Inserting Decals Into an Inventor Assembly

I ran into a case last week where a user had parts that needed various decals depending on what Autodesk Inventor assembly the parts were used in. Placing the decals on the parts would mean many derived parts with different decals applied. This would create many parts for little benefit. As an alternative, each assembly could have a single decal part in it.
 
The following steps show the workflow for creating a decal part inside of an assembly.

 
Click somewhere in the assembly to place the newly created part.
It may be better if you temporarily turn off the other parts transparency off.

 
Next copy some surfaces into the part that was just created.

 
You can turn the Associativity off if you don’t plan on the parts moving. Leaving the associative on will cause the decals to move with the other parts in the assembly as they move.

 

 
I had to thicken the surfaces so I had something to apply the decal to. I thought I could apply the decal to the surface but then when I turn the surface off the decal went away as well. I thickened the surface (0.01”) into the into the other parts to hide the solid. I then had to change the new solids to a matching color to hide them.
 
Then it’s on to applying the decals. Remember to make sure the Link check box is not checked.

 

 
So only a single part is was created that holds all the decals for the assembly and the original parts can all have different decals this way.
 

Shout out to Vlad Syrkin for the sample model I used here. Download your own copy of this dream pc here https://grabcad.com/library/water-cooled-pc-plumber-s-dream-1

Comments

[John Hackney]

Great article Stan! I think the Copt Object command has so many uses and it is rarely used by designers.

[Radu Stancescu]

nice idea, I may use this very soon!
Thank you Stan.

[Stan Wile]

Thanks Radu. Good to hear from you again. Oh and you as well John. I missed your comment there.