Smart Components

[Anonymous]

Create smart components from components that you use frequently that require the addition of associated components and features. Examples:

• A connector with mounting screws, nuts, screw holes, and a cutout
• A motor with bolts and mounting holes
• A hinge with mounting screws, screw holes, and recess

Solidworks has this feature and its fantastic.

It would be amazing if Inventor had this, if I could place a part I require into an assembly and the bolts required to fix the part go inautomatically as well as the holes & or cutout required to mount the part  are created in the associated parts it is to be constrained to. 

Why doesn't inventor have this? I can't believe no one has requested this.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Create smart components from components that you use frequently that require the addition of associated components and features. Examples:

• A connector with mounting screws, nuts, screw holes, and a cutout
• A motor with bolts and mounting holes
• A hinge with mounting screws, screw holes, and recess

Solidworks has this feature and its fantastic.

It would be amazing if Inventor had this, if I could place a part I require into an assembly and the bolts required to fix the part go inautomatically as well as the holes & or cutout required to mount the part  are created in the associated parts it is to be constrained to. 

Why doesn't inventor have this? I can't believe no one has requested this.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Inventor had this feature but only in the Factory Design Suite.

Assets in the Library of Factory Design Suite you can easily insert standard parts or yourself you include the standard parts to create again and again.

It would be nice if this functionality would also be in standard Inventor available.

[mrattray]

This is a double post.

Original post: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Smart-Components/idi-p/3842111

[DRoam]

See similar idea here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Parent-modifying-Components/idi-p/3922372

Here's an example of why I still think this feature would be very useful. Below is an image of a pressure vessel we're building with dozens of couplers, nozzles, etc. on it. It would be amazing if I could author MY couplers, nozzles, and any other part to create a cutout or other feature in whichever assembly components I want to participate. That way I would have an accurate model without having to go to each and every coupler, create an associative hole and re-check the associative links often and repair links that have been broken.

I experimented with the bolted connections, and while useful, to me it doesn't seem very versatile. I can't choose for the bolt length to be so-much greater than the necessary length. However, the associative link between features at the assembly level and the part level is fantastic, and should be copied exactly to this smart-component application. If I could simply author my bolts (or even better, if the bolts in the Content Center were also authored) as smart components, I'd have much more flexibility and ease of use.

[dan_szymanski]

Looks like there may have been a connectivity / internet browser hick-up while authoring this. Closing as Duplicate of identical Idea: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Smart-Components/idi-p/3842111 Thanks. Dan

[Curtis_Waguespack]

I want to be able to author cutout features in my part file that can be pushed “over” to a mated part in an assembly. I do not want adaptivity. I want something more like the way the bolted connection tool works, where it creates a feature in the part, but I also want the option to push it to a subassembly, so that it is created as an assembly feature. The cutout is authored similar to the Punch tool, so that it has a placement insert point.

Example 1:

I have a Flat Head Undercut Screw and Counter Sink hole.

• I want to author the hole in the screw part file.
• And then from my assembly (imagine a couple of sheet metal parts) I will place the smart screw with a “smart place” tool
• The "Smart Place" tool is very similar to the hole tool (sketch placement, edge selection placement, concentric, etc)
• Once placed I’ll “push” the cut cutout /hole from the smart part, to the sheet metal parts via a button or right-click option
• But I want the option to push it as an assembly feature, subassembly feature, or push it all the way to one or more selected parts.
• The result is a new hole feature created in level selected by the user.
• The feature is not adaptive. It’s a static feature created similar to if I’d created it using the Bolted Connection tool (which pushes holes from the assembly to the part).
• If I change the location of the smart part, I use a “Re-calculate/Update” option to update the smart features that have been pushed.

Example 2:

If I have this smart part in a subassembly (a bracket and 3 screws) I want to be able to place this assembly using the same “smart place” tool onto the sheet metal part(s) and “push” the holes as well.

Example 3:

I have a switch component that has a standard panel cutout, that is more than just a hole, I want it to work the same way as the “smart part” screw.

Example 4:

I have pipe component. I want to author a cutout in it to make it a “smart part” so that I can place it into the side of a tank assembly, and push the cutout to the part.

Example 5:

I have pipe flange component. I want to author a cutout and a hole pattern in it to make it a “smart part” so that I can place it into an assembly, and push the cutout and holes to the part.

Example 6:

I have a sheet metal part file that has a flange with 6 holes and a tab. I want to author smart features ( 6 holes and a slot) in it so that I can place this part in an assembly, and push these features out.

Example 7:

I have a subassembly made of 4 sheet metal parts that are welded together. The parts have holes and tabs, I want to be able to push holes and the slot for the tab.

Example 8:

I have a steel access door sub assembly made of hinges, screws, and the door panel.

• I want to have the door authored as a smart part, so that the door opening cutout can be pushed from it.
• I want to have both the screws and the hinges authored as smart parts.
• And I want to be able to push from the hinge or the screws.
• But I want Inventor to catch when I try to push from both at the same time, so that the smart part doesn’t create a feature that cuts nothing.

 Example 9:

I want to be able to create any size and shape cutout feature, in just about any part file, and push it into to just about any other part or subassembly.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Related link:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-general-discussion/parent-modifying-components/td-p/3922372

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Similar / Duplicate idea:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/smart-components/idi-p/3842111

[Curtis_Waguespack]

It looks like I duplicated this idea:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/smart-cutout-parts/idc-p/6445346#M13024

[DRoam]

Thanks for posting this, Curtis. I really wish my original idea hadn't been moved from the IdeaStation, as the "Solution Provided" status was very unfounded in my opinion. I strongly agree that what's being asked for would provide a huge savings in time, effort, and efficiency, and that it's also not currently possible with existing functionality.

I just wanted to paste here my original concept of how this might work, both to help clarify and as a springboard for feedback if anyone has any:

1. Create some sort of material removal (or even addition) feature within Component A which is designated as an "external feature". That is, it modifies surrounding components after Component A is placed in an assembly, rather than modifying Component A itself. Examples: Component A always requires some reinforcement material around it on the part it's placed on. In this case, an "external extrude feature" is created. Or, Component A is a coupling which requires a hole in the component it's placed on. In this case, an "external extruded cut feature" is created.

2. When I place Component A in an assembly, Inventor automatically applies the prescribed operations to components adjacent to Component A.
3. I can choose which adjacent components participate in the operations.
4. The features can (OPTIONALLY) be propagated to the part level for participants in the operation, similar to Bolted Connection holes, for reference in detail drawings.

[Anonymous]

Great suggestion Curtis!

SolidWorks has something along these lines where an electrical connector can cut its own cutout as it's being placed in the assembly.

I see DRoam's idea and that's fine, but will restrict the cut you may have to perform.

I would suggest using the multi-body part and use one of the solids as the cutting tools at the assembly level. This has to be automated.

There are ways to achieve this now, like creating a sub-assembly that includes that part and the cutting tool together.

I wish were as simple as having localized part and assembly configurations, like Solidworks ones, that would of allowed a much easier workflow... I understand the part factory and all that, it is just not productive and convenient.

Good luck with this suggestion, you have my vote!

Regards,

Adrian

[DRoam]

@Anonymous said: "I would suggest using the multi-body part and use one of the solids as the cutting tools at the assembly level. This has to be automated."

That's a really good idea, I like that suggestion. It removes an extra "chunk" of architecture that would need to be added to Parts (namely, "external" features). Now we would just build the external features as a normal separate solid body. The only problem with this is now we have an extra solid in our part file which, while we can turn off its Visibility, will affect mass calculations.

If Autodesk would finally make it where we can assign a material override to specific solid bodies (as requested here, here, and here) we could just give the "external features" a material with zero density and turn off their visibility--all problems solved. Now we just need to add the Bolted Connection-like "feature pushing" at the assembly level, and we have smart cutout parts.

Simple... right, Autodesk? 

[Anonymous]

Hi DRoam,

Having multiple materials for multi-body parts is making a lot of sense. I think I've seen a new idea about that.

As I mentioned on the previous post, you can at this time to create a sub-assembly where to have your part along with the cutting tool.
If you only have to import a few of these "smart parts" it's not a big deal. The problem comes when you have hundreds of them.

I actually have an application for this idea and we'll be applying the sub-assembly solution. It is about electronic components that cut themselves the necessary "nest" in the chassis of the instrument. We'll be using a technique involving the IDF interface, where you can call a specific library of components, in this case the ones with the cutting tools. The task at hand is how to automate the separation for the parts from the cutting tools as you are doing the derived part (this in order to do the Boolean "cut" operation later).

I wish Autodesk starts to look into improving the software further and consider creating workflows that can benefit many industries.

Take care,

Adrian

[Anonymous]

what if we put an item in right position in the assembly and automatically cuts the affected components.

i.e.: imagine a dispaly with its cut out table, I'd like to position it directly on the support plate and have the cut.

something like a place component+iFeature in one click.

there was something similar in the Exchange apps web site, but I can't find it any more.

the problem with that app was that the tool creats a new part with the cutting surfaces (the display, the plate and the file with the surfaces).

[DRoam]

Hi @Anonymous. I believe this identical to this request: Smart Cutout Parts. If so, please consider voting for the original idea to help get this suggestion recognized. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

@DRoam, done.

sorry I didn't find it while submitting the idea.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

sorry to resume an old thread but was this feature ever implemented in Inventor?

I have an assembly with a patch panel and several connectors to be mounted on it. I have a 3D model for each connector but the cutout on the panel is different from the cross section of the connector.

Is there a way to specify the cutout shape and dimensions for a part?

[stuart_smith82]

No this idea hasn't been implemented. If you haven't already or if have colleagues that need this feature please get them to vote on this idea. 

[Anonymous]

The Woodwork for Inventor plugin has the ability to a 'cut features' to components, which are then removed with a special version of the Sculpt tool.

http://help.tools4inventor.com/manual/woodworkforinventor/8/en-us/concept_5.htm

It would be great to see this in the core product!

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,
This will be a great addition to Inventor indeed. This is exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you for sharing.
Best regards,
Adrian