Mirror Components

[Azum]

I have a large structure of around 400 components that is symetrical about a centre line. It makes sense to mirror these about a work plane placed on the line of symetry.
This is in Inventor 2008
If I use the green button to Mirror the components and in doing so create new files it works well. But I do not want new components created I want the existing components mirrored about a line of symetry.
So I use the yellow button.
But when I do this and finish the command the 'mirrored' parts are scattered all over the place See jpeg.

A getaround will be to insert a virtical axis and use a rotary pattern at 180 degrees to make a copy. I will try it

Has enyone else experianced this in 2008 and if so how did you get over it Or am i doing something Wrong

Many thanks

 

[LitreBike]

I only use Mirroring for features in individual parts. In assemblies, Mirroring causes alot of problems, the least of which you have described.

When presented with the type of problem you describe, I use PATTERN COMPONENT which retains all the constraints used and doesn't muck things up.

 

[Azum]

Thank you for your answer. I think you are right about the problems Mirroring causes. Its not at all a useful tool in this situation although if you want to make a right hand part from a left hand part then it is fine. However the number of times I want to do that is small but the number of times I want to mirror an assembly to reduce modelling time is large.
I would use pattern except that again Inventor will not let you pattern what has already been included in a previous pattern. So stumped yet again by the limitations of the program. In the end I had to make sub assemblies and spend a day patching togeather what should have taken 5 minutes to mirror. Now I have to catch up to get back on target again. Thanks Inventor!!!!

 

[LitreBike]

When using PATTERN COMPONENT, you have two options;

"Feature Pattern Select" which is what you referred to, or you can pattern by Array (rec or circular)which is very similar to Autocad Array command.

NOTE: All programs seem to have quirks, and I have used a number of different cad apps. CAD programs are like human relationships--you've just got to figure out what makes them work.

 

[Azum]

Thank you for your reply. Either way you do it Feature rectangular or circular once a part has been included in a pattern it cannot be used in another pattern which does reduce consideraable the flexability of the software. In fairness it does warn of this in the help pages.

I also use differant CAD programs and it does give a better insight into what is possible and what people are doing outside the Autodesk family. Some might say I am too critical. If more people were more critical then maybe Autodesk would get their finger out. There is too much complacency and smugness within Autodesk.

I like your comment about CAD relationships. I thought it was only the Wife I had to treat like that. Now I will have to behave at work too. Doh.