Part studio with multiparts not updating in assembly

don_howe

I have a part studio with multiple parts and added an assembly and set up a group mate. I added new parts to the part studio after I created the assembly. When I go to my assembly it doesn't show the new parts, it doesn't appear to be updating.  Should it? Is there a icon for updating the assembly?

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/81c818868c0146398dda98f6/w/51a1113c653340f8a689391c/e/55a36720121849ec84647df8

Secondly, when I insert the part studio, how do I keep the same orientation with the origin as I do in the part studio?

3dcad

Inserting a whole part studio to assembly is just 'quick feature' for inserting parts one by one. So there is no maintaining for the studio just the parts.
I have suggested to be able to keep the whole studio updated at all times.

It is easy to insert new parts though, just insert and include them in group - no need for repositioning.

nav

hi @don_howe the newly parts created after you grouped the first ones have to be inserted, OS updates automatically any changes made to the parts in the assembly, but if you created new parts you have to insert them.

don_howe

Hi nav, that's not very efficient. It would be quicker it my mind to delete the imported part studio in the assembly and just add it back in again with all the new parts. The only reason I created the assembly in the first place is I guess you can't make a drawing of a part studio with multiple parts. Correct me if I am wrong?

nav

That`s correct in Parts studio you can only create a drawing of individual parts.

3dcad

Inserting a whole part studio to assembly is just 'quick feature' for inserting parts one by one. So there is no maintaining for the studio just the parts.
I have suggested to be able to keep the whole studio updated at all times.

It is easy to insert new parts though, just insert and include them in group - no need for repositioning.

MilesIn3D

I completely agree with @don_howe. When new parts are created in a part studio, I was hoping the new parts would sync with the assembly and add them in (in the group maybe too). 

So currently, if you create a new part in a part studio, then you have to insert it into the assembly and realign it to the other parts. In my case, I added screws to the part studio (x8) and now I have to insert and realign all 8 in the assembly? I have to assume to there is a better way. 

_Ðave_

@don_howe I see this as problematic. I agree that at times I would like the part studio to update the assembly but mostly I can see cases where as I don't wish this to happen. As for the issue of putting a complete part studio into a drawing, Yes you can and it will update. Just create a blank drawing first from the lower left menu then create a view by clicking the complete part studio from the list.

HTH

3dcad

@MilesIn3D You don't need to realign, just add parts in their default position (keep mouse on dialog, not modeling area)..

But I recommend to mate one screw and use replicate feature for the rest.

Xano

Fix for realigning, when adding parts to multi group studio:

Add extra assembly containing groups but no mates.
Insert assembly into final assembly and add mates here.

New parts (like the bolts above) is then inserted into the groups assembly and added to the groups with the correct relative group position. 

----

I came across the same issue. Slightly disappointed in how this works with groups.
I had three decent-sized groups in my part studio.
I imported the entire part studio and made groups then added mates. Then realised I had forgotten to add a part to the one group.

The initial group have now moved (due to mates) and additions (new parts or forgotten parts) to the group keep the relative position to the now moved initial group. Only way to return all group parts to their original position is to hit undo button as suppressing mates do NOT return parts to their position before mating. After having undone all my mates 4 times (in order to add 3 missing parts to groups and one new part) I came up with the fix.

Is there a better way? It honestly seems stupid that this should be necessary, and it makes me think that maybe others don't use multi-group studios this way?

alnis

The best way that I've found is to:
1. Insert parts from the part studio into a new/separate assembly
2. Immediately fix one of them and group all of them
3. Only type of mate to use in this assembly is fastened for adding standard content etc.
4. Insert this subassembly into other assemblies
This will let you update & add parts by inserting them into the subassembly and immediately grouping them while also allowing you to have motion in a main assembly that contains these subassemblies.

billy2

Inserting parts into an assembly does not constrain them. I do what @alnis_smidchens does and insert an entire part studio into their own sub-assembly, then adding the sub-assembly into a top assembly. This way I don't see a bunch of parts in my top level.

The trick is an old trick called assembly by origins. It's an old Pro/e trick where you align the partstudio's origin to the it's sub assembly's origin. This way you can create parts in the partstudio and have them locate in the sub-assembly properly. I do, like alnis, fix one part and them group the others.

If you don't fix & group in the sub-assembly, they'll move in the top assembly. Remember the group is inherited into the top from the sub and this is the behavior I want.

It sounds like a lot, but it's not. It takes a second todo. Keeping the origins matched up is probably the trickiest operation. 

 

romeograham

To help with keeping the origins aligned, I like to use the Mate Connector at Origin Custom featureScript (by @Jake_Rosenfeld ). If you use this feature near (or at) the end of your Feature List in the Part Studio, you can give all the parts their own Mate Connector at the origin. This is super-useful if somehow you forget to follow the workflow described by @alnis_smidchens and @billy2 .

Arunabha_Nag

@don_howe

You may find the Composite part feature useful. You can create a composite part in the part-studio and insert it in the assembly. If you create more parts, add them to the composite part. That will automatically bring them to the assembly. Also the relative positions of the parts will be maintained in assembly.

https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/composite_part.htm

robert_stiles

We are also having an issue along the same lines. We build quite complex parts studios (we call them project studios) from many other highly configurable parts studios (this is chiefly because we need a lot of feature script functions to automate processes in our project studios - it was a long process to decide on this workflow over assemblies, and we checked both workflows in a lot of depth)

However, drawings still benefit from assemblies, so we often bring in the whole project studio to an assembly at the end, and create drawings from this. This works fine until there are changes late in the day and assemblies grow lots of parts as configurations change (say the number of risers in a stair changes for examples). Its easy to bring it all in again in one go, (as its just brought in at the origin)... but this messes up any dimensions or annotations we have set up. 

Composite parts are useful here, BUT, the functionality in the drawings is limited, as we can't hide individual parts, or move individual parts in an exploded view. 

Are we missing anything? Ideally I need a something that says, these parts from the linked parts studio are not imported... then I could just bring them as an extra.

Or allow composite parts to be opened up and and hidden/moved in assemblies?? 

Any thoughts gratefully received. Thanks