iPart/iAssembly

[kmgrose]

I have been working with iParts and iAssemblies for the past month and am gradually working on more complicated parts. Currently I am working on manways as an iAssembly, which could have a possible 168 combinations per manway size. My question is, is there an easier way to make said manways as an iAssembly other than making every single combination in the inventor iAssembly spreadsheet.

I would like it to be as easy as selecting: Hinge, Lift Assist, or No hinge for one category; WP1,WP2,WP3,WP4,WP5,WP6, or WP7 for the next column, # of lugs, and then the inside diameter of the manway. All I can think of right now is adding a part number for each manway to include all the combinations for each size manway which I fear will take to much time and in the long run not be worth the hassle.

Thank you for any insight you can give me!

Kevin

[mcgyvr]

Not too many tricks there.. Other than editing the table in excel vs inventors built in iassy table..

Its 168 possible assembly combinations.. Its not going to be a simple task.. 

Think of how long it would have taken you before iassemblies 

[kmgrose]

168 combinations PER manway size (and the larger ones have a few more), and there is about 15 sizes so in reality we are looking at 2500+ combinations. 

Is there a way to either merge the hinge and the lift assist (two totally separate and different assemblies) into one iAssembly? I believe this could alleviate some of the problems by publishing the manway iAssembly to the content center and using a 0 or 1 to choose which (hinge/lift assist) to use on the manway. 

[mcgyvr · Accepted solution]

Sure you can have an iassembly inside an iassembly..

BUT.. IMO Inventor should follow real life exactly.. If its not in real life it shouldn't be in Inventor either..

Without knowing ALL the details of what you are making its hard to give concrete answers.. But like I said there really is no "easy button".. 

Some ilogic coding "may" help.. but I don't know the details.

And now its 2500+ assembles.. Expect it to take time..

ALL I can say is use Excel to edit the tables when possible. Copying/pasting there should make it a fairly "quick" task once you have all your ducks in a row..