How to get constraints when you mirror the components ? Any work around..

[ashwik_gummi]

Am guessing inventor does not allow getting the constraints when you mirror a part..but is there a work around or easy way to copy the constraints. I did see couple of similar threads but no specific solution yet. Please help me out, it is wasting much of our time in constraining again and again. Thanks

[Steve_Bahr]

I believe the workaround is to actually constrain the mirrored parts.  Inventor doesn't know what you would like the mirrored part constrained to, you have to tell it.

If you're wasting so much time, perhaps you should find a different workflow.

[t_stramr · Accepted solution]

If we are talking about assembly mirror command then assembly constraints are mirrored as well. If your part is placed in some assembly and is constrained to other components then miroring such part will recreate all possible constraints if you mirrored also constrained components. If mirror command is unable to recreate a constraint on mirrored side(this happens on reused nonsymmetric parts), it supresses the consrtraint behind the scene to preserve position of mirrored part. You can unsupress such constraint and reattach it manually of "correct" geometry. Some improvement is preparing in this area for Inventor 2013 to reattach constraints automatically.

[1clark]

I don't mean to sound rude, but this is redculous. You actually have to go reattach mates after mirroring compontents?? I'm an SW user that needs to do one project for a customer in Inventor. When you mirror in SW, it makes a "mirrored component" and has the mirrored part inside of this. It's a little messy in the tree, but it locks the mirrored component about the mirrored plane. If you change the mate of the original component, the mirrored component reflects that. I hope for all of you that AI is looking at fixing this. You do have the option of grounding the mirrored components immediately after you mirror them, but then they won't update if you change anything on the orginal components.

Best of Luck

[nannerdw]

If your part is symmetrical, you can use a 180 degree polar component pattern instead.

I don't know why Inventor still hasn't added this feature.  It seems like someone could make a custom command through the API, though.

[baktash21]

hi,

how do you unsuppress the recreated constraints?

[t_stramr]

Hi,

Select suppressed constraint in browser tree and show its context menu by right mouse button. Here you can find (Un)Suppress command.

Robert

[baktash21]

t_stramr,

I am sorry but I can't find the "suppressed" contraints. Maybe I am doing it wrong. Here is steps I followed:

1. Inserted component.

2. Fully constrainted component.

3. Selected Mirror command.

4. Selected constrained component to be mirrored.

5. Selected plane.

6. Mirror was generated ONLY.

I can't find the "unsuppressed" constraints you mentioned above.  Do need to mirror the constrains also or are they generated automatically?  Would you provide a quick step by step note please.  I am from a SW background and this is getting very frustrating.  Thank you.

[t_stramr]

baktash21,

Could you attach your dataset so I can take a look and explain the issue directly on your data? If it is too big then attach simplified version of your assembly with only three or four constrained components that you mirrored and the result is "as you described".

Robert

[baktash21]

t_stramr,

I have attached the assembly which includes a door and a lifting lug.  The first lifting lug was constraint to the door and then mirrored along a plane.  The mirrored lifting lug is now free in space and the constraints were not mirrored from the initial lug.  Now I have to place the constraints to the second lug too. Maybe you know how to do it properly.  If you can solve this issue you would be saving everyone hours of work and increase efficiency by 10 folds.  Thank you in advance.

baktash 

TO AUTODESK INVENTOR:

PLEASE ALLOW AN OPTION TO MIRROR CONSTRAINTS WHEN MIRRORING BODIES IN ASSEMBLIES.  THIS SAVES HOURS AND HOURS AND MANY MORE HOURS OF TIME IN REPEATING CONSTRAINTS WHICH IS NOT NECESSARY.  SOLIDWORKS HAVE HAD THIS FEATURES FOR YEARS.  PLEASE JUMP IN THE WAGON WITH US.  LIFE IS SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THIS WAY.  FOR CLARIFICATION DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME.  THANK YOU

[t_stramr]

baktash,

Some IPT files are missing. When opening your IAM file some parts remain unresolved. See attached picture for missing files. Add them so I can continue my investigation.

Robert

[t_stramr]

baktash,

I repaired your IAM replacing missing files by your IPT. It works fine now. Looking at your IAM I see the point of your problem. Mirrored lug is without constraints. Why? Because second constraint operand(door) is not included into a mirror. Constraint is recreated on mirrored side only if both its operands are mirrored as well. In your case only first constraint operand(lug) is mirrored but second is not. Recreating mirrored constraint with one perand not mirrored is not supported in Assembly Mirror command.

I will log this issue to our PD to discuss if some improvement is possible in this area.

Robert

[neil.hamilton]

This is all opinion/Rant....please do not try to "address my concerns" in a message-please bring this message and speak truth to power....Inventor needs some improvement and has, in my opinion,some dangerous flaws...

It is actually amusing to me as intermediate Pro/E and SolidWorks user to see mirror component-which is SUPPOSED to be a time-SAVER-is actually a huge landmine that actually ends up wasting huge ammounts of time-or worse! The components I mirrored LOOKED like they are happily constrained. But in reality, the components-if you nudge them-tip all over the place. Wow. How many OTHER landmines are there?

I will send a nice pizza and wings to the FIRST employee to read this at a meeting...sorry you have to work there and work with this product, too...hope you all can get another job at Solidworks, or even better Pro/E or, maybe even Unigraphics!(whom Moog uses-UG and now SW...)

Dear Inventor employees and staff-if there is a landmine issue like this, can you at least make the function "not work" so that it is obvious to the casual observer-that the program is not acting as intended? Please...not all of us can afford to take the basic class even though it is a good idea because we all get our hands dirty first (well, i do), THEN take the advanced class to learn about bodies/surfaces/etc....

Inventor's Key feature and benefit seems to be, from my POV:

1. Its "exactly the same as SolidWorks-but cheaper!"
2.  If you want more functionality, you can BUY IT, since you SAVED SO MUCH money~!
3.  We are standing atop the AutoCAD mountain-which is simple to use, very fucntional and does exactly what it says it should do....so Inventor Does too....(not)
4.   Its "simpler to use".....(in reality, it is kind of dumbed down and less functional....)

[dkumar75KQDZW]

Select "Ground New Components" when you mirror.

[2375753t]

Best workaround i have found is to pattern the parts instead of mirror, obviously not ideal and leaves a lot to be desired but it will then actually mirror the original parts movements and any changes made to it. 

[lymanw]

Any updates on this issue brought up 12 years ago? This flaw is still in the program for Inventor 2024. 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Unfortunately, there isn't change in the behavior as of 2024. Basically, the constraints can only be mirrored if they exist between the mirror target components. Please feel free to sign up Inventor Feedback Community (https://autode.sk/InventorBeta) and try out the latest internal build when it becomes available. You may share the feedback with the project teams so further enhancement can be included.

Many thanks!

[t.gooleyXF4UD]

Has this been fixed yet?

[James_Willo]

Hi Thomas, as mentioned above, please join the feedback community to help us improve this feature. There are improvements to pattern in 2025, but not yet mirror.