BOM: item numbers

Does anyone know if in SolidWorks it is possible to configure the Bill
of Materials to have more position numbers pointing to the same item
number?

For example:
No. QTY. Item No. Description
010 2 1-0012456 Washer 10/20 x 0,4
015 1 1-0012456 Washer 10/20 x 0,4
040 5 1-0012456 Washer 10/20 x 0,4

This is a request from the service department, they want to know which
bolts belong to which part in the BOM.

To my knowledge SoldiWorks does not support this type of BOM behaviour.
And I know why: because the user would have to indicate SolidWorks
which bolts belong to which part, and that would mean a lot of stupid
work.

Thanks, Michiel

 

Are they not able to look at the balloons in the drawing views?

WT

 

Hmmm. Their request is not necessarily ignorant nor unreasonable to ask,
but I don't know of an easy way to accomplish it.

WT

 

Anything you do for this will be an awkward workaround, but there are
things that could work.

- Make an Item Number column different from the standard column, and
hide the standard column. Drive this with a custom property. You could
put any info you want in this column, including duplicate numbers.

- Make the fastener stacks into subassemblies. I've never seen this
work well, but it might solve one problem for you (and cause two
others).

- Make semi manual BOMS where the initial data is automated, and then
you hack, chop and mangle to get it in whatever format you want. Edits
become a real hassle, but your service guys might be quiet for a while.

I would come up with a few ideas and take them to a management level
where they can make rational decisions, if that's available to you.
Present them with what Service wants, and what it will cost in terms of
additional work / productivity hit in units of time, and see if they
think it's worth it. I think any rational manager in charge of getting
product out will shoot this down in no time.

Stacked balloons (and a drawing reading class for the guys in Service)
strike me as a more workable solution.

Good luck,

Matt

 

Sounds like something an MRP does.

 

Sorry, but what is an MRP?

 

Something Like Manufacturing Routing and Planning I don't know what the
official break down of the acronym is. It is a database that has all
that information entered into it. Anyway ours here is the bible on the
BOM information of a part. There are no drawings directly tied to the
BOM. If you type in a sub-assembly name it brings a list of each part
and quantity used at that level, with no drawings. but if it isn't
integrated with your cad system it can be a task in itself to keep it
uptodate. You can also check where a part is used. Among many other
things depending on your company needs. Ours does all the planning for
the shop from forcasts and it handles alot of the financial tracking
end of things. Overhead cost, variable cost, labor cost actual cost,
etc.