Creating assemblies with composite parts and parts

lajos_szabó013

Hi,

I am creating an assembly having 2 composite parts (frames / weldments) and several shafts and rollers as individual parts. Now I can select with the button to show composite parts, parts, etc… but I how to manually choose the individual parts or all the parts inside the composite parts will be inserted also. Is it possible somehow to insert the components to the assembly as parts and composite parts?

It would be nice to have a solution / option to insert all the components which are not in a composite part as individual part and all the components which are ordered to a composite part as composite part only without the necessity of manual selection of the individual parts to insert.

Thanks in advance,
Lajos

MichaelPascoe

@lajos_szabó013 Here is a Cut List+ feature that allows you to create the cut list and a closed composite. I have been slowly adding to it as users have more needs: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/3ef342976bcbf59ab1fab2a0/w/5f79cf18283f48b7f07279f…

And here is your example studio using the Cut List+ feature: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/96bce7fc7d188d03da645744/w/134a…

@svenolov_nystrom has a great point. Onshape composites and frames don't work nicely with the assembly BOM. So watch out for this. The best approach may be to have your frames as composites then your rod and caps as a sub assembly so the BOM generates properly.

MichaelPascoe

It sounds like the outcome you are looking for would not be composite parts but rather Insert entire Part Studio as rigid. Then just select the whole studio, in this case you would click "Part Studio 1" and make sure the rigid option is selected; and it will insert the entire part studio grouped together, without you having to manually select all the frames.

lajos_szabó013

My simplified assembly consists of two composite parts made from frames and one shaft. A revolute mate is giving the connection between the two composite parts through the shaft.

I do not need the frames as parts in my assembly only want them as composite parts, around 50 frames making up 2 composite parts. However I need my shaft as a part in my assembly to be able to set a revolute mate.

I tried your solution. How is it possible to set one composite to flexible to be able to rotate it?

Sorry if I am on the wrong track. Despite I completed some of the Onshape tutorials I am still pretty new to its design flow.

Thank you.

Rhett_Robinson

If I am understanding your ask correctly, you can accomplish this by leaving the "closed" box unchecked during the composite part creation. When creating a composite part, you can choose whether or not it is "closed", meaning consumes the parts. If you leave the box unchecked, you will be able to insert the composite part and/or the individual parts as needed.

MichaelPascoe

I'm not quite sure what you are asking, but I'm sure there is a solution. Please share a link to your document and make sure it is set to public.

rick_randall

Rhett_Robinson , Thanks for the explanation of the "closed" check box. I always wondered what that was used for - I don't use composite parts a whole lot, and probably would not have looked that one up. Good to know.

svenolov_nystrom

Try to avoid composite parts in assemblies.

They takes you into trouble!

lajos_szabó013

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/106177#Comment_106177

Thanks for you reply. Let me share some pictures too.

Part Studio.

Having two composite parts (built from frames) connected with a rod with two rollers on its ends (standalone parts).

Inserting to Assembly.

1. Only the standalone parts are shown without the composite parts option selected.
   
   

2. Composite parts and parts are also shown.

3. Only composite parts are visible.

I think since I need the composite parts and the rod with the two rollers I have to make selection 2.

After inserting to the assembly I will have the composite parts and the parts too, however I only need frames as composite parts. I do not want to delete or suppress all the frame parts manually. It would be also frustrating to select for insertion the standalone parts (rod, rollers) manually in case of a larger model.

Here you can find the model:

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/7cf0884e54fda578a337caea/w/49322f5f0cf8bf94ae905a50/e/519cdcd60061d4e61ba37201?renderMode=0&uiState=66cf91e375bf104f15006f59

Please forgive me for not building the assembly. Revolve mates are between the rod and the composite parts.

Cheers,

Lajos

lajos_szabó013

Thanks for you reply.

If I understand well this software function I would prefer closed composite part option since in this scenario I do not want the standalone frame parts to appear in the assembly. Unfortunately it is not allowed to add cutlist to closed composite parts.

lajos_szabó013

MichaelPascoe

@lajos_szabó013 Here is a Cut List+ feature that allows you to create the cut list and a closed composite. I have been slowly adding to it as users have more needs: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/3ef342976bcbf59ab1fab2a0/w/5f79cf18283f48b7f07279f…

And here is your example studio using the Cut List+ feature: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/96bce7fc7d188d03da645744/w/134a…

@svenolov_nystrom has a great point. Onshape composites and frames don't work nicely with the assembly BOM. So watch out for this. The best approach may be to have your frames as composites then your rod and caps as a sub assembly so the BOM generates properly.

lajos_szabó013

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/106356#Comment_106356

Thank you very much. I will carry out experiments.

lajos_szabó013

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/106315#Comment_106315

What would you suggest as proper way to handle frames? I prefer to build models as first to have the main elements like the two composite parts in my model to check the motion related to each other in assembly. After that I would develop the main elements (weldments / composite parts) with the necessary stiffeners and lugs to implement the kinematic. As my best knowledge it is not possible to refresh a part studio in assembly to import the new parts into with proper relation, instead they have to be imported one by one and set the mates manually.