AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008 - (Page 13)

We don’t all dimension for manufacturing during the design process with Auto-Dimensioning in mind. mensioned. I also prefer to place the parts in the part drawing so they follow the same direction, (i.e., the left side of the part, facing the front of the assembly, is on the left side of the detail drawing). Over the years, I find this helps when it comes to orienteering the parts for assembly. This isn’t quite as important with solid modeling as it was in the pencil, eraser, and paper drafting days. One advantage to utilizing the Retrieve Dimensions feature is that the dimensions placed in the detail drawing are “Parametric” with the solid model. If you right-click on a dimension, the shortcut menu pops up. Select “Edit Model Dimensions” and a dialog box opens that looks like the dimension box from sketching within the solid model (Figure 6). If you edit this dimension in your detail drawing you may have to update your solid model to display this change. If you place a dimension in your detail drawing, and right-click from your shortcut menu, this option does not appear, as your dimension is not taken from your solid model, but rather from within your detail drawing. If you update your solid model, your detail drawing dimension will update in either case (Figure 7). Being able to retrieve dimensions is a valuable tool. To fully implement takes a different thought process when creating your dimensions during part sketching. Most designers that I know do not create dimensions as needed for manufacturing, but create dimensions that are needed for part creation or how the two parts fit together. We dimension bolt hole patterns, we dimension other features based on part assembly. As long as default part tolerances are acceptable, taking dimensions from datum surfaces is acceptable. When you need to hold dimensions tighter, i.e. keyway widths, then you need to dimension the key width and add tolerance on your detail drawing. This is a feature we all need to explore in more detail and begin using more in our everyday use of Inventor. Figure 4: Dimensions are set up for manufacturing Figure 5: Finished drawing Figure 6: Edit Model Dimensions dialog ly simple part, and the thought process to dimension is pretty straightforward. Keep in consideration that sometimes during design, you dimension from one side, for example the left side, and when you are finished with the assembly, you may need to dimension from the right side. This is where you either dimension manually, or you go back to your part sketch, erase your horizontal dimensions, and place new dimensions from the right side. Then you go back to your drawing and “Retrieve Dimensions” again. I don’t always know what I need or how my final assembly is going to look when completed. I know the scope of the design (what it is for) and how it is supposed to work; however, that doesn’t mean I know how it is going to be assembled before I design all the parts. I start with a mounting plate or base and create “up” from there or I will start at the other end, and create “down” from there. I start at one end of my design or the other, not knowing how I will tie all the parts together. When completed, I normally review what I have designed and make some improvements. Then I know how I need to dimension the parts so there is consistency in how they are diM a y/ J u n 2 0 0 8 Figure 7: Updating your solid model will update your detail drawing dimension David Keener is a Design Engineer for SMT Industries in Sidney, Ohio, and also an Adjunct Professor at Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio. He has been using AutoCAD for more than a decade and Autodesk Inventor for more than two years. He can be reached at d_keener@smtind.com. 13

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008

AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008 Table of Contents The CAD Manager From Drawing to Display: The Value of Autodesk Impression Designing for Auto-Dimensioning The Proof Is in the Footing Managing Customization and Profiles Getting to Know the Display Manager What's Cooking at Autodesk Labs? On the Back Page

AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008

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