What is best technique for create parametric assembly with Inventor?

I've done some experimenting with both, here's my findings.

Adaptive sketches seemed to work okay, so long as there was few changes per sketch. Frequently the assembly constraints broke during modifications. Also, when making many changes to the model, you need to go to many files.

Skeletal modeling seems to be more stable, and durable to changes, within reason. The relationships need to be well defined mathematically.
The example I worked with is posted as Machine Base - Skeletal Modelling (images only) I would really like to post the files but it is my clients model, and they graciously allowed me to use the images.
In this case, change any/all of the parameters in the master file, go for a coffee, and when you come back all documentation is regenerated, including drawings with welds, ready to print and take to the shop for building. Simple yet effective. Cost savings to the client about 1 - 1.5 days per variant.

I'd be interested to hear other opinions, and examples as well.

Hi Kevin,

I agree Skeletal modeling is a more robust method when compared to adaptive sketches. There are no constraints to fail, but you sometimes can get a messy .ipt if you don't structure it logically from the start.

The only downfall with Skeletal modeling imo is when I need multiple instances of a part in an assembly, and this part is re-used across multiple designs.
For example, cutting inserts being drawn with skeletal modeling over and over would give you many duplicate .ipt files. If I did this on different jobs I would have many duplicate names, when in reality they are all the same insert. It's because of this that I don't use skeletal modeling in my daily job duties in cutting tool design. I have used it on unique projects many times though!!

I think it really comes down to the type of design work you do.

Inventor is a primitive semi-parametric 3D platform. The only way to resolve any issues with Inventor is to change to Solidworks. I unfortunately use Inventor because that is what my cheap boss that has no understanding of design got for us. And since he gets what he paid for, it is impossible to be productive and have good parametric models with it. The Constrain command never works right and even if you put together the assembly from building from it, I have found it never works correctly and I spend more hours in doing fixes than actual work. Hope that helps!