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Rules of Thumb: Adaptability

4 REPLIES 4
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Message 1 of 5
Anonymous
226 Views, 4 Replies

Rules of Thumb: Adaptability

I'm looking for some general pointers on how to handle adaptive
assemblies. I work with a lot of moving parts, and my main purpoe for
using Inventor is building motion systems, involving hinges, actuators,
linkages, etc, etc, etc...

I want to maintain a library that houses my hydraulic cylinders, hinges,
and general stuff that moves. And, I want to be able to grab those
components and put them in larger assemblies to make different moving
assemblies.

Sometimes I have problems with parts that work okay one day, and the
next day they won't move. Like a hinge that hinges on monday, but
tuesday it acts as a solid. I don't get it.

So, I'm looking for pointers from the experts... how do I handle my
adaptivity settings? How about the "Adaptively used in assembly" check
box? Any other pointers?

Thanks,
-Jason
4 REPLIES 4
Message 2 of 5
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Firstly you don't want to keep adaptive parts in library search paths. That
will give you no end of troubles.

You have stumbled on the problem with making standard parts adaptive. Since
parts can only be adaptive in one assembly then they cannot be adaptive in a
different manner (position or size) in another assembly.

Since we build custom machine we don;t use the same parts over and over and
keep the "standard" (or purchased) parts in our project location. I might
use the same cylinder on a different machine but I will copy it to the new
project instead of referring to it as a library or workgroup search path.
This allows me to have the cylinder assy adaptive in multiple assemblies (as
it's a copy of the assembly).

Is this is best solution. Probably no but it's been working for me since
R1.

--
Sean Dotson, PE
http://www.sdotson.com
Check the Inventor FAQ for most common questions
www.sdotson.com/faq.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Jason M" wrote in message
news:0E8861E94BC3EFDAE9818D955CC10702@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I'm looking for some general pointers on how to handle adaptive
> assemblies. I work with a lot of moving parts, and my main purpoe for
> using Inventor is building motion systems, involving hinges, actuators,
> linkages, etc, etc, etc...
>
> I want to maintain a library that houses my hydraulic cylinders, hinges,
> and general stuff that moves. And, I want to be able to grab those
> components and put them in larger assemblies to make different moving
> assemblies.
>
> Sometimes I have problems with parts that work okay one day, and the
> next day they won't move. Like a hinge that hinges on monday, but
> tuesday it acts as a solid. I don't get it.
>
> So, I'm looking for pointers from the experts... how do I handle my
> adaptivity settings? How about the "Adaptively used in assembly" check
> box? Any other pointers?
>
> Thanks,
> -Jason
>
Message 3 of 5
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

We also make custom machines and do it the same way.
I have a folder for may standard parts like sprockets, cylinders, motors and
so on. Then copy them into my project that I'm working on.
I have my cylinders as an assembly, and with Inventor 5.3 you could right
click on the assembly and pack n go it into my
assembly. Now with inventor 6 Pack n go is grayed out so I can't do it as
easily as before.
Could somebody tell me why.


"Sean Dotson" wrote in message
news:53135AC12A41A7378C471196F2016189@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Firstly you don't want to keep adaptive parts in library search paths.
That
> will give you no end of troubles.
>
> You have stumbled on the problem with making standard parts adaptive.
Since
> parts can only be adaptive in one assembly then they cannot be adaptive in
a
> different manner (position or size) in another assembly.
>
> Since we build custom machine we don;t use the same parts over and over
and
> keep the "standard" (or purchased) parts in our project location. I might
> use the same cylinder on a different machine but I will copy it to the new
> project instead of referring to it as a library or workgroup search path.
> This allows me to have the cylinder assy adaptive in multiple assemblies
(as
> it's a copy of the assembly).
>
> Is this is best solution. Probably no but it's been working for me since
> R1.
>
> --
> Sean Dotson, PE
> http://www.sdotson.com
> Check the Inventor FAQ for most common questions
> www.sdotson.com/faq.html
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> "Jason M" wrote in message
> news:0E8861E94BC3EFDAE9818D955CC10702@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > I'm looking for some general pointers on how to handle adaptive
> > assemblies. I work with a lot of moving parts, and my main purpoe for
> > using Inventor is building motion systems, involving hinges, actuators,
> > linkages, etc, etc, etc...
> >
> > I want to maintain a library that houses my hydraulic cylinders, hinges,
> > and general stuff that moves. And, I want to be able to grab those
> > components and put them in larger assemblies to make different moving
> > assemblies.
> >
> > Sometimes I have problems with parts that work okay one day, and the
> > next day they won't move. Like a hinge that hinges on monday, but
> > tuesday it acts as a solid. I don't get it.
> >
> > So, I'm looking for pointers from the experts... how do I handle my
> > adaptivity settings? How about the "Adaptively used in assembly" check
> > box? Any other pointers?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > -Jason
> >
>
>
Message 4 of 5
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Anyone else with any pointers?

(Thanks Sean, I'll start doing that w/my libraries)
Message 5 of 5
dan_mayers
in reply to: Anonymous

Here are a few that I have run into.

Don't try and drive an adaptive part using insert constraints - use mate and flush.

Turn off adaptivity on parts when you are not altering them--BUT be aware of how changes to other parts will affect your adaptive components. If the mating parts change too much the link will fail when you make it adaptive again.

In line with what the others have said, only one instance of a part can be adaptive. If you need to use the part several times in an assembly (and you don't what them all to adapt identically) you have to create a new part for each instance (Copy the part and give each copy a different name, then go in and reset the adaptivity on each of the copys)

The best way to learn is to play with it. Build something big with some adaptive parts and you should have a fairly good idea about how it works by the time you are done. (Nope, never done that no sir-ee) 🙂

Dan Mayers

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