Placing parameters in notes

[tstcford]

It seems like it should be an easy thing to do, but I'm having a little trouble doing it. What I'm looking for is the ability to use a parameter such as a hole diameter in a callout or note that is not automatically generated by Alibre. The sketch gives the hole diameter a name and it can be displayed on the sketch or in the equation editor. I want to be able to use this for whatever purpose I choose.

As an example on a machined part, the material will start out as a given size and grade of material. I would like to populate the title block or notes automatically without re-keying the information I've all ready built into the model.

Someone please help as I'm attempting to look at Alibre as our 3D CAD/CAM solution. Our products are mostly formed or stamped metal items with a lot of tooling support/maintenance. We have a couple of seats of Pro/E, but don't like the expense for most things we do.

 

[HaroldL]

You need to set up some drawing templates with Fields in them that pull in the part/design properties. It's a little more involved than a short reply here allows. But, if you check the Help manual under Help Topics>2d Drawings>Custom Templates>Fields you should find enough info to get you started.

There may be some one else on the forum that could give you some in depth info too.

H.

 

[tstcford]

I took a look at that and I don't know if that's what I'm looking for. Let me give a better example.

We mark each of our parts with a drawing number and revision. This insures that the tool room maintains the tool to the proper drawing revision; or, based on what the revision is, they will take that part up to the current revision.

Drafting maintains the part drawings and does a good job on the title block but forgets to change the text on the part. This causes a situation that could easily be worked around if we could call a parameter and have the text update automatically (ie. D12345A on the physical part would be "part_num"&"rev" on the part model). It seems like something that should be relatively simple.

I know Alibre has such ability because it does it on its own callouts. The hole callout is a prime example. It automatically changes the diameter in the callout should the model change. It's really a matter of Alibre allowing us to do the same thing. My guess is that there is some text sequence that allows you to do it. I think Pro/E uses the "@" symbol followed by the parameter name.

It is also very similar to allowing the part model to be driven by an Excel spreadsheet. The dimension makes a call to the parameter. The parameter makes the call to the spreadsheet. I just want the next step of passing the parameter to a note, text, field, BOM (which it does already), or anything else that can use the information.

 

[HaroldL]

At my 8-to-5 or 6 we also have the tooling/fixtures marked with a part/drawing number. Although we don't include the revision; the machinist is responsible for building to the latest rev. We just place a callout on the drawing stating " STAMP PART NUMBER APPROXIMATELY IN THIS LOCATION" with the leader arrow placed appropriately.

We have required some of our vendors to stamp part numbers on some purchased parts for identification. On those we have modeled the part numbers so they do appear on the drawing. So, if I understand correctly, it sounds like you want the part numbers placed on the part as an extrude cut feature. I'm not sure Alibre can call the parameters to a sketch in the model to perform that task. They just added the text sketch to the tool set and it doesn't have that much intelligence built in.

H.

 

[tstcford]

I asked support and this is what they told me:

Unfortunately, there is no way to pull in dimension values into notes or fields. You can pull dimension values into a BOM, or you can pull file properties into text fields.

It's kind of a nice feature, but not a show stopper.

 

[DrewS]

Feature Request? I would use this at my job too. We have a note field that shows a quick LWH dimension.

 

[M00m137]

*bump*
Has there been any progress on this? I too would like to engrave a part number on my parts (3D printed parts this time, so no drawings or stamps available). The ability to directly place a parameter as text in a sketch is something I miss from Creo.

 

[MarcusWolschon]

The issue of referencing parameters in text-geometry is >11 years old now.
I am using a very ugly and limited workaround:

A sketch with all possible texts for a parameter value Vx=1,2,3,4,... (you see where the limitation is)
Each text is located by an offset D=(PARAM-Vx)*100 mm
So all text that should NOT be present are placed outside of the model and just engraved into thin air.

Also:
Because sketches further down, referencing a geometry based on a parameter value often don't update (even when using "regenerate all),
I'm trying to not reference geometry to position further features but calculate their position from the parameters themself.
e.g. engraving a text on a sketch on a surface that changes location but by cutting "until geometry <surface>" "offset=1mm"