Team,

I've been using SW for about 8 years, but my needs have been modest and I haven't really explored the capabilities of the software. Whenever I find myself involved in repetative and boring mouse clicks I begin wondering if there is an easier way than the method I am using. One such example is duplicating assemblies. Say for example I'm designing a steel frame to cretae a mezzanine floor in a factory, which consists of legs, edge beams, internal cross members, gussets, all the usual stuff. If I have a perfectly good one I've done previously, and I want to make a new version of it with different sizes, I have used "save as" for the assembly and all of its parts to a new folder, modified the parts in the new folder, then used "replace components" to swap out the copies of the original design for the modified ones, hoping to keep mates intact whereever possible.

Is there a way to make a copy of every part and assembly with new names, eg add a suffix to the existing name for all parts, and so I can then just open the master assmebly and modify the parts as needed directly?

One point to remember is that I may well do two or more mezzanines in one factory layout, so I can't just have two parts with the same name.

I'm suspecting the real answer will involve the use of configurations, which I've never been great at managing.

Any thoughts?

Simon 

Message was edited by: Simon Kelly