Sweep command and "Path does not intersect profile" warning

[cshepard]

This has been something happening with the most recent version of Inventor and I am trying to understand why this warning is necessary, and what actually is the best practice for sweeping a profile along a path. For tubing in our assemblies, I draw, if not a basic extrude/shell, a profile representing the tube ID and OD, and then sweep it along a path that would represent the center-line of the tube. (More complicated parts will follow the same principle but use 3D sketches for the paths.)

As you can see by the screenshot, even though inventor can compute the solution, and provide a preview it still throws up this "Path does not intersect profile" warning. Clicking "yes" completes the sweep command and there is no further fuss or errors.

What is the best practice? What am I missing here? I've drawing simple bent tubes or other sweeped features like this for a decade, and only now it seems to be a problem. 

[SBix26]

Please post the part that you show in your image.  I expect there's a logical reason, but very hard to diagnose from a picture.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2020.0.1 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[cshepard]

Here's the file. If I edit the sweep, the warning does not come up again - only when you are creating the sweep for the first time.

[SBix26]

I would say you can safely ignore this warning message in this case.  I think that Inventor should recognize that the path is tied firmly to a fundamental part of the profile sketch, the circle center, and not issue this warning.  Technically, though, the path doesn't intersect the profile.  If you pick the center part of the circle as the profile, Inventor does not give this warning, even though nothing has changed with the two sketches.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2020.0.1 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[graemev]

I suspect that warning is a general heads-up from Inventor, indicating that you may have inadvertently picked the wrong geometry as the path. A path not rooted within the section being swept - that is to say the area that would be hatched in a cross section - is somewhat unusual. There is no particular error impending, just that you may wind up with unexpected results who's error may be difficult to detect or diagnose.

In your case you're getting exactly the results you expect, so all is well.

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi! I think the warning is due to the fact that the profile is located at the end of the path but not at the start of the path. But, the issue here is that it is unclear to the users where the start and end are. This warning has been there in 2019 before but it is only triggered when the profile does not intersect the path. On 2020, the warning is more prominent. When the profile is not at the start of the path, the warning will come up.

I will work with the project team to find out what we can do.

Many thanks!

[kstate92]

Given that the example posted is the exact method I've always used Sweep for (almost exclusively so), this change just slows me down while also implying my years-long methodology is wrong. I have a fully constrained path on a principal plane coincident to the origin point and a fully constrained profile on a perpendicular principal plane coincident to the exact same origin point, but now that's not good enough.  I also think the wording is confusing, implying that the profile is somehow supposed to cross the path ('intersect' was a poor word choice).

[cshepard]

Agreed kstate92

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I am not saying you were doing anything wrong. It is Inventor making certain assumption. I am just trying to explain the behavior. Do you mind sharing an example? I vaguely remember we had a bug or something. It should have been fixed on 2019 update and 2020 update.

Many thanks!

[Prof_Stancescu]

Inventor 2021 has the same annoying message „Path does not intersect profile...”

Shall we wait for 2022?

[JDMather]

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@Prof_Stancescu wrote:

Inventor 2021 has the same annoying message „Path does not intersect profile...”

Shall we wait for 2022?

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Attach example file here.

[Prof_Stancescu]

Please take a look at this tutorial:
https://youtu.be/fgsy-70gBps

There is another mention about the same message at the minute 9:28 here:
https://youtu.be/YxrWB034cmo

The distance in time between these two tutorials was one day.
One day before Inventor 2021 was launched, and the very day when it was
actually launched...

Waiting for an answer,
Prof. Constantin STANCESCU

[JDMather]

Can you Attach an example file here that exhibits this behavior?

Yes?

No?

[dan_inv09]

What is the start and what is the end?

Sweep2 and Sweep3 are made from opposite ends of the same path.

(You have to edit the feature to change the profile and then edit it again to change it back (or delete it and create it again from the same sketches or you could just start from scratch on your own instead of using someone else's files). It is only when it changes to that profile or when the feature is created that it exhibits that behavior.)

Has this been fixed in the newer version of Inventor?

[Prof_Stancescu]

Let's wait for Inventor 2022 to see what's new

[Prof_Stancescu]

In the mean time take a look at my tutorial here: https://youtu.be/fgsy-70gBps

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Dan and Constantin,

This behavior is indeed reproducible on 2020. It is a bug. I have tried it on our internal build for 2021.3 update and future release. The issue no longer happens. I believe it has been fixed.

Many thanks!

[Prof_Stancescu]

Hi Johnson Shiue,

I hope you are well.
After a while, today I received the news - Inventor 2022 is released!
I am trying to install it and I receive this:

Install failed - Error 1603

I am attaching the successive dialog boxes with the development in progress.
I am waiting for an answer from you because I want to present the new
version in a tutorial TODAY, just like last year (see
https://youtu.be/fgsy-70gBps).
I am also attaching the message from Autodesk after sending the error
report.

Yours,
Prof. univ. Emeritus dr. ing. Constantin STANCESCU
Romania

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Professor Stancescu,

Error 1603 usually means the install process was interrupted by network connection. Please use Download Now option instead. Then install from local drive.

Many thanks!

[sameh.lamada]

Create the desired surface at the edge of profile path and you will not get this message, from your jpg i can tell your desired circle was created symmetrical along the profile path