NX Multi-Body Holes and Threads: Practitioner Technique

From the official Siemens NX Design blog (author Drew Wilson, published July 14, 2023), covering a technique that trips up users modeling assemblies of overlapping/mated solid bodies in a single part file.

Multi-body hole selection

The Hole feature has a Boolean "Select Body" option that lets you explicitly designate which bodies in a multi-body part a given hole should cut through. This avoids the common mistake of a hole either missing a body it should cut, or unintentionally cutting through a body it shouldn't, when several solids overlap in the same region.

Hole Series for fastener stacks

For assemblies with a stack of parts fastened by a single screw (where each body might need different thread/clearance treatment), Hole Series lets you control fit and threading per body. It auto-recognizes the bodies the hole passes through and offers pre-configured or custom screw options — specifically useful for partial threading scenarios (e.g., clearance through the first few bodies, threaded engagement only in the last).

Pattern for consistency

Combining this with linear/circular/polygonal patterning keeps hole treatment consistent across a repeated feature (e.g., a bolt circle), maintaining boundary, orientation, and feature behavior uniformly across all instances.

Gotchas called out

• Don't skip the Select Body option when a hole passes through multiple overlapping bodies — the default behavior may not match what you intend.
• Double-check thread specification per body when fastener sizes vary along the stack.
• Use Ctrl-multi-select carefully in complex assemblies to avoid silently missing a body that should be included in the cut.

Source: Multi-body Holes and Threads | NX Tips and Tricks