Making Automated

Drawings More Productive

John Pearson

Technical Trainer and Application Specialist for

Designfusion.

Over 25 years in the CAD/CAM industry.

16 years in Tool and Die industry and over 9 years

with reseller.

Certified Trainer of adults.

Seta certified trainer.

Really nice guy when he wants to be!

About the Presenter

Basic Creation

Start with an existing Draft template.

Modify the Background sheet(s) to meet your needs.

Add/modify borders, title blocks, tables

Add/modify logos or images

Add/modify text and/or callouts

Can add temporary items to the Working Sheet.

Save under a unique name in a dedicated template

folder.

Save a backup copy!

Custom Templates

Adding to Startup Screen

Use the ‘Edit Create Options’

Custom Templates

Using Callouts in Templates

Property Text callouts can be used to automatically

populate your title blocks, tables, etc.

DEMO 1

Custom Templates

Rapid population of draft template

You also can create drawing views quickly and

automatically by dragging a Solid Edge document onto a

drawing sheet.

You can also use Quicksheets.

Custom Templates

Overview

A Draft document that contains drawing

views that are not linked to a model.

When you drag a model file from the

Library docking window or from

Windows Explorer onto a Quicksheet

template, the views populate with the

model.

Quicksheet templates can only be

created using the Create Quicksheet

Template command.

Quicksheet Templates

Basic Creation Create draft sheet with the views that you want.

Select Create Quicksheet Template… from the Application menu.

Empty drawing view(s) will be created and you will see the following message:

You can save the Quicksheet Template to any of

the template directories.

DEMO 2

Quicksheet Templates

Using configurations

Views created from configurations

can be save in a quicksheet template.

For example, exploded

configurations.

Combine this with the fact that Parts

List will re-populate, with parts from

the assembly that is placed in the

exploded configuration, and you have

auto-generation of part lists.

DEMO 3

Quicksheet Templates

Using Retrieve Dimensions & Model Views

Retrieve Dimensions: If set

dimensions will be placed

for that view.

For more control over

dimensions you can save

Model Views, with PMI

dimensions, in a quicksheet

template.

DEMO 4

Quicksheet Templates

Hole Callouts

The Hole callout dimension

type is available for hole and

thread dimensions placed

with the Smart Dimension,

Distance Between dimension,

or Symmetric Diameter

dimension command.

Format is controlled by the

Hole Callout and Smart

Depth tabs in the Styles

dialog.

Useful commands

Styles

Good trick is to set up multiple Styles. For

example, Large font Ansi, Small font Ansi.

Can also set up different styles for Tables, Lines,

etc.

Useful commands

Overriding global settings

Override pulled-out text 2

Provides horizontal text alignment for dimension text

pulled outside the projection lines or terminators.

Add jogs to projection lines

You can use Alt+click to insert jogs into either or both of

the parallel dimension projection lines of linear

dimensions, symmetrical diameter dimensions, or circular

diameter dimensions.

Useful commands

Copy Attributes and Line up Text

Line up Text

Lines up text elements (linear dimensions, balloons, and

callouts) with a base text element that you choose.

You can specify horizontal or vertical alignment, as well as

customize the position within each alignment.

Further enhancements coming in ST5

New command in ST4: Copy Attributes

The Copy Attributes command copies the style properties

of a selected dimension or annotation.

This command previously was called the Prefix Copier

command.

Useful commands

Symbols:

A frequently used drawing or drawing component

can be stored as a symbol for easy reuse in other

documents.

You can redefine the scale, position, and orientation

of the geometry after you place it.

Blocks:

Are similar to symbols in their creation, use, and

reuse capabilities.

They can be imported from AutoCAD or defined in

Solid Edge and stored in global libraries.

DEMO 5

Symbols and Blocks

Solid Edge Development Tool Kit

Solid Edge has a built in DTK

Programmers Guide is available under

the Help menu.

Programmers news group is another

good source of information.

Programmed Automation

Knowledge is the key

Where to get more information:

Solid Edge Help

GTAC - Symptoms/Solution Information Query

- Siemens PLM Forums

Solid Edge training from your VAR.

Designfusion blog - http://blog.designfusion.com/

Support lines:

GTAC – (800) 955-0000

Designfusion customers (877) 215-1883

Conclusion

Thank you for time.

www.designfusion.com