Shape Generator is a new approach to designing lightweight, structurally efficient parts. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
Shape Generator provides an intelligent strategy for maximizing part stiffness based on the constraints you specify. The technology is integrated into Inventor making it convenient to incorporate in your design process. Shape Generator produces a 3D mesh that can be used to guide your design refinement. As a result, the best time to use it is in the early or conceptual design stages.
The image above illustrates how smoothly Shape Generator can become part of the design process.
The first step is to create a build volume or approximation of the part model. The model should contain requisite contact points, such as the two pin locations, and the contact surface where force will be applied.
With the build volume defined, you can specify preserve (keep out) zones (the process will not modify these zones when creating the guide shape), and apply constraints and forces the part may encounter in use.
With the design criteria specified, you run a Shape Generator Study and receive back a mesh in response to the criteria.
The mesh serves as a guide for making modifications to the build volume model. Your edits transform the model from an approximation into a design.
Note: Shape Generator is not supported for assemblies or multi-body parts (single parts which contain multiple bodies).
To Start a Shape Generator Study
Use one of two ways to start a Shape Generator Study. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Assign Materials
With Shape Generator, material properties must be assigned to define the structural characteristics of your part. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Apply Constraints
In Shape Generator, apply constraints to remove all free translational and rotational movement of the body. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Apply Loads
Shape Generator uses applied loads to determine the resultant shape of the part. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Preserve a Region from Shape Generator
You can preserve interface features so these are not changed during the design shape process. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Assign Shape Generator Settings
The Shape Generator Settings allow you to set a target mass reduction and the mesh resolution. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Generate a Shape
Generate shapes based on loads, materials, and boundary conditions you specify. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
To Promote the Shape to the Part
Save the reference shape for use in modeling environment or add it to the current part. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.
Validation Problems
This section provides a list of validation problems for Shape Generator. Whenever possible, it is important to compare Shape Generator with known or theoretical solutions to understand where it can be used reliably. Available in Inventor 2016 R2 - Subscription customers.