CONVERTING AN ASSEMBLY FILE TO A PART FILE

[TGERKEN]

I HAVE A LOT OF DRAWINGS WHERE I WORK THAT ARE AN "ASSEMBLY FILE" HOWEVER THEY SHOULD BE A "PART FILE". THESE DRAWINGS ARE DETAIL SHEETS WITH ONLY ONE DETAIL ON THEM. I HAVE BEEN EXPORTING THE PART I WANT BUT THIS INVOLVES RE-DETAILING THE DRAWING BECAUSE ALL THE DIMENSIONS ARE LEFT IN THE ASSEMBLY FILE. ANYONE KNOW IF THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS WITHOUT LOOSING THE DIMENSIONSAL INFORMATION ON MY LAYOUT SHEET?

THANKS

 

[alpharam]

I just try to think: what's so good about part files? Can you give me any reason for having them? Just curious.

 

[TGERKEN]

We have had a lot of trouble with views shifting for no aperant reason. We discovered by eliminating details on asm files and having them on a part file this resolved the issue. Also the bom information seams to be easier.

 

[alpharam]

We eliminated the use of part files in our office. There are lots of situations when one needs to add small fasteners/parts to a bigger part and toolbodies are very troublesome. We handle BOMs rather easy, just close the pluses and that's it. If you experience some special problem though, you might be right. Anyway, interesting if anyone has an answer to this.

 

[rightspot]

I've found the individual requirements in each case have a bearing on using individual parts. Often management will see idividual parts as extra work. In cases where parts have to be detailed it's probably better to have seperate files especially if parts are not made in house. Asm's are far more dificult to dimension. Purchase parts or common hardware are best left as external files an can be place in a library for externally referencing into asm's. Also Thomas Register has hundred of of the shelf parts to avoid drawing these. Above all the software is really designed to allow for individual parts to be detailed seperatly. Placing dimenions on asm views can make views move when parts are added or edited. Yes it can be done in the asm file, but on large projects seperate part files allow several idividuals to work on seperate parts that will contribute to the same asm. The amount of documentation reqd, be it minimal or extensive plays a really big part.

John