This is a sheet metal part; a ventilated cabinet door. Its dimensions and the resulting pattern are controlled by a design table... there are only two configurations - default and flat pattern.

Despite numerous attempts at "save as..." its file size stays at over 40 MB and it takes over 7 minutes to save if changes have been made.

This is driving me bananas, as there are three such files in my assembly now (with slightly different sizes) that occasionally get changed by a millimeter or two. 

Besides suppressing the pattern - as I would have to keep unsuppressing it anyhow to get the proper flat pattern, etc. - how can I get the file size down and keep it down?

Another thing I have been wondering... what is a faster way to control values with equations? Just using equations in SW, or having them in the design table? I find the DT more reliable; sometimes with equations in the part it takes a rebuild or two for a new calculation to kick in. But does this make things slower? Or the opposite?