Design Table Relations

[Deflatormouse]

The company I am working for deals with a lot of parts that are very similar and easily consolidated to one model with the use of design tables. A single tabulated drawing has not been effective so the engineers have been given the task to generate separate drawings for each of the variations of a part that additionally include a table noting variations (the design table).

Example of my problem:
I have created a working drawing on one of the configurations being driven by the design table in the corresponding model.

Now I insert the design table. (Referencing the rest of the variations of that given model)

For some reason the link between the excel sheet in the model and the inserted table in the drawing are not linked. If I double click the table in the drawing and change a value that change is not reflected within the model’s design table. If I go over to the model and edit the excel sheet that change is not reflected within the working drawing.

I was wondering if anyone knew how to make it so the two were linked. Ideally someone opens up the model, edits the design table, and all the associated drawings that have that design table inserted would be updated.

I hope I haven’t confused anyone too much. If you have any ideas or workarounds other than design tables please let me know. I’m contemplating a general table with custom property links but this seems tedious and too involved.

Thank you

 

[Gupta65]

Are you inserting Design table in drawing or a different table.

Deepak Gupta
SW2009 SP4.1
SW2007 SP5.0
MathCAD 14.0

 

[Deflatormouse]

I am inserting the design table into the drawing. The association between the model, drawing, and the excel design table is breaking.

 

[Gupta65]

Mine works perfect. What is your SW version with SP and MS office version.

Deepak Gupta
SW2009 SP4.1
SW2007 SP5.0
MathCAD 14.0

 

[jefrado]

I think I go this...

For the tables to be linked, I had to set all the cells equal to the respective cell in the external excel file. The design table will then be reading the external excel file. This way, you can have lots of design tables in different model/assys reading one exernal excel file.

A word - make sure the switchs in SW are set to make this work (update from design table and such).

BE CAREFUL - SW (2009) will, after a time and totally at random, start ignoring the external excel file. For us (using 4 different computers), it always happened - only the when was random. It will give no notice of this, it just runs with whatever values were in the design table when last saved and I have discovered nothing short of a total reboot that will make the design table update. This can be hard to detect unless the expected file is substantially different than the not updated one.