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COVER FEATURE
Autodesk Inventor 5 now
supports importing IGES data.
IGES surface models can be
imported directly into the
assembly environment, as
shown here.
Autodesk Inventor 5 has a new
transitional assembly
relationship, which allows for
complex mechanisms like cams,
cam followers in slots, and other
common motion devices to be
simulated.
The Dynamic
Constraints Engine
powers a set
of intelligent
tools that let you
quickly build assemblies
and
validate your design
by dragging
components to
simulate complex
mechanisms.
As a result,
you can
create virtual
prototypes of your entire design and reduce,
or even eliminate, the need for physical prototyping.
Functionality that leverages this
engine consists of motion and transition constraints,
DragMate, and Dynamic Drag.
You can now suppress individual elements
within an assembly component pattern.
Components may be separated from the
pattern while remaining in place in the assembly.
You can retain the original source
instance when deleting a pattern of components.
This extends the existing associative
pattern and makes it easier to replace parts or
create unique members of an existing associative
pattern.
Storing Knowledge
The Knowledge Vault is set of intelligent
technologies that lets you capture, store, and
reuse your embedded design knowledge.
Composite iMates, iFeatures, iMates,
iParts, and the Engineer’s Notebook make up
the basis of this vault.
The iMates
technology describes
the way
components are
used in assemblies,
allowing
individual iMate
constraints to be
saved with parts
and reused later
to speed placement
and replacement
of
parts in assemblies.
You can
create Composite
iMates to automate repetitive tasks by collecting
individual iMates into a single composite
entity. The author who models the part
makes its subsequent use in an assembly
much easier. The designer placing the component
only needs to deal with the composite.
On average, 60 percent of an industrial machine’s
parts are drawn from standard libraries.
By using composite iMates, these designs
will snap together quickly.
Sketching
Sketch dimensions can be displayed in
calculated value, parameter name, and parameter
name and calculated value. Constructing
equations is easier because there is
no need to use the parameter dialog box. In
addition, sketch dimensions now update
smarter and scale for extreme model sizes.
You can design products with units that vary
from nanometers to miles.
When you change dimensions, sketch geometry
and dimension position move proportionally.
Because the dimensions update
their placement more intelligently, this eliminates
the need to clean up sketches after extensive
editing.
Using the “Sketch” command, you can
select faces of other parts, which simplifies
the process of sketching on the face of another
part. This was a multi-step process in
Autodesk Inventor 4.
For sketch patterns, the basic workflow is
similar to feature patterns. The two basic
types of patterns are Rectangular and Polar.
You can create either associative or nonassociative
patterns. You can suppress pattern instances
by selecting them in the graphics
window. You can also change the orientation
of rectangular patterns after creation by
dragging the reference geometry. A pattern
icon is added to the browser, which simplifies
selection and editing of the pattern.
The Symmetry constraint is now part of
the constraint tools. Previously, the Symmetry
constraint was added as part of Mirror,
but it could not be applied separately. Now
you have two workflows for creating symmetrical
sketches: use Mirror primarily during
forward creation and Symmetry when
editing existing geometry.
The new spline engine can distinguish between
fit points (that are constrained) and
shape points (that are unconstrained and can
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Fall 2001 • www.autodesk.com