Parts List/BOM Question

[SteveFrey]

In my parts list I have the MITER and the 45° angle called out on parts that were created through the Frame Generator.  Now I need to call out a few holes I'm drilling into one of the frames.  Is this possible to do?  There might be 4 holes, all 1/8" dia. at particular intervals.   Does it matter if the holes have been patterned? 

[jtylerbc]

Based on my interpretation of what you're asking for, it may be possible.  However, it's a little unclear what you're asking for, so I want to clarify a bit.

Are you trying to get the hole size (and possibly count) into the parts list?  This is fairly simple.

Are you also trying to include the locating dimensions for the hole?  This would potentially be more convoluted, depending on how the model is set up.

If this interpretation is correct, is there a particular reason you're trying to give all the details in the parts list instead of just detailing a view of the part?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Steve,

Are you looking for a way to add hole notes to the PartsList? Or, you want to create a Hole Table for the holes?

Many thanks!

[SteveFrey]

Just the hole size and count is fine.

[SteveFrey]

Add hole notes to the parts list.

[jhackney1972]

A parts list is not a good place to call out you hole dimensions.  You could do it by using parameters and assigning them to the parts list but that would be a lot of work and it would not be clear to fabrication.  Create a drawing for the steel components that have holes and add dimensions and callouts there.  The method of dimensioning depends on the use of the part and your needs.  In my Screencast I used baseline dimensions to eliminate tolerance buildup.  If the pattern dimensions are not that critical you can use chain dimensions, Inventor does both quickly.

[SteveFrey]

You have a good point and I'm aware that the parts list is not a good place for this.  All I really want to do is call out that these certain parts have holes in them.  They're simple weep holes to allow water to escape and are in a place that isn't too visible so the actual placement of them isn't critical.  I just wanted to see if there's a simple way to semi-automatically call out "Hey, Drill Holes Here" without having to print out another sheet if I don't have to. 

[jtylerbc]

If you have modeled the holes using a Feature Pattern (or Sketch Pattern), then you could name the parameters for the hole size and pattern count, set them for export, and include them as custom columns in the parts list.  This would not be terribly difficult to do, other than the fact that you would have to make sure you were consistent with the parameter names in all of your parts.  If you're basically using it in a reference / summary data capacity, this would work.

As @jhackney1972 mentioned (and I hinted at in my earlier post), if you wanted to include the locating dimensions for the holes, that would probably be technically possible, but starts to become so cumbersome.to set up that it would probably be less work to actually detail the parts.  Putting in extra work in order to be less clear is generally not a good thing.

[SteveFrey]

That's it!  Now I just have to implement it.  I will let you know how it works out.  Thanks!

[kelly.young]

@SteveFrey if you're just trying to tell them to drill holes at locations the Hole Table sounds like a viable way to achieve this.

You could make a phantom part as a placeholder but it's more of an action that would be in the document detail instructions instead of the part list.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[SteveFrey]

Hi Kelly:

I think this would work if I were detailing the individual parts.  We are very familiar with the components and the cut list I provide gives them what they need except for the holes in the bottom channel (part #34 & #36 for instance).  I'm dealing with a situation where all I really need to is to remind them to drill the holes in only one or two parts. I could draw these two parts and detail them but I really like the idea of the holes appearing automatically on the cut list as a safeguard. I'm probably going to do both and see how it works.  Thanks! 

[SteveFrey]

Kelly:

So when I try to show the individual part in my drawing to detail it the holes aren't showing up.  They show in the base view of the assembly, just not in the individual base view of the part.  Does this have something to do with the fact that they were created in an assembly or something to do with the frame generator?

[SteveFrey]

Can you refresh my memory on how to properly do this?  

[jtylerbc]

---

@SteveFrey wrote:

So when I try to show the individual part in my drawing to detail it the holes aren't showing up.  They show in the base view of the assembly, just not in the individual base view of the part.  Does this have something to do with the fact that they were created in an assembly or something to do with the frame generator?

---

This is because you modeled them at the assembly level, rather than at the part level.  The way you modeled it is essentially representing drilling the holes after the frame is welded together.

Frame Generator is irrelevant - cutting the holes at the assembly level would cause this issue whether the assembly was created by FG or not.

Also, my parts list solution doesn't work unless the holes are modeled in the individual parts.

[kelly.young]

@SteveFrey it all depends on what level of the assembly you create the holes at.

Like @jtylerbc stated, it depends on when you are drilling the holes, at the part creation or after the welded assembly.

To clarify, I would imagine the workflow is:

• Have a stack of individual part drawings.
• Cut or miter stock extrusion to the part drawing.
• Put part in corresponding assembly stack.
• Grab all parts in assembly stack and puts together.
• Line drill assembly.
• Paint/Finish assembly.

By showing the cut detail notes in the assembly drawing it expresses that you are creating set length pieces without miter cuts at the part level and cutting them here. If you are cutting them prior during manufacturing they should be defined there and no miter notes are necessary, just the hole notes.

• Are you skipping the documentation of the part creation and just making the assembly document Cut Detail as the miter cut instruction?

I would recommend creating individual part numbers.

That way you would have your material as MSD302SB and the part would be, for example, GlassMolding83.125Mitre2.

You can call out parts to be made individually and brought together into the assembly.

Otherwise you have to have the assembly document in order to create parts and cannot pre-produce anything or have a stockpile of common parts.

If everything is custom and never using like parts this might be why but still don't know if that's a good idea.

Part 35 & 6, 43 & 44, 50 & 54, 48 & 49. 7 & 37, etc. are the same part but not next to each other, wouldn't it be easier to cut parts of the same length at the same time?

Also, your item list is all out of whack, you are grouping by part number, but why does the item number bounce all around?

For your Cut List notes, how are you pulling in the Cut and Miter notes? Are these defined at the part level in a custom iProperty?

Is there a reason the A & B sections are at different scales than View 1?

I would increase the section scale, decrease the line thickness, and add a break so you can really see what is going on.

I'm sure there are reasons you have done things this way, but would re-evaluate how the parts are being defined and called out for clarity and ease of tracking and manufacturing.

Lots of suggestions but wanted to go over some things that might help.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[SteveFrey]

Hi Kelly:

I appreciate your response.  Let me try and explain the best I can so you fully understand my workflow, etc.

(Your Response)

To clarify, I would imagine the workflow is:

• Have a stack of individual part drawings.  Do you mean a drawing for each part?  No.  If this were the case I could detail the holes without needing them to appear in the parts list.
• Cut or miter stock extrusion to the part drawing. 
• Put part in corresponding assembly stack.  
• Grab all parts in assembly stack and puts together.  
• Line drill assembly.
• Paint/Finish assembly.

By showing the cut detail notes in the assembly drawing it expresses that you are creating set length pieces without miter cuts at the part level and cutting them here. If you are cutting them prior during manufacturing they should be defined there and no miter notes are necessary, just the hole notes.

• Are you skipping the documentation of the part creation and just making the assembly document Cut Detailas the miter cut instruction?

I would recommend creating individual part numbers.  

That way you would have your material as MSD302SB and the part would be, for example, GlassMolding83.125Mitre2. The entire unit was created with the frame generator; I guess I could pull the assigned parts nos. the FG generator made but that would ultimately confuse the hell out of my less than detail oriented co-workers.  The item number and length is enough for them to identify what they need to make.

You can call out parts to be made individually and brought together into the assembly.

Otherwise you have to have the assembly document in order to create parts and cannot pre-produce anything or have a stockpile of common parts.

If everything is custom and never using like parts this might be why but still don't know if that's a good idea.  Every single enclosure/part we make is custom so pre-cutting is never an option.

Part 35 & 6, 43 & 44, 50 & 54, 48 & 49. 7 & 37, etc. are the same part but not next to each other, wouldn't it be easier to cut parts of the same length at the same time?  They probably do when they build it.

Also, your item list is all out of whack, you are grouping by part number, but why does the item number bounce all around?  I group by item number so its keeps the same extrusions listed together which makes it easier for the shop.  The item numbers bounce around because there are plenty of item numbers that don't show up in the parts list like the glass and I didn't renumber them (which I guess I should do).  The glass is done on separate sheets because they are used as actual order sheets with the proper details so the fabricator can make the glass per our spec. 

For your Cut List notes, how are you pulling in the Cut and Miter notes? Are these defined at the part level in a custom iProperty?  Yes, mitered by the frame generator.

Is there a reason the A & B sections are at different scales than View 1?   Yes.  The guy building them can't see them so I try and blow them up as big as possible.  He should be using his computer to enlarge them but that's a whole other problem.

I would increase the section scale, decrease the line thickness, and add a break so you can really see what is going on.  The line thickness is already set to .001”.  I do create breaks in some drawings, depending on the product. 

I'm sure there are reasons you have done things this way, but would re-evaluate how the parts are being defined and called out for clarity and ease of tracking and manufacturing.

Lots of suggestions but wanted to go over some things that might help.

THANK YOU!

[kelly.young]

@SteveFrey good clarification, that's the problem with custom stuff and having a work crew that is clock in/out hammering through the day.

I would ask them for feedback on what would increase their productivity.

Years ago I was working for a custom security door shop and found that they ignored half of the notes and had workarounds that I didn't know. You say they probably do it a certain way, I would investigate how they look at it.

I bet you they do it in line order so they don't skip anything and curse the designer when they have to cut two of the same after they already changed their set block. I know because I have heard my explicative name from the shop and shaken my head at this exact situation.

Once I found out how they were actually manufacturing I changed the template to fit their workflow and they started having less errors and were happier. Welders happy with designers you say? Maybe that was just my wishful thinking...

If you have a glass piece make sure to include it as a phantom part just to be able to track that it exists. In the future you could use your BOM and other features to pull data for how much material and glass etc you have used.

That would be the endgame in most manufacturing shops, get so big you have to have these tools to track everything.

Going back to the original question, if you have a pattern of holes, in the drawing you should be able to call the number of instances in the pattern or use the hole table.

• To document which part needs the holes, you might just have to create another column and manually put in weep holes, which wouldn't be automated.

I can't think of how to add a note to a cut list part that shows it has a cut feature on the assembly level.

Maybe some iLogic that knows what part has been cut into and how many times? Not sure that exists.

Not the perfect answer but hope that helps.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[kelly.young]

@SteveFrey did you find a better solution for documenting the added on weep holes? 

Could you just add a leader with number of holes called out to draw attention to the location and reference the pattern occurrence number? 

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.