Inventor of the Month - August 2012

Autodesk has named Ellis Furniture, a U.K. based furniture company in business for more than a century as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for August 2012 for using Autodesk Inventor as part of Autodesk Product Design Suite to offer greater levels of product customization in significantly less time.

This speed enables Ellis to rapidly explore a number of design options for its customers, ranging from luxury hotels to government institutions, and create high-quality furniture that not only fits their precise needs, but is designed to last a lifetime.

Using Autodesk software, the company estimates that it is able to clarify initial product design concepts with customers 20 percent faster and establish material sources and material costs 30 to 40 percent faster. Ellis’ manufacturing process, including generating a bill of materials (BOM) and preparing design files for computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools with Autodesk software, takes 80 percent less time.

The rules-based design automation capabilities of Inventor software enable an efficient workflow where intelligent data behind each furniture design is fed into Ellis’ ERP system. This fully digital process eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors and speeds up turnaround time, even as the company gives its customers greater freedom to express their design intent and personalize their furniture offerings.
     
When one of its larger university customers required a vast array of size and color permutations for a new range of furniture, Ellis was able to develop a base model in Inventor software and tailor it until the university was satisfied. Likewise, when one of its military customers urgently needed a new range of bedroom furniture, Ellis was able to complete the models in Autodesk Inventor within a week and go straight into manufacturing with total confidence and without delays on the shop floor. Two weeks later, the units were being shipped to the other side of the world.

Ellis Furniture

Inventor of the Month - August 2012 Official Press Release

Here is a YouTube video about Ellis Furniture

Autodesk University 2012 - Classes Now Live

Autodesk University 2012 (aka... AU 2012) is coming up and class catalog is now available for viewing. If you are an AU member, registration is open on August 28th, not and AU member registration is open to the general public on September 5th. This year it is being held on November 27-29 at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

For a more detailed description about AU 2012, follow after the break:

Inventor Publisher Goes to the Cloud

Autodesk Labs has released Autodesk 360 Publisher as a Technology Preview. The Autodesk 360 Publisher Technology Preview is a free online technical documentation software that runs on the Autodesk 360 cloud platform.

Use Autodesk 360 Publisher Technology Preview to work directly from design data to create compelling, visual and animated 3D step-by-step instructions for assembly, installation, maintenance, repair, and much more.

Here are some of the key features that are included in the Autodesk 360 Publisher Technology Preview:

• Unrivaled ease of use. Non-engineers can easily create highly visual and animated 3D instructions directly from design data.
• Harness the virtually infinite computing power of the cloud to stay productive while publishing and to work anytime, anywhere.
• Explain your products visually -- Tell the complete story of your product with interactive animated instructions, and share those instructions in 3D on iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as in a browser with no software downloads required.

As this is an early offering of this technology preview, to ensure the best experience for those participating, distribution is limited to invitation-only users in North America. We hope to expand to other geographies in the future. The technology preview will be available until November 20, 2012.

If you are interested in participating, please Sign up, and they will contact you directly with more information.

Here is a YouTube video showing a teaser of Autodesk 360 Publisher Technology Preview.

AutoCAD 2013 SP1 Released

Updated-SP1.1 is now released

AutoCAD SP1.1 Link

Delayed-Autodesk Pulled Download

Will update later when it is re-released.

Autodesk has released Service Pack 1 (SP1) for AutoCAD 2013. Here are the details regarding what is included in the SP1.

Follow the break to see the issues addressed by SP1.

Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Books

Just did a post a few days ago about the available books for Inventor 2013: Autodesk Inventor 2013 Books. I don't want to leave out the AutoCAD folks that visit my site either, so here is the breakdown of books that are available for learning AutoCAD 2013.

Mastering AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013, By: George Omura


Paperback, Price: $33.36
Kindle E-Book, Price: $31.69








AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013 Essentials (Autodesk Official Training Guide: Essential), By: Scott Onstott


Paperback, Price: $26.97
Kindle E-Book, Price: $25.62







AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013: No Experience Required (Autodesk Official Training Guides), By: Donnie Gladfelter


Paperback, Price: $29.38
Kindle E-Book, Price: $27.49






Introduction to AutoCAD 2013: 2D and 3D Design, By: Alf Yarwood


Paperback, Price: $49.95








AutoCAD 2013 Beginning and Intermediate, By: Munir Hamad


Paperback, Price: $39.95








AutoCAD 2013 3D Modeling, By: Munir Hamad


Paperback, Price: $41.95








Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Fundamentals, By: Elise Moss


Paperback, Price: $42.93








AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013 Bible, By: Ellen Finkelstein


Paperback, Price: $28.58
Kindle E-Book, Price: $27.44

Inventor 2013 Update 2 Released

Autodesk just released Update 2 for Inventor 2013. As previously reported with Update 1 for Inventor 2013, this update is not a Service Pack, just a collection of fixes that will come before the Service Pack is released.

This Update addresses multiple issues for Inventor 2013. This Update take the place of Update 1 and includes all changes contained in Update 1.

Here is what is addressed in Update 2:

• User .xml file migrates to the material/appearance library incorrectly
• Creating a Presentation will create duplicate appearance styles
• Customer material/appearance library contains duplicate asset names after migration
• During Content Center update, Custom library is removed if a corresponding material is missing in the Inventor Material Library
• Feature color override changes after a rebuild all in derived parts
• Migration of Inventor library creates a duplicate material when an identical material exists in the target library
• Multiple stability issues
• Nonexistent contacts detected between geometry may cause discrepancies in simulation results
• Occasional low memory warning message erroneously displays during solve of simulation
• File size increases significantly by FEA result file being embedded
• The lib file (.adsklib) locked by Inventor can't be checked in and synced to new version from Vault
• Update, Save, and Purge style dialog boxes do not set the default library as the active library
• After changing the material in one subassembly, the material in another subassembly may also change
• After placing and refreshing content center standard components, an incorrect material is assigned
• CER: Suppressed forces from legacy simulations from Dynamic Simulation sometimes cause exit when save
• CER: Unexpected exit occurs when generating iAssembly member after deleting a component with previous work-axis dependency
• CER: Unexpected exit occurs when selecting a top assembly node in the browser while launching a material browser dialog box
• CER: Unexpected exit on close of new part file when all Add-Ins are unloaded
• CER: Unexpected exit when using call Document.SaveAs to publish an Inventor file to a DWF file
• CER: Unexpected exit when calling GetHIconFromBitmapSource
• CER: Unexpected exit when copying components in assembly
• CER: Unexpected exit when deleting appearance and sorting
• CER: Unexpected exit when moving a sketch
• CER: Unexpected exit when re-enter the stress analysis environment with particular weldment assemblies
• CER: Unexpected exit when returning to construction mode after saving in simulation mode
• CER: Unexpected exit with Grip Snap command when clicking Esc after Free Drag
• Hotfix - DL19384851 (Inventor Vault Add-In) - Inventor 2013 unexpectedly exits when checking in files

Here is a link to download Update 2 for Inventor 2013 - Click Here...
Both the 32-bit and 64-bit are included in the download.

Here is a link for the Readme File - Click Here...

This update covers the following products:

• Autodesk Inventor Professional 2013
• Autodesk Inventor 2013
• Autodesk Factory Design Suite Premium 2013
• Autodesk Factory Design Suite Ultimate 2013
• Autodesk Product Design Suite Premium 2013
• Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013

Autodesk Inventor 2013 Books

Now that Autodesk Inventor 2013 has been out for a while, the authors have had the time to get their books updated with all the latest features. Here is a breakdown of all of the books available in Paperback and on the Kindle E-Book Reader. Alot of good selections out there.

Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2013 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2013, By: Curtis Waguespack


Paperback, Price: $45.06
Kindle E-Book, Price: $43.68







Autodesk Inventor 2013 and Inventor LT 2013 Essentials, By: Thom Tremblay


Paperback, Price: $28.38
Kindle E-Book, Price: $27.24








Up and Running with Autodesk Inventor Professional 2013: Part 1 and Part 2, By: Wasim Younis

Part 1, Price: $69.99
Part 2, Price: $59.99






Parametric Modeling with Autodesk Inventor 2013, By: Randy Shih

Paperback, Price: $47.25









Learning Autodesk Inventor 2013, By: Randy Shih


Paperback, Price: $46.12








All of these selections are available in my Inventor Topix Store.

Inventor 2013 Favorite New Sketch Enhancements

Here I am going to show you what I consider my favorite new Sketch Enhancements for Inventor 2013.

1. Origin Plane Display

• When you start the Create 2D Sketch command, the origin planes display. Pick the edge or face of a plane to begin a new 2D sketch.

2. Set Sketch Scale by the First Dimension

• The first dimension in the first part sketch determines the scale of the sketch.

3. Create a two-point-center rectangle

• Use the Two Point Center Rectangle command to create a rectangle defined by a center point and a vertex.

4. Create a three-point-center rectangle

• Use the Three Point Center Rectangle command to create a rectangle defined by a center point and two points that define the size and direction of the rectangle sides.

5. Dimension arc length

• In the sketch enviroment, use the Dimension command, Arc Length option to add arc length dimensions.

6. Display of fully constrained sketches

• A new icon is add to the Part browser to indicate fully constrained 2D sketches. In the Assembly enviroment, the indicator icon updates its appearance when you exit the Sketch enviroment. In the Part enviroment, it updates interactively as you add or remove constraints.

7. Sketch Enviroment Status Bar

• Commands that were previously located on the right-click menu are now available on the Status Bar in both the 2D and 3D sketch enviroments.
• Command on the 2D Status Bar:
• Snap to Grid
• Show all Constraints
• Hide all Constraints
• Dimension Display
• Slice Graphics
• Show All Degrees of Freedom
• Hide All Degrees of Freedom
• Command on the 3D Status Bar:
• Dimension Display

Here is also a YouTube Video showing all of the above mentions.

Top Five Inventor Blogs

Here is my top five blogs that I frequently go to see some of the best content regarding Autodesk Inventor. That of course is not including my own.

These of course are in order of personal preference, quality of content, and how frequently updated.






1. Inventor Tales

• Jonathan Landeros, not only does he cover Inventor but he also throws in some Showcase & Vault. Not only are his posts great, he usually always includes a video explaining how it is done and it usually gets updated weekly.

2. Design & Motion

• John Evans & Scott Moyse, between these two guys, they cover alot of different programs including Inventor, Showcase, Simulation, Civil 3D, Vault. This blog gets frequent updates and the content is always awesome.

 3. Imaginit Manufacturing Solutions

• Mark Flayler, he covers almost exclusively Inventor but he does throw in a mix of other products every once in a while. His explanation of detail is awesome. Always a great site to read.

 4. The CAD Setter Out

• Paul Munford, covers alot of great content including AutoCAD and Inventor. He covers quite a bit of content on the woodworking industry. He also does quite a bit of guest blogging and some other well known blogs.

5. CADToolbox

• Thomas Rambach, always has alot of great content regarding Inventor and is now including great content about Vault and PLM 360. He has also written some great addins for Inventor that can be downloaded from his site or from the Autodesk Exchange Apps Store.