Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

I quite often import hardware models downloaded form various mfg or supplier websites. McMaster Carr for example provides a great deal of hardware models.  While they offer native formats for SW they do not do this for IV (not many places do)

Since the [imported] models often open up with default properties, I change the material to something that closely represents the actual hardware or item.  In some cases, there are certain portions of the item that are in reality colored or textured differently and I sometimes want to duplicate that for aesthetics and a more accurate view for people that use my assembly files.

In SW, it was always real easy to select just a face (regardless of whether the surface was part of an entire part, a feature, an imported solid body, etc.  I could always change the properties of just a face or slection of faces.  Since it was a standard pc of hardware, I had no concern about updates.

Now, please tell me there is a way to do this in IV.   I have a part file that contains two imported solid bodies.  If I select just a single face and try to change the color of it, it changes the entire part.  Not what I want.

Doug

[#2]

Maybe you could feature recognition, then you could change the way you want.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/feature_recognition

[#3 · Accepted solution]

You should be able to select the single face, right click and choose properties.  Then change the color for just that face.  You can select multiple faces by holding down the shift and then selecting the faces you want to change.

Be careful when you are multi-selecting and not select an edge.  If you do, when you right click, the properties will not be there.

Kirk A.

Windows 7 x64 -12 GB Ram
Intel i7-930 @ 3.60ghz
nVidia GTS 250 -1GB (Driver 301.42)
INV Pro R2013, SP1.1 (update1)
Vault Basic 2013

[#4]

Tried the feature recognition.  No dice.

Found the properties.  Guess I missed that the first time.

Thanks

Doug

[#5]

Like I said, you might have selected an edge and that is why the "properties" was not there.

I just wish we had a properties painter that would work on faces.  That has already be asked for many, many times.

[#6]

Hi divingdoug,

In addition to the previous replies you can reset the solid body colors as described here:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/Reset-face-color-overrides/m-p/3269583#M421416

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/Importing-Parts-from-STEP-to-Inventor-2011-materials...

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[#7]

It's important to post the Inventor version with your question so we don't have to ask.  Since you didn't, I'll assume the current version (2013).

I'm not sure why your original attempt didn't work-- in 2013 you can select a face or multiple faces, then simply pick the Appearance you want from the drop-down menu in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the Inventor window.  That drop-down applies to whatever you have selected-- faces, solid bodies, the whole model, etc.  If nothing is selected, it applies to the whole model.

[#8]

I indeed did try the appearance drop down, many times and it always changed the entire part, regardless of how much or how little I had selected (faces, bodies, etc.)

I have attached the part that started this for anyone whofeels inclined to try and work with it.  Was last saved in IV 2012.  I will be interested to see if you can change only a face by using the drop down at the top of the screen.

I have already changed the colors of the faces on each end to match the effect of the actual item by using the right click / properties command.

Doug

[#9]

[#10]

Make sure your selection filter is set to face and edges,