SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible - Matt Lombard [76]
Figure 8.12 shows the design table results from auto-creation using the robot arm assembly. Some of the columns have been hidden to make it small enough to fit on the page. If you want to see the entire table, you need to open the assembly. If you edit the design table, you will probably want to use the Open in Separate Window option, which is easier to navigate and control. The SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible (Wiley, 2011) has a chapter devoted to design tables in parts.
FIGURE 8.12
An automatically created design table from the robot arm assembly
Working with Modify Configurations and the Configuration Publisher
The Modify Configuration interface is a dialog box where you can configure dimensions, features, and custom properties in parts, and that you can use in assemblies. It is sometimes used in the place of design tables when you do not need the advanced functionality of Excel.
The Configuration Publisher is used to create a PropertyManager that pops up when the part is placed into an assembly. The PropertyManager enables you to select a configuration to go into the assembly. The Configuration Publisher is also available in assemblies; this means you can use a popup PropertyManager when assemblies are placed into other assemblies as well. Library subassemblies may be less common than library parts, where the popup PropertyManager would be used to best effect.
Both tools are useful for managing assembly configurations. Design tables offer the most complete control, but also have some drawbacks associated with being tied to Microsoft Excel. Both Modify Configurations and the Configuration Publisher are internal to SolidWorks, regardless of the level of the software you have purchased, so if you use one of them, you can be sure that whomever you send data to will be able to access all the functionality.
Looking at assembly configuration dos and don'ts
Assembly configurations have some potential pitfalls that you can avoid if you pay attention to some of these dos and don'ts.
• Avoid using Delete as an editing option when working with configurations. Delete is forever and removes items from all configurations.
• Avoid the use of in-context relations to size parts when you are also using configurations to size parts. A non-configured part driven by a configured part only causes confusion.
• Avoid using configurations to represent document control-type revisions. When people attempt to do this, it ultimately limits the kinds of edits they can make to their parts and assemblies, and it is far too easy to make a mistake that wipes out all their work. In the end, this is not a viable technique.
• If you are working with manually created configurations, then you should create a new configuration and activate it before making the changes. Otherwise, you will end up trying to set the original configuration back to the way it was.
• Remember to select the This Configuration Only option for changed dimensions instead of leaving it at the default All Configurations setting.
Tutorial: Working with Assembly Configurations
To begin this tutorial, open the assembly namedBike.sldasm. This file contains all the aspects that you need to work with in this chapter, including subassemblies, motion, and part configurations.
To learn how to work with assembly configurations, follow these steps:
1. Prepare to use configurations by splitting the FeatureManager window into an upper and lower pane. Place the FeatureManager on the top and the ConfigurationManager on the bottom.
2. Before starting to make changes to this assembly, add the top-level configurations that you will need, as follows:
• Small Tires
• Motion Configuration
• Skeleton Driven Positions
• Mate Driven Positions
The configurations will list alphabetically.
3. Make sure that the Advanced options for each configuration are set to suppress new features and mates and suppress new components.
4. Activate the Small Tires configuration.