SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible - Matt Lombard [38]
Separating steps
Each step corresponds to an assembly configuration (discussed in Chapter 8), and you can place them on a separate sheet of the drawing (discussed in Chapter 16). Each configuration can have multiple exploded views, if necessary, to show all the steps.
FIGURE 4.9
Assembly process documentation
Patterning considerations
The most efficient way to pattern large numbers of components in an assembly is to pattern a single subassembly with all the components to be patterned in it. While this may not be easily combined with some of the other considerations that were mentioned previously, it is another option that you can use to organize assemblies.
Using Folders
Folders are primarily used in the assembly FeatureManager for grouping parts and mates into either special classifications for easy browsing, or groups that you can easily hide and show, or suppress and unsuppress, as appropriate. Figure 4.10 shows some examples of these folders.
FIGURE 4.10
Folders that are used to organize components and mates
Creating folders in the FeatureManager
You can add folders to the assembly FeatureManager in one of two ways:
• By adding existing components to a new folder
• By creating an empty new folder
Using Add To New Folder
To use the Add To New Folder tool, right-click a component or mate (or selection of components or mates) and select Add To New Folder from the menu. This moves the component or mate into the folder. Folders do not affect the assembly in any functional way; they are simply for organization, to speed browsing and selection.
Using Create New Folder
To simply create a new folder without putting anything into it right away, right-click either the Mates area or the components list and select Create New Folder from the menu.
Adding items to existing folders
To move an item into an existing folder, just drag the item (component or mate) onto the folder. If the folder is expanded, showing its contents, then you can also drag the item as if you were reordering a feature in the FeatureManager of a part, and drop it in the list of items where you would like it.
If you are dragging a part or assembly and trying to put it immediately after an assembly, a cursor like the one shown in the center image in Figure 4.11 may appear. This cursor means that the part is going to become part of the assembly. If this is not what you are trying to do, then hold down the Alt key while dragging; the part is placed into the folder immediately after the assembly, instead of being made a part of the assembly. The third image in Figure 4.11 shows the cursor with the Alt key pressed.
Reordering items in the tree
There are times when you may want to reorder items in the assembly tree. For example, you may want to place items close to one another in the tree, or you may be preparing to put items that are next to one another into a single folder. You may also want to reorganize components for the BOM display.
You can reorder mates simply by dragging them. Mates display in the order in which they are created, but the order is not significant. You can reorder them however you like.
Components also display in the order in which they are added to the assembly, and you can reorder them in any way you like.
FIGURE 4.11
Moving items into folders
Best Practice
It is often useful to have an ordering strategy that helps you work with the model. For example, you should try to keep the biggest parts, the parts that everything else is mated to, or the part that is treated as “ground,” as the first part(s) in the assembly. Then put the fasteners and other cosmetic or BOM-driving parts at the end of the tree, usually in a descriptive folder.
Working with Tree Display Options
Display