Bolted Connections as Assemblies in Parts List

[andrewdroth]

Hi all,

We'd like our bolted connections to show up as assemblies in our parts list rather than individual parts.

We've modified our CABoltCon.Imperial.xml template to make the assemblies B.O.M. structure 'Normal' rather than the default 'Phantom'.

Perfect!

Now we'd like to drive the assemblies description based on the bolt size used. For example, the description in the parts list would read "5/8" HEX BOLT C/W NUT AND WASHER".

Any ideas how we could accomplish this?

[brendan.henderson]

This is tedious but it works, although I would not use it!

Make many, many assemblies of the bolt/washer/nut combinations you need. Constrain axis but leave face mates free. Save assy and make description whatever you want. Place bolt assy in model assy and make bolt assy flexible. Constrain axis and faces as required. Note that this approach may cause issues due to flexible assy and may also cause Inventor to slow to a crawl if many of these are placed.

[clastrilla]

Hi Andrew, I'm in the same boat. So far, I've figured out that the xml file refers to an iam template file in FDCalcTemplMM.iam. (found in C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor 2013\Design Accelerator\Models). What I've done is to edit the xml file to refer to different iam template file (i.e. Cust_FDCalcTempIMM.iam), and that custom iam template file has the correct iProperty Description filled up.

At this point its static though, so I'm looking to see if I can create an iLogic thing or maybe use Parameters to fill up the Description field.

[matt_jlt]

You could always make an i-assembly for your bolt,nut & washer assemblies.

I have always used just a single i-part which calls up bolt nut washer. It has everything drawn in it and I have a set grip length range for each size. It saves having lots of occurrences, don't have to deal with flexibility issues and it makes things much faster especially when you use hundreds of fasteners in assemblies like I do.

You can still use bolted connections to generate the holes if you wish but I don't bother I just use normal hole features.