Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

Register Log in
  • Congratulations waross on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

What is the correct way to draw using Aluminum Extrusion stock? 2

Status
Not open for further replies.
HeavenlySolid

HeavenlySolid

Electrical
Dec 1, 2005
74
0
0
PR
Most of the machine I work with uses Aluminum Extrusion for its frame. Let us say, for the sake of argument that I am using the 1.5 x 1.5 bar stock.

In my assemblies right now, I have to create many copies of this profile with only the length dimension being different.

I do this many copies so each part will appear in the BOM list. I know there must be a better way to work with Aluminum Extrusion stock.

Could anyone share some light as to how it should be done?

Do I need to create so many copies of the same file or not?
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

Sort by date Sort by votes
If the machine frame is NOT a welded assy, then check out Configurations. This would be perfect for what you describe.

If it is a welded frame then using Weldments is the way to go.

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Configurations, and on the BOM under "Part Configuration Grouping" check the "Display as one item number" and pick the "Display configurations of the same part as seperate items".

Flores
SW06 SP3.0
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Welding has nothing to do with it. The weldment tools allow you to define your frame with sketches and then sweep your profiles to make your frame. The cut list then gives you all the cut lengths. I do this all the time for 8020 structures. I have made weldment templates of all the sections that I use on a regular basis.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The first thing you should do is look up weldments in the help and figure out how to use them and how to create your own weldment templates, it's fairly simple. Here are two images; the first is my 1515 section template. I have simplified it a bit, all the small grooves were not necessary. The second image is a quick frame made with this template, you can see the sketch in the upper left corner.



You will have to play with things a bit to get your corners to trim properly but it's pretty straight forward once you figure it out. You may then create a drawing and insert a cut list. The cutlist will contain the length dimensions for each piece.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
8020 does have DXF files of their sections. That's where I started when I created my templates. You do need to do some work in order to crean them up and get them to be fully defined.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote

Alolesen,

It's always interesting (and often useful) to find out how others use SW. Would you mind expanding on how you go about adding other non-welded parts (fasteners, purchased products, etc) to your weldments with regard the BOM/Parts List/Cut List aspect?

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You just go ahead and add pieces to your model. If they aren't created with a weldment template they will still show up in the cut list but they won't have any length data. I then use the "Description" field to call out as necessary.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Too bad SolidWorks won't transfer the properties of a part to it's cutlist item when you insert a part into a weldment part.
I allready submitted an ER for this a few days ago.


Stefan Hamminga
EngIT Solutions
CSWP/Mechanical designer/AI student
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
OK, so you are using the Weldment module to create an "assembly" (actually a multi-body part) and using the Cut List as a BOM/Parts List.

That's one of the beauties of SW ... always more than one way to get the job done.

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
alolesen,

Just so you know, there are solid models in SolidWorks for all the 8020 stuff is in the design library. Go to: 3D Content Central/Supplier Content/Structural Systems/8020.
No need to work from DXF files.

Timelord
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Weldment is a good way to go, but I feel it limits you if you have to make a changes later on. All I use are extrusions to build frames from and after trying the weldment idea feel that configurations along with design tables is the easiest and quickest way to get what you need. (this is also based on all the hardware required when working with extrusions)
I have a base part already set up with the min and max length in the design table of the extrusion types I use. I just copy the file down to my working folder and begin inserting and building the design table as I need different lengths. You can also take this one step further and have all the different sizes configured in one file as well, but I have different files for different types of extrusions and sizes just so I can keep them organized a little better.

I also use the Porperty Editor Macro I found at this message board to input my properties for the different configurations so they show up correctly in the BOM.

Hope this is useful, as always there are several paths to chose from to get to the same place.

DRhine
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Be sure to check your models that you get of the extrusions. Some suppliers are too exact with the modeling and actually have a slight concave on the sides and will present trouble if you mate the faces. The actual extrusion is made like this so when you tighten down the t-nuts they pull tight. We have to place planes all around the extrusion and mate to those to prevent any errors.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Drhinehart,

I can vouch for the 8020 models at 3D Content Central. They advertise a 3 degree dip in the open faces of their extrusions for vibration resistance, but the models do not have this feature it so mating faces works correctly.

Timelord
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Imposter666
  • Locked
  • Question
What is the best practice to 3D model and detail weldments that have sheet metals as a part of them.
Replies
11
Views
51
Jboggs
Jboggs
33MRM33
  • Locked
  • Question
SW Macro to list hole wizard features and measures the diamter of modeled hole
Replies
4
Views
26
Gupta65
Gupta65
CAD2015
  • Locked
  • Question
How to count the components in a SolidWorks assembly? 2
Replies
8
Views
42
CAD2015
CAD2015
jassco
  • Locked
  • Question
Is there a way to copy driven dimension values?
Replies
6
Views
15
jassco
jassco
CAD2015
  • Locked
  • Question
"Normal To" option on the SW screen...... 1
Replies
12
Views
52
CAD2015
CAD2015
Back
Top