Is it possible to create a "custom iAssembly" similar to a "custom iPart"?

[Anonymous]

I have a single normal part that gets added to an assembly, and then is duplicated many times as it gets patterned down the length of the assembly.

I started a new (sub)assembly, with parameters for the start and end point of an axis, and the distance I want between the parts in the pattern. This is able to mimic how I would like it to act when I change parameters within that file. I end up with a sub-assembly that has some working objects and a Component Pattern.

When I go to the assembly I need to add the sub-assembly into and add the sub-assembly, it seems that those parameters are no longer changeable. I can go into the sub-assembly and change the parameters, but then it wants to update the sub-assembly for EVERY assembly it is placed into.

My understanding is that I could add a new row for the iAssembly, which I could change the parameters on. However, I will be adding a new row with every assembly I put this sub-assembly into. Which will eventually be many, many, rows.

I'm unsure what direction to proceed from here, and I am new to Inventor.

Do I go ahead and make a new row in this sub-assembly for every assembly I ever encounter?

Do I instead set up this sub-assembly as an iPart? even though it is a conglomeration of many (of the same) part?

Is there another way to accomplish this that is better suited, or easier to accomplish?

[Xun.Zhang]

Hello @Anonymous,

There are several ways to handle, such as link the parameter from children in the top assembly parameter dialog, or leverage iLogic to do the thing as a whole solution.

Here is an example for iLogic.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-customization/driving-sub-assemblies-from-assembly-with-ilogic/td-p/6419457

Hope it helps!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Like Xun said, you want to look into iLogic workflows. iAssembly and iPart are meant to create library components, meaning they are clearly defined on the table for reusing purposes. If you need to create custom iAssembly, it usually means you need to drive parameters at various levels and there are inter-component dependencies. It is better to use iLogic rule. We have several iLogic experts on the forum. You could share an example you are working on, there should be a good solution using iLogic.

Many thanks!

[Anonymous]

The 'i' in iAssembly and iPart is (probably ) for intelligent. As mentioned in the answers the main use is to create a tabled model that can be the base of many clones of the same thing. Fortunately for me the intelligence in iPart also allows a second flavor of the concept, being a model that you can modify at will. The tabled versions are fully defined in the base file. Child-files are created the moment you select a row to be used somewhere.

Not so for custom iParts. The moment you drag these iParts in you are asked for a filename and a custom dependent file is created. Editing this part does not change the base file, nor does it affect other children.

In your case I would create the sub-assembly as a custom iPart. Meaning that you pattern the part inside the part-file, turning it into a multibody part. I the pattern parameters are used as custom parameters for the iPart then each child can have it's own number and distance. Advantages are that you only have one iPart, no table - only one line showing the customisable parameters. Each child is individually controlled and does not affect the others.

Of course you can also reuse any of the children if you need the same configuration. But be aware that any change will affect all copies of this child in other assemblies.

Attached is an image of the key differences. Top shows iAssembly as tabled. Each entry has resulted in an .iam file. Bottom is a single iPart file with 2 custom parameters. Child filename can be anything. Child has different parameter values than the original file. Both exist independent from eachother.