[Adam.garcia]

Originally Posted by Gray Adams

I assume you're using Inventor, but if you're not, I hope this is still pretty applicable. Once you have your pocketing pattern designed and applied in CAD, layout the electronics in an assembly the way you want them in an assembly. "Edit" the bellypan without "Open"ing it. This should cause everything else to become partially transparent and not selectable. Create a sketch on one side of your bellypan, and then go to the "Project Geometry" tool. Now when you mouseover the edges of all the parts in the assembly, they will light up, and selecting them will project that edge onto your sketch. You're essentially tracing all of your electronics. From there, go ahead and draw lines where you want them, close loops so the Inventor sketch doctor doesn't complain, and then extrude your tabs/outlines/whatever you just designed to mount electronics.

Little tabs at each corner are nice, but I like making a border for the entire component. It's cooler to look at when there's nothing on it.

This was very helpful. If we decide to create our own custom bellypan this summer, then I will be sure to employ these methods. This is actually along the lines of what I was thinking, but it was helpful since you gave a more in depth description of what to do.

Thanks!