To multi body or not?

Hi all,
Is there a point at which seperate part files are beneficial compared
to single multi-body part file. I'm working on a project and I've
built a weldment multi body part (cut list has 521 parts in it).
Should I work on the premise that if it isn't welded together then
it's a seperate part.
Comments/feedback on your experiences are much appreciated.
Regards,
David K

 

Some of the problems I see with SolidWorks Weldment Multi-Bodies are
no BOM and lack or real constraints. Also Cut Lists don't support sub-
assemblies so you have to have separate cut lists for your sub-
assemblies. While that doesn't really help you it does show that
SolidWorks still needs to work on Weldment Multi-Body support. I think
you're asking for trouble with a single part file that large but
that's just my opinion.

Perhaps others will comment and ignore Usenet stalker and non-
SolidWorks user Cliffy Huprich.

 

We do some weldment parts over here, but really never that big. What I
do though, is to leave out everything which need to be laser cut, so I
can make a separate dxf from it. I never put in anything which is not
welded together with the other parts, then I prefer an assembly with
the weldment part as a base. In SW2008 You can now rmb a weldment in
the bom and dissolve the cutlist inside the bom to get the material
out.

// Krister