3D CAD Productivity ToolsAutodesk® Inventor® software includes CAD productivity tools and resources to help you make the most of your Digital Prototyping environment. Inventor allows you to safely reuse valuable AutoCAD® data for future designs and accept projects that involve third-party CAD data. Automate repetitive workflows by customising Inventor to meet your needs. And continually extend your 3D CAD expertise with learning resources. Learn how Inventor improves 3D CAD productivity with: AutoCAD Integration and DWG Interoperability Ease of Use
Quickly transition from AutoCAD to Digital Prototyping with Inventor. Reduce training time by taking advantage of a familiar design environment, AutoCAD compatible shortcuts, cursor-based prompts, and command redo. DWG Save
Integrate DWG technology into 3D design workflows to take advantage of existing skills; easily combine parts, assembly, and schematic drawings data; and streamline communication with suppliers and partners who rely on DWG technology. The DWG Save feature stores Inventor drawing views in a DWG file to provide view, plot, and measure in AutoCAD with visual fidelity, while preserving fully associative drawing updates. |
Direct DWG Open
Gain access to existing 2D design data without installing or learning AutoCAD software. Open AutoCAD drawings directly in the Inventor application to view, plot, and measure using familiar Inventor commands. Incorporate existing 2D design data into 3D design workflows using copy and paste tools. |
AutoCAD Blocks from Inventor Views
Reduce the cost of using 3D to upgrade equipment and machinery originally designed in 2D. This feature generates AutoCAD blocks from Inventor drawing views, so you can redesign subassemblies using Inventor and then integrate the new drawing views directly into the original drawings. Template Synchronisation
Reduce the time required to create drawings that comply with customer or partner drawing standards. Simply open a DWG file in Inventor and automatically create layers and dimension and text styles based on the AutoCAD styles in the DWG file thus reducing the time required to create drawings that comply with your customers’ drawing standards. Inventor and AutoCAD Mechanical Interoperability
Accelerate your time to market and reduce errors by enabling associative 2D and 3D collaboration. With this interoperability, AutoCAD® Mechanical software creates drawings of Inventor components by enabling you to open native Inventor parts and assemblies. When you change the design in Inventor, the AutoCAD Mechanical drawing is automatically updated.
Native Translators and Data ExchangeAccept projects that use different applications. Autodesk Inventor offers a comprehensive suite of translators, including native translators that read and write files from other CAD applications and translators for industry standard formats such as IGES and STEP. Using these translators, you can accept and supply data in customers’ preferred formats. Native Translators
Streamline projects that require opening files from vendors or customers in native formats. Deliver 3D design data to customers or vendors who prefer native file formats. You can easily exchange data between Inventor and CATIA V5™, UGS®, SolidWorks®, and Pro/ENGINEER®. Inventor supports direct import and export of CATIA V5, JT™ 6, JT™7, Parasolid®, and GRANITE files. It also supports direct import of UG-NX™, SolidWorks, Pro/E, and SAT files. STEP/IGES
Enable accurate collaboration with suppliers and customers by sharing and reusing 3D mechanical design data between 3D CAD/CAM systems. Read and write design and drawing data using industry-standard formats. Construction Environment
Reduce the time you need to inspect and repair customer data files. The Inventor construction environment provides fault-tolerant import of large STEP and IGES data sets. It can quarantine entities containing geometric problems, such as surface slivers and mismatched boundary curves. Then use the comprehensive toolkit to inspect, edit, and correct quarantined entities, including solids, surfaces, wireframes, and points. Data sets can be corrected and promoted into 3D part models, surfaces, or 3D wireframes. |
AEC Exchange
The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) exchange tool creates and publishes simplified 3D representations, intelligent connection points, and additional information using the Autodesk Package Files format (.adsk ) to facilitate exchange of data with Autodesk® REVIT® MEP and Autodesk® REVIT® Architecture. |
3D CAD Learning ResourcesAccess a range of Inventor learning and reference resources to help you build and maintain your skills as well as quickly make the most of the 3D mechanical design environment. Learn new tricks, look up information about a procedure or tool, and get the latest tips you need to stay productive. Advanced Help System
Speed the transition to 3D CAD with contextual help. The advanced help system is easier to use, with improved navigation and profiles that present you with information based on your user profile. |
Tutorials and Skill Builders
Use extended learning modules, including tutorials with “show me” animations and skill builders, to enhance your understanding and skills. E-Learning
Accelerate learning through flexible access to tutorials and best practices. A valuable component of the Autodesk® Subscription program, e-Learning provides a continually expanding curriculum of short training exercises. Engineer’s Handbook
Save time researching engineering formulas, tables, and standards. The Engineer’s Handbook provides a comprehensive online reference of engineering theory, formulas, and algorithms. This manufacturing knowledge base is easily accessible from anywhere in Inventor. |
Deployment Guide
Quickly and easily complete your installation of Inventor. Whether you are planning a new deployment or upgrading to Autodesk Inventor 2010, get the information you need to successfully plan your installation and rollout.
Customisation and AutomationUsing the Inventor API (application programming interface), you can streamline frequently used procedures and automate specialised workflows that support design standards and engineering processes. Styles
Work faster by quickly changing the formatting of an entire document, without sacrificing alignment to company standards. Styles are combinations of formatting characteristics such as font, font size, colour, standards, line type, and material. Name your preferred styles and store them as templates that can control all aspects of drawing formats. When you apply a style, all the formatting instructions in that style are applied at one time, and you can configure a set of common styles for use by an entire project team. |
Content Centre Publishing Tools
Quickly prepare and publish intelligent part libraries for internal use and parts catalogs. Publishing tools include a Microsoft® Excel editing environment and batch processing for large data sets. |
Task Scheduler
Increase productivity by automating repetitive and non-productive tasks. The Inventor Task Scheduler allows you to schedule single or multiple (batch) automated tasks, including DWF™ publishing, printing, file migration, IGES and STEP transfers, and Autodesk® Vault operations. You can also check out and download files from the Vault. |
Open API
Increase productivity by developing tools to automate your company’s design and documentation processes. Inventor includes a well-documented API to create customised programs that automate specialised workflows and extend the Inventor data model with custom attributes. | 
