machine design
product development
added resource and expertise
SolidWorks Large Assembly
Techniques
Using SolidWorks to Design
Buses for Designline
Taking the Stress out of Engineering Your Vision!
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
About Me – Karl Celeste
• Design Engineer for Motovated 1.5 years
• Worked on Designline projects both offsite and in-house
• SolidWorks advocate
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Designline
• Rolleston Company
• International Office in
Charlotte NC
• Moved to 3D CAD
~2006
• Sell their buses
worldwide
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
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
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
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
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Client Needs
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Flexibility
Common & differential parts
SW2007 Multi-user environment without PDM
Clear & easy to understand model structure
Drawings mainly for BOM & general location
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
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
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
• Base Part
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
• Base Part
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
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
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
• Actual Build
Full Bus
Interior
Full Frame & Chassis
Roof
Body Stage 1
Side Frames
Chassis
Floor
A lot More!!!
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
• CAD Model
Full Bus
Chassis
Side Frames
Roof
Interior
Floor
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
General
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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
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
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
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
General
• Options
– Large Assembly mode
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Large Assembly Management
General
• Options
– Large Assembly mode
– External References
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Full Bus Model
Canterbury SolidWorks User Group
CANSWUG
Questions?