Create a Solid Part From an Assembly - Use DERIVE method or SIMPLIFIED PART method?

[dfitzgerald2002]

Hi all,

I am an Inventor NOVICE who has created his 1st assembly from three separate parts. Now I want to create a single solid part from that assembly (iam) file so that I can convert it to an STL file and ultimately get it made on a 3D printer. It seems that I have two choices, but I don't understand the details of each choice.

Using the simplified part method appears to be the quick easy method. However, the Inventor documentation states "Hidden features will not be included," and I don't know what that means in terms of my part being 3D printed correctly.

Using the DERIVE method appears to be a more thorough method but it offers me a bevy of choices that I don't understand either. (Remember, I'm a self-taught novice.)

Can I use the SIMPLIFIED PART method and ultimately get my part 3D-printed correctly? Or, do I need to bite the bullet and learn how to use the DERIVE method to get my part 3D-printed correctly?

My humble and sincere thanks for any help,

David

[chris]

@dfitzgerald2002  

[James_Willo · Accepted solution]

Hi they both have different options as you found and really if you just need a single part for 3D print then both will provide this without using any of those settings. 

The main difference here is that Simplify is generally used at the end of the design, you can automatically remove features to reduce detail so you can get better performance, or remove your IP. 

Derive is used mid design. You have something that you maybe want to drive something else. Simplify generally removes things whereas Derive includes things. So I can choose which parameters I want to bring through to my derived copy.

The message you saw in Simplify about hidden objects not being included means that if you can't see a part (it's suppressed or visibility is off) it will not be in the resultant file that is created. 

[NigelHay]

Hidden objects applies to Derive as well. If you turn off the visibility of parts in an assembly then derive that assembly into a new part file, the non-visible parts will not be included.

[dfitzgerald2002]

Thank you for that straightforward reply.

[dfitzgerald2002]

Chris,

I can't see what you sent me. I can only see a small right arrow (actually a triangle) and it doesn't do anything when I click on it.