Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2016 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2016

Autodesk Official Press

Paul Munford, Paul Normand

• Publisher: Sybex
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN:
  9781119059806
• eBook ISBN:
  9781119059875
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Informatica
• Subtopic: CAD-CAM

Your real-world introduction to mechanical design with Autodesk Inventor 2016

Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2016 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2016 is a complete real-world reference and tutorial for those learning this mechanical design software. With straightforward explanations and practical tutorials, this guide brings you up to speed with Inventor in the context of real-world workflows and environments. You'll begin designing right away as you become acquainted with the interface and conventions, and then move into more complex projects as you learn sketching, modeling, assemblies, weldment design, functional design, documentation, visualization, simulation and analysis, and much more. Detailed discussions are reinforced with step-by-step tutorials, and the companion website provides downloadable project files that allow you to compare your work to the pros. Whether you're teaching yourself, teaching a class, or preparing for the Inventor certification exam, this is the guide you need to quickly gain confidence and real-world ability.

Inventor's 2D and 3D design features integrate with process automation tools to help manufacturers create, manage, and share data. This detailed guide shows you the ins and outs of all aspects of the program, so you can jump right in and start designing with confidence.

• Sketch, model, and edit parts, then use them to build assemblies
• Create exploded views, flat sheet metal patterns, and more
• Boost productivity with data exchange and visualization tools
• Perform simulations and stress analysis before the prototyping stage

This complete reference includes topics not covered elsewhere, including large assemblies, integrating other CAD data, effective modeling by industry, effective data sharing, and more. For a comprehensive, real-world guide to Inventor from a professional perspective, Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2016 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2016 is the easy-to-follow hands-on training you've been looking for.

Chapter 1
Getting Started

In this chapter, you will be introduced to the concept of parametric 3D design and the general tools and interface of the Autodesk^® Inventor^® program. This chapter will focus on the concepts of parametric modeling and the workflow, tools, and interface elements in the Inventor software that are used to turn your ideas into a design.

In this chapter, you’ll learn to

• Create parametric designs
• Get the “feel” of Inventor
• Use the Inventor graphical interface
• Work with Inventor file types
• Understand how project search paths work
• Set up library and Content Center paths
• Create and configure a project file
• Determine the best project type for you

Understanding Parametric Design

Autodesk Inventor is first and foremost 3D parametric modeling software. And although it has capabilities reaching far beyond the task of creating 3D models, it is important for you to understand the fundamentals of parametric 3D design. The term parametric refers to the use of design parameters to construct and control the 3D model you create. For instance, you might begin a design by creating a base sketch to define the profile of a part and then use dimensions as parameters to control the length and width of the sketch. The dimensional parameters allow you to construct the sketch with precise inputs.

Creating a Base Sketch

Well-constructed parts start with well-constructed sketches. Typically, the 3D model starts with a 2D sketch, which is assigned dimensions and 2D sketch constraints to control the general size and shape. These dimensions and constraining geometries are the parameters, or input points, that you would then change to update or edit the sketch. For instance, Figure 1.1 shows a base sketch of a part being designed.

Figure 1.1 Creating a parametric model sketch

You can see four dimensions placed on the two rectangles defining the length and width of each along with a fifth dimension controlling the angle at which the two rectangles relate. These dimensions are parameters, and if you were to change one of them at any point during the design or revision of the part, the sketch would update and adjust to the change.

An important part of working with sketches is the concept of a fully constrained sketch. Fully constrained simply means that all the needed dimensions and sketch constraints have been applied to achieve a sketch that cannot be manipulated accidentally or as an unintentional consequence of an edit. For instance, if you were to sketch four lines to define a rectangle, you would expect two dimensions to be applied, defining the length and width. But you would also need to use 2D sketch constraints to constrain the lines so that they would stay perpendicular and equal to one another if one of the dimensions were to change. Without the sketch constraints, a dimensional edit to make the rectangle longer might result in a trapezoid or a parallelogram rather than the longer rectangle you anticipated. By fully constraining a sketch, you can anticipate the way in which it will update. Inventor helps you with this concept by automatically applying many sketch constraints and by reporting when a sketch is fully constrained. This will be covered in more detail in Chapter 3, “Exploring Sketch Techniques.”

Creating a Base Feature

Not only do you add 2D sketch parameters, but you also add parameters to control the 3D properties of parts. This is done by using the sketch to create a feature such as an extrusion to give a depth value to the sketch. The depth dimension is a parameter as well, and it can be updated at any time to adjust the part model as required. Figure 1.2 shows the sketch from Figure 1.1 after it has been given a depth using the Extrude tool.

Figure 1.2 A basic part model created from the sketch

Adding More Features

Once the part is three-dimensional, more sketches can be added to any of the faces of the 3D shape, and those new sketches can be used to create some feature that further defines the form and function of the design. The model is then enhanced with more features, such as holes, fillets, and chamfers, until it is complete. Each added feature is controlled by still more parameters defined by you, the designer. If a change is required, you simply update the parameter and the model updates accordingly. This type of parametric design allows you to build robust and intelligent models quickly and update them even faster. Figure 1.3 illustrates the typical workflow of adding secondary features to a base feature to fully realize the part design, in this case a simple pivot link.

Figure 1.3 Adding features to complete the part model

Using the Part in an Assembly

Just as well-constructed parts start with well-constructed sketches, well-constructed assemblies start with well-constructed parts. Once the part model is built up from the features you create, you can use it in an assembly of other parts created in the same manner. You can copy the part to create multiple instances of the same part, and you can copy the part file to create variations of the original part. To assemble parts, you create geometric relationships called assembly constraints to define how the parts go together. The constraints are parameters that can be defined and revised by you at any time in the design process as well. Part models can be arranged into small assemblies and placed into larger assemblies to create a fully realized subassembly structure that matches the way your design will be built on the shop floor. Figure 1.4 shows the part model from the previous illustrations placed multiple times in a subassembly and then that subassembly placed in a top-level assembly.

Figure 1.4 A subassembly and an assembly model using the part model

Making Changes

Once parts are created, they are then used in assemblies, which also employ parameters to define the offsets and mating relationships between assembled parts. Designing with the use of parameters allows you to make edits quickly and lends itself to creating product configurations, where parameter values are changed to create variations of a basic design.

Of course, as with building anything, there are general rules and best practices to be learned and followed to prevent ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Titlepage
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• About the Authors
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Getting Started
• Chapter 2: A Hands-on Test-Drive of the Workflow
• Chapter 3: Sketch Techniques
• Chapter 4: Basic Modeling Techniques
• Chapter 5: Advanced Modeling Techniques
• Chapter 6: Sheet Metal
• Chapter 7: Reusing Parts and Features
• Chapter 8: Assembly Design Workflows
• Chapter 9: Large Assembly Strategies
• Chapter 10: Weldment Design
• Chapter 11: Presentations and Exploded Views
• Chapter 12: Documentation
• Chapter 13: Tools Overview
• Chapter 14: Exchanging Data with Other Systems
• Chapter 15: Frame Generator
• Chapter 16: Inventor Studio
• Chapter 17: Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation
• Chapter 18: Routed Systems
• Chapter 19: Plastics Design Features
• Chapter 20: iLogic
• Appendix A: The Bottom Line
• Appendix B: Autodesk Inventor 2016 Certification
• EULA