Change Density when Changing Configurations...

Hello,
SW does not seem to be able to distinguish the change in density when I
change configurations on drawings. What I always get is the mass for the
"active" configuration of the part.
The same part could have different configurations for different types of
material and so the mass should change on a drawing when I change sheets to
show different configurations of the same part. This issue seems elementary
but I don't know how to accomplish it. Any insight would be greatly
appreciated!

Example: (not a real life project)
I want to produce a bunch of cast iron cubes x 6" square.
First, I build a wood pattern that will be the shape of the cube. From the
wood pattern I produce an aluminum part, also in the shape of the cube.
The aluminum part becomes the final "pattern" that I will use to cavity out
the mold to pour hot metal into--producing the cast iron cube.

I model the cast iron part in SW, add a configuration for the aluminum and
another configuration for the wood. Material types correctly state the
density as I toggle through the three different configurations. I produce
a three page drawing that has the cast iron cube on page one, the aluminum
cube on page two and the wood cube on page three.

The mass for each cube is:
Cast Iron: 61#
Aluminum: 21#
Wood: 4#

On my three page drawing I get the SAME mass being displayed on each page.
If the active configuration happens to be the cast iron then the aluminum
and wood also show 61# on their respective drawings. If I change the active
configuration to wood all three pages go to 4#, etc.

SW should be able to handle this kind of simple change. Why can't I get the
configuration specific "density" to change the mass on my drawings?
My "SW workaround" is to print one page at a time after I changing the
material type.

I hope the problem is me and not SW because I have some large drawing sets
with a lot of configurations and this issue is expensive to deal with.

(The simple example above does not take in consideration shrinkage allowance
or draft.)

TIA!
Bernie

 

Bernie,

You are almost there. You have defined the Density property in the
model. You require a Linked note in the drawing. For each Sheet,
utilize Link to Property. There are three options. You are selecting
the current model specific in Sheet Properties. You want to link your
note to the view configuration.

Regards, Marie

 

I was wrong in my description. Change the material type on one
configuration and all the configurations change to that type of material.
Why?? Material type should be configuration specific just like any other
feature. The only difference I see is that "material type" it is way high
in the tree. If I can get the material type to be configuration specific
then I show mass correctly in individual drawings. With the material type
propigating through all the configurations I see no way to show the correct
mass of a part on a combined drawing set. If I set the material type to
steel then the aluminum and wood parts show up in the drawing as weighing
the same as steel....

Bernie

 

SW2004 doesn't allow a different material for different configs. SW2005
does.

WT