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Using a Custom Content Center Library

The Autodesk® Inventor® installation provides a set of standard Content Center libraries. The libraries include standard parts (fasteners, steel shapes, shaft parts, and so on) and features. The Content Center database contains over 750,000 parts and covers 18 international standards. Content Center parts are organized in libraries which are located either on your local system or a shared server location depending on what was selected when you installed the software.

The following libraries are available and can be installed with Autodesk Inventor:

• Inventor ANSI
• Inventor DIN
• Inventor GOST
• Inventor ISO
• Inventor JIS and GB
• Inventor Other (Includes the following standards: AFNOR, AS, BSI, CNS, CSN, IS, KS, PN, SFS, SS, STN, UNI)
• Inventor Feature
• Inventor Parker (Standard Content used by Parker for tube and pipe fittings)
• Inventor Routed Systems (Cable & Harness and Tube & Pipe standard components)
• Inventor Sheet Metal (contains sheet metal (PEM brand) fasteners)

If you work as a stand-alone user, install Content Center libraries to your Desktop Content folder. To choose specific libraries to install, clear the selection of the libraries you do not use in the Select Content Center libraries dialog box when installing the software.

To remove an installed standard library from the library configuration, use the Configure Libraries dialog box. To add a standard library, rerun the Autodesk Inventor installation wizard.

Tip: The Content Center database is extensive. To optimize hard disk space and enhance performance using Content Center, we recommend that you install only required libraries.

If you work in a shared environment, install the Autodesk server (without installing Autodesk Inventor) and the Content Center libraries on a computer connected to the network. Use this computer as a server for Content Center libraries. The Content Center libraries can then be shared.

You can edit and publish only to read/write libraries. The default Autodesk Inventor libraries are read-only and cannot be edited. The read-only status cannot be changed for these libraries.

Tip: If you are a stand-alone user, use the Configure Libraries dialog box to create new read/write libraries. If you are a member of workgroup, use Autodesk Server Console to create new read/write libraries.

Setting Up Your Custom Library

Setting Up the Standalone Custom Library

Open Inventor. From the projects dialog window, click the “Configure Content Center Libraries” button on the project you will be using. Note that you need to make sure the current project file is not read only.

The dialog window will show all the preloaded libraries that are configured on your system. You’ll need to click the “Create Library” button to create a new library within the current Inventor project file. Follow the prompts after you click this button to name your new read/write library. Make sure you save your project file after the changes have been made.
 

Setting Up the Shared Custom Library

Open your ADMS Server console (the Vault server).  You will then need to right click on the ‘Libraries’ folder and select ‘Create Library’. This will create a read/write library that you can add components to. By default, all libraries that ship with Vault are read only.

You are now done using the ADMS server console. From this point on you will be doing all the work from your workstation running Inventor and the ADMS Server. Open Inventor and from the projects dialog window, click the “Configure Content Center Libraries” button on the Vault project you will be using. Note that you need to make sure the current project file is not read only.

The dialog window will show all the preloaded libraries that are configured on your server. You’ll need to click the “Add Library” button to enable use of your new library within the current Inventor project file. Follow the prompts after you click this button to add your new read/write library. Make sure you save your project file after the changes have been made.

Note: You will need to do this to each project you plan on using the custom library.

Adding Families and Categories to Your Custom Library

If you want to add your own parts to your custom library and place them in their own folder or category location, you will need to create this first before adding your part. Open the Content Center Editor.

Once the editor opens, you’ll need to select the read/write library we created in the beginning.

Now we’ll need to create a new category to store the part family. Right click the left pane a select the ‘Create Category’ link.

Create a ‘Widget’ category by entering the name and uploading some thumbnail images. Anywhere around 60 pixels wide X 42 pixels high works best for the thumbnails.

You’ll now be able to see the ‘Widget’ category in the left pane. When using the server custom library you may have to refresh to see the category.

Publishing a Part to Your Custom Library

To publish a part to your custom content center you should already have your part created with the parameters you want to use to define your part in the library. Next, go to the Manage Tab, and select the publish part button. Select the library you want to publish to and ensure the “Category To Publish To” is correct.

In this case no parameters are showing as we did not define any for this part, however if they had been defined, some parameters would have been already mapped, but if there are some required parameters to be mapped, they will be colored of light yellow/orange rows and must be mapped before you continue.

Next, define the keys available on placement of the part from the Content Center once the part is published. At least one key column must be defined.

Enter the family name for the part as this is the only required field, but designating the Standard Organization option allows the part to be listed when filtering per standard. You can also type a custom standard name in the field. This allows you to create a filter for parts you have published.

After selecting Next, notice your preview thumbnail and you can browse to select a different graphic. Click Publish to complete the task and add the part to the Custom Content Center Library.

 

Modifying Standard Parts in Your Custom Library

Now you have created a custom library and have added it to the current Inventor project. From this point on you can modify your custom library to include your company’s standard parts and apply your own descriptions and part numbers too them.

Open Inventor 2011 and launch the Content Center Editor (You may have to wait while the content center data is loaded from the Desktop or SQL Server Library)

From the list of items on the left, right click on Fasteners->Bolts->Hex Flange Head Machine Screw-Metric>Copy To->My Custom Library.

If notified that that you need to refresh the local view choose Yes.

In the Content Center Editor dialog change your view to My Custom Library.

Now you can begin editing the parts you have copied by changing the properties. First Select the Family Properties.

Change the Name to and the Description of the part.

Choose OK to close the dialog – you might be asked to refresh your local view again. Open the Family Table now so we can make our modifications.

Scroll down and Right Click on the File Name Column and select Column Properties.

Under the Expression remove “"ANSI B 18.6.7 M / IFI 513" & " - " &” to just have the Thread and Thread Length for Our File Name. If you prefer, you can just turn off the expression and add your own number.

Choose OK to continue.

Modify the Family Table for the part so that you can edit its part number. Notice that the filenames are already shown without the ANSI part or the filename. If you wanted you could modify part file names directly from here. Modify the part number for the first row.

Delete a few rows of parts by clicking on the row number and holding the Ctrl or Shift keys and click Delete Row.

When you are done with your changes click OK to save your changes.

Note: When you copy a part library, you will get the whole part group, so in most cases you will be going in and removing parts as well as adding parts to your custom library. Also note that you can launch Excel as well and edit in a spreadsheet.

 

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