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Total noob - how do I change parameters on component instances in assembly?

16 REPLIES 16
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Message 1 of 17
jeffcarson
1049 Views, 16 Replies

Total noob - how do I change parameters on component instances in assembly?

Going through the iLogic tutorial I have a part called "bracket" which has a multi-value parameter "mass" which can be 100, 200, 300, or 400 and controls the width of the bracket.

 

I have an assembly into which I have placed thee brackets.

 

How do I set different parameters for each of the instances of "bracket"?  I want one bracket with mass = 100, one with mass = 200, and one with mass = 300, such that I have three brackets of different widths.

 

Sorry this is such a newbie question, but somehow I can't figure it out, and I must not be searching on the right text in Google because I find only ways to change the value of the parameter within the core component (such that all brackets change and end up the same width).

 

16 REPLIES 16
Message 2 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: jeffcarson

Sketch1 is not constrained or placed at a logical location in reference to the origin.

 

I recommend you start here http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/SkillsUSA%20University.pdf

before moving on to topics like iLogic.


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Message 3 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: JDMather

?

 

If you are complaining about the bracket, it is taken directly from the Autodesk tutorial.  All I did was place it in an assembly.

 

Or are you saying I cannot change parameters on components unless the sketch is in a particular location?!?

 

Message 4 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: jeffcarson


@jeffcarson wrote:
 

If you are complaining about the bracket, it is taken directly from the Autodesk tutorial...

 


That figures.  I don't know who writes this stuff - but they need to learn the basics.
I will take a look at your actual problem when I get a chance (do you have a link to the tutorial so that I don't have to search for it myself?


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Message 5 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: JDMather

I went through this tutorial:

 

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Inventor/enu/2014/Help/0082-Tutorial82/0083-Inventor83/0234-iLogic_B234

 

Then I created a new assembly and placed the part into the assembly three times.  Now I'd like to change the parameters of the components independently.

 

Note that my assembly is purely an attempt to learn how to manipulate instance parameters and does not represent an actual design.

 

Message 6 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: jeffcarson

Does nobody know how to do this?  Surely this is a very simple thing...?

 

I'm surprised I can't right-click on a component instance in the browser and have an option to edit User Parameters on just that component.

Message 7 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: jeffcarson

I'm not sure I understand your question. Can you elaborate on what you have currently and what you're expecting to achieve? I can't open your files at the moment.
Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 8 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: mrattray

I have a part where a feature is controlled (suppressed or activated) in iLogic by a User Parameter (a multi-value text parameter that can be either "active" or "not_active").

 

I have an assembly into which I have placed two component instances of the part.

 

I would like to change the User Parameter on one of the component instances to "active" and the same User Parameter on the other component instance to "non_active".

 

 

Message 9 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: jeffcarson

It's not possible to have two identical parts that are different.
Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 10 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: mrattray

I'm asking if it's possible to have two components of one part with different User Parameters.  If the answer is no, then what is the purpose of the bracket in this tutorial?

 

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Inventor/enu/2014/Help/0082-Tutorial82/0083-Inventor83/0234-iLogic_B234

 

It is presented as an example of how you can program the behavior of a part using iLogic such that there are a number of User Parameters that can be set in order to select the appropriate bracket for a given load, whether or not you want chamfers on the corners, whether or not it should have a mounting hole in one, both, or no sides, etc.

 

What you are suggesting is that once I place one of these brackets in an assembly and set its parameters to be appropriate for that given load / chamfers / holes, I can never again use this part in another assembly unless I am willing to use the exact same version (re: load / chamfers / holes) as in the first assembly.

 

Why would anyone go to the trouble of programming the variations of a part through iLogic if you can only ever use one version of the part?

 

Or what am I missing?

Message 11 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: jeffcarson

What I'm saying is that you need to do a save-as off of your part once it's configured the way you like. Otherwise every time it changes it will change globally. If you need two different brackets then you need to create two different bracket files (copies) so each can have different user parameter settings.
Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 12 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: mrattray

Ok, I understand.

 

I think the Autodesk tutorial is kind of misleading, suggesting you can build a single part and use it for multiple applications.  When in reality you build the one part, code up all the variations in iLogic, and then go through all of the variations, clicking "Save as" for each one so that you can actually use them in the future.

 

Thanks for clarifying this mrattray

Message 13 of 17
cwhetten
in reply to: jeffcarson


@jeffcarson wrote:

... go through all of the variations, clicking "Save as" for each one so that you can actually use them in the future.



iParts may be more suitable for what you just described.  If you haven't already, look into iParts to see if they can help you get what you need.

 

But no, a single part file can only have one configuration at a time.  iLogic can program the part to take many different forms depending on user input, but it can only be one of those at a time.  Component occurrences of the same part file in an assembly are identical copies of each other.

 

You have a little more flexibility with (sub)assemblies as component occurrences inside another assembly.  You can have a single assembly file shown in different configurations (to an extent) through the use of view representations and positional representations.  But not with part files.

 

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014

Message 14 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: cwhetten

Just to elaborate - when you create an iPart when you place it into an assembly Inventor asks you for the configuration of the part you want in the assembly.  For each new configuration Inventor then automatically "manufactures" a new part from the master iPart.  This used to be referred to the iPart Factory in earlier versions of Inventor.


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Message 15 of 17
jtylerbc
in reply to: jeffcarson

A part like this could also be used as a template file for starting new parts from, rather than using Save As from an existing one each time.  If I created a part like the one you're describing, that's probably how I would use it.

Message 16 of 17
jeffcarson
in reply to: JDMather

What JDMather describes is what I expected from a part parameterized with iLogic.  Good to know this exists with iParts - I'll go through the iPart tutorials and help sections.

Message 17 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: jeffcarson


@jeffcarson wrote:

What JDMather describes....


This one is about as simple as it gets (can do much much more sophisticated use of iParts).

Start a new assembly.

Place Component and select this Die.ipt file.

A dialog box will pop up - examine the tabs.

Go back to the first tab and select the 3mm.

 

Also in Inventor right mouse button everything to find hidden functionality.


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