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Question for Onshape Developers on use of Configurations

dennis_20dennis_20 Member Posts: 87 EDU
I was reading an article in Desktop Engineering about Onshape and something in there triggered a question I have for Onshape regarding their plans/approach to using configurations.

I am a longtime SolidWorks user, a charter member from the initial 1995 release.  Prior to that I used Pro\Excruciating.  Both made good use of configurations and I quickly learned to use them to expedite the product development I have worked on.  So my question for Onshape is "Are there plans for implementing configurations in Onshape?"  On its face this is a binary question with a potential answer of Yes or No.  If the answer is Yes then I'm happy with that.  If the answer is No then I am not necessarily unhappy, I just expect that Onshape thought it out and has a workflow that they propose that does not need configurations.  I am not talking about a work-around, I am talking about rethinking the whole concept of the use of configurations and coming up with something better.

Onshape has already forced me to open up my mind about how to do things in 3D solid modelling and for that I am pleased and grateful with their results.  I am just hoping that if they are not going to employ configurations then they can open my mind to a new and better way to do things.  Fasteners, for instance, are beautifully handled with configurations.  Say a part stack-up changes and now I need to change the length or diameter of the screw holding them together.  With configurations I can just right click on it and select a different configuration with the appropriate length or diameter.  This is so much faster than replacing the part with another one.

Comments

  • owen_sparksowen_sparks Member, Developers Posts: 2,660 PRO
    I'm just a user but we've head OS staff tell us that they are activly working on configurations.  In the past they've stayed fairly tight lipped until things are close (sheet metal for instance) but have then let the odd hint out about what's coming soon.

    With the really impressive update cycle (approx every 3 weeks) I can't imagine it'll be long now :)

    Cheers, Owen S.
    Business Systems and Configuration Controller
    HWM-Water Ltd
  • dennis_20dennis_20 Member Posts: 87 EDU
    I'm not asking for timing just if it is definitely coming some day.  Actually, if it is not going to happen then I'm anxious to hear the workflow they have planned.  I want them to expand my mind!
  • konstantin_shiriazdanovkonstantin_shiriazdanov Member Posts: 1,221 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2017
    they already said configurations are under development, all that stay to us is guessing will it be SW-like configuration or maybe it will be configurations based on branching mechanism - i.e. not a global branches of a project but for the particular tab (assembly/drawing/part studio), or something absolutly different
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