2D sketching with Inventor 2014

[Lhann]

We currently use an older version of Inventor but plan to upgrade this year to  2014.

One issue we have with Inventor is it restrictive capabilities, compared to Autocad, when it comes to quick and easy 2D sketches.

Of course Inventor requires that all sketches be constrained, which can be an issue if a CAD user has more expertice with Autocad.

What we do currently is create the quick 2D sketching in Autocad then open that DWG with Inventor. We then check our Inventor drawing file into our ERP system directly. (no vault)  If a user wishes to update the Inventor drawing they must open the Inventor DWG with Autocad to make the updates.

My question: 

Does Inventor 2014 provide a more user friendly UI when it comes to 2D sketching?  Our hope is to use Inventor only, if we can, and not two platforms.

Is there an extension that can be added to gain Autocad like functionality for sketching?

Before Inventor there was Mechanical Desktop.  This program had the functionality I am looking for.  It had solid 3D and 2d capabilities with no need to jump back and forth between two platforms as we currently do.  In my opion this was lost when Inventor took its place.

[JDMather]

I would forget using AutoCAD for your sketcher and learn to use the Inventor sketcher.

Once you learn to use it correctly you can pretty much forget about constraints because Inventor is doing the work for you automatically.

Where are you located?  I can convince you in 1 hr of training.

[Lhann]

We are located in the Minneapolis area. Maybe a webex would work?
A demo would be great or maybe there is a youtube video out there that would do the same.
Thanks for the reply.

Leonard

[JDMather]

Go through this (unfortunately it is a little dated and missing a lot of tricks I have learned since it was written).

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

[gsmith9810]

I would strongly disagree that Inventor's sketching is difficult. While it is true that a constrained sketch works best for creating Inventor features, IF you work with grid snap turned on you can create really nice looking 2D sketches VERY fast. Most experienced users will work off a constraint to the sketch origin point (that will be automatically projected) and then apply the constraints THEY KNOW will be needed: length, angle, geometric, etc... Those who are really comfortable will be able to get the distance, angle and geometric constraints applied during geometry creation. I can't imagine having to work as you've suggested.

[Lhann]

Thanks for this information. The techniques I suggested were based on user information. I am glad to hear that Inventor is a capable 2D tool. I just need some instruction resources that might walk a user through best practices.

[Lhann]

Thanks for the handy pdf. I will take a look.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi Lhann,

Not to boast, but I am very good with AutoCAD. And I know my way around Inventor as well. So please take my word for it when I tell you that it is a mistake to attempt to use Inventor (or Solidworks, or any 3D parametric modeler) like you use AutoCAD.

In AutoCAD you put everything into one giant "sketch". In Inventor you should strive to keep your sketches as simple as possible.

See this link and I think you'll see that it is a difference in approach that will make a huge difference:

http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/2011/03/inventor-101-simple-fully-constrained.html

I came to Inventor and Solidworks from AutoCAD, and the concept of keeping sketches simple was something that I wish someone would have shared with me much earlier.

Of course you might be doing design work that requires a somewhat more complex sketch technique. If so post some screen shots and I'm sure someone can offer some suggestions.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[PaulMunford]

I have to agree with Curtis and JD,

If you are putting so much information into a sketch that it becomes difficult to constraint - your doing way to much work.

Inventor sketches aren't drawings. Sketches are there to create boundries for geometry - no more.

If you need to create a 'sketch' - i.e. a simple drawing, just do it in AutoCAD!

[gsmith9810]

Curtis hits the nail on the head and Paul makes a great point as well. Keep your feature sketches a simple as possible! If you are not planning to create solid models and like ACAD - use ACAD... 🙂

[Lhann]

Thanks everyone for your feedback and comments  here is a summary:

My original question: Does Inventor 2014 provide a more user friendly UI when it comes to 2D sketching?
> The goal, use one CAD tool to create both 2D and 3D drawings and avoid having to pass DWG file back and forth between AutoCAD when creating 2D drawings.

> The benefit of using only Inventor: configure, train and maintain a single software tool and our ERP system is Integrated with Inventor.

Sounds like Inventor has the 2D drawing capabilities it just requires using the correct techniques and training.

(Training resources for these techniques seem to be limited.)

Continue creating sketches in AutoCAD.

(I might need to do this but I am hoping a single CAD tool can do both.)

FYI:
The application I am looking at is for certain labels that we create.

They are peel-offs that are placed inside a large control box door to indicate breaker locations and rarely require updating.

When this group creates new labels that are similar they typically create the new label from the old and make modifications.

The CAD user believes they can create this 2D drawing many times faster with Autocad but must copy the AutoCad DWG into an Inventor drawing in order to check the drawing into our ERP system.

(This happens because our ERP system only has integration with Inventor and not Autocad)

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

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@Lhann wrote:

The CAD user believes they can create this 2D drawing many times faster with Autocad ...

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I am quite sure they are right - they can create it faster in AutoCAD - because this is where their experience is.

I (and I suspect most users here) went through the same frustration moving from AutoCAD to Inventor (at least now Inventor has direct distance entry, back when I started with Inventor it did not).

Some can eventually get over the frustration hurdles and pick up the new techniques, but in my experience many who are very experienced in a known technique can never leap the hurdles without someone experienced showing them the way.  And a few never "get it".

[PaulMunford]

2D drawings are quicker to create in AutoCAD because you don't have to worry about parameterics or constraints. Sketches in Inventor are used to define parameteric relationships - not for creating drawings.

There should be no barrier to using the right tool for the job.

Here's my suggestion - and it depends weather you want an Inventor sketch in model space, or a drawing in a DWG file:

Drawing:

Create your DWG files in Inventor as usual. Open them in AutoCAD, draw your 2D design. Close it and open it up again in Inventor to check it into your ERP system. This version is meant to be plotted and will have lineweights preserved.

Sketch:

Create your DWG files in Inventor as usual. Create your 2D geometry in AutoCAD and save it as a block. Open the Part file in Inventor, create a sketch and copy the AutoCAD block in as an Inventor block. This version is meant for geometry only - so it could be used for emobossing for example.

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