Project Factory.Modz() for Inventor available on Autodesk Labs

[scott-sheppard-autodesk]

There is a new, free technology preview on Autodesk Labs.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/factory_modz/

How would you like to model and simulate your factory floor using the same technology that is used in game engines? Please let us know if this is a worthwhile idea? You can respond to this thread or send email to labs.factory.modz@autodesk.com. Thanks.

[scott-sheppard-autodesk]

The team is looking for feedback on this technology. We had a limited number of downloads in the first hour of availability. Would it help if I offered free beer for trying this tech preview?

[matthewweake]

Beer always helps. What a cool bit of software, I installed it on Inventor Pro 2013 and it looked like it gave me all of the Factory Design Utilities for Inventor. Am I right?

Had trouble on an old notebook when it ran out of memory but fine on other PC's.

Matthew

CADPRO Systems Ltd

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi Scott

i havn't tried this yet as ive been realy busy, but from the video it looks like it might be what i'm looking for with multiphysics simulation in inventor?

is this usable with standard inventor parts and models or is it just for the workshop software?

will it be easier and better to set up that simulation for real world playing, like a 3d sandbox?

does it make use of ropes, chains etc..

i would like to try it out if it has the capabilities to play in inventor?

oh, i would like free beer too!

regards Adrian

[jeff.pek]

Hi Adrian -

This is usable, in a limited sense, with standard Inventor parts. But the extra assets that it ships with have extra information attached to them to define how they operate within the Modz environment.

Today, it doesn't really handle other types of objects, but it might be possible to add your own scripts (which we haven't documented) to apply some behaviors to additional components.

Jeff

[safiredesignengineers]

hi jeff

from the video i saw it looks great, but it would need to be simple to use and set up. I would love to have areally good simple to set up 3d sandbox that can be used / played with in inventor.

Is this likley to happen?

regards Adrian

[jeff.pek]

Hi again -

Not sure what you mean.

Just install the product, and you can use it with Inventor.

Jeff

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi jeff

I just downloaded it, i created a simple box shaped part and copied it a few times dotted around the 3d space and up off the factory floor, i then ran the factory modz and nothing happened?

I expected all the boxes to fall to the floor?

is gravity not switched on or do i need to set gravity up?

regards

adrian

[jeff.pek]

Hi -

You should really use the "modz" assets (conveyors, etc.) that are added into the library when working with it. It would take extra work, which we're really not ready to support yet, to get other models to be "live" within the environment.

Jeff

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi Jeff

thats what i thought, i think this multi physics simulation technology should be as standard in the inventor package but so it reacts with standrd inventor parts and assemlies.

the dynamic simulation is too long winded to set up and takes forever for results somtimes.

a good 3d sandbox in inventor for inventing would be great!  perhaps one day it will happen 8-)

regards Adrian

[jeff.pek]

Yes, perhaps 🙂

Thanks for the feedback. If you do get into working with the assets we've provided, please let us know what other comments you have.

Jeff

[Anonymous]

This is a great tool and would be a huge help to me. I downloaded the add-on but I am missing the transport asset which I really need. Is there a way to get this?

[strijkp]

Hi All,

I've been playing around with Factory Modz and must say I really like it!! 2 questions:1. How to use custom parts rather then boxes as feed for the generator object? 2. How to define a forklift truck has to pickup a pallet when object capacitiy is reached and ride it to a storage rack. Mine only pick one box at a time.

Peter

[XuesongBai]

Hi,

For question1: you can place the custom asset and fill the name of asset in FM_SHAPE properties of Generator.Please refer to the snapshot attached.

For question2:Currently it is not supported to pick one pallet at once by forklift truck.

[Anonymous]

I am trying to set up a representation of what we are currently doing. I am unable to figure out how the asset "Processor" works. Also, it would be incredibly helpful in the future if the generator made product based on whether a rack or pallet had a certain number of product on it. This would allow us to simulate a pull system for product movement instead of a push system like you have it set now. 

Also, for shops like ours that have variations in products if we could assign properties to the products that would vary like the color does that would be great. This would allow us to simulate our shop operations where one product might be larger and take longer to go through each process while the next might take less time and then we can determine how our process will handle those situations. Just some thoughts.

If anyone could please explain what the processor does and how to use it I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[XuesongBai]

Hi,

That is good suggestion.

Regarding to the "processor", that need to invoke "Sink" asset and "Processor" asset to simulate the process workflow. Please refer to the video attached.

Thanks,

-Xuesong

[Anonymous]

Thanks! One last question: Is it possible to have a person or fork lift take an object from a pallet to a conveyor? 

[XuesongBai]

It is not supported to have a person or fork lift take an object from a pallet to a conveyor currently.

-Xuesong

[AnJanson]

Hi,

the current versions does work with the german Inventor/FDS version.

Will you offer a 'german compatible' update?

Regards

Andreas

[jeff.pek]

Hi Andreas -

At this point in time, we don't have any plans to publish an update that will be compatible with the localized versions of the Suite.

Jeff