Detailing moderately complex weldments

[willwicker]

How do you model and detail moderately complex weldments?

I am currently using the weldment functionality (2006, SP4.1) to create a multi-body part with structural members, plates, hole-wizard holes, etc.

Now it's time to make a set of drawings for this. The weldment is complex enough that I would like to show each piece on its own sheet of paper.

My first attempt was to add sheets to the weldment drawing and use the relative view function to add views with just the body in question. Unfortunately, SWX brought in all of the cosmetic threads from all of the non-shown members into the same view. This makes the print look like it has measles.

Saving each body out to its own part file, and detailing that part file by itself might work, but the process is intensely painful.

What is the best way?

 

[SolidAir]

Are your threads put in before or after welding? If after, suppress these features in the as-welded configuration. If before, then what we do is hide the threads. It is time consuming, but it works.

 

[willwicker]

Replying to myself:

These are threads that should be made before the parts are welded together.

Apparantly, if you choose high-quality cosmetic threads in the view, threads not belonging to the displayed body are not shown. If you choose draft-quality cosmetic threads (not the same as drawft quality view quality, evidently), then you get whatever, wherever.

 

[alolesen]

That cosmetic thread thig has been a problem in weldments of a couple of versions now.

I use the multi sheet relative view technique and then just hide the stray cosmetic threads on each sheet. To get rid of the ones that are outside of a view (you can't select them) you can use the "crop view" function, crop your view to just inside the view boundry box.

 

[willwicker]

Replying to my self-reply, because I like to hear myself talk...

My joy at discovering high-quality vs. draft-quality cosmetic threads was premature. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Bummer.