Introduction: Inventor Assembly, Exploded Assembly, and Materials List
Into Image is property of Autodesk and all rights, copyrights, trademarks, etc belong to them
All photos taken using Autodesk Inventor 2019 All rights go to the appropriate rights holders
License: Proprietary
Original author(s): Jacob Sain
Developed by: Autodesk
Initial release: 1999
Stable release: 2019.0.2 / November 30, 2018; 16 months ago
Operating system: Windows
Step 1: Getting Started
Open File
Step 2: Create an Assembly File
Select:
English
Standard.iam under assembly
Create
Step 3: Add the Parts
Select "Place"
Use the navigation bar to browse to where you saved your part files
Use Ctrl + Click to select all your parts
Select Open to place the parts
Repeat these steps to add a second "Key" and "Handle Knob" part in order to have 2x of each part
Step 4: Clean Up the View
Reposition the parts to be easier to see on screen
Make sure you have all the parts show in the image
Step 5: Ground the Base
Right click the "Base" part
Select "Grounded" from the pop up menu
This will make mating parts easier
Step 6: Attach Keys to the Jaw
Right click the Jaw part and ground it too
This will make attaching the keys easier
Step 7: Constrain the Keys
Use your constraining options to attach the keys to the notches in the jaw as shown
Be sure to un-ground the jaw after this is done, otherwise you wont be able to mate the jaw to the base later
Step 8: Constrain the Screw to the Handle
Use your constraining tools to constrain the handle to the screws handle hole
The easiest way to do this is to select the center line of both parts as shown
Step 9: Constrain Handles
Select "Insert" and "opposed" in the constraining menu
Select the outside of the handle rod and the inside of the handle knob as shown
Hit apply when they are mated correctly
Step 10: Add Jaw
Mate the bottom of the jaw to the top of the base as shown
Step 11: Flush the Jaw
Rotate the jaw and then mate the two sides of the base and jaw as shown.
This will line up the jaw and base
Step 12: Add the Screw
Select the "insert" and "opposed" constraining tool again
Choose the center line of the screw, and the back wall of the bored hole meant for the screw hole as shown
When it is mated properly hit apply
Step 13: Finished Assembly
Be sure to save your assembly where you can easily browse to it later
Step 14: Make a Drawing File
Select file and choose ANSI.dw under drawing with English selected in the top left
Hit create when you have chosen the correct option
Step 15: Edit Your Sheets
This is a good opportunity to edit your sheet file to whatever is required by your project lead
This will make all "New Sheets" added already set to the needed settings
Step 16: Place Assembly
Select:
Base
Browse to the assembly file
Set the size
Have shading enabled
Isometric view
Reposition the assembly
Select Ok
Step 17: Add Exploded View
Select
File
Open
Standard.ipn
Create
Step 18: Add Assembly
It will ask you to select an assembly to open
Browse to the file you saved earlier when prompted
Select "Tweak Components" to begin editing the exploded views
Step 19: Save the View
When moving parts hold Shift when selecting a part to move multiple parts at once.
Do this for the SCREW,HANDLE,BOTH KNOBS when moving the parts
Do this for JAW and KEYS to move them together.
Move each part individually from each other after pulling them away from the base as a group
You may have to remove visibility from the base for certain steps.
Select "Override" instead of "Break" when prompted if you do this
BE SURE to save the snapshot through "FILE" the same way you saved your assembly
Step 20: Add the Exploded View to the Drawing
Navigate back to the drawing file
Select BASE as you did with each part file
Browse to the exploded assembly view file you saved
Place the view the same way you placed the parts
Step 21: Bill of Materials
Select
Parts list
Use the navigation bar to navigate to the assembly file (NOT EXPLODED ASSEMBLY FILE)
Select OPEN then place the parts list into the top right corner of the sheet
Step 22: Edit Parts List
Right click the parts list box
Choose the column selector (circled in the picture at the top left)
Remove DESCRIPTION and add MATERIAL to the view
Hit Ok and everything will update
Step 23: Auto Balloons
Select Auto Balloon from the top right
Select "Add or remove components"
Select all the parts in the assembly "Excluding duplicates"
After everything is selected, right click in a blank area in the sheet and hit "Continue"
Step 24: Clean Up the View
Move the balloons around to clearly label each part and in a straight line pointing to the part
Step 25: Add Part Dimensions
Select your third sheet
Select place
Browse to your first part
Select Open
Step 26: Place Your Views
Be sure to select a front, top, side, and isometric view as shown
Step 27: Auto Annotations
Right click each view and select the dimensions relevant for that view, designated by the project lead
Step 28: Repeat Steps
Repeat the steps to add dimensions to each other view, as well as for adding sheets, views, and dimensions to all subsequent parts.
You should note if multiple of the same part is required, but you dont have to do an annotated sheet for the same part more than once
