NX 9 for Beginners - Part 1 (Getting Started with NX and Sketch Techniques)

Introduction

Welcome to the NX 9 for Beginners book. This book is written to assist students, designers, and engineering professionals. It covers the important features and functionalities of NX using relevant examples and exercises.

This book is written for new users, who can use it as a self-study resource to learn NX. In addition, it can also be used as a reference for experienced users. The focus of this book is part modeling, assembly modeling, drawings, sheet metal, and surface design.

Getting Started with NX 9

Introduction to NX 9

NX 9 is a parametric and feature-based system that allows you to create 3D parts, assemblies, and 2D drawings. The design process in NX is shown below.

In NX, parameters, dimensions, or relations control everything. For example, if you want to change the position of the hole shown in figure, you need to change the dimension or constraint that controls its position.

The parameters and constraints that you set up allow you to have control over the design intent. The design intent describes the way your 3D model will behave when you apply dimensions and constraints to it. For example, if you want to position the hole at the center of the block, one way is to add dimensions between the hole and the adjacent edges. However, when you change the size of the block, the hole will not be at the center.

You can make the hole to be at the center, even if the size of the block changes. To do this, you need to delete the dimensions and apply the Midpoint constraint relationships between the hole point and the horizontal and vertical edges. Now, even if you change the size of the block, the hole will always remain at the center.