I am having a problem getting the shear size ( width and
length of flat part) into the custom properties. i can put a
reference dimension on the flat part and link it to the custom
property and everything is fine as long as it stays flat, but of
course i need it in the folded state. I know i can get the length
from the bom in the drawing but that is no good for me because i
need it with in the custom properties of the part.
I have talked with tech support from reseller and still cant get anywhere. any ideas would be appreciated
I have talked with tech support from reseller and still cant get anywhere. any ideas would be appreciated
Instead of using a reference dimension when in the flattened state, add a sketch to the part while flattened, and add some geometry to that sketch that would reflect the overall size when flattened. Then add a dimension to that geometry. It should result in a driven dimension. Use that dimension in a Custom Property value. One thing to watch out for: if you change the size of the part (which, obviously, changes the size of the flat pattern), since the sketch you created is suppressed because it is after the Flat-Pattern feature in the tree, the Custom Property value WON'T change until you Flatten and the Un-Flatten the part at leat once.
Hope that makes sense. For more clarification, you might take a look at SW Guru Wayne Tiffany's SW2008 Sheetmetal Presentation he has on the Kansas City SolidWorks Users Group website (kcswug.com), specifically, page 110.
One of the slides in my presentation shows just that. Put in an unfold, open a sketch on the face, add a construction line (or whatever) to one end, put a dimension from that sketch entity to the other end, close the sketch, put in a fold feature, and then use that dim in your properties.
The reason if doesn't work the other way is because you put a dim between two points in 3D space, and when the part is formed, those points aren't in the same place in 3D space as they were before. But by putting the dim inside an Unfold/Fold sequence, the dim is always evaluated in that condition. Works very well.
WT
I asked the same question about a year ago and we seem to still using the same manual workaround.
I have put in an enhancement request Ref 187394, if some more people can request this we might get an easier solution to this problem.
Michael
thanks
Dominick-
its not in SW 2008
WT, I downloaded that zip file from your website and it will not open. Says the file is corrupt. You might want to make sure it is ok.
WT
I am still using the same workaround as before
All that information can be placed automatically on a BOM (or transfer to the MRP or create a cutting list, etc.)
This part will allways give you the exat blank dimensions irrelevant if the part is on Flat state or bended. This is oen way to do it.
Have fun!
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Once you have the custom properties defined on the parts (Blank_Y_Dim and Blank_X_Dim) you can add those to columns of an Excel based BOM Table and concatenate them with a simple Excel function
In the configuration for your flattened plate create a sketch on the flattened surface. Then select only the two outside edges that would form your length ( not the long edges, just the ends) and convert entities. Create a driven dimension between these two sketched entities. This should create your flattened length dimension. Close sketch.
MAKE SURE THIS SKETCH IS SUPPRESSED IN YOUR FOLDED CONFIGURATION!
Even though it is suppressed, you should be able to double click on the sketch and have the length dimension pop up. Use this dimension to drive your length value in your custom properties.
Used it for years
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