Levels of Detail - Examine Without Activation

[Sparweb]

Is there any way to manage complex LOD's without activating them?
I would like to be able to inspect and control a list of suppressed and unsuppressed components without having to activate the LOD.

Level of Detail is the only way I can get my models to open. I design structures and systems within a model of aircraft structure that consists of about 100,000 pieces. This would take hours for my computer to open if I opened it explicitly, or if I insert it into a model with all of its components active. However, by careful use of Level of Detail, created first in the aircraft IAM model, then used and reduced again in LOD in my own IAM models of systems, I can avoid having models that take a very long time to open when I work on systems.

After enough time goes by, however, changes to other systems in the aircraft IAM model provoke changes that propagate to my models. There are a dozen other designers working of different structures and systems, and we all reference the same aircraft model structure. Each of use creates the LOD in the IAM we are working on.

I currently have a model of plumbing that I can't open because the aircraft model has changed so drastically that the LOD I created isn't valid any more. What causes Inventor to have this problem, I can't explain, but it's trying to open MASTER. I can open the file with Options-All Items Suppressed. But I can't activate any of the LOD's already in the IAM because Inventor doesn't know what they are any more, so Inventor starts loading the MASTER aircraft.

I do not want to rebuild all of the LOD's in this model from the bottom up! That would take hours, and the drawings that reference this IAM are corrupted unless I can fix this.

STF

 

[maripali]

Hi SparWeb,

It looks like you are talking about multidisciplinary quite large assembling file controlling.
Never thought that LOD is good solution for that. I just use it for sending my assembling to the higher hierarchy assembling file for commercial and space saving purposes.
Few years ago I've heard about BIM solutions within Building and Construction site where the software are capable to control any information coming from contractors.

If you like to use Inventor as BIM software I'd rather offer to create general assembling file where:
[ul]
[li]All imported parts comes with braked links from their sources.[/li]
[li]Avoid using any Constraints but just Grounding only.[/li]
[li]More complex assembling make simplified.[/li]
[li]For any discipline create Folders and Subfolders in Model Browser. This makes easy hiding not necessary parts or disciplines. With hidden parts PC works faster as well.[/li]
[/ul]
I do not say that there are the rules how to make it but hope it will be helpful.

 

[Sparweb]

Hi Maripali,

Yes, very multidisciplinary! There are about 20 designers who have introduced the model of the aircraft into their own assemblies, for reference in some way or another. Most of us reference parts of the structure, but in many places we must also keep components of certain systems active to prevent ourselves from putting equipment in where there already is something there.

My solution, last month, was to allow the model to open as "master" which did take about 6 hours and then fix the LOD's that were stored. By not deleting the LOD's and starting over again, the drawings did not need to be re-done. I find this dependence on LOD to generate a reasonable view in Inventor's drawings to be very troubling and make me wonder if I am using this as intended. Certainly the "place view" dialog box in a drawing offers this option as the preferred method of inserting a complex assembly at reduced detail.

Among your four suggestions, we all routinely do #1 and #3, and I personally use the folders (#4) very frequently. However, using folders only applies to the local assembly model file. Since the aircraft was introduced into the assembly as an inserted component (BOM reference) its level of detail can only be selected as one that has already been defined in the aircraft assembly model, or a piece-by-piece LOD in this assembly that must be saved uniquely and is very time-consuming to rebuild, if lost.

To make a simplified component out of an assembly, helps in some cases, but usually it conceals detail that our designers need to know.

Thank you for your advice and I do agree with your opinion: LOD is not a good solution for what I need, but it's the only tool I have right now.


STF

 

[maripali]

Hi SparWeb,
It is very difficult to stay master assembly (MA) always up to date. Some times its needed to have several versions of one or other designs.
The second thing what I have tried in my life is to have MA as is or simplified as I suggested before.
Then make the driven part of master assembling (DPOM) witch is easy updatable and configurable.
Every designer works with their assembling only.
Then puts their assembling to the intermediate verification assembling with DPOM.
Only accepted and confirmed assemblies can be putted to the MA. After that DPOM could be updated.
DPOM you able to make with Shrinkwrap funtion.
It is available to make as many DPOM's as you need and configure each separately.
It is available to make DPOM as ghost surface model.
You able to break or suppress link from DPOM to MA.
But carefully never put DPOM to MA. Any part with references from DPOM will produce circular references when placing to MA.