Layers & blocks...

I was given the task of creating a floor plan of our 3 plants in Solidworks.
Now, I would usually go back and use Acad for this type of work, and hadn't
done one in SWx before, but as the higher authorities I guess want to play
with equipment locations and the such they want it in Swx and since we only
have one seat of Acad, and a bunch of SWx licenses...

Anyway, it's not to bad to do it, working just with the sketching tools on a
2-D drawing. However, I do have a question about layers, as I don't
generally use them with SWx.

1st: In Acad you can lock/Freeze layers - This does not seem to be an
option in SWx unless I'm missing it? I don't want anyone screwing around
with the "Structure" layer (building, walls, etc) while they play with the
equipment which is on a seperate layer.

2nd: All the equipment are saved as individual blocks. The block folder
appears in the tree as you would expect, but I will have over a hundred
blocks by the time I'm done. It would be nice if I could create sub-folders
so I can organize the equipment blocks into catagories, but it seems you
can't make folders, then move blocks to the sub folders. At the very least
it seems you can't drag and reorganize the blocks up or down to group them
together either which would be a nice alternate. They simply exist in the
order they were created/brought in. Does anyone know if I'm issing
something or if this can be done? It'd be nice to have the multitude of
different Star's, Mori's, Omni's, Haas's, as well as convention machining,
etc grouped together in different folders...

Thanks in advance for any ideas...

IYM

 

If you have a bunch of SW licenses, then you have a bunch of
DWGeditors available.

There isn't a lock/freeze layer. You can constrain blocks w/ "fix"
to keep them from moving.

 

Why not make a simple assembly model.It sounds like your more concerned
with footprint layout than anything overhead. Make a part with a short
extrusion for each of your machines and one for the floor/wall layout
and use the standard SW tools for mating. Then you can group each of the
machines like you want to.

 

Thanks for the reply...I agree about the Dwgeditor as this is what we had
done in the past, and I voiced my opinion, but this is what it is...

It's the blocks that need to move. They are positioned normally right now
with constraints and dimensions and this can be played with. The
walls/stucture layer is fully constrained and I'm really not worried about
it moving as a "whoops", but I didn't want anyone playing around creating
offices for themselves in the middle of the shop or moving walls, etc..
Like I said, was just wondering if a freeze/lock was around and I was
missing it...

Thanks for the help!

IYM

 

Yes, your right in that I'm concerned with a footprint layout. Overhead is
not an issue. I have a feeling that this is eventually is going to equate
to something like having to do a layout of my living room and have my wife
standing over my shoulder telling me to try the couch over there...no over
here...etc.

Anyway, good idea, but wasn't too keen on having a lot of part files and
such considering I'm already deep into the current method....

I may give that idea a shot though on our smaller plant to see how it works.
If it works out better, I could always save the blocks out into sketches
from this larger plant and extrude them...Thanks for the suggestion.

IYM