Autodesk INVENTOR 2011 - User manual

Technical What’s New
Autodesk® Inventor®
Autodesk® Inventor LT™
Autodesk® Inventor® Routed Systems
Autodesk® Inventor® Simulation
Autodesk® Inventor® Tooling
Autodesk® Inventor® Professional
Autodesk®
Inventor®


Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 2
Contents
Welcome to Inventor  ...................................3
New Design Methodologies ............................... 4
Direct Manipulation Part Modeling .............................. 4
Dynamic Input in the Sketch Environment ................. 4
Assemble Tool ..................................................................... 4
Inventor Fusion Technology Preview ...................5
Unites Direct and Parametric Workflows .....................5
Unrivaled Ease of Use ........................................................5
Rapid Design Changes without Limitations .................5
Inventor Fusion Technology Interoperability ...............6
Design Automation .............................................6
iLogic......................................................................................6
iCopy ......................................................................................7
State-of-the-Art Visualization .............................7
Realistic rendering all the time .......................................7
High Quality Visual Materials .........................................8
Improved Lighting Control ...............................................8
Visual Fidelity across Products ........................................8
Drawing & Productivity Enhancements ...............9
DWG® Block Browser ........................................................9
Chain Dimensioning ...........................................................9
Multi-View Create ..............................................................9
Replace Reference Model .................................................9
Hatch Patterns ..................................................................10
Interoperability ................................................ 10
Alias-Inventor Interoperability ...................................... 10
CATIA Translators .............................................................10
3D Printing..........................................................................10
BIM Interoperability .......................................... 11
BIM Exchange ..................................................................... 11
Architectural View Scales ................................................ 11
Simulation .........................................................12
Frame Analysis ...................................................................12
Simulation Guide ...............................................................12
Materials Assignment for Simulation ...........................12
Editable Simulation Reports............................................12
Tooling ..............................................................13
Unique Instance Support .................................................13
Core/Cavity Creation Robustness .................................13
Dynamic Simulation of Mold Assemblies ....................13
Enhanced Mold Base and
Component Library Search.......................................13
Overlay Moldflow Results............................................... 14
Stay Up-to-Date ................................................ 14
Subscription ....................................................................... 14
Product Updates ............................................................... 14
Autodesk Learning and Education ..................... 14
Feedback .......................................................... 14
Conclusion ........................................................ 14

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 3
Welcome to the Autodesk Inventor  Software Product Line
The Autodesk® Inventor®  software product line redefines “Ease-of-Use” with a revolutionary new design experience that oers
significant benefits to engineers who need to design, visualize, and simulate their products.
Design It.
Inventor  introduces radically superior ways to design in D. Breakthroughs in both assembly design and part modeling usher in a
new era of dramatically easier to use, easier to learn design tools.
Visualize it.
Inventor  provides state-of-the-art visualization capabilities to provide stunning representations of designs to improve design
communication with partners in the design process.
Simulate it.
The powerful simulation tools in Autodesk Inventor  software have also been enhanced to make it easier for you to create and
validate multiple design iterations.
Major areas of focus in this release include the following:
• New Design Methodologies
• Rules-based Design
• State-of-the-Art Visualization
• Interoperability and BIM Exchange
• Drawing and Productivity
• Simulation
• Tooling and Mold Design
Plus, Inventor  includes a preview of ground-breaking new Digital Prototyping technology from Autodesk that will change the way
you work with D mechanical design software. The Autodesk® Inventor® Fusion Technology Preview is innovative, new direct modeling
technology that unites direct and parametric workflows within a single digital model.
Thank you for your continued support of Autodesk Inventor, and enjoy the new release!
The Inventor Team

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 4
Dynamic Input in the Sketch Environment
Inventor  now oers dynamic input for the most
commonly used sketch commands. Dynamic input in
the Sketch environment provides a heads-up display
(HUD) to help you keep your focus
in the sketching area. When
dynamic input is on, value
input fields near the
cursor display
information that
is dynamically
updated as
the cursor
moves. The
heads-up display
allows you to
create dimensioned
geometry as you
sketch—eliminating a
whole separate dimensioning step from
the sketch workflow. Dynamic Input in the
Sketch Environment helps engineers to sketch
more freely and directly, without interruptions
to the creative process.
Assemble Tool
Create assemblies in a snap! Extending the paradigm of
Osnap pioneered in AutoCAD, Inventor  introduces
a dramatically simpler method of assembling
components into a design. Inventor users can now
easily ‘snap’ components together using the new
Assemble tool. Simply select a geometric element on
an incoming part, and drag the component around the
screen. Inventor will automatically seek a compatible
geometric element in the on-screen assembly and
‘snap’ the two pieces together.
Inventor  also makes it easy to reposition
components without having to manage assembly
constraints, enabling you to quickly evaluate alternative
assembly arrangements. If a user wishes to reposition
components, the new assembly diagnostic
tool automatically identifies the changes to
Inventor constraints that will be required
to allow the repositioning to succeed
with the desired design intent. This new
diagnostic tool provides guidance
and assurance that the intended
design dependencies will be
maintained while dierent
design concepts are explored.
New Design Methodologies
Inventor  introduces radically superior ways to
design in D. Breakthroughs in both assembly design
and part modeling usher in a new era of dramatically
easier to use, easier to learn design tools.
Direct Manipulation Part Modeling
Inventor  employs the principles of direct
manipulation to make fundamental improvements to
the mechanical design process. Direct manipulation
oers an uninterrupted workflow that not only helps to
accelerate design, but also fosters greater creativity.
With direct manipulation, all of the input needed for
a command (radius, angle, dimensions, and so on) can
be controlled right at the point where you are directly
aecting geometry. By optimizing the command
interaction, direct manipulation allows you to focus
on your design, rather than the software. With fewer
distracting dialog boxes and less mouse travel, you can
enjoy a faster, more intuitive design experience.
Direct manipulation also features dynamic previewing
to help you to make better design decisions. When
a command is invoked, the display of the model
automatically updates to preview the outcome of
the design modification. By providing an easy way to
explore design alternatives through more accurate and
interactive previewing, direct manipulation helps you
understand clearly how the available command options
can enhance your designs.

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 5
Inventor Fusion Technology Preview
The Autodesk® Inventor® Fusion Technology Preview
from Autodesk Labs is included in the box with
Autodesk Inventor .*
The Autodesk Inventor Fusion Technology Preview is
innovative, new Digital Prototyping technology that’s
changing the way people work with D mechanical
design software. Inventor Fusion is a technology preview
intended to give our customers opportunity to provide
feedback on possible future capabilities. Should you
choose to use Inventor Fusion, please provide feedback
to labs.iv.f[email protected]. For more information
on Inventor Fusion and other exciting technologies,
please visit labs.autodesk.com.
Unites Direct and Parametric Workflows
With the Inventor Fusion Technology Preview, both
direct, history-free and parametric, history-based
workflows are united. The unique fusion of capabilities
enables you to adopt the modeling approach that is
most appropriate for the task at hand.
• The freedom of direct modeling with the ability to
exercise control over change
• Automatic creation,
deletion, or
modification
of features
necessary to
accommodate
changes
• Automatic
update of a
parametric model’s
feature history with
each change, ensuring
critical design intent is
maintained
Unrivaled Ease of Use
• Fast, easy selection tools for direct manipulation of
your design models
• Heads-up sketching and modeling predict your
actions based on design context
• Intuitive, graphics-based user interface keeps your
focus on the screen center
• Advanced graphics technology for crystal clear
visualization and stunning displays
Rapid Design Changes without Limitations
• Direct modeling when it’s the right tool for the job
• Quickly make unique design changes and explore
“what if” scenarios
• Easily express your design ideas irrespective of
feature order, dependencies, or original CAD system
* Subject to Expiration – 04/01/2012
For more information, visit labs.autodesk.com

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 
Inventor Fusion Technology Interoperability
The Inventor Fusion Technology Preview is fully
interoperable with Autodesk Inventor . The
integration of Inventor Fusion technology with Inventor
gives users two base modeling environments to
choose from. If Inventor Fusion technology is installed,
importing a base body automatically launches Fusion,
where the base solid can be edited in the Fusion
environment. Once the Fusion editing session is ended
and the Inventor environment is re-entered, the edited
model is redisplayed in the Inventor graphics window
showing any new or changed features.
The interoperability between Inventor  and the
Inventor Fusion Technology Preview enables you
to convert the edits made in Fusion into Inventor
parametric features. The Inventor Fusion Change
Manager enables users to identify and manage any
changes made to an Inventor part or assembly with
Inventor Fusion Technology. As direct modeling and
flexible history-free changes are made in Inventor
Fusion Technology to your existing parametric
Autodesk Inventor Data, important information about
who, when, and why the change was made is recorded.
You can then return to Autodesk Inventor and manage
the changes. Individually review, accept, or deny each
change, maintaining complete control over your design.
Inventor Fusion technology also makes it easy to
exchange data with AutoCAD and other common 3D
CAD systems. You are able to open Inventor Fusion
technology designs in AutoCAD to easily create
drawings and assemblies of your digital prototypes.
Being able to utilize mixed data formats is one of the
many user-friendly and intuitive benefits of Autodesk’s
Inventor Fusion Technology.
Design Automation
Autodesk Inventor  features rules-based design and
automation tools to accelerate design by automating
common tasks, enabling engineers to focus on design
intent rather than manually modeling geometry.
iLogic
Inventor iLogic technology is now fully integrated into
Inventor . Inventor iLogic technology dramatically
simplifies rules-based design for any Inventor user—
even those with little or no programming experience.
iLogic technology allows designers and engineers
to capture and embed engineering and product
knowledge directly into virtual models.
The Inventor iLogic rules wizards enable you to easily
create “smart” parts and assemblies that define
multiple product configurations and automatically
update in realtime based on logical relationships
between design parameters. Whereas parametric
design allows the capturing of design intent, Inventor
iLogic allows one to capture design intelligence to
define assembly behaviors. iLogic lets users add
knowledge to existing designs with full support for
iParts and iAssemblies. Rules can be added to any
Inventor part or assembly model, transforming it into a
reusable knowledge asset.
With Inventor iLogic, rules are created graphically from
native Inventor parameters and embedded directly into
the Inventor data model. By making rules-based design
intuitive and accessible, iLogic technology can help all
Inventor users define complex product configurations,
increase engineering productivity, and optimize designs
to meet their required design goals.

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 7
iCopy
The new iCopy feature in Inventor  enables you
to easily customize commonly used assemblies by
automating the process of copying and positioning
similar components in the assembly. iCopy
automatically resizes multiple copies of standard
elements to fit within a design by referencing a few key
constraints, such as connection points and paths. iCopy
combines skeletal modeling and adaptability to allow
the subassembly to change shape to fit its position in
the model. Instead of painstakingly adjusting the size of
each copied element, use iCopy to properly resize and
insert each copied element into the assembly. iCopy
saves time and is especially eective for architectural
engineers who need to explore multiple design
iterations of structural elements quickly.
State-of-the-Art Visualization
Inventor  provides state-of-the-art visualization
capabilities to provide stunning representations
of designs to improve design communication with
partners in the design process.
Realistic rendering all the time
With dramatically enhanced visualization, Inventor
 helps you better conceptualize designs and
communicate with others. The visual display now
features significantly improved shading, lighting, and
material properties in the default work environment,
giving you a more realistic representation of your
design at all times.
Inventor  helps to evaluate and share designs
by allowing engineers to optimize the display style
of their D models to suit the particular task. In
addition to the default rendering mode, Inventor 
provides one-button access to a variety of preset visual
representations of your designs, including wireframe,
shaded surfaces, hidden line removal, photorealistic,
and illustration modes. In addition to the various preset
displays, Inventor also allows you to define your own
custom display modes. High-performance graphics
enhancements make changing between display modes
faster.

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 8
High-Quality Visual Materials
The library of visual materials in Inventor  has been
substantially enlarged so that users can display even
more accurate and stunning representations of their
products. Higher resolution textures for downstream
rendering means that designers can share higher
quality images with management and customers.
Improved Lighting Control
To further improve the visual experience, Inventor
 provides enhanced controls for lighting and
lighting styles, giving you the ability to highlight
specific aspects of your designs. Inventor  also
includes a variety of background environments with
image-based lighting schemes, making it easy to create
photo-realistic scenes of your final product in actual
environments.
Visual Fidelity across Products
Because of new technology introduced in Inventor
, visual and material designations made in Inventor
will carry forward to other Autodesk applications.
In particular, lighting and material selections made
in Inventor will transfer seamlessly to Autodesk®
Showcase and Autodesk® ds Max® Design for further
development of marketing imagery. Visual fidelity will
also be maintained when transferring Inventor data to
Autodesk building design products, including Revit®
and AutoCAD® products, helping building fabricators
to communicate design aesthetics with architects,
contractors, and customers.
Image created in Autodesk Inventor software
Image created in Autodesk Showcase software

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 9
Drawing and Productivity Enhancements
Drawings are an essential part of the design and
manufacturing processes of almost any product. The
Inventor  drawing environment is packed with
productivity enhancements and tools to quickly
generate more consistent drawings. Anybody creating
and editing drawings in Inventor will find tools that can
dramatically increase their productivity.
DWG Block Browser
Save time reusing data from AutoCAD software. Browse
for various blocks in DWG™ files and precisely insert
them into an Inventor drawing without ever needing to
open the AutoCAD drawing.
Chain Dimensioning
Create chain dimensions quickly and easily by placing
or creating a base dimension, and then selecting
individual points from the drawing view to insert and
align each additional dimension to the chain dimension.
Multi-View Create
Easily create multiple views simultaneously, rather than
one at a time. Specify several views to be created in a
single command, reducing the number of steps required
to place drawing views.
Replace Reference Model
Dramatically speed the production of drawings of
similar parts by replacing the base model in the
drawing, allowing Inventor to recreate all views for the
new model.

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 10
Hatch Patterns
With enhancements such as automatically breaking
hatch patterns around text, Inventor  makes
working with hatching easier than ever before.
Inventor  also allows you to import your custom
hatch patterns from AutoCAD, helping you to maintain
consistency in your drawings.
Interoperability
Alias-Inventor Interoperability
To execute design projects that require shapely,
flowing forms, design teams have taken advantage of
the CAD interoperability between Autodesk® Alias®
Design software and Inventor for fast, high-quality data
exchange between industrial designers and mechanical
engineers. With the new Autodesk® Alias® Design for
Inventor® , Autodesk takes this interoperability to a
whole new level.
Autodesk Alias Design  software now includes
Alias Design for Inventor, an additional application that
works directly within Inventor, providing free-form D
shape modeling workflows. It can be installed directly
in Inventor and is fully integrated.
The free-form D shape modeling with Alias Design for
Inventor enables a new level of integration between
design, engineering and manufacturing. Alias Design
for Inventor features intuitive workflows that enable
engineers to easily explore the shape, form, and
aesthetics of their designs.
CATIA Translators
Autodesk Inventor  software simplifies
interdisciplinary collaboration across many industries
and products. In addition to CATIA V5 files, you can
now open, import, place, or drag and drop CATIA
V4 models into Inventor files. Associativity is not
maintained, but the imported model behaves as if
it were created with Inventor. Select from various
import options to achieve the appropriate model
characteristics.
With the ability to read CATIA V4 and CRG formats,
Inventor users will now be able to leverage even more
models that were created with CATIA. Additionally,
enhancements made to the existing built-in translators
oer improved importing and exporting of the many file
formats already available.
D Printing
When it comes time to print a D model, Inventor now
lets you preview the final outcome before ever printing
the model. The D Print Preview displays an accurate
representation of the printed model, helping to ensure
that you receive the quality of D printing you expect.
In this preview environment, users can see the
triangular mesh, including the number of facets in the
mesh and the size of the file that will be sent to the D
printer or saved as a file. Now assemblies can be output
as a single file or as multiple files (one file per part
instance). Users can choose the output units, and STL
files may be written in either the binary or ASCII STL
format.
Autodesk Inventor users can now take advantage of a
new D print service from directly within the Inventor
software. Simply select “Print to D Service” from
the Inventor menu and the D printed model will
be shipped directly to you. (Additional printing and
shipping fees apply.)

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 11
BIM Interoperability
In addition to new features such as the DWG Block
Editor and iCopy, which are applicable to both general
design as well as Building Information Modeling (BIM),
Inventor  also includes key enhancements designed
specifically for mechanical engineers and fabricators
working in collaboration with architects, builders, and
contractors.
BIM Exchange
Enhancements to the BIM Exchange functionality
in Inventor  have significantly improved data
sharing between Inventor and Revit or AutoCAD
for architecture. To maintain consistency between
Autodesk products, models published from Inventor
now maintain the same visual fidelity of materials when
imported into Revit and AutoCAD for architecture.
In addition, the BIM Exchange categories have been
expanded to include items like doors, windows, and
lights. The categories list is also much easier to navigate
in Inventor  with the new category search tool for
publishing components from BIM Exchange.
Architectural View Scales
When placing drawing views, you can now display
fractional view scales such as 1/4” = 1’-0” to be
associative to the drawing view. If the drawing scale
changes, the view scale label dynamically updates to
maintain the correct fractional view scale.

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 12
Simulation
The powerful simulation tools in Autodesk Inventor
 software have been enhanced to make it easier for
you to create and validate multiple design iterations.
Simulation scenario setups have been streamlined,
and the visual feedback and simulation results are now
clearer and more customizable.
Frame Analysis
Simulate the performance of load bearing frame
models quickly and eciently with Frame Analysis.
Fully integrated with Frame Generator, Frame Analysis
oers a complete end-to-end Digital Prototyping
environment. Users can sketch out their framed
structure, create the detailed design with frame
members from our extensive library, and then quickly
simulate the response of the frames to gravity and
other loads in an easy-to-use environment that
automatically brings over the material properties and
member cross sections from Frame Generator.
Using Frame Analysis, you can set up and run a static
stress or modal analysis of your frame structure. The
assembly is automatically converted into idealized
nodes and beams. You can define mechanical
properties of beams and apply loads and constraints to
your frame to simulate your test case. Once the criteria
are entered, you can run the simulation and view
the behavior relative to the conditions you defined.
Inventor  features enhancements to simulation
visualization, including the ability to record animations
of displacement and stress results over time. You can
produce video output of the displacement animation.
After running the analysis, you can take advantage of
the report generation tools to present your results and
embed graphics and animation in your reports.
Simulation Guide
Inventor  makes it easier than ever for everyone to
take full advantage of the many powerful simulation
tools in Inventor. The Simulation Guide walks you
through the steps required to define the best scenario
to represent the particular loads or interactions. The
new Simulation Guide makes simulation accessible
even to new and occasional users by helping them
to set up loads, constraints, and contacts as well as
generate and interpret the results.
Materials Assignment for Simulation
Save time by easily selecting several components in
the materials browser using the Shift or Ctrl button
to simultaneously change the material properties. In
addition, all the selected components are highlighted
in the graphical display as well as the stress analysis
browser to help you identify all the components
aected by the material property changes.
Editable Simulation Reports
Output simulation results in a single file (.mht or .rtf)
that is editable in the most commonly used word
processing software. Easily modify and customize the
reports as needed. The single file also significantly
streamlines the management of simulation reports in
data management systems.

Technical What’s New
13
Tooling
The tooling functionality introduced into the Inventor
product line last year has been significantly enhanced
and improved. Key workflow areas have been optimized
to increase overall performance and capacity by over 50
percent when working with mold assemblies.
Unique Instance Support
Inventor  supports working with unique core/
cavity, insert, and core pin instances in pattern. This
allows for instance-specific detailing of mold aspects,
such as gates, runners, and cooling channels, helping
engineers to create more realistic patterns.
Core/Cavity Creation Robustness
Inventor  introduces mold-specific functionality
to increase the robustness of core/cavity creation with
context-sensitive error checking and reporting. You will
be able to automatically generate the core/cavity for
a broader range of parts, whether native Inventor or
imported files.
Dynamic Simulation of Mold Assemblies
With Inventor , you can now dynamically simulate
the motion of your mold base assembly to easily
examine the mold base components for clearance and
interference. Inventor allows you to quickly evaluate
the range of motion by automatically incorporating
kinematic constraints and pre-defined positional
representations for the mold base assembly.
Enhanced Mold Base and Component Library Search
The mold base and component library have been
enhanced in Inventor 2011 to make it easier to find
exactly the part you need. With the ability to filter
content by subcategory, finding components is
significantly faster than before.

Technical What’s New
Autodesk Inventor 14
Overlay Moldflow Results
Inventor  gives you the ability to graphically display
air traps and weldlines overlaid on the results from
your Moldflow analyses. Viewing air trap and weldline
indicators directly in conjunction with
simulation results helps users
gain a better understanding
of the impact of their
design decisions and
gives a clearer
indication of the
underlying
causes of
problems
with the
mold.
Stay Up to Date
Autodesk gives you more. Gain access to technical
expertise, utilize training and support programs direct
from Autodesk, stay up to date with the latest product
releases, and give us your feedback. Not only does
Autodesk want to help you use Autodesk Inventor
more eectively but also make sure Autodesk Inventor
is working eectively for you.
Subscription
Autodesk® Subscription gives you immediate access to
software upgrades and exclusive access to service and
support benefits designed to help you get the most out
of your Autodesk software. Learn more at
www.autodesk.com/subscription.
Product Updates
If you experience an issue with Autodesk Inventor 2011
that has already been solved in a service pack or hotfix,
a dialog box appears when you submit the problem to
Autodesk, enabling you to immediately install the new
service pack or hotfix.
Autodesk Learning and Education
From instructor-led or self-paced classes to online
training or education resources, Autodesk oers
learning solutions to fit your needs. Get expert
guidance at an Autodesk Authorized Training Center
(ATC®) site, access learning tools online or at your local
bookstore, and validate your experience with Autodesk
certifications. Learn more at
www.autodesk.com/learning.
Feedback
Autodesk Inventor customers can provide feedback
to the Autodesk Inventor development team through
several dierent avenues. For example:
• Provide tips or join newsgroups at
www.autodesk.com/inventor
• Keep up-to-date on what’s happening in your industry,
stay in touch with other industry professionals, and
take advantage of a host of online resources at the
Manufacturing Community Portal at
www.mfgcommunity.autodesk.com
• Talk with your Autodesk Authorized Reseller and
support sta
Your input is crucial to our success and we look forward
to receiving your suggestions.
Conclusion
We thank you for your continued support of the
Autodesk Inventor family of products and hope you feel
we are listening to your needs. We added the new and
enhanced functionality to Autodesk Inventor 2011 to
help make you more productive, make your company
more competitive, and return true value to your bottom
line.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, ds Max, Alias, ATC, DWG, Inventor, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/
or its subsidiaries and/or aliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to
their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services oerings, and specifications and pricing at any time
without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.
© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
Feature Inventor LT  Inventor 
Inventor
Routed Systems

Inventor
Tooling 
Inventor
Simulation 
Inventor
Professional 
New Design Methodologies
Direct Manipulation X X X X X X
Dynamic Input for Sketching X X X X X X
Assemble Tool X X X X X
Rules-based Design
iLogic Technology X X X X X
iCopy Feature X X X X X
State-of-the-Art Visualization
Realistic Rendering X X X X X X
High-Quality Visual Materials X X X X X X
Improved Lighting Control X X X X X
Visual Fidelity across Products X X X X X X
Interoperability
Alias-Inventor Interoperability X X X X X
CATIA Translators X X X X X X
D Printing Ehancements X X X X X X
BIM Exchange Enhancements X X X X X X
Architectural View Scales X X X X X X
Drawing and Productivity
DWG Block Browser X X X X X X
Chain Dimensioning X X X X X X
Multi-View Create X X X X X X
Replace Reference Model X X X X X X
Hatch Patterns X X X X X X
Simulation
Frame Analysis X X
Simulation Guide X X
Materials Assignment for Simulation X X
Editable Simulation Reports X X
Tooling and Mold Design
Unique Instance Support X X
Core/Cavity Creation Robustness X X
Dynamic Simulation of Mold Assemblies X X
Enhanced Mold Base and Component
Library Search
X X
Autodesk® Inventor® Product Line: Key New Features