By Mike Brucker
The Intelligent Fastener Extension (IFX) in Creo Parametric 3.0 allows you to automatically add standard screws, bolts, nuts, and washers to your assemblies. IFX will make sure that not only are the hardware parts placed in the correct location, but also that the necessary holes are made to the appropriate standard in the supporting parts/plates.
You will find the new Intelligent Fastener options for your assembly in the 'Tools' tab.
To explore the IFX capabilities, let’s take a look at assembling a standard hex head bolt, two washers, and a hex nut to an existing axis. There is no need to manually create any holes in the models. We will have the clearance holes and a counterbore to recess the bolt head created automatically.
First, expand the (Screw) menu in Tools tab, then select
(Assemble on point or axis).
For the Position Reference we will select the Mount axis. The fasteners and holes will be centered on that axis.
The Screw Head reference will be the surface on the bottom of the bolt head (or washer) contacts. The top surface of the mounting flange (shown in green below) was selected for our example.
The system can automatically place a screw/tapped hole combination, or a bolt/nut combination. The surface selected for the Nut/Thread reference will determine which type of fasteners are used. Selecting the top (visible) surface of the plate (gray part above) will yield a screw/tapped hole setup. When the surface normals of the Screw Head & Nut/Thread face in the same direction, as shown below, the screw/tapped hole combination will be used.
To achieve the bolt/nut combination we want in our assembly, the bottom surface (hidden) of the plate must be selected at the Nut/Thread reference as shown below. When the surface normals of the Screw Head & Nut/Thread face in opposite directions the bolt/nut combination will be used.
After selecting OK to accept the top face of flange as the Screw Head surface and the bottom face of the plate as the Nut/Thread surface, the Screw Fastener Definition dialog box opens with a bolt & nut setup.
The Intelligent Fastener Extension has several Catalogs available:
After selecting the appropriate Catalog, choose the Screw type.
Now select the fastener (Thread) size.
To include a washer under the bolt head, check the top 'Side 1 Washers' box and select the type of washer desired. The 'Side 2 Washers' option will place a washer under the nut.
With the (Permanently set length automatically) option selected, notice that a 1 ¼” bolt length was chosen. The automatic fastener length is based on the thickness of the mating parts, number and size of washers used, and which counterbore options were applied.
We’d like to recess the bolt head into a counterbore, so the Side 1 – Counterbore box needs to be checked. Notice that bolt length has been automatically adjusted from 1 ¼" to 1" once the counterbore is included.
After completing the command, a hex bolt, hex nut, and two washers are automatically added to the assembly.
In addition to adding the fastener components to the assembly, the system creates the clearance holes and counterbore features.
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