Frame generator Cut Length problem

[JGR44]

The frame generator gives the wrong cut length (G_L) when using double end treatment "Trim and Extend to Face"

See attached screen shot: The correct length of the diagonal RHS should be 1852 mm after trimming the RH end to btm and rh member. As far as I remember this is an old problem never been fixed.

Is a lot of work manually altering the cut length of 20-30 member in the BOM.

Somebody might know an easy workaround.

Julian

Dell M64 - 12 GB RAM

Windows 7 Ultimate

IV Design Suite Premium 2013 - SP1.1 Update 2

[JGR44]

I know this is a peer forum.

But.

Hallo AutoDESK

Any answer/suggestion ?

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi JGR44,

Did you do a search for this issue, it's been covered here in the past, but unfortunately I don't have a direct link handy. Here are a couple that you might want to look at:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=17089522&linkID=9242019

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=17347163&linkID=9242018

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/2012-Frame-Generator-G-L-Parameter-won-t-update/m-p/...

 oops, just nocticed that you're using 2013, not sure if any of ths applies. Is the BL dimension the correct length?

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

[BLHDrafting]

I can't believe this hasn't been fixed yet. Seems to have been there since EVER!

I have the same problem with a very similar frame. G_L length is 883.750917. B_L length is 1094.427191. Actual member length is 874.706.

I'm raising another case with Tech Support.

[brendan.henderson]

This might help also.

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/DL17089522.htm Length updates are not updating correct parameters

[JGR44]

Thank you all.

This Hotfix Curtis and Brendan referring to is related to 2012 G_L problem that the parameter not updating, remain static after end treatment applied.

I'm using 2013 and the G_L and th B_L are updating but giving the WRONG value. In some cases the updated G_L value is larger than the original static length before end treament. In case of double end treatment depend on which one was applied first. In the attached example all the member's untrimmed length were 2109 mm.

Very fustrating.

Julian

[cbenner]

May I throw out a question?  In these instances where the parameters are not updating correctly, was the frame member in question changed at some point?  For example the size of the channel, tube etc?  We have run into this, and been bitten by it many times over the years, but it always seems to happen when I place a frame member, apply end treatments, and then change the size of the member (ex. 6" channel to 8" channel).  If the size change in any way affects the cut length, that's when I see the errors.

Just throwing that out there.  We've gotten in the habit of double checking our lengths if we do a size change on a frame member.

[cadtec]

Hi,
I came across this one many years ago whem FG first came out, i found that its a your issue & not program issue. It's all to do with how you sketch your frame, for example, sketch the outer frame then off-set it inwards to represent the size of the member your going to use, the sketch the diagonal line from & to the termination point that you want it to end, so when you double trim the length will be correctly displayed.
As long as your sketches begin & end using the correct geometry FG will always display the correct length after end treatments, remember its all in the geometry of your sketch.

Try it, if you have any problems, post a new message.

[jeanchile]

To my knowledge FG has never supported exact cut lengths when two end treatments are applied. There was a macro posted on the manufacturing blog that used a "bounding box" length for the members but there were some limitations. I would personally love to see this feature if they added it though. I'll see if I can find the blog post and link it below. On my phone right now though.

[jeanchile]

http://beinginventive.typepad.com/being-inventive/2011/06/double-mitered-frames-report-the-wrong-fra...

This is what I was referring to. I hope this helps.

[cadtec]

Just a correction on my previous reply, it's still not working but I have found a simple correction. The length is measured between two work planes, start point & end point, when the double mitre end treatment is applied the end point ends up in no man's land for some strange reason. Open the component & redefine the work plane that is at the wrong point with the end point of your sketch line & then the correct length (G_L) is displayed. Gary Smith Cadtec.png

[JGR44]

Thanks cadtec

That's what I usually do

Julian

[JGR44]

Thanks Chris

The answer is no, nothing has been modified.

In fact the very first attachment just a simple test frame.

Julian

[JGR44]

Thanks Jeanchile,for the blog I will try it.

I think AutoDESK should include something like this in future release, so we don't have to use workarounds or manually measure and type in the length of each member.

Julian

[jeanchile]

I agree 100%. Unfortunately it seems that once Autodesk finds a "useable work-around" they consider the issue solved and it's up to us to "fix" the software on our own.

Like others have mentioned, I wish they would take one release cycle and fix all of the little bugs and inefficiencies. FG is a great tool but to get fabricate-able results there are a lot of hoops to jump through and work-arounds to employ. It would be nice if they tightened up a few things here and there.

[cbenner]

I know my earlier suggestion didn't pan out,.. but there is one other thing we've noticed here on members that have 2 or more end treatments.  It can make a difference which end treatment is applied first.

For example, a lot of our frame members require a trim and a notch feature.  We have found that if we apply the notch before the trim, geometrically we get the desired result, but the cut length is off.  If we do the trim first and then notch, the length is correct.

I think this is something that Adesk needs to look into further.

[brendan.henderson]

I also do the same, but on some FG members the Start Plane is at the end with the 2 end treatments and trying to redifine this requires a measuremebt to be made to reference the respective Origin Plane, and then the redefine can be done.

START OF RANT - This simply needs to be fixed Autodesk. Stuff new features, fix what is broken. END OF RANT.

[brendan.henderson]

ChrisB, I just deleted the 3 trims and started the trim on the end that needed the double trim. Then I finished on the end with the single trim. The length is still wrong.

Frame Member Info says 516.437 which is correct.

iPropWiz custom iProperty ipwModelExtentsZ says 516.437 which is correct.

BOM says 521.620 which is wrong.

Member length from Start Plane to End Plane is 521.62 which is wrong.

Member G_L says 521.620 which is wrong.

Member B_L says 540.833 which is wrong.