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Family table in assembly

gannuagastya
6-Contributor

Family table in assembly

Hello, I have an assembly file which consists of a single part(frame rail) and not mated with any other part. I created a family table to generate instances of that assembly. Difference between each instance is just the cross-section parameters of the frame rail. But after I generated them and open each instance nothing seems to work. All the instances have same dimensions but their respective parameters tab has correct dimension.

The parameter values given through the family table doesn't seem to be able to control the part dimensions. Am I missing something here?

P.S. Same part file is being used in all instances.

5 REPLIES 5

Why did you do an assembly file? The family table changes you want are in the part file.

The reason you see no change is that each instance of the assembly are using the same part file.

 

The assembly file is basically a template that I created. So all the other parts of the truck I'm working on are in the same template. I want this frame rail also to be like them so that uniformity doesn't break. 

So you pointed out the problem. Is there a solution that you know by still using the assembly file?

 

Thanks

StephenW
23-Emerald II
(To:gannuagastya)

You make the part as a family table with the dimensional changes. You use those family table parts in your family table assembly.

The other method becomes more complex by using assembly parameters to drive the part feature changes. Not sure how it would work with multiple copies of the same part in the assembly because it is still a single part at the part file level.

 

Like Stephen said, you need to make your part file the family table for beam sizes, then when you do the assembly, you can use a family table to bring in various part instances.

 

dcokin
13-Aquamarine
(To:BenLoosli)

I know I'm a bit late here, and by now you've probably taken the advice to create another family table at the part level to modify the cross section parameters, and then use the family table at the assembly level to replace component by family member.  This is a fine way of doing it, but FYI, it also would have worked the way you initially envisioned if you'd known the trick about flexible models and associated parameters.

 

You'd start by setting up pre-defined flexibility in the part file, for the cross section parameters you want to vary.  (This is actually an optional step, you can make any part flexible at the assembly level, but it's good practice to advertise which parameters ought to be adjusted there at the part level.)  This is under File / Prepare / Model Properties / Flexible.  (In Creo 2, which I'm still using.)

 

After doing this, when you place this part in an assembly, you're prompted if you want to use the pre-defined flexibility.  If you'd already placed the part, you would right click on it in the model tree and select "make flexible".

 

A dialog pops up next, where you specify new values for the flexible parameters to use for this instance of the part in the assembly.  There is a hidden trick here you need to know about!  On the bottom, click the "set displayed columns" button, and add the "Assoc. Param" column.  No idea why that column isn't shown by default, or why you don't get associated parameters by default to begin with...  Here, you assign parameters which are visible at the assembly level, that can be used to adjust these flexible dimensions or parameters at the part level.  You can even use the exact same parameter names if you want; there won't be a conflict.

 

This is how you get multiple copies of the same part to look different when used in different places in the same assembly, without actually updating the original part at all.

 

Now, in the assembly level family table, you'll add item of type parameter, and "look in" component to find them.

 

The good thing about this approach is you don't have to deal with all the family table instances at the part level.  The bad thing about this approach is that since you don't have those family table instances saved at the part level, whenever you open the assembly the first thing that has to happen is a regeneration of the parts to get the right shape, which can increase the time needed to open a large assembly.  And if you have a specific combination of options that suppresses regeneration (for instance, with read-only components from Windchill), then they won't look right.

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