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New to Inventor 2013

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
drguitarum2005
1027 Views, 12 Replies

New to Inventor 2013

Howdy Yall,

   My company, which currently works in ONLY AutoCAD 2D (!), is in the midst of a transition to 3D. We are evaluating both SolidWorks and Inventor. 2013 of both pieces of software. My backgtound is with SolidWorks, Solid Edge, and a little Unigraphics. This isn't a thread to start a "which is better" argument as I understand they both have their strengths and weaknesses. However, coming from a "SolidWorks mindset", maybe there are a few things yall can help me figure out in Inventor.

 

   Simple offset. I often do a sketch in 2D to extrude to 3D and use the offset command. How come it doesn't allow direct input for offset distance? It seems instead of choosing offset then selecting the curve, typing a distance, and clicking a side/direction, I have to arbitrarily offset the curve then go back and dimension it with another tool. This seems very inefficient to me?

 

   I do a lot of sheet metal modeling. In SolidWorks I might make a profile sketch of a square tube, for example, then convert it to sheet metal by selecting a base, bend edges, and giving them bend radii and whatnot. Seems very intuitive to me. I haven't found a similar method of doing that in Inventor. It seems I have to draw and extrude only one side then keep creating flanges for the remaining sides. That isn't a problem when creating a sheetmetal part from the get go, but how about converting? I can convert a part to sheet metal but it doesn't bend my edges visibly nor do I think it adds any extra material to the bends in the flat pattern.

 

   And very basic...how do I re-orient a single 3D part? For example if I click on the front plane on the "viewing cube" in the upper right, maybe it turns to the right side of my part. I know it's a mistake with how I originally created it, but can I re-orient it so that when I make drawings, the front is actually what I consider the front?

 

   Also, is there any easy way to center a line on an axis/origin? For example, in a 2D sketch say I draw a rectangle. I want this rectangle to stay completely centered about the origin, regardless of what dimensions I put on it. For now, I dimension the rectangle, then manually divide the dimensions by two and dimension that to the origin. It adds an extra few steps when I change the dimensions of the rectangle. This question applies to all shapes, not just rectangles.

 

Thanks yall!

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: drguitarum2005

Start here

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa%20university.pdf

 

Why you are working through that someone will come and answer your questions.

I recommend you post example files too.

 

Front.png

 

CP Rectangle.png


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Message 3 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: drguitarum2005


@drguitarum2005 wrote:

 

   I do a lot of sheet metal modeling. .

 

Thanks yall!


Inventor sheet metal is far better than SolidWorks.
Add bends

or better yet

use the sheet metal tools in the first place.

 

Converting isn't so bad - just different than SWx

Attach example files here.


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Message 4 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: JDMather

As far as Offset -

I saw Cob Rohee of Autodesk state, "We heard you" on this issue two years ago at AU, and for some reason I thought it had been fixed, but just tried in 2013 and I couldn't get it to work.


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Message 5 of 13
drguitarum2005
in reply to: JDMather

Thank you for all the quick replies! Re-orienting the view seems easy enough, I wish I had thought about right clicking on that cube...

 

The offset thing I can deal with, it's not too big of a deal.

 

Are there any good sheet metal tutorials for how to create it "right" the first time? I still haven't figured out how to set bend edges when converting to sheet metal instead of making it from sheet metal to start.

 

Thanks again

Message 6 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: drguitarum2005


@drguitarum2005 wrote:

 

Are there any good sheet metal tutorials for how to create it "right" the first time? I still haven't figured out how to set bend edges when converting to sheet metal instead of making it from sheet metal to start.


I haven't seen anything good in years and haven't had time to write much myself.
Fastest way to show some solutions might be for you to attach some example files here.

 

I have some that I will attach later today if I get a chance.

If you still have access to SolidWorks I have some equivalent sldprt and ipt sheetmetal files to show how to transition techniques from one to the other program.


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Message 7 of 13

My company offers training for Inventor and SolidWorks.  We have an Inventor course that deals with Sheet Metal.  If you would like more information, let me know.

John Koop
Software Engineer/ Inventor Specialist
TEDCF Publishing
www.trainingtutorial.com
Message 8 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: JohnK_TEDCF


@JohnK_TEDCF wrote:

My company offers training for Inventor and SolidWorks.  We have an Inventor course that deals with Sheet Metal.  If you would like more information, let me know.


well as long as we are advertising here

ditto

http://www.pct.edu/wdce/

 

Smiley Surprised

 


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Message 9 of 13
JohnK_TEDCF
in reply to: JDMather

I have to agree with you on the Inventor Sheet Metal environment JD. We are currently working on adding a Sheet Metal course for SolidWorks, and so far Inventor seems to be a much better choice in this aspect.

John Koop
Software Engineer/ Inventor Specialist
TEDCF Publishing
www.trainingtutorial.com
Message 10 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: JohnK_TEDCF

There are a couple of things I like in SWx sheet metal that Inventor doesn't have (at least not directly), but I was kind of surprised how much difference there is (I haven't seen SWx 22013).


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Message 11 of 13
JohnK_TEDCF
in reply to: JDMather

We're currently designing the course for SW 2012 and it should be released in a few weeks. Then we will move into 2013.  I haven't had time to explore the pre-release versions of 2013, but from what I have read they have expanded on the Sheet Metal environment.  I'll be interested to see the new changes/ additions.

John Koop
Software Engineer/ Inventor Specialist
TEDCF Publishing
www.trainingtutorial.com
Message 12 of 13
CuriousYellow
in reply to: JDMather

I am on the hunt for answers about precise input using the offset tool.

 

I'm evaluating Inventor LT right now after using AutoCAD for 15 years.  Since direct input apparently isn't working, what is the best way to precisely use the offset tool?

 

Thanks for having a look!

Message 13 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: CuriousYellow

In Inventor geometry is driven by (controlled by) dimensions.

Add dimension.

In AutoCAD dimensions are drivenbt geometry (unless using Parametric tab in later releases).


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