Use Sketch Block Name as Part Description

[3iDesign]

Hi there,

I'd like to use the name of a sketch block used to generate a part as the value for the Description iproperty in a part. I'd like to then use the part description iproperty as the assembly description iproperty.

I currently use inventor to create structural steel models/drawings. I have explored Frame Generator recently as it has improved since I last looked at it many years ago however the main issue I have with it is that bolted connection holes do not update if the layout sketch is updated/changed (which can be quite common in my case). I now use sheet-metal parts (to give O/A length of the part) and sketch-blocks to generate structural members that I can easily extrude holes that match connecting plates etc however my process relies quite heavily on manual input of section size details in the description iproperties of each part and then again at an assembly level...resulting in errors - I'd love to be able to extract the sketch-block name used to generate a shape and have it populate the part description iproperty. I'd then love for the description iproperty to populate the assembly description field as well so that all the main structural member size/description is consistent throughout but ultimately taken from the sketch-block name as this is the first place I program the various section sizes used on job.

Frame Generator would be great if it didn't change the orientation of each part/member so that you could derive the original layout sketch into it to be able to extrude holes for bolted connections - but I have tried this and cannot get a satisfactory workflow.

Any help would be much appreciated! 

[imajar]

I don't know of any way to do it outside of ilogic unfortunately.

One potential issue if you try to program it is if you have multiple sketch blocks, which one should the ilogic use?  Also, if your assembly has multiple parts, which part should supply the description?

[3iDesign]

Good point...at an assembly level maybe the first part placed could be the default?

Do you think ilogic could take the sketch-block name to populate the description parameter at the part level?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi David,

I believe it is doable. Try using Make Components or Make Part command in Manage tab. The default part name is indeed the sketch block name.

Many thanks!