Ramping up for production project - what's needed...

caradon

I am about to start a project that would be an ideal case to test productivity improvements with Onshape vs SW>Parasolid>mail>SW>etc.

Here is a list of currently missing functionalities that would be of great value during this project:

• a markup documentation/annotation tool: this could be either 3D markup in model space or 2D drawings. At least some way to put comments in CAD space and not just as a PDF in a separate tab.
• Extrusion vector: I know you can get the same behavior with sweep, but I would like to do this in a single feature.
• More options for extrusions: offset (from surface), bidirectional...
• Part Studio equations: driven dimensions (!), relating feature dimensions to sketches... Pretty essential for most models I do.
• Cut with surface: again, I know it can be done through splitting & deleting bodies, but I would like a single feature.
• Feature tree organization: Folders! Folders! I can't stress enough how desperately I want better organization of the tree. Folders would be a great start, but there are other things too: feature icons, body/part relations, parent/child relations...
• Feature patterns: face patterns are cool, but feature patterns would be more robust

I might add a few more things, but these are the most essential requests... right now... from the top of my head.
Any thoughts?

EDIT 26/01/2015, 23:30 CET:
Added request for feature patterns.

Regards,
Dries

brucebartlett

@Dries great list I am with you on these. I Like the first one Markup Documentation. I also want to add some notes and annotation even some hand sketching, Tabs are great but the lest the better, screen shots and hand annotation just want cut it. 

On the surface cut have you tried using the replace face with any success, would this do the same thing? I have not used it yet but also would very rarely use a surface cut and may be barking up the wrong tree for you here. 

caradon

Bruce said:

@Dries great list I am with you on these. I Like the first one Markup Documentation. I also want to add some notes and annotation even some hand sketching, Tabs are great but the lest the better, screen shots and hand annotation just want cut it. 

On the surface cut have you tried using the replace face with any success, would this do the same thing? I have not used it yet but also would very rarely use a surface cut and may be barking up the wrong tree for you here. 

Replace face sure is very powerful. However, for molded parts (e.g. hard-modeled drafts...) cutting with surfaces is quite essential.
Or maybe Onshape is putting together a much more powerful solution. Some designers (I've met) have a hard time grasping the concept of 'cutting with surface'.

Dries

lougallo

I will add you to the request for the markup @Dries and @Bruce and if there are others, let me know.  I wrote up an improvement prior to pre-production and would love to see that come to life!  If you have submitted these already @Dries then you are good, otherwise can you send in some feedback?

brucebartlett

Was just think about when I was toolmaking, if back doing this CAD I am sure I would be using the surface cut a lot more and replace would not work here.

traveler_hauptman

@LouGallo‌ Add me to the markup request please. 

pete_yodis

@LouGallo I'd like to be included if you could, as well.  We mentioned it here a little bit.  https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/164/redline-capability#latest

I was intrigued by the demonstration last week from Microsoft showing inking in the browser.  This would be cool with something like markup capabilities in Onshape.  I hope other browsers will support inking as well.  Document approval via a signature via a stylus would be cool...  A paperless system with electronic inking would be nice.

Research_01

Add me

kevin_quigley

Feature patterns. Drafting. 

caradon

KevinQuigley said:

Feature patterns. Drafting. 

Oops, yeah, forgot that one.
Definitely need feature patterns. Added to my original list.

Dries

Research_01

Feature patterns can be done. I have found is that if what you need to pattern you can use 'face' pattern as a feature pattern. I have had some interesting behaviour with patterning a cut face for a gear where it does not work but if you make a boss (not a cut) tooth it patterns very well.

kevin_quigley

Ben it doesn't work consistently well. At best face pattern is a workaround and if you have a complex set of faces selection is a pain. Feature patterning is a core functionality in every single MCAD product on the market so it needs to be in Onshape - which I am sure it will be.

caradon

KevinQuigley said:

Ben it doesn't work consistently well. At best face pattern is a workaround and if you have a complex set of faces selection is a pain. Feature patterning is a core functionality in every single MCAD product on the market so it needs to be in Onshape - which I am sure it will be.

True about inconsistency. Especially when the base geometry changes (new sketch entities), as happens so often in production (face pattern feature goes bezerk!).

Dries

Research_01

@KevinQuigley‌
I would agree with you to some extent. I have fond after using the 'create selection' tools on the right click you can get quite proficient at it. It really comes down to OS being a new system and a new way of doing things. Once you adapt it can be quite smooth. That being said yes I agree that patterning features is a pain and could use some tweaking. 

jakeramsley

KevinQuigley said:

Ben it doesn't work consistently well. At best face pattern is a workaround and if you have a complex set of faces selection is a pain. Feature patterning is a core functionality in every single MCAD product on the market so it needs to be in Onshape - which I am sure it will be.

Can you expand on the scenarios where the selection is a pain?  While we were developing it I initially had issues selecting all the faces necessary but after learning our "Create selection" tool and box/cross select I haven't been having any issues.  I almost unanimously prefer face patterns to part patterns.

kevin_quigley

Feature pattern....select the features from the tree...pattern.
face pattern...select ALL faces to pattern...pattern

Face patterning works when you have faces linked to each other , or little self contained groups. But feature patterning works because it creates new geometry regardless of faces. Bottom line is click numbers. Features need less clicking than faces. Especially on mobile platforms.