BOM assembly list to calculate total assembly qty only

[MF6685]

Does anyone know of a quick way to calculate the total number of sub-assemblies in a large assembly, similar to the BOM parts list 'parts only' option.

I have a very large assembly model with many levels of sub-assemblies that contain repeated instances.
It there a quick way to claculate the total qty's?

Does anyone know how to modify the BOM 'parts only' option with VBA and convert into 'assembly only' option - refer attached.

Please help.

[pauldoubet]

Have you tried using the Structured tab in the BOM editor and setting the option for 'All Levels'?

Paul

[LonesomeJoe]

Not as fast and easy as the "Parts"Only" BOM level, but if you ask for a "Structured - All Levels" BOM, then export it to Excel, you can use the Excel sort features to get the data you need. Just make sure you have the columns in the BOM you will be sorting by after the export.

[MF6685]

Thanks for your replies - have been trying the above since version 2008, I find this no comparison to the 'parts only' option that parametrically calculates the total quantities, and only lists each assembly reference once per BOM parts list.

I have settled on the following..

01. Set the BOM setting for all .ipt parts to 'purchased'.

02. Create a parts list as 'structured all levels'.

03. Filter out all the .ipt 'purchased' parts quickly via filter command - leaving assemblies only.

04. Expand all the plus symbols for each assy to reveal any nested assemblies. (takes for ever + needs to be constantly monitored for future changes).

- Refer example attached.

Pro's: If there are multiples of an assembly in the first level, the BOM will list the assembly once and tally the quantities - which is exactly what I want.

Cons: If there are multiples of an assembly that reside at different assembly levels, the BOM list will re-list the assembly multiple times in the same BOM list with quantities for each instance.
This is not what I want, the purchaser has to then identify all the repeated instances and manually add them up to arrive at the correct quantity which could lead to an purchase error.

Mechanical desktop could perform this function easily.

Thanks.

[pauldoubet]

I don't know if this option would work for you but you may want to try setting the assy's to 'Inseperable' and then try using the 'Parts Only' option. You would probably have to combine this approach with what you are doing now to the ipt files; set them to 'Purchased' and filter them out.

If you need additional info on doing this please ask.

Paul

[MF6685]

Thanks. I was able to get the .iam assemblies to show up in a 'parts only' list by setting them to inseparable as suggested, but the total qty's still did not calculate for 'all levels' - maybe I am missing something?

I have attached a diagram of what I am trying to create parametrically through inventor..

[pauldoubet]

What version of Inventor are you using?

Also I should explain that if you set any iam file to 'Insperable' that contains iam files you need totaled you will lose the nested iam files which show in your example pdf file. I am not sure if you did that or not?

There is no quick and easy way to answer your problem without knowing exactly what you need to accomplish. If you need the iam files listed as a 'Parts Only' in addition to what you described in the OP then you will have to consider how you do both when you change the iam files to 'Inseperable'. You might be able to accomplish what you need by creating a derived part of each iam file. Then use another iam file with the derived parts to create the 'Parts Only' option.

Paul

Actually I think you might have overlooked a workable solution that should be possible. Using the following post:

"Not as fast and easy as the "Parts"Only" BOM level, but if you ask for a "Structured - All Levels" BOM, then export it to Excel, you can use the Excel sort features to get the data you need. Just make sure you have the columns in the BOM you will be sorting by after the export."

Instead of exporting to Excel try using the 'Group' option when you edit the Parts List format or try the 'Part Number Merge' setting in the BOM Editor.

Paul

[MF6685]

Inventor Professional Suite 2011

Intel Core2Quad Q6600 2.4 GHz + 8GB/RAM

Radeon X1950Pro, XP 64BIT

My last attachment ASSY-ONLY-LIST.pdf is exactly what I'm trying to achieve, no more, no less - ie: total merged assembly calculation of all structure levels.

This can be tested by creating three empty assemblies and replicating the structure per the hierarchy on my previous attachment, then creating a parts list from the assembly.

Forget about parts, they can be easily isolated filtered away, I am only interested in calculating total assemblies.

- I found Inventor does not group, calculate or merge assemblies as suggested, regardless if set to inseperable, because Inventor always tries to honor the structure.

The way it is, if a user has 100's of drawings which detail an assembly that is used repeatedly at various levels, if they need to purchase total assemblies for the complete job ie; a fabricated bracket system commonly used, they have to go through each BOM assembly list on 100's of drawings and manually calculate the total quantity for order - this is a non parametric method subject to error.

I have seen similar requests on this forum dating back years ago, but still no action from Autodesk to date.

This is frustrating coming from Mechanical Desktop which could perfom this function easily.

Does anyone know a formal way to request Autodesk to add a 'all assemblies' BOM list option?

Does anyone know how to modify the existing 'parts only' BOM parts list function to 'assembly only' using VBA editor?

Thank you all for you input, in the mean time I will try playing around with excel to try and merge the assembly numbers and then perform a second function by calculating the quantities as well.. my brain is starting to hurt already.. Maybe I should just learn VBA editor when I get the time!

[rhasell]

I have the same problem.

It has been plaguing me for years, I still don't have a solution, nor does Autodesk?

Has someone written some code for it yet? If you have found something over the past few months, please share.

Thanks

[bob.wiley]

I create an IPT file that has matching iProperties for each subassembly. The IPT file has no geometry. I insert that matching IPT file into its corresponding sub-assembly IAM file. In the IDW parts list for the sub-assembly I turn off the visibility of that extra IPT. This extra part file is just a placeholder for the subassembly BOM data.

On the top level assembly I create a parts-only Parts list. It will show the total quantity for each and every subassembly just like it does each part.

Pros:

No filters

No need to manual expand each assembly in a structured listing

No manual calculation

Creates a line item in the parts listing for each assembly just like each part

Ability to assign a material to an assembly

Only needs to be done once for each subassembly

Cons:

Must remember to create this part file for each subassembly

Must remember to copy and rename this part file when doing a copy design.

Instead of an empty IPT file you could create a virtual component in the subassembly IAM file with matching iProperties and accomplish the same thing. I prefer to use an empty part file as I have a macro that fills out the iProperty data based upon file name and file location. The empty part file has the same filename as the subassembly so the data generated by the macro is identical.