Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

In this chapter, the following topics will be discussed:

• Creating an Extrude Feature
• Creating a Revolve Feature
• Navigating a 3D Model in Graphics Area
• Changing the Visual Style of a Model

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Once a sketch has been created and fully constrained, you can convert it
into a solid feature by using the feature modeling tools.

In Autodesk Inventor, the feature

modeling tools are available in
the Create panel of the 3D
Model tab in the Part modeling
environment.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Creating an Extrude Feature

An extrude feature is created by adding or removing material, normal to
the sketching plane. Note that the sketch of the extrude feature defines its
geometry. The base extrude features are essentially created by adding
material.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

After drawing the sketch by using the

sketching tools, exit the Sketching
environment by clicking on the Finish
Sketch tool in the Exit panel of the Sketch
tab. Next, click on the Extrude tool in the
Create panel of the 3D Model tab.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

NOTE: On invoking the Extrusion property panel, if the sketch has only
one profile then it will be selected automatically and the preview of the
feature appears in the graphics area. However, if the sketch has more
than one profile then it will not be selected automatically and you will be
prompted to select a sketch profile to be extruded.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Breadcrumb
The Breadcrumb displays the feature hierarchy (current or active feature
and its associated sketch). It helps to quickly switch between environments
from editing the feature to editing the associated sketch.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Surface mode

Preview

Advanced Settings Menu

NOTE: The Advanced Settings Menu drop-down list only contains options
that are related to the feature being created or edited.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Keep sketch visible on (+)

Hide Presets

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Preset Drop-down List

Create new preset

Preset Settings

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Help

Input Geometry
The options of the Input Geometry rollout are used for selecting
profiles of a sketch to be extruded and a start condition for the feature.

Profiles

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

TIP: You can remove an already selected closed profile of the sketch by
pressing and holding the SHIFT or CTRL key and then clicking on the
profile of the sketch to be removed from the selection set.

From

NOTE: You will learn more about selecting a plane or a face to define the
start condition for an extrude feature in later chapters while creating the
second and further features of a model.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Behavior
The options in the Behavior rollout of the Extrusion property panel are
used for defining the direction and depth of extrusion.

Default

Flipped

Symmetric

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Asymmetric

TIP: In the Behavior rollout, you can change

the display style of direction options from
icons/buttons to drop-down list.

NOTE: The To option of the Behavior rollout

is discussed in later chapters while creating
the second or further features of a model.
Also, options such as Through All and To
Next are not available in the Behavior
rollout while creating a base feature and
are discussed in later chapters.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Advanced Properties
By default, the Advanced Properties rollout is collapsed in the property
panel. To expand this rollout, click on its title bar. The Taper A field in the
expanded Advanced Properties rollout is used for adding tapering in one
direction of the extrude feature. By default, 0 (zero) is entered in this field.
As a result, the resultant extrude feature is created without any tapering
in it.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Apply and Create new extrusion

The Apply and Create new extrusion button of the property panel is used
for creating the extrude feature as per the current specified parameters
and begin creating another extrude feature using the same parameters.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Creating a Revolve Feature

A revolve feature is a feature created such that the material is added or
removed by revolving the sketch around an axis of revolution. Note that the
sketch to be revolved should be on either side of the axis of revolution.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

After drawing the sketch of a revolve feature along with the axis of
revolution, exit the Sketching environment by clicking on the Finish Sketch
tool in the Exit panel of the Sketch tab. Next, click on the Revolve tool in
the Create panel of the 3D Model tab. The Revolution property panel
appears. Also, the preview of the revolve feature appears.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

NOTE: If the sketch to be revolved has only one profile and one centerline then the
profile and the centerline will automatically be selected. Also, the preview of the
resultant revolve feature appears in the graphics area. However, if the sketch has
two or more than two profiles or centerlines, or does not have any centerline, then
on invoking the Revolve tool, the preview of the revolve feature does not appear
and you are prompted to select a profile and an axis of revolution.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Input Geometry
The options of the Input Geometry rollout are used for selecting profiles
of a sketch to be revolved and an axis of revolution.

Profiles

Axis

Behavior
The options in the Behavior rollout of the Revolution property panel are
used for defining the direction and angle of revolution.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Default

Flipped

Symmetric

Asymmetric

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Output
The options in the Output rollout are used for selecting the type of
boolean operation for creating the revolve feature.

Apply and Create new revolution

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Navigating a 3D Model in Graphics Area

In Autodesk Inventor, you can navigate a model by using the mouse
buttons and the navigation tools. You can access the navigation tools in
the Navigation Bar available on the right side of the graphics area. You
can also navigate a model by using the ViewCube.

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Navigating a 3D Model by Using the Navigation Tools

Navigation Wheel

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

NOTE: If the Navigation Bar is not available on the right side of the
graphics area, click on the View tab in the Ribbon and then in the
Windows panel, invoke the User Interface flyout. Next, ensure that the
Navigation Bar check box is selected in it.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

NOTE: You can also access different navigation tools in the Navigate panel of
the View tab in the Ribbon.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Pan

Zoom

Zoom

Zoom All

Zoom Window

Zoom Selected

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Orbit

Orbit

Constrained Orbit

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Rotate at Angle

Look At

The Look At tool is used for displaying the selected face of a 3D model
normal to the viewing direction.

Navigating a 3D Model by Using the Mouse Buttons

In Autodesk Inventor, you can navigate a 3D model in the graphics area by
using the mouse buttons.

Navigating a 3D Model by Using the ViewCube

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Home

Corner

Edge

Face

Context Menu

Go Home

Orthographic

Perspective

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Set Current View as Home

Set Current View as

Reset Front

Options

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Changing the Visual Style of a Model

You can change the visual or display
style of a model to realistic, shaded,
shaded with edges, shaded with
hidden edges, wireframe, wireframe
with hidden edges, wireframe with
visible edges only, monochrome,
watercolor, sketch illustration, or
technical illustration.

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Realistic

Shaded

Shaded with Edges

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Shaded with Hidden Edges

Wireframe

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Wireframe with Hidden Edges

Wireframe with Visible Edges Only

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Monochrome

Watercolor

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Sketch Illustration

Technical Illustration

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Tutorial 1
Create an extruded model. The depth of extrusion is 15 mm. All
dimensions are in mm.

To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Tutorial 2
Open the sketch created in Tutorial 2 of Chapter 4 and then revolve it
around the vertical centerline at an angle of 270 degrees. Also, change the
visual style of the model to ‘wireframe with visible edges only’. All
dimensions are in mm.

To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Tutorial 3
Open the sketch created in Tutorial 3 of Chapter 4, and then extrude it to a
depth of 60 mm, symmetrically about the sketching plane. All dimensions
are in mm.

To create this tutorial, follow the steps given in the textbook.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Hands-on Test Drive 1

Create a revolved model, as shown in the below figure. The angle of
revolution is 360 degrees. All dimensions are in mm. Note that to create a
revolved feature, you need to create its sketch on either side of the axis of
revolution.

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Hands-on Test Drive 2

Create an extruded model, as shown in the below figure. The depth of
extrusion is 2 mm. All dimensions are in mm.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Hands-on Test Drive 3

Create a revolve model as shown in the below figure. The angle of
revolution is 360 degrees. All dimensions are in mm.

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Hands-on Test Drive 4

Create an extruded model, as shown in the below figure. The depth of
extrusion is 10 mm. All dimensions are in mm.

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Hands-on Test Drive 5

Create an extruded model, as shown in the below figure. The depth of
extrusion is 20 mm. All dimensions are in mm.

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Hands-on Test Drive 6

Create an extruded model, as shown in the below figure. The depth of
extrusion is 3 mm. All dimensions are in mm.

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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

Summary
In this chapter, you have learned about creating extrude and revolve base
features by using the Extrude and Revolve tools, respectively. The chapter
discussed in detail how to navigate a model by using the mouse buttons,
ViewCube, and navigation tools such as Navigation Wheel, Pan, Zoom,
and Orbit. It also explained the method for changing the visual style of a
model.

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Questions
Complete and verify the following sentences:

• The ________ tool is used for creating a feature by adding material

normal to the sketching plane.

• The ________ tool is used for creating a feature by revolving a sketch

profile around an axis of revolution.

• The ________ is divided into different wedges and each wedge

represents a navigation tool.

• The ________ tool is used for zooming a particular portion or an area of

a 3D model.

• The ______ tool is used for panning/moving a 3D model in the graphics

area.
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 Chapter 5: Creating Base Feature of Solid Models

• The ______ tool is used for displaying the selected face of a 3D model
normal to the viewing direction.

• The ______ button in the Revolution property panel is used for

revolving the sketch profile symmetrically on both sides of the sketching
plane.

• The base extrude features are essentially created by adding material.

(True/False)

• If the sketch to be extruded has two closed profiles then on invoking

the Extrude tool, both the profiles get selected automatically and the
preview of the extrude feature appears in the graphics area.
(True/False)

• In Autodesk Inventor, you cannot navigate a model by using the mouse

buttons. (True/False)

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• ViewCube is available at the upper right corner of the graphics area and
is used for changing the view or orientation of a model. (True/False)

• To zoom into or out of the view of a 3D model, scroll up or down the

wheel of the mouse. (True/False)

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