Design Table and Equations

[unicycling]

Hey Everyone,
I have a part where many things patterns, cuts etc. are linked through equations, so that you only have to update one number and it will update many features, to a different extent and while referencing sizes/dimensions contained within the part as well.
However it is a little slow and also impermanent to change the 5 or so driving equations by hand and saving each configuration. Is there a way to reference the equation variable that I want to change from the table? Any ideas of what that callout would be? For a more specific example I have one equation that is "height"=20 (or whatever). Ideally I want to make the design table column height, and set different configurations at different heights from that one number, despite the number being in a complicated relationship to the part.
Any help would be appreciated,
Thanks,
Xander

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you using a Design Table?

Have you investigated the use of DriveWorks or DriveWorks Express?

 

[unicycling]

No, what I wanted to do was transfer five or so numbers that drove the whole part that were defined in equations to the design table. For example it defines a few holes based on lag screw sizes, so that I only have to enter the nominal sizes and it will adjust them by a certain amount to make the hole sizes, patterns, fillets etc. Ideally I could set that in a design table, I only need to change about five variables, in each rev, but I don't want to have to do the tedious math each time. (like subtracting material thicknesses and bend radii, etc. ) It seems very simple and I know that I am not conflicting variables, it just seems that I should be able to call out an equation that defines a new variable such as "Length"= 50 or whatever.
Also I have not used drive works or drive works express, but I will look into that, although this seems like something that solidworks must be able to do, and that would be much simpler (for all the parts I handle) to do in solidworks.
Thanks,
Xander

 

[josephv]

Hello Xander,

This is a limitation. You cannot transfer equation variables into a design table. What you can do is input all your information and do all your math in the design table. And as CBL you could look into DriveWorksXpress.

cheers,

 

[unicycling]

Thanks, I figured that might be the case but hoped that it was not. I guess I just have to learn to be better with spreadsheets. I was also hoping that that wasn't the case because the design table makes my system crash more often.
Thank you again,
Xander

 

[J-C]

Try creating a sketch at the beginning of the tree...call parameters or something. Sketch some geometry and dimension it. Double click the dimension and select "Link" from the dialogue and link it to your Variable. This dimension can driven by the design table.

Just one way to get around the variable / design table limitations

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[unicycling]

Yeah I thought about doing that it just seems messy and as if there would be a cleaner way to do it. Thanks for all the feedback!