Using Inventor and Vault

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 Contents

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
2. VAULT LOG-IN……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
3. FILE TYPES………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
4. FILE STORING AND NAMING CONVENTION………………………………………………………… 5
5. CHECK FILES IN AND OUT OF VAULT…………………………………….…………………………….. 12
6. VAULT STATUS ICONS…………………………………………………………………………………………. 14
7. VERIFYING ALL FILES ARE CHECKED IN………………………………………………………………… 14
8. DELETING FILES WITHIN VAULT………………………………………………………………………….. 15
9. DRAWINGS, BORDERS & TITLE BLOCKS………………………………………………………………. 16
10. USING LEVELS OF DETAIL……………………………………………………………………………………. 16

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 1 Introduction

This document will help you to get up and running with Inventor at SEALIEN. It is the preferred working methods that
SEALIEN insists its entire staff follow.

For Inventor Settings Guide go to the Design/CAD page on Sharepoint

For Inventor best practices and training guides go to the Design/CAD page on Sharepoint

For information regarding working with Vault Items see Guides VLT006 - VLT010 on the
Business Systems/IFS Knowledge Centre page on Sharepoint

Vault is the program used by SEALIEN to store all Inventor files. Vault allows users to check out existing parts,
assemblies and drawings for alterations whilst keeping a record of each version as it is checked back in to Vault.

Please Note: SEALIEN insists that users do not use design accelerator functions Such as bolted connections, frame
generator, cable or harness generator.

Please Note: SEALIEN do not allow the use of Inventor Multi-bodied Parts. This is not an approved modelling
technique.

2 Vault log-in

Log-In Details for the Vault are as follows:

AUTHENTICATION: Set to Windows Account

USER NAME: Will automatically be populated

PASSWORD: There is no password required for Vault, so leave this field blank.

SERVER: tw6

VAULT: SEALIEN

Then Press ‘OK’ to log in

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 3 File Types
SEALIEN only use solid modelling techniques. Templates available to users reflect this. When starting a new
part/assembly/drawing in inventor use the full white sheet not the drop-down (this does not give you the correct
templates).

File Type SEALIEN Description Details

Part SEALIEN STD.ipt Standard Part Single Part

Assembly SEALIEN STD.iam Standard Assembly Multiple part assembly. Can

Drawing SEALIEN STD.idw Standard Drawing Used for detail drawings and
fabrications (doesn’t print
colour).

Drawing SEALIEN STD GA.idw Standard GA Drawing Used for GA’s (prints colour).

SEALIEN currently do not use the template listed below:

Parts Sheet Metal.ipt Standard Sheet Metal Part

SEALIEN also have a range of pin templates within the Vault which users can Copy Design.
(These templates are based on Pin & lock plate Design drawing DA0604)

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 4 File storing and naming convention

All SEALIEN Part No’s are to be filed into their unique VAULT folder

A complete list of all SEALIEN approved Vault file-naming conventions can be found on the Design Page on Share
point

SEALIEN Part numbers will be automatically allocated on the initial save of the Model to your local workspace. C: \
Working Folder \ Workspace \ Drawings \

a) To create a BOM Part (IAM or IPT) typ filename AJ1858.iam or AJ1858.ipt

Save Model

From the generate file number select SEALIEN Part numbers, then click OK

Create a new folder in your C:\Drive for your part to be filed into

C: \ Working Folder \ Workspace \ Drawings \ AJ \ AJ1000 \ AJ1858 \AJ1858.iam

For a single part IPT the file name would be AJ1858.ipt

Select a part Type decription from the list and add your part description then enter
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 There are two types of assembly that can be used

For multi purchased parts assembly (Assembly)

Select Tools Tab \ Document seetings \ Bill of materials and set the Default BOM structure to NORMAL

For multi Non BOM parts assembly (Fabrication)

Select Tools Tab \ Document seetings \ Bill of materials and set the Default BOM structure to PURCHASED

b) To create Non BOM Parts (ie parts for a Fabrication) typ file name AJ1858-001.ipt

With the Assembly open in Inventor, create a component

From the generated file number select Non BOM Parts, then click OK

You will now be shown this window, type in the Assembly Part No, Vault will complete the remaining fields with the
next sequential No eg. AJ1858-001…..-002 ect Click OK

Make sure the File location is correct and click OK

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 The component is now created and available for editing (AJ1858-001.ipt)

c) To create a Concept Design Part No. typ filename CD0238-VER-001.iam

Save Model

From the generate file number select Concept Designs, then click OK

Create a new folder in your C:\Drive for your part to be filed into then SAVE

C: \ Working Folder \ Workspace \ Drawings \ CD \ CD0000 \ CD0238

To create further versions of the Concept design,do not use the Concept Design numbering Scheme again as this will
generate a new CD Number. Instead use Save-as and skip Generate file number

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 Then overtype the file name –CD0238-VER-001 to CD0238-VER-002

d) To create a sales drawing see Work instruction SEALIENW123

e) To create LH & RH Parts

It is the practice of SEALIEN to only draw one of parts and derive the opposite hand Model
Create the first Part as normal in this instance the LH part is AJ1936.ipt
(Make sure you add the LH bit to IProperties description)
Create a blank model for the opposite hand part but when you get to the stage when you are going to Save
the file cancel the procedure (Note the PART No it is already assigned for you to use when you Derive the
initial Part) in this instance the RH Part is AJ1938.ipt

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 Derive and Mirror AJ1936 part as normal and file it as AJ1938
(Make sure you add the RH bit to IProperties description)
Create the drawing of the first Part as normal filename AJ1936.idw Edit the title block and replace the
prompts for the Description & Drawing No. with Normal Text, then add a text for LH & RH references above
the Title Block as shown

Check all files into Vault

Assign each part to its own Item

Edit the Item for the derived part (AJ1938) add a Tech Note – SEE DRAWING AJ1936

f) To Create a reference Model to be used as reference geometry on a drawing

Derive the assembly from a Blank IPT as normal and change these settings

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 Save the file

Select Tools Tab \ Document settings \ Bill of materials and change Default BOM Structure to Reference

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 g) Supplier Drawings and Models

These should be saved to the Vault with a SEALIEN Part No.If there is a drawing the Supplier Title block should be
inserted inside the suppliers border, Approved and Date fields should be completed, the remaining fields will be
generated from the Model iProperties

5 Check files in and out of VAULT

Only check files into and out of the Vault using Inventor, NOT from the Vault program itself.

Change the Inventor Model browser tree to the Vault, right click on files and select Check in

Click on delete working copies then OK. drawing is now successfully stored in the Vault

Keep Files Checked Out – This checks a copy of the file into the Vault, but keeps the files checked out so you can
continue to work on them.

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 Close Files and Delete Working Copies - This checks your file into the Vault and removes the local copy of your file
from Workspace.

To check in multiple files at once, you could check in an assembly or a drawing and Vault will offer you the choice to
check in all children of that assembly or drawing.

Assign the IAM or IPT to an item in Vault as normal (this will become the Primary file)
(Not the IDW this will become the Secondary file automatically)

Edit Item
Change part class from 9999-NA to an appropriate one
Set export license to False (unless actually needed)
Confirm that the Category is set correctly (Assembly / Purchased)

Assembly is list of parts we normally purchase individually and assembly in house. Purchased is when an item or a
collection of non BOM parts are purchased together and do not require any assembly in house ie a fabrication with a
number of plates.

To open files from Vault to Edit

Use Open from Vault function, Browse to the files you want to work with,
DO NOT use “Check out all” unless you are intending to edit all of them, open files as Read only and let Inventor
inform you when editing the files that you need to check them out.

The files are now in your workspace as Read-Only when you try to Edit any of these files you will be offered a prompt
to “Check them out”

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 6 Vault status icons

These icons appear next to the files in the Vault and in the Inventor browser. Note you can hover over the icon with
your mouse for a brief explanation of its meaning.
To view the latest list of Vault icons use the search feature in Vault and search for “Autodesk vault icons reference”

7 Verifying all files are checked in

REMEMBER: Check in all files at the end of each day and clear your workspace on a regular basis. Before clearing
your workspace users MUST make sure they have checked into the Vault all new models they have created.
Otherwise these files will be lost when clearing your workspace.

In Vault Explorer – go to find

Then put in the search options – Checked out by - contains - Your Vault username, and click Add then click Find Now.

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 After performing the search click on save

This moves the search into your My Search Folders

Check what files you have checked out and check them back in (please note - you should use the close files and
delete working copies check box NOT keep files checked out!).

8 Deleting files within VAULT

Most users do not have the capability to delete files within the Vault therefore users are required to move files into
the _Files to be deleted folder found in the Drawings folder

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 This is emptied on a regular basis by the system administrators however if users require the files to be deleted on a
more urgent basis contact a Vault Administrator

9 Drawings, Borders & Title blocks

Insert a border & then Title Block from the sub folders in your browser you will then be presented with a window in
which to fill in various fields of the title block.

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 The remaining fields such as Estimated Mass, Title, Material and Drawing No are filled in from the iProperties of the
part or assembly that you are drawing.

When updating a drawing or using the Copy Design function it is the users responsibility to replace old borders with
the latest version.

10 Using levels of detail

TOP LEVEL GA This level of detail already exists in the IAM Template, for older assemblies it will have to be created,
when creating your own please name it exactly the same (all upper case)

When using parts in your assemblies as reference i.e. you need the chassis to be in the model to position your part
on a drawing. Select Level of detail (LOD) Master

Insert the part you require into your assembly as normal, then right click on it in your model tree, select BOM
Structure and expand it. Select Reference, the part will still be visible in your model, and when inserted into a
drawing the reference part will appear Phantom. Save the assembly with the Master LOD activated

Now activate the TOP LEVEL GA LOD, suppress the reference part and save the assembly with this LOD activated.
Check into Vault

The reference part is now available to see in your model with Master LOD activated it will also be available to the
drawing in this LOD

When using this assembly in another assembly the TOP LEVEL GA LOD should be activated making the reference
parts invisible.

TOP LEVEL GA. LOD should also have suppressed items that are not required to be seen in the next assembly up i.e.
fasteners, items which are inside housings etc.
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 All assemblies which have suppressed parts should be saved to the Vault with the TOP LEVEL GA LOD activated

Within SEALIEN there is also a DRAWING AGXXXX level of Detail that you can store a level of detail specifically to be
used on the named Drawing. When activating this LOD please remember to change the name to your drawing name
e.g. DRAWING AB1234 as the same model may have several different Drawing levels of detail saved.Now activate the
TOP LEVEL GA LOD and save the assembly with this LOD activated.

Note: parts list on drawings should always reflect the Model BOM and should never be over-typed.

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