Surface Bodies not generated in iParts?

[s.mutschler]

Surface Bodies within an iPart factory part are not output into the generated factory parts (ipt files).  Open a generated part directly (one whose base part includes ONLY Surface Bodies and NO Solid Bodies), and its browser tree is empty!  Even if a Surface Body is marked for Export, it does not appear in the generated factory parts. 

Opening the generated part directly OR placing it in an Assembly OR attempting to Derive from it, the Surface Bodies are nowhere to be found.

HOWEVER, if I create an iMate related to a Surface Body, that Surface Body will appear in the generated part.  For example, if the Surface Body is a hollow cylinder (extruded from a circle), I can create an iInsert iMate placeholder.  The Surface body used for that iInsert appears in the generated iPart, as does the iInsert placeholder constraint.

Is this correct behavior?

If I want to include Surface Bodies in generated parts within a part factory, how do I do it?  Especially patterned Surface Bodies? 

I want to use Surface Bodies to create "phantom" cylinders around square studs on a component so that I can "iInsert" that component (using any of its studs) into a cylindrical hole on another part when making an assembly.  This works nicely for discrete parts, just not factory generated iParts!

What am I missing?   Thanks for any suggestions!

(Using Inventor Pro 2015.)

[mcgyvr]

Yep.. Bug (I call it that because it should work and even the preview of the ipart during placement shows the surface.. then it just disappears when you ok it).. Does the same in 2016 and has been like that for years..

ipart table shows that as being "compute" also..

I suspect Autodesk calls it a "limitation" as I don't believe that functionalty ever existed to have unconsumed surfaces in iparts..

I think its may have alway been like that.. 

An Autodesk employee posted the imate "workaround" in 2007 for a user who noticed the same.. Sadly they just provided the workaround and didn't actually attempt to correct the bug or implement that functionality after being notified of it..

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-general-discussion/ipart-with-surfaces-bug-or-not-perfection/...

Looks like you will have to use the imates workaround also..

I'd leave this question unanswered and hopefully someone from Autodesk will come by and fix it or whatever..

@bob_holland Lets see what Bob has to say..

[s.mutschler]

A disappointment.  Thank you for the heads up mcgyvr.

Oddly, other than the iMate'd surface bodies, I do not see any Surface Body objects in "previews" as you decribe when placing an iPart.  The little part preview window (when locating a file) does not show them nor do they show when dragging the iPart during placement.  However, you can see the bodies in the preview window when opening the base file used to generate the iPart.

Info for other unsuspecting users:  I originally thought the missing bodies had to do with the Surface Bodies being marked as Translucent.  But, even when Translucent is unchecked, making the bodies opaque, they are still not populated to the generated iPart files.

I wonder if, instead of extruding a Surface Body directly in the part, if creating the body using an iFeature might cause it to be preserved?  I will try this.

[mcgyvr]

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@s.mutschler wrote:

A disappointment.  Thank you for the heads up mcgyvr.

Oddly, other than the iMate'd surface bodies, I do not see any Surface Body objects in "previews" as you decribe when placing an iPart. 

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The "upper" pin right below the place ipart dialog has been "placed".. Notice no surface showing..

The "lower" one is waiting to be placed and shows the surface 

[bob_holland]

@s.mutschler,

I want to confirms that @mcgyvr is correct.

iParts have a known limitation that only carry over solid bodies.

Thank you for utilizing Inventor and have a great rest of your day.

[s.mutschler]

Postscript...

In all the years I have been using Inventor, I guess I never tried to extract an iFeature for a Surface Body extrusion.  Imagine my surprise to find that it cannot be done.  An extrusion must be a "Solid" in order to make an iFeature out of it. 

Perhaps this omitted functionality is the underlying source of the "omission" wherein Surface Bodies are not exported into iParts.

Worth a look, Autodesk.

[s.mutschler]

I see now.  I forgot about that dialog box.  For our bigger libraries, I often place iParts by pulling them directly from their related factory folder.  That bypasses the "Place Standard iPart" dialog window and its preview.  Thanks again for replying!

s.mutschler

[r_lehmann79]

This ist very strange - but it works!
I cannot understand why Autodesk "limits" exporting surfaces in iParts!
There are the same discussions for any releaase since 2007.

Regards Ralf

[timdown73]

Hello, I'm having a similar issue...I have a cylindrical surface in my base ipart with an insert imate attached to it. I would like for this surface to be turned off in my iparts as I do not need to see it; I only need the imate. But every time I place the ipart it comes in with the cylindrical surface on. I have even tried to make a design rep with it turned off and place them with that rep active but it still comes in with the surface turned on. This is peculiar because I also have a flush imate on one of the origin planes and that plane remains off when the ipart is placed and I still have access to the flush imate. That is the exact behavior I need for the aforementioned insert imate/surface. Any thoughts?