Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2012 E-Book

Curtis Waguespack

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1720

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Master the "Inventor" way of 3D mechanical design with thisexpert guide This Autodesk Official Training Guide is your best resource forlearning how to create, document, and verify your design usingAutodesk's powerful Inventor 2012 software. MasteringInventor is a detailed reference and tutorial that quicklycovers Inventor basics before moving on to detail topics rarelydocumented elsewhere, such as configuring your design with iLogic,practical ways to work with large assemblies, using 2D and 3D datafrom other CAD systems, working with styles and standards,designing and detailing weldments and frames, and working with Tubeand Pipe and Cable and Harness design tools. Expert author Curtis Waguespack draws on his extensive Inventorexperience across multiple industries to provide you with a wealthof real-world tips, tricks, and techniques so readers can improvedesigns, work productively, and employ Inventor andindustry-standard best practices. This Mastering book isrecommended as a Certification Preparation study guide resource forthe Inventor Associate and Professional exams. * Covers all the new features in Autodesk Inventor 2012 andInventor LT 2012 * Written by Inventor Certified Expert and Autodesk ManufacturingImplementation Certified Expert Curtis Waguespack, who draws on hisextensive Inventor experience across multiple industries * Provides a wealth of real-world tips, tricks, and techniquesfor using Inventor in professional environments * Covers rapid digital prototyping, designing weldments andframes, sheet metal design, conducting dynamic simulation andstress analysis, and much more * Helps you prepare for the Autodesk Inventor 2012 CertifiedAssociate and Certified Professional exams Want to master Autodesk Inventor? Mastering Autodesk Inventor2012 and Inventor LT 2012 is the resource you need.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Publisher's Note

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction

Who Should Read This Book

The Mastering Series

What Is Covered in This Book

How to Contact the Author

Chapter 1: Inventor Design Philosophy

Understanding Parametric Design

Understanding the “Feel” of Inventor

Using the Inventor Graphical Interface

Learning the File Types in Inventor

Moving from AutoCAD to Inventor

3D Models vs. 3D Virtual Prototypes

Understanding Functional Design

The Bottom Line

Chapter 2: Data and Projects

What Is an Inventor Project?

Exploring Project File Types

Creating the Project File

Understanding Inventor Templates

The Bottom Line

Chapter 3: Sketch Techniques

Exploring the Options and Settings for Sketches

Sketching Basics

Creating a Sketch in a New Part

Taking a Closer Look at Sketch Constraints

Gaining More Sketch Skills

Creating Sketches from AutoCAD Geometry

Creating and Using 3D Sketches

Best Practices for Working with Sketches

The Bottom Line

Chapter 4: Basic Modeling Techniques

Exploring Application Options and Settings for Part Modeling

Creating Basic Part Features

Exploring the Extrude Tool

Creating Revolved Parts and Threads

Creating Work Features

Creating Fillets

Hole Features

Bend Parts

The Bottom Line

Chapter 5: Advanced Modeling Techniques

Creating Complex Sweeps and Lofts

Creating Multi-body Parts

Creating Derived Parts and Assemblies

Working with Patterns

Setting iProperties and Parameters

Adding Part Tolerances

Troubleshooting Failures with the End-of-Part Marker

The Bottom Line

Chapter 6: Sheet Metal

Understanding Sheet-Metal Parts

Getting to Know the Features

Using Sheet-Metal Templates and Rules

Working with the Flat Pattern

Using Sheet-Metal iPart Factories

Modeling with Non-Sheet-Metal Features

Working with Imported Parts

Annotating Your Sheet-Metal Design

Harvesting Legacy Sheet-Metal Templates

The Bottom Line

Chapter 7: Part and Feature Reuse

Working with iParts

Working with iFeatures

Reusing Existing Geometry

Introducing Content Center

The Bottom Line

Chapter 8: Assembly-Design Workflows

Assembly Constraints

Understanding Subassemblies

Top-Down Design

Adaptivity

Assembly Features

Managing the Bill of Materials

Assembly Reuse and Configurations

The Bottom Line

Chapter 9: Large Assembly Strategies

Selecting a Workstation

Working with Performance Settings

Working with General Settings

Large Assembly Best Practices

Managing Assembly Detail

Simplifying Parts

The Bottom Line

Chapter 10: Weldment Design

Exploring Weldment Design Methodologies

Modeling Preparations

Exploring Cosmetic Welds

Creating Weld Beads

Creating Fillet Welds

Creating Groove Welds

Performing Machining Operations

Exploring Weld Properties and Combinations

Using the Weld Symbol

Understanding Bead Property Report and Mass Properties

Creating Drawing Documentation

Generating a Bill of Materials and Parts List

The Bottom Line

Chapter 11: Functional Design

Geometric Modeling vs. Functional Design

A General Introduction to Design Accelerators

Bolted Connections

Calculators

Generators

The Bottom Line

Chapter 12: Documentation

Working in the Presentation Environment

Using the Drawing Manager

Creating Templates and Styles

Utilizing Drawing Resources

Editing Styles and Standards

Creating Drawing Views

Annotating Part Drawings

Annotating Assembly Drawings

Working with Sheet-Metal Drawings

Working with Weldment Views

Working with iParts and iAssembly Drawings

Sharing Your Drawings Outside Your Workgroup

The Bottom Line

Chapter 13: Inventor Tools Overview

Exploring the BIM Exchange

Using AutoLimits

Using the Design Assistant

Using the Drawing Resource Transfer Wizard

Using Style Tools

Exploring the Supplier Content Center

Using the Task Scheduler

Using iProperties

Using the Measure Tools

Participating in the CIP and CER

Using Miscellaneous Tools

The Bottom Line

Chapter 14: Exchanging Data with Other Systems

Importing and Exporting Geometry

Using Inventor File Translators

Working with Imported Data

Viewing DWF Markup

The Bottom Line

Chapter 15: Frame Generator

Accessing the Frame Generator Tools

Exploring the Frame Generator File Structure

Exploring the Anatomy of a Frame Member

Inserting Frame Members

Adding End Treatments

Maintaining Frames

Performing Calculations and Analysis

Publishing Frame Members

Frame Assemblies and BOMs

The Bottom Line

Chapter 16: Inventor Studio

Exploring the Inventor Studio Environment

Creating and Managing Studio Styles

Animating with Studio

The Bottom Line

Chapter 17: Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation

Introduction to Analysis

Conducting Stress Analysis Simulations

Conducting Dynamic Simulations

Exporting to FEA

Using the Dynamic Simulation Information in Stress Analysis

The Bottom Line

Chapter 18: Routed Systems

Tube and Pipe

Cable and Harness

The Bottom Line

Chapter 19: Plastics Design Features

Creating Thicken/Offset Features

Creating Shell Features

Creating Split Features

Creating Grill Features

Creating Rule Fillet Features

Creating Rest Features

Creating Boss Features

Creating Lip and Groove Features

Creating Snap Fit Features

Creating Rib and Web Features

Creating Draft Features

Mold Design Overview

The Bottom Line

Chapter 20: iLogic

What is iLogic?

Understanding the iLogic Elements and Interface

Creating iLogic Parameters, Rules, and Forms

The Bottom Line

Appendix A: The Bottom Line

Chapter 1: Inventor Design Philosophy

Chapter 2: Data and Projects

Chapter 3: Sketch Techniques

Chapter 4: Basic Modeling Techniques

Chapter 5: Advanced Modeling Techniques

Chapter 6: Sheet Metal

Chapter 7: Part and Feature Reuse

Chapter 8: Assembly-Design Workflows

Chapter 9: Large Assembly Strategies

Chapter 10: Weldment Design

Chapter 11: Functional Design

Chapter 12: Documentation

Chapter 13: Inventor 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 B: Inventor Certification

Index

Senior Acquisitions Editor: Willem Knibbe

Development Editor: Rob Truhn

Technical Editor: Luke Larue

Production Editor: Eric Charbonneau

Copy Editor: Judy Flynn

Editorial Manager: Pete Gaughan

Production Manager: Tim Tate

Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley

Vice President and Publisher: Neil Edde

Book Designers: Judy Fung and Bill Gibson

Compositor: JoAnn Kolonick, Happenstance Type-O-Rama

Proofreader: Candace English

Indexer: Ted Laux

Project Coordinator, Cover: Katherine Crocker

Cover Designer: Ryan Sneed

Cover Image: © Pete Gardner/DigitalVision/Getty Images

Copyright © 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

ISBN: 978-1-118-01682-4 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-118-11824-5 (ebk)

ISBN: 978-1-118-11826-9 (ebk)

ISBN: 978-1-118-11825-2 (ebk)

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at [phone], outside the U.S. at [phone] or fax [phone].

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the publisher.

TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Autodesk, Inventor, and Inventor LT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dear Reader,

Thank you for choosing Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2012. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.

Sybex was founded in 1976. More than 30 years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles, we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.

I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at [email protected]. If you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.

Best regards,

Neil Edde

Vice President and Publisher

Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley

Acknowledgments

This book is a collaborative effort involving far more people than listed on the cover. Personally, I would like to thank my family, whose patience and understanding made this, and all other pursuits, possible. Professionally, I would like to thank the coworkers, clients, customers, and friends whose input and ideas have helped build the knowledge and experience that I draw from in applying concept to practice.

I would like to thank Lucas Larue for the work he performed as technical editor for this edition as well as all of the help he offered me in the past as I traveled along my own road to mastering Autodesk Inventor.

A special thank-you goes out to those who have contributed to the Mastering Inventor series in the past: Thom Tremblay, Sean Dotson, Bill Bogan, Andrew Faix, Seth Hindman, Dennis Jeffrey, Loren Jahraus, Shekar Subrahmanyam, and Bob Van der Donck, all of whom are true masters of Autodesk Inventor.

Thank you to the team at Wiley: Rob Truhn, Jenni Housh, Connor O’Brien, Willem Knibbe, and Pete Gaughan, for their patience, focus, and professionalism, without which there would be no book. Your hard work and support have eased our efforts in turning ideas into pages.

—Curtis Waguespack

About the Author

Curtis Waguespack is an Inventor Certified Expert and an Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert. He has served as lead author on three previous Autodesk Inventor books: Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2009, Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2010, and Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2011. He has taught Inventor in the classroom and has consulted with and supported manufacturing and design firms in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, consumer products, and industrial machinery. Presently, Curtis uses Inventor daily in a real-world design environment to design and document various product types starting from the prototype following through to the fully documented project completion. In the past he has used Inventor to design a wide range of manufactured products, large and small.

Introduction

Autodesk Inventor was introduced in 1999 as an ambitious 3D parametric modeler based not on the familiar AutoCAD programming architecture but instead on a separate foundation that would provide the room needed to grow into the fully featured modeler it is now, a decade later. Inventor 2012 continues the development of Inventor with improved modeling, drawing, assembly, and visualization tools.

With this book, the fourth edition of Mastering Autodesk Inventor, I have set out to update the existing pages and add new content and exercises. In these pages, you will find detailed information on the specifics of the tools and the principles of sound parametric design techniques. Some readers will find this book works best for them as a desktop reference, while others will use it primarily for the step-by-step tutorials. With this in mind, I’ve worked to shape the pages of this book with a mix of reference material, instructional steps, and tips and hints from the real world.

Who Should Read This Book

This book is written with a wide range of Inventor users in mind, varying from beginner to advanced users and Inventor instructors:

Beginner Inventor users who are making the move from traditional 2D CAD design to Inventor 2012. These readers might have experience with AutoCAD and will possess an understanding of basic design and engineering concepts as well as a desire to improve their skill set and stay competitive in the marketplace.Intermediate Inventor users who are self-taught or have gone through formal Inventor training during their company’s initial implementation of Inventor and are looking for more information on a specific module within Inventor. This book also targets users looking for a desktop reference to turn to when they come upon an area of Inventor they do not encounter on a day-to-day basis.Advanced Inventor users who have mastered the Inventor tools used over and over daily but want to conquer the parts of the program they do not utilize during their normal design tasks. This book also targets advanced users who want to add to their skill set to move up the ranks within their current company or want to expand their knowledge in pursuit of a new position with another employer.Inventors of any skill and experience level who are preparing for the Inventor Associate or Professional exam.CAD and Engineering instructors looking for a text to use in instructor-led classroom training.

Attempting to learn all the tools in Inventor can be an intimidating experience because of the wide range of task-specific modules available. It is the goal of this book to separate these modules into easy-to-tackle chapters relating to real-world situations for which the tools were designed while also including chapters on general Inventor tools, techniques, and design principles.

What You Will Learn

The following pages will explain the Inventor settings while teaching you how each tool functions. Just as importantly, though, these pages are filled with the tips and techniques learned by the experts who spent years using, researching, and discussing the tools that are Autodesk Inventor. You should come away from reading this book with a solid understanding of the capabilities of Inventor and a strong idea of how to tackle your design challenges in the future, as well as an abundance of timesaving tips and tricks.

What You Will Need

The files needed to complete the tutorial projects in this book can be downloaded from the Sybex website at the following location:

www.sybex.com/go/masteringinventor2012

Download the collection of ZIP files and extract all of the files to a folder on your computer, such as \My Documents\Mastering Inventor 2012. In this folder you will have a subdirectory for each of the 20 chapters, plus a file called Mastering Inventor 2012.ipj, as shown here.

Once the files are in place, set the Mastering Inventor 2012 project as active:

1. From within Inventor, close any open files.

2. From the Get Started tab, select the Projects button.

3. From the Projects dialog box, select the Browse button.

4. From the Choose Project File dialog box, browse to the Mastering Inventor 2012 folder, select the Mastering Inventor 2012.ipj file, and click Open.

5. Note that the Mastering Inventor 2012 project is denoted with a check mark as being the active project.

6. Click Done to close the Projects dialog box. Now you are ready to get started. You’ll find a more detailed explanation of working with and setting up projects in Chapter 2, “Data and Projects.”

To install and run Inventor, you should consult the system requirements information found on the installation media and ensure that you have a system capable of running Inventor competently. For basic educational purposes dealing with small tutorial-sized assemblies, Autodesk recommends a minimum of 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of available hard disk space to accommodate the installation files and temporary files created during the installation. Note that these are the minimum requirements to install and run the program, and you might see slow performance when executing operations that require heavy calculations.

I recommend a 64-bit operating system with a minimum of 6 GB of RAM for doing production work on moderate-sized assemblies and encourage you to consider an appropriate workstation when considering large assembly design. You can find more information about workstation specs and large assemblies in Chapter 9, “Large Assembly Strategies.”

The Mastering Series

The Mastering series from Sybex provides outstanding instruction for readers with intermediate and advanced skills in the form of top-notch training and development for those already working in their field, as well as clear, serious education for those aspiring to become pros. Every Mastering book includes the following:

Real-world scenarios, ranging from case studies to interviews, that show how the tool, technique, or knowledge presented is applied in actual practiceSkill-based instruction, with chapters organized around real tasks rather than abstract concepts or subjectsSelf-review test questions, so you can be certain you’re equipped to do the job right

What Is Covered in This Book

This is what the book covers:

Chapter 1, “Inventor Design Philosophy,” covers how to design the “Inventor way” when transitioning from other 2D or 3D design applications.Chapter 2, “Data and Projects,” examines file structures and search paths and explains project file types and configurations.Chapter 3, “Sketch Techniques,” explores the principles of creating parameter-driven sketches for use in modeling features and parts.Chapter 4, “Basic Modeling Techniques,” conquers creating parametric features and building 3D parts models.Chapter 5, “Advanced Modeling Techniques,” explores complex feature creation, including sweeps, lofts, and more.Chapter 6, “Sheet Metal,” covers how to create accurate sheet-metal models and flat patterns as well as how to create documentation and set up sheet-metal styles and templates.Chapter 7, “Part and Feature Reuse,” examines the different methods for reusing parts and features for maximum consistency and design efficiency.Chapter 8, “Assembly-Design Workflows,” gives you a thorough understanding of this key concept of Inventor design, including the use of assembly constraints, subassemblies, and more.Chapter 9, “Large Assembly Strategies,” explores the tips and techniques to getting the best performance out of your Inventor workstation and considers upgrade requirements for the future.Chapter 10, “Weldment Design,” explores Inventor’s weldment modeling environment and the weldment documentation tools.Chapter 11, “Functional Design,” gives you a thorough look at this collection of Inventor design accelerators and considers the difference between standard modeling and functional design.Chapter 12, “Documentation,” covers how to use the Drawing Manager and presentation files to create both traditional, 2D annotated drawings and animated assembly instructions.Chapter 13, “Inventor Tools Overview,” examines this collection of Inventor utilities, including AutoLimits, the Design Assistant, the Drawing Resource Transfer Wizard, style tools, and much more.Chapter 14, “Exchanging Data with Other Systems,” shows the available options for importing and working with solid models from other CAD packages.Chapter 15, “Frame Generator,” covers how to get the most out of this utility when creating structural frames from Inventor’s library of common shapes.Chapter 16, “Inventor Studio,” covers this powerful toolset to create photorealistic images and animations of all your Inventor models.Chapter 17, “Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation,” explores the simulation tools used to analyze load stress and mechanism motion on your models.Chapter 18, “Routed Systems,” covers the cable and wire harness and tube and pipe environments and their uses in creating routed design layouts.Chapter 19, “Plastics Design Features,” explores the tools used specifically for plastics design as well as the general tools used in specific ways for plastics design. Also included is the Inventor Tooling module used to design mold tooling for plastic part design.Chapter 20, “iLogic,” introduces and explores the iLogic tools used to customize, configure, and automate your Inventor design files. This chapter provides a solid foundation in the rules-based iLogic programming toolset and interface, allowing you to move forward with your advanced automation and configuration goals.Appendix A, “The Bottom Line,” gathers together all the Master It problems from the chapters and provides a solution for each.Appendix B, “Inventor Certification,” points you to the chapters in this book that will help you master the objectives for each exam.

How to Contact the Author

I welcome your feedback concerning Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012. I want to hear what you liked, what you didn’t, and what you think should be in the next edition. And if you catch me making a mistake, please tell me so that I can fix it on the errata page (available at www.sybex.com/go/masteringinventor2012) and in reprints. Please email me at [email protected] or contact Wiley customer service at http://support.wiley.com.

Thank you for purchasing Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012; I hope it helps you on your way to happy and successful inventing, and I look forward to hearing your comments and questions. You can find additional tips and tricks online at my blog spot: http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/.

Chapter 1

Inventor Design Philosophy

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

In this chapter, you will learn how to

Create parametric designsGet the “feel” of InventorUse the Inventor graphical interfaceWork with Inventor file typesMove from AutoCAD to InventorCreate 3D virtual prototypesUse functional design

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.

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.

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 of the needed dimensions and sketch constraints have been applied to achieve a sketch that cannot be manipulated accidentally or as a 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.

Figure 1-1:Creating a parametric model sketch

Creating a Base Feature

Not only do you add 2D sketch parameters; 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