EXERCISE 1.

1 MODELING A SPIRAL STAIRCASE

Figure 1: Spiral staircase and its model tree.

MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Learning Targets
In this exercise you will learn:

Grouping features
Using dimensional pattern
Using relations

Notes about the Exercise

Some common combination of letters:

RMB is right mouse button

LMB is left mouse button
MMB is middle mouse button (press the wheel)

In Creo Parametric, MMB is mostly used to rotate the view (holding MMB) and accepting the tools
(press one MMB). By holding RMB, you can open a additional menu, that depended on the selected
items.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

About the Case

A spiral staircase (Figure 1) has (possibly varying number of) repeating features, so modeling one
properly definitely involves patterning. However, most CAD packages do not have sufficient tools for
such both radial and linear patterns. The conventional dimension pattern of Creo (been there from
the times of Pro|Engineer) does the job, once appropriate feature to be patterned is available. Creo
patterns only individual features, so creating a feature group that has right dimensions to be
patterned is a must.

To get started, create a New ( ) solid part and name it as spiral_staircase (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Creating a new solid part.

First Features
Base pillar

Using Extrude ( ), select TOP datum plane and create a 200 mm Circle ( , Sketching group).
Accept the sketch ( ). Extrude it 4000 mm (Figure 3) and accept it ( ). Rename it as PILLAR.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Figure 3: First feature.

Datum plane

Then create a new Plane ( ) using the default offset method, TOP plane as reference and a 100 mm
offset (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Accepting a new datum plane with a 100 offset.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Creating a Stair
Extruding first stair

Use Extrude ( ) and sketch a closed profile on the new plane (DTM1) as shown in Figure 6. You can
use Center and Ends ( , Figure 5) arc and two Line ( , Sketching group) features. To place an ancle
dimension, use Normal ( , Dimension group) and select two lines and then press MMB between
them to place a dimension there.

Figure 5: Choosing Center and Ends under Arc menu.

You should be able to freely rotate the sketch by changing the value of the lower angular dimension,
try! Exit sketcher ( ) when ready and extrude a 200 mm thick stair. Rename the feature as STAIR.

Figure 6: Sketch containing one arc, two lines and three dimensions.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Creating a group

Now comes the most important step:

Select the extrusion (STAIR) and the new datum plane (DTM1) in the model tree. This is done by
holding CTRL and clicking the corresponding features. When selected, click Group in the RMB popup
menu (Figure 7). The resulting group feature has all the needed dimensions for the dimension
pattern.

Figure 7: Selecting Group from the RMB menu.

Making a dimensional pattern

Select the previously created group, click RMB and select Pattern ( ). Holding CTRL, select two
dimensions (A and B in Figure 8) that define the stair location as references in Direction 1. Open the
Dimensions slide-down panel and enter the proper increments (200 mm and 20). Start with 15
instances, for example. Finish the pattern (MMB).

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Figure 8: Ready to accept dimensional pattern.

Make sure that you understand what happened. Dimension pattern simply takes given amount of
copies of the selected feature, adding given increments to the selected dimension(s). If second
direction is used, the whole set of first direction copies is similarly copied into given the number of
instances, again incrementing selected dimension(s). Very simple and effective, yet traditionally one
of the most tricky things about Creo to learn! Save your model (CTRL+S).

Introduction to Parametric Modeling

Firstly, what we want to do here is to make sure that the pillar starts from the bottom of the first stair
and ends to the top of last stair. If the number of the stairs is constant, this job would be easy. We
could do it just calculating the height or even better, locking the height of the pillar to the top surface
of last stair. This method however doesnt work if we have a possibility to change the number of the
stairs because the extrusion locks to the N:th member of the pattern, regardless of the number of the
pattern.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Now what we do is, we add relation between the height of the pole and number of the stairs, and
later on we want to include the elevation of the stairs to be taken into account. The first step is easy.
We want the pillar to begin from the bottom of the first step. In this case it is obviously easier to low
the first step to the TOP plane. Expand the pattern (Pattern 1 of LOCAL_GROUP) from the model tree
and expand the first Group. Then select the DTM1 and click RMB and select Edit ( ). Then change
the offset from 100 to 0.

Relations

Next we add a relation to the pillars height. Select Relations ( ) from Model Intent group (Figure 9)
and Relations window opens.

Figure 9: Selecting Relations from Model Intent group.

In to the text field, we can add relations and functions to the dimensions. All of the dimensions are
coded to the model as a variable, for example d2 or p4. D stands for dimension and p for pattern.
Click PILLAR form the model or from the model tree and you can see the dimensions of the feature
(Figure 10).

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Figure 10: The dimensions of the feature PILLAR showed. You may have different dimension names!

Now type:

d0 = 15*200

to the relations text box, click OK and click Regenerate ( , Operations group) (or press CTRL+G).

NOTICE: Use the correct dimension, it might not be d0! And also notice that if you click the dimension
from the model, Creo adds the dimension to the relations box.

Now the height of the pole should be suitable for 15 steps.

Of course, now if we change the number of steps, the pole height doesnt change. Open the Relations
( ) box again and click one of the steps from the model or from the model tree to get the dimensions
of the pattern. Now find the p-dimension (p#) which defines the number of the patterns instances.
Then replace 15 from the relation with p#. Next, find out the dimension name (d#) of the height of
the step (d#) and replace 200 with it. Then, again, click OK and regenerate. If your number of steps is

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

15, nothing should happen, so now change the number of instances form the pattern. (From the
model tree: RMB on pattern and select Edit ( ).)

Figure 11: The amount of pattern instances changed to 10 and model is regenerated.

Creating a parameter

There is also an easier way to change the number of steps. We can create a parameter that defines
the number of the steps. First select Parameters ( ) from Model Intent group and the parameters

window opens. Now click the -button to create a new parameter. Then fill the new line as in Figure
12.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Figure 12: Parameter STEPS created as an Integer.

Close the parameters window (OK). Now we only have to add one more relation to the relations box.
Open the Relations window ( ). Notice that you can access the parameters also from the bottom of
the relations window (Expand Local Parameters). Add

p# = steps

above the existing relation. And again, check the right number (#) for p-dimension. Now change the
STEPS-parameter value to 20, for instance, and close the window and regenerate the model (CTRL+G).
Now the pillars height should follow the number of steps.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

Last thinks to do without guidance

1) Find out why the p# = STEPS were added above the existed line instead of below?
2) Change the relations and parameters so, that you can define the height of the pillar, and the
program calculates the needed number of steps. Hint: The p-dimension is an integer, if you try
to change its value e.g. to 6,5 it is changed to 6. (so in some cases the pillar is a little bit longer
than it should)
3) Try to correct the error of the height of the pillar somehow. Also you can include more
variables, like the thickness of a step or/and elevation of the step.

To Return
Create a 3D-PDF out of this model:

1) Copy all text from Relations (Ctrl+A to select all, Ctrl+C to copy).
2) Select File Save As Save a Copy.
3) Change Type to PDF U3D (Error! Reference source not found.).

Figure 13: Selecting PDF U3D as a file type.

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MAA-C2005 Geometric Models in Engineering Original Author: Tuomas Pysti
Exercise 1.1 Updated: Kaur Jaakma 2012/16

4) In Description tab, paste (Ctrl+V) relations to Keywords field.

5) Other export setting should be fine, OK.

Creo creates a PDF file (*.pdf) that has 3D elements, be free to click on the picture to rotate it.

Return this PDF tile to MyCourses.

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