Part Group features can be used to group parts, assemblies, and containers. No common attribute is required of members of a part group, but they must be owned by a common part, assembly, or container (that is, they cannot be owned by root (/)).
Because of the complete freedom in defining part groups, they are useful for selecting parts from different assemblies to be acted upon by the same operation. Creo Elements/Direct Modeling provides two selection methods that are particularly effective with part group features:
• The In Feature option on the Select dialog box can be used to select parts and assemblies within a part group. When used in conjunction with the Recursive switch, In Feature selects all parts in all assemblies and subassemblies within the part group.
• Two "shortcut" selection commands for part groups are available in the Structure Browser. Click the right mouse button on a part group entry to open the popup menu, and select:
◦ Select references to select all parts and assemblies at the part group's top level.
◦ Select parts to select all parts recursively (that is, all parts belonging to all assemblies and subassemblies) within the part group.
To create a part group,
1. Click Feature and then, in the Custom Feature group, click Other. The Custom Process browser opens.
2. Under Grouping Features, double-click Part Group. The Part Group dialog box opens.
3. Click Selection.
The Select tool opens in List mode.
4. Add to the selection list the parts, assemblies, and containers you want to include in the part group:
◦ Click parts in the viewport.
◦ Select components from the Structure Browser.
5. Creo Elements/Direct Modeling automatically selects the lowest-level common owner for the part group. If necessary, specify a different, higher-level, common owner in one of the following ways:
◦ Enter the path and name of the owner in the Owner box.
◦ Select the owning part, assembly, or container from the Structure Browser.
6. Creo Elements/Direct Modeling automatically selects a name for the part group. If necessary, enter a different name in the Name box.
7. If required, enter a description for the part group in the Descr box. This text is displayed as the tooltip for the feature in the Structure Browser.
8. Click to complete the operation.
To modify a part group,
1. Click Feature and then, in the Custom Feature group, click Modify.
2. Double-click the Part Group in the Structure Browser. The Part Group dialog box opens.
3. Select the part group to modify from the Structure Browser, or enter its full path and name in the user input line within double quotes ("").
The current members of the selected part group are highlighted in the viewport.
4. To add or remove members of the part group, click Selection to open the Select tool in list mode, and edit the list of components as required.
The current members of the part group are retained in the selection list — you do not need to re-select existing members!
5. To change the owner of the part group, specify a higher-level part, assembly, or container to that displayed in the Name box using one of the following methods:
◦ Enter the path and name of the owner in the Owner box.
◦ Select the owning part, assembly, or container from the Structure Browser.
6. To change the name of the part group, enter a new name in the Name box.
7. To change (or add) the description for the part group, enter one in the Descr box. This text is displayed as the tooltip for the feature in the Structure Browser.
Other. The Custom Process browser opens.
to complete the operation.
Modify.