Autodesk Inventor: point of origin + angle + views + measure tool

[etxxx]

Hello,
I am a Solidworks user at work, and recently an Inventor 11 user at home. Here are my questions:

1. Inventor does not seem to have (or maybe they do not show) the point of origin of the coordinate system. The axes are not shown either though they are present. So, I cannot refer to an axis (vertical or horizontal) in the sketch view when dimension an angular shape. I have to draw a line and use it for correctly dimension the angle. Solidworks does allow referring to the axes. Is there a way for me to do a similar thing in Inventor? If Inventor Inventor does not have such thing, is this because of a copyright issue?

2. After working around that aforementioned problem, I make a drawing of the 3D part. It is a camera adapter that has flange tabs to fit into a camera. It looks like the various camera mounts out there, i.e. EOS mount, A mount, etc.... I want to dimensions the angles between the tabs but GENERAL DIMENSION (D) does not show the angle when I click the two edges between the tabs. How can I do this?

3. There is a hole on the part, made at a certain distance from the center of the mount, at a certain angle from the horizontal line. I made it in the 3D model by drawing a line in Sketch. Now I do not know how to get this angle to show on the 2D drawing. Can anyone show me?

4. The Measuring tools of Inventor is simply hard to use. There are 3 different ones, and they are not as smart as Solidworks' Measuring tool. When I tried to measure the angle between the tabs' edges, it showed me things I do not ask for. Is there a way around this?


5. I cannot find the buttons for standard views (Front, Right, Left, Top, Bottom, Isomectric.....). Is this again a copyright issue? Sometimes it is just hard not to have them at hand.


I just got into Inventor recently, and these things are really disappointing. Please HELP!!!!

 

[mflayler]

Things may be disappointing because Inventor is a different system than SolidWorks and while similar, there are things that are just done differently.

1. You need to use Project Geometry, however in your case it really isn't needed if you are using constraints effectively. If you are using Inventor 2011 (not R11) the origin is automatically projected for you and you can use that for your tie to the origin planes, if you really want axes to show up...hit project geometry and choose the origin item from your browser.

2. This is probably just a misuse of the command. It would help if you attached the IPT and the drawing for review.

3. See number 2.

4. This is a matter of training on the tool, the measure tool is very sensitive to use of the Select Other tool to get the correct measurement. I have never really had any trouble with it.

5. You don't need those, you have a ViewCube for that and is much more robust that hotkeys IMOP, and with how drawings are made with any orientation you want you don't have to worry about these standard views as much any more. Use the Cube. If you find you still want buttons to do it, then look at getting a Space Navigator from 3Dconnexion. It has those buttons on it.

 

[rollupswx]

First of all,
are you using Inventor 11 or are you really using Inventor 2011?

2011

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa university.pdf

11

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/AU2006/MA13-3 Mather.pdf

Attach one of your parts here for suggestions on techniques.
Once you figure out the differences in the interface - the two programs are essentially identical.

 

[btrueblood]

Somewhere, buried in the "application options", on the sketches tab, is a button or box you can click to automatically project the origin point in your sketches.

 

[EngAddict]

I don't think it was in Inventor 11, didn't we have to project it in our template back then?

 

[etxxx]

thanks gents,
I will try your tips.

 

[rollupswx]

I don't think it was in Inventor 11, didn't we have to project it in our template back then?

I think it was introduced in r10 but was not the default - had to set it in Application Options if I recall correclty.

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/AU2006/MA13-3 Mather.pdf

 

[btrueblood]

Can't remember either, but thought it's been that way (i.e. a settable option, but not the default) since r10.