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Cassie Smallwood
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Creating Custom Content Center Parts (CCCP) has many benefits but modifying a previously published library component can be a challenge so this article will help guide you through this sometime confusing process. Our published CCCP is a simple sensor mounting block that did not have the alignment keyway in the base when it was originally created. This new feature will add two new parameter dimensions since the keyway is always located midway along the length of the block and extends through the block thickness. The alignment keyway is optional and will not appear in all CCCP members. The first big... Continue reading
Posted Oct 16, 2018 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
If you’re an Autodesk Product Design & Manufacturing Collection pro, it’s time to share your wisdom! The Product Design & Manufacturing Collection (PDMC) Skills Challenge has begun. To enter this video contest, submit a one-minute tip for using one of the products in the collection. Here’s an example of a YouTube quick tip created by Inventor Luke. The first place entry will win $500, second place will win $300, third place will win $200, and the fourth through tenth place entries will win $100. Ready to enter?! Here are the details: Download the latest version of the Autodesk product you... Continue reading
The Shape Generator functionality in Autodesk Inventor adds generative design technology to design workflows. Shape generation uses part-level geometry and returns a mesh result. Designers can utilize the Shape Generator in three ways: Use in conjunction with normal part modeling tools. The mesh result is used as a guide, but modeling work is still needed to create a finished design product. Designers can cut or add material to create the finished part design. Extract geometry from the mesh. The new Fit Mesh Face command can extract geometry directly from the mesh result. Users select mesh facets and extract surface geometry... Continue reading
Autodesk Inventor users sometimes encounter the “Different Than Expected” error message when opening a file. Situations that can cause this error to occur include: There are two different files with the same name. The original file was accidentally overwritten. A recommended first step is to stop what you are doing and compare the files to see what is going on. A good second step is to consider the bigger picture, environmental factors which may be contributing to “Different Than Expected” error messages. This type of error commonly arises when organizations have libraries with no control over server write access. “Different... Continue reading
Posted Dec 28, 2016 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
Manufacturing leaders know that each wasted minute in the product development process chips away at the bottom line. But what’s the solution? Change requests and change orders aren’t going to disappear any time soon. Yet, handling engineering change orders (ECOs) and engineering change requests (ECRs) in a manual way isn’t a recipe for success. Here are just a few of the challenges associated with manual processes: No transparency into the status of processes and projects Lack of traceability of process steps No realistic assessment of the impact of changes Insufficient information to prioritize actions appropriately Experts estimate that engineering changes... Continue reading
Posted Dec 21, 2016 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
When countless hours of engineering time go into a manufactured product, it’s essential for companies to protect their intellectual property (IP). That’s often easier said than done, however – especially in today’s world where files travel widely through cyberspace. One solution is to create simpler versions of product designs that meet consumers’ needs without including sensitive, detailed design information. Autodesk Inventor’s Simplify functionality enables users to do just that. The first step to protecting IP is to go to the Simplify tab and to select which components to include in the Simple View. In addition to excluding components, models can... Continue reading
Posted Jul 19, 2016 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
If your organization uses Autodesk Inventor, you may not be utilizing the Bill of Materials or BOM tool. The BOM is not the same as the parts list that is often included in drawings. It is an overarching element in Autodesk Inventor and in fact, the parts list is pulled directly from the BOM. Here are three facts about the BOM in Autodesk Inventor: With the BOM Editor, information can be exported. A structured or parts only bill of materials can be exported from Autodesk Inventor. In addition, that information can be exported to the Engineer’s Notebook. Data can be... Continue reading
Posted May 10, 2016 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
Fusion 360’s Capture Design History feature is a helpful way to record information about when components were created and modified. However, many users are unaware that once you turn the history off for one component in a file, the history for all components in that file is turned off. To avoid this rude awakening, here are two tips for using Capture Design History more effectively: Create components in their own file and then insert them into the master file. Perhaps you have a component that you are experimenting with and you don’t want to capture its history. Why not create... Continue reading
The Autodesk Inventor 2016 Home Page has introduced several new productivity tools that enhance the user experience. Here is a brief overview: The “New” panel in the upper left corner. If your organization uses company-specific templates, it’s advisable to copy and replace the standard Autodesk templates and to maintain the same standard names. Projects, Shortcuts, and File Details tabs in the upper right corner. The Projects tab lists all the configured Inventor project files (note that a best practice is for companies to use just one project file). The Shortcuts tab displays folders within a project that a user frequently... Continue reading
Posted Nov 24, 2015 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
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Many firms use “bottom up design” to develop assemblies. This approach starts with part models which are combined into a unified assembly. One of the drawbacks of bottom up design is that the supporting data sets for each part model must be tweaked and updated as the design evolves. A different approach is “top down design” which is supported in Autodesk Inventor. With top down design, the critical elements of the design are established before modeling begins. Components are bound to the master plan, so changes to the design propagate easily throughout the dataset. The first stage in top down... Continue reading
Posted Sep 15, 2015 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
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For firms to operate as efficiently as possible, it’s essential to manage and maintain software. This means organizing multiple users, as well as upgrading to newer versions as they are released. With AutoCAD Electrical, the WD.ENV file can help streamline these tasks and make them less onerous. The WD.ENV allows IT and CAD Managers to set company standards. This helps users work more efficiently and also establishes a common “look and feel” for the company. Adding the path to the shared WD.ENV file on each user’s machine results in global sharing of settings. In addition, using the WD.ENV file as... Continue reading
Posted Jun 22, 2015 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
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When designing a part, model, or assembly, engineers often want to test multiple variants of the design within the same setup. To solve this problem, Autodesk Inventor offers a unique simulation toolset called Parametric Dimension Study. There are many reasons why firms like to use this functionality: Parametric Dimension Study dramatically reduces the amount of work for designers. It eliminates the need to have multiple analysis files for the same geometry and increases the efficiency of the design process. It’s possible to compare the results of multiple design choices. The information generated by Parametric Dimension study helps decision-makers select the... Continue reading
Posted Apr 22, 2015 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
Simulation for the Modern Manufacturer Wednesday, February 25 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern Time Join us at this online discussion and gain insight into the future direction of simulation and learn how the right simulation tools can get your products to market faster while increasing your ROI. Key Takeaways Autodesk expert provides a glimpse into the future of simulation technology Menges Roller shares their experience with implementing a simulation solution IMAGINiT delivers best practices for leveraging an effective simulation solution The presenters will be available for Q&A at the end of the session. Registration is complimentary but required. Learn... Continue reading
Posted Feb 13, 2015 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
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Autodesk Inventor CAD models are a useful design tool because they clearly communicate how parts and assemblies will operate in real-life. Joints are a common component in many models, but often designers don’t understand how to limit joint movement. Without that expertise, rotating joints may appear to rotate 360 degrees, sliding joints can look like they slide past the end of a slot, and cylindrical joints appear to have no beginning or end stopping point. When limits are introduced to joints in Autodesk Inventor, however, it’s possible to create very robust models that accurately convey how assemblies will work when... Continue reading
Posted Jan 12, 2015 at IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog
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Dec 5, 2014