Autodesk Inventor 2023 Cookbook

Autodesk Inventor 2023 Cookbook

by Alexander Bordino
Released November 2022
Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
ISBN: 9781801810500

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Book description

With a recipe-based approach, hone and develop the necessary skills you need to perform mechanical, visualization, and simulation tasks using Autodesk Inventor

Key Features

  • Create powerful parametric 3D designs, parts, and assemblies
  • Apply effective modeling techniques to increase automation and promote configuration
  • Enable iLogic-powered rapid configurations and apply Finite Element Analysis for model simulation

Book Description

Autodesk Inventor is an industry-leading, computer-aided design application for 3D mechanical design, simulation, visualization, and documentation. This book will help to bridge the gap between the fundamentals of this software and the more advanced features, workflows, and environments it has to offer.

Using cookbook-style recipes, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding and practical experience in creating dynamic 3D parts, assemblies, and complete designs. You'll also explore a variety of topics, including automation and parametric techniques, collaboration tools, creating sheet metal designs, and design accelerators such as frame generators. As you progress, the chapters will guide you through surface modeling tools, advanced assembly, and simplification tools, along with covering iLogic, Finite Element Analysis, and more.

By the end of this book, you'll not only be able to use the advanced functionality within Autodesk Inventor but also have the practical experience you need to deploy specific techniques in your own projects and workflows.

What you will learn

  • Build upon the fundamentals of parts, assemblies, and drawings
  • Understand how to use advanced modeling tools such as iFeatures, iLogic, and more
  • Develop your experience with parametric design methodologies
  • Explore surface modeling and project management techniques
  • Design efficiently with design accelerators to drive automation
  • Understand and apply Finite Element Analysis

Who this book is for

This book is for CAD engineers, mechanical/design engineers, and product designers who have a basic understanding and experience of Inventor fundamentals. It aims to guide and coach you past the basics and into the advanced functionality of the software and environments within it.

Table of contents

  1. Autodesk Inventor 2023 Cookbook
  2. Contributors
  3. About the author
  4. About the reviewers
  5. Preface
    1. Who this book is for
    2. What this book covers
    3. To get the most out of this book
    4. Download the example code files
    5. Download the color images
    6. Conventions used
    7. Sections
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
      3. How it works…
      4. There’s more…
      5. See also
    8. Get in touch
    9. Download a free PDF copy of this book
  6. Chapter 1: Inventor Part Modeling – Sketch, Work Features, and Best Practices
    1. Technical requirements
      1. Downloading your practice files
    2. 2D sketch design – Best practices
      1. Start at the origin
      2. Use sketch constraints often
      3. Keep sketches simple
      4. Use keyboard shortcut commands
      5. Always fully constrain sketches
      6. Create manageable steps
      7. Never draw the same thing twice
    3. 2D sketch constraints – Best practices
      1. Use the Status bar
      2. Automatic geometric constraints
      3. Degrees of freedom
      4. Types of sketch constraint
    4. Work planes – Best practices
    5. Work axes – Best practices
    6. Work points – Best practices
    7. Applying best sketch and work plane practices to model a part
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
  7. Chapter 2: Advanced Design Methodologies and Strategies
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Understanding the different design processes
      1. Bottom-up design
      2. Multi-body design
      3. Layout design
      4. Adaptive modeling design
    3. Creating a multi-body part design
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Creating a layout design from imported .dwg CAD data
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Applying and using adaptive modeling
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Model credits
  8. Chapter 3: Driving Automation and Parametric Modeling in Inventor
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Reviewing equations and parameters in Inventor
    3. Creating equations and driving a model
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Creating parameters and driving a model
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Reusing design feature data with iFeatures
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Creating automatic mates using iMates
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Creating table-driven master parts to configure sizes and states with iParts
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    8. Building an assembly of iParts with variations such as different sizes, shapes, and content using iAssemblies
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    9. Model credits
  9. Chapter 4: Freeform, Surface Modeling, and Analysis
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Creating area lofts
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Creating path and guide rail sweeps
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Creating solid geometry from basic extruded and lofted surfaces
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Creating 3D Sketches for Surfacing and applying the Trim, Combine, Thicken, and Ruled Surface commands
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it
    6. Learning how to trim, patch, and convert surfaces to solids with Sculpt
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Replacing a solid face with a surface
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    8. Using the Copy Object command to create a matching contoured part to another part
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    9. Importing surfaces into Inventor
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
      3. There’s more
    10. Validating surface designs with Zebra Analysis, Surface Analysis, and Curvature Analysis
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    11. Understanding the basic features and techniques of freeform modeling
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    12. Freeform modeling within the context of existing geometry
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    13. Model credits
  10. Chapter 5: Advanced CAD Management and Collaboration – Project Files, Templates, and Custom Properties
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Creating and managing an Inventor .ipj project file
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Managing the Content Center
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Style and Standard Editor – creating and editing templates
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Collaborating with shared views
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Collaborating and sharing designs with Pack and Go
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Model credits
  11. Chapter 6: Inventor Assembly Fundamentals – Constraints, Joints, and BOMS
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Constraining components in assemblies – the best practices
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Applying Joints in assemblies
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Applying and driving Motion constraints
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Duplicating and replacing components in an assembly
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Creating and configuring a BOM
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Detailing and customizing a BOM in a drawing file
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    8. Model credits
  12. Chapter 7: Model and Assembly Simplification with Simplify, Derive, and Model States
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Simplifying assemblies
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Deriving components
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Creating model states in parts
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Creating model states in assemblies
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Using model states in drawings
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Model credits
  13. Chapter 8: Design Accelerators – Specialized Inventor Tool Sets for Frames, Shafts, and Bolted Connections
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Creating frames using the Frame Generator environment
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Detailing the BOM for frames in the drawing environment and producing cut lists
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Structural Shape Author – creating your own custom frame members and publishing these to the Content Center
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Creating gears in Inventor with the Spur Gear Design Accelerator
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Creating shafts in Inventor with the Shaft Component Generator tool
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Applying automatic bolted connections
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    8. Model credits
  14. Chapter 9: Design Communication – Inventor Studio, Animation, Rendering, and Presentation Files
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Creating an image render with Inventor Studio
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Animating components of an assembly in Inventor
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Presentation files – creating exploded views and animations of assemblies
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Creating and adding decals and custom materials
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Model credits
  15. Chapter 10: Inventor iLogic Fundamentals — Creating Process Automation and Configurations
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Understanding the fundamentals and usage of iLogic
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Creating a configurable part with iLogic rules
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Creating a configurable assembly with iLogic
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Creating an iLogic form and Event Triggers
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Model credits
  16. Chapter 11: Inventor Stress and Simulation – Workflow and Techniques
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Introduction to the Stress Analysis Environment – how to conduct a simple analysis study, workflow, and interface
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it...
    3. Performing stress analysis on bolted connections
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it...
    4. Calculating wind loads and using midsurfaces
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it...
    5. Calculating weld sizes using stress analysis and the Weld Calculator
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it...
    6. Model credits
  17. Chapter 12: Sheet Metal Design – Comprehensive Methodologies to Create Sheet Metal Products
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Setting up and configuring your sheet metal template
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    3. Creating a sheet metal part with faces, flanges, bends, hems, and cuts
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    4. Applying advanced sheet metal base features – Contour Flange, Lofted Flange, and Contour Roll
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    5. Converting a solid into a sheet metal part and performing a rip
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    6. Creating and applying a custom sheet metal punch
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    7. Designing sheet metal parts in assemblies and .dxf output
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    8. Detailing sheet metal parts in the drawing environment
      1. Getting ready
      2. How to do it…
    9. Model credits
  18. Chapter 13: Inventor Professional 2023 – What’s New?
    1. Technical requirements
    2. General enhancements to Inventor 2023
      1. New Home screen: Home replaces My Home
      2. GPU Ray Tracing display
      3. iLogic
      4. Improved Free Orbit
      5. [Primary] replaces Master in model states
      6. The Alt + Q new keyboard shortcut for Annotate
      7. Performance enhancements and Express Mode
    3. Interoperability between Fusion 360, Revit, and more
      1. Fusion 360 tools
      2. Data exchange and interoperability enhancements for Revit and Inventor
    4. Sketch enhancements
      1. Fixing broken projected geometry
      2. Model sketching and the annotating text enhancement
      3. The new link sketch format for sketch blocks
    5. Part enhancements
      1. Sheet metal extended browser information
      2. The Sheet Metal Template option
      3. New Sheet Metal Mark command for engraving/etching features
      4. 3D annotation Datum Target command added
      5. Tolerance feature enhancements
      6. Data reference frame label selection
      7. Multiple selections for 3D annotation leaders
      8. Tolerance and parameter updates to model states
      9. Tolerance type options in Parameters
      10. Multi-Value sort order in Parameters
      11. Fillet tolerance
      12. The Relationships command for suppressed features
    6. Assembly and presentation enhancements
      1. BOM setting updates
      2. Changes to substitute model states
      3. New options for Simplify
      4. Constraint workflow command change
    7. Drawing enhancements
      1. Detail View drawing enhancement
      2. Model state name within drawing labels
      3. Remove existing sheets from new drawings
    8. Model credits
  19. Index
    1. Why subscribe?
  20. Other Books You May Enjoy
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    2. Download a free PDF copy of this book

Product information

  • Title: Autodesk Inventor 2023 Cookbook
  • Author(s): Alexander Bordino
  • Release date: November 2022
  • Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781801810500