problems with mirror tool

[james 172]

Hi all

Ive just started having a play around with Inventor and am having some trouble with the mirroring tool. I have an extrusion cut on one side of a part and would like to mirror this to the opposite side and then delete the original. I can mirror the feature easy enough but when I try and delete the original it takes the mirrored feature with it. Does anyone have an idea of what im doing wrong?

Mant thanks

James

[JD Mather]

If you put the original feature on the wrong side why not simply move it?
Can you attach what you have so far?
Inventhor is a history based modeler. The Mirror feature is a child feature. If you delete it's parent feature the child cannot exist. You could "kill" the parent by using the Delete Face with Heal option after creating the mirror. But I suggest simply correcting your mistake. It might be as simple as copy and past the feature and then delete the original.

[james 172]

Hi

Thanks for the quick reply.
I cant upload the part file as its too large 350kb and im not sure how to downsize the file size
It is part of a usb stick casing. I have drawn the opposite part and am trying to simply modify this so that everything lines up perfectly.
I tried copy and pasting but cant seem to align it correctly on the opposite side.
Any further help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
I have a feeling I may be a little out of my depth!

Thanks again

[JD Mather]

In the feature browser you will see a red End of Part marker at the bottom of the list of features. Click and drag the red EOP marker as high as it will go in the browser. Your part will disappear from the screen. (If you drag it back down the part will re-appear.) With the EOP marker at the top of the browser save the file.
Then go find that file outside of Inventor and right click on the filename and select Send to Compressed (zipped) folder. Attach the resulting *.zip file here.

It sounds to me like you want to read Help (F1) on Derived Components to make mating parts. If you can attach the file here I can probably get you headed in the right direction.

[james 172]

Hi
I tried moving the end of part marker & zipping the file but it still comes out just above the 100kb limit.
I have uploaded the file to the below link.
http://www.mediafire.com/?c3swyz47dse
In the meantime ill check out the help files on making mating parts as you suggested
Thanks for the help

James

[Lazer]

As JD said, derived the part and make a mirror of it is by are the quickest way, you can do it in under 30 seconds, long way would be to sketch and extrude/cut on the opp side, start again.

Don't waste your time trying to delete mirrored parent features, this will wipe out the child, derived method is what we use to carry out these types of changes.

[JD Mather]

I tried moving the end of part marker & zipping the file but it still comes out just above the 100kb limit.[/URL]

I'm going to give up on this site if they don't increase the file size limit soon so that typical Inventor files (rolled up and zipped) can be attached.

Meanwhile you might want to read this document [URL]http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/AU2007/MA105-1L%20Mather.pdf (http://)

I suggest at this level to avoid Adaptive sketches and use the origin geometry for symmetry. And fully constrain every sketch. If I get a chance I will remodel the part how I might do it.

Watch that fillet after the Shell - it results in a very thin material section going around the part at the inside 90° intersection.

[Mr T]

Does suppressing the feature (Right click it in the browser) solve the problem ?

Nick

[james 172]

Hi all
Thanks for all your suggestions, you are all being extremely helpful.
I am going to be starting an Iventor course in July and I am trying to get a head start but am struggeling a little to try and get out of the "Autocad mode" way of approaching things.
I will work through all your suggestions and try and get the result I am after.
Mr T - I tried surpressing all the features but strangley this did not bring the file size down at all
JD Mather - Ill take a look at that fillet, I must have overlooked that. If you do have chance to remodel the part that would be great, I think if I had a correct part to compare & contrast mine from id adapt to the techniques youve mentioned a little eaiser.
Many thanks again to all your suggestions they are very much appreciated.

James

[JD Mather]

File was too large to post here
you can find it here http://discussion.autodesk.com/adskcsp/thread.jspa?threadID=654180

[james 172]

Hi JD Mather

Just taken a look at the part & it looks great. Thank you for your time & efforts.
I havent had time to really disect it yet, but it looks like you have used a lot less steps than mine!

Thanks again
James