So, it’s really lame when you have to make sure to update notes and properties that have dimensions entered in manually. Well, there’s a way to grab a dimension property so you can use it in different places. Nice thing is, if the dimension changes you don’t have to remember where you put it to update it.
This would be for cases where you have a dimension referenced in a note, a design table or…even a BOM. Yeah, that got your attention, feel the excitment ’bout BOM’s… Today is a good day.
Here’s how to do it.
- Open your model in a very loud and excited way!
- Slap a dimension on what you want to reference and make a whip sound with your mouth – whi-pish!!
Something you have a BOM for or just create one real quick.
I got a little crazy and picked an edge.
- Add a note and click on the dimension
This adds the dimensions name to the note. You can edit the Note Properties to copy the name that is entered. It looks something like this. “RD1@Annotations@your assembly.moAssembly_c”
This is it… if you just want to reference the dimension in a note. You can do the same in a drawing. BUT, if you want it in a BOM or design table keep on readin’.
- Proceed to the nearest Custom Property!
- Click your mouse where you want that crazy dimension to show up
This is important, because Custom Properties can be pulled in just about anywhere… BOMs, Drawing Formats, Design Tables, Programs…you get the idea.
If you’re not using custom properties… well, that is just a shame. But, if you are wise and using them, go to File, Properties. The Summary Information pops up. Select the Custom Tab. where your custom properties are.
And then click with absolute delight on the dimension, just like above where we added it to a note. The dimension name goes into the custom property and you worries are OVER.
That’s it! Now go check out your BOM and sit back as you don’t receive anymore calls from your manager saying a dimension was not updated.
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{ 17 comments }
Can you do something similar in the dimensions text area in a drawing?
Example: I have a slot that goes into a part a certain depth. I want to call out the thickness of the slot and the depth in the same dimension text.
-Thank you
Can you do something similar in the dimensions text area in a drawing?
Example: I have a slot that goes into a part a certain depth. I want to call out the thickness of the slot and the depth in the same dimension text.
-Thank you
Good idea! yes you can Oleg. All you would have to do is get the dim name like in the others and add that to the annotation. follow the same process to get the depth dimension name.
Good idea! yes you can Oleg. All you would have to do is get the dim name like in the others and add that to the annotation. follow the same process to get the depth dimension name.
By dim name do you mean something like RD1@Drawing ViewX? I tried doing that but it did not work. Do I have to put it in brackets or parenthesis or anything like that?
Thanks a lot for the help
By dim name do you mean something like RD1@Drawing ViewX? I tried doing that but it did not work. Do I have to put it in brackets or parenthesis or anything like that?
Thanks a lot for the help
Yes, that's right – it does not work if you try to add it to a dimension. Does anyone have the correct answer? I think the answer is actually “NO, you can't do that”
Yes, that’s right – it does not work if you try to add it to a dimension. Does anyone have the correct answer? I think the answer is actually “NO, you can’t do that”
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I recently linked some notes to dimensions in a drawing and it worked great. But then I discovered if you delete the original dimension you linked to, the note still keeps the dimension. I was assuming the link would be broke and the dimension lost in the note, so I would know if I deleted a dimension that was linked or not. The worst part about this is if you update your model, your note will no longer update since the orginal dimension is gone.
Any suggestions?
Make a sketch and place your dimension into it. Then name the sketch to something that relates to the dimension, like Overall Length and Width. Also, fill in the Description field from the Features Properties to add more information about it and a note not to delete the sketch.
Great idea to add the 'Do Not Delete'
I always add this to dims or put instruction, like Modify Here, Overall Length. I want whoever is working on the model to know exactly what to do.
Maybe this could be an enhancement request. Since we can add symbols from the dimension manager, maybe they can add a text modifier section that could have a few preset options and be able to add more like the custom properties.
Maybe this could be an enhancement request. Since we can add symbols from the dimension manager, maybe they can add a text modifier section that could have a few preset options and be able to add more like the custom properties.
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Jul 3rd, 2008 | By Alex R. Ruiz | Category: Drawings
Today we continue our discussion on using BOMs in SolidWorks 2008. Be sure you go back and read my previous post Creating Your BOM Template and Using BOMs in SolidWorks 2008 before reading on. I would also highly recommend Josh’s coverage of BOM at SolidSmack, SolidWorks BOM Superstar: 5 Moves to Avoid and How to Groove It. Today we’ll dig more into the changes to BOMs in 2008 and we will even answer the question I hear most often: “What happen to the BOM Content command?”
Add Balloons to Drawing
Today I won’t spend too much time on adding balloons, or item identifiers, to the drawing. We will save that for a different day and a different post. Since this is a real simple assembly we can just go with the AutoBalloon tool in the Annotations toolbar.
Clicking our isometric view we now have balloons attached for all the components… or do we?
Where is the BOM Content Command?
Previous to SolidWorks 2008, you were able to click the BOM Content button in the PropertyManager for the select BOM. The BOM Content window allowed you to view the components in your BOM, see what components are missing balloons, see the type of components listed or reorder the items in your BOM. All that functionality is still available but instead of being a separate window it is now part of the BOM itself.
Viewing the Balloon Status and Assembly Structure
One of the functionality of the original BOM Content window was viewing the Balloon Status and Assembly Structure. Now you can view these directly in the BOM, nice and easy. Click the expansion arrows on the side of the BOM, the tree tiny little arrows pointing out from the BOM, and addition columns will be show.
In this view, we can quickly see which components have balloons attached to them. If we missed any, we should go back and make sure they are added. In this view we can also see the assembly structure. Since we currently have our BOM to show only parts we only see part icons with no real structure.
If our assembly was set to Indented Assemblies we would be able to see the full structure along with the component type icons.
Reordering the BOM
Another functionality that was originally available in the BOM Content window was the ability to reorder the BOM. I am personally glad that SolidWorks got rid of the window since now you can reorder the BOM in the BOM. How cool is that? It couldn’t be any easier, select the entire row at the row number…
…and drag the row to the desired location. Too cool!
Of course you cannot change the order of the BOM when you have Follow Assembly Order selected in the right-click menu. When you select Follow Assembly Order the only way to change the order of the components in the BOM is to reorder the assembly structure.
Splitting the BOM
As your BOM grows, it may become too large to fit vertically in your drawing. In this case, you want to split the BOM and move the second part somewhere else in the sheet or even another sheet. In the BOM select the row where you wish to apply the split and right-click. Select Split from the menu and select one of the options; Horizontally Above, Horizontally Below, Vertically Left or Vertically Right.
You can now drag the second section of the BOM anywhere you want. You can even use Cut and Paste to place it onto another sheet and it will remain linked.
To combine the two BOMs back into one, select Merge Tables from the right-click menu.
Insert a New Part
You can now add new parts directly from the BOM using Virtual Components. First, right-click the BOM and select Insert New Part.
This will insert in a blank line into your BOM. IF you expand the BOM you will see that new item is a Virtual Component shown with brackets, [ ].
In your assembly you will see the new virtual component added to the FeatureManager. We will be covering Virtual Components at a later date.
I hope you will find, after reading this, BOMs extremely helpful and easy to use. I encourage you to explore BOMs more in the future since there are more tools built into the BOM. If you enjoyed this post and all the other Tips and Tricks I offer here at The SolidWorks Geek, please subscribe to my RSS feed and you might just win our contest.
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Tags: Balloons, BOM, BOM Content, Reorder BOM, SolidWorks, Virtual COmponents
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Miro0 minutes ago
Hi,
I wonder how to create a BOM showing the volume of material I have to puchase for manufacturing?
Any help will be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
WTF? No idea what happen with my previous post!?! It should look like this: Hi,
I wonder how to create a BOM showing the volume of material I have to puchase for manufacturing?
Any help will be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
(Yeah, no problem about the previous post. fixed)
You can add a column to a BOM to show the volume of the parts. In the parts, go to File Properties and add a VOLUME custom property and select 'Volume' from the Value/Text Expression area. Then go to your drawings and add a column to the BOM selecting the VOLUME Custom property you created to be used for that column. make sense?
Thanks!
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