Importing features overview

Using a PLM XML file, you can import discrete and continuous manufacturing features—including weld points, continuous arc welds, and datum points—from external CAD or legacy systems using either Teamcenter or the me_import_mfgs utility. You can then manage the features in Teamcenter while maintaining their connections to parts. The import creates or updates manufacturing features under a specified container object. Teamcenter creates or updates attribute forms with the required values and adds a direct model dataset containing 3D JT data. Teamcenter updates connections to weld and datum point parts according to the part IDs.

Weld point		Arc weld		Datum point

When importing manufacturing features, you can identify a container (an item revision) to which the features are imported or specify the import location in the PLM XML file.

When importing manufacturing features:

• Teamcenter connects the features to parts, provided you already imported the parts into the database.

• The parts must have an ID that is unique and persistent in the external CAD system.

The unique ID can be stored on any occurrence note.

Your administrator must define the name of the occurrence note in the MEImportMFGsManufacturingFeatureIdAttributeName MEImportMFGsPartIdAttributeName preferences, as it can differ between CAD systems. MEImportMFGsManufacturingFeatureIdAttributeName defines which BOM line property is used as the manufacturing feature ID. MEImportMFGsPartIDAttributeName defines which BOM line property is used as the part ID. Note The preferences MEImportMFGsManufacturingFeatureIdAttributeName and MEImportMFGsPartIDAttributeName should be set to the value Usage_ArchitectureId.

• Existing features can also be identified using an ID that is unique and persistent in the external CAD system. Equivalently:

The unique ID can be stored on any attribute occurrence note.

You must define the name of the occurrence note in the MEImportMFGsManufacturingFeatureIdAttributeName preference, as it can differ between CAD systems.

• At the time of import, Teamcenter reads the transformation from the input PLM XML file, and by default, interprets the transformation as absolute location. Use the MEImportMFGsUseAbsoluteLocation preference to set the transformation to relative location. You can choose whether to make an incremental update or to update the entire container.

The MENEWMFG_DefaultJTDatasetNameForSpecificWeldType preference specifies the name of the JT dataset which is by default attached to the specific type of newly created Weld Point object. Valid values are in the format: weld_type:number_of_connected_parts:dataset_name. Possible values for the weld_type are geo, respot, and process. Possible values for the number_of_connected_parts are <2, 2, 3, 4, >4. The value for the dataset_name portion depends on the weld_type section.

The JT files representing weld points vary according to how many parts are involved in the connection.

	Number of connected parts
Weld designation	Less than 2	2	3	4	More than 4
geo	rswp_2t_dim_ctrl.jt	rswp_2t_dim_ctrl.jt	rswp_3t_dim_ctrl.jt	rswp_4t_dim_ctrl.jt	rswp_4t_dim_ctrl.jt
respot	rswp_2t.jt	rswp_2t.jt	rswp_3t.jt	rswp_4t.jt	rswp_4t.jt
process	rswp_2t_pro_ctrl.jt	rswp_2t_pro_ctrl.jt	rswp_3t_pro_ctrl.jt	rswp_4t_pro_ctrl.jt	rswp_4t_pro_ctrl.jt
None	rswp_2t.jt	rswp_2t.jt	rswp_3t.jt	rswp_4t.jt	rswp_4t.jt

Note

These representations do not apply to datums or weld arcs.