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Sheet metal models and featurescript
Hello,
We use feature script extensivley for running configurations. There are a few reasons for this, but essentially we can bypass assemblies, drive the configuration using strings rather than enums, and the configurations are typically much easier to maintain. In previous iterations of products we have done the configuration in the assembly and they tend to be temperamental.
This particular product can have hundreds if not thousands of possible configurations.
The typical workflow runs something like this:
- Source parts are created in part studios
- A featurscript is made which can read a table of configurations, I have built a few custom features to help with this, such as one which converts a imported .csv into an array of maps with the keys based on the header row, and another that allows for arrays to be written as strings and converted to allow them to be entered in the table.
- The featurescript then based on the logic of the configuration, instantiates the relevant part studios, and assembles them in the context.
- A good part of the configuration is the machining of holes and slots in a particular pattern, and this is done once the assembly is made in the context.
This flow has been very effective in the past, essentially the end user just enters the product code as a string in the feature input, adds the product size, and the product is fully built and configured in the part studio just with a couple of clicks. It is so much easier to maintain than using part studio and assembly configurations.
The issue I have now is that I'm trying to import sheet metal models, and they don't bring the sheet metal context through when instantiated and then I can't get the sheet metal pattern. Any ideas? One work around is to make the sheet metal parts in the featurescript which is ok for simple parts, but as soon as there are some flanges etc it becomes very difficult to query a particular edge to treat, for example to add another flange or a radius.
Parkwood
Re: Rendering Named Positions? Decals?
Supporting mates directly from Assemblies or something like them in Render Studio would be quite a long way off. Transforms are going to be enhanced so that they can be applied to parts individually rather than just the top level, however they won't be mate aware or support modifying their origin at this stage so this limitation will persist for a while.
One, of course not ideal, work-around to having to reload is setting up both orientations in the Assembly (so having the Part inserted twice) and using visibility to switch between them instead of configurations which will be faster.
Re: Rendering Named Positions? Decals?
I haven't figured out how to move things in Render Studio the way that I would in assembly mode. I have a door on a rack mounted computer system which hinges open and closed. I can see how the transform tool in Render Studio can rotate objects, but it doesn't seem to know anything about Onshape mates. So far what I've resorted to is configuring a mate. Changing configurations to move something also takes a long time for everything to reload. NOT ideal.
Placing decals in Part Studios is so much easier than doing it in Render Studio. It would be great if the same Decal feature existed in Render Studio.
S1mon
Re: Map extrusion to the underlying revolved shape
Hi Roberto - Projected Curve was exactly what I needed - I got it mapped. Thank you!
Re: Rendering Named Positions? Decals?
Bringing in named positions from inserted elements like Part Studios and Assemblies is not supported but Render Studio does have its own Named views feature already (accessible in the same as as other elements in Onshape).
Decals from Part Studios are not currently supported but is already an item in our list as we know this is desired.
Re: Support for Anisotropic and/or Orthotropic Materials
Re: Standard Content
Could be. The ISO standard already provides the definitions on what sizes are included, so yes, someone would have to read that into a file, I guess, but that's still far from keeping a library of modeled parts. OS already provides the means required, by allowing variables and configurations. So any user could already create kind of a part generation tool himself, create all configs possible out of that, and even store the results in documents and call it a library, if he wanted to. That'd be most useful for company specific parts, I think, not so much for standard content all users need.
Re: Standard Content
yes absolutely…..but isn’t that still a massive amount of input from somebody to originate that file/document After all every ISO standard has to be applied/related?
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have the standard content as a fully editable database but in the short term we might get further down the line with being able to have a user generated library.
I guess I’m saying the user content library is a steppingstone to the end result……perhaps I should aim higher!!
GWS50
Re: Standard Content
I think they shouldn't. ;0)
In my opinion, standard content is not a library, but a parts generator. That is: The standard content would not be stored in a library where every type of bolt is 'on stock' in all sizes avialable as a file or such, but there was an algorithm that created the content on demand, based on the user input. There might be a matrix of all valid configurations, though, but that'd be just some kind of table (think Spreadsheet). Looking at it from that side, sizes missing are just a matter of marking them 'valid' in said table.
Re: Standard Content
Sure. I would not want to import it, though. Not in the first place, only as a workaround. Instead, I would like to generate it, so I can go and edit it's dimensions at any time after. Say I inserted a Bolt M10 x 60mm and I find out I need it to be 80mm long a few days later: I just want to go to the standard content edit dialog and change 60 → 80 and everything - including the BOM - will update.
That does not mean custom libraries aren't highly useful, just they're not a good replacement for a good and comprehensive standard content management.