1. Home
  2. Solidworks CAD Design software
  3. attaching balloons to an assebmly with sub assemblies

attaching balloons to an assebmly with sub assemblies

Hi All,

just getting into the ballooing and BOM creating in drawings, and I'm running into an annoying problem. I have an exploded view of an assembly with sub assemblies, and what I really want in one set of balloons which point to all the parts and give them an individual number (other than multiple instances of course). Instead, my balloons seem to reference the top assembly only, leaving me with only a couple of balloons which reference the sub assemblies as though they were individual parts.

Is there a way to get the balloons for each part?

Many thanks,

Lee

Reply to
Lee Bazalgette
Loading thread data ...

If you are using the Excel based BOM, then do a RMB on the BOM & select properties. On the configuration tab, select "Show parts only." This will blow out all the parts, including the sub parts.

If you are using the new one in 2004, the process is the same - go to properties and change the setting there.

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. The only trouble is that while I can get the BOM to show all the parts, I only get Automatic Balloons for the top level assembly components. What I really want is balloons for all the different parts in the BOM. Am I still missing something?

Thanks again!

Lee

Reply to
Lee Bazalgette

I'm not sure what else to suggest as it appears to work for me. What SW version are you using? Which BOM type? The only other thought is for you to send me a copy of the drawing & model and I will load it & try that one specifically. Then I can try exactly the same procedure you are. Or, can you describe a step by step process for me to try here? Be specific, like click here, wait for this, look at how it does this.....

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

maybe the subs have "don't show child components in bom when used as a sub-assembly" checked under config properties

Reply to
kenneth b

Hi,

I tried creating a new drawing, and now the BOM and the balloons match and update perfectly. In the first drawing, I didn't tick the 'show parts' bit in the BOM creation box the first time round, and I also did the auto balloons first. This seemed to mean that every set of Auto Balloons only showed the top level components, even though I could get the BOM to show all parts, assemblies and everything else.

maybe a bug, or probably me just not knowing what I'm doing.....

Thanks for your help anyway!

Lee

Reply to
Lee Bazalgette

Based on a test I just did, it would appear that any existing balloons update just fine when switching between showing all parts vs. showing assy's. However, when the setting is changed, and there are existing balloons, the number of balloons doesn't change. That is to say that new ones aren't added and duplicates aren't deleted. Makes sense when you think about it.

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

Yeah, I understand that. I guess the thing was I started on the wrong foot and tried deleting all of teh balloons so that I could start again - but this wasn't working and I was stuck with teh same number of balloons. I even tried a new sheet, but the balloons were the same. New drawing all together solved it though!

Reply to
Lee Bazalgette

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.