SW 2004 BOM Template Creation without PART NUMBER

I am test driving 2004 SP.0.

I'm trying to make a BOM Template for our drawings without the Solidworks Part Number as the last column. The previous releases allowed us to hide this column in the Template, and it would remain hidden when a BOM inserted onto the drawing. This does not appear to be the case in this release, unless I failed to find a way.

If anyone has a solution, let me know please.

Oh, we use our own custom properties for Part Numbers. Don't get into the reasons why - we just do.

snipped-for-privacy@afc-holcroft.com

Reply to
Ron Waligora
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SolidWorks has told me that it is a current limitation and that I should enter an enhancement. I can not believe that they would go to all the trouble of creating another BOM program that does not allow us to customize it to or company needs.

Reply to
SWuser

read all the documents on solidworks bom. i think everything you need is there. you can remove and add columns

Reply to
Sean Phillips

ouYes and no. Yes. You can remove a column but it won't stick in the BOM template. No. Every time you insert a BOM into a drawing you have to delete the partnumber column because it comes back. Another really nice feature is if you rename QTY to be REQD and save it out to the template it switches back to QTY when you insert it back in. I can see not much time was put into developing this new BOM table.

Reply to
SWuser

Yes and no. Yes. You can remove a column but it won't stick in the BOM template. No. Every time you insert a BOM into a drawing you have to delete the partnumber column because it comes back. Another really nice feature is if you rename QTY to be REQD and save it out to the template it switches back to QTY when you insert it back in. I can see not much time was put into developing this new BOM table.

Reply to
SWuser

Hi Ron,

If you want a more flexible BOM, you are welcome to try our SolidWorks Add-on "ToolWorks BOM Export". It is much more flexible when you work with BOM's. From a BOSsetup.ini file you define which custom properties you want in your BOM. If you add a "@" as a prefix to your custom property name, ToolWorks BOM Export will use the non-configuration specific property. You can also use the add-on as a BOM-editor. From your assembly you can modify all your properties on every part in your assembly. To configure ToolWorks BOM Export please refer to the included help-file.

You can download a full 30-day trial from:

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Best regards Jess G. Frandsen SDH Development

Reply to
SDH Development

Hi Ron,

If you want a more flexible BOM, you are welcome to try our SolidWorks Add-on "ToolWorks BOM Export". It is much more flexible when you work with BOM's. From a BOMsetup.ini file you define which custom properties you want in your BOM. If you add a "@" as a prefix to your custom property name, ToolWorks BOM Export will use the non-configuration specific property. You can also use the add-on as a BOM-editor. From your assembly you can modify all your properties on every part in your assembly. To configure ToolWorks BOM Export please refer to the included help-file.

You can download a full 30-day trial from:

formatting link
Best regards Jess G. Frandsen SDH Development

Reply to
SDH Development

No Problemo!!

You cannot delete the column BUT you can change it to something else as follows: Select the Part Number column in the BOM table - this will then show you the edit column dialogue box in the Property Manager. Here you will see the Part Number selction button is active - just select the 'User Defined' button and then pick the appropriate custom property from the pull down list - you can then call it whatever you want in the title box.

Once you are happy with the BOM table layout save it as a template.

Merry :-)

Reply to
Merry Owen

Reply to
SWuser

I have no problems with my template - works just like I made it - no Part Number column.

Merry :-)

Reply to
Merry Owen

Interesting. Then I will have to assume that you have a bug. A good bug at that. I reported the Part Number reappearing in the BOM, when inserted into an assembly, and SolidWorks turned around and stated that it was a current limitation and that I should enter a enhancement.

What are the name of the column headings in your BOM. Maybe that will give me a clue why it is messing up on our end and not yours.

Thanks

Reply to
SWuser

Ah it finally sunk in. Like you said, you are renaming the Part Number to something else. That is the difference. Because of our namimng scheme we can not do that. We name our files with the drawing size and revision number in the save name. Don't ask. We use the custom prop that hacks of the drawing size and rev for our BOM Part Number.

Reply to
SWuser

Very good, but now try to change or get rid of the QTY column. Or better yet, make a drawing of a configuration. The BOM's QTY field will now read [configname]/QTY.

We use BOMs for individual components to show the material description, material part number, square inches, etc.. At the moment, we still have to use the Excel BOM.

What would also be nice is to use the BOM table for things other than BOMs. If it weren't for that darn QTY field we could do it. For example, I would like a configuration table to show properties from each configuration without the redundant work of setting up a config table. Not all configurations require changes to dimensions, especially in assemblies.

I have filled out enhancement requests.

Reply to
T Bennett

Do you also add mfg quantities to the part drawing for shop fabrication. If so, how do you get the correct quantity to display?

Tom Chasteen

Reply to
Tom Chasteen

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