Ribbon Cable: Part 1, Author Ribbon Cable Connectors

This is the first in a set of three Skill Builders. In this Skill Builder you learn how to place pins on and author a ribbon cable connector. In the second Skill Builder you learn how to create and edit ribbon cable using a simplified sample model. In the third Skill Builder you gain further experience with ribbon cable using a more complex sample model. To complete the second Skill Builder you need the connector you author in this first Skill Builder.

Expected completion time for this Skill Builder is 10 to 15 minutes.

This Skill Builder is intended for use with Autodesk Inventor 2008.

Set your active project to tutorial_files.

To begin, download and open ribbon_cable_connector.ipt below:

ribbon_cable_connector.ipt (ipt - 442Kb)

Click File > Save As. Use ribbon_cable_connector_tutorial.ipt for the file name.

At the top of the Part Features panel bar, select Harness Part Features.

Click the Place Pin Group tool .

Select the sketch point to set the pin group start location.

In the Place Pin Group dialog box, in the Pins Per Row field, enter 10.

Enter 0.05 in in the Pin Pitch field.

Click the selector button next to the Pin Pitch field, and then select an edge to set the pin row direction.

Click the Direction button to flip the direction, as needed, so the indicator points along the body of the connector.

Use the default number of 1 in the Start Number field.

Ensure Sequential Row is selected.

Click OK. The pins are added to the connector.

Note: The connector already contains two work points. You use the one on the back of the connector to help define the position of the ribbon cable in the second Skill Builder.

Save the part.

To use this connector with a ribbon cable, the connector must be identified as a ribbon cable connector. Use the Connector Authoring tool to author the connector as a ribbon cable connector. Click the Connector Authoring tool .

In the Connector Authoring dialog box, select the Ribbon Cable option.

Select the face to set the outward direction.

Currently the direction is Both. This means that the ribbon cable would pass from one side of the connector to the other.

In the second Skill Builder, the intent is that the ribbon cable enter this connector on the pin side and then terminate. Click the Outward Direction buttons so that the connection vector points away from the connector.

Select the Start Pin selector button, and then select pin 1. (You can select the pin in the browser.)

The Pin Orientation indicator should match the image. (The end edge of the ribbon cable will be parallel to this vector. The Conductor One portion of the ribbon cable will map to this pin.)

Click OK.

You should receive a message stating that the authoring was successful.

Save the part. You use this connector in the next Skill Builder of this set.

This is the end of this Skill Builder. In the next Skill Builder you learn to create and edit ribbon cable.