Assembly Context loses associativity after Save As

[superabundance]

Hi all,

I'm having an issue with Assembly Contexts. My use case is this:

I make template models of complex cabinets, usually with several other nested components that are also from templates (example: a door or drawer box with Associativity for size, etc.). Then, I insert those cabinets into an assembly model, which contains a sketch or other geometry to drive the sizes of those cabinets using Assembly Contexts. Once I've inserted and associated those cabinet components, I will then "Save as and Replace" so that the cabinet is now unique and my template model stays intact.

By doing this, I should be able to make changes to the assembly model driving sketch and see those changes perpetuate throughout the design. This works for the top level association (ie the cabinet size). The problem is, those nested components (ie the doors and drawers) remain associated with the original template model, and so I can't update their Assembly Contexts.

Is there a workaround here, besides breaking the links to all the child components?

I recreated it in this screencast--hopefully it makes sense.

Thank you!

[superabundance]

The screencast didn't load in my last post, trying to upload a video instead:

[jhackney1972]

This is a rather complex workflow but I think I have a solution.  I have recorded a video to show my idea for creating a few controlling parameters, making them Favorites, and then sharing them into an internal component.  In my case it is a tray beginning, in yours it is possibly a drawer.  The key to my proposal is the Deriving of the Parameters, from the base component, needed to build the interior component.  I hope I then show that when you Save and Replace the assembly, the derived parameters will be maintained back to the controlling component.  I do not pretend to understand your complete workflow but I do believe adding in a few derived parameters, into every internal component, will solve your issue.  I will be interested if this works for you or I missed the point altogether.

[superabundance]

Hey John, 

Thanks so much for the thoughtful response. Derived parameters are a great idea and it's a workflow I've tried before with mixed results. The issue is mainly that on these bigger assemblies, the expressions can get painfully long and complicated because there are so many variables to be controlled or changed. That's why I've landed on Assembly Contexts, because I can control a variety of different linked components from a sketch and not have to keep track of dozens of parameters.

I think my options are to either:

a) add the child components after the Save As and Replace or

b) insert the child components (drawers, etc) into the assembly file (which will require more work and more joints but less complicated updating

It feels like Fusion is making some big strides towards this top-down modeling workflow that seems popular with Solidworks and I'm really happy to see it, and I hope they keep beefing up the tools to work this way.

[tookemtoni]

In Context Design is great but I also would like to make a subassembly unique and when I “Save As and Replace”....the subassembly loses link to target design.  In Solidworks I would "Pack and Go" the subassembly and it would bring the context with it.  Hmmmm?  How do you achieve this in Fusion 360?

I will try to put together a simplified test file to share here later.

[tookemtoni]

What about instead of Save As and Replace,  Export the subassembly?  Maybe that will retain the InContext relationships. 

See this threat about a way to “Pack and Go” (export) in Fusion 360:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/design-iteration-copy-whole-assembly-with-...

[cncRQPWR]

yes that is retain the incontext  relationship. Glad i saw that post 

cheers