I would like comments/critique on the approach taken for this configurator. This is the first time I attempt something like this. I based most of the ideas on what I've seen on these lists on the various topics.

The configurator is not complete. It doesn't really have any error or bounds checking, therefore you can ask it to make rivets that will result in invalid geometry. If that happens, just ignore it, re-open the design table and change the parameters. Specifying a rivet length that is very close to the recommended full head clinch allowance will break the model.

I don't want to dive much deeper into this until I get a good sense that this is the way to go (and receive some good constructive criticism). Feel free to use/modify this for your own applications, of course.

I can see that some VBA code within the Excel workbook could do wonders. I am particularly concerned about how to handle the various options with regards to showing the rivet in the clinched state. The tables built into the current version simply use the recommended clinch allowance for a full clinch head. This rarely gives you the work thickness you might be looking for. My thought is to, perhaps, add the ability to override the default clinch allowance and specify the thickness of the material to be joined. This would give you a rivet that fits "right".

The way I would use this is to create the desired rivet configuration; use "Save As..." to save it to its own file; open that file; delete the configuration table and then use it in an assembly. You don't really want to carry a config table on every rivet you insert into an assembly!

I included the Excel file saved outside of the SW document to make it easier to examine. Both the internal and external Excel documents have two custom views saved to make it easier to view the whole thing or just the "form" area. In Excel, go to the View menu, select "Custom Views...", then select one of the two views and click "Show".

Thanks,

-Martin