Inventor Topix

Inventor 2013 - Service Pack 2 Released

2013-05-09T15:46:00.001-05:00

Autodesk has now released Service Pack 2 for Inventor 2013.

Here are the details regarding what is included in the SP2 for 2013.

Cable & Harness

Cannot import Cable & Harness libraries in Japanese Inventor 2012 SP2
When autorouting more than 30 wires at a time, performance is extremely slow

Tube & Pipe

Inventor unexpectedly exits when you click Hose Length command

API

SurfaceEvaluator.GetXXX methods get a run-time error
Cannot insert AutoCAD DWG into a sketch using the DWG TranslatorAddIn.Open method
Other products (such as RADF Viewer) cannot open the SAT file that was generated by DataIO.WriteDataToFile with the ACIS SAT format

Application Functionality

The Create New File dialog box takes too long to open when the template folder is a network Universal Naming Conversion path
If you use a mapped network drive as a templates path, parent folders of the templates folder are exposed in the Create New File dialog box
In the Create New File dialog box, in Details view, if you reorder or resize the width of the columns, the layout reverts to default the next time you open the dialog box
The Create New File dialog box lists all folders that are on the same level as the template folder

Assembly Modeling

Inventor unexpectedly exits after generating too many iAssembly members in one assembly
In Constraint dialog box, when you set a parameter input using Display as an expression, the parameter does not work correctly
In the Assembly in-place edit environment, the Redefine Feature command for UCS is disabled
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you in-place edit a subassembly feature
When you drive one constraint between components that have an activated Contact set, the performance is worse in R2013 than in R2012

Content Center

Custom material disappears after you migrate a Content Center library from 2012 to 2013
You cannot place a part from Content Center after you migrate the custom library from 2011 to 2013

Direct Manipulation

The preview of a workplane that you create with 3D sketch geometry is sometimes incorrect

Drawing Manager

In a break view, projected geometries are not in the correct position
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you insert a sketch symbol
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you move a sketch symbol after deleting one of the sheets of the drawing
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you open a drawing that was created in R7
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you move cursor, zoom in or zoom out while updating a drawing view
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you drag a hole table from one sheet to another

Enhanced Visualization

The shaded style of a Drawing view is not maintained after you click the view or other Drawing views

Frame Generator

Cannot select a mirrored 3D sketch when you attempt to insert it into frame generator
Notch fails in some custom structural shapes

iLogic

Inventor unexpectedly exits when you try to select iLogic Copy Design if .NET Framework 4.5 is installed on the machine

Materials/Appearances

The Material or Appearance thumbnail does not update correctly when you import a legacy style
The Material or Appearance thumbnail does not update correctly after you change the appearance color in the material or appearance editor
If you save an appearance to a library which contains the same assets and select "keep both" to create a duplicated one, you cannot apply it to any object
Mass value does not update in the drawing part list when you change material from the quick access tool bar or material browser
Appearance in-used can be deleted from appearance browser
The thumbnail of a material or appearance is incorrect when you migrate legacy xmls to a new or existing library
The material name in the document library changes after you rename the same material in the Autodesk library, Inventor library, or user library

Part Modeling

Inventor unexpectedly exits when you measure an object in a Face Draft preview
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you extract an iFeature

Sheetmetal

Inventor unexpectedly exits when you create a corner seam in sheet metal

Sketch

Inventor unexpectedly exits when you edit the sketch of a sheetmetal feature
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you drag the endpoint of a line in some 2D sketches
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you add a dimension between projected profiles
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you click Edit Pattern in some 2D sketches
Inventor unexpectedly exits when you scale a sketch

Translators

Get wrong bounding box when you open an STL file with Template Units in Options dialog box
DWF publish time shows nearly 300% regression in SP1.1 compared to Inventor 2013

Here is the link to download Inventor 2013 SP2 32-bit, Click Here...
Here is the link to download Inventor 2013 SP2 64-bit, Click Here...

Here is a link for the Readme file, Click Here...

Inventor 2014 - Update 1 Released

2013-05-09T13:52:00.002-05:00

Autodesk has just released Update 1 for Inventor 2014.

This Update addresses multiple issues for Inventor 2014.

Here is what is addressed in Update 1:

Many duplicate occurrences shown in browser of IPN's following assembly demote/promote
Create New dialog does not remember the size and order of column in details view
Mass property is not available after migration
Min and Max values for Hole patching are not stored
View remains raster after selecting Precise view
iFeature insert dialog will show "Create Package" instead of the description of the iFeature
Copying a material in the category will corrupt that material from the library
Unable to change icon of existing custom category in Content Center Library
Adding a material will flag existing file as out of date and unnecessarily replace/update appearances
Weldment iAssemblies still looking for the obsolete "Use as Weldment Material" setting
Highlight effect when mouse hover on geometry is not as good as full mode when create Dimension/Baseline/Ordinate annotation in Raster View
GraphicsNode.RenderStyle has no effect on the graphics entity
The translator addin imports the DWG into sketch with wrong units if custom units specified
Legacy Section View displays incorrect line
Title block incorrectly displayed on Zoom when multiple files opened
Decreased performance when selecting all assets
Decreased performance when select Derive menu Other Tab
Slow shut down of InventorViewCompute.exe even after Inventor main window closes
Unexpected exit when make all views raster and make all views precise
Unexpected exit when switching to Full from Express mode
Unexpected exit when click adjust with customized project setting
Unexpected exit when rotating large assembly
Unexpected exit when dragging materials in user library
Unexpected exit when Load Express
Unexpected exit when starting Inventor from Factory Design Suite
Unexpected exit due to Non-transacted AddTriangleGraphics

Here is a link to download Update 1 for Inventor 2014 - Click Here...
Both the 32-bit and 64-bit are included in the download.
Here is a link for the Readme File - Click Here...

This update covers the following products:

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2014

Autodesk Inventor 2014

Autodesk Factory Design Suite Premium 2014

Autodesk Factory Design Suite Ultimate 2014

Autodesk Product Design Suite Premium 2014

Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2014

Autodesk Labs - Design Checker for Inventor

2013-05-08T07:51:00.000-05:00

Design Checker for Inventor software is a free technology preview of a productivity solution used to give a designer insight into the adherence of standards for the product being designed. Live checking provides instant feedback on the adherence to company and customer standards, as well as ensures a high level of quality for the entire design process.

Design Checker can be configured to define not only what type of features are checked, but also the standards that dictate if a check passes or fails. Custom checks can also be defined. These configurations are stored in a Profile and can be separated into different work environments (Parts, Drawings, Assemblies). This allows Profiles to be created that define different checks for different product types, different customers, or any other end user variances. By changing profiles, Design Checker checks the models based on the rules defined in that profile.

Right now Design Checker is available for Inventor 2013 & Inventor 2012. If the Labs team need more of a wider audience they will include Inventor 2014 at a later date. This technology preview will operate until February 10, 2014.

Download Design Checker for Inventor 2012 or Inventor 2013

Image Credits: Autodesk Labs

AutoCAD 2014 What's New Document

2013-04-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have now posted the What's New document on my website for everybody to view. You can either access it on my separate page where all of the What's New documents are posted dating back all the way to AutoCAD 2004, Link Here...

Or, you can access just the 2014 version directly from here, AutoCAD 2014 What's New

I will be posting the Inventor 2014 What's New when it becomes available.

Inventor 2014 & AutoCAD 2014 - Free Trial

2013-04-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Autodesk has now released the downloads so you can try out AutoCAD 2014 & Inventor 2014 for a 30-day trial. Also, these are full functioning copies of the 2014 releases, no features are missing. You can run it through its paces to decide for yourself if you are going to upgrade or purchase it as a standalone or in a product suite.

Here is the link for the AutoCAD 2014 30-day free trial, Click Here...

Here is the link for the Inventor 2014 30-day free trial, Click Here...

So head on over to the links and give them a try.

Inventor 2012 SP2 Update 3 Released

2013-04-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I know, Inventor 2014 was just released, but if you are behind a little on which version you are using then this is for you. Autodesk has just released Update 3 for Inventor 2012 SP2. This Update addresses multiplie issues for Inventor 2012 SP2. This Update is cumulative and includes all changes in Update 1 & Update 2.

Here is what is fixed in Update 1 & Update 2.

Here is what is fixed in Update 3:

Unable to sync styles between PartsList and library
Okay button is disabled when editing an extrusion
Flat pattern error occurs when corner seam is applied
Unexpected exit when editing fitting connection

This Update is for the following products:

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012
Autodesk Inventor 2012

Download link to Readme file, Click Here...

Download link to Update 3 for SP2, Click Here...

Trying to help people keep up to date, even on older releases.

Inventor of the Month - March 2013

2013-04-03T06:55:00.000-05:00

Autodesk has named CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd. (Changchun) as the Inventor of the Month for March 2013. Changchun Railway Vehicles main focus has become the design of railway vehicle passenger seats that are more attractive, comfortable and stable.

The problem with most train seats on subways, high speed trains and other urban railways is that passengers can easily slide forward when the train accelerates or decelerates, making the seating experience less than optimal. Changchun Railway Vehicles has improved on this uncomfortable situation by creating a curved, stainless steel railway seat designed with Autodesk Inventor software.

Using Inventor software as part of Autodesk Product Design Suite, Changchun was able to calculate the release of pressure in various curves and bends and design a seat with a fully ergonomic curve that comfortably fits the human shape. This shape provides greater control, which prevents passengers from sliding forward when the train starts or stops.

In addition to the design of the seats, Changchun also used Inventor software to determine the best way to soundly affix the seats to the floors, performing strength and stress checks on the various screws, joints and welded components. Autodesk Inventor, which includes features and functionality around tooling and tolerances, not only increases the speed of these calculations, but also generates extremely accurate calculations that help reduce the occurrence of design errors.

The Changchun team also leverages Autodesk Vault data management software to help increase the business’ product development capacity and market competitiveness. This combination of Autodesk Digital Prototyping solutions has streamlined the company’s overall design process and won a growing number of customers, particularly as European companies turn toward China to purchase spare parts, including passenger seats, for their own railway networks.

Here is a link to Changchun Railway Vehicles Website

Credits: Autodesk, InTheFold, Changchun

AutoCAD 2014 System Requirements

2013-03-26T13:00:00.000-05:00

Here are the system requirements for AutoCAD 2014:

AutoCAD 2014 System Requirements for 32-bit Workstations

Operating system:
•Microsoft Windows XP Professional - Service Pack 3 (SP3) or later
•Microsoft Windows XP Home - Service Pack 3 (SP3) or later
•Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise
•Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
•Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
•Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
•Microsoft Windows 8
•Microsoft Windows 8 Pro
•Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise

Browser: Internet Explorer 7.0 or later

Processor:
•Windows XP - Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon Dual Core, 1.6 GHz or Higher with SSE2 technology
•Windows 7 and Windows 8 - Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon Dual Core, 3.0 GHz or Higher with SSE2 technology

Memory: 2 GB RAM (4 GB Recommended)

Display resolution: 1024 x 768 (1600 x 1050 or higher recommended) with True Color

Disk Space: Installation 6.0 GB

Pointing Device: MS-Mouse compliant

Media: Download and Installation from DVD

Additional requirements for 3D Modeling: Intel Pentium 4 processor or AMD Athlon, 3.0 GHz or greater or Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 2.0 GHz or greater

4 GB RAM

6 GB free hard disk available not including installation requirements

1280 x 1024 True color video display adapter 128 MB or greater, Pixel Shader 3.0 or greater, Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card.

Note: 64-bit Operating Systems are recommended if you are working with Large Datasets, Point Clouds and 3D Modeling - please refer to the AutoCAD 64-bit System Requirements for more information.

.NET Framework .NET Framework Version 4.0, Update 1

AutoCAD 2014 System Requirements for 64-bit workstations

Operating system:
•Microsoft Windows XP Professional* - Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later
•Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise
•Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
•Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
•Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
•Microsoft Windows 8
•Microsoft Windows 8 Pro
•Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise

*Note: VBA is not supported on Windows XP Professional

Browser: Internet Explorer 7.0 or later

Processor:
•AMD Athlon 64 with SSE2 technology AMD Opteron with SSE2 technology
•Intel Xeon with Intel EM64T support and SSE2
•Intel Pentium 4 with Intel EM64T support and SSE2 technology

Memory: 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)

Display resolution: 1024 x 768 (1600 x 1050 or higher recommended) with True Color

Disk Space: Installation 6.0 GB

Pointing Device: MS-Mouse compliant

Media: Download and Installation from DVD

Additional requirements for 3D Modeling: 4 GB RAM or more

6 GB free hard disk available not including installation requirements

1280 x 1024 True color video display adapter 128 MB or greater, Pixel Shader 3.0 or greater, Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card.

.NET Framework .NET Framework Version 4.0 Update 1

Inventor 2014 System Requirements

2013-03-26T12:30:00.000-05:00

Here are the system requirements for Inventor 2014:

For Inventor 2014 Windows users
For general part and assembly design (typically fewer than 1,000 parts):

Windows 7 (32-bit minimum, 64-bit recommended), Windows 8 64-bit, or Windows XP Professional 32-bit operating system
Intel Pentium 4, AMD Athlon 64 with SSE2 technology, 3 GHz or greater, or AMD dual-core processor with SSE2, 2 GHz or greater recommended, or Intel Xeon E3 or Core i7 or equivalent with SSE2, 3.0 GHz or greater
4 GB RAM minimum for less than 500 part assemblies (8 GB recommended)
15 GB free disk space for installation
1,280 x 1,024 or higher screen resolution
Microsoft Direct3D 9 or compatible graphics card (Microsoft Direct3D 11 or higher recommended)
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later (.NET Framework Version 4.5 web browser)
Microsoft Excel 2003 or later software for iFeatures, iParts, iAssemblies, thread customization, and spreadsheet-driven designs
Adobe Flash Player 10
Internet connection for web downloads and Subscription Aware access
Microsoft-compliant mouse or pointing device
DVD-ROM drive

For complex models, complex mold assemblies, and large assemblies (typically more than 1,000 Parts):

64-bit Windows 7 or Windows 8
Xeon E3 or Core i7 or equivalent, 3.3 GHz or greater
16 GB RAM or greater
15 GB free disk space for installation
1,280 x 1,024 or higher screen resolution
Direct3D 9 or compatible graphics card (Direct3D 11 or higher recommended)
Internet Explorer 6 or later (.NET Framework Version 4.5 web browser)
Excel 2003 or later for iFeatures, iParts, iAssemblies, thread customization, and spreadsheet-driven designs
Flash Player 10
Internet connection for web downloads and Subscription Aware access
Microsoft-compliant mouse or pointing device
DVD-ROM drive

For Inventor 2014 Mac users
On Boot Camp:
You can install Autodesk Inventor Professional software on a Mac computer on a Windows partition. The system must use Apple Boot Camp to manage a dual OS configuration and meet the minimum system requirements.

Mac OS X 10.6 (10.8 or higher recommended)
Boot Camp v2.0 or higher
Windows 7 64-bit
Intel Core 2 Duo or greater processor with SSE2 technology, 3.0 GHz or greater
8 GB RAM or greater
64 GB free disk space on Windows OS partition (250 GB recommended)

Mac Virtualization on Parallels Desktop:

Mac OS X 10.6 (10.8 or higher recommended)
Parallels Desktop 8.0 or higher
64-bit Windows 7 or Windows 8
Core 2 Duo or greater with SSE2 technology, 3.0 GHz or greater
8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended)
500 GB free disk space or greater

Product Design Suite 2014

2013-03-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Here is what is included in Product Design Suite 2014. There are a couple of changes. It is still broke down into 3 levels.

Product Design Suite Standard

Inventor
AutoCAD
AutoCAD Mechanical
AutoCAD Raster Design
AutoCAD ReCap
Mudbox
Showcase
Sketchbook Designer
Vault Basic

Product Design Suite Premium

All of the above plus:
Inventor Professional
AutoCAD Electrical
Navisworks Simulate
3ds Max Design

Product Design Suite Ultimate

All of the above plus:
Alias Design
Navisworks Manage

AutoCAD 2014 - What's New

2013-03-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

Here is the full list of What's New for AutoCAD 2014.

User Interaction

Command Line

The Command Line interface is enhanced to provide smarter, more efficient access to

commands and system variables. And, you can use the command line to find other content such as
hatch patterns, visual styles, and internet help.

AutoCorrect

The Command Line supports AutoCorrect. If you mistype a command, instead responding

with “Unknown command”, AutoCAD autocorrects to the most relevant and valid AutoCAD command.

For example, if you accidentally type TABEL, the TABLE command is automatically launched.

AutoComplete

AutoComplete command entry is enhanced to support mid-string search. For example, if you type SETTING on the Command line, the suggestion list displays commands containing the word

SETTING anywhere within it, not just at the beginning.

Adaptive Suggestions

Commands in the suggestion list are initially displayed in the order of their usage based on general

customer data. As you continue to use AutoCAD 2014, the order of commands in the suggestion list will adapt to your own usage habits. The command usage data is stored in the profile and adapts to each user.
Synonym Suggestions

The Command line has a built in synonym list. Enter a word at the command line and it will return a

command if a match is found in the synonym list. For example, if you enter Symbol, AutoCAD finds the INSERT command so you can insert a block. Or if you enter Round, AutoCAD finds the FILLET command so you can add a fillet to a corner.

Input Settings

You can customize the behavior of the command line using controls in the Input Settings menu when you right-click on the command line. In addition to the previous options to enable AutoComplete and search for system variables, you can enable AutoCorrect, search content and mid-string search. All of these options are turned on by default.

File Tabs

The AutoCAD 2014 release offers drawing tabs as a fast and visual way to switch between open drawings or to create new ones. You can turn the file tabs bar on or off using the File Tabs control on the View ribbon tab. When File Tabs are turned on, a tab for each open drawing is displayed at the top of the drawing area.

File tabs are displayed in the order they were opened. You can drag and drop tabs to change their order. If there is not enough room for all the file tabs to display across the area, an overflow menu at the right end of the file tabs bar provides access to the additional files.

A lock icon on a tab indicates that the file is open as read-only and an asterisk indicates if the file has

been modified since its last save. When you pass the cursor over a file tab, preview images of the model and layouts are displayed. If you pass the cursor over one of the preview images, the corresponding model or layout is temporarily displayed in the drawing area and Plot and Publish tools are accessible from the preview image.

The right-click menu for file tabs enables you to create, open, save and close files including the ability to close all open files except the one on which you right-clicked. You can also copy the full file path to the clipboard or open the file location in Windows Explorer.

A Plus (+) icon to the right of the drawing tabs, enables you to easily create new drawings, automatically adding their tabs as they’re created.

Layer Management

The number of layers displayed on the ribbon has been increased. Layers are now displayed using

natural ordered sort. For example, the following layer names 1, 4, 25, 6, 21, 2, 10 are sorted as 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 21, 25 instead of 1, 10, 2, 25, 21, 4, 6.

A new Merge option in the Layer Manager enables you to select one or more layers from the layer list and merge the objects from those layers onto a different layer. The original layers are automatically purged from the drawing.

Xref Enhancements

The display of linetypes and layers from externally referenced drawings is enhanced. Xref linetypes are not displayed in the linetype list of the ribbon or Properties palette. Xref layers are still displayed in the ribbon so you can control their visibility but they are not displayed in the Properties palette.

Design Exploration

Geographic Location

Support for Geographic locations has been significantly enhanced in Keystone. It includes the same

Coordinate System Library as AutoCAD Map 3D and new Autodesk Live Maps.

There are many benefits to defining a location in your drawing. When you import geolocated data into a geolocated drawing, AutoCAD transforms the data based on the drawing's geographic location. You can see your design within the context of its location and if you render the model, it will have the correct sun angle. If you export the drawing to a mapping service like Google Earth, it will automatically display at the correct location. When you insert geo-referenced images or blocks into your geo-referenced drawing, they are automatically placed in the correct location and at the correct scale. For example, imagine large projects that have multiple designers working separately on the same design, such as a housing project. If each designer uses the same coordinate system, all the drawings will insert at their appropriate locations when combined into a single file. You can mark specific point of interest in your drawings knowing that those points correspond to logical geographic locations. And, if you have a GPS device enabled on your computer, you can see your current position in the drawing and you can even mark positions as you walk around. For example, landscape architects can visit the site and take notes of the surroundings by marking them on the drawing.

You can set a geographic location in your drawing using the Set Location tool on the Insert ribbon tab. Choose to set the location using Autodesk Maps Service or by selecting a KML or KMZ file.

Reality Capture

Reality Capture enables you to take a 3D laser scan of an object, topography, a building or even an

entire town and attach it to an AutoCAD drawing as point cloud data. You can then use it as a real-world reference for your design work. This point cloud data is stored as thousands, even millions, of points in 3D space.

Autodesk ReCap

Autodesk ReCap is a separate application which enables you to create a point cloud project file (RCP) that references multiple indexed scan files (RCS). It is installed with Keystone, by default and you can launch it from the Window’s Start menu or from the Autodesk ReCap desktop icon.

You can use Autodesk ReCap to convert scan file data to a point cloud format that can be viewed and edited in other products. Autodesk ReCap processes massive datasets enabling you to aggregate scan files and clean, section, spatially sort, compress, measure, and visualize them. The resulting high-speed formats can then be used by AutoCAD and other Autodesk applications including Revit and Autodesk Inventor.

Documentation

Drawing Enhancements

AutoCAD 2014 includes a variety of drawing enhancements to help you produce drawings more efficiently.

Arcs - Easily draw an arc in either direction using by pressing the Ctrl key to switch directions as you draw.
Polylines - The #11 AUGI wishlist request for the ability to fillet a polyline to itself, creating a closed polyline, is granted in Autocad 2014.
Sheet Sets - When creating a new sheet in a sheet set the CreateDate field stored in the associated template (.dwt) displays the creation date of the new sheet rather than the creation date of the template file.
Plot Styles - The CONVERTPSTYLES command enables you to convert the current drawing to either named or color dependent plot styles. In Autocad 2014 it is enhanced to support style names with spaces.

Annotation Enhancements

Attributes - The default behavior for inserting blocks with attributes displays the dialog box. ATTDIA is set to 1.
Text - Single line text is enhanced to maintain the last justification setting until it’s changed.
Dimensions - The new DIMCONTINUEMODE system variable provides you with more control when creating continued and baseline dimensions. When DIMCONTINUE is set to 0, the DIMCONTINUE and DIMBASELINE commands create dimensions based on the current dimension style. When set to 1, they apply the dimension style of the selected dimension.
Hatch - The Hatch tool on the ribbon maintains the previous method for selecting objects to hatch: Pick internal point or Select objects. The Undo option is added to the command line.

Customization

Operating Systems

AutoCAD 2014 supports Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8. If you are using a Windows 8 touch-enabled device, you can benefit from smoother pan and zoom performance. A new control on the System tab of the Options dialog box displays a touch mode ribbon panel when a touch screen device is detected.

There is a short breakdown of the New Features in AutoCAD 2014. You can read about the rest of them when I post the full What's New document coming soon. You can follow me on alot of the social networks included in the following post. Different Ways to Follow Inventor Topix

Inventor 2014 - What's New

2013-03-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

It is that time of year again to release the details about the latest enhancements that are added to the newest release of Inventor. Here is the list of What's New for Inventor 2014.

They are broke down into 7 different categories, but I am going to focus on the top 4. You can read about the rest when I post the What's New document later.

Sketch Design
Part
Assembly
Drawings
Communication and Interoperability
CAD Administrator Tools
Learning Tools

Click after the Break for all the details:
Read more »

Autodesk Live Event

2013-03-25T12:11:00.001-05:00

Autodesk is having a special Live event on March 26, 2013 at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern, 3pm UK and 4pm Europe to learn more and see the impact that Autodesk software is having across the industries we serve.

Usually this time of year is when Autodesk introduces the new 2014 lineup of products, so if you want to watch first hand what is coming, you can join the introductions live on the internet. They are having two locations for your viewing pleasure.

Here is the link for the Facebook viewing site, www.facebook.com/autodesk

Here is the link for the Livestream viewing site, http://www.livestream.com/autodesk

If you can't make the lve events, stay tuned to Inventor Topix after the events to find out what is coming.

Inventor of the Year - 2012

2013-03-22T06:02:00.001-05:00

Autodesk has named Ellis Furniture, chosen by the manufacturing community, as the 2012 Inventor of the Year. Ellis Furniture, a U.K. based furniture company in business for more than a century, was chosen as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for August 2012 for using Autodesk Inventor as part of Autodesk Product Design Suite to offer greater levels of product customization in significantly less time.

This speed enables Ellis to rapidly explore a number of design options for its customers, ranging from luxury hotels to government institutions, and create high-quality furniture that not only fits their precise needs, but is designed to last a lifetime.

Using Autodesk software, the company estimates that it is able to clarify initial product design concepts with customers 20 percent faster and establish material sources and material costs 30 to 40 percent faster. Ellis’ manufacturing process, including generating a bill of materials (BOM) and preparing design files for computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools with Autodesk software, takes 80 percent less time.

The rules-based design automation capabilities of Inventor software enable an efficient workflow where intelligent data behind each furniture design is fed into Ellis’ ERP system. This fully digital process eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors and speeds up turnaround time, even as the company gives its customers greater freedom to express their design intent and personalize their furniture offerings.

When one of its larger university customers required a vast array of size and color permutations for a new range of furniture, Ellis was able to develop a base model in Inventor software and tailor it until the university was satisfied. Likewise, when one of its military customers urgently needed a new range of bedroom furniture, Ellis was able to complete the models in Autodesk Inventor within a week and go straight into manufacturing with total confidence and without delays on the shop floor. Two weeks later, the units were being shipped to the other side of the world.

Ellis Furniture

Congratulations Ellis Furniture

Here is the original YouTube video about Ellis Furniture.

Image Credits: Ellis Furniture, Autodesk

Inventor of the Month - February 2013

2013-03-08T07:23:00.000-06:00

Autodesk has named BioLite as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for February 2013. BioLite uses Autodesk software to create wood-burning, power charging stoves that burn 90 percent cleaner than conventional wood-burning stoves or open fires.

The portable BioLite CampStove and the larger BioLite HomeStove convert waste heat into electricity that can be used to charge small electronic devices such as cell phones, GPS units and LED lights. By offering products that function as both off-grid power chargers as well as clean and efficient cooking devices, BioLite provides a true on-demand energy source for users around the world.

This flexibility is critical for developing countries where rural electrification rates are quite low, but also makes a huge difference during natural disasters in developed nations as well. For example, New Yorkers in lower Manhattan took advantage of charging mobile devices at CampStoves during Superstorm Sandy.

BioLite used Autodesk Simulation 360 cloud services to digitally simulate heat transfer within the CampStove and, later, the HomeStove.

The BioLite design team also used Autodesk 3ds Max Design visualization software within Autodesk Product Design Suite to create photo realistic digital prototypes and 3D animations of the stoves, allowing the team to evaluate stove aesthetics.

As a result of leveraging Autodesk software, BioLite significantly reduced the time required to commercialize its innovations and bring them to market. The CampStove is currently available for purchase through the company’s website, with a large-scale roll out in the works with nationwide U.S. retailers.

Here is a link to BioLite's Website

Here is a YouTube Interview with BioLite.

Credits: Autodesk, BioLite

Autodesk and Lego Partner Up to Provide 3D Building Instructions for Mindstorms EV3

2013-02-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Autodesk has partnered with The LEGO Group to provide 3D interactive building instructions for LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, a new platform designed to introduce a younger generation to the excitement of building and programming robots. The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set, as well as the 3D building instruction mobile apps and web instructions, will be available in the second half of 2013.

Accessible through a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, or over the web at MINDSTORMS Website, the interactive building instructions, based on Autodesk Inventor Publisher technology, provide an alternative to traditional instructions, bringing the building experience to life. The 3D building instructions allow LEGO MINDSTORMS builders to digitally view how the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 components fit together, making it easier to build even the most sophisticated robot.

Autodesk Inventor Publisher software, which provides an alternative to traditional instructions by generating 3D interactive instructions that run on iPad, Android devices and on the web, powers the building instructions. With the app, LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 builders can digitally view and interact with the LEGO bricks at each step of the building process. At any time, LEGO MINDSTORMS builders can stop the animation, zoom in on a part or rotate it to see exactly how parts need to be fitted together, putting builders in control of the experience and allowing them to see how it’s built in the way that makes the most sense to each individual. Additional features geared towards providing a fun play experience for LEGO builders include double-tapping a part for component information, and a Map feature that allows users to see exactly which part of the model is being worked on.

In addition to LEGO’s famous bricks, the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set contains a multitude of parts, including motors, infrared sensors and a programmable microcomputer, that allow children to create robots that walk, move or take whatever action they’re programmed to do. LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 will include the 3D interactive building instructions for five different robots, such as “EV3RSTORM,” a Mohawk-sporting humanoid that shoots mini-spheres as it walks, “SPIK3R,” a scorpion-like robot that searches for an IR beacon bug, or “R3PTAR,” a robotic snake that slithers, shakes and strikes.

Here is a YouTube video showing the capabilities.

Inventor 2013 SP1.1 Update 2 Released

2013-02-14T21:26:00.001-06:00

Autodesk has just released Update 2 for Inventor 2013 SP 1.1.

This Update is cumulative, Update 1 is not a prerequisite. Here are the issues addressed by Update 1, Click Here...

This Update 2 addresses multiple issues for Inventor 2013 SP1.1.

Here is what is addressed in Update 2:

iLogic Design Copy not working after installing .NET Framework 4.5
API queries not working for some surface types
Error message when saving result in Extract iFeature dialog
Reduced performance when working in presentation with duplicate browser entries
Unsupported options listed in Make component dialog
CER: Unexpected exit when editing a material library
CER: Unexpected exit when editing pipe components
CER: Stability enhancements

Here is a link to download Update 2 for Inventor 2013 SP 1.1- Click Here...
Both the 32-bit and 64-bit are included in the download.
Here is a link for the Readme File - Click Here...

This update covers the following products:

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2013
Autodesk Inventor 2013
Autodesk Factory Design Suite Premium 2013
Autodesk Factory Design Suite Ultimate 2013
Autodesk Product Design Suite Premium 2013
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013

Vote Now for 2012 Inventor of the Year

2013-02-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

Every month Autodesk gives out an Inventor of the Month award, now is the time to choose from those winners and decide who the 2012 Inventor of the Year award goes to, and you get to help make that decision.

The Autodesk Inventor of the Month program recognizes the most innovative design and engineering advancements made among the hundreds of thousands of advancements users make using Autodesk Inventor software

If you want to vote for the 2012 Inventor of the Year go to the following link: Vote Here Now

Voting is under way and closes March 1 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

You can learn about each of the nominees by following the link for each month.

January 2011: Valiant Corporation, a global provider of manufacturing solutions, uses the advanced dynamic simulation functionality in Autodesk Inventor to increase load capacity while reducing costs, and to minimize design weight while meeting customer performance requirements. In a recent project for The Boeing Company, Valiant designed and engineered a portable cargo loader 30 percent more efficiently.

February 2011: Nitto Sangyo, a Japanese playground equipment manufacturer, uses Autodesk Inventor to develop Link Mini rocking toys. The toys are designed to be safer and more durable than standard commercial playground equipment. Eliminating reliance on physical prototyping shortened Link Mini development time by almost two months, reducing overall costs by nearly US$6,000 (500,000 yen) per product.

March 2011: Weatherhaven, provides portable shelters, camps and systems for remote sites around the world. Using Digital Prototyping in Autodesk Inventor, Weatherhaven has significantly shortened product development time from concept to manufacturing, while reduced the number of more expensive physical prototypes typically necessary to explore and validate designs.

April 2011: Federal Equipment Company, a supplier of specialized military replacement parts,used Autodesk Inventor to design an advanced elevator system for the U.S. Navy. The new system enables efficient transport of munitions on board new aircraft carriers. Testing is costly, but with the help of Autodesk software, FEC can simulate the elevator’s shock response in just one $400,000 test, enabling the company to quickly identify and fix potential problems and avoid often costly retesting.

May 2011: Hawkes Ocean Technologies, (HOT) designs and builds manned and remote vehicles for deep-ocean exploration. Autodesk Inventor enables HOT to create entirely new ideas and change the way submersibles operate, transforming them from “underwater balloons” to underwater crafts capable of flight.

June 2011: Carousel Works, is the world’s largest manufacturer of custom wooden carousels for zoos, parks and the world’s largest cruise ships, including Royal Caribbean’s “Oasis of the Seas” and “Allure of the Seas.” With Autodesk Inventor, Carousel Works marries old-world craftsmanship with 3D design, and creates its custom wooden carousels up to 50 percent faster.

July 2011: Pankl Aerospace Systems, uses Autodesk Inventor LT software to more effectively manufacture helicopter rotary systems, increasing the performance and reliability of critical components, while significantly improving pilot and passenger safety. Autodesk software helps Pankl save time, reduce manufacturing costs and increase customer quality, all while operating at optimal performance.

August 2011: Illini Prosthetic Technologies, a nonprofit organization, uses Autodesk Inventor to develop more affordable and more easily fitted prosthetic arms for below-elbow amputees in developing nations. Digitally exploring and refining its ideas, IPT provides access to affordable prosthetic care, helping amputees around the world regain use of their limbs, return to work and better care for themselves and their families.

September 2011: PMB Façade, a Malaysia-based company, uses Autodesk Inventor to develop architectural façades for some of the world’s most astonishing buildings, including Qatar’s 43-story Al-Bidda Tower, also known as Tornado Tower. The ability to digitally simulate and predict real-world performance before construction has helped PMB Façade reduce material cost and waste by as much as 15 percent, and deliver projects up to 30 percent faster.

October 2011: Kelly Racing, an Australia-based racing team, uses Autodesk Inventor to precisely design and validate new car components that give the team a racing edge. After a race weekend, designers modify existing car parts with Inventor, increasing traction and grip by as much as 8 percent, which leads to faster lap times and increased performance.

November 2011: A-dec, a leading manufacturer of dental chairs and equipment, uses Autodesk Inventor to more effectively design and develop products, cutting time to market. A-dec also uses Autodesk software to generate user manuals and service guides for its popular dentistry products, enhancing usability and reducing translation costs.

December 2011: Green Structures, a UK-based clean technology company, uses Autodesk Inventor and a range of other Autodesk Digital Prototyping technology to create award-winning energy-efficiency systems. The firm’s latest innovation, a heat recovery ventilation system called Ventive, provides a faster and less expensive alternative for retrofitting buildings with the latest green technologies.

Inventor of the Month - January 2013

2013-02-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

Autodesk has named Combat Group as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for January 2013. Combat Group, a Malaysian-based manufacturer of automotive and industrial paint systems, has improved its accuracy of design and delivered products to market quicker as a result of using Autodesk Product Design Suite and other Autodesk digital prototyping tools.

Combat Group supplies painting line systems to a variety of major automotive, two-wheeler and industrial companies with assembly plants in developing nations. Using Autodesk software, Combat Group has increased design accuracy to close to 95 percent, reduced development time by two months and increased customer satisfaction by more than 45 percent.

Building off its 35-year foundation leveraging 2D CAD solutions for drafting to AutoCAD, AutoCAD Mechanical and AutoCAD LT, Combat Group saw incorporating 3D design into its processes via Autodesk Inventor software featured in Autodesk Product Design Suite as a way to increase its competitiveness.

Since the company frequently deals with automotive and industrial factories, it has to take into consideration how to incorporate a variety of machines and equipment within each facility. Space is a critical factor, and having 3D rendering allows Combat Group to seamlessly integrate the complete paint system with precision equipment placement and manage complex process piping and cable routing in the overall building layout.

When designing for the fabrication stage, Autodesk Inventor software reduces a lot of the missteps that can occur later on in the work process if the initial design has some flaws. Combat Group has found that with more detailed and accurate 3D models, it spends significantly less time engaged in back and forth with the customer trying to get the fabrication right.

Partly due to this increased workflow efficiency, Combat Group has seen customer satisfaction rise from 45 percent to 78 percent since adopting Autodesk Product Design Suite and 3D design processes.

Image Credits: Autodesk, In The Fold

Inventor 2013 Tutorial - Sheet Metal Contour Flange

2013-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today I am going to show a quick tutorial about Contour Flange in Inventor 2013. This is a command that I use quite a bit considering that I am in the sheet metal environment most of the day.

First thing you need to do is create a end profile with the bends built in of the sheet metal part you want to create.

Next, select the Contour Flange command, select the end profile that you had just drawn in the sketch environment.

After that you need to choose the options that you want, offset which way you want the material to go on. The options you have are inside profile, outside profile and midplane profile.

Your next choice is for the distance you want to have your contour flange extend to, also which direction you want the distance to go towards.

All of the bends are controlled by your sheet metal defaults that you should already have setup. I will show how to do that in a later post.

Also, here is a YouTube video showing how it is done.

AU 2012 Classes Available

2013-01-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

If you couldn't make it to Autodesk University 2012 (AU2012), like myself, you can still experience the great classes that were available. All of the classes are now available to be downloaded for your viewing pleasure.

You can get everything that was available at the show now at your jobsite. Everything from the video, presentation, the materials which include the models associated with the class and also the handouts.

So go check out the classes that are available. All you have to do is sign up to be a AU Member which is Free, and all of the classes are Free also.

AU 2012 Classes

Inventor 2012 SP2 - Update 2

2012-12-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

If you haven't upgraded to Inventor 2013 and still using Inventor 2012, Autodesk just released Update 2 to Service Pack 2(SP2) for Inventor 2012. This Update 2 addresses multiple issues. They are as follows:

Inventor Optimization 2012 Required Update
Item Assigment Fails with copied Virtual components being made to Reference
Tube and Pipe route doesn’t update after the constraint value is changed
Title block is not correctly deleted from drawings
The result of derive part will not be updated until manually edit the derived feature
Documents become dirty during file resolve process

This Update 2 is supported by the following products:

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Autodesk Inventor 2012

Download link to Readme file, Click Here...

Download link to Update 2 for SP2, Click Here...

Inventor of the Month - December 2012

2012-12-21T06:06:00.001-06:00

Autodesk has named UVP as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for December 2012. UVP is a global leader in life science imaging, contends that Autodesk software is instrumental in its pioneering global work to help cure disease.

Southern California-based UVP relies on Autodesk Product Design Suite to more effectively design and manufacture scientific imaging equipment that is used to identify potential cures for major diseases.

UVP’s bioimaging systems which can create images of entire animals, such as mice, or of individual tumor cells, using fluorescence tagged disease cells and other techniques allow medical researchers to better understand the genetics of a variety of diseases including cancer, diabetes and other major ailments.

Autodesk Product Design Suite, which includes Digital Prototyping tools such as Autodesk Inventor software, plays a key role in creating these innovative imaging and analysis solutions. The result is a reduction in overall time to market by 75 percent, enabling UVP’s imaging systems to reach medical research teams faster and directly impacting many on the front lines of the war against disease.

UVP relies on Inventor software to generate new 3D designs, while using Autodesk AutoCAD software, another component of Product Design Suite, to update and maintain 2D legacy drawings.

UVP centrally stores and manages all data, 2D and 3D alike, with Autodesk Vault data management software, making it easy for UVP to find and reuse design data. This centralization speeds the company’s response to customization requests, when customers want a specific aspect of an instrument changed to better suit their research needs.

UVP marketers also use Autodesk Showcase software to transform CAD data into compelling 3D imagery for instructional documentation and educational seminars to show customers and prospective users exactly how its products work.

Image Credits: Autodesk

Inventor 2013 SP 1.1 Update 1 Released

2012-12-11T06:34:00.000-06:00

Autodesk has just released Update 1 for Inventor 2013 SP 1.1.

This Update addresses multiple issues for Inventor 2013 SP1.1.

Here is what is addressed in Update 1:

Custom Content Center parts do not migrate correctly to 2013
Mass and Density values are not updated in Drawing when the part material is changed using the dropdown menu on the Quick Access Toolbar
Simulation containing midsurfaces/offsets is corrupting iAssemblies
Inventor Optimization 2013 Required Update
Restructured derived assemblies (promote/demote) can never be brought up to date
BIM Exchange export not exporting textures correct & texture missing when opening DWG files exported by Inventor
The “Create New File” dialog takes a long time to appear when the template folder is on a network UNC path
Reduced performance when editing derived assemblies
Shaded View is not being maintained
Corrupted tube and pipe style after migration
3D-Contact Joints generate high-resolution output time steps that are undesired when running through the Dynamic Simulation API
Inventor 2013 slow on updating legacy drawings and assemblies
Assembly file dirty issue when placing files from a Library folder in Vault
Instability after installing .Net 4.5
CER: Unexpected exit when after on Save after updating an assembly in Stress Analysis Environment
CER: Stability enhancements

Here is a link to download Update 1 for Inventor 2013 SP 1.1- Click Here...
Both the 32-bit and 64-bit are included in the download.
Here is a link for the Readme File - Click Here...

This update covers the following products:

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2013
Autodesk Inventor 2013
Autodesk Factory Design Suite Premium 2013
Autodesk Factory Design Suite Ultimate 2013
Autodesk
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013

Autodesk Labs - Project Falcon for Inventor

2012-12-06T06:40:00.000-06:00

Project Falcon has been out since Aug of 2011, but it was a stand-alone product. Now, Autodesk Labs has just released an update that makes it an Add-in for Autodesk Inventor.

Download Here

Project Falcon is a free technology preview that simulates air flow around vehicles, buildings, outdoor equipment, consumer products, or other objects of your choosing in a virtual wind tunnel. Falcon technology is extremely geometry tolerant and easy to use, enabling you to begin seeing and understanding air flow behavior within seconds of starting the application. Results update almost in real-time in response to changes in wind-direction and speed that you specify. Visualization tools available within the Falcon family of applications include 2D and 3D flow lines, shaded result planes, vector plots, and surface pressure shading. Quantified outputs include velocity, pressure, drag force, and drag coefficient.

Presently Project Falcon is available as follows:

Project Falcon for Inventor (add-in that runs inside Inventor Professional 2013)
Project Falcon standalone (installs on Windows and Mac and requires no CAD software)

The currently available version of Falcon for Inventor includes the following:

Compatible with Inventor 2013 Professional (32 and 64 bit)
Ribbon-based controls for wind tunnel settings and results visualization
Wind tunnel simulation can be left "on" to dynamically update while making top level part/assembly changes on standard Inventor solid geometry
2D and 3D flow lines, planes, pressure shading, drag coefficient and drag force outputs
Customizable wind tunnel size and model resolution

The currently available version of Falcon standalone includes the following:

Available on both Windows and Mac platforms
Simple, easy to use controls for wind tunnel settings and results visualization
Reads in formats from almost all CAD systems and many online CAD model providers(*.stl, *.obj, *.3DS, *.lwo, *.off, *.ply, *.tpf)
2D and 3D flow lines, planes, pressure shading, drag coefficient and drag force outputs
Customizable wind tunnel size and model resolution

Availability

The Project Falcon for Inventor technology preview will operate until August 30, 2013.
The Project Falcon standalone technology preview will operate until March 15, 2013.

Inventor Overview

Inventor Promo

Image Credits: Autodesk Labs