Your design may call for a primary runs assembly to adapt to different assembly configurations. In some cases, it is sufficient for the primary runs assembly to remain non-adaptive. To swap in a specific primary runs assembly, you can create a tube and pipe interchangeability set for the entire iAssembly factory.
During the iAssembly factory conversion, the existing or newly created primary runs assembly is automatically included with an adaptive status as normal child components. When a new configuration row is added, a non-adaptive occurrence of the primary runs assembly is automatically included for the new configuration. A Tube and pipe interchangeability set is not created until the Make Adaptive command is applied to the non-adaptive primary runs assembly.
The active configuration is the base for the new configuration. The derived non-adaptive primary runs assembly keeps the same design content as in the base configuration. You can determine to do either of the following to meet your design needs:
- Use the Make Adaptive command to transition it into the tube and pipe interchangeability set.
- Leave it as non-adaptive so that it dynamically responds to edits on the parent adaptive primary runs assembly.
Each configuration can contain either a tube and pipe interchangeability set member or a non-adaptive primary runs assembly. As with normal Inventor iComponents, the primary runs assembly member can be set to Include/Exclude, Grounded/Ungrounded, and Adaptive/Non-adaptive for each configuration.
How can I set the editing scope for iAssembly factory and members?
Autodesk Inventor provides the iParts iAssemblies tool to switch the editing scope when you are working with a tube and pipe iAssembly factory.
Depending on your design needs, do either of the following:
- If you need to make changes throughout the iAssembly factory, select Edit Factory Scope:
- If changes are on the member base, select Edit Member Scope:
. Using the iAssembly table in the Model browser, you can activate an appropriate assembly member and make changes.
What is a tube and pipe interchangeability set?
Similar to an iPart factory, a tube and pipe iAssembly contains a configuration table of assembly members along with an interchangeability set of primary runs assemblies. A tube and pipe interchangeability set is a collection of all the adaptive primary runs assemblies that can be swapped in throughout the iAssembly factory. The configuration table has a column to indicate the adaptive status of the included primary runs assembly.
Using the tube and pipe interchangeability set, each configuration has an independent tube and pipe design. Some may remain as the non-adaptive primary runs assembly, which is automatically created by the configuration.
What can I do with the tube and pipe interchangeability set?
Primary runs assembly members are independent of each other in the tube and pipe interchangeability set so you can achieve the following:
- Edit routes and runs for each configuration independently.
- Swap in a specific primary runs assembly member throughout the iAssembly factory.
- Leave the non-adaptive primary runs assembly as is so that it automatically synchronizes with the associated adaptive primary runs assembly.
- Output drawing views and define BOMs flexibly based on the configuration base.
How does excluding the primary runs assembly differ from the deleting action?
When tube and pipe design is not necessary for the specified assembly configuration, exclude the primary runs assembly so that it is invisible and no longer involved in the design. It does not affect other configuration members.
If you plan to replace the primary runs assembly with another design for the entire iAssembly factory or it is no longer used, delete it regardless of which configuration is active. When deleted, the Tube and pipe interchangeability set is totally removed from the configuration table.
To better understand the process of excluding and deleting the primary runs assembly in an assembly configuration, compare the tube and pipe interchangeability set to a drawer containing as many cabinets as designed. Each cabinet can have its own specific files, which is equivalent to one primary runs assembly member in the tube and pipe interchangeability set.
Excluding the primary runs assembly is equivalent to taking the cabinet out of the drawer but the drawer itself still exists and all the other cabinets remain unchanged. However, deleting the primary runs assembly is as if taking away the whole drawer. Consequently, you can bring in a new drawer.
Can I add an alternative primary runs assembly to assembly configuration?
An Autodesk Inventor assembly and an iAssembly member can contain only one adaptive primary runs assembly. In the progress of tube and pipe assembly configuration, excluding the primary runs assembly in an active configuration prohibits bringing in a new primary runs assembly. This is because the original primary runs assembly container is not actually removed. To use an alternative primary runs assembly, the primary runs assembly must be deleted first.
When the primary runs assembly is excluded, tube and pipe commands are disabled in the active assembly configuration. A secondary occurrence of another primary runs assembly can be placed into the assembly. When this happens, it is treated as a normal Autodesk Inventor component rather than tube and pipe reuse workflow or configuration workflow, so the Make Adaptive command is not available.
When you switch the editing environment to Edit Family Scope in the iParts iAssembly tool box, deleting the primary runs assembly will remove the entire tube and pipe design throughout the iAssembly factory. To introduce an alternative primary runs assembly, do either of the following:
- Use Create Pipe Run to create a new primary runs assembly.
- Place a secondary occurrence of a primary runs assembly from another assembly, and follow the reuse workflow to make it adaptive.
The newly added primary runs assembly will be adaptive only in the active configuration. Edit the tube and pipe interchangeability set in the configuration table as needed.
How does tube and pipe interchangeability set work in drawings, presentations, and representations?
In a tube and pipe iAssembly factory, the primary runs assembly member acts as a child iComponent in each configuration. For instance, drawing views and parts lists are aware of all assembly members in the configuration table so the corresponding primary runs assembly member will be represented in drawing documents.
For detailed correlation between assembly configuration and drawings, presentations, and representations, refer to Autodesk Inventor Series Help.