DDi Tech Center

When working on Casting or Forging parts usually it will require some machining processes to finish the part, so what is the best way to tackle this in SolidWorks?  To use Configurations or not to use Configurations, that is the question…

Using configurations and design tables leads to some or all of the following issues:
1) All changes to the part have bi-directional consequences (Changing both casting and machined parts simultaneously).
2) When suppressing/modifying features they may get suppressed/modified at the wrong configuration(s). (As is necessary to represent the casting/forged configuration by either having to suppress machined cut features, or to reduced feature size dimensions)
3) Complex changes to the casting could damage the machined feature(s) thus causing feature errors.
4) The Machined Part configuration does not updated predictably or correctly.

The best approach to this situation is to insert your Casting/Forging part into a new part.  To do this, make a new part, and from the Insert pull down, select Part:

This will allow you to browse for a part and insert it into the new part as a feature.  While inserting the casting/forging into the new part, SolidWorks provides you the option of transferring items from the part such as planes and sketches.

The benefits of this approach are as follows:
1) Simplified design intent, parts are easier to change:
-if changes are needed on the casting/forging, simply edit the Casting/Forging part
-if changes are needed at the machined part, edit the machined part
2) Each part stage will have its own part number.
3) Multiple parts can be made from the same Casting/Forging.
4) The Machined version of the part has in its history tree the Casting/Forging Part number indicating it is a Make from Part, thus the SolidWorks documentation now follows the same work flow as the shop floor.
5)  If material variations are required, then configurations can be made at the casting, and then on the machined stage can be specified for the inserted part. Likewise material configurations can be made at the machined stage and matched up with the corresponding casting inserted part.

The primary word of caution for this approach is to make sure that changes made to the machined part consist of only removing material, unless welding is required to finish the part.  Weldments are the other primary use of the Insert Part feature.

The key advice for this best practice is to step back and think outside of the CAD system, and review the situation for what it is. As in this situation you have a part in a process actually has 2 part numbers, one for the casting part and the finished machined part.  The machined part is made from the casting.  Remember when changing a Casting/Forging consider that, unlike a standard part, this requires unidirectional change control.  That is I want to push changes downstream from my Casting/Forging to the Machined part.  And I do not want the machined part changes to affect the casting.

So often we get caught up in trying to figure out how to accomplish something in the software, rather than looking at it from a logical standpoint.  Don’t force your ideas around the system; instead let the system work for you.