Topic: Inventor or AutoCAD: the big question

[vegbruiser]

We've got some potential new work coming into our office, but my boss is umming and arring about whether or not we'll need to use (and therefore purchase) a copy of Inventor.

Our team of could (I reckon) easily pick up the work in Inventor, but would it be easier to persuade the client to use AutoCAD instead?

What are the benefits of using Inventor over using AutoCAD? (Yes, this information is probably available on the AutoDesk website, but I figured I'd ask here for an impartial response)

[mjfarrell]

regular autocad is not going to give you an actual working (virtual) prototype of your device

my question would be what is the scope of work and does that call for use of inventor, or just stick drawings?

[vegbruiser]

At this point in time I'm not really sure - I find out next Tuesday what the client wants to see as an end result, but I think it's likely they'll want (as you said) to see a working (albeit digital) prototype.

Might as well bone-up on Inventor in the meantime I suppose.

Anyone know of any good resources for the crossover between AutoCAD and Inventor - aside from the documentation that it comes with?

A good book on Mechanical systems/linkages would also be helpful if anyone can recommend one - Amazon was a bit sketchy earlier...

[mjfarrell]

look up Elise Moss at moss designs

[vegbruiser]

cheers mate. much appreciated.

[quicksilver]

Also you might check out the tutorials and papers on this site like this one.
http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/content/DSG322/Inventor%20Tutorials/Inventor%2011%20Tutorial%2011.pdf

[Draftek]

It's often difficult for long time AutoCad users to migrate to Inventor. Have an open mind and you'll be okay.

Inventor's objects are driven by parametrics so sketching is usually the toughest for AutoCad users to grasp.

Good luck.

[jnieman]

When my last company stumbled into Inventor from Autocad, it was rough... but only for about a week!  We used Autocad when Inventor slowed us too much (it was a very fast paced job shop) but after a week, Inventor was the thing, for me.

That's excluding repeat jobs where it was suitable to just reprint or, if needed, slightly modify a Autocad DWG and go from there.  There's learning new software, and then there's reinventing the wheel, but they don't have to be the same.  Inventor comes with Autocad and a way to download Mechanical Desktop for free.

[vegbruiser]

It's often difficult for long time AutoCad users to migrate to Inventor. Have an open mind and you'll be okay.

Inventor's objects are driven by parametrics so sketching is usually the toughest for AutoCad users to grasp.

Good luck.

I'm beginning to get to grips with the sketching side of things - I hadn't used Inventor until yesterday and have been attempting to recreate the rubber base of a hole punch that was on my desk. Granted, it's not the easiest item I could have chosen to start with, but you've got to start somewhere right?

[mjfarrell]

hole punch away....then make the stapler

[jnieman]

hole punch away....then make the stapler

*looks at stapler*

dude, that's harsh.
fyi:

[vegbruiser]

hole punch away....then make the stapler

*looks at stapler*

dude, that's harsh.
fyi:

Hehe... thanks. (The base rubber part is done, onto the main metal body parts.)

[vegbruiser]

Turns out the hole punch was a bridge too far - not to worry, I did draw an old USB Caddy I had laying around.

But now I have another question/problem: -

I have created a Border and Title Block for the resultant .idw file I wish to create. The problem is, even if both the original AutoCAD drawings I import the geometry from have the same base point (0,0) the title always comes in offset. I've tried everything I can think of to force it to align with the Border, even resorting to drawing a rectangle that matches the outer path of the Border block, but to no avail!!

It seems ludicrous to me that there's no way of forcing a base point in either the Title Block or Border - unless I've missed it - but then again it is an Autodesk product.... 

Any help will be greatly appreciated. :pissed: