master model approaches

I'd like to collect some of your ideas on master model approaches.

Master models can be solids or surfaces, but not all the tools work for
both. Split and Save Bodies only work for solid bodies, not surfaces.
These functions push bodies from the parent. I'm aware of all the
discussion around the detriments of using the split feature to save out
bodies as parts.

There are also the Insert, Part and Insert into New part functions.
These basically pull bodies to the child, and work both for solids and
surfaces.

Please comment on techniques you use and why or why not. Again, stuff
that's been hashed here before on the subject doesn't need to be
addressed again. File management, advantages, disadvantages,
workarounds, impressions, whatever.

How do you get around the fact that you can't transfer sketches from one
part to another without using assemblies?

 

Did you look at the SWW2006 DVD. There was a good presentation there on
this technique.

 

I saw the ship builder presentation, if that's what you're talking about.

 

I've transferred sketches from one to another (parent/master, to child
created with insert-part) by extruding a surface from the sketch which
will transfer to the child. Then I convert the edges of that surface
in the child

I didn't see you mention configs + delete bodies as another technique -
this is good when the rebuild time is short becasue all dims transfer
to the drawing.

I tried to go through the plusses and minuses of five master model
approaches in part two of my SWx world presentations this January.
ed