Copy / Paste New Fails with Errors

[John_C_Hansen]

After successfully copying a component and pasting it into the workspace, I am unable to do it a 2nd time to create 1/3 instance.  It flashes a error message of several warnings and 9 errors.

 Also, the 2 instances that I have cannot be renamed with unique names. My intention is to use a copy of this component with only 2 or 3 small dimensional changes to one body and rename it  as to unique  components.

[davebYYPCU]

Your file arrives without error.  Attempting to Copy paste New the sub Assembly falls over, as you say.

Paste New a Component allows that component to be edited as unique, not sure how you can edit a sub assembly of components to become a hybrid of some unique and some instanced components.

Seems you are not following Rule # 1, as the construction sketches for the first leg are at top level, making components from bodies is not a workflow I am used to.  I did not get all the messages, but suspect the construction sketches used to make the leg components need to be part of the Paste New - (opinion)

Might help...

[John_C_Hansen]

Thank you. Yes, my workflow is still a bit of a mashup and not very consistent. I am unable to find the warnings and errors that flash on the screen when I do the 'paste new', to sort through what they me be telling me. I will try a fresh empty file and do one component at a time.

[TrippyLighting]

You are moving too quickly!

Your first sketch is too complicated and not fully constrained and dimensioned!

If you are going to use it to create geometry, for example the table top, then it could/should be part of that component.

If a sketch is used to create more than one component, for example   the "Leg all parts" should probably be part of the "Center Leg Complete".

Your components are not properly assembled! This can be done with a combination of the "Ground to parent" attribute and assembly joints. 

[TrippyLighting]

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@John_C_Hansen wrote:

... My intention is to use a copy of this component with only 2 or 3 small dimensional changes to one body and rename it  as to unique  components.

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If you are using a paid subscription, this can be done easily using Configurations.

If not we'll have to resort to a workaround.

[John_C_Hansen]

Hello @TrippyLighting,  I have at times had that sketch fully constrained. I will go back and fully constrain that sketch And rebuild every part from it and see if The lack of full constraint really is the issue.  I'm getting pretty good at making these  components and bodies and  I have made them several times before. And while the advice has always been to use fully constrain sketches, it's unclear to me that if bodies and components can be made from  this rather large sketch in its current state, how the sketch impacts the ability of Fusion  to accomplish a Copy/Paste New.  Maybe it's like making sausage, and I want to know how it's done.

And, please share any wisdom about why that sketch, as complicated as it is, should be a challenge to the software.  I'm sure that some of the tutorials have said "keep the  sketches simple", but the  tutorials never forewarned me that there is some sort of  issue with  complex sketches.  As I transition from drafting skills using pencil and paper   which I learned 45 years ago, single sheets of paper with decidedly complex drawings on them is what I know best.  So I go with what I know.

I will rework this design to have one component per part and one (fully constrained)  sketch per component and see if this solves the issue.

[davebYYPCU]

You can use the big sketch, just as you have, 

If the top level sketches are not part of a leg component, (current version)

then copy paste new, any of the leg components, will not copy the sketches.  Catch 22.

Rule #1 will sort that out.

Might help….

[TrippyLighting]

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@John_C_Hansen wrote:

...

And, please share any wisdom about why that sketch, as complicated as it is, should be a challenge to the software. 

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It is not a challenge to the software. It is a challenge to fully dimension, but more importantly constrain a complex  sketch. In a parametric 3D software, the purpose of a sketch is not necessarily to define the fully features outline of a component, but to provide base geometry for extrusions, revolves, lofts, etc.

Details are to be added with solid (or surface) modeling operations. 

Let me demonstrate what I mean by that:

To create the base shape for the desk:

This is all the sketch you need:

The rest is created using features (fillets in tis case) in the timeline:

This is faster to design and creates a more robust 3D  model.

[John_C_Hansen]

@TrippyLighting  I appreciate your insight and suggestions on the simplest, most straightforward way of sketching this desk top.  I was sketching the outer perimeter with arcs and radii because in more than one tutorial or discussion in this forum the use of fillets in sketches has been discouraged. The wisdom of experience is to apply the fillets to the 3D model. The 2nd reason I was putting effort into the actual drafting of the arcs and radius corners is the fact that I will be positioning the supporting legs, as well as positioning grommets through the desktop in relationship to the outer perimeter, and felt that I needed those elements of the design documented in the sketch to measure from.  Of course, due to my  limited depth of experience designing with Fusion, I was unsure if I would have the ability to insert grommet holes and position the legs  based on the 3D model, and therefore I was putting a lot of excess effort into the sketch itself. I am sure that with time and experience I will recognize how to find the perimeters and outer surfaces after the entire desk has been modeled in 3D.  My ultimate goal is to plan the position of all sorts of hardware hanging on the desk such as power outlets, UPS, and even the precise location of the computer under the desk in relationship to the  desk legs and  and other "stuff".

Again, thanks to everyone for the dialog. @davebYYPCU