In some product applications we need to make a sheet metal part that has a twist in it, but unfortunately when we loft our ends together, the part will not flatten. This is because the loft has an irregular thickness and thus it cannot be flattened. The way to do this is to use the surface and thicken features of Inventor, giving us both a consistant thickness and a twisted sheet metal part that can be flattened. See the following video on the steps used to create the twisted sheet metal part.
There is a lot of talk about Smartphone’s and related devices or technologies that keep everyone connected. CAD data has been a place that has kept everyone grounded. Autodesk has recently released a set of tools to make collaborating and interacting much easier. Introducing AutoCAD WS, a web and mobile software that allows you to view, edit, and share files. These tools will allow you to communicate in real time with colleagues whether you are in your offices, at a job-site, or on the road, it does not matter anymore.
The Autodesk Inventor installation provides a set of standard Content Center libraries. They include standard parts (fasteners, steel shapes, shaft parts, and so on) and features. The Content Center database contains over 750,000 parts and covers 18 international standards. Content Center parts are organized in libraries which are located either on your local system or a shared server location depending on what was selected when you installed the software.
The following libraries are available and can be installed with Autodesk Inventor:
If you work as a stand-alone user, install Content Center libraries to your Desktop Content folder. To choose specific libraries to install, clear the selection of the libraries you do not use in the Select Content Center libraries dialog box when installing the software.
OK, I credit a friend with pointing me to this tool and, once he did, I just had to share it. I admit, I never gave it much attention (ok, no attention) before. But now, it’s one of my first stops when looking for settings. Now, we’ve all been in this situation: You’re working in AutoCAD, you do some commands and BAM!, a window pops up with some message or warning or request or piece of advice, everything but the weather forecast. You’re in a rush to complete this drawing so you just click through the messages as quickly as possible. Well, if that message pops up enough times, you finally notice the little check box that reads something like “Always ignore”, “never prompt”, “leave me alone”, etc. So, you click that check box. After all, you’ll never need that box again, right? Whoa Nellie, are you ever wrong. Sure enough, sometime within the next year, you’ll need that box back to make your life a little easier.
If you fall into this situation, heres how you might get out of it. In AutoCAD, go to the Options window, System Tab. On the System tab, you’ll see Hidden Messages Settings in the upper right-hand corner. In the Hidden Messages Settings window, you’ll have a listing of all the alerts and messages that you have chosen to disable. Simply select which messages you want back and you’re done. I recently spent nearly two hours searching for a system variable that didn’t exist to control a message box that was listed in this window. An outstanding tool in my opinion and, like I said, I had never really paid this button much attention in the past. That’s what I get for not thoroughly inspecting my What’s New section of the software.
We had a couple of technical support calls from customers saying that when they invoke an Inventor command, it seems that the command is not working because they cannot see the usual dialog box related to that particular command. See Fig 1.
So before you call the tech support guys or before doing a clean-uninstall and reinstall of your software, read on.
Fig. 1. The Edit Revision Table command is invoked but the Revision Table: Drawing Scope Dialog box is not visible on the screen.
There is nothing wrong with the software. The command dialog box is opening, but it is opening off screen where you cannot see it.
We can use some Windows Shortcut keys to get the dialog box on screen.
1. Start the command to get to the point where you do not see the command dialog box.
2. Press the following keys on the keyboard, in sequential order as they are listed below:
3. Without clicking any buttons, move the mouse around until you see the dialog appear, following the mouse cursor.
4. Click the left mouse button when the filter dialog is in the center of the screen.
5. Make some change and click the “OK” button so that the dialog “remembers” that it belongs in the center of the screen. See Fig 2.
The above procedures are standard Windows shortcuts and will work for any dialog box of any windows-based program that may experience this “missing command dialog box” behavior.
Fig. 2. The Edit Revision Table command is invoke with the Revision Table: Drawing Scope Dialog visible, which is the normal behavior.
Rough Grooving Rapid Re-Approach, Peck Across and Castellation Feedrate options
From our friends at EdgeCAM we have the following Technical Tip.
Below are options available in the Rough Groove Cycle that you may not be aware of.
Rapid Re-Approach
When using pecking in the Rough Grooving cycle, you can now opt for rapid approaches back to the material (rather than feedrate approaches) thus speeding up the cycle. To use this, check the new Rapid Re-Approach option on the Advanced tab.
There is a switch to the feedrate at your specified Re-Approach Safety distance from the material.
You need to check the new Peck Across option (Advanced tab). The tool will work across the groove, completing all the pecks down to a particular cutting (peck increment) depth before returning to the start of the groove and cutting down to the next peck increment depth (assuming a ‘Sequential’ cycle type setting).
Castellation Feedrate
Edgecam 2009 R2 saw the introduction of a new rough grooving strategy, Sequential Castellation. The Rough Groove cycle has been enhanced further to allow you to specify a different feedrate for the second pass, removing the material left behind in the groove.
So here we are. It is spring once again! And what does that mean you ask? Well, warmer weather, spring flowers, nature full of life, and if you are involved with CAD, the newest release of products from Autodesk. Specifically let us look at some of the new and exciting stuff that is a part of Autodesk Inventor 2011. If you have not seen or heard about this new release, I think you are in for a treat.
The name of the game with Inventor 2011 is Ease of Use. From things like heads up display to simple assembly constraints and on to design automation tools, you are sure to be impressed with what can be achieved right out of the box. Now I know that some of you are reading this and thinking that all is well and you plan on waiting until the next release to upgrade. I am here to tell you that you do not want to wait. (more…)
The first thing that needs to be addressed is the configuration of both parties CC. When using ADMS, it is imperative that both parties are using the same version of the software. The images in this document are based from ADMS 2010 and Microsoft Vista, however this process is similar if not identical in prior versions.
In order for outside sources to be able to detail assemblies using your company specific libraries you will have to share that database with them. When the desire is achieved to distribute a database with others the first thing to do is to log into ADMS and Export the library to be shared: (more…)
Can I run plain AutoCAD even if I installed AutoCAD Mechanical?This seems to be a question that comes up quite often when talking to different manufacturing companies. Of course the answer is yes. Once given that answer, there is almost an immediate second question of,
When upgrading from a past release of EdgeCAM to a newer release, it is important that you migrate your ToolStore to a format that can be utilized by this new software.
It is important to point out that these instructions are intended for EdgeCAM installation where the ToolStore is controlled by Microsoft SQL Server. If you are coming from an older version of EdgeCAM that uses Microsoft Access to manage the ToolStore first refer to the Migrating a .mdb ToolStore to SQL article to convert to a SQL based ToolStore.
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