Auto Generating Drawing from IPT

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am pretty new to inventor and I would like to know if there were any way to generate a drawing (.idw) using given parameters from i.e. macro, VB, or etc.  What am trying to do is set up a template for a mass produced component that we manufacture that has many different variations. Usually the dimensions that changer are the OD, ID, and length.  Is there anyway for me to accomplish this in Inventor Premium 2012? 

[xiaodong_liang]

Hi,

It sounds feasible with my experience, but it will not be an one step job. If you could elaborate in detail, we may take a look to share the corresponding comments. e.g. a sample ipt? the workflow you wish? how does the result drawing look like? etc...

[Anonymous]

My company makes pipes with the only variations is the OD, ID, and Length.  What I am trying to accomplish is lessen the time to draw these components.  The profile is basically a billet that is bored out, at a certain length, that is threaded on both ends.  I would like to create a code to autogenerate a drawing that gives the OD, ID, Length, thread undercut, etc.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

  your requirment is doable, can you give more detailed information about the automatically drawing generation?

i can help you figure out how to fulfill this kind of work with just one command click.

Richard
Inventor Customization Consultant:
   The most professional Inventor customization service provider  
Emaill: myware@126.com

[dano0310]

Would this be simpler to do using the copy design facility of vault?  Then all you need to do is change the parameter in each job.  This would be easy enough to do for even a dozen parts.  Or.... Are you looking to pull parameters from say a spreadsheet and update the drawing for a thousand odd parts? 

[xiaodong_liang]

Hi,

I am not sure if Copy Design of Vault may help, but probably ETO (Intent) is more suitable for you.

In addition, from API perspective: either you could create an iPart factory from that spread sheet and create drawing with each iPart. Or you could drive the parameters of the part directly and create the drawing accordingly. But those also depend on how you want to achieve. e.g. if in each drawing, there are many sheets, drawing views, dimentions, annotations, re-creating the drawings with different part may mean you would need to re-create those views, dimentions, annotations. You can also choose Replace refererences of the drawing, but I cannot still be sure how much is the workload.