kameleon g4 modeler tutorial€¦ · the shape modeler leverages the rich parametric modeling...

Project Kameleon Shape Modeler – Surface Structure Template Tutorial

Introduction

Autodesk’s Project Kameleon Shape Modeler enables you to create new or revise parametric Shape Templates for

use in the Parts Editor. If the shape template you need is not in the current shape library, you can create a new shape

and import it for use in authoring new Part Families.

The Shape Modeler leverages the rich parametric modeling environment of Autodesk Inventor. While it is not the

intent of this tutorial to teach you Inventor, you may find it a helpful introduction to some of Inventor’s modeling

features, while also introducing you to shape authoring best practices and customized tools enabled as an Inventor

‘Infrastructure Part Shape Utilities’ add-in. These tools provide a means to manage Assembly Port and Reference

Point declarations, and also provide an export utility to publish the Shape Template in a form consumable by the

Parts Editor.

This tutorial creates an Offset Circular Frame on Slab shape template, suitable for use in creating new Surface

Structures in the Parts Editor.

Surface Structures use Cross Slope and Gutter Slope parameters to allow tilting the part to match pavement Gutter

and Cross Slopes, which adds some complexity to the parametric model. The tutorial begins with a minimal template

definition which includes useful construction Planes, along with predefined Gutter and Cross Slope parameters.

Project Kameleon – January 2015 Shape Modeler Tutorial

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Getting Started

1. Open the Shape Modeler and load Project Kameleon SS Tutorial Start.ipt.

This shape template contains no parametric geometry, but does include a variety of sketches, planes, and

parameters which you can use to start any new Surface Structure shape template. The model view shows the

XYZ origin and a work plane named TopWorkPlane. You can restore this view anytime by clicking on the View

Cube’s home icon.

Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the Modeling Tools ribbon, and the Model Tree View on the

left showing existing modeling features that have been set up for you to begin new construction work. Note

that you can right click to enable or disable Visibility of model features.

As you add new 2D sketches, planes, and parametric solids they are added to the tree. Selection can be made

either in the model view or the tree, which is useful when in-canvas selection is difficult due to overlapping

geometry. The View Cube allows easy manipulation of the model view including quick selection of standard

Top, Front, Side, or Isometric Views. This view configuration has been customized in the template so that the

cube display and world coordinate system aligns with that used by the Project Kameleon Parts Editor.

Note that the length units of the IPT file are mm. The way templates are managed allows both imperial and

metric parts to be authored using the same shape templates. By convention, mm length units are used.

Inspect the current Inventor Parameters by bringing up the Parameters dialog, easily accessed using the fx

quick access button embedded in the title bar of the Shape Modeler.


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Inventor parameters can be highly customized. You can rename them, assign new values including equations,

and provide comments. By checking Key and Export, selected parameters can be exported for use in the

Project Kameleon Parts Editor to control part sizing. Comments are exported and serve as descriptions for

the parameters. It is good practice to clearly describe exported parameters to help others who may use your

shape templates for part authoring.

Close the Parameters dialog.

2. Use the File - Save As menu to save the template to a new name:

Offset Circular Frame on Circular Slab 01.ipt


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3. Reset your home model view by clicking on the home icon associated with the View Cube.

Modeling the Slab Base The Top Plane is set up to slope using the GutterSlope and CrossSlope parameters. Since this shape template is a

Surface Structure, its default origin position determines part placement for both the Surface Structure and part

assemblies. This plane slopes as values for GutterSlope and CrossSlope are changed. To keep the base slab

horizontal, a new plane is constructed using the Origin’s XY plane.

4. Use the Tree View to hide the TopWorkPlane and make the Origin XY plane visible.

5. Create a new Plane using the Offset from Plane option

6. Select along the edges of the plane and directly enter a parameter name and value by typing in

SlabPlaneOffset=-10 and press Enter. Note the value is ‘negative 10’ to offset in the downward direction.


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7. Upon completion of the command, click the View Cube home button to see the two offset planes. Note that

you can verify visually the orientation of the two planes by highlighting them either in the model canvas or in

the model Tree View.

8. Using the Tree View, turn off visibility of the XY Plane along with the other visible Origin features. This leaves a

simple uncluttered display of the newly established work plane. Rename this SlabWorkPlane. You can rename

any model components in the Tree View by selecting the text, and clicking a second time to enable renaming.

9. Using the tree view, right-click on the SlabWorkPlane and choose New Sketch.


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10. Create a Circle by using the Center Point method, placing the center anywhere in the upper left quadrant.

The exact positioning is not critical, as it will be constrained later.

Enter a parameter name and value by typing SSDiameter=60 and pressing Enter.

Note: You can also rename parameters and set values in the Parameters dialog. However this approach is

much faster and with experience you will gain confidence in assigning parameter names during construction.

11. To facilitate constraining the circle’s center, create a Construction Line. Toggle the Reference geometry mode

on, and create a new line from the Sketch Origin along the negative X direction. The exact distance is not

critical, however be sure to keep the angle set at 180 degrees. Press Esc to exit the line command.

Note: Inventor has a rich undo-redo framework which makes it easy to repeat steps if needed. You can use the

Left and Right arrow quick access buttons embedded in the Inventor title bar.


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12. Right click any uncluttered location in the canvas to bring up the in-context modeling options. Choose Create

Constraint, Coincident.

Pick the center point of the Circle as your first selection, and the new construction line as the second selection

to align the circle with the reference line.

13. Add a General Dimension by picking the Sketch Origin and the Circle center point. Place the text and enter

FrameOffset=12 for the dimension value. Finish Sketch, and restore your home view.


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14. Rename the Sketch SlabBaseSketch and Save your IPT file.

15. Extrude the 2D sketch you just completed by using the Extrude option. Set the Extrusion Height to SlabTh=4

and accept the default upward direction (Direction 1). Click the green check button or press Enter to

complete the extrusion.

16. Rename the new feature in the Tree View from Extrusion1 to SlabBody. Note that Inventor automatically

hides and consumes the sketch as nested in the new extrusion feature.

17. Open the Parameters dialog and inspect the new parameters you’ve added to the model. Configure the new

SSDiameter, SlabTh, and FrameOffset parameters for export, and add tooltip comments. These parameters

will appear in your Part Size Table when using the template in the Parts Editor, with the comments you add

included as help text. Click Done to complete your edits.

Note: SSDiameter is a required Drainage schema parameter. All circular Surface Structures must have both

SSDiameter and SSHeight (which will be added later). In contrast, the SlabTh and FrameOffset parameters


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are unique to this shape template and when exported become required sizing properties for any Surface

Structure part family which uses this shape template.

18. Now that a solid is visible, a material texture can be applied and visualized in the model. Use the Material

button to add a material to the document. Right-click on the Concrete, Pre-cast material and choose Assign To

Selection. Close the Material Browser.


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The result is a round ‘concrete’ slab representing the base of your surface structure.

19. Save the IPT file.


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Modeling the Frame The frame maintains a position for a default insertion point at 0,0,0. To support sloping the frame to align with

pavement CrossSlope and GutterSlope variations, the TopWorkPlane tilts and provides the orientation needed for

the top of the frame.

20. Using the Tree View, navigate to the top of the tree where a new Solid Body entry can be seen, and open this

to hide the newly added Solid1 by right-clicking and unchecking Visibility. Similarly, use the Tree View to hide

the SlabWorkPlane and make the TopWorkPlane visible. Use the View Cube home option to restore the

default 3D view.

21. Using the Tree View, right click on the TopWorkPlane and create a new sketch. Rename the sketch in the Tree

View to FrameTopSketch.


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22. Create a Circle using the Center Point method. Carefully place the center point selecting the origin of the

sketch. The point will highlight green when selected. Enter FrameDia=12 for the diameter, and move the

dimension text position outside the circle.

23. Press Esc once to cancel the next circle command, and move the FrameDia dimension to a place outside the

circle to help you access it later.

24. Finish the sketch and save the IPT file to a new name: Offset Circular Frame on Circular Slab 02.ipt

25. Return to your home view, and Extrude the circle downward (Direction 2). Enter FrameHt=6 for the extrusion

distance.

26. Using the Tree View, rename the Extrusion to FrameBody, turn on Visibility for the Solid, and turn off the

TopWorkPlane.


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27. Bring up the parameters dialog and revise GutterSlope to be 10 degrees, and FrameHt to be 5 mm. You can

choose the Immediate Update option and position the dialog to view the model which updates each time you

edit a parameter.

28. Click Done to close the parameters dialog and switch to the Front View. The tilted frame and resulting gap

above the slab are expected results for this stage of the shape template authoring.

Note: It’s a good idea to test your model with modified parameter values as you are working on your shape

model. This helps verify dynamic sizing is occurring as you expect, and can save you trouble if you catch

problems early.



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Modeling the Cover / Grate and Frame Opening

30. Use the Tree View to hide the Solid Body. Right-click on FrameTopSketch and choose Edit Sketch.

31. Create a new circle using the Center Point option picking the same Sketch Origin position, to create a new

concentric circle. Enter CGDiameter=11 for the value of the diameter.

32. Repeat this step, adding a second concentric circle, with OpeningDia=10 as the value for the diameter.

Reposition the dimensions.


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33. Finish the Sketch, restore the Solid visibility, and restore the home view.

34. Save the IPT file to a new name Offset Circular Frame on Circular Slab 03.ipt.

35. Extrude the inner circle geometry downward, using the Cut option to create an opening for the grate.

Configure the extrusion to use the downward direction and the cut option. Enter an extrusion distance

OpeningHt=10.


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36. Repeat this step using the middle circle’s inner ring as the selection for extrusion. Similarly, use the downward

direction and cut options, entering an extrusion distance CGHeight=2.

37. Turn off the FrameTopSketch visibility, Restore you home view, and rename the new extrusions to

OpeningBody and GrateOrCoverBody.



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39. Bring up the Parameters dialog and publish (export) CGDiameter and CGHeight. These dimensions are

required for Grate and Cover size matching. Add three new Numeric User Parameters WallTh, SPDiameter,

and SSHeight. Configure these values for export and set SSHeight=10.

40. Continue editing the parameters by modifying unpublished (non-exported) distance parameters as equations:

SlabPlaneOffset = -SSHeight

FrameDia = CGDiameter + WallTh

FrameHt = SSHeight Overextends FrameHt for sloping scenarios

OpeningDia = CGDiameter – WallTh

OpeningHt = 1.5 * SSHeight Overextends Cutout Opening for slope scenarios

The use of equations allows hiding parameters to help keep the Part Size authoring task simpler.

Note: By publishing or using equations to define all distance parameter values, there are no ‘hard coded’

distance values in the shape template. It will work for both metric (mm) and imperial (inch) parts.

41. Choose Done to complete the parameter edits, and save the IPT file.


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42. Use the Orbit tool to inspect the resulting parametric shape model. Use the parameters dialog to modify

values and verify dynamic sizing.

Note: It’s a good idea to verify your parametric model behaves well under various resizing scenarios. Take a

little time now and play around with the exported values. Changing them in the parameters dialog is

equivalent to what happens when Parts Editor feeds a size record to Inventor behind the scenes.

It is common to overlook constraints and get funny looking results, so this QA step is important.

43. Bring up the parameters dialog and revise the default values as follows:

GutterSlope = 0

CrossSlope = 0

SSDiameter = 60

SlabTh = 4

FrameOffset = 14

CGDiameter = 24

CGHeight = 2

SPDiameter = SSDiameter

WallTh = 1

SSHeight = 10

44. Click Done and save the IPT file to a new name: Offset Circular Frame on Circular Slab 04.ipt


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Configure Assembly Ports, Reference Points, and Export Shape Template Project Kameleon includes an Inventor add-in to further modify your shape template with optional parametric

Reference Points and required Assembly Ports, which are named vectors used to automate assembly creation in the

Parts Editor. Additionally, there is a utility to export the shape template into a form Parts Editor can consume.

45. Click on Environments to bring up the Add-Ins ribbon.

46. Choose Infrastructure Part Shape Utilities.


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47. Choose the Assembly Connector option. Enter CoverOrGratePort as the Port Name.

Click the Select button and use the default Center Point of Loop of Edges position option to select the

inner circle along the base of the cover/grate opening. Select the edge to obtain the circle’s center point.

48. Set the direction of the Assembly Port by choosing the Change Direction button and carefully picking the

inner face where the cover or grate sits. Use the Flip Direction option if needed to align the direction of

the Assembly Port to point upward. Click OK to accept the new Assembly Port


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49. Use the View Cube to arrange the model to expose the underside of the Slab, where a Structure Port is

needed. Add a second Assembly Port, naming it UndergroundStructurePort, and similarly selecting the outside

edge for the center position, the lower face to set Direction, and Flip the direction as needed to achieve a

downward vector.

50. Choose OK to accept the second Assembly Port, restore your home view, and Save the IPT file.


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51. The last step is to export the shape template. Choose Export Template. The model display is updated to

expose hidden dimensions. You can move dimensions as needed to improve the layout of the dimension

image, and click the ‘+’ button in the preview to reset the image boundary.

Enter a description Offset Circular Frame on Slab and choose Export. If you are prompted to change to the

default folder location choose Yes, as this will make the newly exported shape template easier to find later.

A message reporting success appears confirming the export is complete.

52. Choose Finish Infrastructure to exit the Infrastructure Shape Utilities tools. You do NOT need to save further

changes to your IPT file. Congratulations … you have completed your Shape Template!

Note that a copy of the IPT file has been placed in the export folder, along with a configuration xml file and

two images to support content authoring. These are utilized by the Parts Editor ‘new shape’ option.


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You can import the template for use in new Surface Structure part family authoring using the Parts Editor.

Create a new Surface Structure family and import the shape template from the Graphics tab.

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