SolidWorks Routing Best Practices 2

[josephv]

Good day,

Noticed that SolidWorks Routing is becoming more widely used. I am starting this thread in order to list some SolidWorks Routing Best Practices. Your ideas are very welcome.

Here is a tip to get the ball rolling:

- There is a switch (setting) "Constrain fitting to sketch" and "Constrain sketch to fitting", which one you use is up to you. But be aware of this switch, otherwise you could over constrain your assembly.

 

[Eltron]

Another tip: Set up your fittings with connection points when you initially set up the part. This will save you a little scrambling around when you start into your routing assembly.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

 

[tbeck11]

Tip: Keep you fittings simple (meaning no threads etc)

Todd

 

[rjason71]

I ran into a few bugs with routing in 2007.

1. In SP2.0 (I think), when you drag and drop a fitting onto a pipe length it should have automatically narrowed down your configuration options (ex. if it was a 1" pipe you would have only the options for 1" pipe fittings), instead it would show all the configurations for that fitting from 1/4" to 4".

2. In SP4, when I was running 1" pipe, SW would randomly start new routing assemblies. So I would end up with multiple assemblies for the same size of pipe.

 

[tbeck11]

I found in 2007 SP4.0 that the routing points would only appear if you "hovered" you mouse over them. Going to view-routing points did turn them on.

Things that make you go hmmm.

Todd

 

[josephv]

Here are some more tips...

If you need to reorient a fitting, you might be better off doing a mate (for position only) rather than a regular mate, which may overconstrain the route.

In some cases we prefer to model one spool at a time. This keeps things simple, instead of trying to model an entire piping system in one assembly.

 

[JMirisola]

My tip:
Wait for 2008...they've done some great stuff with it!

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[tbeck11]

Jeff,

What are some of the highlights in 2008?

Todd

 

[JMirisola]

From "What's New":

Users can now define the standard pipe lengths that they are using inside SolidWorks. As the length of the route is modified the pipes are automatically segmented into the correct lengths. Optionally the user can specify fittings to automatically be placed between each pipe segment.
SolidWorks 2008 also extends the performance benefits of lightweight support to routed systems
Users can now flatten the 3D SolidWorks harness, allowing them to generate 2D SolidWorks drawings of the wires in their flattened state for manufacturing. Now these flat states create standard SolidWorks drawing views for better detailing control.


Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[JMirisola]

Another thing...no need to zoom in to pick the routing point. There's more, I'm just having trouble remembering this morning. It is Monday...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[tbeck11]

Thanks for the updates.

Todd

 

[josephv]

Thanks, Jeff

can't wait to use SWX 2008

 

[tringger]

I am having all kinds of problems ever since I upgraded to SW2008. The design tables randomly change values for all of my route fittings I created. This only happened since 2008. Has anyone had this problem or know of a fix? Thanks!

 

[JMirisola]

When you say the values are changing, can you be more specific?
There is a known issue regarding angles changing to seconds (162000 seconds = 45°), but that's all I've heard about.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[cambria]

The discussion above has been of interest. I (think) I could use Routing for an important new project. Comes out that I am close to my re-up on the license. Question: just buy the Routing adder or change SW Office Premium? Sometimes the "glue" that comes with the packages makes all the difference, could be different in this case.

doug johnson

 

[Standing]

Doug,
You may what to get a 30 trial from your VAR. Router is not a plug and play type of program. There is a lot of up front work that needs to be done before completing a project. For example I tried to get the Router data into our customized BOM without success. If your company excepts the tables the router creates, you win. Our department has not yet, but I am sure they will, someone else has been assigned to job now.


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP1.0
PDM Works, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400

 

[tbeck11]

Doug,

I can share with you the justification letter I presented our management team when we were looking at Premium.

Drop me an email.

Todd

toddb@rvii.com

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/onl...s/electricalrouting/06_ElectricalRouting.html

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=solidworks+routing+video&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

 

[josephv]

I put this in another thread, but thought I put it here as a tip...


One thing I found helps is to break down a route into spools. In other words create a different sub-assembly for each spool. Then mate the spool sub-assemblies in a main assembly. At first it seemed like a bit of work, but by doing this we avoided many of the issues you get when you try to create one big route assembly.

 

[Standing]

Thanks CorBlimeyLimey for your google link.
I found this very good site:

http://www.learncadnow.com/Demos/SolidWorks_IAT.htm

A star for you.

Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64, SP4.0EV2
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM,
Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 10240 MB,
nVidia Quadro FX 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes