Autodesk Inventor Customization

[#1]

Hi Guys,

We are developing an equation driven 3d spline using VBA.

It generates a 3D spline, guide rail, and tool profile, but we're having trouble figuring out how to do the actual "sweep with guide rail" using the API.

Attached is an .ipt of the shapes our program is generating automatically.  

The problem is we are having to manually create the sweep after the geometry is created.

How can we automate the sweep with guide rail process?  Can someone point me in the right direction on how to do something like this?

[#2]

BTW still using Inventor 2011

[#3 · Accepted solution]

This should get you going, it will do your first sweep feature :

Public Sub SweepFeature()

'reference the part doc
Dim oPartDoc As PartDocument
Set oPartDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

'reference to the sketches
Dim oSketches As PlanarSketches
Set oSketches = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Sketches

'get the TOOL 1 sketch
Dim oSketch As PlanarSketch
Set oSketch = oSketches.Item("TOOL 1")

' Create a profile from oSketch (TOOL 1)
Dim oProfile As Profile
Set oProfile = oSketch.Profiles.AddForSolid

'get the PATH sketch
Dim oSketch2 As PlanarSketch
Set oSketch2 = oSketches.Item("PATH")

'get the first line in the sketch
Dim oSketchLine1 As SketchLine
Set oSketchLine1 = oSketch2.SketchLines.Item(1)

'set oSketchLine1 as the path
Dim oPath As Path
Set oPath = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Features.CreatePath(oSketchLine1)

'get the RAIL 1 sketch (a 3D sketch in this case, not a planar sketch)
Dim oSketches3D As Sketches3D
Set oSketches3D = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Sketches3D
Dim oSketch3D As Sketch3D
Set oSketch3D = oSketches3D.Item("RAIL 1")

'get the first spline in the sketch
Dim oSketchSpline As SketchSpline3D
Set oSketchSpline = oSketch3D.SketchSplines3D.Item(1)

'set the spline as the guide path
Dim oGuide As Path
Set oGuide = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Features.CreatePath(oSketchSpline)

'do the sweep feature with Path and Guide Rail
Dim oSweep As SweepFeature
Set oSweep = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Features.SweepFeatures.AddUsingPathAndGuideRail(oProfile, oPath, oGuide, PartFeatureOperationEnum.kCutOperation, SweepProfileScalingEnum.kNoProfileScaling)

End Sub

If you search in the API help ( ? > Additional Resources > Programming Help ) for 'sweep' you will find some help in there. Theres also some sample code in the help to create a sweep feature.

Hope this helps

Tom

[#4]

Tom,

Thanks a bunch, that worked out great!  

Would you know how to go about doing a circular pattern of the swept features?  

Rob