Chapter 8

iComponents and
Parameters
 Chapter 8 - Objectives
• After completing this chapter, you will be
able to perform the following:
– Create iMates
– Change the display of dimensions
– Create relationships between dimensions
– Create parameters
– Create and place iParts
– Create and place iAssemblies
– Create and place iFeatures
 iMates
• Apply assembly constraints
– Matching iMate
• Create in part file
• Constraints: Mate, Flush, Tangent, Insert or
Motion
 iMates
• Browser entry
• Glyph on part
• Rename
 iMates
• Insert Component
– Use iMate
• Match List
– Search order
 Composite iMates
• Group multiple iMates into a single,
composite iMate
• Browser – highlight iMates, right-click
 iMates alt+Drag & Visibility
• Alt+drag – displays iMates
• iMate visibility
– Browser
– Graphics window
 Exercise 8-1
• Creating and Using iMates
 Dimension Display
• Dimensional Relationships
–Set up relationships between dimensions
• Dimension Display
–Automatically tagged - label
• “d” and a number (d0, d27)
–Five options (Display as..)
• Value, Name, Expression
• Tolerance
• Precise Value
–Change dimension
display style
 Dimension Relationships
• Dimension Relationships
– Setting relationship between creating and existing
dimensions
– Edit Dimension dialog box
• Dimensions label (d#)
• Prefix fx = value based on parameter or other dimension
 Dimension Equations
•Dimension Equations
–Can be used whenever a value is required
–Example..
• (d9/4)*2, or 50 mm + 19 mm
• prefixes, precedence, operators, functions, syntax,
and units
–Help system
–Invalid expression
• Red
 Parameters
• Parameters
–User-defined name assigned a numeric value, either
explicitly or through equations
–Link parameters
• depth = length – width
–Anywhere a value is required
–Four types
• Model parameters
• User parameters
• Reference
• Linked parameters
–Create on the fly whenever a
value is needed, “name = value”
 Parameters
•Parameters
–Parameters dialog box
• Model Parameters
• Automatically
• Reference Parameters
– driven dimension
• User Parameters
– manually defined
– Column names
• Parameter Name
• Units
• Equation
• Nominal Value
• Tolerance
• Model Value
• Export Parameters Column
• Comment
 Parameters
• To use parameters
– Any time of a number is required
– Type
– List Parameters option in most dialog boxes
 Linked Parameters
• Linked Parameters
– Multiple values & same parameters
– Spreadsheet
• Microsoft Excel
 Linked Parameters
• Linked Parameters
– Spreadsheet Embedded
• No link – No updates
– Spreadsheet Linked
• Will update
• More than one spreadsheet can be linked
– Guidelines
– Edit
 Exercise 8-2
• Relationships and Parameters
 iParts
• iParts
– Store parameters and
properties information
– Create unique parts based on
stored information
– Example - Bushing iPart
• Single file
• Table with 3 rows (members)
– Unique Hole Dia
– Unique Material
– Unique Filename
 iParts
• Creation Stage
–Design the part
–Establish all possible versions in
a table
• Each row of the table is a member
• Multiple members = iPart Factory
• Placement Stage
–Select a member from the iPart
Factory
–Insert the member into an
assembly
 Types of iParts
• Standard iPart
(Factories)
– After placing
• Values cannot be modified
• Features cannot be added
• Custom iPart (Factories)
– After placing
• Unique value for at least
one variable
• Features can be added
 iParts
• Creating iParts
• Manage tab > Author Panel > Create iPart
• iPart Author Dialog
– Add parameters
– Define Keys
• Primary
• Secondary (Up to 9)
 iParts
• iPart Author Dialog
– Working with Members
• Adding Members > Insert Row
• Removing Members > Delete Row
• Modifying Members and Setting Default
 Creating iParts
• iPart Author Dialog
– Custom iParts
• Custom Parameter Column
• Custom Parameter Cell
– Specify a value for the parameter upon iPart placement
 Default iPart and Options
• Set default row
• Options
– Part Number
– Member Name
 Creating iParts
• iPart Author Dialog
– Click OK
• The part is converted to an iPart
Factory
• Table saved as an embedded
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
• Table icon is displayed in the
Browser
 Editing iParts
• Operations
– Delete table
• Converts iPart back to a part
– Modify parameters & properties
– Add or Delete members
– Edit Options
• Edit Table
• Edit via Spreadsheet
– Spreadsheet formulas, conditional
statements, etc. are shown as red cells
 Placing iParts
• Place Component tool
– Standard & Custom iPart Placement dialog box
• Custom – enter value from the custom column
• Folder is created with same name as the iPart Factory
Folder is checked for existing members when placed
Folder is created in same location as the factory by default
 Auto-Capture iParts
• Create iParts while editing iPart or
iAssembly
– Edit Member Scope
 Drawing From iParts
• Create drawing view
– Model State tab
– Select component
 Table From iParts
• Table tool
– Select a view
 Exercise 8-3
• Creating and Placing iParts
 iAssemblies
• iAssemblies are used to group a set of
similar designs in a table format
– Assembly Configurations
– Similar to iParts
– Create within an assembly (iam) file
 iAssemblies - Author Dialog Box
• Component tab = lists the components of
the assembly with configurable items
– Member = configuration
– Each row = one configuration
 iAssemblies - Author Dialog Box
• Parameters Tab – Include in the factory:
– Constraints
– Assembly features
– Work features
– iMates
– Component patterns
– Other parameters such
as user parameters
– Table Replace – iParts
iAssemblies - Author Dialog Box
• Properties Tab – Allows the inclusion and
modification of:
– Summary
– Project
– Physical
– Custom properties
 iAssemblies - Author Dialog Box
• Exclusion Tab – Similar to the Parameters
list, shows all objects that can be excluded,
including components.
• Can also be set on the Components tab, but
provides a more specific way to view and
set the exclusion property
 iAssemblies - Author Dialog Box
• iMate, BOM and Other Tab
– iMates
• Lists each iMate with offset value, include/exclude, matching name,
and sequence number available for configuration
– BOM
• Specify bill of material specific properties
– Other
• Specify a custom column that can
contains a string value.
Custom columns can be designated
as keys or as a filename.
 Placing an iAssembly
•Place Component tool
– Place iAssembly dialog box
–Folder is created with same name as the iAssembly
–Folder is checked for existing members when placed
–Change Component
–Generate files
 Drawing From iAssemblies
• Create drawing view
– Model State tab
– Select an iAssembly Member
 Parts List From iAssembly
• Edit Parts List
– Select members
– Column Chooser
 Exercise 8-4
• Working with iAssemblies
 iFeatures
• Capture design intent
– Name
– Size
– Position
• Include Placement Help
• Represented with Custom Icons
• Stored as separate files (.IDE)
 iFeatures
• Manage tab > Author panel >
Extract iFeature
• Extract iFeature dialog box
– Selected Features
– Size Parameters
• Range and Limit
– Position Geometry
 iFeatures
• Insert iFeature tool
– Manage tab > Insert panel
– Insert iFeature dialog box
– Select
– Position
– Size
– Precise Position
 iFeatures
•Editing iFeatures
–Open the .ide file in Autodesk Inventor
• Edit iFeature
• View Catalog
• iFeature Author Table
–Edit iFeature
• Opens the Edit iFeature dialog box
– Cannot change parameters
– Modify size parameters & position geometry
» Name
» Value
» Limit
» Prompt
 iFeatures
• Table-Driven iFeatures
– Open the .ide file in Autodesk Inventor
– iFeature Author Table
• iFeatures behave similar to iParts
– Main difference: No File Name, Display Style or Material
column designations
 Exercise 8-5
• Creating and Placing iFeatures
 Applying Your Skills
• Skill Exercise 8-1
1.
Checking Your Skills
True__ False__ iMates are created while inside of a part file.
2. What needs to be selected to have a single component containing iMates be placed and automatically
constrained in an assembly?
a. Automatically Generate iMates on Place
b. Place Component with iMate
c. Interactively Place with iMates
d. Use Composite iMate
3. True__ False__ When creating parameters in a spreadsheet, the data items must be in the following order:
parameter name, value or equations, unit of measurement, and, if needed, a comment.
4. What is the difference between a model parameter and a user parameter?
5. True__ False__ Multiple versions of an iPart can be placed in an assembly.
6. True__ False__ When you make changes to an iPart factory, the changes are updated automatically in
iParts that have been placed in assemblies.
7. Which tab of the Place iPart or iAssembly dialog box can be used to create a new member of the factory
during placement in an assembly?
a. Keys
b. Table
c. Tree
d. None of the above
8. True__ False__ You can add features to standard iParts after they have been placed in an assembly.
9. True__ False__ Named parameters are added automatically as Size parameters during iFeature creation
and cannot be removed.
10. What happens when you create a table-driven iFeature and one of the original parameters contains a list
of values for the parameter?