Datasheet

Waguespack c01.tex V2 - 08/30/2008 1:44pm Page 13
BUILDING A 3D VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE 13
Sometimes your patience may be tried, and your first instinct will be to switch back to that trusted
old friend AutoCAD.
Resist that temptation, and embrace your new friend with an open mind and willingness to
learn new, exciting, and productive methods that will prove to be far more efficient than AutoCAD
ever could hope to be. It may also be of some comfort that much of the interface of Inventor comes
from the demand that AutoCAD users have made for a simple intuitive set of tools.
Making the move to Inventor successfully requires some evaluation of current methods of
design in AutoCAD. The following are some of the evaluation steps in planning your successful
move:
◆ Assessing your current directory structure of AutoCAD drawings. How do you store,
name, and reuse current AutoCAD files? Will the structure be compatible for storing
Inventor documents, or is it time to take a deep look at your data management structure?
◆ Determining how you will manage Inventor files. Inventor utilizes projects to manage
assemblies, drawings, and associated part files. What worked in AutoCAD will probably
not be the ideal scenario in Inventor.
◆ Documenting your current design workflow when using AutoCAD. Is it time to
reevaluate the design process in light of the efficiencies that may be gained when using
Inventor? How are revisions, engineering change orders, and production currently being
managed, and how can Inventor improve on the design-to-manufacturing processes?
◆ Determining whether your current computer hardware and network are up to the task of
implementing and using Inventor Series. What gets by for using AutoCAD seldom will
work for the demands of 3D modeling in Inventor.
◆ Setting aside time for training and implementing Inventor. If you have multiple users, it
might be best to consider phasing Inventor in over a period of time, allowing new users to
acclimate themselves to a new way of design.
If you take the time to plan your leap into Inventor, your chances of success are greatly
improved. The rewards of a successful transition are great!
In future chapters, we will expand on the evaluation tools needed to plan a great transition,
but first you need to learn what is expected from Inventor. To do that, let’s enter the world of
3D design.
Building a 3D Virtual Prototype
Common to machine design, actual prototypes are built to test or validate the design, and they
help discover weaknesses or areas that require redesigning. It is a costly and time-consuming
process but one that is needed when working from 2D designs.
Even the best engineer or designer cannot anticipate everything needed to create an accurate
design the first time around. Mistakes are made, scrap is generated, and redesign and retooling
are needed. The entire prototyping process is expensive and time-consuming.
This is the old way of doing things. It worked when we made 1,000 of something and had
plenty of time and resources to lend to the project. It worked when material costs were relatively
low. Today, in our ever more competitive market, we have no such luxuries of time and materials.
Time is of the essence, and we are pressed by worldwide competition for our products, jobs,
and manufacturing bases.