A Refresher On Inventor 2021

From the December 2020 webinar “What’s New with Inventor 2021,” you may remember learning all about the exciting new features included in Autodesk Inventor 2021. Now that those “new” features are getting older, it’s time to take one more look at them before Inventor 2022 takes over. Inventor includes a complete set of professional-grade design and engineering tools.

Features and Benefits

With Inventor 2021, you could expect:

Better innovation.
Less time bringing the product to market.
Associative link enables the use of existing DWGs.
Repurpose non-CAD models.
Parametric and free-form modeling.
Shape generator.
Motion simulation.
Stress analysis.
Illustration and animation tools.
Optimize designs without the need for prototypes.
Cloud-based design reviews.
Tools for routing rigid pipes, flexible hoses and bent tubes.
Advanced tools for visualizing, animating and illustrating.
All necessary fabrication instructions sent directly to the 3D model.
Automated and associative bills of materials.
Generate production-ready drawings without the need for a separate CAD system.
Automate mass customization.
Rules-based design and automation.
Large assembly and drawing performance.
Specialized tools for sheet metal and frame design.
Remove unnecessary geometry from a design.
Optimize loading conditions and target weight.
Open, connected workflow for non-native Inventor data.
“AnyCAD” connection with nine CAD/CAM software programs – no translation required.

And specifically to the 2021 update:

AnyCAD for Revit
Drawing automation
Frame generator enhancements
Better user experience

By using Inventor 2021, you could “get professional-grade mechanical design solutions… go beyond 3D with a single digital model created in Inventor, [and] integrate design data from all phases of your product’s development.”

With add-ins including iLogic and Vault, users could “control parameter and attribute values for the design” and “automate pipe support design within Inventor, whether or not you’re experienced in creating pipe supports.”

See the Autodesk Knowledge Network for system requirements when developing complex models, complex mold assemblies and large assemblies of more than 1,000 parts. Autodesk also provides a list where you can search for tested and certified graphics hardware.

Inventor has undergone intense upgrades since 2018. With Inventor, you can save time and expense when making products. The parametric Inventor 3D digital model “enables the design to be validated on-the-fly under real-world conditions for form, fit and function without needing to build a prototype. Simulation of motion, deflection and stress allows you to optimize the product design. Direct editing and advanced surface modeling features enable the creation of intelligent product components.”

To put it simply: Inventor gets the job done, and the 2021 update offered us the greatest set of Inventor tools to date. Who knows what Inventor 2022 will bring? Whether you use Inventor to animate, invent or visualize your world, you’ll find that connections between products is a foundation of Inventor use.

If you’re interested now in taking a strategic approach to part and assembly design, Inventor advanced assembly modeling training topics include: advanced sweeps, lofts, multi-body design, surface modeling, coils, generative shape design, and freedom modeling. Contact Applied Software to evaluate your workstation and Inventor environment today.