Create Custom Bolts for content centre

[roy7BB24]

Hi All,

I'm currently doing a little work on my content centre, and am working out how I want to add bolts my content center. The principle things I'm looking to add is I want to be able to specify grades, materials & finishes when I specify a bolt, and then also present the information way that matches the rest of my templates. Making a copy of the content centre part would be possible, but I'm also looking to change the materials for some of the parts, in addition for example I'm looking to combine AS1110 & AS1111 so that I just have one file I go to when I want to place a steel bolt. The upshot is I'm thinking its easiest to create an ipart by copying one of the standard bolts and then copying the family table across and then adding in all my additional information, and this should maintain the imates so that the bolted connections still work. The only part that I'm struggling a little bit to drive is the thread on the bolt. There's no parameter in the parameters tab that matches the thread specification (m6 X 1), and in addition to this, I also can't set a parameter as text to grab all that information in one hit. My questions here are as follows:

1. Is the only way to set the thread parameters using iLogic, and if I do this, are there any further complications with making a content centre part like this

2. My driving table is going to be massive, if I have the same number of bolts with 4 different finishes in 3 different grades there'll be around 2000 or more rows by the time I'm done, will this work or am I asking for trouble? 

3. Any general advice from anyone who's attempted the same thing

[gavin.allenHSSRX]

Hi Roy,
With regards to threads, I have copied the threads.xls to a safe locations, then edited the original to either add threads or remove them. I have also done the same for holes in the clearance.xls. Never had a reason to edit bolts as yet, though I have noticed that in the Excel spread sheets, for the threads for example, have a sheet for a TYPE, i.e. metric, UNC, etc, so you maybe able to create a custom library using the same technique.
I hope it all goes well.

[roy7BB24]

I don't think I need to create new threads, at this stage I'm just working with standard threads for standard bolts, the problem more so is that you can't call threads in a table for iparts like you can other features

[dave.cutting]

Hi Roy,

We did something similar at my previous company.

You can do what you want by copying an existing bolt table to create the one large table that you require.

Once you have created your table, you can change the bolt material of the relevant types, and add extra columns for the grades, finishes etc. If you make these colmns key, you should be able to apply the filters to narrow down your search.

One disadvantage of the large table is that when you place the bolts using the idrop you can drag the length to what's required, but you will have to select the type based on you material and/or grade that you want from and extra window that appears for the bolt to place.

In the end we reverted to seperate families for the different types / grades etc, as they can easily be swapped out using the replace from content centre as they're all the same model.

[James_Willo]

You don't need iLogic to set the threads. It's a bad idea running iLogic on CC parts anyway as they don't always trigger. I made a very expensive mistake doing this and someone ordered a load of wrong part numbers. 

If you're creating an iPart, just add a thread to your model and then go to the thread tab in the iPart table. Add the various thread parameters in there and then you can change them. 

If you want autodrop, you're going to have to author the part as a component first. 

I think keeping the material separate is best. If you use the same part to publish then you'll still be able to use replace from content center to swap them out without losing the constraints. 

Copying an existing bolt is pretty easy to do and you can use material guide to copy it and apply a different material

[roy7BB24]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the advice, I've decided to go down that parth for a few components to start with to see how it works in practice. I've just made my copies of AS1252 parts, however I now can't add the new parts I've create in the Design Accelerator > Bolted Connections. 

For reference I created the new families by Right Click > Save Copy as. I've then made a number of edits to the family table, changing the material to a material from my custom library, and then changed the way the part number is generated, as well as the description & part number to display the way I wanted. Note I couldn't find anything that mapped to these properties in the existing table so I'm a little unsure how this was originally configured as the properties always have values in the placed part. 

I've also changed the standard to "RMAC", being the company name, and most of the parts I've added use this standard just to give me an easy way to filter to my parts. 

I've had a look online and I saw mention that the bolted connections is pretty touchy with changing properties but I couldn't find any specific's on what I need to change. I also cant use the original families I made the new parts from to use either. Any advice would be appreciated

[mrB_Young]

Looks pretty much like what I've been doing for years.  Never experienced any problems doing it like that.
For bolts longer than those already content center, every time someone wants one, I've gone to the trouble of manually entering them into system.  At least they're there for next time.

[Frederick_Law]

Right click on the Column title:

Check if bolt connection can see and use your standard.

[James_Willo]

Did you 'copy to' or use 'save copy as?'

Copy to will maintain a link to the parent component and therefore that is the name it will show in the BC selector, even if you changed the name of it in the editor. 

If you use 'Save copy as' then you can save as an independent member and then it will show as the family name you choose in BC.

[roy7BB24 · Accepted solution]

Hi All, pretty sure I solved the problem. I think when I specified the hole and size, I'd left it at 10mm, and bolt that I'd copied as tested was structural, so it doesn't come in less than 12mm, so I was getting nothing under my own standard, I increased the diameter to 16 and we're cooking with gas. Thanks for the help folks