Dynamic Blocks - Creating dynamic bolt blocks

[jake1889]

Hi everyone, my first post on here. I have trawled the internet for help on this but cannot seem to find the info im after. The company i work for have tasked me with making all the standard bolt blocks into dyanmic blocks. What we are after is a block of each size bolt which can then be stretched according to the length required with another grip to stretch the length of the thread. I have attached a simple dwg of an M10 hex head bolt. If anyone can take a look at this and make it stretch as desired it will be a massive help. 

Thanks,

Jake

[xSmiffyx]

Hi Jake

Congrats on your first post.

We have been looking at something similar. have a look at the bolt attached see it that helps.

Regards

Smiffy

[jake1889]

Yes! that's what im after. The only thing is that if you look at our bolt we show the thread. Now i want to be able to stretch the entire shaft of the bolt and have another independent grip to stretch the thread length. Any ideas?

Jake

[xSmiffyx]

You can edit my first block to get your prefered bolt.

Look at this new block, it should be closer to what you're after.

Note: I have only made the changes to the M8 bolt you will need to make changes to the other sizes. If I get time I 'll try and do others.

With a bit of trial and error i think you could complete the others using this as a base.

Hope that helps

Regards

[karthur1]

Just curious what you are trying to do.  Will you have one bolt file for all the different diameters and lengths..... or, have several files for the different diameters that have adjustable lengths.

The reason I ask, is because with the different bolt sizes, the head dimensions change.  That probably can be handled in the blocks (I am new to authoring db's), not sure.

[ojuris]

Hi! I can prefer somethink like this Regards Juris

[ojuris]

try again

I hate this forum platform - I can't post normal text and can't add file

file You can get here https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/401581/Bolt.dwg

Regards, Juris

[jake1889]

karthur we would like several files with adjustable lengths. Ideally I would like one block where you can change the diameter and size but it would take a long time and i already have each of the sizes created as blocks without any dynamic properties on, so would just like to edit these rather than start from scratch. Also some of my colleagues have never used blocks and I think introducing them to one block that can do everything would just be too difficult for them, they are at an age now where they are set in their ways!

[jake1889]

ojuris that's pretty much exactly what i'm looking for. On our bolt we won't show the nut as part of the block as we use several different style nuts and i would imagine it would be very difficult to add a dynamic property that allows you to change the style of nut. This is an excellent starting point for me though so thank you!

[ojuris]

hi

In my block if You don't need bolt and nut view from top, I don't see problems to add different style nuts

Regards

Juris

[timothy_crouse]

Here are some blocks we have created, not sure how much help they will be if you are working in metric.

We experimented with view quality of threads.  That's why the thread pitch may not be exact in some cases.

We also realized that thread pitch can be problematic at certain scales that why we included schematic and true representation.

If memory serves me correct the true threads are use full for use in blown up views, e.g. 3 or 6 inch to 1 foot.

Hope you find them useful

-Tim C.

[pgpHEUAL]

See if this file helps you!

[MSewell]

Is this what you are after? To make it work, insert the block into your drawing or test it in Block Editor. If the sizes are not what you need then open the attached block in block editor, right click on the lookup parameter to display the lookup table and modify it as needed.

[hencoop]

These two blocks provide all of my Imperial bolts and chemical anchor bolts.  The sizes are from tables that you can edit in the block editor.  I chose to show the bolt head and nut across the flats (which has the nominal size as its dimension) as that was easier than getting all of the dimensions across the points.  If you take the time to get those it can be modified to show them across the points.  They dynamically adjust sizes from 1/4" to 3" and the washer is automatically sized to match.  The length can be freely set up to 72" long.  The dimensions used were tabulated from "Machinery's Handbook Twenty-First Edition".

[timothy_crouse]

Nice, Elagant in it's simplicity,  a suggestion (of course right :))  Add a vis state to turn off the middle section as there are times you may only want to see the outer ends of the hardware .

-Tim

[hencoop]

Hi @timothy_crouse ,

That was a very good suggestion.  I finally needed a bolt that could use that improvement and updated my block to do it.  There are visibility options for the bolt shaft: Visible (Solid), Visible (Hidden) and Not Visible.  Visible (Hidden) behaves as before extending from washer to washer (and it is without a wipeout); however, Visible (Solid) has stretch adjustments at each end to allow for any material thickness between the bolt shaft and the head or nut (and lines closing the visible bolt shaft ends to create the appearance that it does not hide any object that it touches).  I've attached the updated block (dwg).

[hencoop]

Hi again @timothy_crouse,

I needed one without a bolt head so I duplicated the visibility states and added "no head" to each.

<edit> I left the grip for "Visible Bolt Shaft At Nut" visible in the "Not Visible (No Head)" visibility state.  It has been removed from that visibility state in this updated version of the block.

[timothy_crouse]

Sorry for the late reply.

I took a look at your work.  Looks pretty useful.  I made a couple tweaks, minor maint type stuff.

Best Regards

-Tim

[hencoop]

@timothy_crouse Looks good.  My intent with the stretch grips on the bolt shaft between the head and nut was that it might need to be shown between bolted thicknesses at either end (where the bolted thickness needs to be clear of lines and wipeouts).  That was why those did not also stretch the head or nut and washers.

The hidden representation of the bolt shaft should stretch with the head, nut and washers (and always touch the washers).  The hidden line ends near the nut need to be added to the selection set for the nut grip of your Bolt Head Position.

Your suggestions have been a great help in refining my bolt block.  Thank you!

[hencoop]

@timothy_crouse  So, I needed a bolt with the "Visible (Hidden)" visibility today and I see that I am the one that needs to add the nut end of the hidden lines to the selection set for the nut/washer grip.  I posted my block in that erroneous condition.  I apologize for saying you needed to fix something that is my mistake.