Create a Working Drawing for Auto-Cad

[Captain Kirk]

We currently have some members of our team that would rather detail in AUTOCAD. Our S.O.P. is to bring all views of the top Assembly, the views of the sub assemblies and the views of the parts in to one working drawing. Now I could talk till I'm blue in the face about parametrics and the need to not "Break the chain" but this is not going to change for us. Presently we use WF-4 and Detailing is faster in AUTOCAD. THERE ! I SAID IT.


My Question is how can we pull those views faster. the Hierarchy is already built into the model tree our naming is very organized. Presently the process is open model, create new Drw(yes with template) and repeat for all subs and parts. then weDWG out convert layers and copy and paste to one working DWG.


Typically we like to stay away from Simplified Reps as they are a picture in time so to speak. If anyone has set up a drawing program to pull in multiple models we would like to hear about it also i am attaching a sample image. Blessings!View attachment 5001

 

[dr_gallup]

We used to do that many moons ago before Pro/Detail. I shudder at the thought of anyone doing it today. While the initial detailing may go faster, change management is going to kill you.

 

[SRINIVASANIYER1]

Put a FULL STOP to this practice IMMEDIATELY if you have the necessary authority. I am undergoing identical pain. Drawings drafted in AutoCAD will continue to be edited in AutoCAD and data integrity will be history. It is possible to have drawings of all the parts in one sheet withing the realm of Proe. You may adopt that. Proe has tools that automate the drawing process, like show/erase, cleanup dimensions etc that bring in the model dimensions. Agreed, dimensioning in proe can be a pain at times, especially for those who approach with an AutoCAD thought process. But then it is less painful than doing it in AutoCAD and then loosing the link between the drawing and model. Should some of them leave the company, it would be a real nightmare for the new-comers and to the management, who will not know what hit them.
As for your question, you can create "drawing Programs", with drawing templates with predefined 3 views, with annotations shown. Since you have a disciplined team (though with misplaced notions

), they may create models in such a way that the front view of the drawing is the front view of the model. Once you have the views of each part on seperate sheets, you can then move them all to one big sheet, from where you can export them to dwg. I do not have proe open now. May be somebody can elaborate.



Edited by: SRINIVASANIYER1

 

[Captain Kirk]

Hey MVP's , thanks for responding great input not much change management here. We are the manufacturer typically of product that has already been designed we model others products to find their 2D design flaws. So once it gets to the detail stage its a done deal. Srini...


So how do i get all those seperate sheets to one big sheet I know I know this is like talking to the man behind the curtian.

 

[Volunteer]

This is the way I would do it (I'm using WF4)...start a new drawing.....from the top pull down....insert.....shared data.....from file...pick the drawing that has the views you want to use....this will be added as a second sheet......go to the second sheet and select the views you want to move to the first sheet....then from the top pull down menu.....edit....move item to sheet...pick sheet one.....keep adding sheets for the other drawing you want to get the views from and keep moving views to the first sheet....I agree with dr_gallup, go ahead and make them start making the drawings in Pro/E.

 

[ProE_Addict]

Captain,


I've used Simplified Represeatations for this in the past as well with mixed results. Unfortunately, I don't believe there is an easy/fast way to import views from multiple models since you likely have unique names for models for different projects.


What I would suggest is to add each model to the drawing and place your views on a single sheet. One way to insert multiple modelsto right-click in an empty place on the drawing and select Properties (similar to setting your Simplified Representation).


I'd bring the top-level assembly first so your sheet border is populated with parameters from that model (part number, title, revsion, etc). When you add a model it will automatically be set as the current model so if you choose to show any items from model they will come from the model set as current.


When you've places all your views set your top level assembly as the current model and add any additional sheets after that (subsequent sheets will then be populated with parameters from the top level assembly).


I feel your pain. Start designing curved sheetmetal parts with curved slots cut into them. Your multiple-hour AutoCAD change will be reduced to 10 minutes. Maybe that will light a fire under those not willing to embrace the 20th century. Good Luck!

 

[krow72]

why don't you just start a drawing and keep adding the models/views needed to match what you want in Acad then export. You can add views outside the boundries of the template and it will still export.

 

[msummers]

Check into Inventor. You can create CAD models in Inventor and save the parametric drawings in AutoCAD format.