Mastering. Autodesk Inventor 2015 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2015

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3 Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2015 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2015

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5 Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2015 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2015 Curtis Waguespack

6 Senior Acquisitions Editor: Willem Knibbe Development Editor: Alexa Murphy Technical Editor: Luke Larue Production Editor: Dassi Zeidel Copy Editor: Kim Wimpsett Editorial Manager: Pete Gaughan Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley Associate Publisher: Chris Webb Book Designers: Maureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama; Judy Fung Proofreader: Rebecca Rider Indexer: Ted Laux Project Coordinator, Cover: Todd Klemme Cover Designer: Wiley Cover Image: istock.com/peepo Copyright 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada ISBN: ISBN: (ebk) ISBN: (ebk) No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) , fax (978) Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) , fax (201) , or online at Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (877) , outside the U.S. at (317) or fax (317) Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at For more information about Wiley products, visit Library of Congress Control Number: TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Autodesk, Inventor, and Inventor LT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book

7 Dear Reader, Thank you for choosing Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2015 and Autodesk Inventor LT This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching. Sybex was founded in More than 30 years later, we re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles, we re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available. I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an at contactus@sybex.com. If you think you ve found a technical error in this book, please visit Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex. Best regards, Chris Webb Associate Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley

8 To Jennifer for all of the love, support, and encouragement.

9 Acknowledgments This book is a collaborative effort involving many more people than those listed on the cover. Personally, I would like to thank my family, whose patience and understanding made this, and all other pursuits, possible. Professionally, I would like to thank the co-workers, clients, customers, and friends whose input and ideas have helped build the knowledge and experience that I draw from in applying concept to practice. I would like to thank Lucas Larue for the outstanding work he performed as technical editor as well as the many tips and tricks he s contributed to this book as well as my overall knowledge of Autodesk Inventor software. A special thank-you goes out to those who have contributed content to the Mastering Inventor series in the past: Thom Tremblay, Sean Dotson, Bill Bogan, Andrew Faix, Seth Hindman, Loren Jahraus, Shekar Subrahmanyam, Bob Van der Donck, and the late Dennis Jeffrey, all of whom are true masters of Autodesk Inventor. Thank you to the team at Wiley Alexa Murphy, Dassi Zeidel, Kim Wimpsett, Connor O Brien, and Pete Gaughan for their patience, focus, and professionalism, without which there would be no book. Your hard work and support always ease the effort of turning ideas into pages.

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11 About the Author Curtis Waguespack is an Autodesk Expert Elite member and an Autodesk Certified Instructor. He has served as lead author on six previous Autodesk Inventor books, covering Autodesk Inventor 2009 through He has taught Inventor in the classroom and has consulted with and supported manufacturing and design firms in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, consumer products, and industrial machinery. Currently, Curtis uses Inventor daily in a real-world design environment to design and document various product types, starting from the prototype stage and following through to the fully documented project completion. In the past, he has used Inventor to design a wide range of manufactured products, large and small.

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13 Contents at a Glance Introduction xxvii Chapter 1 Getting Started Chapter 2 A Hands-on Test-Drive of the Workflow Chapter 3 Sketch Techniques Chapter 4 Basic Modeling Techniques Chapter 5 Advanced Modeling Techniques Chapter 6 Sheet Metal Chapter 7 Reusing Parts and Features Chapter 8 Assembly Design Workflows Chapter 9 Large Assembly Strategies Chapter 10 Weldment Design Chapter 11 Presentations and Exploded Views Chapter 12 Documentation Chapter 13 Tools Overview Chapter 14 Exchanging Data with Other Systems Chapter 15 Frame Generator Chapter 16 Inventor Studio Chapter 17 Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation Chapter 18 Routed Systems Chapter 19 Plastics Design Features Chapter 20 ilogic Appendix A The Bottom Line Appendix B Autodesk Inventor 2015 Certification Index

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15 Contents Introduction xxvii Chapter 1 Getting Started Understanding Parametric Design Creating a Base Sketch Creating a Base Feature Adding More Features Using the Part in an Assembly Making Changes Understanding History-Based Modeling and Dependencies Taking a Closer Look at Sketch Dimensions Part Modeling Best Practices Assembly Modeling Best Practices Understanding the Feel of Inventor Understanding the Intuitive Interface Using General Tools vs. Specific Commands When in Doubt, Right-Click Using the Graphical Interface Inventor Title Bar Graphics Window Tools The Ribbon Menu The Browser Pane Dialog Boxes and the In-Canvas Mini-Toolbars Task-Based Tools Learning the File Types in Inventor What Is an Inventor Project? Project Files and Search Paths Library Folders and Library Editor IPJ Files Content Center Files How Search Paths and Project Files Are Used Exploring Project File Types Creating a Project File Creating Single-User Projects Creating Multiuser Projects Understanding Inventor Templates Working with Styles, Style Libraries, and Company Standards The Bottom Line Chapter 2 A Hands-on Test-Drive of the Workflow Creating a Part Model Starting with a Part Template

16 XIV CONTENTS Understanding Origin Geometry Creating a Base 2D Sketch Creating a Profile in the Sketch Creating a Base 3D Feature Creating a Secondary 2D Sketch Creating a Secondary 3D Feature Patterning a 3D Feature Creating and Detailing Drawings of Part Models Creating a Base View on a Drawing Creating Projected Views on a Drawing Creating Dimensions on a Drawing Putting Part Models Together in Assembly Files Placing, Rotating, and Moving Parts in an Assembly File Working with Degrees of Freedom in an Assembly Placing Assembly Constraints to Define Mechanical Movement Creating and Detailing Drawings of Assembly Models Creating an Assembly Detail View Placing a Parts List and Balloons Exporting a Drawing to a PDF File The Bottom Line Chapter 3 Sketch Techniques Exploring the Options and Settings for Sketches Application Options Document Settings Sketching Basics Creating a Sketch on an Existing Sketch Projecting Geometry into Your Sketch Breaking Links to Projected Geometry Deleting a Sketch Creating Another New Sketch Creating Dimensions Creating a Sketch in a New Part Creating a New Part File from a Template Creating Lines Using the Line Tool Understanding Sketch Constraints Using Degrees of Freedom to View Underconstrained Sketch Elements Using Dimensions to Fully Constrain a Sketch Understanding the Save Options Making a Sketch Active for Edits Using Construction Geometry Using the Polygon Tool and Creating an Aligned Dimension Using Offset and Creating a Three-Point Rectangle Creating Driven Dimensions

17 CONTENTS XV Taking a Closer Look at Sketch Constraints The Tangent Constraint The Perpendicular Constraint The Parallel Constraint The Coincident Constraint The Concentric Constraint The Collinear Constraint The Horizontal Constraint The Vertical Constraint The Equal Constraint The Fix Constraint The Symmetric Constraint The Smooth Constraint Gaining More Sketch Skills Creating Arcs Creating Automatic Tangents with the Line Tool Understanding the Point/Center Point Tool Projecting Geometry Learning More about Dimensions Measuring Geometry Creating Sketches from AutoCAD Geometry Importing Existing AutoCAD Designs Copying and Pasting Existing AutoCAD Designs into Inventor Creating and Using 3D Sketches Creating a 3D Path Using the 3D Coordinate Triad Exploring More 3D Sketch Tools Best Practices for Working with Sketches The Bottom Line Chapter 4 Basic Modeling Techniques Exploring Application Options and Settings for Part Modeling Specifying Global Settings Specifying Document-Specific Settings Key Concepts for Creating Basic Part Features Simplifying Your Sketches Exploring the Extrude Tool Extruding Basic Features Editing an Extrusion Feature Extruding with Cut and Taper Extruding with Intersect Extruding Surfaces from Open Profiles Extruding Solids from Open Profiles Extruding with To Extruding with the Minimum Solution Option Extruding with To Next

18 XVI CONTENTS Extruding Between Extruding Multi-body Solids Creating Revolved Parts Revolved Cylindrical Parts vs. Stacked Circular Extrusions Creating Revolved Parts Creating Work Features Work Planes Work Axes and Work Points Creating Fillets Edge Fillets Face Fillets Full Round Fillets Working with Fillet Features Creating Threaded Features Creating Cosmetic Threads Using the Thread Tool Using the Coil Tool to Create Physical Threads Hole Features Using the Thread and Clearance Spreadsheets Creating Holes in Parts Setting Tolerance Values in Holes Bend Parts Part Modeling Exercise Creating a Base Feature Creating a Second Feature Creating a Sketch-Based Hole Feature Creating a Rectangular Hole Pattern Editing Sketches and Features Repairing Features and Sketches The Bottom Line Chapter 5 Advanced Modeling Techniques Creating Complex Sweeps and Lofts Creating and Using Sweeps Exploring Sweep Options Creating Loft Features Creating a Part Using Loft and Sculpt Creating Multi-body Parts Creating Multiple Solids Using One Solid to Shape Another Creating Derived Parts and Assemblies Creating Derived Parts Deriving a Part File Deriving an Assembly File Modifying Derived Parts Using the Component Derive Tool

19 CONTENTS XVII Working with Patterns Rectangular Patterns Circular Patterns Patterns along Curves The Coil Tool and Spiral Patterns Pattern Solids Dynamic Patterns Setting iproperties and Parameters iproperties Part Parameters Assembly Parameters Adding Part Tolerances Tolerances in Sketches Setting Global File Tolerances Working with Limits and Fits Working with Free-Form Modeling and Direct Editing Tools Free-Form Modeling Using the Direct Edit Tool Troubleshooting Failures with the End-of-Part Marker Step 1: Editing the First Feature Step 2: Moving the EOP Marker Down One Feature at a Time The Bottom Line Chapter 6 Sheet Metal Understanding Sheet-Metal Parts Getting to Know the Features Starting with a Base Feature Creating Secondary Flange Features Adding, Removing, or Deforming Material Using Sheet-Metal Templates and Rules What Are Sheet-Metal Rules? Working with Styles and Templates Working with the Flat Pattern Exploring the Flat Pattern Edit Features Adding Manufacturing Information to the Flat Pattern Using the Flat Pattern Definition Dialog Box Manufacturing Your Flat Pattern Using Sheet-Metal ipart Factories iparts for Configurations iparts for Fold Progression Modeling with Non-Sheet-Metal Features Selecting Problematic Features Using Surface-Based Workflows Working with Imported Parts Setting Yourself Up for Success Converting Components

20 XVIII CONTENTS Annotating Your Sheet-Metal Design Creating a View of Your Sheet-Metal Design Adding Bend, Punch, and Flat Pattern Annotations The Bottom Line Chapter 7 Reusing Parts and Features Working with iparts Creating and Modifying iparts Using iparts in Designs Working with ifeatures Creating ifeatures Creating Punch Features Reusing Existing Geometry Copying Features Cloning Linking Parameters Between Two Files Copying Sketches Introducing Content Center Configuring Content Center Using Content Center Publishing Parts to Content Center The Bottom Line Chapter 8 Assembly Design Workflows Assembly Relationships Degrees of Freedom Grounded Components How the Constrain Tool Works How the Joint Tool Works Working with Constraints Additional Constrain Tools and Options Working with Joint Relationships Understanding Subassemblies Top-Down Design Developing an Efficient Assembly Workflow Layout Sketches Flexibility Adaptivity Creating Adaptivity Removing Adaptivity from Parts Assembly Features Managing the Bill of Materials Parts-Level BOM Control Assembly-Level BOM Control Assembly Reuse and Configurations Copying Designs

21 CONTENTS XIX Using Representations Using iassemblies Use Assembly Design Accelerators Functional Design vs. Geometric Modeling Working with Design Accelerators The Bottom Line Chapter 9 Large Assembly Strategies Selecting a Workstation Physical Memory vs. Virtual Memory Hardware Working with Performance Settings Express Mode Working with Drawing Settings Working with Model Display Settings Working with General Settings Using the Memory Probe Working with System Settings Large Assembly Best Practices Working with the Model Improving File Open Time Reducing Assembly Constraints Adaptivity Selection Tools View Representations Find Opening the Model Working with Large Assembly Drawings Managing Assembly Detail LOD Strategies Substitute LODs Subassembly LODs Simplifying Parts Removing or Suppressing Unneeded Features The Bottom Line Chapter 10 Weldment Design Exploring Weldment Design Methodologies Part Files and Part Features Weldment Assembly and Derived Technology Weldment Assembly Multi-body Part Files Modeling Preparations Exploring Cosmetic Welds Create a Simple Cosmetic Weld

22 XX CONTENTS Using Split Faces to Place Cosmetic Welds Place Cosmetic Welds with Extents Creating Weld Beads Creating Fillet Welds Modeling a Fillet Weld Fillet Welds and Gaps Creating Intermittent Fillet Welds Creating Groove Welds Performing Machining Operations Exploring Weld Properties and Combinations Weld Properties Replication Groove and Fillet Weld Combinations Split Technique Using the Weld Symbol Understanding Bead Property Report and Mass Properties Creating Drawing Documentation Weldment Design Stages End Fill Drawing Weld Symbol Caterpillar Generating a Bill of Materials and Parts List The Bottom Line Chapter 11 Presentations and Exploded Views Working in the Presentation Environment Creating a Basic Explosion Creating Linear Tweaks Creating Advanced Presentations Creating Rotational Tweaks Creating Tweaks with Drag and Drop Understanding Tweak Trails More About Tweaks Create Multiple Views/Explosions Save Camera Understanding Group, Reorder, and Animate Tweaks Creating and Sharing Assembly Instructions The Bottom Line Chapter 12 Documentation Using the Drawing Manager Creating Templates and Styles Understanding Template Locations Choosing a File Format Utilizing Drawing Resources Sheet Size Multiple Sheets

23 CONTENTS XXI Creating a Border Creating a Title Block Prompted Entry Sketched Symbols AutoCAD Blocks Sheet Formats Transfer Drawing Resources Editing Styles and Standards Object Defaults Creating Styles Working with Substyles Drawing Style Administration Creating Drawing Views Creating a Base View Creating Projected Views Moving and Copying Views Creating Section Views Slice Views Using Breakout Views Using Detail Views Creating Break Views Cropping Views Using Draft Views Creating Overlay Views Annotating Part Drawings Using Centerline and Center Marks Creating Dimensions Hole and Thread Notes Leadered Symbols Drawing Text General Tables Hole Tables Annotating Assembly Drawings Assembly Representations Reference Data in Drawing Views Interference and Tangent Edge Display Parts Lists Balloons Center of Gravity Display Working with Sheet-Metal Drawings Flat Pattern Views Bend Centerlines and Extents Bend and Punch Notes Bend Tables Punch Tables Working with Weldment Views

24 XXII CONTENTS Working with iparts and iassembly Drawings Sharing Your Drawings Outside Your Workgroup Additional Resources The Bottom Line Chapter 13 Tools Overview Exploring the BIM Exchange Assembly Model Simplification Part Model Simplification Model Authoring Model Publishing Using AutoLimits Creating AutoLimits Editing AutoLimits Using the Design Assistant Using the Find Files Tool Using the Where Used Tool Renaming, Copying, and Replacing Files Using Pack And Go Using the Drawing Resource Transfer Wizard Using the Style Library Manager Using the Task Scheduler Creating a Task for Migrating Files Performing Sequential Tasks Performing Custom Tasks Tweaking Multi-Process Settings Publishing DWF Files and Filenames Using iproperties Copying iproperties to Drawings Creating Expressions with iproperties Working with the Design Assistant and iproperties Creating Design Property Reports Using the Measure Tools Using Measurement Helpers Measuring in Assemblies Participating in the CIP and CER Participating in the CIP Participating in CER Using Miscellaneous Tools Using the Autodesk Multi-Sheet Plot Tool Using the Add-In Manager Using the Project Editor The Bottom Line Chapter 14 Exchanging Data with Other Systems Importing and Exporting Geometry Translating DWG and DXF Files

25 CONTENTS XXIII Mechanical Desktop DWG STEP and IGES SAT Using Inventor File Translators CATIA Import Options Pro/ENGINEER Import Options Unigraphics and Parasolids Import Options SolidWorks Import Options Rhino Import Options IDF Board Files Placing Components from Other CAD Systems Working with Imported Data Repair Tools Edit Solid Tools Viewing DWF Markup Publishing a DWF or DWFx File Reviewing and Marking Up DWF and DWFx Files Accessing DWF or DWFx Markups in Inventor The Bottom Line Chapter 15 Frame Generator Accessing Frame Generator Tools Exploring the Frame Generator File Structure Exploring the Anatomy of a Frame Member Inserting Frame Members Specifying a Structural Shape Changing the Orientation Selecting Placement Geometry Creating a Basic Frame Aligning Frame Members Using the Change Tool Adding End Treatments Miter Trim/Extend to Face Trim to Frame Member Notch Frame Members Lengthen/Shorten Frame Member Reuse Frame Members Maintaining Frames Remove End Treatments Frame Member Information Refresh Performing Calculations and Analysis The Beam and Column Calculator Publishing Frame Members Authoring a Part Publishing a Part

26 XXIV CONTENTS Frame Assemblies and BOMs The Bottom Line Chapter 16 Inventor Studio Exploring the Inventor Studio Environment Creating and Managing Styles Applying Appearance Styles Creating Appearance Styles and Appearance Libraries Exploring Lighting and Lighting Styles Exploring the Scene Styles Dialog Box Composing and Rendering Images Animating with Inventor Studio Using Animation Tools Using Video Producer Rendering Video or Animations The Bottom Line Chapter 17 Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation Introduction to Analysis Conducting Stress Analysis Simulations Simulation Guide Static Stress vs. Modal Analysis Simplifying Your Model Specifying Materials Applying Simulation Constraints Applying Loads Specifying Contact Conditions Preparing Thin Bodies Generating a Mesh Running the Simulation Interpreting the Results Using the Result, Scaling, Display, and Report Tools Conducting Parameter Studies Conducting a Frame Analysis Frame Analysis Settings Frame Constraints Frame Loads Connections Results Conducting Dynamic Simulations Working with Joints More on Working with Joints Working with Redundancy Working with Environmental Constraints Running a Simulation Exporting to FEA

27 CONTENTS XXV Using the Dynamic Simulation Information in Stress Analysis The Bottom Line Chapter 18 Routed Systems Tube and Pipe Understanding Routes, Runs, and Assembly Structure Exploring the Tube and Pipe Styles Placing Fittings Creating Routes Exporting ISOGEN Files Cable and Harness Creating and Placing Electrical Parts Creating a Harness Placing Wires Using the Cable & Harness Library Placing Cables Placing and Editing Segments Copying Cable and Harness Designs Creating Nailboard Drawings The Bottom Line Chapter 19 Plastics Design Features Creating Thicken/Offset Features Creating Shell Features Creating Split Features Creating Grill Features Creating Rule Fillet Features Creating Rest Features Creating Boss Features Creating Lip and Groove Features Creating Snap Fit Features Creating Rib and Web Features Creating Draft Features Mold Design Overview Inventor Tooling Importing a Plastic Part Creating Runners and Gates Analyzing and Creating Cores and Cavities Working with Mold Bases Working with Ejectors and Sprue Bushings The Bottom Line Chapter 20 ilogic What Is ilogic? Understanding ilogic Rules

28 XXVI CONTENTS What Are Functions? Conditional Statements Understanding the ilogic Elements and Interface Exploring ilogic Parameter Types Using the ilogic Browser Understanding the itrigger Working with Event Triggers Creating ilogic Parameters, Rules, and Forms Creating ilogic Rules Creating ilogic Forms Working with ilogic Components ilogic Design Copy The Bottom Line Appendix A The Bottom Line Chapter 1: Getting Started Chapter 2: A Hands-on Test-Drive of the Workflow Chapter 3: Sketch Techniques Chapter 4: Basic Modeling Techniques Chapter 5: Advanced Modeling Techniques Chapter 6: Sheet Metal Chapter 7: Reusing Parts and Features Chapter 8: Assembly Design Workflows Chapter 9: Large Assembly Strategies Chapter 10: Weldment Design Chapter 11: Presentations and Exploded Views Chapter 12: Documentation Chapter 13: Tools Overview Chapter 14: Exchanging Data with Other Systems Chapter 15: Frame Generator Chapter 16: Inventor Studio Chapter 17: Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation Chapter 18: Routed Systems Chapter 19: Plastics Design Features Chapter 20: ilogic Appendix B Autodesk Inventor 2015 Certification Index

29 Introduction The Autodesk Inventor program was introduced in 1999 as an ambitious 3D parametric modeler based not on the familiar Autodesk AutoCAD software programming architecture but instead on a separate foundation that would provide the room needed to grow into the fully featured modeler it is now, more than a decade later. Autodesk Inventor 2015 continues the development of Autodesk Inventor with improved modeling, drawing, assembly, and visualization tools. Autodesk has set out to improve this release of Autodesk Inventor by devoting as much time and energy to improving existing tools and features as it has to adding new ones. With this book, the sixth edition of Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2015 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2015, I have set out to update the existing pages and add new content and exercises. In these pages, you will find detailed information on the specifics of the tools and the principles of sound parametric design techniques. Some readers will find this book works best for them as a desktop reference, whereas others will use it primarily for the step-by-step tutorials. With this in mind, I ve worked to shape the pages of this book with a mix of reference material, instructional steps, and tips and hints from the real world. Who Should Read This Book This book is written with a wide range of Autodesk Inventor users in mind, varying from beginner to advanced users and Autodesk Inventor instructors: Beginner Autodesk Inventor users who are making the move from traditional 2D CAD design to Autodesk Inventor These readers might have experience with AutoCAD and will possess an understanding of basic design and engineering concepts as well as a desire to improve their skill set and stay competitive in the marketplace. Intermediate Autodesk Inventor users who are self-taught or have gone through formal Autodesk Inventor training during their company s initial implementation of Autodesk Inventor and who are looking for more information on a specific module within Autodesk Inventor. This book also targets users looking for a desktop reference to turn to when they come upon an area of Autodesk Inventor they do not encounter on a day-to-day basis. Advanced Autodesk Inventor users who have mastered the Autodesk Inventor tools used over and over daily but want to conquer the parts of the program they do not utilize during their normal design tasks. This book also targets advanced users who want to add to their skill set to move up the ranks within their current company or want to expand their knowledge in pursuit of a new position with another employer.

30 XXVIII INTRODUCTION Autodesk Inventor users of any skill and experience level who are preparing for the Autodesk Inventor Associate or Professional exam. CAD and engineering instructors looking for a text to use in instructor-led classroom training. Attempting to learn all the tools in Autodesk Inventor can be an intimidating experience because of the wide range of task-specific modules available. It is the goal of this book to separate these modules into easy-to-tackle chapters relating to real-world situations for which the tools were designed while also including chapters on general Autodesk Inventor tools, techniques, and design principles. What You Will Learn The following pages will explain the Autodesk Inventor settings while teaching you how each tool functions. Just as importantly, though, these pages are filled with the tips and techniques learned by the experts who spent years using, researching, and discussing the tools in Autodesk Inventor. You should come away from reading this book with a solid understanding of the capabilities of Autodesk Inventor and a strong idea of how to tackle your design challenges in the future, as well as an abundance of time-saving tips and tricks. What You Will Need The files needed to complete the tutorial projects in this book can be downloaded from the Sybex website at the following location: Download the collection of zip files and extract all the files to a folder on your computer, such as \My Documents\Mastering Inventor In this folder you will have a subdirectory for each of the 20 chapters, plus a couple of other folders, as well as a file called Mastering Inventor 2015.ipj, as shown here: Once the files are in place, set the Mastering Inventor 2015 project as the active project by following these steps. Note that if you are using Autodesk Inventor LT, the use of project files does not apply, and you can skip these steps: