SolidWorks Large Assembly Techniques

1. SolidWorks Large Assembly Techniques Using SolidWorks to Design Buses for Designline

2. About Me – Karl Celeste • Design Engineer for Motovated 1.5 years • Worked on Designline projects both off-site and in-house • SolidWorks advocate

3. Designline • Rolleston Company • International Office in Charlotte NC • Moved to 3D CAD ~2006 • Sell their buses worldwide

4. Motovated Design & Analysis • Christchurch based • Advanced Mechanical Engineering and Analysis via CAD • Helped Designline in transition to 3D CAD • Continued on to US Hybrid Design/Modeling

5. Challenges with Large Assemblies • Load time • File size • Even larger drw (x 10 not uncommon) • Write Access • Position Accuracy • Safeguarding modification • Robust mates, stability etc. over time

6. Client Needs • Flexibility • Common & differential parts • SW2007 Multi-user environment without PDM • Clear & easy to understand model structure • Drawings mainly for BOM & general location

7. Large Assembly Management Base Part (skeleton) • Contains base level geometry • Good control & access • Quick visual check • Reference the same critical geometry • Mate planes e.g. axle CL, step heights • Driven by base sketches • Snap into place • Mates independent of model geometry • Simplifies mates • Easier to find if it does fall over

8. Large Assembly Management • Base Part

9. Large Assembly Management • Base Part

10. Large Assembly Management Folder Structure • Flat as possible • Reduce mates • Reduce depth • Model naming convention • Assembly or part • What area of the bus • Only an indication of which assemblies its used in • Common or differential part • E.g. 129004 rear chassis assembly, 128042 seat riser assembly, 129488 part

11. Large Assembly Management • Actual Build

12. Large Assembly Management • CAD Model

13. Large Assembly Management General • Don’t model in context! • Fully constrain sketches • 1 drawing per model • Display ‘shaded’ not ‘shaded with edges’ • Use supplier models or model over them

14. Large Assembly Management General • Remove all unnecessary info • Macros to speed up tedious processes e.g. re-use drawing, custom properties, pdf/dxf • Could use Speed Pak if using SW2009+ • Avoid complexity

15. Large Assembly Management General • Options • Large Assembly mode

16. Large Assembly Management General • Options • Large Assembly mode • External References

17. Full Bus Model

18. Questions?