"Implemented" Symmetrical Constraints That Actually Work!

[Quickcola]

"Implemented" Symmetrical Constraints That Actually Work!

Now I just hope this Idea isn't just discarded as "Duplicate" without at least being looked into.

I am currently on Inventor 2014. I am very used to using Symmetrical Constraints from my previous work place. So much so that I used them ALOT! They are very useful especially in assemblies that are in a "working progress" state, because these types of constraints, when they work properly, allow easy editing of assemblies and also allow the reuse of assemblies for projects of different dimensions.

However, even if the constraint is present in Inventor 2014, I can't get it to work.

1. I would like the mid-plane of these two identical tubes to be symmetrically placed on either side of the original assembly work plane. All XY planes, it can't be any simpler. At this point there are only two components in the assembly. And they are both constrained by their other two original work planes to the original planes of the assembly. There are only 4 mates in the entire assembly, Part YZ to Assembly YZ and Part XZ to Assembly XZ. Also there are no grounded parts. Each part is free to move in only one direction as indicated by "Degrees of Freedom". This SHOULD work.

2. Ok, "Place Constraint" window opened. Symmetry selected. 3 selections to make.

3. First selection = XY plane from Part2:1 -> Second selection = XY plane from Part2:2 -> Third selection is the "Symmetry Plane" = XY plane from assembly. When "Apply" is clicked, this is what I get.

4. Now I haven't yet placed a distance between my two tubes. This constraint should work before or after a distance has been determined. So let`s try again but this time placing a distance between the tubes, (the Flush,) which changes nothing to their degrees of freedom, only that the two will move together. Regardless, the "Symmetrical Constraint" will not function. The best I can do is to accept the error and have a popup reminding me of the error at every operation.

Has anybody else out there ever successfully placed a Symmetrical Constraint?

[Quickcola]

I redid the whole thing again, but this time placing the Symmetry Constraint as the very first constraint. It worked. Not very practical, especially for larger assemblies than two components, but I'll admit they are close. Common Autodesk, you'reso close! I don't want to waste more of my time with workarounds to get Inventor to do what it almost already does and should already do.

[jtylerbc]

Have you tried 2015 to see if it has the issues you've been experiencing in 2014?  I didn't use 2014 much, but I do remember seeing some odd behavior from the Symmetry constraint at times, probably very similar to what you are describing.  I have not experienced the same problems in 2015.

[Quickcola]

No we havn't yet installed 2015. We will as soon as there is less a rush.

[DRoam]

@Quickcola, not sure if you're still out there, but this should work now. It looks like you were using a very early version of the Symmetric constraint that didn't allow the different solution types (normal vectors aligned rather than normal vectors opposing). You should be able to do this now by choosing the "Aligned" solution type.

That said, the symmetry constraint is still (in Inventor 2017.3) far from perfect and is much less stable than the other constraint types. Sometimes they do not update, but the assembly still registers as up to date. But "editing" the symmetry constraint and clicking "OK" without changing anything updates it. This is unacceptable and needs to be fixed, but it's a separate issue from what you were experiencing with this early version of the constraint.

[Quickcola]

actually, I have not worked with Inventor since 2014


I hope it has gotten better


I doubt that it got much better


You guys probably got more side programmes in your suite though

[inv.ideareview]

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