Driving parts with parameters from Assembly

[Mecatriel]

Hi everyone, I would like to know how can I drive parts from an assembly level without using Excel spreadsheets.

I know it is possible using iLogic to do it, but I can't figure out how to do it "automatically".

For example, we would like to drive a conveyor roller without the use of a spreadsheet. I figured out I could simply insert user-driven parameters in the top-level assembly and drive the parts with the parameters in the assembly, but it is telling me it would cause a cyclic redundancy, so I cannot do it this way, then I thought about iLogic.

It is currently working OK, but I have to enter in the iLogic rule to manually change the filenames in the rule for it to work.

Why? Mainly because we use a prefix to our parts and we sometimes use Autodesk Vault, sometimes not (depending on the project).

Here is my example;

I have a part named "Tube.ipt", "Bearing.ipt", "Spring.ipt" and "Tige Hexagonale.ipt" along with this code in the assembly level (Rouleau.iam):

Parameter("Spring:1", "GAGE") = WIRE_SPRING
Parameter("Spring:1", "DE") = OD_SPRING
Parameter("Spring:1", "LONGUEUR") = LENGHT_SPRING
Parameter("Tube:1", "LONGUEUR_TUBE") = RL-Parameter("Bearing:1", "EPAULEMENT")-Parameter("Bearing:1", "EPAULEMENT")
Parameter("Tige hexagonale:1", "LONGUEUR_HEXA") = RL+B+B
Parameter("Tige hexagonale:1", "BOSSE_SPRING") = B+0.010 in+Parameter("Bearing:1", "EPAULEMENT_SPRING")+LENGHT_SPRING+WIRE_SPRING
Parameter("Tige hexagonale:1", "BOSSE_BEARING") = B+0.010 in+Parameter("Bearing:1", "EPAULEMENT_SPRING")

As you may see, I would have to change "Tige hexagonale:1" every time we use this assembly on different project for it to update properly. I would like to automate it a little bit more. Could someone help me out please?

My suggestion would be something like this, but I do not know how to make it work in iLogic:
Search for something that has "Tube" in it's filename in this assembly, then store it into a variable called "Tube"
Repeat this step for "Spring" and "Tige"
Then replace "tige hexagonale:1" by the variable or something like this...

Please help! I am a beginner and need help with this as soon as possible, I hope this is not too hard!
If there are other possibilities than iLogic and spreadsheet, please let me know, because linking an assembly parameter to a part in the assembly doesn't work, it creates a cyclic redundancy :(

[BarryZA]

This is over my head, but maybe this could help you, or maybe you are already doing this.

http://www.mcadforums.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=41&start=50

[torbjorn]

I have read your post, and assumes that by 'drive parts' you mean control the part geometry, not making an animation.

If thats the case you should really look into skeleton modelling, the multibody approach of Inventor is quite elegant. Then you can make one single part (the skeleton) defining the parts you need, and if required this part also can control parameters in the assemby. Using parametes fron this skeleton part in the asembly will not create a cyclic dependency.

Check http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Inventor/enu/2012/Help/0073-Autodesk73/0733-Design_O733/0738-Derived_73... for some details about the possibilities of this top-down approach.

[Anonymous]

I assume what you are saying is instead of deriving the geometry from a skeleton model you mean create a part that only consists of parameters and derive that into your other individual parts and assemblies.... that is GENIUS!  I've been looking for a work around for this and that's so simple I cannot believe I hadn't thought of it.......