We Were "i" Before Apple: A Complete Guide to

Using iFeatures, iParts, and iAssemblies in Inventor

Learn how to create and manage Autodesk Inventor feature, part, and assembly configurations using
the three "i" tools. The class provides in-depth instructions for creating and using table-driven features
and components. You will learn how to increase your productivity by applying configuration tools to reuse
features, parts, and assemblies in new designs.

Contents
What are iFeatures?.................................................................................................................... 2
What are iParts?.......................................................................................................................... 4
What are iAssemblies?................................................................................................................ 6
How do I create a table driven iFeature?.....................................................................................7
How do I create a standard iPart?.............................................................................................12
How do I create a Custom iPart?...............................................................................................15
How do I create an iAssembly?.................................................................................................18
How do I maintain an iPart or iAssembly?.................................................................................20
Does Vault play nicely with iParts and iAssemblies?..................................................................21

Why would I use iFeatures, iParts, and iAssemblies?

Use them to create families of features, parts, and assemblies otherwise known as
configurations. After this class, you will be wondering why you have not been using them!
Can I use iFeatures in iParts, and iParts in iAssemblies?
Absolutely!
Can an iAssembly be Flexible or Adaptive?
Yes, an iAssembly can be Flexible or Adaptive.

What are iFeatures?

An iFeature is a single feature or a collection of features that can be saved and reused in other
part files. When you create an iFeature, they are stored as a feature file (filename.ide) in the
Catalog area. In early versions of Inventor, the feature was called an Inventor Design Element.
An iFeature is usually table driven, but it is not a requirement. When you create an iFeature,
some features require pre-existing geometry, such as a cut or stamped feature, while others do
not.
You can create your own icon to represent the iFeature in the browser. A basic 16 x 16 icon
editor is available when you open an .ide file.

The locating pin in the following image is a collection of features used in varying sizes in many
plastic part designs. Because the part file contains only the features necessary for the iFeature,
you can create all table values as an iPart file before extracting the iFeature.

The next image shows a sheet metal punch iFeature. Because it is a cut operation, the entire
part cannot be the iFeature. Only the necessary elements are extracted and included in the
iFeature. If a table driven iFeature is required, open the .ide file on disk to create the table.

Tip: Always save the source part file of an extracted iFeature to make changes to the feature
set. The source sketches and features are not editable in the iFeature file.
There is an important difference between a normal iFeature and an iFeature that is used as a
punch in a sheet metal part. Before you create a sheet metal punch iFeature, place a single
sketch point in the source sketch. The point locates the punch insertion when you place the
iFeature. If the punch iFeature does not contain a sketch point, it cannot be used as a punch
feature.

After you install Inventor, the Catalog directory contains a sampling of the following iFeatures:

Geometric Shapes
Pockets and bosses
Punches
Slots

You can access the Catalog library in the Manage tab, Insert panel.

iFeatures have their own tab in Application Options!

What are iParts?

Most designers have parts that differ by size, material, or other variables, but the same basic
design is used in many models. You can create these designs as table driven iParts, and then
use one or more of the variations. Control the features in a table driven iPart by using Compute
or Suppress. You can also control parameters and other elements of the design such as Part
Number, Color, and Material.
There are two aspects to an iPart:

iPart Factory - individual Part (.ipt) configurations with embedded MS Excel

spreadsheets that contain the 'recipe' of the file that can be generated.

iPart Member - a generated derivative of the iPart Factory according to the parameters
and rules from the iPart Factory.

iParts can also be used to represent assemblies by constructing a simplified table-driven multibody part such as the caster in the following image. It has multiple wheel sizes and mounting
configurations. By using feature suppression one mounting configuration can use holes, while
another can use slots.

Since each table entry creates a unique part, you can use different configurations of the same
iPart in an assembly.
When a standard iPart member is activated, non-editable part files are generated under the
parent (editable) part file. Notice in the following image that the Part Number property is
designated as the generated file name on disk.

What are iAssemblies?

Most designers have assemblies that differ by size, the number or type of components, or other
variables. Instead of having a separate assembly for each configuration, you can create an
iAssembly factory that produces the various assemblies as needed. An iAssembly factory can
contain both parts and subassemblies as components.
Like iParts, there are two aspects to an iAssembly:

iAssembly Factory - individual or nested Assembly (.iam) configurations with embedded

MS Excel spreadsheets that contain the 'recipe' of the assemblies that can be
generated.

iAssembly Member - a generated derivative of the iAssembly Factory according to the

parameters and rules from the iAssembly Factory.

Controlling BOM structure, BOM quantity and Part Number are common frustrations
encountered when using a Level of Detail (LOD). These variables and many others, such as
those listed below, are resolved by using an iAssembly.

BOM structure (Default or Reference)

BOM QTY
Part Number
5

Component Include/Exclude
Replace component by table (iParts or iAssemblies)
Grounded or ungrounded status
Adaptive or Flexible status
Constraint value
Constraint Include/Exclude
iMate value, exclude, name, sequence number, and match list
Parameter value (including assembly feature parameters)
iProperty values
Assembly feature Include/Exclude
Include/Exclude View Reps, PosReps and LOD Reps.

How do I create a table driven iFeature?

Tip: Open the Application Options, click the iFeature tab, and enable Use Key 1 as Browser
Name column. This action helps you identify different instances of the same table-driven
iFeature when you use them in a part.
Workflow A: Not all features in the part file are contained in the iFeature.
This example shows the workflow to create a sheet metal punch iFeature.
1. Start a sheet metal part file.
2. Create the required base feature. In this example, a sheet metal Face.
3. Create a new sketch. Fully constrain the sketch geometry with dimensions, dimensions
driven by named parameters, and geometric constraints. It is important to drive the
iFeature with sketches that behave predictably.
Note: A sheet metal punch iFeature requires a sketch point to define punch placement as
shown in the following image. Other types of iFeatures do not require a sketch point.

Tip: If you create parameter names for critical dimensions, Inventor automatically adds them to
the list when you extract the iFeature.

4. Create the required features, and name them in the browser. For most iFeatures, there
is no need to dimension the sketch to the edge of the part.
5. Click Extract iFeature .
6. Select the base feature in the browser or graphics screen. Dependent features are
automatically included.

7. Because Inventor creates and manages named parameters in a sheet metal part, some
parameters are not required. In this example, the system parameters BendRadius and
Thickness are removed.
Important! Name the iFeature before closing the dialog box.

8. If you set a value in the Limit field, it restricts entries when you place the iFeature. Use
limits if you do not plan to use a table to control the values. This example uses table
entries not limits to control the values.

The Limit options are:

o

None: No restrictions are placed on the Value field. The user can enter any
value.

Range: The Specify Range dialog box shows the parameter Name in its title bar.
Specify minimum and maximum values, including less than, equal to, and infinity
symbols. A default value can be entered. In the Minimum field, negative values
allow the placed iFeature to change the depth direction or position of a sketch
curve relative to an edge.

List: If you create an iPart table and then use Extract iFeature, use the List entry
to preserve the table. You can also use list to pre-define values.

9. Click Save to create the iFeature and save to disk at the specified Catalog location.
Create the table in the .ide file
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Open the .ide file in the catalog location.

Click the iFeature Author Table command.
Right-click the first row and select Insert Row.
Add the required rows.
A parameter that is designated as a key is presented to the user when they use the
iFeature. Specify the Key 1 value. The Key 1 value can be used to identify an iFeature
in the part browser.

Workflow B: All features in the part file are contained in the iFeature.
1. Use the normal method to create a table driven iPart.
Tip: Specify a Key 1 value in the table and check the option to use the Key 1 value in the
browser name of an inserted iFeature in the iFeatures tab of the Application Options.

2.

On the Tools menu, select Extract iFeature.

3. On the model or in the browser, select the features to extract. Notice that the Limit
column in the Extract iFeature dialog box shows the value as List. If you do not modify
this column, the iFeature uses the previously defined table values in the list.
4. Save the iFeature with a unique name.
5.

Open the .ide file and click the iFeature Author Table command to make additional
edits to the table.

To create iFeature Placement Help

1. Create a document containing the placement help and save to disk.
2. Open the .ide file.
3.
Click the Tools tab>Insert Object.
4. Choose Create from File, and browse to the location of the required instruction sheet.
Link is not commonly selected. If someone moves or deletes a linked file, it
breaks the placement help. If you do not enable link, the file is embedded and is
self contained.
5. Click OK.

6. Expand the 3rd Party folder, right-click the document, and choose Placement Help. This
action enables the i button when the user places the iFeature.

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Use an iFeature
To use an iFeature, start a new part file. The Insert iFeature command is located in the Manage
tab, Insert panel. Located directly below the Insert iFeature command is a drop-down which
provides access to the iFeature catalog area as well as a preview image.

Tip: Use the Change Icon command in the .ide file to create your own representation
for the catalog preview and browser display.
Some iFeatures do not need a pre-existing feature. They can be used as a start part. If this
condition applies, exit the sketch and insert the feature. For example, in the previous image, an
angle with equal legs can be the first feature in the file. All that is required is to select an
insertion plane from the Origin folder.
For a sheet metal punch iFeature, start a sheet metal part and create at least one face. Start a
sketch on the face and place and dimension one or more sketch points. This action determines
the location of the feature. Exit the sketch and start the Punch Tool command located in the
Sheet Metal tab, Modify panel. The command is linked directly to the Catalog>Punch subfolder.

Standard vs. Custom iParts

When you create an iPart factory, you determine if parameter values:

Are selected from a list. (Standard)

Specified when the iPart is placed in an assembly. (Custom)

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For example, an 8-inch steel channel has a custom parameter column that defines length. Each
time the iPart is used a new part file is generated with a unique length. If you open a Custom
iPart factory member, the Part Features menu is active. If you open a Standard iPart factory
member, the Part Features menu is not available.

How do I create a standard iPart?

1. Create a part containing the required features using fully constrained sketches.
2. Assign parameter names to the sketch dimensions you want to control.

Note: You can use unnamed dimension variables in the table, but you add them to the table
manually. It is also difficult for other users to know what they control. For these reasons, it is a
good idea to name the variables you want to control in the table.
3. Add the required features to complete the part, such as tapped holes.

Tip: If you suppress a feature before creating the table, a Compute/Suppress column is added
with the feature in the suppressed state.
4. Fill in the required iProperty fields such as Part Number.
Note: If the table driven part has part numbers such as 10-100-001, 10-100-002, assign the
iProperty for Part Number as 10-100. When you add rows to the table, the dash numbers (-001,
-002, -003) are created and incremented.
5. In the Manage tab, Author panel, click Create iPart
displays.

. The iPart Author dialog box

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6. Columns are created for all named parameters. Columns in an iPart are typically used
for values that change. Remove named parameters and that are not required. Highlight
in the Name list and then click the << symbol or right-click the column and choose
Delete Column.

7. Click the Properties tab to include iProperties as columns, such as Material if the part is
available in different materials. In this case, right-click the Material column and select
Material Column. The material property value is now driven by the table value.

8. Click other tabs to include or exclude elements of the part. For example. Click the
Threads tab to include a tapped hole designation.

9. Click the Other tab to create custom values. In the following image, the custom property
values of Color, Overall_Length and Catalog are created. The Catalog property is
designated as the Key 1 value.

10. Right-click the first row in the iPart table and select Insert Row from the context menu.
11. Modify the values as required.
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12. Continue to add rows as required.

13. If the part contains features that are not present in all rows, add the feature to the table
and then enter Compute (or C) or Suppress (or S). Typos are not allowed, but you can
use C or S to avoid that pitfall!

14. Right-click the Part Number column and select File Name Column to use the part
number as the generated iPart file name on disk. A disk symbol appears in the column
header.

15. Click Options to set the behavior and values for the Part Number and Member name
columns.

16. Click a column and choose Verify to test for errors.

17. Right-click the row that contains the most commonly used values and choose Set As
Default Row. The first entry is set as the default unless you change it. The default row
contains the values presented to the user when the iPart is used.
18. Click OK when finished.
19. To generate the files on disk immediately (a good practice), expand the table in the
browser, select all entries, right-click, and choose Generate Files.

If you do not generate the files right away, they are generated as they are used in an
upper level assembly. You can also activate a row and save the file to generate the
member.

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How do I create a Custom iPart?

The steps to create a Custom iPart are essentially the same as creating a normal iPart with one
exception. To create a custom parameter, right-click a column when editing the iPart table and
select Custom Parameter Column. You can specify the value for that column each time the part
is used in an assembly. For example, an 8-inch steel channel has a custom parameter column
that defines length. Each time the iPart is used a new part file is created with a unique length. A
Custom Parameter Column appears shaded as shown in the following image.
In this example, the 12 dimension is simply a placeholder value. You can enter any length in
any increment when you insert the iPart.

How are Keys used in an iPart?

You create a key in an iPart table the same way you do in an iFeature table; right-click a column
in the iPart table and assign a key value. A Key in an iPart table is used as a means to filter the
information presented to the user when they insert the iPart.
In the following image, no key has been assigned. Even though the Keys tab is highlighted, you
are presented with too much information when you insert the standard or custom iPart. This
example is a custom iPart in which you can enter the length value when you insert the
component.

In the following image, the Key 1 value is assigned to a custom property called Part_Size
created in the tab labeled Other tab in the iPart.

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In the following example, the value describes the channel type. A single key is presented to the
user when they insert the component. The proper selection is easy because the information is
easy for the user to absorb.

Note: When you create multiple keys, they are displayed in the iPart browser (after you save,
close, and re-open the file) in ascending order (Key 1, Key 2, Key 3)

Can I assign a color of an iPart in the table?

You can color code an iPart by doing the following:
1. Create a new property value in the table by selecting the Other tab and creating a new
name such as Color.
2. Enter the name of an existing color style in each row.
3. Right-click the column and select Display Style Column. In the following image, the
rainbow colored circle denotes that the column controls the display style.

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What can I do if I right-click the iPart table in the browser and choose Edit via
Spreadsheet?

You can perform many useful functions when you edit the table in the spreadsheet view such as
adding two columns together to determine an overall length. A column that contains edits
performed using spreadsheet functionality is not editable in the Inventor table. These columns
are shown in red as noted in the following image.

The Catalog column in this example is using a spreadsheet concatenate function to group the
information from several columns with other characters.
See the text below the following image for a breakdown of the CONCATENATE statement of
row 3:

The letter M, the value of column I3, the letter x, the value of column P3, the sign, and the
value of column N3. This combines the information to produce the catalog name M5x106.5-ABS
Plastic.

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How do I create an iAssembly?

1. To begin, create an assembly that contains all of the critical features such shared
components, named constraints, Positional Reps, and Levels of Detail.
The following example contains PosReps, LOD Reps, two different types of rod ends,
and iParts to accommodate the different cylinder lengths.

2. Assign iProperty values. If the part has dash number (CA-01, CA-02...) add the name
without the dash to the Part Number property.
3. In the Assemble tab> iPart/ iAssembly panel or the Manage tab> Author panel, click
Create iAssembly .
4. Named constraints are automatically added to the table. Remove named constraints that
are not required from the table.
5. Expand each iPart in the Components tab and add the Table Replace attribute to the
table.

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6. Locate other items that change in the component list and add the Include/Exclude

attribute.
7. After you add include/exclude attribute for the components, click the drop-down in the
table and set the include/exclude value for the row.

8. Add additional rows and configure the dimensional, table replace, and include/exclude
values. Click the drop-down in table replace columns to change an iPart.

9. Set the Key values to filter the list presented when the iAssembly is placed in an upper
level assembly. In the following image, the user sees the stroke length value as the first
key and the part number as the second key.

10. Click OK to finish. The browser does not show the key values until the file is saved,
closed, and re-opened.

11. Highlight all members in the list, right-click and choose Generate Files. You are
prompted to save each file.
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12. After you generate the files on disk, you can document each iAssembly in a drawing. To
document multiple iAssemblies in the same drawing, create a new base view for each
iAssembly member.

How do I maintain an iPart or iAssembly?

1. Use Edit Factory Scope or Edit Member Scope when you edit an iPart or iAssembly
master file.

Note: Set the value before making the edits.

2. Use Edit Factory Scope when you want the change to be present in all configurations. A
table column is NOT added.
3. Use Edit Member Scope when you do not want the change to be present in all
configurations. An Include/Exclude table column is added for the new component or
feature.
What happens if I delete a row?
If a member row is deleted or renamed in the factory table, the assembly in which the member
was placed has an outdated reference. You can:

Replace the orphan component with a new member. The operation is like
Replace Component.
Break the link so the member is separated from the factory and becomes an
independent file.
Delete the member.
Suppress the member.

How do I document iAssembly?

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Use the generated file on disk to document the component. In addition, you can control the
BOM quantity and structure of an iAssembly in the table. Click the BOM tab to add the
properties to the table.

You can also use the Bill of Materials command to manage the parts list of an iAssembly.

Does Vault play nicely with iParts and iAssemblies?

As with other file dependencies like Drawings, Assemblies, and parts, Autodesk Vault
recognizes all parent/child relationships of Inventor factories and members, providing a
Uses/Where Used interface on all versions and revisions.

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Vault can also recognize and categorize the member (generated) files. The members get their
own category and follow different Data Management security behaviors according to company
needs.

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