Working with Huge Digital Prototypes: Autodesk Inventor Large-Assembly Best PracticesDan MilesINCAT Autodesk Practice ManagerEmail = dmiles@incat.com

Blog Site = danmiles.blogs.com

• The Foundation• Computer Hardware Overview• Autodesk Inventor Application Options• Telemetry / Gauges• Level of Detail “Master – Medium – Low” Method• Part / Assembly Simplification• Component Colors• Drawing View Performance• Assembly Structure• The Role of View Representations

Large Assembly Topics

Course Survey

Autodesk University 2007Session Evaluation

Course #: MA215-5Course Name: Inventor Large AssemblySpeaker: Dan MilesYour Badge #: ????

Tons of Components

Complex Components

What is a LARGE Assembly?

The items listed below are some of the more generic and underlining situations where large models can slow your performance.

• 3D Model Opening and Saving

• Slow Performance While Working in 3D

• Creating Drawing Views and Opening Drawings

The Foundation

• File Open Time

• File Save Time

• File Display Time

3D Model OpeningFirst you must get the model opened within Inventor. This may sound simple but sometimes models take over an hour to open.

Once the model is open within Autodesk Inventor, now you need to work with it in a productive manner.

• Zooming and Rotating

• Model and Feature Edits

• Model Solving

Slow Performance While Working

Once you have the digital prototype 3D model you need to create manufacturing 2D drawings.

• Initial Drawing View Processing Time

• Updating and Editing View Time

• File Open and Save Time

• Zooming and Panning Performance

Drawing View and Opening Drawings

Let’s make sure you have the correct tool for the job.

Computer Hardware Overview

Benefits• Faster processing during true 64-bit applications and processes.

• Direct access to more physical memory than 32-bit systems. (More then you can afford!!!)

64-bit Computing

What you Need• Computer with a 64-bit processor

• Microsoft 64-bit Operating System (XP or Vista Only)

• 4GB or more of physical memory

64-bit Computing

+ + =

• OpenGL or DirectX (3D)

• Windows Vista Contains DirectX 10

• Windows XP Contains DirectX 9 Only

Graphics

1. Physical Memory (RAM)Make sure you buy enough (4GB or 8GB)

2. Video CardPurchase middle of the road and make sure it is DirectX 10

3. Hard DriveGet at minimum a SATA 3.0Gb/s – transfer rate 3.0 bit/sec.

4. ProcessorAll are great now so just make sure it supports 64-bit and is a multi-core processor of some type.

Purchasing Recommendations

Drawing Tab• Display Line Weights

• Memory Saving Mode

• View Preview Display Show Preview As

Application Options

General Tab• Undo File Size (768 MB Recommended)

• Enable Prehighlight

Application Options

Display Tab• Display Quality

• Enabled Edge Display

• View Transition Time

• Minimum Frame Rate

Application Options

Occurrences and Documents

Memory Usage

Telemetry / Gauges

Level of Detail representations provide a means to improve capacity and performance.

They provide the ability to suppress unneeded components to reduce memory consumption and to simplify the modeling environment.

Level of Detail

“Master” Level of DetailDefault representation that contains all components.

“Medium” Level of DetailCustom representation that contains less components. Offload all items not required.

“Low” Level of DetailCustom representation that contains the minimum components for space management only.

Level of Detail (Master-Medium-Low)

“Master” Level of Detail

“Medium” Level of Detail

“Low” Level of Detail

The real power of this standardized method is when you start to have sub-assemblies.

Nested Levels of Detail

Utilize the various advanced selection tools within Inventor to aid with the creation of LOD’s.

Component Selection Tools

One of the best ways to utilize LOD representations is during the file open operation. (Reducing Memory)

Utilizing Levels of Detail at File Open

The amount of detail you put into your components control how “heavy” they are within large assemblies.

Create different versions for different times.

Component Simplification

Full Detail1,146 KB File Size

Medium Detail520 KB File Size

Low Detail186 KB File Size

Part Simplification Examples

Full Detail1,023 KB File Size

Full Detail28 MB

File Size

Low Detail155 KB File Size

Low Detail150 KB File

Size

Avoid unnecessary amounts of detail in components.

Remove Not Needed Detail

By using the “Derived Component” tool you can create single parts that represent a full sub assembly.

• Reduces File Footprint

• Reduces Memory

• Increases Speed

Derived Component Tool

Better Benefits Coming Soon!!

Try to avoid using “shiny” colors at the part level of standard components. (Reduce Graphic Overhead)

Shiny Setting of 50 or lower.

Component Colors

LOD in Drawing View CreationYou can use the created LOD’s for creating drawing levels which will reduce the overhead and increase performance.

Drawing View Performance

You can control the hidden line display of individual components by right clicking on the component .

Drawing View Performance

Adding “Reference” assemblies can help with performance.

• Open smaller assemblies as needed for working• Adds more capability with LOD’s

Assembly Structure

View Representations are another useful tool for manipulating and managing large assemblies. View representations allow a user to store preset configurations of component visibility settings and other settings enable and disable states.

The Role of View Representations

THANK YOU

Autodesk University 2007Session Evaluation

Course #: MA215-5Course Name: Inventor Large AssemblySpeaker: Dan MilesYour Badge #: ????