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GBGabe Biertzer29/09/2008
Where is the
parametric SolidWorks functionality to create a part
file based off an assembly?
PTC has had functionality called "Shrinkwrap" for years. It permits for an assembly file to be saved-as a lightweight part. This part remains linked to the assembly it was created from, therefore it updates when changes are made to the assembly. For companies that get into large assemblies, this functionality is crucial. It helps tremendously in creating top-level product, installation and lube/electrical route assemblies. Another area where this will help is weldments. At times, there are limitations to SW weldment functionality that require us to build a weldment using the assembly/part method. When it comes to machining the weldment we are often limited by the type of assembly features available. SolidWorks does not allow fillets, chamfers, loft cuts or swept cuts at the assembly level. (I understand that we could create configurations at the part level as a workaround - this gets messy when managing files with PDM software and we would rather not go this route.) With the functionality I am looking for, the "as-machined" version of the weldment could be saved off as a linked part where the full pallet of part features would be available.
In SolidWorks, I have tried Large Assembly Mode, Lightweight, Join and have used the "Save-as Part" method. Our assemblies easily reach the 50,000-component range.
Here are limitations I've experienced with SolidWorks:
Aside from lightweight mode being "flakey" for many releases, thereby reducing user confidence, it has not been an effective solution for working with assemblies of this size. They remain slow to work with.
The "Join" command does not support part and sub assembly configurations. I have also found the feature to be "buggy." Quite a few SRs and SPRs have been filed and remain in queue for this feature.
The "save-as" part method gets me half way there by creating a part from an assembly (exterior faces, exterior components, all components). However, this part does not remain linked to the assembly. I am well aware that I could resave the part every time the assembly changes, but the resulting part will have a different internal ID with each save - face IDs will change too. In a higher-level assembly where these parts are used, this causes mate errors that are based off of the faces.
If you are aware of functionality that is present and I am overlooking, please let me know where to find it. If this functionality does not exist as I have described it and you feel that you could benefit from it, please file a related enhancement request with SolidWorks.
Thank you,
Gabe Biertzer
SW2007 SP3.1
2.20GHz Core 2 Duo
4.00GB RAM
XP Pro
Quadro FX1600M
PTC has had functionality called "Shrinkwrap" for years. It permits for an assembly file to be saved-as a lightweight part. This part remains linked to the assembly it was created from, therefore it updates when changes are made to the assembly. For companies that get into large assemblies, this functionality is crucial. It helps tremendously in creating top-level product, installation and lube/electrical route assemblies. Another area where this will help is weldments. At times, there are limitations to SW weldment functionality that require us to build a weldment using the assembly/part method. When it comes to machining the weldment we are often limited by the type of assembly features available. SolidWorks does not allow fillets, chamfers, loft cuts or swept cuts at the assembly level. (I understand that we could create configurations at the part level as a workaround - this gets messy when managing files with PDM software and we would rather not go this route.) With the functionality I am looking for, the "as-machined" version of the weldment could be saved off as a linked part where the full pallet of part features would be available.
In SolidWorks, I have tried Large Assembly Mode, Lightweight, Join and have used the "Save-as Part" method. Our assemblies easily reach the 50,000-component range.
Here are limitations I've experienced with SolidWorks:
Aside from lightweight mode being "flakey" for many releases, thereby reducing user confidence, it has not been an effective solution for working with assemblies of this size. They remain slow to work with.
The "Join" command does not support part and sub assembly configurations. I have also found the feature to be "buggy." Quite a few SRs and SPRs have been filed and remain in queue for this feature.
The "save-as" part method gets me half way there by creating a part from an assembly (exterior faces, exterior components, all components). However, this part does not remain linked to the assembly. I am well aware that I could resave the part every time the assembly changes, but the resulting part will have a different internal ID with each save - face IDs will change too. In a higher-level assembly where these parts are used, this causes mate errors that are based off of the faces.
If you are aware of functionality that is present and I am overlooking, please let me know where to find it. If this functionality does not exist as I have described it and you feel that you could benefit from it, please file a related enhancement request with SolidWorks.
Thank you,
Gabe Biertzer
SW2007 SP3.1
2.20GHz Core 2 Duo
4.00GB RAM
XP Pro
Quadro FX1600M