Inventor Product Configurator

This instructables shows how to build a simple product configurator using Inventor 2019.

What do you need?

• Inventor professional 2019

• Basic Inventor knownledge about:
  • Parametric design
  • Derived parts
  • Assembly's

Step 1: Write Down the Key Variables of Your Product

Write down the key variables of your product.

The gear pump's most important property is the flow rate. This flow rate is calculated using the formula shown in the excel table. In this design the motor rpm is always 120 which means that the flow rate is based on the volumetric displacement. So the key variables are the outside gear diameter, inside gear diameter and the gear length.

Step 2: Build Your Base Component

Create a new part (.ipt) and start a 2d sketch with the basic shapes for the model. Name the key variables by typing "variable name" = "dimension".

For example: D_o = 150

Step 3: Finish the Sketch and Extrude the Basic Component

Make sure that the sketch is fully constrained and that everything is constrained to the key variables.

Extrude the part using the length variable by typing "L = 200"

Now the part can be finished up by adding the inlet, outlet and other details.

Step 4: Main Parameters Are Now in Place

By opening the parameters menu, all the used parameters are shown.

Use the bottom-left filter button to only show the renamed parameters.

Step 5: Make the Base Part Ready for Demote

Place a sketch on every surface of the part and use project geometry to add the surface geometry to the sketch.

Step 6: Finish the Model

Use derive to add the sketches from the base part to the other parts.

Step 7: Assemble the Parts

Place all the parts in a assembly and use "ground and root" to assemble the parts together.

Step 8: Write the Ilogic Script for the Model

Add a rule in the ilogic menu.

To calculate the Volumetric displacement, enter the formula as below:

Parameter("V_d") = ((PI / 4) * (((Parameter("base:1", "D_o") /1000)^ 2) -((Parameter("base:1", "D_i")/1000) ^ 2)) * (Parameter("base:1", "L")/1000))

Write the formula for the total debit in a new rule:

Parameter("Q_t") = V_d * 120 * 60

Now to calculate the total debit of the gearpump we write the main rule as:

iLogicVb.RunRule("Cap calc")
iLogicVb.RunRule("Debit calc")
iLogicVb.UpdateWhenDone = True

Now when running the main rule, Ilogic will calculate the capacity and debit based on the dimensions of the model.

Step 9: Adding Options to the Script

In Ilogic you can use snippets and logic rules. These snippets are shown on the left of the screen.

When the capacity is below 5 m^3/h the standard motor has to be used, but when the capacity is above 5m^3/h a bigger motor has to be used.

Using "If, then and elseif" a rule is created choosing a different motor when the capacity gets higher. With this bigger motor the engine support plate also changes.

Step 10: Create the Ilogic Form

Add a new form and add the used parameters and Ilogic script.

Set the debit to read only and the diameter and length to slider bars with a min and max.

Step 11: Finished!

Now you have a basic product configurator.

The next steps are building more complex models and discovering all the uses of Ilogic and its snippets.

One of the options to publish the configurator is "autodesk configurator 360". There you can upload the configurator to the cloud and generate a .step file online.