Autodesk recently released Inventor 2019.1 update for subscription customers. The update contains several new and improved features including additions to the Hole command. As a bonus I’ll throw in a workflow to convert points into sketch-points for automatic use by the Hole command.
Improved access and new functionality has been added to the “Menu” icon on the Hole properties panel. Users of Inventor are used to clicking on the menu icon on the Model panel but now can do so on the Hole command dialog box to expose two new command options.
For those who occasionally place holes using sketched center points, the two command options are a welcome sight!
The first command has been in Inventor for a very long time but the ability to turn it on or off has not. As you know, when you start the Hole command any sketch center points will be automatically selected. If this option is unchecked, this function will be disabled. This will make it easier in the placement of different sizes and types of holes using the same sketch center points. If this option is checked, you can deselect points by selection or by using a window or crossing window and the Ctrl key. This method will only select sketch center points and ignore any points or work points in the sketch.
If the second option, “Automatically share sketch” is selected, the sketch containing the sketch center points will be automatically shared as the new holes are created. Even if this option is selected, the sketch will only be shared if the “Create new hole” icon is used. This feature makes it ideal to create one type or size of holes from some sketch center points and then create a different type or size of holes from other sketch center points.
One other consideration to keep in mind when using these two new Hole command options. If you need to either activate, check, or de-activate either option, the change will not take effect until the next time the Hole command is executed.
As mentioned earlier, only sketch center points are automatically selected if the “Pre-select sketch center points” is active. Some users consider this to be a problem since projected points cannot be used directly for hole placement, but easy workflow can change points to sketch center points very quickly. While in the point sketch, window or crossing window the points you want to be sketch center points and then select the “Center Point” icon from the Sketch tab, Format panel. All points will become sketch center points and then can be used with the Hole command automatic selection function. Of course, you can manually select points, including work points, for hole placement.
Another new feature is the introduction of what Autodesk calls “Breadcrumbs” to the Hole command dialog box. There is a breadcrumb for both the hole(s) being created and the sketch being used, or developed, by the hole command session.
The main use of these breadcrumbs is to switch between the sketch and Hole command without exiting the Hole command and going to the Model panel in order to edit the base sketch. If you select the sketch breadcrumb the Hole command dialog box is partially dismissed and you are placed in the sketch environment. When editing of the sketch is finished, select the hole breadcrumb to return to the full Hole command dialog box to continue hole placement.
Also, both hole and sketch can be renamed using these breadcrumbs. Entering the editing mode is accomplished using the same method as you would use on any entry in the Model panel. Editing mode also allows standard clipboard operations making it easy to transfer text from other locations.
Read about these and other Inventor 2019.1 new and updated features by clicking on the Inventor 2019 help file link.
