Best Practices

From Inventor

Inventor Best Practices BI35 Vancouver Operations Engineering Services

Version 1.1.1 August 3, 2006

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Contents 1 Assemblies 1.1 Process 1.2 Practice 2 Sheet Metal Design 2.1 Material Styles 3 Drawing and Detailing 4 NPR/CPR Processes 4.1 NPR – New Part Request 4.2 CPR – Change Part Request 5 Contracts Process – Starting from a Baseline 5.1 Baseline Data 5.2 Copying Baselines 5.3 Ready to Extract and Release 6 Data Translation and Archive 7 PDMS Interface – ‘Get CAD Data’ (3D Inventor Part or Assembly) 8 Contracts Process – TBA 9 NPR/CPR Processes

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

1. Use Honeywell Template Drawing file
   1. Honeywell_Part.IDW for Imperial and Metric part drawings
   2. Honeywell_ASM.IDW for Imperial and Metric Assembly drawings
2. Select required style format: Tools > Active Standard > Select HoneywellImperial or HoneywellMetric.
3. Create Base views and projected views as required
4. Run the Honeywell Macro Drawing Sheet Change. This will resize the drawing border to your selected size.
5. Use Model Dimensions for basic dimensions.
   1. This can be turned on if required by clicking the following: Tools > Application Options > Drawing tab > check ‘Retrieve all model dimensions on View placement’
   2. This option may save time if there are a limited number of model dimensions, if there is
6. Add Projection, Section, Detail and Broken views as per standard Inventor process
7. 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.
8. Extract BOM date - TBA
9. Publish to DWF/Paperless - TBA
10. Exporting Flame Cut and Punch Templates
    1. Create a second drawing sheet in your Inventor IDW.(View menu > New sheet)
    2. Create a base view of your required part with the correct orientation for the template creation
    3. Click File>Save Copy As > Set to DXF export
    4. Click Options > ACAD2004 DXF, No Pack n’Go, Model Geometry only, Base View scale
    5. Save DXF to required location, (To be automated)
    6. 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

NPR – New Part Request

1. Model part or assembly as per Best Practices and save in the contract or a local location.
2. Initiate NPR process using PDMS.
3. 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.
4. Parts and assemblies must be accompanied by their associated Inventor drawing (IDW format)
5. Once the parts or assemblies are moved to L:\\StdParts they cannot be updated or saved.

CPR – Change Part Request

1. Initiate CPR process using PDMS
2. Part or Assembly file will be copied to CPR location (L:\\CPR\\partnumber\\
3. If subcomponents are effected in the assembly change they will also be copied to the required CPR location
4. 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.
5. Parts and assemblies must be accompanied by their associated Inventor drawing (IDW format)
6. Once the parts or assemblies are moved to L:\\StdParts they cannot be updated or saved.

Contracts Process – Starting from a Baseline

Baseline Data

• Status Property set to Baseline

Copying Baselines

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.

Ready to Extract and Release

1. Confirm all Parts, Assemblies and Drawings are up to date and ready to release. Use tools such as interference checker and Degrees of Freedom.
2. Click Extract BOM……..
3. If no errors Confirm Extract.
4. 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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