Table Driven Configurations
- Thread starter Mika
- Start date
NateLiquidGravity
Alibre Super User
I have not tried it but perhaps a spreadsheet could be setup for such a thing using WizoGrid.
http://www.wizotools.com/
http://www.wizotools.com/
idslk
Alibre Super User
Hello Mika,
what are configuration parameters for you?
Are these only things like length, angle, diameter or count?
What would you drive with the table values?
Parts as well as Assemblies?
Regards
Stefan
NateLiquidGravity
Alibre Super User
I now tested and you are correct.
HaroldL
Alibre Super User
At first blush it may seem that SolidWorks has great idea to have configurations created by a Design Table. By adding another row of parameters SW will create a new configuration. Now it may be nice to have all those configurations in one file but a major issue that I recall having with SW is that if you select or activate a configuration in SW and update the model or assembly that the part model is used in SW will update every single configuration in the model. I would have to wait several minutes for the model to update as SW went through and updated each configuration.
Now, maybe that has changed in more recent versions but the latest version I was using at work (2017, I think) still had the "update every config" issue. I actually quit using design tables for that reason and the fact that the design guidelines in place at work only allowed configurations to be used for design states. like exploded views or assembly part positioning. Also NO configurations were allowed to represent a new or different part number. So, for example, there were no configurations for all the various lengths of screws in the part file, each fastener length had its own part number and drawing, any configurations, if used, were for showing the fastener either with threads or no threads.
Now IF a design table could be used to create a new part based on some new parameters and then SAVED AS a new part number that would be nice -- but isn't that what the Global Parameter file does?
Now, maybe that has changed in more recent versions but the latest version I was using at work (2017, I think) still had the "update every config" issue. I actually quit using design tables for that reason and the fact that the design guidelines in place at work only allowed configurations to be used for design states. like exploded views or assembly part positioning. Also NO configurations were allowed to represent a new or different part number. So, for example, there were no configurations for all the various lengths of screws in the part file, each fastener length had its own part number and drawing, any configurations, if used, were for showing the fastener either with threads or no threads.
Now IF a design table could be used to create a new part based on some new parameters and then SAVED AS a new part number that would be nice -- but isn't that what the Global Parameter file does?
simonb65
Alibre Super User
That's exactly what the new v22 dynamic library does!Now IF a design table could be used to create a new part based on some new parameters and then SAVED AS a new part number that would be nice -- but isn't that what the Global Parameter file does?
Mika
Senior Member
Good idea immediate shooting down, how familiar...and Harold... I have never meet any of those issues in SW what you mention and I worked with SW about 6years. Each configuration really have possibility to give different part numbers.
In Alibre, if I want to create 10-100different configurations from same part, I need to activate each configuration one by one and change the dimensions. Would it be something if I can just open the "design table" and put the dimensions there? As far as I know, Excel let "paint" the rows down, like different bolt sizes 10, 15, 20, 25, 30...it will understand the logic of the numbers.
Big amount of configurations really fast created, no any one-by-one activating and dimension changes. No separated files for each "bolt" size, what dynamic part library is now creating. No file hassle.
In Alibre, if I want to create 10-100different configurations from same part, I need to activate each configuration one by one and change the dimensions. Would it be something if I can just open the "design table" and put the dimensions there? As far as I know, Excel let "paint" the rows down, like different bolt sizes 10, 15, 20, 25, 30...it will understand the logic of the numbers.
Big amount of configurations really fast created, no any one-by-one activating and dimension changes. No separated files for each "bolt" size, what dynamic part library is now creating. No file hassle.
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Mika
Senior Member
It was just lately added to FreeCad:
https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=42183
https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=42183
HaroldL
Alibre Super User
Yes that is true and I suppose that may have been the original intent of configurations but, as I stated, our design guide at work did not allow for that. Our system only allowed for one part number per drawing. That way we didn't have to deal with tabulated drawings especially with purchased items. And, if I recall correctly, our PDM system (Enovia, another Dassault piece of work) could not handle part numbers assigned to configurations very cleanly, too many files got connected to the configured part while maintaining all relationships. I wasn't the brains behind the system, I just had to learn how to work with it and maintain clean files when checked in at job completion.
I'm not saying that it couldn't be done, just stating what issues I know about and had to work with for the time I used SolidWorks. If you have a system that works with multiple part numbers in the same file then go ahead and use it.
HaroldL
Alibre Super User
Yes, Now it does in v22. But for a while we had a linked Excel spreadsheet then the Global Parameters File (which can drive complete designs), and now in v22 the dynamic library. (Is there a trend working here?) Would be nice for Alibre to also come out with a decent PDM system to go along with all the part creation tools.
Mika
Senior Member
Solidworks needs 3rd party customizing tool(plugin) just as customtools or customworks. With that one you can fill up the all necessary ERP material and part number item codes etc. for your design, inside the SW. https://www.customtools.info/
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Mika
Senior Member
But still that Alibre dynamic library is different than the configurations. It is a part generator, not "one file" variable creator. I found somehow, how to use that global parameters table for different configurations, but there still need to activate another configuration to input data to another one. And those configurations need to be like "remake" in global parameter table. It would be nice to see all configurations in a one table sheet just like in Excel. And automatically in a sheet when created a new configuration on model, or vise versa, if creating new configuration in table, it will come automatically on to the model.
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NateLiquidGravity
Alibre Super User
An Alibre Script could be written for reading from an Excel file and looping through all configurations and changing their parameters. Stefan has done a bunch with Excel files - that's probably why he asked for specifics about what changes.
NateLiquidGravity
Alibre Super User
You could make (or have someone make) and use a script or you can do it manually as you have so far. Makes no difference to me.