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Any DriveWorks experts?

Question asked by Matt Juric on Dec 17, 2020
Latest reply on Jan 5, 2021 by Matt Juric

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We have a product here that I'm looking at putting into drive works however I have several questions and hopefully would like to avoid any pitfalls. If anyone has any input on any of these I would greatly appreciate it.

The product line is tombstones. So we have several different starting shapes with multiple different sizes of those shapes.

1) with drive works how would you deal with the different shapes? Are all the different shapes, square, rectangle, hex, octagon etc in a single model with different configurations or do you create a separate model for each shape? I suspect you can do both but what is best?

2)we have been producing these products for years. Do we start with an existing Assy or should we model up a new assy that is more easily expressed in Driveworks?

3) if we create a new model can we somehow pull the old models into drive works?

4) Can you and or how do you deal with products that can't be created entirely with the rules in driveworks. CAn you go into the model and make additions/changes etc without breaking the link to Driveworks

Again thank you very much for any information.

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Ujjval Chavda Dec 21, 2020 11:58 PM
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Hi Matt Juric

I have read your questions regarding DriveWorks. I have a bit of knowledge in DriveWorksXpress and created various projects for clients.

For the first question, if a part has similar dimensions, my recommendation will be to use configuration as DriveWorksXpress allows us to change the configurations with rules. As well as use custom properties to link dimensions so that DriveWorksXpress can change the dimensions and it will be easy for you to link with SW drawing as well.

There will be no issue If your requirements are satisfying by using existing assemblies. But take backup before starting the project for DriveWorksXpress.

Every time you run the DriveWorksXpress, software will automatically create new models with given parameters. So new models are not linked with your master model. You can definitely change or update any design after using DriveWorksXpress.

I hope this helps.

Thanks.

Ujjval Chavda - CSWE
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Todd Blacksher Dec 22, 2020 9:26 AM
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Good Morning Matt,

I think that Ujjval Chavda has provided excellent answers, I am just going to add a little more . . .

1) with drive works how would you deal with the different shapes? Are all the different shapes, square, rectangle, hex, octagon etc in a single model with different configurations or do you create a separate model for each shape? I suspect you can do both but what is best?
-- I would use Ujjval's technique of configurations, you could even incorporate this into the interface as a drop down menu. I have always viewed DriveWorks as a tool to "steer" someone in the correct direction when they are "building" the new part/assembly.

2)we have been producing these products for years. Do we start with an existing Assy or should we model up a new assy that is more easily expressed in Driveworks?
-- My two cents on this would be to review your existing assembly - Is there anything that you would like to change/clean up/do better? (I know that I often look at an old file and think of a couple ways to do it better.) With that said, I would be inclined to make a new assembly that is "ready" for DriveWorks (configurations/named dimensions/and so on)

3) if we create a new model can we somehow pull the old models into drive works?
-- If you are looking at an assembly, you could use a mix of new & old models for your DriveWorks "master model" - just do some testing to verify that everything will work together as expected.

4) Can you and or how do you deal with products that can't be created entirely with the rules in driveworks. CAn you go into the model and make additions/changes etc without breaking the link to Driveworks
-- As Ujjval said, once the models have been generated by DriveWorks, they are separate and unique - you can make changes to them afterwards.
With respect to products that can't be created entirely, I have always said to start small, test, learn, improve, change, start over, and so on. Get into it and have fun with a sub-assembly or a simple assembly (I did a lot with shipping crates.) If you try to take on a huge project as your first project, you are going to end up getting frustrated.
Get some small projects running smoothly, you can then use the time that you are now saving on those to work on the next projects.

Most of all, have fun!
todd
Once again, great answers Ujjval Chavda - There were just a few things that I wanted to add.
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Ujjval Chavda Dec 22, 2020 10:54 PM
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Hi Todd Blacksher

Thank you for your reply and support.

I also got key highlights and knowledge from your comment. As I have started my career in SOLIDWORKS, I think the SW forum will definitely help me to grow in the future.

Thanks Again.

Ujjval Chavda - CSWE
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Matt Juric Jan 4, 2021 9:04 AM
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Thanks all for the information.Ujjval Chavda Todd Blacksher

I've been playing with Driveworks over the holidays. Right now I just pulled in an old "Commonly used" version of an assembly and started capturing and assigning rules.

As has been stated I'm not convinced this is the way to go simply because of the structure of the original model. I see all sorts of ways to simplify the original models and that would make the list of things that need to be changed smaller.

However since I'm just messing around at this point and attempting to get something together to show a reasonable path and benefit of this approach I think using what we have for now will work.

That being said, how do I suppress a part in an assembly? The assembly is rather simple and only consists of five parts and some fasteners. Let's say I wanted to not have one of the parts in the assembly how would I suppress it and then also suppress down stream features associated with it. I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to suppress the features with an "IF" statement but for the life of me I can't figure out how to suppress the parts themselves.
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- Matt Juric @ Matt Juric on Jan 4, 2021 10:15 AM
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  1-5PAI7KO wrote:
  
  Thanks all for the information.Ujjval Chavda Todd Blacksher
  
  That being said, how do I suppress a part in an assembly? The assembly is rather simple and only consists of five parts and some fasteners. Let's say I wanted to not have one of the parts in the assembly how would I suppress it and then also suppress down stream features associated with it. I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to suppress the features with an "IF" statement but for the life of me I can't figure out how to suppress the parts themselves.
  I did not find anything expressly stating this but I think my only option for this using Express is to create configurations with the parts suppressed and then create a configuration rule. Is that correct?
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Ken Maren Jan 4, 2021 11:29 AM
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Personally, I would keep it separate. No configurations. I just think it makes changes and updates easier.

I would also make a plan for the future. How far are you going with this? Are you going to online ordering with this? And if online ordering are you going to automate the document creation process? Are you going to interface with ERP through DriveWorks.

If the answers above are all maybe, then just assume yes. Make a plan for all the above. When you get to the point of taking things to the web, partition out your work. Have a Development system, a Test system, and a Production System. Keep it all separate. It will keep you from ruining your customer-facing portal. A test system allows internal users to help test the latest and greatest. And Dev is for the user(s) that create the latest and greatest to play without letting others see WIP and issues.

I can recommend an expert resource (not me) to help with this planning. This money spent on an expert resource upfront will save a lot of time and energy down the road. They can also help with project-specific training to get you up to speed faster than on your own.
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- Matt Juric @ Ken Maren on Jan 4, 2021 11:59 AM
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  Ken Maren wrote:
  
  Personally, I would keep it separate. No configurations. I just think it makes changes and updates easier.
  
  I would also make a plan for the future. How far are you going with this? Are you going to online ordering with this? And if online ordering are you going to automate the document creation process? Are you going to interface with ERP through DriveWorks.
  
  At present I have no idea how far we are going with this which is part of the challenge.
  
  I've been put in a position to look into efficiency deficits for some of our products. I started looking at drive works largely because I wanted to mainstream our programming to our machines. My end goal is that I want to be able to put a nearly complete CAM Works program in the Driveworks model that will update as the new product is developed.
  
  I'm currently only doing any of this as a "Proof of process" to try and get people to move away from the mess we are currently dealing with to something more stream line and actually in this century.
  
  I can see this moving to being used on our web site eventually and possibly for some of our other product lines as well as being potentially integrated into our ERP systems as well. I can see pulling machine run time from CAM Works and dropping it into machining time/routing etc.
  
  However in order to get there I first have to show the benefits on this product, in manufacturing, engineering etc etc.
  
  Feel free to PM me the resource you have as if things do move this direction I would definitely like to get input from someone who has gone thru this before.
  
  Thanks
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Matt Juric Jan 4, 2021 3:15 PM
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More questions.

1) Can you rename/Replace parts in Driveworks Express? I keep seeing a "Data Manager Tool" but it is all in context of Driverworks Solo and Pro. I don't see anything for Express.

2) What's a good approach for files names? It appears you can't do concatenates so is there a way to do this in another field and then name the file name that? The product I'm working is named based on the size of the part. So the part name will be XXX-Length-Width etc or some combination of sizes.
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- Ujjval Chavda @ Matt Juric on Jan 5, 2021 5:44 AM
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  Hi Matt Juric
  
  Here is my opinion (as per my knowledge) on the questions.
  
  1) Can you rename/Replace parts in Driveworks Express? I keep seeing a "Data Manager Tool" but it is all in context of Driverworks Solo and Pro. I don't see anything for Express.
  
  A. DriveWorksXpress does not allow users to replace parts however you can rename file name as per your choice using "*" function. This "*" function in the beginning of the filename rule will remove the master file name. (Image 2)
  
  Example:
  
  If master file name is Sample Assembly then the output will be Sample Assembly DriveWorks User Input using =filename rule.
  But if we use ="*"&filename then we will get DriveWorks User Input as a file name.
  
  2) What's a good approach for files names? It appears you can't do concatenates so is there a way to do this in another field and then name the file name that? The product I'm working is named based on the size of the part. So the part name will be XXX-Length-Width etc or some combination of sizes.
  
  A. DriveWorksXpress allows us to customize file name as per our requirements. As well as you can add XXX Length - Width after the file name. (Image 1)
  
  In the image, the 19 row has Height Width and Depth in the filename rule.
  
  In the second image, all filename rules have * function which will only assign the formula output without having the master filename.
  
  I hope this helps.
  
  Thanks.
  
  Ujjval Chavda - CSWE
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  - Matt Juric @ Ujjval Chavda on Jan 5, 2021 9:30 AM
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    Wow! Thanks for the clear and precise information that will help alot.
    
    Thanks,
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Any DriveWorks experts?

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