Building a BOM for a solid model

[KevinMacDonald]

I have build a 3D model consisting of many blocks, and each block is a collection of many solids. I am now creating many layouts to create fabrication drawings. I think of each layout as a "drawing", but perhaps that is an incorrect way to think about it, since the entire model is a single DWG file.

Anyway, within each layout I want attach balloons to things. As I do that I see that a BOM is built up. With every balloon I add (using the Manual option) I get a new line item in my BOM. Now, let's say two layouts have a balloon pointing at the same item. The item might be a plate or bolt or whatever. It happens to show up in more than one layout. I would like to have a single line item in the BOM which is, let's say, Item 27. So, in each layout I want a balloon labeled "27". The problem I encounter is that I wind up with not one but TWO line items in my BOM. Can I have a single line item? Or, could I have a separate BOM for each layout? 

This is perhaps a separate question. I cannot seem to create a second BOM. I see "MAIN" and "?". I don't ever see an option to create another BOM. If I could really have exactly what I want, I would probably have a separate BOM for each layout, rather than a single BOM shared across all of my many layouts.

Any suggestions are appreci

Thanks.

[Sridhar-Autodesk]

Hello

I would like to propose a different worflow for the creation of BOM and Balloons.

Please follow below steps;

1. Take a backup of your existing drawing which has balloons and BOM already in place.

2. Delete Main BOM using AMBOM>>Right click on BOM and delete from the BOM setting dialog box.

3. Command: AMPARTREF_BLOCK>>Select the block which you want to convert into a part.  This will automatically create a BOM item and capture the name of the Block

4. Repeat the above step on all block.

5. Create Views in Layouts as required. 

6. Command: AMBALLOON>>Auto option or pick the parts you want to balloon.

7. Repeat the above step to create balloons in different layouts using either Auto option or picking the parts.

Note: Using this workflow,no matter how many times you balloon the same part in different layouts, the entry in the BOM will maintain same QTY used in the model space.

WRT to different BOMs for each layout, you may need to insert a title block in each layout>>AMBOM>>Pick the Border.  This will create a Border1 BOM.  Similarly, we can create multiple Border BOMs for different layouts.

Note: The use-case for Border BOM is to represent only the parts that are included in that Titleblock and not all the parts in the drawing.

Let me know if you need more details and explanation on these workflows. 

Thanks

Sridhar

[KevinMacDonald]

Thanks for the suggestions, but this is not working for me at all. I am unable to delete the BOM, or items within in. I tried repeatedly to delete items and the BOM itself. They would appear to be deleted, and then upon saving, closing, and re-opening the drawing, the BOM and its items re-appear. 

Additionally, while I could make a part from a block using AMPARTREF, I don't find that I am then able to attach a balloon to my view within a layout. The selection operation simply doesn't work. Also, a view might contain multiple blocks depending on what I selected to be part of the view using the VIEWBASE command. Is Autocad supposed to be able to distinguish which block within the view I am talking about?

One final problem I see is: for me a block is typically a weldment consisting of various 3D objects. How do I then itemize those pieces within a block?

I am wondering if my idea of how to use blocks is entirely different than what it should be. I use blocks to group together pieces that logically only go together, such as two or more pieces of metal (3D objects) welded togehter, or maybe a mechanical assembly.

I am attaching my Autocad Mechanical 2013 file in case it helps.

Thanks again.

[Sridhar-Autodesk]

It appears that the suggested workflow doesn't work on the dataset attached by you.  I shall research to see if there is an alternate workflow and get back to you.

Thanks,

[bverboort]

Was the followup ever done on this?

What was the outcome?

[KevinMacDonald]

I never heard anything more. The issue is long past for me.

My belief is that what I have been doing with 3D modeling in combination with blocks is not really the intended use of these features. I use blocks to create assemblies of 3D objects into more complex objects, kind of like a simplified Inventor model. This works great in Model space, but kind of goes sideways in Paper space using Base Views.  It could also be that I just don't understand BOMs very well.