Welcome to CADVANTAGE’s No Nonsense, Quick Start, Click by Click tutorial for I-DEAS. This tutorial is part of the CAD-CAM @ Home scheme currently available in the city of Aurangabad in India. Two Goodwill Gesture lessons are provided in this document. Lesson 1 : Introduction to Program Interface and Viewing Commands. Lesson 2 : 3D Modeling with I-DEAS. The intention of this tutorial is not to teach I-DEAS but to help crack the ice, aid new users get familiar and Up and Running with I-DEAS. |
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For Remaining lessons as listed in the detailed syllabus below, you may enroll for the CAD++ [ CAD @ Home ] program at : CADVANTAGE ( where AutoCAD is taught FREE ) C 2 - 6, N 7, CIDCO, Opp. Onkar Gas, Behind Swamikripa STD, Aurangabad 431003 India Ph : 0240 - 480767 Email : CadGuruCool@yahoo.com Webpage : www.geocities.com/CadGuruCool ![]() |
1. Who needs AutoCAD Anymore ? - CAD CAM Sketch 2. Who needs AutoCAD Anymore ? - CAD CAM Chart 3. I-DEAS Detailed Syllabus 4. Introduction to Program Interface and Viewing Commands 5. 3D Modeling with I-DEAS |
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As shown in the illustration, AutoCAD is a Entry-level CAD software. Using AutoCAD, you can draw 2D Sketches, 3D machine parts, display assembly drawings in both 2D and 3D and even create sheet-metal parts. All these features are also readily available in Mid Range CAD packages like Solid Edge, Solid Works, Inventor, etc. However, the difference lies in the intelligence that mid-range softwares exhibit, the ease of use and the fewer number of steps that are involved in creating a given machine element. That’s not all. Future modifications to a design can be done in a more logical way in Solid Edge than in AutoCAD where the model needs to be re-worked either from scratch sometimes or by way of patch work. I-DEAS is a High End CAD CAM CAE suite. The other softwares in this category are Pro/ENGINEER, Unigraphics and CATIA. What sets apart High-end from mid-range is CAE which stands for Computer Aided Engineering and FEA ie Finite Element Analysis. Some people are habitual of categorizing FEA under CAE. The world of CAD-CAM-CAE is still evolving and its difficulty to state such a thing. FEA which in itself is a huge field is not available readily under Solid Edge or other mid-range softwares. Pro/ENGINEER is a High-End CAD-CAM-CAE suite. What is a suite ? A suite is a collection of softwares which may run independent of each other but together they offer very strong capabilities in achieving a common goal. You may be aware of MS Office which is a suite of Office Automation applications like MS Word used for word processing, MS Excel used as a spread-sheet, MS PowerPoint used as a presentation tool and MS Access which is a database application. Similarly, I-DEAS is a collection of a vast number of CAD applications which may work togther to achieve a common goal. In I-DEAS, there are Applications and each Application has different Tasks which are all acessible from the main I-DEAS program. These are only a few points which distinct Entry-Level, Mid-Range and High-End softwares from each other A chart showing different CAD-CAM softwares and their creators is shown next. |
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The chart is self Explanatory. Mid-range softwares in their initial years were ruled out as only mid-priced softwares by Autodesk as they were no better off than AutoCAD. But today they (the mid-rangers) rival with the High-End CAD CAM applications as far as core-modeling is concerned. |
As an example, fillet and shell are two typical solid modeling features. |
![]() With AutoCAD you can fillet an edge with only constant radius, whereas, fillet with varying radius is also possible in I-DEAS as shown in the figure on the right. |
Another example is that of the shell feature. |
![]() Figure on the left shows a shell ( thin region ) feature created in AutoCAD where only constant thickness can be used. Using I-DEAS, you may specify unique thickness to different faces for the shell as shown in the figure on the right. Varying radius fillet and variable thickness shells are possible in mid-range softwares like Solid-Edge and also in High-End CAD programs. Thus, Mid-range CAD CAM softwares compete with high-end applications. Besides these, there are many features other than modeling where mid-range and high-end softwares are superior to entry-level softwares. One example could be the History access or Model navigator feature wherein you can directly access and modify a treatment feature that was applied half-way during the model making process. This is not possible in AutoCAD. |
Detailed Course Contents I-DEAS |
1) Interface of I-DEAS |
About I-DEAS modeler Starting I-DEAS Windows Mouse Button Usage Smart Keys Icon Graphic Theme Global Commands Keyboard Accelerators |
2) Preparing to Work |
Icon Panel Menus Modeler Task Icons Application Specific Icons View Icons General Function of Mouse Dynamic Navigator Focus |
3) Creating 2D Geometry |
Lines Polylines Points Rectangles Circles Arcs |
4) Editing 2D Geometry |
Fillet Make cornerr Trim/Extend Divide At Merge Curves Offset Modifying Dimensions Delete move Rotate Reflect |
5) Constraining 2D Entities |
Dimensions Matching Dimensions Constrain & Dimension Grounds Anchors Perpendicular constraints Parallel Constraints Tangential Constraints Collinear Constraints Show Free Show Cause Show Effects Show Constraints Dimensions Animation Auto constaints |
6) Creating 3D Geometry |
Sketch in place Extrude Revolve |
7) Creating Complex 3D Entities |
Shell Sweep Draft Loft |
8) Translating 2D Geometry |
Move Rotate Drag Scale Reflect |
9) Editing 3D Geometry |
Fillet Chamfer Circular Pattern Rectangular Pattern Join Cut Intersect Plane Cut History Access |
10) Getting Information and Changing Properties |
Workplane Appearance Measure lengths, Radius Calculating Surface Area and Weight Getting Detailed Information |
11) Managing Entities |
Name Parts Put Away Get Manage Bin |
12) Creating Catalogs |
Primitives Part Catalogs Section Catalogs |
13) Special Techniques |
Displaying Menus Development of Surfaces Reorder Feature |
14) Drafting Setup |
Create Layout Creating Views Custom Views Creating Dimensions Notes, Baloons and Crosshatching Detailing Creating Picture File and Plotting |
15) Assembly |
Creating an Assembly Heirarchy Difference between Instances and Parts Move Instances without Constraints Constrain Instances Duplicate Instances Check an Assembly into a Heirarchy Create Assembly Configurations Create Assembly Sequence Animate Assembly Sequence Check Assembly Interference |
16) Sheet Metal |
Build Panels and Create Bends Add Stamped Features and Cuts Modify the Part |
17) Surfacing |
Project Curves to Surfaces Trim Surfaces Create Surfaces from Wireframe Boundaries Stitch Surfaces Together |
18) I-DEAS Programming |
Writing a Program File Programming Code Signal Characters Reserved Characters Special I-DEAS Commands Defining Variables in I-DEAS Reserved Words in I-DEAS Programming Interaction with the User Prompting for User Input Pausing for User Input Adding Yes/No to the Prompt Adding On/Off to the Prompt Creating Menus Using Visual LISP in I-DEAS programming Programming in I-DEAS to Create Simple Mechanical Parts |
Step 1 Observe the I-DEAS interface shown besides, which is self-explanatory. | ![]() |
Step 2 To start using the viewing commands, open the sample file found in the zip archieve that contained this document. In case of unavailability of the file, either download it from www.geocities.com/CadGuruCool/Tutorial.htm or skip this tutorial entirely, complete tutorial 2, where you learn how to create an I-DEAS model and come back and complete this tutorial. | ![]() |
Step 3 There are 3 Icon groups in I-DEAS. A) Task Icon Group, B) Application Icon Group, and C) Common Icon Group There are more icons hidden behind the visible icons. Click and hold the mouse left button pressed on an icon. A list appears, as shown in figure, showing the hidden icons. Each icon issues a command. To use the hidden icons, keep the mouse left button pressed and drag over the desired command. Release the mouse button. The command is issued and the selected icon appears on top of the others. |
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Step 4 The Task Icon panel has 18 icons as shown in the figure. We will discuss most of the icons indepth in this and the next tutorial. | ![]() |
Step 5 The Application Icon panel has 12 icons as shown in the figure. We will discuss most of the icons indepth in this and the next tutorial. | ![]() |
Step 6 The Common Icon panel also has 12 icons as shown in the figure. We will discuss most of the icons indepth in this and the next tutorial. | ![]() |
Step 7 Click the Shaded Hardware ![]() The model appears shaded as shown in figure. | ![]() |
Step 8 Click the Line Shade ![]() The model shading disappears as shown in figure. | ![]() |
Step 9 Click the Zoom ![]() Click at two points as shown in the figure and a window will be formed as you drag the mouse for the second point. Finally, the part of model enclosed in the window will enlarge to accomodate the whole of the graphics area and appear big. | ![]() |
Step 10 Click the Zoom All ![]() The model can now again be seen in its entirety. |
Step 11 Keep the F1 key on the keyboard pressed and move the mouse in any direction. The model appears to move in that direction. This is called panning. |
Step 12 Keep the F2 key on the keyboard pressed and move the mouse in a vertical direction. As you move the mouse vertically upwards, the model appears to shrink in size and vice versa. |
Step 13 Keep the F3 key on the keyboard pressed and move the mouse in the graphics area. The model will rotate. |
Step 14 Click the Top View ![]() The model will tween and display the Top view as shown in figure. | ![]() |
Step 15 Click the Side View ![]() The model will tween and display the Side view as shown in figure. | ![]() |
Step 16 Click the Front View ![]() The model will tween and display the Front view as shown in figure. | ![]() |
Step 17 Click the Isometric View ![]() The model will rotate on its own and display the default isometric view. | ![]() |
Tutorial 2 : 3D Modeling with I-DEAS |
Step 1 We want to draw the model shown on the right. The big block is 56 x 32 and 8 thick. The two blocks on top of it are each 12 x 8 and 12 thick. The hole is R10 | ![]() |
Step 2 I-DEAS allows you to draw shapes and extrude them. Extrusion is like squeezing a toothpaste tube. The end of the toothpaste tube is round, so the toothpaste comes out as a round cylinder. Similarly, you can create circles, rectangles, etc. and extrude them to create solid ojects. | ![]() |
Step 3 To begin, click the Rectangle by 2 Corners ![]() | ![]() |
Step 4 Click any two points 1 and 2 on the screen to create a rectangle as shown in figure. A rectangle will be created and dimensions for two sides will appear. | ![]() |
Step 5 Click the Modify ![]() Select dimension of the larger side. A dialog box will appear as shown in figure. Type 56 as the new value and press Enter on the keyboard. The rectangle changes in size immediately. | ![]() |
Step 6 Similarly, change the other side to 32. Click the Isometric View ![]() | ![]() |
Step 7 Similarly, change the other side to 32. Click the Extrude ![]() Type 8 as the depth of extrusion and press Enter on the keyboard. | ![]() |
Step 8 Your model appear like the one shown in the figure on the right depending upon the current shading style. | ![]() |
Step 9 Click the Sketch in Place ![]() Click on the face of the block as shown in figure. The workplane will rotate on its own and align with the selected face. The X-, Y- and Z- axis symbols will also appear on the face with the Z- direction pointing away from the body. | ![]() |
Step 10 Create a rectangle on the selected face starting with one of the corners and moving towards the centre of the rectangle. Dimensions will appear, change them to 12 x 8 along the larger and smaller side of the block respectively. (refer figure in Step 1) Your figure should now look like the one shown in the figure on the right. | ![]() |
Step 11 Click the Extrude ![]() Select the rectangle at point 1 as shown in the figure. Two hollow circles appear where sides of rectangle touch the edge of the block. Click at point 2 as shown in figure, the hollow circle moves ahead to the corner vertex of the block. Next, click at point 3. The hollow circles disappear and a thick rectangle is drawn over the current rectangle. Press Enter on the keyboard. | ![]() |
Step 12 The Extrude dialog box will appear. Enter 12 as the depth of extrusion and press Enter on the keyboard. Similarly, create the small block on the other corner. Your figure should now look like the one shown in the figure on the right. | ![]() |
Step 13 Draw a circle ![]() ![]() Using extrude ![]() In the Extrude dialog that appears, click in the Cutout diamond (circled green in figure) and select Thru All from the list as shown in the figure. Click OK. You will get the desired circular hole with a pink axis. | ![]() |
Step 14 Want to dig deeper into I-DEAS ? Call CADVANTAGE Now !!! Ph : 0240 - 480767 in Aurangabad. |
![]() FREE - India's First Book on I-DEAS |