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Drobny

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6mtg4qsgzj
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SELECTED ENGINEERING PROBLEMS

NUMBER 3
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING PROCESSES AUTOMATION
AND INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

Krzysztof DROBNY, Mariusz HETMAŃCZYK*

Institute of Engineering Processes Automation and Integrated Manufacturing Systems,


Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
*
[email protected]

APPLICATION OF THE ILOGIC TECHNOLOGY, IMPLEMENTED


IN THE INVENTOR SOFTWARE, TO THE REALIZATION OF
A PARAMETERIZED MODEL OF A CYLINDRICAL GEAR - RULES
DEVELOPMENT

Abstract: An elaboration of a model and a full technical documentation of a cylindrical gear


is the process classified to the group of activities consuming a significant amount of time, due
to the complexity of strength calculations (related, among other things, to the determination of
functional dimensions of coupled assemblies - a pinion and a gear, and the geometry),
selection of many standardized components, determination of dimensions of a housing (body,
covers, etc.). The paper presents the ability of a rationalization of an entire process based on
the Autodesk Inventor 2012 iLogic technology [4]. On the basis of enumerated software the
authors’ elaborated parametric model of the cylindrical gear transmission with full
documentation of described technical system. The authors also used a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet as a tool for purposes of a calculation of all of the dimensions of standardized
constituent elements.

1. Introduction
At the present time it is possible to notice the increasing development of science and
technology. Manufacturing companies are on the one hand in a front of the huge challenge of
meeting the requirements of the customers connected with the expected quality, time
restrictions and a complexity of the project; on the other hand they are obliged to obtain an
advantage over competitors.
Often on the basis of one standard structure designers generate several structural variants
of the element, forming the series of types. Usage of a parameterization significantly
improves the entire process, because the dimensions are linked with specific functions and
dependences. The parameterization provides the correct fitting of related dimensions, so that
treatment enables easily avoiding of errors associated with the redesign process of elements in
assemblies (mechanisms, machines, etc.). The use of the parameterization in modern CAD
systems significantly improves a quality of a design and a construction process,
simultaneously reducing the time [1, 2].
APPLICATION OF THE ILOGIC TECHNOLOGY… 52

2. The iLogic technology


The iLogic technology allows to the development of models (including rules) and forms,
so in this case such created projects form the basis of the considered issue and improve the
design process [6]. The rules significantly expand the creation ability of parametric models,
because the parameter values are entered directly by the user or as a result of outcome
formulas based on other parameters. These values can be obtained from a spreadsheet. The
forms allow to a creation of transparent windows (adapted to the specific model) allowing to
data input, a selection of relevant data, a rules launching or an activation of external
programs.
The browser window is composed of tabs, which allow to a preview (or an addition) of
rules and forms (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. View of tabs of the iLogic viewer

The iLogic technology makes possible an automation of many tasks, among other things
[5,6]:
• an activation or a deactivation of individual parts in assembly, their relations (drilling
operations, extrusions made on items), by using a command containing rules based on
text values (true/false)
• an automatic updating of the document structure (if made some modifications in the
model),
• an upload and a download of parameter values to an Excel spreadsheet, along with the
possibility of reading and writing,
• an establishment of a communication process between the model and external databases
(such as the SQL Server or the Microsoft Access).

3. iLogic rules
Rules are small programs written using the Visual Basic through which it is possible to
control the model (modification of parameters) and the behavior determination of the
elements (operations on them, depending on certain conditions). Allow also the use of
parameters, including numeric and text variables. The rules are stored in the same file as the
APPLICATION OF THE ILOGIC TECHNOLOGY… 53

created part, or assembly (no errors associated with the name of the object, or a path). Figure
2 shows the window dedicated to an edition of the rules.

The project elements viewer Parameter values of the selected element

A field of available
functions An area dedicated to a definition of new rule function

Fig. 2. View of the window dedicated to an edition of the rules

The high transparency of the editing window and a collection of all of the available
features make easy to add another command rules.

4. Functions in the iLogic rules


A procedure connected with the development of a function starts with a definition of the
appropriate codes (inside the area shown in Figure 2). For beginners facilitation is a list of
commonly used codes located in the left side of the editing window. Functions are arranged in
the form of a tree, classified in accordance with a category.
Developed functions are implemented within the program and may base on data included
in the model, received from external databases or required specific values inserted through the
dialog boxes. Each function is created independently from the rest of the code contained in
the rule.

Function arguments can take a form of:


• a text string:
APPLICATION OF THE ILOGIC TECHNOLOGY… 54

Parameter("joint_type") = "key"

A function Edited parameter A text value assigned to the


type parameter

• a numerical value:
Power_input = 3 KW

Edited parameter A parameter value The physical


unit

• a logical value (True/False) – an activation or a deactivation of a concrete part or their


element:

Component.IsActive("shaft:1") = True

A function The part name The function value


type

Feature.IsActive("shaft:1", "Extrusion_straight1") = False

A function The parameter The name of edited The function


type name element of considered value
part
5. Usage of a spreadsheet in order to collection of parameter values
Due to the large amount of processed data and a complexity of design options in the phase
of generation of a cylindrical gear transmission (on the basis of data provided by the user,
such as power, a input speed and a gear ratio) the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used. The
described sheet contents a definition of statements containing all the necessary standard parts
(bearings, snap rings, prismatic grooves, splines, etc.) [3].
Then, using the iLogic technology combined with the Excel spreadsheet, the authors’
elaborated dynamic connection that enables an uploading and a downloading of data between
the user model and created spreadsheet cells. For proper communication between the model
and the sheet were made following commands, used in the rules used for:

• opening of the Excel spreadsheet:

GoExcel.Open("calculations.xlsx", " calculations")

Sheet opening command Sheet name with an extension Sheet name


APPLICATION OF THE ILOGIC TECHNOLOGY… 55

• sending of parameter values of defined cells:

GoExcel.CellValue("C3") = Power_input /(10^9)


GoExcel.CellValue("C4") = Input_rptational_speed/6
GoExcel.CellValue("C5") = Gear_ratio

Sending commands Cell address Parameter value

Appended values (/(10^9) and /6), to the end of command lines, are the conversion
coefficients of power (given in kilowatts) and speed (given in rev/min), in order to properly
sending of parameter values to a spreadsheet cell. With the iLogic technology the authors
made the clear form shown in Figure 3.
The final step of the rule edition is saving the changes and closing the spreadsheet, with
a purpose of appropriate commands:
• saving the changes command::
GoExcel.Save
• closing the spreadsheet:
GoExcel.Close

Fig. 3. The form window


APPLICATION OF THE ILOGIC TECHNOLOGY… 56

Fig. 4. A generated construction variant of a cylindrical gear

Elaborated form allows to enter the input data (generation of a new variant of a gear
design, shown in the Figure 4), and then generation of a complete design documentation.
Additionally the user has the possibility to export the model to IGES or STEP formats.

6. Summary
The paper presents the possibilities of using the Autodesk Inventor iLogic technology for
definition of rules, and forms used for a development of the parametric model of helical gear
units. By using the described technology user may perform any variant of considered
structure, based on defined inputs recorded within the range of the form.
The process works on the principle of communication (by iLogic rules) made between the
model (in the Inventor software) and the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, which are made all the
calculations and a choice of the dimensions of the standard.
The proposed solution significantly reduces the whole time of a design and a construction
associated with the development of a new variant structure and its documentation, bringing
the whole process to introducing a new input data and then generation of all documentation.

References

1. Jaskulski A., Autodesk Inventor 10PL/10+: metodyka projektowania, Warszawa:


Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2006, (In Polish).
2. Kapias K., Inventor praktyczne rozwiązania, Gliwice: Wydawnictwo Helion, 2002, (In
Polish).
3. Kurmaz L. W. i Kurmaz O. L., Projektowanie Wezłów i Części Maszyn, Kielce:
Wydawnictwo Politechniki Świętokrzyskiej, 2006, (In Polish).
4. Stasiak F., Zbiór ćwiczeń Autodesk Inventor 11, Łódź: ExpertBooks, 2006, (In Polish).
5. http://autodesk-inventor-pl.typepad.com/my-blog/ (z dnia 16.03.2012).
6. http://wikihelp.autodesk.com (z dnia 10.02.2012)

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