How to create an assembly from an Inventor part

I am quite surprised that so few Inventor users I talk with know’s this workflow. It’s a great way of creating complex models and make it all “stick together” quite easily.

• Let’s create a simple model. Starting with a sketch we can create our first part feature. Notice the solid in the solid bodies folder. The name of this solid will be the file name of the part we create later. Tip ; to rename browser nodes, left mouse click slowly three times on the text. 

• The next step is to create a sketch for the next section. When extruding this section you need to select the new body option from the menu. A tip is to always name your dimensions and features to make them easy to identify for the next person that will edit the model. There are now a new node in the solid bodies folder.

• Just continue and create your part features as new solids. Notice that the support plates are patterned in place in the part. The downside is that the feature pattern will be interpeted as one part in the inventor assembly. I used it as a test, but delete it after i checked my mathematics.  The best way is to pattern the plates in the assembly, but use parameters from the base model. The model are also created in such a way that we can easily change the model from the fx menu in Inventor. Plates and holes are synced through sketches and mathematical rules and formulas.

• Now we can go to the Manage menu, layout tab and select create components button. 

• Select the solid bodies to create parts from. Select assembly location ( You can select an existing assembly or create a new). Selext Next.

• In this example we use the Vault numbering and we see that vault takes care of the file naming. It’s also possible to include parameters into the assembly. Select OK.

• Now a new assembly are created. Editing the base part will update the assembly, and best of all.. there’s no constraints. Notice that I created the pattern in the assembly and linked values from the base part to get a fully automatic update based on the base part.

• With the base part open you can select the Make Components and add new features in the part in order to change the assembly.

• Now you just need to get the properties in place on your model. Naviate from Cad-Q are the best property handler for Inventor. Easy to configure and works great. It even have a ERP connection ready to go.

Any questions ? Feel free to ask .