Assemblies often contain components for which there is no model required, such as paint, grease, oil, labels, and so forth. These non-graphic parts still need to be documented in the parts list and bill of materials that are created for the assembly. In Solid Edge, you can use the File Properties command on the Application menu in the Part and Sheet Metal environments to add custom properties to an empty part document. These custom properties allow you to define the required information for these types of parts. You can create two types of non-graphic parts: parts that require a unit type and quantity, and parts without a unit type and quantity.
Some non-graphic parts require a unit type and quantity. For example, you may require four liters of oil in an engine assembly. You can create a part document named OIL.PAR, then set the unit type, Liters, in the part document. Later, when you place the oil.par document in the assembly, you can set the unit quantity using the Occurrence Properties command on the Edit menu.
Other non-graphic parts require no unit type or quantity. For example, you may require a small quantity of grease between certain parts in the assembly. These types of part quantities are usually documented "As Required" on a parts list or bill of materials. For these types of parts, you define the custom properties and the text string you want in the part document. You do not have to edit the occurrence properties in the assembly.
Since non-graphic parts do not need to be positioned with assembly relationships, you can place the part in the assembly by holding the SHIFT key, and drag the part into the assembly.