Using PMI objects for inspection planning

Creating and maintaining inspection documentation can be a tedious and manual task. Product and manufacturing information (PMI) is usually authored in a CAD system and saved with the part. Using the PMI Manager view, you can:

• Import product and manufacturing information (PMI) data into Teamcenter and use it to directly generate inspection points. PMI created in NX part (PRT) files can be imported from:

An XML file exported from BCT Inspector.

A Teamcenter lifecycle visualization JT file exported from NX 7.5 or later using JT Open Toolkit V7.1.5.0 or later. You can import all data from the JT file or select the data you want to import from the list or visual area of the Graphics view. PMI that can be imported from JT includes GD&T modifiers and feature control frames (both single and composite), upper and lower surface finish roughness values and related ISO details, linear, angular, and radial dimensions, upper and lower specification limits, nominal values, and dimensional text notes. Set the Mci0ExtractPMISurfaceProperties preference to true to retrieve surface properties that can be displayed as columns in bill of materials (BOM) or bill of process (BOP) views.

Surface location X Surface location Y Surface location Z Surface axis I Surface axis J

Surface axis K Surface radius Surface entity Surface type Surface name

Primary datum reference Secondary datum reference Tertiary datum reference Characteristics type Tolerance description

Note You can also import PMI created in Catia and converted to JT using NX, the official PLM translator for Catia, which provides a unique accountability ID for each PMI object. If you use other CAD translators, the accountability ID of each PMI object must be larger than 0 and unique under the part to import correctly.

Except in the Graphics view, GD&T is reported using readable text. No special symbols are provided. You can also:

• Assign PMI objects to operations so that they become inspection points.

• Create new inspection points, known as Data Collection Definitions (DCDs), on parts in a BOM and copy and paste them to processes and operations so that they are consumed in a BOP. You can also directly create DCDs on processes and operations in a BOP.

• Edit and add manufacturing parameters to PMI objects and DCDs to better support your process.

• View the acquired PMI objects per .prt (stage) file from NX.

• Indicate on some PMI objects that they are not to be inspected.

• Delete PMI objects.

Caution

The following limitations exist:

• Assembly PMI objects are only connected to the assembly (.jt) and not to stage (.prt) parts.

• When importing PMI from a JT using JT Open Toolkit, the API must be installed externally from Teamcenter.

• Weld objects on JT are not supported.

After assigning PMI objects to operations, you can export the inspection parameters with PLM XML information in a work package to a manufacturing execution system (MES), where data can be used to assure inspection results meet PMI parameters during inspection operations.