Do you use blocks in drawings? How often?

At former employers I rarely used blocks in drawings, I can think of
only one in the 6 years prior to my current employer. At this company,
a job I took to convert them from acad to sw, they use tons of blocks
sometimes 10 or more on one drawing. And they use them for the wrong
purposes, typically they like to use a block to replicate a drawing
view (for example in place of a section view) that needs to be placed
on multiple drawings, rather than create that view on each drawing
sheet they like to draw a block and insert that block into every
drawing. I tried to convince them that was bad because that block is
not parametic (they are still having a hard time understanding
parametric, being acad users).

So I have two questions:

1. Do you use blocks in drawings, if so how often (All the time?
Rarely? Never?)
2. How do you create the blocks? Everytime I try to create a block the
block gets scaled up but the scale factor gets reduced to something
like .04 and then when trying to add dimensions or notes to the block
the arrowheads and dimension values are all scaled way too big. The
process I am trying to use is to create the view in sw then export to
a dwg then import into sw (so what was the component edges are now
sketch segments) and then make that a block. But it is not working
very well.

I have to admit I am a little embarrassed that I cannot figure this
out, having used sw for 8 years and being certified but like I said
prior to this job I had made one block in the past 6 years.


Thanks,

Sam

 

We use a few blocks on basically all of our drawings. The key to blocks and
SW is to create your block in a drawing that is at 1:1 scale, and save it
out as a block. The way things don't go out of whack as you have seen.

The blocks we use are such like a particular paint note, North, how many
required, travel direction, "Detail of item...", etc. The scenario you are
fighting is certainly an ACAD leftover.

WT

 

We use blocks here quite a bit, (and to me) correctly. We use blocks
primarily with tables. For example, a gear data table. The table is set up
to with text boxes that receive data from the model (i.e.: $PRPSHEET:"PITCH
ANGLE") We use an excel sheet to design the gear and import the tooth
geometry and gear data straight into the part file when we're creating the
model. When we generate the drawing, the block is automatically filled with
the relevant data. I suppose you could create a drawing template with that
info on it, but as gear data changes with the type of gear (bevel, spur,
worm, etc) you'd need a bunch of templates. This way, we use one template,
and just drag the appropriate gear block in. Again, this is just one way we
use blocks. We also have a couple of 2-D drawing objects saved as blocks
that we use with assembly instruction sheets for the Assy dept. For
example, we have a Dial Indicator that we would drop in when a measurement
needs to be taken.
As far as making blocks, as I don't use dims in them, I can't answer that
part of it. However, after I make whatever it is that I want of a block and
make sure all items I want included are highlighted. Then right click and
choose "make block". On the tree, expand the insertion point dialog and
move the insertion points to where you want them. There will be a "block"
folder in your tree now. The catch is that at this point, it is only
associated with this print. To add the block, you can just drag and drop it
from that folder out on the print. If you want to use it on other prints,
right click it in the tree and choose "Save Block". Give it a name and you
can save it to the Solidworks Library. (Create an appropriate folder called
blocks or something) This way, you can use the Design library on the right
to drag and drop the blocks into any drawing. One tip that I did find
useful was that I almost never try to edit blocks as something tends to get
screwed up. If I need to make a change to a block, I'll right click it an
explode the block, make the changes and re-save it over the old one.

Anyway, I know I didn't answer everything, but I hope it helps a little...

Scott

 

I used to use blocks for drawing notes, but now just use a version of
Lenny's CommonNotes macro for that. http://www.lennyworks.com/solidworks/default.asp?ID=20

Matt Lorono
http://sw.fcsuper.com

 

Ok, I feel that my stance on this is correct. They are trying to use
blocks in a way not intended, to create drawing views that should
instead be created using normal drawing views (projected, sections,
details, etc...). Basically it is a speed issue, they are very
accustomed to do a single drawing, using lots of standard blocks to
represent drawing views, and calling it the "master" then copying
that drawing, tweaking a few dims and creating a second drawing in
less than 30 mins. They make highly repetitive products and the
ability to "clone drawings" (as they call it) is highly efficient for
them.

So now on to my next post, layers.....


Thanks,

Sam

 

Sam,

Yes, in fact they are doing it the hard way in more than one way. You
can copy a solidworks drawing view as quickly as any other object in
solidWorks, and it would allow you to keep associativity.

Matt Lorono
http://sw.fcsuper.com

 

Sam,

We primarily use blocks for two things on drawings.

1. Repetitive notes with and without text attributes. We have a note
for similar to that feeds off the custom properties in the document in
the drawing. We have blocks for revision signoff and general notes.

2. Some symbols or illustrative sketches.

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