-
In The Machine is the official blog of the Inventor Product Management Team. It is a way for us to share Inventor news, interesting information about successful Inventor customers and partners as well as tips and tricks. From time to time we’ll also use the blog to solicit feedback from users via surveys. This blog is hosted by Garin Gardiner our Technical Marketing Manager.
-
Parameter Linking and Tolerance
February 20, 2008, 01:16 PM Garin Gardiner
I wanted to cover a few tips this post that will cover linking parameters from one part to another (great for skeleton modeling) and show how your model can update with tolerance. Let's take a look at how we can easily link parameters from one part to another. First we will create a part that has a few parameters in it that we want to use in a second part. Notice I have a parameter called ID and OD and I have selected Export Parameter.
You can then select a second part and activate Parameters to link various parameters from the original part. Select the link button, change the file type to ipt / iam and select the part you want to link the parameters from.
You have now linked the parts together so any change to the first parts parameters will update any part you have linked the parameters into. Now lets add tolerance to the model one part at a time. Notice the two parts assembled together before I apply any tolerance to the model.
I want to apply tolerance to each part and set the upper/lower tolerances in the 3D model to detect any interferences. Edit a part you want tolerance applied to and edit one of its sketches. Select the dimension you want the tolerance applied to and right click to select Dimension Properties. From here you can apply the type of tolerance and the actual value for each dimension. In the following example I have applied a tolerance to two dimensions.
Once I have set up my model with the various tolerances, I can then adjust the model to the min/max of the tolerance per component to make sure I won't have interference issues. While in the assembly I will activate one of the parts and activate the Parameters dialog. Notice I have the option to adjust each dimension individually or globally to the Upper, Median, Nominal and Lower tolerance. I will set my first part to Lower and my second part to Upper to see clashes in my design with these tolerances.
Nominal Setting
Upper tolerance on inner cylinder and Lower tolerance on outer cylinder
This won't solve all of you tolerance issues although this is a great tool to manage a handful of components that you are concerned about.
Enjoy!
Garin
2 Comments | Add Comment In the Machine > Autodesk Inventor, Tips, All
Comments
-
March 1, 2008 09:38 PM Hall Stevenson
Tolerance stack-up and interference fit ? How about adding the ability to add tolerances to the shaft generator ? Don't worry, there's an enhancement request filed for this.... I've been asking for *years*.
-
March 10, 2008 11:46 AM Robert Wollenhaupt
Thanks for the tip on parameter linking. We're still on IV11 and were unaware this feature was added to 2008. This is another good reason for us to switch to IV 2009.
You must be logged in to post a comment.