ASCENT Blog

Inventor 3D Annotations: WebCast Q&A

By Jennifer MacMillan

Thanks to those of you that attended my WebCast on Aug 30^th. We have now posted the recording and you can view it on our YouTube channel by clicking HERE. Enjoy! 

The following were questions that I didn’t get to on the call. I hope that these answers help explain this tool a little further.

Question (Harold): Is it possible to show dimension values in the model browser? Or just 1-2-3-4-5 etc.
Answer: All annotations are listed in the Annotations folder in sequential order. To help identify a Dimension annotation in the list I would recommend renaming the annotation in the folder to something that helps identify it. You rename the same way as you rename features, double-click (slowly) and enter a new name in the field.

Question (Andrew): How do you document revisions on a MBD part?
Answer: As of right now this is not possible. Hopefully this is something that evolves with the tool. A couple suggestions that Autodesk recommended are:

• Add a General Note with the revision info
• Use the iProperties revision field
• Add an Engineers Notebook entry to document the change
• Use a PDM system to manage revisions

Question (Andrew): Can you assign dimension sets in a 3D model?
Answer: Dimensional Annotations are all individual and cannot reference one another as is done in the drawing environment with Ordinate, Baseline or Chain dimension. They must either be prompted from a sketch (where this dimensioning scheme is not supported) or be created by selecting entities on the geometry.

Question (Andrew): Can the MBD part be published to DWF with dims visible?
Answer: Below is an image of the available Export types. Unfortunately, DWF is not supported.

Question (Andrew): Where do you set the dimension defaults like the dimension styles in drawings?
Answer: This is not something that is documented by Autodesk in Help and there seems to be a lot of behind the scenes control done by the software. All styles are included in the Style and Standard Editors in both the part and drawing environments. If you look in the categories that are used by 3DA’s you will see styles that have 3DA appended to the name. This is what is controlling the standards but what is unclear is how the Active Standard (set in Document Settings) ties to which styles. There also does not seem to be a way to create your own style. Hope that this little bit of information helps. Hopefully this develops in future releases.

Question (John): How do 3D annotations (3DA) relate to model tolerances?
Answer: All of the design data that is created in the 3D part is pulled from the model when annotated. If you had assigned a tolerance value in a sketch and used that sketch dimension (i.e. promoted it) the tolerance comes with it. I meant to highlight this in my demo and it slipped my mind (Sorry.. this is a great question). In the following image, I have turned on the visibility of sketch dimensions and then I promoted the ø40 and ø90 dimensions into 3D Annotations. The ø40 sketch dimension already had a tolerance assigned from when it was sketched and this was also promoted. The ø90 sketch dimension didn’t have a tolerance assigned and it does not have one when promoted. I can edit a 3DA and add a tolerance and if it had been promoted it is assigned back to the sketch.

 
The same holds for feature dimensions. For example, if a hole dimension is shown and wasn’t initially modeled with a tolerance, once promoted and the 3DA is assigned a tolerance value, that value is assigned back to the feature. One caution..  If you later delete the Dimensional Annotation because you made an error, the tolerance value does not get deleted. It was assigned back to the sketch or feature and stays there.

I further tested and it looks like Tolerance features assign any tolerances back to the part and likewise pickup tolerances from the model. The one annotation that doesn’t seem to do this is the Hole/Thread Note annotation. As I mentioned in the webcast the Hole annotation doesn’t allow for parametric text either. What I might do for hole notes is actually use a Tolerance Feature to assign it and then you can delete the Feature Control Frame and datum identifier.

Question: In the demo you showed promoting from a Sketch, can you promote feature dimensions?
Answer: Yes, both sketch and feature dimensions can be prompted. You must show the dimension to be promoted.

Question: Do the messages in Tolerance Advisor prevent you from outputting an annotated model?
Answer: No, the messages are information only and will not prevent you from outputting a model. That being said, it does offer valuable information on errors that should be reviewed and corrected, if necessary.

Question: Why was the Active Standard pre-set in one of your Demos and not the other?
Answer: All 2018 default templates have the active standard assigned, by default. If the model that you are annotating was created pre-2018 you will need to assign the Active Standard. This can be done in Document Settings or you will be prompted as soon as you create your first Annotation.

I tried to cover a wide range of what the Annotation tools can offer in my WebCast; however, in 60 minutes I certainly couldn’t cover everything. As I mentioned in the WebCast ASCENT has recently released a new learning guide where its sole focus is on Inventor 2018 3D Annotation. If you were interested in continuing your learning it is available on Amazon as well as on our ASCENT eStore (Autodesk Inventor 2018: Working with 3D Annotations & Model-Based Definition).  

 

 

If you have any feedback, please let me know. Thanks again for attending the WebCast!

Jennifer

[email protected]

New Learning Guide available to teach 3D Annotations in Autodesk Inventor 2018!

By Jennifer MacMillan

3D Annotations are now available in Autodesk® Inventor® 2018! This is great news for everyone looking to implement a Model-based Definition workflow or to add 3D annotations and then share the manufacturable design using a 3D PDF. Additionally, for those that still need 2D drawings, you can also retrieve the 3D annotations directly into a drawing view. These are really useful and welcomed enhancements to the 2018 release! To support the learning of all the new tools, ASCENT has released a new title, Autodesk Inventor 2018: Working with 3D Annotations & Model-Based Definition.

To get started, you will see that all annotation tools are available in the Annotate tab and that they are nicely broken up into three descriptive panels: Geometric Annotation, General Annotation, and Notes.

 
You can create seven different types of 3D annotations:

• Dimension annotations display and visually identify the exact size, location, and acceptable tolerance values for a selected geometry.
• Hole/Thread Note annotations communicate how a hole is to be manufactured.
• Surface Texture annotations communicate special surface finishes for faces on the model.
• Leader Text and General Note annotations communicate additional text-based model information. Leader text annotations reference model geometry, whereas General note annotations are added to one of the four screen quadrants.

 

• Tolerance Feature attaches GD&T annotations to faces of a 3D model to accurately define the acceptable size variations during manufacturing.
• General Profile Note annotations can be used to assign a profile tolerance for any face that does not explicitly have a tolerance feature assigned.

The focus of this ASCENT"s new learning guide (Autodesk Inventor 2018: Working with 3D Annotations & Model-Based Definition) is to teach you how to use the seven annotation types and to share your 3D annotated models as 3D PDFs, as STEP files for use by other software applications, or in 2D drawing views. This learning guide assumes that you know how the model is to be annotated and aims to only explain how they are added using the Autodesk Inventor software.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Jennifer

[email protected]

All in one Measure Tool!

By Jennifer MacMillan

The workflow that was previously used in Autodesk Inventor to conduct measurements has been completely updated in 2018. Instead of multiple measure commands, there is now a single command that can be used to conduct many different types of measurements. The new command is located on either the Inspect or Tools tabs and is simply called Measure ( ). You can also access it in the Marking menu or when entering dimensional values during feature creation.

What I really like about this new tool:

• It is easy to use and very intuitive.
• All possible results for your reference selection are displayed in the Measure browser.
• The references are assigned colors. The first selection is blue and the second is green.
• The expandable and optional Advanced Setting area can define the precision and whether to display the result in multiple unit formats. If you don’t want to modify these settings, you don’t have to even look at this area.
• The orange measurement value in the Measure browser is the value displayed on the model. To display a different value, simply select it in the browser.
• To restart a measurement, left-click in the graphics window. Quick and easy!
• The tool is the same whether you are conducting a measurement in a part or assembly; however, in an assembly you are provided with a series of selection filter options to make selection easier.

Here are some measurement examples:

Measuring Entities and Points

• Select an edge to measure its length and select a second edge to measure the distance between them, as shown below.

 

• Select a circular edge to measure its diameter, radius, length, and angle, as shown below.

• Select a point to measure its location (X, Y, and Z) relative to the active coordinate system, as shown below. Select a second point to measure the distance between them. Individual position values are also measured. The midpoints of entities can also be selected as measurement references.

 

Measuring an Angle

• To measure an angular value, select linear references or faces as shown below. Alternatively, you can measure the angle created by three points by selecting the first two points, press and hold <Shift> and select the third point to define the angle. To measure the angular extent around a circular edge or arc, select it.

Measuring Planar Faces for Perimeter and Area

• Once a planar face is selected, the outside perimeter, the total loop perimeter (all edges that lie on the face), and the area of the face are displayed, as shown below.

 

Measuring Cylindrical Faces for Radius and Area

• Once a cylindrical reference is selected, the radius, diameter, total loop perimeter (all edges that lie on the face), and the area of the face are reported, as shown below.

Measure the Distance Between Components

To measure the minimum distance between components, change the filter option to Part or Component priority and then select two components in the model. Among other reported values, the Measure browser displays the minimum distance between the components, as well as individual solid volume measurements for each component.

I hope that this helps you become more familiar with using the new Measure tool in 2018! If you have any feedback please let me know. Good luck!

Jennifer

[email protected]

What are common uses for silhouette curves in Autodesk Inventor?

Silhouette curves are commonly used for generating parting lines for plastic part design, or for use in multi-body part design.

A silhouette curve represents the contour of the model relative to a specific pull direction. The curve can include both the inner and outer design model boundaries, as shown below. The curve can be best explained by imagining a light shining on the model. The curve is placed wherever there is a silhouette.

The models shown below show two examples of silhouette curves created on similar models. In the left model, the silhouette curve feature creates two curves because the straight faces were excluded, and in the right model, it creates a single curve around the entire model because nothing was excluded.

 

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This information is from the ASCENT training guide: Autodesk Inventor Advanced Part Modeling

3D Sketches in Inventor

By Jennifer MacMillan

I recently spent some time in the 3D sketch environment (not something that I do often). It has been a while; definitely before the Inventor 2017 release. I used to find it tough to sketch and know what plane I was on, and I mostly only used the Project to Curve option. I wanted to share some of the cool features that I found and will certainly use to “control” my 3D sketches.

• There are the  (Ortho Mode) and  (Snap Object) options in the Status bar at the bottom of the graphics window that enable you to better control how the entities are sketched. With Ortho Mode enabled, you can restrict sketching to the X, Y, and Z planes. With Snap Object enabled, you can snap new entities to existing ones. Nice! Definitely makes sketching entities more accurate.
• Additional status bar options are available to enable/disable dynamic dimensioning, inferring constraints, or to show/hide constraints.

• There is more 3D sketching control added with the addition of options (shortcut menu) that help you align and reorient the model to accurately sketch your entities.
  • Use Align to Plane align to sketching triad to a plane.
  • Use the Orient Z and Orient to World to reorient the sketching triad to a custom Z direction or to the world coordinate system.
  • Use Snap Intersection to snap an entity to the intersection of entities. Ortho Mode must be enabled.

• You might be thinking that I am a bit of control freak at this point (you possibly are correct), but there is still more to get excited about. Constraints! Yup... there are more constraints to use. In addition to the pre-2017 constraints, there are options to constrain to a planar face, constrain parallel with the X, Y, or Z axis, or constrain with the XY, YZ, or XZ planes. The equal constraint has also been added.

• You can copy and paste sketches in the same sketch or in a different one. Then I can use the 3D transform tool to manipulate its location in the sketch. It uses the familiar triad to translate (along an axis or in a plane) or rotate.

• Lastly, I love the new sketch tool that enables me to sketch directly on a curved face. Awesome!

 

I certainly encourage you to look at how this environment has improved over the last few releases. You might find a lot more use for 3D sketches and all the “control” it offers.

Jennifer

[email protected]

Inventor Tip: Using Construction Lines, Arcs, and Circles to Sketch Geometry

Construction entities are used as a reference and do not create solid geometry. It is common to use construction lines in sketching to indicate that arcs or circles lie along the same line or to indicate the midpoint of a line. An example of a use for construction circles is shown here:

To sketch a construction entity, in the Format panel, click (Construction) and sketch an entity (e.g., line, arc, etc.). To toggle an already sketched entity from solid to construction (or vice versa), select the entity and click the icon again.

 

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This tip is from the ASCENT training guide: Autodesk Inventor 2017 Advanced Part Modeling

Enhancements to Inventor Presentations in 2017 R2

By Jennifer MacMillan

Since my Webcast last week on Creating Exploded & Animated Views Using the Presentation Environment I have had the opportunity to install and investigate Inventor 2017 R2. This release continues to improve the Presentation Environment. If you are reading this blog and realize that you haven’t had the opportunity to see what was new with 2017 R1, I would highly recommend watching my webcast (click here). In R1 the entire workflow and interface for how you create animations and snapshot views was revamped. My webcast talks (and demos) you through these really exciting changes. I loved what they did in R1 and now with the R2 release the workflow has streamlined even more. Here’s a summary:

• To be consistent with creating drawings from a Model Browser, you can now also create a presentation.

          

• Although available in R1, the Local or World coordinate system options in the Tweak tool didn’t seem to reorient the triad properly. This seems to be working as expected now in R2. The Local option now reorients the triad locally using the component’s coordinate system and the World option reorients the triad relative to the assembly’s coordinate system.
• You can now multi-select tweak and action items in the timeline and drag them as a group. Thank you Autodesk!!
• When editing a tweak or action item Duration, the toolbar provides for alternate ways to define the time. Previously the Duration field was not available. The Duration value for multiple items can also now be edited at once.

           

• Love this one!! It is now possible to quickly align two Tweaks to start or end at the same time. You simply select them using the <Ctrl> key, right-click and select Align Start Time or Align End Time.
• Tweak and action selection in the timeline has also been made easier in R2. To quickly select all timeline entries before or after a specific entry, right-click on the entry and select Select > All Before or Select > All After. These options can be used to select multiple entries at once to make edits. In the case of a group Tweak, you can right-click on one entry in the group and select Select > Group to select all entries in the group.

            

• There were no changes to how snapshot views are created; however, when publishing a snapshot view you can now enter a Resolution value and enable Transparent Background to further customize the output of the raster image.

           

I hope that this update to my webcast helps. If you wanted more formal content, a chapter is dedicated to the Presentation Environment in ASCENT’s Introduction to Solid Modeling training guide. Enjoy all the changes!

Jennifer

[email protected]

Learning Autodesk Fusion 360 from the Beginning with ASCENT

By Jennifer MacMillan

One of our newest ASCENT titles, Autodesk Fusion 360 Introduction to Parametric Modeling, is available as a video-enhanced eBook or eCourse through our ASCENT website and in print through Amazon. This training guide is a little different than the other ASCENT training guides that you know and love. With this blog post I wanted to explain a little about the book.

For those of you learning the Autodesk® Fusion 360™ software, there is considerable crowd-sourced content available to you from various sources; however, what we really noticed is that learners need a good starting point. We decided to focus our initial training guide on the fundamentals of solid parametric modeling to get new users of Fusion 360 off on the right foot.

If you have used our Inventor Introduction to Solid Modeling training guide you will notice a lot of similarities. We begin with the interface and then progress into sketching. Whether you use Fusion 360 to create solids or plan on using all the sculpt tools, a foundation in sketching is necessary. This training guide will help you! Once you have mastered sketching you learn to create solid parametric features, build logic into your designs with parameters and equations, manipulate the model, and efficiently duplicate features. These topics will also provide great value when you move to sculpting. The training guide ends with three chapters dedicated to multi-component models (assemblies), as is also covered in our Inventor curriculum. Distributed design and multi-body modeling are fully discussed to explain both methods for creating assembled designs using Fusion 360. I for one, found that Fusion 360 handles multi-components differently than Inventor and the content will really help you understand it. Here are some additional notes on the training guide:

• Similar to our other ASCENT training guides, the content is hands-on, practice-intensive with supporting explanatory content for all the topics. The exercise files are provided as a download link. As the saying goes “Practice makes perfect” so detailed descriptions of the exercises are provided for you to practice your new skills.
• What is unique, is that we not only provide text-based content, but through our partnership with 4D Technologies, we have provided CADLearning® video content to support many topics. Over 70 video references are included throughout the book to provide demonstrations of key features and tasks. Here’s an example of a topic, some high-level content, pictures, and the video link.

 

• Our video-enhanced eCourse and eBook versions provide color images. If you purchase the print book through Amazon, we are happy to offer you complimentary access to the digital version.

Fusion 360 is certainly gaining the interest of students and professionals in the mechanical design, simulation, and manufacturing spaces. We know that this training guide will get you started and well on your way using Fusion 360. We are looking into how best to create more offerings for you. Let us know if you have any suggestions.

Jennifer

[email protected]

ASCENT Offerings at a Glance: Part 5: Video-Enhanced eLearning Bundles

Although online learning has become more popular in recent years, some still wonder whether it delivers the same experience as classroom training. ASCENT’s Video-Enhanced eLearning Bundles improve the online learning experience in ways that support many different learning styles and improve information retention rates.

Video-Enhanced eLearning Bundles contain all the features of ASCENT’s eLearning bundles, but they also have video lessons from CADLearning integrated throughout the courses. Students report that video content is like having an instructor by their side while they learn online. Videos provide instructors’ descriptions and demonstrations of key features and concepts.

ASCENT currently offers Video-Enhanced eLearning bundles for four Autodesk software offerings:

AutoCAD: Includes 482 videos and the following courses:

• AutoCAD/AutoCAD LT Fundamentals
• AutoCAD Advanced
• AutoCAD 3D Drawing & Modeling

This bundle is available in both metric and mixed units.

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AutoCAD Civil 3D: Includes 130 videos and includes:

• Civil 3D Fundamentals
• Civil 3D for Surveyors
• Civil 3D Grading
• Infraworks Fundamentals

This bundle is available in both metric and imperial units.

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Autodesk Inventor: Includes 277 videos and includes:

• Inventor Introduction to Solid Modeling
• Inventor Advanced Part Modeling
• Inventor Advanced Assembly Modeling
• Inventor Sheet Metal Design courses

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Autodesk Revit Architecture: Includes 248 videos and includes:

• Revit Architecture Fundamentals
• Revit Architecture Conceptual Design & Visualization
• Revit BIM Management: Template and Family Creation
• Revit Collaboration Tools
• Revit Site and Structural Design

This bundle is available in both metric and imperial units.

This post concludes our series on ASCENT’s offerings “At-a-Glance.” To learn more about our training guides, Video-Enhanced eBooks, Instructor Tools, eLearning bundles, or Video-Enhanced eLearning bundles, feel free to contact us.

ASCENT Offerings at a Glance: Part 4: eLearning Bundles

When it comes to employee training, many options exist. Some companies prefer classroom training, while others prefer online education. No matter what flavor of training your organization wants to use, ASCENT can help. If self-paced, online learning is attractive to your team, ASCENT’s eLearning bundles are a great solution.

With our eLearning bundles, content from ASCENT training guides is aggregated into an online learning platform. Through an annual subscription, students have the ability to complete fundamental through advanced level courses from any location that has Internet access. ASCENT offers eLearning bundles for users of Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA, PTC’s Creo, and Autodesk’s AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Inventor, and Autodesk Revit Architecture software.

Online learning is ideal for end-users and instructors, as well as many different types of learners, including new users, experienced users who want a refresh, self-paced learners, and students who can’t spend time away from the office to participate in classroom training. When students use ASCENT’s eLearning bundles, they benefit from:

• Multi-version courseware. If an eLearning bundle is updated to the next software release during a user’s annual subscription period, he or she will automatically receive access to the latest version of courseware once it becomes available. Since ASCENT develops its course content in-house, updates are completed quickly after new software releases are issued.
  
  
• Search functionality. This makes it easy for students to find topics and keywords.
  
  
• Exercise datasets and interactive review quizzes. Datasets are included for each exercise, so students can practice what they’ve learned. In addition, interactive quizzes enable students to answer chapter review questions at the end of each section and instantly receive their score.
  
  
• Transcript reports. These reports show users how long they have spent on each section. In addition, managers can generate usage reports for employees.
  
  
• Course certificates. Every student who receives a passing grade at the end of a course receives a Certificate of Completion.

ASCENT’s eLearning bundles expand the training options available to organizations, while guaranteeing the same quality content that is available through ASCENT’s classroom training materials. In our next blog post, we will explore how eLearning can be enhanced through the use of videos.