Parent-modifying Components

[DRoam]

I think it would be useful to be able to author certain components so that when they're placed in an assembly, they cut through (or perform some other operation on) other components at a certain place relative to themselves.

Really simple example would be a bolt. Bolts never go though a surface unless there's a hole in it, right? So it would make sense if every time I placed a bolt, such as in a pattern, I could have those bolts create a hole that cuts a certain depth from their cap. The ability to select which components participate would be very useful. I could also have the option to thread these holes according to the bolt's specification. Leaving these modifications as Assembly-level edits would be nice enough, but having the option to have them propogate to the sub-assembly and even part level would be fantastic, especially for detail drawing purposes.

This would also be useful for certain pipe fittings such as olets. Although I can author a part to do this within the Tube and Pipe runs environment, which is fantastic, I usually do my piping as normal parts becasue it's slimpler for my applications. If I could have my olets penetrate a hole in the mating conduit pipe from within the normal assembly environment, that would save me a LOT of time; no adaptive parts, no lost references, no editing at the part level at all--Inventor takes care of all that for me.

Those are just a couple examples of when I know I personally could use this feature. Input from others would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Use the Bolted Connection Tool and you will get everything you wanted above, and more.

At least for bolts.

If you want parts to affect other parts,  edit the part "in place" and copy the part you want as the modifier into the edited part with the associative box checked,  then combine them as you wish,  if the modifying part changes the effected part will update accordingly.

 You not getting a lot of response, because what you want, is already there 🙂

T.S.

[Anonymous]

An added benefit,  if you want the hole for the pipe run to be oversized,  you can thicken the associated copy, without effecting the original part.  So the hole is bigger than your pipe, without the pipe itself growing.

If the thicken is set to say 1/8"  then if the original pipe is resized, it will still have 1/8" clearance.

Inventor is too Cool.

T.S

[cbenner]

tsreagan nailed it.  You're asking for features that already exist, you're just not using the tools that are available.  Ask in the forums and we'll gladly walk you through some of these, there are enough people in there that someone will probably know about what you're asking.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

See this link for a similar IdeaStation idea:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Smart-Components/idi-p/3842111

I've given both a vote.

[DRoam]

I know I'm reviving a very old thread, but this issue has once again come back to haunt me, because the answers offered are not a solution to my problem.

I realize the Bolted Connection tool can probably do what I need for bolts, even if it's not as versatile as I'd like to to be.

However, there is simply no existing feature in Inventor which would be as universal and streamlined as the feature I've requested. See the model below:

My point is that no one ever places a half-coupling like that unless there's a hole. It would be extremely, extremely useful if Inventor had the ability to, within a component (call it Component A), create "features" which will be applied to surrounding components when Component A is placed in an assembly. 

Basically, here's a summary of the workflow for the functionality I'm proposing:

1. Create some sort of material removal (or even addition) feature within Component A which is designated as an "external feature". That is, it modifies surrounding components after Component A is placed in an assembly, rather than modifying Component A itself. Examples: Component A always requires some reinforcement material around it on the part it's placed on. In this case, an "external extrude feature" is created. Or, Component A is a coupling which requires a hole in the component it's placed on. In this case, an "external extruded cut feature" is created.

2. When I place Component A in an assembly, Inventor automatically applies the prescribed operations to components adjacent to Component A.
3. I can choose which adjacent components participate in the operations.
4. The features can (OPTIONALLY) be propagated to the part level for participants in the operation, similar to Bolted Connection holes, for reference in detail drawings.

This is much, much more robust and versatile than using associativity as suggested by tsreagan. If I just had one coupling, that would be very feasible. But with dozens of couplings whose locations may change any time during the design process, right up to the moment the design is finalized and I need to print the drawing, it's not feasible.

I'm certain I'm the only person that works with pressure vessels and could use this functionality. I'm also certain there must be a good percentage of Inventor users that could use the functionality dozens of different ways to save time and automate processes.

Sorry for the long post, thanks for your time!

[Curtis_Waguespack]

I just created an Idea Station idea for this, but then found a duplicate idea (that apparently I was already aware of, as I linked to it in this thread 3 years ago).

But in any case I'm posting here as well, as I think all Inventor users could use this functionality, to save hours and hours of work, and it seems like the many pieces of the technology are already "in place" (which of course I understand is not really the case).

I want to be able to author cutout features in my part file that can be pushed “over” to a mated part in an assembly. I do not want adaptivity. I want something more like the way the bolted connection tool works, where it creates a feature in the part, but I also want the option to push it to a subassembly, so that it is created as an assembly feature. The cutout is authored similar to the Punch tool, so that it has a placement insert point.

Example 1:

I have a Flat Head Undercut Screw and Counter Sink hole.

• I want to author the hole in the screw part file.
• And then from my assembly (imagine a couple of sheet metal parts) I will place the smart screw with a “smart place” tool
• The "Smart Place" tool is very similar to the hole tool (sketch placement, edge selection placement, concentric, etc)
• Once placed I’ll “push” the cut cutout /hole from the smart part, to the sheet metal parts via a button or right-click option
• But I want the option to push it as an assembly feature, subassembly feature, or push it all the way to one or more selected parts.
• The result is a new hole feature created in level selected by the user.
• The feature is not adaptive. It’s a static feature created similar to if I’d created it using the Bolted Connection tool (which pushes holes from the assembly to the part).
• If I change the location of the smart part, I use a “Re-calculate/Update” option to update the smart features that have been pushed.

Example 2:

If I have this smart part in a subassembly (a bracket and 3 screws) I want to be able to place this assembly using the same “smart place” tool onto the sheet metal part(s) and “push” the holes as well.

Example 3:

I have a switch component that has a standard panel cutout, that is more than just a hole, I want it to work the same way as the “smart part” screw.

Example 4:

I have pipe component. I want to author a cutout in it to make it a “smart part” so that I can place it into the side of a tank assembly, and push the cutout to the part.

Example 5:

I have pipe flange component. I want to author a cutout and a hole pattern in it to make it a “smart part” so that I can place it into an assembly, and push the cutout and holes to the part.

Example 6:

I have a sheet metal part file that has a flange with 6 holes and a tab. I want to author smart features ( 6 holes and a slot) in it so that I can place this part in an assembly, and push these features out.

Example 7:

I have a subassembly made of 4 sheet metal parts that are welded together. The parts have holes and tabs, I want to be able to push holes and the slot for the tab.

Example 8:

I have a steel access door sub assembly made of hinges, screws, and the door panel.

• I want to have the door authored as a smart part, so that the door opening cutout can be pushed from it.
• I want to have both the screws and the hinges authored as smart parts.
• And I want to be able to push from the hinge or the screws.
• But I want Inventor to catch when I try to push from both at the same time, so that the smart part doesn’t create a feature that cuts nothing.

 Example 9:

I want to be able to create any size and shape cutout feature, in just about any part file, and push it into to just about any other part or subassembly.

[hugo.trepanier]

Solution Provided good, but we need "Solution implemented". This feature is a must to do inside Inventor.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/de/community/screencast/ccebee21-c9dd-4c8b-afd0-d658e64bad74

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Hugo,

I am sorry I have not followed this thread as closely as I should. It does not seem that "Copy Object" command was mentioned here. I believe "Copy Object" should be able to fulfill the requirements. Are you aware of the command?

Many thanks!

[hugo.trepanier]

Hello Johnson,

Copy object is good but not really what we need. You can see more in this post https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/smart-components/idi-p/3842111

It's more like an ifeature associated to a part. For example, you insert an Ipart or part and during the ipart insertion in context of an assembly an Ifeature could be associated to the other parts.

Oher example, You insert a flange bearing  with 4 holes in an assembly and after constaint 4 holes will be created on the other parts.

Inventor have this tool only with bolted connection. You insert a bolt and holes will be pushed into other parts. SolidWorks define this like Smart Components. It could be interesting to add another tool like bolt connection but with more customization to insert other parts than bolt and affect all parts associated by a predefine 3d feature inside this part.