make it easier on yourself…copy drawing sheets

How many times have you had a part with multiple configurations in which only 1 or 2 dimensions were the reason for the all of the versions?  Well, I run into this from time to time and in our company we need to make sure that we have a separate drawing for each configuration.  How we handle this is to have one drawing file with multiple sheets that are for each of the configurations.  This can become a very tedious process because you want all the drawings the same but just showing the different dimensions and possibly part number.  Never fear, there is a rather easy way to do this.

The 1st thing that you are going to want to do is to create a “master”drawing of your first configuration.  This drawing will be the one that you will be copying for all of the other configuration drawings.  Here is where the fun begins.  Rename the drawing that you just created to match the configuration that it depicts.  You can do this by RMB click the Sheet1 tab at the bottom of the screen (see below in red) and selecting Rename.

Next thing you are going to want to do is to RMB click the Sheet1 tab again and select copy.  Once you have done this simply use your keyboard shortcut for Paste (Ctrl+V) to paste that sheet in this file.  When you paste it you will see a pop-up box like the one below that will give you some options.

Once you determine where you would like to locate this copied drawing you will want to rename it to the next configuration that you are making a drawing for.  Now that you have done this you have (2) drawings but they are both referencing the same part and the same configuration, right?  Now it’s time to take care of that as well.  In your newly created drawing, RMB click on one of the views and select Properties.  You will see a box like the one below that will allow you to change what configuration you want that particular view to show (highlighted inside red box).  Select the configuration that you have named your sheet and away you go.  There is one kicker however, you will need to re-associate ALL of your drawing view to match the same configuration.

I hope that this makes your life a little easier when you are given the job of making drawings for that one file you have that has 178 different configurations in it.  Have fun!