About User Features

See the Quick Reference topic for a comprehensive list of the interactions that can be carried out on User Features. 

The UserFeature command can be accessed by selecting the Insert > UserFeature command from the following workbenches:

  • Part Design

  • Generative Shape Design

  • Functional Molded Part

and by clicking the Create a User Feature icon () from the Product Knowledge Template workbench.

  • A user feature is a template that lets you model a new kind of geometrical feature based on the composition of other features. A user feature is a template that works at the 3D shape representation level. This can be achieved by defining a user feature reference that defines how the user feature is built, what are its inputs, exposed parameters and geometrical outputs.
  • The way you have defined user features is not shown on user feature instances (internal features are completely hidden), except when using some specific debug modes. Bear in mind that you must be very cautious when creating your user feature as you cannot modify the instances internals once instantiated.
  • When you modify a user feature reference, the existing instances are not impacted nor modified.

A User Feature is a template that works at the part level. From a collection of features (geometry, literals, formulas, constraints, etc.), you can create your own feature. The result is a Part Design feature or a Shape Design feature that can be reused in the design of another part. The created feature can be saved in a catalog. 

A User Feature:

  • Allows you to create applicative features
  • Allows you to hide design specifications and preserve confidentiality (for instance to sub-contractors)

User Features (like a line for Drafting or a check for Knowledge Advisor) are open and shareable objects. This capability significantly increases the potential application of User Features because it enables you to:

  • Find User Features by attributes.
  • Generate User Features with the Scripting language to simplify the process of creating scripts .
  • Define expert rules working on User Features with Knowledge Expert. For more information, see Knowledge Expert User's Guide.
  • Use User Features in Knowledge Advisor reactions.
  • Develop CAA functions based on user-defined variables.

 

You can pattern User Feature solid having single feature. However User Feature solid having more than one feature cannot be patterned by selecting features in the specification tree.