How to make a component of other components in a assambly

[keld.soerensens]

I've made a wooden box, made up of two "parts" - an upper and a lower "half box" and I plan to hinge them together.

The two part are exactly same looking and made up of 2 ends, 2 sides and a buttom.

How can I make a component (UpperPart) of 2 ends, 2 sides and a buttom ?

When that's done I just dobble that component and turn it so it can be a "lower part".

[James.Youmatz]

Hi @keld.soerensens,

If you right-click the component you can select Copy, and you can then right-click in the Model space and select Paste or Paste New. Paste will maintain a relationship to the original component, whereas Paste New will create a completely independent component.

You can also use the Derive workflows from the Modify menu if you want to create a file from this component.

Thanks,

[keld.soerensens]

I don't quiet get you, it seems way too complicated.

I fact I have only 4 basic components and a lot of instances of these components.

I have:

a: 1 basic end piece

b: 1 basic side piece

c: 1 basic buttom plate

d: 2 basic half handle

The lower part of the box is made up of:

a + a' +b + b' + c + d, where the a' is just a new instance of component a move and turned to make the "other end" of the box. Similar for the sides. Here is a screendump attached.

This "lower part" I want to make a component e, move/turn it so it can be used as "the upper part" of the box.

I fance something like: Selecting all the components a + a' +b + b' + c + d, right click and choose "Convert to component". Delete the a + a' +b + b' + c + d, and open the new generated component in the design (now I have the lower part as a component), make a new instance of it, move/turn and then I have the upper part 😉

But how is it done ?

[davebYYPCU]

Start with 4 components and duplicate in the assembly area.

Handle, Side, End, and Bottom. 

Make the duplicates with circular pattern, not mirror for the correct BOM count.

Might help....

[keld.soerensens]

????

That's exactly what I've done, as you see in my screendump ... and then comes my question ... again:

How can I make a NEW component out of all these duplicates ?

Right now BOM is not at all my concern, just to get it drawn in a effective manner.

[davebYYPCU]

I have found that with the top browser file name active, components in the browser can be click / dragged to the position required.

So I would have an Assembly for Top and Bottom, then drag the 4 parts into one, build the assembly, 

then with the other main component active, mirror the first assembly into it.  Destination must be active.

I am first to admit that this may not work in all cases, but at least I did check with a file I was working in, here.

Might help....

[keld.soerensens]

This will NOT work here:

"I have found that with the top browser file name active, components in the browser can be click / dragged to the position required."

I'm NOT able to make any changes in the orden of components in the browser list !

... and my question was not about ordering components in the browser list ... I asked how to MAKE a NEW component out of some other components.

OK, I tried to create a new component "LowerPart" and DRAG other components (ends, sides and buttom plate) into that new component ... and yes, it SEEMS like the dragged component can be left as a sub-component to "LowerPart" (there is shown a "light blue line" indented under the component "LowerPart" ... but nothing else happens, the is no sub-components shown.

[keld.soerensens · Accepted solution]

Now I got it !

1) I create a new component "LowerPart"

2) The select  all the components that make up the lower part of the box

3) Drag the selection to the TRIANGLE fare left of the new empty component "LowerPart" and drop it

4) Now the new component "LowerPart" contains the components selected in 2)

That's It !

It's a little misleading with that "light blue line" from my earlier posting - what does it mean ?

[davebYYPCU]

I think the blue line is a place marker to be a helpful indicator, or visual maker to show the operation will work here.

[keld.soerensens]

It can't be because it DISAPPEARS when you drag to the triangle - it make no sense !