Mastering Autodesk® Inventor® 2012 and Autodesk® Inventor LT™ 2012

Understanding Functional Design

Part of creating a fully functioning 3D virtual prototype is using the functional-design tools. Functional design is an Autodesk term for a knowledge content tool that moves the user from creating geometrical descriptions (mere 3D modeling) to capturing knowledge. For instance, if you had the need to create a spring, what tools would you use? You could use the coil tool and develop a nice spring-shaped model. However, if the actual goal were to determine what size spring you needed for a particular set of load inputs, then you'd want to use the Compression Spring generator. You can use the functional-design tools to analyze the function (load of a spring) and solve the design problems (what size spring is required) ...