Copy multiple objects to multiple locations

[MikeKovacik4928]

Is there a way in an Inventor assembly file (.iam) to copy parts multiple times from one point to multiple other points,

that are not equal (so patterning can't be used) without having to worry about constraints ( ie fix them after

copying). Something like the autocad copy command

I am having to copy & paste and reconstrain many parts many times and it is become extremely time consuming.

There must be a better way!

Michael Kovacik
2d & 3d Autocad and Inventor designer/draughtsman

Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Autocad 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

Johannesburg, South Africa

[MikeKovacik4928]

As an addendum to my post, I wish there was a function like pattern, where you could do a rectangular pattern but at given distances rather than one column distance and one row distance which has to be the same

Mike

[Cadmanto]

My suggestion would be to use point driven patterning.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/point-driven-pattern/td-p/3396763

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/component-patterning-along-a-curve/td-p/8105108

https://synergiscadblog.com/2013/10/25/creating-an-inventor-pattern-with-unequal-spacing/

Windows 10 x64 -16GB Ram
Intel i7-6700 @ 3.41ghz
nVidia GTS 250 - 1 GB
Inventor Pro 2018

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks Scott

will look as soon as I can, probably tomorrow night.

I am in a bit of a rush tonight to finish off a job which is taking me longer

because of all this copying and constraining multiple times,

but it will take me even longer if I experiment with this point driven patterning.

Mike

[SBix26]

The quick answer is:

1. Create a feature pattern (e.g. work points) in one of the frame parts as a sketch-driven pattern (a collection of individually dimensioned sketch points).
2. Place your components (a phantom subassembly would be helpful) relative to the first instance of that pattern.
3. Create a feature-controlled component pattern. 

It shouldn't take long.

---

Sam B
Inventor Pro 2019.2 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[MikeKovacik4928]

Sam

thanks, once again I will give it a try tomorrow night.

See what I can come up with as am improved workflow for next time.

Right now this is what I have done, and now I need to finish off the last part of the drawing

Mike

[kelly.young]

@MikeKovacik4928 you could try using iMates to quickly snap things into place depending on the setup, but might just be more cumbersome than placing each sub-assembly individually. 

Attached is a very quick example to see if it would work, you would probably want to Create Composite iMate with an iMate to a Point and another to the face.

Create iMates 

Not sure if that is what you're after but hope that helps!

Please select the Accept Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks Kelly. I have tried imates before but it didn't seem to make things any quicker for me, I gave up.

Maybe I was approaching it incorrectly.

Let me have a look again tonight. Do you have the web address for that tutorial.

Scott and Sam, I haven't got around to looking at your method yet.

I should have a bit of spare time tonight

Mike

[kelly.young]

@MikeKovacik4928 yeah, it really depends on how much you are going to reuse the part/assembly. If its not something that will be an everyday thing it is probably faster to just manually do everything. If you are going to get into iLogic, Configurator360, or placing many things at once, it might be worth the setup. 

On any YouTube video if you start to play it and hover over where it says YouTube there should be a link "Watch on youtube.com" and it will take you to the site. 

Please select the Accept Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.