Mutliple parts using similar features

[Hayden]

Hi all,

I modelling several part that share the same base features but change considerablyaway from that grougp of base features. What I want to do is be able to use merge or similar to start the part. Then any changes I make to the first group of base features will be reflected in all corresponding models.

1. I'm avoiding family tables as there will be 22 iterations each with about 50-80 unique features after the initial group.

2. I've considered using the merge function in assembly mode but think this is a little messy in terms of how many like parts will need to be assembled in one assembly, or the amount of unique assemblies needed.

Has anyone done something similar before and devised a tidy way structuring this?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hayden

 

[im4cad]

You can use a Master Model as reference and Copy Geometry for the parts. The Copy Geometry can be different for different groups of parts. You can always redefine the copied geometry as independent so it doesn't change, or make it dependent when you want to add more changes on your parts.
Working in "insert mode", and using the model tree help a lot doing a lot of "tricks" with the parts.

im4cad
Pro Design Services, Inc.

http://www.cadproe.com/pds/home.asp

 

[ohio30]

If you are using Pro/E 2001 it sounds like a perfect example of the Inheritance feature.
A reference part (not an assembly) is inserted in a destination part using a cooridinate system for placement. The menu path is Feature --> Create --> Data from file --> Inheritance (something like that?). You can vary any dimensions or features in the destination part, but any changes made to the reference part (presuming they have not been modified in the inheritance feature) will be update in the destination part.
Use the help files in Pro/E 2001 to learn more about using the inheritance feature.

Hope this helps?