Exporting attributes from UG BOM

[AaronH]

Hi all,

Anyone have any experience with the GM toolkit? I would like to add attribute columns to the Assembly Navigator but I don't have a list of the attributes that are available. Specifically, I would like to have the following columns in the assembly navigator: material (HRS, 8620, UHMW, etc.), stock size, quantity used in the assembly. I have already added db_part_name. That column give me the name that the designer established for the part (bracket, locator, pin, etc.). I have also added purch_option which provides sourcing information like purchase or manufactured details.

I know the GM toolkit handles things differently than standard UG so I'm not sure how much of this will be possible. Hopefully someone has had experience with the toolkit at the attributes. The whole goal of this is to be able to import the key attributes into our part tracking database. Right now we use the BOB export text file. However, there are some issues with it. I would rather use the "export to spreadsheet" feature of the assembly navigator, but I need to get the afore mention columns for it to be of any use.

Thanks in advance!!

Aaron

 

[NXMold]

I don't know anything about the GM toolkit, but if your just looking to export the BOM to a spreadsheet perhaps you could go through a drawing.

Place "parts list" on drawing, select a column and insert additional columns by right clicking. Select the new column, right click Style, set attribute name under columns tab [CATALOG,SUPPLIER,ETC]

Select parts list and update, then sort.

Select the table, go to Tools, Table, Edit using spreadsheet.

NX 5.0.3.2 MoldWizard

 

[hudson888]

The attributes are just that they are stored as normal part attributes. Look under File>Properties>Attributes tab. The most common to assign is db_part_name.

Cheers

Hudson

 

[jonasr]

Hi All,

I would like to create palette template file, which is contains the table (not partlist!). I would like to use my parameters, but I have a problem; The next sample try to show it.

part name: e.g. shaft.prt
drawing file name (which was created by palette template): shaft_dwg.prt

So I edit any cells in my table manually.

<Wshaft@supplier> So the proper name will be appear in my table: e.g. DME
But I would like to fill my table automatically, because I/ or the moldwizard add more attributes in my file. The table filling by manually is very slow...
Anybody have any idea?

thanks,

Best Regards,
Rudolf JONAS
Mechanical Engineer
Hungary

 

[jonasr]

sorry, I forget something. I use nx4.0.3.3

Best Regards,
Rudolf JONAS
Mechanical Engineer
Hungary

 

[hudson888]

Why not just use a parts list. After all what you describe appears to be what it is for.

So what you have now is a list of things with something else in it alongside a list of part numbers or file names at the least, and you're wondering why that doesn't work. I can tell you that it quite possibly will work better using a parts list, but I don't know what the other columns contain or whether it would not be easier to create those as part of a parts list. If you tell us what stops you from using a parts list then we can maybe give a better reply.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[jonasr]

hi Hudson,

the 'partlist' is very good for assembly partlist, but i would like to use table for induvidial part. So the table is more flexible for customizing your cell positioning and size (e.g. cell merging/spliting, resizing, more row using...)

This table is contains more constant attrib, for example customer, project name, project number, my company logo (name) etc. But any cells have unique attrib for this induvidial part, e.g. stock size, qty, item no., threatment state etc. The constant attrib can be substituted constant text on the template file (for palettes). But the unique attrib have the under mentioned problem.

I try to use partlist or create grip routine?

thanks,

Best Regards,
Rudolf JONAS
Mechanical Engineer
Hungary

 

[hudson888]

Rudolf,

The short answer to what I think you want is probably NO.
You can do it and it has been requested before on the forum. The problem is that it is neither automatic nor straightforward. I will describe it so that I hope you can understand and decide for yourself.

I am assuming that you're working in master model concept. By that I means you have a drawing separate from the model in two files which make an assembly where the drafting is created.

If you have a look at making a parts list just to test. Just go from drafting in to Insert>Parts List. Notice what attributes are available for use in the parts list columns. You will probably identify fields based on something like <W$=@$PART_NAME> as being the text that you want to have in the table. If you have part name versions enabled then <W$=$PART_NAME_CORE> may also work for you.

Next open the text editor to add a note. Then you can open the full text editor and use the relationships tab to access an Object Attribute to add text. If you already created a parts list and you followed those steps then you will be able to select the component that you are drawing by clicking on the ANT. The component is the Object and it will have attributes including one called CALLOUT. If you select it then the note will probably read "1" but the attribute text will be something like <W!44206@CALLOUT>.

Now if you change the note to read <W!44206@$PART_NAME> then you'll get the attribute that the parts list uses for the file name.

The number "44206" is the object number of the component. It is a system assigned number internal to the database. The problem is that if you want to re-use the table that number will change all the time and you cannot predict nor easily find out what the number is.

Grip won't help you because it is a dead programming language UGS stopped developing it at about the same time when assemblies were first introduced so it was not enhanced to include very much assembly related functionality. This is unfortunate and others who asked a similar question to yours have tried without success in this matter.


Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[hudson888]

Sorry I posted before I had really finished.

If you are very cunning and want to create this drawing as a template to reuse I would create both a table and a version of a parts list that sits under or alongside the table to contain the text. You may only need one or two fields and you can turn off the border under Cell Style. Then if you position it like a note under over the empty cell of the table you may be able to get a useful result.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[BEAEROHEAD]

I am new to UG ( about 1 year) but I like to play around to make life eazyer so I cam up with this. Try it and see if it is wat you are lookind for. As per hudson888, Look under File>Properties>Attributes tab. The most common to assign is db_Customer_name or what ever you want to call it. See attached.

 

[hudson888]

BEAEROHEAD,

That is a good clear presentation as far as it goes and will be particularly familiar and therefore helpful to users of teamcenter.

Rudolf/Aaron,

What the document shows will work most reliably within a single part file and could be added into a drawing template. It is built into the system so it is definitely meant to be used that way.

However many people I think expect to automate things with these tools in ways that are not always very reliable. Sometimes what seems like a good idea I have to say is not so beneficial.

Using this method the expression for the note or contents of the cell becomes <WMODEL1@NAME> instead of <W!44206@NAME> where MODEL1 is the name of the component part file. The two are completely equivalent, but the latter is easier to check.

You can get the system to automatically re-use a drawing with such notes or table contents if you substitute or use open component as. Most of the time it works but it is by no means a guaranteed 100% strike rate. I have been though the whole exercise before with other posters asking the same things. When you substitute the object number frequently changes but the system usually keeps track. For use in templates there is no way for the system to keep track of the object number so it fails using either method in the same way.

The problem I have with using this other than for a one of case is when it fails you may not immediately be presented with any indication that it has done so. You're therefore required to know and understand how the attributes work, which ones draw upon other parts and how to manually check that things are okay.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

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