AutoCAD BOM Conversion

Question

AutoCAD BOM Conversion

LesPaul82 (Mechanical)

(OP)

2 Oct 14 11:18

We are currently using AutoCAD 2004 as our 2D software. Our BOMs are just pieces of "dtext" for the different attributes (Material/Quantity/Description) within a grid of lines to represent a table all within the AutoCAD drawing. (Hopefully that wasn't a confusing description. I can provide an example if needed.)

In order to work with our new ERP system, we are looking to move forward to a "smarter" BOM as the newer versions of AutoCAD seem to have where the each line of the BOM is a block that contains attributes for each column. Then those attributes can be extracted to an excel spreadsheet or directly into an ERP system.

If we were to upgrade to a newer version of AutoCAD that uses "smart" BOMs, can be convert our old BOMs into the newer style? or would we have to retype all of the information back in?

If we chose not to upgrade AutoCAD, can we extract our old BOM style into an excel spreadsheet?

Thanks for the help,

Sean

Sean
Kadant Carmanah Design
Vancouver, BC
www.carmanahdesign.com

JNieman (Aerospace) · Answer 1 · 2014-10-02 11:26:51

Not without some really creative scripting and the hope-and-prayer that there is /some/ consistency from BOM to BOM so that automation is even possible.

The best I figure you can do is create a scripted command, LISP routine, or some such thing that will expedite manual conversion, reading the dtext contents, properties, and location, before creating a new attribute object with the appropriate properties set, and the text set to whatever it read from the dtext. With this, a user will still have to go through, click the right command, and select each dtext object.

Without detailed information on current examples and expected results, I don't think an answer could be given.

Intelligent objects can be made stupid. Stupid objects cannot very easily be made intelligent. It's why some CAD Managers "delete" the explode command (insomuch as that's possible).

_________________________________________
NX8.0, Solidworks 2014, AutoCAD, Enovia V5

LesPaul82 (Mechanical) · Answer 2 · 2014-10-02 16:22:51

Yeah that's what I figured. I think exporting the text into an Excel spreadsheet using a LISP routine is going to be our best option.

Thanks for the answer JNieman.

Sean
Kadant Carmanah Design
Vancouver, BC
www.carmanahdesign.com

MikeHalloran (Mechanical) · Answer 3 · 2014-10-05 21:23:03

Consider removing the BOM from the drawing entirely, and maintaining it only in the ERP system.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

LesPaul82 (Mechanical) · Answer 4 · 2014-10-06 19:16:41

MikeHalloran, that seems to be our number one option right now. Thanks.

Sean
Kadant Carmanah Design
Vancouver, BC
www.carmanahdesign.com

ohiocad (Structural) · Answer 5 · 2014-10-30 14:32:29

If you're very familiar with the components in the BOM, (which I am assuming you are) you might also be able to look into DataExtraction (full release vanilla, not in LT).

You could extract the text, along with the file name, to an excel file, but that would get all the text in the drawing, which is where familiarity comes into play, as you'd sort and dump info not related. Much better would be if it was on a unique layer, you could extract text, layer, and file name, export to Excel, dump the layers that you don't need, then sort as required and manipulate from there.

(DataExtraction is something that we use all the time, that a lot of folks don't seem to be aware is built into Acad)

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