Importing BOM into MRP

I'm coding a SQL-based MRP system and am not intimately familiar with
Solidworks. My design group is using SW 2005 and wants to submit a
hierarchical BOM directly into the MRP system. I've seen examples of their
Excel and "indented BOM" formats which look workable, but it would be nicer
if I could get some kind of structured text format, perhaps XML-based. What
options are available to extract the BOM info in a way that preserves as
much of the original structure as possible while being portably-parsable by
an external application?

I've done similar things in the past using AutoCAD's DXF and PCAD's PDIF.
Is a similar interchange format available for SW that can supply the raw
data?

 

A BOM can be generated directly from SW using the API. There are some
solutions around that do this. You might also look at the API support
area on the SW website.

 

Ken,

The SW API allows you to extract the BOM in just about any format you want.
It would be quite simple to extract the data you are looking for and then
format to XML. I do this frequently. As suggested you can look at the SW API
page for extraction techniques. XML formatting can be done by numerous
methods. If you need some sample VB extraction I have some you can have and
tweak.

Guy

 

Thanks, that'd be great! Starting from a working example is always easier
than building from the ground up.

 

Ken,

Send me a little more detailed info on what you want to do and how you would
like it to work and I will see what I can dig up.

Guy

 

Hi

Using the add-on ToolWorks BOM Manager for SolidWorks, you can define
several profiles of BOM's. All of them can be exported to XML-files.
Download a trial from: www.toolworks.info

Jess

 

Ken,

I've just done basically what you're trying to do. I have a macro which
walks through the assembly tree and loads the structure to our
manufacturing
system (SQL based) via ADO.
I can email you the code if you like.

Cheers
Craig