Modifying a dimension in an assembly without configuration

3D Design
1

Hi all

I'll warn you right away, I'm looking for a function in Solidworks, without knowing if it's possible or not.

I have an assembly in which the same part is found twice (let's say a plexiglass tube). However, I would like the length of this part to be varied in my assembly WITHOUT it influencing the part itself => so I don't want to create configurations inside my part.

Under Creo, I know how to do it. You have to make the part flexible and then edit the dimension and change it and that's it. Twice the same part with a different dimension... but under Solidworks?

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2

Hello @coin37coin ,

For my part, I don't believe that such a function exists on Solidworks. I still have a question (for my personal culture); Why not make a configuration of the room?

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3

Hello
It will not be possible to do this on SW.
The flexible part function exists on SW but is used for another function.

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4

@ac_cobra_427 , I don't want to make a config for several reasons.

  1. When I used Creo, it was with a PDM. As a result, the room was locked, so it had to be leveled up to be able to make a modification (for example, a new configuration). So blah blah

  2. I don't like to open a room with a large amount of setup. I find that very quickly you don't know what is useful or not. And no one knows what the different configurations correspond to, no household has ever done there for a hunt for the useless

  3. As a result, the weight of the part is inevitably impacted

  4. If you make a modification, you always have the risk of forgetting one of the configs

  5. I find it a shame to create a "hard" configuration in the room that I use 1 time in 1 assembly to validate a dimensional game

There you have it, these are my personal little whims :slight_smile:

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5

I knew I was missing a reason:

  1. If I already have several configs on my part, I don't want to manage derived configs with different names to find each time
6

Ok then if it's just for that; In the assembly I create a new part and I name it according to my needs in the featur manager and save it in the assembly so that no too much trouble and they stay in the assembly.

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Do you save it in the blend? You'll have to tell me more about it there :slightly_smiling_face:

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In fact, you can create parts in the assembly
Assembly tab==>new part and there you will have a green thing on the mouse pointer and you will have to choose the face to start the construction of your part that you will create in the assembly and when you save the assembly, you will have the choice to save it in it or to save it outside.

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9

I didn't know @ac_cobra_427 . It's not going to be useful to me right away but it's interesting for sure!

10

You can also make it virtual (right click make it virtual)
You can start from your bottom piece, insert your 1st piece from the library, you make it virtual, you change its length, you reinsert the piece from the library and you make it virtual again and you change the length of the 2nd virtual piece.
All without affecting the original part.

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11

It works like a charm... even without going through the library!
By making it virtual, Solidworks creates a "copy of XXX" part and can be modified without affecting the original part. At the top @sbadenis :slight_smile:

It doesn't quite do what I wanted to finally ... you have to be satisfied with it sometimes! ^^

12

I had understood your initial request but failing that, it's the easiest alternative found.
I apply it to all the plastic profiles on our conveyors and it works very well.
And since the profile is linked to a section subassembly, an equation length of the profile = length of the section and if we copy the assembly as soon as we modify the sheet metal the profile follows and it's magical.

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