So I got past the initial phases of building the sub assembly design table. I now have property mannagers correclty set up that let me configure my sub assemblies howerver I like with drop down menus.
SO, now I need to combine these 3 sub assemblies, into one top level assembly. At that point I need a design table that will "master" the tables for the sub assemblies.
Currently I can "create new assembly" ...pick which sub assembly i want, and as I put them in the Top assy, I can select the induvidual parts manually via the menus. I want to automate this even further. I want to be able to select , green, 7inch piston with 3 inch rod, and ceramic coating ....instead of a string of part numbers. after the MAIN selections are made, (ie exactly which sub assemblies to use) then i dont mind more specifically selecting parts.
(im almost wondering if i should just put all this in one assembly)
basically, what the problem is, is that the 2 of the sub assemblies I have created, have many more different configurations, and they are based in other files. Think, 5 inch pistons in 1 solidworks part file, and 6 inch pistons in another, and 7 inch in yet another..
So now i need to be able to tell this top assembly, (based strictly on a part number or item type) which file to use, which configuration inside that file to use, and how to mate it to the top level assembly.
And at this point, im completely lost. HAHA.
HELPPP!!!
Im wondering if this is something I should use driveworks for. (Ive never used it) if anyone has the time to help I would certainly appreciate it.
James,
Your problem is beginning to go beyond what SolidWorks can comfortably handle by itself. If you follow this thread on the forums regularly, you see the problems people typically have with design tables.
Going to a 3rd party configurator like DriveWorks will improve things some, but DriveWorks also depends on directly using the SolidWorks geometry model and master-modelling techniques so you will still have issues with problem cominatorics.
Genus Designer, a 3rd party addin to SolidWorks, supports generative configuration; that is, it has rules for adding and orienting parts and assemblies to assemblies and features to parts. Because it is additive, combinations grow linearly instead of exponentially.
The ability to add features to parts may be useful for your piston modelling.
A configurator, whether master model-based or generative, still only supports detailing (configuration is detailing). If you need to actually automate design and deal with design alternatives and comparisons, then Genus Designer is the only SolidWorks KBE addin that can handle that.
Check it out on the Partner Products, CAD, Design, KBE page.
- Tim