Windows 7 is supported in AutoCAD 2010 (and 2011 and higher) and Inventor 2010 (and 2011 and higher). If you want to install and run older versions of AutoCAD, LT, or Inventor (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, R11…) in Win7, you can use the virtualized “XP Mode” available for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise (both 32-bit and 64-bit).

To use the Windows XP Mode you will need a CPU hardware support. You can detect the HW virtualization support in your processor with the utility havdetectiontool.exe . The Windows XP Mode add-on (application) can be downloaded from the Microsoft web. Then you can install the tool through Windows Virtual PC > Windows XP Mode.

Inventor 2011 brings new visual styles for displaying 3D models. You can find them in the ribbon View > Appearance > Visual Style.

Some of the new styles and settings of their parameters (highlights, textures, shadows) require hardware support on the graphics card and they are not available on not certified cards.

Visual Styles

Visual Style

See below some of the visual styles of an assembly file, sometimes you can use these in your marketing materials . . .

Realistic

Realistic

Shaded

Shaded

Shaded with Edges

Shaded with Edges

Shaded with Hidden Edges

Shaded with Hidden Edges

Wireframe

Wireframe

Wireframe with Hidden Edges

Wireframe with Hidden Edges

Wireframe with Visible Edges Only

Wireframe with Visible Edges Only

Monochrome

Monochrome

Watercolor

Water Color

Illustration

Illustration

Autodesk Inventor has these Visual styles that can be accommodated in various stages of your design or conceptual stages

The graphics display of your model is referred to as a view on the model. It can also be referred to as a scene. How the view looks will vary based on the settings you apply to the view. The contributing elements are visual styles, ground plane, ground reflections, shadows, lighting, and camera projection.

Visual Styles

Visual styles define the way the model faces and edges appear in the view. There are several standard visual styles to suit various modeling needs.

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Well, many FEA engineers will know more about this term “Garbage In and Garbage Out”

I’m sure this term will sound a history of the Past, please see a video below about Autodesk Inventor Optimization Technology Preview

That’s where the Inventor Optimization Technology Preview from Autodesk LABS comes into play. Parametric optimization that’s easy to setup, push to the cloud and pick the lightest configuration that still meets your goals for strength and safety factor. While its up in the cloud doing its thing, you can keep on with other work, making drawings, other parts, surfing the web, Facebooking – you know the important stuff. When it’s done, you get a nice email telling you that the analysis is complete. Load up the results and it will tell you which one is the optimized configuration. Couldn’t possibly be easier than that.

Have you faced this problem any time ?

Inventor.exe is not currently registered

Want to change the background color in Autodesk Inventor 2011 ? Here is the steps

Click on Tools > Select Application Options > Color Tab > Background > Also you can change the gradient color

Background Color

Direct Manipulation is a new feature added to Autodesk Inventor 2011. Its an user interface that enables the user to interact and modify a model, while viewing the changes in real time. The resulting interaction is dynamic, visual and predictable. The user focuses on the geometry in an in-canvas display instead of interacting with user interface elements such as the ribbon, browser, and a dialog box.

The In-Canvas Display

The in-canvas display is a user interface that is overlaid on the graphics window to support Direct Manipulation operations. It typically contains a mini-toolbar featuring command options, manipulators, a value input box, and selection tags. The mini-toolbar enables direct and predictable interaction with the 3D model. OK and Cancel buttons are located at the bottom of the in-canvas display to confirm or cancel an operation.

Manipulators

Manipulators are in-canvas interactive objects that enable the user to easily manipulate objects for various modeling and editing tasks.

Some examples include:

• a rotational arrow to dynamically revolve 2D profiles around a single axis, or to rotate a work plane around an edge.
• a distance arrow to dynamically drag the extrusion distance of one or more 2D profiles, or drag the distance of an offset parallel work plane.
• a sphere to locate the center of a hole, or to adjust the taper angle of an extrusion.

Mini-toolbars

The mini-toolbars display in-canvas buttons that provide quick access to frequently used commands and command options. They are located in close proximity to a selected object in the graphics window. Button flyouts display command options where appropriate.

When an edge is selected, the mini-toolbar displays Fillet and Chamfer command buttons. A Cancel button is also displayed.

When a face is selected, the mini-toolbar displays command buttons to perform Edit Feature, Edit Sketch, or Create Sketch operations. A Cancel button is also displayed.

When a sketch is selected, the mini-toolbar displays Extrude, Revolve, Hole, and Edit Sketch command buttons. A Cancel button is also displayed.

Selection tags

Selection tags are labels that appear in the in-canvas display and prompt for the selection of profiles, faces, and axes for feature creation and editing.

Once a profile, face, or axis has been selected, selection tags assume a nearly transparent appearance to indicate that the selection has been satisfied.

Value input box

The value input box is used to enter numeric values for modeling and editing operations. It is located just above the mini-toolbar in the in-canvas display.

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

Dimensions in Sketches can be created and edited in Autodesk Inventor 2011.

However, I would like to show you a simple trick on how to edit dimensions when they are created, see the video below

Edit Dimensions

Although Autodesk key role is the support of digital prototyping and reducing the number of physical prototypes. It is evident that some models / prototype still need to be developed to make the concept to reality work faster.

Autodesk has in built capabilities to support 3D Printing of part models that are developed within Autodesk Inventor 2011

Note:

Pls, see my earlier article on 2D to 3D supporting CAD to RP Translation, its time now that we have this included in Inventor 2011

A 3D printing device can print a rapid prototype from an Inventor part or assembly file. The part or assembly file is saved to a format that is compatible with the 3D printer.

The Send to 3D Print Service dialog box guides you through the workflow. You set up the model in the graphics area, create the required export file, and send it to a 3D printer.

When you create the export file from your Inventor model, available options control resolution and tessellation. A dynamic preview displays the model in the tessellated condition. In the preview environment, a toolbar provides commands, including access back to the export file options. When satisfied with the results of your option settings, you save your file in the export file format and send it to an internet 3D printing service. Your Web browser opens automatically to the Autodesk web site http:\\www.autodesk.com\autocad3dprinting, which lists three 3D printing service providers. You choose the provider and upload your file, so they can make the physical model.

Let’s how it works

Click on Application Menu > Print > Send to 3D print service

3d print service

This helps us to generate STL files from the existing Inventor models (STL Files)

We can control the size – scaled models of the existing cad part files, this reduces time in scaling and part model from time to time.

3D Print options

When we click on Options we get even more features to edit like Resolution, Surface Deviation, Normal Deviation and aspect ratio.

The preview option gives us the preview of the stl files

After STL conversion

The total number of facets – 1,744 in this model.

I’m sure you will find this more interesting and autodesk will directly make this technology embedded into various RP vendors, to know more about the vendors who support his 3D Printing

Visit - http:\\www.autodesk.com\autocad3dprinting

Resources to make use

	Learn About 3D Printing (pdf – 400Kb)
	Tips For Optimizing your Model (pdf – 499Kb)

Happy 3D Prototyping from CAD Professor

In Autodesk Inventor, by default the work plane is XY Plane. This is mainly because, the default sketching is made to XY Plane (say – factory settings ).

However, in case you need to start your sketch from another plane. Then its a time consuming process to switch to the new plane every time you start using Autodesk Inventor 2011

Tips: Move to Application Options from the  Tools Tab and select Part Tab

Now, you can select the default sketch plane you need and click on apply / ok . Next time you start Autodesk Inventor, you will see the plane you selected as the default one.

Note: You can also select No new sketch option in case you toggle between planes every time you use Autodesk Inventor.