How to condense multiple instances of a part in the browser

[EagleBee93]

New to the forums! When I have multiple instances of a part in a single assembly, such as pictured in the attached image, is there a way to condense the instances into just one line?

Example:

"#8 PH PLYWOOD SCREW x 3(4 LG: 1"

"#8 PH PLYWOOD SCREW x 3(4 LG: 2"

"#8 PH PLYWOOD SCREW x 3(4 LG: 3"

The outcome I would like, or something similar is:

"#8 PH PLYWOOD SCREW x 3(4 LG: (qty: 3)"

This way my browser isn't slam full, especially when I have 100 instances of a certain part in an assembly, and I'm trying to find a specific part and I have to scroll and scroll and scroll to find something. I'm new to inventor as of December 5th, I've been an AutoCAD user the last 5 years. It's definitely been an experience switching over. One thing I've noticed (and I know people say don't compare because it's not the same program, BUT) is the geometry, or 2D sketches don't seem to be as efficient in Inventor. At least for me anyway, it's faster/easier to sketch a complicated 2D part in AutoCAD than it is in Inventor. Any help is appreciated, and hello all!

[CGBenner]

@EagleBee93 

Welcome to the forum!

To help the folks here get you the best answer, can you share what version of Inventor you are using?

[EagleBee93]

Thanks for the welcome, and I'm using Inventor Professional 2023

[cssmyth64]

Use patterns when possible, but if they aren't applicable then you might be out of luck (to my knowledge, could be totally wrong).

[Frederick_Law]

You can't combine them into 1.

You could put them in same "Folder" in assembly.

---

@EagleBee93 wrote:

the geometry, or 2D sketches don't seem to be as efficient in Inventor

---

Really?  You need to drawing exactly in ACAD.

You just sketch like kindergarten in IV and add dimension and constrain after.

Got example of what you can do faster in ACAD?

ACAD 9 - MDT14

IV R1 - 2023

[EagleBee93]

I didn't know you could create a folder and move parts into it, in the browser. Thanks, I like that a little better so it doesn't seem as cluttered! I have had the absolute BARE minimum training from 1 fellow employee who's the only other person at this company who even uses inventor, and he's not too knowledgable about it. I admit I compare EVERYTHING in inventor to how AutoCAD does things, and for me anyway (maybe bc idk the best/fastest method in inventor) it's fast to draw a complicated shape such as pictured (attached).

drawing lines at specific angles, the OSNAP features, splines, etc. things like this seem slower/more complicated to do in inventor, for me. I understand you have to use constraints in inventor but sometimes it's hard to know with a complicated shape which constraints to place, so I usually just sketch everything in AutoCAD and copy+paste it into an inventor part file and extrude lol. They need to send me to an actual Inventor class so I can learn the basics. I'm kind of winging it at the moment.

[Frederick_Law]

Like I said, just sketch it free.

You can add dimension and angle after.

10 sec sketch:

[EagleBee93]

The one other person that works here that knows Inventor better than I do, is not a great teacher at all. You may be right, but for me not knowing how to constrain sketches properly, it takes me longer and I get frustrated. I've asked them to send me to classes to no avail yet. Something I'll eventually learn I'm sure. Thanks for the help though.

[Frederick_Law]

Sketch -> constrain -> dimension.

Don't use all hori and vert.  Use one and all other parallel and perpendicular.

This way you can delete one hori or vert and rotate the sketch.

Use equal on same length and radius.

Use tangent on radius to line if they're tangent.

Use construction to help constrain like holes inline.

You do need to fully constrain the sketch.  It mean you can't drag and move anything in the sketch.

Constrained sketch will change color.

Soon you'll learn not to dimension sketch like in the drawing.

You dimension it so you can change dimension to change size easily.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Also, Inventor supports sketch blocks (kind of like AutoCAD blocks). In the 2D sketch environment -> right-click on the Ribbon -> include Layout section. Additional sketch blocks related commands will be added to the panel.

Many thanks!

[3D4Play]

Feeling your pain. I cannot stress enough how critically important it is to get some training - even if it means setting aside some spare time to watch videos while you are sitting at your workstation - so you can do two things (in this order of priority): 1. break the AutoCAD muscle memory, and 2. learn basic modeling concepts from sketch, constraints and dimensions, to part. The quicker you can do those two things, the faster your ramp-up speed will be. Your mission, should you choose to accept it.... 😉