Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 28, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
In line with Autodesk’s strategy of enabling Digital Prototyping for all companies, the Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, AliasStudio, Showcase and Productstream solutions have been revised and improved. This is intended to make it easier for companies to move to end-to-end digital product development. Digital Prototyping is intended to allow products to be designed and tested entirely virtually, and their operation under real conditions to be simulated. In addition, a data management system ensures consistent data access for all employees involved, whether in design, manufacturing or other departments.
“Autodesk is changing the way companies develop their products. Workflows are becoming more efficient and effective than ever before,” says Robert Kross, Senior Vice President Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions.
Inventor 2009: The Foundation for Digital Prototyping
Manufacturing companies in a wide variety of industries use Inventor to streamline their workflows. Inventor’s precise 3D models now form the foundation for Digital Prototyping. The form, fit and function of a design can be validated using these models before manufacturing. Many of the core design tools have been improved in Inventor 2009, which is intended to enable substantial productivity gains. New features include:
- Sheet metal work – Numerous new functions simplify the design of sheet metal parts suitable for manufacturing.
- Simulation – Numerous improvements to the dynamic simulation environment make the software more user-friendly. This allows users to analyse their digital prototypes alongside the design work at a very early stage in the development process.
- Native 64-bit support – Inventor 2009 is supplied for 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. Users of 64-bit computer systems benefit from being able to use significantly more memory for larger assemblies.
- Large assemblies – In extensive designs, simplified substitute assemblies can now be used instead of detailed assemblies. They require less memory while accurately retaining mass properties, assembly relationships and bill-of-materials data.
- Interoperability – Translators for native data formats support direct data exchange between Autodesk Inventor and Siemens NX, SolidWorks or Pro/ENGINEER.
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Self-draining pipe runs – Users can define pipe and hose types that drain themselves. Pipe networks with the correct drainage angle can be generated automatically.
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Design Accelerator – Inventor 2009 simplifies the design and use of frequently used machine elements such as bolted connections, gears and shafts by generating them through real attributes such as rotational speed, torque and material properties, rather than requiring them to be modelled geometrically.
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Frame Generator – Users can store their specific steel or aluminium profiles for the Frame Generator in the standard parts library.
Digital Prototyping for All Design Phases
Along with Inventor 2009, new versions of the other products in Autodesk’s Digital Prototyping portfolio are also available. Depending on a company’s specific product development process, the AliasStudio, Showcase, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Mechanical and Productstream solutions can optimise customers’ workflows.
- AutoCAD Mechanical 2009 is a special version of AutoCAD developed precisely for the needs of mechanical engineering design. Standard parts and symbol libraries have been integrated, and calculation functions and automation have been created, intended to significantly improve productivity for AutoCAD users in mechanical engineering. New functions such as support for the Russian GOST standard and quick access to a favourites list of standard parts save countless working hours, giving users more time for their actual task of designing and requiring less time for drawing.
Autodesk AliasStudio 2009 – AliasStudio is industrial design software that enables companies to develop products more quickly. It allows designers to work digitally and capture their ideas digitally, from initial sketches through to complete 3D models. From integrated drawing tools to powerful modelling and reverse-engineering functions, AliasStudio offers Everything for creative industrial design in the consumer goods and supplier industries.
Autodesk Showcase 2009 – Autodesk Showcase creates visualisations from 3D CAD data. With new shading functions and an expanded library of realistic materials, this latest version of Showcase makes it possible to visualise and review designs for important product decisions or presentations. Showcase processes data from various 3D systems and now also imports data from Inventor.
Autodesk Productstream 2009 – Enables the storage and management of design data and associated documents. The latest edition includes new search functions and cross-site replication intended to enable digital development data to be shared across locations. Productstream aims to accelerate data searches, improve the reuse of designs and make collaborationb easier.
Availability
AutoCAD Mechanical 2009, AutoCAD Electrical 2009, Autodesk AliasStudio 2009, Autodesk Showcase 2009 and Autodesk Productstream 2009 are expected to be available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland from spring 2008.