Text as an iFeature?

[Bishop]

I've got a whole bunch of parts that I need to do drawings for - probably about 200 of them. Short version is, they're a bunch of control boxes and the covers for the boxes. There are several different types of boxes, and 2 or 3 different types of lids for each box. Within each type of box and / or lid, there are several different colors and markings in various combinations. (For instance - color black, marking "WATER", color black, marking "FIBER OPTIC", color green, marking "IRRIGATION CONTROL VALVE," etc.) Within each type, these are the only variations. The colors and the text remains constant across all the boxes and covers, although they are in varying combinations.

 

I've been using iParts and iAssemblies to make things simpler, of course. This lets me make one drawing that gets checked and released, then just save as the next part name and change the title block and switch the iPart out for the next one.

 

Problem is, though, the amount of time that it takes to make each different iPart, with all the markings that have to be extruded. It's mind-numbingly boring and also pretty time consuming.

 

So far, I haven't been able to figure out a way (short of drawing out each letter, rather than using the text tool in a sketch) that will let me use an iFeature or some sort of rules-based method of generating this text.

 

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

 

EDIT- Software is Inventor Pro 2011 with all service packs applied.

 

SECOND EDIT - Although the words are the same across all the different types of covers, the size of the text varies from .125" to .875", depending on which model box / cover it is.

Edited August 22, 2011 by Bishop