iPart in assemby

Most designers have stock designs that they use repeatedly. The designs can differ by size, material, or other variables, although the same design works in many models. You can create these designs as iParts, and then use one or more of the variations, called members, by selecting it from a table.

If you determine that you need a different member than has been defined, you can add a row to represent a new member in the iPart factory, change the pertinent values in the row, and save the file.

Place member file or factory in assembly

You can select an iPart factory or member for placement in an assembly. If you select a member file, it is placed directly in the assembly like any other component; if you select a factory, you select the member from a table, and then place it in the assembly.

Standard iPart factories and custom iPart factories use tables to represent unique members of iParts. For standard iParts, each row in an iPart table is a member of a factory.

Places a standard or custom iPart member or an iAssembly member in an assembly.

• Parts published from a Standard iPart Factory have predefined values. You can only modify standard iParts after placement by editing the iPart table in the factory or in the Excel spreadsheet.
• Parts published from a Custom iPart Factory contain at least one Custom Parameter. Custom iParts have designated parameters or properties that have values specified in the Place iPart dialog box at placement time. You can add features to modify a custom iPart.
• iAssembly members can be parts, iParts, or assemblies.

In the browser, a unique icon is displayed on a placed iPart member.

If one of the iPart or iAssembly members does not meet the requirements, you can create a row in the Place Standard iPart dialog box.

Updating iParts in assemblies when iPart factory changes

You can edit an iPart factory, but the changes may not automatically update iParts that were placed in assemblies. When an assembly opens or updates, Autodesk Inventor compares the key values in the factory with the key values used in the member when it was created.

If the iPart factory table has a row that matches the iPart member, the member is automatically updated when the assembly updates. However, if the iPart factory does not contain a row that matches key values in the member, right click the table icon in the browser, and then select Change Frame Members to get the correct iPart member.