CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
20 October 2004
Product News
Autodesk Inventor Series Subscription Customers Enjoy a Preview of New Functional Design Features
Autodesk, Inc. announced a preview of significant new functionality for subscription customers of Autodesk Inventor® Series software and Autodesk Inventor Professional. Subscription customers will receive early access to new tools that will enhance their ability to quickly arrive at accurate and optimal designs. This is another component of Autodesk's new design standard called "Functional Design," creating a different, more direct way to design in 3D. With Functional Design, only Autodesk helps manufacturing customers progress beyond parametric modeling and fully leverage the Autodesk Inventor product line to bring better products to market faster.
This preview of Design Accelerator tools, reflects the integration of technology acquired from MechSoft.com, Inc., announced in February, 2004. With this technology, product designers can focus on their product's end function rather than its form. The Design Accelerator preview will include elements such as a dynamic engineering reference database, mechanical calculators and a component generator to create frequently used machine parts based on real-world attributes such as speed, power and material properties. These tools supplement the geometric design capabilities of Autodesk Inventor Series with engineering-driven design functionality.
Engineers will be able to design their end products based on how they will function, rather than based on their CAD-generated geometric properties. The functional, or independent model of the design, drives the CAD model. For example, engineers can specify gears based on loading and reduction ratios rather than size and placement, and the software automatically generates the geometry as needed.
"This preview delivers another component of our Functional Design plan that gives customers a better way to design in 3D," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Manufacturing Solutions Division at Autodesk. "The new Design Accelerator tools, as well as finite element analysis functionality recently announced as part of the Autodesk Inventor product line, allows customers not only to optimize design and cut out an entire level of engineering busy work, but also avoid over-engineering-which helps them bring better products to market faster for competitive advantage."
The Design Accelerator preview is available to Autodesk Inventor Series and Autodesk Inventor Professional subscription customers as a download from http://www.autodesk.com/subscription .
Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.
Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.
CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.