Dedicated user interface for drawing creation


With the Drawing Assistant and the many new features, a new user interface has been developed that gives the user a direct overview of all parts, assemblies and their status in relation to drawings. For each part (whether it is a profile or a sheet), assembly or welded assembly, you can decide whether to create a new drawing, update an existing drawing, or not create a drawing.


Export SolidSteel parametric Parts and Assemblies


With the new SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS, Drawing Assistant, you can automatically create shop drawings of all parts and assemblies:

• All profiles created with SolidSteel parametric

• All sheets created with SolidSteel parametric

• All sheets created with normal SOLIDWORKS functions, as long as the SolidSteel parametric part template was used and extruded in Z-direction

• All welded assemblies created by SolidSteel parametric

• All SolidSteel parametric main and sub-assemblies

Individual settings for each drawing


As described above, the new Drawing Assistant can be used to make individual choices about what to do with each part or assembly. For example, if a drawing has never been created for a part, the assistant will automatically suggest creating a new drawing. If a drawing of the component has already been found in the specified path, the Drawing Assistant suggests updating the existing drawing accordingly.
However, the user can review these suggestions at any time and change them to suit his or her needs.

In the new version 6.0.0 of SolidSteel parametric, the drawing template can also be selected individually for each part and assembly. For example, you can now place two different profiles on two different sheets.
This also makes it possible to manage different bill of material formats on assembly drawings and welded assembly drawings using different drawing templates.

Update function for existing drawings

In the default setting, all of the parts that are created by SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS are virtual components within the assembly. This means that there is no physical file in the computer's file system. By default, SOLIDWORKS cannot create a drawing of these virtual components.
As in the previous concept, a physical copy of the component is stored in the selected path in the computer's file system to create the drawing. This makes it possible to create drawings of virtual components within the assembly.
The new Drawing Assistant in SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS now includes the ability to update drawings after a change is made to the part.

When a drawing has already been created of an existing part, it is not uncommon for changes to be made to the dimensions placed by SolidSteel parametric, and for dimensions to be added or removed.
Custom labels or information such as weld symbols may also be added to the drawing. All of these changes are time consuming.
The new update feature in the Drawing Assistant preserves all the information in the drawing when it is modified later (e.g., a profile has become longer due to a parametric change). Only the dimensions affected by the change are updated. This means that even late design changes do not cause unnecessary work.

Bills of materials on assembly and welded assembly drawings


With the new version 6.0.0 of SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS, individual BOMs can now be placed on automatically created assembly drawings and welded assembly drawings without manual rework.
This information is part of the drawing template, allowing each user to manage multiple BOM formats and select the appropriate template for export as needed.

Choice between chain dimensioning and ordinate dimensioning


The type of dimensioning on drawings is very individual and depends on company standards, preferences or customer specifications. In SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS, you now have the option of choosing between chain dimensioning and ordinate dimensioning.
Depending on the project or similar, this setting can be changed from chain dimensioning to ordinate dimensioning or vice versa at any time in the SolidSteel parametric system settings.

• Profiles listed in the Diagnostics tab

• ToDo entries possible from the Diagnostics tab

• Editing profiles from the Diagnostics tab

• Automatically load and update ToDos when opening an assembly

• Temporary storage of ToDos when switching between assemblies

• Multiple selection when deleting entries

• Holes and bolted connections can be positioned using hole sketches