Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

Hello,

I just posted the message below on an earlier post, but I had one more question. Why would my assembly file be only 195 KB? I have parts with larger file sizes! Is something messed up with my assembly?

Original question:

I have another question related to this subject. I am trying to pack and go an assembly and send it to another Inventor user. When I right click on the assy, a message pops up. It reads: "The following component locations are not in the active project file. T:\Inventor\Nixon Energy\Nixon GA.iam". Nixon GA is my assy file name and it is what I right clicked on! What does this mean? Will the assy pack and go work? Also can I have the destination folder location be my desktop?

Thank you for any help you can give!!

Kirsten

[#2]

An assembly file (*.iam) is little more than a list of hyperlinks to the part (*.ipt) files and a record of assembly constraints (how the parts go together).  Without parts an iam is useless.

For your second question - what happens when you try it?

[#3]

THANKS! It seems to have worked and I have the entire folder zipped and saved on my desk top. But now my boss says he wants it to be a 3D part instead of an assembly. Is there a way to change the assy into a solid part like how you create a block in AutoCAD? That way it is just a shape of the the assembly but not able to be worked on or taken apart? The client just wants to se if it will fit into their asembly. We don't want to give them so much information. It's like giving away the cow with the milk, so to speak.

Thanks!!!

[#4 · Accepted solution]

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KFrankenberger wrote:

... Is there a way to change the assy into a solid part like how you create a block in AutoCAD? That way it is just a shape of the the assembly but not able to be worked on or taken apart? The client just wants to se if it will fit into their asembly. We don't want to give them so much information. It's like giving away the cow with the milk, so to speak.

Thanks!!!

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1. You could derive the iam into a part and just not include certian items.  When you are deriving in the iam, click on the options tab and patch holes, remove items by size.... etc.

2.  There is also a simplification add-on that you can install from labs that works pretty well for what you are asking.

3.  Use the Shrikwrap feature.

[#5 · Accepted solution]

I used the shrink wrap feature! I can't believe it, how exciting is that? Turning a huge assembly into one part! Wow. Thanks for your help! You spurred me on the way.