Hear a phone interview with Mike Loftus, supervisor of the mechanical design group for the NSLS-II project at Brookhaven Lab discuss the history of the Brookhaven National Lab, and the goals for the creation of a new light source facility. Brookhaven National Laboratory a national research laboratory overseen by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy has been named the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for July in recognition of its innovative nanotechnology equipment being designed for a new light source facility slated to open in 2014. In the interview Mike Loftus explains how Autodesk Inventor software, along with other Autodesk software including Autodesk Navisworks, helped his team design the new nanotechnology equipment. Brookhaven Lab is the current home of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), one of the world’s most widely used scientific user research facilities. Each year, thousands of researchers use the facility’s bright beams of X-ray, ultraviolet and infrared light while conducting research in such diverse fields as biology, medicine, chemistry, environmental sciences, physics and materials science.

AutoCAD has been since 1982, and imagine those of you who have used AutoCAD to make your drawings in the field of Manufacturing, Architecture, Engineering and Construction. Since the 3D revolution, there has been a craze to move ahead in the Z Direction and I’m sure there are many companies willing or forced to move forward to the 3D world.

Many questions come to the mind of the engineers and various companies who have made their designs in 2D

• Do I need to redesign / draw those 100′s of drawings done in 2D ?
• Will I lose my digital design data during migration ?
• During migration will my settings be retained ?
• Will customers accept the 3D data that are migrated from 2D ?

There are many more questions that pop up in the crunching time like can I migrate from 2D to 3D and will there be benefits.

But trust me 2D can never be replaced in a manufacturing company but these companies can add 3D to their workflow to aid the manufacturing, like for example CNC machining process simulation developed from the 3D model, can help the shop floor engineer think better and yield better productivity.

So, if you are a company using AutoCAD for a long time, then if you are forced to move to 3D. Then I would just recommend you to migrate to Autodesk Inventor.

Another question may pop up in your mind as to why only Autodesk Inventor ? The answer is very simple – Data migration from AutoCAD to Autodesk Inventor is as easy as say moving a folder from one hard “E” to another hard drive “F” within a computer.

So let’s go technical

You can directly open AutoCAD DWG (.dwg) files in Autodesk Inventor using the open command and then view, plot, and measure the file contents. The AutoCAD objects remain as AutoCAD objects in Autodesk Inventor, and display exactly as they do in AutoCAD. In addition, all the AutoCAD data is selectable for copy and paste. You can open an AutoCAD DWG file in Autodesk Inventor, and then copy and paste AutoCAD entities into any Autodesk Inventor sketch.

While Autodesk Inventor drawing data and AutoCAD data can coexist in the same file, some data is shared between both applications. Blocks, layers, and sheets/layouts are editable by both AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor. Dimension and text styles, while not equal, are synchronized such that supported changes made in one application are duplicated in the other application

DWG interoperability is the key for the successful migration from AutoCAD to Autodesk Inventor

Can I open and save DWG files in Autodesk Inventor if yes what scenario can I think ?

• Copy AutoCAD data directly into an Autodesk Inventor sketch without opening AutoCAD. You can choose to import AutoCAD blocks as Inventor sketch blocks (see Sketch blocks) when you create an Inventor part file.
• View, plot, and measure AutoCAD data in Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Inventor data in AutoCAD.
• Add Autodesk Inventor drawing data to existing AutoCAD files or AutoCAD data to Autodesk Inventor drawing files to make a single file containing assembly drawings, schematic diagrams, and details.
• Add Autodesk Inventor drawing data to existing AutoCAD files or AutoCAD data to Autodesk Inventor drawing files to make a single file containing schematic diagrams and details.
• If you have customers using AutoCAD, supply them with drawings containing Autodesk Inventor data containing the appropriate layers, blocks, title blocks, and borders by creating a DWG template in Autodesk Inventor.
  Note Creating a DWG template in Autodesk Inventor streamlines the translation workflow.
• Reuse Autodesk Inventor data in AutoCAD:
  • Create associative drawing views in architectural drawings for plant layouts, and so on. Deliver views of finished 3D design created in Autodesk Inventor for reuse in architectural drawings (AutoCAD).For example, place views of equipment designed in Autodesk Inventor into an architectural drawing for plant layouts.
  • Create associative drawing views of redesigned subassemblies and place them in large, legacy 2D assembly drawings.For example, if you have legacy AutoCAD files that require updating with 3D models, you can open the file in Autodesk Inventor. Create the 3D solid, and then create a drawing of the 3D model. Open the file in AutoCAD, and create an instance of the block definition of the view. Your legacy drawing is updated with the new content.

What can happen if I open by AutoCAD Data in Autodesk Inventor ?

Did you know, Autodesk has an section called Skill Builder

What is a Skill Builder ?

You might have come across Body Builder that’s just building your body although you might show your muscular skills, but that might not be enough, as you need Skills to build your knowledge, to have your daily bread

Well, that’s enough, see below all about Autodesk Inventor Skill Builder

Autodesk publishes Skill Builders to help you continue learning about Autodesk® Inventor® software in between our annual releases. Many Inventor Skill Builders include a data set and step-by-step instructions similar to Inventor tutorials. Others include animations and images that demonstrate a feature or workflow.

• Simulation
  Learn more about Dynamic Simulation and Inventor Stress Analysis.
• Assemblies
  Learn more about assembly bill of materials, how to mirror assembly components, and assembly constraints.
• Content Center
  See how to tune the Inventor Content Center to meet your company’s specific needs.
• Design Accelerator
  These Skill Builders show you how to design a spur gear connection and how to quickly add a bolted connection to an assembly.
• Drawings
  Learn how to define and place sketched symbols in drawings, how to show assemblies in multiple positions in a single view, and more.
• Inventor LT
  This is the Inventor 2010 Command Locator, tailor-made for Inventor LT. 1) Make sure Inventor LT is not running. 2) download the zip file 3) place the chm in the Help folder of your Inventor LT 2010 installation. This will overwrite the existing full command locator. You can then access the command locator from the Get Started tab or the Help drop-down menu. (April 2009)
• Inventor Tooling
  In this Skill Builder, explore how to use Autodesk Inventor Tooling to customize a mold base layout.
• Manage Information
  Learn about improved migration processing and how to package an assembly file and all its file references.
• Parts
  These Skill Builders focus on working with parts, including creating complex part shapes, editing parts on the fly, and creating and using derived parts.
• Routed Systems
  These Skill Builders focus on ribbon cables, tube and pipe styles, and more.
• Studio
  Learn how to animate a camera.

As a student builds skills from a Professor at a college, building your skills on Autodesk Inventor is only at CADProfessor  Blog

Autodesk Technical Evangelist Rob Cohee steps back for a few minutes to talk about a few fundamentals of of workplanes. Work geometry is as important a concept to grasp as 3D features when it comes to parametric modeling. In this example Rob steps you through how to create the right workplane for the appropriate application.

My Friend Mr. Ravi Kumar, from Bangalore wanted to share this video on Making a Hole at an Angle in Autodesk Inventor 2010

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dO1rGny0uk

Autodesk Inventor of the Month – May 2010 – Preciosa

Hear a phone interview with Almir Ibisevic, head of engineering at Preciosa. Preciosa is a Czech-based company renowned for their cut crystal chandeliers and lighting fixtures, has been selected as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for May 2010 for their use of Autodesk Inventor software. Preciosa creates custom fixtures for cathedrals, music halls, hotels, and palaces in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. Since these chandeliers can contain extremely intricate design elements—accurately conveying the design to the customer is critical to avoiding production mistakes. In the interview Almir discusses how Autodesk Inventor software has improved dramatically improved their production process by reducing errors.

Click Here for more Info

Manufacturing

• 2D to 3D Tool: convert 2D data to 3D models
• 3D/2D ShareNow: share your designs with others, in one click
• Butterfly DWG Editing: edit drawing files using your web browser
• CommunityCommands for AutoCAD: discover commands from the community
• Feature Recognition: STEP, SAT, or IGES solids to Inventor models
• Firefox Add-on: embed DWF files in HTML pages and view with Firefox
• Freewheel DWF Collaboration: view and review using the cloud
• Inventor Fusion Technology Preview: unite direct and parametric workflows
• Locate Design Content with Snap: find design content anywhere
• Piping Design Technology Preview: validate and optimize piping systems
• Plugin of the Month: utilities from ADN members including source code
• Rhino Import Translator: directly import Rhino files into Autodesk Inventor
• Sustainable Materials Assistant: assess sustainability of your designs
• Try Inventor over Web via Twitch: trial applications over the internet

Autodesk Inventor 2011, now the world’s most preferred tool among the manufacturing engineers, can be downloaded and tried for a 30 period. Some of the links are given below

• Autodesk Inventor Free Trial – USA website
• ADN Portal - Dedicated to ADN members
• Subscription Customers – Dedicated to customers on Subscription
• Autodesk Student Community – Dedicated to students, faculty

Vindby’s Rooftop Wind Turbines Put Renewable Energy in the Hands of Homeowners.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif — Autodesk, Inc has named Vindby, a Danish supplier of renewable energy solutions, as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for April. Vindby used Autodesk Inventor software to develop the Vindby 1A, the first wind turbine approved for home use in Denmark. Easily assembled and installed, the Vindby 1A makes it simple for homeowners to generate clean, renewable energy and lessen their environmental impact.

“The rapid development of the Vindby 1A was possible only because we were able to form a complete Digital Prototyping workflow with Inventor software,” said Ole Jonsson, a director at Vindby. “It was the deciding factor in quickly getting the approval process under way and gaining a head start on the competition. It also led to a whole raft of concrete optimizations in design and construction.”

Denmark’s regulations for wind turbines require that all turbines — even small ones like Vindby’s that have a footprint of less than five square meters — undergo a rigorous six-month test period, three of which must be winter months. Working with Autodesk Authorized Reseller CDLIGHT, Vindby incorporated Inventor software into its design process and took the necessary steps to prepare its wind turbine for testing.

Digital Prototyping Optimizes Design in Less Time

By designing, visualizing and simulating the performance of its wind turbine in Inventor, Vindby was able to reduce the number of physical prototypes required and speed up the development process — gaining a six-month time advantage over the competition. As a result, Vindby became the first company to reach the Danish market with an approved wind turbine for private home use and has subsequently expanded sales to Norway and Sweden.

“Clean technology companies regularly face tight deadlines and a demanding regulatory approval process,” said Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. “Digital Prototyping helps companies like Vindby in both of these areas, enabling them to build a better product and deliver it to market sooner.”

Denmark-based Vindby is a leading provider of renewable energy solutions in the fields of photovoltaics, small wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps.