Reuse Assemblies - Best Practice

[brad.jackson]

I have a newbie question regarding the reuse of an assembly.  For this example, I have a door frame.  I would like to know what the best practice is for using this as a base for future variations.  The variations may be limitless.  Being new, I am apprehensive about the possibility of several people using this and inadvertently changing existing variations as they create new ones.

Ideally, each new variation would need to be referenced / named with the project number - line number and door number.

E0######-##

D##

Can anyone point me in the direction of any information on how to best set this up?  BTW, I do have some iLogic built into this assembly so I also need to take into account the naming of the items referenced.

[Frederick_Law]

Use Design Assistant to copy and rename all the files (except common hardwares, CC parts) to new project.

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi Brad,

Have you tried iLogic Design Copy (start Inventor -> zero document -> Tools -> iLogic Design Copy)? It helps replicate the files that cannot be reused easily.

Many thanks!

[BDCollett · Accepted solution]

Place iLogic Component is another way.

Ideally, use Vault and the copy design that comes with it. It's far better and gives you more flexibility around file naming and where those files go.

If you use Design Assistant or Vault to copy design, you will need to make sure your iLogic code doesn't break with each version.

If you reference parts by name in the browser, rename the browser name and use that in the code so that it is static value.

[brad.jackson]

So, If the part names in the browser are renamed, they will not change as the design is copied?  That is one of the issues I have been worried about (breaking the iLogic code references).

[brad.jackson]

Thanks so much.  I have looked at that, but not tried it out.  I will give it a shot.

[BDCollett]

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@brad.jackson wrote:

So, If the part names in the browser are renamed, they will not change as the design is copied?  That is one of the issues I have been worried about (breaking the iLogic code references).

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Correct. The names in the browser will need to be unique then but they will not change when you create copies of the files.

[tomasz.sztejka]

I do recommend to You to consider following questions:

1.Will those different types of door assemblies put together in one project, ie. building plan?

2.Should changes made in base project (ie. change of shape of a lock pocket to accommodate new lock type) propagate to other projects?

3.Are those projects "one-shoot", "design-and-forget" or are subject of continuous product development?

Depending on the answer on above questions very different strategies will be optimal to Your project. One-shoot design-and-forget is the easiest strategy and keeping separate .ipj projects with separate folder tree will work well. No need of any kind of design copy or files renaming, not mentioning Vault.

For continuously maintained projects with propagating changes a configurable assembly would be best. Sadly this is not supported by Inventor and closest You can get to it is to use iAssembly / iPart what may work in some simple cases as a poor-man configuration. Some version control is also recommended but I will refrain from recommending Vault for it.