In most cases of furniture design we can set a constructive axis which defines the position of hardware in furniture. In the 3D modeling process, we can use Autodesk Inventor Work Planes for its description.

Work Planes as Constructive Axis for hardware place

Woodwork4Inventor implements the hardware attachment function which allows to quickly and conveniently place necessary hardware in the furniture 3D model context. To better understand the idea, let us analyze example how constrains could be set that allow to correctly place the Minifix connector with WoodPin. By applying a constrains in a conventional way, we place the component in a necessary place.

Align Minifix CAM plane with Plate plane

Align conecting bolt step plane with conecting plane

Align connecting bolt Axis with Plane

After applying such constrains, the Minfix CAM connector is correctly placed in the furniture 3D model. It's not difficult to understand, that such constrains can be represented as iMates. The Woodwork4Inventor Hardware attachment interprets iMates on a library component and places it in the right place. You can see how it works topic Hardware attachment command .

It is convenient to create some hardware components as iAssemblies. iAssemblies haves different configuration and when we place them in the furniture 3D model we need to configure each of them according its function in furniture. For example, the afore mentioned Minifix connector with Wood Pin have occurrences with Right or Left Wood Pin placing.

You can change the configuration using the standard Autodesk Inventor Change Component feature. But this is inconvenient when we have to do it for many components. Woodwork4Inventor offers the Replace Occurrence command allowing to conveniently change configuration of the component.

In the traditional design approach, at first you need to design holes for necessary fixture and after that you place hardware according to designed holes. Woodwork4Inventor offers a different approach. You can place necessary furniture hardware without having to care about holes. After hardware is placed Woodwork4Inventor allows to automatically cut out holes according to the place of furniture hardware in the furniture model. Thus the system always ensures the correct position of the holes in the different components of the furniture.