How to Design a Dip End Pencil in Autodesk Inventor

This Instructable covers simple pencil design in Autodesk Inventor. Users will apply basic computer aided design (CAD) concepts such as sketch drawings and extrusions. Since this model is for beginners, users are encouraged to focus on the fundamentals before trying out advanced techniques.

Step 1: Launching Autodesk Inventor

Click on the Autodesk Inventor Professional icon in the desktop to start up the program.

NOTE

Version Year 2017 will be used.Versions prior or after 2017 may require additional or fewer steps.

Step 2: Creating a New Part

Click on New on the Get Started tab.

A new window will open up. Click on English under the Templates folder. Under Part - Create 2D and 3D objects, click Standard (in.).ipt. Click on the create button.

Step 3: Starting the First Sketch

Click on Start 2D Sketch on the 3D Model tab.

Next click on the XY Plane to start a new sketch.

Step 4: Drawing the Pencil Width

Select the Circle on the Sketch tab and draw a circle of diameter 0.275 inches at any coordinate location.

NOTE

For organizational preferences, click on Dimension on the Sketch tab and set the diameter to a fixed parameter. It is highly recommended that dimensions be set every time a new length/width is specified in a sketch.

Step 5: Creating the Pencil Shape

Click on Polygon on the Sketch tab and type in 6 for the number of angles/sides in the Polygon window. Draw a hexagon large enough to fit just within the circle’s circumference (a tangent icon will appear). Click Finish Sketch.

NOTE

If the Polygon icon is not visible in the sketch tab, click on the dropdown arrow under the Rectangle icon to find Polygon.

Step 6: Drawing the Pencil Length

Click on Extrude on the 3D Model tab. Next click on the hexagon and click again on any space between the hexagon and the circle to include the whole sketch. Extrude the sketch by 7.500 inches.

Step 7: Making the Offset Plane

Click on the arrow under Plane on the 3D Model tab. Next click on the Offset from Plane option in the dropdown arrow selection.

Click on the front face of the cylinder and type in 0.800 inches for the offset.

NOTE
Remember to save your progress every now and then.

Step 8: Creating the Pencil Lead Tip

Click on Start 2D Sketch and click on the plane that was just created to begin a new sketch.

Create a new circle of an extremely small diameter in the middle of the plane, for example a circle diameter of 0.009 inches. Click on Finish Sketch. This will be the pointed tip of the pencil lead.

Step 9: Making the Sharpened End of the Pencil

Select Loft in the 3D Model tab and click on the miniature circle that was just created. Then click on the front circular face. Click OK. The sharpened end of the pencil is now made.

Right click on the offset plane and click on Visibility to hide the plane.

Step 10: Revisiting the First Sketch

At the console, click on the arrow beside Extrusion 1. Next right-click the first sketch underneath Extrusion 1 and select Visibility.

Locate the sketch, which is typically seen on the other face of the cylinder. Click on extrude and then click on the areas between the hexagon and circle (shaded blue).

NOTE

Save your work if you have not already so.

Step 11: Pencil Coming to Form

Once the areas are selected, click on the bottom arrow to the left of the white input blank and choose To next face/Body from the dropdown menu.

Click the green checkmark and right-click on the sketch to toggle off the visibility. Now the pencil’s shape is starting to take form.

Step 12: Another Offset Plane

From the console, click on the XZ Plane under the Origin Folder.

Click on Offset from plane under the Plane dropdown menu on the 3D Model tab. Set the offset by a small distance for example 0.15 inches.

Step 13: Drawing the Spline

Click on Start 2D Sketch and select the new offset plane. Next click on Spline on the Sketch tab. Draw a spline curve from top to bottom across the sharpened end close to the tip. Click Finish Sketch.

NOTE
If the Spline icon is not visible in the sketch tab, click on the dropdown arrow under the Line icon to find Spline.

Step 14: Making the Lead Tip

Click on Split from the 3D Model tab. Then click on the spline and the whole sharpened end of the pencil before hitting OK. The lead tip has been made. Right click on the offset plane and click on visibility to hide it from view.

Step 15: Coloring the Sharpened End

Right click on the lead tip and go to Properties. The Face Properties window will pop out. Next click on the dropdown arrow under Face Appearance and select Black.

Repeat the same process for the sharpened end by choosing Pine or any other wood color.

Step 16: Coloring the Pencil

Click on the dropdown window on the titlebar displayed as Default. Choose Orange to color the rest of the pencil. The pencil is nearly done.

Step 17: Making the Small End

Click on Work Plane2 from the browser. Next click on Start 2D sketch and Project Geometry. Next click on the middle edge of the flat end of the pencil.

Click on Offset in the Sketch tab and select the very same edge and set the distance to 0.5 inches. Click on Finish Sketch afterwards.

NOTE

If the middle edge cannot be selected, this means the Work Plane2 is facing the angled end instead. In this case, click on Project Geometry and then on the two edges that form the angled end as seen in the second image.

Step 18: Finishing the Design

Click on Split in the 3D model tab. Highlight the offset line and the area of the small end. Make sure you select all six of the faces. Click on Apply and then OK.

Select the six faces plus the top face and change the color from Orange to Silver or any other metal color. The dip end pencil is now complete.

NOTE

To select multiple faces at once, click each face while holding down the shift key.