& Construction

Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing

Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Make modifications to a shape-generated part by removing unneeded material.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
Once a part has been run through the Shape Generator in Inventor,
00:07
the result mesh serves as a guide for making modifications to your model.
00:12
The aim is to create a lightweight part that performs as well as the original part.
00:19
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:23
Navigate to where you saved the project files, select the IONIZER_HOLDER_BRACKET.1_2.ipt file, and then click Open.
00:34
This part file has already been run through the Shape Generator,
00:38
based on criteria to create an optimal shape with less material.
00:43
You can now promote this shape-generated part and make modifications based on the resulting mesh.
00:50
On the ribbon, in the 3D Model tab, Explore panel, click Shape Generator to access the contextual Analysis tab.
00:58
From the Analysis tab, Export panel, click Promote Shape.
01:03
In the Promote Shape dialog, select Current Part File, and then click OK.
01:10
In the success popup, click OK.
01:14
On the ribbon, in the Sketch tab, Sketch panel, click Start 2D Sketch.
01:21
Select the top face of the part to place the 2D sketch.
01:26
To project the edges of the existing part into the sketch, in the Create panel, click Project Geometry, and then select the four edges.
01:37
Next, from the Create panel, select the Line command.
01:42
Place a line between the midpoint of the upper projected line and the midpoint of the lower projected line.
01:49
Press ESC to exit the Line command.
01:53
To change the line to a center line, select the line, and then in the Format panel, click Centerline.
02:00
Using the mesh as a guide, use the Line tool to draw line segments to cut away unneeded material from the left half of the existing design.
02:10
When drawing lines, if the point alignment feature is distracting, you can hold the SHIFT key to temporarily disable it.
02:18
Continue to draw one side of the part, and do not worry about the corner radii for this step.
02:24
Just draw using lines.
02:28
You can now mirror these cut away sections onto the right half of the design.
02:35
In the Pattern panel, click Mirror.
02:39
In the Mirror dialog, click Select and expand a box over the left half of the line segment drawing you just created.
02:47
Next, select the centerline created previously, and click Mirror line.
02:53
Click Apply, and then Done.
02:56
In the Exit panel, click Finish Sketch to exit out of the sketch.
03:02
Next, in the 3D Model tab, Create panel, click Extrude.
03:07
On the part, select all of the closed profiles.
03:11
In the Behavior rollout, set the Direction to Symmetric, and the Distance A to Through All.
03:19
In the Output, Boolean, select Cut.
03:22
Click OK.
03:24
In the Model browser, right-click the mesh item and click Visibility to turn the mesh off.
03:31
You can now add some fillets to the design.
03:35
In the Modify panel, click Fillet.
03:39
Select the sharp corner edges and set the Radius to 3mm.
03:49
Click Apply and continue.
03:52
Select the remaining interior corner edges and set the radius to 5mm.
03:58
Click OK.
04:00
Create four moreadditional fillets with a 20mm radius on the upper and lowerouter corners of the middle cutouts.
04:10
Click OK to create the fillets.
04:14
Finally, from the Model browser, right-click on the mesh item and select Visibility to turn the mesh back on.
04:21
Make sure to Save the part file.
Video transcript
00:03
Once a part has been run through the Shape Generator in Inventor,
00:07
the result mesh serves as a guide for making modifications to your model.
00:12
The aim is to create a lightweight part that performs as well as the original part.
00:19
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:23
Navigate to where you saved the project files, select the IONIZER_HOLDER_BRACKET.1_2.ipt file, and then click Open.
00:34
This part file has already been run through the Shape Generator,
00:38
based on criteria to create an optimal shape with less material.
00:43
You can now promote this shape-generated part and make modifications based on the resulting mesh.
00:50
On the ribbon, in the 3D Model tab, Explore panel, click Shape Generator to access the contextual Analysis tab.
00:58
From the Analysis tab, Export panel, click Promote Shape.
01:03
In the Promote Shape dialog, select Current Part File, and then click OK.
01:10
In the success popup, click OK.
01:14
On the ribbon, in the Sketch tab, Sketch panel, click Start 2D Sketch.
01:21
Select the top face of the part to place the 2D sketch.
01:26
To project the edges of the existing part into the sketch, in the Create panel, click Project Geometry, and then select the four edges.
01:37
Next, from the Create panel, select the Line command.
01:42
Place a line between the midpoint of the upper projected line and the midpoint of the lower projected line.
01:49
Press ESC to exit the Line command.
01:53
To change the line to a center line, select the line, and then in the Format panel, click Centerline.
02:00
Using the mesh as a guide, use the Line tool to draw line segments to cut away unneeded material from the left half of the existing design.
02:10
When drawing lines, if the point alignment feature is distracting, you can hold the SHIFT key to temporarily disable it.
02:18
Continue to draw one side of the part, and do not worry about the corner radii for this step.
02:24
Just draw using lines.
02:28
You can now mirror these cut away sections onto the right half of the design.
02:35
In the Pattern panel, click Mirror.
02:39
In the Mirror dialog, click Select and expand a box over the left half of the line segment drawing you just created.
02:47
Next, select the centerline created previously, and click Mirror line.
02:53
Click Apply, and then Done.
02:56
In the Exit panel, click Finish Sketch to exit out of the sketch.
03:02
Next, in the 3D Model tab, Create panel, click Extrude.
03:07
On the part, select all of the closed profiles.
03:11
In the Behavior rollout, set the Direction to Symmetric, and the Distance A to Through All.
03:19
In the Output, Boolean, select Cut.
03:22
Click OK.
03:24
In the Model browser, right-click the mesh item and click Visibility to turn the mesh off.
03:31
You can now add some fillets to the design.
03:35
In the Modify panel, click Fillet.
03:39
Select the sharp corner edges and set the Radius to 3mm.
03:49
Click Apply and continue.
03:52
Select the remaining interior corner edges and set the radius to 5mm.
03:58
Click OK.
04:00
Create four moreadditional fillets with a 20mm radius on the upper and lowerouter corners of the middle cutouts.
04:10
Click OK to create the fillets.
04:14
Finally, from the Model browser, right-click on the mesh item and select Visibility to turn the mesh back on.
04:21
Make sure to Save the part file.
How to buy
Privacy | Do not sell or share my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use | Legal | © 2025 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved
Sign in for the best experience
Save your progress
Get access to courses
Receive personalized recommendations
May we collect and use your data?
Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement.May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?
Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.