Figure 1A. Here’s how to add title block functionality to your title block in a series of steps. No. 2, add a note. No. 3, select those notes and add them to the title block table, add a tool tip and enclose the notes with a hot spot rectangle. No. 4, save sheet format. To see how you’re doing, test the sheet format on your drawing.
Drawing title blocks are defined as part of your company’s drafting standards. During the CAD software discussion, a template is created to capture the company’s standards. A customized drawing template can be used as a good starting point when creating production drawings.
This (ongoing) discussion of template design emphasizes the Title Block feature, a slightly simpler approach than using custom properties. The idea is that the drawing file stores Product Manufacturing Information (PMI). In the previous episode’s custom properties approach, the PMI is stored in the part or assembly file and is simply represented by the drawing’s sheet format. Foresight, the simpler approach may be less convenient.
CAD software has special features that can be applied to title block design and data entry. The PMI stored in the title block travels with the drawing file and does not change the 3D model file.
title block It has a double meaning. Use uppercase in the context of CAD functionality and lowercase when used as general drafting terminology.
Another CAD term for drawings, the sheet format defines what the title block looks like and where the title block fields are placed on the drawing.
Creating customized sheet formats is as easy as saving sheet formats. Sheet styles are used to update existing drawing templates and existing drawings.
This demo edits an existing drawing to design a revised sheet format. That sheet format will be used in the updated drawing template. With the starting point drawing open, use the sheet format editing tools. Figure 1A Here are the three steps involved in setting up a title block.
In step 1, you sketch a frame for the title block and add a title. In this example, the sheet is 11 x 17 inches (B size). The title block and its font sketch size are adjusted for readability in hard copy.
In step 2, add notes to each field you want in the title block. (A Note is a CAD term for an item that contains text. ) The fields (notes) in this example are Description, Material, Tolerance, Finish, and Deburring. Since you are editing an existing drawing, you may want to create meaningful notes when adding notes. But be careful how you use the template.Help users understand what data needs to be changed DefaultFor example, a memo with the description “ASSEMBLY, BASE, FMA CART” might be better called “ENTER DESCRIPTION” in the finished template.
Now that you have placed the fields in the title block, go to step 3 to define the title block. While editing the sheet format, right click the mouse to pop up a menu,[タイトル ブロック フィールド …]Choose.
Figure 1B. To test the title block, open a drawing using the sheet style in Figure 1A. Move the mouse over the title block on the drawing. The cursor changes to the title block table. When it appears, right-click the mouse and select Enter Title Block Data from the popup menu. Tab through the fields, make changes as needed, and click the green check mark when done.
Title blocks have hot spots that appear as rectangles with handles. Users of the template must place their mouse within the hotspot to access menus and access data entry fields.
Size the hot spot accordingly. Note that a right mouse click on the hot spot is required to access the title block. The right-click button can be used elsewhere on the drawing, so keep the hot spot very close to the data entry field.
Select an available note to add fields to the title block. In this example there are 5 notes to choose from.
Each field in the title block table has a tooltip entry that you can enter. This helps users understand what they need to enter when they arrive at the field.
Fields in the title block can be reordered for convenience when the user tabs through the fields.
In step 4, save the title block (embedded in this sheet format) for others to use. Edit the sheet (rather than edit the sheet format). Save the sheet style with a meaningful name. In this example, “Sheet Format – Dumb Title Block” is used. A “smart title block” version is promised later.