MC TOOLS - 2015.1

Within Inventor, MC Tools is an add in available to all our Support subscribers. A New version is now released and is available for download from the Support section of our website:

http://www.microconcepts.co.uk/members/downloads/

One of many useful functions in MC Tools is the Open Explorer tab. This button allows the user to browse straight to the windows folder where the model or drawing is saved without having to locate it - a much quicker and easier method if you're looking to get back to the same folder!

Micro Concepts TLA 2014

The dates for this year's Technical Learning Academy have been finalised and we'll be hosting our day sessions in an area near you throughout May and early June.

Make sure you sign up for one of the following days:

13th May 2014 – Northampton

14th May 2014 – High Wycombe

15th May 2014 – Norwich

20th May 2014 – Duxford

21st May 2014 – Duxford

22nd May 2014 – Duxford 

5th June 2014 – Bristol

The TLA events are hands on days for Micro Concepts subscribers, with the exception of the 22nd which is an open day for non-subscribers.

We will have a range of topics covering product updates, how-to's and best practice techniques and as always you'll be able to ask questions and get answers from the team.

Get in touch with Andy Rogers if you would like to book a place.  They are limited so make sure you get in quick.

Revamped Wiki Help Site

The Autodesk Wiki Help site has had a major overhaul and is now faster, more streamlined, and brings a new visual style which closer matches the theme of the main Autodesk site.  The information contained within is now more up-to-date for your 2014 products and services.

Do bear in mind though; while it can provide information on tools and techniques, it still can't solve your problems - unlike us here at Micro Concepts.

If you have a support contract with us, do remember to give us a call on 01223 716 214 if you encounter any issues, or if you just need clarification on any of the advice listed on the wiki site.

Windows 8.1 incompatability

Windows 8.1 is not fully supported by Autodesk software at this time.

From our tests so far, and from the official Autodesk blog, Vault is not compatible with the new operating system update.  We were successfully able to load our clients, but not the server.

However, there are fixes for AutoCAD, AutoCAD Eletrical and AutoCAD Mechanical available now.

If you use Vault then we would advise waiting for more information from Autodesk before updating your operating system to 8.1.

Introducing myself to the Blog

Dear Readers,

You may have noticed over the last month or so that the topics covered in the blog have deviated slightly from a CAD focused nature to something a little more eclectic.  That would be partly due to myself coming on board to chip in with the content.  Hi, I'm Scott Cunliffe.

I'm one of the helpdesk support engineers here at Micro Concepts, and I have been given free reign to post articles on things I find interesting in the world.  Having a degree in mechanical engineering and an interest in all things technological - both hardware and software based - the topics I post about will cover a pretty wide area of the modern world and won't be limited to just Autodesk tips n tricks or the latest service pack releases.  I like to keep on top of the latest developments going on in the consumer electronics market and that means articles on monitors, graphics cards, mobile phones and other kinds of gadgetry.  From the engineering side of things, I like the big stories as much as the smaller surprises in engineering advances, and it's the increasingly symbiotic nature that software and hardware plays in in conjunction with engineering practices that really motivates me.  I'm particularly interested to see how emerging tech, such as augmented reality, can benefit the engineering world and how we at Micro Concepts can play a part in something so promising.

I'll be writing in a mostly objective manner, but now and then I'll be dropping my own opinions into the fray and I'd welcome you to debate any of the points I put across.  If there's anything you would like me to cover in future posts, do get in touch and let me know what interests you.

Best regards,
Scott Cunliffe

Happy Holidays from Micro Concepts

For the festive period we thought it would be good to create a Christmas related render:

Created in 3ds Max Design 2013 by Andy Roe at Micro Concepts.

Micro Concepts Ltd 'Open Doors' event a huge success!

On the 7th November 2012 Micro Concepts Ltd hosted its second 'Open Doors' event giving its customers the incredible opportunity to come and sit the Autodesk Certification exams for FREE. The response from our customers was fantastic and more than twenty five exams were taken by our customers.

Micro Concepts Ltd add 'Brand New' training courses to their portfolio

Micro Concepts Ltd are proud to announce that they can now offer the following training courses:

• An Introduction to 3ds Max Design
• AutoCAD Electrical - Piping & Instrumentation Design
• AutoCAD Electrical - Routing & Design
• Sketchbook Designer
• Autodesk Suites Workflows

Click on the links above or look at our website to see in detail what these courses cover.

Micro Concepts Ltd are also now very proud to announce that we are offering Personal Development courses:

• Communication Skills
• Presenting Skilfully
• Training The Trainer

For more information about Personal Development courses or any other courses we have to offer please contact training@microconcepts.co.uk.

Customer User Story - Seaglaze Marine Windows Ltd

Autodesk Inventor and iLogic for Automated Productivity

Challenge:

• Responding to customer demands  for bespoke products
• Reduce the time taken to generate production drawings

Results:

• Reducing the time taken to generate engineering drawings from 1.5 hrs to 5 minutes.
• Consolidating multiple models into a single intelligent model.
• Reducing the time spent on standard relatively low value work and enabling the company to focus on high value bespoke products.


For more information about Seaglaze Marine Windows Ltd, please visit www.seaglaze.co.uk.

Merry Christmas from Micro Concepts

Before it gets too close to the festive season for people to see this message, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Micro Concepts. Thanks for Reading this year, hope to have more for you next year.

Micro Concepts CAD Clinics Announced

You are invited to reserve a free CAD Clinic session where you can ask questions relating to manufacturing software you are either currently using or looking to invest in. Maybe you just want to find out a bit more about the latest CAD technology?

Any and all questions are relevant!

There will be no fixed agenda, you are invited to come along during an agreed time slot and get the answers to your questions and meet some of our team.

There will be two events:

Micro Concepts Bristol - 18th Feb 2011

Micro Concepts Cambridge - 25th Feb 2011

To register or if you have any questions please call 01223 716200 or email info@microconcepts.co.uk 

Updated Threads XLS for Inventor 2011

We were recently asked on support for BA and Whitworth Threads in Inventor, so we have updated a Thread.xls file to include these and work with Inventor 2011.
To use this file you will need to replace the existing Thread.xls file in your Design Data folder, default locations as below:

• Windows 7 = C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor 2011\Design Data
• Windows XP = C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor 2011\Design Data

If the new Threads do not appear immediately, you may need to restart Inventor for it to reread the threads spreadsheet.

Autodesk Inventor Customer Success Hammond Electronics

It is always good to see what over companies/people are using Autodesk software for, so when this press release came up, we thought it would be good to share it with everyone. Please click here to see the full article.

Micro Concepts Teams up with Agni Link

Agni Link is a companion application to CAD/PLM software that establishes a direct, on-line connection between CAD product data and its counterpart in the ERP environment. Every time a CAD document is updated, Agni Link analyses both CAD and ERP data, resolves discrepancies, and finally presents you with a form to edit the data. Once edited data is confirmed by the user, Agni Link will simultaneously update product data in both CAD and ERP environments, thus ensuring perfect synchronisation of data, while virtually eliminating redundant data entry.