Toolbox VS Part/Assembly Configurations
- Thread starter shmbry
- Start date
Just some info before a potential video.
Toolbox is for making dynamic parts based off data in an excel file. It is most useful when the parts are all similar but just have different dimensions and there are a lot of them. For example an excel might have 500 rows of data for different screw size dimensions and you can use toolbox to be able to effectively pick any of the 500 on demand and have the part created for you.
Configurations are also for making variants and can achieve a similar thing, though the process of data entry is manual and not excel driven. Configurations go further and they can manage feature suppression, part data, colors, and other things. A major difference is that toolbox makes a part and then it is done where Configurations always stay with the part or assembly and you can modify the configuration that's used any time.
If you have many variants and your data is in a spreadsheet and you just need to be able to change dimensions between variants, use toolbox.
If you have fewer variants and to achieve them you need to modify more than dimensions, eg feature suppression, or if you want the part to by dynamically configurable at any time wherever it is used, use Configurations.
Toolbox is for making dynamic parts based off data in an excel file. It is most useful when the parts are all similar but just have different dimensions and there are a lot of them. For example an excel might have 500 rows of data for different screw size dimensions and you can use toolbox to be able to effectively pick any of the 500 on demand and have the part created for you.
Configurations are also for making variants and can achieve a similar thing, though the process of data entry is manual and not excel driven. Configurations go further and they can manage feature suppression, part data, colors, and other things. A major difference is that toolbox makes a part and then it is done where Configurations always stay with the part or assembly and you can modify the configuration that's used any time.
If you have many variants and your data is in a spreadsheet and you just need to be able to change dimensions between variants, use toolbox.
If you have fewer variants and to achieve them you need to modify more than dimensions, eg feature suppression, or if you want the part to by dynamically configurable at any time wherever it is used, use Configurations.
I'll do everything I can to help. Thanks for all the participation on the videos.
Ex Machina
Senior Member
Really cool video
albie0803
Alibre Super User
You didn't mention that you can tie threads to the thread table rather than having to define each one.
This is for creating cosmetic threads only.
Refer to this post https://www.alibre.com/forum/index....uch-as-washers-and-circlips.24329/post-163777
This is for creating cosmetic threads only.
Refer to this post https://www.alibre.com/forum/index....uch-as-washers-and-circlips.24329/post-163777
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A very true point to make! I was more concerned with using the configuration and equation related tools rather than going deep in threads themselves. Thanks for supplementing this with additional information.