Automatically referencing drawing locations in the BOM

[dufus]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if there any way to automatically "cross reference" the sheet location for the detailed views of a particalur part or sub-assembly into the BOM line for that part/sub-assembly? The reason I want to do this is to provide a means of finding the appropiate sub-assembly/part drawings from looking at the BOM of the main assembly. I'm pretty sure anybody who has worked on projects with a large volume of indiviual sheets must have come across this problem before.

Manually entering the relevant drawing number location for each part/assembly in the BOM is insanely time consuming. Also when a sheet is moved or drawing number is changed everything has to be re-checked and adjusted. There must be an easier way I say!

Thus I was wondering if anybody had any brilliant solutions to this problem. Whether it be 3rd party software, functionality within Solidworks or a system where you can do away with drawing numbers altogether!.

Cheers
Dufus

 

[handleman]

I believe the best solution is don't put individual part drawings or subassemblies in the same file as the assembly. Each part and subassembly has its own drawing and part number. Each part/subassembly/assembly has its part number stored as a custom property in the model file. The notes in your standard drawing title block link to that custom property. The BOM lists each part/subassembly's unique part number from the custom properties. That way everything is always linked properly and you don't have to try to match up parts to arbitrary sheet numbers.

If you really have your heart set on putting all the assembly/subassembly/part drawings in one slddrw (for which you will take a performance hit, by the way), and have the BOM reference the drawing's sheet numbers, you will have to write a macro in VBA.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The best way is to have the drawing number match the part number. What could be simpler?

 

[dufus]

Cheers boys and girls. Will change my drawing generation practices now .

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Why do I get the feeling you don't really mean that?
That's not a problem, you're the one who has to live the "insanely time consuming" method.

... or a system where you can do away with drawing numbers altogether!.

Well you asked ... and the one-number method is the next best thing.