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Sunday, September 02, 2012

Using an iFeature in Autodesk Inventor - Part 2

“Ideas are the building blocks of ideas.”
Jason Zebehazy

In my last blog post on iFeatures (see that post here), I extracted and placed an iFeature, but that was all we did at that time.  I did mention that dimensions could be added to the iFeature, but I stated we'd get back to that.

Well, we're back to it!  In this blog (and its video), we'll add dimensions to the iFeature we used in the last blog.

The basic steps for this process are below:

  • Rename Parameters (okay, this isn't strictly necessary, but it makes the process easier, and I recommend it. 

Parameters renamed
HINT!  To rename parameters quickly, edit the feature, and type "Parameter_Name = X.XXX" to rename it in the feature.  This will rename the parameter directly from the feature it drives.

Renaming the parameter in the feature

  • Extract the iFeatures you want.  Note in the image below, the renamed features automatically are made available to the iFeature.

Extracting the iFeature


  • Set any ranges or lists you need


Setting a range
Setting a list
  • Save the iFeature, and you're ready to go! 

Saving the feature
  • Now the feature can be placed, taking advantage of the settings used!
Placing the iFeature.  Notice the list being used.

So that will place the iFeature into the parts you intend to use it in, and now you've seen the steps to create this iFeature.

But it would be an Inventor Tales blog without a video.  So here it is, a video showing the process! 


Have a suggestion on how you might use iFeatures?  Throw a comment!
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4 comments:

  1. Jonathan Landeros7:22 AM

    Curious, Joris. What version of Inventor are you using? I haven't done too many metric iFeatures (being from the states), but I don't recall every having my units jump.

    I'm going to be using Inventor 2013 with metric iFeatures for KETIV's AMA event, so I'll keep an eye out to see if it crops up.

    Perhaps it's a version or service pack thing?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jonathan Landeros4:42 PM

    Perhaps it's something in the regional version? I just created a metric iFeature a couple of nights ago in Inventor 2013 SP2 for our Autodesk Manufacturing Academy, and it placed in metric as well, in a metric part.

    The video will be posted in a few weeks (it's part of a larger video package).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jonathan Landeros4:49 PM

    I did try it (switching my default units to mm & starting a metric template), & mine still seemed to behave. I even tried leaving the units off (to see what units it took).

    I tried two slots, and a punch, and they still seem to convert fine. I'm sorry the standard punches don't seem to work, but I'm just not able to get them to misbehave in my version.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jonathan Landeros4:50 PM

    Have you tried submitting it to your local Autodesk resource?

    ReplyDelete