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Tips for a new designer working with product ranges

Question asked by Dylan Sinclair on Apr 24, 2019
Latest reply on Apr 29, 2019 by David Matula

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Good morning all, hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend!

I am easing into a new graduate role within a manufacturing company who design lots of electrical enclosures and systems,

the company already has a large range of product series all with various sizes (to house various electrical components)

At the moment they have 1 assembly model for each series with a large number of configurations (from 7 up to 40) this includes different dimensions, doors, lids, covers etc..

I have been tasked to create drawings and model files for the UK office to help the technical sales staff and make it easier to find our product characteristics.

at the moment I have been asked to create;

STEP files of each configuration within a series

3D PDF file of each configuration within a series

DWG files of each configuration within a series

PDF of the drawings for each configuration within a series

DXF files of each configuration within a series

I am probably going to make somebody on here cry, but I have been doing each of these manually and it has of course taken some time, but for future reference is there an easier way of doing this as I'm sure more product ranges or edits will take place and I would rather find out now than after doing a few thousand more! I have already created a filing system and automatic drawing border which has already saved a lot of time and potential mistakes but should I be concentrating on something else?

Thanks in advance guys and gals,

sorry for the long winded post but I appreciate all the help!

Dylan

John Wayman Apr 24, 2019 4:23 AM

Correct Answer

Dylan,

You will probably find that

#Task

(That's SharpTask, not hash-tag Task!)

https://centralinnovation.com/solidworks/extensions/task-by-central-innovation/

will be very helpful.

There are hundreds of automated tasks available, and they all automate some aspect of Solidworks. You may still have to do the same task repeatedly, once for all the DXF, once for all the STP, etc., but it should save a lot of time, because it will do a whole folder full of Solidworks files in a batch, rather than one at a time.

Give it a try.

Search on this forum for Custom Properties, too. They can save a whole lot of time when producing drawings from parts or assemblies.

Cheers,

John

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John Wayman Apr 24, 2019 4:23 AM

Dylan,

You will probably find that

#Task

(That's SharpTask, not hash-tag Task!)

https://centralinnovation.com/solidworks/extensions/task-by-central-innovation/

will be very helpful.

Give it a try.

Search on this forum for Custom Properties, too. They can save a whole lot of time when producing drawings from parts or assemblies.

Cheers,

John

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Dylan Sinclair @ John Wayman on Apr 25, 2019 6:32 AM

Thanks John!

Love the idea of only doing the STEP files once compared to 7-50 times and so on for the other file types, it would be a huge help I think,

I have never used extensions or macros before so its something completely new to me and slightly scary haha, will be doing some research with it and trial and error before I try using it on any of our product ranges!

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John Stoltzfus @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 25, 2019 7:46 AM

Dylan Sinclair

Will you be working with the drawings, (drafting) or just doing save as?

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Dylan Sinclair @ John Stoltzfus on Apr 25, 2019 8:54 AM

Yeah I believe I will be editing the drawings again over time after edits on the products,

this time I have almost finished the product ranges but know that there are already some changes to do with brackets and lids etc so I will be making more drawings in future

Actions

John Stoltzfus @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 25, 2019 9:50 AM

Dylan Sinclair - Ok - then that will make life easier for you - There are tons of Macros on the forum that can help you automate the process. If you would send me your email I can add you to my SolidWorks Only Dropbox, I don't have them all but I got a lot of Macros that you could try out, plus a lot of other SW stuff (templates files are 2019). Sometimes you may need to edit a macro to get it to match your workflow..

Also check out Forum SEARCH RETURNS - Over 189,000 Search Returns - 120 Categories - Excel (6/10/2020) Updated "API - Appearances & Bug" Searches and download the Excel file and take a look at the Macro section...

Information Overload

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Dylan Sinclair @ John Stoltzfus on Apr 29, 2019 4:57 AM

Cheers John that sounds great! although it sounds daunting it definitely seems like it would help to have some knowledge on it, even if it doesn't end up being a daily use, I think just know it exists will help me a lot!

Actions

Frederick Law Apr 25, 2019 8:28 AM

Doing it manually is great.

Let you get familiar with the product, software and company standard.

Before any automation can be done, someone need to go through the workflow first.

You need to know the result is usable.

Automate and create hundreds of useless files won't help.

Actions

Dylan Sinclair @ Frederick Law on Apr 25, 2019 9:10 AM

Yeah thats fair enough, thats why I want to get to grips with it first before trying to use it on a day to day standard,

I am obviously still learning the products and the company standards but I know this is something that I will need to look at in future so thought I would try to get an idea first

Actions

David Matula @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 25, 2019 9:18 AM

take your time and learn the products, and the procedures before implementing automation. It is a lot of work and manual clicking but as you learn it, and have time when the computer is thinking on turning a file into a step file, ect. Start searching for the macros or how to make a macro.

I have automated my way out of jobs before being to efficient, and coming up with better ways to do things. So be careful what your asking for.

# Task may be something to look into.

Actions

Dylan Sinclair @ David Matula on Apr 29, 2019 5:00 AM

Thank you for the advice David, I completely understand where you are coming from and I can see how automating can end up being the devils work to,

To be honest It was for my own interest and advantage in case I ever get too busy I know I can fall back on it.. I have started as a design engineer so I am hoping that in the long run I will be coming up with new features and designs for the products we create and will be doing the drawings and models on the side of that..

At the end of the day though, I already know I have learned so much from doing a few ranges manually and have already realised how much doing it the 'long winded' way has helped

Actions

David Matula @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 29, 2019 9:09 AM

Then Check out #task it has a lot of different macros that are awesome. From updating old files to changing out drawing standards. There may be something there that can help.

Actions

Ruben Balderrama Apr 25, 2019 12:01 PM

Deepak Gupta has bunch of this ones on each case....but one single to made everything, I don't know, did you tried with TASK?

Actions

12 Replies

John Wayman Apr 24, 2019 4:23 AM
Unmark Correct
Correct Answer
Dylan,
You will probably find that

#Task

(That's SharpTask, not hash-tag Task!)

https://centralinnovation.com/solidworks/extensions/task-by-central-innovation/

will be very helpful.

There are hundreds of automated tasks available, and they all automate some aspect of Solidworks. You may still have to do the same task repeatedly, once for all the DXF, once for all the STP, etc., but it should save a lot of time, because it will do a whole folder full of Solidworks files in a batch, rather than one at a time.

Give it a try.

Search on this forum for Custom Properties, too. They can save a whole lot of time when producing drawings from parts or assemblies.

Cheers,

John
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- Dylan Sinclair @ John Wayman on Apr 25, 2019 6:32 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Thanks John!
  
  Love the idea of only doing the STEP files once compared to 7-50 times and so on for the other file types, it would be a huge help I think,
  
  I have never used extensions or macros before so its something completely new to me and slightly scary haha, will be doing some research with it and trial and error before I try using it on any of our product ranges!
  Like • Show 3 Likes3
  Actions
  - John Stoltzfus @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 25, 2019 7:46 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Dylan Sinclair
    
    Will you be working with the drawings, (drafting) or just doing save as?
    Like • Show 1 Like1
    Actions
    - Dylan Sinclair @ John Stoltzfus on Apr 25, 2019 8:54 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Yeah I believe I will be editing the drawings again over time after edits on the products,
      this time I have almost finished the product ranges but know that there are already some changes to do with brackets and lids etc so I will be making more drawings in future
      Like • Show 1 Like1
      Actions
      - John Stoltzfus @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 25, 2019 9:50 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Dylan Sinclair - Ok - then that will make life easier for you - There are tons of Macros on the forum that can help you automate the process. If you would send me your email I can add you to my SolidWorks Only Dropbox, I don't have them all but I got a lot of Macros that you could try out, plus a lot of other SW stuff (templates files are 2019). Sometimes you may need to edit a macro to get it to match your workflow..
        
        Also check out Forum SEARCH RETURNS - Over 189,000 Search Returns - 120 Categories - Excel (6/10/2020) Updated "API - Appearances & Bug" Searches and download the Excel file and take a look at the Macro section...
        
        Information Overload
        Like • Show 5 Likes5
        Actions
        Dylan Sinclair @ John Stoltzfus on Apr 29, 2019 4:57 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Cheers John that sounds great! although it sounds daunting it definitely seems like it would help to have some knowledge on it, even if it doesn't end up being a daily use, I think just know it exists will help me a lot!
        Like • Show 1 Like1
        Actions
Frederick Law Apr 25, 2019 8:28 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Doing it manually is great.
Let you get familiar with the product, software and company standard.
Before any automation can be done, someone need to go through the workflow first.
You need to know the result is usable.
Automate and create hundreds of useless files won't help.
Like • Show 5 Likes5
Actions
- Dylan Sinclair @ Frederick Law on Apr 25, 2019 9:10 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Yeah thats fair enough, thats why I want to get to grips with it first before trying to use it on a day to day standard,
  
  I am obviously still learning the products and the company standards but I know this is something that I will need to look at in future so thought I would try to get an idea first
  Like • Show 2 Likes2
  Actions
  - David Matula @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 25, 2019 9:18 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    take your time and learn the products, and the procedures before implementing automation. It is a lot of work and manual clicking but as you learn it, and have time when the computer is thinking on turning a file into a step file, ect. Start searching for the macros or how to make a macro.
    I have automated my way out of jobs before being to efficient, and coming up with better ways to do things. So be careful what your asking for.
    # Task may be something to look into.
    Like • Show 5 Likes5
    Actions
    - Dylan Sinclair @ David Matula on Apr 29, 2019 5:00 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Thank you for the advice David, I completely understand where you are coming from and I can see how automating can end up being the devils work to,
      
      To be honest It was for my own interest and advantage in case I ever get too busy I know I can fall back on it.. I have started as a design engineer so I am hoping that in the long run I will be coming up with new features and designs for the products we create and will be doing the drawings and models on the side of that..
      
      At the end of the day though, I already know I have learned so much from doing a few ranges manually and have already realised how much doing it the 'long winded' way has helped
      Like • Show 3 Likes3
      Actions
      - David Matula @ Dylan Sinclair on Apr 29, 2019 9:09 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Then Check out #task it has a lot of different macros that are awesome. From updating old files to changing out drawing standards. There may be something there that can help.
        Like • Show 4 Likes4
        Actions
Ruben Balderrama Apr 25, 2019 12:01 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Deepak Gupta has bunch of this ones on each case....but one single to made everything, I don't know, did you tried with TASK?
Like • Show 4 Likes4
Actions

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