Inventor TNT (Tips and Tricks): Avoid Mistakes for Maximum Productivity

HUGO TREPANIER: Thank you to assist to a new session Inventor TNT tips and tricks. How do I avoid mistakes for maximum productivity? My name is Hugo Trepanier, so I'm your AU speaker today. I'm a technical consultant for SolidCAD Quebec, Canada since 2012 for CAD and data management. Sorry for my strange French accent, I'm from the East coast of Canada. So the French side.

Just to continue to present me, I'm a certified inventor and SolidCAD professional since 2005, data management implementations certified expert. I have been a business owner in the past, as a heavy duty equipment manufacturer. Also ERP/MRP implementation experience, and more than 25 years of experience in 3D designs on different 3D products. So now, the class overview today. Inventory is a powerful software. So after many years of training, and I see some mistakes done inside inventory by many users, and the goal is just to improve your productivity. So today, learn how to avoid common mistakes, learn how to improve productivity with templates, BOMs, and iLogic, discover the proper use of content center and properties management, gain tips and tricks for parts, assemblies, and drawings. The result, productivity.

So first, learn how to avoid common mistakes. Before starts, two frequent mistakes. So the first is the bad installation. Before starting Inventor, please install and follow Autodesk recommendation. Your hardware, your 3D graphic card need to be with the recommendation of Autodesk. So also, please use an administrator account. If you don't use administrator account, you could have a problem during the installation and have a bad installation. Also, antivirus and UAC. You need to disable this and UAC will lower down. Please follow the instructions inside my handout, because this security could also create a bad installation.

Also, Inventor setup. Please use a correct 3D graphic driver. If you use AMD or Nvidia, I also have it linked inside my handout, and you will be able to seek the correct setup to maximize your production with the Inventor and have a good graphic performance. Big mistakes. Inventor project. Please never use default project. So many people that always start the Inventor with the default, no. You need to have a dedicated project with a specific workspace. Vault project uses a specific workspace, if you create Vault or not Vault, two days, not a Vault session. It's in Inventor, with or without Vault.

So I suggest, move to Vault project if you have a big business and need to share across the company. And also use a collaboration with other team members. But if you use Inventor for your personal use, just please use a dedicated project to have a maximum productivity. Inventor project uses some external database. The appearance libraries and material libraries are 8.ADS key lib files. It's external. Also the design data folder, it's all your style. It's also external. And also the content center database and content center files are two things. The content center files are the files generated by the content center database. And the content center database need to be set up inside your project. So make sure to have a correct project with correct setup because you will see in this session some problems you could have with a bad project setup.

So first, the design and material appearance. This is to external database. The design is the folder and also probably some of you already see a style conflict during a new drawings, for example. Why? Simply because the new [INAUDIBLE] always update with the external style. Common mistakes is try to modify template without an adapt update design data. It's a big problem because if you make it change inside your drying templates, you could, I changed for example, the style of my font, use outside of your partners.

And when you create the new, then you can always update without missing information. So is the same for new material. I will show you here. So this is inside Inventor, just a simple material. You have two different parts, same material, but different color definition. So one is titanium definition, and the other one, it's moil for gold or key definition. So when I go and manage and update this part, because the style is external. You have a style and also material. In this case, I just need to update my materials.

The inventory material is external one, no update because I have exactly the same material. If I'm going in SolidCAD this is my order library. I have the same material but different definition. So if I use this library and create update, what's happened now with my parts, they just resolve inside the file with the correct information. It's the same. If I go in this file and compare with the Inventor material library, it's not the same. The return with the other color. So you understand that you need to have the correct library link with your project. Again, you have two libraries. So one is the appearance and order is material.

In this case, you can see the black one is the default, you could right click on your SolidCAD for example, here and activate the default library use for your project. So now if you go in drawings, I will show you now similar behavior inside the drawings. You see here mid-range with a specific dimension. I will open the other one. It's exactly the same, but other file. The two are exactly the same. But if I'm going inside this one and make a change on this dimension style, I will simply decide this dimension style to remove, for example, two digits, and just keep my primary dimension.

So go in here. I was select precision and just keep one, zero. Save. Like the material, when you save this, the change is made locally inside this file. Now I will say this. If I'm going back in the order drawing, remain like this, and update, this style is exactly like my external database design data. If I'm going back in this drawing and push back the style inside my design data, I will save this and replace inside the design data folder. The external that is now we have this new information to have zero digit, just keep the first without two digit. And now if I can go back inside the other drawing and click, now this one would update. I would update with the new change. Now this drawing will be affected by the design data. And now my new design that I enforce design the style outside the file.

So remember, the project needs to be set up correctly because the design data, the style library, gets outside and you could easily manage your internal style with this tool. Very interesting. So again, if you go inside the project, you will see the read and write. Because my project allows me to write inside the design data folder. If you do in read only, you cannot do this. You need absolutely to have a read and write. You see, here's a new command. I create the new file from my templates. I have a tight conflict. Why? Because the new command always updates style. So it's why you have this message.

If you need to just disable this message, you need to update your template and simply hey, I will save back again, this template, because I start with this message. I would like to have an update. The file is now updated. I will save as a template, and now I will replace this one, buy a new updated one, and now I don't have a problem with my style library. So my same template updated, that's it. So if you make any change inside the design data, the template will be updated. If you make a change inside your template and don't update the design data, you will lose your change. Simply to understand, but it's a common mistake with Inventor.

Now, how to improve productivity with templates, BOMs, and iLogic. Templates. The final goal, normally, is to have correct information inside your BOM for your shop floor, for your parcels, and you need to define correctly your information. So, the property box inside Inventor is interesting, but normally, it's not the best way. Ilogic could simplify this with the iLogic form. So instead of filling it in manually, you could use the forms with iLogic. And also, I will show you some tips with the external reference, 2D and 3D. We need to be ready.

So I will show you now inside Inventor. If you go in properties, for example I need to enter title, subject project. You need to move left and right and go in different table and doing custom. Please don't waste time here. If you try to fill this, you will have some problem, but just longer. ILogic allows you to create a form. How I did it, this one because it's too simple to create. I had the form and with iLogic you could easily ass parameters, rules, and high properties. In this case, I would like just to add description and feel, for example, title and company name and why not to use also parameter. The parameters, it's interesting because, in this case, this is the text parameters like a dropdown list.

So my form is now complete. I will go now and start my form. And if I modify this, my property will be modified, and description here, test, will be filled inside my properties. So better than just to go in the property box. Again, you see finish as in any. So I have a dropdown list inside my text parameter. This is a new T value text. So now, you could also link this multi value with Excel instead of modifying manually. So you could easily use iLogic to link an Excel information with your dropdown list. You can see here, I have different finish, and I would like to, inside my form, access to a new finish. I would simply have, inside my Excel, some, for example, made material, also for example, varnish. Finish. Save my Excel file.

In this case, I will just update with the rule my Excel. So I would just close my form for now because if you just close this, because I can see here I would just close and restart my form. So just to understand that, hey, the link is now a bit. And if I select varnish, for example, in my dropdown list I will find inside my custom properties. So varnish here. So it's very simple, if you use iLogic, to define and enforce your properties with the correct information. So just use the link, and also to the form to complete your properties.

So now, BOM tool. You probably know BOM inside IM file. The BOM tool is very interesting because, with or without Vault, you could easily manage properties. So it's interesting. Sometimes, if you need to manage many parts and sometimes you need assembly, it's why I would give you a tips here to improve productivity if you need to massively change many files in same time. The BOM tool works with a high end file.

So if I start with the new IM, I would just start with the new IM file, because I need to modify many parts in the same order. So I would create the IM update prop, just for my tool. So you open the Windows Explorer. So inside the Windows Explorer, you could easily find your high T or parts inside a project, and simply use Control A or select all files and drag and drop inside Inventor. Why? I just need my BOM 2. Just drag and drop files and that's it. I have an assembly without constraint. I don't need constraints. I just need to access to the bill of material.

Now BOM, it's your database, and you are able to select your properties and change properties here, and change anything you want. Example, I would like to change material. I could just drag and drop, because the material, it's not a textbook list. It it's a dropdown list, linked with your material library. You could easily change whole parts or material in the same time here from titanium to steel made, for example. So it's very easy and also sometimes better than Vault because inside Vault, you cannot change the material. You need Inventor to change material. In this case, the BOM 2 could be very interesting to change appearance, material, or properties.

Now BOM and parts list. The difference because the BOM is embedded inside your assembly, the parts list is inside your drawings. Inside your drawings, I would just go here. Well just go in the parts list. You see the blue line here? The problem with the parts list is because you could bypass the information from your parts. And the best ways, use content center, for example. If you use a content center parts, it's problematic, because if you try to change this, it's probably locked our not able to change your properties. And sometimes you have the biggest mistake, change here. You always change here. And the best way is hey, I would change in the source files inside the custom content center. The custom content center will allow you to have the correct information without having a blue line. So please, the best way is don't bypass the information. Have the real information inside the part.

So the next step inside my session today. It's discover the proper use of content center and properties management. The Content Center editor. It's inside Inventor. You work with Vault or not, it's the same deal. The difference is if you work with a big company, you have many other users, you need to have a centralized command and center database for the entire company. I suggest you use Vault. But you could also have a desktop content. It's high DCL file, this is the database supplied by Autodesk, so also be available to be changed. I will show you now inside a content center.

If you create a new library, for example here I create my certificate library. This is the read and write. All of the libraries are supplied generic by Autodesk. And you need to start with generic, but you need to adapt to your reality. So you need to create the best ways to create your own content center. They will follow you. Each version of inventory, you will be able to migrate this and follow for use tool for probably end of your life or your business. The content center, now, editor.

So I would just go in my next slide. Go back here. Inside Inventor, a good example here. This is a drawing with parecels. You see the parcels, you see the definition of the description. That is bad, because the property is inside the content center files, you see it inside the project description. So, the description is the generic description supplied by Autodesk for hull boats. You see, the family properties here have a family description. You don't have a descriptions by member of this family. You see the Family Table? I have just a table. This is the generic.

If I create my own content center, I will go in my project, and now, set up , with my project, the content center database is SolidCAD now. I just checked my read and write, and my read and write take control of all of my family. So if you need to bypass the content that you see now, my family here, it's my family. My custom of purity to the generic one, this is the family description. But in this case, I am able to have the custom cut on SolidCAD description with a specific description like, a concatenate inside Excel, to project descriptions, the mapping.

So, each row will be pushed back inside the project description. What's happening now? The file already exists. I use the refresh tool. The parts are out of date. I refresh and my content center database push back inside the content center parts, the new properties. So it's very interesting because it's why you cannot modify a part like this. You cannot modify properties. You need to keep the contents under the database, manage the part, and that's it. The discussion is now update with different descriptions. If I go inside my properties, you see this content center file. Normally you cannot change this, but content center database are able to do this.

Please, when you use a project, you need to define the correct external database. If I disable my SolidCAD just to show you what's happened, like a mistake. Hey, I will save my SMB now, I will refresh again, and what's happened? I would have the general description now. Because my personal content center is not check inside my project, and the information will return to my part or generate one with the description from Autodesk content center. So, normally use a content center, but personally a custom content center is better.

So the content center, I have big tips for you. If you have, for example, 1,000 files that already exist inside the content center files, the content center files is already generated. When you place a part, remember you have a content center to decide the application options to refresh out-of-date standard parts during placement. But it's only during placement. If you need to refresh the entire content center, the best way is to refresh inside an assembly. So how to massively update the entire content center files? It's simple. Use the same way down the BOM. Go into any assembly. So just drag and drop with Windows Explorer and you have a whole boat or washer, and start refresh. That's it. So we'll be able to push back from the content center database your correct high properties.

Now, gain tips and tricks for parts, assemblies, and drawings. This is the last part of my AU session today. Inside the parts. You have a parametric model with the model browser. Model browser is a good tool, but personally, it's not the best. It's interesting to know what is the order of the conception. The 3D conception intent. So in my case, the left click is your best friend inside the Inventor. Don't waste time to try to for the feature inside the browser. So the best way is just use the left click.

Also, view cube is a very interesting tool inside parts. Sometimes people don't know what you can do with the view cube. And also, I will show you how to convert line for center point inside Inventor. So some tips here, inside Inventor. If I go in my model browser on the left side, you can see many features, and I have, for example, old feature here. If you set a code inside the browser, it's probably longer than just close the browser. And left click. The first icon here is edit the function. You could easily change your O size or left click and signal edit sketch. Keep your eyes on your cursor, and just left click edit sketch. So change a sketch, change the size, and that's it.

The left click is very interesting because you could easily left click and also, hey, would like to see my sketch now. Just, hey, it's visible. Invisible? Left click, turn off. Instead, use browser. Keep your eyes here, on the cursor. You see the cube now, 3D cube? It's not aligned with my unit coordinate system. Why? Because I define my cube. It's my tool. So I want to use here with my right click menu, I look at. And now I need to realign my cube, the top with this face. Set your end view as top. Now my cube is aligned with the top of this part. Interesting.

So also, you could use the whole view. The whole view, if I need to change I would prefer this side. Set current view as own, fit to view and, I have a new own view. Now this is the right, and this is the front. I prefer the front to our side, so I could select, this side will be from you. You define the front, you define the top, and it's very simple. So you see here, the top. I would just go in the side and really find the top and design. The cube is very important inside your drive view because you use the view cube to align your drawing.

Again, if you create this sketch on this face, left click and create sketch. How do you use a line as a construction line? Center to center, and convert this lined to center point. Use the geometry and convert to center point is a great tool also inside Inventor to create for example, old center by the center of this park. And it's easier to do this instead of creating a horizontal constraint or vertical constraint. So I start my old [INAUDIBLE]

So, some tips inside the parts. Also, inside I would just continue with the next slide. The tips and tricks now in assembly. Assembly is probably one of the most, you have missed some time inside the constraint to try to constrain parts and also use selection. So the constraint is barely problematic if you use angular constraint. The correct angular constraint is not the two first, it's the last one, because you have a direction. Also, selection tool is very important because you will save time inside your assembly and also inside your view representation. So I will show you some tips inside assembly inside Inventor.

The first one is angular constraint. You see here, I have a small assembly with hand angle. And if you use angular constraint with the two first inside the last one, you could have a problem because sometimes people have a flip part from side and sometimes a flip side. Update assembly. If you don't need this inside Inventor, please use the default one. Three explicit vectors. Face, face, and face. I said face because I know the perpendicular direction to the face will remain to have a correct angle. I have a 30 degrees here. This is positive, I use the negative to flip. But I prefer positive. I will keep 30 degrees, but simply flip the direction of my z-axis to just revert this side.

So the translation is like your z-axis. You could also select to the z-axis perpendicular or not face, just to explain this is the side of the z. You don't require a perpendicular face. So this is the best way to create the direction. To select a face, you could also instead select, in this case, just to show you, if I select and revert the session first is this one and second this one. Also, you could revert. Personally, I prefer to use the third one to revert the direction. It's better, because your selection could be different.

So here I select two edge. You could use two edges, but you see here the edge in front and back don't have the same direction. It's why you don't control this. If I select on the other side, I have the two directions in the same direction. So I prefer to use face, because I know that it's always perpendicular to the face for the direction. It's better to use the contrary. So now, I'm going back in my assembly, and you see here the assembly with parts. And subassembly has two levels now. I will select and force a selection with this part priority. The part priority allows you to select, in the screen, parts, not the subcomponent. Just the parts.

So it's easier, because you could easily make visible or open the file without using the browser and find the part. But if you make invisible a part I suggest you create a new representation view. So I have a view on now, I could make invisible the part like this. But personally, if you need to make invisible or make visible the part, for example I would like to make visible, I prefer to use headed view. Why? Because you have a filter that, hey, I would like to view exclude. Click, and now the part reappears.

So the edit view inside the view is probably one of the biggest mistakes, some people don't use this and, hey, if you exclude, you include. And I could also exclude here part and [INAUDIBLE] at the same time. Interesting, because I clicked one, and [INAUDIBLE] would disappear. So very interesting. If you need to just make invisible some boats, washer, and many other parts inside your assembly, the headed view is very powerful if you use to exclude and include, also called component, or just one. Your choice. It's the best way inside assembly to use this tool.

So the next and last slide today, it's tips and tricks and 2D drawings. Normally with drawings you need to create dimension. Also, sometimes you could also use the section, too. The marquee menu is a great tool inside the 2D drawings because you probably need many time for example, to create the balloon and parts that always remain the same function. So it's interesting. And also, I will show you the crossing section tune inside the drawing.

If I show you here inside my Inventor drawing, you see I set an edge by default. Drawing is edge selection. But again, set part purity and you could access to the part instead of edge. Easy to open. So in this case, if you make invisible the part, please, it's OK but it's hard to turn on now. Because if you use that design view and link the design view from the assembly, it's a better way. If I open now my assembly during my representation view, and this view if I make invisible, will be updated inside my drawing.

Other tips inside drawing. If the selection for select how Inventor dimension, you have a filter here. Select high inventory dimensions. Easy to delete all dimensions at the same time. If you make a change on a dimension, for example I would like to have the tolerance, I would choose a symmetric for example, tolerance, plus minus two. And I change this for just this one, the matched property to exist inside Inventor, just click, right click, and copy properties to hold your dimension crossing selection window section, available inside Inventor. So very useful to do this.

Also, if I need to create inside my drawing a parts list and instead click parts list and click view. I would like to have a command with my right click marking menu. I will simply change this. You go inside the tool, and inside the tool with access to customize menu. And you will be able to select a marking menu and change when I select a drawing and select a view, I will be able to change crop by the parts list, for example. I will make a search here. Parts list, and assign this function to this button. Now I click the view, right click, parts list.

If you create balloon same thing. So inside the drawing, you have a repetitive function to do. Please just adapt this. Again, if you need to use the baseline ordinate or chain, remember you could select which crossing window. I select the first. And when those select for order, right click continue, all this to mention it now. It's the best way to dimension for alternate chain and baseline, to select the hand that you're drawing with the window select. So some, people don't do this inside and select one by one. So it's nice, it's also inside.

So now is the conclusion. So the end for my presentation today at Hayu. So many thanks to assessed and if you like this class, please recommend. Also if you need to add comment, you could comment my class. I hope that this class would be helpful for you. So thank you.