Hello, I am looking for a solution to improve our part models.
We design "perforated sheet" type parts. The openings are represented in full for the purposes of the manufacturing plans for these parts. But for assemblies where these parts are reassembled, we use a "simplified" configuration. The detailed representation is far too greedy.
It therefore requires rigor to manage it in configuration because when changing the property on one configuration (e.g. part marker number) you have to think about doing it on the other configuration. Hence some failures. Knowing that we use the "linked to the configuration" properties, a part can contain several configurations representing different reference numbers.
Is there a way to "link" certain properties between configurations in order to modify them only once on one of the two configurations ?
For those who design parts with simplified versions, do you have other working methods?
We also tested via a display state, which allowed you to switch between the simplified state and the detailed state. But it remains resource-intensive, the fact of "hiding" the bodies is only visual.
By the way, have you noticed that the value of the mass changes depending on the folded or unfolded state (?)
In addition, I would have liked to retrieve the mass properties according to several configurations and states of related displays.
example: Config "Default" => I draw 1 tube of Long=6m
then Config 1 => long=3.5m with holes, Config2 => long=2.00m with angular cuts, Config3....
I've already tried to customize with the 1st properties panel (directly in the rooms and not in the Property Manager) different configs, but it only takes one config at a time...
In short, I find the question very interesting and like Drix49, it is true (in his last sentence) that the display states only lighten the visual part and not the size of the file.
Thank you and sorry for taking advantage of this post to raise another concern... -;)
On the other hand, the use of the family of parts can be quite painful because the slightest action in the excel table takes a lot of time in reconstruction :-(
I hadn't considered the family of parts for questions of "heaviness" of handling but it's an idea indeed! For the marker, no worries, it's a "free" value, but the history of the weight (variable SW) is something else :(.
For the detailed version it is the weight calculated by SW and for the simplified version it must be the value of the calculated weight of the first configuration, it gets complicated ! We use SmartProperties and the latter automatically replaces the mass value with the SolidWorks variable if we restart the smart on the wrong configuration.
I tested as follows:
- In the "detailed" configuration, keep the mass variable ("SW-Mass@... ")
- In the "simplified" configuration, replace this variable with plain text (e.g. "56")
Under the part family then for the "detailed" configuration, in the column $PROPRIETE@Mass" we will find the mass value calculated by SW, just put an equal to this cell for the value of the "simplified" configuration.
it works during updates but it adds a step via the part family (which we are not used to) and becomes obsolete if we use the Smarproperties on the simplified configuration (RAZ of the mass variable). Erf not easy!
The family of parts makes it easier to work, it remains possible on solidworks by enabling/deactivating the functions according to the configuration or modifying the values according to the configurations.
I find the family of parts easier to use. On the other hand, it can be heavy depending on the size of the file, I recommend closing all the open excels before opening the family.
For mass properties... It's still impossible to manage I think, especially if your simplified/detailed are different configurations and not display states. I think the best thing to do is to enter a fixed value in a 'weight det' property and to fill in each modification/creation of configuration. Otherwise, each time you open a smart in simplified mode, it will be a mistake.
Hi Why don't you fill in the properties you want only in the "Customize" tab
and delete all variables in the "configuration-specific" tab
Normally if there is no variable in the config, it will look for it in "customize" In this way all the configs have the same variable having filled it only once
It's peculiar, the retrieval of properties is done well if no properties in the "configuration specific" tab. On the other hand, the very treacherous thing is this mass property: it will depend on the last configuration activated during the recording.
So much so that the weight indicated can be completely wrong! :(
It's cumbersome as can be but if you go through Excel, you can also force the mass of the part so that it is equal to the value of the real part (a little formula in your Excel table).
I haven't tested but it must surely be possible to have a mass property either automatically calculated (for the real part) or forced (for the lightened part) depending on the configurations.
For the ground, you need to add the name of your config in the ground line on the "Customize" tab Before "SW-Mass@NOMDEPIECE.SLDPRT" After "SW-Mass@@Default@NOMDEPIECE.SLDPRT"
Certainly feasible to make a macro that replaces all the $PRP of all the configs + the "Customize" tab with the mass of the "current" config I've already done something like this, if you manage to get the current config in sConfigName I have this as a variable injection line swModel.AddCustomInfo3 All, "Mass", swCustomInfoText, Chr(34) + "SW-Mass" + "@@" + sConfigName + "@" + sFileName + Chr(34) + "kg"
It's always an operation to do, but you put yourself on your config which is fine, you click on the macro and presto, everything is OK;)
The proposed part family solution works. The negative point: a bit of a scramble to achieve it and for user questions (I'm going to lose more than one!) I didn't retain it.
The solution of using the properties of the document and not the properties of the configuration works. By a small change in the variable of the recovered mass to choose the desired configuration. The only problem is that this variable is reset each time the SmartProperties is launched. :(