modify inch design with metric input

[DennisRehmer]

To all,

I had a question and I thought I could just modify a dimension in a part by adding on "mm" to the value. So in other words not change from inch to mm in my model, just modify an inch value directly to mm without using a conversion factor. I thought this was something that PTC had available to do in an earlier version, as we are now using Creo8. In the images attached I tried to just include mm in my change, but it did not work.

Thanks,

Dennis

[MartinHanak · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I have never heard of the functionality you describe.

Simply enter 10/25.4 to set 10mm in "inch-model".

[BenLoosli]

I don't think PTC CAD (Pro/e, Wildfire, Creo) have ever had that option.

Unigraphics or NX I know used to have it, but I haven't used NX since NX6, 13 years ago.

You would enter the value you wanted with mm(10) in an english part would give you ~3/8 in dimension. Entering in(.375) in a metric part would give you 9.xxxx metric dimension.

[DennisRehmer]

Martin and Ben,

Thank you both for your responses. I thought this was a functionality that PTC had many years ago. I have been using PTC's product since 1991, before that another system for 3 years, but thought it was more recent that 30+ years ago i was able to do this.

Dennis

[Chris3]

It is possible to used mixed units in Creo Simulate. This might be what you are remembering.

I created an idea for mixed units a few years ago:

https://community.ptc.com/t5/Creo-Parametric-Ideas/Mixed-unit-dimensions-within-a-model/idi-p/617498 

[KenFarley]

What you describe would be nice, but I've never seen it, and I've been using Pro/E->Creo for decades.

You can do this sort of thing in relations, if you have units active, via a statement like

lenInches = 32.0[mm]

In such instances Creo will do the conversion for you. It's good for when I'm making our stuff in inches, but the customer is using millimeters.

For sketch and other direct dimension entries, I, too have to resort to typing in stuff like "32.0 / 25.4". At least that gives the *exact* answer, and not the number of digits I'd get if I calculated it and just typed in something like "1.259" or "1.260".