Help; Excel Design Tables to Part Family Creation

Ok, as an old Solid Edge/Unigraphics user, I am struggling to find the
proper method for generating a series of parts once the Exel Design
tables are in place within the part.

I have a Part file of a Weld Neck Flange. In the Excel Design Table,
there are the different ASME Pound Class ratings and all their
dimensions filled in and linked to the model.

I know in Solid Edge there is a Part Family Creation option which
propagates and creates individual parts for all the data sets of in the
spreadsheet.

How do I accomplish this in SolidWorks?

WV

 

The issue you are having is more one of terminology rather than
functionality. I had the same problem switching from SW to SE. To make
it a little more confusing for a SE user, SW calls a Part Family Table
based on Excel a Design Table. Given that knowledge you should be able
to find the functionality in the Insert menu of the part you are
working with. This should also help you find it in help. Since there
are many options I would rather see you read the help first and then
ask any follow up questions rather than try to explain it here. You can
link a design table to a preexisting spreadsheet.

To further confuse, the SW interface where you see the results of a
design table is in the Configuration Manager Tree (CMT). That would be
one of the tabs on what you might still call the Edge Bar. Design table
driven configurations will be shown with a different icon from manually
created configurations.

The design table itself, once created, is shown as an icon in the
Feature Tree (FT) or as you would call it, the Edge Bar.

In general switching from SE to SW will require learning different
names for the same functionality and changing your workflow.

 

SolidWorks doesn't create separate parts, although I've heard about a
macro that does this. You might want to google this group for that
macro.

SolidWorks Design Tables make configurations within the part, which in
many cases is preferable to having separate files. It makes managing
changes and libraries easier. It is also easier to insert parts and
change to another part in the family. On the down side, you tend to get
a (very) large file, and if you're not careful with configs you can pay
a price.

The downside of individual parts is that if you want to add a chamfer to
all the parts, it can be difficult unless base part functionality was
used, in which case you've already got the configured data so you might
as well have used that. Also, browsing for the right size or swapping
out sizes is more involved.

good luck,

matt