Running an I Feature hole through two parts in the assembly.

[mailswamp]

I want to make a hole through two parts on the assembly level.

For some reason Inventor prevents me from using an I feature at the assembly level.

Is there a good workaround to cut a hole for a fastener (I don't want to use a bolted connection for this since the fastener is a rectangular clip)

I would like to put the ifeature on a point on the face of the part that I would like to have a clip hole in.

I want this hole to go through two parts.

Then I would like to place an Ifeature on the other part, where the hole comes out. The clip we are using uses a rectangular washer to keep it tense. I want an indentation for a washer.

How can I make an I feature that works on the assembly level?

I cannot find any video tutorials on how to do this. I feature on the assembly level.

I cannot upload the proprietary clip file, yet I would like you to help me run that specialized i feature through every two linkages in this example.

Again, I don't want to use a bolted connection. The reason I came up with this tutorial is because it helps me ask questions and show what I am doing without disclosing someone else's intellectual property.

Thank you.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Two workflows come to my mind. Option1, use Bolted Connection. You will be able to drill a hole and it will penetrate the paritipant parts. Also you can add nuts and bolts at the same time.

Option 2, create the hole at part level. You will need to in individual parts.

Many thanks!

[mailswamp]

I would like to use a custom, non-bolted connection throughout the assembly. Do I need to go to every part and draw it by hand?

I am sorry that I cannot show you my work assignment. Our clips are sheet metal rectangles similar to this :https://img2.banggood.com/thumb/view/upload/2015/03/SKU214065-(1).jpg

And we use thousands of them the way bolts are normally used. I cannot say what we are designing.

[Anonymous]

Bolted connection is the only thing that will affect both parts. You could try to attach the rectangular cutout to the holes in both parts. Bolted connection would make them associative in both and the attached feature would follow. If it works ....

[mflayler]

You could also try the Feature Migrator from the Inventor App Store.

https://apps.autodesk.com/INVNTOR/en/Detail/Index?id=4113747616755499758&appLang=en&os=Win32_64

[blandb]

Why not just use assembly features.

Open your assembly, click on 3D Model tab > Create your sketches, holes, etc > Cut your features.. Only material removal is allowed.

We did this all the time to pin/bolt cylinder clevis to rod. The holes will not show up in the part, just at the assembly. Then you can place whatever connection you want.

Hope this helps!

---I can attach a short video for further explaining if needed.

[Anonymous]

Inventor is lacking a REAL assembly cut feature. If you're in sheetmetal you need cutout features in your part, that move with the flat pattern you create and get cut out on the lasercutter. This is using modeling in a virtual production setup. All the rest is workaround with guaranteed errors in production.

[mailswamp]

Very sad that this problem is still around.

Why not give user an option to have or not to have assembly-level features appear in individual parts?

How many mega-corporations does it take to screw in a light bulb?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi @mailswamp,

Indeed, the current assembly modeling paradigm in Inventor is to help designers define the necessary parts and then they are machined as a whole. This paradigm does not fulfill the need when individual parts need to be machined separately before they are assembled. I agree that there should be a workflow allowing that to happen (pushing assembly-level features to participant parts). We have customers using multi-solid body workflows to achieve the goal. Have you tried that?

Hi @Anonymous,

Have you tried sheet metal multi-solid body workflows? You could essentially design a sheet metal assembly in a part. You don't need to worry about pushing assembly features to individual parts. I don't know about "guaranteed errors in production" though.

Many thanks!