Anyone Use 8020 Extrusions with Frame Generator? Machining Features?

[tdswanson]

Hey everyone:

I'm building a frame using 8020 aluminum extrusions.  I find a guy who posted a Content Center Library on GrabCAD's site that's got the tubing and it's been authored for the Frame Generator accelerator.  So that's awesome.  My frame is built, but I'm wondering if anyone has iFeatures or any other time savers setup for their typical machining options.

Mostly, I'm looking for anchor fastener counterbores.  I've added them manually, but it takes forever.  I tried creating an iFeature, but I apparently constructed the hole feature in a method that's "not supported" so I can't do it.

Tips, suggestions?

Thanks!

[JDMather]

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@tdswanson wrote:

 I tried creating an iFeature, but I apparently constructed the hole feature in a method that's "not supported" so I can't do it.

Thanks!

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It might be worthwhile to learn how to do the iFeature.
Create a dummy part.

Create the feature you intend to use as iFeature and attach the file here for pointers on getting it to work.

(Tip: I create all my iFeatures as Punch features even if they aren't really for sheet metal. This makes placement as easy as placing Hole features with sketch centerpoints.)

[tdswanson]

Well, I got the features constructed in a way that Inventor would allow me to create an iFeature, which is great.  But I found that controlling the direction was a challenge.

So in order to keep this project moving, I got this IDE file made (see dummy part and IDE attachments.  I apparently can't upload an IDE file, so I changed this extension to IDW and you'll need to change it back after downloading.....)  

I pulled out one of the frame generator parts for the dummy, so when you open the IPT file, you have to change the tree structure from "Frame Generator" to "Model" to see the features.

The selection order is this:

1.  Select the center "rib" surface to create the plane to be counterbored

2.  Select the short line at the end of this rib that gives it the edge reference

3.  Select one of the long lines at the edge of this rib.

4.  Select the other long line at the edge of this rib.

If you get #3 and #4 the wrong way, it's pretty easy to tell.  And I've had to go back into a placed iFeature and re-select to get it right, but this is still faster than manually creating them.

Is there a better way to construct the selection process?  What do you think?

Thanks!

[dtrappe]

You can download their CAD files here:

http://www.8020.net/PartSource.asp

You can then create a custom library, tweak the file and add them as structural shapes.  It takes some hacking away, but I have them working all right other than some weird "trim to frame" issues where it thinks it should mitre instead of trim.