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Home > All Categories > 08. VX Concepts > Assembly Concepts > Top Down Assembly Design
Question Title Top Down Assembly Design

In a "top down" design all components are typically designed by the same person within a single part. VX handles "top down" design by allowing you to create and design a component while you are in the active part. By doing so, the active part then becomes an assembly.

The component becomes a child of the active part and then it becomes the active part. The component, when created, is an instance of an original part which becomes a root object placed in the active file. The part or each component is activated and edited as desired. The "top down" design has its advantages. If you are working on a new design you may elect to keep all component parts in the same file until the design is near completion. If the project is canceled or if you decide to go in a totally new direction, deleting the file will delete the part and all of its components.

 

Top Down Hierarchy

Basic Assembly of Part1

The "top down" design hierarchy of the basic assembly example is shown below. None of the components exist prior to Part1. When Part1 is created, it becomes the active part. You would use the following menu/command sequence to create Bracket and make it the active part.

Assembly Design Tool Bar > Create/Edit Component

 
Bracket is a child of Part1. The dashed line shows that by default when Bracket is created, it is added to File1. The dotted line shows that Bracket is inserted (instanced) into Part1. When Bracket is complete Part1 is reactivated. Bolt and Washer are then created using the same procedure and Part1 is reactivated again.
 
 
Part1 Hierarchy using Top Down Design
Part1 Hierarchy using Top Down Design
 
 
Module Subassembly is created like the Bracket, Bolt, and Washer again becoming a child of Part1. However, Module Subassembly remains active (i.e., Part1 is not reactivated) when Seal is created. Seal becomes the active part and by default also resides in File1 but is inserted into Module Subassembly because it was active at the time Seal was created. Module Subassembly is then reactivated and Module is created similar to Seal.
 

To Summarize:

  • File1 contains 7 parts (Part1, Bracket, Bolt, Washer, Module Subassembly, Seal, and Module).
  • Part1 contains 4 components (Bracket, Bolt, Washer, and Module Subassembly) which are instances of the original parts located in File1.
  • Module Subassembly contains 2 components (Seal and Module) which are also instances of the original parts located in File1.
  • If File1 is saved it contains all of its original parts.
  • If File1 is deleted, it and all of its original parts are deleted.

 
Authored by: VX Technical Support
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Article Information Additional Information
Article Number: 1236
Created: 23 Apr, 2009 4:40 PM
Last Modified: 21 Oct, 2009
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