How to Exclude Hatching Lines in the Area of Text in Siemens NX Drafting

In the world of advanced CAD design and technical drafting, clarity and precision are non-negotiable. When working on section views or assembly drawings using Siemens NX, crosshatch patterns are commonly applied to represent material cuts. However, these patterns can obscure critical annotations or callouts. Fortunately, Siemens NX provides a streamlined solution to exclude text from hatch areas, enhancing both engineering productivity and document readability.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Launch the Crosshatch Tool: Navigate to the Drafting module and open the Crosshatch function. This is essential for creating high-fidelity section representations.
2. Select Boundary Curves: Under the Boundary section, choose Boundary Curves as your selection mode and define the hatch area using edges or curves.
3. Activate Annotation Exclusion: Enable the checkbox labeled Select Annotation. Select the text or note objects that you want to keep clear of hatching lines.
4. Adjust Margin Value: Fine-tune the margin around the annotation using the Margin Value input field. A value like 1.5000 ensures a professional-looking spacing buffer.
5. Preview and Apply: Use the preview option to inspect the exclusion before committing. When satisfied, click Apply and then OK to save changes.

Efficient drafting isn’t just about lines and dimensions—it’s about clarity, precision, and presenting your design intent without distractions.

Visual Explanation

The two images below this post illustrate the before and after effect of excluding text from hatching. One example shows vertical annotation, and the other demonstrates exclusion with rotated text—showcasing Siemens NX’s intelligent drawing tools for clean engineering documentation.

Why This Matters for Engineers

Whether you are preparing production-ready blueprints or customer-facing design documents, ensuring your annotations are legible is crucial. This feature not only improves visual appeal but also enhances communication across multidisciplinary teams. It’s a must-know for any design engineer, CAD drafter, or product developer.

If you found this Siemens NX drafting tip helpful, consider exploring our other articles on CAD customization, engineering best practices, and design automation tools.

NX Advanced Simulation : Solved : SUGGESTION: Set parameter "AUTOMPC" to "YES" in the "Edit Solution..." dialog. NX Advanced simulation

How to Enable AUTOMPC in Solution Settings for Error Resolution

Facing errors in while running solution in NX Advanced simulation FEA Project? Enabling AUTOMPC might be the fix! Follow this step-by-step guide to configure it correctly and solve your problem efficiently.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Guide to Enable AUTOMPC

1️⃣ Open the Solution Settings

• Right-click on the solution in the Select Edit panel.
• A window named Solution will open.

2️⃣ Navigate to Parameters

• Click on the Parameters tab.
• Find the value named Parameters with a dropdown list (default: None).

3️⃣ Create a Modeling Object

• Click the Create Modeling Object icon near the dropdown list.
• This opens a new window called Solution Parameters 1, displaying a list of properties.

4️⃣ Set AUTOMPC to Yes

• Locate the AUTOMPC property.
• Select Yes from the dropdown list.
• Click the Add icon near the dropdown list.

5️⃣ Apply Changes & Solve the Solution

• Now, AUTOMPC is added to your solution.
• Try solving your solution again. Most of the time, this will resolve the issue.

🔄 Alternative Fix: Replace RBE3 with RBE2

If the error persists, try replacing all RBE3 elements with RBE2. Note that using RBE2 instead of RBE3 may cause slight variations in load distribution.

✅ **Pro Tip:** RBE2 provides a more rigid connection, whereas RBE3 distributes loads more flexibly. Choose based on your simulation needs.

🎯 Final Thoughts

By enabling AUTOMPC and making necessary adjustments, you can fix solution errors effectively. If you have further issues, feel free to leave a comment below!

💬 Need Help? Drop your queries in the comments!