Replace Punch (iFeature replace)

[Hunteil]

This idea is simple. Select a Punch feature on a sheet metal part and Right Click and give us the ability to replace the punch with a different .ide file.

Think of it being like the tool in Assembly files, Replace Component. Except it's for iFeatures (Punches) in Sheet Metal.

Currently if you place a punch feature and later have to come back to it and change it beyond the built-in parameters used to make it, then you have to delete the punch (keep the original sketch) and then place a new punch. This is less than ideal b/c if you have a iPart family, the feature will not update automatically. If the punch is simply a set of holes and I updated the original punch.ide to have a wider spacing and nothing else. Then the current method of replacement will break all assembly constraints too. The suggested idea could be a big improvement to not break all constraints. Because it'll act like a Component Replace. With a Component Replace, any constraint applied will stay if the new part is made of the same elements/feature/order of the original file being replaced. This idea would follow the same concept.

I personally can see this being a headliner upgrade to Inventor on the next release. 

This Idea is related to these threads:

• https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/ifeature-replace/idi-p/4860152
• https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/inventor-2019-sheet-metal-punch-tool-change-to-differe...

[Uwe_Lindner]

English Translation (per Google Translate):

I want a way to replace an inserted iFeature into a model by another iFeature.
Request comes from the sheet metal environment where the insert you need an insertion point and this is required for each punch feature.

Kunden suchen nach einer Möglichkeit wie man ein in ein Modell eingefügtes iFeature durch ein anderes ifeature ersetzen kann.

Anforderung kommt als erstes aus dem Blechbereich wo man zum einfügen einen Einfügepunkt benötigt und dieser für jedes Stanzfeature benötigt wird.

[inv.ideareview]

Thanks for sharing your Idea. We use this forum to guide product development and help users in the best way we can based on voting. We occasionally merge Ideas or archive old ones to keep the forum working properly - it ensures there is room for people to review new Ideas and that the most relevant and meaningful ones can gain votes. We’re archiving this Idea because it's been on the board for well over a year and hasn't received many votes from the community. If you want to raise it again and try to gain more support, you're welcome to do so. We’ve found that pictures and mock-ups can help get concepts across and win more votes from other users. If you have questions or see a connection between this Idea and others, let us know. - Inventor product team (Inv.idea review)

[holgerb-mardmoeller]

I've got a call from a customer who has the same issue with his ifeatures in old sheet metall parts. There is no way to change the path of the ide or the ide-file. It was an old part from 2010 and it wasn't able to change anything, no angle no value. A replace function could sove this problem.

[wayne.helleyY67EK]

I would really like this feature right now, or at least the option to break up a previously placed iFeature into standard features

[Hunteil]

Here's a link to this Idea to allow us to Replace Punch just like the Replace Component Tool: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/replace-punch-ifeature-replace/idi-p/12237740

I figured creating a new idea post w/more information could be helpful.

[nbossardKratos]

This has to be, for sheet metal and copper bus design, one of the worst parts of using Inventor.  Sure, the punch tool is useful, but if it ever needs changing, the process, including losing mates, will make you wish you just used sketch geometry to begin with. 

[Uwe_Lindner]