copying components within assembly design tree

[thecadman3]

Hi,

I am bulding an assembly that will contain lots of common parts so would like to find an easy way to copy parts within the design tree in assembly. If I multi select (using ctrl key) a collection of components and copy to clipboard, and hit paste, only 1 component is pasted into the tree. I don't think Copy with mates is what I need at the moment as the parts have no mates - only a layout type model. Am I missing something?


Cheers

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Use one of the pattern options.

http://help.solidworks.com/2011/Eng....html?id=8d93e43706a644f9b38898e45d825e6f#Pg0

 

[ShaggyPE]

You may also want to consider the use of subassemblies

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Pretty good with SolidWorks

 

[JMirisola]

You can also ctrl+drag parts out of the tree into the graphic area, or just ctrl+drag parts right in the graphics area. Or, use the 'insert part' command and click on the push button. Select the part you want to insert and start clicking willy-nilly in the graphics area to get multiples.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Design Manager/Senior Designer
M9 Defense
My Blog

 

[thecadman3]

Thanks all. Jeff that will help most for what I am doing.

 

[Eltron]

If you are using a part many times it may make sense to put it in your design library. Then when you insert it you can just insert as many as you like.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[Enginerd9]

There's a few videos on YouTube for things like this. One great one is a video of how to create a pattern copy of a common component like a screw or something. You can pattern a component using a sketch for the driving parameter, and it will automatically assign mate references if you've set the part up that way. Otherwise I think it just assumes whatever mate you had in the parent component beign patterned.

Cntrl+Drag works well for a one or two copy / paste type operation.

As far as design library, yeah that's pretty good to do. But setting up a design library won't help you place components into an assembly multiple times. It'll just make it easier to find those components when you're ready to use them.

Anyway, CorBlimeyLimey up there suggested the pattern thing too. Give it a good look, it's pretty powerful!