Frustration with organizing.

[cvriv.charles]

I am so frustrated. When I think I have things figured out inventer goes ahead and screws me up all over again.

 

I just got done creating a simple model of a reservoir. It only has 3 parts, one tube and two end caps. the end caps are the same so there's only two part files. Fine. But I had to put an o-ring on each end cap. you can only use the o-ring generator inside an assembly file. So I created an assembly file and added the tube and two instances of the end cap. I did the o-ring generator and saw that it added a groove to the original end cap part file. so now the other end cap in the main assembly file has this groove but without a part file. so now I cant use the o-ring generator on that end cap because it will give the end cap part file a second groove.

 

So i started over. this time I created an assembly file JUST for the end cap so I can add this o-ring and so I can place that in the main assmbly file instead. This way I can dup the end cap and o-ring. Well,... after I saved that end cap assembly file, inventor created a folder with the same name as the assembly file! AND inside that folder is another folder! And inside that is another assembly file with teh o-ring!

 

All of that for an o-ring!?!?! Isnt there a more neater way of doing thing or is this it?!?!? I mean it's very easy to do what I have to do and it looks good too but it seems very sloppy file wise. but I think i would rather create everything myself so things are neater.

 

Also,... how do I know what thickness the o-ring is? It's lets you specify a distance from the center of the o-ring to an edge, how do I measure the distance from an edge to the edge of the o-ring groove?!?!

 

Thanks.

[JD Mather]

For the first problem only place one cap in the assembly and create o-ring.

Then ctrl-drag copy from browser the second set.

 

For the size you could either create a drawing (obvious) or sketch and Project Cut Section.

[cvriv.charles]

Ok I'll try that. Thanks. Also,... what if I need my shaft diameter a bit smaller than an inventor o-ring shaft diameter!?!? If I do that I wont be abel to use the o-ring generator. Would that mean I would be stuck making my own o-ring model?!?

[JD Mather]

Would that mean I would be stuck making my own o-ring model?!?

 

I always thought that was the easier way anyhow. Just so long as you spec something that can be purchased off-the-shelf.

[cvriv.charles]

But how do you spec an o-ring?!?! I mean,... from the library model's it appears that the o-rings are in a flattened state. How do I calc this flattened state?!?! I wouldnt mind making my own o-rings. Also,... the grooves in which are made with the generator seem a bit to big for the o-rings?!?! I know they need room to expand but seriously.

[cvriv.charles]

So I was studying one of INV's o-ring sketches and was comparing the dimensions in the sketch with the values of the o-ring table and with an o-ring spec sheet online. It turns out that it's easier than I thought. The o-rings in the library arent drawn in a true compressed/ stretched state.

 

They are drawn to spec and then merely flatsided accordingly. Easy. I was thinking that its way crazy complicated.

[cvriv.charles]

Mr. Mather, I successfully create my own oring and groove in the part for it. Now about the ctrl and drag thing you mentioned before,... im not understanding what I am to do.

 

Before, I said I created a seperate assembly file just for the end cap and the o-ring so when I added it to the main assebmly file they would be together. That way I wouldn't have to constain them together for every instance of the two.

 

You mentioned a ctrl drag thing but I cant figure it out. It there something I can do to make copies of the two already mated together?

 

Thanks sir.

[Devented]

Copying parts is pretty easy... I just use CTRL+C, then CTRL+V in the assembly winodw, and paste as many copies as needed. If you change one, it will update them all as well. If you need to make copies of a part that you want to be able to edit individually though, the easiet way I found was to make copies of the file in the project file and just rename them something else and the use the place component option.

As for making copies of the cap and oring mated together, you can use the "copy components" option, which will (hopefully) copy your constraints, but for something this simple, it'd probally be easier to copy them and just add the constraints again.

[cvriv.charles]

Copying parts is pretty easy... I just use CTRL+C, then CTRL+V in the assembly winodw, and paste as many copies as needed. If you change one, it will update them all as well. If you need to make copies of a part that you want to be able to edit individually though, the easiet way I found was to make copies of the file in the project file and just rename them something else and the use the place component option.

As for making copies of the cap and oring mated together, you can use the "copy components" option, which will (hopefully) copy your constraints, but for something this simple, it'd probally be easier to copy them and just add the constraints again.

 

Thanks. I'll try that. Even though this is simple, I still want to know because later on I know I will need to do it.

[cvriv.charles]

The copy components appears to create new files of the components. I just want to copy the set in the assembly. That cap with the o-ring mated with the constraint.

[JD Mather]

Just to be clear - I wasn't referring to creating new files of components. Only placing a new instance of original file(s) in assembly.

[cvriv.charles]

Just to be clear - I wasn't referring to creating new files of components. Only placing a new instance of original file(s) in assembly.

 

Yes. I dont want to create any more files than what's neccessary. I want one end cap file and one oring file. I want two instances of each in one assembly file.

 

Is there a way to mate the oring to the end cap and then create another instance of them together already constrained?

 

I was going to create a sub assembly of the cap and oring and then just place two instances of that. But I dont really want the extra file if I dont have to. Just to finish the model I had to constrain the oring and cap twice.

 

Thanks.