We are having a lot of issues with weldments and the cut list. As a practice and I think this is correct, we have the cut list in drawings set up to reflect the as-welded configuration. In the as-welded we have the show the materials for each item as these are complex weldments that have as many as 100 items shown in the cut list and all of them will not have the same material callouts (i.e. plate welded to pipe). Because we have most of our tools reviewed and validated by ABS we must have the materials for each item shown accurately in the cut list. This seems to work OK until the drawing/part is released in PDM. What we are seeing is that if someone opens the drawing from PDM to print it for manufacturing the cut list will not be accurate unless you also open the part and place it in the as-welded configuration. What happens is that the cut list will reflect the current state of the model. For example, if the as-machined configuration of the part is open, either on its own or in an open assembly, or, just guessing here, the last saved or opened state was not in the as-welded, then we will see additional items appear in the cut list and the material call outs will not necessarily be correct. There may be 8 identical parts in the weldment that end up slightly different in the part because of machining. However, when it is being welded together all of the parts are the same. This is how we set it up for welding and as long as the welded configuration is actually open at the same time it is OK. However, if the machined configuration is open, these 8 example items now may become several independent cut list items.
This is causing us a lot of problems since we have offices and manufacturing facilities in many different countries. If someone in Singapore, for example, opens a drawing of an existing part and does not actually open the part and make sure it is open in the as-welded configuration, then the cut list, when it gets to the manufacturer, is not accurate. We have not been able to get any help or any resolution whatsoever from our local rep. other than the standard reply “…fixed in 2012”. We are using SW2010 X64 version.
SolidworksWeldments