Makerspace and Inventor

[Anonymous]

This is the second time I type this. I changed the group and it deleted the message.
The first version was better.

In a makerspace, you use several different tools a 3d printer,laser cutter, shopbot ...
I was looking at standardizing on a suite of applications that students could learn,
is used in industry giving student an employable skill and works with a makerspace methology.
Methodology example.
1. Draw in 2d or 3d CAD application
2. Run though slicer if neeed
3. Have readable gcode or machine format needed.
4. Read into the tool

I also want to standaize on design software accross tools.
Inventor does not seem to support the makerspace methodology well and
has limited 3D printing support.

My question are

1. Does Autodesk have a different suite of professional tools better suited to
   Makerspace/prototyping?
2. Is there additional resources for 3D printing that can be used in Inventor from other
   groups?
3. Fusion 360 has implimentation issues. I am not sure we can support the web based design model.
   Is it a better choice and used widely in industry?
4. Is Autodesk even interested in the makerspace market?

The reason for question 4 is there are many good reasons Autodesk may not see this as part
of their business model. If it is not a good fit then trying to get applications to work
in an enviroment they are not being designed will not work.

I have reviewed autodesk products for hours and I believe may have many possible solutions to different parts of the methodology.
I am trying to avoid 20 students using 30 different applications on 3 tools.
Another complicating issue is many groups I work with have different 3d printers with different
software packages. It may be the current state of makerspaces is no standardize process.
Currently I get questions on 20-30 different applications that are used in prototyping by professors and students.

[mcgyvr]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

This is the second time I type this. I changed the group and it deleted the message.
The first version was better.

In a makerspace, you use several different tools a 3d printer,laser cutter, shopbot ...
I was looking at standardizing on a suite of applications that students could learn,
is used in industry giving student an employable skill and works with a makerspace methology.
Methodology example.
1. Draw in 2d or 3d CAD application
2. Run though slicer if neeed
3. Have readable gcode or machine format needed.
4. Read into the tool

I also want to standaize on design software accross tools.
Inventor does not seem to support the makerspace methodology well and
has limited 3D printing support.

My question are

1. Does Autodesk have a different suite of professional tools better suited to
   Makerspace/prototyping?
2. Is there additional resources for 3D printing that can be used in Inventor from other
   groups?
3. Fusion 360 has implimentation issues. I am not sure we can support the web based design model.
   Is it a better choice and used widely in industry?
4. Is Autodesk even interested in the makerspace market?

The reason for question 4 is there are many good reasons Autodesk may not see this as part
of their business model. If it is not a good fit then trying to get applications to work
in an enviroment they are not being designed will not work.

I have reviewed autodesk products for hours and I believe may have many possible solutions to different parts of the methodology.
I am trying to avoid 20 students using 30 different applications on 3 tools.
Another complicating issue is many groups I work with have different 3d printers with different
software packages. It may be the current state of makerspaces is no standardize process.
Currently I get questions on 20-30 different applications that are used in prototyping by professors and students.

---

Gee.. I use Inventor to develop prototypes on a daily basis..

I use Inventor to create EVERYTHING done on my 3d printer and can easily move that to ANY 3d printer platform..(A slicer package is always included/available for every 3d printer so there is ZERO point in Autodesk including one but even so the newest release has some 3d printing functionality aimed to "ready" your part for your 3d printer and its software)

Autodesk created or bought NUMEROUS companies all to gain entry into the maker/diy community..

They even own/bought the Inventables website and many others..

Their entire suite of 123D software covers everything from 3d modeling to electronic circuit/arduino development..

Tinkercad..

Tinkerplay..

Fusion...

They are even developing their own 3d printer type device..

https://spark.autodesk.com/

free hsmexpress for cnc programming...

and on and on and on and on..

IMO Autodesk is spending far more time/money on the makerspace type things than they are on their "professional" program development..

Now as a makerspace isn't a proper educational institution I don't suspect you will get any of the professional programs for free like students/schools/teachers do but they have numerous free/low cost programs too.. But I thought they now include something for the hobby/low dollar startups too.. so there may be something there too

[JDMather]

I work in education.

We do what you describe every day.

Inventor is a professional tool and deserves (requires?) a professional level of preparation in order to be able to effectively prepare students.

Stick with it - and post example of each hurdle one-by-one till you have cleared them all.

Schools and students can get the tools for free from http://www.autodesk.com/edcommunity

[Anonymous]

I do work for an educational institute (college) and Autodesk support is one of the reasons we want to standardize with them.

I will look into 123D software in more detail. We teach several 3d printing classes and students have used Tinkercad and fusion.

They had many issues with it and found it had limitations. Moving across different tools is also a issues. Shopbot recommends Vcarve.

The laser printer company recommends Coreldraw. The 3d printer recommend cura. We also have mattercontrol. 

  The responses so far are

   1 123D might be a better choice

   1 Inventor but you have to work through the issues.

I will continue to research both and additional comments are welcome. It is interesting to see an opinion that they are investing a lot

in makerspace. My search of the forums and makerspace groups yielded little information. In using Inventor, I did not see a lot of support.

[JDMather]

Uhmmm, how old are these kids?

Wait a minute, you say college?

Not for me!

[mcgyvr]

To be clear I wasn't recommending 123D at all.. Its really a toy

Just listing all the programs that autodesk has aimed to the "maker/diy" community (aka those without access to the professional programs)..

I do recommend Inventor though..

If you are a valid educator then absolutely get the "best" of what the company has to offer..

And thats NOT fusion or 123d or any of the other "free/low cost" solutions...

Its Inventor..

If you get the Mercedes for free.. don't settle on the Yugo..

There also isn't a 1 software solution for everything..

Inventor is absolutely the way to get good 3d models.. 

The slicer programs/laser programs are drop dead simple to use so use them to control the machines..

Inventor (with hsm express) does an excellent job for CNC machining though.. Its all you need..

I use Inventor to build 3d models.. I simply save them out the STL and open in Cura to feed the 3d printer

I use Inventor to build 3d models and use the integrated HSM express addin to generate the Gcode to feed right into our Haas VMC

I'd probably export a dxf file to feed a laser program.. may need Autocad for some post processing of the lines/arcs to cut

Inventor is the tool you want.. Learn to use it properly and see what it can/can't do as far as being able to do as little as possible in any of the slicer/laser programs.

Learning to use it properly is the key though... 

So far I'm very disappointed with the so called "teachers" that have posted here.. Very few seem to have more than a basic grasp on the program.. Thats not the way to teach.. I expect a teacher to have close to an expert grasp on anything they "teach"..  So far it seems after a day or so of "teaching" the student has surpassed the teachers knowledge