SW Newbie Needs BOM help

[jesusman]

Here's my situation. We contract hired a guy who has somehow automated the design of our product, which is just a large box with tubes in it to exchange heat (a big radiator). He also churns out General arrangement drawings, and fabrication drawings.

We bought a copy of SW recently and I took their level 1 class (which I was told would be all I need). I am now able to draw the model and I think I have it completed, but now I need to create fab drawings. I can insert a BOM into my drawing and I can see where I can edit it, but I would like for the information to automatically populate. For instance, of the tubes I mention above, there are two configurations. One straight and one with a 180 degree bend on one end. Those drawings are their own parts. How do I get the BOM to display the information in all the catagories that I need (Item #, Qty, Description, & Material)? And how do I move the columns? Thanks for the help!

jman

 

[Standing]

Use the SolidWorks Help button and read up on creating a SolidWorks Bill of Material.

Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP4.0
PDM Works, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I can insert a BOM into my drawing and I can see where I can edit it,

Why are you wanting/needing to edit the BOM? The properties need to be placed in the model. They will then populate the BOM automatically. With a model open, go to File > Properties and use either Custom Properties for common-to-all config properties, or Configuration Specific properties.

Move the columns by Right Mouse Button (RMB) clicking on the column header and selecting from the drop down list.

 

[jesusman]

OK, so I enter information in the custom properties for each part or does it have to be in an assembly drawing? I do want the BOM to populate automatically, but I do (did) not know how to do that. So i will try this and maybe I can get somewhere with this. Thank you!

J.D.

 

[MadMango]

Custom Props go into each part.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[JMirisola]

To ensure that all of your parts/assemblies have the same properties, you should set up the properties dialogue in your part and assembly templates. There is some info in the Essentials book you received when you went in for training.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

 

[jesusman]

Thanks everyone. I also got some help from our supplier, so I am headed down the right track. I may have questions along the way.

J.D.

 

[jesusman]

I think I messed up when I drew some of these parts originally. I drew a lot of components into one part drawing because I needed them to size the other peices, but now I can't add custom properties until I draw them in thier own file? If that is the case, can I split out what I have already drawn into it's own part drawing? What happens to the "extrude up to surface" instances?

For instance, I drew a "Cube" frame from channel (not quite a cube). It has 4 vertical, 4 bottom & 4 top channels. It has 4 different lengths of channels. Does each channel of different length need to be in it's own part file (or better yet configuration)? If so, what happens if I have used a weldment to create this frame? this is where I am concerned because I have sized a lot of the other components based on the location of these channels.

Thanks!

J.D.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I'm confused by your terminology. By "I drew a lot of components into one part drawing" do you mean you created multiple bodies within a part model, or multiple part models within a model assembly, or ???

Model: A virtual 3D object consisting of solid geometry in a part or assembly.
Feature sketch: A 2D or 3D sketch within a model, used to create a 3D solid feature.
Drawing: A 2D view or set of views representing a modelled component on a virtual sheet of paper.
Drawing sketch: A 2D sketch created in a view on the virtual sheet of paper.

 

[jesusman]

Sorry - I am learning the terminolgy. I believe the correct answer is I have many 3D bodies within one PART drawing. I have the said channels, some angle stiffeners, sheet matal, flat bar, etc.. all in one drawing called Frame.SLDPRT

Does that help?

J.D.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you used the Weldment function to create the frame, Help > SolidWorks Help Topics > Index > properties, weldment has some information which may help you.

 

[jesusman]

Thanks! I have gone thru the help menu and used it to create the frame. However, I am not certain I have selected the best way to draw it. In the end, I need a fabrication drawing with a BOM that tells the fabricator what the Body is and how long to cut it. Can a weldment do that or should I redraw each length once, and mirror as neccessary?

J.D.

 

[MPCLima]

Worst case scenario,

If you are having problems I suggest you look into getting a subscription or service plan from your solidworks provider. That way you can always call and have a tech guy help you through the problem. Also look into going the solidworks user groups. best of luck.

Rodrigo

http://www.morrisonpump.com

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The Cut List, which is part of the Weldment module, can be used in a drawing to show lengths.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

You can also use the Insert into new part... feature (which is available when you RMB click on a structural member in the Cut list folder), and create drawing views from it if you need to make a separate detail drawing.

 

[jesusman]

OK, with some help from others and here, I think I have a semi-clear path I need to go in order to get what I want. My mistake was putting too many 3D bodies into one Part file. So once I re-draw most of the items into thier own part file, can I still use a weldment for the basic frame (cube) structure and still obtain lengths to insert into the BOM? I was trying to avoid creating another column in the BOM, but I want that value to automatically populate.

Here is a screen shot of what I have. The top view shows the part covered with a thin "lagging" sheet. The bottom picture is with the skin off showing only the channels, the side steel sheets and thier stiffeners, and the internal tube support.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/jesus_man01/Misc/Frame.jpg

Unfortunatley, this is one part file and not an assembly (the error of my ways). Being that the Channel frame you see dictates the size of most of the items, and I need to convey on a fabrication drawing the size and/or length of each of these items, how would you go about this if you started from scratch? Is there a simple way to link sizes of certain items to an assembly drawing?

Thanks for you help!

J.D.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

It depends how the actual part is to be made in real life. If all parts are welded, then a weldment is OK. Sub-weldments can be created and used much like sub-assys can.

If some parts are bolted onto a weldment, then the weldment can be inserted into a regular assembly just like any other part or sub-assy.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Have you worked through the Weldment tutorial?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

"So once I re-draw most of the items into thier own part file, can I still use a weldment for the basic frame (cube) structure and still obtain lengths to insert into the BOM?"
You can use the Weldment for the basic frame, but you will only get the lengths from a Cut List in the weldment fab drawing... not the BOM of an assy.

However, there is nothing to stop you placing views of the complete assy with its BOM ... and views of the weldment with its cut list, on the same drawing sheet.

 

[jesusman]

Everything is to be welded together with the exception of the outer lagging, but it sounds like I better just start over with individual parts because of the way the BOM will be setup.

Yes, I have gone thru the Weldment tutorial and that's the only reason I got as far as I did on the frame, but that sounds like it wasn't the right path for me. I want to be able to match our existing drawing format as close as I can. No need to muddy the waters for the fabricators.

J.D.