constraining centre axis of rectangular blocks

[Anonymous]

How do I do this in inventor?? I have two rectangular blocks which I want to
constrain face to face (easy) and I want to constrain the block so that the
midpoint of one block is on the midpoint of the other.
I think I could define midpoint workplanes in both parts and constrain those
but this would involve creating 4 workplanes constraining then turning their
visibility off ,this seems like a long way around to do a simple job.
In MDT I would use a mate constraint and pick the midpoint of three edges I
cannot seem to do the same thing here. Yes I know the saying IV is not
Autocad ..... I don't care all I want to know is how to do it!!!!!


Shane

[Anonymous]

Did you build your parts centered on the origin planes? If you did, just use them. If
not .... why not

BTW I agree, intelliconstrains are a missed feature.

--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"shane tan" wrote in message
news:99F740684F2F0DE8C2092FBF37D6DBCB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> How do I do this in inventor?? I have two rectangular blocks which I want to
> constrain face to face (easy) and I want to constrain the block so that the
> midpoint of one block is on the midpoint of the other.
>

[MechMan_]

"...this would involve creating 4 workplanes constraining then turning their visibility off..."



You can select the work planes to assemble together by selecting them in the browser so that you don't need to have the work planes visible to constrain them.



As Kent mentioned, build your parts around the Origin and you won't have to create as many work planes.



I also miss the power of MDT constraints.



MechMan

[Anonymous]

I guess the answer seems to be that IV
can't do what MDT can do. I am still learning inventor so am still coming to
grips with what is the best way to build models so I have not necessarily
started my parts constrained to the origin. The question however still stands if
I build a rectangular feature (not on the origin) off the main part and
want to constrain to the midpoint.

Shane

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"MechMan" <mechman> wrote in message
href="news:f13b806.1@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f13b806.1@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

"...this
would involve creating 4 workplanes constraining then turning their visibility
off..."

You can select the work planes to assemble together by selecting them in
the browser so that you don't need to have the work planes visible to
constrain them.

As Kent mentioned, build your parts around the Origin and you won't have to
create as many work planes.

I also miss the power of MDT constraints.

MechMan

[Jayman]

This is great stuff here... and can somone please tell me the most intelligent way to sketch a rectangle centred around the origin??

[Anonymous]

Go to Drew's site
href="http://www.mymcad.com">www.mymcad.com, Inventor Tips and Tricks
#1007.  I use this method and then save as a rectangular part
template.  I then only have to open the template and edit two dims and
extrude and I'm off to the races.

George Clark

[Anonymous]

Don't know that there is a best way, but I have posted one method to customer files. It
involves adding 2 construction lines to your rectangular sketches, and then a workaxis to
the end of the construction lines. As MechMan pointed out I didn't need the Axis visible,
I just had to pick them from the browser.

--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"shane tan" wrote in message
news:0C4ED2255AF1912D0002BC955585163F@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I guess the answer seems to be that IV can't do what MDT can do. I am still learning
inventor so am still coming to grips with what is the best way to build models so I have
not necessarily started my parts constrained to the origin. The question however still
stands if I build a rectangular feature (not on the origin) off the main part and want to
constrain to the midpoint.

[MechMan_]

"IV can't do what MDT can do"



That's not true. That's like saying that MDT can't show the motion of moving parts. IV just does it differently and that is what you need to learn, just like you had to learn how to define a MDT midpoint assy constraint (which is several clicks worth). You don't have to draw around the origin in IV, it's just suggested.



You won't be happy with IV until you let go of your MDT ways, and it's not because IV can't do what MDT does.

MechMan

[MechMan_]

I personally draw a construction circle at the origin and then draw a rectangle constrained to the circle at 3 corners (you have to apply one constraint manually).

MechMan

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't that only work for a Square? A rectangle would require more wouldn't it or am I
being blind? 8^)

--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"MechMan" wrote in message news:f13b806.7@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I personally draw a construction circle at the origin and then draw a rectangle
constrained to the circle at 3 corners (you have to apply one constraint manually).
>
> MechMan

[MechMan_]

Works for rectangles too. Give it a try. Maybe I can convert somebody to my method today as you did so well yesterday. 😉

MechMan

[MechMan_]

One side note, you actually don't have to do the circle as a construction line. As you know, you can just select the rectangle profile as the extrusion profile.

MechMan

[Anonymous]

So I see, I guess I was thinking of using the circle to control the size also.

Not sure I am a convert yet though In R6 what I have started to do is add a point, and
then use horizontal and vertical constraints from the sides midpoints. 8^) Lots of ways
to skin the cat 8^)

--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"MechMan" wrote in message news:f13b806.9@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Works for rectangles too. Give it a try. Maybe I can convert somebody to my method today
as you did so well yesterday. 😉
>
> MechMan

[Anonymous]

Novel and quick I like it.

--
Laurence,
  
Power is nothing without
Control
---
        

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"MechMan" <mechman> wrote in message
href="news:f13b806.7@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f13b806.7@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

I
personally draw a construction circle at the origin and then draw a rectangle
constrained to the circle at 3 corners (you have to apply one constraint
manually).

MechMan

[Anonymous]

I've been drawing the rectangle or square them
making a line from one corner to the other.  Then constraining the midpoint
of the crossline to the projected center point.

--
Sean Dotson, PE

href="http://www.sdotson.com">http://www.sdotson.com
Check the Inventor
FAQ for most common questions

href="http://www.sdotson.com/faq.html">www.sdotson.com/faq.html
Tampa
Bay...Superbowl bound!!!

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"MechMan" <mechman> wrote in message
href="news:f13b806.7@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f13b806.7@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

I
personally draw a construction circle at the origin and then draw a rectangle
constrained to the circle at 3 corners (you have to apply one constraint
manually).

MechMan

[Anonymous]

MDT can show motion of sorts!!! but I am having
diffculty swiching over and at the moment feel that it would be difficult to
fully make the transition. IV seems to be too formal an approach to modeling (
assemblies fully constrained etc ) whereaes MDT you seem to be able to cheat
more therefore saving time (as long as you are careful). I would be interested
to get the opinion of MDT people (very experienced users) who moved to IV
to see what they thought.

shane

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"MechMan" <mechman> wrote in message
href="news:f13b806.6@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f13b806.6@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

"IV
can't do what MDT can do"

That's not true. That's like saying that MDT can't show the motion of
moving parts. IV just does it differently and that is what you need to learn,
just like you had to learn how to define a MDT midpoint assy constraint (which
is several clicks worth). You don't have to draw around the origin in IV, it's
just suggested.

You won't be happy with IV until you let go of your MDT ways, and it's not
because IV can't do what MDT does.

MechMan

[Anonymous]

I consider myself a very experienced user in MDT and I would never consider
not fully constraining in either program. (guess I do leave the rotational
DOF on bolts )

They are different programs and the transition is frustrating... no argument
from me on that issue. I still find things frustrating that I could do in
MDT but can't here, but overall I think I have better visualization and
quite possibly fewer revs because of it.

Drop the comparisons, and give it a chance for a few weeks or months.....
Use it full time and then go back to MDT and see if you still feel the same.

I am one of the few Inventor users that still feels MDT is a viable product,
but certainly not because I can "Cheat it" 8^)

--
Kent Keller
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program

http://www.MyMcad.com/KWiK/Mcad.htm

"shane tan" wrote in message
news:96880C8F43C2F9CCA5E62F3ADB0AD525@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> MDT can show motion of sorts!!! but I am having diffculty swiching over
and at the moment feel that it would be difficult to fully make the
transition. IV seems to be too formal an approach to modeling ( assemblies
fully constrained etc ) whereaes MDT you seem to be able to cheat more
therefore saving time (as long as you are careful). I would be interested to
get the opinion of MDT people (very experienced users) who moved to IV to
see what they thought.