Ipart/ILogic Part with filtering

[ProfileLightingLtd]

Hi All

I am quite new to inventor and dont really know the question I need to ask google to find the answer.

I am trying to find a method in which to create a component that I can control via an excel spread sheet. This will be a basic extruded rectangle with a couple of fixing holes that I need to control. Currently I have a Length, width, hight and fixing centres parameters.

There are 532 items to this part. I tried iPart it worked but I keep getting error messages, If iPart is the correct route I will persue it more but I would like a bit more funtunallty with regards to filtering which I dont think iPart offers from reading.

I would like to know if I can add text fields that I can then filter against. So for example 100 of the parts are used for senario A, 200 for senario B etc.. Is there a way of assigning text fields that I can filter against like in excel so the list is reduced with each filter applied.

Thank you

[wimann]

So it seemss you've already linked the parameters to excel and that's all fine and good.

I'm looking at this "532 items to this part". What exactly does that mean? It has 532 purposes? 532 individual parts need to be made? 532 variants?

In any case, you can probably set up what you're trying to do pretty easily. If you're going for a number of parts you could say:

"

if part_no < 100 then

suppressthis

changethat

else if 100 >= part_no <200 then

suppressthis

changethat

else if... 

(and so on)

Alternatively, if you want to try to apply your scenario example, then yeah, just use a text parameter:

If Scenario = A then

suppressthis

changethat

esle if Scenario = B then

suppressthis

changethat

(so on)

end if

Those are my suggestions based on what I concluded from your post.

Thanks,

[ProfileLightingLtd]

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry its 532 Variants of the extruded rectangle, the geometry wont be changing apart from stretching those parameters.

This is for electronic components we buy in for lighting products that I will want to put into assemblys. I am trying to make a one part does all sort of thing.

I require the following for BOM: partnumber & description

For Filters I would like to be able to filter 3 columns, by LampType by ControlType & by Wattage and this should leave me a short list of available products to chose from. There is no logic as to the size, The size is based on the part number which is random.

Hope this make a bit more sense.

Thanks

[wimann]

Makes sense to me!

Sounds like an ipart might do the trick though, if I were in your situation, I'd probably generate a template that can accomodate all sizes then publish that to Content Center and make a table that will generate each part based on the variables you've just described and then have it fill in the part number and description based on those table values in CC.

However you may not have access and/or knowledge of content center publishing. If that is the case, I "think" an iPart might be what you need. I only wish I knew more about them. You'd probably have to set up an iLogic code to automatically fill out the part number and description based on your variables anyway. Which, unfortunately, would probably look like:

If LampType = x then

   If ControlType = y then

        If Wattege = 1 then

            iProperties.Value("Project","Part Number") = "109234773183"

            iPorperties.Value("Project","Description") = "1 Watt Light Fixture with X Lamp and Y Control"

        Else If Wattage = 2 then

          (insert monotony)

        End if

    Else If ControlType = y2 then

        (insert monotony)

    End if

Else if LampType = x2 then

   (insert monotony)

End if

Does that make sense?

[ProfileLightingLtd]

mmmmm sounds like it could be to complicated when it comes to revisions/changes to code stuff, also the rest of the team have no knowledge of coding. I was hoping the part would look at the excel table so when it comes to modifcations only the excel table needs updating.

The code makes sense but the combinations from the filters will result in more than one product, probably an avarage of three to chose from.

I think I may be trying to run before walking and will have to leave it as a thought for now. I have only been on inventor for a month so my knowledge is not great, I know what I want to do I am just struggling with the questions to ask google as I dont know what things do and are for when it comes to this stuff in inventor.

Thanks for your help

[rjay75]

With such a large variation and the possibility of revisions and changes needing to be made an iPart may be cumbersome to use. I have similar parts that have a few user modifiable parameters that can yield a large range of options.

The way I approach these are to create a template part that has all the design criteria built in with checks done in iLogic rules to validate user input and adjust the part. The users don't need to know anything about iLogic. They just modify the required input parameters. An internal form on the part can handle user input to modify the parameters so they only see what they need to change.

For instance you have Length, width, height and Centers parameters. Define an input parameter for each These are attached to you iLogic input form.

Next you can have a rule that validates the input and if valid copies the parameter value to the corresponding parameters that control the model. Voila, your model updates. (There could be other rules to help the updating as well.) This way you can do bounds checking, and other validation before committing it to the model.

One more thing, before attempting to automate it try designing the part manually changing the values to see how it updates and behaves in the matter you want. Also instead of a form you could have a rule that does look up values in a spreadsheet and apply them to the template.