assembling surface parts

[Anonymous]

Can somebody help me?

I am new to Inventor and slowly but surely I am mastering some of it, but I have spend days trying to assembly several parts that were created as surfaces (revolved or sweeped) and the constraints do not seem to work.

I am trying to build a large paraboloid mirror constructed by multiple segments.  The segments were created using the equation line and revolved.  The support structure is created by multiple segments of a parabola (path for the sweep) or circles (also path for sweep).  I have tried almost everything.  I have work planes with the paths visible in assembly which did not help.  I converted the support into square pipes (now I have a surface in the support) but not in the mirror, plus I can not insert a square tube into a tee with square holes created by cutting with extrusion.  

I am positive there is an elegant solution but none of the alternatives I have tried seem to work and after almost two weeks of trying/experimenting/learning, I am reaching for help.

Thanks. 

Eduardo

[Frederick_Law]

Insert only work for round features.  It is 2 mates in one: a axis-axis and face-face.

Square hole will need mate on two face to slide in the hole.  Then another face to prevent it from sliding.

You can use the 3 axis, 3 main planes (xy, xz, yz) and origin with mate between parts and assembly.

[jhackney1972]

If you are new to Inventor, you need to learn the basics before attempting, what seems like from your description, a very complicated process.  I do not know why you are attempting to keep all your components as surfaces but even if you do, some assembly constraints will work on surface parts.  Take a look at my screencast and you will see this is true.  Please attach your assembly and parts so others can troubleshoot your issue.  Remember, to use the Pack and Go process to gather all your parts as well as the assembly, zip it up and attach it to your question.  You will find the Pack and Go command if your right click on the assembly file in the "Open" dialog box in Inventor.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the quick response. 

I "go and pack" a few components.  The mirror is a segment of a parabola revolved 60 degrees.  On purpose the thickness is large, but can be changed by modifying the parameter.  I have The circu1 is a circle sweep around a 60 degree segment of a circle and the projected surface is a closed sketch.  The para_bar are circular segments of the parabola matching the mirror, sweep on the same parabola as the mirror, but the projected geometry is not a closed sketch (who knows why).  the flat boxes are the connectors that I intended to use to create the structure.  The idea is that once I have a rigid structure, I can do a circular pattern and form the paraboloid mirror.  Once I solve this problem, I can replicate it by adding additional circles of mirrors to create a larger structure.  Circu1 can be attached to the mirror using constraints, but the para_bar does not have a surface to attach. 

For being rather new in Inventor it might be a complicated problem, but unfortunately that is the one that I need to solve.   I am a strong believer of learning by doing.  I did first some easier parts and slowly but surely I am getting the hand of it. 

Thanks again.  Eduardo 

p.s.  (the file includes a lot of material I did not intended to include (templates - oldversion?).

[Anonymous]

I solved my problem, maybe not very elegantly, but it worked for me. 

I created a new part ( a "tool") and I placed first the "flat" boxes that are supposes to received the parabolic bars and the circular bars  in the new tool.  Then, one by one I inserted the bars into their corresponding places and after working for a long while, I created the structure the way I wanted.  I anchored (grounded) everything and then placed the mirror in the structure.

I am not saying it was easy sailing, but it worked.  In the process I learned a lot about conflicting, inconsistent or redundant constraints, and I had to adjust offsets and be sure that the curve of the bars was flat against the mirror.

Thanks for the replies.