PRO/E HINTS for version 2001 (versions 2000i, 2000i2 have same

features, somewhat different interface)

19-Nov-02, W. Durfee ([email protected])

UMN ITLABS specific for starting Pro/E

Version 2000i2: % module load mcad/proe/2000i2
% pro &

Version 2001: % module load mcad/proe

% pro &

Note: to keep control of terminal window after starting Pro/E, do % pro &. The ampersand will run the job
in the background.

To unload one version so you can run the other:

% module list
% module unload <modulename>

Parts
To create a new part: File > New > Part [check "Use default template"] [enter a descriptive name for the
part] > OK

To create a feature: Part > Feature > Create > Solid > Protrusion | Extrude | Solid | Done
Attributes > One Side | Done
Setup Plane > Plane > [pick FRONT plane] Direction > OK
Setup Sk Pln > Sket View > Top > [pick TOP plane]
Close the References box
Select line tool and sketch geometry. Mouse draw with L clicks, C click to terminate
Create desired dimensions with dimension tool (see below)
Modify dimension values (modify dimen tool, select all dimensions, uncheck Regenerate,
modify values, OK; or just double click on a dimension)
When done, click checkmark, enter protrusion depth, click OK in feature creation box

To dimension a distance: L (one side), L (other side), C (place)

To dimension a diameter: L (outer), L (center-line), L (outer), C (place)
To dimension a radius: L (outer), L (center-line), C (place)
For diameter or radial dimension: Pick the center line of the feature (pick CL far from part), not a datum

For a revolved section part: Part > Feature > Create > Solid > Protrusion | Revolve | Solid | Done
For revolve, add centerline to sketch.

Sketcher tips:
* When sketching a new part, always start at origin of the datum planes, or center datum planes
* If you have a hard time selecting a feature or datum plane, select it from the Model Tree window

* To change dimensions in Sketcher: Double click on dimension, enter new value.

* If screen looks messy, hit Repaint
* To move dimensions in Sketcher: Left click on dimension and drag.
* To undo: Edit > Undo (or Ctrl-Z)
* Use tool bar button to turn grid on and off

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 * To turn Intent Manager on and off: Sketch > Intent Manager
* To delete: Select with select tool > Del key
* R-click on blank area for popup menu

To show dimensions in Part view: Part > Modify > Value > [select part]
Or, just double click on the part.

To change dimension: L-click on dimension.

To change full dimension format: Part > Modify > Dimension > select (this will bring up full dimension
dialog box, including tolerances)

After making a change: Part > Regenerate (to implement the change)

To move dimensions in Part view: Part > Modify > DimCosmetics > Move Dim > [L-click on dim, L-click
on new location.

To delete a feature: Select from Model Tree or on part > Del key

To change units: Part > Set Up > Units > Principal Sys

To make a hole: Feature > Create > Solid > Hole. In dialog box, enter hole diameter, Depth One = Thru All
for thru hole, or Variable (for blind hole). For Primary Reference, select drilling surface, For two Linear
References, select two surfaces from which to dimension the location of the hole center. OK

To make a round: Feature > Create > Solid > Round > Simple > Done > Constant > Edge Chain >
Done > Tangent Chain > [select edges for rounding]

To create a chamfer: Create > Solid > Chamfer > Edge > 45xd > [select edges] > Done Sel

To create a fillet: Sketcher > Arc > Fillet > [select two walls]

To copy a feature: Part > Feature > Copy > Same Refs | Select | Dependent | Done
Select feature > Done Select > Done
In GP VAR DIMS dialog: select feature location dimension(s) to change > Done
Enter location(s) of the copy

To make a pattern: Part > Feature > Pattern > select the feature > Identical | Done
Select dimensions, enter increment value, enter total number of instances

To make an irregular pattern: Part > Feature > Pattern > Identical > Done, Table (see Toogood, Advanced,
4-11)

To mirror: Feature > Copy > Mirror > Select > Dependent > Done
[select feature] > Done > [select mirror plane]

To create a cosmetic thread: Feature > Create > Cosmetic > Thread
For thread surface, pick outer surface for a screw, inner surface for a hole. Start surface is typically the
underside of a bold head for a screw or the surface the hole is drilled in for a hole. Diameter is major
diameter of thread. Cosmetic threads will show up only on the dwgs.

To create raised text: Feature > Create > Protrusion

Sketcher > Sketch > Geometry > Advanced Geometry > Text

To create a shell cut:

Create > Solid > Cut > Extrude > Solid > Done > One Side > Done

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 Turn off Intent Manager
Geom Tools > Offset Edge > Sel Loop > [select edge] > Specify Offset (negative if arrow out) >
Regenerate > Done > Blind > Done > [enter depth] > Preview > OK

To create a hexagon in Sketcher (for a hex head bolt, or for cutting a hex in an allen wrench bolt): Create a
circle centered on the center of the hex. Highlight, then R-click and select Toggle Construction. Sketch six
sides of hexagon with a horizontal top and bottom edge, all vertices on the circle, and the two side vertices
on the horizontal reference line. Sketch (top menu bar) > Contstrain… to bring up constraint box.
Constrain and set of two sloped lines opposite each other to be parallel. Then constrain any two adjacent
lines to be equal length. Dimension across one flat. Done.

Another way to create a hexagon in Sketcher: Add 2 centerlines which go across the diameter of the
hexagon spacing lines by 120 deg. Dimension spacing of lines to 60 deg. Create a Center/Point circle (do
not dimension this circle). R-click in blank area, select Toggle Construction. Draw hexagon while
constraining to the construction circle, the reference lines and the centerlines. Dimension across one flat;
the rest will follow.

To create a polar grid in Sketcher (e.g. for sketching hex heads): Utilities > Sketcher Preferences >
Parameters > Grid > Type = Polar

To save a view: Orient the way you want, then: View > Saved Views > [enter a name in the Saved Views
dialog box] > [click Save]

To print a shaded part from Parts view: Mess with orientation, placement and zoom until it’s right. Print to
file. Preview in ghostview, print from ghostview.

To create a relation: Part > Relations > [select features]

Part > Relations > Add
/* comment line
d2 = d6/2
Part > Relations > Show
Part > Model Rel > Done
Part > Regenerate

To switch between symbolic and numeric dimensions: Part > Relations > Switch Dim

To create a parameter: Part > Setup > Parameters > Part > Model Parameters > create > string, “my_param”
“value”

To check which parameters are defined: Part > Setup > Parameters > Part > Info

To rename datum planes: Part > Set Up > Name > Other [pick datum and rename]

To redo a dimensioning scheme:

Part > Feature > Redefine > [select feature]
In the feature window: Section > Define > Sketch
Add and delete dimensions > Regenerate > OK

To change how a hole is located with respect to references: Part > Feature > Redefine

To snap to grid: Utilities > Environment > Snap to Grid

To rename a part: File > Rename

To copy from an existing part: File > New > Copy From

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To eliminate showing of tangent lines: Utilities > Environment > Tangent Edges > No Display

To assign a material density: Part > Setup > Density (Aluminum = 0.095 lb/in^3, Steel = 0.282 lb/in^3)

To find weight and c.g. of a part: Analysis > Model Analysis > Model Mass Properties > Compute

To assign colors: View > Model Setup > Color and Appearance > Add > [click white color square, then
move slider bars to edit] > OK > Set Obj App > Part > pick part > Done Sel > Set

Drawings
To create a drawing: File > New > Drawing, [Select default model part], [select c_drawing]

(Use A size drawing only for a very small part. Generally, font size looks better on printout if draw on size
C, then print to size A.)

Pro/E will automatically place front, right and top views of the part. “Front” is what you specified when
you selected the FRONT datum plane for sketching.

Or, if you like to do it from scratch when creating a drawing: File > New > Drawing, then deselect Use
default template object. Select Landscape and C size. To place standard views: Drawing > Views > Add
View > General > Full View | NoXsec | No Scale | Done, L-click in lower left to place, Following message
prompt, Query Select front surface, then top surface, then OK to close orientation dialog box. Modify scale
or move the view to where you want it. Adding right view: Drawing > Views > Add View > Projection >
Full View | NoXsec | No Scale | Done, L-click to right of front view to place. Adding top view: Repeat
above step, but L-click above front view to place.

Adding 3-D view: Drawing > Views > Add View > General > Full View | NoXsec | Scale | Done
L-click upper right to place, enter scale value, In Orientation dialog box select default view or a saved
view, then OK

To show dimensions: View > Show and Erase (in ver 2000i2: Drawing > Detail > Show/Erase)
In Show/Erase dialog: Select dimension Type, Show By Part (or By Feature for complex parts), select With
Preview, Show All, C-click to accept, Close Show/Erase dialog

If use Show By Feature, dimension will appear in whatever view you select the feature.

To clean up dimensions: Tools > Clean Dims > L-click all 3 views > C-click > Apply > Close (ver
2000i2: Drawing > Detail > Tools > Clean Dims)

Don't worry about yellow extension lines overlaying object lines; Pro/E will fix at print time.

To move dimensions, or extension lines: Click on selection arrow (to right of screen), then L-click on
dimension. Move dimension and/or extension line handles. Left click to accept new location. (ver 2000i2: :
Drawing > Detail > Move)

To switch dimension to another view: L-click to select dimension. Press and hold R button until menu pops
up. Select Switch View, then L-click desired new view (ver 2000i2: Drawing > Detail > Switch View >
select dimension > select new view)

To flip direction of dimension arrow: While dragging a dimension, R-click to flip. (ver 2000i2: Drawing >
Detail > Flip Arrows > L click in dimension character field)

Pro/E Tips, Page 4 of 9

To change drawing scale (which will make views larger or smaller on the page): Edit > Value, select
SCALE at lower left of drawing, enter new value (ver 2000i2: Drawing > Detail > Modify > Value > L
click on Scale indicator at bottom)

To change size of a scaled view: Edit > Value, select SCALE, enter new value (ver 2000i2: Drawing >
Views > Modify View > Change Scale > select view)

If you want a different dimensioning scheme, go back to Part mode and redefine the feature.

To add another part to a drawing: Views > Dwg Models > Add Model

To change which of two parts is active in a drawing: Views > Dwg Models > Set Model

To place just a 3-D view on a drawing: Drawing > Views > Add View > General > Full View | NoXsec |
No Scale | Done, L-click to place view, In the Orient dialog box pick Saved Views. Or, if view already
placed: Drawing > Views > Modify View > Reorient > Saved Views > pick view

Adding notes: Insert > Note… > No Leader > Make Note, click on drawing for note location, enter note in
text box (using Symbol Patette where needed), hit CR for a second line, complete note by entering CR on a
blank line. Done/Return to get back to DRAWING menu.

Moving a note: Click then drag. Left click to accept new location

To edit a note: Use selection tool to select note, R-press to get popup menu, pick Properties. (ver 2000i2:
Drawing > Detail > Modify > Text > Full Note (or Text Line) > [select note] > edit) (On a Unix system,
note editing may throw you into the vi editor. See further on in this document for help with vi.)

To change text style and size of a note: Format > Text Style …., Play with values in dialog box

On a drawing, to orient a cylindrical part, for Front and Top pick Datum planes

The dashed white lines which appear around your view are Snap Lines. To suppress showing Snap lines:
Utilities > Environment > uncheck Snap Lines

To create a reference dimension: Insert (top menu) > Dimension > New References

To selectively show/hide dimensions and ref dimensions: View > Show and Erase

To erase (same as hide) one dimension: Pick with selection tool. R-click to bring up menu, select Erase.

To change anything about one dimension: Pick with selection tool. R-click to bring up menu

To change radius to diameter dimensions: Go back to Part mode and redefine the feature.

To switch drawing size from A to C: Drawing > Sheets > Format > Add/Replace > [pick size] > [pick
Blank or Unblank to add/suppress the border]

To add text to a title block: Create a note.

Hidden line display for selected views: Drawing > Views > Disp Mode > View Disp > [select view] >
Wireframe or Hidden Line or No Hidden (Otherwise, display of hidden lines is dictated by current default.)

To add X-section view: see Toogood tutorial book, Chapter 8

To add detail view: see Toogood, Chapt 8

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To add a leader note: Insert > Note > Leader > Make Note <L-click to select attachment point, C-click to
place note>

To dimension a threaded hole: Make a note with a leader on the item. Put all dimensioning info in the note.
Erase default dimension for the hole.

To embed a dimension in a note: “This dimension is &D#…”

For multi-sheet drawing: Sheets > Add

To use a standard format: File > New > Drawing, Retrieve Format, Browse, c.frm
Or, try Sheets > Format > Unblank (to see if title block and borders are there)

To change format: Drawing > Sheets > Format > Add|Replace, select new format

To eliminate format: Drawing > Sheets > Format > Remove, select orientation and drawing size

On a custom format, to create a parameter: Format > Table > Enter test, “text: &my_param”

Assemblies
For new assembly: File > New > Assembly > [name the assembly] > OK.
Assembly > Component > Assemble > select part
Click OK in Component Placement (unless you want to constrain to datum planes)
Repeat for 2nd part, but this time leave Component Placement dialog active
Add and specify a total of 3 constraints

For pin-in-hole: Align (pin axis with hole axis), Mate (enter an offset), <and if you care, Orient>

Use Move tab in Placement dialog to move things around so you can see.

To modify constraint parameter (e.g. an offset distance): Assembly > Modify > Mod Assem > Mod Dim >
Value > [Query select the assembly component that has the constraint you want to change] > select and
modify dimension] > Regenerate > Automatic

To change constraints: Assembly > Component > Redefine > [select the part you want to change]

For exploded view: View > Explode

To move things around in exploded view: Go to an exploded view, then Assembly > Modify > Mod Expld
> Position Entity/Edge or Plane/Normal to define direction

In Assembly mode, to get Component Placement dialog box back up: Assembly > Component > Redefine
> select part

Printing
To print: File > Print > To File

To preview (on a Unix system): % ghostview file.plt

For web publishing or incorporating into a Word document: File > Export > Image > Type = JPEG (200
dpi is plenty for PowerPoint)

Pro/E Tips, Page 6 of 9

Printing to A size drawing: File > Print > Destination = Generic Postscript > Configure > Size A. Print to
File, uncheck To Printer.

To print part in landscape mode: File > Print > Configure> Page tab > Spin 90 deg

If image is offset, try rotating 90 deg (see above), otherwise: Print > Destination = Generic Postscript >
Configure > adjust offset

If image is too big, try zooming to 90%.

Before printing, check what you have set for hidden line style. Also, turn off datum planes, axes, and spin
center

To increase print quality: In Print Configure dialog, change to 400 dpi (default is 100 dpi). Better images,
but (1) .ps files are HUGE, (2) takes longer to print.

To make “for educational use only” watermark less obvious: Print to Generic Color Postscript device, even
for B&W prints.

General

To manipulate view: Hold down Ctrl key: L = zoom (click 2 points for zoom box), C = spin, R = pan

To kill beep: Utilities > Environment | uncheck Ring Msg Bell

For Query Select: R click in main window, L click on object, R click to cycle through selections (L click to
cycle again, C click to accept

If part “Neckers”, try switching among Wire Frame, Hidden Lines, No Hidden Lines views

Change default directory: File > Working directory

If menu disappears: Window > Activate

To save a view: View > Saved Views…

To see all changes, repaint screen: (1) Click Repaint button, or (2) Ctrl-R, or (3) View > Repaint

To load a new or updated config.pro file: Utilities > Options > click on folder icon at top > navigate and
select config.pro file > OK

Mapkeys:
Utilities > Mapkeys
In dialog box: New > [enter key sequence and name]
Record > [do key strokes and mouse clicks, no clicks in graphics window] > Stop > OK
Save > Close
Utilities > Preferences > Load Config

To purge old file versions: File > Delete > Old Versions

To change the background color (in case your B&W shaded image printouts are coming out black on
black): View > Display Settings > System Colors > Scheme > Black on White (Default to change back)

Use model tree to confirm selections or to make selections of hard to see feature. Useful for displaying
properties

Pro/E Tips, Page 7 of 9

If your mouse turns into a "No" symbol: Window > [select the window you want]

Set working directory first, then load config.sys

To speed things along, C-click to select whatever is bolded on the cascading menu

If you have a 2-button mouse: Forget it, go out and buy yourself a three buttoner.

Dealing with the Unix vi editor

If you run Pro/E on a Unix system and edit text, it may throw you into the vi editor. When you start, you
are in vi Command mode. Use the following essential keyboard commands: :wq = save and quit, :q! = quit
without saving changes, w = move one word, b = move back one word, j = move down one line, k = move
up one line, H = move to top of screen, L = move to bottom of screen, G = move to end of file, 1G = move
to start of file, x = delete one character, X = delete previous character, dd = delete whole line, p = undelete,
i = enter Insert mode.

While in Insert mode, you can use the arrow keys to move around, but any other keys are inserted text and
the delete key does not delete text. To return to Command mode, hit Esc.

Hints on making parts

To create a bent bracket (Toogood Chapt. 8), create square geometry, then Sketch > Arc > Fillet > [select
wall and floor of part bend]

Student version of Pro/E

Purchase online from www.JourneyEd.com. As of October 2002, Pro/ENGINEER version 2001 is bundled
with Pro/MECHANICA for $149.98

Student version is full featured but you can't exchange files with professional version, and printouts have a
banner.

After installing, right-click on Pro/E shortcut > Properties > Memory > Initial Environment = 4096. If you
don’t do this, you will get “Out of Environment space” errors when you launch Pro/E.

CD must be in drive to run Pro/E. Hold down shift key when inserting CD to prevent automatic launching
of the setup via Windows autorun. (Or to permanently disable autorun. Start > Settings > Control Panel >
System > Device Manager > select CD-ROM device > Properties > Device Manager > Settings > uncheck
Auto insert notificaton

If shaded images are not being properly rendered, try this in Windows: Right-click on My Computer >
Properties > Performance > Graphics > Hardware acceleration = none.

If crashes when setting part colors, or you get other odd behavior, try this in Windows: Right-click
anywhere on the Desktop > Properties > Settings > Colors = 256.

You need a 3-button mouse (or a wheel mouse).

To set the default working directory for Pro/E, right click on the Pro/E icon in the Start > Programs menu.
Select Properties. Select the Program tab. In the Working box, enter desired startup directory.

Pro/E Tips, Page 8 of 9

Printing with student version of Pro/E on Win95/98/Me
Usually can print drawings directly to printer. However, with shaded images or complex drawings,
generally you have to first print to a PostScript file, then convert the PostScript file to PDF, then print the
PDF file with Acrobat Reader.

To view and convert the PostScript files generated by Pro/E, download and install the Windows version of
GSview and AFPL Ghostscript. The home page for these free utilities is www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost.

To print from Pro/E: File > Print > Destination = Generic PostScript (or Generic Color PostScript) >
Configure > size = A > OK, deselect To printer, select To file > OK > for filename, use .ps extension.

Run GSview and open your .ps (or .plt) file. In Ghostview, try File > Print. If the printout is good; you are
done. Otherwise, File > Convert > Device = pdfwrite > OK. Name the file with a .pdf extension (e.g.
myfile.pdf). In Windows, double-click on your PDF file which should then open in Acrobat Reader and can
be printed or posted on a web page.

If GSview and paper orientation don't match up, mess with GSview settings. Also, you may have to
configure your printer for landscape mode.

Please report corrections, suggestions and new Pro/E tips to W. Durfee, [email protected]

Pro/E Tips, Page 9 of 9