Creating Linked Notes in SOLIDWORKS
SolidProfessor - Sam Sanchez | February 25, 2016 | Comment
Using SOLIDWORKS, it is not uncommon for users to want to store more information than just 3D geometry inside of CAD files.
For case, many users similar to keep track of part numbers, which detail a description of the part for a beak of materials (BOM) and other relevant production information. This could include a vendor used for a purchased component.
These can be easily managed in SOLIDWORKS using file properties. In the video tutorial above, we'll walk through how this can be done.
In that location are a few important things to keep in heed when storing values in the file backdrop of a part or assembly. This is particularly true when leveraging the information elsewhere, like linking to notes in the bill of materials (BOM).
In the tutorial video in a higher place, we demonstrate these ideas using a pace stool part in small, medium and large configurations.
Users tin access a role or assembly's file properties by going to the "File" dropdown card and selecting "Properties." The file's holding window has three tabs.
The first is the "Summary" tab, where users can add document backdrop similar the writer proper name, key words and comments.
The "Custom" tab is the custom backdrop for the file. SOLIDWORKS attempts to utilize these properties globally beyond every configuration inside the file.
The "Configuration Specific" tab allows users to override custom property values based on which configuration is selected. This tab can likewise be used to store separate custom properties to exist maintained at the configuration level.
We'll enter some properties in the Custom tab for this tutorial. There are some default properties listed here, which users can access by clicking the down arrow or past typing in a name for the property.
Nosotros'll select "Description" for the first item in this window leave "Type" as "Text." For the value, we will enter "Wooden Step Stool."
The next item, we listing as "Company Proper noun," go out it as Text and enter the value every bit "SolidProfessor." Boosted items are added under the values of "Buy" and "StoolWorks," for boosted data apropos companies bought from and vendors.
Next, nosotros'll add properties in the Configuration Specific tab. Here, the "Apply to:" dropdown menu, shows which configuration the changes are being practical to.
For the sake of the tutorial, we want to proceed track of the parts numbers at the configuration level since each variation of our stool assembly has a unique part number. To do this, we'll select "PartNo," meaning office number, from the drib downward for the belongings name. We'll likewise enter the part numbers for the large, medium and modest tool configurations.
In the case that we got our small tools from a different vendor than those for the medium and large assemblies, we can add a 2d configuration specific property here to override the StoolWorks vendor value. We tin can practise this by typing the other vendor'due south proper noun in the Value box and click OK.
Next, we'll leverage these custom backdrop. In the tutorial video higher up, we create a new drawing of the stool role using an isometric view on a sheet. Nosotros'll add a BOM tabular array here.
If users click a column, a couple of dropdown menus appear. These allow a user to link a column to a custom property.
For the tutorial, nosotros'll edit the column headers to show a few of the backdrop previously added. Both the custom backdrop and any configuration specific backdrop volition be shown in the list under "Belongings proper noun."
Users can link these properties to a note by launching the "Annotation" tool from the "Annotations" tab within command director and clicking a location on the sheet to place the annotation.
In the property managing director, notice there is an icon to link to property. When clicked, a dialogue box appears, where users tin choose to use custom properties from the current document, which is the drawing itself.
Nosotros haven't added whatever custom properties in this tutorial, so only the default properties are bachelor.
Alternatively, users can select "Model constitute hither" and choose "Electric current drawing view" to use custom properties from the model and the view specified in the sheet properties.
We can also choose "Selected component or other drawing view," which is the annotation attached.
For this tutorial, we've selected "Current cartoon view." Next, nosotros'll add the note, which depicts the value entered before.
This is parametric, so if a user goes back and changes the property, the notation updates.
In the video above, we add a second view to this drawing, showing the pocket-sized configuration of the stool, which was recorded as having a dissimilar vendor.
None of the values in the BOM update after inserting this associates into the drawing. To update the BOM, users would have to create a new 1.
However, we can show notes that refer to the small stool's backdrop. To practice this, users must launch the note tool, select the small stool to attach the note, click to place it on the canvas and select "Link to Property." This time, we'll select the component to which the annotation is attached and we'll select "Vendor" under property name.
After clicking OK, we tin can see it shows the configuration specific property for the small-scale configuration.
If a user does not want to show the leader, but withal wants to link the notes, just click the "No Leader" icon in the belongings manager.
You tin can learn more about the new capabilities in SOLIDWORKS 2016 by signing up for a gratuitous membership.
Virtually the Writer
Sam Sanchez is an Applications Engineer with SolidProfessor and a CSWP. Sanchez is an alumni of UC San Diego, and in her free time enjoys 3D printing and hanging out with her domestic dog Ruby. You lot can meet more than training videos on a wide range of CAD, CAM & BIM topics at www.solidprofessor.com.
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