Auto BOM vs Material Table Pros v. Cons

[Tortuga11]

We are just implementing NX/TC and a question was posed by a beta tester. NX allows a simple weldment of simple parts, one that could be detailed in one drawing, to be one part with multiple bodies. Then a material list could be generated similiar to a BOM and weld assistant could be used just like in assemblies.

I am new to this and it seems like a shortcut that could backfire.
Although less drawings, would be generated are there any significant benifits to doing this? Are there reasons that this should be avoided?

Thanks for your feedback.
Eric

 

[JohnRBaker]

Well that all depends on how you process your work through your shop.

Where I worked years ago, welded structures were processed as a single part number in the BOM system so we put all of the details on the same drawing and it was fabricated in the shop as such (note that we built capital machinery so a 'production run' was anywhere from one to five machines at a time, max.) and tracked it as such.

Now if your production runs are small, like ours were, and if the individual parts which make up the welded fabrication are all laid-out and cut at the same time and they do NOT require any special tracking, then put all your models in the fabrication file. However, if your production runs are significant, then it might be better to assign a separate part number and part file to each part so that they can be tracked more optimally in terms of producing the individual parts as just that, individual parts and then bring them together into a fabrication assembly at which point you would then track the weldment as single piece part going forward.

Anyway, NX is flexible enough that you should be able to use whatever modeling approach best suits your preferred shop processes and workflows.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[Tortuga11]

Thank you for your reply.

We actually have both instances, division specific, and are trying to develop a company policy going forward.

Do you know of any problems that may be encountered if a part contains multiple bodies. Ie exporting/importing through various formats, compatability with different software. We collaberate worldwide with most modeling software so compatability is important to us.

Thanks again,
Eric

 

[JohnRBaker]

NX will have NO problems with multiple bodies in the same file, however I can't say with 100% certainty that this will NOT cause problems when you attempt to export a model like this using some standards-based translator. You may need to contact GTAC and ask to speak to someone who works with the translators.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.