Drawing feature improvements

dustin_hecocks

Been eagerly awaiting the incorporation of 2D drawings into the OnShape platform. I got to spend a little time last week with the drawings alpha, and put together a list of some things I'm missing. Obviously the drawings are very bare bones right now, and will certainly improve quickly. But these were the features I view as critical in my day to day drawings:

Break: I often model long items and tubing that need a break line to shorten up the view

Change dimension units: It sounds ridiculous, but in my industry, it is common to measure length in CM and diameters in IN. So I need the ability to change units on each dimension. I couldn’t even find where to change the global unit of dimension.

Hide/Show lines:  Curves and fillets and whatever put lines into the model that can clutter up a drawing. I need the ability to remove individual line visibility on a regular basis.

BOM: Gotta have a bill of material that automatically generates from the part level properties

Tables: Need to be able to generate tables for a whole host of different reasons.

Branch views: Need the ability to drop in different branches/configurations of the same part/assembly in the drawing. Currently seems locked into the Main or active branch.

Detail View: No brainer, use this everyday.

Glad to see drawings coming along!

stg434

+1 to this list - good one Mr Hecocks

3dcad

Each of these would need own thread. +1 for all

BOM needs to be thought carefully concerning real world parts which company buys outside ready assembled but is forced to model in parts for get functionality into model. These need to be shown as 1 part in bom. And when we get configurations in, it will spice up BOM too.

_Ðave_

The Break and datail view I would consider critical.

 As for the Global Units, They are determined by selecting either an ISO(MM) or ANSI(Inch) template.

jonathan_stedman

+1 for everything

in addition

 - when zooming in the drawing lines need to thin to show the details.
- ability to 'sketch' and 'define and drive' lines just like in the past studio sketcher.

- I forgot - the ability to 'offset' lines in a drawing and then change their look to dotted, dashed etc.  Vital for showing which areas of an extrusion are visible and need the toolmakers care and attention

Jon

bobminer

@dustin_hecocks - Everything you list makes perfect sense. Could you please elaborate on the branch views functionality you want?  Is that for configurations of a part or something else?

walter

+1

dustin_hecocks

Hey @bobminer . Yes, you are correct. For a variety of different reasons, I often need to reference multiple configurations in a single drawing document. So with Solidworks, I can drop in a model view, and easily change the displayed configuration from a drop down menu. This would be beneficial in OS not only for putting multiple configuration views on a single drawing document, but being able to change the configuration in the drawing environment without having to go into the part/assembly environments, change the active branch, go back to the drawing environment and then drop in your model. And at that point, I am uncertain of what would happen and what the link looks like if you go back into your part/assembly and move to a different branch and continue working. Does your drawing live link to your active branch, or does is stay on the branch / history marker that is what created in?

Because of the nature in OS where everything is so closely tied together, and history and branches are woven into the mix, I think it would be hugely beneficial to be able to tie your drawing view to a specific version / history point / branch, and also have the option to have it link live to the current / active main branch. Drawings, at least in my mind, is where version control, history, branches, and all the live linking can get complicated. But that may just be the nature of the beast.

brucebartlett

@dustin_hecocks I use the same workflow for showing mechanical movements of a flexible assy in different positions. In Onshape first we at least need configurations in assembly's. 

_Ðave_

@brucebartlett I often do the same as below. Here I made a copy of the part, rotated it and showed both parts.

CaptainBisquick

Yup. Need these. I need break lines in a drawing I'm doing for a provision patent.