Fast centerlines to any patterned holes on drawing

[pasi.annila]

1. select centerline tool

2. pick one (any) of patterned feature

3. This should create centerline along all features in pattern (circular or rectangular)

In case the number of patterned features changes in model the centerlines should follow the change too.

In case there is multilevel pattern this option should follow patterning too (first pick indicates the 1st (made) pattern, 2nd pick indicates the next level of patteringn etc.)

[timdown73]

Way too many clicks to make a rectangular centerline pattern.  We need a right click option e.g. "Make rectangular pattern" for 4 holes with 2 diagonal clicks then right click "create" (see example below). 

If say you had 6 total holes; 3 on each side...click lower left hole then right click for "Make rectangular pattern" then click the 2 upper right holes then "create" and voila, rectangular hole patter for 6 holes created.  Or heck just make the drawing smart enough to detect your hole pattern much the way it can automate centerlines but with centerlines connected as in example image below.  Thoughts, opinions, suggestions? 

[a_sima]

why the heck the user just cannot show/erase axis in the drawing? Just click in the model tree, select the features (holes, patterns, protrusions) right click  sh0w/erase axis done.

The axis belong to the hole in the model, it should be automatically created (you have a point, a plane, what's so hard to automate the creation of the axis). If you have it already, the DEV team of IVshould make a function in drawing module "Show axis" ON/Off switch, let the user choose if he/she wants ON  or Off to be the default of the command. It's just an idea.

[mflayler2]

You can show the Work Features in the drawing as of right now but it is a RMB in the Browser to perform this.

I would like to see a Retrieve functionality like the Retrieve Model Dims that would work for Work Features.  It is a bit of a pain to right click on the model tree everytime I need a Datum for some GDT placements.

[timdown73]

Below is what I end up with using the RMB in browser "Include work feature" and "automated centerlines".  This is not what I want.  I want the four hole pattern to to be connected horizontally and vertically with centerlines, not just points.  To make this happen in Inventor now, you have to do it manually I think.

[mflayler2]

In this swf you can see how to get them right now.  I agree it could be faster with the Automated Centerlines tool, they might have to add some underlying code to the Rectangular Pattern command, but it would be a nice speed boost.

http://screencast.com/t/Z77gPrW70al 

Make sure you allowed blocked content to play in certain internet browsers.

[timdown73]

Yep, that's what I'm dealing with to create rectangular hole patterns.  It's very unintuitive; even worse it feels old!  Which, I don't think is something Autodesk wants Inventor to be.  They need to streamline things like this.  It's easy to get bogged down by them.  Sometimes we have quite a few patterns to make on a drawing and it just a click fest.

[Anonymous]

Like Tim said, to many clicks.  Add a button that will automatically insert centerlines for a square pattern base on your crossing selection.

2 Picks - Rectangular / Square pattern centerlines

[timdown73]

Need some kudos on this one to get Autodesk's attention. 

[graemev]

When creating a centerline for a bolt circle, it would be nice to do so in two picks: the first (as is current) for the circular feature defining the centerpoint of the pattern, the second defining the center of a bolt hole on the bolt circle to be annotated.  The program would place the circular centerline and place radial centerlines, much as it does now by individual selection, for every centerpoint falling on that bolt circle.  Individual radial centerlines should be individually selectable for purposes of hiding/deleting/suppressing as the user chooses later.

A feature pattern is recognized at the modelling stage as a "smart" feature - CC bolt placement, for example.  Why not when detailing at the drafting stage?  Ideally, though, placement would be geometry-based, not feature-based.

An additional option might be to have the first and second pick work as above, with additional picks generating additional bolt circles common to the original centerpoint reference.

[alessandro.gasso]

When we use the Automated Centerlines option in an Inventor drawing with a quantity of 3 or more holes we get a Bolt Circle and the centerlines of the holes are pointing to the center of the Bolt Circle.

But, with a quantity of 2 holes, Inventor inserts an horizontal and a vertical centerline per hole and does not insert a Bolt Circle, even though we selected the "Circular Patterned Features" option in the Automated Centerline menu.

It would be good if the behavior would be based on the design in the model, meaning whenever I use a circular pattern it should insert a Bolt Circle.

[pasi.annila]

You should have ability to add and remove "centerpoints" on existing centerline. Sometimes ie. you have pattern with tens of holes and you need to mark the centerline (or -circel). Other example is that you have made a copy of part and drawing and in your new model you have more or less holes than the original did.

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[Kunal_Bhansali]

yes that what we needed. 

I am having a part which has 120 holes in a circle. Now consider i want a center line for bolt circle. I need to click atleast 120 times !!!!!!!  

Now imagine, selecting a center point or a center circle and then selecting only one of the hole, creating whole bolt hole circle. How much time i have saved?

Hope autodesk bring this thing.