Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)

Date: 7/22/01

Surface Transforms:
For Large Patterns

Table of Contents:
1) Objective
2) Overview
3) Metric
4) Tutorial
5) Key Vocabulary
6) Tutorial Evaluation

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Objective:
At the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:
• Explain why a surface transform is useful for large patterns.
• Describe why a large pattern model would regenerate faster using this technique.
• Identify a current project where this method can be applied.

Overview:
Patterning a feature on a model can be a powerful away to leverage the parametric
nature of Pro/E. There are times however when the size of pattern becomes so large that
regeneration times become unacceptably long or you run into situations where a feature is
created without proper references to allow it to be patterned at all using the conventional
commands available.
Surface transforms leverage the power of Pro/E surfacing by both reducing
regeneration times as well as allowing you to create patterns of features that were
previously impossible to pattern.

Metric:
The example used in this tutorial was of a carrier for a semiconductor chip. Before
surface transforms were used, this model took 25 minutes to regenerate. After the surface
transform technique was applied, regeneration went down to 5 minutes. This is an 80%
reduction in regeneration time!

25

20
Regular
15 Pattern
Surface
10
Transforms

0
Regeneration time on
large pattern

Tutorial:

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

A pin receptacle cutout has been created (Picture #1) in this model and it consists of 5
features: 2 cuts and 3 rounds. We need a 10x10 grid array of these features which would
normally consist of (10x10 = 100, 100x5 = 500) 500 individual features that would be
regenerated. We will reduce this to approximately 25 using surface transforms.

Picture #1

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Step 1: Create a surface copy of the geometry to be transformed.

a) Menu Picks: FEATURE, CREATE, SURFACE, COPY, DONE
b) Select all of the surfaces that comprise the feature (hint: use SURF & BND for
quick selection).

Surf & Bnd method (Picture #2)

a) Select a seed surface (bottom of cut)
b) Select a bounding surface (top plane of part)
c) Pro/E will automatically “gather” all of the inside surfaces between this seed
surface and the bounding surface. “Seed” surface

“Bound”
surface

Picture #2

Step 2: Transform the surface copy just created.

a) Menu Picks: FEATURE, CREATE, SURFACE, TRANSFORM, MOVE,
DONE
b) Select the previously created surface
c) TRANSLATE, PLANE
d) Select a plane that the direction will be perpendicular to (flip if necessary).
e) Enter in the dimension to translate, DONE MOVE.
You will now have a new surface that is an exact copy, just shifted. This “Transformed”
surface now has a linear dimension associated with it that we can use to pattern.

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Step 3: Pattern the transformed surface.

a) Menu Picks: FEATURE, PATTERN, select the transformed surface, DONE.
b) Select the first direction, enter increment, DONE, enter total number in this
direction, enter 2, DONE.
This will now give us a single row of three surface copies.

Step 4: Create solid cut using the surfaces.

a) Menu Picks: FEATURE, CREATE, SOLID, CUT, USE QUILT, DONE,
select the first transformed surface, select the check box to finish.
b) Now pattern this solid cut using the reference pattern option.

Step 5: Create a surface copy of all the solid cutouts of the geometry that we want.
c) Menu Picks: FEATURE, CREATE, SURFACE, NEW, COPY, DONE (hint:
used SOLID SURFS option for fast selection).

Solid Surfs method

a) Select part, all of the external surface geometry is included in the surface copy.
b) Select EXCLUDE, a pick all of the outside geometry you don’t want to copy
c) Select SHOW, MESH to get a visual on which surfaces are actually selected
(Picture C)

Picture #3

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Step 6: Transform the entire row of surfaces by repeating Step 2.

Step 7: Pattern the entire row of surfaces by repeating Step 3.

Picture #4

Step 8: Create a solid cut using the row of surfaces by repeating Step 4.

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Finished!
Now you have two very clean transformed surfaces that control the number of cutouts in
rows and columns (Picture #5). Now you simply change the number of patterned
transformed surfaces in each direction to control your X, Y grid. Instead of having to
regenerate 5 features for each cutout, Pro/E is now only cutting out one surface feature
for an entire row!

Picture #5

Quick Summary of Steps

1) Create a surface copy of all required features
2) Create surface transform
3) Select “Move” “Copy”
4) Select the surface copy to pattern
5) Select “Translate” or “Rotate”
6) Select appropriate reference (plane, axis, coord)
7) Enter in values for movement
8) Pattern the newly transformed surface
9) Create solid feature (cut or protrusion) from surface
10) Ref pattern the new solid feature.

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Key Vocabulary for Surface Transforms:

Bound Surface: The surface that “caps” off the automatic gathering of
surfaces by Pro/E during a “Surf & Bnd” operation. Imagine trying to
gather all of the surfaces internal to a drinking glass, the boundary would
be the top rim.

Copy (surface): a method to create a new surface feature by copying

previously created surfaces or individual surfaces on a solid.

Pattern: any geometry that occurs in a regular, repeatable fashion.

Common examples are linear patterns (i.e. a grid array) or radial patterns
(i.e. a bolt circle on a flange).

Seed Surface: Any surface that is internal to the geometry that you want to
gather during a “Surf & Bnd” operation. Imagine trying to gather all of the
surfaces internal to a drinking glass, the seed would be the inside bottom.

Surface: The exterior “skin” of a solid part or feature. A solid feature is

comprised of many surfaces, each one can individually be selected. A
surface is the “skin” geometry bounded by a continuous loop of edges.

Transform: A function in which you can take an existing surface feature

and move it in either a linear or radial direction. This operation can do two
things, either move the existing surface geometry or make a copy and then
move the copied surface geometry.

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Title: Surface Transforms (for large patterns)
Date: 7/22/01

Tutorial Evaluation:
Title:
… Engineer … Designer … Draftsmen … Mfg. Engr. … Tech. Pubs. … Analyst

PTC Products … Foundation … Advanced Assembly Extension … Advanced Surface Extension

Used: … Behavioral Modeling … Intralink … Modelcheck … All

Time using Pro/E: … 0-6 months … 6-12 months … 1-2 years … 2-5 years … 5+ years
1 – Strongly Disagree
3 – Agree
5 – Strongly Agree
1. This tutorial content met my
………………………… 1 2 3 4 5
expectations:

2. The exercise was easy to understand: ………………………… 1 2 3 4 5

3. This tutorial will help me on current

………………………… 1 2 3 4 5
projects:

4. These techniques make Pro/E a more

………………………… 1 2 3 4 5
effective tool:

5. These techniques will increase my speed

………………………… 1 2 3 4 5
using Pro/E:

What concepts/techniques learned from this tutorial will you apply on the job?

1)

2)

3)

What would you like to see as a future tutorial at your company?

1)

2)

3)

What can be done to improve these tutorials for your company?

1)

2)

3)

Additional Comments:

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