Modify a shape-generated part in Inventor

00:03

Once a part has been run through the Shape Generator in Inventor,

00:07

the result mesh serves as a guide for making modifications to your model.

00:12

The aim is to create a lightweight part that performs as well as the original part.

00:19

From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.

00:23

Navigate to where you saved the project files, select the IONIZER_HOLDER_BRACKET.1_2.ipt file, and then click Open.

00:34

This part file has already been run through the Shape Generator,

00:38

based on criteria to create an optimal shape with less material.

00:43

You can now promote this shape-generated part and make modifications based on the resulting mesh.

00:50

On the ribbon, in the 3D Model tab, Explore panel, click Shape Generator to access the contextual Analysis tab.

00:58

From the Analysis tab, Export panel, click Promote Shape.

01:03

In the Promote Shape dialog, select Current Part File, and then click OK.

01:10

In the success popup, click OK.

01:14

On the ribbon, in the Sketch tab, Sketch panel, click Start 2D Sketch.

01:21

Select the top face of the part to place the 2D sketch.

01:26

To project the edges of the existing part into the sketch, in the Create panel, click Project Geometry, and then select the four edges.

01:37

Next, from the Create panel, select the Line command.

01:42

Place a line between the midpoint of the upper projected line and the midpoint of the lower projected line.

01:49

Press ESC to exit the Line command.

01:53

To change the line to a center line, select the line, and then in the Format panel, click Centerline.

02:00

Using the mesh as a guide, use the Line tool to draw line segments to cut away unneeded material from the left half of the existing design.

02:10

When drawing lines, if the point alignment feature is distracting, you can hold the SHIFT key to temporarily disable it.

02:18

Continue to draw one side of the part, and do not worry about the corner radii for this step.

02:24

Just draw using lines.

02:28

You can now mirror these cut away sections onto the right half of the design.

02:35

In the Pattern panel, click Mirror.

02:39

In the Mirror dialog, click Select and expand a box over the left half of the line segment drawing you just created.

02:47

Next, select the centerline created previously, and click Mirror line.

02:53

Click Apply, and then Done.

02:56

In the Exit panel, click Finish Sketch to exit out of the sketch.

03:02

Next, in the 3D Model tab, Create panel, click Extrude.

03:07

On the part, select all of the closed profiles.

03:11

In the Behavior rollout, set the Direction to Symmetric, and the Distance A to Through All.

03:19

In the Output, Boolean, select Cut.

03:22

Click OK.

03:24

In the Model browser, right-click the mesh item and click Visibility to turn the mesh off.

03:31

You can now add some fillets to the design.

03:35

In the Modify panel, click Fillet.

03:39

Select the sharp corner edges and set the Radius to 3mm.

03:49

Click Apply and continue.

03:52

Select the remaining interior corner edges and set the radius to 5mm.

03:58

Click OK.

04:00

Create four moreadditional fillets with a 20mm radius on the upper and lowerouter corners of the middle cutouts.

04:10

Click OK to create the fillets.

04:14

Finally, from the Model browser, right-click on the mesh item and select Visibility to turn the mesh back on.

04:21

Make sure to Save the part file.