e-Profiles, Spring 2002: Design Using Inheritance Features

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Spring 2002

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Design Using Inheritance Features

By Thomas Braxton

The inheritance feature, new in Release 2001 of Pro/ENGINEER, is an

enhancement to the merge geometry functionality. The merged geometry (using
the merge functionality) is a single feature in the derivative model, which is fully
(bi-directionally) associative with the master model. Using query select, it is
possible to modify features of the master model (parent of the merge feature)
from a derivative model. This is not always desirable and may not match design
intent in the Pro/ENGINEER environment. The associativity of inheritance
features is one way from the base to a derivative model. This is an important
distinction from merge features. Inheritance features are used to merge the
geometry of a master model into one or more derivative models as with the
merge functionality, but they add some new flexibility and utility.

Menu Locations for

Creating Inheritance
Features

As with any feature that creates external references between databases, there is a
master/slave paradigm established between a parent and child object. When
discussing inheritance features, base model (master) refers to the model
referenced by an inheritance feature. Derivative model (slave) refers to the
model where the inheritance feature resides.

>Feature
>Create
>Data Sharing
>Inheritance

The inheritance feature enables changes to a derivative model while maintaining

one-way associativity with the parent object. The inheritance feature creates a
one-way associative link of geometry and feature information from the base
model to the derivative model. This resolves the problem of accessing the master
model from within a derivative part and also provides direct access to features
within the inheritance feature.

More on Inheritance
Features...

Use Inheritance Features to:

Replace a merge feature. While inheritance features can replace a merge
feature, there are several noteworthy differences. The inheritance feature creates
a one-way associative merge of geometry and feature data from the base part to
the derivative part. Upon creation, all of the geometry and features in the
derivative part are identical to those in the base part. The advantage over a
merge feature is that, without affecting the base model, the inheritance feature
allows the derivative model to have variable dimensions and feature states.

Motorola

>Insert
>Shared Data
>Inheritance

Designing a Cast
Part that Requires
Machining

Options When
Creating
Inheritance
Features

Replace external copy geometry features. Using the inheritance feature may
have advantages when references to many or all of the features comprising a
skeleton model or reference part are needed in the derivative model. The
inheritance feature allows you to access feature information from the base
model, which a copy geometry feature does not.
Replace family tables. A reference model can serve as the basis for multiple
design variations. Using inheritance features instead of instances eliminates the
need for all variations to carry the overhead of all the instances. The reference
part (generic instance) serves as the base feature to create variations through
varying dimensions and suppressing features. Individual variants can also be
modified independently using the inheritance feature approach, making revision
control much less complicated than with family tables.

http://www.profilesmagazine.com/p19/tips-inheritance-pg1.html

28-May-2007

e-Profiles, Spring 2002: Design Using Inheritance Features

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Create models representing stages in a serial manufacturing process.

Inheritance features can be used to create a dependency chain between models
that represent the manufacturing evolution of a part.
Consider cast parts that require some machining after the initial casting (see
sidebar). In a serialmanufacturing process, it is desirable to provide a database of
the as cast and as machined versions of a given part. The cast model is used
to design the mold for the raw casting. This model serves as the reference in
Pro/MOLDESIGN to design the tooling for the raw casting, and as the parent
object for the as machined part. The as machined part adds features that
result in modified geometry from the raw part to the as cast geometry. The as
cast geometry is then captured in the machined model by an inheritance feature
using the as cast part as the base model.
This paradigm can be applied to manufacturing stages that may require more
than two models as well by nesting inheritance features to establish a
dependency chain to manage downstream models using a single base model as
the parent. Some examples are multi-shot molded parts and forged components
that require several stages to form the final geometry. A database that represents
each stage of the manufacturing process can be managed in the Pro/ENGINEER
environment using nested inheritance features. This prevents anyone working on
a downstream model from inadvertently altering any of the upstream models, in
addition to establishing a logical dependency chain.
Next: Using Multiple Inheritance Features >>>

http://www.profilesmagazine.com/p19/tips-inheritance-pg1.html

28-May-2007