Aluminum profiles and family table

Do you plan to use the AFX extension for these designs using the extrusions? That may affect how to deal with this issue. There are some BOM management functions within AFX

Why do you need a model for each increment from min to max values? I would consider creating a model for each extrusion profile of an arbitrary length and use this as a start part for any part suing that profile. If you were to define a numbering scheme that included the profile and length you could then add the unique parts to the vault as they are created for designs. Eventually you would end up with all lengths built.

The part names could look something like this:

extrusion_profile_A_length_50mm

If you do not need a unique part # for each incremental length, you could just create a library of profiles. This library of profiles would be used to make any length part as required.

Hello @GiFra_Label 

I see 2 possible approaches.

The easiest one would be to have only one CAD Document (the extrude 50 mm). And then place it in assemblies using the notion of Flexibility (if you're not familiar on this technique, you'll find guidace in article 28948 and help Center here).

If we were only speaking about Creo Parametric I would stop here. But as you mentioned Windchill, the real question you have to answer is as follows: Do I accept to have a unique WTPart reference for my models in my BOMs?

1. If answer is yes, you can definitely go with Flexibility as this is for sure the easiest way to reach what you're expecting, and the lowest in term of effort for the configuration and the maintenance process (Visualization tab of WTPart/CAD Document structures is able to handle flexibilities in latest Windchill versions => See article 111791)
2. if answer is no ... meaning you want ONE WTPart for each CAD Document at a given length ... No other choice then to use Family tables (or standalone objects)

=> If you go this way, I would suggest Nested Family Tables (first level: the meters, second level: the decimeters (per meter), thrid level: centimers (per decimeter / per meter) to easier the selection of the wished component upon assembly action.

- If you're not familiar on the notion of "nested family tables", just consider that they are faùily table where instances (first level, the meters 0,1,2,3,4,5,6) are generic of other instances (second level where you'll drive the centimeters). In other words: Family Tables of Family Tables

- If you go this way, guidance in articles 220794 & 228089 will help to think about a good autoassociation technique to WTParts in Windchill

Hope this helps as starting point to think about the best methodolgy you will want to use later on.

Regards,

Serge

I get where you want to have all variations in length available for your design team to pull from, but do you really use all 6000 incremental lengths in practicality? Maybe start with existing designs and see which lengths have been used in the past and put those in your family table. Then add a range of sizes, maybe 5 + and 5 - sizes, around each of those sizes to allow for variation in sizes in the designs.

If your goal is to control the shape of the extrusion, you could create a model of the stock length extrusion and use it as an inheritance for the part model.  The length could then be cut to the needed size.  You could also vary the length dimension in the inheritance, but that is modifying the inheritance and other dimensions could also be changed.

We use the sketcher palette for profiles. So when we create a new part, we create the first feature and select the appropriate structural shape and extrude to the length needed.