Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

IV is a better "design tool" than MDT because of how you can share data between geometry and parts via projected geometry, adaptivity, shared sketches, and derrived components. If you haven't tried these yet then you should give them a go before giving up on IV.

Also the ability to simulate movement is priceless if you're designing moving parts. Yes you can kind of do it in MDT but it's not nearly as nice and powerful as IV.

A couple items I miss is MDT's measurement tools and MDT's flexible assy constraints.

MechMan

[#2]

At first I disliked Inventor also.
I teach MDT, IV, and Solidworks side-by-side in a product design class. I went into the class telling the students straight out that MDT was my primary software. The students prefer Inventor and now that I have a semester of side-by-side comparison I prefer Inventor also. Every program has its own advantages, but one thing I have found is that the differences have now made me a better modeler in any CAD software.
J.D.

[#3]

I am sure most if not all will disagree with many of my opinions but here goes.

Would I currently go back to MDT full time? If I had a choice......no. Do I still use
MDT\Acad for some things......Yes I find it much faster and easier with some things. Do I
still miss many things from MDT ... Absolutely. There is a lot of things I prefer from
MDT such as the one file does it all format, and I am a command line junky.... toolbuttons
slow me way down and hurt my wrist. Customization is easier and better in MDT. I never
had a ounce of problems with paths in MDT and have had a few nightmares in Inventor. (I
know this is opposite for many people) Never had all that many files blow up on me in MDT,
but currently am having some major problems in Inventor. (again opposite of many) MDT's
scenes actually work where Inventors presentation files I cringe every time I have to work
with one.

I guess I am just one of those square pegs being forced into a round hole. Eventually the
corners wear off, and you end up carrying on.

Conversely Inventor is easier to do many things in. Plane creation is ten time easier,
and visualization is better. MDT doesn't have Sheetmetal tools, and the derived skeleton
method when it all goes right is wonderful. iParts have a lot of advantages, and overall
Inventor is getting much better each release.

If you should convert or not is really up to you as opposed to what some of the zealots
say. If you have the time to unlearn and relearn I would guess you will end up liking
it. I would say it would be best if you can to go to a couple of classes to help you get
going. If you don't have the time then I would suggest trying to just play with it as
much as you can until you have a bit of a slow time going on.

In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to believe that they will
continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will eventually be dropped, since
they have tried so hard to push us all over this direction. With that in mind if you plan
on staying current with anything it might be best to start getting used to Inventor. Note
this is all just my speculation and could be completely wrong.

Both are good products and do some things better than the other.
--
Kent
Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program


"Sean Dotson" wrote in message

> If Kent chimes in and says he wouldn't go back then I think the argument may be over

>

[#4]

The great thing is, you get both Inv and MDT, at least for now. So you
can alway open one or the other and access whatever you are missing.

--
Billy Hiebert
HIEBERT SCULPTURE WORKS
Small Part Injection Molding
http://www.hieberts.com

zeni wrote:

> I am new to Inventor. After spending a week or so on Inventor, doubts
> started to grow in my mind.Before I get any deeper in Inventor, I have
> one simple question if some one can kindly answer it.
>
> NVENTOR REALLY ANY BETTER THAN MECH DESKTOP?? And if so then in what way?
>
> I am in no way against the Inventor as I confessed my inexperience with
> it. I really miss the snaping options, keyboard shortcuts and above all
> keyboard entry of relative and absolute coordinates. Is there some
> compensation for these in inventor?
>
> Any one else share my thinking??
>

[#5]

"In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to believe
that they will continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will
eventually be dropped, since they have tried so hard to push us all over
this direction."

I agree. To be honest I think it may happen soon than later...

--
Sean Dotson, PE
http://www.sdotson.com
Check the Inventor FAQ for most common questions
http://www.sdotson.com/faq.html
-----------------------------------------
"Kent Keller" wrote in message
news:58C41CF5DC00D1CEC9259D35F265B13C@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I am sure most if not all will disagree with many of my opinions but here
goes.
>
> Would I currently go back to MDT full time? If I had a choice......no. Do
I still use
> MDT\Acad for some things......Yes I find it much faster and easier with
some things. Do I
> still miss many things from MDT ... Absolutely. There is a lot of things
I prefer from
> MDT such as the one file does it all format, and I am a command line
junky.... toolbuttons
> slow me way down and hurt my wrist. Customization is easier and better in
MDT. I never
> had a ounce of problems with paths in MDT and have had a few nightmares in
Inventor. (I
> know this is opposite for many people) Never had all that many files blow
up on me in MDT,
> but currently am having some major problems in Inventor. (again opposite
of many) MDT's
> scenes actually work where Inventors presentation files I cringe every
time I have to work
> with one.
>
> I guess I am just one of those square pegs being forced into a round hole.
Eventually the
> corners wear off, and you end up carrying on.
>
> Conversely Inventor is easier to do many things in. Plane creation is ten
time easier,
> and visualization is better. MDT doesn't have Sheetmetal tools, and the
derived skeleton
> method when it all goes right is wonderful. iParts have a lot of
advantages, and overall
> Inventor is getting much better each release.
>
> If you should convert or not is really up to you as opposed to what some
of the zealots
> say. If you have the time to unlearn and relearn I would guess you
will end up liking
> it. I would say it would be best if you can to go to a couple of classes
to help you get
> going. If you don't have the time then I would suggest trying to just
play with it as
> much as you can until you have a bit of a slow time going on.
>
> In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to believe
that they will
> continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will eventually be
dropped, since
> they have tried so hard to push us all over this direction. With that in
mind if you plan
> on staying current with anything it might be best to start getting used to
Inventor. Note
> this is all just my speculation and could be completely wrong.
>
> Both are good products and do some things better than the other.
> --
> Kent
> Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program
>
>
> "Sean Dotson" wrote in message
>
> > If Kent chimes in and says he wouldn't go back then I think the argument
may be over
>
> >
>
>

[#6]

MDT users should just accept the switch to INV, they have paid for the
development of it! What do the BORG say? "You will be Assimilated"

Keith

"Sean Dotson" wrote in message
news:0613814D72A8A88B1F522310645392BB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> "In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to believe
> that they will continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will
> eventually be dropped, since they have tried so hard to push us all over
> this direction."
>
> I agree. To be honest I think it may happen soon than later...
>
> --
> Sean Dotson, PE
> http://www.sdotson.com
> Check the Inventor FAQ for most common questions
> http://www.sdotson.com/faq.html
> -----------------------------------------
> "Kent Keller" wrote in message
> news:58C41CF5DC00D1CEC9259D35F265B13C@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > I am sure most if not all will disagree with many of my opinions but
here
> goes.
> >
> > Would I currently go back to MDT full time? If I had a choice......no.
Do
> I still use
> > MDT\Acad for some things......Yes I find it much faster and easier with
> some things. Do I
> > still miss many things from MDT ... Absolutely. There is a lot of
things
> I prefer from
> > MDT such as the one file does it all format, and I am a command line
> junky.... toolbuttons
> > slow me way down and hurt my wrist. Customization is easier and better
in
> MDT. I never
> > had a ounce of problems with paths in MDT and have had a few nightmares
in
> Inventor. (I
> > know this is opposite for many people) Never had all that many files
blow
> up on me in MDT,
> > but currently am having some major problems in Inventor. (again opposite
> of many) MDT's
> > scenes actually work where Inventors presentation files I cringe every
> time I have to work
> > with one.
> >
> > I guess I am just one of those square pegs being forced into a round
hole.
> Eventually the
> > corners wear off, and you end up carrying on.
> >
> > Conversely Inventor is easier to do many things in. Plane creation is
ten
> time easier,
> > and visualization is better. MDT doesn't have Sheetmetal tools, and the
> derived skeleton
> > method when it all goes right is wonderful. iParts have a lot of
> advantages, and overall
> > Inventor is getting much better each release.
> >
> > If you should convert or not is really up to you as opposed to what some
> of the zealots
> > say. If you have the time to unlearn and relearn I would guess you
> will end up liking
> > it. I would say it would be best if you can to go to a couple of
classes
> to help you get
> > going. If you don't have the time then I would suggest trying to just
> play with it as
> > much as you can until you have a bit of a slow time going on.
> >
> > In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to
believe
> that they will
> > continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will eventually be
> dropped, since
> > they have tried so hard to push us all over this direction. With that
in
> mind if you plan
> > on staying current with anything it might be best to start getting used
to
> Inventor. Note
> > this is all just my speculation and could be completely wrong.
> >
> > Both are good products and do some things better than the other.
> > --
> > Kent
> > Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program
> >
> >
> > "Sean Dotson" wrote in message
> >
> > > If Kent chimes in and says he wouldn't go back then I think the
argument
> may be over
> >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[#7]

"You will be Assimilated"

I thought Honeywell coined that phrase???

--
Sean Dotson, PE
http://www.sdotson.com
Check the Inventor FAQ for most common questions
http://www.sdotson.com/faq.html
-----------------------------------------
"Keith Streich" wrote in message
news:7D09038EC609F4A5196BC57016C9B7C9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> MDT users should just accept the switch to INV, they have paid for the
> development of it! What do the BORG say? "You will be Assimilated"
>
> Keith
>
> "Sean Dotson" wrote in message
> news:0613814D72A8A88B1F522310645392BB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > "In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to
believe
> > that they will continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will
> > eventually be dropped, since they have tried so hard to push us all over
> > this direction."
> >
> > I agree. To be honest I think it may happen soon than later...
> >
> > --
> > Sean Dotson, PE
> > http://www.sdotson.com
> > Check the Inventor FAQ for most common questions
> > http://www.sdotson.com/faq.html
> > -----------------------------------------
> > "Kent Keller" wrote in message
> > news:58C41CF5DC00D1CEC9259D35F265B13C@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > > I am sure most if not all will disagree with many of my opinions but
> here
> > goes.
> > >
> > > Would I currently go back to MDT full time? If I had a
choice......no.
> Do
> > I still use
> > > MDT\Acad for some things......Yes I find it much faster and easier
with
> > some things. Do I
> > > still miss many things from MDT ... Absolutely. There is a lot of
> things
> > I prefer from
> > > MDT such as the one file does it all format, and I am a command line
> > junky.... toolbuttons
> > > slow me way down and hurt my wrist. Customization is easier and
better
> in
> > MDT. I never
> > > had a ounce of problems with paths in MDT and have had a few
nightmares
> in
> > Inventor. (I
> > > know this is opposite for many people) Never had all that many files
> blow
> > up on me in MDT,
> > > but currently am having some major problems in Inventor. (again
opposite
> > of many) MDT's
> > > scenes actually work where Inventors presentation files I cringe every
> > time I have to work
> > > with one.
> > >
> > > I guess I am just one of those square pegs being forced into a round
> hole.
> > Eventually the
> > > corners wear off, and you end up carrying on.
> > >
> > > Conversely Inventor is easier to do many things in. Plane creation is
> ten
> > time easier,
> > > and visualization is better. MDT doesn't have Sheetmetal tools, and
the
> > derived skeleton
> > > method when it all goes right is wonderful. iParts have a lot of
> > advantages, and overall
> > > Inventor is getting much better each release.
> > >
> > > If you should convert or not is really up to you as opposed to what
some
> > of the zealots
> > > say. If you have the time to unlearn and relearn I would guess
you
> > will end up liking
> > > it. I would say it would be best if you can to go to a couple of
> classes
> > to help you get
> > > going. If you don't have the time then I would suggest trying to just
> > play with it as
> > > much as you can until you have a bit of a slow time going on.
> > >
> > > In the end (which may be a ways down the road?) I find it hard to
> believe
> > that they will
> > > continue to develop MDT, and I think it is likely it will eventually
be
> > dropped, since
> > > they have tried so hard to push us all over this direction. With that
> in
> > mind if you plan
> > > on staying current with anything it might be best to start getting
used
> to
> > Inventor. Note
> > > this is all just my speculation and could be completely wrong.
> > >
> > > Both are good products and do some things better than the other.
> > > --
> > > Kent
> > > Member of the Autodesk Discussion Forum Moderator Program
> > >
> > >
> > > "Sean Dotson" wrote in message
> > >
> > > > If Kent chimes in and says he wouldn't go back then I think the
> argument
> > may be over
> > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[#8]

The measure tool certainly needs to be revised. I rarely use it. I create a idw of my design or part and use the dimensioning features to obtain measurements. You can find the amount of material left from edge of hole to edge of part this way.

[#9]

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. - Rich Thomas

[#10]

> MDT users should just accept the switch to INV, they have paid for the
> development of it! What do the BORG say? "You will be Assimilated"
>
> Keith

I have already accepted this fact, and I like all the new
features/capabilities inventor gives us, I just wish they had included all
the features/capabilities we already had!