Weld Beads, Design View Reps, and Drawing Views

[swalton]

I would like to show different steps required to build up a complex weldment on a drawing.  

I planned to use Design View Reps to control sub-component and weld bead visibility, but they don't let me control individual weld bead features.  This limitation seems odd, because I can control the visibility of the weld annotations in the weldment assembly using View Reps, just not the actual 3d bead.  

Is there a better tool to control weld bead visibility in assemblies and drawings?  Preferably one I can link to Design View Reps, so I can hide and show various parts in each of the steps required to build the complete weldment assembly?

[jtylerbc · Accepted solution]

Not as far as I know.  You can use View Representations to turn the welds on and off as a whole, but not individually.

[swalton]

I thought that might be the case.

I may make an Idea about it.  

[jtylerbc]

If you do, post a link to it here, because I'll want to vote for it as well.  I don't need this often, but I have seen several situations where it would have been very helpful.

Overall, currently the system treats weld beads almost as though they are a part.  You can override the color like a part, exporting to AutoCAD treats them as a single solid body, etc.  Maybe it should treat it more like a multisolid, with each bead forming its own solid body.

[swalton]

Based on a recent post, join the Feedback/beta program....

[jtylerbc]

Already in it, but haven't been keeping up with it recently.  Will try to get over there and check it out.

[rhenstenburg]

I experienced the same issue as @swalton.  I solved by using Model States (where I can suppress individual welds) BUT the side effect is that to balloon each step I had to put a Parts List for each defined Model state (and assure that the item numbering is the same).  I put these P/L's outside the drawing border so they are not visible (the only visible P/L is the final weldment (with all parts unsuppressed). 

While this worked, View Reps would have been cleaner but, as @swalton and @jtylerbc  point out, you can't hide individual welds (only all or none can be visible).

I am stuck on INV2024.  I don't know if visibility of individual welds are allowed in later versions. If not, I think this would be a nice addition.

[hkilic896XF]

Hi, is it possible to edit (create weld annotations) previously created weld beads?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I don't believe so. The automatic workflow is forward creation only. You may add weld annotation manually individually after the weld beads have been created.

Many thanks!

[rhenstenburg]

Yes ... 1) double click Welds node in Browser 2) Click Weld > Weld > Welding Symbol 3) a) select the bead then b) select weld in the dropdown to link to show size, stitch etc. in  the annotation.

[hkilic896XF]

Thank you. This is the way. 🤗

So may you help me to resolve this?

In a weldmend assembly setting "Symbol Visibility" to OFF does not effect to top parent assemblies..

[rhenstenburg]

It will only work if you have associativity (a separate topic) of the view rep at the parent level.

Without associativity, you will have to turn on/off visibility in the parent.

[hkilic896XF]

Thank you so much, a lot.. 😊 You solved my two problems.

RMB on Weldment Assembly in Model Tree Browser,

click Representation..

set design view as default,

check Associative..

Weld Symbol Visibility ON/OFF setting is active now on top level parent assemblies.