Inventor Weldment Environment - New Weld Type - Extrude Face(s)

[ckautz]

Hello All,

I have frequently found myself requiring a new weld type that adds materials to specific faces. I work in a custom machine shop where we get multiple different types of part quotes from clients. Some of these parts that get quoted have weld buildup on already existing geometry. So for example: A 40 in dia drum will be turned to 39.65 in dia, then .2 in (on radius) of weld will be added and then turned to finish. This weld overlay is typically a wear resistive material. At this current moment, there seems to be no way to weld a surface to increase a dimension. The only work-around I have seen is to derive the weldment assembly to an IPT and manually add the weld through additive revolution or other means.

New weld type to extrude or thicken a face to emulate a weld overlay that is to then be machined  to finish in another weldment assembly.

Our file structure (and procedure) is as shown, starting bottom to top:

1 Machining Assembly Tier 2 (Final Assembly CAM stage, setup items and stock + part assembly reference)

2 Machined Assembly (Machining added to Fabrication)

3 Fab Assembly (Locating Parts and applying weld beads, Stock Reference for CAM stage)

4 Machining Assembly Tier 1 (Pre-Machining CAM stage, setup items and stock + part assembly reference)

5 Pre-Machine (Derive of stock material, pre-fab machining for mating parts)

6 Stock material (Stock reference for CAM stage)

One last thing to note: Weld Beads are NOT selectable by Inventor CAM. This could potentially be resolved by making the beads a selectable solid.

[mikeh4]

Gave ya a Vote, but until then instead of deriving the assy could you simply model a new part off of projected geometry from the 1st machined pass and name that part Hard Weld?  Then it would show up in the bom and you could have a volume for hardweld to cost off of as well?  Model states could help you show the stages of weld also.  In my mind it will work, but I didn't try it🙂

Regards

Mike