AutoCAD Inventor :: Calling Out Assemblies In Drawing Views?
May 20, 2013
I have a top level assembly created from multiple subassemblies. In my drawing view, I would like to add leaders calling out the subassemblies. Is this possible with Inventor 2013? It seems easy - am I missing something?
I tried adding leaders, and selecting the model properties, selected the subassembly, then picked part number. The leader always reverts back to the part level.
Product Design Suite Ultimate 2014
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I've recently made a new drawing template with ilogic prompts for entering data for all fields within the template. It also sets view sizes etc. I have lots of master drawings, which are reused when sizes etc change for a contract, which i would like to transfer to this new template. Drawing Resource Transfer Wizard does not offer this function.
I could get all drawings in a folder copied to specific sheet size on the master template.As the template will probably be developed further in the future I'm very loathed to do this take manually.
In my company there are a lot of standard parts with variations. An object can have for example a left and a right variation, or can have three a different heights. I've created and iAssembly with the different variations, in which every member has a different part number. I'd like to make an overview drawing containing all the variations of that object, so the user can easily see the options and can choose the one he wants. On the sheet I'd like to have views of all the different members of the iAssembly, plus a table of all the members with their part number. It was no problem to create the views and the table. But I have two other questions.
1. I want to show the name of the Assembly with the view. So I'd to have in the view a text with the description of the Assembly-member, which is linked with the Assembly. I've tried to use a balloon to tag the assembly, but this only balloons the parts of the assembly. (How) can I do this for the whole of the assembly?
2.When I make an overview of all the columns we use, I'd like to align all the views at the bottom of the view, so you can see that all the columns have different heights, and how they differ in relation to each other. When I align the views with each other, the alignment is done in the middle of the object, not at the bottom. Is there a way to choose what lines of the view must align with each other? Or a way to align the views to a line (for example in a sketch)?
Using Parts created with "As Application surfaces" (only to aid positioning in assemblies). Main assembly built up from sub assemblies which include these parts have the issue on the displaye views in the drawing. When creating drawing views of the Main assembly the application surfaces cannot be hidden by deselecting the "Include All Surfaces" option on each assembly view.
They can be hidden as, shown with an assembly made up only of parts.
I created a base drawing for sections that references an alignment. I xrefed in the drawing where my corridor was created. When I create the section views, the corridor shows up perfectly.
I then created a blank sheet and xrefed in my section view base drawing.In this sheet drawing, only parts of the corridors are visible.I have a C&G on one assembly and a shoulder on another assembly that aren't visible. (see pics)The first pic is my section base drawing.
Since changing to Inventor I seem to be unable to turn off visibility of parts in assemblies on a drawing. Usually I just expand the view in the browser then right click on parts and turn off visibility. When I try this the visibility option is grey.
I have an assembly that is identical to another assembly with the exception of 2 or 3 components. I want to create 2 different configurations of the assembly, e.g. 12345-009 for the original assy and 12345-019 for the similar assy that has a couple of different components and/or additional components. I can create the -009 assembly and then do a "Save As" for the -019 assy and do a "Component/Replace" and add (or delete) other components.
I want both of these assemblies to be on the same drawing with a base number of 12345. I know I can do this and create a separate parts list (BOM) for each configuration and put it on the drawing. Is there a way to "merge" the two PLs so that there is a quantity column for each configuration (-009 and -019)? For example, if the same gear is used in both assemblies, I want a quantity of 1 in each column. If a component is used in one but not the other, i want only the quantity to show up in the appropriate configuration column.
I'm trying to make a few assemblies inseparable for a parts list in a Drawing, but I can't seem to make it work.
I know I have to do this in the Bill of Materials menu, but for some reason the part I want to make inseparable is greyed out whiles the one that is just one part isn't.
My only option right now is to make it a weldment which works but not ideal, because now the material isn't correct.
I'm trying this on the 099.03.00.097 assembly in the picture.
I want to extract 2D drawing view of the attached model. I tried but could not succeed because most of the sketches are on the angled user defined work planes.
See the following links, I did the same for some of my other models:-
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How can I show the modelling process of this model with 2D drawings?
I am using Inventor 2013. For some reason I cannot dimension some of the model entities in the drawing views in an idw file. I can retrieve the model dimensions but it is usually easier to create the dimensions I need in each view. I can select the line, curve, etc. when dimensioning but nothing happens.
After I think about it. What I cannot dimension are lofts that I created with rails. These rails were made up of lines and curves, not polylines. How do I get the sketches for the rails I used for lofting to display in the drawing views so I can dimension those sketches.
I made a drawing and later changed the part to an ipart.
The dimensions of the table part in the drawing are o.k. but the iproperties, the contents of the logo doesn't update and it has a strange number string.
There is the yellow lightning symbol and even though i press update all sheets nothing happens and also the lightning symbol remains
Why is it that individual views in an .idw always need to be updated? I will highlight a view, the thunderbolt icon lights up, I choose to update it, the view in the browser turns red and then the view up dates. if I highlight the view again it tells me the view needs to be updated again.
I was wondering if it was possible to make my drawing views more streamlined.
Currently, when I add a drawing view, the part number and scale is pulled from the part and scale chosen. So this is good; but I would like to get the styles editor to add the actual view of the part into its name.
For example, if I choose the top view, the naming should look like the following:
TOP VIEW
XXXX-XX
SCALE: X/X
So basically I'd like to know if its possible to pull that information and display it in the naming text box. I would assume this is possible as all the other parts are possible, I don't see why this isn't an automatic default.
I am not able to move any of the views in my drawing (*.idw). As instructed by the web page this should be as easy as "click and drag the red border", but this does not work. I cannot move the dimension annotations either.
I am working in an Inventor Assembly .iam, I have about 250 fasteners (screws) that are constrained to a flat washer and lock washer. I would like to put them in as a single unit (sub assembly if you will) and then promote or explode them in the top level so that my bom has 250 screws, 250 washers, and 250 lock washers all at the same level, not associated to one another except thru the constraints that were entered in the original assembly. I have tried Promote but that doesn't work because it removes the washers from the original file and I end up with only 1 instance of the assembly. Am I approaching this incorrectly? Is there a better way? I run across this scenario with different components quite often.
Working in an idw file, I have a need for two drawing sheets with the identical views of the same part. However, each sheet will need different dimensions and annotations. What I would like to do is after completing one sheet, in one step create the second identical sheet, then just edit/add dimensions and annotations. Is there a method to do this? So far, I have only been able to copy one view at a time from sheet to sheet.
I'm trying to put together some iLogic code to either check all the drawing views within a drawing sheet are all the same scale, or make the views all the same scale. These drawing sheets consist of a number of individual parts (they aren't projected views from a single part).
This is for welded assemblies. We are required to generate a profile drawing sheet outlining each part that makes up the assembly. We send these out as dwg files for laser cutting so its important that the views are all the same scale.
Why is it that when I create a dimension across geometry the dimension shows true, yet if I create sketched geometry in the drawing view it does not?
What I need to do is create an arc of swing for a door. So I create a sketched arc and then want to dimension the arc radius of the door, yet the dimension shows not true. How do I make it true? And why can't I snap to model geometry in the drawing view?
Problem: I have a part that goes through several processes, casting, machined, finish. I want to create a drawing sheet with views displaying the part through different stages.
Solution One: Create as many different parts (with different file names) for each stage and place the views accordingly. Really? Three or more part files to illustrate a single part?
Solution Two: Create a user parameter that will auto-suppress features to create different Levels of Details on Parts, but there is no way to initiate/set the user parameter for different views.
I understand 2012 has the ability to create part design representations, but we are still on 2011 and I am leery to upgrade for a feature that still might not work properly.
There has to be a way to suppress features in a specific view...iLogic? iPart? anything? I simply can't believe this is the case.
Is there a way to supress some features ( holes, slots, extrusions etc ) in only one drawing view?I'd like to create a few copies of the same view, but show only relevant features for clearer understanding and dimensioning in each.
I've been using Inventor for a few years now and haven't seen this. It created a base view with green marks and when I go to print it says
"One or more drawing views are currently draft previews. Draft previews differ from final views in quality and may produce visually different results. Would you like to wait for views to update before printing or smash the screen from irritation of having a new roadblock thrown in your way that we make no effort to remove for you? HAHA you ignorant fool you will never learn all the idiosyncrasies of our product".
Which I thought was a bit unnecessary.
It does make some effort actually. It sits there with a progress bar. This drawing is about as simple as I create and it can't get past the progress bar. If I print anyway, there is no line weight. So where is this little switch hidden to turn this off? I've already fiddled with background updates and the sunglasses are not checked and grayed out. I don't know how I never ran across this problem before or what could have changed. Given the performance of my computer, I don't think I need some low grade preview for drawings of this type.
Somewhere along the lines I must have clicked something to lock my views in drawing mode once I place them because after placement I cannot click and drag them around anymore...
Is it possible to automate dimensioning of drawing views?
Here's the situation: I have an Inventor assembly that's controlled entirely by iLogic. My users, who have zero Inventor training/experience (or with any 3D CAD software for that matter), pull up the assembly. They enter product related parameters from paper work orders into an iLogic form and hit a "Go Button". The assembly updates based on the parameters, suppressing and unsuppressing parts, features, patterns, and mates. This works great. They then hit a "Run Job" button. This takes them to an .idw where they fill out another form with order specific information and hit another "Go Button". This then cycles through every detail sheet and the parts list, deleting sheets deeemed unneccessary for the product, generating part numbers, exporting dxf's, generating an excel BOM, etc.
This works great as well. The problem is with the dimensions. They blow all apart when the model changes. I know I can run some API code to delete dangling dimensions, but is there away to programmatically create dimensions so I don't have to rely on my users remembering what needs them? I've played around with using model dimensions, but I find that they stay and remain attached even when their corresponding feature gets suppressed.
I'm having a problem with sketches not appearing on drawings in Inventor 2012. This is for a product line made using iparts and iassemblies, and affects approximately 150 drawings.
These sketches were made in Inventor R11, and are attached to part features in the drawing view. When opening these drawings in 2012, the dimensions that were attached to the sketch are still visible, (albeit in the wrong places and on the wrong features), but the sketch itself is not. The sketch still exists as an item under the view, but the actual contents of the sketch (lines and hatching) are gone.
The assembly consists of three identical cylindrical parts with mitred ends welded together in two operations to form a T-shaped part. I have a view representation for each operation. The drawing has each view on one page.
The first step requires welding the two parts together to form an "L" shape, and then cutting off a portion of the corner of the "L" to facilitiate joining the third part in the second operation. In my assembly, I mated the two cylindrical parts together, then created a sketch and using geometry projected from the parts, defined the area of material removal at the corner and extruded the feature. Then, I mated the third part.
However, since I cannot turn off the extrusion when defining a view representation, I needed to redraw the corner I removed so it reflected reality when showing this first phase on the drawing,. I accomplished this using a sketch on the view in the .idw, again using geometry projected from the part. This worked out excellently in Inventor R11. Not only was I able to show the missing part, but because this was an iassembly made from iparts, I could use the same drawing for differnet sizes by "saving as..." and then selecting a diffenent Assembly State on the Model State tab of the Drawing View Dialog Box. The views would update, and so would my sketch, since it was defined by the geometry of the part.
So we continued on this way, and now that we've moved to 2012, none of these sketches appear anymore. We're faced with having to redo this work on every drawing that we've created for this part -- about 150 or so.
I have an assembly which is a plated structure. I am using a skeleton file of surfaces to define these plates. I am deriving the required surface/s from this skeleton file into a part file. In the part file I have used thicken to create my plate part. I also turn off the visibility of all derived surfaces in this part.
Now in the plate part when I go into edit derived part - the surface I have used is not grayed out showing it has been consumed by my thicken feature??? I place all my part files into an assembly and create views for each part using isolate (I use these views in a drawing which is used for NC plate cutting)
So the problem I am having is that when I place a view in my drawing the derived surfaces are also showing.
However I have used this modeling technique for many previous projects on previous versions of inventor and have never had this problem.
As mentioned above I have used isolate to create these views. I have since gone back and created the views by turning off the visibility of all other components and the surfaces do not appear in my drawing views.
I've poked around a little and made simple rules to manipulate iproperties, save filetypes, change drawing borders etc. but am now looking for a bit more and am struggling (i.e. completely lost.) I want to automate the creation of an assembly drawing from an existing presentation file. Here is the basic break-down:
Assumed Pre-Requisites:
- Using Inventor 2011
- Presentation(*.ipn) file is present and saved in same directory
- Each presentation VIEW is numbered and named (e.g. "1 - PCB Installation", "2 - Battery Insertion", etc.)
iLogic/VBA Code should:
- Select presentation file (either auto or allow user browse/select)
- Create a page in the drawing (*.idw) for each VIEW from the presentation file
- Create a base view on each page for each presentation VIEW (in numbered order)
- Each base view orientation will be derived from Saved Camera
- Each drawing page will be named using the name from the corresponding presentation VIEW name
- Each page will have a prompted entry in the Title Block that will be defaulted to the presentation VIEW name
