Cost table

Is there a way to generate a (design?)table, that would automatically
take the weight of a part and muliply it by a certain cost input (say
1.23 a lb) to generate a cost for the material? and another column for
material wastage? (say add 5%)
Furthermore I would like to add columns for labor cost as well, i.e.
burning, braking, shearing etc... and have all of those numbers added
together and put on the drawing sheet a total cost per part field?
I am currently doing this in an excel table for hundreds of parts so
that when the material cost changes, I can simply change that and leave
the rest of the labor charges and everything the same, to come out with
an accurate price for the part.
Is there a way to combine this excel function with the table function
in Solidworks, or am I dreaming?

 

Such a thing can be done. BUT, think about when changes in cost occur.
You will have to open the part, the assembly, the upper level
assemblies in order to roll up the cost. Will this be considered a
revision? This kind of thing is better done outside SW by a program
that can get the few drivers inherent in the part out through custom
properties.

 

It's a lot simpler than that actually. These parts have no associated
assemblies, nor any other parts or part files associated with them.
They are simply frame rails for tractor trailers (i.e. channel shapes),
but the material cost of steel is fluctuating so much these days we
need to find a way to update just that cost, and not the labor. Yes I
realize that every time I wanted to update the price I would have to go
into the table and update it, but I would only need to change one
number.
I guess I just don't understand how Solidworks deals with Excel tables
well enough to incorporate this yet. Nor how to input equations into
the summary information table on the part.

 

Why not use the Excel BOM to generate an excel sheet of all the items.
Create macros to add columns/multiply the values as you need them.
Any price changes etc.. need only be changed in the Excel BOM without
having to open/edit SW models.

Len

 

That's what I was thinking too, but I'm a dummy when it comes to the
actual commands to use when I'm combining Solidworks and Excel. I have
a table already built for ALL of the parts in Excel, however I don't
know how to get Solidworks to import the actual weight of the part and
figure from there...

 

If the parts are that simple and if you only use the default custom
properties, not the configuration specific ones you can access and
change them from a macro in Excel without opening the SW part. It would
take a bit of API programming and I am sure there are some lurking here
that could accomplish that in short order for a nominal fee.