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Part Numbering Conventions

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
Bun-Bun
3258 Views, 8 Replies

Part Numbering Conventions

Looking for input on what others have used for part numbering schemes. If there is a more appropriate forum for this kindly point me in that direction.

 

At my workplace we have descent naming conventions for top level assemblies/products however our substructuring is quite a mess. A previous workplace had a set in stone scheme for naming sub assemblies and parts based on the top level assembly or product. 

 

I am in the process of developing a policy and am curious to see what others have done instead of re inventing the wheel. 

8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
QuasiMojo
in reply to: Bun-Bun

I am curious, too. I was thinking about linking a spreadsheet to my default part template and writing some iLogic code to process it but never got started on it. I haven't figured out an easy way.
Message 3 of 9
Bun-Bun
in reply to: QuasiMojo

Vault can handle the numbering automatically, just needing to come up with a scheme.
Message 4 of 9
IgorMir
in reply to: Bun-Bun

The first thing I can tell about file management is that it requires a strict discipline, exercised by everyone who is dealing with given set of files. And that's probably the hardest part to enforce!

As for the naming convention - I can offer you to look at a system I use for. It works for me very well for more then 15 years.

 

1. Each and every client has its folder set up on my computer. And the folder is named after the client's business name - not some numbers such as  the date, when the folder was created.

2. In that folder there are subfolders related to the client's projects. Again, named after the project name - not any ambiguous numbers no one can explain at a glance.

3. In each and every project folder there are always some folders, named "Ga" - for General arrangement drawings, "Assembly" - for for assembly files, "Details" - for individual parts drawings. Plus - some others, created by Inventor, when dealing with iParts.

4. Now, for the file naming. To start with - I have a spread sheet for each client, where I record the projects I have done for him. They are recorded in consecutive order, starting from 1, of course. Say, I have 45 entries for the client. Then all the files, related to his last project will have number 45 as a first digits for each and every drawing related to that protect,  Assembly file will be named 45-ga, part files are named 45-01, 45-02 and so on.

 

45-ga file - is a main assembly file. It usually contains sub-assemblies in it. The sub-assemblies are named 45-1ga, 45-2ga and so on. And the part numbers for each sub-assembly will look like 45-1-1, 45-1-2, or 45-2-1, 45-2-2 for the second sub-assembly. And so on.

 

Some of the parts in assemblies (and sub-assemblies) can be iParts. Then their numbers will be 45-1-1-1, 45-1-1-2, 45-1-1-3 if the iFactory is a part 45-1-1.

 

Some of the projects can be fairly large and to keep all the parts files in one location could be inconvenient. Then I add some sub-assemblies folders in main project folder and put all the files, related to that sub-assembly in there. The folder is named with meaningful name, of course. And that name is although shown on the title block of every drawing, related to that assembly.

 

To summarize:

The drawing name consist out of four groups of digits:

1. General project number.

2. Assembly number, following by "Ga" letters.

3. Part number for the specific assembly. "Ga" letters are dropped from the part's name. If the part belongs to the main assembly - then it's number will be 45-01, 45-02....45-23.

4. iParts indicators.

 

The drawing number and the part number are the same. It is althoug true for the General arrangement drawings.

 

I always keep in mind that my drawing is used by the person, who doesn't have access to my file system. All he has - is a hard copy of my drawing in his hand. When he is on the phone with some queries regarding the drawing - he can only tell me the drawing number and the name of the project - as it's written in the title block. And with the system I use it is enough info for me to find that file on my computer  almost instantly - no matter how many years are gone since that project.

 

Best Regards,

Igor.

 

Web: www.meqc.com.au
Message 5 of 9
BLHDrafting
in reply to: Bun-Bun

The Vault auto-numbering system is satisfactory if you just want to start at a number (eg 00000001) and work sequentially through to 99999999.

 

I have several auto-number schems depenging on what it is. For Bolted connections it starts with BC- and then the numbers. Same for Frame Generator members/files (FG-) and so on.

 

As for the actual modelled part/assy files and drawings I use a manual system based on 2 of 5 number groups (eg 12345-67890). The first 5 numbers are the job or project number from our accounting syste. The next 5 numbers are for the actual files I am making. -00000 is the top level assy. -01000 is the first child assy of the top level. -02000 is the 2nd child assy and so on. Each of these can be broken up into 100's so -01100 is the first grandchild assy of the first child assy. Then individual parts are incremented by 1 so -01101 through to -01199. In all this gives me 99 child assy's of the top level, with each having 9 further child assy's. This works for me as we break things up into small chunks. It amskes sense as I can look at any file and know if it is an assy or a part and hwere it fits in the overall scheme of things. And I also use the 1 file/1 drawing principal.

 

There is some discussion on this blog site about numbering schemes. Hope it helps.

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 6 of 9
Curtis_Waguespack
in reply to: Bun-Bun

Hi Bun-Bun,

 

In addition to the replies so far, I cover a few naming conventions here:

 

Autodesk Inventor Naming Scheme.png

 

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Message 7 of 9
Bun-Bun
in reply to: Curtis_Waguespack

Thank you for the input guys(gals)!

 

Question standing out at the forefront is whether or not to number parts specific to their relation to assembliles and further grandchild to child to parent assemblies. I like the idea but then I think about reusing parts or sub assemblies in other assemblies are offshoots of the same product. Could make a bunch of unecessary parts. 

Message 8 of 9
mrattray
in reply to: Bun-Bun

That's why only YOU can prevent forest... errr.. I mean decide what's best for your company.
Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 9 of 9
graemev
in reply to: Bun-Bun

We use:  X#-#####-###-##.  Here's how it breaks down:

 

X = alphabetical character

# = numerical character

 

"X#" - Production facility code.

"#####" - Project code.  The first two characters are the year of project initiation.  The remaining three characters are sequential as projects are introduced over the course of the year.

"###" - Assembly number, usually assigned by the 100's with "100" being the top level assembly.

"##" - Part number.  An explicit "00" designates the assembly itself.  All others are sequential part numbers for that particular assembly.  (We haven't run into a case of more than 99 unique parts in any one single-level assembly.  We'll burn that bridge when we come to it?)

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