Find and correct design errors

Autodesk Inventor provides an error tracking and recovery system to help you detect and correct design problems as you work.

Sketch errors

Sketches form the basis of most model features. For example: a closed sketch region can be used to create a solid extrusion (or cut) in your model while unclosed sketch geometry is often used to extrude a surface. Finding an error in a sketch requires that you understand how each piece of sketch geometry relates to each other piece and that you understand how the sketch will be used to create subsequent model features.

If your sketch includes imported geometry that was originally created by another designer it is often more challenging to identify design errors. Unexpected behavior can often result while using imported sketches due to the way the geometry was created in the exporting system. Common issues include:

  • Imported geometry that appears to define a closed region can have small gaps between lines and arcs. These gaps prevent the region from behaving as expected during the creation of a solid feature.
  • Lines that appear to be perpendicular may not actually measure 90 degrees. This type of issue will often not become apparent until you attempt to assemble the part while assuming that the created feature has perpendicular faces.
  • Autodesk Inventor adjusts the value of any exported dimension to reflect the size of the actual geometry. This type of issue can be problematic in cases where the original designer changed one or more dimensions rather than adjusting the size and position of the geometry.

The Sketch Doctor can help you find problems with open regions. Issues involving incorrect angles or dimensions require closer scrutiny.

Model errors

If you change a model that interferes with or are inconsistent with other features, Autodesk Inventor displays the command message dialog box when you attempt to apply the changes. The dialog box lists the problems with the operation.

If the error is a simple one (for example, a fillet radius larger than the edge to which it is applied), the list displays a single set of nested failure messages. There is one message for each step in the failed operation. If there are several errors in the attempted operation, a set of nested failure messages appears for each error.

The root cause for each error is displayed in red underlined text and is marked by a red cross icon and a light bulb icon. You can click the red text to highlight the error location in the graphics window. Clicking the red cross opens Design Doctor which can assist you in fixing the problem.

If you know how to fix the problem, you can bypass Design Doctor and edit the entries that caused the error. If you choose to disregard the error temporarily and continue with your design, the operation is added to the browser and marked with an error or warning symbol. When you hover over the browser node, the feature is displayed in the graphics window in its last successful state.

Design errors

The error tracking system and Design Doctor make it easy to correct design errors as you work. However, you can also accept design errors and correct them later. You may want to edit other features to resolve the error, try other design options, or work with the errors at another time.

When there are unresolved errors in a model, the red cross is selectable on the Quick Access toolbar. You can click the red cross to open Design Doctor and work on any of the errors in the model. If you are working in an assembly, the errors in all components are available.

Features with errors are also marked in the browser. You can right-click an error and select Recover to correct a single error. When fixing several errors, it is a good practice to work from the top of the list or browser to the bottom, since features with dependencies appear below the features on which they depend.

Procedures

Fix design errors

Design errors can occur if you make changes that interfere with or are inconsistent with other features. For example, an error occurs if you specify a fillet radius larger than the edge to which it applies, or set an extrusion to act as a cut where no intersection occurs.

If problems occur during an operation, Autodesk Inventor displays a message dialog box with an error list. Design failures are displayed in red underlined text. If you select a design failure message in the list, the location of the failure is highlighted in the graphics window.

You can fix design errors when they occur, or accept them and fix them later.

TipWhen fixing design errors, use the shortcut keys to change the view in the graphics window.
  • Press F2 to pan the view.
  • Press F3 to zoom the view.
  • Press F4 to rotate the view.

Fix design errors when they occur

  • If you know how to fix the problem and do not need further help, click Edit at the bottom of the dialog box to return to the graphics window and make needed changes.
  • To display tips for using the command message dialog box, click the light bulb next to the message.
  • To get help diagnosing and fixing the problem, click the red cross next to the message. Follow the instructions in Design Doctor.

Fix design errors later

  1. To save the results of the operation with the design errors, click Accept at the bottom of the error message dialog box. The attempted operation is added to the browser with icons that indicate their status.
  2. To fix an error later, right-click the icon for the flagged operation and select Recover from the menu. Follow the instructions in Design Doctor to diagnose and recover from the error.

References

Design Doctor

Diagnoses problems in the model and recommends solutions. The Design Doctor is aware of the environment and shows only errors appropriate in the context.

For example, if you delete a component that contains a dependent assembly feature, the assembly feature goes sick and the dependent assembly sketches continue to remain in the browser. Use the Design Doctor to replace the deleted component with a new component using the Redefine command.

Access:

Click in the command message dialog box.

Right-click a sketch, feature, constraint, or weld bead marked with or in the browser and select Recover.

NoteTo enable additional analysis for constraint errors in assemblies, click Tools tab Options panel Application Options. Click the Assembly tab and toggle Enable Related Constraint Failure Analysis. To witness groups of constraints that are in a failure set, activate the Related Constraint Failure Analysis option.

Sketch Doctor

Diagnoses problems in the sketch and recommends solutions. Is active in part, assembly, and drawing sketches.

Select

Lists all errors in the sketch. Select the error to correct. The selected error is highlighted in the browser and graphics window. Click Next.

Diagnose Sketch

Lists diagnostic tests to perform on the sketch. Click a check box to select test. Results are added to the error list.

If the problem cannot be highlighted in the graphics window (for example, if it is caused by a missing geometry), Highlight changes to a Continue Examination. Click the command to replay the feature history and find the source of the problem.

Examine

Provides detailed information and a suggested solution for the selected error. Click Unhighlight Problem to turn the highlighting off and on in the graphics window.

If the problem cannot be highlighted in the graphics window (for example, if it is caused by a missing geometry), Highlight changes to Continue Examination. Click Next.

Treat

Displays the options available to resolve the selected error. Click to select the appropriate treatment and click Finish to start treatment:

Close Loop instructs you to select a curve that connects to the start or end of the loop and continue selecting curves until the loop is closed. You can also select a sketch command and create the missing loop geometry.

Edit Sketch returns to the Sketch environment. Use sketch commands to resolve the highlighted problem.

Feature and Weldments Doctor

Diagnoses problems and offers a diagnosis and description. Suggests treatments.

Select

Lists errors in the feature. Click an error to Select. The selected error is highlighted in the browser and graphics window. Click Next.

Examine

Provides detailed information and a description of the problem. Click Unhighlight Problem to turn the highlighting off and on in the graphics window.

If the problem cannot be highlighted in the graphics window (for example, if it is caused by a missing geometry), Highlight changes to Continue Examination. Click Next.

Treat

Displays the options available to resolve the selected error. Click to select the desired treatment. The treatment is activated when you click Finish to close Design Doctor.

Edit Feature opens the feature dialog box.

Delete Feature deletes the feature. If other features are dependent on the deleted feature, they are also deleted.

Suppress Feature suppresses the feature. If other features are dependent on the suppressed feature, they are also suppressed.

Assembly Constraints Doctor

Diagnoses sick constraints and identifies the components and constraints where the constraint failure occurs. Recommends solutions to resolve the error.

Select

Lists all constraint errors in the participating geometry. Click a constraint error to Select. The selected constraint is highlighted in the browser and graphics window. Click Next.

Examine

Provides detailed information and a suggested solution for the selected error. Click Unhighlight Problem to turn the highlighting off and on in the graphics window.

If the problem cannot be highlighted in the graphics window (for example, if it is caused by a missing geometry), Highlight changes to Continue Examination. Click Next.

Treat

Displays the options available to resolve the selected error. Click to select the desired treatment. The treatment is activated when you click Finish to close Constraint Doctor.

Edit Constraint opens the Edit Constraint dialog box.

Delete Constraint deletes the constraint. If other constraints are associated with the deleted constraint, additional errors may need resolution.

Suppress Constraint suppresses the constraint. If other constraints are associated with the suppressed constraint, additional errors may need resolution.

Isolate and Edit Constraint turns off visibility of components except the two components related by the constraint. Opens the Edit Constraint dialog box.

Isolate Related Failed Constraints identifies all participants in the constraint and turns off visibility of other components. Only geometry participating in the constraint is visible. Opens the Edit Constraint dialog box. This option appears only when the Enabled Related Constraint Failure Analysis check box is selected in the Application Options dialog box, Assembly tab.

Diagnose Constraint opens the Assembly constraint errors and recovery dialog box.

The dialog box provides additional constraint resolution tools.

Export derived objects

Diagnoses problems and offers solutions when the status of an exported object is changed so that it is no longer exported, causing referencing objects to fail.

Select

Lists the objects that are affected by the export status change. The selected object is highlighted in the browser and graphics window. Click Next.

Examine

Provides information and a suggested solution for the selected error. Click Unhighlight Problem to turn the highlighting off and on in the graphics window.

If the problem cannot be highlighted in the graphics window (for example, if it is caused by a missing geometry), Highlight changes to Continue Examination. Click Next.

Treat

Displays the options available to resolve the selected error. Click to select the desired treatment. The treatment is activated when you click Finish to close Design Doctor.

Stop Derive excludes the object from the derive component but keeps a local, unlinked copy of the object with the derive component.

Mark for Export resets the object for export. You are prompted if the object is read only.

Delete removes the derived reference.

Command message dialog box

Provides information about problems that occur as you design in Autodesk Inventor. The title of the dialog box identifies the failed operation. To resize the dialog box, drag a corner of the box.

Access:

The command message dialog box is displayed when an operation cannot be successfully completed. For example, it appears when a specified fillet radius is larger than the edge to which it is applied or when an extrusion is specified to act as a cut does not intersect with another feature.

TipWhen command message dialog box is open, you can use the shortcut keys to change the view in the graphics window.
  • Press F2 to pan.
  • Press F3 to zoom.
  • Press F4 to rotate.

Message list

Lists the messages that result from a failed operation. You can click a message displayed in red underlined text to highlight the failure in the graphics window.

The symbols next to the messages indicate the severity of the problem, provide tips, or provide a way to fix the problem.

 

Opens the Design Doctor to find the source of the problem and correct it.

 

Displays tips for using the command message dialog box.

 

Indicates a failed operation. To complete the operation, find and correct the design failure that caused it.

 

Indicates a partially failed operation. To complete the operation, find and correct the design failure that caused it.

Copy

 

Copies the messages to the Clipboard so that you can paste them into a text document, word processing document, or email message.

Options

The options available to resolve a problem depend on the operation attempted and type of problem. Possible options include:

Edit

Reopens the dialog box for the operation so that you can specify different settings.

Cancel

Cancels the operation without saving any changes.

Accept

Saves the changes, even though the problem is not corrected. The applicable problem symbol is added to the feature in the browser, and the problem can be fixed later.