iPart with iMates or Frame Generator?

[Mark.Valenti]

Been away from Inventor for a bit and I am in need of help.  I have a window design using aluminum extrusions, and  rubber seals of different configurations in same assy as well as others. I'm not sure the best methods to construct this assembly. Below are my needs...

Cut list for all materials

secondary operations (fab) for holes and slots on extrusion pieces

Ability to create quick assemblies once everything is set up. (like frame generator for this)...

Ideal situation I would like to use frame generator to create the assembly but have the smarts of iparts to suppress or show hole/slot features in certain al. extrusions...

Make sense?

Any help/guidance is much appreciated...

-Mark

[cbenner · Accepted solution]

@Mark.Valenti

Frame generator is indeed good for this, but all frame components come out of the content center, so you may not have the flexibility of the iparts for your holes, as you said you wanted.  However, ask yourself:  where in the process are the holes added?  Generally they should go into your assembly in the same way they would in the world; design as you would manufacture... so to say.

So, if the holes are in the components before they are assembled, you could create an ipart table for the profiles that has rows for the profile without holes, and then line items with the hole(s) in various configurations... and then select the appropriate part during the frame generator design process.  This will mean publishing your own content center library for these profiles, but that's not too difficult.  It might also mean a huge family table depending on how many different configurations you need.

[Mark.Valenti]

Chris,

Thank you for the quick response. These holes/slots get added prior to window assembly. The shop gets the request for extrusion style, lengths, and secondaries. That window package then goes to the assembly cell to be assembles and finished. So you think I can create an ipart table within the structural shape authored part?

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Mark.Valenti

It all depends on your end goal..  Meaning if the frame changes per each design, frame generator may not be a useful unless you have vault and the ability to copy design.   Granted iLogic Design Copy could help if you don't have Vault but frame generator has a given structure and you don't "really" copy it like a normal assembly.  Not saying don't use frame generator but just throwing out some other ideas like iLogic model or using the iCopy.