Drawing Templates

[RwSkinner]

If I have common shapes that I want to layout on my part during the 2D drawing and design portion, is there a way I can draw the shape outline 1 time and save it so I do not have to keep drawing them all the time?
Think sheetmetal work with common hole shapes such as DB9-DB37 connectors and other common holes. I had previosuly been told no that Alibre doesn't support that but I find that very hard to believe.

Richard

 

[Jim C]

Richard,

What I find convenient is to make a "Part" with the desired patterns all either in a single sketch or multiple sketches. You can save simple sketches in a file, it doesn’t have to be an actual part. However if it is applicable make a “dummy” part as well so that when you open the part you can readily see what the components are.

When you are working on a new design all you have to do is to open the component file, activate the appropriate sketch and then select the object you want and save it using ctl-C. Go back to your original design and insert the component sketch using ctl-T. At that point you can move, rotate, array or whatever you want with that object.

I’ve attached a simple “part” file with three representative DB connector sketches. The same thing can be done with drawings as well.

Jim C

 

[DavidJ]

Look at the 'Catalogue Feature' capability in the help files.

You can save either 2D sketches, or 3D features to your own library for re-use in future designs.

 

[RwSkinner]

Thanks.
Jim. I wasn't able to open your file - Version mismatch but I'm pretty sure I understand what you mean. Open another project/part and copy and paste. That is how I've been doing it in the past.
David, The catalog feature seems to work great.

So if I wanted to take a collection of autocad parts and patterns, I need to import them into the 2D drawing, then copy them and paste them in an Alibre part, then save them as a catalog feature?

Richard

 

[DavidJ]

That workflow sounds like it should work.

BTW - do a test after you have saved the catalogue feature, actually try to use it. I have occasionally had scaling issues creep in to catalogue features - it will be obvious if it does (just check finished size of the feature made using catalogue feature).

 

[Jim C]

Very good suggestion David. The catalog feature is one that I don't use to any extent since I prefer to have a "sheet" of sketches to choose from at one time. That's mainly because I tend to forget what name was used in saving the feature (getting old...). The catalog feature is something I should use more often when an actual feature rather than a sketch is to be used. Thanks for the refresher.

Jim C