The different configurations in a part allow you to have different values for variables (eg dimensions) to produce a family of different size and shape parts within the one design file. Also features could be suppressed or activated.
For example you could have one file that contained all lengths and diameters of hexagon socket cap head screw and torx socket head screws. The different lengths and diameters covered by changing the dimensions and the different socket type by supressing one feature and activating another. A different Bom part number and description being assigned to each configuration.
When you add that part into an assembly you are prompted for which configuration you want.
The different configurations of an assembly can have different values for assembly constraints, or the assembly constraints could be supressed*, different parts could be visible or not visible, or the parts themselves could have different configurations called (eg a spring extended or compressed). This allows you to use configs to show different positions of an articulating assembly, or different builds of your assembly (extra rungs in a longer ladder for example).
In the case of different builds you probably need the bom to be able to call up the different builds with several QTY columns.
*Can assembly constraints be suppressed in Alibre? This is necessary to show a cam and follower in different positions for example.
so there are many ways that configs could be part introduced with not all the things you ewant to vary available in the configs, or things that you want to be different in the BOM ending up not changing. So I'm sort of glad Alibre haven't rushed the configs thing!
