Post on 06-Mar-2018
CONFIGURATIONS &
3DCC PUBLISHER SWUG – DAYTONA BEACH
SEPT. 25, 2012
David Tutt CWSE CSWP CSWP-Sheet Metal CSWP-Weldments CSWP-Mold Tools CSDA
AAS Drafting/Design – DSC BSET – DSC
Configurations
• Single Configuration
• One Off Changes To Models
• Parts
• Assemblies
• Table Driven Configuration
• Design Table
• Parts
• Assemblies
• MS Excel Base Program
• Gives Expandable Control To Models
Design Table Creation
• Redundant Design
• When design concept of part requires repetitive endless iterations of the same basic part
• Springs, Bolts, Brackets, Washers……..
• High Complexity
• When design intent is to control dimensions, tolerances, visibility, suppression of features in part files as well as parts in assembly files
• Valves, Cylinders, Actuators………..
Redundant Design
MS Excel
• Design Tables Format
• Column Header Syntax
• Arranged in a vertical text orientation
• Must contain a:
• Prefix : $
• Proper Syntax according to use
• Parameters List
• Parameters are exported to Solidworks as program is refreshed when configuration is selected
• This allows usage of Excel to drive configurations by use of properties from model
Think Outside the Box
• Every Feature, Dimension, Part-State and Configuration has an parameter id inside SolidWorks • These provide details about size, shape, visibility
and state of parts or assemblies
• Parameters can be used as Outputs as well as Inputs • Data about the model can be used to drive the
configuration
• Does the result of the Design Table have to be a List? • Step outside the box!!!!
Complex Assembly Design Table
• Rotomation, Inc. • Ormond Beach, FL
• Rack and Pinion Rotary Actuators and Indexers • Pneumatic, CW, CCW or TC shaft orientation • Actuators Strokes up to 2000 Degrees of rotation • Indexers 360 Degree or less continuous rotation • Integrated Flow Controls, Cushions, Magnetic Sensing • Seal Variation, Port Locations and Size, Wash-down, HP(hyd)
• Multi-Layers of dependency for allowable options and feature location
• Approximately 1.5 million part number configurations on most complex model • Now Design Table Make “perfect” sense
Assembly Structure
• Body Part
• Individual Configurations
• Shaft Part
• Individual Configurations
• Miscellaneous Parts
• Switches, Needle Valves, Mounting Plates………
• All Parts and Hole features are loaded into Single Assembly File
• Configurations are created changing the states of features and parts in Main Assembly file
• Based on Option Selection in Drop Downs
• State Changes are made “Cell Equations” inside Excel
• Driving “Cell Data” pushed back to Assembly File upon Refresh/Exit
Lets see it in action…………
Publishing Your Models
• 3D CAD Publishing
• 3D Partstream – Phased out
• 3DCC – 3D Content Central
• Dassault Systems free manufacture download portal
• http://www.3dcontentcentral.com
• Configuration Publisher
• Runs inside SolidWorks
• Will compute and upload configurations to 3DCC
• Works great with single or simple configured part and assembly files
• For large complex, not ideal,
• Crashed at est. 195,000 configured instances in one model
• Web upload best solution
Configuration Publisher
Complex Design Table Publisher
• Attributes correspond Design Table Fields
• List used for selecting drop down data
• List also used for hidden control options or note form fields
• Number used to input specific numerical value in an allowable range and increment in table field
Web Upload
• Java Based Drag-Drop Upload • Required use of Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Issues when using IE 8.0 or higher
• Always us a Pack-and-Go “Zip” File
• Use .JPEG rendered image for thumbnail
• PDF or MS Word files for Data Files
Publishing On Site • Proof Your Model
• Even if model works fine on local seat of Solidworks
• Website is defined by “virtual HTML base engine”
• Proof Your Model
• Click Publish
• Your Done
• Well in about an hour when the system refreshes…..
Thank you