Hi all,

I'm having a iterative type design, one that requires experimentation with various part geometries and evaluating the result until it is satisfactory.

I want to be able to control the whole project from a single Design Table. That means that each part must have some kind of external references to the main assembly so it can update when I update Design Table. This causes extensive rebuild times. I am looking for a method which would provide fastest rebuild time. It would be ideal if parts would check external references only when doing some kind of Super Rebuild, but not check them when, for example, I'm closing some sketch of some part.

Oh, and one more thing. Parts and sub-assemblies in this assembly must be movable, so I have to use mates instead of fixed parts.

I've tried the following:

1. Creating Master Design Table at the main assembly, and creating additional Design Tables for each part which refer to the Master Design Table. It would be perfect solution, only that I don't know how to make those Design Tables to update on rebuild without opening and closing each part manually.

2. Creating Global Variables in main assembly, driven by the same Master Design Table. Parts then refer to these Global Variables via equations. This works, but produces lots of update holders, and slows down rebuild, making it very hard to work.

3.Creating Layout Sketch in the main assembly, driven by Master Design Table. Parts refer to dimensions of this Layout Sketch via Equations, similarly as with Global Variables. I am not sure if this is any faster - still feels slow.

4. Creating Layout Sketch in the main assembly, driven by Master Design Table. Parts then refer to line lengths of this Layout Sketch via Relations instead of Equations. This, however, is not very good because parts are supposed to be moving. In certain conditions, they mess up.

All but the first method produces Update Holders. As I've said, I don't need each part to check against Design Table (or whatever it drives) in the main assembly each time I close down some sketch or edit a feature or whatever. Only when required.

Another good method would be for the Assembly Master Design Table to drive dimensions of each part. However, I haven't found a way to do that.

Can anyone advice me on my attempts? How can I produce a design flow which allows me to control various dimensions from Design Table, and parts update on it only when required, so that rebuild time is faster?

I would very much appreciate any kind of input. Thanks in advance