Link a Component to a Feature

[ufficiotecnico14]

Hello Sirs,

I was wondering if there is a way, with Inventor, to 'link' a component (or assembly) with a feature. Example: I have to place a recessed handle on a panel. I'm used to place the correspondent iFeature (with rivets' holes and routing geometries) on the panel, import the handle in the assembly and apply the constraints. I have a moltitude of handles in my catalog (and in my assembly as well) and each one has a different corresponding iFeature; place them one by one is a super time-consuming operation. In my head (I'm here to check if in the reality too) there'd be two ways to overcome this issue:

1st. Link each handle with its iFeature: in this way I'd save the time of placing the iFeature, by just placing its corresponding assembly. The linked iFeature would be automatically placed on the panel.

2nd. Skip the iFeature placing: the holes and recesses are automatically taken off the handle's geometry and extruded on the panel, as if it was an 'adaptive sketch-extrusion'.

Are these 2 ways a real option or just day-dreaming? Does maybe exist a 3rd option I don't know about?

Thank you in advance for your attention,

Riccardo

[SBix26]

iMates.  Then it's just a matter of alt-drag to lock the handles into position on the iFeatures.

It's been a few years since I created one, but the Help should get you there.

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2024.1.1 | Windows 10 Home 22H2

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Another approach is to name the face and then use iLogic to mate the named faces.

Many thanks!

[ufficiotecnico14]

Hi SBix26, 

Thank you for your reply. I've been playing with iMates a lot and they of course make me save the time in constraining. Unfortunately, due to the assemblies I'm dealing with, sometimes you still have to check and adjust the constraints and you still spend the time in positioning iFeatures. They're a quicker way to work for sure, but in my situation I'd have to update all my items and template assemblies in the libraries with iMates... I'm keeping this as a last resort! Thank you!

[ufficiotecnico14]

Hi Johnsonshiue!

Thank you for the reply. This seems an interesting way to solve the matter, just one question: what do you mean with 'name the face'? How can I assign a name to a face? Should I do it in the assembly or in the part? In none of both I can find a way to set a name for the face. You maybe mean using the note editor on the specific face?

Thank you!

[kacper.suchomski]

Select face and right click. There is an Assign Name command in the context menu.

[Frederick_Law]

iMate and other method works if the parts are reused in different assemblies.

If you just use the handle once or twice, you'll spend more time on setup then just constrain them.

"sometimes you still have to check and adjust the constraints and you still spend the time in positioning iFeatures"

You've set them up incorrectly.

iFeature can work like a punch, insert on a point with rotation.

Part should always constrain with 0 offset.

Add planes to iFeature and part.  Constrain to those planes.