Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
(OP)
Hello,
I have created library components of SMC guided cylinders from the downloads on their site. I created a design table for all the stroke lengths in each component (Rod & extruded body) and in the assembly. The length of each component is determined by an Extrude To Surface feature with the surface being a plane in the assembly.
The problem we're having is that when the cylinder assembly is in another assembly, the components don't update when you switch to a different stroke length (configuration). E.g. if I switch from a 75mm stroke to a 100mm stroke, the body and rod show up too short. Multiple rebuilds will not correct this. The only fix is to open the cylinder assembly itself, then the component sizes correct.
This is a large inconvenience for us. It seems that something is not acting right, but maybe its because of the extrusion to a surface? I really hate to go through and specify the component lengths in the DT because of the risk of error and time.
Is there another way to overcome this? Maybe this is a bug that needs reported?
Thank you,
I have created library components of SMC guided cylinders from the downloads on their site. I created a design table for all the stroke lengths in each component (Rod & extruded body) and in the assembly. The length of each component is determined by an Extrude To Surface feature with the surface being a plane in the assembly.
The problem we're having is that when the cylinder assembly is in another assembly, the components don't update when you switch to a different stroke length (configuration). E.g. if I switch from a 75mm stroke to a 100mm stroke, the body and rod show up too short. Multiple rebuilds will not correct this. The only fix is to open the cylinder assembly itself, then the component sizes correct.
This is a large inconvenience for us. It seems that something is not acting right, but maybe its because of the extrusion to a surface? I really hate to go through and specify the component lengths in the DT because of the risk of error and time.
Is there another way to overcome this? Maybe this is a bug that needs reported?
Thank you,
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.






RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Hope that made sense.
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Now I may not be completely understanding what's going on, but why can't you determine the stroke length solely in the assembly?
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP1.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
That's how it is setup. The assembly has planes that define certain lengths. The components use extrusions that terminate at those planes in-context in the assembly. But that's what's giving me problems. If I've got 2 different stroke lengths specified in the same assembly, the one shows correctly, and the other shows the correct configuration names, but the actual geometry sizes are wrong (they are the same as the other instance). See the image below to clarify.
In the first image, there are 2 instances of the cylinder. The top is 200mm stroke, and the bottom a 25mm stroke (specified by the...-25 at the end of the part number). As you can see, the 2 cylinders are shown with the same geometry, even though the configurations are different. If I actually open the cyl assembly, they will correct.
It appears like the error you had noticed in the past is what I'm up against.
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Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
I wish I were familiar with the cylinders you're working with. Is the rectagular body supposed to be smaller in the 25mm stroke version?
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP1.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
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Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Chris
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
It seems to me that rather than having an in context feature, you should just let the configuration drive the lengths and have the face of the body mate to that plane, or to whatever it needs.
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP1.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
This is your problem. Unless every component of the cylinder has one configuration per configuration of the cylinder assembly this will not work. The reason is that one configuration of a part cannot be two different lengths at the same time.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Maybe I didn't make that clear, but that is what I have. There is a different configuration for each length in each component. The actual length is determined by a plane in the assembly which the feature extrudes to (in-context).
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP1.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP1.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
You have assembly planes (not part planes) that the SW part extrudes up too - is that correct?
SW07 requires you select the config used per config, because the "in-use" option was removed.
Do you have flexible turned on one or both files? IF so, try making them rigid and see if that helps.
I did stuff like this for many years and made some very complex designs and automation... so I understand what you are doing, but it is very hard to understand how you have it setup without the files.
If you get a chance tomorrow Craig, have your college move the files up to our FTP site (if possible) and I will take a look at this.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Below is a link to the files.
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Scott, they are on your FTP site; I had sent an email, but I think someone else responded to it. I am extruding to assembly planes, therefore an in-context extrusion for each component. The cylinder assemblies are NOT flexible.
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
www.forcedesign.biz
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
Instead of extruding to a plane in an assembly,
create a plane in your part that is defined in-context, and extrude to that plane. The plane will be present in the part and not upset the regeneration of the extrude feature, and will also update when the assembly changes.
RE: Extrude to surface not updating in assy's
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Tick...I tried that and got the same results as before. Seems like such a good idea, but didn't come through for me.
Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.
www.forcedesign.biz