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Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

(OP)
Is it just me or are there others here that find it frustrating that SW is so limited at creating features at the assembly level?  We do quite a few items that get match machined (2 parts assembled together and then machined as a whole).  Something as simple as creating a chamfer or radius as the assembly level becomes a big pain in the you know what because you have to sketch them and then revolve-cut an assembly feature.  If there is an easier way of creating machined features at the assembly level please share the wealth :)

BodyBagger
Battlefield 2142 addict

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

Submit an ER for an assy level chamfer or fillet if you feel it is important enough.

Meantime, you could create the cut-features in a config at the part level, and then show those configs only at the assy level.

cheers
SW07-SP3.1
SW06-SP5.1

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

(OP)
CBL - Thanks for the input.  I will submit an ER for the additional functionality.  Creating the features at the part level does not work for us.  Our models need to follow the production processes to the letter (at the part level the machining has not been done).  It's kind of bass ackwards because of our inventory software.  Unfortunately the modeling around here is a slave to the systems in place.

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

I deal with the same sort of situation here, BodyBagger, and have already submitted an ER.
For the time being, I simply insert the part(s) into another part and am able to add my chamfers and fillets...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

BodyBagger ... That is why I suggested using configurations. One showing the basic part, another showing the feature machined at the assy level. For the part manufacturing drawing use the basic config, for the assy drawing show the modified config.

An alternative is to save the assembly as a part (multi-body) and then add the machined features to it.

cheers
SW07-SP3.1
SW06-SP5.1

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

CBL,
That can get tricky if you have different part numbers for the base level versus the machined level versus the assembled level. I used to do it your way but, now, prefer to just bring the base level (casting, forming, mold) into the machined level.
Just my 1/2 cent...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

(OP)
JMirisola - My thoughts exactly.  I have to assign unique part numbers at each stage and it can get very confusing.  On top of that we have to implement everything thru DBWorks.  DBWorks would then create seperate records for each configuration and then each configuration would have to have a unique part number.  I think we do things very strange here.  Here are a couple examples:

ex #1
1.  12 x 12 x 0.5 steel plate is a part that we purchase.
2.  We send it out to have some holes drilled in it and it now becomes an assembly that consists of one piece.  It is actually an assembly of processes however.

ex #2
1.  We do weldment fabrications as assemblies.  We need to model each piece of steel as a part.
2.  Save each part with a unique part number.
3.  Start a new assy and insert the steel part.
4.  Perform the machining features (at the assy level).
5.  Now start a new assy and insert each steel item assy into this assy.

I think we lose a lot of functionality by doing weldments as assemblies rather than as parts.

Kind of drives me nuts...

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

For your example 1: As was suggested by Jeff, insert the part into another part (Insert/Part)....then you have access to all model features and each can have their own part number. You can do this several time. We have a cast part, it's inserted into a new part file and machined, then this machined part is inserted into a new part file along with another cast/machined part and they are machined together. All part files...no assy.

For weldments, we do it like you do....mostly cause we have sheetmetal parts in the weldment which doesn't work well with the newer part weldment feature.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
UG NX4.01.0 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2007 SP3.1 on WinXP SP2

RE: Why the Limited Functionality at Assembly Level?

(OP)
Jason - Thanks for your input.  I will have to try some test parts and see how they lay out on our BOMs and if it cooporates with our inventory control system.

Thanks,
BB

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