Getting Started with Project Factory.Modz()

Factory Modz is an add-in to Inventor Factory 2012 and Inventor Factory 2013. Utilizing physics-based technology for factory animation, it enables you to bring 3D machine line layouts to life and clearly articulate the working intent of the layout to clients and stakeholders. Factory Modz lets you more clearly communicate your ideas by animating the movement of material and people inside your facility.

After installing Factory Modz, a new tab titled FDS Labs appears at the far right of the Inventor Factory toolbar.

Click the FDS Labs tab to display the Project Factory.Modz() panel.

In addition to the new tab on the toolbar, you will find a new asset folder titled Factory.Modz()added to the User Assets folder in the Asset Browser. The Factory.Modz() folder contains assets with special parameters that are used to drive your factory animations. Although some of the assets may appear to be duplicates of the system assets supplied with Inventor Factory, they differ and are intended exclusively for Factory Modz. These similar assets include the following:

• Belt and Roller Conveyors
• Box
• Container (a buffer asset)
• Cylinder
• Forklift Truck (an asset that assists with material movement)
• Man (an asset that assists with material movement)
• Pallet (a buffer asset)
• Rack (a buffer asset)
• Robot (pair this asset with the Line Sensor asset for material movement)

The other assets in the Factory.Modz() folder are unique to Factory Modz and include a:

• Generator
• Line Sensor (pair this asset with the Robot asset for material movement)
• Processor
• Sink
• Smart Pusher

You can select from a large palette of colors to distinguish your Factory Modz assets. The following colors are available:

A typical animation scene is shown in the Factory Modz animation window below. Note the control buttons at the upper-left of the window.

The functions of the five Factory Modz controls are as follows:

	Open an existing Modz file (*.modz)
	Play/Pause an animation
	Step through an animation one frame at a time
	Stop an animation and return to its starting point
	Display the About dialog box

The general workflow to create a Factory Modz animation includes the following steps:

1. Create a new Inventor Factory layout.
2. On the Inventor Factory 2012 ribbon, click Factory tabFactory Assets drop-down menu Create Solid Floor.
3. On the Inventor Factory 2013 ribbon, click Factory tabOptions panelCreate Solid Floor.
4. After solidifying the floor, place the required components using a combination of System, User, Cloud, and Factory.Modz() folder assets. Remember that it is the Factory.Modz() assets only that can be animated.
5. Modify any Factory.Modz() asset parameters as required. These parameters start with the characters FM_.
6. Save the factory layout.
7. To start Factory Modz and run the animation, click FDS Labs tabProject Factory.Modz() panelRun Factory.Modz().
8. Use the control buttons at the upper-left of the Factory Modz animation window as required.
9. Click the Close button at the upper-right of the Factory Modz animation window to end Factory Modz and return to Inventor Factory.

Apart from the introductory Inventor Factory Utility Overview video previously mentioned, there are several other videos in MP4 format that will help you learn Factory Modz. It may be helpful to view them in the following order.

1. Tech Tip - Inventor to Modz Workflow

   The Inventor to Modz Workflow video illustrates the recommended workflow from Inventor Factory to Factory Modz. Note the use of the Create Solid Floor command at the beginning of the procedure.

2. Tech Tip - Wiring A Scene

   This video describes how to set up a Factory Modz scene in Inventor Factory. It illustrates the use of Generator, Teleporter, Actuator, and Buffer assets to "wire" a scene. Once again, observe the use of the Create Solid Floor command.

3. Tech Tip - Factory Modz Navigation

   The Factory Modz Navigation video describes how to use the right button and scroll wheel of your mouse to navigate the Factory Modz environment.

4. Tech Tip - Animation Properties

   This video describes how to identify and modify Modz-specific asset properties, i.e. changing the direction and speed of conveyors.

5. Tech Tip - Artificial Intelligence

   The Artificial Intelligence video illustrates how to "wire" an animation scene using Buffer and Teleporter assets.

6. Tech Tip - Changing Products

   This video describes how Generator and Primitive assets, in combination with asset properties, are used to change the products in a scene.