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Insert part, external reference to it

Insert part, external reference to it

Insert part, external reference to it

(OP)
I inserted a part, named "casting 1," into a new part file and then did all the extruded cuts on it to make it into a machined part. Now I want to replace "casting 1" with "casting 2" which has some changes but the machining is the same.

It does not appear possible to do this. When you list external references, the file path cannot be changed. When you load external references, you can select the new part but it does not replace the old one. It looks like all the machining operations will have to be re-created on the new casting.

I checked the help menus and older threads, but I have to admit that I am confused about workilng with external references.

Thanks for any suggestions.

RE: Insert part, external reference to it

Is "casting 1" made from "casting 2". If you have external references from "casting 2" referencing "casting 1" you will be creating a circular reference. best thing to do is to create a copy make your cuts and then replace. hope I am making sense. It has been a long day.Thank goodness it is almost over in a couple hours.

Best Regards,
Jon

Challenges are what makes life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Solidworks 2005 SP4.0

RE: Insert part, external reference to it

I don't see any problem replacing the reference with another file, if the replacement file is copied from the orginal, then your cut geometry may stay intact, if not then you simple go through the part and fix the errors.

Jason

RE: Insert part, external reference to it

(OP)
Jason- that is what I finally had to do. I had to delete the original part and check the box so that related operations would not be deleted. After inserting the new part I had to go through and re-identify all of the sketch planes.

RE: Insert part, external reference to it

Is the replacement part a modified version of the original? If not, no cad system has the telepathy needed to know where downstream features should be attached.

You don't have to delete the part. In the open file dialogue, select you part containing the base part and select the references button. This will show you the external references (files). Double click it to browse for a new file and then open.

You can also use Solidworks Explorer to do this which might be a little easier to see what's going on.

Jason

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