topic Re: Selection menu (collisions) in Inventor Forum

Selection menu (collisions)

l.kalkowski — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:48:13 GMT

Good morning!

I have question about selection menu. Is there option to select parts which are colliding/overlaping with part which I choose? It would be very helpfull in isolating parts in which there is need to make some preparation to avoid collisions.

Re: Selection menu (collisions)

piotrekdoro94 — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 12:49:53 GMT

I don't think that's possible. There is an out-of-the-box collision detection solution, but I've never found it particularly useful, and you have to manually pick two sets of bodies to compare for collisions (leftmost icon - Analiza kolizji).

As a result you will get a report like this one:

I've glanced at Inventor API reference sheets but I couldn't find anything about collision detection so it might not be straightforward to write a custom plug in to do it the way you would like to, but you will have to ask someone more experienced with inventor programming to confirm, meanwhile I'd like to suggest some alternative solutions.

If you find yourself moving/adjusting parts in assembly by freely dragging them around instead of using constraints, you might consider creating a contact set which will prevent selected parts from intersecting. Activate contact analysis (second leftmost button on the top image) and add the parts you are worried about to the contact set using RMB context menu

Often when I have to keep adjusting several parts in an assembly I find it very inconvenient and switch instead to multi-bodied workflow. Afterwards you can create components out of each solid with Make component (they will be linked to the multibodied solid, so modifications in the base component will alter individual parts you've created) or keep them as they are.

Re: Selection menu (collisions)

l.kalkowski — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 13:00:26 GMT

Thanks for the comprehensive answer. I know the solutions you suggested, unfortunately in my case they are not that helpful.. The function I am asking about would greatly facilitate any possible control against errors/collisions and would provide better transparency.

Re: Selection menu (collisions)

JDMather — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:46:05 GMT

@l.kalkowski

By "collisions" do you mean parts that have geometry interference when assembled...

do you mean geometry that will come in contact in dynamic motion?

Re: Selection menu (collisions)

kacper.suchomski — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:42:38 GMT

The collision detection tool uses more energy and processing power, so it is not always enabled, but only available as an option.

If you run the collision detection tool, you will receive a report that will show you the problem areas.

Re: Selection menu (collisions)

johnsonshiue — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 23:37:16 GMT

Hi! I guess you may want to look into AutoLimits add-in. It is a standard Inventor add-in allowing you to define critical sensors on the model. When things become out of range, a warning will be triggered.

Many thanks!