Parametric modeling ?

[gordonclamp]

I have an existing assembly that I would like to paramatize. There are 6 parts in the assembly and each part already has variable dimensions in the "Change Parameters box". To change the assembly means going through each part, changing the dimension, updating it and then updating the assembly, then if this is part of a larger assy, updating that. I am aware that global parameter change is possible if the assembly is drawn in components but in some cases I prefer to draw individual parts and then assemble them. When I do this the data is lost in the assembly "change parameters" box. Cheers Gordon

[HughesTooling]

When you say you have 6 parts in the assembly are they inserted linked parts? If they are linked you can right click the component and Open then edit, when you save\close the assembly will prompt you to update.

In place editing is on the road map so when that's implemented this should be a bit easier.

Mark

[gordonclamp]

Hi Mark

Not sure what you mean about inserted links. I produced six drawings/bodies, each had parametric dimensions related to a pack size i.e. box of chocolates, length, width & height.
One part might be effected by the pack height so the variable would be “PackHeight” another part might be effected by two of the dimensions so the variable could be “PackWidth” & "Pack Height”. So you can see when I assembled these parts by inserting them in to another drawing called “Size Part Assy", it became very tedious to change the dimensions to suit a different pack size. 

If I produce the assembly by building up the components in one drawing then the “Change parameters" option shows all of the components and is open to just changing three variables to update all of them. MY problem is I prefer to draw the parts individually and then assemble them, rather than build the assembly up component by component. I also have this existing assembly that I would like to change retro respectively. This must be possible as designers would wish to bring in existing drawings into new assemblies.

In short I wish to produce an assembly of parts/components with all the variables of each, listed in the one "change parameters" box.

Hope this makes sense, regards Gordon

[HughesTooling]

At the moment the only thing you can do is after inserting a design into the assembly is to break the link to the external design. After breaking the link all the parameters will be available but edits will not affect the external design.

Mark

[gordonclamp]

Hi Mark

This worked but the consequences of breaking the links defeats greater benefits. I will have to re-draw the parts within an assembly, not good. It is a pitty the links cannot be reinstated once the assembly is corrected.

Regards Gordon

[HughesTooling]

There are plans for branching and merging and in place editing so this might be possible in the future.

Mark

[gordonclamp · Accepted solution]

Cheers Mark, thank you for the quick replies.

[schneik-adsk · Accepted solution]

Mark is correct. This is not possible today but will be in the future.  If I was super confident when I'd let you know but the team is working on deep update first and then in place activate.

Cheers,

[gordonclamp]

Are we talking weeks , months or years?

[schneik-adsk]

It's not weeks and it's not years. So months seems reasonable with what we know at this point.  My caveat is that anytime you build something new, you don't know what you don't know.

There are some nasty issues with how CAD tools have done this in the past and we do not want to replicate those mistakes.

[gordonclamp]

Thank you.

Gordon

Sent from my iPad

[Anonymous]

Any updates on this?  I use parameters to model everything, and would love to have the notion of a "prototype" or generator (think an object in object-oriented programming) that could have instances with different parameter values.  I'd still want all those instances updated if I updated the parent/prototype/generator/whatever-you-want-to-call-it.

This already kind of exists with all the pre-defined create shapes (e.g. cylinder, box, etc.), and I'd love to be able to make my own.

Thanks!

[promm]

The team has just released deep update, as Kevin mentioned we had to implement first as a prerequisite.  We are now working on a project that has multiple dependencies for referenced models, once completed they will work on in place edit.  I look forward to the workflows this will open up as we continue to build out our parametrics.

Thank you,

Mike Prom

[Anonymous]

I would like to have the generator function, too.

Otherwise the use of parameters in a design is greatly reduced, when I cannot reuse the existing design as a template.

Are there any predictions to when the feature will exist?

Thanks

Florian

[promm]

@Anonymous,

I am assuming that configurations would be a solution for your request of a generator as a template.  If this is correct, there are more core features (fillet, hole, threads as an example) that I have prioritized to be completed before working on a solution for a configuration workflow.  

Regards,

Mike Prom

[Anonymous]

This is a great feature that I wasn't aware of - it definitely solves part
of my request. Unfortunately I can't easily create instances of the
different configurations in the same design - I can only modify a single
component/assembly.

I will definitely begin incorporating this into my workflow, but would
still appreciate being able to create new components/assemblies out of
different configurations. In Patrick's example bookshel fvideos, this
would be akin to having a small and large bookshelf in a single design.

Tom Rickmeyer
www.gretadeparry.com
General: (800) 494-0956
Direct: (312) 857-6848
Stay in the Loop

[Anonymous]

@promm,

I'm afraid it doesn't fill my need.

On the one hand, as I am an hobbyist and not a pro, I have the free version. Because of this I think, I do not have this feature. On the other hand, I want to reuse designs like you do with classes in programming. Design once, use many.

One such case would be a ball link with the corresponding, already linked socket.

I could then integrate lessons learned from 3d printing it in every instance where I use it.

For this it would be kind, if Fusion360 could have a treatment of user variables as OpenSCAD.

Examples:

size = 10 mm // Could be configured for every instance where it is used as it is a simple value

width = size // Can not be configured, as it depends on another variable

length = 1*2 mm // Can not be configured, as it is a formula

So you could restrict the user of the design to only change some small amount of variables. 

Thanks

Florian

[TrippyLighting]

No one has this featuer yet!

What @promm wrote is that there were more important and depnedent features, pre-requisites  that had and still have to be implemented first before Configurations can and will be implemented.

If you simly want to use a specific component in several diffenrt designs but expect updates tto that re-usable compoennt, that can already be done with liked components.

this is differnt from being able to use differnt configurations of one component in several digfferent designs.

Let me now if that is not clear and I can provide a more in depth explanation.

As to your suggestion to restrict users of a design to only be allowed changes within a specific rang eof variables, I think is a neat idea, but I definitely see that firther out, if ever implemented.

[Anonymous]

@TrippyLighting,

thanks for the clarification, that the feature is not available even for the ultimate users.

My idea is to create a design e.g. for an nut with some parameters (e.g. diameter).

When I need one M3 nut, then I link the design and set the diameter to 3mm.

If I need a M6 nut in the same design, I link the nut design again, but set the diameter for this link to 6mm.

So I don't need to model the nuts in various diameters, but can design a generic template and only change the parameters.

For the restriction:

Assume I calculate outer diameter of the nut as multiple of the inner diameter. Then I don't want the user to ever touch the parameter of the outer diameter. But because the fillet on the outside of the nut is a percentage of the outer diameter, I want the outer diameter to be a calculated user parameter.

I know this example is overly simplistic, but I think you get my thinking.

Greetings

Florian

[PhilProcarioJr]

@Anonymous

I guess I'm confused because you can create a nut and create a parameter and save that nut, insert it into a design then break the link and set the parameter to what you need and it's done.

Granted it's not as nice as configurations but it works and solves the problem.

The team has a lot on its plate and has to get any prerequisite features finished first. There are steps that have to be followed in order to get to the end goal, just give it some time...