes Figure 6 Datum planes as solid plates

Pro/ENGINEER Feature Overview

Below (and/or to the right of) the datum creation buttons in the right toolbar are three

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other groups of buttons. These are shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9. If you move the cursor
over the buttons, the tool tip box will show the button name.

Two of these menus contain buttons for creating features, organized into the following

Material
categories:

Placed Features (Figure 7) - (holes, rounds, shells, ...) These are features that are created
directly on existing solid geometry. Examples are placing a hole on an existing surface,
or creating a round on an existing edge of a part.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-5

Sketched Features (Figure 8) - (extrusions, revolves, sweeps, blends, ..) These features

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require the definition of a two-dimensional cross section which is then manipulated into
the third dimension. Although they usually use existing geometry for references, they do
not specifically require this. These features will involve the use of an important tool
called Sketcher.

Material
The final group of buttons (Figure 9) is used for editing and modifying existing features.
We will deal with some of these commands (Mirror and Pattern) later in the Tutorial.

Hole
Shell Extrude
Rib Revolve Mirror

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Draft
Round
Sweep
Blend
Merge
Trim

Material
Chamfer Style Pattern
Figure 7 The Placed Figure 8 The Sketched Figure 9 The Edit toolbar
Features toolbar Features toolbar

In this lesson we will be using the Extrude command to create two types of sketched
features (a protrusion and a cut). In the next lesson, we will use the Hole, Round, and
Chamfer commands to create three placed features. Before we continue, though, we must

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find out about an important tool - Sketcher.

Introducing Sketcher

Material
Sketcher is the most important tool for creating features in Pro/E. It is therefore critical
that you have a good understanding of how it works. We will take a few minutes here to
describe its basic operation and will explore the Sketcher tools continually through the
next few lessons. It will take you a lot of practice and experience to fully appreciate all
that it can do.

Basically, Sketcher is a tool for creating two-dimensional figures. These can be either

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stand-alone features (Sketched Curves) or as embedded elements that define the cross
sectional shape of some solid features. The aspects of these figures that must be defined
are location, shape, and size, roughly in that order. The sketching plane where we will
create the 2D sketch is defined or selected first. Then, within Sketcher the location is

Material
further specified by selecting references to existing geometry. You will find the usual
drawing tools for lines, arcs, circles, and so on, to create the shape. Finally, you can
specify alignments or dimensions to control the size of the sketch and its relation to
existing geometry.
2-6 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Sketcher is really quite “smart”, that is, it will anticipate what you are going to do

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(usually correctly!) and do many things automatically. Occasionally, it does make a
mistake in guessing what you want. So, learning how to use Sketcher effectively involves
understanding exactly what it is doing for you (and why) and discovering ways that you
can easily over-ride this when necessary.

Material
The “brain” of Sketcher is called the Intent Manager. We will be discussing the notion of
design intent many times in this tutorial. In Sketcher, design intent is manifest not only in
the shape of the sketch but also in how constraints and dimensions are applied to the
sketch so that it is both complete and conveys the important design goals for the feature.
Completeness of a sketch implies that it contains just enough geometric specification so
that it is uniquely determined. Too little information would mean that the sketch is under-
specified; too much means that it is over-specified. The function of Intent Manager is to

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make sure that the sketch always contains just the right amount of information.
Moreover, it tries to do this in ways that, most of the time, make sense. Much of the
frustration involved in using Sketcher arises from not understanding (or even sometimes
not realizing) the nature of the choices it is making for you or knowing how easy it is to

Material
override these actions. When you are using Sketcher, Intent Manager must be treated like
a partner - the more you understand how it works, the better the two of you will be able
to function2.

The term sketch comes from the fact that you do not have to be particularly exact when
you are “drawing” the shape, as shown in the two figures below. Sketcher (or rather
Intent Manager) will interpret what you are drawing within a built-in set of rules. Thus, if
you sketch a line that is approximately vertical, Sketcher assumes that you want it
vertical. If you sketch two circles or arcs that have approximately the same radius,

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Sketcher assumes that’s what you want. In cases like this, you will see the sketched entity
“snap” to a particular orientation or size as Intent Manager fires one of the internal rules.

Material

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Figure 10 Geometry input by user
(Intent Manager off). Note misaligned
vertices, non-parallel edges, non-
tangent curves.
Figure 11 Geometry after processing by
Intent Manager. Note aligned vertices,
parallel edges, tangent curves.

2 Material
Intent Manager was introduced several releases ago. Some veteran Pro/E users
still have not made the switch from “the old days”. For those users, Pro/E has the ability
to turn off the Intent Manager and let them do everything manually.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-7

When Sketcher fires one of its internal rules (this occurs on-the-fly while you are

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sketching), you will be alerted by a symbol on the sketch that indicates the nature of the
assumed condition. If you accept the condition, it becomes a constraint on the sketch.
These constraint symbols are summarized in Table 2-1 on the next page. You should
become familiar with these rules or constraints, and learn how to use them to your

Material
advantage. If you do not want a rule invoked, you must either
(a) use explicit dimensions or alignments, or
(b) exaggerate the geometry so that if fired, the rule will fail, or
(c) tell Sketcher to disable a specific instance of the constraint (Hint: RMB), or
(d) set up Sketcher to explicitly ignore constraints of a given type.

You will most often use option (a) by specifying your desired alignments and dimensions
and letting Sketcher worry about whatever else it needs to solve the sketch. When

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geometry is driven by an explicit dimension, fewer internal rules will fire. Option (b) is
slightly less common. An example is if a line in a sketch must be 2E away from vertical,
you would draw it some much larger angle (like 15E or so) and put an explicit dimension
on the angle. This prevents the “vertical” rule from firing. Once the sketch has been

Material
completed with the exaggerated angle, you can modify the dimension value to the desired
2E. The third option is used while you are sketching to disable a constraint that Intent
Manager indicates it wants to place. Finally, there are settings for Sketcher that explicitly
turn off the rule checking (for all rules or selected ones only) during sketching. This is
very rarely used.

An example of a sketch with the

geometric constraints is shown in
Figure 12. Note how few

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dimensions are required to define
this sketch. See if you can pick out
the following constraints:

Material
< vertical lines
< horizontal lines
< perpendicular lines
< tangency
< three sets of equal
length lines
< equal radius
< vertical alignment (two

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cases)

How do you suppose Sketcher is

able to determine the radius of the

Material
rounded corners (fillets) at the top Figure 12 A sketch showing implicit constraints
and bottom on the left edge? (Hint:
this involves the solution of a system of equations.)
2-8 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

In Wildfire 4.0, some very useful new tools have been introduced in Sketcher. These

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make it considerably easier to diagnose errors in sketches (such as duplicated edges) or
improper sketches (such as open curves for features that require closed curves). We will
investigate these tools by intentionally introducing some errors into our sketches.

Rule
MaterialTable 2-1 Implicit Constraints in Sketcher

Symbol Description
Equal radius and R If you sketch two or more arcs or circles
diameter with approximately the same radius, the
system may assume that the radii are equal
Symmetry
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Horizontal or vertical H or V
Two vertices may be assumed to be
symmetric about a centerline
Lines that are approximately horizontal or

Material
lines vertical may be considered to be exactly so.
Parallel or 2 or z Lines that are sketched approximately
perpendicular lines parallel or perpendicular may be considered
to be exactly so.
Tangency T Entities sketched approximately tangent to
each other may be assumed to be tangent

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Equal segment L Lines of approximately the same length
lengths may be assumed to have the same length
Point entities lying Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or
on other entities or circles may be considered to be exactly on

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collinear with other them. Points that are near the extension of a
entities line may be assumed to lie on it.
Equal coordinates (( (( Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be
assumed to have the same X- or the same
Y-coordinates
Midpoint of line M If the midpoint of a line is close to a sketch
reference, it will be placed on the reference.

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Two Ways to use Sketcher

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In this lesson, we will use two methods to create a couple of sketched features. The
creation of the sketch represents the majority of the work required in creating these
features. The two methods will differ in where in the feature creation sequence you will
invoke Sketcher. The method you use in your own modeling is a matter of personal
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2-9

preference. Both features we will make here are extrusions: one will be a protrusion

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(which adds material) and the other is a cut (which removes material). Either of the two
methods shown here can be used to create either protrusions or cuts; for either method,
whether you add or remove material is determined by a single mouse click!

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In the first method, we invoke Sketcher first to create the cross sectional shape of the
extrusion. This shape is defined in a sketched curve which becomes a stand-alone feature
in the model. We then launch the extrude command, specifying the curve to define the
cross section of the feature. In the second method, we do not create a separate curve but
rather invoke Sketcher from inside the extrusion creation sequence.

In terms of design intent, the first method would be used if the sketched curve was going
to be used for additional features, for example an extrude and a revolve. The second

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method (creating the sketch within the feature) is the traditional mode of operation, and
would be the method of choice if the sketched shape was to be used only in a single
feature.

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Creating a Sketched Curve
When we left the model last, the datum plane DTM3 was highlighted in red. If that is not
the case now, use preselection highlighting to select it now.

In the datum toolbar on the right of the screen, pick the Sketch Tool button. Be

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careful not to pick the datum curve button below it - that one will create a datum curve
using sets of existing datum points, points read from a file, or using equations. If you
accidentally pick the wrong button, you can back out with the Quit command.

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Setting Sketch Orientation

The Sketch dialog window opens as shown in

Figure 13. Since DTM3 was highlighted (in red)
prior to the present command, it has been
preselected as the Sketch Plane. It is now
highlighted in the graphics window in orange.
This is the plane on which we will draw the

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sketch. The view orientation has changed so that

Material Figure 13 Defining the sketch plane

and sketch orientation reference
2 - 10 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

you are looking directly at DTM33. Two dashed lines represent sketch references that

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have been chosen automatically - these are the other datum planes seen on edge. A
yellow circle is actually the “tail feathers” of a view direction arrow. Spin the orientation
with the middle mouse button to see the arrow. The yellow arrow attached to the edge of
DTM3 should be pointing back into the screen. This is the direction of view onto the

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sketch plane. The direction of view can be reversed by clicking on the yellow arrow or
with the Flip button in the dialog window (Figure 13). Leave it pointing towards the
back. In the dialog window, DTM1 is identified as the Sketch Orientation Reference,
with the Orientation set to Right. What is all this about?

The relation between the sketch plane and the sketch orientation reference
generally causes a lot of confusion for new users, so pay attention!

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The meaning of the sketch plane is pretty obvious - it is the plane on which we will draw
the sketch - in this case DTM3. Our view is always perpendicular to the sketch plane4.
That is not enough by itself to define our view of the sketch since we can be looking at
that plane from an infinite number of directions (imagine the sketch plane rotating around

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an axis perpendicular to the screen). The Orientation option list in the dialog window
(Top, Bottom, Left, Right) refers to directions relative to the computer screen, as in
“TOP edge of the screen” or “BOTTOM edge of the screen” and so on. We must
combine this direction with a chosen reference plane (which must be perpendicular to the
sketch plane) so that we get the desired orientation of view onto the sketching plane.

In the present case, when we get into Sketcher we will be looking directly at the brown
(positive) side of DTM3. So that the sketch is the right way up, we can choose either
DTM2 to face the Top of the screen, or (as was chosen automatically for us) DTM1 can

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face the Right of the screen. Note that both DTM1 and DTM2 are both perpendicular to
the sketch plane, as required. The direction a plane or surface “faces” is determined by its
normal vector. The normal vector for a datum plane is perpendicular to the brown side.
For a solid surface, the orientation is determined by the outward normal.

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Read the last couple of paragraphs again, since new users are quite liable to end up
drawing their sketches upside-down!

To illustrate the crucial importance of the reference plane, consider the images shown in
Figure 14. These show two cases where the same sketching plane DTM3 was used, the
same sketched shape was drawn, the same reference orientation TOP was chosen, but
where different datums were chosen as the sketching reference. On the left, the TOP

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reference was DTM2. On the right, the TOP reference was DTM1. The identical sketch,
shown in the center, was used for both cases (rounded end of sketch towards the top of

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3
Your system may be customized to let you stay in a 3D orientation when
sketching. This is the configuration setting sketcher_starts_in_2d set to No.
4
Well, almost always. It is possible to sketch in 3D, in which case you can
manipulate your view so that you are not looking perpendicularly at the sketch plane.
We will not attempt that here.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 11

the screen). However, notice the difference in the orientation of the part obtained in the

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final shaded images. Both of these models are displayed in the default orientation (check
the datum planes). Clearly, choosing the sketching reference is important, particularly
for the base feature.

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Material

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Figure 14 The importance of the sketching reference plane!

Let’s continue on with creating the curve. Make

sure the Sketch dialog window is completed as in
Figure 13. Select the Sketch button (or middle
click).

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To verify the meaning of the dashed orange lines,
in the top pull-down menu, select

Sketch > References

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This opens the References dialog window, Figure
15. In this window we can select any existing
geometry to help Sketcher locate the new sketch
relative to the part. In the present case, there isn’t Figure 15 Choosing references in
Sketcher
2 - 12 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

much to choose from, and two references have already been chosen for us - DTM1 and

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DTM2. These references are responsible for the two dashed lines in the graphics window.
The number of references you choose is not limited - there may be several listed here.
You are also free to delete the ones chosen for you and/or add new ones. However, notice
the Reference Status at the bottom of this dialog. Fully Placed means enough references

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have been specified to allow Sketcher to locate your sketch in the model. If there are not
enough references, the status will be Partially Placed. For now, do not proceed beyond
this window unless you have a Fully Placed status indicated. Once you have that, select
Close in the References window.

The drawing window is shown in Figure 16. Note

that you are looking edge-on to the datums DTM1
and DTM2. The datum DTM1 (actually, its brown

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side) is facing the right edge of the screen, as
specified in the dialog back in Figure 13. Note that
we could have obtained the same orientation by
selecting DTM2 to face the top of the screen.

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Another change is the addition of some new toolbar
buttons at the top of the screen5. See Figure 17.
These are in two groups: a Sketch Display group
and a Sketch Diagnosis group. Figure 16 The drawing window

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Figure 17 Sketcher top toolbar buttons

5
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These commands are, of course, also available in the pull-down menu under
Sketch.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 13

In the Display group, the four buttons with the eyeballs control display of dimensions,

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constraints, the grid (default off), and vertices. Leave these buttons in their default
position (Dimensions, Constraints, Vertices, all turned on). It is seldom (if ever) that you
will need to turn on the grid in Sketcher. The button at the far left will return you to the
default view of the sketch if you should accidentally (or intentionally) go into 3D view.

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Buttons in the Diagnosis group will control or launch functions that can help you identify
and fix possible problems in the sketch. For our first sketch, turn on the Shade Closed
Loops and Highlight Open Ends buttons.

The Sketcher Toolbar

The major addition to the screen is

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the new toolbar on the right of the Select
screen. This contains the Sketcher Create Line
tools and is shown in Figure 18.
Several buttons on this menu have Create Rectangle

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fly-outs, indicated by the ' symbol Create Circle/Ellipse
on the right edge. These fly-outs lead Create Arc
to related buttons, and are listed in
Table 2-2 on the next page. Create Fillet
Compared to some 2D drawing Create Spline
programs, this doesn’t seem like such Create Point/Csys
a large number of drawing
commands. Rest assured that there Use Edge/Offset
will not be much that you cannot Dimension

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draw with these.
Modify
When you are sketching, many of the Explicit Constraints
commands in the right toolbar are Create Text

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instantly available (but context
sensitive) by holding down the right Sketch Palette
mouse button in the graphics Trim/Divide
window. This will bring up a pop-up Move/Mirror/Rotate
window of commands relevant in the
current situation. Accept or Continue
QUIT

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Figure 18 The Sketcher toolbar

Finally, a new Sketch pull-down menu is available at the top of the screen. Open this and
have a look at the available commands there. Two commands not in the toolbar are Data

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From File and Options. The first of these lets you read in a previously created sketch.
The second lets you change the default settings used by Sketcher. Have a look at these
but don’t change anything just yet.
2 - 14 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Helpful Hint
From wherever you are in the Sketcher menu structure, a single middle mouse click
will often abort the current command and return you to the toolbar with the Select
command already chosen. Sometimes, you may have to click the middle button

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twice.

Table 2-2 Sketcher Toolbar Flyout Buttons

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Button Flyout Group Button Commands
Line 5 Tan-Tan Line 5 Centerline

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Circle 5 Concentric 5 3 Point 5 3 Tan 5 Ellipse

Tangent End 5 Concentric 5 Center 5 3 Tan 5

Conic Arc
Circular fillet 5 Conic fillet

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Point 5 Coordinate System

Use Edge 5 Offset edge

Material Dynamic trim (delete) 5 Trim(extend) 5 Divide

Mirror 5 Rotate 5 Move

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 15

Creating the Sketch

•
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Select the Line tool using one of the following three methods:

using the Line toolbar button on the right,

•
OR
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in the pull-down menus select Sketch > Line > Line,

OR
Figure 19 RMB pop-up
• hold down the right mouse button and select Line menu in Sketcher

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from the pop-up menu (Figure 19).

You will now see a small yellow X which will chase the cursor around the screen. Notice
that the X will snap to the dashed references when the cursor is brought nearby. While

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you are creating the sketch, watch for red symbols (V, H, L) that indicate Intent Manager
is firing an internal rule to set up a constraint (Vertical, Horizontal, Equal Length). These
symbols will come and go while you are sketching. The trick with Sketcher is to get
Intent Manager to fire the rule you want, then click the left mouse button to accept the
position of the vertex. Click the corners in the order shown in Figure 20. After each
click, you will see a straight line rubber-band from the previous position to the cursor
position:

1. left-click at the origin

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(intersection of DTM1
and DTM2)
left-click above the
origin on DTM1 (watch

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for V)
3. left-click horizontally to
the right (watch for H
and L - we do not want
L)
4. left-click straight down
on DTM2 (watch for V)
5. left-click back at the

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origin (watch for H)
6. middle-click anywhere
on the screen to end line
creation Figure 20 Drawing the Sketch

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When you are finished this sequence, you are still in Line creation mode (notice the
yellow X on screen and the Line toolbar button). If you middle click again, you will
leave that and return to Select mode - the same as if you picked on the Select button in
the right toolbar, but much faster.
2 - 16 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

The sketched entities are shown in yellow. Since we have created a closed curve, the

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interior of the sketch is shaded (see the Shade Closed Loops button in the top toolbar).
Many features require sketches to contain only closed loops, so this is an easy way to
verify that condition. At some point or other, you will create a sketch that you think is
closed, but it will not shade. This usually means you have extraneous entities in the

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sketch (usually duplicated lines or edges). We will see an example of this in a few
minutes.

Note that we didn't need to specify any drawing coordinates for the rectangle, nor, for
that matter, are any coordinate values displayed anywhere on the screen. This is a
significant departure from standard CAD programs. We also didn’t need the grid or a grid
snap function (although both of these are available if you want them).

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You can also sketch beyond the displayed edges of the datum planes - these actually
extend off to infinity. The displayed extent of datum planes will (eventually) adjust to the
currently displayed object(s).

Material Helpful Hints

If you make a mistake in drawing your shape, here are some ways to delete entities:
1. Pick the Select tool in the right toolbar and left click on any entity you want to
delete. Then either press the Delete key on the keyboard, or hold down the RMB and
choose Delete.
2. If there are several entities to delete, hold the CTRL key down while you left click
on each entity. Then pick Delete as before.

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3. You can left-click and drag to form a rectangle around a set of entities. Anything
completely inside the rectangle is selected. Use Delete as before.
4. Notice the Undo and Redo buttons on the top toolbar
We will cover more advanced Sketcher commands for deleting and trimming lines a

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bit later.

After you have finished the sequence

above, Sketcher will put two dimensions on
the sketch - for the height and width of the
rectangle. These will be in dark gray, so

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may be hard to see unless you pass your
cursor over them, but similar to those
shown in Figure 21. For the first feature in
a part, the numerical values of these

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dimensions are picked more-or-less at
random (although they are in correct
Figure 21 Completed sketch with weak
dimensions
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 17

proportion to each other)6. For later features in the part, Sketcher will know the sketch

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size more accurately because it will have some existing geometry to set the scale.

Weak vs Strong Dimensions

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A dimension created by Sketcher is called “weak” and is shown in gray. Strong
dimensions, on the other hand, are those that you create. You can make a strong
dimension in any of three ways:

L modify the value of a weak dimension

or L create a dimension from scratch by identifying entities in the sketch and
placing a new dimension on the sketch
or L select a weak dimension and promote it to strong using the RMB pop-up

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menu
Strong dimensions will be shown in white (actually a very pale yellow).

The special significance of weak and strong dimensions is as follows. When Intent

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Manager is “solving” a sketch, it considers the sketch references, any implicit rules that
have fired (like H, V, and so on) and any existing dimensions. If there is not enough
information to define the drawing (it is underconstrained), Sketcher will create the
necessary and sufficient missing dimensions. These are the weak dimensions. If Sketcher
finds the drawing is overconstrained (too many dimensions or constraints) it will first try
to solve the sketch by deleting one or more of the weak dimensions (the ones it made
itself earlier). It will do this without asking you. This is one way for you to override
Intent Manager - if you don’t like the dimensioning scheme chosen by Sketcher, just
create your own (automatically strong) dimensions. Sketcher will remove whichever of

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the weak dimensions are no longer needed to define the sketch. Sketcher assumes that
any strong dimensions you have created
shouldn’t be messed with! However, if
Sketcher still finds the drawing

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overconstrained, it will tell you what the
redundant information is (which may be
dimensions or constraints), and you can
choose what you want deleted. Thus,
although weak dimensions can be deleted
without asking you, Sketcher will never
delete a strong dimension without your
explicit confirmation.

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6
Material Figure 22 Modified sketch

The default datum display with no other features present is actually ±250 units
from where they cross.
2 - 18 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

We want to modify the two weak dimensions on the rectangle in a couple of ways. First,

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we can make a cosmetic improvement by selecting the dimension text (the number) and
performing a drag-and-drop to move it to a better location. Note in passing that
preselection highlighting also works with dimensions and constraints. Do that now, so
that the dimensions are located as in Figure 22 (“off the sketch”).

Material
Next we want to change the numeric value of the dimension. Double-click on the
horizontal dimension. In the text entry box, enter the value 20. When you hit Enter, the
sketch geometry will be updated with this new dimension. The dimension is now strong.
Change the vertical dimension to 30. It will also now be strong. (Click anywhere on the
graphics window to remove the red highlight and update the shading.) See Figure 22.
Notice that the indicated extent of the datum plane DTM3 adjusts to the sketch. You may
want to Refit the sketch in the graphics window (or use zoom).

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Now we’ll add a couple of rounded corners,
technically known as fillets, on the top
corners of the sketch to help us “see” the

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orientation of the feature in 3D. Select the
Fillet toolbar button on the right (or from
the RMB pop-up menu) and pick on the top
and right lines in the sketch close to but not
at the corner. A circular fillet is created to
the pick point closest to the corner. Two
tangent constraints (T) are added, along
with a weak dimension for the fillet radius.
Do the same on the top and left lines.

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Middle click to return to Select mode.
Because our fillet command has removed
two vertices on the top of the sketch, Intent
Manager has removed our two strong

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dimensions (which used those vertices) and Figure 23 Completed sketch
replaced them with weak ones (see the message window). You can make them strong by
selecting them, clicking the RMB, and selecting Strong in the pop-up menu. Modify the
cosmetics and values of the fillet radius dimensions as shown in Figure 23.

Sketcher Diagnostic Functions

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At this point, we have a completed and valid sketch. Select the Feature Requirements
button in the Sketch tools menu at the top. The window that opens indicates that the
sketch is okay (both requirements check out). Let’s introduce a common error into the
sketch to see what happens.

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We will create a duplicate line on the sketch - start at vertex 1 (see Figure 20) and end the
line part way up the vertical edge towards the top, overlapping the existing line. When
you finish the line and return to Select mode, three things will happen. First, the sketch is
no longer shaded, indicating that it is no longer a legal closed loop. Second, a big red dot
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 19

(a “measle”) appears where the overlapping line ends. This indicates an open (that is,

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unconnected) end of the sketch (note the Highlight Open Ends button in the top
toolbar). Third, a weak dimension will appear for the new line. Although the geometry of
the sketch appears visually correct, if we tried to use it to create a solid feature it would

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fail7. Now pick the Show Overlapping Geometry button in the top toolbar. All lines
touching the offending vertical line will highlight in green. At this point, you would have
to do some detective work to figure out where the problem was. Select the short vertical
line (note that preselection works here) and delete it. The red measle disappears and the
sketch is again shaded.

You should experiment with the Sketch Diagnostic tools periodically as we proceed
through the tutorial. Note that these are also available under Sketch in the pull-down
menus at the top.

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This completes the creation of our first
sketch. Select the Accept (or Continue)
toolbar icon (the check mark). This returns

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us to the regular graphics window with our
new sketched curve shown in red (last
feature created). You can spin the model
around with the middle mouse button to see
this curve from different view points. When
you are finished with this, return the model
to approximately the default orientation -
Figure 24.

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Material
Figure 24 Sketched curve

Creating a Solid Protrusion

Most of the work to create this feature has been done already - creating the sketched
curve that defines its shape. This curve should be highlighted in red. If you have been
playing around with the model and the sketch is blue, just left click on it to select it again.

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There are a number of ways to launch the protrusion creation command. With the
sketched curve highlighted, the easiest way is to pick the Extrude button in the right
toolbar.

7 Material
This sketch could be used to create an extruded surface feature, but with
overlapping surfaces, probably not a good idea. For an extruded solid, the feature would
fail with an error message about requiring a closed section only.
2 - 20 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

What you will see now is a yellow shaded

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image of the protrusion, Figure 25. On this
shape, you will see a yellow arrow that
indicates the extrusion direction, which by
default comes off the positive side of the

Material
sketch. There is also a dashed line ending
in a white square. This is a drag handle.
Click on this with the mouse and you can
drag it to change the length of the
extrusion. This length is also shown in a
dimension symbol. You can even drag this
extrusion out the back of the sketch to
extrude in the opposite direction. This

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direct manipulation of the feature on the
screen is called, in Pro/E vernacular, Direct
Modeling. Bring the protrusion out the
front and double click on the numeric Figure 25 The protrusion preview

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dimension, and enter the value 30.

At the bottom of the graphics window is a new collection of tools. These comprise the
Dashboard. Many features are constructed with tools arranged using this interface
element. It is worth spending some time exploring this one in detail, since you will
probably be using it the most.

Helpful Hint

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You may accidentally leave the dashboard with an inadvertent click of the middle
mouse button. Remember that this is a short cut for Accept. If that happens, with the
protrusion highlighted in red, hold down the right mouse button and select Edit
Definition. This will bring you back to the dashboard. The Undo command, if

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executed immediately, will delete the feature.

The Extrude Dashboard

The dashboard collects all of the commands and options for feature creation in an easily

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navigated interface. Moreover, most optional settings have been set to default values
which will work in the majority of cases. You can change options at any time and in any
order. This is a welcome and significant departure from releases of Pro/E prior to
Wildfire.

Material
The dashboard contains two areas. On the left (Figure 26) are commands, settings, and so
on for the particular feature under construction. On the top row, the feature is identified
with the toolbar icon - extrude in this case - and several slide-up panels which do the
following:
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 21

Extrude Icon

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Placement - allows you to select, Sketch plane and Sketcher
create, or modify the 2D
section to be used for the
feature. Since we preselected

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the sketched curve, it is now
listed on this panel. If we had
not preselected the curve, we
could have chosen it now, or Blind depth Thicken Sketch
launched Sketcher from this Depth spec options
panel to create a new sketch. Surface
Remove Material
This would involve selecting Flip direction
the sketching plane, sketcher Solid

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reference, and so on. We will Figure 26 The Extrude Dashboard
go this route in the next
feature. If you wanted to change the sketch for the extrude, this is how you access
it. The Unlink button is currently displayed on the Placement panel. This button

Material
appears if, like now, you have preselected a curve to serve as the sketch for the
extrude. Thus, the extrude is linked to the previous curve feature; changes to the
geometry or dimensions of the curve would drive changes in the shape of the
extrude. The curve itself is a separate entry on the model tree. The purpose of
unlinking is to break this (parent/child) connection to the original curve. If you
were to select this command (don’t do this now), a copy of the original curve will
be brought into the extrude feature. In that case, a change to the original curve
would not affect the extrude. The original curve could be modified, moved, or even
deleted, and the extrude would still be able to regenerate. The use of external curves

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to drive feature geometry is an important aspect of an advanced modeling technique
that makes use of skeleton models.

Options - information about the depth specification

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for the feature. We will find out what is
meant by “Side 2" in a later lesson. For a
simple extrude, the depth specification is
easiest to set using one of the icons in the
lower dashboard area (see below).

Properties - specify the name of the feature

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The icons on the second row operate as follows:

Solid and Surface buttons - these are an either/or

toggle set. The default button is to create a

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solid. If you pick the next button, Surface,
the sketch will be extruded as an infinitely Figure 27 Extruded surface
thin surface (Figure 27). Return this to the
Solid selection.
2 - 22 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Depth Spec Options - the next button is a pull-up list of

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Symmetric
all the possibilities for setting the depth of the
extrusion. These are indicated in Figure 28. The To Selected
default is a Blind extrusion, which means the Blind
extrusion is for a fixed distance. Other options may

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appear here as more part geometry appears (as in Figure 28 Depth Spec
the cut which we will do next). options

Blind Depth - this contains the numeric value of the length of the protrusion. If the depth
specification on the button to the left is not Blind, this text input area is grayed out.

Flip - selecting this will reverse the direction of the protrusion (the yellow arrow).

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Remove Material - this allows you to change the meaning of the solid feature from a
protrusion (which adds solid material) to a cut (which removes solid material).
Since there is nothing to remove at this time, this command is grayed out - all we
can do is add.

Material
Thicken Sketch - press this to see the solid block
replaced by a thin-walled extrusion (formerly
called a Thin Solid). A new dimension
appears in the graphics window and on the
dashboard. This is the thickness of the solid
wall. Try changing this thickness to
something like 1.0. On which side of the
sketched curve has this been added? Another

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Flip button has also appeared. Press this a
couple of times - it controls which side of the
sketch the material is added to. Actually, it is
a three way switch since you can also add

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material equally on both sides of the sketch.
Press the Thicken button again to return to a Figure 29 A Thick extruded solid
full solid protrusion.

As you explore the creation of new features in Pro/E you should investigate what is in
each of these menus. They are context sensitive, so there is a lot of variety in what you
will find.

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 23

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On the right end of the dashboard are several common Pause
tools that appear for all features. See Figure 30. These Creation QUIT
function as follows:

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Pause - allow you to temporarily suspend work on this
feature so that you can, for example, create a
missing reference like a datum plane, measure
something in the model, etc. When you are finished Accept
with the side trip, press the symbol < that appears
here to continue where you left off. View Geometry
Preview Feature
Figure 30 Common

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Preview - (default on = checked) this is responsible for dashboard controls
the shaded yellow display of the feature under
construction. Uncheck this - all you will see is the feature creation direction, drag
handle, and depth dimension. Turn this back on.

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View Geometry (or Verify) - this shows what the geometry will look like when the
feature is fully integrated into the part. Not much happens with this first protrusion.
Press again to return to preview.

Accept and Quit - do just what you expect!

Select Accept (or middle click). The block

now appears, Figure 31, with its edges

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highlighted in red (last feature created).

We spent a lot of time discussing the

creation of this feature. Let’s create it again

Material
without all the discussion. Select the Undo
button at the top - this will delete the
protrusion. Now create it again:

T highlight the sketched curve

T select the Extrude tool
T change the depth to 30
T middle click.

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You might open the Navigator pane to see
the model tree. The three default datum
planes are listed. Then comes the sketched
Figure 31 Completed protrusion

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curve SKETCH 1 (hidden) and the extrude EXTRUDE 1. Open the listing for the extrude
and you will see the internal sketch (also SKETCH 1) that uses the hidden curve and is
currently linked to it. If you have used the Unlink button in the Placement panel, the
model tree will appear somewhat differently - the sketch stored inside the extrude is
called S2D0001 and is independent of SKETCH 1. Close the Navigator.
2 - 24 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

We will now add another extruded feature - this time we will create a cut that removes

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material. Furthermore, instead of creating the sketch first, as we did for the solid
protrusion, we will create the sketch within the feature itself. This is actually the more
common way to use Sketcher. Before we do that, now is a good time to save the part.

Saving the Part Material

It is a good idea when you are just getting started to save your model quite frequently,
just in case something serious goes wrong. If you have to bail out of the program, you
can always reload the most recently saved copy of the part and continue from there.

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There are (as usual!) several ways to save the part:

• in the top toolbar, select the Save button, or

• in the pull-down menus select File > Save, or

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• use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-S.

Make sure that the Save Object dialog is showing the desired working directory at the
top. If not, select it in the Common Folders area in the Navigator. At the bottom of the
dialog window, the name of the current active object (remember that you can have more
than one object loaded into memory at a time) should already be in view. Accept the
default model name [block.prt] (this is the active part) by pressing the enter key or the
middle mouse button. Pro/E will automatically put the part extension (prt) on the file. If

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you save the part a number of times, Pro/E will automatically number each saved version
(like block.prt.1, block.prt.2, block.prt.3, and so on). Be aware of how much space you
have available. It may be necessary to delete some of the previously saved versions; or
you can copy them to a diskette. You can do both of these tasks from within Pro/E - we'll

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talk about that later.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Save command is also available when you are in Sketcher. Executing this
command at that time will not save the part, but it will save the current sketched
section with the file extension sec. This may be useful if the sketch is complicated
and may be used again on a different part. Rather than recreate the sketch, it can be
read in from the saved file (using Data from File). In these lessons, none of the
sketches are complicated enough to warrant saving them to disk.

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Now we will proceed on to the next feature - an extruded cut.

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 25

Creating an Extruded Cut

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Start by launching the Extrude command from
the right toolbar. The extrude dashboard at the
bottom of the screen opens. Open the
Sketching
Reference

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(TOP)
Placement slide-up panel in the dashboard and
select Define. The Sketch dialog window
appears. This time, however, nothing has been
preselected for us as it was for the previous
sketch. We’ll have to enter the data ourselves.

First, the dialog is waiting for you to select the

sketching plane (notice the pale yellow data

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entry field). Pay attention to preselection here.
Notice the preselection filter setting (should be Sketching
Surface); you will not be able to pick an edge or Plane
a curved surface (both of these would be Figure 32 Setting up to sketch the cut

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illegal). Pick on the right side surface of the
block (see Figure 32). As soon as you pick the sketching plane (it highlights in orange),
a yellow arrow will appear showing the default direction of view relative to the surface.
The Flip button can be used to reverse this direction, but leave it as it is. Pro/E makes a
guess at a potential reference plane for you to use. This may depend on the current
orientation of your view, and might result in a strange view orientation in sketcher (like
sideways or even upside down). We want to be a bit more careful and specific here. Pick
on the top planar surface (Figure 32), between the two tangent lines of the rounded

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corners; the surface will highlight in red. In the Orientation pull-down list, select Top so
that the reference will face the top of the screen. We now have our sketch plane and
reference set up, so select Sketch at the bottom of the dialog window.

We are now in Sketcher (Figure 33). Two

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Sketch reference
references have been chosen for us (the back
and top surfaces of the object). We are going
to create the U-shaped figure shown in Figure
34. Note that there is no sketched line across
the top of the U - there is no inside or outside.
Thus, it is technically called an open sketch
(as opposed to a closed sketch for our previous
feature). There are some restrictions on the use

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of open sketches which we will run across in a
minute or two.

You might prefer to set your display mode to

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Hidden Line at this point. Sketch reference
Figure 33 References for cut sketch
2 - 26 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

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Helpful Hint
In general, try to keep your sketches closed - you will have fewer problems that way.

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Use the RMB pop-up menu to select the
Line command. Start your sketch at vertex 1 4
1 in Figure 34 - the cursor will snap to the
reference. Then drag the mouse down and
pick vertex 2 (note the V constraint), and
middle click twice to end the Line
command. Some weak dimensions will
appear. Do nothing about them yet because,

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since they are weak, they are liable to
disappear anyway. If we make them strong,
this will cause us extra work dealing with
Intent Manager.
2 3

Material Figure 34 Sketch geometry

Helpful Hint
Wait until the shape of the sketch is finished before you start worrying about the
dimensioning scheme or dimension values.

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Use the RMB pop-up menu again and select the 3-Point/Tangent End command. Pick on

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the end of the sketched line (vertex 2) and drag the mouse downwards in the direction of
tangency. Once the arc has been established, drag the cursor over to the right (the arc will
rubber-band while maintaining the tangency constraint) and click at vertex 3. (If you drag
straight across to vertex 3 you will get a 3-point arc which is not automatically tangent at
vertex 2.) You should see two small blips that indicate when vertex 3 is at the same
height as the center of the arc. Use the RMB menu to pick Line again.

Now left click at vertex 3 and draw a vertical line up to snap to the reference at vertex 4,

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making sure that you have a tangent constraint (T) at vertex 3.. Our sketch is complete.
Use the middle mouse button to return to Select mode. Your dimension values may be
different from those shown in Figure 34. Your dimensioning scheme may even be
slightly different. It will be easier to see this if you go to hidden line display instead of

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shading.

All the dimensions should be weak. Drag them to a better location if necessary (off the
part). Don’t be afraid to resize your display so that you can see everything clearly.
Compare the dimensioning scheme with the one in Figure 35. We want to have a
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 27

horizontal dimension of 15 from the reference at the back of the part to the center of the

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arc of the U. If you do not have that dimension, we’ll have to add one manually. This will
illustrate a case where we will override the Intent Manager.

To create your own dimension, select the

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Dimension command from the right toolbar
(or the RMB pop-up). Click on the vertex
at the center of the arc (it will highlight)
then click again on the dashed reference
line at the right. Now middle click in the
space above the part where you want the
dimension text to appear. It’s that easy!
Note that this dimension shows

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immediately in pale yellow (almost white)
since it is strong. One of the weak linear
dimensions should be gone. Middle click to
get back to Select.

Material Figure 35 Final sketch for cut

We now have the implicit constraints and dimensioning scheme we want. So now we can
worry about the dimension values. Get in the habit of dealing with your sketches in that
order (shape, constraints, dimension scheme, dimension values). Modify the values of the
dimensions to match those in Figure 35.

Recall the hint above about open vs closed sketches. The sketch we have just produced

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will be able to produce the desired cut, but it is not the best we can do. The danger lies in
the possibility that something or someone may come along later to modify this part and
add something to the top of the block earlier in the model tree. In that case, the cut
feature would likely fail due to the uncertainty in what to do across the open ends of the

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sketch. So before we accept this sketch, let’s explore the diagnostics a bit.

First, turn on the Shade Closed Loops and Highlight Open Ends buttons. Since the
sketch is currently open it will not shade; the two ends will show the measles. Now select
the Feature Requirements button. In addition to a couple of checked items, there are a
couple that are not satisfied. One is a warning, and one is an error. The message at the top
indicates the sketch is not appropriate for the current feature (a cut). Close this window
and create a line across the top of the sketch to close it. Now the sketch will shade, the

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measles disappear, and the Feature Requirements function will indicate all is well.

The sketch is now complete, so click on the Accept button in the toolbar8. If you are in
hidden line display, return to shading display. In the Sketch dialog window, select OK.

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The feature will now be previewed. A couple of new buttons have appeared on the

This is one of the few times when a middle click does not mean “Accept”, which
is a good thing since inadvertent middle clicks happen often when you are in Sketcher.
2 - 28 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

dashboard. First, in the Depth Spec pull-up list, there are a few more options available

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(Figure 36). For this cut, we would like the sketch to be extruded through the entire part,
so pick the Through All option. Note that the dimension for a blind extrusion disappears
from the screen. To the right of this area, click the Flip button to make the extrusion go
through the part. The Remove Material button needs to be selected. Now, there are two

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yellow arrows attached to the sketch. The one perpendicular to the plane of the sketch
shows the direction of the extrusion. The other shows which side of the sketched line we
want to remove material from. These should be set as shown in Figure 37.

Blind

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Symmetric
To Next
Through All

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Sketch
Through Until
Extrusion
Material Direction
To Selected Removal
Side
Figure 36 More Depth Spec
options in the dashboard Figure 37 Defining cut attributes (direction
and material removal side)

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Now select the Verify button in the right area of the dashboard. If you have the
Remove Material button set wrong, Pro/E will create a protrusion instead of a cut9. Turn
Verify off.

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Another common error with cuts is having the material removal side set wrong (the
second yellow arrow in Figure 37). If you do that for this part, you will end up with
Figure 38. Make sure the material removal arrow points to the inside of the U. Plus, you
should explore the Placement, Options, and Properties menus on the dashboard before
you leave.

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Even worse, if we had left the sketch open, the feature would fail and you would
be launched into a Troubleshooter dialog window. The source of this problem is the

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open sketch for the U. This sketch is ambiguous since when the sketch starts out from the
sketch plane, the vertices at the ends are out in the open air; Pro/E does not know how to
create the solid to attach it to the existing part. This problem does not occur with a cut as
long as the open ends of the sketch stay outside or on the surface of the part. You might
come back and explore this later.
Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 29

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Figure 38 Removing from the Figure 39 Cut feature completed

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wrong side of the sketch
We are finished creating this feature, so select the Accept button at the right end of the
dashboard. The part should now look like Figure 39 when in default orientation. The cut

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will be highlighted in red as usual, as the last feature created.

Save the part. We will need it in this condition for the next chapter.

Using Part Templates

You will recall that in the block part created earlier, the first thing we did was to create

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default datum planes. These (plus the named views based on them, which we didn’t
create this lesson) are very standard features and aspects of part files, and it would be
handy if this was done automatically. This is exactly the purpose of part templates.

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A template is a previously created part file that contains the common features and aspects
of almost all part files you will ever make. These include, among other things, default
datum planes and named views. Pro/E actually has several templates available for parts,
drawings, and assemblies. There are variations of the templates for each type of object.
One important variation consists of the unit system used for the part (inches or
millimeters). Templates also contain some common model parameters and layer
definitions10.

A template can be selected only when a new model is first created. Let’s see how that

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works. Create a new part (note that you don’t have to remove the block - Pro/E can have
several parts “in session” at the same time) by selecting

File > New

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or using the “Create New Object” button. The New dialog window opens. The

10
Model parameters and layers are discussed in the Advanced Tutorial.
2 - 30 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Part | Solid

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options are selected by default. Enter a new name, like exercise_1. Remove the check
mark beside Use default template (we normally don’t do this, but we should have a look
at what is available) and then select OK.

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In the New File Options dialog window, the default template is shown at the top. It is
likely “inlbs_part_solid” (unless your system has been set up differently). This template
is for solid parts with the units set to inch-pound-second. It seems strange to have force
and time units in a CAD geometry program. Actually, this is included so that the part
units are known by downstream applications like Pro/MECHANICA which perform
finite element analysis (FEA) or mechanism dynamics calculations. These programs are
very picky about units!

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Note that there are templates available for sheet-metal parts and for metric units
(millimeter-Newton-second). While we are mentioning units, be aware that if you make a
wrong choice of units here, it is still possible to change the units of a part after it has been

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created (see Edit > Setup > Units).

There are only two model parameters in the default template. DESCRIPTION is for an
extended title for the part, like “UPPER PUMP HOUSING”. This title can (eventually)
be called up and placed automatically on a drawing of the part using, you guessed it, a
drawing template. Similarly, the MODELED_BY parameter is available for you to record
your name or initials as the originator of the part. Fill in these parameter fields and select
OK.

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The new part is created which automatically displays the default datums. They are even
named for you (we will see how to name features in lesson 3): instead of DTM1, we have
RIGHT. TOP replaces DTM2, and FRONT replaces DTM3. The part also contains a
coordinate system, named views (look in the Saved Views List), and other data that we’ll

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discover as we go through the lessons. The named views correspond to the standard
engineering views. Thus, it is important to note that if you are planning on using a
drawing template, your model orientation relative to the default datums is critical. The
top-front-right views of the part are the ones that will be automatically placed on the
drawing later. If your model is upside down or backwards in these named views, then
your drawing will be too. This is embarrassing and not likely to win favor with your boss
or instructor!

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Now, having created this new part, you are all set up to do some of the exercises at the
end of the lesson. Do as many of these as you can. Perhaps do some of them in different
ways by experimenting with your sketch orientation, Sketcher commands, and so on.

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 31

This completes Lesson #2. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with any of the

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commands that have been presented in this lesson. Create new parts for your experiments
since we will need the block part in its present form for the next lesson.

In the next lesson we will add some more features to the block, discover the magic of

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relations, and spend some time learning about the utility functions available to give you
information about the model.

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2 - 32 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

Questions for Review

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Here are some questions you should be able to answer at this time:

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1. What is meant by a blind protrusion?
2. What is the purpose of the sketching reference?
3. How do you specify the name of a part?
4. Give as many of the Sketcher implicit rules as you can.
5. How do you save a part?
6. What is a template?
7. What is your system’s default template?
8. Where does your system store your part files when they are saved?
9. What is meant by the active part?

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10. How does Sketcher determine the radius of a fillet created on two lines?
11. What happens if you delete any of the constraints (H, V, etc.) on a sketch?
12. In an extrude, what happens if you set the thickness of a thickened sketch greater
than the radius of a filleted corner of the sketch?

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13. What is meant by Linking to a sketch?
14. In Sketcher, what is the difference between a gray and a white (pale yellow)
dimension?
15. In Sketcher, how do you create an explicit dimension? Is this weak or strong?
16. In Sketcher, how do you indicate where you want the dimension text placed?
17. What are the commands available for diagnosing errors in sketches?
18. How do you turn on the Sketch grid?
19. What are three ways to create a strong dimension?

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20. How do you create a weak dimension (trick question!).
21. In Sketcher, how do you create a radius dimension?
22. In Sketcher, what dimension is created if you left click on an arc or circle, then on a
planar reference, then middle click to place the dimension?

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23. What kind of dimensions are created in Sketcher for
A
the sloping line in the figure at the right if, after you
have selected the line, you middle click in regions A,
B, or C?
24. When would you normally create a sketch embedded C
within a feature, as opposed to a separately created B
curve?
25. What, in Pro/E terminology, is meant by “Direct
Modeling”?

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Creating a Simple Object (Part I) 2 - 33

Exercises

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Here are some simple shapes that you can make with simple extrusions. They should
give you some practice using the Sketcher drawing tools and internal rules. Choose your
own dimensions and pay attention to alignments and internal constraints. The objects

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should appear in roughly the same orientation in default view. Have a contest with a
buddy to see who can create each object with the fewest number of dimensions. This is
not necessarily a goal of good modeling, but is a good exercise! Feel free to add
additional features to these objects.

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2 - 34 Creating a Simple Object (Part I)

These parts are a bit more complicated, requiring two or more simple extruded features

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(protrusions or cuts). Think about these carefully before you try to make them.

1.

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2.
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3.
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 INTRODUCTION TO
PRO/SHEETMETAL
WILDFIRE 4.0

Sheetmetal Assembly of a ‘Bucket’

Yves Gagnon, M.A.Sc.

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
 INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Estimated time: ½ hour

Exercise 1a

Material First Wall Features

Objectives

At the end of this exercise, the user should be able to:

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1. Create a new file using sheet metal type;
Create first wall features of sheet metal parts using the following options:

Extruded wall

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Flat wall
3. Convert a solid model to a sheet metal model.

Designing in Sheetmetal Mode

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Introduction

In my numerous years of CAD and MCAD experience, I have yet to see software as
sophisticated as Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal mode. The modeling features

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available to version 3.0 are simply amazing. Finally, a software package that thinks as an
engineer or designer would. I am writing this manual for two reasons. Apart from
earning some royalties, I have yet to see a decent manual that is as practical as I have
been. The second reason is that there is no decent manual available in Wildfire 4.0.

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1
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Sheetmetal mode allows a designer to perform many sheet metal features. Examples
would be:

Simple Wall Features (Extruded, Flat);

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Flat forms (unbend and bend back features);

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Advanced Wall Features (Revolve and blend);

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2
 FIRST WALL FEATURES

Bends (Angles, Rolls) and twists and rolls

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Louver and Forms

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And not forgetting:

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Bend Tables and Bend Order Tables;

Solid to Sheet Metal Conversion Features.

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal

Feature creation in Sheetmetal mode is quite different from Part mode. While some of

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the Part mode features (described as solid features) can be accessed from the Sheetmetal
mode menu, other features can be created, and all are related to sheet metal design.

The model building philosophy can also be quite different. Again, while some aspects of

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Part mode are integrated within the Sheetmetal environment, one thing is always true: “If
you don’t put any thinking into your first (base) feature, you will run into trouble at some
point in your modeling process.” Needless to say, sheet metal parts should be well
thought of ahead of time before the first feature (first wall) is created.

3
INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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There are numerous ways in which a sheet metal user can create a first wall option in
Sheetmetal mode. The options are:

1. In Sheetmetal mode, by creating an extruded section;

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2. In Sheetmetal mode, by creating a flat wall;
3. In solid type Part mode, by creating a thin section, then converting it to sheet
metal.

The following table gives a review and description of the basic wall feature types
available in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0.

TABLE 1: WALL FEATURE TYPES

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Wall Feature Type Description
Extruded A sketched 2D profile with an offset wall thickness. Bend
angles can be built into the 2D profile as in Project 1 (similar

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to Pro/ENGINEER’s Thin Wall Protrusion)
Flat A sketched boundary in a 2D plane (flat) at a specified bend
angle (Similar to Pro/ENGINEER’s Extrude Protrusion)
Extended Creates an extension of a wall surface to another wall surface,
usually at a corner.
Revolved The cross-section of a revolved wall is sketched and rotated
about an axis (similar to Solid mode Revolved Protrusion).

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Blended The cross-section of the blended wall is sketched, with other
options such as parallel, rotational and general.
Offset An offset sheet metal wall is created by offsetting from an
existing solid surface.

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While extruded and flat are the most common first wall features used, the other features
prove to be quite useful in many applications.

Procedure

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We need to first get organized before beginning the training files. A working directory
needs to be created for locating all training files created in this manual. Most, if not all,
files will be created from scratch, and will be used for more than one exercise. Using
your browser, create a folder named ‘sheetmetal_1’ in the location of your choice.

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Launch Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire. Once it opens, a default browser is displayed on start
up (as shown below). The default URL directs you to a PTC site that provides many
Wildfire tools.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Material Figure 1

Select the Menu Mapper link as shown above. Menu Mapper provides you with a tool to
find where Release 2001 menu options can be found in Wildfire. Using the Mapper,
browse and find the location for Wildfire 4.0 to create a sheet metal wall (select

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SheetMetal under Release Wildfire 2.0 to Wildfire 3.0), then select Insert > Sheet
Metal Cut > Solid, as shown below.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Figure 2

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The Menu Mapper reports that the Wildfire menu is Insert > Extrude as shown below.

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Figure 3

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Close the Menu Mapper windows. Next, Select Tools > Options. The window shown in
Figure 4 comes up.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Figure 4

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Enter the Option and Value as shown above. The website listed is a great website for
sheet metal design research. If you have some time, browse through it for future
reference.
Click Apply – Close. Next, select the home icon (it looks like a house) at the top of the

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browser window to access the home page that you previously gave. You can compress
the browser by selecting the arrows along the right-hand edge of the browser as shown
in Figure 5.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Figure 5

Your screen should now have a gray background. Next, click Tools > Customize

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Screen. Select the Browser tab and de-select “Expand Browser by default while
loading ProE” as shown in Figure 6.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Material Figure 6

Select OK. Next, click on the working directory folder/icon on the left hand side of the
window, then set sheetmetal_1 (the folder you created earlier) as your working directory
for the session, as shown below using the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Navigator.

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Material Figure 7

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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1. Creating a Wall Feature Using the Extruded Option

One of the ways you can create sheet metal parts is by creating the first feature
representing the part in a formed state. This type of wall feature is used when the user

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wants to build one or more bends into a single feature. An example of a formed part
created using this method is shown below.

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Figure 8

An extruded wall extends from an edge into space. You can sketch the side section of the
wall and project it out a specified length. The primary wall is the first wall in your
design, or a secondary (additional) wall dependent on the primary wall.

The base feature for the part we will be creating in this exercise uses the unattached wall
extruded option. Keep the following points in mind when using this option:

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The sketch is an open loop (for simplicity and dimension control);

The thickness is added using the appropriate sketch option ‘thicken’;

Apply dimensioning intent to the sketch (i.e., apply the bend radius to the
inside curve.

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Create a new part file and select the Sheetmetal option under Sub-type in the NEW
dialog box, as shown in the Figure 9.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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Ensure that the Use default template option is selected. Enter bracket as the part name,
then select OK.

Select Insert > Extrude. Select Placement > Define. Select the FRONT datum plane as
the sketch plane. Use the default direction for the feature creation, then select the TOP
plane reference to face the top direction. Click Sketch.

Sketch the open loop shown in the figure below with appropriate dimensions. Sketch

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dimensions shown below are: 8 in. wide × 4 in. high (radius is .75 in).

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Material Figure 10

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Once the sketch is completed, select Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken. Ensure that the
arrow points toward the inside of the loop sketch as shown in the figure below (select
Flip, if necessary).

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Figure 11

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Then select OK. Enter .135 (corresponding to a thickness of 10 gauge steel) for the
material thickness. Other gauge steel thicknesses are given in Table 2 below for your
reference.

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 FIRST WALL FEATURES

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TABLE 2: IMPERIAL SHEET METAL GAUGES
Gauge Number Decimal Equivalent (inch)
1/4 .25
3/16 .188

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7 ga. .179
8 .164
9 .149
10 .134
11 .119
12 .104
13 .089

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14 .074
15 .067
16 .059
17 .053

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18 .048
19 .041
20 .036
22 .030
24 .024
26 .018
28 .015

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29 .014
30 .012

In order to dimension for design intent, we need to delete the current radius dimension

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and re-dimension the radius by selecting the dotted arc previously created. Enter .375 as
the new inner radius value. Complete the sketch (select check mark) and enter a
symmetrical Blind Depth of 8 when prompted. Select Done from the Dashboard. The
completed model should now appear on your screen as shown in Figure 12.

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INTRODUCTION TO PRO/SHEETMETAL

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Figure 12

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Set the display to Wireframe. Have a look at the different color schemes on the model.
Note that the geometry created in Sheetmetal mode has a distinctive color scheme. One
side of the model is green, and the other side white (or as per the user specified color
displayed). When a sheet metal part is modeled, its wall thickness is constant over the

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entire model. The software uses the green side as the ‘driving side.’ The white surface is
offset by a distance equal to the material thickness. In practice, you want to use the green
side for your sketching reference for creating geometry and other sheet metal features.

This completes the first wall creation and this exercise. Save the part for future use and
erase it from memory.

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End of Exercise

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14
Mechanism Design
with Pro/ENGINEER
Wildfire 3.0

Kuang-Hua Chang, Ph.D.

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
The University of Oklahoma

SDC
PUBLICATIONS

Schroff Development Corporation

www.schroff.com
www.schroff-europe.com
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-1

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Lesson 1: Introduction to
Mechanism Design

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1.1 Overview of the Lesson

The purpose of this lesson is to provide you with a brief overview of Mechanism Design. Mechanism

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Design is a virtual prototyping tool for mechanism analysis and design. Instead of building and testing
physical prototypes of the mechanism, you may use Mechanism Design to evaluate and refine the
mechanism before finalizing the design and entering the functional prototyping stage. Mechanism Design
will help you analyze, and eventually design, better engineering products. The software also provides you
with information regarding the mechanism’s behavior, which would have required tests of physical

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prototypes. You will be able to modify the design and often achieve better design alternatives using the
more convenient and less expensive virtual prototypes. With such information, you will gain insight on
how the mechanism works and why it behaves in certain ways. In the long run, this will help you become
a more experienced and competent design engineer.

In this lesson, we will start with a brief introduction to Mechanism Design and the various types of
physical problems that Mechanism Design is capable of solving. We will then discuss capabilities offered
by Mechanism Design for creating motion models, conducting motion analyses, and viewing motion
analysis results. In the final section, we will present examples employed in this book and lessons to be

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learned from these examples.

Note that materials presented in this lesson will be kept brief. More details on various aspects of
mechanism design and analysis using Mechanism Design will be given in later lessons.

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1.2 What is Mechanism Design?

Mechanism Design is a computer software tool that supports analysis of mechanisms. Mechanism
Design is a module of the Pro/ENGINEER product family developed by Parametric Technology
Corporation. Mechanism Design supports users in creating virtual mechanisms that answer general
questions in product design as described below. An internal combustion engine shown in Figures 1-1 and
1-2 will be used to illustrate these questions.

1. Will the components of the mechanism collide in operation? For example, will the connecting rod

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collide with the inner surface of the piston or the engine case during operation?

2. Will the components in the mechanism you design move according to your intent? For example, will
the piston stay entirely in the piston sleeve? Will the system lock up when the firing force aligns

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vertically with the connection rod and the crank?

3. How fast will the components move; e.g., the piston?

1-2 Mechanism Design with Pro/ENGINEER

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4. How much torque or force does it take to drive the mechanism? For example, what will be the
minimum firing load to drive the engine? Note that in this case, proper friction forces and inertia
must be added to simulate the resistance of the mechanism before a realistic firing force can be
calculated.

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5. What is the reaction force or torque generated at a connection (also called joint) between
components (or bodies) during motion? For example, what is the reaction force at the connection
between the connecting rod and the piston pin? This reaction force is critical since the structural
integrity of the connecting rod must be maintained; i.e., the connecting rod must be strong and
durable enough to sustain the reaction load in operation.

The modeling and analysis capabilities in Mechanism Design will help you answer these common
questions accurately and realistically, as long as the motion model is properly defined.

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Piston Sleeve

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Connecting Rod

Figure 1-1 An Internal Combustion

Engine (Unexploded View)

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The capabilities available in
Mechanism Design also help you search Crank Shaft
for better design alternatives. A better
design alternative is dependent on the Engine Case
design problem. It is critical that a

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design problem be clearly defined by the
designer up front. For the engine
example, a better design alternative can Figure 1-2 Internal Combustion Engine (Exploded View)
be a design that reveals:

1. A smaller reaction force applied to the connecting rod, or

2. No collisions or interference between components.

In order to vary component sizes for exploring better design alternatives, the parts and assembly

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must be parameterized adequately. At the parts level, design parameterization implies creating features
and relating dimensions properly. At the assembly level, design parameterization involves defining
placement constraints and relations in dimensions across parts. When a solid model is fully
parameterized, a change in dimension value can be propagated to all parts affected automatically. Parts

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affected must be regenerated successfully, and at the same time, they will have to maintain proper
position and orientation with respect to one another without violating any assembly placement constraints
or revealing part penetration or excessive gaps. For example, in this engine example, a change in the bore
diameter of the engine case will affect not only the case itself, but all other parts affected, such as the
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-3

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piston, piston sleeve, and even the crankshaft. They all have to be regenerated properly and the entire
assembly must stay intact through placement constraints.

1.3 Mechanism and Motion Analysis

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A mechanism is a mechanical device that transfers motion and/or force from a source to an output. It
can be an abstraction (simplified model) of a mechanical system. A linkage consists of links (or bodies),
which are connected by connections (or joints), such as a pin joint, to form open or closed chains (or
loops, see Figure 1-3). Such kinematic chains, with at least one link fixed, become mechanisms. In this
book, all links are assumed rigid. In general, a mechanism can be represented by its corresponding
schematic drawing for analysis and design purposes. For example, a slider-crank mechanism represents
the engine motion, as shown in Figure 1-4, which is a closed loop mechanism.

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Ground

Slider
Links (Bodies) Connecting

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(Piston)
Rod
Connections

Ground

(a) Open Loop Mechanism (b) Closed Loop Mechanism Crank

Figure 1-3 General Mechanisms
Figure 1-4 Schematic View of the

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Engine Motion Model

In general, there are two types of motion problems that you will solve in order to answer general
questions regarding mechanism analysis and design: kinematics and dynamics.

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Kinematics is the study of motion without regard for the forces that cause the motion. A kinematic
mechanism must be driven by a servo motor (or driver) so that the position, velocity, and acceleration of
each link of the mechanism can be analyzed at any given time. Typically, a kinematic analysis must be
conducted before dynamic behavior of the mechanism can be simulated properly.

Dynamics is the study of motion in response to externally applied loads. The dynamic behavior of a
mechanism is governed by Newton’s laws of motion. The simplest dynamic problem is the particle
dynamics covered in Sophomore Dynamics⎯for example, a spring-mass-damper system shown in Figure
1-5. In this case, motion of the mass is governed by the following equation derived from Newton’s second

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law,

• ••

∑ F = p( t ) − kx − c x = m x (1.1)

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where (•) appearing on top of the physical quantity represents time derivative of the quantity, m is the total
mass of the block, k is the spring constant, and c is the damping coefficient.
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For a rigid body, mass properties y
(such as the total mass, center of mass,
moment of inertia, etc.) are taken into x
account for dynamic analysis. For c
k
example, motion of a pendulum

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shown in Figure 1-6 is governed by l
the following equation of motion, m
θ
∑ M = −mgl sinθ = Iθ&& = ml 2θ&& (1.2) c.g.
p(t) g
where M is the external moment (or x
torque), I is the polar moment of
inertia of the pendulum, m is the Figure 1-5 The Spring-
pendulum mass, g is the gravitational Mass-Damper System

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Figure 1-6 A Simple
acceleration, and θ&& is the angular
Pendulum
acceleration of the pendulum.

Dynamics of a rigid body system, such as those illustrated in Figure 1-3, is a lot more complicated

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than the single body problems. Usually, a system of differential and algebraic equations governs the
motion and the dynamic behavior of the system. Newton’s law must be obeyed by every single body in
the system at all times. The motion of the system will be determined by the loads acting on the bodies or
joint axes (e.g., a torque driving the system). Reaction loads at the joint connections hold the bodies
together.

Note that in Mechanism Design, you may create a kinematic analysis model; i.e., using a servo
motor to drive the mechanism, and carry out dynamic analysis. In this case, position, velocity, and
acceleration results are identical to those of kinematic analysis, however, the inertia of the bodies will be

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taken into account for analysis; therefore, reaction forces will be calculated between bodies.

1.4 Mechanism Design Capabilities

Overall Process

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Ground Body
The overall process of using Mechanism Bodies
Design for analyzing a mechanism consists of three Motion Model Connections
main steps: model creation, analysis, and result Generation Drivers
visualization, as illustrated in Figure 1-7. Key Loads
Initial Conditions
entities that constitute a motion model include a
ground body that is always fixed, bodies that are Position
Motion
movable, connections (or joints) that connect bodies, Static
Analysis
servo motors (drivers) that drive the mechanism for Motion (Kinematics

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kinematic analysis, loads, and the initial conditions and Dynamics)
of the mechanism. More details about these entities Force Balance
will be discussed later in this lesson. Results Animation
Visualization Graph
The analysis capabilities in Mechanism Design

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Query
include position (initial assembly), static Report
(equilibrium configuration), motion (kinematic and
dynamic), and force balance (to retain the system in Figure 1-7 General Process of Using
a certain configuration). Mechanism Design
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-5

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For example, the position analysis brings bodies closer within a prescribed tolerance at each
connection to create an initial assembled configuration of the mechanism. More details about the analysis
capabilities in Mechanism Design will be discussed later in this lesson.

The analysis results can be visualized in various forms. You may animate motion of the mechanism,

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or generate graphs for more specific information, such as the reaction force of a joint in the time domain.
You may also query results at specific locations for a given time. Furthermore, you may ask for a report
on results that you specified, such as the acceleration of a moving body in the time domain.

Operation Mode
Mechanism Design is embedded into Pro/ENGINEER. It is indeed a module of Pro/ENGINEER, and
transition from Pro/ENGINEER to Mechanism Design is seamless. All the solid models, placement
constraints, etc. defined in Pro/ENGINEER are automatically carried over into Mechanism Design.

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Mechanism Design can be accessed through menus and windows inside Pro/ENGINEER. The same
assembly is used in both Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanism Design.

Body geometry is essential for mass property computations in motion analysis. In Mechanism
Design, all mass properties are ready for use. In addition, the detailed part geometry for interference

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checking is also available.

User Interfaces

User interface of the Mechanism Design is identical to that of Pro/ENGINEER, as shown in Figure
1-8. Pro/ENGINEER users should find it is straightforward to maneuver in Mechanism Design.

Title Bar Pull-Down Menus Quit Button

Model
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Create New Shortcut Buttons

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Model Tree:
Parts and
Assemblies

Graphics Window
Model Tree:

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Entities of
Mechanism Mechanism Design
Design Shortcut Buttons
Prompt/Message Window
Command

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Description
Area

Figure 1-8 User Interface of Mechanism Design

1-6 Mechanism Design with Pro/ENGINEER

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As shown in Figure 1-8, the user interface window of Mechanism Design consists of pull-down
menus, shortcut buttons, the prompt/message window, scroll-down menu, the graphics window, the
model tree window, and the command description area.

The Graphics window displays the motion model with which you are working. The pull-down

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menus and the shortcut buttons at the top of the screen provide typical Pro/ENGINEER functions. The
Mechanism Design shortcut buttons to the right provide all the functions required to create and modify
motion models, create and run analyses, and visualize results. As you move the mouse across the menu
options, a brief description about the option will appear in the Command Description area (lower left
corner). When you click the menu options, the Prompt/Message window shows brief messages describing
the menu commands. It also shows system messages following command execution. The shortcut buttons
in Mechanism Design and their functions are summarized in Table 1-1.

Table 1-1 The Shortcut Buttons in Mechanism Design

Button Symbol

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Name
Display Entities
Cam-Follower
Function
Turn icon visibility on or off in your assembly.
Create a new cam-follower.

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Connection Definition
Gear Pairs Create a new gear pair.
Servo Motors Define a servo motor (driver).
Analysis Definition Define and run an analysis.
Playbacks Play back the results of your analysis run. You can also
save or export the results or restore previously saved
results.
Measure Results Create measures, and select measures and result sets to

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display. You can also graph the results or save them to a
table.
Gravity Define gravity.
Force Motors Define a new force motor.

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Springs Define a new spring.

Dampers Define a new damper.

Forces/Torques Define a force or a torque.

Initial Condition Specify initial position snapshots, and define the velocity
Definition initial conditions for a point, motion axis or body.

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Mass Properties Specify mass properties for a part or specify density for an
assembly.

Defining Mechanism Design Entities

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The basic entities of a motion (or simulation) model created in Mechanical Design consist of ground,
bodies, connections, initial conditions, drivers, and loads. Each of the basic entities will be briefly
introduced. More details can be found in later lessons.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-7

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Ground Body

A ground (or ground body) represents a fixed location in space. The root assembly is always fixed;
therefore, becoming ground body. Also, the datum coordinate system of the root assembly is assigned as
the WCS (World Coordinate System) by default. All datum features and parts fixed to the root assembly

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are part of the ground body.

Bodies

A body represents a single rigid component (or link) that moves relative to the other body (or bodies
in some cases). A body may consist of several Pro/ENGINEER parts fully constrained using placement
constraints. A body must contain a local coordinate system (LCS), body points, and mass properties. Note
that body points are created for defining connections, force applications, etc.

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A spatial body consists of 3 translational and 3 rotational degrees of freedom (dof's). That is, a rigid
body can translate and rotate along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes of a coordinate system. Rotation of a rigid body
is measured by referring the orientation of its LCS to WCS, which is fixed to the ground body.

In Mechanism Design, the LCS is assigned automatically, usually, to the default datum coordinate

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system of the body (either part or assembly), and the mass properties are calculated using part geometry
and material properties referring to the LCS. Datum axes and points are essential in creating the motion
model since they are employed for defining connections and the location of external load application.

Connections
Joint Rotational dof
A connection in Mechanism Design can be a
joint, cam, or gear that connects two bodies. Translational dof
Typical joints include a pin, slider, bearing, Reactions

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cylinder, etc. The connection will constrain the
relative motion between bodies. Each Body1
independent movement permitted by a connection
is called a degree of freedom (dof). The degrees Body2
of freedom that a connection allows can be

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translated and rotated along three perpendicular
axes, as shown in Figure 1-9. Figure 1-9 A Typical Joint in Mechanism Design

Note that joints are created by employing regular placement constraints. However, instead of
completely fixing all the movements, certain dof’s (translations and/or rotations) are left to allow
designated movement. For example, a ball joint is created simply by aligning two datum points in their
respective bodies (part or assembly), allowing all 3 rotational dof’s.

The connections produce equal and opposite reactions (forces and/or torques) on the bodies

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connected. The symbol of a given joint tells the translational and/or rotational dof that the joint allows in
regard to movement. Understanding the basic four symbols shown in Figure 1-10 will enable you to read
any existing joints in motion models. More details about joint types available in Mechanism Design will
be discussed in later lessons. A complete list of joints available in Mechanism Design can be found in

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Appendix A.
1-8 Mechanism Design with Pro/ENGINEER

(a) Rotation Only;

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(b) Translation Only; (c) Translation and Rotation; (d) No Axes – Any

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e.g., Pin Joint e.g., Slider Joint e.g., Cylinder Joint Rotation; e.g., Ball Joint

Figure 1-10 Basic Joint Symbols

Degrees of Freedom

An unconstrained body in space has 6 degrees of freedom, i.e., 3 translational and 3 rotational. This
is what Mechanism Design assumes; i.e., spatial bodies with 6 dof's per body. When connections are
added to connect bodies, constraints are imposed to restrict the relative motion between bodies.

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For example, a slider joint will restrict movement on 5 dof’s so that only one translational motion is
allowed between bodies. If one of the bodies is a ground body, the other body will slide back and forth
along the given direction (that is, the translational axis in this case), specified by the slider joint. The
arrow in Figure 1-10b signifies the translational dof that the connection allows. Therefore, there is only

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one degree of freedom left in this two-body mechanism. For a given motion model, you can determine its
number of degrees of freedom using the following formula:

D = 6M – N (1.3)

where D is the number of degrees of freedom of the mechanism, M is the number of bodies not including
the ground body, and N is the number of dof’s restricted by all connections.

For example, a single-piston engine shown in Figure 1-11 consists of four bodies (including the

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ground body), two pin joints, 1 slider joint, and 1 bearing joint. Pin, slider, and bearing joints impose 5, 5,
and 2 constraints, respectively, to the mechanism. According to Eq. 1.3, the degrees of freedom of the
engine is

D = 6×(4−1) − 2×5 − 1×5 − 1×2 = 1

recalculated as Material
In this example, if the bearing joint is replaced by a pin joint, the degrees of freedom can be

D = 6×(4−1) − 3×5 − 1×5 = −2

Mechanisms should not have negative degrees of freedom. When using a pin joint instead of a
bearing, you have defined joints that impose redundant constraints. Mechanism Design detects the
redundancies and ignores redundant dof’s in all analyses, except for dynamic analysis. In dynamic

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analysis, the redundancies lead to an outcome with incorrect reaction results, yet the motion is correct.
For complete and accurate reaction forces, it is critical that you eliminate redundancies from your
mechanism. The challenge is to find the joints that will impose non-redundant constraints and still allow
the intended motion. Examples included in this book should give you some ideas on choosing proper

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joints. More about the joints can be found in Appendix A.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-9

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Slider Joint
(Piston/Ground)

Ground Body

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Shaft Body (Crank)

Piston Body (Slider)

Pin Joint
(Piston/Rod)

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LCS of
Crank
Pin Joint
(Crank/Rod)

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Connecting Rod Body
Bearing Joint (Crank/Ground)
Driver

Figure 1-11 A Typical Motion Model in Exploded View

Loads
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Loads are used to drive a mechanism. Physically, loads are produced by motors, springs, dampers,
gravity, tires, etc. A load entity in Mechanism Design can be a force or torque. The force and torque are

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represented by an arrow and double-arrow symbols, respectively, as shown in Figures 1-12 and 1-13.
Note that a load can be applied to a body, a point in a body, or between two points in different bodies.

Figure 1-12 The Force Symbol Figure 1-13 The Torque Symbol

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Drivers or Servo Motors
Joint Axes
Drivers or servo motors are used to impose a
particular motion on a mechanism. Servo motors cause a Driver

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specific type of motion to occur between two bodies in a
single degree of freedom. Servo motors specify position,
velocity, or acceleration as a function of time, and can
control either translational or rotational motion. The Figure 1-14 The Driver
driver symbol is shown in Figure 1-14. (Servo motor) Symbol
1-10 Mechanism Design with Pro/ENGINEER

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Note that a driver must be defined along a movable axis of the joint you select. Otherwise, no motion
will occur. When properly defined, drivers will account for the remaining dof's of the mechanism
calculated using Eq. 1.3.

An example of a typical motion model created using Mechanism Design is shown in Figure 1-11. In

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this engine example, 26 Pro/ENGINEER parts are grouped into four bodies. In addition, 4 joints plus a
driver are defined for a kinematic analysis.

Types of Mechanism Analyses

There are five analysis types supported in Mechanism Design: position, force balance, static,
kinematic, and dynamic.

The position (or assembly analysis) that brings the mechanism together, as illustrated in Figure 1-15,

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is performed before any other type of analysis. The assembly analysis determines an initial configuration
of the mechanism based on the body geometry, joints, and initial conditions of bodies. The points, axes,
or planes chosen for defining joints will be brought within a small prescribed tolerance.

Force balance calculates the required force and torque to retain the system in a certain configuration.

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Static analysis is used to find the rest position (equilibrium condition) of a mechanism, in which
none of the bodies are moving. Static analysis is related to mechanical advantage⎯for example, how
much load can be resisted by a driving motor. A simple example of the static analysis is shown in Figure
1-16.

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Material Figure 1-15 Assembly Analysis

Input: Angular Velocity ω

Output:
Slider Motion

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k1 k2 ω

m
g

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Figure 1-16 Static Analysis Figure 1-17 Kinematic Analysis
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-11

Output: Resulting Motion ω(t)

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As discussed earlier, kinematics is the
study of motion without regard for the Input:
forces that cause the motion. A mechanism Driving Load p(t)
can be driven by a servo motor for a
kinematic analysis, where the position, ω p(t)

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velocity, and acceleration of each link of
the mechanism can be analyzed at any
given time. For example, a servo motor
drives a mechanism at a constant angular
velocity in Figure 1-17. Figure 1-18 Dynamic Analysis

Dynamic analysis is used to study the mechanism motion in response to loads, as illustrated in
Figure 1-18. This is the most complicated and common, but usually time-consuming analysis.

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Viewing Results

In Mechanism Design, results of the motion analysis can be realized using animations, graphs,
reports, and queries. Animations show the configuration of the mechanism in consecutive time frames.
Animations will give you a global view on how the mechanism behaves, as shown in Figure 1-19.

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Figure 1-19 Motion Animation
Figure 1-20 Result Graph (Example)

You may choose a joint or a point to generate result graphs, for example, the velocity vs. time of the

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piston in the engine example shown in Figure 1-11. The graph in Figure 1-20 shows the angular position
of a simple pendulum example (please see Lesson 5 for more details). These graphs give you a
quantitative understanding on the behavior of the mechanism. You may also pick a point on the graph to
query the results of your interest at a specific time frame. In addition, you may ask Mechanism Design for

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a report that includes a complete set of results output in the form of numerical data.

In addition to the capabilities discussed above, Mechanism Design allows you to check interference between
bodies during motion (please refer to Lesson 5). Furthermore, the reaction forces calculated can be used to support
structural analysis using, for example, Pro/MECHANICA Structure.
1-12 Mechanism Design with Pro/ENGINEER

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1.5 Motion Examples

Numerous motion examples will be introduced in this book to illustrate step-by-step details of
modeling, analysis, and result visualization capabilities in Mechanism Design. We will start with a simple
ball throwing example. This example will give you a quick start and a quick run-through on Mechanism

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Design. Lessons 3 through 8 focus on modeling and analysis of basic mechanisms. In these lessons, you
will learn various joint types, including pin, slider, rigid, etc.; connections, including springs, gears, cam-
followers; drivers and forces; various analyses; and measures and results. Lessons 9 and 10 are
application lessons, in which real-world mechanisms will be introduced to show you how to apply what
you learn to more complicated applications. All examples and main topics to be discussed in each lesson
are summarized in the following table.

Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn

2 Ball Throwing Particle 1. This lesson offers a quick run-through

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Example Dynamics of general modeling and analysis
capabilities in Mechanism Design.
2. You will learn the general process of
using Mechanism Design to construct
a motion model, run analysis, and

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visualize the motion analysis results.
3. Simulation results are verified using
analytical equations of motion.
3 Spring-Mass Particle 1. This is a classical spring-mass system
System Dynamics example you learned in Sophomore
Dynamics.
2. You will learn how to create a
mechanical spring, align the block

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with the slope surface, and add an
external force to pull the block.
3. Simulation results are verified using
analytical equations of motion.
4 A Simple Particle 1. This lesson provides more in depth

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Pendulum Dynamics about creating joints in Mechanism
Design. Pin and rigid joints will be
introduced.
2. Simulation results are verified using
analytical equations of motion.

5 A Slider Crank Multibody 1. This lesson uses a slider-crank

Mechanism Kinematic and mechanism to discuss more joint
Dynamic types; as well as conduct position

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Analyses (initial assembly), kinematic, and
dynamic analyses.
2. In addition to joints, you will learn to
create drivers for motion analysis.
3. The interference checking capability

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will be discussed.
4. Simulation results are verified using
analytical equations of motion.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Mechanism Design 1-13

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Lesson Title Example Problem Type Things to Learn
6 A Compound Gear Train 1. This lesson focuses on simulating
Spur Gear Train Analysis motion of a spur gear train.
2. You will learn how to use Mechanism
Design to create a gear connection,

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analyze the gear train, and define
measures for gears.
3. Simulation results are verified using
analytical equations.
7 Planetary Gear Planetary Gear 1. This lesson is similar to Lesson 6 but
Train Systems Train Analysis focuses on planetary gear trains.
2. Both single gear and multiple gears
systems will be discussed.
3. Some simulation results are found

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incorrect using analytical equations.
8 Cam and Multibody 1. This lesson discusses cam and
Follower Kinematic followers.
Analysis 2. An inlet or outlet valve system of an

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internal combustion engine will be
created and simulated.
3. Position and velocity of the valve will
be created to simulate the motion of
the system as well as assess the
engineering design of the system.
9 Assistive Device Multibody 1. This is an application lesson. This
for Wheelchair Dynamic lesson shows you how to assemble
Soccer Game Analysis and simulate motion of an assistive

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device for playing wheelchair soccer
game.
2. Numerous joints, spring, and force
will be created for the system.

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3. Measures will be defined to assess the
design of the system.
10 Kinematic Multibody 1. This is the second and the last
Analysis for Kinematic application lesson of the book. A
Racecar Analysis quarter of a racecar suspension will be
Suspension employed for kinematic analyses.
2. A road profile will be modeled by
using a cam of special profile. The
cam will be connected to the tire

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using a cam-follower connection.
3. Various measures, including the
camber angle, will be introduced to
assess the design of the suspension
system.

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