9 Replies Latest reply on Aug 8, 2016 11:25 AM by David Grieser

    multiple copy a component

    David Grieser
    David Grieser Aug 5, 2016 2:25 PM

      Raised on Autocad, how do you multiple copy a component in solidworks like you can in autocad?

      The copy, rotate, copy so on seems like a lot of effort compared to Autocad.

       

      I imported a caster assembly to solidworks assembly, then ctrl-left drag a part but only drag-copies the part your curser is on.

       

      Thanks for any insight....

       

      I noticed it notes every instance of a repeated block in a drawing with <1,2,3....> after it. Is this because of the BOM in the drawings?

      trying to understand the working dynamics of solidworks. Thanks!!

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        • Re: multiple copy a component
          Anna Wood
          Anna Wood Aug 5, 2016 9:51 PM (in response to David Grieser)

          Not sure what you are doing with the copy, rotate, copy.  Think your AutoCad knowledge is throwing you a curve there.

           

          Insert the caster asm multiple times and position with mates.  

           

          You can drag the assembly in multiple times from Windows Explorer, you do not have to use Insert > Component in the toolbar.

           

          Select the top level assembly of the caster over in the feature manager tree and do your Ctrl, LMB and drag.  Otherwise, you get individual components as you are seeing.

           

          You can use Pattern Features.   Insert > Component Pattern

           

          The instance number are how many instances were added in total, it is a running count.  Note though if you delete a couple instances then add more of the same the numbering will not be sequential.  The instances do not have anything to do with the BOM.

          • Re: multiple copy a component
            Deepak Gupta
            Deepak Gupta Aug 5, 2016 11:37 PM (in response to David Grieser)

            You can also use copy with mates to quickly place that sub -assembly in desired positions (just need to pick new references and mates would be applied)  or can use pattern also like Anna has suggested.

            • Re: multiple copy a component
              Glenn Schroeder
              Glenn Schroeder Aug 8, 2016 10:22 AM (in response to David Grieser)

              In addition to the excellent suggestions you got from Anna, I'd like to offer one more.  I don't know what you're modeling,  but let's assume it's a  rectangular table.  Insert and mate the caster assembly at the front right corner, then create a plane that's parallel to the front of your table and coincident with the center point (open the Create New Plane feature and select a front and back surface is the easiest way).  Use this plane in the Mirror Component feature to insert the back right corner caster.  Now create a second plane, also coincident with the center point, but parallel to  the sides.   Use it for another Mirror Component feature to insert both left casters and you're done.  This method has the benefit of keeping the casters at the corners if the table's dimensions change.

               

              As you can see, symmetry can be your friend in SolidWorks.  By the way, if I had modeled the table then the Front and Right planes would already be centered on the table so there wouldn't have been a need to create new ones.  I'm assuming that's not the case here.

              • Re: multiple copy a component
                Jaja Jojo
                Jaja Jojo Aug 6, 2016 7:28 AM (in response to David Grieser)

                you can use move/copy command if your in part level

                • Re: multiple copy a component
                  David Grieser
                  David Grieser Aug 8, 2016 9:55 AM (in response to David Grieser)

                  Thanks Anna For introducing the feature correctly and to Glenn for the plane suggestion. Playing around with it, is very cool how all the casters are constrained to the first caster that anything changes, they all change relatively.

                   

                  Also love the mirror command as the mirrored components, even in separate part files change as well.

                   

                  Loving the Parametrics!

                    • Re: multiple copy a component
                      Glenn Schroeder
                      Glenn Schroeder Aug 8, 2016 10:21 AM (in response to David Grieser)

                      David,

                       

                      I'm glad it's working for you, and glad you're enjoying the parametrics.  I think you'll really like SolidWorks after you've used it a while.  I was fortunate to start with it, so I didn't have any AutoCAD habits to unlearn, but I've observed that it sometimes takes a while.  One of the engineers here where I work was a big AutoCAD proponent for a long time, but he finally saw the light.