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Ellipsis is the official blog of Autodesk's Technical Evangelist Team. We will discuss all things design and manufacturing related with a focus on industries such as automotive and transportation, consumer products, industrial machinery and building product manufacturing and fabrication. We also have resident experts who will blog about specific product developments in CAD, Simulation, Industrial Design and Data Management.
We look forward to providing you, our user community, with the most relevant and up to date developments in our industry, and hopefully with information that will assist you in doing your job better, faster, and more precisely.
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Inventor Fusion for Simulation Users
June 26, 2009 01:42 PMby Brian SatherI know it's a bit of a tough pill to swallow, but we can't all be experts in everything [Guaranteed 1st comment is "Speak for yourself Sather!]. As a simulation user myself I recognize that I'm probably not the best CAD modeller out there. Don't get me wrong...I'm not bad...but certainly not the best. But I am really good at finding potential manufacturing problems and usually have some decent ideas on what can be modified in the design to correct it.
And that's what excites me about Inventor Fusion. If someone sends me a model to analyze and I do find something wrong, I can really easily bring it into Fusion, push/pull/move/etc. and run another analysis iteration to see if I made it better [or more likely worse]. And the golden ticket here is that we'll [eventually] be able to send that modified version of the part back to the designer and they can accept the changes that were made back into the history-based part model. Now that's awesome.
Check out the YouTube video below for a little example...and let me know what you think about the potential of this workflow...
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Two Minute Tip - Direct Parameter Naming
June 23, 2009 12:25 PMby Rob CoheeSo I found it. My new favorite feature of Autodesk Inventor 2010. Direct Parameter Naming. Beautiful in its simplicity, it will drastically improve your productivity when dealing with parameters in Inventor. Believe it or not I was actually able to get a Two Minute Tip completed in under two minutes!
Cheers,Rob2 Comments | Add CommentIn Ellipsis > Tips
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Simplify...
June 19, 2009 02:38 PMby Jay TedeschiSimplify... as defined by Websters...
Function: Transitive Verb
Inflected Form(s): sim.pli.fied; sim.pli.fy.ing
Etymology: French simplifier, from Medieval Latin simplificare, from simplus simple, Date: 1759
: to make simple or simpler: as a: to reduce to basic essentials b: to diminish in scope or complexity : streamline <was urged to simplify management procedures> c: to make more intelligible : clarify
"Mmmmmm... that sounds good. I'll have that." Wow, enough references in the first few lines to make Dennis Miller proud. [grin] However, in all seriousness, when working with simulation, your goal should always be simplification. Simplify.
Ultimately, your goal is to analyze as accurate a representation of your assembly as possible. But before you dive in with your top level file, think for a second as to what results you are trying to determine. The assembly shown above is an excellent example... my goal was to determine the deflection of the welded chassis under load, therefore the rear trolley wheels and forward pivot mount are not required. Their role in the analysis can be simulated with a constraint. Ditto for all of the pylon mount points and the associated hardware located on the upper faces of the weldment. These changes alone will save me an incredible amount of time in pre and post processing.
There is however, more that I can do. Take a look at the weldment assembly itself. What one feature or characteristic do you notice almost immediately. Right. It has symmetry... and as long as the loads placed upon the trolley via the engine pylon are also symmetric, which they are, what assumption can I make with regard to the results? Correct... they should also be symmetric about the center plane of the weldments. So what can I do to simply this and still get accurate results? Take a look at the following image...
I am using a Level of Detail Representation, named "Simulation", for each of the Weldment sub-assemblies. An LOD Rep in the top level assembly with the same name allows me to toggle back and forth. Now in this situation, you have a lot of flexibility in how you create your simplified rep, but the easiest is to use a Shrinkwrap substitute and then drive a single extrude cut from the mid-plane out effectively removing half of each of the sub-assemblies. The results are shown below...
Sweet... right? Okay, I am almost there... What? You didn't think I was done did you? Absolutely not. What would happen if I was to load up this model the way it is now? What do you think would happen to those unsupported elements that have all now been split? Right... they do not effectively represent our full assembly any longer, precisely because I split them in half, and therefore I will not see the correct amount of deflection on those elements. I can't use a Fixed constraint either, as it will leave me with a frame that is unnaturally stiff.
The answer is the Frictionless constraint.
This constraint prevents a selected surface from moving or deforming in the normal direction relative to the surface selected. It does however allow for rotation, movement and deformation in a tangential direction to the selected surface.
So... applying the Frictionless constraint to all of the cut faces on the Weldment Sub-assemblies allows me to simulate symmetry, and I now have an much smaller model to have to pre and post process... these are all very desirable attributes when performing analysis. Meshing is quicker, automatic contact detection is quicker, and best of all, the results are in-line with what I would expect to see if I had spent almost three times as long analyzing the full assembly.
Simplification... "It's a good thing."
By the way, if you found this interesting, and are looking for a way to get better acquainted with Inventor Simulation, then you should head over to @adskcommunity on Twitter and send them a direct message to receive your copy of "Up and Running with Autodesk Inventor Simulation 2010". Details are on the site.
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Two Minute Tip - Customize Your Interface
June 17, 2009 09:42 AMby Rob CoheeI don’t know why I can’t keep these “Two Minute Tips” inside of two minutes… Maybe I like to talk too much. No, I definitely like to talk too much. So this week’s tip is about my preferences for Inventor’s Application Options. Why I have things setup the way I do, what certain settings mean and how Inventor changes its behavior based upon your preferences.This tip above any of the others is meant to begin a conversation between all of the readers. Share your unique setting with others, and explain why. We have a comments section just for this very purpose… Heck, feel free to poke fun at my settings and explain why I should have it setup a different way – I’m game.
-Rob
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All Mixed Up...
June 11, 2009 03:01 PMby Jay TedeschiIf you frequently find yourself working in a "mixed geometry" environment then do we have a new tool for you... Up on //Labs today, the release of the Rhino Import Translator. http://tinyurl.com/nb8ul5
This translator allows Inventor users to directly read Rhino surfaces, solids, wires and points, eliminating the need to intermediate file formats such as Iges or Step. Check it out... !
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Inventor, iLogic, and Revit - Oh My!
June 4, 2009 09:49 AMby Rob CoheeOk, since my travel story didn’t get a single comment I’ll write something work related then…Imagine modeling a curved surface driving hundreds of individual parts, both exterior parts and internal structural components – a roof structure if you will. Now make all of the parts associative, and tweak the curvature of the structure 1 deg.What if you could run through those design iterations in real time? Almost molding the shape that you want; visualizing the changes you are making in real time rather than waiting for the model to update. Oh, and place rules on it so that you don’t over extend the design past it’s physical capabilities. Sounds complicated lots of spreadsheets, adaptivity, projected geometry…. Ugghh, right?Wrong. Check out this use of Revit to Inventor through iLogic functionality, and back to Revit. Real time design iteration allowing the designer to run through any variation of a design to optimize the aesthetic appeal while maintaining the structural limits set forth during the structures definition.
-Rob
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A day in the life...
June 3, 2009 09:59 AMby Rob CoheeJune 2008
I think I might have in the works a script for the next Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Get a load of this….
Last week I traveled to Itasca to facilitate an Implementation Expert course to our partners. My normal bag broke on the last trip. That carry-on bag was the best piece of luggage I had and it had about 150K miles on it. So I was bummed, and I don’t know about you guys but if I break my travel habits slightly, all things seem to go wrong.
It started with four way flashing red lights on one of the busiest streets in Omaha and the traffic delay caused me to be the last person to board the flight. Now United normally flies a 737, or more frequently a 757 from Omaha to Chicago and normally they have a free upgrade for me waiting at the ticket counter. This flight however was a Canada Air Regional Jet and of course I sat next to someone that should have paid for her seat and mine because she took up both seats. I’m no small dude so her girth held me solid enough that if we crashed I would have been soundly protected by her…. Ampleness.
All else went well during the two day class, I offered to take a couple of the guys to the airport and we arrived about 2 ½ hours prior to my flight. 5:15 PM. I got to security and the priority line was two to three times longer than the “ma and pa, I had no idea I had to take off my rodeo belt buckle” line. So that kinda sucked. I get through security and I see that the previous flight to Omaha was delayed – ah, my lucky day. I haul arse to the gate and I can see the door attendant and the ticket agent yelling at each other – literally yelling back and forth. She wants to close the door and the ticket gal is saying that there are 14 seats empty and people standing here that want to fill them – including me. She closes the door….
Ah, no biggie – it would have been nice to get home early but hey I didn’t plan on it so a Grey Goose it is…. So I get down to my gate 30 min before departure, ask if 1st class is full – get my free upgrade and wait to board. As I board the plane I call my wife to let her know what time I’ll be landing. She mentioned to me that she has the kids in the basement because of the tornados in the area – sweet should be a nice landing. I ask the stewardess for a cocktail. She says no we are taking off, Rob is not happy with stewardess.
One hour into the flight the pilot says that we cannot land in Omaha due to weather and we are re-routing to Kansas City. Rob asks the stewardess for a cocktail, she complies. Rob is happy with stewardess, but does not forget previous engagement.
30 minutes later, pilot says that we cannot land in Kansas City because there is not a ground crew available to receive us. We are directed to go back to Chicago. Rob asks stewardess for a cocktail, she said that she has to take her seat. Rob is not happy with pilot, ground crew, and especially stewardess. Plane is now the ball in a game of lightning tennis, hands down the worst turbulence I have experienced.
Back at O’Hare, I call United to get a new flight – rescheduled for next day at 3:30 PM, land at 5:00. Rob walks past the line to United Customer Service and is happy he has status. I hop in a cab and ask cabbie to take me to the Hyatt Regency – 5 minute cab ride from ORD. He stops the cab and asks why I don’t take the free shuttle. I told him that he doesn’t care about the free shuttle, he’s p*ssed that he gets a short fare and don’t BS me – drive.
Automatic check in is awesome, room is OK. Down to the bar for cocktail(s). Working girl follows Rob into the bar, circles the place and sits directly across from me, Rob is annoyed by her presence. Rob orders Goose & Soda w/Lemon. Rob gets Goose & Soda with Lime. Rob is annoyed. Rob walks behind bar and grabs a lemon. Bartender is annoyed with Rob. Feeling is mutual.
12:15 AM Thursday now – bartender calls for last call. Rob owns a bar and knows that 45 minute last call is ridiculous and shares his view of things with the bartender. Bartender is annoyed with Rob. Feeling is mutual.
1:00 AM Rob is served the last cocktail – Rob is convincing when he needs to be.
12:00 PM Thursday – check out and head to ORD for 3:30 PM flight. Automatic check in cannot find my itinerary. Rob is annoyed. I head to the Premier Exec line to talk to ticket agent. 10 minutes later I’m redirected to the 1K line because PE line doesn’t have ticket agent. Rob is annoyed. Ticket agent squares me away and off to security and a noisy conference call in a noisy restaurant.
3:00 PM – Rob gets his free upgrade. Rob is ready for free cocktail.
5:30 PM – Pilot decides that repairs made over last hour and a half are still not sufficient to fly into bad weather in Omaha. We are moved to another plane. At another concourse. Concourse is 85 deg, Rob is sweating, and still thirsty.
6:30 PM – Rob boards plane and has a lovely stewardess sitting in the seat next to him. Purser provides Rob a cocktail, she is awesome.
7:00 PM - All are seated and pilot explains why he rejected last plane. Promptly explains that this plane has similar problem and will take an hour to fix. Purser provides Rob another drink, she is awesome.
7:10 PM – Gate agent states we have to de-plane the aircraft because it will get too hot on the plane. Rob gets real small in his 1st class, very comfortable seat that he is receiving free cocktails in and tries to be ignored. Purser says I can’t stay on the plane. She is no longer awesome, downgraded to cool.
8:00 PM – Re-board the plane, Purser has drink ready for Rob. Purser is awesome again. Rob lands at 9:30 and goes to pay for parking. Omaha Parking has automated tellers that won’t take my credit card so I go to an attendant. I hand Jabba my ticket and card and she slams the window shut, wobbles out of the booth and puts my card into the automatic teller. Rob gets out of truck explains in very direct terms that if my card would work in these flippin machines I would not have taken her away from the Springer episode she was so wholly engrossed in. And if she can please squeeze herself back into the booth to run my card so I can be on my way.
10:45 PM – Rob gets hugs from kids, reminded of what is important.
Cheers,
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Interview with Brian Roepke about the Vault 2010 product family
May 29, 2009 04:18 PMbyI know I'm a bit late in getting this next interview to you guys, but It has been one of those weeks. This time I sat down with Brian Roepke to chat about the new Vault 2010 product family. I really think that some of the items that they have embedded in Inventor to work with vault are genius.
Check it out and have a great weekend!
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This Week's Two Minute Tip
May 26, 2009 07:53 AMby Rob CoheeLast week I was building out a data set with our resident Curtain Wall expert Brian Frank and I wanted to put in every detail I possibly could with this curtain panel assembly, including the ability to extract the length of each part. But there was a catch here – the length wasn’t the length of an extrusion or something I could dimension in the normal sort of dimensioning. No big deal, right?Now the reason for this technique is that I need to use a “From, To” extrusion when using the new iCopy tool on labs http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/inventor_icopy/ . So in order for me to create a cut list and extract length for each part I need to create a driven dimension and reference that dimension in a customized part list in a drawing file.So just like that two minutes turned into four, my how time flies when I’m rambling… [grin]
-Rob2 Comments | Add CommentIn Ellipsis >
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Customer Request Line is Open
May 21, 2009 08:39 AMby Rob CoheeWhat do you think of the new look? Nice job Mr. Repp.We mentioned a couple of months ago that one of the key goals of Ellipsis is to open up the request lines and explore some of your everyday design challenges that Inventor can address, and ultimately allow you to focus on design and engineering instead of using Inventor just as a geometry creation tool.This entry is exactly that. I had a customer ask how to create a castellated beam. They were aware of the Content Center and the ability to bring in a W beam, and then make edits to it, but they knew there had to be an easier way. Let’s take it a step further and associate the number of cut outs with the length of the beam if it adjusts in length, and one more – make this available in Frame Generator.Here is a short video that walks you through creating a custom library, associating the number of features based upon the length of a part, and redefining an entire family of components. There are a few other useful tidbits in there as well so grab a coffee, a doughnut, and your headphones, I think you’ll like this one.
-Rob7 Comments | Add CommentIn Ellipsis >