set surface area and mass in the note

HI,
I would like to set note that will shown "surface area"and
"weight" value,
thank,
henry

 

In the model, make sure you have a material assigned which has a density. Or,
while in 'Edit>Setup' go to Mass Props and under Density, enter a value in the
units currently assigned, then click Generate Report. This is critical, the
following won't work without it.

Go back to the drawing. Do 'Insert>Note' and enter the text as follows (or
similar):
Weight equals &pro_mp_mass[.1]
Surface area equals &pro_mp_area[.1]

This will give you a two line note with the actual calculated values filled in (to
one decimal place, indicated by the decimal number in brackets) for pro_mp_mass
and pro_mp_area. The ampersand turns a parameter (in this case, system parameters)
into a note callout.

 

Thanks, Davis, Jame and Ben
Henry

 

There's some pretty serious problems with the above method, causing
misunderstanding and frustration, especially among inexperienced users. If there's
no bug reports against this, there should have been and I suspect it's one reason
for the move to pro_mp_mass.

The problem is this: while you can either create a paramater through a relation as
you say and use that in a note or simply prefix mp_mass("") with an ampersand, you
may have noticed the message in the relations box that says something like "Model
has changed since last regen. May need to recalculate." This is because
mp_mass("") picks up a value created by 'Edit>Setup>Mass props>Generate Report'.
These values are those that you'd get by doing 'Analysis>Model Analysis' but they
are a snapshot that only updates when you again do 'Edit>Setup>Mass props>Generate
Report' again. However, the value of the parameter Weight and the &Weight shown in
a note still do not update. What is needed is yet another model regeneration for
the paramter and note to update. So, at first the parameter doesn't update and
you're left scratching your head, "Hunh, why doesn't it change?" then you change
the model again, forcing a regen and there it goes, it finally updates the value.
But when you check the value against that reported by Model Analysis Mass
properties, the Weight value is off by 5-10%. (Followed by more head scratching.)
This is because a model change that causes a regen usually involves a change to
volume/mass, but the value shown in Weight is based on the previous calculation of
mass done by 'Edit>Setup>Mass props>Generate Report'. If you were to create a
datum point or if you reordered features, either of which would force a regen
without changing the mass properties, you'd finally get the true value showing in
Weight.

Pro_mp_mass solves this problem by picking up the new value without the need to
resort manually doing the 'Generate report'. You also need to set the config
option mass_property_calculate to AUTOMATIC. But, when you make a note that says,
for example, "Weight equals &pro_mp_mass grams", this value will update
automatically with any change to the model's mass properties. You can confirm this
by adding a column to your model tree by picking Mass Property Parameters from the
Type drop down list and picking pro_mp_mass. Also setup a relation and create the
Weight parameter as suggested with mp_mass(""). Then show this in a column by
picking Model paramters from the Type list and picking your Weight parameter. Do
your modelling and watch the numbers in these colums change (or not, or only after
doing 'Generate Report', regening, etc.). In short, the only reason I'd use a
relation based on mp_mass("") is if there were absolutely no other way to do it.
If I had the ability to create an analysis feature, I'd much prefer that.

David Janes

 

Good point Dave, the clue here is that the geometry update is handeled
after the relations are run and the weight parameter relates to the
previous gemometry.
You can still use a Weight parameter, just make sure the relation is
in the "Post Regeneration" section.

 

I also use the 'pro_mp_mass', and set the option in the config file with
'mass_property_calculate to AUTOMATIC'
this works ok, and when I change a parts dimension and regen it does update
on my drawing. The downside for me is when I load an older assembly or
someone else's, it prompts me for the density of every part in the assy that
does'nt have a density
assigned to it. This makes a mess, by doing this its changing parts from
common space that I had no intention of changing.

 

'Post Regeneration', yeah, I've seen this in the I don't recall seeing this before
WF. Is this new!?! Apparently it makes a BIG difference! Or at least, now it is
the equivalent in operation of pro_mp_mass, both changing after a regen. Well,
almost.... if you don't count suppressing features. Here, NEITHER updates to the
correct values. Only resuming a feature (cut or boss, positive or negative)
correctly updates with the new value. They really don't change when expected.
Prove it to yourself with the Model Tree columns.

David Janes

 

Are you guys messin' around, modelling those massless particles again ;-)
No? Well then you've got to tell them 'I'm terribly sorry, Dr. Drago, maybe your
administrative assistant did tell you that you don't have assign density to
materials, but really, you do. No, I mean REALLY, you do. Otherwise a great deal
of very expensive software is VERY unhappy. And then we have to spend a bunch of
money to fix your shit. Now, you don't want that, do you?' If they won't listen,
set up Model Check to enforce some basic engineering (or should we say, Physics)
standards. When they can't check their trash into Intalink because MC rejects it,
they'll eventually take the hint.

Didn't realize that, thanks for the heads up. But I hope you don't mind me saying
that I take no comfort in hearing that such chaos prevails in a national lab.