Best Practices

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Revision as of 23:47, 3 August 2006 by Kody (Talk | contribs)

Inventor Best Practices BI35 Vancouver Operations Engineering Services

Version 1.1.1 August 3, 2006


Contents

The Basics

Installation Documentation

  • The current version of Inventor used at Honeywell Vancouver Operations is V10, SP1
  • Network Licensing is used to ‘assign’ users licenses up to a total of 30 user licenses.
  1. License Server is BI35NTENGLIC
  2. Inventor Licenses can be ‘Borrowed’ for up to 30 days for laptop or offsite use. (Please contact the CAD Administrator to setup the borrowed license)
  • User name setting: Application Settings, General, Username – Set to UserID E123456 (System settings will search for the correct display name for the drawing title block.)
  • Inventor is installed locally on each Engineering computer. The standard Autodesk installation folder structure is used.
  • Custom file locations are as follows:
  1. Templates – I:\\ENGAPPS\\INVENTOR\\TEMPLATES\\R10\\
  2. Styles Library – Style libraries will not be used. Each Inventor Project must have the ‘Use Style Library’ setting set to NO. All annotation settings will come from the drawing templates. Application options can be set to the default local location.
  3. Content Center Files – L:\\3Dcontent\\

Adding Inventor BOM/Release

  1. From the "Tools" pull down menu, select "Application options"
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the displayed "Options" dialog
  3. Verify that the "Default VBA Project" is set to "\\\\mxdevron1\\apps\\engapps\\inventor11\\vba\\default.ivb"
  4. Click on "OK" to exit the "Options" dialog if changes were made or "Close" if no changes were made
  5. Right click on any tool bar in the Inventor user interface and select "Customize"
  6. In the "Customize" dialog, click on the "Toolbars" tab
  7. Click on the "New..." button
  8. Enter a name for your toolbar (you can use your own name if you wish)
  9. You should see a new toolbar created. It will probably be floating in the Inventor user interface
  10. Click on the "Commands" tab in the "Customize" dialog
  11. In the "Categories" list, click on "Macros"
  12. In the "Commands" list, you should see "Bi35Macros". Drag and drop it onto your new toolbar. If you don't see the "Bi35Macros" listed, you did not follow the previous steps of setting up the VBA project.
  13. Click on "Close" in the "Customize" dialog
  14. You are finished.

Graphics Settings – Best Performance

  • To ensure Inventor stability make sure of the following:
  1. It is recommended to run Inventor without any other Windows applications open
  2. Use the latest graphics driver as mentioned below
  3. Restart your computer every day to clear memory.

Graphics Card Settings

Inventor Software Settings

  • If you are having some graphics issues, speed can be improved by setting some of the following settings under Tools>Application Options>Display
  1. Display Quality – Set to Rough
  2. View Transition Time – Increase to 2 seconds, as required
  3. Minimum Frame Rate – 4-6
  4. Turn off all Silhouette settings
  5. Turn off Reflections and Textures – Tools > Application Options > Colors Tab > Check Show Reflections and Textures to OFF.

Inventor Content Center Files

Content Center Files Basics

  1. All Inventor Content Center Database installations will been installed locally.
  2. Each local installation will save any Content Center files to L:\\3Dcontent\\.
  3. Files will be shared from this location.
  4. When a new file is saved to this location you must complete a Model Title setup as well as BOM Entry so the part will appear correctly on the drawing Parts List. This will only have to be performed once when the part is newly created.
  5. Do NOT modify these parts once they already existing in the L:\\3Dcontent folder.
  6. What about searching for standard purchased parts by part number????

Service Packs

  • The following Service Packs and HotFixes must be applied to Inventor 10.
    • July 2005, Inventor 10 SP1 - I:\\ENGAPPS\\Inventor\\ServicePacks\\Inventor10\\
  • HotFixes are as follows:
    • N/A

Data Management

  1. Use the standard Shared project format. To turn on this project format in Inventor 10 Click Tools > Application Options > General Tab > Check “Enable creation of legacy project types”
  2. Inventor Project names must reflect the project folder structure.
    1. Example, Contract folder is K:\\C10681\\W35553\\. The Inventor project file would be named C10681-W35553.IPJ.
    2. The file location is K:\\C10681\\W35553\\C10681-W35553.IPJ
  3. Folder structure is as per current documented process. Document …….
  4. Set Project setting “Use Style Library” to “NO’
  5. Baseline Projects
    1. Parts, Assemblies and Drawings must use specific drawing numbers for file names as per baselines
    2. If the part has the same name as another file you must make sure they are not in the same project so as to not get incorrect
  6. Honeywell Standard Manufactured Parts are saved in the Part number’s location on L:\\StdParts\\... This includes any required part, assembly, drawing and viewable files (DWF)
  7. Honeywell Standard Purchased Parts, (parts without drawings) will also be saved in L:\\StdParts\\... under the standard part prefix. (Example: L:\\StdParts\\5300\\53000006\\53000006.ipt) These items must be mapped as Inventor Project Library items
  8. Existing standard parts that need to be modeled and saved must be stored in L:\\StdParts\\ and approved by a second Engineer, copied in required location (L:\\StdParts) by Engineering Services. This part or assembly must have the approver’s initials in the IProperties with the date approved.

Naming Conventions

  1. Parts must be named as per standard Honeywell Vancouver naming conventions.
    1. Standard Part – 55610004.ipt
    2. Custom Part – 90000100.ipt
  2. Assemblies must be named as per standard Honeywell Vancouver conventions. See component IProperties for added detail.
    1. Standard Assembly – 80800001.iam
    2. Custom Assembly – 90000500.iam
  3. NSPR Items
    1. Modeled Parts or Assemblies that do not have a PDMS part number will be saved in the relative project folders using descriptive file naming.
    2. Please limit the number of special characters or spaces in this file name.
    3. Items that cannot be modeled but need to be purchased as NSPRs must be added to the assembly BOM structure as an Inventor ‘Empty Part”. The ‘Empty’ part must have the standard Honeywell Model Title and BOM Entry data for parts appear correct on the drawing Parts List.
  4. The naming of Parts and Assemblies will follow all current conventions (http://mxdevron3/product/engproc/2-proc/10420072.doc) at Honeywell Vancouver Operations.
    1. Custom Drawings
      1. Assembly – 90000001.IAM
        1. Subassembly – 90000002.IAM
        2. Drawing – 90000002.IDW
        3. Part – 90000004.IPT
          1. Drawing 90000004.IDW
        4. Part – 90000005.IPT
          1. Drawing 90000005.IDW*
      2. Part – 90000003.IPT
        1. Drawing 90000003.IDW
    2. Standard Parts - Name files as per standard part numbering procedure (see below for examples)
      1. For Assembly File – 80800123.IAM
      2. For Drawing File – 80800123.IDW
      3. For Part File(s)
        1. For single part file – 53080007.IPT
        2. For multiple part files – 53080006_Bolt.IPT, 53080006_DescriptiveNut.IPT, 53080006_Bracket.IPT, etc.
      4. For Viewable File – 80800123.DWF

Parts

Process

  1. Begin a new part by using File > New or New button. Use the standard Honeywell Inventor part templates
    1. Select the Honeywell_Part.IPT template for an Imperial Unit part
    2. Select the Honeywell_Part_Metric.IPT template for a Metric Unit part
  2. Name parts as per standard Honeywell Naming Conventions (Section 4a)
  3. Use the command Model Title Block to fill in the required model (part) information.Title Block This information will be populated to the IProperties of the file and used for release to production and for drawing title data fields
  4. Information can be updated or changed by running Model Title Block again.
  5. Copy Button – If you have an existing Part that contains the job information you require you can select this part and the IProperties will be populated with that data. This program will only copy common items such as Product, Contract information etc.
    Revision
  6. Revising Parts – Use the Honeywell program Model Revision to add revision information. Fill in revision information as required. This will populate required IProperties to be used on the associated drawing revision table.

Part Raw Material Data

  • Complete the following to add part raw material specifications. This is for parts that are single items on a specific drawing (659…) and have a raw material requirement.
  1. Under BI35 Macros, run BOM Entry
  2. For a new part you must first assign the part’s Raw Material.
  3. Click “Search” to select the correct Raw Material or Base part
  4. Once the basic material data has been retrieved. Click “Calculate” to assign overall material size

Practices

  1. All sketches must be based from the Origin location 0,0,0 and constrained to this point
  2. All sketches should be completely constrained by Dimensions and Line constraints
  3. Sketch geometry should be complete with no extra entities left on the sketch plane. No additional lines over lines etc. (note: Sections may not extrude with any non mating lines)
  4. Use named dimensions and parameters whenever possible
  5. Adaptively should be shut OFF by default
  6. Use F7 to split view when sketching inside a part
  7. Use caution when changing part geometry. If a part feature is removed or significantly changed this will affect constraints in assemblies everywhere the part is used.
  8. Save often as there is no AutoSave in Inventor.

Assemblies

Process

  1. Begin a new part by using File > New or New button. Use the standard Honeywell Inventor assembly template
    1. Select the Honeywell_Asm.IPT template for an Imperial Unit part
    2. Select the Honeywell_Asm_Metric.IPT template for a Metric Unit part
  2. Temporary assembly names may be used for early product development but must be renamed as per standard naming conventions before any type of production release.
  3. Assembly hierarchy must reflect the exact requirements of the BOM
  4. Name assemblies as per standard Honeywell Naming Conventions (Section 4a)
  5. Use the command Model Title Block to fill in the required model (assembly) information.
    This information will be populated to the IProperties of the file and used for release to production and for drawing title data fields
  6. Copy Button – If you have an existing Part that contains the job information you require you can select this part and the IProperties will be populated with that data. This program will only copy common items such as Product, Contract information etc.
  7. Revising Assemblies – Use the Honeywell program Model Revision to add revision information.
    1. Fill in revision information as required. This will populate required IProperties to be used on the associated drawing revision table.
    2. This revision data will be used in the drawing.


Practice

  1. Make sure at least one part (base component) in your assembly is ‘Grounded’
  2. Use constraints to locate all parts in an assembly. If possible, place constraints using Part origins such as Center Points, Base Axis and Base Work planes. This will give you a more stable assembly when part features evolve.
  3. Use IMates on common features
  4. Use a minimum amount of constraints to keep complexity and files size down
  5. Use assembly modeling features as required (extrude, cut, sweep etc.), create these features last so the can be easily be suppress if required.
  6. Use Pattern and Mirror functions
  7. Use named dimensions and parameters whenever possible
  8. Use IMates on common features such as hole centers, common faces, mounting holes or specific mounting locations
  9. Contact Manager is OFF by default but can be used at anytime. Keeping Contact Manager off will save computer recourses.
  10. Use Interference Checker to confirm part fit and placement.
  11. Do not ‘Defer Updates’, this may add confusion when assemblies are not updated

Sheet Metal Design

===Material Styles===
  1. Select the required Material style and set as “Active Style”
  2. Make sure the Unfold Method Value (k-Factor) is set to Honeywell STD.
  3. K-Factors can be calculated with the following document I:\\engapps\\Inventor\\settings\\Bend Allowance & K-Factor Calculator.xls

Drawing and Detailing

a. Use Honeywell Template Drawing file i. Honeywell_Part.IDW for Imperial and Metric part drawings ii. Honeywell_ASM.IDW for Imperial and Metric Assembly drawings b. Select required style format: Tools > Active Standard > Select HoneywellImperial or HoneywellMetric. c. Create Base views and projected views as required d. Run the Honeywell Macro Drawing Sheet Change. This will resize the drawing border to your selected size. e. Use Model Dimensions for basic dimensions. i. This can be turned on if required by clicking the following: Tools > Application Options > Drawing tab > check ‘Retrieve all model dimensions on View placement’ ii. This option may save time if there are a limited number of model dimensions, if there is f. Add Projection, Section, Detail and Broken views as per standard Inventor process g. IMPORTANT! – Do not delete Parts List from drawing after drawing has been released. When the Parts List is reinserted this will renumber the BOM items and it will not correspond with previously release data. This will prevent your updates or revisions to be sent to ProdRel or Visual. h. Extract BOM date - TBA i. Publish to DWF/Paperless - TBA j. Exporting Flame Cut and Punch Templates i. Create a second drawing sheet in your Inventor IDW.(View menu > New sheet) ii. Create a base view of your required part with the correct orientation for the template creation iii. Click File>Save Copy As > Set to DXF export iv. Click Options > ACAD2004 DXF, No Pack n’Go, Model Geometry only, Base View scale v. Save DXF to required location, (To be automated) vi. Sheet Metal Parts: 1. Create Flat Pattern from Sheet Metal part 2. Right Click on Flat Pattern in Model Browser 3. Click Save Copy As> Select DXF 4. Use the same settings as above.

NPR/CPR Processes

a. NPR – New Part Request. i. Model part or assembly as per Best Practices and save in the contract or a local location. ii. Initiate NPR process using PDMS. iii. Once NPR is close to completion, the parts must be updated and then moved to Standard Part locations. If the NPR consists of an Inventor assembly the associated parts must be moved to their respective standard part locations and then the assembly must be updated for new part locations. The assembly cannot be moved until it has been updated as it cannot be saved once it has been moved. iv. Parts and assemblies must be accompanied by their associated Inventor drawing (IDW format) v. Once the parts or assemblies are moved to L:\\StdParts they cannot be updated or saved. vi. b. CPR – Change Part Request i. Initiate CPR process using PDMS ii. Part or Assembly file will be copied to CPR location (L:\\CPR\\partnumber\\ iii. If subcomponents are effected in the assembly change they will also be copied to the required CPR location iv. Before the CPR is complete the Assembly must be updated and saved in the CPR location. Any associated parts must also be updated before moving to Standard Parts folders. v. Parts and assemblies must be accompanied by their associated Inventor drawing (IDW format) vi. Once the parts or assemblies are moved to L:\\StdParts they cannot be updated or saved. vii.


Contracts Process – Starting from a Baseline

a. Baseline Data i. Status Property set to Baseline ii. b. Copying Baselines i. Use Pack N’ Go to copy Baselines as follows” 1. Select Top Level assembly 2. Right click and select Pack n’Go 3. Confirm correct Project file is selected. 4. Confirm location to “Copy To” 5. Use the settings noted in fig. x 6. Click Search for related files (Part and Assembly files) 7. Click Search for Linked files (Drawing files) and add the files 8. Click Start to begin 9. Confirm Assembly opens correctly ??Important note! – Confirm that IDW files are using the correct part updated to reverence parts and assemblies in new Contract location.

c. Ready to Extract and Release i. Confirm all Parts, Assemblies and Drawings are up to date and ready to release. Use tools such as interference checker and Degrees of Freedom. ii. Click Extract BOM…….. iii. If no errors Confirm Extract. iv. Parts, Assemblies and Drawings each must be approved. These are viewed through ProdRel2


Data Translation and Archive

Edit me!

PDMS Interface – ‘Get CAD Data’ (3D Inventor Part or Assembly)

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Contracts Process – TBA

Mike, Edit me!

NPR/CPR Processes

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