I would like comments/critique on the approach taken for thisconfigurator. This is the first time I attempt something like this.I based most of the ideas on what I've seen on these lists on thevarious topics.
The configurator is not complete. It doesn't really have any erroror bounds checking, therefore you can ask it to make rivets thatwill result in invalid geometry. If that happens, just ignore it,re-open the design table and change the parameters. Specifying arivet length that is very close to the recommended full head clinchallowance will break the model.
I don't want to dive much deeper into this until I get a good sensethat this is the way to go (and receive some good constructivecriticism). Feel free to use/modify this for your own applications,of course.
I can see that some VBA code within the Excel workbook could dowonders. I am particularly concerned about how to handle thevarious options with regards to showing the rivet in the clinchedstate. The tables built into the current version simply use therecommended clinch allowance for a full clinch head. This rarelygives you the work thickness you might be looking for. My thoughtis to, perhaps, add the ability to override the default clinchallowance and specify the thickness of the material to be joined.This would give you a rivet that fits "right".
The way I would use this is to create the desired rivetconfiguration; use "Save As..." to save it to its own file; openthat file; delete the configuration table and then use it in anassembly. You don't really want to carry a config table on everyrivet you insert into an assembly!
I included the Excel file saved outside of the SW document to makeit easier to examine. Both the internal and external Exceldocuments have two custom views saved to make it easier to view thewhole thing or just the "form" area. In Excel, go to the View menu,select "Custom Views...", then select one of the two views andclick "Show".
Thanks,
-Martin
SolidworksConfigurations design Tables
The configurator is not complete. It doesn't really have any erroror bounds checking, therefore you can ask it to make rivets thatwill result in invalid geometry. If that happens, just ignore it,re-open the design table and change the parameters. Specifying arivet length that is very close to the recommended full head clinchallowance will break the model.
I don't want to dive much deeper into this until I get a good sensethat this is the way to go (and receive some good constructivecriticism). Feel free to use/modify this for your own applications,of course.
I can see that some VBA code within the Excel workbook could dowonders. I am particularly concerned about how to handle thevarious options with regards to showing the rivet in the clinchedstate. The tables built into the current version simply use therecommended clinch allowance for a full clinch head. This rarelygives you the work thickness you might be looking for. My thoughtis to, perhaps, add the ability to override the default clinchallowance and specify the thickness of the material to be joined.This would give you a rivet that fits "right".
The way I would use this is to create the desired rivetconfiguration; use "Save As..." to save it to its own file; openthat file; delete the configuration table and then use it in anassembly. You don't really want to carry a config table on everyrivet you insert into an assembly!
I included the Excel file saved outside of the SW document to makeit easier to examine. Both the internal and external Exceldocuments have two custom views saved to make it easier to view thewhole thing or just the "form" area. In Excel, go to the View menu,select "Custom Views...", then select one of the two views andclick "Show".
Thanks,
-Martin
SolidworksConfigurations design Tables
