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Inventor on IOS

awkeller
Explorer

Inventor on IOS

awkeller
Explorer
Explorer

Hello!

 

I know this is a far fetch, and probably isn't that feasible, but with the power that the new iPad Pros provide, I think it would be really neat if an Inventor application like the one made for windows computers, could be brought to mobile.

 

I a currently a junior in High School and I use Inventor for the robotics team that I'm on, Skunk Works 1983. I've become pretty good at it, and since it's an industry standard software, I would like to continue using it in the future. I hope to become an aeronautical engineer, and going into college, I know that if I had the option on choosing a new MacBook (to run bootcamp and then inventor off of windows) or an iPad Pro, I would love to take the iPad Pro.

 

Again, it's a stretch, but I know there is a demand for a really good, professional standard CADing software for mobile. And it would be amazing if you guys could deliver.

 

Thank you,

 

Alexander Keller

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leowarren34
Mentor
Mentor

Sorry but it will likely never happen as even the iPad pro will lack suffcient power to run inventor as it very CPU intensive, but why an iPad when you can use a computer or a Mac. As a student get Inventor for free as you are using it for educational purposes and attend a qualified institution.

Leo Warren
Autodesk Student Ambassador Diamond
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johnsonshiue
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Guys,

 

We do hear this request from time to time. Some suggest we should support Linux. Whether or not other OS should be supported is a complicated technical and business question. A traditional Windows-based program like Inventor would take significant efforts to make it OS neutral and then develop/build/deliver in multiple flavors. Most commercial users are using Windows. This is why most desktop applications run on Windows. But, this is now and the past.

Would it be the same 10 or 20 years from now? Would technology evolve to a state that OS is no longer relevant? I don't have a crystal ball to tell. I am very excited to see what will happen. We have customers leverage virtual environment to run Inventor (we do it internally too). In the meantime, we are working very hard to make Inventor work well on Windows. It already keeps us very busy.

Many thanks!

 



Johnson Shiue (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)
Software Test Engineer
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leowarren34
Mentor
Mentor

The biggest fault I have with iPad is the hardware as it would really struggle with any 3d CAD.

Leo Warren
Autodesk Student Ambassador Diamond
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johnsonshiue
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Leo,

 

Indeed, the touch interface may not work as well on a professional mechanical CAD system like Inventor. But, it does not have to be this way. First, Inventor's user interface may not be friendly to touch interface to begin with. Second, the touch interface may not be as responsive as it should be at the moment. These are technical problems which can be solved someday, if not now. Also, it depends on what you want to do with Inventor on a mobile device. At the moment, I personally think at least we should make Inventor usable as a reader or minor editor on a mobile device.

Many thanks!

 



Johnson Shiue (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)
Software Test Engineer
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leowarren34
Mentor
Mentor

@johnsonshiue

I definitely agree with the dedicated reader and minor editor, its not the touch I'm concerned with it's the cooling as most tablets have poor cooling solutions.

Leo Warren
Autodesk Student Ambassador Diamond
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johnsonshiue
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Leo,

 

I am not endorsing any hardware. I have been using Microsoft Surface Pro 4 when I am away from my desk. Inventor 2017, 2018, 2019, and an internal Beta build are installed on it. I can run any of the 4 releases smoothly. Certainly, the hardware is not meant for designing 100K components assembly. But, it is quite powerful. Most of the threads are looked at and tested on this little machine.

Many thanks!

 



Johnson Shiue (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)
Software Test Engineer
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blair
Mentor
Mentor

Even Apple is struggling trying to get iOS apps to run on a Mac. I use Mac's at home and on the road with virtualization software (Parallels) to use Inventor, with Windows OS at work.

 

It took to Autocad 2017 to release a Mac version.  It would be nice not use emulation software but it works rather well. 


Inventor 2020, In-Cad, Simulation Mechanical

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philip1009
Advisor
Advisor

I'd say right now it wouldn't be very useful to have Inventor for iOS or Android simply because the hardware involved is RISC architecture instead of full on x86-64 architecture, but eventually that will change.  For example, take a look at Samsung Dex (I'm not advertising, just providing an example), a dock for your compatible Samsung phone or tablet that allows you to attach a keyboard/mouse and a monitor to give you a desktop OS experience.  I agree it's still very young tech and definitely needs to go through a few more generations for it to actually be useful and make hardcore PC users like me want to ditch Windows sometime in the future.  If Autodesk isn't already looking into this they definitely should be looking to port their software to mobile hardware sometime in the future, even if mobile isn't as powerful as Windows, mobile power and the features it comes with is more than enough for a lot of users.

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swalton
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Mentor

Years ago, Autodesk offered a subscription app that worked like Remote Desktop.   It installed on both the ipad and a workstation and allowed the user to control an Inventor session on the workstation with the ipad.  

 

I used it once to review drawings as I was building a project in my garage.  

 

I don't see it in the Autodesk App store anymore.

Steve Walton
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philip1009
Advisor
Advisor

That is another possibility with mobile devices to be used as virtual machines streamed from a company server, I think it can be done without Autodesk supporting it, you'd just need a powerful server and a pro IT guy to set it up and maintain it.  Virtual machines are mainly used for security purposes since all of the data stays on the server with just a audio/video stream going to each user returning mouse/keyboard input.  It can also be cheaper, depending on how many users that need to be supported since each user only needs something like a $300 PC instead of $2-3K workstations.

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Frederick_Law
Mentor
Mentor

You do know Intel processors are RISC emulating CISC x86 instructions, right? Smiley Wink

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awkeller
Explorer
Explorer

Currently, I use a 2013 MacBook Pro Retina using bootcamp to run Inventor Pro 2019. It runs very smoothly, and have little trouble with assemblies up to 400-500 parts. With the new A12 X Bionic in the iPad Pro, it completely destroys my macbook's performance. Apple is actually planning to integrate an A series chip into MacBooks starting in 2020. So I doubt power is a problem for running the software.

 

When it comes to usability, the the iPad's 12.9 inch screen is larger than my school laptop, which I can CAD on as well pretty easily. With the Apple Pencil, the fine tip would be sufficient enough in my experience to click on tabs or drag and position pieces or edit.

 

Obviously in its current state, the iPad wouldn't be able to handle the inventor software because of compatibility and efficiency. But I think that if integrated properly, it could be a very powerful tool for on the go. If you can edit 4k RAW footage on it with ease, I don't see an issue with running Inventor.

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leowarren34
Mentor
Mentor

I had actually forgot about iPad proMan LOL,

this means its a matter of optimisation and integration of architecture as x86 is the biggest but maybe risc or an ARM/APPle solution may become more prolific.

Leo Warren
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S_May
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Ray_Feiler
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blair
Mentor
Mentor

It should, it's been available for Mac OS for a number of years.


Inventor 2020, In-Cad, Simulation Mechanical

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leowarren34
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Mentor

Definitely, much more light weight and better optimized...

Leo Warren
Autodesk Student Ambassador Diamond
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johnsonshiue
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Leo,

 

I would like to clarify a few things if I understood your reply correctly. Based on the context, it seems that you indicate that F360 is more light-weight and better optimized than INV. I have to say the comment is over-generalized. The two products are similar in some ways but very different in many ways. Comparing the two can be confusing. They simply serve two different purposes. INV is catering to professional design as large as million-component machines and as small as micro machinery. The design principle is distributed in nature. If it was not light-weight or optimized, it would not be able to handle varieties of design challenges. It should have been abandoned.

I don't work on F360 so I cannot comment much. But, based on my limited understanding, F360 is catering to wide-range of non-traditional design needs. The model is mostly encompassed within a file. You can easily define new geometry by referencing other geometry within the same context. It really depends on what you are looking for.

Many thanks!

 



Johnson Shiue (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)
Software Test Engineer
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leowarren34
Mentor
Mentor

I see what you mean @johnsonshiue, and I shouldn't of generalised, from experience my friend in design uses Fusion on a Windows tablet with fusion which works fine but it doesnt work well with IV. My belief extends from if a windows tablet is struggling with IV, then an iPad would also likely. 

Leo Warren
Autodesk Student Ambassador Diamond
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