configuration and expressions

[multicaduser]

Love Alibre Expert, just took a simple mechanical assembly, did a save as to copy it for a different size of the same basic component configuration. I know that configurations of assemblies with configurations of components is possible, but I'm just starting to walk here, will run later.

In the expression editor create an expression called "size". Create configuration 1 and reference the expression "size" in a sketch. Create configuration 2 with the sketch as one of the base features still referencing the same expression "size". Go back to configuration 1 and in equations modify "size", then go to configuration 2. The "size" expression is the same as it was when created, not the number entered when editing configuration 1.

Now here's the question, without using global parameters, is it possible to lock and expression that is referenced by other expressions so it does not change between configurations? This is important because I'm about to start a rather lengthy project with many configurations and will need to do this.

Thanks in advance. (tia)

 

[HaroldL]

Read up on Configurations, especially about Locking parameters. You can lock/unlock the settings in the Configuration dialog to control which are changed between configs. Any Locked setting will be unique for each configuration. If you deselect a lock setting, like Color Properties, then that color will be the same for all configs that it is unlocked for and if the color is changed it will change on all the configs that have Color Properties unlocked.

In your example locking Parameter Values will allow each config to have its own "size" value.

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[DavidJ]

Note that while many things can be locked between configurations, some can't. For example the size of a thread in a hole feature can't be different between configurations - if different sized threads are needed, multiple hole features are used with different feature suppression between configurations.

 

[multicaduser]

Thank you for the replies. So one thing I wasn't sure about is the locks are an all or nothing thing, as in all expressions are locked in a configuration or none. Simple.

A lot of the parts start with a base configuration with added configurations having unique features, so design intent is everything. There are many amazing examples out there so the capability is there to learn, the limitation is mine.