{"id":11163,"date":"2025-03-25T09:04:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T13:04:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/?p=11163"},"modified":"2026-03-26T04:43:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T08:43:13","slug":"nx-tips-and-tricks-cut-copy-paste-constraints-within-assemblies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/nx-tips-and-tricks-cut-copy-paste-constraints-within-assemblies\/","title":{"rendered":"NX | Tips and Tricks | Cut, Copy &amp; Paste Constraints within Assemblies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Welcome to another<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/category\/tips-tricks\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/category\/tips-tricks\/\"> Tips &amp; Tricks<\/a> blog. Today we take a closer look at cut, copy, and paste within Assemblies. In this video, we show how you can save time with enhancements made to assemblies in the latest release of NX\u2122 software. NX Assemblies is a powerful tool for creating the digital twin of your product and allowing users to combine individual components into a larger structures to simulate the interaction of multiple parts within an assembly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the latest Tips &amp; Tricks video below to learn more about NX Assemblies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NX | Tips and Tricks | Cut, Copy and Paste within Assemblies\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/38tnxUGbOGI?list=PL1m1vu8_quoDVJfmPp3FL9700HGM_LK9P\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What have we added?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>NX will now retain constraints when users restructure components within assemblies. When components are copy and pasted, NX will include associative constraints either within the assembly or across different assemblies. NX will also automatically update external constraints to reflect a new position within the assembly or provide an automated way to resolve the constraints<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Constraining Parts for Copy and Paste<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:49% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-1024x575.png\" alt=\"Gearbox Initial Assembly\" class=\"wp-image-11252 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-1536x863.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-2048x1151.png 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-395x222.png 395w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124224-1-900x506.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Before we can cut and paste constraints, we need to start be creating a simple assembly of a gearbox. This assembly will use two gears of the same size for a one-to-one gear ratio. By using a hinge joint and selecting a vector and point we can quickly constrain a gear to the housing. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 48%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Once the gear is copy and pasted back into the assembly, an unresolved hinge joint is shown in the resolve constraints list. Once resolving these constraints all that&#8217;s let is to create a gear joint coupler and adjust the angle offset. All the constraints are resolved and the assembly rotates freely.<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-1024x575.png\" alt=\"Gearbox Assemblies\" class=\"wp-image-11253 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-1536x863.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-2048x1151.png 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-395x222.png 395w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124357-1-900x506.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#00e6e6;color:#00e6e6\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Copying and Pasting an Assembly<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We can highlight and copy the gearbox assembly to paste into a separate file. Once the gear housing is fixed into position the hinge joints and the gear joint couplers are preserved automatically. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11255\" style=\"width:745px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-395x222.png 395w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124528-900x506.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Copying shared components over to a new assembly is seamless. We can copy the gears to another gearbox assembly with the constraints intact. We will need to resolve the hinge constraints to account for the new coupler and adjust the offset. The gear joint coupler constraint remains internal to the gear assembly, we need to adjust the angle offset for the gears. The gears now move in the same manner as before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Preserving constraints is not only possible between files but also when restructuring assemblies. When we move the input transfer gear to the top level of the APU assembly the constraints are automatically maintained. Their is no longer prompts to resolve the external constraints as the constraints are resolved when the assembly was restructured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11256\" style=\"width:737px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-1536x863.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-2048x1151.png 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-395x222.png 395w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-124701-1-900x506.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide\" style=\"background-color:#00e6e6;color:#00e6e6\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Continue your journey with NX<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NX | Tips and Tricks | Cut, Copy and Paste within Assemblies\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/38tnxUGbOGI?list=PL1m1vu8_quoDVJfmPp3FL9700HGM_LK9P\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center is-image-fill has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(0,255,185) 0%,rgb(0,230,230) 100%)\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-medium-font-size\" style=\"line-height:1.2\"><strong>Take me to the NX design blog<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:36px;line-height:1.2\"><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2.png);background-position:29% 43%\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10862 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_2412_Whats-new-V2-900x900.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center is-image-fill has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(0,255,185) 0%,rgb(0,230,230) 100%)\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:2em;padding-right:2em;padding-bottom:2em;padding-left:2em\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-medium-font-size\" style=\"line-height:1.2\"><strong>Visit our Tips and Tricks YouTube channel<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1.png);background-position:50% 50%\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL1m1vu8_quoDVJfmPp3FL9700HGM_LK9P\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10811 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/Overarching_CLC_Design_Tips-and-Tricks-V2-1-900x900.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/community.sw.siemens.com\/s\/topic\/0TO4O000000MihTWAS\/nx-cad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Visit the NX Community<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Check out NX X; the cloud based version of NX<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to another Tips &amp; Tricks blog. Today we take a closer look at cut, copy, and paste within Assemblies&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104014,"featured_media":11407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,162,163,166],"tags":[503,6612,3,501,499,533],"industry":[],"product":[304,1817],"coauthors":[6734],"class_list":["post-11163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-learning-resources","category-product-updates","category-tips-tricks","tag-3d-cad","tag-assemblies","tag-cad","tag-nx","tag-nx-cad","tag-nxmakesitreal","product-nx","product-nx-x"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Blog_Header_Cut_Copy_and_Paste_Assemblies.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104014"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11163"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13114,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11163\/revisions\/13114"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11163"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=11163"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=11163"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=11163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}