Vent patterns *really* slow down the model (patterns doubly so)

[Anonymous]

Where I work, we use a typical type of vent pattern (see attached punch pattern) in an array of varying size. The same pattern is repeated horizontally and vertically any number of times, and each adjacent instance of the pattern is rotated 90 degrees compared to the patterns above/below/beside it.

NOTE: I cannot attach an .ide punch tool file through the forums (why not?) -- please change the .ipt file extension to .ide, and then use it as a punch tool feature in a sheet metal part. It is not actually an .ipt file -- I just renamed it so I could attach it.

Is there a way to represent this kind of pattern without *dramatically* slowing down (or flat-out freezing, if you consider being unresponsive for 20+ minutes) Inventor?

I'm running a machine with 16GB of RAM (on a laptop, which is about the most powerful the company will give me, and the most powerful in the company). Having 200+ instances of these cutouts (in as little as two features, one for each orientation; or four features patterned into lines) is common, and it is deadly to my machine's performance.

Help!!

[salariua]

Can't open your file.

"Unable to open file. File's extension doesn't match with the file's type."

[Anonymous]

I know --- I changed the file extension from .IDE to .IPT because I cannot attach an .IDE file in this forum.

Do not try to open it as a part file. It is a sheet metal punch file. Change it to .IDE and then use it on a sheet metal part to see the pattern I'm talking about.

[salariua]

Sorry for misreading your post.

At the moment Inventor hangs on insert feature after selecting your ide.

I am HANGING as well... 😞 Might have to kill it in task manager and start again.

[salariua]

This is what I found so far.

Creating a large pater of points in sketch takes longer compared to creating a small pattern and then edit the number of patterns.  (maybe just a glitch on my side).

I have managed to get it from "forever" to 1 minute using pattern on he punch feature. So instead of doing punch feature on a million points, do it on one point and pattern the punch feature with Optimized Compute on. I have 1250 instances and it took less than a minute.

I don't understand why are you doing this in part level. I would export it to dxf and do it in there.....

[Anonymous]

Yes, I've found it's faster to make one cutout, and then repeat it with a pattern. Because of the nature of this type of cutout (rotating 90 degrees from the one next to it), I need to make the cutout and pattern group four times to get it to look right. Sometimes I find it easier to do the patterns in small groups, and then I can do it in two operations (with a shared sketch and multiple points).

What I'd like to arrive at is a solution that involves determining the area that will require the vent pattern and essentially telling Inventor "fill this space with X pattern".

Even with patterns on a single point, having many of them feels like it slows down the system considerably. Is there a way to verify that it's the patterns and not something else?

"I don't understand why are you doing this in part level. I would export it to dxf and do it in there....." @Saluria, can you elaborate on that? The workflow I'm used to is 1) make the part, 2) put part in assembly, 3) put assembly in drawing. At what point in this process does exporting to DXF help me in Inventor?

[salariua]

I just assumed you need this for dxf cutout. If you need it to show it on the part I would do it as appearance. Just like expanded metal, or mesh plate.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to have to research into how to make my own. Will applying an appearance to a surface show up on drawings? If the appearance is made to look like a cut, will it show the components behind the cut?

[salariua]

The appearance will show in the drawing only if you used shaded views. This is a huge memory hog, I wouln't have it in the part at all. I would do it as appearance and add the cuts at dxf level before sending it to fab.

[Anonymous]

Suppliers get DWFs and/or PDFs to make the fabricated parts, here. DXFs don't really enter into the workflow. It needs to be visible on the drawing to be dimensioned and called out. That's my trouble.

[salariua]

Very twisted mentality if you ask me.

He must charge you an arm and a leg for re-designing it. Not to mention that the human error in the re-design process is unavoidable.

[salariua]

You could just have a note on the drawing saying, THIS FACE TO HAVE CUT-OUTS AS PER DETAIL XXX OR STANDARD XXX. 

[Anonymous]

We already have a note on the drawing that indicates the design standard for the cutout, as well as the number of patterns tall and wide. A leader with CO-VT-HHWW (cutout-vent-height/width) pointing to each section. I would just like them to be visible in the model without slowing it to a crawl.

[salariua]

then you have your answer, appearance not cut-outs.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I mis-wrote. I want it to appear in the model AND the .IDW. I'll give it a shot anyway to explore how it might work.