AutoCAD Plant 2017 working alongside Autodesk Inventor 3D

[adam.lambie]

I am currently using Autodesk inventor 2017 and I have been asked to look into using autoCAD Plant 2017 to do pipework instead of using Inventors pipe workspace.

I was wondering if there is a way I can get both programs to correspond with each other.

So that if there is a change to the inventor 3D file, These changes would then update in the AutoCAD 3D space allowing us to make changes to the supports or pipework if needed throughout the life of the project.

[dgorsman · Accepted solution]

Kinda-sorta, but you don't really want that directly - I'll explain why.

Inventor works to a much higher level of detail than is necessary in Plant3D.  While you can get the Inventor models into AutoCAD-based programs, they will result in large files that are slow and difficult to work with.  For example, a pump package will include every bolt, screw, cable, and push-button in Inventor, but at the scale of Plant3D all you want is the nozzle locations and a simplified external envelope (maybe some major structural members too, but you get the point).  These can usually be modeled more quickly in AutoCAD products than trying to shrinkwrap or otherwise down-convert a detailed Inventor model.

You do have a few options to help out.  You can create a Navisworks model of the Inventor content and reference that into Plant3D.  From that you can measure reference dimensions as needed.  The Navisworks file can be updated as the Inventor model is updated without too much effort.  And you can bring both of them together in Navisworks for viewing everything with full detail, in context.