How is solid edge on design automation/ anyone has any experience, advices?

[loki3000]

We design custom bearings, like double spherical radial bearings, slewing rings, based in W europe.
currently we use autocad and creo, automated via equations and parameters (the second one only), but i've been looking for a possiblity to replace the cad system (user friendliness, ease of design and automation, better then creo at least, open API for the designer to play with).
creo is quite good on model automation (simple formulas and parametres, you can just suppress the overlapping features and tend to them manually), but i think we can do better, esp. since creo is difficult to program efficiently due to its lineage (we only use pro/program and rels, params)

does anyone have any experience with programming (or via rels) parametric solid edge assemblies?

 

[swertel]

In short, yes Solid Edge can do as you request. But, is it better than your current situation, I can't say.
[ol 1]
[li][/li]
[li]Have you tried using the integration with MathCAD/CREO to control your designs? Solid Edge has no integrations with mathematical software. The integration with Excel isn't even very good.[/li]
[li]Solid Edge does have an API. Search for websites like jasonnewell.net and surfandcode.in for great examples. I don't know if the following link is accessible, but doesn't hurt to try.

http://community.plm.automation.sie...-Developer-Community-Links/m-p/268847#U268847

[/li]
[li]The built in Variable Table, combined with Family or Parts & Family of Assemblies, offers quite a bit of automation based on equations and parameters. You can even link VBScripts into the variable table.[/li]
[/ol]

Can you give a specific example of what you are trying to accomplish? We may be able to provide an example and then you can determine if the method used is easier than CREO.

--Scott
www.wertel.pro

 

[loki3000]

sorry for not responding for so long.
i would like to automate as much as (easily) possible the design of a slewing bearing. see image:

http://nguyenxuong.com/upload/images/Bearings/SKF Bearings/SKF NGUYEN XUONG - Slewing bearing 4.jpg

the variables here are various diameters, hole dia, various types of holes (counterbore, blind threaded etc), various gaskets (with varying dimensions), features that have to be suppressed or resumed (that's easy) etc.