Assembly confidential internal parts

[normanvannorden]

Hello Everyone,


I am running SolidWorks 2008 and Ihave a small problem andI would like to have some tips or advice on this.


What I am working on now is an assembly, however we would like to send this assembly to another company so they kan place it in there own assembly. But they dont need to knowhow the inside components look like (actualy its best if they never find out).


So Iwas thinking maybe there is another way to save the assembly so they can not take the coverplate or lid of, and also cant turn the view to wireframe or hidden lines vissible.


I already tried to save the assemblyin all the file types available but none were succesful


Another idea was to make the parts unseparable or something in that direction.


I hope someone can help me with this. AndI hopeI can help someone else in the future also.


Yours Solidly,


Norman van Norden

 

[joelewinski]

I'm not sure if this would work for you, but couldn't you create a new copy of the assembly (saved with a new name), delete all of the internal, proprietary parts, and save the file with only the external housings?

 

[SSLaser]

Norman,


Your proposed solutions still allow someone to cut away a wall or cover for a look inside.


Your best option is to save the assembly to a different filename, then delete the items you don't want them to see. If preserving mass is an issue for analysis, then you may need to place a dummy weight inside your assembly in place of what you deleted. If you need to preserve mass distribution, then shape your dummy weight accordingly.


Peter
Edited by: SSLaser

 

[normanvannorden]

Thanks alot,both of you.


Initialy wedidn't want to create dummy files, but Ithink creating a dummy with no internal parts would be the best solution in this case.


Again thanks.

 

[Paul Zwaan]

Hi Guys,


Sometimes you may want to update the file you sending. To avoid repeating the deletion process in that case, you would find this a better strategy:


Don't delete the secret file from the assembly, just delete them from the files you send. The assembly will then show them greyed out. Any time you update the assembly, you can just send them the updated assembly file and any parts which changed. and their assembly will update. if you ever decide you have to reveal just one additional part, then you can send that too and not the whole assembly again.


Yet another idea for you is to create an assembly with the secret parts hidden. Then save as a parasolid file which is REALLY small and which excludes any hidden files. Cheers


Paul

 

[normanvannorden]

Hello Paul,


Great tips and really usefull, thank you very much.

 

[Smoky]

You could also save your assembly as a part, thereby making it unable to come apart. The insides may be able to be seen as hidden lines, but likely could not be distinguished unless you knew what was what.


Smoky Rick

 

[normanvannorden]

Smoky Rick,


Thanks for your advice but they could stillcut extrude the top lid of and see whats insideso this wouldn't work.


But stillthanks for youreffort.

 

[SSLaser]

Paul,


When the customer opens the assembly with deleted (grayed) files, wouldthey get an error message for each item deleted?


The parasolid idea makes sense. I'm going to try that next time.


Peter

 

[Paul Zwaan]

Hi Peter,





I think if they are suppressed in the assembly you can avoid the error message.


So if that is the case, I would make a "suppressed" configuration in the assembly and save the part in that state before sending the limited selection of files

 

[Metoo]

There's an option in 2008to save an assembly as a part with only the outside features or parts showing.


I've also saved out assemblies in a neutral format and then opened them and merged all components (if solids) into onecombined solid; then save out again in a neutral format. The end result is one solid blob.