MA114-3 : Effective use of Representations

1. MA114-3 : Effective use of Representations Paul Normand Subject Matter Expert/Technical Writer Image courtesy of Engineering Center LTD, Russia

2. Welcome • A few items before we begin • Paul Normand • Subject Matter Expert/Technical Writer • AICE and have been using Inventor since pre-R1 • Please turn off your cell phones • If you have questions, don’t be mad if I ask to answer it at the end • Don’t forget to attend the PowerTrack Daily Wrap” @6:30 in South Sea D

3. Power Track Presentations Previous class in the Advanced Configuration Tools track: • MA104-3 Creating and using iParts and iMates – Bill Fane Upcoming classes in the Advanced Configuration Tools track : • MA118-2 Selection Filters – Allen Gager 12-01-2009 3:00pm • MA204-3L The iLogical Course – Sam Antos 12-02-2009 8:00am • MA308-4 Cheating Large Assemblies – Andy Warren 12-03-2009 10:00am

4. Agenda (OK, maybe a few more items before we begin) • What are View, Positional, & LOD Representations? • What problems do they solve? • Creating View, Positional, and LOD Representations • Animating Positional Representations • Basics of LOD Representations • Shrinkwrap and Substitute LOD Representations • Using Representations in drawings • Tips and Tricks • Q & A

6. View Representations • View Reps control the visibility of assemblies and their components. They are useful for defining the objects to include in a Positional Representation overlay view. • Speed up view generation by not calculating hidden lines for invisible components. • View Reps control: • Component visibility • Sketch and work feature visibility • Component enabled status • Color and styles applied in the assembly • Zoom magnification • Viewing angle (Camera position)

7. Positional Representations • Pos Reps control the value and state of constraints and parameters in an assembly. They allow an assembly to exist in different positional states. • Pos Reps control: • The numeric value of a constraint • The suppressed state of a constraint • The pattern distance or angle • The grounded state of a component • The position offset of a component • The Positional Rep state of a subassembly • The Flexible status of a component

8. Level of Detail (LOD) Representations • LOD Reps control: • Visibility • Memory consumption • Suppress (unloaded from memory) • Substitutes

9. Where are the Representations? • …lost, and they refuse to ask for directions • All three representations are located in the folder at the top of the browser. • Default View Reps: • Master (Locked) • Private (external .idv files) • Default (Unlocked) • Default Positional Reps: • None (Master created when a new rep is created) • Default LOD Reps: • Master • All Components Suppressed • All Parts Suppressed • All Content Center Suppressed

10. When you save a file in a locked rep state, graphics related changes are not saved. This results in this frequently misunderstood error message. In past releases, the default View Rep was the NONE rep (and it was locked). Turning off workplanes, changing colors or hiding parts and then saving an assembly with an active locked View Rep will result in this message. You can turn this message off but you will not be prompted to save graphics changes. Why Lock a View? Primarily to keep unwanted parts from appearing in a view. Tip: You must also click Associative in the Drawing View create dialog box. • Locked View Reps • “What does this #$ message mean?”

11. Save • Add Constraints • Edit Constraints • Add Components • Create In-Context Components • Mirror or Copy Components • Demote/Promote • (Get a Cup of Coffee, Breathe, Blink etc…) • Master Positional Reps • You must be in the Master Positional Rep to:

12. Creating Representations • …finally, the good part! • Creating View Reps • Creating Positional Reps • Creating LOD Reps

13. Creating View Reps • …previously known as Design Views • Expand Representations • Right click on View • Select New • A new View Rep will be created • Set part visibility, workplane visibility, camera angle, color etc.. • Save the assembly, the ViewRep will also be saved • Activate the View Rep by double clicking on it’s name • Right-click and choose Edit to open the View Rep dialog.

14. Creating Positional Reps • …enough to make you dangerous! • Expand Representations • Right click on Position • Select New • Both a Master & Position1 Pos Rep will be created (rename!) • Select a constraint to change • RMB on constraint and select Override • Check the Value Override checkbox • Enter a value for the constraint • Activate the Pos Rep by double clicking on it’s name

15. Creating Positional Rep Overrides • …Sounds complicated • You can override multiple constraints for one Positional Rep • This allows for complex changes to the assembly state • Use View Reps with Positional Reps to make overlays FANUC Robot Example

16. Creating Level of Detail Reps • …I can control memory use in an assembly! • Expand the Representations folder • Right click on Level of Detail • Select New Level of Detail • A new LOD Rep will be created • Activate the LOD rep by double clicking • Select parts and suppress them as desired • Save assembly to save LOD • Can make LODs from View Reps (RMB > Copy to Level of Detail) • See effect of LODs by “Capacity Meter”

17. Creating Substitute (LOD) Reps • …I can control memory AND simplification! • Expand the Representations folder • Right click on Level of Detail • Select New Substitute • Select the Substitute type: • Use Derive Assembly to create a derived part from the assembly. • Use Shrinkwrap to create a lightweight or simplified part. • Use Select Part File to choose a part file on disk.

18. A Closer Look at Pos Reps

19. The 3 Tabs of the Override Dialog Constraint Tab • Change the Suppression State • Allows you to turn constraints “on” or “off” for each Positional Rep • Change a constraint Value • Allows you to change the value of a constraint. • One of the most useful of the overrides

20. The 3 Tabs of the Override Dialog Pattern Tab • Change a Rectangular Pattern • Allows you to change both the row and column offsets. These are assemblypatterns only. • Examples: Bottles in a lane matrix Vials on a “spread head” • Change a Circular Pattern • Allows you to change the angle offset of a pattern. • Examples: Objects moving around a circular conveyor Angular Gripper

21. The 3 Tabs of the Override Dialog ComponentTab • Change the Grounded state • Useful when you want parts to move in one case but not in another. • Examples: A box that is moved by a pusher • Change the Offset of a Component • Do this by dragging the part in the model window. • Cannot edit the values directly • Change the Flexible Status • Useful for controlling a Positional Rep buried several levels deep in a sub-assembly. • Allows you to change the Flexible status of a sub-assembly. • Allows the free movement of components inside a sub-assembly.

22. Nesting Positional Representations …and other habits of the red-crested CAD geek Nesting allows you to activate a Positional Rep located in a sub-assembly, in the context of a higher level assembly. There are two methods: • Create the Positional Rep in the lowest level sub and then create a Positional Rep calling that Rep in each successively higher subassembly. • Create the Positional Rep in the lowest level sub and then make all sub-assemblies in between this and highest level assembly, flexible.

23. Creating Overlay Views using Positional Reps …because your drawings aren’t complex enough yet • Create a Base View (Base views can have Positional Reps too) • Start the Overlay Tool • Select the Base view • Choose the Pos Rep to display • Choose the View Rep to display • Other options include: • Label • Tangent Edges • Work Features • Style • Layer

24. …helping you build giant assemblies since 2006 • A Closer Look at LOD Reps

25. Bounding Box LOD Reps • …for those “Top Secret” designs • Use Derived to: • Create a derived part from an assembly • Select parts and change them to a “bounding box” icon (green square) • Parts are created as “blocks” defined by the circumscribed bounding box

26. Making the most of LOD Reps You can apply LOD reps at any time. • One effective way to use them is to open an assembly with All Parts Suppressed and then turn parts on as required. Or • In the File Open dialog, select the appropriate Level of Detail before opening the file.

27. A few final Tips & Tricks • …almost finished. Take notes, there WILL be a test later! • Make one of your Pos Reps Free Drag • Create, Suppress, (Lather, Rinse) Repeat • If you can’t add parts, control visibility etc.. you’re probably in a Pos Rep • Use the Pos Rep copy feature • Animate Pos Reps in Studio • Copy LOD Reps to ViewReps and vice versa • Load assemblies with “all components off” LOD and turn on as required

28. Questions & Answers • …stump the chump time. • Contact: paul.normand@autodesk.com Thanks for attending my session! • Please fill out thesurveys • Handouts, Dataset, and PowerPoint will be posted on AU website • Have a great time and enjoy your stay in Las Vegas • Don’t forget to join the Inventor Speaker Team for the “PowerTrack Daily Wrap” @6:30 in South Sea D