Grouping parts in assemblies

[Jason Gooch]

Hey smart people - is it possible to group parts in assemblies - IE: I'm making some full-height pantry cabinet with slab doors. There's four doors (two over two), and I'd like the grain to be continuous. I don't want one single cabinet, because it needs to break down so it'll fit in the front door. Any ideas on how to get that all to nest properly?

Much obliged - Jason

[Dennis Englert]

Hi, Jason,

Since you have to select an individual cabinet first in order to group parts, I'd have to say that no you can not group door or drawer fronts in an assembly. However, if you're wanting the matched or grouped parts to go to a CNC to be cut or nested correctly, I'd make another cabinet (not in your assembly) so that you can install the door and drawer fronts in the sizes that you need. Group them and then get your nest diagram, cut lists and CNC file. In a previous post, so that the cabinet parts don't end up in the nest or at the CNC someone suggested to create a sheet stock that is 1mm x 1mm in dimensions and assign that material to the parts that you don't want to cut. Good idea! All of your cabinet parts are larger than 1mm x 1mm, thus they can't nest on the assigned material. The same could probably be true for doors and drawer fronts that you install on the assembly. Assign this itty-bitty sheet stock to those doors and they want cut. Sounds a lot easier than trying to have an operator catch it at the machine.

BTW. Feature requests can be submitted via Feedback under Communications.

Thanks,

Dennis Englert

[Jeremy Schiffer]

I think the easiest way to do this would be to add two extra doors to one of the cabinets as Display Doors, and omit the doors from the other cabinet.

[Dennis Englert]

Sounded good, so I thought I'd try. When you try to group parts, you can not select display doors.

Dennis

[Jason Gooch]

Thanks gentlemens - I really would've liked the display door option! I guess the main problem with your idea, Dennis, is the cabinet numbering issue. What's the best way to label those doors so they end up with the right cabinet? This is a big job (ie: six kitchens), it's kinda important that parts are clearly labelled. I suppose I could assign a name to the doors, but does that show up on normal labels?

Thanks much - Jason

[Dennis Englert]

The new names replace the original names on the labels, so you should be able to associate them to the correct cabinet.

[Jeremy Schiffer]

Sorry Jason, I could've sworn I used that method before.

My only other suggestion is to incorporate a third cabinet into the assembly, sized so that the doors will be right, with all parts deleted except the four doors. Perhaps you could group those together? I'm not sure, as I'm not at my computer right now... worth a shot though.

[Rick Palechuk]

Or build one from Do Not Cut material with your door sizes correct. And the two with differently named doors so your hole pattern for your hinge plates are correct.