FRAME GENERATOR QUESTION

[matthew.hansche]

Good Morning Everyone:

My team is considering using Frame Generator to design some of our components (trusses, frames, supports, etc.) however I am trying to determine if it is capable of pulling pre-designed part models from a separate folder.

We have a library which contains most angles we have ever modeled. These models then have their iProperties defined (part number, description, etc.) along with various model states to include snipes, copes, etc. What I would like to know if there is a way to have frame generator import these parts when available rather than creating a new part. For example, if my sketch skeleton has a 3-ft angle and a 6-ft angle, if the 3-ft exists in the library it will pull the 3-ft piece from there and only create the 6-ft angle as a new part (which I can then add to my library). 

Any insight would be appreciated!

[CGBenner]

@matthew.hansche 

Hi.  Frame generator works with the Content Center, and pulls the profiles from there, setting the length of each segment based on the sketch, and whatever end treatments you apply.  If your custom profiles are stored as iParts, you could easily Author and Publish them to a custom Content Center library, and then select that family as you are designing.  Iprperties in your ipart table should follow the part through publishing, and then you simply need to map that column in the CC Family Table to the part, so that the value populates when the part is generated.

THIS CLASS that I did a few years back at Autodesk University talk all about authoring and publishing custom content... maybe it could help you get started.

[pcrawley]

"capable of pulling pre-designed part models from a separate folder" - No.

As @CGBenner says, FG works with Content Center authored profiles only.  I underlined 'profiles' because the only thing you publish to Content Center's Structural Shapes is a 2d profile and a base extrusion. ALL other features you attempt to build into the part will be ignored during the Publish function.  Even the profile & the custom notch shapes have to be drawn in the same sketch. (Custom Notch is useful for snipes or copes - it would be nice to allow selection of multiple custom notch profiles to accommodate both.) Other stuff like calculated iProperties, iLogic rules, material & appearance selections can all be included - so you can get quite sophisticated, but you can't use pre-built models and use them with Frame Generator commands. 

FG is essentially a toothpaste extruder.  It extrudes the shape as long along a pre-drawn sketch curve or part edge.  Lumps in the toothpaste (pre-drawn parts) are not allowed 😉

That said, you can manually insert pre-built components into an FG assembly and use tools like "Trim/Extend" to cut FG members against those components. 

[SBix26]

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@pcrawley wrote:

... the only thing you publish to Content Center's Structural Shapes is a 2d profile and a base extrusion. ALL other features you attempt to build into the part will be ignored during the Publish function.

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Not quite-- I've successfully published profiles with repeating patterns of slots or holes, and tubing with tapered ends.  So it's not just a "toothpaste tube".  But I agree that FG only uses parts created on the fly from published profiles or reused components within the same frame.

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2024.1.1 | Windows 10 Home 22H2

[pcrawley]

Published to Content Center for use with Frame Generator? 

Or was that for use with "Place from Content Center?

Edit - Just tried it... You learn something new every day!  Thanks @SBix26 👍

[SBix26]

For anyone wanting to see an example, here are two authored Structural Shapes for use with Frame Generator.  Both are Inventor 2020 format.  Butted tubing is thin tubing with an internal taper at each end which thickens the ends for better strength at joints while leaving the middle as thin as possible for weight saving.  It used to be (maybe still is?) used in high end bicycle frames.  The 9701 Profile is square aluminum tubing with regularly repeating holes.  Both of these work just fine with FG.

Here's an image of a FG frame with the 9701 Profile:

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2024.1.1 | Windows 10 Home 22H2

[matthew.hansche]

Thank you everyone for your responses! From the sound of it we will not be able to pull pre-made parts into the frame generator assembly. I will try some of these suggestions, maybe we will be able to figure something out. I will keep everyone posted if I come up with something. Thanks Again!

[Frederick_Law]

Anything can be add the the "FG assembly".

They are not FG.

A pre-made angle can be add to FG frame.  Of course it's size will not be controlled by FG.

Just like nuts and bolts.