Assembly to Part

[Zoheb N]

What I am trying to do is:

One of my teachers at school said he would print it out as a 3D model, but the 3D model printer only takes Inventor part files

[Eric Scheuing]

Try exporting it as a different type of file, then importing it back into, lets say a new sketch in a new part. You may not even have to export it as something different at all. If you're confused as to what I'm saying, just message me and I'll get back to you tonight when I'm actually sitting in front of the program.

EDIT: Turns out this works (I tried it on inventor 8 though). You have to export the assembly as an IGES, then import it into a sketch. When the part imports, it'll be just the faces in a clear yellow shell, but it's the assembly in a part. It also may cause the computer to run really slow depending on the amount of ram and visual memory you have.

[JD Mather]

Originally Posted by Zoheb N

What I am trying to do is:

One of my teachers at school said he would print it out as a 3D model, but the 3D model printer only takes Inventor part files

That is a much better problem statement.
Here is the solution.
Start a new part file (ipt). Exit sketch. Select Derived Component and then select the assembly (iam) file to derive. This will combine all your assembly into one part. (Notice that you could also use this method to cut one or more parts from another.)
Save As the derived ipt as STL (or ipt if that is what your teacher wants, but I am not familiar with a 3D model printer that takes Inventor files directly. What machine are you using?)

In Inventor 11 DWF Extension these extra steps aren't required as STL files can be created directly in iam.

[Zoheb N]

Thank you so much this really helped me alot.