Datasheet

Waguespack c01.tex V2 - 08/30/2008 1:44pm Page 23
BEST PRACTICES IN AUTODESK INVENTOR 23
◆ By limiting the number of components at the top-level assembly, the number of 3D
constraints present in the top-level assembly will be limited, improving overall per-
formance. Note that when we say component, we could be referring to a part file or a
subassembly file.
◆ Properly created and named design views and/or level of detail (LOD) should be present
within the assemblies and subassemblies of the design. Use of either or both will provide
flexibility and improve performance in the assembly design as well as the 2D documenta-
tion process.
◆ Reuse of library parts, including but not limited to fasteners, purchased parts, or company
standard parts used in multiple designs, will improve consistency and performance when
loading assemblies. In addition, placing company standard parts will eliminate duplication
of files and filenames within the data management system.
Sean Says: Make Your Models Mimic the Manufacturing Process
The simplest advice I can give to new users on the subject of assemblies is to structure them as you
would in real life. If in the design you plan to assemble several parts into a transmission and then drop
that transmission into a housing, then make the transmission a subassembly and insert it into the
upper-level housing assembly. By making your models mimic the manufacturing process, you can
also find possible flaws in your design such as fasteners that cannot be accessed or areas where parts
may interfere during assembly.
Establishing Standards for Documentation
Documenting your designs in 2D drawing files should follow a standard established by your
company. However, documenting 3D designs and assemblies using traditional methods and
workflows might pose performance and stability issues.
Consider a workflow similar to this: establish a design workflow that encompasses the principle
of ‘‘one part–one part name/number–one drawing.’’ This establishes a link between a single part
file in a single drawing file. This part could be used in many different assemblies and should be
documented separately from assembly documentation. Figure 1.12 illustrates this workflow.
Figure 1.12
Part documentation
workflow
Part File
Contains Material Properties
BOM Properties
Project Information
Design Status
Relationships to IDW/DWG
Documentation
Drawing/Documentation
File
Linked to Part File
Supports Documentation Styles
IPT IDW/DWG
Documentation may take many forms. Inventor offers several options in this area. Your
choice of methods may greatly influence productivity downstream. Aside from conventional
paper prints generated from an IDW or Inventor DWG file, the Save Copy As command allows
many options for creating various image formats. Figure 1.13 lists the options available in
Autodesk Inventor 2009.