thoughts on top down design
thoughts on top down design
(OP)
Hi all,
Anybody heavy into top down design techniques? I understand the differences between it and bottom up but havent tried it on large assemblies(>1000 parts). Anyone have thoughts regarding performance?
Anybody heavy into top down design techniques? I understand the differences between it and bottom up but havent tried it on large assemblies(>1000 parts). Anyone have thoughts regarding performance?






RE: thoughts on top down design
Rob Rodriguez CSWP
www.axiscadsolutions.com
www.robrodriguez.com
http://www.robrodriguezblog.com
Eastern Region SWUGN Representative www.swugn.org www.nvtswug.com
SW 2007 SP 2.0
RE: thoughts on top down design
I have done top down design on assemblies with over 1000 parts. Top down design is what SolidWorks is all about.
You do not have to make everything parametric at the top level. On a large project, you want to split stuff off so that co-workers can work on them. Inevitably, you are re-using stuff you designed earlier.
When you finalize your manufactured components, you must de-parameterize them. Otherwise, you are going to get random revisions to your solid models. The contents of your fabrication drawings will vary, depending on what you had loaded when you printed them.
RE: thoughts on top down design
The person you should talk with is Mauricio Martinez-Saez. He frequents the official SW forums and is very heavily into large top-down design, combined with extensive use of Excel.
https://forum.solidworks.com/people/1-4Y8EAL
https://
ht
RE: thoughts on top down design
I don't know. It just seems simpler for much of what I do. Some things (like pilot plants) probably shouldn't be tackle this way, but for the most part it seems to work well.
Dan
www.eltronresearch.com
Dan's Blog
RE: thoughts on top down design
RE: thoughts on top down design
Sounds as though larger assemblies would prove problematic as I suspected. Drawoh seems to have hit the nail on the head in that the creation of subs helps, as it does with bottom up construction. Great concept if the necessary power could be applied. Thanks again
What would you all say to commonly used sub assemblies saved as part files to build upper level assemblies? Could there be performance gains with this method?
RE: thoughts on top down design
It does not make sense to save an assembly as a part.
A sub-assembly is more efficient than a part with same geometries (a multiple bodies part).
Best regards,
Alex
RE: thoughts on top down design
RE: thoughts on top down design
many times you gonna re-use it?
if it is a press tool design for one off part probably not worth the extra time.
But if your company makes steerings for cars. You can make one assy which you can use everytime you get a new design of steering to manfacture.
For me top down is only suitable
If you have around 80% design final in your grey matter.
If you gonna re use it extensivly.
If you are doing a project which will be used repeatedly with minimal changes. Especially if you are sure that the driving concept/component will not change dramatically.
RE: thoughts on top down design
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask