7. Bill of Materials / Material Take Off

How to create BOMs / MTOs with two different techniques.

Parts list

Data of model's visible parts

Hide

Restore

Save

Open the model of your main assembly (EXP-MAIN.vxm) from the previous exercise.

Open the basic browser by pressing B and find the segment Documents.

The segment Documents divides into two main branches Model and Drawing.

Search the folder of your project from the branch Model. Then double-click it to open the model.

You can find more information about the browser here.

You can create different types of parts lists with the function Parts List.

Tab Assembly > Parts List, in picture 1) or context-sensitive function: Parts List.

The window Collect Parts List opens > Select Output format from the drop-down menu: Pipe comp. (1) to Excel, in picture 2).

Select value Rollout to end to the field Rollout, in picture 3).

Then click the button OK to start the generation, in picture 4).

Select the target where to save the file piping.xls and save it.

The parts list opens in Excel.

Download this particular Excel file here. (62 KB)

You can try other Output formats if you like.

You can view the item data of the model's currently visible parts, modify them, and eventually export them to the Excel file.

This function gives you more freedom and agility to create lists compared to the traditional Parts list function.

Hide the building model EXP-BUILDING > Select it from the assembly or tree > Context-sensitive function: Hiding... > Hide (H).

Tab Assembly > Data of model's visible parts, in picture 1).

The window Part data of model's visible components opens, in picture 2).

You can find extensive definitions of each button and function by clicking the Help button, in picture 3).

Then we create a similar parts list than we did with the other function:

You can try to create other types of lists if you like.

Restore the hided building model at the end > Context-sensitive function: Restore Hidden (Ctrl+Shift+H).