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Introduction

AUTODESK INVENTOR R5Welcome to the world of Autodesk Inventor. If you are new to the world of 3D design then youhave joined hands with thousands of people worldwide who are already into 3D designing. Ifyou are already using some of the other solid modeling tools then you will find this solidmodeling tool more adaptive to your use. You will find tremendous improvement in the durationof completing the design using this solid modeling tool.

Autodesk Inventor is a parametric and feature-based solid modeling tool. It allows you toconvert the basic 2D sketch into a solid model using a very simple but highly effective modelingcommands. This solid modeling tool do not restricts its capabilities to the 3D solid output, butalso extends them to the bidirectional associative drafting. This means that all you have to dois to create the solid model. The documentation of the solid model in the form of the drawingviews is easily done by this software package itself. You just have to specify the type of view yourequire. This solid modeling tool can be specially used at the places where the concept ofcollaborative engineering is brought into use. Collaborative engineering is a concept thatallows more than one user to work on the same design at the same time. This solid modeling

tool allows more than one user to simultaneously work on the same design.

As a product of Autodesk, this software package allows you to directly open the drawings of theother Autodesk softwares like AutoCAD, Mechanical Desktop, AutoCAD LT, and so on. Thisinterface is not only restricted to the Autodesk softwares. You can very easily import andexport the drawings from this software package to any other software package and vice versa.

To reduce the complicacies of the design, this software package has provided you with differentdesign environments. This helps you to capture the design intent easily by individuallyincorporating the intelligence of each of the design environment into the design. The differentdesign environments that are available in this solid modeling tool are as follows:

Part ModeThis is a parametric and feature-based solid modeling environment. This environment allowsyou to create solid models. The sketches for the models can be drawn fairly easily. All theapplicable constraints will be applied to the sketch automatically and will be displayed on thesketch. You do not have to invoke an extra command to apply the constraints. Once the basicsketches are drawn, you can convert them into solid models using simple but highly effectivemodeling commands. One of the major advantages of using Autodesk Inventor is the availabilityof the Design Doctor. The Design Doctor is used to calculate and describe the errors, if any, in


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the sketch. You will also be provided with the remedy for removing the errors from the sketchso that they can be converted into features. The complicated features can be captured in this

mode and can be later used in other parts. This appreciably reduces the time taken to createthe designer model. In the same mode you can also create the sheet metal components. Thesecomponents can be created using the same principles as that of creating the solid models.

Assembly ModeThis mode helps you to create the assemblies by assembling the components of the assemblies.This mode supports both the Bottom-up approach as well as the Top-down approach of creatingthe assemblies. This means that you can either copy the external components into the assemblymode or create the components in the assembly mode itself. You are allowed to assemble thecomponents using the smart assembly constraints. All the assembly constraints can be addedusing just a single dialog box. You can even preview the components before they are actuallyassembled. This solid modeling tool supports the concept of making a part or a feature in thepart adaptive. An adaptive feature or a part is the one that can change its actual dimensionsbased upon the need of the environment.

Presentation ModeOne of the major limitations of most of the solid modeling tools is their limitation to displaythe working of an assembly. The most important question asked by the customers in todaysworld is how to show the working of any assembly. Most of the solid modeling tools do nothave an answer to this question. The reason for this is that they do not have proper tools todisplay any assembly in motion. Therefore, in return, the designers cannot show the workingof the assemblies to their clients. In cases where it is necessary to show the animation, theyhave to take the help of some other software packages like the 3D Studio MAX or 3D StudioVIZ. However, keeping this problem of the users in mind, this software package has providedyou with a mode called the Presentation mode. In this mode you can animate the assemblies

created in the Assembly mode and view their working. You can also view if there is anyinterference during the operation of the assembly. The assemblies can be animated using theunbelievably easy steps.

Drawing ModeThis mode is used for the documentation of the parts or the assemblies in the form of thedrawing views. You can also create the drawing views of the presentation created in thePresentation mode. All the parametric dimensions added to the components in the Partmodeduring the creation of the parts can be displayed on their drawing views in this mode.

Sheet Metal ModeThis mode is used for the creating the sheet metal component. When you invoke a sheet metal

file, the sketching environment is activated by default. You can draw the sketch of the basesheet in this mode and then proceed to the sheet metal mode to covert the sketch into thesheet metal component.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTSThe system requirements to ensure smooth running of Autodesk Inventor on your system are:


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Forinformationvisitwww.cadcim.com

Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98. Pentium 200MHz Processor, with 96MB RAM (Minimum).

Pentium II, Pentium III 333MHz Processor, with 128MB RAM (Recommended). Pentium II, Pentium III 450MHz Processor, with 512MB RAM (Preferred).

GETTING STARTED WITH AUTODESK INVENTORInstall Autodesk Inventor on your system and then start it by double-clicking on the AutodeskInventor shortcut icon on the desktop of your computer. This icon will be automatically createdwhen you install the software on to your system. You can also start Autodesk Inventor by usingthe taskbar shortcuts. Choose the Startbutton available on the lower left corner of the screen.Choose Programs to display the Program menu. In the Program menu, choose Inventor 5 todisplay the cascading menu. In this cascading menu, chooseAutodesk Inventor 5 as shown inFigure I-1.

The system will now prepare to start Autodesk Inventor by loading all the required files. Afterthe completion of the loading of the required files, the Open dialog box will be displayed.

Choose New from the What To Do area to display the Default, English, and Metric tabs forselecting a new file. Choose the Metric tab and then double-click on the Standard (mm).ipttemplate to open a default metric template, see Figure I-2.

A new part file with the default name ofPart1.ipt will be opened and now you can startworking in this file. The initial screen appearance of Autodesk Inventor is shown inFigure I-3. This figure also displays various components of this screen.

Figure I-1 Starting Autodesk Inventor using the taskbar shortcuts


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Figure I-2 Selecting Standard (mm).ipt template from Metric tab

Figure I-3 Initial screen appearance of Autodesk Inventor along with the components


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It is evident from Figure I-3 that the screen of Autodesk Inventor is quite user friendly. Apartfrom the components shown in Figure I-3, you are also provided with different shortcut menus.

The shortcut menus are displayed upon right-clicking the mouse. The type of the shortcutmenu and its options will depend upon where or when you are trying to access this menu. Forexample, when you are inside any command, the options displayed in the shortcut menu willbe different from the options that will be displayed when you are not inside any command.These shortcut menus will be discussed when they are used in the book.

TOOLBARSYou might have noticed that there is no command prompt in Autodesk Inventor. The completedesigning process is carried out by invoking the commands from the toolbars. Therefore,Autodesk Inventor provides you with different types of toolbars while working with differentdesign environments. This means that the toolbars that will be available while working withthe Part,Assembly, Drawing, Sheet Metal, and Presentation mode will be different.

Part Mode ToolbarsThere are a number of toolbars that can be invoked in the Partmode. The toolbars that will beextensively used during the designing process in this environment are described below:

Standard ToolbarThis toolbar is common in all the design environments of Autodesk Inventor. However, someof these options will not be available in all the environments. The Standard toolbar with thevarious buttons that are available in it is shown in Figure I-4.

Sketch ToolbarThis is one of the most important toolbar in the Partmode. You will choose all commands for

Figure I-4 Standardtoolbar


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Figure I-5 Sketch toolbar

creating the sketches of the parts from this toolbar. The Sketch toolbar along with all thebuttons that are available in it is shown in Figure I-5.

Features ToolbarThis is the second most important toolbar provided in the Partmode. Once the sketch iscompleted, you need to convert it into a feature using the modeling commands. This toolbarprovides all the modeling commands that can be used to convert the sketch into a feature. TheFeature toolbar along with all the buttons that are available in it is shown in Figure I-6.

Precise Input ToolbarYou are now aware of the fact that Autodesk Inventor does not provide you with any commandprompt. Because of this you will be restricted from entering the precise values of the sketcher

Figure I-6 Features toolbar


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Figure I-7 Precise Input toolbar

entities. But this problem was foreseen and has been taken care of in Autodesk Inventor byproviding you with a very important toolbar called the Precise Inputtoolbar. This toolbar is

used to enter the precise values for the coordinates of the sketcher entities. This toolbar is alsoavailable in the Drawing and theAssembly mode for providing the precise values. The PreciseInputtoolbar is shown in Figure I-7.

Sheet Metal ToolbarThis toolbar provide the commands that are used in creating the sheet metal parts. Thistoolbar will be available only when you are in the sheet metal environment. You can proceed tothe sheet metal environment by choosing Sheet Metal from theApplicationmenu. The SheetMetal toolbar is shown in Figure I-8.

Assembly Mode ToolbarsAll the above-mentioned toolbars are also available in this environment. In addition to thesetoolbars, this environment also provides theAssembly toolbar, see Figure I-9.

Drawing Mode ToolbarsThe Standard, Sketch, and Precise Inputtoolbars are also available in this environment. Inaddition to these toolbars the Drawing Mode also provides you with the following two toolbars:

Figure I-8 Sheet Metal toolbar


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Drawing Management ToolbarThis toolbar is extensively used in the Drawing environment for generating the drawing views.All the tools required to generate the drawing views are available in this toolbar. The DrawingManagementtoolbar is shown in Figure I-10.

Drawing Annotation ToolbarThis is the second toolbar that is widely used in this environment. This tollbar provide youwith the tools that are required to create different types of annotation in the drawing views.The Drawing Annotation toolbar is shown in Figure I-11.

Presentation Mode ToolbarThe Standard toolbar is also available in this environment. In addition to this toolbar, thePresentation mode also provides you with the Presentation View Managementtoolbar asshown in Figure I-12.

Command Bar

In addition to these toolbars, Autodesk Inventor also displays theCommand Bar, see Figure I-13.

Figure I-10 Drawing Management toolbar

Figure I-9 Assembly toolbar


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Figure I-11 Drawing Annotation toolbar

Figure I-12 Presentation View Management toolbar

The Command Bar is also a toolbar and is referred to a lot during the designing process usingAutodesk Inventor.

The Command Bar is displayed in all the environments of Autodesk Inventor, with somemodifications. The options in this toolbar are discussed next.

SelectThis tool is used to set the selection priority. When you choose the down arrow on the right ofthis button, three more buttons will be displayed. These buttons are Feature Priority, Face

Priority, and Sketch Priority. The Feature Priority button is chosen to set the selection priorityto features. If this button is chosen, you can select any feature in the model. The FacePrioritybutton is chosen to set the priority to faces. If this button is chosen, you can select the faces ofthe features. The Sketch Priority button is chosen to set the priority to sketches. If this buttonis chosen, you can select the entities of the sketches in the sketcher environment.

Figure I-13 Command Bar


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ReturnThis button is chosen to exit the sketching environment. Once you have finished the sketch,

choose this button to proceed to the Partmode where you can convert the sketch into a featureusing the required tools. When you choose this button, the Sketch panel bar is replaced by theFeatures panel bar.

SketchThis button is chosen when you want to draw a sketch. This button is chosen by default whenyou start a new file in the Partmode. This enables you to draw the sketches as in most of thedesigns, the first feature is a sketched feature. Once you have completed a sketch, you caneither choose the Return button or choose this button again to exit the sketching environment.Whenever you need to draw the sketch for another feature, choose this button. You will beprompted to select the plane for sketching the feature. Once you define the new sketchingplane, the sketching environment will be activated.

UpdateThis button is chosen to update the design after editing.

StyleThis drop-down list is used to select the style of the sketching entities. In the sketchingenvironment you can select either the normal or the construction option from this drop-downlist. In the Drawing mode, you can select the line or edge styles from this drop-down list. Inthe Partor theAssembly mode, this drop-down list is replaced by the Color drop-down list.You can select the color for the selected models using this drop-down list.

MessageThe Message box is used to display the messages and prompts. If you move the cursor on anytool or button, this box displays the function of that tool. If you choose a tool or a button, allthe prompt sequences related to it will be displayed in this box. For example, if you choose theLine tool in the sketching environment, all the prompts related to drawing the lines will bedisplayed in this box. Similarly, in the Partmode, all the prompts related to the creation of theselected feature will be displayed in this box.

In almost all the toolbars you will notice that there are some buttons that have an arrow on theright. These arrows are called the down arrows. When you choose these arrows, some more

related buttons will be displayed, see Figure I-14.

ADDITIONAL DESIGN TOOLSAutodesk Inventor has gone a step ahead from the other solid modeling tools in making thedesign intent easier. This is done by introducing the Panel Bar and the Browser to invoke thecommands or to perform an operation. Both of these additional tools make the design intenta lot more easier and also appreciably reduces the time consumed in completing the design.

TTTTTipipipipip.All the messages and prompts displayed in theMessage box are also displayedon the lower left corner of the Autodesk Inventor window.


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Figure I-15 Sketch panel bar

Figure I-16 Features panel bar

Panel BarsThe panel bars are generally provided on the left of the drawing window. The panel barprovides only those tools that will be required to complete the design at that step. For example,

when you are in the sketching mode, at that time only the tools that are required for sketchingwill be available in the panel bar. Similarly, when you want to convert the sketch into a feature,at that time only the solid modeling tools will be available. This implies that the tools availablein the panel bar will be different for each of the designing environment of Autodesk Inventor.Figure I-15 to Figure I-20 shows the panel bars in the different designing environments.

Figure I-14 More buttons displayed upon choosing the down arrow on theright of thePerpendicular button


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Figure I-17 Sheet Metal panel bar

Figure I-18 Assembly panel bar

Figure I-19 Drawing Management panel bar


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Figure I-20 Presentation View Management panel bar

Browser

This is the second additional tool that is provided to make the designing process easier. Thebrowser is also available on the left side of the drawing window and below the panel bar. Itdisplays all the operations that were performed during the designing process in the order inwhich they were performed. All these operations are displayed in the form of a tree view. Thecontents of the browser are different for different environments of Autodesk Inventor. Forexample, in the Partmode, it displays various operations that were used in creating the part.Similarly, in theAssembly mode, it displays all the components along with the constraintsthat were applied on them in order to assemble them.

UNITS FOR DIMENSIONSWhile installing Autodesk Inventor on your system, you can specify the units that will be usedfor dimensioning the models in inches or in millimeters. If you select inches as the units, the

English standard will be followed in Autodesk Inventor and if you select millimeter as theunits, Metric standard will be followed. This book follows the units in millimeter. Therefore, itis recommended that you install Autodesk Inventor for Metric standards by selecting the unitsin millimeter.

IMPORTANT TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONSBefore you proceed further in Autodesk Inventor, it is very important for you to understandthe following terms. These terms will be widely used in this book.

Featured-based ModelingFeature is defined as the smallest building block that can be modified individually. In AutodeskInventor, the solid models will be created by integrating a number of these building blocks.

Therefore, you can say that the model in Autodesk Inventor is a combination of a number ofindividual features. These features understand their fit and function properly, and therefore,can be modified any time during the designing process. Generally, these features automaticallyadjust their values if there is any change in their surrounding. This provides greater flexibilityto the design. For example, a feature created by cutting right through the base feature willautomatically adjust its depth if you increase the depth of the base feature.


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Parametric ModelingThe parametric nature of a software package is defined as its ability to use the standard

properties or parameters in defining the shape and size of a geometry. The main function ofthis property is to derive the selected geometry to the new size or shape without consideringits original size or shape. For example, you can derive a line of say 20 mm that was initiallydrawn at an angle of 45 to a line of 50 mm and change its orientation to 90. This propertymake the designing process very easy. This is because now you do not have to draw the sketchto the actual dimensions that are required. All you have to do is to draw the sketch to somerelative dimensions and then this solid modeling tool will derive it to the actual values yourequire.

Bidirectional AssociativityAs mentioned earlier, this solid modeling tool does not restrict its capabilities to the 3D solidoutput. It is also capable of highly effective assembly modeling, drafting, and presentations.

There exists a bidirectional associativity between all these environments of Autodesk Inventor.This means that at every point of time there exists a link between all the environments ofAutodesk Inventor. This link ensures that if any modification is made in the model in any oneof the environment, it is automatically reflected in the other environments immediately.

AdaptiveThis is a new but highly effective property that is included in the designing process of thissolid modeling tool. You are aware of the fact that there are a number of components that canbe used at various places in the design with a small change in their shape and size. Thisproperty makes the part or the feature adapt to its environment. This property also ensuresthat the adaptive part changes its shape and size as soon as it is constrained to other parts.This considerably reduces the time and effort required in creating similar parts in the design.

Design DoctorThe design doctor is one of the most important part of the designing process using this solidmodeling tool. It is a highly effective tool provided to you to ensure that the entire designprocess is error free. The main purpose of the design doctor is to make you aware if thereexists a problem in the design. The design doctor works in the following three steps:

Selecting the Model and Errors in the ModelIn this step the design doctor selects the sketch, part, assembly, and so on and finds out all theerrors in it.

Examining the Errors

In this step it examines all the errors in the selected design. Each of the error is individuallyexamined so that it can come up with a solution for each of the error.

Providing the Solutions for the ErrorsThis is the last step of the working of the design doctor. Once it has individually examinedeach of the errors, it comes up with solutions for them. It provides you with a list of methodsthat can be utilized in order to remove the errors from the design.


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ConstraintsThese are the logical operations that are performed on the selected design to make it more

accurate or define its position with respect to the other design. There are two types of constraintsthat are available in Autodesk Inventor. Both of these types are explained below:

Geometry ConstraintsThese logical operations are performed on the basic sketching entities to relate them to thestandard properties like collinearity, concentricity, perpendicularity, and so on. AutodeskInventor automatically applies these geometric constraints to the sketcher entities at the timeof their creation. You do not have to use an extra command to apply these constraints on tothe sketcher entities. However, you can also manually apply these geometry constraints on tothe sketcher entities. There are eleven types of the geometric constraints. They are

Perpendicular

This constraint is used to make the selected line segment perpendicular to another line segment.

Parallel

This constraint is used to make the selected line segments parallel.

Tangent

This constraint is used to make the selected line segment or curve tangent to another curve.

Coincident

This constraint is used to make two points or a point and a curve coincident.

Concentric

Applying this constraint forces two selected curves to share the same center point. The curves

that can be made concentric are arcs, circles, or ellipses.

Colinear

Applying this constraint forces two selected line segments or ellipse axes to be placed in thesame line.

Horizontal

This constraint forces the selected line segment to become a horizontal line.

Vertical

This constraint forces the selected line segment to become a vertical line.

Equal

This constraint forces the selected line segments to become of equal length. This constraintcan also be used to force two curves to become of equal radius.

Fix

This constraint is used to fix the selected point or curve to a particular location with respect tothe coordinate system of the current sketch.


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Symmetric

This constraint is used to force the selected sketched entities to become symmetrical about a

sketched line segment. The line segment may or may not be a center line.

Assembly ConstraintsThe assembly constraints are the logical operations performed on the components in order tobind them together to create an assembly. These constraints are applied to reduce the degreesof freedom of the components. There are four types of assembly constraints. They are

Mate

The Mate constraint is used to make the selected faces of different components coplanar. Themodel can be placed facing in same direction or facing in opposite direction. You can alsospecify some offset distance between the selected faces.

Angle

TheAngle constraint is used to place the selected faces of different components at some anglewith respect to each other.

Tangent

The Tangent constraint is used to make the selected face of a component tangent to thecylindrical, circular, or conical faces of the other component.

Insert

The Insertconstraint is used to force two different circular components to share same orientationof the central axis. It also makes the selected faces of the circular components coplanar.

Motion Constraints

The motion constraints are the logical operations performed on the components that areassembled using the assembly constraints. There are two types of motion constraints. They arediscussed next.

Rotation

The Rotation constraint is used to rotate one component of the assembly in relation with theother component. Both the components rotate about the specified central axis.

Rotation-Translation Constraint

The Rotation-Translation constraint is used to rotate the first component in relation with thetranslation of the second component.

Transitional Constraints

The transitional constraints are also applied on the assembled components and used to ensurethat the selected face of the cylindrical component maintains the contact with the selectedfaces of the other component when you slide the cylindrical component.


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NoteNoteNoteNoteNote

The motion and the transitional constraints are applied on the components that are already

assembled using the assembly constraints. Therefore, these constraints work along the degrees offreedom of the components that are not restricted.

Consumed SketchA consumed sketch is a sketch that has been converted into a feature using the tools likeExtrude, Revolve, Sweep, Loft,and so on.

CYCLING THROUGH THE ENTITIESWhile working with the complicated models, you have to sometimes select the entities that arenot visible in the current view or are hidden behind other entities. To select these type ofentities, Autodesk Inventor allows you to cycle through the entities using a cycling tool. Thistool is displayed automatically when you hold the cursor at a point where more than one entity

are available. You can also display the cycling tool by pressing the SPACEBAR on the keyboard.This cycling tool consists of two arrows at eachend and a rectangle in between. The left arrow isused to cycle through the previous entities, theright arrow is used to cycle through the nextentities, and the rectangle is used to select thehighlighted entity. The current entity will behighlighted and displayed in red color. Once theentity that you want to select is highlighted, movethe cursor over the rectangle in the cycling tooland select it using the left mouse button. Thehighlighted entity will be selected and will bedisplayed in blue color. Figure I-21 shows thecycling tool displayed in the sketchingenvironment to cycle through the sketchedentities. You can use this tool in all the modesand environments of Autodesk Inventor.

HOT KEYSAs mentioned earlier, there is no command prompt in Autodesk Inventor. However, you canstill use the keys on the keyboard to invoke some tools. The keys that can be used to invoke thetools are called the hot keys. Remember that the working of the hot keys will be different in thedifferent environments. All the hot keys that can be used in different environments are discussedbelow:

Part ModeThe hot keys that can be used in the Partmode are

Figure I-21 Cycling through the entities


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D Dimensioning The Sketched Entities

E Extruding The Sketch

H Placing The Hole

L Invoking The Line Command

R Revolving The Sketch

Assembly ModeThe hot keys that can be used in theAssembly modeare

C Placing The Constraints

P Placing The Components

Drawing ModeThe hot keys that can be used in the Drawing modeare

B Adding The Balloons

C Placing Center Marks

D General Dimensions

O Ordinate Dimensions

F Feature Control Frame

Presentation ModeThe hot keys that can be used in the Presentation modeare

T Tweaking The Component

In addition to these keys, you can also use some other keys for the ease of designing. Note that

you will have to hold some of these keys down and use them in a combination of the pointingdevice in order to use them. These hot keys are


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F1 Help

F2 Pan Realtime

F3 Zoom Realtime

F4 Rotate

F5 Previous View

SHIFT+F5 Next View

CTRL Command Modifier

SHIFT Command Modifiers

ESC Abort The Command

COLOR SCHEMEAutodesk Inventor allows you to use different color schemes as the background color of thescreen and for displaying the entities on the screen. However, this book uses the Presentationcolor scheme and the Background Gradientcheck box is cleared. To change the color scheme,choose Tools > Application Options from the menu bar. The Options dialog box will bedisplayed. In this dialog box choose the Colors tab to display different predefined colors.Select the required color scheme from the Color Scheme list box.

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