Chapter 1 Introduction to Autodesk Inventor - Goodheart-Willcox

Figure 1-12.
Work features
are used to build
and control other
features.
Figure 1-13.
An example of a
catalog feature. This
feature contains
three holes and a
round.
Work
plane
Catalog feature
Work
point
Chapter 1 Introduction to Autodesk Inventor 9
Work
axis
Catalog Features
Catalog features are similar to placed features, because you can place a catalog
feature onto an existing feature. However, catalog features are often far more complex
than a standard shell, fillet, chamfer, or face draft. See Figure 1-13. Catalog features
include design elements such as iFeatures and derived components.
Feature Patterns
Once you create a feature, such as a hole, you may copy it into an arrangement
called a feature pattern. Inventor feature patterns include rectangular patterns, circular
patterns, and mirrored features. Examples of feature patterns are shown in Figure 1-14.
iFeature: An
existing feature or
set of features you
create and then
save and store in a
catalog to be used
in other models.
derived
components:
Features that can
contain a complete
model consisting of
several features, or
even multiple parts;
often used as a
base feature.
feature pattern:
An arrangement
of copied existing
features, generating
occurrences of the
features.
Exercise 1-2
Access the Student Web site (www.g-wlearning.com/CAD/InventorApps2009),
select Chapter 1 from the Chapter Materials drop-down list, and select
and complete Exercise 1-2.
Getting Started
icon: A small When Inventor is first installed, Windows creates an Inventor icon, which is
graphic representing
an application, file, displayed on the Windows desktop and in the list of programs available from the
or tool.
Start menu. One of the quickest methods to start Inventor is to double-click on the
Inventor desktop icon. Another option is to pick the Start button in the lower-left
corner of the Windows desktop, move the cursor to Programs and hold it there or
pick, and then select Autodesk, Autodesk Inventor 2009, and finally Autodesk Inventor
Professional 2009.
The Open dialog box appears by default when you start Inventor. See Figure 1-15.
The Open dialog box is used to locate and open existing files. Options are also available
for accessing the New File dialog box and for activating and managing projects.
templates: Files
with predefined
settings that are
used to begin new
documents.
Figure 1-14.
Use patterns to create multiple copies of a feature or group of features.
Rectangular Pattern Circular Pattern Mirrored Feature
Web site
Beginning a New File
Pick the New File button in the Quick Start area of the Open dialog box to begin a
new file using the New File dialog box. See Figure 1-16. This dialog box is the primary
tool used to access templates for creating new Inventor parts, assemblies, presentations,
and drawings. The New File dialog box can also be accessed by selecting the
New… option on the File pull-down menu, typing [Ctrl]+[N], or picking the New button
on the Inventor Standard toolbar.
10 Inventor and Its Applications 2009