Show top level assy in sub-assy drawing? 1

[coolcad]

We often need to show the top level assy (TLA)of a machine in phantom on a sub-assy drawing so that we can show how the sub-assy is to be installed. What is the best way to do this? We don't want to put the TLA in the sub-assy because this would make the sub-assy huge and create a loop. Do we put the sub-assy on the TLA and then create the view we want and use it in our sub-assy drawing? Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[TheTick]

Couple things you can do...

1.) As you said yourself, you can insert the TLA in the drawing after you've added a sub-assembly view. You can either superimpose views, or have the subassembly incorporatesd as a component in your TLA. You can even edit component line font and color by placing compnents on different layers.

2.) Use images. Put together temporay drawings/assemblies to get the views you want, then export images (bitmaps, JPEGS). Put the images on your drawings. There are advantages to this. If your image is a simplified "ghost" version of the TLA and subassembly, you won't need to update your drawing every time something shifts in the TLA. Also, your drawing won't carry the "overhead" of all those extra components.

Don't get too hung up on upward associativity (i.e. "Where used", "How installed") in drawings. It's usually more trouble than it's worth. Usually "upward" information is best documented by other means, such as a PDM system or product manuals.

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