ACP iParts and iAssemblies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the key difference between a Standard iPart and a Custom iPart in Autodesk Inventor?
- Standard iParts cannot be modified after placement; Custom iParts can be edited in-place
- Standard iParts restrict all values to the factory table; Custom iParts allow user-defined values for specified parameters at placement (Correct answer)
- Standard iParts are supplied by Autodesk Content Center; Custom iParts are user-created
- Standard iParts use external Excel files; Custom iParts use only an internal table
Correct answer: Standard iParts restrict all values to the factory table; Custom iParts allow user-defined values for specified parameters at placement
A Custom iPart designates certain parameters as user-editable at placement time, while a Standard iPart locks all parameter values to those defined in the factory table.
Question 2: In an iAssembly, what is the 'factory file'?
- The master .iam file that contains the iAssembly table with all member configurations (Correct answer)
- A manufacturing instruction document linked to the assembly
- A special Autodesk Vault file used to store production data
- An Excel file used to export assembly BOM data to manufacturing
Correct answer: The master .iam file that contains the iAssembly table with all member configurations
The factory file is the master assembly (.iam) that hosts the iAssembly table defining all member configurations from which specific members are derived.
Question 3: Which of the following can be controlled within an iAssembly table?
- Component suppression states only
- Component suppression states, parameter values, and iProperties (Correct answer)
- Only parameter values of direct sub-components
- Only the position and orientation of components
Correct answer: Component suppression states, parameter values, and iProperties
An iAssembly table can control component suppression states, sub-component parameter values, iProperties, and other configuration-specific data for each member.
Question 4: To edit an existing iPart table after it has been created, which method is correct?
- Delete and recreate the iPart Author from scratch
- Double-click the part name in the Model browser
- Right-click the Table entry in the Model browser and select Edit Table (Correct answer)
- Use Manage > Parameters dialog to edit table values directly
Correct answer: Right-click the Table entry in the Model browser and select Edit Table
Right-clicking the Table node in the Model browser and selecting Edit Table opens the embedded spreadsheet editor for modifying the iPart table.
Question 5: How do you exclude a specific component from appearing in certain iAssembly members?
- Delete the component from those member .iam files individually
- Set the component to Suppressed in the iAssembly table for those member rows (Correct answer)
- Move the component to a different sub-assembly level
- Use the Visibility property in the assembly View tab
Correct answer: Set the component to Suppressed in the iAssembly table for those member rows
In the iAssembly table, setting a component's state to Suppressed for specific member rows excludes it from those configurations while keeping it active in others.
Question 6: What file extension does an iPart factory file use in Autodesk Inventor?
- .ipf
- .ipt (Correct answer)
- .iam
- .idw
Correct answer: .ipt
An iPart factory file uses the standard Inventor part file extension .ipt; there is no separate extension to distinguish a factory file from a regular part.
Question 7: When an iPart is placed in an assembly and the factory file is later updated with a new parameter value for an existing member, what occurs?
- The assembly must be manually refreshed by the user using a special update command
- The placed member automatically updates to reflect the new value when the assembly is opened or rebuilt (Correct answer)
- A conflict error is thrown and the change in the factory file is rejected
- A new member file is created to capture the updated value, leaving the old one unchanged
Correct answer: The placed member automatically updates to reflect the new value when the assembly is opened or rebuilt
Parametric changes to the factory file propagate automatically to member files and the assemblies that reference them when they are opened or rebuilt.
ACP iParts and iAssemblies 2
What is the key difference between a Standard iPart and a Custom iPart in Autodesk Inventor?