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Using symbols for furniture design components.


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I want to pass along my thoughts about this after giving it a try. It was suggested to me to use symbols for multiple wooden created components in my furniture designs. I see the value of this concept, but the reality is it is much harder to modify symbols than it is to modify objects. Note that the OIP does not show the dimension of an object that is a symbol, and that makes it very hard to work with a component. And when it comes time to drill holes, cut biscuit grooves, or round over edges, having to do this work inside a symbol is very hard because often a symbol is flipped and then no longer relative to surrounding objects. 

 

So my plan for future furniture designing is to explore and finalize all "machining" of wooden furniture components prior to converting them to symbols given I do convert them.

Edited by Bruce Kieffer
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When i did furniture design in VW I made extensive use of symbols. I would highly recommend it.

 

I created a system where symbols < > design layers <> sheet layers correspond with each other.

You have to keep your file clean and organized, but it works pretty great.

All my parts had a P of product, all subassemblies an SA, and assemblies an A. following with a number. 

 

Attaching a record format to the symbols creates the possibility of the creation of Bill of Materials with costs, finish, supplies etc. 

 

image.thumb.png.79b355ea3896733b2d99342fe2ace511.png

 

Now with the new modeling possibilities this workflow is even better. For subtractions you can now use symbols. If you use the hole tool in a symbol you can change every hole in just two steps. Vectorworks will update all subtractions where this symbol is used automaticlly 🎊🎊🎊

 

image.thumb.png.2bf0b6d2c1dc2f94bc671a93945eb2e0.png

 

 

Attaci

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I do agree there are some parts like screws and biscuits that are great as symbols, but not wooden parts, at least not until the design is completed. And I did try adding records to give me the info that Vectorworks is confused about. The problem with that is it's me entering the data, and if I make a change to the size of a part, then I need to also change the record. I use a worksheet to count objects, but I use Apple Numbers to make material cut lists.

Edited by Bruce Kieffer
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12 hours ago, Bruce Kieffer said:

I do agree there are some parts like screws and biscuits that are great as symbols, but not wooden parts, at least not until the design is completed. And I did try adding records to give me the info that Vectorworks is confused about. The problem with that is it's me entering the data, and if I make a change to the size of a part, then I need to also change the record. I use a worksheet to count objects, but I use Apple Numbers to make material cut lists.

 

For screws etc it is great. For other parts of the design in my experience as well.

With the option 'show other objects while in edit mode' editing is as easy as it would be just an object in the drawing. Its just right mouse click > edit 3d component

 

With the creation of symbols of all the different parts of an (sub) assembly it is fairly easy to create separate design layers where you put each individual symbol on.  

You can use these design layers for easy for editing (if needed), and they are ideal for setting up sheet layers of each individual part for annotating and dimensioning.

 

The only thing I`m really missing is auto updating dimensions as in Fusion 360 or other more product design focused programs. auto updating dimensions would save allot of time and possible faults.

 

Automatically filling record or worksheets with length height with is not possible, but  records for the creation of a Bill of Material can be very handy.

 

This is a fairly simple one:

 

image.thumb.png.a4ae9988668f38b80f837dac01c671b2.png

 

In combination with Data tags and design layer viewports it is even more fun  🙂 

 

image.thumb.png.f8af00c8e7e694977880e736c887a395.png

 

And with some simple math you can get weight of your design and can change your design if that is needed based ont that.

 

 image.thumb.png.1545c9ff9173d302c253ad4e88a943bb.png

 

And if you just want to show and annotate parts and create flat patterns with the bending lines etc. 🙂 :

 

image.thumb.png.40c20c60e8b85ac326904ce0d8704465.png

 

So allot is possible with symbols 🙂 

 

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This is the Vectorworks worksheet data for parts TxWxL.

2053135469_ScreenShot2021-02-07at11_15_10AM.thumb.png.15ea7890ca2be8675a375a6eb4ace1f9.png

 

Here's my Apple Numbers spreadsheet cut list, which is correct. If you compare the two you see there's no way to rely on the worksheet data. It's a mess. And no matter how careful you are creating the objects, Vectorworks will change what you think is thickness and width to width or height. Add to this the fact that some objects will have a depth measurement, and Vectorworks seems to randomly assign that to height, width, or length. There is no worksheet function for depth.

406058162_ScreenShot2021-02-07at11_15_47AM.thumb.png.d6ad7c6dc2da8ec860b39b881eddbb04.png

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