SimulationProduct SimulationOptimise and validate product performance before the product is built. Easy-to-use and tightly integrated motion simulation and stress analysis in the Autodesk® Inventor® product line help you predict how the design will work under real-world conditions, saving time and reducing prototyping costs. Because the simulation tools are part of the 3D mechanical design environment, it’s practical and cost-effective to employ simulation throughout the design process. A comprehensive simulation environment provides support for motion simulation and static and modal finite element analysis (FEA) at both the part and assembly level. Results from dynamic simulation allow engineers to use FEA more effectively by leveraging the reaction forces to set up the conditions for finite element stress analysis. Inventor give you the tools to record your engineering decisions and share the results of simulation with team members—allowing you to derive maximum benefit from your digital prototypes. Dynamic Simulation in Autodesk Inventor can help you: - Optimise your designs to minimise material usage.
- Reduce stress concentrations and meet safety requirements.
- Size components to reduce energy consumption and operating costs.
- Improve product quality by reducing unwanted vibration.
- Explore the behaviour of moving parts to improve product performance.
- Balance rotating components to reduce internal stresses.
- Share and record results of your analysis.
Integrated Motion Simulation
Use motion simulation—not intuition—to enhance your design decisions. The motion simulation feature in Autodesk Inventor uses the assembly constraints in your 3D model to identify relevant rigid bodies, generate correct motion joints, and compute dynamic behaviour. This helps you to quickly understand the design’s behaviours, including the position, velocity, and accelerations of the moving parts. Load Definition
Apply different driving loads and torques as well as time-based force functions using the Load Profile editor. Use this tool to investigate the design’s performance under a range of different load conditions. |
Integrated FEA
Increase the accuracy and reliability of your design stress analysis. Use integrated FEA to predict stress and deflection with accurate peak loads by transferring reaction forces from simulation time steps to AIP stress analysis. Adaptive Solver
Conduct finite element studies faster and apply the results sooner. Adaptive solver technology and localised tuning algorithms within Inventor give you accurate results more quickly. Static Analysis
Ensure your designs are strong enough while avoiding over-designing. Examine the deformation of parts and assemblies under static loads to determine maximum and minimum stresses and deflections. At the same time, you can help ensure that designs are strong enough for safety. |
Modal Analysis
Prevent annoying and potentially hazardous vibrations without having to build and test physical prototypes. Use studies of oscillating modes to explore the vibrations and natural frequencies of the parts or assemblies within your 3D mechanical design. Then make changes that reduce the amplitude of oscillations. Parametric Studies
Improve the structural performance of your 3D mechanical designs. Use the Parameter Table tool to create parametric studies of design constraints and of the effect of different parameter values. You’ll be able to explore the impact of changes, such as wall thickness, fillet radius, and hole diameter, to your design. |
Optimisation Studies
Find the best design solution without having to investigate an excessive number of options. When you conduct optimisation studies, Inventor automatically seeks parameter values that meet your design criteria. Design Update
Quickly apply the results of simulation studies to your digital prototype. You can select new parameter values from parametric and optimisation studies. The Promote tool automatically modifies the assemblies and parts within your digital prototype. Point Trace
Easily calculate motion paths and save time by simplifying the design of cams, grooved paths, and other motion-dependent components. Select any point in the model and use the Trace tool to display the point’s location at each step in the motion simulation. Using Inventor, you can also save simulation outputs, including path traces and assembly positions, for use in part and assembly design. |
FEA Environment Definition
Spend more time analysing performance and less time preparing the analysis. Inventor gives you full control over materials, loads, constraints, contacts, mesh, solution quality, representations, and component visibility. Automatic and manual contact definition and support for multiple simulations also provide you with definition control. Model Simplification
Reduce the time required to generate results from stress analysis by simplifying part geometry to suppress features during FEA. |
Visualisation
Interpret the behaviour and performance of your design more fully. Watch as Inventor provides animated visualisations of your 3D digital prototype. These accurate visualisations are based on the underlying physics models and applied load conditions of the design. Graphing
Use the comprehensive graphing capability in Autodesk Inventor to quickly investigate how the dynamic characteristics of your design vary through its operating cycle. Plot physical parameters—such as position, force, and acceleration—versus time. Compare different properties at each point in the simulation cycle, using multiple plots on the same graph. |
Analysis Output
Select different ways to view analysis results to make it easier to understand and visualise complex problems. Your analysis visualisation options include smooth and contour colour plots, mesh plots, animation, and interactive probes. You can focus on specific components of the 3D mechanical design by selecting other components and hiding them from view. Report Generation
Easily share and record the results of your analysis. Inventor includes a custom report generator with embedded graphics. Microsoft Excel Output
Export XY plot data to Microsoft® Excel® worksheets to analyse simulations and incorporate results in presentations and reports. | 
