Beginner questions

I don't know what it's called, but I want to learn how to move parts, such as a gear attached to a servo and see all the interactions that it causes. For example, if I turn the servo motor and the gear moves, I want to see the effect that has on all the other components and see what parts move which way and how far so I know if there are problems or any thing interfering with the other motions.

I have learned enough to be able to view a project in Inventor 2017. I can move it around, orbit it, zoom in, hide sections, isolate sections, and move parts from one place to another. I can do some very simple modifications to parts, like rounding edges and changing their colors. I even learned how to import CAD files from elsewhere and add them to my assembly, sort of. They are now in the assembly, but I can't figure out how to make them fit together or interact with other components, like how to slide a rod through a hole in another component, or things like that.

Can anyone explain how I can virtually 'turn on' a machine and see how it moves and all the interactions? Are there any tutorials that a beginner could understand that tells me how to set up such a process in an assembly.

I have a project which is about 3/4 of the way done. It was started by someone else, but I have all the files. I would like to be able to test out various motions and test range of motion, interference and whatever else I see happening in my model.

I am happy to share more specifics and project files if anyone can help me and is interested.

It is a robotics project for Halloween.

Thank you for your help.

Your question has been moved to the Autodesk Inventor section: http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?32-Autodesk-Inventor

Hey Bob, I'm a beginner too. So I can only give you a beginner answer. But I think the thing you want to study is Constraints and study how the Activate Contact Solver works on the Inspect tab. Study or re-study Assembly Basics in the Learning Path and check Step 4: "Inspect components for interference" and Step 5: "Add and animate constraints".

Are you talking about dynamic simulation? The ability to simulate and analyze the dynamic characteristics of an assembly in motion under various load conditions.

If so tutorials can be found here...https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2014/ENU/Inventor/files/GUID-A518D3F2-0CCB-4935-A098-3C4CF5FACAD9-htm.html

Yes, I think that's it!

Thank you for the links.

Bob

Fyi calculating interactions between gears is very pc intensive. Most of the time, based on resolution in the solver, you will just lock up the assembly.

Its been awhile since I've used inventor but I believe they still call them "joints". You basically have to tell the parts what degrees of freedom they have. There are also motion links. It is better(performance) to add a gear motion link. If you have a 20t gear and 10t gear you know its a 2:1 ratio so there is no point to calculate that.

If you are trying to figure out something like acceptable lash in a gear assembly its best done with a motion simulation.

Also many years ago in this forum I did a how to on animating a nut on a shaft. Not sure how far back the posts go but maybe 5 years ago.