Converting Detailed parts to be less detailed

[cadcoke5]

We use a lot of connectors from Tyco electronics. Tyco has very detailed 3-d models of their connectors online, and this is what we use for our circuit board assemblies.

However, their models have every tiny internal detail... far more than what is needed for our uses. I expect they are causing performance issues with our main assembly.

The connectors are already imported and saved as a multi-body part. I suppose the circuit board assembly itself could be converted to a multi-body part. But, I am looking for general suggestions for how others deal with this issue.

I imagine that I can create two configurations in each connector part. One is the version I imported from their web page, and the other being a very simplified version that I model myself. But, then I would want an automatic way to switch between the versions on the main assembly.

Also, I recall hearing the term "shrink wrap". This refered to a software feature to take a complex assembly and only show the outer skin. If I recall correctly, it would also automatically plug holes below a certain size. This sounds like a great automatic way to simplify my connector models.

I know an assembly can be exported as "external faces" when converting it to a multibody part. But if it already a part, then this option is not available. Also, it doesn't have any features to plug small holes.

Is something like the "Shrink Wrap" featured available for SolidWorks?

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Joe Dunfee

 

[ShaggyPE]

If you are able to mate with midplanes, that should solve some problems

-Shaggy

 

[cadcoke5]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I wasn't fully aware of all the feature included with the utilities in the Pro version that have to be installed separately.

I did run a feature recognition on one of the connectors. It created about 80 features, and the file size swelled from 411k to 1,100k.

The simplify routine did recognize a number of small features, but in the end the part was still quite detailed because of all the external features.

In our case, I think the simplified version will be created manually (perhaps just a single rectangular extrusion). The mating needs to be done through the origin or default planes. I can't use this approach for any of our existing stuff, because it would involve re-doing all the mates.

Since we include every pin that is used in each connector (some pins are omitted in some situations), we also need to simplify the process of doing the mates. Obviously the answer is to create smart mates.

This overall project has been several years in development, and now is nearing completion. It is the first project they've done using Solidworks. I think there is always a lot of stuff you wish you did differently when it is the first time through an entire project. The next project should be much smoother. I will recommend that we not reuse any of the parts from the current project.

Joe Dunfee