Creating a Fastener Library - CATIA V5

3D Design Library
1

Hello 

In the project to create a standard screw library, I am stuck when using them in an assembly. 

I created screw models in . CATPart, each file being managed by a parameterization table that contains the different lengths that the screw can adopt for a given metric (in addition to other parameters such as head dimensions, cavity, etc.). The result is a list of screws of the same type, with fixed metric and variable length, the goal being to reproduce as much as possible the fastener libraries that can be found for Solidworks.   

However, this solution is not optimized for the subsequent use of screws in an assembly:

- the same screw cannot be added twice because they will be identified with the same reference;

- If we go through a copy of a screw that existed before in the assembly, the changes along the length will affect both screws ("original" + copies), which is not interesting in most cases.

I found information on the subject ( http://www.lynkoa.com/forum/3d/famille-de-pieces-sur-catia ) which suggests the use of a catalog but, unless I am mistaken, with this method we end up using solved parts that no longer contain a parameterization table, which prevents us from easily changing the length of the screw once it is part of the assembly. 

Does anyone have any other ideas or knowledge to share on this subject, or is it really not possible to have libraries for CATIA like those for Solidworks?

Thank you in advance. 

2

Hello.

I don't have an in-depth knowledge of SW libraries.

But under CATIA, yes you have to go through a catalog (the main ones already exist under CATIA and are easy to modify).

For the fastener catalogs, they are indeed "Resolved" (by default).

So the component is instantiated as a new component. (if you want a different size, it must exist in the (standard) catalog, just replace.

If you want a specific size, it is not necessary to start from the table because the methodology used in the catalogs associates the driving parameters of the table with user parameters driven in the CATPart file, the association with the geometry is done by formulas.

So you have all the design intention to create your own screw.

Whether the catalog is solved or not.

3

Thank you for your answer franck.ceroux