How to make independent variant copies of assemblies made of iParts that are driven off a 'central' part's parameters?
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Hello All,
My colleague and I have intermediate Inventor knowledge and are exploring the program's seemingly limitless potential, yet we are stumped with an issue that should be relatively simple to fix. We have recently converted to using iParts to construct our models, given that the majority of the assembly components are extrusions that are nearly identical, minus their length and a few features to represent distinct machining. Currently, all of the constituent parts and their iPart variants are linked to and driven by a central "driver part" that contains all the parameters that define the final geometry of the assembly. (I'm sure there is a more proper way to apply parameters to the totality of the assembly, however this is our current and most efficient method of quickly defining the assembly geometry.) The goal is to be able to copy the assembly so that all of the parts, constraints, relationships, etc., are present within the copy, with a duplicate "driver" that retains the same parameters and formulas as the first driver, defining the copy assembly independently from the original. Adding on to this, this process should be repeatable for multiple assemblies so that none are affected by the parameter changes of its copy siblings, all existing within a grand assembly in the same project. I have provided below some frequently encountered suggestions along with the issues we have encountered when trying to implement them :
1)Copy/Save As: Naturally, this was the first option attempted, though the copied assemblies will still consist of the original parts and still be driven by the original driver part. We would have to copy every part, re-link the new driver to all the copies, and then repeat this for as many units as needed which is not practical.
2) Pack & Go: This function was abandoned due to its 'messy' file structure and generation of a new, independent project file that differs too much from our customized project space. Additionally, there is an expectation that more than 2 (sometimes even 8-12+) of these unique assembly copies will need to occupy the same project, which is not feasible from my understanding of Pack & Go.
3) Vault Features /Design Assistant: These options are currently not available to us, though it seems they would have similar effectiveness as Pack & Go. As such, we have not pursued these methods, though this is subject to change if a viable solution can come from them.
I understand the very real possibility of error on our end regarding the usage of aforementioned methods, and am certainly open to advice that may provide insight. Recently we have been experimenting with iLogic, Frame Generator and Model States to try and alleviate the issues, however our exposure to these options is scant. Ideally, we would like to retain the system of a driver part that defines a single assembly, though I'm not particularly against scrapping/refining this if it allows us to achieve our goal easily generating nearly identical, independent assemblies, within the same project space. I would greatly appreciate any solutions, guidance, or suggestions anyone may have with resolving this dilemma. Thanks!
