PTC Creo Intelligent Fastener Extension (IFX) automates the process of creating and placing fasteners, reducing the time to complete these tasks by 77 seconds per fastener on average. Key capabilities include automatic hole creation, fastener length selection, counterbore creation, and filtering of compatible washers and nuts. IFX improves productivity by over 90% and can save up to $742 on a product with 50 fasteners through reduced design time.

1. PTC CREO
INTELLIGENT FASTENER
EXTENSION (IFX)
Customer Presentation

2. 2
Using traditional modelling techniques to create a hole in two joining parts and assemble the
socket head cap screw will take the average user at least 96 seconds.
PTC Creo Intelligent Fastener eXtension (IFX) automates the creation of holes and fasteners
placement reducing the time by 77 seconds per fastener.
INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
Introduction

3. 3
Problem IFX Capability
Library Out of the box I do not have a library of fasteners ANSI, DIN & JIS library for all users
Hole
Prep’
I have to manually create a fastener hole in all joining parts Automatic hole creation
I have to manually create a counterbore for the fasteners Automatic counterbore creation
FastenerSelection
&Placement
To select the correct length for a fastener I first have to assemble the
washers and nuts and then manually measure
Fastener length automatically selected
I do not have an interactive UI for selecting fasteners by a standard
Library of fasteners grouped by catalog and
standard.
I have to manually investigate the diameter of a hole prior to
selecting a fastener
Automatic selection of fastener based on
diameter of selected hole
It is easy to assemble a nut that has incompatible thread pitch
Nuts are selected based on fastener thread
pitch
Assembling a fastener, washer and nut is 3 different operations Single operation
Patterning a fastener, washer and nut is 3 different operations
Option to pattern or assemble individually on
all references
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
Solving Common Fastener Problems

4. 4
Problem IFX Capability
Design
Rules
Placing fasteners without external references is slow
and requires advanced design techniques
Optional configuration option to disallow
assembly references
DesignChange
Without Assembly references fastener holes become
misaligned during design changes
Automated hole alignment checking
At the end of the design it is labor intensive to check
the fastener lengths are correct
Automatic length check
Counterbores do not update with a change of
fastener
Automatic update of counterbore
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
Solving Common Fastener Problems (cont.)

5. 5
• Define Fastener References
– The placement reference for a fastener can be a hole, a datum point, a datum axis or free point
– Select a surface or plane on the first part to locate the screw head
– Select a surface or plane on the mating part to locate the nut head or for the threaded hole
– Selection an orientation plane if the first two selected surfaces are not parallel (optional)
• Define Fastener Configuration
– Select a fastener from the library
• IFX automatically selects
– The correct diameter if a hole was selected
– The correct length based of selected surfaces
– Select washers (optional)
• Washer selection filtered based on selected fastener
• IFX automatically updates fastener length
– Select desired Nuts
• Nut selection filtered based on selected fastener
• IFX automatically updates fastener length
– Choose whether to create a counterbore
• Counterbore size derived from fastener
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
IFX delivering an improved workflow
*Full version of IFX only

6. 6
• IFX Assembles the Defined Fastener Configuration
– Automatically creates holes in joining parts
• Optionally without assembly references*
– Assemble complete fastener configuration
– If pattern or common features are selected as placement references IFX prompts to choose to:
• Assemble a single fastener
• Pattern the fastener
• Assemble the fastener on all reference instances*
• Automated Design Validation
– Check whether fasteners are long enough*
– Check holes are aligned with fasteners*
• Valid ehen external references are not created
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
IFX delivering an improved workflow (cont.)
*Full version of IFX only

7. 7
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
Library Limitations
Description Lite Full
Library Screws mm & Inch
ANSI
DIN EN ISO 1580, 2009, 4762,
DIN 84, 85, 580, 912, 921, 931, 933, 960, 961, 963, 6912, 7380, 7984, 7990, 7991
EN 14399
EN ISO 1207
ISO 2010, 4014, 4016, 4017, 4018, 7045, 7411, 7412, 8676, 8677, 8678, 8765, 14579, 14580, 14581, 14582,
JIS
Washers mm & Inch
Plain – wide & narrow
Lock – regular & heavy
DIN ISO 125, 127,128, 433, 434, 435, 6916, 6917, 6918, 7980, 7989, 7090, 7091, 7092
ISO 7093
EN 14399
Nuts, mm & Inch
ISO 4032, 4033, 4035, 7040, 8673, 8674, 8765, 10511, 10512
Din 439, 555, 934, 971, 982, 1587, 6915, 6923, 1661
EN 14399
Dowels mm & Inch
ISO 2338, 8733, 8734, 8735, 8740, 8748, 8750, 8751, 8752
DIN EN 28740
Customization
© 2016 PTC

8. 8
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
Placement and Validation Limitations
© 2016 PTC
Description Lite Full
Placement Automatic hole Creation
Counterbores
Automated length selection
Automated thread diameter selection
Pattern fastener during placement
Assemble fastener on all points/axis
Create holes without external references
Alignment of fasteners on beams with sloped inner surfaces
Assembling nuts to subassemblies (encapsulated / welded nuts)
Validation Updating hole positions
Fastener length

9. 9
Intelligent Fastener Extension has been designed to solve common fastener problems, and
improves user productivity by over 90%
– Reducing the average time by 77 seconds per fastener
• Automatic fastener length
• Filtered washer and nut selection
• Automatic counterbores
• Automatic creation and deletion of holes
In an internal analysis on a product with 50 non patterned fasteners, IFX demonstrated a cost
saving of $742**
IFX provides user’s with a standardized fastener catalog and automated verification tools*
ensuring the fastener BOM is 100% accurate.
The efficiency of IFX allows engineers to fully define the fastener requirement digitally,
negating the practise of guess work for Purchasing, Manufacturing and Technical
Publications.
PTC CREO INTELLIGENT FASTENER EXTENSION (IFX)
Summary
*Full version of IFX only ** See ROI Calculator