Best Practices - Sketching

[ToddPig]

I would like recommendations on how I could decrease my time spent on sketching the attached rib feature.

[Frederick_Law]

Attach/Constrain end points of center line to mid points of the bar "width" line.

All you need to dimension is "width" or thickness.

I don't remember if IV has rectangle with center line at mid point instead of corner.

If it does, draw the rect away from the circles.  Constrain mid point to center.

[ToddPig]

Would you mind showing how to use the midpoint to center. This is exactly how I would do it in Solidworks, but can't figure it out in Inventor.

[Frederick_Law]

Mid point should show when you get close to it.

Draw the rect.  Start a line.  Move cursor to mid point of rect edge.  You should be able to attach the line there.

If mid point doesn't show, there is setting to show it, I think.

[JDMather]

That is painful to watch.

Attach your *.ipt file here and I will create video of how I would do the feature.

[ToddPig]

I agree the midpoint "should" show, but it either isn't showing, or I can't find the setting to show it.

Can you please elaborate?

[ToddPig]

JD, 

I'm looking forward to your feedback. 

I did this 4 timesin Inventor, and the video I uploaded was the shortest one.  The longest one was 6 minutes, aggghhh.  Most of the time was spent trying to select the area to extrude.

I did the same thing in Solidworks a few different ways, and each method was right around 2 minutes.  The areas where I think Solidworks saved time was the midpoint and coradial relations.  I'm looking for the Inventor equivalent.

[JDMather]

Change the name of your file and I will respond with multiple simple solutions.

[Frederick_Law]

With mouse close to mid point of the line, right click and a "select other" dialog should popup.

You can go through the list the pick mid point.

It should pop up if you keep mouse cursor there for half a sec or more.

[ToddPig]

Fair enough!

[ToddPig]

pineapple, I feel like your giving me instructions for something other than Inventor?

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

Profile select has improved dramatically in Inventor 2020, but in the video I demonstrate the most efficient techniques in earlier releases.

Take note of the Split sketch entity and Project Cut Edges techniques that also prove useful in other scenarios and might not be found in other MCAD softwares.

[Frederick_Law]

Nop, SW don't have Select Other popup.

I'm using SW.  Don't have IV at the moment.

In IV, right do a lot more then SW.  Highlight item, right.  Select item right click.

You don't need to touch keyboard for most of the commands.

[Anonymous]

That was painful.  I am in a similar boat to you, only opposite.  I am having to use solidworks and have some "adjustment" issues same as you.   Anywhoo, here is how I would do it.  You could automatically place the coincident constraints of the rib corners to the projected arcs by placing points of your rib  on the arc during rib sketching, but then you run into snaps and auto constraints holding you back.  I included the location of the "select other" timer at the beginning.

[JDMather]

---

@Frederick_Law wrote:

Nope, SW don't have Select Other popup.

Actually it does, at least in some contexts. (OK, it might be a RMB rather pop-up, but I prefer to use RMB in Inventor as well.  I set turned Off the auto pop-up in Inventor as I don't want it popping up interfering with my workflow.)

I use it all the time.  

SolidWorks - Select Other

Inventor

[ToddPig]

JD, 

Thanks for the video, very helpful.

My example was not meant to be a "way to add a rib", but rather an example of what I run into when trying to apply a midpoint or co-radial constraint.  Your use of the conicindent constraint and the split command will help me moving forward.

Thanks Again!!

[Frederick_Law]

You could sketch the rib with the 2 boss in same sketch.

The end of the rib can be tangent to ID of boss.

IV behave a lot better when extruding from sketch with multiple regions.

Construction line also behave better since they are not center line unless you set them to.

So similar to what JD shown.

From the sketch you draw the circles.

Add line from center of circles.  Convert it to construction line.

Draw rect.  Constrain edge centers to the construction line.

Tangent edge to ID circle.

You might need to parallel long edge of rect to construction line too.

First extrude the rib.

Share the sketch.

Extrude the circles.

[Frederick_Law]

I'll call the SW "Right Click" menu.

Right click then select "select other".

Solid Clicks 

I use IV "popup".  I set time to 0.3 sec.

Too slow its not useful.  Too fast it get in the way.

I usually use mouse scroll wheel to pick entity in IV.

[JDMather]

The Split is useful in other scenarios but @sbean had a good point.