Drafting Essentials

Student Guide
November 2013
MT10100 — NX 9

Publication Number
mt10100_s – NX 9
Proprietary and restricted rights
notice; Trademarks

Proprietary and restricted rights notice

This software and related documentation are proprietary to Siemens Product
Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
© 2013 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.

Trademarks
Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG.
NX is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle
Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in
other countries. All other trademarks, registered trademarks, or service
marks belong to their respective holders.

2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Contents

Proprietary and restricted rights notice; Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Course overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Lesson format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Learning tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Common symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
NX 9 Help Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Ribbon bar interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Drafting application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The model-based drafting process in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Drafting interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Drafting welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
General course information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Class part structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Drafting node on the Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Sheet nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
View node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Out-of-Date folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Summary: Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8

Master model drawings and drafting standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

NX Drafting methods and the master model workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Creating a new drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Create a new drawing of a master model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Setting your Drafting standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Using drafting standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Summary: Master model drawings and drafting standards . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Drawing sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Drawing sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Drawing workflow preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

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Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Opening a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Editing a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Deleting a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Custom borders and zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Drawing monochrome display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Summary: Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Drafting view concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
View boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Base views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Projected views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Orthographic views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Auxiliary views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
View Creation Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
View Creation Wizard window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Setting the appearance of new views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
View preferences — Workflow node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
View preferences — Common node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
View preferences – Hidden Lines node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
View preferences – Smooth Edges node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
View preferences – Virtual Intersections node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22
Editing the display of an existing view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23
Deleting views from a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
Summary: Drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27

Custom views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Custom views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Creating a custom view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Orient View Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Orient View dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Summary: Custom views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Move, copy, and align views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Aligning Views with Helper Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

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Creating associative view alignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

View Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Copying drawing views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Summary: Move, copy, and align views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Hiding geometry in drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Layer settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Reference Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Summary: Hiding geometry in drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

Updating drawings and drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Update command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
View update preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Summary: Updating drawings and drafting views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

Centerline symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

Centerline symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Symbol associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Centerline handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Centerline extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Inherit symbol parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Centerline settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Create a center mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Multiple center marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Automatic Centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Bolt Circle Centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Through 3 or More Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Centerpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Full Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
2D Centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
3D Centerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
3D centerline methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Offset Center Point symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Methods for displaying an Offset Center Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Offset Center Point symbol rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Other uses of Offset Center Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26

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Delete a symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27

Summary: Centerline symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28

Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

Creating dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2

Dimension user interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Tools for placing and aligning dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Setting and changing the appearance of your dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Rapid dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Inferred dimension type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Creating dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Other dimension types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Appending text to dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Edit a dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Editing specific aspects of a dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Summary: Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23

Notes and labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

Creating notes and labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2

Inputting text and placing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Formatting text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Editing text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5
Aligning and positioning notes with other objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Using helper lines to align notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Positioning notes relative to a drafting view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Create a label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Leader options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Importing and exporting text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Inserting special symbols and characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Drafting symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
Insert a fraction in a note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15
Insert a user defined symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-16
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-17
Editing notes and labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Appending text to dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-19
Stacking notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20
Editing dimension text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21
Manually edit dimension text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-22
Identify and restore dimensions with manually edited text . . . . . . 11-23
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24

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Summary: Notes and labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-25

Balloon symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1

Creating balloon symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

Balloon symbol types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Create a balloon symbol without a leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Create a balloon symbol with a leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5
Associate balloon symbols to other objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-6
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7
Editing balloon symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9

GD&T symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1

Supported standards for GD&T symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2

Feature Control Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Populating the frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Characteristic symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Tolerance modifier symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Creating composite frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Placing a feature control frame on a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Create a feature control frame with a leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9
Check the syntax of a feature control frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Datum Feature Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12
Create a datum feature symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Datum Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Appending modifier symbols to dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Summary: GD&T symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17

Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1

Surface Finish Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2

Surface finish symbol types and parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Selecting the surface finish symbol standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7
Weld Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-8
Weld symbol types and parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-9
Editing weld symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-11
Custom Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-12
Define a master custom symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-13
Adding custom symbols to your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-14
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15
Summary: Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-16

Drafting Essentials 7
Contents

Section views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1

Creating section views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2

Section view projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3
Section line and section view associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4
Section view options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5
Section line symbol preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7
Section view label preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8
Create a simple section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9
Create a stepped section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11
Revolved section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12
Create a revolved section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-14
Half section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15
Create a half section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-16
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17
Section view preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18
Crosshatch and area fill preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20
Summary: Section views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-21

Editing section lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1

Editing section line segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2

Section Line options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3
Editing section line associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5
Editing a hinge line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7
Summary: Editing section lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8

Maintaining associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1

Retained Annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2

Editing and deleting retained annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-3
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4
Summary: Maintaining associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-5

Detail views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1

Detail views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2

Detail View label options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-4
Create a detail view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-7
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-8
Summary: Detail views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-9

View boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

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 Contents

View Boundary overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2

Editing view boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Creating curves in a drawing view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6
Anchor point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7
Associative objects in a view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9
Summary: View boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10

Broken views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-1

View Break command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2
View breaks in the Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-4
Broken view basic procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-5
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-6
Summary: Broken views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-7

Break-out section views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-1

What is a break-out section view? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2
Creating a break-out section view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-3
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-4
Summary: Break-out section views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-5

View dependent edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-1

Manual hidden line editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-2
View dependent editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-3
Add Edits options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4
Delete Edits options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5
Wireframe Edits options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-6
Shade Edits options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7
Convert Dependency options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-8
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-9
Summary: View dependent edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-10

Part Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-1

Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2
User defined attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-3
Managing part attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-4
Managing object attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-6
Inserting associative control characters into notes and labels . . . . . . . . 23-8
Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-9
Associative text examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-10
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-12
Summary: Part Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-13

Parts lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-1

Drafting Essentials 9
Contents

Parts list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2

The Table group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-3
Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-4
Parts lists and attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-5
Assigning attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-6
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-7
Structuring the parts list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-8
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-9
Sorting a parts list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-10
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-11
Exporting the parts list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-12
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-13
Saving the parts list template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14
Creating a custom template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-15
Adding a palette to the Resource bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-16
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-17
Auto balloons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-18
Applying and managing auto balloons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-19
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-20
Parts list levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-21
The Edit Levels dialog bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-23
Summary: Parts lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-24

Sectioning assembly views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-1

Assembly drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-2
Assembly crosshatching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-3
Non-sectioned Component/Solid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-4
Add sectioning properties to an existing view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-5
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-6
Summary: Sectioning assembly views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-7

Exploded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-1

Exploded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-2
Editing exploded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-3
General information about exploded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-4
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-5
Tracelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-6
Controlling the display of Tracelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-7
Creating tracelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-8
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-9
Summary: Exploded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-10

Ordinate dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Ordinate dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

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Ordinate origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Moving (redefining) an Ordinate Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7
Ordinate set name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-11
Renaming an Ordinate Dimension Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-12
Redisplaying an Ordinate Dimension Set name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-13
Baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-15
Positive Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-18
Ordinate margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-20
Defining margins for ordinate dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-23
Adding a dimension to an ordinate set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-29
Deleting an ordinate dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-31
Adding, editing, and removing a jog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-32
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-37
Summary: Ordinate dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-38

Hole Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Hole Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
Holes tables: Tips and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6
Summary: Hole tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

Converting drawings to master model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index-1

Drafting Essentials 11
Course overview

The Drafting application provides you with the tools required to create
and fully annotate drawings of three dimensional models generated in the
Modeling application. NX drawings are fully associative to model geometry.
This associativity ensures that your drawings reflect the latest configuration
of the model.
The Drafting Essentials course is intended for:
• Drafters.

• Designers.

• Engineers.

• CAD/CAM managers.

The course:
• Teaches you how to effectively use the NX Drafting application.

• Prepares you to create fully detailed engineering drawings.

• Shows you the interdependent nature of modeling, drafting and

assemblies.

Prerequisites
• Essentials for NX Designers, or

• NX Basic Design, or

• Self-paced topics (the Basic Concepts in NX, Feature Modeling, and

Sketching courses)

• Basic understanding of parametric modeling

• NX user interface

• Part saving conventions

Drafting Essentials 13
Course overview

Objectives
After successfully completing this course, you should be able to perform the
following activities in NX:
• Navigate through the drafting user interface.

• Create and maintain drawing sheets and views.

• Create and edit user-defined view boundaries.

• Create and edit associative section views.

• Create view dependent geometry.

• Create and edit symbols, dimensions and text.

• Generate an assembly parts list.

You will also explore some techniques for working with assemblies.

Lesson format
The general format for lesson content is:
• Instructor presentation

• One or more activities

• Project
Projects allow you to test your new skills without detailed instruction.
Consult your instructor for additional information.

• Summary

Learning tips
• Ask questions.

• Take notes.

• Confirm important facts by restating them in your own words.

Because later lessons often build on functionality taught in earlier
lessons, it is important that you follow the lessons in the sequence in
which they appear in the Student Guide.

14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Course overview

Common symbols
The student manual uses special symbols as shown below.
Design Intent – Information about the task and what must be
accomplished.

Tip — Useful information or advice.

Note — Contains useful information that supplements or emphasizes

the main points.

Example — Shows a possible way that the current topic of discussion

could be used.

Caution — Contains important reminders or information about a task.

Warning — Contains information essential to your success.

NX 9 Help Library
The NX 9 Help Library is available online any time you need more
information about a function. To access the NX 9 Help Library, on the NX

Ribbon bar choose File tab®Help®NX Help .

To access context-sensitive help for specific commands, on the NX Ribbon bar
choose On Context Help , or press the F1 key while using a command to
access the NX 9 Help Library for that command.

Ribbon bar interface

The NX Ribbon bar interface provides access to frequently used commands
with a minimum number of mouse clicks while maintaining a maximum
graphics window area.
• It combines the functionality of the Advanced role with the discoverability
of the Essentials role.

• The tabs and groups on the Ribbon bar logically organize commands,
using a mix of icon sizes and informative text.

• You can customize the interface to suit your workflows, for example, by
undocking tabs or by adding frequently used commands to the border bars.

Drafting Essentials 15
Course overview

• The Command Finder is embedded in the Ribbon bar and provides

additional capabilities such as showing hidden commands, starting other
applications, and letting you easily add commands to a tab, to the border
bars, or to the Quick Access toolbar.

NX window

# Component Description
1 Quick Access toolbar Contains commonly used
commands such as Save and
Undo.
2 Ribbon bar Organizes commands in each
application into tabs and groups.
3 Top Border bar Contains the Menu, Selection
Group, View Group, and Utility
Group commands.
4 Resource bar Contains navigators and palettes,
including the Part Navigator and
the Roles tab.
5 Graphics window Lets you model, visualize, and
analyze models.
6 Left, Right, and Bottom Border Displays the commands you add.
bars
7 Cue/Status line Prompts you for the next action,
and displays messages.

16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Course overview

NX Ribbon bar

# Component Description
1 Tab Organizes commands into groups
of related functions in each
application.
2 Group Organizes commands by function
on each tab. Related commands
appear in lists and galleries.
3 Finds commands.
Command Finder
4 Maximizes screen space.
Full Screen
5 Collapses the groups on the Ribbon
Minimize Ribbon
tab.
6 Displays on-context Help (F1).
Help
7 Lets you turn on or turn off
Toolbar Options commands in each group.

Drafting application
The Drafting application allows you to produce and maintain industry
standard engineering drawings directly from the 3D model or assembly part.
Drawings created in the Drafting application are fully associative to the 3D
model. Any changes made to the model are automatically reflected in the
drawing.
The Drafting application also offers a set of 2D drawing tools that let you
produce standalone 2D drawings, and use the 2D data to generate a 3D model.
Some of the highlights of the Drafting application include:
• A comprehensive set of view creation tools that support advanced
rendering, placement, associative, and update requirements for all view
types.

• Fully associative drafting annotation that update when the model

updates.

Drafting Essentials 17
Course overview

• Controls for drawing updates and large assembly drawings which enhance
user productivity.

• Support for major national and international drafting standards,

including ANSI/ASME, ISO, DIN and JIS.

• Support for both in-part and concurrent drawing creation in 3D drafting

processes.
o You can choose to save the 2D drafting details directly within the part
itself, or in a separate part that is fully associated to the master model.

o Saving the drawing data in a separate part enables the drafter to

make and update drawings while the designer concurrently works on
the model.

The model-based drafting process in NX

The following illustrates the general process for creating a drawing from an
existing 3D model This overview is not intended to give a detailed description
of specific functions or operations.

Set your drafting standard and drawing preferences

Before creating a drawing, it is recommended that you set the drafting
standard, drafting view preferences, and annotation preferences for the new
drawing. Once set, all views and annotations will be consistently created with
appropriate visual characteristics and symbology.

18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Course overview

Create a new drawing

The first step in creating a drawing is to make a new drawing sheet either
directly within the current work part, or by creating a non-master drawing
part that contains the model geometry as a component.

Add views
NX enables to you create a single view or multiple views at the same time.
All views are derived directly from your model, and can be used to create
other views, such as section and detail views. The base view determines the
orthographic space and view alignment for projected views.

Drafting Essentials 19
Course overview

Add annotation
Once you have placed the views on your drawing, you are ready to add
annotations.
Annotations such as dimensions and symbols are associated with the
geometry in the views. If a view is moved the associated annotations move
with the view. If the model is edited, the dimensions and symbols update
to reflect the change.
You may also choose to add notes, labels, and in the case of assembly
drawings, parts lists to your drawing

A completed drawing can be plotted directly from NX, or the part containing
the drawing can be used directly by manufacturing to fabricate the part.

20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Course overview

The Drafting interface

In addition to standard tools and commands, the Drafting user interface

contains the following unique features:

Drawing sheet boundary

View boundary
Drawing node on the Part Navigator
Drawing sheet name

Drafting welcome

After you install NX, a welcome page automatically opens from the Resource
bar the first five times you log on and enter Drafting. This welcome page
provides general information, tips, and tutorials for using the Drafting
environment.

Drafting Essentials 21
Course overview

Recommended Setup

Under Recommended Setup, Specify my Drafting Standard allows you

to preset all of the drafting preferences in your session using one of the
NX-supplied Drafting standards or a customized standard.

Overview of NX Drafting

Under Overview of NX Drafting, you can review the primary components of

the NX Drafting interface, or you can open the What’s New Guide for more
information on the latest release of NX.

Tutorials

If you are a new user, you can familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of
Drafting by viewing online tutorials that cover:
• Creating new drawing parts and sheets.

• Adding base and orthographic views of a 3D model.

• Creating section views, detail views, and view breaks.

• Adding and editing dimensions.

• Creating and editing annotations and centerlines.

• Making a stand-alone drawing and sketching in Drafting.

Each tutorial is supplied with a sample part.

22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Course overview

Resetting the welcome page

After the fifth log on, you can restore the welcome page to the Resource bar by
clicking Reset Welcome Page on the General/Setup®Welcome Page node in
the Drafting Preferences dialog box.

Customer defaults
You can use two customer defaults to control the appearance and behavior
of the welcome page.
Drafting Welcome Page Duration
Sets the number of NX sessions for which the welcome page appears.
Display Recommended Setup in Welcome Page
Displays the Recommended Setup section, under which the Specify my
Drafting Standard option appears on the welcome page.

See the Miscellaneous tab under Drafting→General.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Resource bar Internet Explorer tab

General course information

To enter the NX Drafting application, use any one of the following methods:
• Choose File tab®Applications®Drafting.

• Choose Application tab®Design group®Drafting .

• Type Ctrl+Shift+D.

Class part structure

Unless otherwise noted, the drawings used in this course were constructed
using the master model workflow.
The model geometry seen in the drawings actually resides in a different part
than the drawing. The part containing the model geometry is referred to
as the master model.
When you open a drawing (1) in NX, the master model part (2) is loaded
as a component of the drawing part.

Drafting Essentials 23
Course overview

The master model part structure facilitates the concept of concurrent

engineering, whereby one or more disciplines involved in the product
development cycle can access the same master model part. An added
advantage of using this structure is that you can partially load the master
model so that less computer resources are being utilized. This is especially
useful when the master model is a very large piece part or assembly model.
This also allows you to create drawings of read only model parts.

The Assembly Navigator

When you open a part in NX and view its structure in the Assembly
Navigator, you see something like the following:
drf_packing_gland_dwg
drf_packing_gland

The topmost node represents the displayed part. The displayed part is the
drawing, also known as the non-master part, that you selected in the Open
dialog box. The node underneath it represents the master model part that
was loaded as a component of the non-master part.
Use the Assembly Navigator to identify the master model in your drawing
part. In some cases, there may be more than one master model in your part

24 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 1
Lesson

1 Part Navigator

Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce you to the Part Navigator.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• View the drawing tree from the Part Navigator.

• Open a drawing.

• Edit a drawing sheet.

• Create a new drawing sheet.

Drafting Essentials 1-1

 Part Navigator

1
Drafting node on the Part Navigator
The Drafting node on the Part Navigator displays a tree structure of drafting
objects that can be used to create, edit, update, query, and delete drawing
views, sheets and tables. The Part Navigator tab is located on the Resource
bar.

The Drawing node

The Drawing node and everything under it is sometimes called the drawing
navigator.

(1) Drawing node

(2) Sheet node
(3) View nodes
(4) Out-of-Date folder
There must be at least one drawing sheet in the part for these nodes
to be available.

Use the Drawing node shortcut menu to:

• Turn the grid and the monochrome display on or off.

• Update the views in all the drawings in the part.

• Create a new drawing sheet.

• Filter to control which items are displayed.

• Update individual custom symbols, parts lists, and tabular notes.

1-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Navigator

1
Sheet nodes
All existing drawing sheets are displayed as sheet nodes under the Drawing
node.

Use the sheet node shortcut menu to:

• Open a drawing sheet. This command is not available if the sheet is
already open.
Notice that Open is in bold type. The bold type indicates that you
can open the drawing sheet by double-clicking the node.

• Edit, copy, delete, or rename the drawing sheet.

• Add specific types of drafting views.

• Update all the views in the sheet.

• Copy or move a view from one sheet to another.

• Add a sketch to the sheet.

Drafting Essentials 1-3

 Part Navigator

1
View node
All the views on a drawing sheet are displayed as view nodes under the sheet
node for the sheet they reside upon.

Use the view node shortcut menu to:

• Update a view.

• Change the view style and redefine the view boundary.

• Create projected, detail, and section views.

• Add breaks to a view or adjust the view alignment.

• Add view-dependent edits to a view.

• Cut , copy, delete, or rename a view.

• Navigate to the parent of a selected view.

• Make a view the active sketch so you can add 2D curves to the view.

1-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Navigator

1
Out-of-Date folder
In the Part Navigator, an Out-of-Date folder is available under the Drawing
node.

Drawing
Sheet “Sheet 1” (Work-Active)
Out-of-Date

This folder serves as a container for following types of drafting objects:

• Custom symbols

• Parts lists

• Tabular notes

Use the Out-of-Date folder to identify and update objects whose out-of-date
status may not be readily apparent on the drawing sheet. This is useful when
automatic updates have been turned off for parts lists and tabular notes. This
is also useful for custom symbols as NX does not automatically check to see if
a symbol is out-of-date with respect to its master symbol geometry. You can
use the Out-of-Date folder to manually check for symbol updates.

Out-of-date checks
The empty Out-of-Date folder initially appears with a question mark (?)
symbol in front of it.

Out-of-Date

When you place a supported annotation type on the drawing, a sub-folder

for the annotation is added under the Out-of-Date folder. The question
mark indicates that an out-of-date check has not yet been performed on the
annotation.

Out-of-Date
Tables

You must right-click the Out-of-Date folder in the Part Navigator and
select Refresh to see the sub-folders.

As objects become out of date, they are marked in the navigator with the
stop watch symbol.

Drafting Essentials 1-5

 Part Navigator

1
Out-of-Date
Parts List
Parts List
Tables
Tabular Note (1)

Updating Objects
You can use the Out-of-Date folder to update the objects listed in it. When
an object is up to date, it is removed from its folder, and a green check mark
symbol appears on that node.

Out-of-Date
Parts List
Tables

1-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Navigator

1
Activity
In the Part Navigator section, do the following activity:
• Work with the Part Navigator

Drafting Essentials 1-7

 Part Navigator

1
Summary: Part Navigator
The Part Navigator displays the drawing tree structure of the current part.
It allows you easy access to drawing sheets, drafting views, and out-of-date
drafting annotation.
In this lesson, you:
• Viewed the Drawing tree in the Part Navigator.

• Examined the Drawing node, Sheet nodes, and View nodes.

• Navigated between drawing sheets.

• Opened drawing sheets from the Part Navigator.

• Created and edited a drawing sheet.

• Deleted a view from a drawing sheet.

• Controlled the monochrome setting of a drawing.

1-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

2 Master model drawings and

2
drafting standards

Purpose
A master model workflow allows diverse yet interrelated design groups to
simultaneously access model geometry from a common source during product
development.
This lesson is an introduction to the use of a master model workflow, and the
concept of drafting standards, as they relate to drawings.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Construct drawings using a master model workflow.

• Set your annotation and view preferences according to a specific drafting

standard.

Drafting Essentials 2-1

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

NX Drafting methods and the master model workflow

NX provides different methods for creating drawings. You can use:
• A 2D drafting process and start from a new drawing that does not
2 reference any 3D model geometry.

• A 3D drafting process and place your drawing directly in the assembly or

part file that contains your 3D data.

• The master model workflow and manage your model files separately from
your drawing files. This is the recommended workflow when working
with 3D data.

3D Drafting using the master model workflow

The product design process typically includes input from many different
people who use various NX applications and share the same model. This
team-oriented approach to product design is referred to as concurrent
engineering. The master model workflow supports this type of environment
by allowing the team to work concurrently on a part, a component of the
part, or the drawing.
A master model is a part file that is the sole component of an assembly which
contains data from, typically, one downstream application, such as:
• Drafting

• Manufacturing

• Analysis

You can use the master model workflow for an assembly or for a single part.
For a single part, you can create a detail drawing while another designer
concurrently modifies the model geometry. To accomplish this you create an
assembly part file with exactly one component. The component part is the
master model, and you create the drawing in the assembly part.
Because the drawing is contained in a separate file, downstream users need
not have write access to the geometry. This prevents accidental modifications
and preserves the integrity of your design.

2-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

In a non-master model workflow, the drawing is contained within the part.

In a master model workflow, the part is added to the drawing file as a

component.

Drafting Essentials 2-3

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Creating a new drawing

You can create drawings using either a stand-alone workflow method or a
model-based workflow method.
2
Stand-alone drawing workflow
The stand-alone drawing workflow is used to place the drawing data in a
single part file. This is recommended for a 2D drafting process where only
2D geometry is used to create the drawing. The 2D curves can be placed
directly on the drawing sheet, or can be placed in drawing views, and used to
generate 3D model geometry.

Model-based drawing workflow

The model-based drawing workflow uses the existing 3D geometry to generate
the 2D drafting data. In this workflow, you can:
• Place a drawing directly in the file that contains the 3D model geometry.
The drawing data is associated to the 3D geometry and will update when
the model geometry updates.

• Use the master model architecture, in which you place the drawing data
in a file which is separate from the file that contains the model geometry.
This workflow is recommended for a 3D drafting process. The drawing
data is directly associated to the 3D model geometry and updates when
the geometry updates, but different users can work concurrently with
the same model data.

Unless otherwise noted, the drawings used in this course were

constructed using the master model architecture.

Where do I find it?

Stand-alone drawing workflow

Application Drafting

Command Finder New

Location in dialog Drawing tab®Relationship list®Stand-alone
box Part®select a template from the list

2-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Model-based drawing workflow – drawing contained in the master part

Application Drafting

New Sheet 2
Note: If the Always Start Insert Sheet Command
is selected in the General/Setup node®Workflow
node®Model-Based group of the Drawing
Preferences dialog box, then you will automatically
be prompted to add a sheet the first time you enter
Command Finder the Drafting application.

Model-based drawing workflow – drawing contained in a separate, non-master

part

Application Drafting

Command Finder New

Location in dialog Drawing tab®Relationship list®Reference Existing
box Part®select a template from the list
You must provide the name of the 3D model to be
Prerequisite referenced before the drawing part is created.

Drafting Essentials 2-5

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Create a new drawing of a master model

This example shows how to create a non-master drawing from a master part.

1. Choose File tab®Open, and select the master model part or assembly.

2. Choose File tab®New.

3. Click the Drawing tab.

4. In the Template group, from the Relationship list, make sure Reference
Existing Part is selected.

5. From the Templates list, select an appropriate drawing template.

Although not mandatory, typically a drawing will be in the same
units as the model. By default, the units will be set to the same
units as the model.

6. (Optional) In the Name box, accept the default name or type a name.

7. (Optional) Choose a new folder location by clicking the Browse button

next to the Folder box.

2-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

8. Click OK to create the new drawing part.

In this example, we created an E sized template and added views.

When you create a drawing this way, by default the template will set
all of your drafting preferences to those contained in the template.

9. Click the Assembly Navigator tab in the Resource bar.

Note that you are now working in an assembly file and the original part
file has been added as a component.
Descriptive Part Name
Sections
block_dwg1
block

Although this is an assembly of the original part, all Drafting commands

and operations perform in the same way as they do in the original part.

Drafting Essentials 2-7

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Activity
In the Master model drawings and drafting standards section, do the
following activity:
2 • Create a drawing from the master model part

2-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Setting your Drafting standard

NX provides a set of drafting standards default files that configure the
appearance of specific annotation and drafting view objects in accordance
with defined national or international drafting requirements. For example,
the format size (height and length) and scale of annotation, the drawing
2
units, and the orthographic projection angle settings are standards driven
defaults. The drafting standards default files let you set, or reset, Drafting
annotation and view preferences with minimal effort.
NX supports the following standards:
• ASME

• DIN

• ESKD

• GB

• ISO

• JIS

• Shipbuilding

You can use the installed standard, set a default standard for future NX
sessions, or you can edit and save any standard to create your own custom
standard.
You can also import and use custom standards that you created in a previous
release, in the current release.

Where do I find it?

To set the standard for the current NX session:

Application Drafting
Menu Tools®Drafting Standard

To set the default standard or create a custom standard:

Command Finder Customer Defaults

Menu File®Utilities®Customer Defaults
Location in dialog
box Drafting®General®Standard tab

Drafting Essentials 2-9

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Using drafting standards

Changing your drafting standard in an NX session

2 You can use Menu®Tools®Drafting Standard at any time in the Drafting

application to re-configure your annotation and drafting view preferences
in accordance with the selected standard. This will reset the preferences
for both Drafting and PMI objects.
Note that only settings with a corresponding preference are re-configured. If a
preference does not exist for a standard default setting, then that setting will
not change in your current NX session. You can only change those settings
by changing the drafting customer default and starting a new NX session.
You can check the NX log file (File tab®Help®Log File) for a complete list of
default settings that are not changed after you reset your drafting standard
using the Menu®Tools®Drafting Standard command.

Drafting standards and drawing templates

When you use a drawing template to create a new drawing part, the
standards associated with the template are automatically applied to your
drawing. You can reset the drawing preferences by applying a different
drafting standard after the drawing sheet is created.
To use the drafting standard that is set for the NX session instead of the
template standard, before you create the drawing, make sure the Settings
Origination option is set to Drawing Standard. This option is located in the
Drafting Preferences dialog box, in the General/Setup node®Workflow
node®Drawing group.

2-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Activity
In the Master model drawings and drafting standards section, do the
following activity:
• Set the drafting standard for your drawing 2

Drafting Essentials 2-11

 Master model drawings and drafting standards

Summary: Master model drawings and drafting standards

In the master model workflow, the drawings are kept in separate files from
the model geometry that they reference. This workflow allows different
designers to revise the drawings or the model separately. Changes made to
2 the referenced model are automatically reflected in the drawing.
Setting your drafting standard before creating drafting objects streamlines
the drawing creation process because you can configure view and annotation
settings in accordance with industry or company standards.
In this lesson, you:
• Created a drawing using the master model workflow.

• Set your drafting annotation and view preferences using a predefined

drafting standard file.

2-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

3 Drawing sheets

Purpose 3
This lesson will familiarize you with the concepts of creating and editing
a drawing sheet.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create a new drawing sheet.

• Open and edit a drawing sheet.

• Delete a drawing sheet.

• Create a custom border for a drawing sheet.

• Display drawings in monochrome.

• Set the display of line widths.

Drafting Essentials 3-1

 Drawing sheets

Drawing sheets
NX drawings consist of one or more drawing sheets. If no drawing sheet is
created in the drawing file, then NX presents a view of the model geometry,
even if you are in the Drafting application

When at least one drawing sheet exists in the drawing file, then the sheet is
displayed once you start the Drafting application.

When you create a drawing file using an NX drawing template, the first
drawing sheet is automatically created for you. To add additional sheets, use
the Sheet command.
From the Sheet command you can:
• Create drawing sheets from a template.

• Set the units and projection angle for standard sheet sizes.

• Create custom sized sheets and set the height, width, units, and projection
angle for the custom sheet.

3-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

• Specify the name, number, and revision of a new drawing sheet.

• Edit the size, scale, projection angle, units, name, number, and revision of
an existing drawing sheet.
You can change the projection angle only if there are no projected
views on the drawing sheet.

Where do I find it?

To create a new sheet 3
Application Drafting

Command Finder New Sheet

Part Navigator Right-click the Drawing node®Insert Sheet

To edit an existing sheet

Application Drafting

Command Finder Edit Sheet

Shortcut menu Right-click the drawing border®Edit Sheet
Part Navigator Right-click the Sheet node®Edit Sheet

Drafting Essentials 3-3

 Drawing sheets

Drawing workflow preferences

Drafting preferences are available that let you set which actions occur
automatically when you first enter the Drafting application and create a
new drawing.
• Always Start Insert Sheet Command – When set, opens the Sheet dialog
box automatically when you enter the Drafting application and no
drawing sheet exists in the part.

3 • Always Start
View Creation Wizard – Starts the View Creation Wizard automatically
when you add a new drawing sheet to a part in which no previous
drawing sheet exists.

Base View Command – Opens the Base View dialog box when you
add a new drawing sheet to a part in which no previous drawing
sheet exists.

No View Commands – No view commands are automatically started

when you add a new drawing sheet to a part in which no previous
drawing sheet exists.

• Always Start Projected View Command – Opens the Projected View

dialog box automatically after you add a base view to a new or existing
drawing.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Drafting Preferences

Location in dialog General/Setup node®Workflow node®Model–based
box group

3-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

Activity
In the Drawing sheets section, do the following activity:
• Create new drawing sheets

Drafting Essentials 3-5

 Drawing sheets

Opening a drawing sheet

You open drawing sheets either from the Sheet Drop-down list or from the
Part Navigator.

• Choose Home tab®Sheet Drop-down list®Open Sheet .

The Open Sheet command is not displayed by default in the
Essentials with full menus role. To add it to the ribbon bar, use the
Drop-down list on the far right-hand side of the ribbon bar.
3
• In the Part Navigator, double-click the sheet node. You can also right–click
a sheet node and choose Open.

3-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

Editing a drawing sheet

You edit a drawing sheet using the Sheet dialog box. The state of the
currently displayed drawing sheet determines which options are available
in the dialog box.
• You can change the projection angle only if there are no projected views
on the drawing sheet.

• You can edit the drawing size. If a portion of a view falls outside the
boundary of the drawing, NX does not display a message. If a view falls 3
entirely outside the boundary of the drawing, NX displays the following
error message:

If you cannot edit a drawing to a smaller size due to the current position
of the views, you must first move the views closer to the drawing's origin
at the lower left corner.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Edit Sheet

Shortcut Menu Right-click the drawing sheet border®Edit Sheet
Part Navigator Right-click the Sheet node®Edit Sheet

Drafting Essentials 3-7

 Drawing sheets

Deleting a drawing sheet

The views and annotations in a drawing sheet are automatically deleted
when you delete the drawing sheet. NX does not display a message informing
you of the deletion. If you want to preserve the views and annotations, move
them to another drawing sheet and then delete the current drawing sheet.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
3 Command Finder Delete
Menu Edit®Delete®select the drawing sheet border
Shortcut Menu Right-click the drawing sheet border®Delete
Part Navigator Right-click the Sheet node®Delete

3-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

Activity
In the Drawing sheets section, do the following activity:
• Edit and add drawing sheets

Drafting Essentials 3-9

 Drawing sheets

Custom borders and zones

The Borders and Zones command adds associative borders and zones to
the active drawing sheet in your part. The border of a drawing is the line
that defines the outer boundary of the drawing sheet. Drawing zones are
separate, rectangular cells on the drawing sheet which are lettered in the
vertical direction and numbered in the horizontal direction.
The color, font, and width settings for border lines and zone marking lines
are based on the customer defaults and preferences for general NX curves.
3 The color, font, and width settings for zone labels are based on the customer
defaults and preferences for general text annotation.
For borders you can:
• Control their appearance and width (1).

• Control the appearance and extension size of horizontal and vertical

centering marks (2).

• Control the appearance and size of trimming marks (3).

You can set the zone type to:

None No drawing sheet zones are created.
Standard Drawing sheet zones are created according to the current
Drafting Standard. This is the default.
Custom Lets you specify unique zone parameters such as size,
origin, and margin.
You can also:
• Control the appearance, size, and font of zone labels (4).

3-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

• Control the appearance and size of zone dividing lines (5).

• Display the zone grid when you set the Use Sheet Zone Grid.

You should consider on which layer to create the borders and zones. You
might consider putting the them on a layer that is normally not
selectable. For example, with the NX supplied templates, the drawing
borders and title blocks are always found on layers 255 and 256.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Borders and Zones

Drafting Essentials 3-11

 Drawing sheets

Activity
In the Drawing sheets section, do the following activity:
• Create a custom drawing border

3-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

Drawing monochrome display

You can display a drawing sheet in full color or in just two colors, foreground
and background. You can also specify the preselection and selection colors
for drawings. The color settings are available on the Color/Font tab in the
Visualization Preferences dialog box. The settings that you select affect all
drawing sheets in the part.
The default monochrome colors are:
• Preselection — Pale Crimson, color ID 149 3
• Selection — Pale Carrot, color ID 76

• Foreground — Black, color ID 216

• Background — White, color ID 1

Monochrome display is selected by default. If you turn it off, you can turn it
back on in one of these ways:
• In the Visualization Preferences dialog box, on the Color/Font tab, select
the Monochrome Display check box.

• In the Part Navigator, right-click the Drawing node and choose

Monochrome. When you do this, the color settings in the Visualization
Preferences dialog box are used.

The Show Widths option in the Visualization Preferences dialog box

controls the display of line widths on the drawing;

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Visualization Preferences

Location in dialog
box Color/Font tab®Drawing Part Settings group

Drafting Essentials 3-13

 Drawing sheets

Activity
In the Drawing sheets section, do the following activity:
• Change drawing display options

3-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drawing sheets

Summary: Drawings
You can manage your drawings better when you know how to create and edit
individual drawing sheets.
In this lesson you:
• Set your drafting annotation and view preferences using a predefined
drafting standard file.

• Created a new drawing sheet.

3
• Opened and edited a drawing sheet.

• Deleted a drawing sheet.

• Created a custom border for a drawing sheet.

• Displayed a drawing in monochrome.

• Changed the line display widths.

Drafting Essentials 3-15

3
Lesson

4 Drafting views

Purpose
This lesson introduces you to adding views to a drawing sheet. You will
also examine the view display preferences and use them to edit the display
of drafting views.

Objectives
4
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Set view and drafting preferences.

• Add a base view.

• Add projected views.

• Add auxiliary views.

• Edit the style of existing views.

Drafting Essentials 4-1

 Drafting views

Drafting views
In the Drafting application, you can:
• Create all standard-compliant drafting views, including orthogonal,
detailed, sectioned, break-out section, and broken views.

• Create views directly from the 3D model geometry, or create 2D

representations by adding curves to empty drawing views.

• Preview and edit views and view orientation as you place the view, or
after you place them.

• Use the Part Navigator to manage your views.

4-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Drafting view concepts

Drafting views Views that you add to your drawing. Also referred to as
member views. Drafting views are copies of model views
or are 2D views created from other drafting views (such
as detail, projected, and section views). Drafting views
exist only on the drawing in which they are displayed.
Base view In a model-based drafting process, the first drafting view
you place on any drawing sheet is called a base view.
The Base view command adds model views to your
drawing sheet and are displayed in the Part Navigator
as Imported views. These views are important in that
other views such as orthographic, auxiliary and section
views are created from them. The base view determines
orthographic space on the drawing and is used as a
4
reference to establish the alignment and scale for all
subsequent projected views.
Drawing view In a stand-alone drafting process, the first view you place
on any drawing sheet is called a drawing view. A drawing
view can serve either as a stand-alone view or as a parent
view for other views. In drawing views you can add view
curves, sketch curves, annotations, and symbols.
Parent view An existing drafting view which is used as a reference
to establish the projection, alignment, and location of a
newly added view (child view). A parent view can be an
imported model view, orthographic view, or auxiliary view.
Additionally, a parent view also refers to the view from
which a detail view is created.
View boundary The boundary around a view. When you select a view on
the drawing NX highlights its view bounds. These bounds
define the area encompassing the view, and give you
visual feedback on which view was selected. View bounds
are automatically updated whenever the view is updated.

Drafting Essentials 4-3

 Drafting views

4 (1) View boundary

(2) Drawing boundary
You may turn on or off the display of the view
bounds by setting or clearing the Display option
in the View®Workflow node of the Drafting
Preferences dialog box.

Drafting view When you add a view to a drawing, it is created with a

layer visibility layer visibility that is a copy of the layers visible in the
model view at the time the drafting view is created.
For example, if only layers 1 and 10 are visible in the
model view when it is added as a drafting view, then that
drafting view will only display layers 1 and 10, regardless
of what layers are made visible or invisible in the model
view at a later time. Additionally, views created from
other views inherit the layer settings of its parent view.
You can manually change the layer visibility for any
drafting view at any time using View tab®Visibility
group®Layer Visible in View.
Active view Drafting views which you can work on directly. Active
views always display the model geometry inside them and
update whenever the drawing updates.
Reference view An inactive view that displays no geometry. If you change
an active view to a reference view, the view geometry is
no longer displayed in it and a reference marker appears
in the center of the view bound. Reference views will plot
but cannot be worked on directly and do not update when
the drawing is updated.

4-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Anchor point Used to anchor the contents of a view to the drawing, and
to keep the view or its contents from shifting about on
the drawing when model changes are made. An anchor
point fixes a location on the model to a particular location
on the drawing.
View dependent Objects which appear only in the view in which they
objects are created. In the Drafting application, all objects that
you create in a view or on the drawing sheet are view
dependent.
If you need to add objects directly in a drafting view
(as opposed to on the drawing sheet), you must use the
Expand command to add the objects directly in the view.
Objects added in this way are only visible in that drafting
view and do not appear in your solid model or in other
drafting views. This command is most often used when
4
you need to add geometry which is used to define the
boundary of specific section view types, like break-out
section views.

Drafting Essentials 4-5

 Drafting views

View boundary
Every drafting view has a border that encloses the visible geometry inside it.
You can click a view boundary to display a shortcut menu of commands.

4
View boundary
You can choose whether or not to have borders continuously displayed around
your views. Either way, the borders remain interactive.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Location in dialog
box View node®Workflow node®Border group®Display

4-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Base views
Use the Base command to add any standard modeling or custom view saved
in a part to a drawing sheet. A single drawing sheet may contain one or more
base views. From base views, you can create associated child views such as
Projected, Section, and Detail views.
The Base command provides options that enable you to:
• Add any view from the master model part, the current part, or another
loaded part.
When you add a view from a different part file, a new drafting
component will appear in the Assembly Navigator. The drafting
component is identified by the drafting component icon .
4
• Specify the position and orientation of a view on the drawing.

• Define the scale and settings of the view.

• Control the appearance of components in views on assembly drawings.

Automatically start base view command

The Always Start preference for the model–based workflow lets you decide
whether or not to automatically start the process for adding views when a
new drawing sheet is created, or when no views exist on your current drawing
sheet. You can choose to start the Base View command, the View Creation
Wizard command, or no command.
The Always Start preference is located on the General/Setup
node®Workflow node of the Drafting Preferences dialog box.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Base View

Graphics window Right–click a drawing sheet border®Add Base View
Part Navigator Right–click a sheet node®Add Base View

Drafting Essentials 4-7

 Drafting views

Projected views
You can project views from an existing base, drawing, orthographic, or
auxiliary view. NX automatically infers orthographic and auxiliary alignment
as you move the cursor in a circular motion about the parent view's center.
The Always Start Projected View Command preference controls the
automatic startup of the projected view command. In the Drafting
Preferences dialog box, under the General/Setup node, see the
Workflow page.

NX automatically infers:
• A hinge line.
4 • A vector direction perpendicular to the hinge line. The vector arrow
indicates the projection direction from the parent view.

You can dynamically orient the hinge line and also reverse the projection
direction before you place the view.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Projected View

Menu Insert→View→Projected
Shortcut Menu Right-click a view border®Add Projected View
Part Navigator Right-click a view node®Add Projected View

4-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Orthographic views

The Projected View command allows you to create an orthographic projection

from an existing view. To place an orthographic view onto the drawing sheet,
drag the projected preview image directly to the right or left, above or below
the parent view. When view snaps to vertical or horizontal alignment with
the parent view, NX infers that you are going to create an orthographic view
according to the projection angle of the drawing sheet. The orthographic view
inherits its initial view settings from the parent view.

1. Hinge line

2. Projection arrow and helper line

3. Shaded preview

Drafting Essentials 4-9

 Drafting views

Auxiliary views

By orienting the hinge line at an oblique angle in the parent view, NX infers
that you are going to project an auxiliary view from it.

1. Hinge line

2. Projection arrow and helper line

3. Shaded preview

As you rotate the auxiliary view about the center of the parent view, the hinge
line automatically snaps to 45 degree increments. To prevent angle snapping,
press the Alt key as you move the view on the drawing sheet.

4-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Activity
In the Drafting views section, do the following activity:
• Add views to a drawing sheet

Drafting Essentials 4-11

 Drafting views

View Creation Wizard

The View Creation Wizard streamlines the process of adding one or more
drafting views to a drawing sheet.

The wizard guides you through the process of:

• Selecting a currently loaded, recently loaded, or unloaded part or
assembly to be included in the views.

• Specifying the preview style and view settings.

• Optimizing view settings for large assembly views.

• Inheriting PMI data from the model.

• Selecting assembly arrangements.

• Specifying a custom view orientation for the parent view.

• Generating a multi-view layout.

• Placing the view layout on the drawing sheet.

4-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

From the parent view, you can select up to five standard orthographic view
projections. The projection angle of the views is derived from the orientation
of the parent view and the drawing’s projection angle.

You can also include an isometric or trimetric view to the layout.

4
Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder View Creation Wizard

Drafting Essentials 4-13

 Drafting views

View Creation Wizard window

Task Navigator
Lists the individual steps you take to create a view layout.
Part
Lets you select a part or assembly to appear in the views.
Large Assembly
Allows you to select the type of view representation to be used in large
assembly drawings along with preset view display options that optimize
system performance when placing the views. This is a dynamic step
that is added to the Task Navigator when the number of components
in the loaded assembly exceeds the value specified for the Show when
Component Count Exceeds preference.
Options
Provides you with a set of view settings options to apply to the views.
Arrangement
Displays the same arrangement as the parent view. Arrangement is a
dynamic node that is added to the Task Navigator whenever there are one

4-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

or more arrangements in the loaded assembly. The Work Part determines

what arrangements appear or do not appear in the list.

Inherit PMI
Appears in the Task Navigator when PMI data exists in the model part.
You can click the Inherit PMI node to select from a list of options which
specify how the PMI data appears in the views and drawing sheet.

Orientation
Lets you specify the parent view orientation.
Layout
Lets you select and position the views to be added to the drawing sheet.

Task Navigator 4
Shows or hides the Task Navigator in the View Creation Wizard

Task page
Each page in the View Creation Wizard displays a set of commands and
options to build your view layout.

Navigation buttons
Back, Next, Finish, and Cancel buttons navigate you through the pages of
the View Creation Wizard.

Drafting Essentials 4-15

 Drafting views

Activity
In the Drafting views section, do the following activity:
• The View Creation Wizard

4-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Setting the appearance of new views

Use the Drafting Preferences command to control the default behavior and
appearance of new views placed on your drawing sheet.

The options in the Drafting Preferences dialog box let you:

• Control visual properties of the view such as how hidden lines, visible
lines, virtual intersections, and smooth edges are rendered, and whether
the view is displayed as a shaded or wireframe image.

• Set the perspective, angle, and scale of the view.

• Control the visibility of the view annotation such as the view label, scale
label, and centerline symbols.

• Set the display characteristics for tracelines and thread representations

in the view.

• Control the appearance of a section view, including the display of

foreground, background, and crosshatch elements.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Drafting Preferences

Drafting Essentials 4-17

 Drafting views

View preferences — Workflow node

Options in the View®Workflow node of the Drafting Preferences dialog box

let you do the following:
• Control the appearance of view borders on your drawing sheets.

• Set the preview style for drawing views you are adding to a drawing
sheet. You can display the image as a border-only, or as a wireframe,
hidden wireframe, or shaded image.

• Set the alignment behavior between associated views on the drawing

sheet.

• Control visual characteristics and load behavior of lightweight drawing

4 views.

4-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

View preferences — Common node

The Common node contains a series of additional nodes that let you set
specific display characteristics for your drawing views.
Options contained in these nodes let you do the following:
• Control how the visible edges of the model are rendered in the drawing
view.

• Control the creation of automatic view objects such as view anchor points,
center lines, and silhouette curves.

• Set the display characteristics of visible lines, hidden lines, smooth edges,
and virtual intersections.

• Set the appearance and display of threads and PMI objects in the drawing
4
view.

• Set the shading characteristics for the drawing view.

• Set the format of the view label.

Drafting Essentials 4-19

 Drafting views

View preferences – Hidden Lines node

The options on the Hidden Lines node in the Drafting Preferences dialog box
let you control the way edges and curves, which are hidden by geometry based
on the view orientation, are displayed.
When you clear the Process Hidden Line check box, hidden line rendering is
not performed and all hidden edges in the view are rendered as solid lines.

Process Hidden Line

When you select the Process Hidden Line check box, the color, font, and
width of the hidden lines are determined by the options available in the
Hidden Line node.

Process Hidden Line

Other Hidden Lines options let you:
• Control the display of hidden edges with attached annotation.

• Control the display of edges which are hidden by other overlapping edges.

• Control how hidden lines are displayed when the edges are hidden by the
solid itself, or when more than one solid body is in the part.

• Simplify or remove the display of small features in a view.

4-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

View preferences – Smooth Edges node

Smooth edges are defined as edges at the boundary of adjacent tangent faces.
Select the Smooth Edges check box to display smooth edges, and use the
color swatch, font, and width options to determine their appearance. Use
the Show End Gaps option to add a gap between smooth edge curves and
intersecting face edges. You can control the size of the gap by typing a value
in the End Gap Size box.

Smooth edges with end gaps

Widths are displayed only when the Show Widths check box is selected
in the Visualization Preferences dialog box. .

Drafting Essentials 4-21

 Drafting views

View preferences – Virtual Intersections node

Virtual intersections show where blended faces theoretically intersect.

4
Virtual intersection curves with end gaps
Select the Show Virtual Intersections check box to display imaginary
intersection curves as required by the JIS standard (section 6.13) and the
ISO 128-1982 standard (section 5.2.2).
You can control the color, font, and width of virtual intersection curves.
The virtual intersection curves are displayed only if the original
surfaces join or intersect when the blend is not present.

4-22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Editing the display of an existing view

After placing a view on a drawing sheet, you can use the Settings option to
modify its appearance. The Settings dialog box contains a subset of Drafting
preference options which are only applicable to the view(s) you select.

Show Smooth Edges

Process Hidden Lines
Font = Invisible

Show Smooth Edges

Process Hidden Lines
Font = Dotted

From the Settings dialog box, you can modify :

• Hidden line, visible line, virtual intersection, and smooth edge rendering
in a view, and whether or not the view is displayed as a shaded or a
wireframe image.

• The perspective, angle, and scale of the view.

• The generation of the view label and scale label.

• The display of foreground, background, and crosshatch geometry in a

section view.

• The boundary and label settings of a detail view.

Drafting Essentials 4-23

 Drafting views

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Edit Settings ®select a view from the Select Work

Command Finder View list, or directly from the drawing sheet
Double-click a view boundary, or
Select one or more view boundaries
Shortcut Menu ®right-click®Settings
Part Navigator Right-click a view node®Settings

4-24 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Deleting views from a drawing sheet

To delete one or more views from a drawing, you can do one of the following:
• In the Part Navigator, right–click a view node and choose Delete.

• On the drawing sheet, right–click a view border and choose Delete.

• Choose Menu®Edit®Delete, and then select the view.

After you delete a view, it and all associated drafting annotations and view
modifications are permanently deleted.

Drafting Essentials 4-25

 Drafting views

Activities
In the Drafting views section, do the following activities:
• Set and change drafting preferences

• Edit the display of existing drafting views

• Delete views

4-26 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Drafting views

Summary: Drafting views

You can create views on a drawing by placing base views and projecting
views from existing views. You can set preferences for all new views using
the Drafting Preferences dialog box. You can change the style of individual
views using the Settings dialog box.
In this lesson you:
• Set view preferences.

• Added a base view to a drawing sheet.

• Projected new views from existing views.

• Used the View Wizard to quickly create all views for a drawing sheet.
4
• Edited the style of existing views.

Drafting Essentials 4-27

4
Lesson

5 Custom views

Purpose
This lesson shows you how to create views that do not use standard model
view orientation such as a Top view or a Right view. For example, you may
want to create a view that is aligned with an angled face on a model which
cannot be displayed in a standard model view.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create a custom view in modeling. 5
• Add the custom view to the drawing.

• Create a custom orientation for your drawing view using the Orient View
Tool.

Drafting Essentials 5-1

 Custom views

Custom views
You may need to create custom views when a standard model view does not
present the model geometry in a way that can be appropriately dimensioned
and annotated. For example:
• When a part's orientation is related to its position in an assembly and is
not aligned with a standard orthographic view.

• When the feature faces of a part are not on a plane that is orthogonal to
the other faces.

You can create a view set, which is a group of views that is orthogonally
projected from a parent view. The parent view can be a custom view.

5-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Custom views

Creating a custom view

1. In Modeling, or other similar application, orient the view as required

for the custom view.

2. Use the Menu®View®Operation®Save As command to save the view

with a unique name.
Assign a name that helps you to remember how the view is oriented.

3. Start the Drafting application.

4. Place the custom oriented view on the drawing sheet using the Base
View command.

Drafting Essentials 5-3

 Custom views

Activity
In the Creating custom views section, do the following activity:
• Create a custom view

5-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Custom views

Orient View Tool

It is not necessary to create unique model views if you want to create a
drawing view with an orientation that differs from the standard model view.
Instead, you can use Orient View Tool to dynamically reorient a base view
before adding it to your drawing.

Orient View Tool window

From the Orient View Tool you can:
• Use dynamic rotation or the View Triad tool to orient the view.

• Select model geometry or use vector construction tools to specify the view
plane and X direction.

• Use dynamic pan and zoom to assist with selection, these operations have
no effect on the resultant view.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Base View dialog box®Model View group®Orient

Dialog box View Tool .

While placing a base view, right–click®Orient View
Graphics window Tool.

Drafting Essentials 5-5

 Custom views

Orient View dialog box

(1) Normal Direction Defines the view's direction of sight.

(2) X Direction Specifies the horizontal orientation of the view.
(3) Associative Orientation Associates the view plane and the horizontal
direction to the objects selected.
When the objects used to define the view
orientation are edited, the view will
update to reflect the changes.

5-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Custom views

Activity
In the Creating custom views section, do the following activity:
• Create a base view using the Orient View tool

Drafting Essentials 5-7

 Custom views

Summary: Custom views

A custom view is one that does not use a standard model view orientation
such as a standard Top view or Right view.
In this lesson you:
• Used the Orient View Tool to create a custom orientation from a standard
model view.

• Created a custom view in modeling.

• Added a custom view to the drawing.

5-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

6 Move, copy, and align views

Purpose
Knowing how to move, copy, and align drafting views is essential for
organizing drawings.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Align a view.

• Move a view.

• Copy a view.

Drafting Essentials 6-1

 Move, copy, and align views

Aligning Views with Helper Lines

You can align views with helper lines. Helper lines provide a quick method
of visualizing and placing views relative to each other, but do not maintain
the alignment when one or more views are moved.
If helper lines do not display and you are in monochrome mode, check
View tab®Visualization®Visualization Preferences®Color Settings,
and make sure that the Part Settings®Selection color and the Drawing
Part Settings®Selection color is different from the background color.

6-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Move, copy, and align views

Creating associative view alignments

You can permanently align a view with another view while placing it on a
drawing using the Associative Alignment option for orthogonal views, and
the Hinge option for non-orthogonal views. These options are available for all
supported views, except section views. The alignment is enforced even when
views change or move. An associative alignment between views is indicated
by a dashed line when a view is highlighted or selected.

6
You can also add permanent, associative alignments between existing views,
including section views, or edit existing associative alignments using the
View Alignment command.

Drafting Essentials 6-3

 Move, copy, and align views

View Alignment
Use the View Alignment command to add, edit, or remove alignments
between views. You can align the following types of views:
• Base views

• Drawing views

• Projected views

• Detail views

• Section views

The created alignments can be associative or non-associative. The associative

alignment enforces the alignment even when views change or move.
The following alignment methods are available:
• Inferred

• Horizontal

• Vertical
6 • Perpendicular to Line

• Overlay

• Hinge. This method is available only for Projected views created from
imported views.

For all alignment methods except Inferred and Hinge, you can align views:
• By aligning view origins using the To View alignment.

• By aligning one view with the same model point from another view using
the Model Point alignment.

• By aligning one point from the first view with a point from the second
view using the Point to Point alignment.

6-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Move, copy, and align views

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder View Alignment

Graphics window Right-click view border®View Alignment
Part Navigator Right-click the view node®View Alignment

Drafting Essentials 6-5

 Move, copy, and align views

Activities
In the Move, copy, and align views section, do the following activities:
• Creating aligned and associative aligned views

• Editing view alignments

6-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Move, copy, and align views

Copying drawing views

You can copy a view, along with all of its annotation, and place it in a new
position on the drawing sheet or to a different sheet altogether. Any view
labels or section line symbols associated with the original view will likewise
be copied and added to the new view. The duplicate label or section line
symbols will display the next available letter.

Parent/child view relationships

When you copy multiple views, parent/child view relationships between the
original views are maintained in the copied views.
If you copy a section view and its parent, the section line symbol is
also copied in the new parent view, and the duplicate section view is
a child of that view.

If you copy a section view by itself a detail view is created when it is

pasted.
If you copy a view with a section line and not the child section view, the
copy view does not have a section line.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
6
Command Finder Move/Copy View
Graphics window Right-click a view boundary®Copy

Drafting Essentials 6-7

 Move, copy, and align views

Activity
In the Move, copy, and align views section, do the following activity:
• Copy a drawing view

6-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Move, copy, and align views

Summary: Move, copy, and align views

You can relocate any view on a drawing by moving it or aligning it with
another view.
When you copy a view, its annotation and view dependent edits are copied
to the new view.
In this lesson you:
• Moved Views.

• Copied Views.

• Aligned Views.

Drafting Essentials 6-9

6
Lesson

7 Hiding geometry in drafting

views

Purpose
This lesson introduces you to methods for permanently hiding unwanted
geometry in your drafting views.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Change visibility settings for layers.

• Make layers visible in drafting views.

• Replace the reference set in a drawing.

Drafting Essentials 7-1

 Hiding geometry in drafting views

Layer settings
You may want to limit the visibility of certain objects in a view. For example,
datum features are rarely shown in drawing views.
You can exclude the visibility of objects by turning the layer containing them
to invisible before adding the view to a drawing sheet.
You should always make note of the current layer settings in Modeling
prior to placing a base view on a drawing sheet.

Where do I find it?

Application All

Command Finder Layer Settings

7-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Hiding geometry in drafting views

Visible layers in views and drawing sheets

When you import a base view onto your drawing sheet, it will inherit its layer
visibility from the model view. All subsequent child views assume the same
layer visibility as their parent view.
Drawing sheets also follow the same layer visibility rules as views. Only
those layers that are visible or selectable at the time the drawing is created
are visible on the drawing sheet.
To redefine the layer visibility of an existing drafting view or drawing sheet,
use the Layer Visible in View command.

Where do I find it?

Application All

Command Finder Layer Visible in View

Drafting Essentials 7-3

 Hiding geometry in drafting views

Activity
In the Hiding geometry in drafting views section, do the following activity:
• Edit layer settings and visibility

7-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Hiding geometry in drafting views

Reference Sets
Reference sets are a named collection of objects in a piece part or subassembly.
They are used to represent a component part in an assembly with simpler
geometry than the complete solid body or the entire part.
In the context of the master model drawing, reference sets can be used to
control the display of geometry in the non-master drawing.
There are two types of reference sets:
• Automatic reference sets that are managed by NX.

• User-defined reference sets.

A well-managed reference set strategy can lead to:

• Faster load times.

• Reduced memory usage.

• Less cluttered graphics display.

Use the Reference Set commands and options to filter and control the display
of a component or subassembly in your non-master drawing.

Where do I find it?

Creating or editing a reference set

Command Finder Reference Sets

Drafting Essentials 7-5

 Hiding geometry in drafting views

Activity
In the Hiding geometry in drafting views section, do the following activity:
• Replace a reference set

7-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Hiding geometry in drafting views

Summary: Hiding geometry in drafting views

You can hide unwanted geometry in a drafting view by adjusting layer
settings and by controlling the reference set used to create the drawing.
In this lesson you:
• Changed the visibility settings for layers in your model.

• Set the visibility for specific layers in drafting views.

• Replaced the reference set in a non-master drawing.

Drafting Essentials 7-7

7
Lesson

8 Updating drawings and

drafting views

Purpose
Design changes are often made to models after you create the drawings and
place the views. It is important for the drawing views to reflect the current
state of the model.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Recognize when your drawing views are out-of date.

• Update the drawing views.

Drafting Essentials 8-1

 Updating drawings and drafting views

Update command
It is not uncommon to add design changes to a model after you have already
created complete drawings. When you edit a model and then return to the
Drafting application, depending on preference settings NX may attempt to
automatically update the drawing views with the latest model edits. As a
view undergoes an update, all silhouette and hidden edges are regenerated
to correct their visibility in the view. The view boundaries are checked and
re-sized if necessary.
Automatic drawing view updates occur when the Delay View Update
preference is not set, and you choose:
• File tab®Open

• File tab®Plot

• Application tab®Design group®Drafting

When the Delay View Update preference is set, you must manually update a
drawing view when necessary.

Identifying out–of–date drawings and views

If one or more drafting views on a drawing is out-of-date, the drawing sheet
name at the bottom left-hand corner of the graphics window indicates this
status. For example:
Sheet “Sheet 1” Work (Out-of-Date)

To find which views are out-of-date, you can:

• Choose Menu®Information®Drawing, select one or more drawing sheets,
and then search the text in the Information window for the words
OUT-OF-DATE.

• Choose Menu®Information®View and select one or more views to find

the same information for specific views.
8
You can also examine the Drafting nodes in the Part Navigator.
A check mark symbol in front of the node indicates that the view, sheet or
drawing is up–to–date.
Imported “TOP”@19

A stopwatch symbol indicates that a particular view, sheet, or drawing is

out-of-date.
Projected “ORTHO”@20

8-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Updating drawings and drafting views

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Update Views

Shortcut menu Right–click a sheet or view border®Update
Part Navigator Right–click a drawing, sheet, or view node®Update

Drafting Essentials 8-3

 Updating drawings and drafting views

View update preferences

The update process can take a considerable amount of time, especially when
the model is complex and there are many drafting views on the drawing
sheet. You can speed up your system response time by delaying view updates
so that they do not occur every time you return to Drafting after a model
edit has occurred.
Options for setting the update method are located on the
Menu®Tools®Update menu.

Update commands for drawings

Delay View Update

Select the Delay View Update check box to suppress automatic updates to
all drawing views. When you return to the Drafting application views will
remain in an out–of–date condition after a model change has occurred. You
can manually update out-of-date views using the Update View command.

Delay Update on Creation

8 Select the Delay Update on Creation check box to suppress the automatic
update of new views, including projected views, as you place them on the
drawing. Your drawing will be marked out-of-date as soon as a new view is
placed on it. This option speeds up the process of placing new views when
you are working with a large and complex model.

Update View

Select this command to update specific out of date views on a drawing sheet.
All out-of-date view names are highlighted in the Views List of the Update
Views dialog box.

8-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Updating drawings and drafting views

Activity
In the Updating drawings and drafting views section, do the following
activity:
• Update a drawing

Drafting Essentials 8-5

 Updating drawings and drafting views

Summary: Updating drawings and drafting views

After changes are made to a model, you can use the Update Views command
to update the drafting views on entire drawings, on sheets, and in individual
views.
In this lesson you:
• Set your drawing view update preference.

• Manually updated views.

8-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

9 Centerline symbols

Purpose
You may need to add centerline symbols to a view before you add the
dimensions. You can do this in NX either automatically or manually. This
lesson reviews some of the centerline symbols available in Drafting.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to create:
• Single and multiple Center Mark symbols.

• Automatic centerlines.

• Full and Partial Bolt Circle and Circular centerlines.

• 2D and 3D centerlines.

• Offset center points.

Drafting Essentials 9-1

 Centerline symbols

Centerline symbols
A centerline symbol is generally used to indicate the center point or axis of
a cylindrical or conical feature on the model. The centerline commands are
accessed from the Centerline Drop-down list in the Annotation ribbon group.
You can also choose Main Menu®Insert®Centerline to select the type of
symbol you wish to create.
You can create:

Center Marks

Bolt Circle Centerlines

Circular Centerlines

Symmetrical Centerlines

2D Centerlines

3D Centerlines

Automatic Centerlines

Offset Center Point Symbol

Each symbol's dialog box has its own unique set of Type and Placement
options as well as an Inherit and a Settings group.
Use the options in the dialog box to set the symbol creation parameters. The
same dialog boxes that are used to create symbols are also used to modify
them.
Not all of the commands on the Centerline Drop-down list are displayed
in the Essentials with full menus role. To add them to the list, use the
Advanced with full menus role.

9-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Symbol associativity

Centerline symbols are fully associative to model geometry and you can
dimension them just as easily as you can dimension the model itself. When
the model is updated, NX updates the symbol and the dimension attached
to it.
The size of symbol components is associated to the object(s) selected to create
them.

Drafting Essentials 9-3

 Centerline symbols

Centerline handles

Centerline symbols have handles that allow you to interactively control the
display (1) and associativity (2) of the symbol.

Handles appear when you create or edit a centerline symbol. You can change
the size of the centerlines by dragging the handle, entering a value in the
on-screen input box, or selecting a value or formula from the on-screen input
box list.
You can also display a handle on every leg of a centerline symbol. This is
useful when you want to locate centerline handles quickly in a complex
drawing.

To display all the handles, select the Show All Extension Handles customer
default.
To find a customer default, choose File tab®Utilities®Customer

9 Defaults and click Find Default .

The Show All Extension Handles customer default is supported in all types
of centerlines except Automated centerlines.

9-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Centerline extensions

Instead of uniformly editing the centerline extensions, you can edit each
extension individually by selecting the Set Extension Individually check box.
A handle appears at the end of each centerline extension segment.

Display as Center Point

To completely turn off all centerline extensions in a center mark, select the
Display as Center Point check box.

Drafting Essentials 9-5

 Centerline symbols

Inherit symbol parameters

You can inherit an existing symbol's parameters while creating or editing

other symbols. To inherit a symbol's parameters:
1. Double-click the symbol to open its dialog box.

2. In the Inherit group, click Select Center Mark.

3. Select the symbol whose settings you want to inherit.

4. Click Apply or OK.

9-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Centerline settings

When you select a symbol type, in the centerline dialog boxes, NX displays
the following:
• A legend that illustrates the symbol.

• The default dimensions for the symbol components. You can change the
dimensions.

The following figure shows an example of the legend for the Center Mark.

Drafting Essentials 9-7

 Centerline symbols

Create a center mark

A center mark symbol passes through one or more points on the model.

• Choose Home tab®Annotation group®Center Mark .

• On the Top Border bar, select the appropriate Snap Point option.

• In the view, select the point geometry.

• Click Apply or OK.

9-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Multiple center marks

In the Center Mark dialog box, the Create Multiple Center Marks option lets
you create an individual center mark symbol on each object that you select,
without having to click Apply after each selection.

If the Create Multiple Center Marks check box is not selected, a single
centerline symbol spans across multiple points. The points you select must
be collinear in order to be included in the symbol.

Create Multiple Center Marks

Create Multiple Center Marks

Drafting Essentials 9-9

 Centerline symbols

Automatic Centerline

The Automatic Centerline command automatically creates centerlines in

any existing view(s) where the hole or pin axis is perpendicular or parallel to
the plane of the drafting view.
If bolt circle holes are not a circular instance set, then a linear centerline is
created for each hole. Automatic centerlines draw a single centerline between
coaxial holes.
Automatic centerlines are not guaranteed to be correct on out-of-date views.

Automatic centerline symbol

The following views are not supported:
• Faceted representation

• Unfolded section

• Revolved section

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Automatic Centerline

9-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Activities
In the Centerline symbols section, do the following activities:
• Create Center Marks

• Create angled Center Mark symbols

Drafting Essentials 9-11

 Centerline symbols

Bolt Circle Centerline

Use Bolt Circle Centerline to create full or partial bolt centerlines

through points or arcs. The radius of a bolt circle is always equal to the
distance from the center of the bolt circle to the first point selected.
Partial bolt circle centerlines are defined by selecting arcs in a
counterclockwise direction. You can dimension to any bolt circle centerline
geometry.

Full Bolt Circle Centerline

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Bolt Circle Centerline

9-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Through 3 or More Points

Use the Through 3 or More Points option on the Type list to create bolt circles
without specifying the center. Select three or more points for the centerline or
bolt circle to pass through.
For a partial bolt circle, you should select the points in a counterclockwise
order.

Drafting Essentials 9-13

 Centerline symbols

Centerpoint
When there are less than three points on the radius centerline, you must use
the Centerpoint option on the Type list.
The first point you select (1) defines the center of the centerline symbol. The
next point (2) defines the symbol's radius. Any point that you select (3)
afterward must be the same distance from the centerpoint to be included in
the symbol.
If it is not, you will receive an Invalid radius alert message, and the point is
ignored when you create the symbol.

9-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Full Circle
The Full Circle option in the Placement group generates a complete circular
pattern regardless of how many points you include in the symbol. Select this
check box if you need a full bolt circle centerline. If you need a partial bolt
circle centerline, clear the Full Circle check box.
The same rule applies to Circular Centerline symbols.

Drafting Essentials 9-15

 Centerline symbols

Activities
In the Centerline symbols section, do the following activities:
• Create a Full Bolt Circle

• Create a Partial Circular Centerline

9-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

2D Centerline
Use the 2D Centerline command to create centerlines between two edges, two
curves or two points.
You can create 2D centerlines using curves or control points for limiting the
length of the centerline. For example, if you use control points to define the
centerline (from arc center to arc center), a linear centerline is produced.

2D centerline created 2D centerline created from control

from two curves points

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder 2D Centerline

Drafting Essentials 9-17

 Centerline symbols

3D Centerline
The 3D Centerline command creates a centerline symbol based on the profile
of a cylindrical or conical face. The face can be any sort of revolved or swept
face which follows a linear or non-linear path. Examples include cylinders,
cones, ruled, extruded, revolved, torus, and swept type faces.

3D Centerline

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder 3D Centerline

9

9-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

3D centerline methods
In the 3D Centerline dialog box, the Method options in the Offset group let
you create 3D centerlines using the following offset conditions:

• None

• Distance

• Object

None
The None option creates a centerline with no offset. All dimensions to the
centerline display the true distance values.

3D centerline with no offset

Distance
The Distance option creates a centerline with an associated constant offset
value. All dimensions to the centerline display a value that is the sum of the
true distance and the constant offset value associated with the centerline.

3D centerline with a distance offset of 100 9

Object
The Object option creates a centerline with an associated variable offset
value. All dimensions to the centerline display a value that is the sum of

Drafting Essentials 9-19

 Centerline symbols

the true distance and an offset value equivalent to the distance between a
selected object and the centerline.

3D centerline with an offset equal to the distance to a selected object

9-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Activity
In the Centerline symbols section, do the following activity:
• 2D and 3D centerline symbols

Drafting Essentials 9-21

 Centerline symbols

Offset Center Point symbol

An Offset Center Point symbol represents the center of an arc at any location
rather than the arc's true center. This becomes especially useful when
dimensioning very large arcs whose true centers lie outside the bounds of
the drawing sheet.
The Point Position options are not available for Offset Center Point
since you indicate the location by either entering a distance or by
screen position.

When you create an offset center point, you must specify the:
• Offset — Horizontal/Vertical Distance from Arc, from Center, or by
Position.

• Distance — value applied to the Horizontal/Vertical Distance from Arc,

from Center offset.

• Display As — Center Point, Center Line, Center Line with Extension.

If you dimension to an offset center point, the dimension value is calculated

as if you had dimensioned to the true arc center of the feature.
Even though it does not lie at the true center of the arc, the offset center point
is completely associative to the arc center. If the arc is relocated, the offset
center point moves with it.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
9
Command Finder Offset Center Point Symbol

9-22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Methods for displaying an Offset Center Point

You can create an offset center point using six different options from the
Offset list. Three options are for creating horizontal symbols and three are
for creating vertical symbols.
• Horizontal/Vertical, Distance from Arc — Places an offset center point on
the horizontal axis (XC axis) or vertical axis (YC axis) of the drawing.
The offset center point is offset horizontally or vertically from the edge of
the arc toward the arc center by the specified offset distance.

• Horizontal/Vertical, Distance from Center — Places an offset center point

on the horizontal axis (XC axis) or vertical axis (YC axis) of the drawing,
offset horizontally or vertically from the arc center by the specified offset
distance.

• Horizontal/Vertical, Distance by Position — Places an offset center point

on the horizontal axis (XC axis) or vertical axis (YC axis) of the drawing,
offset from the arc center by a distance that is calculated from the arc
center to the indicated screen position.

Drafting Essentials 9-23

 Centerline symbols

Offset Center Point symbol rules

The following associativity rules apply to offset center points:

• An offset center point must be associated with a circular edge.

• An offset center point is updated when the edge to which it is associated is

moved.

• If the edge to which an offset center point is associated is deleted, the

symbol will either revert to a retained state or be deleted, depending on
the Retain Annotations preference setting on the Annotation tab of the
Drafting Preferences dialog box.

You can choose from the three display modes for offset center points.

(1) Center Line

(2) Center Line with Extension
(3) Center Point

9-24 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Other uses of Offset Center Points

The Radius to Center dimension type shown in the following figure does not
create a point at the arc center. You can create an offset center point with
zero offset distance to indicate the center of the arc.

Drafting Essentials 9-25

 Centerline symbols

Activity
In the Centerline symbols section, do the following activity:
• Create and edit an Offset Center Point

9-26 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Centerline symbols

Delete a symbol
You can delete a centerline symbol in one of these ways:

• Select the symbol and choose Menu®Edit®Delete .

• Right–click the symbol and choose Delete.

You can select the symbols at any position.

When you delete a drafting symbol, any associated objects such as dimensions
either revert to a retained state or are deleted.

Drafting Essentials 9-27

 Centerline symbols

Summary: Centerline symbols

Centerlines are recommended as the first type of annotation to be placed on a
view. The symbols convey information such as axes and arc center locations.
You then apply dimensions to the symbols.
In this lesson you:
• Created center marks.

• Created bolt circle centerlines.

• Created cylindrical centerlines.

• Created 2D and 3D centerlines.

• Created offset center points.

9-28 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

10 Dimensions

Purpose
This lesson teaches you how to create and edit dimensions.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create dimensions using the appropriate dimension command.

• Use the interactive, on-screen controls to control the appearance, location,

and alignment associativity of your dimensions.

• Set dimension preferences and change the settings for existing

dimensions.

• Apply the settings from an existing dimension to other dimensions.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-1
 Dimensions

Creating dimensions
In the Drafting application, NX provides nine separate dimension commands
that let you create any dimension type, including baseline, chain, and
ordinate dimensions.

• Rapid

• Linear

• Radial

• Angular

• Chamfer

• Thickness

• Arc Length

• Perimeter

• Ordinate

By default, the object(s) you select determine the type of dimension that
is created. You can create specific dimension types by setting appropriate
options in the command dialog box, or by using specific dimension commands.

10
10-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Dimension user interface

You can use the on-screen controls for setting and changing the associativity
and appearance of dimensions, dimension lines, and extension lines.
These controls include:
• Access handles that, when selected, display on-screen lists and windows
for modifying frequently used options and settings for the annotation
object.
Only one access handle can be active at a time.

• Drag handles for repositioning dimension and extension lines.

• Settings buttons for access to additional options associated with

the annotation object.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-3
 Dimensions

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

• While creating a dimension, click the Edit

on-screen button to enter the dimension edit mode.

You must click the Edit on-screen button

again to exit the dimension edit mode before
you can place the dimension.

• Double-click an existing dimension to enter the

dimension edit mode, or right-click the dimension
Graphics window and choose Edit.

10
10-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Tools for placing and aligning dimensions

When placing dimensions, you can use a combination of visual indicators and
alignment tools to position and associate dimensions to other dimensions
and annotations.
Dimension snapping
When you place a dimension on a drawing, the dimension automatically
snaps to the center of the dimension line when the text is positioned
near the center.
• This functionality does not support ordinate dimensions.

• Chamfer dimensions are only supported when the chamfer

dimension leader type is set to Linear Chamfer Dimension.

Align horizontal or vertical

Dashed helper lines are displayed when the origin of a dimension is
aligned horizontally or vertically with another dimension or annotation.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-5
 Dimensions

Position on margin
Temporary dashed lines are displayed as you drag the origin point of a
dimension or annotation across in imaginary margin that is a specified
distance from the model geometry. You can set the initial margin offset
and subsequent spacing offsets in the Drafting Preferences dialog box.

Align to dimension line

Arrow indicators display when you align the arrowhead and dimension
line, or leader stub, of a new dimension with the arrowhead and dimension
line of an existing dimension.

You can press the ALT key to temporary suppress any alignment or
positioning tool while placing dimensions. Or you can permanently
control the availability of alignment and positioning tools using the
options in the Origin group of any dimension command.

10
10-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Setting and changing the appearance of your dimensions

In the Drafting environment, a single dialog box with a set of dynamic options
is used to control the style of all Drafting annotation and dimensions. The
same dialog box is used to control the preference settings for the style of
all annotations and dimensions, as well as set or modify the appearance of
existing annotations and dimensions
• You use the Drafting Preferences dialog box to control the default
appearance and tolerance of new dimensions placed on your drawing.

• You use the Settings dialog box, or interactive on-screen controls, to

change the appearance of existing dimensions.

Options to control the appearance and behavior of dimensions, dimension

lines, and extension lines are located under the Common node and the
Dimension node.

Where do I find it?

Set display properties for new annotations and dimensions

Application Drafting

Command Finder Drafting Preferences

10
Drafting Essentials 10-7
 Dimensions

Change the properties of an annotation or dimension you are creating, or

an existing annotation or dimension

Application Drafting

Command Finder Edit Settings

Highlight the annotation or dimension, press and

Radial Toolbar hold the right mouse button®Settings

Select one or more annotation or dimension objects,
Graphics window right–click ®Settings

10
10-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Rapid dimension

Rapid Dimension lets you quickly create different dimensions from a

group of general, well-used dimension types using a single command and a
basic set of selection options.
The following dimension types are supported for creation.

Inferred – determines the type of dimension to create based on the

selected objects and the cursor location.

Horizontal

Vertical

Point–to–Point

Perpendicular

Cylindrical

Radial

Diametral

You can use the Rapid Dimension command to create the dimension from one
of the supported dimension types. In edit mode, the selected dimension will
invoke the dialog box associated with its dimension type.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Rapid Dimension

10
Drafting Essentials 10-9
 Dimensions

Inferred dimension type

NX determines the type of dimension to create based on the objects you

select and the position of your cursor. Therefore, when using the Inferred
measurement method to create a dimension, it is important to select the
correct objects to obtained the desired dimension type.

If you select this NX infers this type of dimension

Horizontal or vertical line A horizontal or vertical dimension

Line that is not horizontal A horizontal, vertical, or parallel dimension

or vertical depending on the location of the cursor

10
10-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Arc A radius dimension

Circle A linear or radial diameter dimension

Combination of two objects A horizontal, vertical, or parallel dimension,

that include points, arcs, based on the location of the cursor
circles, or ellipses

10
Drafting Essentials 10-11
 Dimensions

A line and an arc, circle, or A perpendicular dimension

ellipse. You must select the
line first

Two non parallel lines An angular dimension

10
10-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Creating dimensions
This is a general procedure for creating a dimension of any type.
1. (Optional) Set the default appearance for dimension and other annotation
objects before creating dimensions.
• Choose File tab®Preferences®Drafting.

• In the Drafting Preferences dialog box, expand the various nodes

and set appropriate values for text, dimension, arrow head and line
options.

• Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.

2. In the Drafting application, click any dimension button in the Home

tab®Dimension group.

3. Select the objects you want to dimension.

Use the Snap Point options (when available) to help with selection.

4. (Optional) Use the options in the Origin group of the dimension dialog box
to control the position of the dimension before placing it.

5. (Optional) Set the specific measurement type in the Measurement group

of the dimension dialog box.

6. (Optional) Set the driving method of the dimension in the Driving group of
the dimension dialog box.

7. Click to place the dimension.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-13
 Dimensions

Activity
In the Dimensions section, do the following activity:
• Create inferred dimensions

10
10-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Other dimension types

Although the Rapid command lets you create most of the standard dimension
types you need, for more precise dimension requirements you must use the
appropriate dimension command.

• Use the Linear or Radial command to create chain and baseline

dimension sets, and to create hole callouts.

• Use the Angular command to create angular dimensions using point

and vector inputs.

• Use the Chamfer , Thickness , and Arc Length commands to

create respective chamfer, thickness, and arc length dimensions.

• Use the Perimeter command to create a perimeter dimension for a

set of sketch curves to constrain the length of the lines and arcs.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-15
 Dimensions

Activities
In the Dimensions section, do the following activities:
• Create angular dimensions

• Create a folded radius dimension

• Create and edit a chain dimension

• Create and edit a radial hole callout

10
10-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Appending text to dimensions

You can add text before, after, above, or below the dimension while you are
creating the dimension, or after the dimension is created.

Appended text on-screen input boxes

When you place a dimension in edit mode, either while creating the
dimension or after it is created, you can use the Appended Text input boxes
to interactively add, modify, or delete appended text. These input boxes are
only available when editing the textual content of a dimension.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-17
 Dimensions

Where do I find it?

While creating a dimension

Application Drafting
Before placing the dimension, right-click®Edit
Appended Text

Before placing the dimension, click the on-screen Edit

button and then type the appended text into the

Graphics window on-screen Appended Text input boxes.

For an existing dimension

Application Drafting
Right-click the dimension®Edit Appended Text

Double-click the dimension, click the Dimension text

access handle, and then type the appended text into the
Graphics window on-screen Appended Text input boxes.

10
10-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Activity
In the Dimensions section, do the following activity:
• Create dimensions with appended text

10
Drafting Essentials 10-19
 Dimensions

Edit a dimension
This is a general procedure for editing a dimension of any type.
1. Use one of the following methods to begin editing a dimension.
• Select a dimension. Right-click, choose the appropriate option from
the shortcut menu, and then execute your edit.

• Double-click a dimension.
This action selects the dimension, activates the relevant dimension
dialog box, and displays dimension access handles and on-screen
windows for editing.

2. Edit the selected dimension or double-click another dimension to edit.

3. When you are finished editing, click Esc or middle click to deactivate
and exit the edit mode.

10
10-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Editing specific aspects of a dimension

You can display a set of options in a shortcut menu while creating and placing
a new dimension, or while you are in an edit mode for an existing dimension.
Different options are displayed depending on the type of dimension you select
and your mode of operation.

Use dimension shortcut menus to:

• More precisely control the origin of the dimension.

• Set and change appended text using the Appended Text dialog box.

• Set and change the tolerance type.

• Set and change the orientation of the dimension and tolerance text.

• Set and change the arrowhead orientation.

• Open the Settings dialog box to access additional display options.

• Set the active status for a baseline in an ordinate dimension set.

• Lock the measurement, or switch between the minor and major

measurement, of an angular dimension.

10
Drafting Essentials 10-21
 Dimensions

Activity
In the Dimensions section, do the following activity:
• Change the style of existing dimensions

10
10-22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Dimensions

Summary: Dimensions
The Dimension commands let you create and edit various dimension types
and set local preferences that control the display of the dimension you are
creating.
In this lesson you:
• Used the Rapid Dimension command to create different types of
dimensions.

• Created unique dimension types using the appropriate dimension

command.

• Became acquainted with and used the interactive, on-screen controls

for setting and changing the appearance of dimensions, and for placing
dimensions.

• Used the Drafting Preferences dialog box and Settings dialog box to set
and change dimensions,

10
Drafting Essentials 10-23
10
 11
Lesson

11 Notes and labels

Purpose
In NX, a note consists of text and a label consists of text and leader lines.
Both of these are created using the Note command. This lesson introduces
you to note and label creation.

Objectives
After you complete this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create simple notes.

• Create labels.

• Edit text.

• Add symbols to notes.

• Append text to an existing dimension.

Drafting Essentials 11-1

 Notes and labels

11
Creating notes and labels
Use the Note command to create notes and labels. A note consists of text and
a label consists of text with one or more leader lines.

You can:
• Specify the format of the text including font, size, italics, underlining,
subscript.

• Embed symbols in a note or label.

• Preview a note or label before placing it on the drawing sheet.

• Associate the location of a note or label to a view, geometry, or other

annotation.

• Insert associative links to expressions, attributes, and sheet zones. The

text updates when the expression, attribute, or sheet zone changes.

• Import and export text from an external file.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Note

11-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Inputting text and placing notes

In the Note dialog box, you can type text and insert symbols in the Text Input
box.

You can re-size the dialog box to make it easier to create longer notes.

In the graphics window, the note appears with the cursor for preview and you
can drag it to a location on the drawing sheet.

The text remains in the Text Input box so you can use it again or edit it for
the next note.

Drafting Essentials 11-3

 Notes and labels

11
Formatting text

Use the options under Formatting to specify the text parameters and
characteristics including font, scale, italic, underline, and subscript.

When you click a formatting option, control characters are inserted in the
Text Input box and surround the selected text.
For example, the following note includes underlined and scaled text.
<U>REVISED<U> <C1.500>FIXTURE<C>

To include a < character in a note, you must precede it with a $

character, unless it is used for formatting.

11-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Editing text

Use the options under Edit Text to manage the contents of the Text Input box.

For example, you can clear the contents, copy selected text, or delete the
format attributes applied to selected text.

Drafting Essentials 11-5

 Notes and labels

11
Aligning and positioning notes with other objects

Use the Alignment options to associatively position notes relative to views,

geometry, or other annotation.

Auto Alignment
Select a method to control the associativity of the note to other objects.
• Associative – Align the note with other objects and maintains alignment
when the objects are moved.

• Non–associative – Initially align the note with other objects but does not
maintain alignment when the objects are moved.

• Off – Does not let you align the note with other objects.

Alignment and positioning methods

Select the check boxes to enable different alignment methods and control
what objects can be selected.
Stack Annotation – Stack the note in a horizontal or vertical
arrangement with other annotation.

Align Horizontal or Vertical – Align the note with other annotation

and drag it in a horizontal or vertical direction.

Position Relative to View – Associate the position of the note to

a drawing view.

Position Relative to Geometry – Associate the position of the note

to a curve, edge, or face.

Position at Snap Point – Associate the position of the note to a

point. You can specify the snap point options in the Top Border bar.

Position on Margin – Position the note a preset distance from

model geometry.

Use the Anchor option to specify the site on the note to align.

11-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Using helper lines to align notes

When you use the alignment options to place a note, a helper line may appear
in the graphics window as you drag the note over an object. As long as the
helper line is visible when you place the note, the position of the note is
aligned with the object.

Drafting Essentials 11-7

 Notes and labels

11
Positioning notes relative to a drafting view

When you create or edit a note, you can automatically associate it to a

drafting view by dragging the note near the view until the associativity
indicator appears.

When you associate the note to a view, the note moves when the view is moved.
To associate the annotation to a drafting view:
• In the Origin group, Auto Alignment must be set to Associative.

• The Position Relative to View check box must be selected.

You can remove the associativity by pressing the Alt key while
dragging the annotation. The associativity indicator disappears and the
annotation is placed at a fixed location on the sheet.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Location in dialog
box Origin group®Alignment®Position Relative to View

11-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Create a label

A label is a note with one or more leaders. You can terminate a leader at any
point location or attach it to an object such as a curve, edge, face, or dimension.

1. In the Note dialog box, in the Text Input box, type the desired text.

2. In the graphics window, move the cursor to the desired arrowhead location.
If the cursor is over an object, the object highlights and the leader cursor
is displayed.

To help select objects, on the Top Border bar, you can use the point
options or select a specific type of object from the Type Filter list.

3. Click and drag the note away from the selected point or object.
A preview of the leader and text is displayed.

4. Optional: To create multiple leaders, repeat the two previous steps.

5. Click to create the note at the cursor location.

Drafting Essentials 11-9

 Notes and labels

11
Leader options

Use the options in the Leader group to specify the leader type and parameters.
You can specify:
• Plain, all around, flag, datum, and dot terminated type leaders.

• Arrowhead style.

• Stub side and stub length.

• Leaders with jogs.

Use the Select Terminating Object option to explicitly select an object to

attach the leader without having to drag the label. Simply select the object,
then click to place the label.

11-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Importing and exporting text

You can store and retrieve the text for frequently used notes by saving them
to an external file.
These options are available under Import/Export in the Note dialog box.

• Use Insert Text from File to select a .txt file from your operating
system and insert the contents in the Text Input box.
On Windows operating systems you can drag a *.txt file directly
onto a drawing sheet. The file cannot contain a tab character and
a < character must be preceded by a $ character unless it is used
for formatting.

• Use Save Note As Text File to export the contents of the Text Input
to a .txt file on your operating system.

Drafting Essentials 11-11

 Notes and labels

11
Activity
In the Notes and labels section, do the following activity:
• Add note and label annotations to your drawing

11-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Inserting special symbols and characters
Use the options under Symbols in the Text Input group to insert symbols
and special characters into a note.
The following types of symbols are available from the Type menu:
• Drafting

• GD&T

• Fractions

• Custom Symbol

• User Defined

• Relationships

Drafting Essentials 11-13

 Notes and labels

11
Drafting symbols

The Drafting category includes common symbols that you can insert in a note.

When you click a symbol, control characters are inserted in the Text Input
box. A preview of the symbol appears with the cursor in the graphics window.
For example, the following note includes counterbore, diameter, and depth
symbols.
<#B><O>25
<#D>12.5

11-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Insert a fraction in a note

1. In the Note dialog box, in the Text Input group, expand the Symbols group.

2. From the Category list, select Fractions.

3. In the Upper Text and Lower Text boxes, type the numerator and
denominator values.

4. From the Fraction Type list, select a size.

5. Click Insert Fraction .

The control characters for the fraction are inserted in the Text Input box.
The symbol preview appears with the cursor in the graphics window.

Drafting Essentials 11-15

 Notes and labels

11
Insert a user defined symbol

1. In the Note dialog box, in the Text Input group, expand the Symbols group.

2. From the Category list, select User Defined.

3. From the Symbol Library list, select where to find the symbol:
For example, select Utility Directory to use a default symbol provided
with NX.

4. Select a symbol from the list box.

For example, 3RDANG is a third angle projection symbol.

5. Optional: Under Settings, specify the size of the symbol by typing a

length and height, or by typing a scale and aspect ratio.

6. Click Insert Symbol .

The control characters for the symbol are inserted in the Text Input box.
The symbol preview appears with the cursor in the graphics window.

11-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Activity
In the Notes and labels section, do the following activity:
• Add special symbols to your drawing notes

Drafting Essentials 11-17

 Notes and labels

11
Editing notes and labels
There are different ways you can edit a note or label.
• Move notes, labels, and dimensions by dragging them.

The move cursor is displayed when you place the cursor over an
object that you can drag.

• Copy a note by pressing the Ctrl key while you drag it.

• Double-click a note or label to open the Note dialog box.

• Right-click a note or label to display a shortcut menu. This may include

options to edit the settings, associate the note to a view, or delete the note.
The options available in the shortcut menu depend on the type of object
you select.

11-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Appending text to dimensions

You can quickly add, modify, or delete simple text appended to dimensions
by double-clicking the dimension and using the input boxes in the graphics
window.
To append more complex text to a dimension, you can right-click the
dimension and choose Edit Appended Text. In the Appended Text dialog box,
you can specify the text before, after, above, or below the dimension using the
larger Text Input box and you can access the symbol categories.

Drafting Essentials 11-19

 Notes and labels

11
Stacking notes

You can position and associate notes to other annotation in a stacked

arrangement. To stack annotation, make sure the Stack Annotation check
box is selected in the Origin group of the dialog box.

Horizontally stacked Vertically stacked

You can specify the default placement and spacing parameters for the
stacking arrangement by selecting the Common®Stacking node in the
Drafting Preferences dialog box.

11-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Editing dimension text
You can manually edit the value of any dimension. However, once you edit
the value, the dimension is no longer associated to the model geometry and
will not update if the geometry changes.
For example, you can enter text in place of a numerical value if you are
creating a tabulated drawing.

Drafting Essentials 11-21

 Notes and labels

11
Manually edit dimension text

1. Right-click the dimension and choose Settings.

2. In the Settings dialog box, expand the Text node and click Format.

3. Select the Override Dimension Text check box.

A warning is displayed informing you that the dimension value will
convert to manual text.

4. In the warning dialog box, click OK to continue.

5. Click Launches main Text Edit .

6. In the Text Input box, type the new text for the dimension.

7. In the Text dialog box, click OK.

11-22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Identify and restore dimensions with manually edited text

1. Choose Menu®Information®Other®Object-specific.

2. Click Dimensions with Manual Text.

Dimensions with manually edited text are highlighted on the drawing
sheet.

3. Click Cancel.

4. Right-click a dimension with manually edited text and choose Settings.

5. In the Settings dialog box, expand the Text node and click Format.

6. Clear the Override Dimension Text check box.

The dimension text updates and restores the associativity to the model.

7. Click the middle mouse button to close the dialog box.

Drafting Essentials 11-23

 Notes and labels

11
Activity
In the Notes and labels section, do the following activities:
• Change an existing drawing label

• Edit appended text

11-24 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Notes and labels

11
Summary: Notes and labels
Use the Note dialog box to create, edit, and change the format of notes and
labels.
In this lesson you:
• Created notes and labels.

• Placed text with and without leaders.

• Added symbols to existing text.

• Appended text to an existing dimension.

Drafting Essentials 11-25

11
Lesson

12 Balloon symbols
12

Purpose
Balloon symbols are used to communicate many types of information. This
lesson shows how to create and edit balloon symbols.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create balloon symbols with or without leaders and jogs.

• Associate the location of a balloon symbol to another object.

• Edit the size and origin of balloon symbols.

Drafting Essentials 12-1

 Balloon symbols

Creating balloon symbols

Use the Balloon command to create and edit balloon identification symbols.
12

You can:
• Select different types of balloons.

• Type text to place inside the balloon.

• Create balloons with or without leaders and jogs.

• Associate the location of a balloon to a view, geometry, or other annotation.

• Inherit parameters from other balloons.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Balloon

12-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Balloon symbols

Balloon symbol types

The following types of balloon symbols are available:

Circle Divided Circle Triangle Down Triangle Up

12

Square Divided Square Hexagon Divided Hexagon

Quadrant Circle Rounded Box Underline

You can:
• Type separate upper and lower text strings for the divided and quadrant
symbols.

• Change the size of a balloon symbol by typing a value in the Size box in
the Settings group. The text size is determined by the common lettering
parameters in the Drafting Preferences dialog box.

Drafting Essentials 12-3

 Balloon symbols

Create a balloon symbol without a leader

1. In the Balloon dialog box, from the Type list, select the type of balloon
symbol to create.
12 2. In the Text group, type the text to include in the symbol.

3. In the Origin group, specify the appropriate alignment options.

To associate the balloon symbol with a view, annotation, or geometry,
make sure Auto Alignment is set to Associative, and select the
appropriate alignment check boxes.

4. In the graphics window, drag the symbol to a location on the drawing

sheet.
If you are using an associative alignment option, a helper line may appear
from an object to the center of the symbol.

If you do not want to associate the symbol to an object, press the Alt key
as you drag the symbol.

5. Click to place the symbol on the drawing sheet.

12-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Balloon symbols

Create a balloon symbol with a leader

1. In the Balloon dialog box, from the Type list, select the type of balloon
symbol to create.

2. In the Text group, type the text to include in the symbol.

12
3. In the graphics window, move the cursor to the desired arrowhead location.
If the cursor is over an object, the object highlights and the leader cursor

is displayed.
To make it easier to select objects, on the Top Border bar, you can
use the point options or select a specific type of object from the Type
Filter list.

4. Click and drag the balloon symbol away from the selected point or object.
A preview of the leader and text is displayed.

5. Optional: To create multiple leaders, repeat the two previous steps.

6. Click to create the balloon symbol at the cursor location.

Drafting Essentials 12-5

 Balloon symbols

Associate balloon symbols to other objects

If you initially create a balloon symbol without associating it to another
object, you can edit it to apply associativity.
12
Associate a balloon symbol to a view
1. Right-click the balloon symbol and choose Associate to View.

2. Select the border of the drawing view to which you want to associate the
balloon symbol.
When you move the drawing view, the balloon symbol will also move.

Associate a balloon symbol to other annotation

You can associate a standalone balloon symbol with another annotation or
object.
1. On the drawing sheet, click and drag the balloon symbol to the other
annotation to align it using a helper line or using a stacked location.

2. Release the mouse button to place the balloon symbol.

When you move the associated annotation, the balloon symbol will also
move.

12-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Balloon symbols

Activity
In the Balloon symbols section, do the following activity:
• Create balloon symbols with leaders
12

Drafting Essentials 12-7

 Balloon symbols

Editing balloon symbols

You can double-click a balloon symbol to display the Balloon dialog box and
edit the following:
12 • Upper and lower text.

• Symbol size and leaders.

• Alignment options and location.

• Inherit the parameters of another symbol.

12-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Balloon symbols

Summary
Use the Balloon command to specify the type, text, size and leaders for new
and existing balloon symbols.
In this lesson you: 12
• Created a balloon symbol with multiple leaders and jogs.

Drafting Essentials 12-9

12
Lesson

13 GD&T symbols

Purpose 13
Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing symbols, generally referred to as
GD&T symbols, provide symbolic data critical to the design, manufacturing,
and final inspection of a part. This lesson shows how to create and edit
GD&T symbols.

Objectives
After you complete this lesson, you will be able to:
• Append feature control frames to dimensions.

• Create standalone feature control frames.

• Create datum feature symbols.

• Create datum targets.

Drafting Essentials 13-1

 GD&T symbols

Supported standards for GD&T symbols

You can create and edit geometric dimension and tolerance symbols in
accordance with the following standards:
• ANSI Y14.5M 1982

• ASME Y14.5M 1994

• ASME Y14.5M 2009

13
• ISO 1101 1983

13-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Feature Control Frame

Use the Feature Control Frame command to create single, multiple line, and
composite GD&T feature control frames.

13
Composite feature control frame
You can:
• Create feature control frames with or without leaders.

• Attach feature control frames to existing dimensions or align them with

other objects on a drawing sheet.

• Validate the syntax of a feature control frame against a standard.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Feature Control Frame

Drafting Essentials 13-3

 GD&T symbols

Populating the frame

You populate the GD&T frame by selecting specific options and symbols from
lists and typing numerical tolerance values.

13

You can preview the frame as it appears with the cursor in the graphics
window.

13-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Characteristic symbols

The following characteristic symbols are available when you create or edit a
feature control frame:

Straightness Parallelism

Flatness Position

Circularity Concentricity 13
Cylindricity Symmetry

Profile of a Line Circular Runout

Profile of a Surface Total Runout

Angularity Axis Intersection

Perpendicularity

Drafting Essentials 13-5

 GD&T symbols

Tolerance modifier symbols

The following tolerance modifiers are available when you create or edit a
feature control frame:
The tolerance modifiers that appear in the Feature Control Frame
dialog box may depend on the drafting standard selected under
Menu®Tools®Drafting Standard.

Maximum Material
13 Condition
Tangent Plane

Least Material
Independency
Condition
Regardless of Feature
Continuous Feature
Size
Profile Unequally
Statistical
Disposed
Projected Tolerance
Envelope
Zone

Free State

You can also specify Common Zone and Maximum tolerance modifier options
are also available.

13-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Creating composite frames

To create a composite tolerance frame, select Composite Frame from the

Frame Style list. You can apply the tolerance and datum reference options
to the upper or lower frame selected under List.

13

Drafting Essentials 13-7

 GD&T symbols

Placing a feature control frame on a drawing sheet

You can use the Alignment options to associatively position a GD&T symbol
relative to a view, geometry, or other annotation.
For example, you can stack a GD&T symbol below a dimension.

13

As you drag the GD&T symbol on the drawing sheet, you can also use the
right-click shortcut menu to:
• Position the symbol using the Origin Tool.

• Add a new leader.

• Access the Settings dialog box to specify lettering, stacking, and display
properties.

13-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Create a feature control frame with a leader

1. In the Feature Control Frame dialog box, in the Frame group, specify
the GD&T text and symbols.

2. In the Leader group, select the appropriate leader type and style.

3. Select the terminating object for the leader.

13

4. Optional: To create another leader, repeat the previous step.

5. Drag the frame to the desired location.

Drafting Essentials 13-9

 GD&T symbols

Check the syntax of a feature control frame

You can check the syntax of a GD&T symbol against the ISO 1101 1983 or
ANSI Y14.5 1982 standard. This option uses the V:Check software which is
a proprietary product of the Valisys Corporation and is included with the
NX software.
1. In the Feature Control Frame dialog box, in the Frame group, specify the
characteristics, style, tolerances, and datum references.

13 2. In the Text group, from the Category list, select GD&T.

3. From the Standard List list, select the desired standard.

4. Click Validate Frame Syntax .

The option is only available for the ISO 1101 1983 and ANSI Y14.5
1982 standards.

The results are displayed in the Information window.

13-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Activity
In the GD&T symbols section, do the following activity:
• Add positional tolerance annotations to your drawing

13

Drafting Essentials 13-11

 GD&T symbols

Datum Feature Symbol

Use the Datum Feature Symbol command to quickly add simple datum
feature symbols to edges, centerlines, dimension extension lines, and other
GD&T symbols.

13

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Datum Feature Symbol

13-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Create a datum feature symbol

1. Choose Home tab®Datum Feature Symbol .

2. Optional: In the Leader group, select the leader Type you want.

3. Optional: Under Style options for the leader type.

For example, to create a filled datum triangle feature, set the leader Type
to Datum. then set the Arrowhead style to Filled Datum. 13
4. In the Datum Identifier group, in the Letter box, type the datum letter to
include in the symbol.

5. In the graphics window, select the object to attach the symbol and drag
the symbol to the desired location.

Drafting Essentials 13-13

 GD&T symbols

Datum Target
Use the Datum Target command to create a datum target symbol to indicate a
point, line, or area on the part that is specific to a datum.
The datum target symbol is a circle divided into upper and lower halves. The
lower half contains a datum letter and datum target number. For area types
of datum targets, you can place identifiers in the top half of the symbol to
show the target area shape and size.
13

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Datum Target

13-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Appending modifier symbols to dimensions

You can use the Note command to append a GD&T modifier to the end of
a dimension.

13

To access the modifiers in the Note dialog box, in the Text Input group, under
Symbols, select GD&T from the Category list.

When you select a symbol, the control characters are displayed in the Text
Input box.

For example, if you select Insert Continuous Feature , the <&CF> control
characters appear in the Text Input box.

Drafting Essentials 13-15

 GD&T symbols

Activity
In the GD&T symbols section, do the following activity:
• Create standalone GD&T annotations

13

13-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 GD&T symbols

Summary: GD&T symbols

Geometric Tolerancing Symbols, commonly referred to as GD&T symbols, are
often required to complete engineering drawings.
In this lesson you:
• Appended a feature control frame to a dimension.

• Created standalone feature control frames.

• Created datum feature symbols and datum targets.

13

Drafting Essentials 13-17

13
Lesson

14 Surface finish, weld, and

custom symbols

Purpose
There are many types of annotation that help to communicate design and
assembly requirements on the drawing. This lesson teaches you how to create
a few of these types of annotation.
14
Objectives
After you complete this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create surface finish symbols.

• Create weld symbols

• Create master custom symbols and add instances to your drawing.

Drafting Essentials 14-1

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Surface Finish Symbol

Use the Surface Finish Symbol command to create standards-compliant
surface finish symbols on drawings.

14

You can create surface finish symbols:

• With or without leader lines.

• Associated to model geometry such as edges, silhouettes, and section

edges.

• Associated to dimensions and centerlines.

The following standards are supported:

• ANSI/ASME 1996
• ISO 1992
• JIS
• DIN 1992
• ISO 2002
• DIN 2002
• GB 131–93
• ESKD

You can also create finish symbols that are not associated to geometry or
dimensions. They will remain in the same position when you change the
model.

14-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Surface Finish Symbol

14

Drafting Essentials 14-3

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Surface finish symbol types and parameters

You can create the following types of surface finish symbols:

Material Removal Material Removal

Open Required Prohibited

Modifier, Material Modifier, Material

Open, Modifier Removal Required Removal Prohibited

14
Modifier, Material Modifier, Material
Removal Required, All Removal Prohibited, All
Modifier, All Around Around Around

The available symbol types and parameters depend on the selected

surface finish standard.

14-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

You can specify the surface finish symbol type and parameters in the
Attributes group of the dialog box.

14

You can specify the symbol parentheses, orientation, and other settings in the
Settings group.

Drafting Essentials 14-5

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Selecting the surface finish symbol standard

There are two ways to select or verify the standard before you create a
surface finish symbol:
• In the Drafting Preference dialog box, expand the General/Setup node
and select General.

• In the Surface Finish dialog box, in the Settings group, click Settings .

14

14-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Activity
In the Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols section, do the following
activity:
• Create surface finish symbols

14

Drafting Essentials 14-7

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Weld Symbol

Use the Weld Symbol command to create various weld symbols in both
Metric and English parts and drawings. Weld symbols are associative and
relocate when the model changes or is flagged as out-of-date. You can edit
weld symbol properties such as text size, font, scale and arrow dimensions.

14

Weld Symbol Standards

You can create ASME, ISO, DIN, JIS, ESKD and GB standards compliant
weld symbols.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Weld Symbol

14-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Weld symbol types and parameters

In the Weld Symbol dialog box, you can specify parameters for the arrow
side and other side independently.

14

The types of weld symbols displayed in the dialog box depend

on the current drafting standard. To change the available weld
symbols, you must first change the drafting standard using the
Menu→Tools→Drafting Standard command.

Drafting Essentials 14-9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Editing weld symbols

To: Do this:
1. Double-click the symbol.

Edit the contents of a weld symbol. 2. In the Weld Symbol dialog box,
edit any of the text or change
any of the symbol types.
1. Double-click the symbol.

Edit the scale of the weld symbol. 2. In the Settings group, change
the value of the Weld Space
Factor.
14 1. Right-click the symbol and
choose Settings.
Edit the text size, color, font, and
width, or select a standard for the
2. In the Settings dialog box, select
weld symbol.
a node and make the necessary
changes.

14-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Activity
In the Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols section, do the following
activity:
• Create a compound weld symbol

14

Drafting Essentials 14-11

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Custom Symbols
NX provides tools to help you create, manage, and use custom symbols in
your drawings.
You can:
• Create and add unique and company-specific objects to 2D and 3D part
data.

• Store and reuse custom symbols using the Reuse Library.

14

14-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Define a master custom symbol

Use the Define Custom Symbol command to create master custom symbols
that can be reused and shared with other users. You later create an instance
of a master symbol on your drawing.
You can:
• Use objects such as curves, extracted edges, area fill objects, crosshatch
objects, dimensions, and other drafting annotation to define a custom
symbol.

• Add custom symbols to reuse libraries to share with other users or save
them directly in your part file. Other users can access them from folders
in the Reuse Library palette.
14
• Create nested custom symbols by embedding them within other custom
symbols.

Locations for new custom symbol libraries

To manage the custom symbol libraries in a native NX, you can specify the
library locations in the Customer Defaults dialog box under Gateway®Reuse
Library®Symbols Library tab. You must have write access to the locations to
define new custom symbols.
Siemens PLM Software recommends that you do not modify the default
NX custom symbol libraries. You can create company-specific libraries
for your new symbols, or store symbols directly in a part.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Define Custom Symbol

Reuse Library tab®expand Custom Symbol

Library®right-click a library folder®Define Custom
Resource bar Symbol

Drafting Essentials 14-13

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Adding custom symbols to your drawing

Use the Custom Symbol command to add instances of a master custom

symbol to your drawing.
You can:
• Select a master custom symbol from a custom symbol library or directly
from your part.
You create the master symbols using the Define Custom Symbol
command and manage the libraries using the Reuse Library
capabilities.

• Create instances that are associative to the master custom symbol. When
14 the master changes, the instances also change.

• Control the appearance and location of the custom symbol instance when
you add it to your drawing.

• Smash a custom symbol instance to convert it to the constituent objects.

• Include custom symbols in other drafting annotation.

For example, in the Note dialog box, in the Text Input group, under
Symbols, you can select a category to access custom symbol libraries.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Custom Symbol

Reuse Library tab®Member Select

panel®right-click a custom symbol®Insert

Reuse Library tab®Member Select panel®drag

Resource bar and drop symbol onto drawing sheet

14-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Activity
In the Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols section, do the following
activity:
• Create and use a custom symbol

14

Drafting Essentials 14-15

 Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

Summary: Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols

In this lesson you:
• Created surface finish symbols.

• Created weld symbols.

• Created a master custom symbol, and added instances of it to a drawing.

14

14-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

15 Section views

Purpose
This lesson introduces the different types of section lines and section views
and the settings that control their display.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create simple, stepped, revolved, and half section views.

• Edit preferences and settings to control the display of section lines and
section views.
15
• Section a 3D view.

• Section an existing view.

Drafting Essentials 15-1

 Section views

Creating section views

The Section View commands create views in which some of the model
geometry is removed in order to expose internal features that would otherwise
be hidden in the view.

• You create a section view by first constructing a section line symbol in an

existing view. This existing view becomes the parent for the section view.
15
• After you define the section line symbol, you can place the section view on
the drawing sheet. The section view can include associative crosshatching,
a view label, and a scale.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Section View

Shortcut Menu Right–click a view border®Add Section View
Part Navigator Right–click a view node®Add Section View

15-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Section view projection

You can define a hinge line to use as a linear reference to orient the section
view cut position(s) in the parent view.
When you place the section view (2) on the drawing, it is initially projected
perpendicular to the hinge line (1).

15

Once the section view is created, you can move it anywhere on the active
drawing sheet or to another drawing sheet. The associativity to the parent
view is still maintained.

Drafting Essentials 15-3

 Section views

Section line and section view associativity

Hinge line associativity

In simple, stepped, and half section views, the cutting planes are parallel to
the hinge line. You can associate the hinge line to model geometry so that
it updates when you edit the model.
For example, you can define a hinge line by selecting a linear edge of a solid
body. If you edit the solid body, the orientation of the hinge line also changes.

Section line associativity

The section line symbol may consist of cut segments, bend segments, and
arrow segments. You can locate a segment at a cursor location or associate it
to model geometry so that it updates when you edit the model.
For example, you can define a cut segment through the center of a hole. If you
change the location of the hole, the cut segment location also changes.

Deleting a section view

15
A section view is dependent on the section line symbol and the model.
• If you delete the parent view, the section view is also deleted.

• If you delete the section view, the section line symbol being is also removed
from the parent view.

15-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Section view options

When you start to create a section view, the Section View dialog bar is
displayed.

Most of these options are also available in a right-click shortcut menu

which is more convenient to access as you are selecting objects on the
drawing.

Parent group

Base View Lets you select the parent view to contain the
section line.

Hinge Line group

15
Infer Hinge Line Lets you select a cut segment, and infers the
hinge line.
Define Hinge Defines an associative hinge line. Vector
Line options are available to define the direction.
Reverse Reverses the section line arrow direction.
Direction

Section Line group

Add Segment Adds a cut segment to a stepped section view.

Delete Segment Deletes a cut segment.

Move Segment Moves a cut, bend or arrow segment.

Drafting Essentials 15-5

 Section views

Place View and Orientation groups

Available after you select a cut segment.

Place View After you select a cut segment, locates the

view on the drawing.
Orthographic Creates a new orthographic section view.

Inherit Lets you specify the orientation of another

Orientation view.
Section Existing Creates the section in an existing view.
View

Settings group

Hide Component Lets you hide assembly components from the

section view.
Non-sectioned Lets you exclude assembly components from
Component/Solid being sectioned.
15 Section Line Access the settings specific to the section line
Settings symbol display.
Settings Access the common view and crosshatch
settings.

Preview group

Section View Opens a separate window with a 3D view to

Tool dynamically preview the section.
Move View Moves one or more existing views.

15-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Section line symbol preferences

You can specify default settings for section line symbols in the Drafting
Preferences dialog box.

You can specify:

• Whether to create the section line with or without the section view.

• Section line display type.

15

• Color, font, and width of segments.

• Arrowhead style and arrow line sizes.

• Display and location of section view letter on the symbol.

You can specify which letter is used for the section view under
View®Common®View Label

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Location in dialog
box Expand View®Section Line

Drafting Essentials 15-7

 Section views

Section view label preferences

You can specify default settings for the section view label display in the
Drafting Preferences dialog box:

You can specify:

• Whether to position the label below or above the section view.

• View label type (letter or name).

15 • Prefix and letter format.

• Character height.

• Display and location of an optional view scale.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Location in dialog
box Expand View®Section®Label

15-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Create a simple section view

To create a section view with a single cut segment through the entire part
using the default display settings:
1. Right-click the border of the parent view and choose Add Section View.

2. Define and orient the cut position.

3. (Optional) Right-click and choose Lock Alignment.

4. Move the cursor to the desired view location.

5. Click to place the section view on the drawing sheet.

6. Click the middle mouse button or press Esc to close the dialog bar.

15

Drafting Essentials 15-9

 Section views

Create a stepped section view

To create a section view with multiple cut segments using the default display
settings:
1. Right-click the border of the parent view and choose Add Section View.

2. Define and orient the first cut position.

3. (Optional) Right-click and choose Lock Alignment.

4. Right-click and choose Add Segment.

5. Select the next cut position.

6. (Optional) To define additional bend and cut segments, repeat the two
previous steps.

7. (Optional) To move a cut, bend, or arrow segment:

a. Right-click and choose Move Segment.
15
b. Select the segment to move.

c. Drag the segment to a new location.

8. Right-click and choose Place View.

9. Move the cursor to the desired view location.

10. Click to place the section view on the drawing sheet.

11. Click the middle mouse button or press Esc to close the dialog bar.

15-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Activity
In the Section views section, do the following activities:
• Create a simple section view

• Create a stepped section view

15

Drafting Essentials 15-11

 Section views

Revolved section view

You can create section views that are revolved about a common axis of a
cylindrical or conical part. A revolved section view can contain a single
revolved cut plane, or it can contain steps to form multiple cut planes. In
either case, all cut planes are revolved into a common plane.
All cut planes are revolved into a single plane.

15

(1) Rotation point (2) Cut segments

(3) Bend segment

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Revolved Section View

Right-click a view border®Add Revolved Section
Shortcut Menu View
Part Navigator Right-click a view node®Add Revolved Section View

15-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Create a revolved section view

1. Right-click the border of the parent view and choose Add Revolved
Section View.

2. Select the rotation point.

3. Select a cut position to define the first leg.

4. Select a cut position to define the second leg.

5. (Optional) To add another cut segment:

a. Right-click and choose Add Segment.

b. Select the leg to include the new segment.

c. Select the cut segment position.

6. (Optional) To move a cut, bend, or arrow segment:

a. Right-click and choose Move Segment.
15
b. Select the segment to move.

c. Drag the segment to a new location.

7. Right-click and choose Place View.

8. Move the cursor to the desired view location.

9. Click to place the section view on the drawing sheet.

10. Click the middle mouse button or press Esc to close the dialog bar.

Drafting Essentials 15-13

 Section views

Activity
In the Section views section, do the following activity:
• Create a revolved section view

15

15-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Half section view

With the half section view, the section line symbol includes only one arrow
segment, one cut segment (1), and one bend segment (2).

15

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Half Section View

Shortcut Menu Right–click a view border®Add Half Section View
Part Navigator Right–click a view node®Add Half Section View

Drafting Essentials 15-15

 Section views

Create a half section view

To create a half section view using an inferred hinge line:

1. Right-click the border of the parent view and choose Add Half Section
View.

2. Specify the location for the cut segment.

3. Specify the location for the bend segment.

4. Move the cursor to the desired view location.

5. Click to place the section view on the drawing sheet.

6. Click the middle mouse button or press Esc to close the dialog bar.

15

15-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Activity
In the Section views section, do the following activity:
• Create a half section view

15

Drafting Essentials 15-17

 Section views

Section view preferences

You can specify default settings to display the section view background
geometry and crosshatching in the Drafting Preferences dialog box:

Show Background
Create Crosshatch

Show Background
Create Crosshatch

Show Background
15 Create Crosshatch

Show Background
Create Crosshatch

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Location in dialog
box Expand View®Section®Settings

15-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Crosshatch and area fill preferences

You can specify the default parameters for crosshatching and area fill in the
Drafting Preferences dialog box. You can specify:
• Pattern type.

• Crosshatch distance and angle.

• Fill pattern scale and angle.

• Color and width.

The default crosshatch library includes the following patterns:

Iron/General Use Steel Brass/Copper

Rubber/Plastic Refractory Marble/Slate/Glass

15

Lead Aluminum/Magnesium Electrical Winding

Thermal Insulation

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Location in dialog Expand Annotation®Crosshatch/Area
box Fill®Settings

Drafting Essentials 15-19

 Section views

Activity
In the Section views section, do the following activity:
• Define the section view display

• Section a 3D view

15

15-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Section views

Summary: Section views

A section view displays the internal features of a model as if a portion
of it were cut away. When you create a section view, a true child/parent
relationship exists between the section view and its base view.
In this lesson you:
• Created simple, stepped, revolved, half, and 3D section views.

• Edited crosshatching.

• Used a view other than the parent view to define a cut position.

15

Drafting Essentials 15-21

15
Lesson

16 Editing section lines

Purpose
Once section views are created, you may need to update or edit them. This
lesson focuses on editing section lines.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Move section line segments.

• Delete section line segments.

• Redefine a section line symbol.

16

Drafting Essentials 16-1

 Editing section lines

Editing section line segments

Use the Section Line dialog box to re-configure the placement and orientation
of a section line symbol.

16

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Edit Section Line

Shortcut Menu Right–click a section line symbol®Edit

16-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Editing section lines

Section Line options

Add Segment Adds cut segments in a section line symbol. A bend

segment is automatically added.
Delete Segment Removes a cut segment, unless there is only one
remaining cut segment. Bend segments for the
deleted cut segment are automatically removed.
Move Segment Associates a cut, bend, or arrow segment to a different
feature, or to a cursor position.
Move Rotation Point Associates the rotation point of a revolved section
view to a different feature.
Redefine Hinge Line Lets you specify a new hinge line orientation.
You can click Reverse Vector to change the
arrow direction of the hinge line.

Redefine Cut Vector Lets you edit the cut direction of section cuts in
pictorial views.
Redefine Arrow Vector Edits the section line arrow direction of section cuts in
pictorial views.
Cut Angle Modifies the angle of a cut segment in an unfolded
section view. Available when the Add Segment or 16
Move Segment option is selected.
Reset Click Reset to restore the section line symbol to its
state before the current editing session.

Drafting Essentials 16-3

 Editing section lines

Editing section line associativity

When you change a model, it can cause section line symbols to revert to a
retained state. To reassociate a section line segment, use the Move Segment
option inside the Section Line dialog box.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Edit Section Line

Shortcut Menu Right–click the retained section line symbol®Edit
16

16-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Editing section lines

Activity
In the Editing section lines section, do the following activity:
• Edit a stepped section line

16

Drafting Essentials 16-5

 Editing section lines

Editing a hinge line

If you select a model geometry to define a hinge line, the hinge line is
associated to the geometry and automatically updates when you edit the
model.
For example, if you define a hinge line by selecting the centers of two holes,
the hinge line orientation will change when you move one of the holes.

16

16-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Editing section lines

Activity
In the Editing section lines section, do the following activity:
• Define and edit an associative hinge line

16

Drafting Essentials 16-7

 Editing section lines

Summary: Editing section lines

Use Edit Section Line to redefine your section line symbol.
In this lesson you:
• Moved section line segments.

• Deleted section line segments.

• Edited the hinge line of a section view.

16

16-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

17 Maintaining associativity

Purpose
This lesson demonstrates how to edit annotations and associate them to
different model geometry. You can control whether associated annotations are
retained or deleted after editing a model.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Edit drafting annotations and associate them to different model geometry.

• Identify retained annotations that are no longer associated to geometry

after a model is edited.

• Reassociate retained annotations to model geometry.

17

Drafting Essentials 17-1

 Maintaining associativity

Retained Annotations
When you revise a model, you can specify settings in the Drafting Preferences
to retain the annotations associated with deleted geometry so you do not
have to recreate them.
In the following example, a hole is removed from a model and the associated
dimension, section line symbol, and centerline annotations are retained.

You can:
• Specify a different color, font, and width to easily identify the retained
annotations.
17
• Edit the retained annotations to associate them to different objects.

• Delete the retained annotations that are no longer required.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Location in dialog
box Expand General/Setup®Retained Annotations

17-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Maintaining associativity

Editing and deleting retained annotations

You can:
• Double-click a retained annotation (or right-click it and choose Edit) to
access the appropriate dialog box and select new reference objects.
Once the associativity is established, the annotation is displayed with
its original color, font, and width.

• Delete any retained annotation individually just as would delete a normal

annotation.

• Use the Delete Retained Annotations option in Drafting Preferences

to delete all retained annotations except section line symbols.

17

Drafting Essentials 17-3

 Maintaining associativity

Activity
In the Maintaining associativity section, do the following activity:
• Edit associativity to model geometry

• Identify and edit retained annotations

17

17-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Maintaining associativity

Summary: Maintaining associativity

You can use the Retained Annotations option in the Drafting Preferences
to control whether drafting annotations are deleted or retained when the
model is changed.
In this lesson you:
• Identified retained dimensions and other annotations.

• Reassociated annotations with different geometry.

17

Drafting Essentials 17-5

17
Lesson

18 Detail views

Purpose
This lesson focuses on the creation of detail views with circular and
rectangular boundaries.

Objectives
After completing this lesson you will be able to:
• Create a detail view with a rectangular boundary.

• Create a detail view with a circular boundary.

18

Drafting Essentials 18-1

 Detail views

Detail views
A Detail view contains a portion of an existing view. The scale of the detail
view may be adjusted independently of its parent view so that objects shown
in it are more easily seen and annotated. You can create detail views with
either circular or rectangular view boundaries.
Associative view and scale labels can be attached to the detail view as well as
to the detail boundary in the parent view.

Circular and Rectangular Detail Views with label

Detail views are fully associative to their parent views. Any changes made
to model geometry or view dependent edits made to the parent view are
18 immediately reflected in the detail view. Like its parent view, you may need to
update the detail view to clean up the display of hidden and silhouette edges.
If the parent view contains 2D geometry such as sketches or curves,
associative copies of them are placed in the detail view. These objects can only
be edited in the parent view.
When creating a detail view, the view display properties of the detail
are identical to the view display properties of the parent view used to
create the detail. This is true regardless of the detail settings in the
Drafting Preferences dialog box. After a detail view is created, you may
use the Settings dialog box to edit many of the view display properties.

18-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Detail views

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Detail View

Right-click the border of an existing view®Add Detail
Shortcut Menu View
Part Navigator Right–click a view node®Add Detail View

18

Drafting Essentials 18-3

 Detail views

Detail View label options

The Label on Parent option in the Detail View dialog box lets you set the type
of detail view label that appears in the parent view.

Label options are:

None - No boundary or label is displayed in the parent view.

Circle - A circular boundary with no label is displayed in the parent

view.
18

18-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Detail views

Note - A circular boundary Is displayed in the parent view with an

associative label embedded in the boundary. Click and drag the label
to reposition it.

Label - A circular boundary in the parent view with an associative

leader line and label. Once you place the label, use Shift+the left mouse
button to select and drag the label and leader sine around the circular
boundary in the parent view.

18

Drafting Essentials 18-5

 Detail views

Embedded - A circular boundary is displayed in the parent view

with an associative label that is embedded between 2 arrows in a gap
in the boundary . Once you place the embedded label, click and drag to
reposition it.

Boundary - Displays a copy of the view boundary in the parent

view. This can be a rectangle for rectangular detail views, a circle for
circular detail views, or a combination of splines, arcs, and lines for other
break-line detail views.

18

18-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Detail views

Create a detail view

1. Right-click the parent view's border and choose Add Detail View.

2. In the Type group, select a boundary option.

3. Define the view boundary.

4. (Optional) Edit the view style settings.

5. Place the view.

18

Drafting Essentials 18-7

 Detail views

Activity
In the Detail views section, do the following activity:
• Create and edit detail views

18

18-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Detail views

Summary: Detail views

A detail view is a view containing an enlarged portion of an existing view
displayed on the drawing. This lesson focused on the creation of detail views
with circular and rectangular boundaries.
In this lesson you:
• Added circular and rectangular detail views.

18

Drafting Essentials 18-9

18
Lesson

19 View boundaries

Purpose
View boundaries are used to display all or portions of a part in a view. This
lesson focuses on the creation of automatic and manual view bounds, views
bounded by objects, and applying anchor points. It also teaches you how to
use curves created in Drafting to construct user-defined view boundaries.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create curves in a drafting view.

• Create a view that is bounded by objects and apply an anchor point.

• Edit the model to see view boundary updates.

19

Drafting Essentials 19-1

 View boundaries

View Boundary overview

The View Boundary command lets you control the boundary surrounding
the drafting view.
From the View Boundary dialog box you can:
• Specify or edit the view boundary type for specific drafting views.

• Set or reset the drafting view anchor point.

• Control the view boundary association to model geometry.

• Control the boundary curve display on the parent view of a detail view.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

19 Command Finder View Boundary

Graphics window Right–click a view border®Boundary
Part Navigator Right–click on a view node®Boundary

19-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View boundaries

Editing view boundaries

By default, the boundary type for most views is Automatic Rectangle.
Therefore you will not need to manage the size of drafting view boundaries
very often. When NX updates views, the automatic boundaries are checked
and re-sized according to the envelope of the model. However you may
occasionally find it necessary to manually edit the boundary of a view.
The following boundary types are available.
Break Line / Detail The view boundary conforms to the shape of a set of
curves in the view, and is associative. These curves
can be either an open or closed loop of lines, arcs, and
splines. The curves can define an arbitrary shape.
Any part geometry that lies outside of the boundary is
automatically excluded from the view.

When you select the Break Line / Detail option,

you can use the Chain, Deselect Last, and Reset
buttons to assist you with boundary selection. If
the objects you select do not form a closed loop,
NX generates lines to close the boundary.

Manual Rectangle You define the boundary by dragging a rectangle

around the geometry you want in the view.
When you convert an Automatic Rectangle to a
Manual Rectangle, the boundary will not change
after the view is updated. You can use this to exclude
portions of the model geometry you do not want seen
in the view

Use this option to:

• Change the area of an existing detail view.

• Hide unwanted geometry in a projected view.

Automatic Rectangle This is the default boundary type for most drawing
views. This boundary is associative to the envelope of
the model and will automatically re-size itself when
the view is updated so that all of the model geometry
remains visible in the view 19
Bound by Objects This boundary type is defined by selecting model
edges or points in the view. This boundary re-sizes
itself when the view is updated so that the selected
objects remain visible in the view.

Drafting Essentials 19-3

 View boundaries

Creating curves in a drawing view

In some cases, it is necessary to create curves that are used to manually
define the boundary of a view. You can use the sketch environment while
in Drafting to create curves directly on the drawing sheet or within a
drafting view. When associated to the view, the sketch curves are created as
view-dependent curves in the view, and can be associatively constrained to
geometry in the view. When you enter the Drafting application, the sketch
task environment and sketch tools immediately become available.

The sketch task environment remains continuously available while in

the Drafting application and cannot be terminated.

By making a drafting view an active sketch view, you can create view
dependent sketch curves directly inside the view without first expanding it.
In Drafting, the current sketch plane is called the active view. By default,
this is the drawing sheet when you first create a new drawing or a new
sheet. To add curves directly to a drafting view. you must make that view
the Active View.
You can quickly tell what view or drawing sheet is the active sketch
plane by examining the Part Navigator and noting which drawing
object has the (Active) flag next to its name.
19

19-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View boundaries

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting
Right-click the drafting view node®Active Sketch
Part Navigator View
Hold the right mouse button over the view border

Radial toolbar and select®Active Sketch View

Graphics window Right-click a view border®Active Sketch View

19

Drafting Essentials 19-5

 View boundaries

Activity
In the View boundaries section, do the following activity:
• Create a user–defined view boundary

19

19-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View boundaries

Anchor point
A view anchor point fixes a location on the model to a particular location on
the drawing, and anchors the contents of a view to the drawing.
When you edit the model, an anchor point:
• Prevents a view bounded by objects from shifting locations on a drawing.

• Prevents a view with a manual rectangle or a break line detail view from
losing the objects or features you intend it to illustrate.

If you use the Move/Copy View command to move the view to a new position,
the anchor point moves with it.

Automatic anchor points

The point you select when you locate a detail view becomes its anchor point.
To automatically apply anchor points to other drafting view types, set the on
the Create with Automatic Anchor Point option in the Drafting Preferences
dialog box. When you create a base, projected or section view, the center of
the view becomes its anchor point.

19

Drafting Essentials 19-7

 View boundaries

Associative objects in a view

You can create view boundaries around a selected set of model points or edges
by using the Bound by Objects button in the View Boundary dialog box. The
boundary is associative to the objects you select.
When you select Bound by Objects, the following buttons in the View
Boundary dialog box also become available:
• Included Points – Lets you specify points.

• Included Objects – When Included Points is active, click this button

to switch back to selecting edges.

19

19-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View boundaries

Activity
In the View boundaries section, do the following activity:
• Create a view bounded by objects

19

Drafting Essentials 19-9

 View boundaries

Summary: View boundaries

You can set view boundaries to display all or portions of a part on a drawing.
In this lesson you:
• Sketched in a drafting view.

• Created views using the Bounded by Objects option.

• Edited a model and observed its effects on the drawing views.

19

19-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

20 Broken views

Purpose
Use the View Break command to create, modify, and update foreshortened
views.

Unbroken view

Broken view

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create a broken view.

• Create a detail view with a single break.

20
Drafting Essentials 20-1
 Broken views

View Break command

You can use the View Break command to add one or more horizontal or
vertical view breaks. Two types of view breaks are available:
• Regular, where the view break has two break lines representing the
conceptual gap on the drawing.

• Single-sided, where the view break has only one break line. The second
virtual break line is located past the corresponding end of the part and is
not visible.

For the first view break in a view, the direction of the break lines can be
horizontal, vertical, or general. NX sets the default break direction to
horizontal if the geometry is wider than it is high on the sheet, otherwise it
sets it to vertical. You can also specify a vector to set a general direction
for the break line. When you add a new break to a view that already has a
view break, the direction must be either parallel or perpendicular to the
previous breaks.
You can add breaks to the following views:
• Base views

• Projected views

• 2D drawing views.

• Section views with simple or stepped section line, and Break-out section
views.
Sketch curves and associated annotations cannot be added to views
that contain view breaks. For example, if you want to add view
breaks to a Break-out section view, it is recommended that you
create the section view first, before adding view breaks. Or, you
can suppress the view breaks, create the Break-out view, and then
unsuppress the view breaks. Associating drafting annotation to
views with unsuppressed view breaks is not supported.

You cannot add breaks to detail views, perspective views, and legacy
broken views using the View Break command.

20
20-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Broken views

When the parent view (1) already has a view break, NX will automatically
add these breaks to projected views (2) and section views.

The view breaks created in the projected and section views are independent
and you can modify or delete them.
The Propagate View Break customer default controls whether the view
break is propagated to projected and section views.

When a view break is active in a view, you cannot access the following
commands:
• Half Section View

• Revolved Section View

• Boundary

• Active Sketch View

To access these commands you must suppress all view breaks in the view.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder View Break

Graphics window Right-click the view border®Add View Break
Part Navigator Right-click the view node®Add View Break

20
Drafting Essentials 20-3
 Broken views

View breaks in the Part Navigator

As you create a view break, a node for it is placed under its respective view

in the Part Navigator .

Each view break you create is sequentially numbered, beginning with View
Break “1”. The naming sequence repeats itself for each view containing
a break.

20
20-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Broken views

Broken view basic procedures

1. Choose Home tab®View group®View Break .

2. Choose whether to create a single-sided break or a regular break.

3. Select a view.

4. Set the break direction.

5. Specify the location and association of the break lines.

6. Set the break line style.

7. Click OK to create the breaks.

20
Drafting Essentials 20-5
 Broken views

Activities
In the Broken views section, do the following activities:
• Create a view with a single break

• Construct foreshortened views

20
20-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9
 Broken views

Summary: Broken views

You used the View Break command to construct a broken view.
In this lesson you:
• Created two broken view regions in one view.

• Created a view with a single break.

20
Drafting Essentials 20-7
20
 21
Lesson

21 Break-out section views

Purpose
When creating a drawing of a part, oftentimes a designer needs to see the
inside of a part. Break-out section views allow you to see inside a part.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create a break-out section view of a detail part.

• Create a break-out section view of an assembly (optional).

• Create a non-sectioned component of an assembly (optional).

Drafting Essentials 21-1

 Break-out section views

21
What is a break-out section view?
A break-out section view shows the inside of a part within a boundary of
break-out curves.

You can create break-out section views from orthographic or 3 dimensional

views.
The following exceptions apply to break-out section views:
• Only the planar cut faces of a break-out section view are crosshatched.

• You can use sketch curves or basic curves to create the break-out
boundary. However, sketch curves are always applied to the 2D drawing
plane. If your boundary curves need to be created in any other plane, you
must expand the view and create basic curves.

• Splines created by the fit method are not selectable for break-out section
view boundaries. If you want to use splines as boundary curves for a
breakout view, they must be created using Through Points or By Poles.

• Curves used to define the base point cannot be used as boundary curves.

• Rotated views are not selectable as candidates for a break-out section view.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Break-out Section View

21-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Break-out section views

21
Creating a break-out section view

After creating break-out curves in the drafting view:

1. In the Break-Out Section dialog box, select the Create option.

2. Select the view.

3. Define a reference point, called the base point, from which the break-out
curves are swept.

4. (Optional) Specify an extrusion vector.

5. Select the break-out curves.

If the curves are not connected, NX infers connecting lines.

6. (Optional) Modify the boundary curves. This makes the boundary curves
associative to the base point and all of the boundary indicator points.
If you do not associate individual defining points of a break-out
curve with the model, the break-out curves translate with the base
point, but are not associated with the model in any other way.

7. (Optional) Set the Cut Through Model option if you want the break-out
section to extend completely through the model

8. Click Apply or click the middle mouse button.

Drafting Essentials 21-3

 Break-out section views

21
Activities
In the Break-out section views section, do the following activities:
• Break-out section views

• Break-out in an assembly

21-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Break-out section views

21
Summary: Break-out section views
A Break-out section view is a view that allows you to see inside of a part in
only a particular region. This lesson focused on how to create Break-out
section views of master model parts and assemblies and how to display a
particular component of an assembly as non-sectioned.
In this lesson you:
• Created a Break-out section view of a detail part.

• Created a Break-out section view of an assembly.

• Made a component non-sectioned.

Drafting Essentials 21-5

21
Lesson

22 View dependent edits

22

Purpose
Sometimes objects need to be rendered differently from one view to the next.
This lesson teaches you how to edit the display of objects in specific drafting
views.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Perform various view dependent edits.

• Create view dependent erasures.

Drafting Essentials 22-1

 View dependent edits

Manual hidden line editing

As a rule, you can rely on the Hidden Lines options in the Drafting
Preferences dialog box to do most of your hidden edge rendering in a drawing
view. However, since Hidden Lines options affect all hidden edges uniformly,
22 you may not always achieve the results you want. In the case where you need
some hidden lines removed from a view while others are to remain visible,
you will have to resort to view dependent editing.
You can render some hidden edges as dashed and remove other hidden
edges.
Set the hidden line display to a visible font for the view, and then view
dependently erase the unwanted edges.

In the following figure, there are two top views of the same part. Both have
hidden lines displayed with a dashed font. In the view on the right, the
hidden lines of the small counterbored hole have been erased.

22-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View dependent edits

View dependent editing

View dependent editing offers you the flexibility to edit the display of
individual faces or edges in a drafting view without affecting those objects in
any other view.
22
Use the View Dependent Edit command to:
• Edit the display of objects in a selected drafting view without affecting
their appearance in other views.

• Edit objects (such as curves) that exist directly on the drawing sheet.

• Erase objects from drafting views

• Convert objects that are only visible in a drafting view, to being visible
in all model views, and vice versa.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder View Dependent Edit

Shortcut Menu Right–click a view border®View Dependent Edit
Part Navigator Right–click a view node®View Dependent Edit

Drafting Essentials 22-3

 View dependent edits

Add Edits options

In the View Dependent Edit dialog box, under Add Edits, you can change the
color, font, width, and visibility individual objects in a specific view.
22 (1) Erase Objects Erases entire objects.
Erased objects are not deleted. They are
hidden in the member view or drawing
sheet.

(2) Edit Entire Objects Changes the color, font, and width of an object.
(3) Edit Shaded Objects Changes the color and translucency of
individual faces in a fully or partially shaded
drawing view.
(4) Edit Object Segments Edits the color, font and width of an object
segment between selected bounding objects.
(5) Edit Section View Shows or erases section view background
Background curves.

22-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View dependent edits

Delete Edits options

(1) Delete Selected Erasures Shows previously erased objects, and restores
the display of selected objects.
(2) Delete Selected Edits Shows previously view dependently edited 22
objects, and removes selected view-dependent
edits.
(3) Delete All Edits Removes all previous view dependent edits from
a drawing sheet or a member view.
This does not change the hidden line
option for the view.

Drafting Essentials 22-5

 View dependent edits

Wireframe Edits options

The Wireframe Edits group is available when you click Edit Entire Objects
or Edit Object Segments in the Add Edits group.
22 Use the Line Color, Line Font, and Line Width lists color variations to select
new color, font, and width properties, or to specify the original property.

22-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View dependent edits

Shade Edits options

The Shade Edits group becomes available when you click Edit Shaded
Objects.
In a fully or partially shaded view, you can specify: 22
• A face color.

• The percent translucency of a shaded face.

In the following figure, on the left, the translucency of the top face was set
to 50 percent. On the right, the view is partially shaded with only the top
face shaded.

Drafting Essentials 22-7

 View dependent edits

Convert Dependency options

22

(1) Model to View Convert model view objects that appear in all model
views to view dependent objects that appear only in a
single view.
(2) View to Model Convert view dependent objects to model objects.
Objects that can be converted to view dependent include:
• Unreferenced curves

• Points

• Patterns

• Dimensions

• Drafting objects

Objects that cannot be converted to view dependent include:

• Solids

Objects that cannot be converted to model view include:

• Crosshatching

• Area fill

• Section lines

22-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 View dependent edits

Activity
In the View dependent edits section, do the following activity:
• View dependently erase objects
22

Drafting Essentials 22-9

 View dependent edits

Summary: View dependent edits

Sometimes objects need to be rendered differently from one view to the next.
This lesson taught you how to edit the display of objects in specific views.
22 In this lesson you:
• Used the View Dependent Edit dialog box to erase lines in a view.

22-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

23 Part Attributes

Purpose 23
A part attribute is any non–geometric data which you associate with a part,
assembly component, or object within the part. An attribute can appear in a
note, a label, or in a parts list. If the part attribute value changes, the change
is reflected in the annotation containing it.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create part and object attributes.

• Insert attributes into a note.

Drafting Essentials 23-1

 Part Attributes

Attributes
An attribute is structured with the following expression format:
Title/Alias = Value

Where Title/Alias is the attribute ID, and the Value is the information
contained within it.
To create a part attribute, you provide a Title/Alias and a Value, for example:
23 Material = Stainless Steel

Then when you insert the attribute Title/Alias into a note or label, its the
Value appears in the annotation’s text string.
There are two primary categories of attributes:
• System Defined Attributes – Information that NX recognizes and uses.
$COLOR, $FONT, $WIDTH, $NAME, and $LAYER are examples of
system attributes.

• User Defined Attributes – Information that is meaningful to you. User

defined attributes can be:
o Part Attributes — Information that applies to the part, such as data
about who created it, who approved it, or what it costs to purchase
or manufacture it.

o Object Attributes — Information associated with objects in a part,

such as material or manufacturing specifications for a solid body.

23-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Attributes

User defined attributes

User-defined attributes are attributes that you create. These attributes

can be:
• Part attributes
o Part attributes are assigned to the entire part in a part file or to a
component in an assembly.

• Object attributes 23
o Object attributes are assigned to objects within the work part.

• Reference set attributes

You can set standards and automate the use of attributes to:
• Support your company's standard for bills of materials.

• Allow rapid access to information.

• Support other custom file management automation, such as building a

title block on a drawing, or supporting a data management system.

Drafting Essentials 23-3

 Part Attributes

Managing part attributes

You create or edit part attributes from the Attributes tab of the Displayed
Part Properties dialog box for a part, or from the Attributes tab of the
Component Properties dialog box for a component.

23

23-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Attributes

1. Part Attributes list

Displays a list of the current part attributes. Some attributes are
automatically provided with the part file, and do not have assigned values.
Select an attribute from the list to edit it.
2. Cut, Copy and Paste tools
Use these tools to create new attributes, move existing attributes to
different categories, and delete attributes.
3. Category
23
Lets you select the category for the attribute. All attributes that do not
belong to a category are displayed under the <No Category> node in the
Part Attributes list.
4. Title/Alias
Lets you assign or edit the attribute name.
5. Data Type
Lets you select the data type for the attribute.
6. Attribute value options
These options are used to assign the value of the attribute. The options
vary, and are dependent on the selected data type.

Where do I find it?

Displayed part properties:

Command Finder Displayed Part Properties

Menu File→Properties→Attributes tab

Assembly Navigator Right-click the displayed part node®Properties

Component properties:

Command Finder Properties

Menu Edit→Properties select an object®Attributes tab
Right-click a component node in the Assembly
Navigator®Properties→Attributes tab
Right-click a component in the graphics
Shortcut menu window®Properties

Drafting Essentials 23-5

 Part Attributes

Managing object attributes

Object attributes are non-geometric properties associated with a specific

object in a part. The object can be any feature in your part including curves,
sketches, faces, edges, and bodies. Like part attributes, object attributes let
you associate numeric, boolean, date, or string types of data to an object.

23

23-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Attributes

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Properties

Right-click an object in the graphics
window®Properties
Right-click an object node in the Part
Shortcut menu Navigator®Properties

23

Drafting Essentials 23-7

 Part Attributes

Inserting associative control characters into notes and labels

You can insert expressions, attributes, and zone control characters into text
character strings. These associative control characters are evaluated and
replaced with their current value when the note is added to your drawing.
Because they are associative, the note automatically updates when their
value changes.
In the Note dialog box, from the Category list in the Symbols group, select
Relationships. Select one of the following options to add one of these
23 characters to your note:
1. Insert Expression
Inserts an expression value into the text character string. The expression
can either be in the current work part or from an external part.
2. Insert Object Attribute
Inserts the value of an object attribute into the text character string.
3. Insert Part Attribute
Inserts the value of a part attribute into the text character string.
4. Insert Sheet Zone
Inserts associative sheet and zone locations along with view names into
the text character string.

Relationships categories
The text characters inserted into your Text Input box represent the
expression, attribute, or zone.
The displayed text is the value of the expression, attribute, or zone. The note
or label updates automatically if the expression, attribute, or zone changes.

23-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Attributes

Expression

When you click Insert Expression , you can select an expression from a
list .
You can select any expression from the current part, or you can click Link to
Part to select an expressions from another part.

You can change the digits in the Format box to control the minimum digits
before the decimal and the maximal digits following the decimal. 23

Drafting Essentials 23-9

 Part Attributes

Associative text examples

Editor text Displayed text Comments
X specifies a link to an
expression in the current
part.
0.2 specifies a minimum
of zero digits before the
width = <X0.2@width> width = 1.50 decimal, and exactly two
23 digits after the decimal.
@width is the expression
name.
The current value of width
is 1.5.
The current value of
length is 2.875.
A leading zero is added,
length = <X2.2@length> length = 02.87 because the format
specifies two digits. The
decimal is truncated,
because only two digits are
specified.
In another part file named
mypart, the value of
the expression named
distance is 4.125.
Height =
Height = 4.125 Interpart Modeling
<X0.3@”mypart”::distance>
must be on, and the
other part must be
open for the link to
update.
A part attribute in the
current part named
DESIGNER has the value
Designed by Bob.
Designed by Bob
<WRef12345*0@DESIGNER> 125635 is a unique
identifier for the selected
object. The identifier is
managed internally by NX.

23-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Attributes

Editor text Displayed text Comments

An attribute of a selected
object in the current part
or in the master part is
named MATERIAL and
Bushing Material: Bushing Material: has the value Nylon.
<WRef12345*0@MATERIAL> Nylon
125635 is a unique
identifier for the selected
object. The identifier is
managed internally by NX. 23

Drafting Essentials 23-11

 Part Attributes

Activities
In the Part attributes section, do the following activities:
• Create part attributes

• Insert a part attribute into a note

• Insert an object attribute into a note

23

23-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Part Attributes

Summary: Part Attributes

Attributes are pieces of non-geometric information associated with geometry
and part files. The use of attributes can be standardized and automated to
allow rapid understanding of the contents of a part file. This lesson focused
on the creation of part attributes and inserting them into a note.
In this lesson you:
• Created part attributes.

• Created notes that referenced specific part and object attributes.

23

Drafting Essentials 23-13

23
Lesson

24 Parts lists

Purpose
This lesson introduces you to the basic concepts of structuring and managing
an automated parts list.

Objectives
24
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create attributes for use in a parts list.

• Create a parts list, and then edit its structure.

• Add a table palette to the Resource bar and import a parts list template
from it.

• Add Auto Balloons to an assembly view on the drawing sheet.

• Edit the levels of a parts list.

Drafting Essentials 24-1

 Parts lists

Parts list
A parts list is a specialized type of table which derives its content directly
from the components listed in the Assembly Navigator. A parts list provides
an easy way for you to create a tabulated bill of material for your assembly
drawing. Since a parts list is a unique form of tabular note, the interactions
used to manage the contents of a tabular note are also used to manage the
contents of a parts list.
The information in a parts list is specified by attributes associated with
component parts, component objects, or reference sets in the assembly.

24

1. Each row represents a component in the assembly.

2. Each column displays the values of a specific attribute for that component.

3. The column headers display the names that correspond to the titles of
attributes.

Once you place a parts list on a drawing, you can edit, arrange and sort its
contents using:
• The Home tab®Table group.

• The Menu®Edit®Table options.

• The on-screen input box or shortcut menu.

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Parts List

24-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

The Table group

The Table group contains many of the same commands found under
Menu®Insert→Table or Menu®Edit→Table.

Table group
1. Tabular Note
Creates a table of information.
24
2. Parts List
Creates an assembly bill of material.

3. Auto Balloon
Creates associative balloon callouts for the selected parts list.

4. More gallery
Contains edit and style options for tables and parts lists.

5. Add or Remove Buttons

Manually adds or removes buttons in the Table group.

Drafting Essentials 24-3

 Parts lists

Attributes
An attribute is specific non-geometric information associated with a
component, part file, or object within a part file and is defined by the following
expression:
Title/Alias = Value

Where Title/Alias is the attribute ID, and the Value is the information
contained within it.
To create a part attribute, you provide a Title/Alias and a Value, for example:
Size = 4 x 4 x 28

24 Then when you insert the attribute into a parts list, you select it by its
Title/Alias, and the parts list displays the attribute’s Value for all occurrences
of that attribute in the assembly.
You can override the values of the part attributes of components in
a parts list:
• If you apply a parts list attribute to a component entity, the value in
the component entity overrides the value in the part attribute.

• If you apply a parts list attribute to a reference set, that value

overrides the values for both the component entity and the part.

24-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Parts lists and attributes

Attribute values are displayed in columns, one column for each attribute
you specify. Each row contains the values of the assigned attributes for one
unique part in the assembly.
When you create part attributes, it is important to remember that in order for
an attribute value to appear inside a parts list, its title must exactly match
the attribute’s Title/Alias specified for the parts list column.
For component abc, you create the part attribute SIZE = 4 x 4 x 28.
In the assembly parts list, you insert a new column, and then assign
the SIZE attribute to it.
In the SIZE cell for component abc, 4 x 4 x 28 appears.
24
Parts lists may include:
• System attributes — $NAME, $MASS, $VOLUME, and so on. For more
information, see the online Help for parts list attributes.

• User attributes — Any valid title and value combination that you assign,
for example size, material, manufacturer, and so on.

• Callouts — A list of numbers or letters that is generated automatically.

For instructions on manually overriding callouts, see the online Help for
parts list columns options.

• Quantity — An automatically generated count of occurrences of the

unique part that corresponds to the row.

Drafting Essentials 24-5

 Parts lists

Assigning attributes

Displayed part
1. Choose File tab®Properties.

2. In the Displayed Part Properties dialog box, click the Attributes tab.

3. Type a title in the Title/Alias box and a text value in the Value box.

4. Press Enter to store the new attribute in the part.

Component object
1. Right-click the part node in the Assembly Navigator and choose
24 Properties.

2. In the Component Properties dialog box, click the Attributes tab.

3. Type a title in the Title/Alias box and a text value in the Value box.

4. Press Enter to store the new attribute in the component object in the
displayed assembly part.

Reference set
1. Make the component the displayed part.

2. Make sure you are in the Assemblies application.

3. Choose Assemblies tab®More gallery®Other group®Reference Sets.

4. In the Reference Sets in Work Part dialog box, select a reference set.

5. Click Properties .

6. Type a title in the Title/Alias box and a text value in the Value box.

7. Press Enter to store the new attribute for the selected reference set.

24-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Activity
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Create part attributes for a parts list

24

Drafting Essentials 24-7

 Parts lists

Structuring the parts list

When you insert a new parts list onto a drawing sheet, three default columns
appear in it:

24 • Callout (PC NO)

• Part Name (PART NAME)

• Quantity (QTY)

These columns are automatically populated with attribute data.

After you place a new parts list on your drawing, you usually tailor it to meet
your needs by inserting additional columns or rows, and then assigning
attributes to them.

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Insert Row/Column

Right-click a parts list column or row®Insert®choose
Graphics window a position

24-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Activities
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Place a generic parts list

• Insert columns into the parts list

• Assign attributes to columns

24

Drafting Essentials 24-9

 Parts lists

Sorting a parts list

The Sort command organizes your parts list according to one or more
attributes in it.

24

Each entry in the Sort dialog box represents a column in the parts list. To
sort the list, select one or more column check boxes. Sorting priority occurs
from top to bottom. To edit the column’s priority, highlight its row, and then
click the up or down arrow to move it.
Sorting occurs alphanumerically. To switch between ascending or descending

alphanumeric order, highlight a column’s text, and then click .

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Sort

Graphics window Right-click a Parts List Section®Sort
Part Navigator Right-click the Parts List Section node®Sort

24-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Activity
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Sort a parts list

24

Drafting Essentials 24-11

 Parts lists

Exporting the parts list

24

The Export command allows you to print and save parts list data. You can
specify various output locations:
• Information Window — After you display data in the Information window,
you can print the data or save it to a file.

• File — Save the data in a tabular format to a text file.

• Browser — Save the data to an HTML file in your temp folder.

The Format option allows you to specify:

• Spaces between columns

• Commas between columns

• Tabs between columns

If you intend to import the parts list data into a spreadsheet, use
commas or tabs between columns.

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Export

Graphics window Right-click the Parts List Section®Export
Part Navigator Right-click the Parts List Section node®Export

24-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Activity
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Print and save parts list data

24

Drafting Essentials 24-13

 Parts lists

Saving the parts list template

The Save As Template command creates a reusable parts list template based
on the current structure of a parts list you select.

UGII_TABLE_TEMPLATES
The UGII_TABLE_TEMPLATES environment variable defines where the
Save As Template command saves parts list templates on your operating
system. This variable points to a folder or directory named table_files in
the NX root directory.
The table_files folder contains a number of sample template files and a .pax
file that can be added to your Resource bar.
24
Where do I find it?

Command Finder Save As Template

Menu Edit®Table®Save As Template
Graphics window Right-click the Parts List Section®Save As Template
Right-click the Parts List Section node®Save As
Part Navigator Template

24-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Creating a custom template

1. Create and customize a parts list.

2. Create a table_files folder.

3. Place a writable copy of the tables pax file in that folder.

4. Edit the UGII_TABLE_TEMPLATES environment variable to point to

your table_files folder.
UGII_TABLE_TEMPLATES = D:/my_dir/table_files/

5. You must then exit and restart NX to set the default for all NX sessions.
24
6. Right-click a customized parts list and choose Save As Template.
When you save a template:

• The saved template file is placed into the D:/my_dir/table_files/

folder.

• The pax file is updated to include the new entry.

Drafting Essentials 24-15

 Parts lists

Adding a palette to the Resource bar

You can drag a parts list template from the Resource bar onto your drawing
sheet. The resulting parts list reflects the setting preferences of the template
you selected.
To add a tables palette to your Resource bar:
1. Choose File tab®Preferences group®All Preferences→Palettes.

2. Click Open Palette .

3. Click Browse.

4. In the File Name box, type the path defined by the

24 UGII_TABLE_TEMPLATES variable.

5. From the content list of the table_files folder, select the .pax file and click
OK.

6. In the Open Palette dialog box, click OK.

A new entry appears in the palettes list for the pax file you selected.

7. Click Close.

To select a template from the Resource bar:

1. On the Resource bar, click the Tables tab.

2. Select a template from the palette, and then place it on the current
drawing sheet.

24-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Activities
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Import a parts list template

24

Drafting Essentials 24-17

 Parts lists

Auto balloons
Auto balloons populate one or more drawing views with associative
Identification symbols. The text in the Identification symbols echoes the
Callout values in the PC NO column.

24

24-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Applying and managing auto balloons

The auto balloon command creates symbols for all assembly components that
are visible in the view at the time the symbols are created. Symbols are
created or deleted as you add or remove components from your assembly, or
whenever you edit the parts list levels. If you add a new component to an
invisible layer in the assembly that later becomes visible in a view, a new auto
balloon is created for that component when you update the parts list.
When you auto balloon a single view drawing sheet, the balloons are
automatically applied to that view. For multi-view drawings, you must select
one or more views on the active drawing sheet. The first view you select
contains the primary callouts. Secondary callouts are assigned to subsequent
views, and are appended with reference text. The preferences in the Parts
Lists node of the dialog box govern the Identification symbol type used.
Reference text is specified in the Reference Symbol Text box. 24
When you apply auto balloons to a view, some of them may overlap. You can
drag overlapping auto balloons to new positions on the drawing sheet.
To move an auto balloon’s leader, right-click the symbol leader and choose
Edit. In the Leader group, click Select Terminating Object. Select the new
object in the view to attach the leader.
Moving an auto balloon or editing its leader does not affect the symbol's
associativity to its parts list callout attribute.

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Auto Balloon

Graphics window Right-click the Parts List Section®Auto Balloon
Right-click the Parts List Section node®Auto
Part Navigator Balloon

Drafting Essentials 24-19

 Parts lists

Activity
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Add auto balloons to a drafting view

24

24-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Parts list levels

The Parts List Levels command lets you select a component's solids, curves,
or views that you want to add or remove from the parts list. From the
Assembly Navigator, you can select any component or subassembly to specify
where the leveling is to occur.

Where do I find it?

Command Finder Parts List Levels

Menu Format®Parts List Levels
Graphics window Right-click the Parts List Section®Edit Levels
Part Navigator Right-click the Parts List Section node®Edit Levels
24

Drafting Essentials 24-21

 Parts lists

The Edit Levels dialog bar

1. Select/Deselect Subassemblies
Selects or deselects individual components or entire subassemblies.

2. Master Model
Prevents the immediate child component of the part containing the parts
list from appearing in the parts list.
24 Use this option to keep master models from appearing in parts lists.

3. Top Level Only

Only the top level immediate components of the part containing the parts
list are displayed in the parts list.

4. Leaves Only
Allows only components that have no child components to be displayed
in the parts list.

24-22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Parts lists

Activity
In the Parts lists section, do the following activity:
• Edit parts list levels

24

Drafting Essentials 24-23

 Parts lists

Summary: Parts lists

Part attributes are the basic building blocks of a parts list. When you apply
meaningful attribute data to an assembly piece part, it is easy to generate,
manage, and update the attribute data in the parts list.
In this lesson you:
• Added part attributes to a file.

• Created a parts list based on existing part attributes.

• Edited, arranged, and sorted a parts list.

• Added a table palette to the resource bar and imported a parts list
template from it.
24
• Added auto balloon callouts to an assembly view on the drawing sheet.

• Edited the levels of a parts list.

24-24 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Lesson

25 Sectioning assembly views

Purpose
Not only are single parts sectioned on drawings, but assemblies of parts also
need to have section views to expose internal details or components.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create a section view of an assembly.

• Edit the crosshatching of an assembly section view. 25

• Show one of the assembly components in a non-sectioned state.

Drafting Essentials 25-1

 Sectioning assembly views

Assembly drawings
Like piece parts, you can add views of an assembly to a non-master assembly
drawing part, project additional views from these views, and create detail
and section views.

Sectioning views in assembly drawings

When you section an assembly, each sectioned component has its own
crosshatch symbol. This helps you to visually separate the components in the
section view. After you create a section view, you can edit the appearance of
the crosshatch symbol for each component.

25

25-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Sectioning assembly views

Assembly crosshatching
The crosshatching on adjacent components at varying angles is controlled by
the Display Assembly Crosshatch option in the Drafting Preferences dialog
box.
Select Assembly Crosshatching to vary the crosshatching angle for each
adjacent component in an assembly section view.

Clear the Assembly Crosshatching check box to use the same crosshatching
angle for all solids or components in an assembly section view.
25

Drafting Essentials 25-3

 Sectioning assembly views

Non-sectioned Component/Solid

Use the Non-sectioned Component/Solid command during the creation

of an assembly section view to make the component appear non-sectioned
once the section view is displayed.

25

1. Fasteners shown sectioned

2. Fasteners shown non-sectioned

Where do I find it?

The Non-sectioned Component/Solid command is located in the Settings

group of the Section View, Half Section View, Revolved Section View, Folded
Section View, and Unfolded Point to Point Section View dialog bars.

25-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Sectioning assembly views

Add sectioning properties to an existing view

Use Section in View command to change the sectioning property

(sectioned or non-sectioned) of assembly components or solid bodies within an
existing view on the drawing sheet.
You can control the sectioning of individual components or solids within
different views in the drawing. You can also specify individual occurrences of
a component to have either sectioned or non-sectioned properties.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Section in View

25

Drafting Essentials 25-5

 Sectioning assembly views

Activity
In the Sectioning assembly views section, do the following activity:
• Section assembly views

25

25-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Sectioning assembly views

Summary: Sectioning assembly views

This lesson covered view display options for assemblies and creating assembly
section views and editing crosshatching.
In this lesson you:
• Created a simple section view of an assembly.

• Edited the resulting crosshatching in the section view by changing its

angle and style.

• Made one of the components in the section view non–sectioned.

25

Drafting Essentials 25-7

25
Lesson

26 Exploded views

Purpose
Exploded views are pictorial views that depict the various components of an
assembly in separate disassembled positions, but aligned to each other in
order to imply their order and direction of reassembly.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create exploded views of assemblies.

• Add tracelines to exploded views.

26

Drafting Essentials 26-1

 Exploded views

Exploded views
You can create exploded views to show components or groups of components
at a distance from their assembled positions.
Exploded views are widely used in illustrations for the design, manufacturing,
sales, and service industries.
When you create an explosion in an existing view, the components in
the assembly are not actually moved in model space.

26

26-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Exploded views

Editing exploded views

You can select components for the exploded views options:
• From the graphics window.

• From the Assembly Navigator.

• By other common methods such as dragging a rectangle.

Use drag handles to explode a component.

(1) Vertex Handle Drags the component in any direction.
(2) Axis Handle Drags the component along an axis.
When you select an axis handle, the Distance
and Snap Increment on-screen input boxes are
available.

(3) Rotation Handle Rotates the component.

When you select an axis handle, the Angle
and Snap Angle on-screen input boxes are
available.

26

Drafting Essentials 26-3

 Exploded views

General information about exploded views

• Explosions are saved with the display part as view-independent, named

objects.

• Creating exploded views is an assembly level operation.

• Bodies within a single component file may not be exploded independently.

• You can explode individual components or subassemblies.

• You can produce multiple exploded images from a single "base" or parent
view.

• You can only place one exploded view at a time on the drawing.

• To create additional explosions in the same parent view, you must

suppress the display of the current explosion.

• After you add an exploded view to a drawing, you can hide individual
components.

• After you add an exploded view to a drawing, you can edit the parameters
used to create it.

26 • You can change the explosion distance and the explosion direction of
individual components or subassemblies.

• The Undo command is available when you create and edit exploded views.

• You can delete explosions without affecting the parent view.

26-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Exploded views

Activity
In the Exploded views section, do the following activity:
• Create exploded views

26

Drafting Essentials 26-5

 Exploded views

Tracelines
Use the Tracelines command to create lines that illustrate a path that an
exploded component would follow during assembly or disassembly. Tracelines
can be displayed only in the explosion where they are created.

You can import exploded views and the tracelines they contain into drawings.
You must display a Modeling view to create tracelines.

Where do I find it?

26 Application Assemblies

Command Finder Tracelines

26-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Exploded views

Controlling the display of Tracelines

Use the options on the Tracelines node in the Drafting Preferences dialog
box and the Settings dialog box to set the color, font, and width of visible and
hidden traceline segments in an exploded view.
When the Hidden Lines traceline font is Invisible, you can also specify the
gap between tracelines and adjacent components.

Where do I find it?

To set the default display for tracelines
26
Command Finder Drafting Preferences
Drafting Preferences dialog box:
View®Common®Tracelines
Location in dialog
box Settings dialog box: Common®Tracelines

To change the display of existing tracelines

Graphics window Right-click a drafting view border and choose Settings

Part Navigator Right-click the drawing view node and choose Settings
Location in dialog
box Common®Tracelines

Drafting Essentials 26-7

 Exploded views

Creating tracelines

Use the Tracelines command to add tracelines to your exploded views. You
can:
• Define a traceline's start point, vector direction and end point in an
exploded view.

• Edit the traceline routing.

• Edit the color, font and width of a traceline.

• Edit the exploded view and examine the associative behavior of the
traceline.

26

26-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Exploded views

Activity
In the Exploded views section, do the following activity:
• Add tracelines to an exploded view

26

Drafting Essentials 26-9

 Exploded views

Summary: Exploded views

Exploded views are pictorial representations of assemblies in which the
individual components or groups of components are moved from their
positions in the assembly, but aligned for reassembly.
In this lesson you:
• Created several exploded views using the default name or entering your
own name.

• Added exploded views to a drawing sheet.

• Moved components in an exploded view by entering distance values.

• Edited an exploded view by dragging components with the dynamic CSYS.

• Inserted tracelines in the exploded views.

26

26-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Appendix

A Ordinate dimensions

Purpose
This lesson instructs you on creating and editing ordinate dimensions.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Generate an ordinate dimension set.

• Define an ordinate origin.

• Add ordinate dimensions to the set.

• Create margins.

• Add and edit jogs.

• Modify ordinate dimension settings.

Drafting Essentials A-1

 Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate dimensions
An ordinate dimension measures the linear distance from a common origin
point to an object in the view. An ordinate dimension is typically comprised
of dimension text and a single extension line and can be displayed with or
without dimension lines.

With dimension lines Without dimension lines

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

A Command Finder Ordinate Dimension

A-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate dimension set

This figure illustrates all of the elements which typically comprise an array
of ordinate dimensions. The ordinate origin, name, baselines, margins, and
associated dimensions are collectively referred to as an ordinate dimension
set.
1. Ordinate origin
The common start point for all of the ordinate dimensions.

2. Ordinate set name

Identifies the ordinate set on the drawing sheet.

3. Baseline
Points in the X direction of measurement from the origin.

4. Perpendicular Baseline
Points in the Y direction of measurement from the origin. A
5. Margins
Align the dimensions with each other.

6. Ordinate Dimension (with jog)

Measures the distance from the ordinate origin to an object in the view.

Drafting Essentials A-3

 Ordinate dimensions

You can place multiple ordinate dimension sets on a single drawing sheet
or even within a single view.
When you create an ordinate dimension set, you should confine all of its
elements to a single view. Placing an ordinate origin in one view and its
margins or dimensions in another view can lead to undesirable results. For
example, ordinate dimensions associated with multiple views do not move,
copy, or export.
As a rule, you create ordinate dimension sets on the drawing sheet just like
any other dimension. You can create them in an expanded drafting view, but
if you do that, you must also perform any associative edits to the set within
the expanded view.

A-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate origin
The ordinate origin serves as the common reference point for a hole table or
ordinate dimension set and has a default value of zero. When you define the
ordinate origin in a view, you must associate it with a feature on the model.

You can utilize any of the available snap point or Point Dialog options while
placing the origin. You can also place an ordinate origin on any of the
following centerline symbols:
• Center Marks

• 2D and 3D Centerlines

• Bolt Circles (at their control points) A

• Offset Center Points

• Intersection Symbols

Drafting Essentials A-5

 Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate origin associativity

When you place the ordinate origin on point geometry or on an associative
centerline symbol, the origin becomes associated with the point and moves
whenever the point is moved. For example, if you place the ordinate origin on
an arc center or on its centerline symbol and then the arc is later moved, the
origin moves with the arc center and all of the ordinate dimensions associated
with it update accordingly.

A-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Moving (redefining) an Ordinate Origin

To move an ordinate origin:

1. Double-click a dimension in the set to open the Ordinate Dimension
dialog box in the edit mode.

2. In the References group, click Select Origin .

3. Select the new origin point.

Drafting Essentials A-7

 Ordinate dimensions

4. Click Close.

The origin moves and all of the dimension values are recalculated from
the new origin.

Alternate method:
1. Double-click a dimension in the set to open the Ordinate Dimension
dialog box in the edit mode.

A-8 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

2. With the cursor over the origin access handle, right-click and choose
Point Constructor.

3. Select the new origin point.

Drafting Essentials A-9

 Ordinate dimensions

4. Click OK.

5. Click Close.

A
The origin moves and all of the dimension values are recalculated from it.

A-10 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate set name

NX names each ordinate dimension set as you create it and displays the name
at the ordinate origin. You can set the name style to:
• None
No name or symbol appears at the ordinate origin.

• Ordinate set name

The default name appears at the ordinate origin, starting with
ORDINATE1, ORDINATE2, and so on.

• User Defined
Lets you replace the default name with simple text or open the Text
dialog box to place a symbol at the ordinate origin.

Ordinate set name displayed with a User Defined symbol

Where do I find it?

A
Setting the style for all new ordinate set names

Application Drafting

Command Finder Drafting Preferences

Location in dialog Dimension node®Ordinate node®Origin Symbol
box group®Display Name Style

To change the settings of an existing ordinate set name:

Application Drafting
Graphics window Right-click an ordinate set name®Settings
Location in dialog Ordinate node®Origin Symbol group®Display Name
box Style

Drafting Essentials A-11

 Ordinate dimensions

Renaming an Ordinate Dimension Set

There are a couple of ways to rename an Ordinate Dimension Set.

You can:
1. Double-click the Ordinate Dimension Set name in the view to open the
Ordinate-Origin Dimension Properties dialog box.

2. On the General tab, type a new name into the Name box, and click OK.
This entry is not case-sensitive.

3. Update the view to see the new name.

You can also use the Settings dialog box to rename the set:
1. Right-click the origin name in the view and choose Settings.

2. In the Settings dialog box, select the Ordinate node, and then from the
Display Name Style list, select User Defined.

3. In the Display Name Style box, type the new name.

This entry is case-sensitive.

4. Click Close.
The new name appears in the view.

A-12 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Redisplaying an Ordinate Dimension Set name

If the origin Display Name Style has been set to None, do the following to
redisplay it:
1. Right-click one of the ordinate dimensions in the set and choose Edit.

Double-clicking the dimension works too.

Drafting Essentials A-13

 Ordinate dimensions

2. Select the Ordinate Origin access handle (1) and then click Ordinate
Origin Settings (2).

3. On the Ordinate page, from the Display Name Style list, select either
Ordinate Set Name or User Defined.

4. If you select User Defined, you must type a new name or select a symbol.

5. Click Close.

6. Close the Ordinate Dimension dialog box.

A-14 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Baselines
When you select an ordinate origin, two intersecting baselines appear at the
origin point and divide the view into quadrants. The baselines determine an
ordinate dimension’s orientation and direction of measurement in the view.

Drafting Essentials A-15

 Ordinate dimensions

Baseline orientation
By default, the first baseline orients itself parallel to the bottom edge of the
drawing border. The subsequent baseline orients itself perpendicular to the
first base line. You can accept the default baseline orientations or reorient
the primary baseline using any one of the available vector methods. The
second baseline always adjusts itself to maintain a 90 degree relationship
with the first baseline.

Default baseline orientation Baseline parallel to a model edge

A-16 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Active baselines
NX creates ordinate dimensions perpendicular to active baselines. An active
baseline is denoted by its blue color. If only one baseline is active, then
dimensions are created only from that baseline. If both baselines are active,
then ordinate dimensions are created in both directions.

Activate Baseline Activate Baseline

Activate Perpendicular Activate Perpendicular

Activate Baseline
Activate Perpendicular

Drafting Essentials A-17

 Ordinate dimensions

Positive Direction
Baseline arrows indicate the positive X and Y direction of measurement in
the view.

The Positive Direction setting lets you define the direction of positive
measurement from the ordinate origin.
By default, the Positive Direction is set to All, making the dimensions in
all four quadrants positive.
A

Positive Direction = All

A-18 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

User-Defined Positive Direction

If only one quadrant is to be positive, select User-Defined from the Positive

Direction list.

Positive Direction = User Defined

With User-Defined, only two baseline arrows appear in the view, pointing
towards the positive X and Y direction of measurement.

Reversing the positive baseline direction

To reverse a baseline’s positive direction, right-click the baseline directly in

the view and choose either:
• Reverse Baseline Direction

Or:
• Reverse Perpendicular Direction A
Also, from the Ordinate Dimension dialog box, you can click Reverse
Direction for either baseline.

Where Do I Find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Drafting Preferences

Dimension→Ordinate node®Set group®Positive
Direction list

Location in dialog Settings ®Ordinate node Set group®Positive

box Direction list

Drafting Essentials A-19

 Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate margins
Every ordinate dimension set has its own set of linear margins. NX aligns all
of the ordinate dimensions in the set to its margins, with the dimension text
on the side of the margin opposite the view's center.

You can specify up to a total of 32 margins per ordinate dimension set.

Inferred margins
You can quickly infer margins as you place ordinate dimensions. When you
create a dimension using the Single Dimension type, as you select an object
to dimension, a preview of the dimension and its margin appears at your
cursor. The margin is perpendicular to the active baseline.
A

A-20 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

You can drag the dimension and its margin anywhere on the drawing sheet.

When you place the dimension the margin becomes hidden but is still active
and can be used to align other dimensions.

Drafting Essentials A-21

 Ordinate dimensions

You can drag a subsequent dimension and its margin to a suitable location
on the drawing sheet or manually align it with the margin of an existing
dimension.

Likewise you can utilize an inferred margin for automatic dimension

alignment if you select the Place Automatically check box before you make
another object selection.

With Place Automatically selected, as you select the next object to

be dimensioned, the new dimension aligns itself with the margin of the
previously created dimension.

A-22 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Defining margins for ordinate dimensions

An alternative to inferring margins is to manually create them before placing

ordinate dimensions on the view.

The Define Margins option lets you manually create and orient margins.
As with inferred margins, you can create manual margins perpendicular to
the active baseline(s). You can also create margins parallel to linear part
edges, or through two model points, or at specified angles on the drawing
sheet.
User-defined margins are optional for Single Dimension types but must be
used for Multiple Dimensions.

Margin origin
You define margins by first specifying a point in the view as the margin
origin. This point is used to calculate the margin offset distances and can be
placed independently of the ordinate origin.

1. Ordinate origin and active baselines

2. Margin origin

3. Margins

Drafting Essentials A-23

 Ordinate dimensions

You can have multiple margin origins in any one ordinate dimension set, each
with its own set of parallel offset margins.

1. First margin origin

2. Second margin origin

3. Margins

A-24 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Margin settings
Margins are created according to whichever baselines are active at the time
you select Define Margins. The values you specify in the Settings group
determine the number of margins created and their offset distances from
the margin origin.

Margin origin (1)

First Offset = 40
Spacing = 10
Number of Margins = 2

Drafting Essentials A-25

 Ordinate dimensions

Active and inactive margins

When you use the Single Dimension method, NX allows only one active
margin per baseline at any one time.

1. Active margins
Appear as solid lines. They are used to align ordinate dimensions.

2. Inactive margins
Appear as dotted lines. They are not used to align ordinate dimensions.

A-26 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Place Automatically option

When the Place Automatically check box is selected, ordinate dimensions

align themselves to the active margins.

To make another margin active, right-click it and choose Activate Margin.

The previously active margin becomes inactive.
When using the Multiple Dimensions type, all margins in the ordinate
dimension set become active with the dimensions aligning themselves to
the nearest available margin.

Drafting Essentials A-27

 Ordinate dimensions

Where Do I Find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Ordinate Dimension

Location in dialog
box Margins group®Define Margins

A-28 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Adding a dimension to an ordinate set

To add a dimension to an existing Ordinate Dimension Set:

1. Choose Home tab®Dimension group®Ordinate .

2. Select the ordinate set name or origin symbol in the view.

If the name display is set to None, you can still select the origin
handle to activate the ordinate dimension set.

3. In the Baseline group, activate whichever baselines you need. A

4. With the Select Object row active, select an object in the view to
dimension.

Drafting Essentials A-29

 Ordinate dimensions

5. Drag the new dimension(s) to an available margin or to a new one. You

can also use the Place Automatically option.

6. Click Close.

A-30 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Deleting an ordinate dimension

To delete an ordinate dimension:
1. Right-click the dimension and choose Delete.
You do not need to activate its Ordinate Dimension Set first to do this.

To delete an Ordinate Dimension Set and all of its member objects, right-click
the ordinate set name or origin symbol on the drawing sheet and choose
Delete.
If the origin Display Name Style is set to None, it must be made visible
before you can select it. See Redisplaying an Ordinate Dimension Set
name.

Drafting Essentials A-31

 Ordinate dimensions

Adding, editing, and removing a jog

Extension lines connect the ordinate dimension to an object in the view.
Extension lines can either be straight or have a jog.
1. Extension line with jog

2. Extension line without jog

The default setting for jog creation is Infer. When you create ordinate
dimensions using the Multiple Dimensions type, Infer adds jogs to extension
lines as needed.

A-32 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Adding a jog
To add a jog to an extension line:
1. Right-click an extension line with no jog on it and choose Settings.

2. In the Settings dialog box, select the Jog node.

3. In the Format group, from the Style list, select Yes.

4. Click Close.
A jog is added to the extension line according to the parameters in the
Format group.

On-screen method:
1. Double-click the dimension to which you want to add a jog.

2. Click the Extension Line access handle.

3. From the on-screen style list, select Yes .

4. Click Close.

5. Drag the dimension to a new position to see its jog.

Drafting Essentials A-33

 Ordinate dimensions

Editing a jog
The are several methods available for editing a jog:
• Drag the dimension along its margin:

The jog stretches as you drag the dimension.

To move a jog or edits its angle
1. Double-click the extension line with the jog.

2. Click the Extension Line access handle.

A
Three handles appear on the jog. Drag either the Jog Start or Jog End
handle to alter the angle of the jog.

You can also type numeric values into their on-screen input boxes.
However the value of the Jog End handle cannot exceed the value
of the Jog Start handle.

A-34 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Drag the Jog Mid handle to move the jog parallel to the extension line.

Drafting Essentials A-35

 Ordinate dimensions

Removing a jog
To remove an existing jog from an extension line:
1. Right-click the extension line with a jog and choose Settings.

2. In the Settings dialog box, select the Jog node.

3. In the Format group, from the Style list, select No.

4. Click Close.

On-screen method:
1. Double-click the dimension from which you want to remove a jog.

2. Click the Extension Line access handle and from the Style list, select
No .

3. Click Close.

A-36 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Ordinate dimensions

Activities
In the Ordinate Dimensions section, do the following activities:
• Create and edit an ordinate dimension set

• Create ordinate dimensions by rectangle selection

Drafting Essentials A-37

 Ordinate dimensions

Summary: Ordinate dimensions

Ordinate dimensions measure linear distances from a common point called
the ordinate origin. This type of dimensioning is an alternate method used in
place of conventional dimensioning.
In this lesson you:
• Generated an ordinate dimension set.

• Defined an ordinate origin.

• Added ordinate dimensions to the set.

• Created margins.

• Added and edited jogs.

• Modified ordinate dimension settings.

A-38 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Appendix

B Hole Tables

Purpose
This lesson guides you through the process of generating, editing, and
updating an associative hole table.

Objectives
After you complete this lesson, you will be able to:
• Set hole table preferences.

• Define the hole table origin and positive quadrant.

• Place the hole table on a drawing sheet.

• Navigate to a hole table row.

• Edit the origin symbol display.

• Move (redefine) the hole table origin.

• Redefine the positive quadrant.

• Update the hole table.

• Edit the hole table format.

B

Drafting Essentials B-1

 Hole Tables

Hole Table

The Hole Table command creates an associative table which lists in a

tabular format the type, size and location of selected holes from a common
origin point on the model. The table can contain individual columns for labels,
category IDs, hole types, diameters, and depth, and can be applied to all
general hole types including drill size holes, screw clearance holes, threaded
holes, and holes with symbolic threads.
You can create a hole table for all drafting view types. The hole table can
include:
• Partial holes in a solid body.

• Complete sketch circles.

• Wire EDM Start Holes.

• Holes in multiple solid bodies or components in a view.

You can also:

• Display a variety of hole ID label styles in the view.

• Support hole ID letter exclusions independently of view letter exclusions.

• Merge holes of the same size holes into a single group.

After you create a hole table you can:

• Edit it from the same dialog box used to create it.

• Update it to reflect the latest version of the model.

• Reformat it from the Settings dialog box.

B

B-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Hole Tables

HOLE TABLE: Top@1ORDINATE

HOLE No. X Y
Part: BASEPLATE - Body : 1
Blind Hole Ø0.150 T0.500
1 4.875 6.125
2 0.375 4.875
3 6.125 1.625
Thread Hole M4_X_0.7
Thread_L0.500
4 0.500 3.500
Counterbore Ø0.200 T0.500 / Ø0.350
T0.250
5 1.625 6.125
6 6.125 4.875
7 0.375 1.625
8 4.875 0.375
Countersink Ø0.375 / Ø0.438
T0.036
9 0.375 3.250
10 6.125 3.250

As of NX 9 legacy hole table utility, available only with the environment

variable UGII_DRAFTING_HOLE_TABLE, is no longer supported.
Legacy hole tables can be updated to NX 9 hole tables. Refer to the
online documentation for details.

Where do I find it?

Application Drafting

Command Finder Hole Table

Hole table preferences:

B
Application Drafting
Drafting
Preferences Table®Hole Table node

Drafting Essentials B-3

 Hole Tables

Holes tables: Tips and Techniques

• For a hole to be included in a hole table, its axis must be normal to the
plane of the view. If the hole lays on an oblique face, create a custom
view in which the hole axis is normal to the view plane. You can then
incorporate the hole into the table.

• When selecting holes by view selection, all holes whose axes are normal
to the view plane are incorporated in the hole table. This includes holes
lying on hidden faces, regardless of the view’s hidden line settings.

B-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Hole Tables

If you intend to only annotate the visible holes in the view, use single
object selection to pick the holes. You can do the same if you need to
include some holes on hidden faces. First set the view’s hidden line
display to a visible line font, and then make your object selection.

• If you unintentionally included hidden holes in your view, right-click the

Hole Table Section and choose Edit, then use <Shift> + Select to deselect
individual holes or the entire view. You can then single select whichever
hole(s) you want to include in the hole table.

Drafting Essentials B-5

 Hole Tables

Activity
In the Hole Tables section, do the activity:
• Create, edit, and update a hole table

B-6 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Hole Tables

Summary: Hole tables

In this lesson you:
• Set hole table preferences.

• Defined the hole table origin and positive quadrant.

• Navigated to a hole table row.

• Edited the origin symbol display.

• Moved (redefined) the hole table origin.

• Redefined the positive quadrant.

• Updated the hole table.

• Edited the hole table format.

Drafting Essentials B-7

B
Appendix

C Converting drawings to
master model

You can convert a non-master model drawing to one structured in the master
model format by exporting the model geometry as a component of the drawing.

The reference set

When you create a new component, you can choose the reference set from
the following:
• As Saved

• Empty

• Entire Part

When you create a component, the Model reference set is created

automatically.

Drafting Essentials C-1

 Converting drawings to master model

Activity
In the Converting drawings to master model section, do the following activity:
• Convert a file to a master model

C-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 D
Appendix

D Glossary

anchor point
(Modeling and Sketching) Intersection point of two end tangent vectors in
a general conic.
(Drafting) Reference point for positioning a Drafting symbol or a Drafting
view. The anchor point for a symbol is where a leader line attaches to the
symbol.

auxiliary view
Drawing view projected from an existing view perpendicular to an angular
hinge line.

detail view
Child view with circular, rectangular, or user–defined boundary which
contains an enlarged portion of an already existing drawing view.

drafting view
Also referred to as drawing member view.
Standard orthographic view created from a model view, or a view of 2D curves
that represent model geometry. A drafting view contains drawing objects. It
is listed in the Part Navigator under the associated Sheet node.

layer
Method to control visibility of objects in a model in order to simplify the
display. Layers can be used to organize objects by their purpose. For example,
sheet bodies or solid bodies used for constructing features can be stored on a
hidden layer. Only one layer can be the work layer at a time.

section view
View defined by cutting the model geometry with one or more cut planes to
view the planar geometry on the cutting planes.

Drafting Essentials D-1

 Glossary

D
V

view boundary
Boundary used to limit the geometry displayed in a view.

D-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

Index

A C
Active Sketch View . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4 Center Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Anchor Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7 multiple center marks . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Area Fill Centerline Symbols
preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19 creating centerline symbols . . . . . . 9-2
Assemblies Centerpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
converting a file to master model . . C-1 Convert Dependency . . . . . . . . . . . 22-8
creating exploded views . . . . . . . 26-2 Copying Views
creating tracelines . . . . . . . . 26-8 parent/child view relationships . . . 6-7
Assembly Views Crosshatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18
sectioning views in assembly preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19
drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-2, 25-4 Custom Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Associate to View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-6
Associative Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-8 D
Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2 Datum Feature Symbol . . . . . . . . 13-12
system defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2 Datum Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
user defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2 Delete All Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5
Auto Balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-19 Delete Selected Edits . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5
Auto Balloons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-18 Delete Selected Erasures . . . . . . . . 22-5
Deleting a Drawing Sheet . . . . . . . . 3-8
B Dimensions
Balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2 appended text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-19
associate to annotation . . . . . . . . 12-6 edit text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21
associate to view . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-6 ordinate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
create with leader . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5 Display Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
create without leader . . . . . . . . . 12-4 Drafting application . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8 Drafting Preferences
types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3 display borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-15 Drawing Operations
Bolt Circle Centerline deleting a drawing sheet . . . . . . . . 3-8
centerpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14 opening a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
full circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15 retaining annotations . . . . . . . . . 17-2
through 3 or more points . . . . . . . 9-13
Break-out Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2 E
Broken Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2 Edit Entire Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4

Drafting Essentials Index-1

Index

Edit Object Segments . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4 L

Edit Section View Background . . . . 22-4
Edit Shaded Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4 Labels, see Notes and labels
Editing Section Line associativity Layer Settings
move segment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4 layer visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Editing Section Views visible layers in drawing
editing the hinge line . . . . . . . . . 16-6 sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Editing the Hinge Line . . . . . . . . . 16-6 visible in view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Erase Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4 Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Exploded Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-2 Leaves Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22
creating tracelines . . . . . . . . . . . 26-8
Exporting a parts list . . . . . . . . . . 24-12 M
Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-8
Manual Hidden Line Editing . . . . . 22-2
Master Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22
F Model to View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-8
Feature Control Frame . . . . . . . . . 13-3 Multiple Center Marks . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
characteristic symbols . . . . . . . . 13-5
check syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10 N
composite frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
create with a leader . . . . . . . . . . 13-9 Notes and labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
tolerance modifier symbols . . . . . 13-6 alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Fractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15 append GD&T modifier
Full Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15 symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
append text to dimension . . . . . 11-19
associative text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-8
G create labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
GD&T symbols edit dimension text . . . . . . . . . . 11-21
append modifier to dimension . . 13-15 editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5, 11-18
Datum Feature Symbol . . . . . . . 13-12 format text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Datum Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14 fractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15
Feature Control Frame . . . . . . . . 13-3 helper lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2 import and export text . . . . . . . 11-11
leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
position relative to view . . . . . . . 11-8
H stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20
Half Section View . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15 symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Helper lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7 user defined symbols . . . . . . . . . 11-16

I O

Identification symbol, see Balloon Object Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2

Import and export text . . . . . . . . . 11-11 Offset Center Point Symbol . . . . . . 9-22
Online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
J Opening a Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Ordinate Dimensions
Jog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-32 baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-15

Index-2 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

 Index

defining the ordinate origin . . . . . . A-5 half section view . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15

jog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-32 hinge line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3
ordinate set name . . . . . . . . . . . . A-11 projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3
positive quadrant . . . . . . . . . . . . A-18 revolved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12
what are ordinate dimensions? . . . A-2 section line symbol preferences . . 15-7
Ordinate Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5 simple section view . . . . . . 15-9–15-10
Ordinate Set Name . . . . . . . . . . . . A-11 stepped section view . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Select/Deselect Subassemblies . . . 24-22
P Set Extension Individually . . . . . . . . 9-5
Shade Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7
Part Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2, 24-4 Sheet Node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Part Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Simple Section View . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Parts List Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-21 Stacking annotation . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20
Parts lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2 Stepped Section View . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Parts Lists Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
auto balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-19 balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
auto balloons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-18 creating centerline symbols
exporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-12 set extension individually . . . . 9-5
part attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-4 creating symbols
parts list levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-21 associativity of drafting
leaves only . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22 symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
master model . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22 center mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
select/deselect creating an offset center
subassemblies . . . . . . . . 24-22 point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
top level only . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22 deleting a symbol . . . . . . . . . 9-27
save as template . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14 inherit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
sorting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-10 settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
table_files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14 drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
tables.pax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14 GD&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2
ugii_table_templates . . . . . . . . . 24-14 offset center point symbol . . . . . . 9-22
Positive Quadrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-18 System Defined Attributes . . . . . . . 23-2

R T
Retained Annotations . . . . . . . . . . 17-2 Table_files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14
Revolved Section View . . . . . . . . . 15-12 Tables.pax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-14
Through 3 or More Points . . . . . . . . 9-13
S Top Level Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-22
Tracelines
Save as Template . . . .... . . . . . . 24-14 creating tracelines . . . . . . . . . . . 26-8
Section Views . . . . . .... . . . . . . . 15-2
associativity . . . . . .... . . . . . . . 15-4
U
background . . . . . .... . . . . . . 15-18
crosshatch . . . . . . .... . . . . . . 15-18 UGII_TABLE_TEMPLATES . . . . 24-14
deleting . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . 15-4 User Defined Attributes . . . . . . . . . 23-2
editing the section line object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2
segments . . . . . .... . . . . . . . 16-2 part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2

Drafting Essentials Index-3

Index

User defined symbols . . . . . . . . . . 11-16 shade edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7

view dependent editing . . . . 22-3–22-4
V wireframe edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-6
Validate Frame Syntax . . . . . . . . 13-10 View Modifications and Editing
View Boundaries active sketch view . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4
automatic rectangle . . . . . . . . . . 19-3 anchor point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7
break line/detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3 associative objects in a view . . . . 19-8
manual rectangle . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3 manual hidden line editing . . . . . 22-2
View Dependent Modifications View Node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
convert dependency View to Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-8
model to view . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-8 Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
view to model . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-8 break-out section . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2
delete all edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5 broken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2
delete selected edits . . . . . . . . . . 22-5 custom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
delete selected erasures . . . . . . . 22-5 section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
edit entire objects . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4 view concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
edit object segments . . . . . . . . . . 22-4
edit section view background . . . 22-4 W
edit shaded objects . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4
erase objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4 Wireframe Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-6

Index-4 Drafting Essentials mt10100_s – NX 9

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Course agenda — Drafting Essentials
Day 1 Morning

• Course overview
• Lesson 1 – Part Navigator
• Lesson 2 – Master model drawings and drafting standards
• Lesson 3 – Drawing sheets
• Lesson 4 – Drafting views

Afternoon

• Lesson 5 – Custom views

• Lesson 6 – Move, copy, and align views
• Lesson 7 – Hiding geometry in drafting views
• Lesson 8 – Updating drawings and drafting views
• Project activity – Pivot ball

Day 2 Morning

• Lesson 9 – Centerline symbols

• Lesson 10 – Dimensions
• Lesson 11 – Notes and labels
• Lesson 12 – Balloon symbols

Afternoon

• Lesson 13 – GD&T symbols

• Lesson 14 – Surface finish, weld, and custom symbols
• Lesson 15 – Section views
• Lesson 16 – Editing section lines
• Lesson 17 – Maintaining associativity
• Project activity – Elbow sleeve and Strut tee

Day 3 Morning

• Lesson 18 – Detail views

• Lesson 19 – View boundaries
• Lesson 20 – Broken views
• Lesson 21 – Break-out section views
• Lesson 22 – View dependent edits

Afternoon

• Lesson 23 – Part Attributes

• Lesson 24 – Parts lists
• Lesson 25 – Sectioning assembly views
• Lesson 26 – Exploded views
• Project activity – Hydraulic actuator, shock absorber, and assembly drawing

Additional activities

• Appendix: Ordinate dimensions

• Appendix: Hole Tables
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Siemens PLM Software – Delivery Evaluation
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Course title: Drafting Essentials
Course #: mt10100 Dates: _____________________________
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Course title: Drafting Essentials
Course #: mt10100 Dates: _____________________________

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