iAssembly to Multibody iPart?

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

Does anyone know if you can directly convert an iAssembly into a multi-body iPart. I know how to make an assembly into a multi-bodied part (export to .sat file and import as multi-bodied) however I was wondering if the iAssembly data could be brought over too. If anyone knows, this would save me hours and hours so thank you in advance!

[jacobus · Accepted solution]

Hello Amelia 

You can always use the derive function and break link if you don't want it to update

kind regards 

[WCrihfield · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous.  There is another fairly simple way to transform an assembly to a multi-body part.  But it won't maintain the iAssembly table or the data it contains.  On the "Assemble" tab of an open assembly, there is an optional panel named "Simplification".  If you don't see it, you may have to right-click on one of the other panels in the ribbon, then select "Show Panels", then slide over and down to select "Simplification".  On that panel is a tool called "Create Simplified Part".  When you click on that tool, a dialog pops up.  There are 3 icons at the top, to the left of the 'Combine' label.  When you hover your mouse over the third one (one on the right) is shows a tool tip ("Maintain each solid as a separate body").  Click that icon, then finish filling in the other stuff and click OK, to create the multi-body part file.

However, there really isn't a ready made tool for converting an iAssembly into a multi-body iPart.  If it is even possible to achieve, it seem like it would be a large and complex process.  If you have a great need for such a tool, you can built-up your coding skills until you can create an add-in (or similar) for it eventually.  This might be too big of a task for most forum members to want to tackle for you though.  The next suggestion might be to post an idea in the Inventor Ideas Forum, asking for Autodesk to develop something like this in the future, but those usually depend on being a popular request and getting a lot of votes from other folks, before they may get seriously considered or implemented.  Good luck.