Painted part with multiple colors

[Anonymous]

I am using Inventor 2015

I have a part made out of Brass. I ahve already designated this in the properties and appearance. However on top of that a few surfaces need to be painted. A threaded porition is unpainted. I need to show this part as black, white, and grey for different assemblies. Is there a way I can show these surfaces (I already know how to do the entire part) in different colors in a assembly?

Example;

I have a brass thumb screw. The threaded portion is unpainted. The head of the thumb screw is going to be me manufacture in Black, White, & Gray.

The Thumb screw is used in an assembly for a light. This light comes in Black, White & Gray.

I am wanting to show all 3 color versions in one assembly.

I do not want to create 3 parts because this part is in Vault and other people could use it, and if one is modifed all need to be modifed. However I want the paint scheme to be apparent.

[JDMather]

Are you familiar with View Representations?

Can you attach the file here?

[Anonymous]

I am fimilar with view representations, but that is only available in assemblies. While I don't mind using that as a solution, from what I can tell I can only change the color of the entire part, not individual surfaces. I want to the threading to show up as brass, and the head to be my different colors.

I have been using the view representations to show my parts that are entirely painted, in different colors. I place the part in an assembly, with the paint code. Then place that assembly in my main assembly and use the view representations to allow me to change the appearance.

Files attached.

[JDMather]

You can change colors 

by part,

by feature,

and by face.

(and by body)

[Anonymous]

Can you provide some instructions? I am currently in an assembly with a new Representation trying this, however, when I try to select an individual surface I can not get the option to show up when I select the appearance. 

Thanks

[mcgyvr]

This should be handled with an ipart.. NOT a view rep

BUT you can only override the complete part color.. Which should be totally fine for this application

[Anonymous]

My experience with iparts is limited. I had explored this options earlier. Do you have any suggestions on how to do this?

My apporach was after I had finished creating the part, I then selected the ipart function. Once the spreadsheet was opened I went under "Other" and created my different versions. I then tried changing the appearance. However, everytime I changed the appearance it was changed for all versions.

[Anonymous]

In 2016 it looks like view Reps do not control face or feature colors?

[JDMather]

Yeah, I thought I did this in the past - but now cannot replicate.  I guess I was mistaken.

I have experienced a precipitous decline in my opinion of Autodesk this month....

[mcgyvr]

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@Anonymous wrote:

My experience with iparts is limited. I had explored this options earlier. Do you have any suggestions on how to do this?

My apporach was after I had finished creating the part, I then selected the ipart function. Once the spreadsheet was opened I went under "Other" and created my different versions. I then tried changing the appearance. However, everytime I changed the appearance it was changed for all versions.

---

Go to other as you have stated..Click to add a value (I called mine color) then right click on that column heading and select Appearance Column

Then type in the "EXACT" name/spelling of one of your colors..

[Anonymous]

Yeah I am not a novice Inventor user, and I like to make sure I utilize the software to it full capability. I explored every option I could think of before seeking help on the forums. I knew this would not be an easy problem to solve, but I feel it should have a solution. A machined part may not be completely paint, especially bearing surfaces, or thread. The parts may have several different paint options. However they should no be different parts, because the bare manufactured parts would all be the same part, with the paint being a secondary process. I feel there should be a way to represent this easily in Inventor. I am expected to be able to show my design in the full range of color options for evaluation by managers. At the moment this is a difficult and somewhat time consuming process.

[Anonymous]

mcgyvr - Thanks it has brought me on step closer, and simplified my design process. However I am still attempting to designate on certain surfaces to be painted not the entire part. I am trying to exclude bearing surfaces, and threads. Do you know of a way to use this to select specfic surfaces?

[mcgyvr]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah I am not a novice Inventor user, and I like to make sure I utilize the software to it full capability. I explored every option I could think of before seeking help on the forums. I knew this would not be an easy problem to solve, but I feel it should have a solution. A machined part may not be completely paint, especially bearing surfaces, or thread. The parts may have several different paint options. However they should no be different parts, because the bare manufactured parts would all be the same part, with the paint being a secondary process. I feel there should be a way to represent this easily in Inventor. I am expected to be able to show my design in the full range of color options for evaluation by managers. At the moment this is a difficult and somewhat time consuming process.

---

In many companies... (mine included) if a part is a different color it WILL have a different part number. Why? because there is a job order to make it blue and a stocking location for which to find the blue one.. Same for red,etc...

Inventor still to this day has some limitations on what it can't do for companies that build everything on the fly.. 

I still think iparts is the way to go and you do NOT have to create different part numbers for each member

iparts also currently have a limitation of not allowing you to have different color features.

This thread made me put in an ideastation request for this functionality because I could see it being beneficial

Show your support by giving it Kudos

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideastation/iparts-to-support-feature-appearance-overrides/id...

[Anonymous]

My company also gives separate part numbers and locations instock, painted components. However the ordering system we used, orders a bare part, with a secondary process of paint. Meaning when manufactured, we do all parts to the same drawing no matter the color. Thus if the part changes, all part change. The component I have is called FAS-240 with the color options being -01, 02, -10 etc. Giving me part numbers FAS-240-01, FAS-240-02, & FAS-240-10. I would imagine this is similar of quite a few companies. My company produces ligthing fixture for architectural applications in museums, and stores. So being able to show every detail, even if it's brass threads and bearing surfaces had an impact on the final appearance. Hence the reason I am looking for a solution. If one does not exist I can certainly understand that. However, like I have stated, I feel this would be a useful feature in the future. I gave you ideastation a Kudos

[Anonymous]

What you can do is.

On your Master View Rep. Give your model one of the painted colors you want. Then on your machined faces right click and properties change your Face properties to the machined color you want.

Make a New View Rep and rename it. Make it active, Change your model to the new color. Your machine surface should keep it's color.

Repeat.

[swalton · Accepted solution]

Have you tried to use Part View Reps?

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-BF864D3E-6F97-48EA-BC2B-C6B5B30A6D8D

Make a new one for each color variation. 

When you want to change individual surfaces in your part, pick them with your left mouse button, right click and select properties.  Use the Face Appearance pull-down to assign a new appearance to the selected surfaces.  There is a similar workflow if you use multi-body solids.

See: http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-69A0AA25-1263-4881-A88D-C3F85D78CBEF

and

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-1FB36929-EC31-441A-B967-8281B79DF97E

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

Converting the part to an iPart, then in the spreadsheet, under "Other" I add "Color", right clicked and linked the "Appearance".

Once I input the color name exactly, I went to back to the model view and reverted the desired surfaces back to the base material color. This overwrote those specific surfaces for all color.

See photos attached.