Getting lengths out of BOM's

Just a thought - if the assy has only that pipe, you could add a column to your BOM template that totals the length of all the others. If it's not the only thing, I'm not sure just how to automatically determine which ones to sum.

WT

Unfortunately, there are many other parts besides the pipe.

Are you saying that you would like to simply override the QTY callout for any given part, or is it more involved than that?

Does it have to have enough intelligence to actually add up the lengths?

For example, you have some tubing and you want the QTY cell to say "as required" or do you need it to gather up all the pieces and total up the lengths?

Mike Wilson

I would like it to gather up the pieces (same part file with the length controlled by the design table) and determine the length. This number I would to show in the BOM. I guess if I had a separate column that gave the total length (if it exists) that would also work.

Go to the configuration tree and in the "properties" dialog "name for part in BOM" specify a different name for each part. Then in the custom-configuration specific area add a "property" for your length and link it to a dimension that specs the length. Then add that "property" to your exel bom. It should update correctly.

MikeEckstein

I tried this today and what I do in fact get lengths, but I dont get a combined length which is what I need. Right now I am seeing the same part listed the number of times it appears in the assy with its appropriate lengths. Now I just need to figure out how to get the BOM to combine to give me a grand total.

The usual recommended trick for doing this in the Excel BOMs is to create a new column next to your QTY column. For most of your items you just make the entries equal to the contents of the normal QTY column. For your items that you want the combined lengths on, I think you would need to add a new row as well and sum the lengths in that row into the new column. Then hide the original QTY column and the rows for the individual parts.

Since I hardly ever use the BOMs, I've probably missed something.

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

The only problem with this is that the item numbers will get a little jacked.

If you have part number "1" 3 times in the assy then the next part number "2"

3 times you would see in the BOM 123 ("1")456 ("2") Then by hiding the rows you would see 1,4.

See if you can use "Envelope Parts". They don't show up on the BOM. This might correct the QTY callouts. I believe 2004 has more options for this now (don't show child components in BOM).

Mike Wilson

Wait wait, that's not it... here we go...

"You can now exclude assembly components from a Bill of Materials. In the assembly document, right-click the component and select Properties, General. In the Component Properties dialog box, select Exclude from bill of materials."

Thanks for the suggestion, but I cant seem to get that function to work! My parts even say (Exlude...) right next to them! But they show up still in the BOM. I have even tried the SW BOM instead of my usual Excel bom. Although my question is still a mystery, at least now I have been able to play around with the SW BOM. Its pretty cool. Frankly, Im a bit surprised that I am the only one that has ever wanted to do this!