Quickest way to create a part that starts off as a basic extruded AISC shape?

[davef]

Hello,

I am new Inventor user (2014 version) trying to get up to speed on best practices and the most efficient work flows. 

This question will be child's play for most users; I hope one of you will kindly lend me a hand.

Quite often, I find myself designing individual parts that start off as base AISC shapes (angles, square tubes, rectangular tubes, etc.).  These are parts that start off as base extrusions that then have multiple machining operations performed on them.  In most cases, the parts are stand along parts that aren't involved in any type of frame.

In these cases, I generally sketch the profile from scratch using my AISC book and then extrude.  I'm sure this is silly.  Frame generator already has the profile data built in- so why am I sketching these profiles from scratch?  But using frame generator in an assembly environment to make a single member part seems silly to me also.  Why should there be an assembly file at all?  I just want a single part that starts off as some length of some standard profile.  Using frame generator in an assembly environment seems like overkill.

Maybe it's not, though.

Anyhow, can somebody share with me the best practice for starting off a part with some length of a standard ANSI, ISO, or other profile?  Thank you!

*** One last note that I share with some hesitation.  I have quiet a few Inventor books and tutorial videos.  Thus far, I've been teaching myself with these materials.  The concept of this board is enticing (for those questions not addressed in the materials I already have) - but in practice it appears that new users innocently looking for a bit of advice to get through a sticking point are too often beat up by a handful of some not so pleasant experts that lurk here.  The vast majority of contributors here don't participate in this foolishness - but I've read enough reply posts bashing new users for their inadequacies - I've shied away from this forum.  In other venues, I'm all for duking it out (I'm not normally confused for a passive individual), but right now I'm just hoping that somebody further along than me with Inventor software will lend me a helping hand.  There are two guys that lurk here (many of you can probably guess who) that make requests for help so unpleasant - I've avoided this board for months because I just don't want to deal with them while I'm at work.  (I'd love for them to come visit me at my gym, though!)  The pace of my learning has suffered as a result.  I suspect that I'm not the only one in this boat.  I very much wish that I wasn't so compelled to end my request for help on this note. ***

[mpatchus · Accepted solution]

Try simply opening from content center. (Hit the down arrow next to OPEN in the Inventor Menu.)

When you do, save as a CUSTOM part.

[davef]

Wow!  That was a quick response and crazy easy.   I knew it had to be simple - but wasn't seeing that option before you pointed me to it.

Thank you very much!

-Dave

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

An alternate way is to simply select Place from Content Center from the Component Drop Down menu.  This is only available when in an Assembly File (.iam).  Then you navigate through and select the AISC family you requre (HSS, Angle, etc..).  Once prompted to select your profile size, you will notice in the lower left corner the following two options:

As Custom
As Standard
Pick As Custom, this allows you to save the part in your project file and then it can be altered in any manner you wish.  Again this is only when working in an Assembly File. 

[karthur1 · Accepted solution]

Dave,

Welcome to the forum.  You will find out that there is more than 3 ways to do anything in Inventor.  Ask 3 people how to do it and you will get 10 answers.

Another way to do what you are asking is by using custom templates.  I have custom templates made for W-shapes, Angle, channel, tubes.  That is the most common shapes that I have to deal with and it works great.  It took a little time to setup the shapes, but after that its just a matter of starting a new part and select the template, then the member size.  The size can later be changed if/when you need to change the size. YOu have to have excel in order for these to work.

Attached is my template for an angle.  To use it, place this in the folder where your other templates are.  I have mine under a "Structurla" sub-folder just so things don't get so cluttered.

Good luck and if you have any more q's just fire them off.... dont worry about the other guys you were talking about.

Kirk

[davef]

Hi KArthur and GSE_Dan,

Thank you both for offering alternatives and helping me expand my understanding/wherewithal. 

 You all restored my faith in this board for those occasions (hopefully rare occasions) when I get stuck or just want to learn the slickest way of getting a particular thing accomplished.

Thanks again.

Dave