Autodesk Inventor 11 Quick Start Guide

By
Thomas Fenstermacher, Phillip McCoy, Michael Grinshpon, Martin Cohen, Robert Levy, and Zachary Scharfstein

We would like to thank the many people who contributed to the making of this guide.

The Writers Martin Cohen Zachary Sharfstein Thomas Fenstermacher

Pictures All parts are produced in Inventor by Thomas Fenstermacher All other graphics found by Robert Levy

Page Layout and Design Phillip Mccoy Michael Grinshpon

Teacher Mr. Philip Paspalas

Copyright Team 1676 June, 2007

Table Of Contents
Introduction Section 1 : Inventor Layout/ Basic Controls Section 2 : Tools Section 3 : Lead Holder Section 4 : Connector Section 5 : Pen tip Section 6 : Lead Shaft Section 7 : Cap Section 8 : Basic Assembly Section 9 : Stress Analysis Section 10: Cable/ Harness

Introduction
This manual has been created by student for students. While we are competitors in this program, it is essential to share a teams gifts and talents with other teams whose talents lie elsewhere. While other resources for learning this application exist, I have often found myself confused by other manuals. This Inventor Guide is designed to be a simple but solid foundation for students who wish to learn Inventor. It is important to note that this is merely an introductory tutorial for this application and by no means should be considered a complete guide. I strongly recommend you continue to experiment with the various tools in this program, because my personal experiences have shown to be the most efficient learning method.

Section 1
Inventor Layout/ Basic Controls
The following sections will give you an excellent introduction to Inventor 11.

Section 1: Inventor layout/ basic controls In this section, the organization of the Inventor program will be described.

This is the screen which appears when the Inventor application is first opened. In the top left corner, an arrow is pointing to the new project button. To the right of that button, the open project button can be found. These two commands can also be found in the file drop-down menu, which is located directly above the new project button.

Fig 1.1

Once the new project button is pressed, the new file template window will appear. For this section of the tutorial, the standard.ipt file type will be used. Select standard.ipt and click ok to continue, as shown in picture 1.2.

Fig 1.2

This is the two dimensional part sketch screen. On the left, indicated by an arrow, in the two dimensional sketch tools panel, where the basic operations, such as linemaking and polygon creation can be found like in fig 1.3.

Fig 1.3

Oftentimes in designing, an alternate vantage point of the object must be taken. In order to do this, the rotation tool must be used. This tool is indicated by the arrow in picture 1.4.

Fig 1.4

Once the rotation button is pressed, a circle will appear which can be used to determine the axis of rotation by clicking in the design window and holding the left mouse button and dragging in the wanted direction, like in FIG. 1.5.

Fig 1.5

If the space bar is pressed while the rotation circle visible in Fig 1.6, a cube will appear with green arrows pointing to it, and clicking one of those arrows will rotate the part to that predefined angle.

Fig 1.6

Sometimes when there are multiple parts or different components of one part, such as extrusions, it is important to be able to edit one portion of the part without having to entirely redo the part. This is the purpose of the model window in Fig. 1.7, which is indicated by the arrow in this picture. Using various techniques which will be described later in the tutorial, this model window can make designing an easier and more efficient process.

Fig 1.7

At the top of the screen in Fig 1.8, outlined by a rectangle, are the pull down menu buttons, where various functions for the manipulation of both the part being designed and the design area. These include the saving feature, which can be found in the file submenu, and the measuring tools, which are in the tools submenu.

Fig 1.8

The blue area in which all design processes take place is called the graphics window as seen in Fig. 1.9. In this area, the physical representation of the parts being designed will appear. At the bottom of the picture where the word ready appears is the status bar. This will display the overall condition of the current design and provides general instructions on the use of a particular tool.

Fig 1.9

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Section 2
Tools
The following sections will give you an excellent description of the types of tools that are used in every part.

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2.1: Open a new Standard.ipt file as described in Section 1 2.2: In the 2D Sketch Panel, select the line tool. Click on any point in the graphics window and drag the mouse in the direction of the line you want to create. When you are satisfied with the length of the line, click again and the line will be created, as shown in picture 2.2. This process can also be used to create circles, arcs, rectangles, and polygons. You can use the General Dimension tool to change the length of the line. This tool is also located under the 2D Sketch Panel.
Fig 2.2

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2.3: Create three more lines so that the figure becomes a rectangle. Then in the portion of the 2D sketch panel which reads 2D Sketch Panel with a downward arrow next to it, click and select Part Features. This panel gives you all of the 3D commands. Click revolve and your inventor window should look like the one shown in picture 2.3.

Fig 2.3

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2.4: While profile is selected in the revolve options window, click the rectangle that was just created. Then select axis and click the line around which you want the part to be revolved. In this case choose either the top or bottom line and select OK. Rotate the part as previously instructed and your cylinder should look like the one in Fig 2.4.

Fig 2.4

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2.5: Once Again, open a new sketch. There is another way to change a two dimensional figure into a three dimensional part called extrusion, Create a rectangle just like the one made in 2.2 and 2.3. Go into the parts feature window again, but his time, select extrude. Select the rectangle as your profile, and choose the required distance for your desired part. For the purposes of this tutorial, select 1 in, the default option that the program provides. Click OK and rotate and your part will look like the one in picture 2.5.

Fig 2.5

2.6: Both extruding and revolving can be accomplished with any polygon or a circle, which can be created by selecting them in the same menu as the line feature. 2.7: At times throughout the design process, you will want to know the exact measure of a line or arc that you create. To accomplish this, either click on the general dimension button in the 2D Sketch Panel or simply press the D on your keyboard while the 2D Sketch Panel is open. Then click the feature you wish to know the dimension of and drag the mouse in the direction you want the measurement to appear. To change the dimension of the feature, double click on the measure you want to alter and type in the desired quantity. This can only be done in sketches!

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Section 3
Lead Holder
For this tutorial, you will make parts of a pen. The first part is the lead holder.

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Lead Holder Draw two circles. Go to Tools, General dimensions, click and drag from circle. Double click on circle and enter one .111in and the other .159in. Select in between the circles. This should make a ring or doughnut shape. Extrude that shape 3.166 inches.

HOW TO EXTRUDE Click the flat end of the extrusion and select 2D Sketch. Draw two circles with the same center point of the cylinder and dimension one .111in. and the other .159in. The select the ring and extrude .420in. Click the flat surface of the extrusion you just created and enter 2D sketch mode. Draw two circles and dimension them .111in. and the other .159in. Again select the ring and Extrude 1.11 in. If you wish to practice the revolve feature, it is possible to be created using revolve.

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Section 4
Connector
The second part of the pen

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1. Create a two concentric circles with a diameter of 0.207 inches and a smaller circle with a diameter of 0.165 inches. Extrude the area in between the circles 0.471 inches 2. Select the end of the cylinder and create a 6 sided polygon with an apothem of .1105 inches and a circle with a .139 inch diameter Extrude the area in-between the two sketches 0.092 inches 3. From the newly extruded side, create two concentric circles sharing a center the center point with the hexagon. One circle with a diameter of 0.139 inches and the other with a diameter of 0.165 inches. Again select the area in-between and extrude 0.179 inches 4. Create a sketch on the YZ Plane. Select Project Geometry and select the outside cylindrical surface is shown and draw what is pictured in 4.1 (The Project Geometry tool is very useful. It takes a 3D edge or face and projects it to the current sketch. This enables you to create precise sketches.) Select the coil feature under Part Features select the object you made as the profile and for the axis select XZ Axis. 5. Now select the coil tab in the coil box. Under Type use the drop down to have it read Revolution and Height. Make the height, 0.190 inches and the revolution 20.0 ul. Now click OK. You have just created a coil. NOTE: DO NOT USE THIS FEATURE TO MAKE SPRINGS! THERE IS A SPRING GENERATOR THAT CAN ONLY BE ACTIVATED IN ASSEMBLIES!

Fig 4.1

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Section 5
Pen tip

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1: Create a rectangle with a length of 0.711 in and a width of 0.158 in, but use the line feature and not the two point rectangle in order to insure that you will be able to alter one line without changing the others. This step is shown in 5.1.

Fig 5.1

2: Shorten the left side of this rectangle to a length of .031in, as shown in the Picture 5.2

Fig 5.2

3: Draw a horizontal line off of the recently shortened side having a measure of .080, as displayed in 5.3.

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4: Off of the line created in step 3, create a downward line with the dimension of .020. Shown in figure 5.4.

Fig 5.3

Fig 5.4

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5: Now shorten the right side of the rectangle to a length of .038.

Fig 5.5

6: From the downward line, make a horizontal line measuring .253.

Fig 5.6

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7: At the top of the right side of the rectangle, make a horizontal line measuring 0.080 in.

Fig 5.7

8: Select the three point arc tool and click on the end of the last horizontal line made. Then click on the top left corner of the part, are alter the curve of the arc until the symbol in the picture below appears. Then click, finishing the arc, and delete the non-curved portion of the top of the part. Create a fillet of 1.00in between on the newly created curve.
Fig 5.8

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9: On the bottom right of the part, create a new line 0.011in off of the base having a length of 0.055in. It should look like figure 5.9.

Fig 5.9

10: Create another arc between the horizontal line underneath the first arc and the line created in the last step. Then place a fillet with the measure of 1.25 on this new arc. This will look like 5.10.

Fig 5.10

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11: Revolve this part using the bottom line as the axis of revolution. This will result in the part shown in 5.11.

Fig 5.11

12: Congratulations! You have completed the tip of the pen. Save and close the sketch.

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Section 6
Shaft

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1. Create a new sketch and create what is shown in fig. Create a new work plane by selecting the work plane button under Part Features and drag. Make the offset distance .165in. create a new sketch and create what is shown below in figure 6.1
Fig 6.1

2. Create a sketch on the XZ plane. Use Project Geometry to help you draw the following sketch using circles and lines. Once that is completed, select the revolve command and select the object you have made. Change the type of revolve from join to cut and select OK as seen in 6.2.
Fig 6.2

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Section 7
Cap

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1. Draw figure 7.1 and draw image to specifications then revolve.

Fig 7.1

2. Select the YZ plane and scroll down under the parts features until you see this work plane. You may have to create a new work plane.

Fig 7.2

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3. Create a sketch on the YZ Plane and select project geometry. Then, select the top cylindrical face. Make a line at 47.5. Draw according to figure 7.3.This time, change the type of extrusion to Surface. The line is your profile . This type of extrusion acts as a plane. For distance select All.
Fig 7.3

4. Select the YZ plane when the work plane tool is selected and drag. Enter an offset of 0.092 and click the check.

Fig 7.4

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5. Select the first work plane you created and make a sketch on it. Select the ellipse tool to create ellipse to these dimensions. Once that is done select return. Create a new sketch on the plane that you used in fig 7.5. 6. Select the Project Geometry tool and project the ellipse you made. These guidelines will appear purple. Then take the line tool and draw a vertical line from the center of the ellipse. The length should be 0.141in. See fig. 7.6

Fig 7.5

Fig 7.6

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7. Select sweep under the part features menu. Select the Profile and select the ellipse. Then select path you made in figure 7.6. See figure 7.9 for help. Select OK.

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8. Select the top flat surface of the pen cap and select new sketch. Select project geometry and select the outside most ellipse. Create a box as shown. NOTE: Make sure to have the box perfectly centered on the pen edge.
Fig. 7.8

Fig 7.9

9. To do this simply create a line and use the constraints available to center the rectangle. Select extrude. Select the cut extrude option and for distance choose All. Use the rectangle as the profile if not already selected. See 7.10 for example. 10. Then find the center point of the rectangle and place a point there.

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11. Select the flat edge you just created using the cut extrusion. Then create a square the exact same size.

After this, select return.

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12. Select the XZ plane and create new plane and space them appropriately. On each plane create a sketch that looks similar to figure 10. Within each sketch use the circles center point as the center point of the shape. Once you have created the sketches select finish sketch.
Fig. 10 Fig. 11

Fig. 12

13. Under the Part Features menu, select the loft command. Under sections, select the sketches consecutively . And select OK. This is a basic loft and you have not completed the pen cap

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Section 8
Assembly

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In this section, you will learn how to assembly parts. 1. First, open an assembly and select Place Component under the Assembly Panel. Choose the pen tip to open.

Fig 8.1

2. The first piece that appears solid will not move. The second peace that is transparent will move. You can place as many as you want. For this tutorial, you will only place one. Once you have the desired amount of part select the Esc key on your keyboard.

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3. To constrain, simply select the constrain key. When you go roll over a cylindrical surface the center axis is highlighted in dashed red lines. This allows you to create a concentric constraint. Our result is a pen so you need to make every part concentric with one another. As seen in 8.3

Fig 8.3

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4. For the next part, you will make the parts fit together and fix them into a specific position.

Fig 8.3

Fig 8.4

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Section 9
Stress Analysis

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1. First, make an object and extrude it. Pictured here is an I-beam I created. I suggest creating an I-Beam. 2. Once you have created select the Part Features drop down menu. There, you will see Stress Analysis, select it. As soon as the screen changes, a smaller menu appears asking you to choose the material. I chose Alloy Steel. Once that is done you can now choose which forces are acting on what. 3. Select a force and a screen appears. First, select the face you want the force to be acting on. You can change the amount of lbs/force. Select OK. 4. Next is to select the places that the object is locked into. In my example, I constrained the two ends and used the center as force. Select OK then select stress analysis update on the left panel. This will give you what is pictured below. NOTE: This is a simple introduction to stress analysis. I highly recommend experimenting with stress analysis to obtain a deeper understanding.
Fig 9.1

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Section 10
Cable/ Harness

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Open the part(s) that you want the wire to start from and end at. Then go to the part features menu and select Harness Part Features, as seen in 10.1

Fig 10.1

Select Place Pin. Then select where you want the wire to start

Fig 10.2

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Click OK and you will then be asked to name the pin. Name it and select the checkmark. Then save the part.

Fig 10.3

Open or put together the assembly that you want to place wires in. Then click Create Harness. Name the file and save it where you want. Then click OK.

Fig 10.4

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Select Create wire. Select where you want the first pin to go (start) and then select where you want the second pin to go (finish). Change the category of the wire and the name of the wire. Then click Apply. For looking at the specifications of wires and to make your own wires select the Cable and Harness Library.

Fig 10.5

To position the wire you would right click on the center of the wire and select Add Points. You can add points where ever you would like to bend the wire.

Fig 10.6

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To bend a wire at a point right click on one of the points that you have just added and select 3D Move/Rotate. Move the point to the location you want it and click Apply.

Fig 10.7

Fig 10.8

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If you have multiple wires running long the same route you may want to use the segment tool.

Fig 10.9

First select Create Segment. Then route the segment.

Fig 10.10

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To get the wires to follow the segment you must select the Route Tool. You will first have to select all the wires that you want to follow the Segment. Then select the first segment. Then check the Single Segment box. Then click Apply.

Fig 10.11

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