Problem
Currently, it is possible to visualize CAD files in Vault Thin Client and Inventor View, but there is no way to select or switch between Design View Representations created in Autodesk Inventor assemblies.
This limitation makes it difficult to review assemblies that rely on Design View Representations for:
Manufacturing sequences
Assembly instructions
Maintenance procedures
Spare parts identification
Alternative product configurations
Simplified visualization of complex assemblies
While Design View Representations are fully available inside Inventor, users reviewing data through Vault Thin Client or Inventor View can only see the default representation.
Proposed Enhancement
Allow users to:
View the list of available Design View Representations stored in an assembly.
Switch between Design View Representations directly in Vault Thin Client.
Switch between Design View Representations in Inventor View.
Preserve visibility states, section views, appearance overrides, and camera positions associated with each representation.
Benefits
Better collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, quality, and service teams.
Improved support for assembly instructions and spare parts documentation.
Faster navigation of large and complex assemblies.
Greater value from Design View Representations already created by engineering teams.
Today, an assembly operator may open Vault Thin Client and be unable to select representations such as SPARE_PARTS, ASSEMBLY_SEQUENCE, HYDRAULICS, or other Design View Representations, even though they already exist in the Inventor model. As a result, much of the value of these representations is lost outside the Inventor environment.
With the growing adoption of Model States and digital manufacturing workflows, Design View Representations have become increasingly important for communicating assembly, service, manufacturing, and spare parts information. Making them available in Vault Thin Client and Inventor View would significantly improve collaboration and accessibility across the organization.
As a CAD administrator and advocate for Autodesk solutions, it can sometimes be frustrating to promote the value of Autodesk Inventor Professional and Vault Professional to manufacturing, assembly, quality, purchasing, and service teams, only to encounter workflow limitations such as this one.
One of the key strengths of the Autodesk ecosystem is the ability to provide access to engineering information beyond traditional CAD users through tools such as Vault Thin Client and Inventor View. However, when users on the shop floor cannot access existing Design View Representations such as SPARE_PARTS, ASSEMBLY_SEQUENCE, HYDRAULICS, or other purpose-built views, an important part of the engineering intent remains locked inside Inventor.
This may appear to be a small enhancement, but it would significantly increase the practical value of Design View Representations and further strengthen Vault Professional as a collaboration platform across the entire organization.
