Email a drawing 6

[EngJW]

Just a quick question as I wrap up this project. I have to send some SW2005 drawings to a shop. Is it required to send the part file along with the drawing? Should I save the drawing in one of the light formats instead? I know that I could use Edrawings, but some people call back and can't figure out how to use it.

 

[ctopher]

Save as PDF.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[Heckler]

I would not send native data unless you have a nondisclosure agreement signed. If they need it for their CAM software I would send an iges or STeP file. I as a rule never send out native models unless we have the proper checks and balances in place.

Best Regards,

Heckler

Do you trust your intuition or go with the flow?

 

[MElam]

Save as Detached Drawing. Then you can send the drawing without the model files.

 

[EngJW]

I saved the drawing in a different directly and then opened it without a problem, so I sent it off. For some reason I thought you had to have the part available before you could open the drawing file.

 

[MElam]

If the drawing is in a different directory it will still find the parts - as long as they are still in their original location and you can access them. Your part IS available to you. The person who received your email will probably get an empty drawing unless they have access to your drive.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I know that I could use Edrawings, but some people call back and can't figure out how to use it.

... and you trust them to read your drawings to make your parts??

Using eDrawings is the 3D equivalent of a "Viewer for Dummies" book.


Making the best use of this Forum. faq559-716
How to get answers to your SW questions. faq559-1091
Helpful SW websites every user should be aware of. faq559-520

 

[ctopher]

Anyone can open PDF, it is the safest, easiest, and usually smallest files.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[Theophilus]

Looks like we need to distinguish between drawing files and part files, although the answer has been given above. A drawing file is always 2D. A part file is the 3D representation--the model.

Drawing and assembly files always refer to the part file. So you can have the part files on a network, different directory, different hard drive, etc. and the drawing and assembly files will remember where they found the part files the first time when opening. So you need to be careful not to move the part files when the drawing or assembly files are not opened or you'll have an error (won't find the file automatically).

So. ..if you don't want to tag a part or assembly file along with a drawing file to a vendor, save in a different format, such as PDF, DXF, DWG, or whatever, as ctopher mentioned above.

If you want to send the full SW drawing file, you'll need to find the parts/assemblies it refers to and send them as well. The best way I've found to make sure I'm sending everything needed is to create a new directory on your hard drive, open the drawing or assembly you need to send to your vendor, then File > Find References. Copy all referenced files to the new directory. Now you have only what you need in a single directory. For the cleanest results I don't keep the directory structure, but dump everything into the same directory (remember, you're sending this to a vendor). Zip the files and send them out. They'll be able to read them.


Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reality is no respecter of good intentions.

 

[MElam]

I definately agree that sending eDrawings or PDFs are best due to file size and keeping those on the receiving end from changing things or getting more info from the files than you want them to have.

But if you do want to send the SolidWorks drawing file without all of the associated models, you can.

Save As and under Save as type select Detached Drawing

Then you can send the drawing without the models. They will have full access to the drawing sheet, but not the models.

 

[drawoh]

jlwoodward,

I have a very strong preference for sending out full sized paper copies of my drawings. The paper copies contain exactly what I put there using SolidWorks. My details and fonts all are big enough to be readable.

Unless the part is very simple, our machine shops always call and ask for DXF files. I do not trust the special character fonts and tolerance specifications in DXF files. You have no control over the software the other guy is using. I do have confidence in the scale 2D drawing, which machine shops use to program their CNC machines. I send them the DXFs addition to the paper copy. DXF files are large, but they compress very will with WINZIP.

If I could not send paper, my next choice would be PDF, but I do not think our vendors have E size printers.

Our sheet metal vendors asks for SolidWorks files and models. They want to get at SolidWorks' sheet metal features,which I used to create the model. I send the SolidWorks drawing and model. I assume that all fabrication drawings and models potentially go out of house, and I keep proprietary information off them. These often get large enough that they do not fit through email. I have to burn them to CD-ROM.

What you send through email has a lot to do with your vendor, and his expertise and resources. I just sent out drawings of a flexible cloth cover. The vendor knows nothing about SolidWorks, DXF, or DWG. They have Corel draw, which I do not. They did manage to read my PDF file, but I do not think they have an E sized printer. I sent paper. Also, I sent JPEG files of the part to help them visualize it.

Stereo laser lithography vendors like STL files, which SolidWorks generates. I would still be inclined to send the SolidWorks file, and let them do the coversion.

JHG

 

[macduff]

I agree with Heckler as far as nondisclosure agreement is signed. Also I would go though Purchasing or Contracts.

Macduff
Meggitt Airdynamics Inc.
Senior Designer/Checker
Dell Precision 370
SW2005 Pro SP 1.1
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 1300

 

[BStoner]

Another alternative that is often overlooked is the use of the SWx viewer. The viewer does not require the part/assembly to be present.

 

[SBaugh]

That maybe true, but SW is talking about not supporting the viewer much longer and forcing all users to use eDrawings.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[EngJW]

Another step up the learning curve for me. I see a potential problem developing. The shop we use is part of our company but in a different part of the country. We sent them all the part and drawing files. This time I made a change but only sent them the new drawing file.

I bet the new drawing file will go and grab the old part when it is opened, and the changes will disappear. I'd better send off the revised part before they start work.

Next time I will try a detached file, or pdf. Thanks everyone.

 

[Theophilus]

Right. That's what will happen, if the drawing file finds the part file where it expects to find it.


Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reality is no respecter of good intentions.

 

[kp5054]

Hi Guys,

If you get drawing files from you customer without the model just select "view only" and then you won't be prompted for file locations and the drawing will display complete.

Ken

 

[EngJW]

Now that I have learned about saving the drawing as a pdf, I can't get it to plot. The drawing is D size. It prints ok as letter size. It is when sending it to the HP650C plotter that nothing happens. No error messages or lock ups. I set most everything that I can think of in the print menus, but on clicking print there is no message that the file has been sent, as it does with the desktop printer.

I can plot the drawing directly from Solidworks. My only concern is sending a drawing to a customer and they won't be able to plot it larger than letter size.

Maybe the plotter is too old to print a pdf?

 

[drawoh]

jlwoodward,

The paper size is built into the PDF file. If you want to plot D_size, your PDF file will have to be D_size, although Adobe Acroread allows scaling.

I do not have the PDF feature with SolidWorks here. I have been printing to file, then loading the PostScript file into GhostView. I can create an 11x17" plot, which seems to work on our printer, and plotter. Making an D_sized PDF for our plotter will be a challenge. My B_sized drawing did not plot to scale

The machine shops I deal with have B_sized printers. If you want the fabricator to work from D_size, you will have to print it yourself. This has the additional advantage that your plot scale will be 1:1. A lot of people are sloppy about this.

As I noted above, I prefer to send out paper.

JHG