& Construction

Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing

Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Transcript
00:00
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11
Hello, and welcome to this accelerated presentation
00:15
where I will discuss how to design and manage
00:18
the bill of materials with ease in AutoCAD Mechanical.
00:22
This is a safe harbor statement.
00:24
And it is just a reminder that the Autodesk software changes
00:28
regularly to improve the software
00:30
and make it a better experience for you.
00:33
If I happen to make any forward-looking statements
00:36
in this presentation, please do not make any buying decisions
00:39
based on it.
00:41
RENU MUTHOO: So let me introduce myself.
00:43
I am Renu Muthoo, and I'm a learning content developer
00:47
with ASCENT.
00:48
I have over 23 years of experience in various Autodesk
00:52
products such as AutoCAD and AutoCAD
00:55
verticals, which includes AutoCAD Mechanical.
00:58
I'm also experienced in Autodesk visualization software products
01:02
and that include Autodesk 3ds Max and VRED Professional.
01:07
I create the courseware and training materials
01:10
for the Autodesk products and I also
01:12
provide support for these products.
01:15
In addition, I have also co-authored few books
01:19
on both AutoCAD and 3ds Max.
01:23
The purpose of this accelerator is
01:25
to teach you about the features and tools within AutoCAD
01:29
Mechanical that support assembly design
01:32
and the management of bills of materials.
01:35
So let's start with the learning objectives.
01:38
I'll start by giving you an overview of bills of materials
01:42
and how to populate them.
01:44
Then, I will show you how to create and edit
01:47
part references.
01:48
I will further show you how to create and edit
01:51
bills of materials.
01:53
The short form for bills of materials is BOM.
01:56
And I'll be using BOM instead of bills of materials.
02:01
The next objective is where I will
02:03
be discussing how to add balloons
02:05
to parts in an assembly and add a parts list relating
02:10
to those balloons.
02:12
Finally, I will also provide you with a brief understanding
02:15
of how to access Autodesk Vault from AutoCAD Mechanical
02:20
in order to check the files in and out.
02:24
So let's get started with today's presentation.
02:28
When you create an assembly, you typically
02:30
need to list the parts in the subassemblies, their quantities
02:34
and their specific properties, and also identify those parts
02:38
in the drawing.
02:40
All this information is displayed
02:42
on the drawing sheet in the form of parts list and balloons.
02:47
The information that is required for creating the balloons
02:50
and parts list comes from a bill of materials
02:54
or what is commonly referred to as the BOM
02:57
and is stored in the assembly file.
03:00
As the parts list and balloons are created from the BOM,
03:04
the BOM must exist before you can use those features.
03:09
If you begin to create the balloons or parts lists
03:12
before you create a BOM, then the AutoCAD Mechanical software
03:17
automatically creates the BOM for you.
03:21
If you intend to have multiple BOMs in a drawing,
03:26
it is easier to create the BOM first rather than
03:29
create BOM on the fly.
03:32
Along with the balloons and the parts list,
03:34
the BOM often contains more information
03:37
than what you want to display on the drawing
03:40
sheet in the form of parts list and balloons.
03:43
Therefore, it becomes a central location
03:46
for entering and editing data and then can also
03:50
be exported for use in other software applications.
03:54
There are three methods for populating data in the BOM.
03:58
One method is to enter all of the data
04:01
for the entire assembly manually.
04:04
The second method is to enter the data associated
04:07
with a part or subassembly in two part references.
04:11
The third method involves entering values
04:14
into a component, properties for mechanically structured parts
04:17
and subassemblies.
04:19
The second and third methods of populating BOM data
04:23
are similar.
04:24
In each of these methods, you enter
04:26
the properties for each unique part or subassembly and the BOM
04:30
is automatically populated with that information.
04:33
By entering the data in the part referenced or structured
04:36
component properties, you can enter the data once and reuse
04:41
it in multiple assemblies.
04:43
For all of the assemblies where the part or assembly is used,
04:47
the BOM is automatically populated
04:49
with that information.
04:51
The quantity value in the BOM is then
04:54
based on the number of instances of a part
04:57
or a subassembly in the overall assembly.
05:01
So let's talk about part references first.
05:04
A part reference is a special attribute block
05:08
that stores information that you have
05:10
added about the part and displays information in the BOM
05:15
database.
05:16
Once created, a part reference displays as a node object.
05:21
If you double-click on the object,
05:23
you can edit part reference information.
05:25
Standard parts, such as bolts, already
05:28
have attached part reference nodes
05:31
while other custom objects require
05:33
you to create part references if you want the objects to be
05:36
referenced in the BOM.
05:38
You can attach part reference nodes
05:41
to any type of object, such as lines, circles, and blocks.
05:46
When you move the object to which the part reference is
05:49
attached, the part reference remains attached
05:52
and automatically moves with the geometry.
05:56
When you copy or delete a part reference,
05:58
the quantity in the BOM for the part reference
06:01
adjusts automatically, for part references
06:05
identifying that the same part is used
06:08
multiple times in a design.
06:10
If the data in any of the part references changes,
06:14
those changes are reflected in all instances of the part
06:18
reference for that part.
06:20
In the image on the screen, you can
06:22
see three part references, one for the bolt, knot, and washer.
06:28
There is a part reference dialog box on the screen,
06:31
displaying the part reference information for the bolt.
06:36
So as mentioned earlier, adding part references to the drawing
06:40
are used in populating the data in the BOM
06:43
and to identify the parts in an assembly with balloon callouts.
06:48
When you're using the part reference command
06:51
to add a part reference, you have four creation options,
06:54
which are point, block, copy, and reference.
06:58
Selecting a point on an object creates a part reference that
07:02
is associated to that object.
07:05
A part reference that is created by selecting
07:08
a point in an open area of the drawing
07:11
creates an unassociated part reference.
07:15
Use the block option to create and attach a part reference
07:18
to an inserted block.
07:20
Additional instances of the block in the same file
07:24
automatically contain the part reference.
07:27
Exploding an instance of the block
07:29
deletes the part reference for that instance.
07:33
The part reference created using this option
07:36
is not included with the block definition
07:39
if the block is written out to its own drawing file.
07:43
Using the Copy option creates a copy of a part reference
07:46
node and its data.
07:48
The new part reference becomes a new item in the BOM.
07:53
The reference option is used to create an additional instance
07:56
of the selected part reference.
07:58
This additional instance increments the quantity value
08:02
for the part reference.
08:03
It does not add a new item row to the BOM.
08:07
Once you select to place the part reference,
08:10
the part reference dialog box displays
08:12
where you can add information about parts,
08:15
such as values for the component properties
08:18
and the incremental value that is used to calculate
08:21
the total quantity.
08:23
There are other options that are used
08:25
to prevent the information from displaying in the parts list
08:28
and attach or detach the BOM data from an external file.
08:33
The list of component properties for which you can enter data
08:37
is based on the settings in the active standard
08:40
for the standards element component properties.
08:45
You can change from reference information at any time
08:48
after a part reference has been placed.
08:51
You can change values or modify the object to which the part
08:55
reference is connected to and control
08:57
whether the part reference is excluded from the parts list.
09:01
To edit apart reference, you can toggle the part reference
09:05
visibility on or off using the part reference
09:09
layer on off tool.
09:10
Once the part references are displayed,
09:13
double click on the part reference
09:15
node or enter the AMPARTREFEDIT command.
09:20
This opens the part reference dialog box,
09:23
where you can click in the value cell for the component property
09:27
to enter a new value or select a new value from a list
09:31
if the component property has a predefined list of values.
09:35
When you have finished editing the part references,
09:38
you can toggle off the visibility
09:40
of the part reference node.
09:42
Now let's talk about creating and editing BOMs.
09:46
The BOM is the central axis location
09:49
for all part and subassembly component
09:51
information in the assembly.
09:53
It is a database stored within an assembly file that
09:57
stores, organizes, and makes available the attribute
10:01
values of all of the parts and subassemblies
10:04
that are inserted into the assembly design.
10:08
More than one BOM can be defined in a drawing.
10:11
You can view and edit the BOM information
10:14
in the BOM dialog box, which can be displayed
10:17
using the BOM to locate it in the Annotate tab BOM
10:20
panel in the ribbon or by using the AMBOM command.
10:25
The BOM dialog box displays the part and subassembly
10:29
information in a row and column table
10:32
similar to a spreadsheet's row and column format.
10:36
After you have created the BOM, you
10:38
can export the values for use in other software applications.
10:42
You can also insert parts list into a drawing
10:45
to display some of the BOM data and insert
10:48
balloons pointing to the parts.
10:52
You can manually add rows to the BOM
10:54
and then can add values in each row
10:58
or you can add part references to a drawing
11:01
to enter data in the BOM.
11:03
When using part references, the data in the BOM for an item
11:07
stays up to date with the data entered for the part reference.
11:11
The part reference also stays up to date with any changes made
11:16
in the BOM.
11:17
Therefore, if you change the values in the BOM,
11:20
when you edit the attribute values for the part definition,
11:23
the current value reflects that change.
11:26
A change in the attribute values at the part level
11:29
is automatically reflected in the BOM
11:32
the next time it is opened.
11:34
You can add or delete parts and edit BOM information
11:38
in the BOM dialog box.
11:40
When more than one BOM is available in a drawing file,
11:43
you can select which BOMs information
11:46
you want to view and edit.
11:48
A green checkmark indicates that the selected BOM
11:51
is the current BOM and displays its contents
11:55
within the BOM panel.
11:57
Along the top of the BOM dialog box
11:59
is a toolbar that contains tools that
12:02
enable you to print or delete the current BOM information
12:06
or export it to another file format.
12:09
You can also add or remove columns or rows of information,
12:14
change the order in which the information is displayed,
12:17
and insert parts list or balloons into the drawing.
12:23
Let's talk about a couple of frequently
12:25
used tools in the BOM toolbar.
12:27
Now first, let's discuss the sort tool.
12:31
The order in which the data is initially displayed in the BOM
12:35
is not always the way that you want
12:37
to display it in parts list or the drawing
12:40
or in the excluded files.
12:43
So you can change the order in which the items are displayed
12:46
by clicking and dragging the rows to new locations
12:50
or sorting multiple rows based on specific criteria,
12:54
using the sort tool in the tool bar located in the BOM dialog
12:58
box to sort the order in which BOM data is displayed.
13:02
The sort tool opens the sort dialog box,
13:05
where you can sort the rows of BOM data
13:09
based on the values in the selected columns.
13:12
You can select up to three key columns
13:15
to use for sorting the data.
13:17
For each key, you can set the values
13:19
to sort in ascending or descending order.
13:22
Then, there is renumbering.
13:24
If you reorder or sort the rows of data,
13:27
the item numbers are no longer shown in sequential order.
13:31
This can make it difficult to find
13:33
an item when you're looking up a part based on its item number.
13:38
If you want the item numbers to match
13:40
the current order of the BOM rows,
13:42
you can select the set values option.
13:45
You can also use this option to change multiple fields of BOM
13:49
data to have the same value.
13:53
Now let's take a look at an end product
13:56
demo that demonstrates how to create a part reference
13:59
and a bill of materials.
14:01
The purpose of this demonstration
14:03
is to illustrate how the AutoCAD Mechanical toolset automates
14:08
key tasks associated with BOM management and part references
14:13
to complete your production-ready drawings.
14:17
Hover your cursor over the part reference for the bracket.
14:21
Note the name as SPROCKET BRACKET-BASE and note
14:26
no material has been assigned to it.
14:29
In the Annotate tab BOM panel, click BOM, press Enter.
14:34
To open the BOM dialog box, click the plus sign
14:38
in front of 1 and similarly, click
14:41
the plus sign in front of 8 to list
14:44
the subassembly components.
14:46
Scroll down in the list and locate SPROCKET BRACKET-BASE.
14:51
Click in the Material cell and note it is empty.
14:55
Enter Steel.
14:56
Click OK.
14:58
In the drawing, double click on the part reference
15:01
for the bracket.
15:02
In the part reference dialog box,
15:05
note the material as Steel.
15:07
Modify the material to Mild Steel.
15:11
Click OK.
15:12
Open the BOM dialog box and note that the material for SPROCKET
15:18
BRACKET-BASE is Mild Steel.
15:20
In the BOM dialog box, select the top left corner cell
15:25
to highlight the entire BOM.
15:27
In the toolbar, click on the Sort icon.
15:31
In the sort dialog box or Key 1, select Description
15:36
and click OK.
15:38
Note that the list is alphabetically
15:41
sorted for description.
15:42
Click the Item column header to select all the item numbers.
15:48
Click the set values tool in the toolbar.
15:52
In the Set Value dialog box, click
15:55
OK to accept the default values.
15:58
Note that the item values become sequential making it easier
16:02
to look up the part based on its item number.
16:08
Now let's move on to parts list and balloons.
16:11
When you create an assembly, you typically
16:13
need to list the parts and subassemblies,
16:17
their quantities, and their specific properties
16:19
in the table or chart format.
16:22
The table you place on the drawing that
16:25
displays this information is referred to as a parts list.
16:29
To identify the different items in the drawing views,
16:32
you can add balloons with item numbers that match the item
16:36
numbers in the parts list.
16:38
So in other words, to complete your design
16:41
and create production-ready drawings,
16:43
you often need to add balloons to parts in an assembly
16:47
and add a parts list relating to those balloons.
16:51
Typically.
16:52
In a production-ready drawing, the drawing sheet
16:55
can contain multiple drawing views
16:57
of an assembly, a detailed view for greater clarity, parts
17:02
balloons, and a parts list.
17:05
The number in the balloons are automatically
17:07
populated based on the selected parts.
17:10
The item numbers in the parts list
17:13
automatically match the balloon numbers.
17:16
These types of drawings are useful for users
17:19
that need to identify the parts for an assembly
17:22
or to order replacement parts.
17:26
You can insert a list of parts that presents information
17:30
from the assemblies BOM to provide
17:32
an accurate and detailed list of drawing
17:35
components in that assembly.
17:38
The parts list uses or excludes component attribute information
17:42
that is in the bill of materials.
17:45
Changes to any setting or to the information in the BOM
17:48
are automatically reflected in the parts list.
17:52
For creating and inserting the parts list,
17:55
use the parts list tool in the Annotate tab sheet panel
17:59
or use the AMPARTLIST command.
18:03
You are required to specify the list of parts for which you
18:06
want to create a parts list.
18:08
You can do this by entering the name of an existing BOM,
18:12
or by selecting a module space drawing border,
18:15
or by selecting an annotation view.
18:18
Once the selection is made, the Parts List dialog box opens.
18:22
And you can adjust the parts list settings if required.
18:26
Once done, click OK in the dialog box
18:29
and then click to specify the insertion point of the parts
18:32
list in the drawing window.
18:35
You can edit parts list to override the default style set
18:39
by the active standard.
18:41
You can insert columns, sort items, add filters,
18:45
and split the parts list into multiple columns.
18:48
You can also print the list of [? parts, ?]
18:51
export the list of parts, and import other lists of parts.
18:55
You can edit the settings, options, and values
18:58
in the parts list while inserting it into a drawing
19:02
or after it has been inserted into the drawing.
19:06
In either case, you can interact with the Parts List dialog box
19:10
and modify the parts list using the dialog box.
19:14
To edit an inserted parts list using the Parts List dialog
19:18
box, use the AMEDIT command and select the parts list,
19:23
or you can simply double click on the parts list.
19:26
And another way is to right click on the parts list
19:29
and select edit parts list in the shortcut menu.
19:33
If you want to change the column width of the parts list,
19:36
you can grip edit the interior columns of the inserted parts
19:40
list.
19:41
Use the various tools in the Parts List dialog box toolbar
19:44
to perform various actions, such as adding, removing,
19:48
and sorting items.
19:49
There are also tools for printing, importing,
19:52
and exporting the parts list.
19:54
In the dialog box, you have options
19:56
to modify the default format of the parts list
19:59
for the headers and titles, line spacing, and insertion point.
20:04
Additionally, in the dialog box you also
20:07
have the column splitting area, where you can split the parts
20:11
list to decrease its overall height by continuing the listed
20:15
items in another set of parts list columns.
20:18
You can set this to split it in a set number of sections
20:22
and also to set whether to have the additional columns continue
20:26
to the left or right of the parts list.
20:30
Now let's discuss the balloon annotations.
20:34
Adding balloons to an assembly drawing
20:37
is an important part of tying your work together
20:40
and communicating the design to others.
20:43
With the parts list item number in the balloon and the balloon
20:47
LiDAR line pointing to the part, anyone
20:50
who reviews a row of information in the parts list
20:53
can identify which part it is in the drawing
20:56
and where it is located in the assembly.
20:59
In order to initiate the command to balloon a drawing,
21:03
you must create part references to locate and identify
21:06
the parts in your design.
21:08
You can create these part references
21:10
before adding a balloon or during the process
21:13
of adding balloons.
21:15
You can use the Balloons tool or use the AMBALLOON command
21:19
to add balloons to a drawing.
21:22
After you initiate the command, a number
21:24
of command line options can be used for creating and editing
21:28
balloons.
21:29
The options that can be used with the balloons command
21:32
are auto, which creates balloons for selected part references.
21:37
You can select from the alignment options
21:40
of angle, horizontal, vertical, or standalone.
21:43
The first three options, that is the angle, horizontal,
21:47
and vertical, these three position the balloons based
21:50
on a direction, whereas standalone inserts the balloon
21:54
on top of the part reference.
21:56
Then there is the option AutoAll,
21:59
which creates balloons for all of the selected part
22:02
references.
22:03
The part references that are already ballooned are omitted.
22:07
Then we have the Set BOM.
22:10
It sets the BOM to be current, so that the balloon associates
22:14
to the correct item number.
22:17
When ballooning an annotation view in a layout,
22:20
you must use this option each time you initiate the command.
22:24
Otherwise, the balloon is based on the main BOM.
22:28
Then collect option, which creates
22:30
a collection of balloons that are connected to a single LiDAR
22:34
or attaches new balloons to an existing balloon.
22:38
The manual option creates a new part reference
22:41
and adds a balloon for it at the same time.
22:44
The part reference is added to the main BOM.
22:47
And Annotation View option, it selects the annotation view
22:51
to balloon.
22:52
The BOM associated with that view
22:54
is automatically set to active.
22:58
Now to modify an existing balloons appearance
23:01
or the value it displays, you can
23:03
use the power edit command or the AMEDIT command for parts
23:07
list and balloons.
23:09
You can quickly initiate a power edit of a balloon
23:12
by double clicking on the balloon in the drawing
23:14
window, which opens the Balloon dialog
23:16
box where you can change the balloons properties or values.
23:20
You can reposition the balloon or the start of its LiDAR line
23:24
by adjusting its grips as you would adjust script
23:28
edits on the ends of a line.
23:30
In the Balloon dialog box, you can
23:32
change the LiDAR line, balloon style and type, arrow type,
23:36
and balloon collection.
23:38
You can add or remove LiDAR segments
23:40
and also collect, delete, or attach balloons.
23:44
In the Balloon style list, you can set the balloons appearance
23:48
to be based on a standard balloon or a custom block.
23:52
The custom block displays in the list
23:54
if it has already been defined in the drawing
23:57
and contains attributes.
23:59
You can also use a different arrow type from the one set
24:02
as the default. Under balloon contents,
24:05
you can set new values for the part.
24:08
Changing the values in the cells in the table
24:11
is the same as changing the values in the BOM or the parts
24:15
list or part reference or the Properties dialog box.
24:20
Now let's take a look at an end product
24:22
demo that demonstrates parts list and balloon annotations.
24:27
The purpose of this demonstration
24:28
is to illustrate how the AutoCAD Mechanical toolset automates
24:33
key tasks in creating parts list and balloons
24:37
to identify the parts and subassemblies in a drawing.
24:41
In the Annotate tab sheet panel, click Parts List.
24:47
Press Enter.
24:48
In the Parts List dialog box, note the insertion point
24:52
is bottom right.
24:53
In the Column splitting area, select Enable column split.
24:58
Select Number of sections and verify 2 is selected.
25:03
Click OK.
25:04
The parts list attaches itself to the cursor.
25:08
Click to place the parts list.
25:10
Double click on the parts list to open the Parts List dialog
25:14
box.
25:15
In the Insertion point, select Top Left.
25:18
In the Column splitting select Wrap right.
25:21
Click OK.
25:23
Note that the parts list table has moved because
25:26
of the changed insertion point.
25:28
Click on the parts list to display the grips.
25:32
Select the left upper corner grip
25:35
to move the table back onto the sheet.
25:38
In the material column, note that the materials
25:42
are listed in three rows.
25:45
To increase the length of the material column,
25:47
use the stretch grip for the materials
25:51
and stretch it to the right, such
25:53
that it accommodates the material in a single row.
25:57
Use the upper left grip to move the parts list back
26:01
onto the sheet.
26:02
Press Escape.
26:03
In the Annotate tab sheet panel, select Parts List.
26:08
Select the border in the upper right sheet.
26:11
In the Parts List dialog box, click OK.
26:15
The parts list attaches itself to the cursor.
26:18
Use the endpoint OSNAP to snap the parts list to the top right
26:23
corner of the title block.
26:25
In the Annotate tab Balloon panel, click Balloons.
26:29
Right click and select auTo.
26:31
Create a selection window to automatically create
26:35
the balloons for the selected parts,
26:38
the balloons attached to the cursor.
26:40
Right click and select Vertical.
26:42
Click to place the balloons.
26:44
Click the Balloons tool again and select a single part
26:49
reference.
26:50
Click to place the balloon on the left hand side.
26:53
Double click on the balloon tree to open the Balloon dialog box.
26:57
Change number 3 to 30.
26:59
Click OK.
27:00
Note the number 3 changes to 30.
27:03
In the parts list, note the number 3 changes to 30
27:07
here as well.
27:08
In the Annotate tab Balloon panel,
27:11
select Renumber Balloons.
27:13
Press Enter to accept 1.
27:15
Select the number 30 balloon.
27:17
It changes to 1.
27:19
Similarly, continue selecting the rest of the balloons
27:22
and they renumber incrementally.
27:25
Press Enter.
27:26
In the parts list, the numbers also change.
27:31
Now I'll give you an overview of Autodesk Vault
27:34
and how to use it with AutoCAD Mechanical.
27:37
You can configure Autodesk Vault to work in AutoCAD Mechanical.
27:42
The Vault client adds data management tools
27:46
to the interface of your mechanical software.
27:48
You can add files to a vault and check files in and out.
27:53
The Vault maintains relationship between host drawings
27:56
and external references.
27:58
The first step in working with AutoCAD Mechanical and Autodesk
28:02
Vault is to log into Vault. You can access Vault commands
28:07
from the Vault tab on the ribbon, the Vault
28:10
toolbar, and the command line.
28:13
To log in, use the log in tool in the Vault tab access panel
28:18
or use the VAULT or VLTLOGIN command at the command line.
28:24
Once you have completed a drawing
28:26
and want to check the file in to the Vault,
28:29
use the check in command.
28:31
You check in a single drawing file at a time to the Vault.
28:35
If you're checking in a drawing file that
28:37
contains external references, all the extra drawings
28:41
are checked in at the same time as well.
28:44
By adding files that use external references
28:47
to the Vault from AutoCAD Mechanical,
28:49
Autodesk Vault is able to keep track of all the file
28:53
relationships.
28:54
You use the check in command to store drawing and image
28:57
files in a Vault.
28:59
The preferred workflow is to check in files
29:02
from AutoCAD Mechanical.
29:04
If the file you check in to the Vault
29:07
is not in the working folder or its subfolders,
29:10
the Select Vault Location dialog box displays.
29:14
You select the Vault location for the drawing file
29:17
in this dialog box.
29:18
You can use the check out command
29:20
to check out the file you have opened from your working folder
29:24
if the file is currently checked into the Vault.
29:28
You must check out a drawing from the Vault
29:30
before it can be edited.
29:32
You can check out the file from the Vault using the check
29:35
out tool in the ribbon or by entering VLTCHECKOUT
29:40
at the command line.
29:42
Thank you for joining me today for this accelerated
29:45
presentation about the bills of materials
29:48
in AutoCAD Mechanical.
29:50
And I hope that you found the information useful.
Video transcript
00:00
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11
Hello, and welcome to this accelerated presentation
00:15
where I will discuss how to design and manage
00:18
the bill of materials with ease in AutoCAD Mechanical.
00:22
This is a safe harbor statement.
00:24
And it is just a reminder that the Autodesk software changes
00:28
regularly to improve the software
00:30
and make it a better experience for you.
00:33
If I happen to make any forward-looking statements
00:36
in this presentation, please do not make any buying decisions
00:39
based on it.
00:41
RENU MUTHOO: So let me introduce myself.
00:43
I am Renu Muthoo, and I'm a learning content developer
00:47
with ASCENT.
00:48
I have over 23 years of experience in various Autodesk
00:52
products such as AutoCAD and AutoCAD
00:55
verticals, which includes AutoCAD Mechanical.
00:58
I'm also experienced in Autodesk visualization software products
01:02
and that include Autodesk 3ds Max and VRED Professional.
01:07
I create the courseware and training materials
01:10
for the Autodesk products and I also
01:12
provide support for these products.
01:15
In addition, I have also co-authored few books
01:19
on both AutoCAD and 3ds Max.
01:23
The purpose of this accelerator is
01:25
to teach you about the features and tools within AutoCAD
01:29
Mechanical that support assembly design
01:32
and the management of bills of materials.
01:35
So let's start with the learning objectives.
01:38
I'll start by giving you an overview of bills of materials
01:42
and how to populate them.
01:44
Then, I will show you how to create and edit
01:47
part references.
01:48
I will further show you how to create and edit
01:51
bills of materials.
01:53
The short form for bills of materials is BOM.
01:56
And I'll be using BOM instead of bills of materials.
02:01
The next objective is where I will
02:03
be discussing how to add balloons
02:05
to parts in an assembly and add a parts list relating
02:10
to those balloons.
02:12
Finally, I will also provide you with a brief understanding
02:15
of how to access Autodesk Vault from AutoCAD Mechanical
02:20
in order to check the files in and out.
02:24
So let's get started with today's presentation.
02:28
When you create an assembly, you typically
02:30
need to list the parts in the subassemblies, their quantities
02:34
and their specific properties, and also identify those parts
02:38
in the drawing.
02:40
All this information is displayed
02:42
on the drawing sheet in the form of parts list and balloons.
02:47
The information that is required for creating the balloons
02:50
and parts list comes from a bill of materials
02:54
or what is commonly referred to as the BOM
02:57
and is stored in the assembly file.
03:00
As the parts list and balloons are created from the BOM,
03:04
the BOM must exist before you can use those features.
03:09
If you begin to create the balloons or parts lists
03:12
before you create a BOM, then the AutoCAD Mechanical software
03:17
automatically creates the BOM for you.
03:21
If you intend to have multiple BOMs in a drawing,
03:26
it is easier to create the BOM first rather than
03:29
create BOM on the fly.
03:32
Along with the balloons and the parts list,
03:34
the BOM often contains more information
03:37
than what you want to display on the drawing
03:40
sheet in the form of parts list and balloons.
03:43
Therefore, it becomes a central location
03:46
for entering and editing data and then can also
03:50
be exported for use in other software applications.
03:54
There are three methods for populating data in the BOM.
03:58
One method is to enter all of the data
04:01
for the entire assembly manually.
04:04
The second method is to enter the data associated
04:07
with a part or subassembly in two part references.
04:11
The third method involves entering values
04:14
into a component, properties for mechanically structured parts
04:17
and subassemblies.
04:19
The second and third methods of populating BOM data
04:23
are similar.
04:24
In each of these methods, you enter
04:26
the properties for each unique part or subassembly and the BOM
04:30
is automatically populated with that information.
04:33
By entering the data in the part referenced or structured
04:36
component properties, you can enter the data once and reuse
04:41
it in multiple assemblies.
04:43
For all of the assemblies where the part or assembly is used,
04:47
the BOM is automatically populated
04:49
with that information.
04:51
The quantity value in the BOM is then
04:54
based on the number of instances of a part
04:57
or a subassembly in the overall assembly.
05:01
So let's talk about part references first.
05:04
A part reference is a special attribute block
05:08
that stores information that you have
05:10
added about the part and displays information in the BOM
05:15
database.
05:16
Once created, a part reference displays as a node object.
05:21
If you double-click on the object,
05:23
you can edit part reference information.
05:25
Standard parts, such as bolts, already
05:28
have attached part reference nodes
05:31
while other custom objects require
05:33
you to create part references if you want the objects to be
05:36
referenced in the BOM.
05:38
You can attach part reference nodes
05:41
to any type of object, such as lines, circles, and blocks.
05:46
When you move the object to which the part reference is
05:49
attached, the part reference remains attached
05:52
and automatically moves with the geometry.
05:56
When you copy or delete a part reference,
05:58
the quantity in the BOM for the part reference
06:01
adjusts automatically, for part references
06:05
identifying that the same part is used
06:08
multiple times in a design.
06:10
If the data in any of the part references changes,
06:14
those changes are reflected in all instances of the part
06:18
reference for that part.
06:20
In the image on the screen, you can
06:22
see three part references, one for the bolt, knot, and washer.
06:28
There is a part reference dialog box on the screen,
06:31
displaying the part reference information for the bolt.
06:36
So as mentioned earlier, adding part references to the drawing
06:40
are used in populating the data in the BOM
06:43
and to identify the parts in an assembly with balloon callouts.
06:48
When you're using the part reference command
06:51
to add a part reference, you have four creation options,
06:54
which are point, block, copy, and reference.
06:58
Selecting a point on an object creates a part reference that
07:02
is associated to that object.
07:05
A part reference that is created by selecting
07:08
a point in an open area of the drawing
07:11
creates an unassociated part reference.
07:15
Use the block option to create and attach a part reference
07:18
to an inserted block.
07:20
Additional instances of the block in the same file
07:24
automatically contain the part reference.
07:27
Exploding an instance of the block
07:29
deletes the part reference for that instance.
07:33
The part reference created using this option
07:36
is not included with the block definition
07:39
if the block is written out to its own drawing file.
07:43
Using the Copy option creates a copy of a part reference
07:46
node and its data.
07:48
The new part reference becomes a new item in the BOM.
07:53
The reference option is used to create an additional instance
07:56
of the selected part reference.
07:58
This additional instance increments the quantity value
08:02
for the part reference.
08:03
It does not add a new item row to the BOM.
08:07
Once you select to place the part reference,
08:10
the part reference dialog box displays
08:12
where you can add information about parts,
08:15
such as values for the component properties
08:18
and the incremental value that is used to calculate
08:21
the total quantity.
08:23
There are other options that are used
08:25
to prevent the information from displaying in the parts list
08:28
and attach or detach the BOM data from an external file.
08:33
The list of component properties for which you can enter data
08:37
is based on the settings in the active standard
08:40
for the standards element component properties.
08:45
You can change from reference information at any time
08:48
after a part reference has been placed.
08:51
You can change values or modify the object to which the part
08:55
reference is connected to and control
08:57
whether the part reference is excluded from the parts list.
09:01
To edit apart reference, you can toggle the part reference
09:05
visibility on or off using the part reference
09:09
layer on off tool.
09:10
Once the part references are displayed,
09:13
double click on the part reference
09:15
node or enter the AMPARTREFEDIT command.
09:20
This opens the part reference dialog box,
09:23
where you can click in the value cell for the component property
09:27
to enter a new value or select a new value from a list
09:31
if the component property has a predefined list of values.
09:35
When you have finished editing the part references,
09:38
you can toggle off the visibility
09:40
of the part reference node.
09:42
Now let's talk about creating and editing BOMs.
09:46
The BOM is the central axis location
09:49
for all part and subassembly component
09:51
information in the assembly.
09:53
It is a database stored within an assembly file that
09:57
stores, organizes, and makes available the attribute
10:01
values of all of the parts and subassemblies
10:04
that are inserted into the assembly design.
10:08
More than one BOM can be defined in a drawing.
10:11
You can view and edit the BOM information
10:14
in the BOM dialog box, which can be displayed
10:17
using the BOM to locate it in the Annotate tab BOM
10:20
panel in the ribbon or by using the AMBOM command.
10:25
The BOM dialog box displays the part and subassembly
10:29
information in a row and column table
10:32
similar to a spreadsheet's row and column format.
10:36
After you have created the BOM, you
10:38
can export the values for use in other software applications.
10:42
You can also insert parts list into a drawing
10:45
to display some of the BOM data and insert
10:48
balloons pointing to the parts.
10:52
You can manually add rows to the BOM
10:54
and then can add values in each row
10:58
or you can add part references to a drawing
11:01
to enter data in the BOM.
11:03
When using part references, the data in the BOM for an item
11:07
stays up to date with the data entered for the part reference.
11:11
The part reference also stays up to date with any changes made
11:16
in the BOM.
11:17
Therefore, if you change the values in the BOM,
11:20
when you edit the attribute values for the part definition,
11:23
the current value reflects that change.
11:26
A change in the attribute values at the part level
11:29
is automatically reflected in the BOM
11:32
the next time it is opened.
11:34
You can add or delete parts and edit BOM information
11:38
in the BOM dialog box.
11:40
When more than one BOM is available in a drawing file,
11:43
you can select which BOMs information
11:46
you want to view and edit.
11:48
A green checkmark indicates that the selected BOM
11:51
is the current BOM and displays its contents
11:55
within the BOM panel.
11:57
Along the top of the BOM dialog box
11:59
is a toolbar that contains tools that
12:02
enable you to print or delete the current BOM information
12:06
or export it to another file format.
12:09
You can also add or remove columns or rows of information,
12:14
change the order in which the information is displayed,
12:17
and insert parts list or balloons into the drawing.
12:23
Let's talk about a couple of frequently
12:25
used tools in the BOM toolbar.
12:27
Now first, let's discuss the sort tool.
12:31
The order in which the data is initially displayed in the BOM
12:35
is not always the way that you want
12:37
to display it in parts list or the drawing
12:40
or in the excluded files.
12:43
So you can change the order in which the items are displayed
12:46
by clicking and dragging the rows to new locations
12:50
or sorting multiple rows based on specific criteria,
12:54
using the sort tool in the tool bar located in the BOM dialog
12:58
box to sort the order in which BOM data is displayed.
13:02
The sort tool opens the sort dialog box,
13:05
where you can sort the rows of BOM data
13:09
based on the values in the selected columns.
13:12
You can select up to three key columns
13:15
to use for sorting the data.
13:17
For each key, you can set the values
13:19
to sort in ascending or descending order.
13:22
Then, there is renumbering.
13:24
If you reorder or sort the rows of data,
13:27
the item numbers are no longer shown in sequential order.
13:31
This can make it difficult to find
13:33
an item when you're looking up a part based on its item number.
13:38
If you want the item numbers to match
13:40
the current order of the BOM rows,
13:42
you can select the set values option.
13:45
You can also use this option to change multiple fields of BOM
13:49
data to have the same value.
13:53
Now let's take a look at an end product
13:56
demo that demonstrates how to create a part reference
13:59
and a bill of materials.
14:01
The purpose of this demonstration
14:03
is to illustrate how the AutoCAD Mechanical toolset automates
14:08
key tasks associated with BOM management and part references
14:13
to complete your production-ready drawings.
14:17
Hover your cursor over the part reference for the bracket.
14:21
Note the name as SPROCKET BRACKET-BASE and note
14:26
no material has been assigned to it.
14:29
In the Annotate tab BOM panel, click BOM, press Enter.
14:34
To open the BOM dialog box, click the plus sign
14:38
in front of 1 and similarly, click
14:41
the plus sign in front of 8 to list
14:44
the subassembly components.
14:46
Scroll down in the list and locate SPROCKET BRACKET-BASE.
14:51
Click in the Material cell and note it is empty.
14:55
Enter Steel.
14:56
Click OK.
14:58
In the drawing, double click on the part reference
15:01
for the bracket.
15:02
In the part reference dialog box,
15:05
note the material as Steel.
15:07
Modify the material to Mild Steel.
15:11
Click OK.
15:12
Open the BOM dialog box and note that the material for SPROCKET
15:18
BRACKET-BASE is Mild Steel.
15:20
In the BOM dialog box, select the top left corner cell
15:25
to highlight the entire BOM.
15:27
In the toolbar, click on the Sort icon.
15:31
In the sort dialog box or Key 1, select Description
15:36
and click OK.
15:38
Note that the list is alphabetically
15:41
sorted for description.
15:42
Click the Item column header to select all the item numbers.
15:48
Click the set values tool in the toolbar.
15:52
In the Set Value dialog box, click
15:55
OK to accept the default values.
15:58
Note that the item values become sequential making it easier
16:02
to look up the part based on its item number.
16:08
Now let's move on to parts list and balloons.
16:11
When you create an assembly, you typically
16:13
need to list the parts and subassemblies,
16:17
their quantities, and their specific properties
16:19
in the table or chart format.
16:22
The table you place on the drawing that
16:25
displays this information is referred to as a parts list.
16:29
To identify the different items in the drawing views,
16:32
you can add balloons with item numbers that match the item
16:36
numbers in the parts list.
16:38
So in other words, to complete your design
16:41
and create production-ready drawings,
16:43
you often need to add balloons to parts in an assembly
16:47
and add a parts list relating to those balloons.
16:51
Typically.
16:52
In a production-ready drawing, the drawing sheet
16:55
can contain multiple drawing views
16:57
of an assembly, a detailed view for greater clarity, parts
17:02
balloons, and a parts list.
17:05
The number in the balloons are automatically
17:07
populated based on the selected parts.
17:10
The item numbers in the parts list
17:13
automatically match the balloon numbers.
17:16
These types of drawings are useful for users
17:19
that need to identify the parts for an assembly
17:22
or to order replacement parts.
17:26
You can insert a list of parts that presents information
17:30
from the assemblies BOM to provide
17:32
an accurate and detailed list of drawing
17:35
components in that assembly.
17:38
The parts list uses or excludes component attribute information
17:42
that is in the bill of materials.
17:45
Changes to any setting or to the information in the BOM
17:48
are automatically reflected in the parts list.
17:52
For creating and inserting the parts list,
17:55
use the parts list tool in the Annotate tab sheet panel
17:59
or use the AMPARTLIST command.
18:03
You are required to specify the list of parts for which you
18:06
want to create a parts list.
18:08
You can do this by entering the name of an existing BOM,
18:12
or by selecting a module space drawing border,
18:15
or by selecting an annotation view.
18:18
Once the selection is made, the Parts List dialog box opens.
18:22
And you can adjust the parts list settings if required.
18:26
Once done, click OK in the dialog box
18:29
and then click to specify the insertion point of the parts
18:32
list in the drawing window.
18:35
You can edit parts list to override the default style set
18:39
by the active standard.
18:41
You can insert columns, sort items, add filters,
18:45
and split the parts list into multiple columns.
18:48
You can also print the list of [? parts, ?]
18:51
export the list of parts, and import other lists of parts.
18:55
You can edit the settings, options, and values
18:58
in the parts list while inserting it into a drawing
19:02
or after it has been inserted into the drawing.
19:06
In either case, you can interact with the Parts List dialog box
19:10
and modify the parts list using the dialog box.
19:14
To edit an inserted parts list using the Parts List dialog
19:18
box, use the AMEDIT command and select the parts list,
19:23
or you can simply double click on the parts list.
19:26
And another way is to right click on the parts list
19:29
and select edit parts list in the shortcut menu.
19:33
If you want to change the column width of the parts list,
19:36
you can grip edit the interior columns of the inserted parts
19:40
list.
19:41
Use the various tools in the Parts List dialog box toolbar
19:44
to perform various actions, such as adding, removing,
19:48
and sorting items.
19:49
There are also tools for printing, importing,
19:52
and exporting the parts list.
19:54
In the dialog box, you have options
19:56
to modify the default format of the parts list
19:59
for the headers and titles, line spacing, and insertion point.
20:04
Additionally, in the dialog box you also
20:07
have the column splitting area, where you can split the parts
20:11
list to decrease its overall height by continuing the listed
20:15
items in another set of parts list columns.
20:18
You can set this to split it in a set number of sections
20:22
and also to set whether to have the additional columns continue
20:26
to the left or right of the parts list.
20:30
Now let's discuss the balloon annotations.
20:34
Adding balloons to an assembly drawing
20:37
is an important part of tying your work together
20:40
and communicating the design to others.
20:43
With the parts list item number in the balloon and the balloon
20:47
LiDAR line pointing to the part, anyone
20:50
who reviews a row of information in the parts list
20:53
can identify which part it is in the drawing
20:56
and where it is located in the assembly.
20:59
In order to initiate the command to balloon a drawing,
21:03
you must create part references to locate and identify
21:06
the parts in your design.
21:08
You can create these part references
21:10
before adding a balloon or during the process
21:13
of adding balloons.
21:15
You can use the Balloons tool or use the AMBALLOON command
21:19
to add balloons to a drawing.
21:22
After you initiate the command, a number
21:24
of command line options can be used for creating and editing
21:28
balloons.
21:29
The options that can be used with the balloons command
21:32
are auto, which creates balloons for selected part references.
21:37
You can select from the alignment options
21:40
of angle, horizontal, vertical, or standalone.
21:43
The first three options, that is the angle, horizontal,
21:47
and vertical, these three position the balloons based
21:50
on a direction, whereas standalone inserts the balloon
21:54
on top of the part reference.
21:56
Then there is the option AutoAll,
21:59
which creates balloons for all of the selected part
22:02
references.
22:03
The part references that are already ballooned are omitted.
22:07
Then we have the Set BOM.
22:10
It sets the BOM to be current, so that the balloon associates
22:14
to the correct item number.
22:17
When ballooning an annotation view in a layout,
22:20
you must use this option each time you initiate the command.
22:24
Otherwise, the balloon is based on the main BOM.
22:28
Then collect option, which creates
22:30
a collection of balloons that are connected to a single LiDAR
22:34
or attaches new balloons to an existing balloon.
22:38
The manual option creates a new part reference
22:41
and adds a balloon for it at the same time.
22:44
The part reference is added to the main BOM.
22:47
And Annotation View option, it selects the annotation view
22:51
to balloon.
22:52
The BOM associated with that view
22:54
is automatically set to active.
22:58
Now to modify an existing balloons appearance
23:01
or the value it displays, you can
23:03
use the power edit command or the AMEDIT command for parts
23:07
list and balloons.
23:09
You can quickly initiate a power edit of a balloon
23:12
by double clicking on the balloon in the drawing
23:14
window, which opens the Balloon dialog
23:16
box where you can change the balloons properties or values.
23:20
You can reposition the balloon or the start of its LiDAR line
23:24
by adjusting its grips as you would adjust script
23:28
edits on the ends of a line.
23:30
In the Balloon dialog box, you can
23:32
change the LiDAR line, balloon style and type, arrow type,
23:36
and balloon collection.
23:38
You can add or remove LiDAR segments
23:40
and also collect, delete, or attach balloons.
23:44
In the Balloon style list, you can set the balloons appearance
23:48
to be based on a standard balloon or a custom block.
23:52
The custom block displays in the list
23:54
if it has already been defined in the drawing
23:57
and contains attributes.
23:59
You can also use a different arrow type from the one set
24:02
as the default. Under balloon contents,
24:05
you can set new values for the part.
24:08
Changing the values in the cells in the table
24:11
is the same as changing the values in the BOM or the parts
24:15
list or part reference or the Properties dialog box.
24:20
Now let's take a look at an end product
24:22
demo that demonstrates parts list and balloon annotations.
24:27
The purpose of this demonstration
24:28
is to illustrate how the AutoCAD Mechanical toolset automates
24:33
key tasks in creating parts list and balloons
24:37
to identify the parts and subassemblies in a drawing.
24:41
In the Annotate tab sheet panel, click Parts List.
24:47
Press Enter.
24:48
In the Parts List dialog box, note the insertion point
24:52
is bottom right.
24:53
In the Column splitting area, select Enable column split.
24:58
Select Number of sections and verify 2 is selected.
25:03
Click OK.
25:04
The parts list attaches itself to the cursor.
25:08
Click to place the parts list.
25:10
Double click on the parts list to open the Parts List dialog
25:14
box.
25:15
In the Insertion point, select Top Left.
25:18
In the Column splitting select Wrap right.
25:21
Click OK.
25:23
Note that the parts list table has moved because
25:26
of the changed insertion point.
25:28
Click on the parts list to display the grips.
25:32
Select the left upper corner grip
25:35
to move the table back onto the sheet.
25:38
In the material column, note that the materials
25:42
are listed in three rows.
25:45
To increase the length of the material column,
25:47
use the stretch grip for the materials
25:51
and stretch it to the right, such
25:53
that it accommodates the material in a single row.
25:57
Use the upper left grip to move the parts list back
26:01
onto the sheet.
26:02
Press Escape.
26:03
In the Annotate tab sheet panel, select Parts List.
26:08
Select the border in the upper right sheet.
26:11
In the Parts List dialog box, click OK.
26:15
The parts list attaches itself to the cursor.
26:18
Use the endpoint OSNAP to snap the parts list to the top right
26:23
corner of the title block.
26:25
In the Annotate tab Balloon panel, click Balloons.
26:29
Right click and select auTo.
26:31
Create a selection window to automatically create
26:35
the balloons for the selected parts,
26:38
the balloons attached to the cursor.
26:40
Right click and select Vertical.
26:42
Click to place the balloons.
26:44
Click the Balloons tool again and select a single part
26:49
reference.
26:50
Click to place the balloon on the left hand side.
26:53
Double click on the balloon tree to open the Balloon dialog box.
26:57
Change number 3 to 30.
26:59
Click OK.
27:00
Note the number 3 changes to 30.
27:03
In the parts list, note the number 3 changes to 30
27:07
here as well.
27:08
In the Annotate tab Balloon panel,
27:11
select Renumber Balloons.
27:13
Press Enter to accept 1.
27:15
Select the number 30 balloon.
27:17
It changes to 1.
27:19
Similarly, continue selecting the rest of the balloons
27:22
and they renumber incrementally.
27:25
Press Enter.
27:26
In the parts list, the numbers also change.
27:31
Now I'll give you an overview of Autodesk Vault
27:34
and how to use it with AutoCAD Mechanical.
27:37
You can configure Autodesk Vault to work in AutoCAD Mechanical.
27:42
The Vault client adds data management tools
27:46
to the interface of your mechanical software.
27:48
You can add files to a vault and check files in and out.
27:53
The Vault maintains relationship between host drawings
27:56
and external references.
27:58
The first step in working with AutoCAD Mechanical and Autodesk
28:02
Vault is to log into Vault. You can access Vault commands
28:07
from the Vault tab on the ribbon, the Vault
28:10
toolbar, and the command line.
28:13
To log in, use the log in tool in the Vault tab access panel
28:18
or use the VAULT or VLTLOGIN command at the command line.
28:24
Once you have completed a drawing
28:26
and want to check the file in to the Vault,
28:29
use the check in command.
28:31
You check in a single drawing file at a time to the Vault.
28:35
If you're checking in a drawing file that
28:37
contains external references, all the extra drawings
28:41
are checked in at the same time as well.
28:44
By adding files that use external references
28:47
to the Vault from AutoCAD Mechanical,
28:49
Autodesk Vault is able to keep track of all the file
28:53
relationships.
28:54
You use the check in command to store drawing and image
28:57
files in a Vault.
28:59
The preferred workflow is to check in files
29:02
from AutoCAD Mechanical.
29:04
If the file you check in to the Vault
29:07
is not in the working folder or its subfolders,
29:10
the Select Vault Location dialog box displays.
29:14
You select the Vault location for the drawing file
29:17
in this dialog box.
29:18
You can use the check out command
29:20
to check out the file you have opened from your working folder
29:24
if the file is currently checked into the Vault.
29:28
You must check out a drawing from the Vault
29:30
before it can be edited.
29:32
You can check out the file from the Vault using the check
29:35
out tool in the ribbon or by entering VLTCHECKOUT
29:40
at the command line.
29:42
Thank you for joining me today for this accelerated
29:45
presentation about the bills of materials
29:48
in AutoCAD Mechanical.
29:50
And I hope that you found the information useful.
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