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Add sketch features to 3D models and use both Extrude and Revolve to make the sketches three-dimensional.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
In Inventor, you can easily build upon pre-existing solid bodies.
00:08
For example, you can add sketch features to 3D models and then extrude them.
00:13
On the Home tab, open the Projects menu and click Settings.
00:18
In the Projects dialog, click Browse and navigate to where you saved the project files for this tutorial.
00:26
Select Steering Knuckle.ipj, and then click Open.
00:32
In the Projects dialog, click Done.
00:35
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:38
Navigate to the 3D Modeling folder, select Steering Knuckle_002.ipt, and then click Open.
00:46
With a 3D model already open in Inventor, begin to create a new sketch.
00:52
In the graphics window, right-click and from the marking menu, select New Sketch.
00:58
Before sketching, assign your new sketch to a specific work plane.
01:03
From the Browser, expand Origin, and then select the plane where the current model is located.
01:09
In this case, select the XZ Plane.
01:13
Due to the extrusion definition of this model, the XZ Plane runs through the middle of it.
01:20
On your keyboard, press F7 to slice the view of the model.
01:25
Then, from the ribbon, Sketch tab, Create panel, select Project Geometry.
01:30
Now select two faces—the first on the top, and the second on the bottom of the model—to add projected reference lines to use in the sketch.
01:40
From the ribbon, start the Line command.
01:43
Draw a line between the mid-point of the bottom projected line segment to the mid-point of the top projected line segment.
01:51
Notice that an icon appears, indicating the midpoint.
01:55
Continuing from this first line, draw another line from the top of the last line segment and to the left.
02:02
Continue sketching to create a rectangle, adding a point at the bottom, and then connecting to the first segment.
02:10
Use the existing geometry to align the line segments, and notice that the program infers geometric constraints.
02:17
Right-click and from the marking menu, select OK to finish the line command.
02:22
Right-click and select General Dimension.
02:25
Click on the top line and place a dimension above it.
02:29
Enter .24 in, and then press ENTER.
02:34
In the marking menu, select Finish 2D Sketch.
02:38
With a new sketched feature added to your 3D model, you can now extrude or revolve the sketch so that it is also solid.
02:46
From the marking menu, select Revolve.
02:50
The Properties dialog displays.
02:52
With the sketch selected, pick the leftmost line as the rotation axis.
02:57
Then, from the dialog, select OK.
03:01
The sketch updates into a solid body.
03:04
Now, right-click and select New Sketch to create another sketch feature.
03:10
Again, from the Browser, select the XZ Plane.
03:14
Press F7 to slice the graphics again.
03:17
From the ribbon, expand the Project Geometry drop-down and select Project Cut Edges.
03:24
All edges that the plane cuts are projected onto the sketch plane.
03:29
From the ribbon, start the Circle command.
03:32
Place the center point of the circle at the midpoint of the left projected edge.
03:38
Enter a dimension of 0.26 in, and then press ENTER.
03:43
From the marking menu, select Finish 2D Sketch.
03:48
Open the marking menu once more, and this time, select Extrude.
03:53
The Properties dialog displays.
03:56
In the graphics window, select the circle, and in the dialog, set the extrude direction to Symmetrical.
04:03
Set the extrude distance to 0.57 in, and then click OK.
04:09
Save your progress.
04:12
Inventor allows robust flexibility for adding solid bodies to existing models.
Video transcript
00:03
In Inventor, you can easily build upon pre-existing solid bodies.
00:08
For example, you can add sketch features to 3D models and then extrude them.
00:13
On the Home tab, open the Projects menu and click Settings.
00:18
In the Projects dialog, click Browse and navigate to where you saved the project files for this tutorial.
00:26
Select Steering Knuckle.ipj, and then click Open.
00:32
In the Projects dialog, click Done.
00:35
From the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
00:38
Navigate to the 3D Modeling folder, select Steering Knuckle_002.ipt, and then click Open.
00:46
With a 3D model already open in Inventor, begin to create a new sketch.
00:52
In the graphics window, right-click and from the marking menu, select New Sketch.
00:58
Before sketching, assign your new sketch to a specific work plane.
01:03
From the Browser, expand Origin, and then select the plane where the current model is located.
01:09
In this case, select the XZ Plane.
01:13
Due to the extrusion definition of this model, the XZ Plane runs through the middle of it.
01:20
On your keyboard, press F7 to slice the view of the model.
01:25
Then, from the ribbon, Sketch tab, Create panel, select Project Geometry.
01:30
Now select two faces—the first on the top, and the second on the bottom of the model—to add projected reference lines to use in the sketch.
01:40
From the ribbon, start the Line command.
01:43
Draw a line between the mid-point of the bottom projected line segment to the mid-point of the top projected line segment.
01:51
Notice that an icon appears, indicating the midpoint.
01:55
Continuing from this first line, draw another line from the top of the last line segment and to the left.
02:02
Continue sketching to create a rectangle, adding a point at the bottom, and then connecting to the first segment.
02:10
Use the existing geometry to align the line segments, and notice that the program infers geometric constraints.
02:17
Right-click and from the marking menu, select OK to finish the line command.
02:22
Right-click and select General Dimension.
02:25
Click on the top line and place a dimension above it.
02:29
Enter .24 in, and then press ENTER.
02:34
In the marking menu, select Finish 2D Sketch.
02:38
With a new sketched feature added to your 3D model, you can now extrude or revolve the sketch so that it is also solid.
02:46
From the marking menu, select Revolve.
02:50
The Properties dialog displays.
02:52
With the sketch selected, pick the leftmost line as the rotation axis.
02:57
Then, from the dialog, select OK.
03:01
The sketch updates into a solid body.
03:04
Now, right-click and select New Sketch to create another sketch feature.
03:10
Again, from the Browser, select the XZ Plane.
03:14
Press F7 to slice the graphics again.
03:17
From the ribbon, expand the Project Geometry drop-down and select Project Cut Edges.
03:24
All edges that the plane cuts are projected onto the sketch plane.
03:29
From the ribbon, start the Circle command.
03:32
Place the center point of the circle at the midpoint of the left projected edge.
03:38
Enter a dimension of 0.26 in, and then press ENTER.
03:43
From the marking menu, select Finish 2D Sketch.
03:48
Open the marking menu once more, and this time, select Extrude.
03:53
The Properties dialog displays.
03:56
In the graphics window, select the circle, and in the dialog, set the extrude direction to Symmetrical.
04:03
Set the extrude distance to 0.57 in, and then click OK.
04:09
Save your progress.
04:12
Inventor allows robust flexibility for adding solid bodies to existing models.
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