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how do you 'make it up as you go' on SW?

I'm getting to grips with driving SW, and can take my 2D drawings and create a 3D model from them pretty successfully.

However, a thought has crossed mind in doing so.

When I am drawing up a mechanical part in 2D, say for example, a machined housing to house a PCB, I would usually start with an outline of the PCB sketched out and draw the housing around it. Often I will draw all the connector holes that need to mate with the PCB, then I know the extents I need to make the housing enclose, then draw it.

In SW, I've been reversing this (cos I can copy the already drawn 2D drawing) by drawing the housing and adding all the holes etc.

What would be the sensible way to do what I need in SW?

thanks

Reply to
me
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Make a layout sketch in the housing part to show you the location of the holes that will determine the size of the housing. Then build the rest of your housing around the layout sketch. Later, you'll be able to re-use the housing by repositioning the layout sketch. Everything will move to fit.

Reply to
Dale Dunn

Also keep in mind that if the PCB is already done as a DWG, you can import that and use it as the sketch. Same idea, though.

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

OR, go ahead and create the PWB as a 3D solid and do your housing design in "top-down" mode (in an Assembly together with the PWB). This has the (small) advantage of being able to see clearly how the parts interface, and even to do interference checks.

'Sporky'

Reply to
Sporkman

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