Creating Connectors

A workflow within Autodesk Inventor.

A Configurator 360 connector is essentially one half of an Inventor assembly joint. Connectors are used to fasten accessories to base designs or accessories. Base designs must be an Assembly file.

Create a connector

1. Make a copy of the base design assembly, and load it into Inventor.
2. Place an accessory as a component in the assembly.
3. Use the Assemble Relationships ribbon panel Joint command to create a joint that connects the accessory to the base assembly. Choose the accessory as the first component (the moving component), and a component of the base assembly as the second. Choose a base assembly component that is grounded or fully constrained.
   Note: Make sure the correct degree(s) of freedom are applied to allow movement in the expected directions.
4. Right-click the joint in the model browser and select Infer Connectors (the Infer Connectors command is also on the Autodesk A360 Configurator 360 ribbon panel).
5. A dialog displays with properties for connectors in the following documents:
   • Accessory design
   • Base design

Both connectors must be created for the first accessory added to the base. For second (and later) accessories, a new connector in the base design might not need to be created. A compatible connector might already be created from a joint on another accessory.

6. Save the assembly. This saves the connectors in the two components.
Tip: The new copy contains one or more accessories. Upload the original assembly to Configurator 360 and not the copy.

Test the connector

1. Delete the joint.
2. Drag the accessory component away from the connected position.
3. Start the Connect command from the Autodesk A360 Configurator 360 ribbon panel.
4. In the dialog box, select the two connectors and click OK.
5. The joint is created and the accessory component snaps to the connected position.