Master the "Inventor" way of 3D mechanical design with this expert guide This Autodesk Official Training Guide is your best resource for learning how to create, document, and verify your design using Autodesk's powerful Inventor 2012 software. Mastering Inventor is a detailed reference and tutorial that quickly covers Inventor basics before moving on to detail topics rarely documented elsewhere, such as configuring your design with iLogic, practical ways to work with large assemblies, using 2D and 3D data from other CAD systems, working with styles and standards, designing and detailing weldments and frames, and working with Tube and Pipe and Cable and Harness design tools. Expert author Curtis Waguespack draws on his extensive Inventor experience across multiple industries to provide you with a wealth of real-world tips, tricks, and techniques so readers can improve designs, work productively, and employ Inventor and industry-standard best practices. This Mastering book is recommended as a Certification Preparation study guide resource for the Inventor Associate and Professional exams. Covers all the new features in Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Inventor LT 2012 Written by Inventor Certified Expert and Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert Curtis Waguespack, who draws on his extensive Inventor experience across multiple industries Provides a wealth of real-world tips, tricks, and techniques for using Inventor in professional environments Covers rapid digital prototyping, designing weldments and frames, sheet metal design, conducting dynamic simulation and stress analysis, and much more Helps you prepare for the Autodesk Inventor 2012 Certified Associate and Certified Professional exams Want to master Autodesk Inventor? Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Inventor LT 2012 is the resource you need.

Table of Contents:
Introduction  xxvii Chapter 1 • Inventor Design Philosophy 1 Understanding Parametric Design  1 Creating a Base Sketch 1 Creating a Base Feature 2 Adding More Features 2 Using the Part in an Assembly 3 Making Changes 3 Understanding History-Based Modeling and Dependencies  4 Looking Closer at Sketch Dimensions 5 Part Modeling Best Practices 6 Assembly Modeling Best Practices  8 Understanding the “Feel” of Inventor 10 Understanding the Intuitive Interface 10 Using General Tools vs. Specific Commands 11 When in Doubt, Right-Click  12 Using the Inventor Graphical Interface  13 Inventor Title Bar  13 Inventor Graphics Window Tools 15 The Ribbon Menu 18 The Browser Pane 20 Task-Based Dialog Boxes 25 Learning the File Types in Inventor  27 Why So Many File Types? 27 Drawing Files in Inventor  28 Moving from AutoCAD to Inventor  30 3D Models vs. 3D Virtual Prototypes 31 What Is a 3D Virtual Prototype?  31 Why a 3D Virtual Prototype? 31 Understanding Functional Design  33 The Design Accelerator  34 The Bolted Connection Generator  34 The Frame Generator  35 The Inventor Studio  35 The Content Center 35 The Bottom Line 35 Chapter 2 • Data and Projects  37 What Is an Inventor Project?  37 Project Files and Search Paths  38 Library Folders  40 Content Center Files 41 How Search Paths and Project Files Are Used 41 Exploring Project File Types 42 Creating the Project File  44 Creating Single-User Projects 45 Creating Multiuser Projects  53 Understanding Inventor Templates 55 Working with Styles, Style Libraries, and Company Standards 55 The Bottom Line 59 Chapter 3 • Sketch Techniques . 61 Exploring the Options and Settings for Sketches 61 Application Options 62 Document Settings 66 Sketching Basics 67 Creating a Sketch in a New Part  72 Creating a New Part File from a Template  72 Creating Lines Using the Line Tool 73 Understanding Sketch Constraints  75 Using Degrees of Freedom to View Underconstrained Sketch Elements  77 Using Dimensions to Fully Constrain a Sketch 78 Understanding the Save Options 81 Making a Sketch Active for Edits 82 Using Construction Geometry 82 Using the Polygon Tool and Creating an Aligned Dimension  84 Using Offset and Creating a Three-Point Rectangle 85 Creating Driven Dimensions  88 Taking a Closer Look at Sketch Constraints  90 Tangent Constraint 90 Perpendicular Constraint  91 Parallel Constraint  92 Coincident Constraint  92 Concentric Constraint  93 Collinear Constraint 94 Horizontal Constraint  94 Vertical Constraint  95 Equal Constraint 96 Fix Constraint  96 Symmetric Constraint  97 Smooth Constraint  98 Gaining More Sketch Skills  99 Creating Arcs 99 Creating Automatic Tangents with the Line Tool  101 Understanding the Point/Center Point tool 101 Projecting Geometry  102 Learning More About Dimensions  102 Measuring Geometry 106 Creating Sketches from AutoCAD Geometry 107 Importing Existing AutoCAD Designs 107 Copying and Pasting Existing AutoCAD Designs into Inventor  109 Creating and Using 3D Sketches 110 Creating a 3D Path  110 Using the 3D Coordinate Triad and Precise Redefine  111 Exploring More 3D Sketch Tools  114 Best Practices for Working with Sketches  119 The Bottom Line 120 Chapter 4 • Basic Modeling Techniques 123 Exploring Application Options and Settings for Part Modeling  123 Specifying Global Settings  124 Specifying Document-Specific Settings  125 Creating Basic Part Features 132 Simplifying Your Sketches  135 Creating a Base Feature 136 Creating a Second Feature 138 Creating a Sketch-Based Hole Feature  140 Creating a Rectangular Hole Pattern 143 Editing Sketches and Features  145 Repairing Features and Sketches 148 Exploring the Extrude Tool 150 Extruding with Cut and Taper . 150 Extruding with Intersect 151 Extruding Surfaces from Open Profiles  152 Extruding Solids from Open Profiles  153 Extruding with To 154 Extruding with To Next 157 Extruding Between 157 Extruding Multibodies 158 Creating Revolved Parts and Threads  160 Creating Revolved Cylindrical Parts 160 Creating Extruded Cylindrical Parts 161 Creating Threaded Features 164 Creating Work Features  166 Work Planes 167 Work Axes and Work Points 172 Creating Fillets 176 Edge Fillets 176 Face Fillets  178 Full Round Fillets 179 Working with Fillet Features  179 Hole Features 181 Using the Thread and Clearance Spreadsheets 181 Creating Holes in Parts  182 Setting Tolerance Values in Holes  185 Bend Parts  186 The Bottom Line 187 Chapter 5 • Advanced Modeling Techniques  189 Creating Complex Sweeps and Lofts  189 Creating and Using Sweeps  190 Exploring Sweep Options  192 Creating Loft Features 196 Creating a Part Using Loft and Sculpt 203 Creating Multi-body Parts  205 Creating Multiple Solids  205 Using One Solid to Shape Another  208 Creating Derived Parts and Assemblies 212 Creating Derived Parts  212 Deriving a Part File 212 Deriving an Assembly File  213 Modifying Derived Parts 214 Using the Component Derive Tool 214 Using Nonlinear-Derived Part Scaling 215 Working with Patterns  215 Rectangular Patterns  216 Circular Patterns 217 Patterns Along Curves 219 Spiral Patterns 220 Pattern Solids 222 Dynamic Patterns 225 Setting Parameters and iProperties 226 iProperties  226 Part Parameters 227 Assembly Parameters 233 Adding Part Tolerances 233 Tolerances in Sketches  234 Setting Global File Tolerances 235 Working with Limits and Fits 237 Troubleshooting Failures with the End-of-Part Marker 240 Step 1: Editing the First Feature 240 Step 2: Moving the EOP Marker Down One Feature at a Time 242 The Bottom Line 243 Chapter 6 • Sheet Metal 245 Understanding Sheet-Metal Parts 245 Getting to Know the Features  246 Starting with a Base Feature 246 Creating Secondary Flange Features 252 Adding, Removing, or Deforming Material 261 Using Sheet-Metal Templates and Rules  277 What Are Sheet-Metal Rules? 277 Working with Styles and Templates  284 Working with the Flat Pattern  285 Exploring the Flat Pattern Edit Features 285 Adding Manufacturing Information to the Flat Pattern  286 Using the Flat Pattern Definition Dialog Box 287 Manufacturing Your Flat Pattern 288 Using Sheet-Metal iPart Factories  288 iParts for Configurations 288 iParts for Fold Progression 289 Modeling with Non-Sheet-Metal Features 289 Selecting Problematic Features 289 Using Surface-Based Workflows  290 Working with Imported Parts  290 Setting Yourself Up for Success  291 Converting Components  291 Annotating Your Sheet-Metal Design 292 Creating a View of Your Sheet-Metal Design 292 Adding Bend, Punch, and Flat Pattern Annotations  293 Harvesting Legacy Sheet-Metal Templates  296 Parameter Indirection  296 The Hidden Tools of Harvesting  297 The Bottom Line 299 Chapter 7 • Part and Feature Reuse  301 Working with iParts 301 Creating and Modifying iParts 302 Using iParts in Designs  314 Working with iFeatures 315 Creating iFeatures 316 Creating Punch Features 321 Reusing Existing Geometry 325 Copying Features  325 Cloning 327 Linking Parameters between Two Files  327 Copying Sketches  329 Introducing Content Center 331 Configuring Content Center 331 Using Content Center 333 Customizing Content Center Libraries 337 Publishing Parts to Content Center 341 The Bottom Line 345 Chapter 8 • Assembly-Design Workflows 347 Assembly Constraints 348 How Constraints Work  348 Degrees of Freedom  349 Grounded Components 351 Working with Constraints 351 Motion Constraints 361 Additional Constrain Tools and Options  364 Understanding Subassemblies 370 Top-Down Design  371 Developing an Efficient Assembly Workflow  372 Layout Sketches 376 Flexibility 378 Adaptivity 379 Creating Adaptivity  380 Removing Adaptivity from Parts 381 Assembly Features 382 Managing the Bill of Materials  384 Parts-Level BOM Control 385 Assembly-Level BOM Control  385 Assembly Reuse and Configurations  392 Copying Designs 392 Using Representations 395 Using iAssemblies  404 The Bottom Line 409 Chapter 9 • Large Assembly Strategies 411 Selecting a Workstation 411 Physical Memory vs. Virtual Memory  411 64-bit Systems vs. 32-bit Systems  413 Hardware 414 Working with Performance Settings 416 Working with Drawing Settings  416 Working with Model Display Settings  419 Working with General Settings 421 Working with System Settings 424 Large Assembly Best Practices 425 Working with the Model  426 Improving File Open Time  426 Reducing Assembly Constraints  426 Opening the Model 432 Working with Large Assembly Drawings  434 Managing Assembly Detail  437 LOD Strategies 437 Substitute LODs  439 Subassembly LODs 442 Simplifying Parts   443 Removing or Suppressing Unneeded Features  444 Working with Colors  445 The Bottom Line 446 Chapter 10 • Weldment Design 449 Exploring Weldment Design Methodologies 449 Modeling Preparations  453 Exploring Cosmetic Welds  455 Creating Weld Beads 458 Creating Fillet Welds 459 Modeling a Fillet Weld 460 Creating Intermittent Fillet Welds 463 Creating Groove Welds 463 Performing Machining Operations 466 Exploring Weld Properties and Combinations 467 Weld Properties 467 Replication 468 Groove and Fillet Weld Combinations  468 Split Technique  469 Using the Weld Symbol 472 Understanding Bead Property Report and Mass Properties  473 Creating Drawing Documentation  474 Weldment Design Stages 476 End Fill 477 Drawing Weld Symbol 478 Caterpillar  479 Generating a Bill of Materials and Parts List 481 The Bottom Line 482 Chapter 11 • Functional Design 483 Geometric Modeling vs. Functional Design  483 A General Introduction to Design Accelerators  485 Design Accelerators Input 485 Design Accelerators Output  487 Design Generators and Content Center 490 Bolted Connections  492 Calculators 497 Generators 501 Gear Generator  501 Key Connections 505 Shaft Generator 508 Cam Generator  514 Spring Generator 520 Additional Resources 523 The Bottom Line 524 Chapter 12 • Documentation 525 Working in the Presentation Environment  525 Creating a Basic Explosion  525 Creating Advanced Presentations  529 Using the Drawing Manager  534 Creating Templates and Styles 535 Understanding Template Locations 535 Choosing a File Format  536 Utilizing Drawing Resources 537 Sheet Size  538 Multiple Sheets  538 Creating a Border  539 Creating a Title Block 540 iProperties  542 General File Properties 544 Prompted Entry 546 Sketched Symbols 547 AutoCAD Blocks 550 Sheet Formats  550 Transfer Drawing Resources 551 Editing Styles and Standards 552 Object Defaults  552 Creating Styles 556 Working with Substyles 557 Drawing Style Administration 558 Creating Drawing Views 559 Creating a Base View  559 Creating Projected Views  561 Moving and Copying Views 563 Creating Sections Views  564 Slice Views 568 Using Breakout Views  568 Using Detail Views 572 Creating Break Views 573 Cropping Views  575 Using Draft Views 576 Creating Overlay Views 576 Annotating Part Drawings 577 Using Centerline and Center Marks . 577 Creating Dimensions  581 Annotating Assembly Drawings 600 Assembly Representations  600 Reference Data in Drawing Views 603 Interference and Tangent Edge Display  604 Parts Lists 604 Balloons  606 Center of Gravity Display  608 Working with Sheet-Metal Drawings 609 Flat Pattern Views 609 Bend Centerlines and Extents 610 Bend and Punch Notes 610 Bend Tables  611 Punch Tables  612 Working with Weldment Views 613 Working with iParts and iAssembly Drawings  616 Sharing Your Drawings Outside Your Workgroup  617 Additional Resources 617 The Bottom Line 618 Chapter 13 • Inventor Tools Overview  619 Exploring the BIM Exchange  619 Model Simplification  620 Model Authoring  620 Model Publishing  621 Using AutoLimits 623 Creating AutoLimits 625 Editing AutoLimits 628 Using the Design Assistant 628 Using the Find Files Tool 630 Using the Where Used Tool 631 Renaming, Copying, and Replacing Files 632 Using Pack And Go  634 Using the Drawing Resource Transfer Wizard 637 Using Style Tools  638 Using the Style Library Manager 638 Using the Style Management Wizard  640 Exploring the Supplier Content Center  642 Using the Task Scheduler  643 Creating a Task for Migrating Files 644 Performing Sequential Tasks  646 Performing Custom Tasks 646 Tweaking Multi-Process Settings 646 Publishing DWF Files and Filenames  647 Using iProperties  647 Copying iProperties to Drawings  649 Creating Expressions with iProperties  650 Working with the DA and iProperties 652 Creating Design Property Reports 653 Using the Measure Tools 653 Using Measurement Helpers  654 Measuring in Assemblies  655 Participating in the CIP and CER  655 Participating in the CIP  656 Participating in CER 656 Using Miscellaneous Tools 657 Using the Autodesk Multi-Sheet Plot Tool  657 Using the Add-In Manager 658 Using the Project Editor 658 The Bottom Line 659 Chapter 14 • Exchanging Data with Other Systems  661 Importing and Exporting Geometry 661 DWG  662 Mechanical Desktop (MDT) DWG 666 STEP and IGES  667 SAT  670 Using Inventor File Translators  672 CATIA Import Options  673 Pro/ENGINEER Import Options 674 Unigraphics and Parasolids Import Options 676 SolidWorks Import Options  677 Rhino Import Options  678 IDF Board Files  679 Placing Components from Other CAD Systems  679 Working with Imported Data 680 Working in the Construction Environment  680 Editing Imported Data Using Inventor Fusion  685 Viewing DWF Markup  688 Publishing a DWF or DWFx File  688 Reviewing and Marking Up DWF and DWFx Files  690 Accessing DWF or DWFx Markups in Inventor 691 The Bottom Line 692 Chapter 15 • Frame Generator  695 Accessing the Frame Generator Tools 695 Exploring the Frame Generator File Structure  696 Exploring the Anatomy of a Frame Member 698 Inserting Frame Members  700 Specifying a Structural Shape  700 Changing the Orientation 700 Selecting Placement Geometry 702 Create a Basic Frame 703 Aligning Frame Members 705 Using the Change Tool 707 Adding End Treatments  708 Miter  709 Trim/Extend to Face 711 Trim to Frame Member  712 Notch Frame Members 712 Lengthen/Shorten Frame Member  713 Maintaining Frames  714 Remove End Treatments  714 Frame Member Information  714 Refresh  714 Performing Calculations and Analysis 715 The Beam and Column Calculator 716 Publishing Frame Members 724 Authoring a Part 724 Publishing a Part 727 Frame Assemblies and BOMs  728 The Bottom Line 729 Chapter 16 • Inventor Studio 731 Exploring the Inventor Studio Environment 731 Creating and Managing Studio Styles  732 Exploring the Surface Styles Dialog Box 733 Exploring Lighting and Lighting Styles  740 Exploring the Scene Styles Dialog Box  747 Composing and Rendering Images 751 Animating with Studio 756 Using Animation Tools  757 Using Video Producer  766 Rendering Video or Animations  768 Additional Resources 770 The Bottom Line 770 Chapter 17 • Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation  773 Introduction to Analysis 773 Conducting Stress Analysis Simulations 774 Simulation Guide  775 Static Stress vs. Modal Analysis 776 Simplifying Your Model  776 Specifying Materials 777 Applying Simulation Constraints  777 Applying Loads 778 Specifying Contact Conditions 781 Generating a Mesh  782 Running the Simulation 785 Interpreting the Results 785 Using the Result, Scaling, Display, and Report Tools 786 Conducting Parameter Studies 787 Conducting a Frame Analysis 791 Frame Analysis Settings  791 Frame Constraints 791 Frame Loads  792 Connections 793 Results 793 Conducting Dynamic Simulations  794 Working with Joints  795 More on Working with Joints  799 Working with Redundancy 800 Working with Environmental Constraints 801 Running a Simulation 807 Exporting to FEA 810 Using the Dynamic Simulation Information in Stress Analysis  811 The Bottom Line 811 Chapter 18 • Routed Systems  813 Tube and Pipe 813 Understanding Routes, Runs, and Assembly Structure 813 Exploring the Tube and Pipe Styles 815 Placing Fittings  820 Creating Routes 821 Exporting ISOGEN Files  830 Cable and Harness 830 Creating and Placing Electrical Parts  831 Creating a Harness 834 Placing Wires 836 Using the Cable & Harness Library 838 Placing Cables 838 Placing and Editing Segments  839 Copying Cable and Harness Designs  843 Creating Nailboard Drawings  844 Additional Resources 846 The Bottom Line 846 Chapter 19 • Plastics Design Features  847 Creating Thicken/Offset Features 848 Creating Shell Features 849 Creating Split Features  851 Creating Grill Features  852 Creating Rule Fillet Features  854 Creating Rest Features 855 Creating Boss Features  858 Creating Lip and Groove Features  860 Creating Snap Fit Features  861 Creating Rib and Web Features 864 Creating Draft Features 865 Mold Design Overview 868 Inventor Tooling  868 Importing a Plastic Part 869 Creating Runners and Gates 872 Analyzing and Creating Cores and Cavities  874 The Bottom Line 883 Chapter 20 • iLogic 885 What Is iLogic? 885 Understanding iLogic Rules 886 What Are Functions?  886 Conditional Statements  889 Understanding the iLogic Elements and Interface 891 Exploring iLogic Parameter Types 892 Getting Around the iLogic Browser  894 Creating iLogic Parameters, Rules, and Forms 900 Creating iLogic Rules 900 Creating iLogic Forms  915 Working with iLogic Components  924 iLogic Design Copy 925 The Bottom Line 926 Appendix A • The Bottom Line  929 Chapter 1: Inventor Design Philosophy  929 Chapter 2: Data and Projects  931 Chapter 3: Sketch Techniques  932 Chapter 4: Basic Modeling Techniques 933 Chapter 5: Advanced Modeling Techniques 935 Chapter 6: Sheet Metal  936 Chapter 7: Part and Feature Reuse  939 Chapter 8: Assembly-Design Workflows  940 Chapter 9: Large Assembly Strategies  942 Chapter 10: Weldment Design 944 Chapter 11: Functional Design 945 Chapter 12: Documentation  946 Chapter 13: Inventor Tools Overview 947 Chapter 14: Exchanging Data with Other Systems 949 Chapter 15: Frame Generator 950 Chapter 16: Inventor Studio  952 Chapter 17: Stress Analysis and Dynamic Simulation 955 Chapter 18: Routed Systems 956 Chapter 19: Plastics Design Features  957 Chapter 20: iLogic  959 Appendix B • Inventor Certification 963 Index 971