Autodrop Multiple nuts after autodropping multiple washers

[jeffpike6221]

Hey guys, I'm sure there has to be an easy workaround here that I'm missing.

(Inv Pro 2012, XP64, Vaulted Project and Content Center)

When I'm placing hardware, the Autodrop function is really convenient.  Even better when the "multiple" pickbox is active, which from what I understand is when Inventor finds similar features on the same plane that the selected autodrop component could potentially mate to.

This is a huge time-saver, since I often have lots of bolted joints that all terminate on the same plane.  Sometimes however, even when the parts lie in the same "plane", the plane isn't contiguous in that a feature breaks it across.  No biggie, it just means I have to do two or three "multi-autodrops".

BUT

Once I put washers at the back side of the connections (which multiple works like a charm on), all of a sudden when I go to place nuts, each washer surface is now it's own plane, and multi-drop no longer recognizes all the other parts.  This can be a real pain manually placing 30 or 40 nuts at a time.

I think the "Bolted Connection" option might help, but I really don't have a need to store all those subassemblies, name them, keep them vaulted properly, etc.   That would be almost as much of a headache.

Also, most of the features that I'm connecting through are created as Hole features and as "nominal" oversized bolt holes as Inventor suggests when the "clearance hole" option is used for hole creation (not randomly extruded islands), but they aren't patterned as they don't follow a prescribed circular or rectangular pattern.

Am I missing something that I can do (like something stupid simple such as holding down the "alt" key or some crazy thing like that) that will allow inventor not just to suggest CONTIGUOUS planar features, but also CO-planar features so I can place all these **** nuts at once?

Short of creating a custom Content center part that consists of a nut / washer assembly I can't think of anything.  And creating and publishing the nut washer assemblies will eat up some time too, since I have about 50 different combinations (some SAE washers with normal hex nuts, some SAE washers with ESNA hex, some USS washers with jam nuts, some USS Type B washers with all-steel locknuts, etc...)

Keeping my fingers crossed....

J

[Anonymous]

I've never done this enough to be a really bad problem but I had also noticed the washer problem and am surprised it hasn't been picked up sooner.

[PACDrafting]

This a problem with the autodrop. They really need an option like the bolted generator to add nuts/bolts/washers in the one instance.
The only thing I can think of is to insert the nuts as an imate.
The most efficient way to do this would be to put all the washers into there own assembly the use the onset imate function for all imates

[CamperUnhappy]

How the hell has this not been fixed yet???????????????????????????????????   I've just run into this problem AGAIN.  You can autodrop bolts....you can autodrop washers........but the software simply won't allow you to select a hole pattern when trying to place nuts.  It's not bad when you have 4 or 5 nuts to place, but when you have 20???  or 200??  Come on Autodesk....

Oh any by the way "select other" does nothing, highlighting the hole before hitting "place from content center" does nothing, even changing the selection filter to faces and edges does nothing.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Did you try using Bolted Connection -> Follow Pattern? Does it work for you?

Many thanks!

[CamperUnhappy]

Hi, thanks for the reply.  I have used bolted connection before, but it does not save my preset patterns properly.  The washer style never stays to what I set it to.  For instance I typically use Narrow Type B washers and it always changes them to Wide Type A.  Bolted connections is nearly as buggy as autodrop.

[CamperUnhappy]

@johnsonshiue one thing I forgot to mention was that so many work-arounds get posted as suggestions.  We don't want work-arounds......we want the software to work like it's supposed to.  This post is from 2012.  It is now 5 YEARS LATER and this still hasn't been addressed.  

I'm sure many other customers like myself spend a lot of time throughout their day trying to figure out how to get around the quirks and limitations of the software instead of just using the software as a tool to get their work done.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Certainly, there is room for improvement in every corner of Inventor. It is indeed disappointing that this particular workflow has not been enhanced for a while. Workarounds should only be considered a temporary solution. They should never be considered "the" solution.

I wish this particular issue was resolved. So do I wish many ideas on Inventor Ideas forum. They take time and planning to implement. I don't think you would like to see us give you an incomplete solution and then work on something else immediately afterwards. This was part of the reasons these issues exist in the first place. Please go to Inventor Ideas (https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/idb-p/v1232/tab/most-recent) and look for a similar one and vote. If you don't see the same idea, report a new one. We take the ideas very seriously. We have dedicated team reviewing these ideas and implementing the ideas. Many of them have been implemented in the past few years.

If you want even more access to Inventor ongoing projects, please sign up Inventor Beta Program at Autodesk Feedback Community (https://beta.autodesk.com/oid/login.html?msg=&ref=). There you can try the latest Inventor in-development build (no install required) for every few months and interact with project team members in real time. Also provide your feedback. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. You help us build a better product.

Many thanks!

[j.lodgeFA72U]

Hey,

It's 2020 now and I know this is the worst thing about 2020 but 8 years seems enough time to fix this. Is there a solution yet. Or is there a reason that Nuts can not act the same as Bolts i.e. select hole pattern - select the face you want the Nut to mate with (the washer) use the hole pattern to auto drop? This code must already exist?

I am using Inventor Pro 2020 and still have to add each Nut individually.

Thanks 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I must have lost track. I honestly do not remember the exact issue was discussed here. In terms of placing nuts, there could be n combination of adding nuts but there is only one bolt per hole. Do you mind sharing an example here. I am not sure the issue has been resolved but at least it would help me understand it better.

Many thanks!

[PACDrafting]

Johnson, it’s quite simple.

Autodrop allows a user to select a hole and include the pattern to place multiple bolts on say a top face. Then you can do the same after that command is complete with washers on the lower face. 
But then the user needs to individually place nuts on the washers.

As always, Autodesk gets 95% there. Problem is the other 5% is the most important part. It’s very frustrating for users!

It seems Autodesk need to employ practical people to identify new features required, not just Degree Qualified theory people! That’s my TIP for the day!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Guys,

I must have not followed the steps and the issues closely. It seems to work for me on 2021.1.

Many thanks!

[PACDrafting]

That's nice and we are aware of this. But please read my last email carefully as its related to the Autodrop function.

[PACDrafting]

What would be nice in terms of the Bolted Generator, is if you could select multiple planar faces so its not only able to do 1 single planar face hole selection but multiple planar faces. Complex but I think achievable. 

I'm sure someone has placed this on the wish list.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I was doing Auto-Drop and then clicking Bolted Conn option. Is this the workflow your are talking about? Do you mind recording a video showing the exact workflow? Or, refer to a prior video.

Many thanks!

[ToniDunlop4246]

We are talking about auto-dropping WITHOUT using bolted connections. I've tried bolted connections and it's too much hassle to control all the extra files and naming everything etc.

The problem:

1. Place from content centre, washer, select the hole edge, it patterns the washers to all the holes. Great.

2. Place from content centre, bolt, select the hole face, select top face of washer, it patterns the bolt on all the washers, Great.

3. Place from content centre, nut, select hole face - you can't, doesn't work. Only allows the selection of hole edges. So you can select the washer hole edge but then it doesn't pattern. You have to put a nut on each individual washer. Not great.

[pcoleman]

Hi Toni

If you upgrade to 2021 you can now bypass the requirement for an assembly: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2021/ENU/Inve...

Regards

Paul

[taneli.panttila · Accepted solution]

Found this video that shows how to do this.

[SharkDesign]

Took me a while to discover this too. 

You do it the same way, but you pick the hole not the washer to get the autodrop to work and then select the face of the washer you want the nut to sit on.