SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part V: Creating Drawings

FIGURE 24.16

A Revision Table with balloon symbols

Using General Tables

General Tables can be used for any type of tabulated data. Column headers can be filled with either
text labels or custom property links. Regular Excel OLE objects can also be used for the same pur-
pose, and depending on the application, you may prefer this.

The General Table uses the filename extension *.sldtbt. You can create it without a template, as

a simple block of four empty cells, or you can use a template that has a set of pre-created headers.

Using Tables in Models

Proponents of solid modeling have been saying for years that 2D drawings are going to disappear.

I’m not convinced. Paper drawings will continue to be useful until all old manufacturing methods

are abandoned, and I don’t see that happening in my lifetime. People who use modern manufac-

turing methods have already eliminated drawings, but it may never happen across the board.

But because some companies rely on 2D and paper drawings less, the industry is developing new

ways to create 2D-type documentation inside a 3D document. The ANSI Y14.41 standard is pri-

marily about this transition.

SolidWorks is responding to this type of requirement by adding features that enable you to docu-

ment the 3D data. Placing BOMs in assembly files is one way of doing this. Placing 2D type data