Inventor^® Training

Inventor Mirror Sketch Command Tricks - Page 3

by John Koop, Inventor Specialist, TEDCF Publishing

Adding Asymmetric Geometry
Now let’s explore what you have to do to add other types of asymmetric geometry, like the notches in the image below. You might think that when I add them they will automatically be mirrored to the other side, but they are not.

This is a key point to remember when using the Inventor Mirror Sketch command. After adding new geometry to the profile, you must perform another Mirror Sketch operation to mirror it. In this case, I want the notches offset so I do not need to worry about mirroring the new notches.

Excluding Geometry
Next, I want to extrude the profile. I place another sketch on the side of the frame and sketch the profile for the extruded cuts on the side of the part.

From here, follow the same process as before: select the geometry, select the mirror line, and then apply the Mirror Sketch operation. Once that is done, cut the profiles through the frame and finish it by adding fillets. You’ll notice that the triangular profile did not get mirrored. If you don’t want geometry mirrored in Inventor, don’t select it during the Mirror operation.

Why is this Important?
As I have shown here, using the Mirror Sketch command can make constructing your Inventor sketches easier and speed up your work-flow.