Here is the picture: I am working for the first time on the design of a bi-material component (bi-material plastic injection), and I would like to know what is the best way to manage this type of design with SolidWorks (design, change management, pdm workgoup archiving...)
There are the multi-body components - but I'm not sure you can assign a different material to each body - and then there are the assemblies with the virtual or non-virtual components.
Unless a solution has escaped me, I appeal more to the experiences / opinions of each person than to skills.
As fthomas says, since the SW2010 version it is possible to assign a material to multiple bodies. I think, for my part, that if you don't have many components with different materials you can work in "Part" design and manage multiple bodies. On the other hand, if you have a lot of parts, I advise you to work in assembly.
The only problem with the multi-material multi-body is that the materials automatically appear in the cartridge!!!
I haven't found the solution so the material that is displayed in the cartridge is the "master" material of the part. The second material I put by hand on the body.
@flegendre even if it's not the subject, a little tip: for parts with multiple bodies you can create a list of parts welded in the drawing that will recover the material from each body ;o)
In order to be able to manage your MultiMatière part in the best possible way, the simplest solution is to design it entirely in the same part and then create configurations (one for each material or injection pass)
In addition, it allows you to create an assembly representing each stage of manufacturing.
You can also create a material to which you give the name of both.