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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Import a file into an Inventor assembly as a reference model, to maintain a link to the selected file.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
You can import a file into an Inventor assembly as a reference model, to maintain a link to the selected file,
00:10
which enables you to monitor and update as the model changes.
00:14
To begin, from the Quick Access Toolbar, click Projects.
00:19
In the Projects dialog, click Browse, navigate to where you saved the project files
00:25
and select Base Assembly - Import Projector.ipj then click Open.
00:30
In the Projects dialog, click Done.
00:35
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:39
Select Base Assembly - Import Projector.iam and click Open.
00:46
With the Base Assembly - Import Projector assembly open, from the ribbon, Assemble tab, Component panel,
00:53
expand the Place drop-down and select Place Imported CAD Files.
00:58
Navigate to the Vendor > Sliding Projector Assembly folder located in your downloaded files,
01:05
and select Sliding Projector Assembly v11.SLDASM.
01:11
In the Import dialog, on the Options tab, set the Import Type to Reference.
01:19
You may be working with your vendor and know that there will be some changes made to the projector model assembly.
01:25
By selecting the Reference option, Autodesk AnyCAD technology can be used to update the Inventor model
01:33
if changes are made to the SolidWorks model.
01:35
Switch to the Select tab.
01:38
Click Load Model to preview and select the geometry you want to import into the assembly.
01:45
Expand the Projector sub-assembly folder,
01:48
and notice that there is a Main and Auxiliary PCB board fully modeled in this assembly.
01:55
Since you do not need to have all of this detail listed in the assembly,
01:59
click the status icon to change the status of these two items to exclude them from the import.
02:05
Click OK to place the part into the assembly.
02:09
Right-click to open the Marking menu,
02:13
and select Place Grounded at Origin to correctly locate the part.
02:18
From the Marking menu, select Cancel to close the Insert Part command.
02:23
One of the changes that might be coming to the projector is to the mounting tabs on both sides.
02:30
You can set up the model so that if any changes are made to the projector,
02:34
they are also reflected in your Inventor assembly.
02:37
In the Model Browser, double-click the Base Molding:1 part.
02:42
Expand Mounting Boss and double-click Sketch7 to edit it.
02:47
Click the center point of the unconstrained circle, then drag it away from the boss temporarily.
02:54
On the ribbon, in the Sketch tab, Create panel, click Project Geometry.
02:60
Select the tab face.
03:03
Right-click to activate the Marking menu, and select the Line command.
03:08
Sketch a line between the two midpoints on the slot outline.
03:13
From the Marking menu, click OK to exit the Line command.
03:18
Still in the Sketch tab, in the Constrain panel, click Coincident Constraint,
03:24
and then create a coincident relation between the circle’s center and the midpoint of the line you just sketched.
03:31
Click Finish Sketch to exit the sketch, and then click Return to return to the main assembly.
03:36
Next, replace some files to simulate an update to this import.
03:41
In Windows File Explorer, navigate to the Vendor > Updates folder, and copy the two files to your clipboard.
03:48
Navigate to the Vendor > Sliding Projector Assembly v11 folder and paste the copied files, choosing to replace existing files.
03:58
In the Inventor Model Browser, a lightning bolt indicates that an update has been made to the imported CAD file.
04:06
To complete the update, from the Quick Access Toolbar,
04:10
click Update to apply the updated geometry.
04:13
The boss in the projector assembly automatically updates to match the change to the imported geometry.
04:20
Save the assembly.
Video transcript
00:03
You can import a file into an Inventor assembly as a reference model, to maintain a link to the selected file,
00:10
which enables you to monitor and update as the model changes.
00:14
To begin, from the Quick Access Toolbar, click Projects.
00:19
In the Projects dialog, click Browse, navigate to where you saved the project files
00:25
and select Base Assembly - Import Projector.ipj then click Open.
00:30
In the Projects dialog, click Done.
00:35
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:39
Select Base Assembly - Import Projector.iam and click Open.
00:46
With the Base Assembly - Import Projector assembly open, from the ribbon, Assemble tab, Component panel,
00:53
expand the Place drop-down and select Place Imported CAD Files.
00:58
Navigate to the Vendor > Sliding Projector Assembly folder located in your downloaded files,
01:05
and select Sliding Projector Assembly v11.SLDASM.
01:11
In the Import dialog, on the Options tab, set the Import Type to Reference.
01:19
You may be working with your vendor and know that there will be some changes made to the projector model assembly.
01:25
By selecting the Reference option, Autodesk AnyCAD technology can be used to update the Inventor model
01:33
if changes are made to the SolidWorks model.
01:35
Switch to the Select tab.
01:38
Click Load Model to preview and select the geometry you want to import into the assembly.
01:45
Expand the Projector sub-assembly folder,
01:48
and notice that there is a Main and Auxiliary PCB board fully modeled in this assembly.
01:55
Since you do not need to have all of this detail listed in the assembly,
01:59
click the status icon to change the status of these two items to exclude them from the import.
02:05
Click OK to place the part into the assembly.
02:09
Right-click to open the Marking menu,
02:13
and select Place Grounded at Origin to correctly locate the part.
02:18
From the Marking menu, select Cancel to close the Insert Part command.
02:23
One of the changes that might be coming to the projector is to the mounting tabs on both sides.
02:30
You can set up the model so that if any changes are made to the projector,
02:34
they are also reflected in your Inventor assembly.
02:37
In the Model Browser, double-click the Base Molding:1 part.
02:42
Expand Mounting Boss and double-click Sketch7 to edit it.
02:47
Click the center point of the unconstrained circle, then drag it away from the boss temporarily.
02:54
On the ribbon, in the Sketch tab, Create panel, click Project Geometry.
02:60
Select the tab face.
03:03
Right-click to activate the Marking menu, and select the Line command.
03:08
Sketch a line between the two midpoints on the slot outline.
03:13
From the Marking menu, click OK to exit the Line command.
03:18
Still in the Sketch tab, in the Constrain panel, click Coincident Constraint,
03:24
and then create a coincident relation between the circle’s center and the midpoint of the line you just sketched.
03:31
Click Finish Sketch to exit the sketch, and then click Return to return to the main assembly.
03:36
Next, replace some files to simulate an update to this import.
03:41
In Windows File Explorer, navigate to the Vendor > Updates folder, and copy the two files to your clipboard.
03:48
Navigate to the Vendor > Sliding Projector Assembly v11 folder and paste the copied files, choosing to replace existing files.
03:58
In the Inventor Model Browser, a lightning bolt indicates that an update has been made to the imported CAD file.
04:06
To complete the update, from the Quick Access Toolbar,
04:10
click Update to apply the updated geometry.
04:13
The boss in the projector assembly automatically updates to match the change to the imported geometry.
04:20
Save the assembly.
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