|
|
Autodesk Inventor 2011 (for Manufacturing)
14 Oct, 2010 By: Robert GreenFirst Look Review: Adding direct manipulation, better visualization, and the terrific new Assembly Snap tool, this is no ordinary upgrade.
Editor's note: This article was originally published in the Manufacturing edition of the Summer 2010 issue of Cadalyst. You may also read the AEC-focused version of this article.
I'll go ahead and state it right up front: Autodesk Inventor 2011 is a very good upgrade of an already good product. Being the flagship 3D mechanical CAD product from Autodesk, Inventor typically rolls out a lot of new features each year. This year is no exception, although ease of use really has been achieved in this release. I know, I know, every software vendor says its new products are easier to use, but this version actually delivers — while also adding lots of meaty features. Let's dive in.
User Interface
The user interface (UI) for Inventor 2011 is different from prior versions, yet it remains familiar. The main screen still features an assembly browser along the left-hand side, the view cube and view control tools along the right-hand side, and the quick-access toolbar and ribbon controls along the top. The big difference you'll notice right away is that your model now displays as a rendered design preview that updates in real time. New users may take this graphically rich environment for granted, but veterans who always had to click back and forth between wireframe and rendered levels of graphics will appreciate the better visualization immediately.
Another, more subtle UI upgrade is the ability to see the feature type when you select a feature of the assembly, along with a Help display that gives contextual information about commands relative to that feature. As is the trend with most CAD tools these days, the software has more and more context-sensitive guidance via right-clicking, and the new heads-up display (HUD) puts editable parameters on the screen, right where the mouse can make input an almost click-free procedure.
The traditional Inventor UI gets a boost with new real-time rendered design preview and a Help display that gives contextual information about commands relative to your selected feature.
1 2 3
|
|
AutoCAD Tips!
Autodesk Technical Evangelist Lynn Allen guides you through a different AutoCAD feature in every edition of her popular "Circles and Lines" tutorial series. For even more AutoCAD how-to, check out Lynn's quick tips in the Cadalyst Video Gallery. Subscribe to Cadalyst's Tips & Tricks Tuesdays free e-newsletter and we'll notify you every time a new video tip is available. All exclusively from Cadalyst! |
|
