Recent content by sidco7

I have a 3DConnexion Space Navigator. I like it very much with some programs. With Alibre it is very difficult to rotate the view in a large assembly. I am working away on one small section of the large drawing, and when I rotate the view, the whole part zooms out of the view. I have to set...

Hi, I've got a large layout of a structure with columns and I have to create baylines in the 2d drawings. I try to draw lines on the center of each base plate on the columns, but can't seem to snap to the midpoint on the edge of the baseplate. for example: in Autocad, one can 'snap' the new...

Is there a way to get part lengths automatically into the Bill Of Materials? Say for instance, I have pieces of steel by 'x' inches long etc etc. How can I make the BOM automatically find the lengths and report to the drawing? Thanks, Sid

Thanks then, I can stop looking for a way. I guess the work-around here is to make sure the model in aligned properly in the native program (Solid Works or Autocad) before it is exported to an IGES format. Cheers, Sid

Yes, that is what I've been doing, I was just wondering if there is a way that you can move a part inside the Part editor. For instance, in Autocad, you insert a block, and you can move that block around anywhere easily in the drawing editor. There is no 'move' command in Alibre that I can...

I've created a new Part and imported an IGES file. ( a pillow block bearing assembly) the part or IGES file imports fine and is all great except that the center of the bearing is off the origin. I'm trying to reposition the part to have the origin at the center of the bearing. I need the origin...

Close. Its actually for Hog fuel. Biomass burning steam plant. Hog fuel is actually chipped and ground up wood waste. (not for the swine variety) Cheers, Sid

Thanks for the tips Harold. Much appreciated. I am still trying to get my head out of 'old time drafting' techniques. Cheers, Sid PS - The bin is 80' tall.

Hello. I am working in the Assembly Workspace and inserting large parts is very difficult without the ability of construction lines or reference lines of some kind. Is there a way to insert lines or circles as reference items in assemblies. Say for instance, I have a bin wall segment that is...

Here is another issue I'm running into with the BOM. It seems like I can only have one BOM per drawing file, but I can have multiple sheets. I would like to have a different BOM for each sheet that is inserted into the drawing file. Sheet one = major weldment and BOM Sheet two = minor weldment...

Thanks, Yes, I figured this out last night. A lot of my drawings are 'weldments' and it is useful for the total weight to be known, not only for estimating and purchasing, but also for crane operators, and equipment operators who need to move the weldments around after fabrication. Manually...

Hmm. Wasn't aware that you could export to a spreadsheet. Might be able to do something with that. Can the BOM access an excel sheet and extract information from it?

OK, I have figured out how to add and remove columns in the BOM and also to add a 'weight' column which is very helpful for what I do. Now can someone tell me if there is a way to get a 'total weight' sum at the bottom of the BOM? Thanks, Sid

Thanks so much for the helpful hints. Its great to have a place to bounce problems and ideas around. The problems that I have are not so much in the way of drafting technique (I've been drafting for over twenty years) but moreso learning how Alibre works. Such things like drawing a line in...

I think the problem I have is related to the fact that the 'part' that I am dimensioning is an imported SAT file. The constraints were greyed out until I actually drew a line, but still will not let me snap to a midpoint of another line from the part, but no problem to a snap to a line that was...