File properties and Sheet metal

we always create assy for sheetmetal whether pems are used or not. why, if at a later time pems are needed you won't loose any in-context features when forming a new assembly.

create drawing for assy only. in part, change "configuration properties" (part number displayed when used in a bill of materials) to SHEET STOCK

Then in part, file, properties, description we add the following to get both thickness and material dynamically "Thickness@ snipped-for-privacy@xxx-xxxx.SLDPRT" THK, " snipped-for-privacy@xxx-xxxx.SLDPRT"

insert BOM into drawing, you will get something like this P/N DESCRIPTION SHEET STOCK .048 THK, 304 SS

I don't create every sheetmetal part as an assembly, but I do use the other tip Kenneth mentioned. It's easy enough to have notes reference custom properties from the part instead of the assembly. Also, instead of using the Thickness@ snipped-for-privacy@xxx-xxxx.SLDPRT, which requires you to either pick the custom property manually, or to type the name of the sldprt file manually, you can just have all the custom properties of a given page reference the part/assy in a given view. That means that if you have views of the part on a sheet, you can just change (or keep) your sheet setup such that all properties are driven by the part in that particular view. By default it's the first view on a sheet, but that's easily modified. One last thing idea is to create matching custom properties in the assembly that are linked via equations to the part properties. That would require no change to the drawing template/notes. This assumes you can do string_prop2 = string_prop1 in SW. Happy SW'ing.