New Featurescript: Captive Nut

EvanReese

Captive nut makes it easy to add screw/nut joints to parts.

→ Here's a link to a video tour of the feature.

→ Go here to add the feature.

Below is an illustration of the three main insertion styles that can be achieved with the feature. Use it and let me know what you think!

alnis

This will make all of my Autodesk Inventor buddies so jealous. I'm looking forward to using it! It would have saved a lot of work in my previous robotics competition season. I hope to use it for more robotics projects in the near future!

EvanReese

alnis_smidchens said:

This will make all of my Autodesk Inventor buddies so jealous.

tell them to write a macro

matthew_stewart580

the flip z direction doesn't seem to do anything. Im trying to put nuts into the top of the part, but it seems to leave hole through the bottom of the part not the top.

matthew_stacy

@Evan_Reese, great work!  For in-house printing this looks fabulous.  Have you had any success with commercial printing vendors (e.g. Xometry) on designs with embedded nuts, particularly those with support block inserts?

I'm trying to imagine how the printing cycle pause points might be conveyed to a vendor.  In a drawing?

EvanReese

matthew_stewart580 said:

the flip z direction doesn't seem to do anything. Im trying to put nuts into the top of the part, but it seems to leave hole through the bottom of the part not the top.

do you mean the arrows next to "Printer Z direction"? I'm not sure why it wouldn't be working for you, but I just tested on mine and it flips. Try updating your feature. It looks like you're using an old version.

EvanReese

matthew_stacy said:

@Evan_Reese, great work!  For in-house printing this looks fabulous.  Have you had any success with commercial printing vendors (e.g. Xometry) on designs with embedded nuts, particularly those with support block inserts?

I'm trying to imagine how the printing cycle pause points might be conveyed to a vendor.  In a drawing?

I don't think I'd try the embedded style with a 3rd party. I'd design it differently, say for heat-set inserts, which Xometry will install for you.

matthew_stacy

@Evan_Reese, that's savvy business strategy!  You know the customer will come back to you when they need replacement parts printed;)

tom_auger

@Evan_Reese you Sir are a God. Thank you for this awesome FS feature!

tom_auger

@Evan_Reese noooo! I can't find it in the FeatureScript database nor does your link work (says I don't have permission). What's the fix?

EvanReese

@tom_auger
I'm working on a fix right now, and the features will be back. We switched to Onshape Enterprise. A side effect I didn't realize we'd have is that Enterprise doesn't allow public documents so they all disappeared. 

EvanReese

As an aside, I'm actually currently re-writing the Captive Nut feature from scratch. I've gotten decently better at Featurescript since then and also have a better philosophy for the user experience. I should have a beta for that ready soon!

tom_auger

Amazing @Evan_Reese thanks for the update! What a bummer about the public/private switch. Sounds like you may need to spin up a personal account rather than using the Ovyl account. Looking forward to incorporating it back into my workflow.

S1mon

@Evan_Reese
I don't have an Enterprise account at the moment, but is it not possible to allow public documents in Enterprise? It seems like there is an option to go the other way around (i.e. whether or not users can access public documents and use them internally).

emagdalenaC2i

Evan_Reese said:

@tom_auger
I'm working on a fix right now, and the features will be back. We switched to Onshape Enterprise. A side effect I didn't realize we'd have is that Enterprise doesn't allow public documents so they all disappeared. 

You can copy your FS documents at your Enterprise and transfer those copies to your personal account (outside the Enterprise)

That's what I do with my FS to provide access to all our Onshape customers

EvanReese

@emagdalenaC2i
You have to duplicate the document for it to work? I had tried just transferring them to a personal account, but it didn't seem to work. I'd love for everyone to not have to add the features to their toolbar again. Do you think they would?

emagdalenaC2i

No, I could just transfer to my personal account... But then there are not in the Enterprise

Evan_Reese said:

@emagdalenaC2i
I had tried just transferring them to a personal account, but it didn't seem to work. I'd love for everyone to not have to add the features to their toolbar again. Do you think they would?

So, you should transfer the original documents to "your account" (outside the Enterprise), not "a" personal account.

EvanReese

Ah, I was trying to make a whole folder public at once and apparently you can't do that. I assumed erroneously that I didn't see the option because of something to do with Enterprise. I've transferred them all and made them each public again. Let me know if it's still not accessible.

emagdalenaC2i

It works fine!

EvanReese

Anyone who wants to try out the scratch re-write of Captive Nut, give it a go here and let me know what you think. Some main differences:

1. input for rotation angle of the nuts
2. previews of the nut
3. end bound types like the extrude feature
4. no more holes. I didn't see a point in making this feature also have a mediocre version of the native hole feature. Just use the two features in tandem. I'm especially curious to know if people really got anything out of the hole functionality.
5. options for a Nut Spec Variable (created by a separate feature). This way, you can use multiple Captive Nut features in a model, but update the type of nut you're using everywhere at once easily without editing multiple features.
6. simpler code.

david_riedell

@Evan_Reese
I just found this featurescript. I've been using Nut Pocket JR but I like that yours is more flexible and includes ANSI hardware.

I'm checking out your beta but I think there may be a bug in the Nut Spec featurescript. When I change the screw size, it doesn't seem to update the dimensions at the bottom of the dialog. I still have to enter those manually. I saw that you have the Captive Nut Table in the feature studio with all of the dimensions. I checked a few and they look correct in the table.

When I don't use the nut spec but just define the nut within the captive nut feature, it seems to work just fine. But I like the concept of the nut spec because I'm often using the same nut hardware in a 3d print in a bunch of different areas, and it's nice to be able to just define it once.

I'd offer to help debug but I'm pretty green when it comes to featurescript code.

EvanReese

@david_riedell
huh, it sure doesn't. I'll look into it when I have time. I have a hunch I know what it is and it's not too hard.

EvanReese

@david_riedell
It should be fixed with the newest update 👍🏼

david_riedell

@Evan_Reese
Thanks! I was a bit confused because I thought you were updating the Beta, not your main release haha.

I do think I found another bug though - when selecting a 1/4, 5/16, or 3/8 size nut, the nut spec dialog displays the "Fit" dropdown twice. It doesn't seem to happen for any other ANSI size, but I haven't checked the ISO ones.

EvanReese

@david_riedell
Thanks for bug testing! I fixed it. I also checked the ISO table and didn't see any other issues. I must have duplicated some entries trying to do some find/replace magic to make big edits to the lookup table for the nuts.

jesse_starr

Thanks for sharing this @Evan_Reese .  I feel like my script is broken as I don't see the tools for the clearance hole and overshoot... Is something wrong or am I missing something? I'm pretty new to OnShape...

rashuge

Evan_Reese said:

Anyone who wants to try out the scratch re-write of Captive Nut, give it a go here and let me know what you think. Some main differences:

1. input for rotation angle of the nuts
2. previews of the nut
3. end bound types like the extrude feature
4. no more holes. I didn't see a point in making this feature also have a mediocre version of the native hole feature. Just use the two features in tandem. I'm especially curious to know if people really got anything out of the hole functionality.
5. options for a Nut Spec Variable (created by a separate feature). This way, you can use multiple Captive Nut features in a model, but update the type of nut you're using everywhere at once easily without editing multiple features.
6. simpler code.

I tried to install the re-write version and unfortunately it said that I cannot load a document that is in the trash.  It sure isn't in my trash so not sure what is happening there.  I did like the idea of the screw hole option.  The problem for me is the same as what has been indicated.  I cannot switch which side the screw holes show up on.  I tried switching the Z axis and that did nothing for me.  It did the same.  I also updated the script just to make sure per the suggestion but no joy.  Love the script though, works awesome otherwise.

EvanReese

@jesse_starr @rashuge Sorry about any confusion with my wild updates. If you want to use the old one, you can find it here (just look back in the version history of the document). And the latest re-write is here.

rashuge

Evan, really love the script!  Truly awesome.  I wanted to touch base with you on one item.  I am having all kinds of problems with extruding over the top of the metal nut/part.  I have seen some suggestions about using a specific method of overlay.  Video link here: 

https://youtu.be/W8FbHTcB05w?t=371

I would find this super useful but not quite the "hole" function that you had referenced and removed.  It really is about getting a better adherence for the metal part when you start to print over the top.  I have tried adhesives and the like and none quite get the job done and doing what is described in the video is a little bit tough by hand each time.  It feels like a single layer rectangle that you can still place a hole using the native tools.  Just a suggestion.  Again, love the work, it is really a time saver.

EvanReese

@rashuge
I didn't watch the video just now (though I have in the past a while ago). Based on the thumbnail it looks like it's already been scripted by @imants_smidchens. Check out his Bridge Counterbore. I use it when I need to. Works great! However, if the nut is inserted into the part it might already provide the support the plastic needs, and make this step unnecessary. 

rashuge

@Evan_Reese
I tried the Bridge Counterbore but it doesn't actually work (that I can make happen) when you use yours to embed the nut inside of an object.  I then cannot get the Counterbore to allow the selection of the face of the captured nut.  Any thoughts?