Features affecting multiple components, where to put them?

[mroek]

I'm a newbie in F360, up until now I have been using Onshape (but due to their announced plan changes I am abandoning them), and I am struggling a bit with the organization of a design in F360.

I have learnt (or rather: read) that one should use components for anything that is supposed to be a separate part/component, and that each component then has it's own sketches and history/feature line.

Now, suppose I do this:

1) I create a new design, and immediately a new component. I add a sketch to the new component, and extrude a body

2) I create another component, then add a sketch to that component, and extrude a body

Now I have one base component (the default one at the top hierachy), and the two newly created sub-components. Assume now I want to extrude a hole in both of these components  (say for an axle or something). It seems there are several ways:

- Create a sketch under the top component, and extrude that, cutting the bodies of both sub-components

- Create a sketch under either sub-component, and then extrude cut both bodies with that

In both cases, both components (and the top component) gets a new feature in the history line for the extrude cut, but there is an annotation that says "Multiple", obviously telling me that this feature is affecting multiple components.

Now, it seems the end result is the same, but the cutting profile sketch is in different places. I guess one way might be better than the other, but I don't really know which, and why. Are there any best practices for this scenario?

Coming from Onshape, F360 is a wildly different beast to tackle, so I apologize if this was a stupid question.

[neljoshua]

@mroek,

Others may have different ideas, but here is how I would do it.  It typically start with a sketch and then extrude it into a body and create a component from that body.  If this was for a symmetrical axel, I would personally use one sketch to define the cut, as that would allow me to change the diameter of the hole in both parts.

Here is a quick Screencast showing how I would do it.

[mroek]

@neljoshua: Thank you for answering, but I think perhaps you misunderstood my question. My questions wasn't really how to get to the end result, it was more about how to get there, and if there are any best practices.

The issue is where to put the cutting sketch profile (as it can be under either component or even directly under the top level component), and secondly, does it matter which component is activated when doing the extrude cut? Both components get the feature in their timeline no matter what, but perhaps this has consequences if any or both components are to be reused in a different project.

[daniel_lyall · Accepted solution]

It depends on what it is you are doing, If you know there is going to be a few body's a few sketch across different bodies, then yes start with a component.

components are holders for the sketches, body's, work planes anything that goes into a sketch. 

when you do a few components you can turn all but the one you want to work on off, it makes it a lot easier to work on a big model as you see only what you are working on.

there are a lot of reasion to start with a component best bet is do a search on RULE 1.

if it's a single body object that is a dead object meaning you will not be changing it ever again it does not matter, if it will be changed or used in another sketch/design it does.

To your question it is easier to stick as much into the first component as you can, then if you need to do a cut through all the components and they are staying where they are just cut through them all (you wont use it elsewhere).

if you think you may use the components else where or it's sketch, then use project and project that sketch onto the target body with its component turned on, not a good idea for a newbie until you know how to rebuild A component.

if you can draw it on the target body with its component turned on then you wont need to rebuild it if you use the component else where, onces you know how to fix this it's not a problem.

Any other questions just ask

[mroek]

@daniel_lyall: Thanks, I will accept that as a solution.

One question though, when you say "it is easier to stick as much into the first component as you can", are you then referring to the top level component (i.e the one that is auto-created for any new designs)?

[daniel_lyall]

Yes also rember to name the components bodys and sketches.