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Modify an existing assembly part using the Shape Generator to set up a stiff, lightweight replacement part without sacrificing performance.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
The Shape Generator in Inventor helps you design lightweight, structurally efficient parts.
00:09
In this tutorial, you use the Shape Generator to set up a stiff, lightweight part to modify an existing assembly part.
00:17
To begin, from the Quick Access Toolbar, click Projects.
00:23
In the Projects dialog, click Browse, navigate to where you saved the project files, and then select Assembly Conveyor.ipj and click Open..
00:34
In the Project dialog, click Done.
00:38
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:45
Select Assembly Conveyer.iam and click Open.
00:50
In this conveyor assembly, the blue part needs to be made lighter but still perform under the load it was originally designed for.
01:00
To work on only the blue part, from the Quick Access Toolbar, in the Selection Priority drop-down, pick Select Part Priority.
01:14
Click the blue part to select it, then right-click it and select Open to open the part.
01:23
On the ribbon, in the 3D Model tab, Explore panel, click Shape Generator to open the Analysis contextual tab
01:31
and start the shape generation process.
01:35
If the Shape Generator dialog appears, you can choose to not show it again, or click OK.
01:43
You need to set some variables so that Inventor can make calculations.
01:49
To set the material for this part, from the Quick Access Toolbar,
01:53
expand the Material drop-down and select Steel, Mild in the Autodesk Material Library.
02:00
Next, create constraints.
02:04
In the Analysis tab, Constraints panel, click Fixed to open the Fixed Constraint dialog.
02:12
In the display, select the two faces of the mounting pads, and then select OK.
02:19
To apply a load, from the Loads panel, click Force.
02:24
In the Force dialog, set the Magnitude to 100 newtons.
02:30
On the part, select the inside face on all four mounting slots.
02:39
Click OK.
02:42
You can set up a preserved region around the mounting slots for areas that you want to remain after the shape generation is created.
02:50
From the Goals and Criteria panel, click Preserve Region.
02:55
Select the top face, and then use the arrows on the bounding box to define the selection.
03:03
Extend the box to fully include both slotted tabs of the part.
03:10
Click OK.
03:14
Click Preserve Region again.
03:17
This time, select the top face on one of the lower mounting flanges.
03:23
Then, use the arrows to extend the box around both lower flanges.
03:31
Next, define some symmetry planes.
03:34
In the Goals and Criteria panel, click Symmetry Plane.
03:40
In the Symmetry Pane dialog, under Active Planes, select only the Horizontal and Vertical direction options.
03:48
Click OK.
03:50
Still in the Goals and Criteria panel, click Shape Generator Settings.
03:56
Under Mass Target, select Reduce original by (%) and enter a value of 50.
04:03
Set the Mesh Resolution towards Fine with a value of 2, and then click OK.
04:10
In the Mesh panel, click Mesh View.
04:15
The part calculates and the final mesh appears.
04:20
Finally, from the Run panel, click Generate Shape.
04:24
In the Generate Shape dialog, click Run.
04:29
Shape Generator may take several minutes to complete the analysis, to create the optimal shape based upon the criteria that you defined.
04:37
Once the new shape is generated, notice how much material you can remove
04:43
and still have the part perform as it was originally designed.
04:47
Save your file.
Video transcript
00:03
The Shape Generator in Inventor helps you design lightweight, structurally efficient parts.
00:09
In this tutorial, you use the Shape Generator to set up a stiff, lightweight part to modify an existing assembly part.
00:17
To begin, from the Quick Access Toolbar, click Projects.
00:23
In the Projects dialog, click Browse, navigate to where you saved the project files, and then select Assembly Conveyor.ipj and click Open..
00:34
In the Project dialog, click Done.
00:38
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:45
Select Assembly Conveyer.iam and click Open.
00:50
In this conveyor assembly, the blue part needs to be made lighter but still perform under the load it was originally designed for.
01:00
To work on only the blue part, from the Quick Access Toolbar, in the Selection Priority drop-down, pick Select Part Priority.
01:14
Click the blue part to select it, then right-click it and select Open to open the part.
01:23
On the ribbon, in the 3D Model tab, Explore panel, click Shape Generator to open the Analysis contextual tab
01:31
and start the shape generation process.
01:35
If the Shape Generator dialog appears, you can choose to not show it again, or click OK.
01:43
You need to set some variables so that Inventor can make calculations.
01:49
To set the material for this part, from the Quick Access Toolbar,
01:53
expand the Material drop-down and select Steel, Mild in the Autodesk Material Library.
02:00
Next, create constraints.
02:04
In the Analysis tab, Constraints panel, click Fixed to open the Fixed Constraint dialog.
02:12
In the display, select the two faces of the mounting pads, and then select OK.
02:19
To apply a load, from the Loads panel, click Force.
02:24
In the Force dialog, set the Magnitude to 100 newtons.
02:30
On the part, select the inside face on all four mounting slots.
02:39
Click OK.
02:42
You can set up a preserved region around the mounting slots for areas that you want to remain after the shape generation is created.
02:50
From the Goals and Criteria panel, click Preserve Region.
02:55
Select the top face, and then use the arrows on the bounding box to define the selection.
03:03
Extend the box to fully include both slotted tabs of the part.
03:10
Click OK.
03:14
Click Preserve Region again.
03:17
This time, select the top face on one of the lower mounting flanges.
03:23
Then, use the arrows to extend the box around both lower flanges.
03:31
Next, define some symmetry planes.
03:34
In the Goals and Criteria panel, click Symmetry Plane.
03:40
In the Symmetry Pane dialog, under Active Planes, select only the Horizontal and Vertical direction options.
03:48
Click OK.
03:50
Still in the Goals and Criteria panel, click Shape Generator Settings.
03:56
Under Mass Target, select Reduce original by (%) and enter a value of 50.
04:03
Set the Mesh Resolution towards Fine with a value of 2, and then click OK.
04:10
In the Mesh panel, click Mesh View.
04:15
The part calculates and the final mesh appears.
04:20
Finally, from the Run panel, click Generate Shape.
04:24
In the Generate Shape dialog, click Run.
04:29
Shape Generator may take several minutes to complete the analysis, to create the optimal shape based upon the criteria that you defined.
04:37
Once the new shape is generated, notice how much material you can remove
04:43
and still have the part perform as it was originally designed.
04:47
Save your file.
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