When preparing information about a product, various specification forms may be required. In order to understand how the Woodwork for Inventor report generator works, we must explain the main principles and a few concepts.
Put very simply:
1. Specification (BOM) type tells us how we will iterate through the tree.
2. Table starts a cycle that iterates through the whole data model tree from the beginning to the end.
3. Table.Data Description filters the data to be exported and indicates in which environment it should be done.
4. Item shows the specific table cell and the piece of data to be exported.
Now we will discuss this in more detail.
1.When generating reports, Woodwork for Inventor BOM generator iterates through the model structure and, with each step, arrives at an item/entry of the structure tree, i.e. an item. Several iteration options are available. For example, through all items of an assembly, through items of parts only, through material entries only, etc.
2.Specifikacijos (BOM) tipas. These are instructions for iteration through model structure. At the same time, it defines the type of report. MS Excel sheet can have one specified BOM type. Two types are available:
a.Component specifications. Component specifications can be classified into three types:
i.Structured lists, which shall all assemblies and parts and their interrelation. Workpieces and their materials can be treated as a separate entry. It depends on the selected table type.
ii.Part lists, also known as Plain BOM.
iii.Item lists, where all items of a model tree are given in a plain BOM. This means that workpieces and materials are included in the specification as an item of the list rather than a property.
b.Material summaries, providing a summary of materials that make up the assembly. These are of two types:
i.Material Summary.
ii.Material Summary by Product in the general specification.
3.Table - it is essentially a loop instruction for iteration through the model tree from beginning to end. The tables also contain keywords, which “pull out” the required properties of the current item in the model tree. The properties are then displayed in the appropriate place of the table. Thus, each table means the iteration through the whole model structure from beginning to end. Each BOM type has its own types of tables. A table can be viewed as a kind of data filter. The table type determines which items have to be transferred to the table or how detailed the iteration through the model structure has to be. For example, the part list should only display the parts produced of board-type material. Another case: the structured list should consider the part as the lowest item and in the second case – the workpiece. One MS Excel sheet may describe several tables of the same specification type.
4.Keywords - arranged inside the table. This is an instruction specifying which item property has to be pulled out and entered in the given column. Each keyword starts with “Item”. A keyword is made up of word “Item”, dot and property name. This pulls out the required data from the item. For example, to find out the component name, you will simply have to enter the keyword {Item.Name}. If you need to find out the part length, enter the keyword {Item.Length}. To access the workpiece dimension, use the keyword {Item.FillWorkpiece.Length}. In order to avoid errors in compiling keywords, we recommend using the keyword hint.
For more information about the structure to be followed in a template, click here.
Types of specifications generated by Woodwork for Inventor and their tables
An explanation how specific types and tables iterate through model data is provided below.
This keyword marks the beginning of the structured list and belongs to Components BOM class. Only one table selected out of available ones can be included in such specification.
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This keyword marks the beginning of the structured list and belongs to Components BOM class. Specifications of this type always scan the model data by iterating through part items ignoring assembly items. Several tables can be composed in a single specification of this type. Each table includes Woodwork for Inventor parts made of the material type specified for the table. For example, all parts made of board will be presented in Table.Start.Board table. Parts made of other materials will be presented in the appropriate tables. This allows sorting the parts in an orderly fashion by the type of material of which they are made. In such table, workpiece data is presented as item properties. For example, to find out the workpiece length, you will have to enter the keyword {Item.FillWorkpiece.Length}. Cover workpieces are indexed according to the sides of the part and presented by specifying the index of the side. The following indices are used to describe the sides of a part:
▪Left ▪Right ▪Front ▪Back ▪Top ▪Bottom
For example, to open cover colour code of the left side of the part, you will have to enter the keyword {Item.CoverWorkpiece.Left.Material.Color.Code}. If no covers with such index could be found in the model data, MS Excel cell is left blank.
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The keyword starts a specification from the Components BOM class. Specification of this type iterates through all model data items. Several tables can be composed in a single specification of this type. Different from “BOM.PartsList”, where only the parts are iterated, “BOM.ItemsList” iterates through all items of the model data tree. Therefore, the tables allow the user to present the selections alone in a separate list or view the listed materials. Another feature of this specification is that it allows viewing the parts, from which the multilayer board is made up, and the workpieces of individual boards, which are included in the tables. Later on, information about parts, from which the boards are made up, can be derived accordingly.
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The keyword starts a specification presenting information about materials. In this case, the program iterates through items in the material table. Keywords can be used to access all characteristics of the material, including quantity of each material necessary to produce the product described in the model data. Quantities are presented with the appropriate units of measurement. For more information about Woodwork for Inventor materials, click here.
In this type of specification, several tables can be composed on a single sheet. Each table type presents a summary of the specified type of materials.
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"BOM.MaterialsSummaryByProduct"
The keyword starts a specification presenting information about materials in the same manner as in "BOM.MaterialSummary" specification. However, here, information about materials is broken down by products included in the model data. As described above, previously generated specifications for several Woodwork for Inventor product models can be merged..
"BOM.MaterialSummaryByProduct" specification is made up of material summary specifications for each product. Where it is inconvenient to create a separate .wbom file for each product and later merge these files to create uniform model data, this can be done by opening an Autodesk Inventor assembly and generating its specification. For example, you have an Autodesk Inventor assembly – a kitchen furniture set, and you want to generate material summary specification for each cabinet.
Now, BOM generator will treat each first-level component as a product that requires a separate material summary. Quantities are presented with the appropriate units of measurement. For more information about Woodwork for Inventor materials, click here.
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