Datasheet

UNDERSTANDING FUNCTIONAL DESIGN 19

you create lines and geometry that reﬂect the general form and function of the feature and then use

constraints and dimensions to massage it into the desired shape. This is probably the single biggest

stumbling block that experienced AutoCAD users face wh en starting to use Inventor.

Understanding Functional Design

Functional design is an Autodesk term for a knowledge content tool that moves the user from

creating geometrical descriptions to capturing knowledge. Engineers and designers can use func-

tional design to analyze the function and solve the design problems, rather than spending time on

modeling a solution needed to create 3D representations.

The V-belts Generator

An example of functional design and its beneﬁt is the use of the Inventor’s V-belts Generator. Tra-

ditionally, t o design a pulley system, you would lay out the pulleys in positions as required by the

design and then choose a belt that met the design requirements and came as close as possible to ﬁt-

ting the pulley s pacing. The result oftentimes is that no common belt size ﬁ ts the pulley spacing. The

functional design approach to this task allows you to specify the belt from a standard catalog of belt

sizes at the same time that you are creating the rest of the system. In this way, you know from the

outset that the design is indeed functional and will work in the real world.

Functional design supports design through generators and wizards that add mechanical con-

tent and intelligence to the design. By using the components within Inventor functional design,

you can create mechanically correct components automatically by entering simple or complex

mechanical attributes inside the generator.

Using the functional design components within Inventor provides many advantages:

◆ You shorten the design and modiﬁcation process through the use of intelligent compo-

nents.

◆ You produce a higher level of design quality and accuracy.

◆ Functional design provides a more intuitive design environment, compared to creating

complicated geometrical designs.

◆ Functional design can eliminate the need for physical prototypes for the purpose of ana-

lyzing stress and movement.

The following portions of Autodesk Inventor are part of the functional design system:

◆ Design Accelerator

◆ Frame Generator

◆ Inventor Studio

◆ AutoLimits

◆ Content Center

◆ Bolted Connection Generator