CAD Forum

I have spent the last couple of weeks making exploded drawings. It is not one of my favorite tasks in SW.

Does anyone have any tricks for using "auto balloon?"

My list of complaints:
Sometimes it balloons all parts, sometimes it balloons some parts, and sometimes it balloons nothing at all.
It seems to have no understanding of what is on the sheet, placing the balloons on the border, on top of tables, even off of the sheet.
The arrow always land on the middle of the part, instead of pointing at an edge.


I feel like I spend just as much time modifying the auto balloon as I would adding the balloons manually.




Autoballoon only finding one part. Auto balloon putting balloons everywhere. Arrow landing in the middle of the part.

Auto balloon refusing to select a part.

I am a gif, click me!

SPerman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:18 am Auto balloon refusing to select a part.

I am a gif, click me!

autoballoon.gif

I think I ran into something like that. If you are using exploded views you have to use the standard ISO view. If you choose another rotated view, then SW can't find parts like that.

mattpeneguy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:30 am I think I ran into something like that. If you are using exploded views you have to use the standard ISO view. If you choose another rotated view, then SW can't find parts like that.

I recall this from a couple of years ago (version 2019SP4) we could manually balloon them in exploded view, but the balloon wants to attach to where the part would be in iso view, you have to go hunting for it and watch the mouse cursor change. I cannot remember what work around we succumb to. I mean, who actually balloons parts in exploded views, why would anyone need that to be fully functional?

I don't know that anyone where I work uses auto balloon, not worthwhile, one of those features, it's just marketing crap IMO.

I like the alignment line. I wish when I made it longer, the balloons didn't move.

I am a gif, click me!

bnemec wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:38 am I recall this from a couple of years ago (version 2019SP4) we could manually balloon them in exploded view, but the balloon wants to attach to where the part would be in iso view, you have to go hunting for it and watch the mouse cursor change. I cannot remember what work around we succumb to. I mean, who actually balloons parts in exploded views, why would anyone need that to be fully functional?

I don't know that anyone where I work uses auto balloon, not worthwhile, one of those features, it's just marketing crap IMO.

My VAR said the best thing to do is to plan from the start to use the standard ISO view.

A work around that comes to mind may be to create a new assembly, throw the assembly you want to explode into the new ASM, rotate it how you want, to line up with the ASM standard ISO. Then explode it...Dirty, but should work.

SPerman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:09 am I feel like I spend just as much time modifying the auto balloon as I would adding the balloons manually.

That sounds oddly familiar. Oh yeah! That's why I abandoned using model items and started manually adding dimensions in drawings back around 2009.

mattpeneguy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 11:04 am My VAR said the best thing to do is to plan from the start to use the standard ISO view.

I'm sorry, but:

"World class CAD you said?"

mattpeneguy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 11:04 am A work around that comes to mind may be to create a new assembly, throw the assembly you want to explode into the new ASM, rotate it how you want, to line up with the ASM standard ISO. Then explode it...Dirty, but should work.

Maybe fine if never/seldom revise anything.

This is where our VAR took the opportunity to hock Composer. I feel that SW's ability to make drawings for assembly or service instructions is analogous to 1/2 length crayons with teeth marks. We bought a couple seats of Composer.

I always create a view in the assembly to be used in the exploded drawing. I can always get it to work, but sometimes it takes a little fiddling. I'm not sure what made it happy in this instance. Rebuild, switch to assembly, rebuild, open different drawing, go back to original and now it works.

I think I get composer with my seat of premium. I need to look into that.

SPerman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 11:25 am I always create a view in the assembly to be used in the exploded drawing. I can always get it to work, but sometimes it takes a little fiddling. I'm not sure what made it happy in this instance. Rebuild, switch to assembly, rebuild, open different drawing, go back to original and now it works.

I think I get composer with my seat of premium. I need to look into that.

I don't think so, unless something has changed.

I know I always uncheck it during install, but having never used it, I don't know what I get.

I gave up on auto balloon after trying it a few times and having to move them all around anyways. I find it's pretty fast to use the regular balloon feature and just put them where I want to start with. You can use the align tools to line them up if you need.

SPerman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:49 am I like the alignment line. I wish when I made it longer, the balloons didn't move.

I am a gif, click me!
drag.gif

There is an enhancement SPR for this:

701745 -- When changing the length of a magnetic line do not move / shift the balloons position

Thanks. I just voted or subscribed or whatever it is that form is there for.

I had a discussion with my VAR (Hawkridge) about this:

They might stop if the part is obstructed!

The quality of the description of the SPR they added is abysmal. Basically obstructed parts might (!) get called out or they might not. This varies depending on the view & on the selected model display (hidden lines visible, wireframe or not) & on the amount of balloons it has to create. In short:
Doesn't work if something is obstructed!

SPR 1236288

I remember some people having problems with ballooning when they had their views in "Shaded with Edges" mode. Did you try switching it to "Hidden Lines Removed" mode and trying again?

Also this:

DanPihlaja wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 11:27 am I remember some people having problems with ballooning when they had their views in "Shaded with Edges" mode. Did you try switching it to "Hidden Lines Removed" mode and trying again?

Also this:

image.png

Tried all of this in my case - STILL does not work properly all the time. There is sadly no way to force it. So you're always left with double checking if all are called out.

berg_lauritz wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:18 am So you're always left with double checking if all are called out.

Hopefully you are aware that you can expand the left side of the BOM table to quickly see if any items don't have balloons.

JSculley wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 11:35 am Hopefully you are aware that you can expand the left side of the BOM table to quickly see if any items don't have balloons.

I am aware (Thank you @AlexLachance , I think) but usually I use the free timesavers add on from cadbooster for this (only works with one BOM though!):

Very nice, GREAT SUCCESS!

JSculley wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 11:35 am Hopefully you are aware that you can expand the left side of the BOM table to quickly see if any items don't have balloons.

Thank you!. When working on these drawings I would from time to time see an extra column to the left in the BOM. At the time I was too focused on getting my work done, and later forget about it. Now I know what was happening.

My biggest tip for using Auto Balloon would be the same as my biggest tip for using Auto Explode, Auto Dimension, and Auto Anything else. Don't bother. OK, that may be a bit cynical of me, but practically speaking I've seldom, if ever, found much of SW's "Auto" functionality to be very functional. Making a good, clear, exploded view drawing is nearly always a fiddly process for anything but the most simple assembly. Who's it for? The guys building the assembly, or an end user looking for replacement parts? Or maybe just the guy who needs to make sure all the needed parts are in stock. The guy building the thing needs to clearly see how all the parts fit together and be able to tell what's what. The guy looking for replacement parts isn't too concerned with parts he can't replace himself, or that you won't sell him anyway. The guy keeping the parts room stocked wants to know exactly what, and how many, of each part are needed and most likely couldn't care less what the assembly looks like. SW doesn't know what you need the drawing for and it's best guess at auto anything is, at best, no more than a starting point for you to make a usable drawing. I remember my SW instructor describing auto dimension as "shotgunning them on there". So if just a few actually hitting the target is OK, shotgun away. If you actually need the balloons, dimensions, parts, etc. placed in a clear, organized way, break out the rifle, dial in the sites, and as my shooting coach used to say "Squeeze 'em easy." (I.E. don't jerk your trigger finger), one round at a time.

Admittedly some of it has probably improved since I last gave up on it, so I should go back and give it another try, but I'm not optimistic (not about that anyway).

Aaaand, rant over.

Yep, your choice is to make a mess then clean it up, or just do it in an organized manner the first time, either way it usually takes the same amount of time.