Autodesk Inventor: Copy Object in Assembly

Sometimes when you are presented with a task it may seem like a tedious endeavor to complete.  Let's take the following example...

Here's an IGES file from our client...

Here's a block...

Assembly them in our welder and create a nesting for the IGES in the block...

If you know the right tools, this is a pretty easy task though.  What we are going to do here is use Copy Object inside the assembly while in Part Edit mode to allow us to reuse geomtry from the assembly as well maintain an associative link to the geometry in case it updates and moves around.

Now you shouldn't do this with everything unless you like long update times.  For a couple parts here or there its not noticeable, but over projecting and linking can be a dangerous thing.  For now, lets see how our nesting block is created in this week's video tip...

 

For those without streaming video access, the process is as follows...

1. Edit the Block Part in Place in the Assembly (Associative or Non-Associative)
2. Use Copy Object to create construction surfaces in the block from the IGES file
3. Use the Sculpt command to remove solid geometry from the block
4. Move the IGES file to see the Associative goemetry update the modeling history