Autodesk Customer Success - CD Slot Mount

The designer of a car accessory from Essex has won the top award at the British Invention Show in London.

Gary Smith, from Clacton, beat competitors from across the world to take the Most Innovative Design award for his "CD Slot Mount".

Quick F Reminder

I am sure most people will be aware of AutoCAD F (Function) Keys, but we thought a quick reminder would be useful for newer users, or those who didn't realise.

So, by default the following F Keys will give you the relevant result:

• F1 - Shows help
• F2 - Shows the text window (History of used commnads)
• F3 - OSNAP on/off
• F4 - 3DOSNAP on/off
• F5 - Cycles isometric planes
• F6 - Dynamic UCS on/off
• F7 - Grid on/off
• F8 - Ortho on/off
• F9 - Snap on/off 
• F10 - Polar on/off
• F11 - Object Snap Tracking on/off 
• F12 - Dynamic input on/off

Create Model Space Geometry from a Layout

There is a little feature in AutoCAD which allows you to create Model space geometry in a new DWG from a Layout. This might be useful to create a new version of a file, or perhaps copying detail from a Layout which has been sent to you.

Either way, if this seems like a useful tool, then read on to learn more.

• Whilst in your Layout, right click on the active Layout TAB. Select Export Layout to Model... from the flyout menu.

Section Content Center Components in the Workspace

Inside the Inventor modelling environment you have the ability to apply Section Views (Quarter, Half and Three Quarter). This can be a useful tool to cut through a model, checking internal parts, fixtures or clearances.

However, if you have Content Center components inside an Assembly and create a Section View, you may have discovered that the Content Center parts do not Section, they stay solid (see below).

iLogic Forms

With Inventor 2012 came the incorporation of iLogic Forms, which gives you the ability to create very quick and easy to use Parameter or iLogic driven entry Forms.

These Forms can be as simple or complex as you require, but to give you a taste of what they are all about, we have set out a basic example below. This example is to create a Form, which allows us to change size Parameters (no iLogic rules) in a simple Square Hollow section.

• The first step is to create our model, during which we have renamed the sketch Parameters which make up our shape. This makes them easier to identify, also the names will come straight through onto our Form.

Vault Gadget for Change Orders in Vault Professional

Developed by Chris Sawicki and Brian Schanen, Vault Gadget allows you to view your Change Order list from your Windows desktop, without the need to run Vault Professional 2012.

Features:

• See the Change Orders in your list without running Vault Professional 2012.
• Refresh timer - adjust how often Vault Gadget checks for Change Orders.
• Click on a Change Order to view its properties.
• Click on the Go To CO link to launch Vault Professional 2012 and navigate to the Change Order.

To try the Vault Gadget for yourself, please visit the It's All Just Ones and Zeros Blog for download instructions.

Information for all Those Who are Wondering what Vault is all about

Another video I know, but we felt this latest Autodesk Vault video had a really good message. Plus we liked the sketching!

Anyway, this is a really useful overview of what Vault is all about and where it fits within a company. So, if you are considering Vault, are not aware of Vault or even those who have used it for sometime, please have a watch.

How to Create a Central Material Library for 3ds Max

When you have a Material that you wish to reuse and share with your colleagues, you can save the Material to a Central Library for all users to access. See the steps below to achieve this:

• Select the material in the Material Editor and pick Get Material.

Autodesk Cloud for Autodesk Subscription Customers

Autodesk Subscription now provides a greater advantage with Autodesk Cloud capabilities that can help you increase mobility, improve collaboration, and optimize your designs, advancing the way you work.

Core benefits include:

• Sharing - Share your design files with others, even if they don't have the design software used to create the files
• Viewing - View and mark up DWF files on the web or on your mobile device
• DWG Editing - Edit DWG files on your mobile device or the web. Multiple users can edit the same file in real-time
• Storage - Store your files in the cloud and access them anytime, anywhere, with 3GB of storage per seat on Subscription
• See more click here

Select benefits include:

• Rendering in the Cloud - Improve design visualization and bypass the need to invest in specialized rendering hardware
• Energy Analysis in the Cloud - Quickly gain insight into energy consumption and costs of early design concepts
• Optimization in the Cloud - Simulate and test the performance of multiple product design options to accelerate innovation
• Collaboration in the Cloud - Exchange and manage project information across companies, teams, and locations
• See more click here

The video playlist below covers all of the features above, to give you a better understanding of the benefits available.

How to Download your Autodesk Software

We have received quite a few calls in reference to downloading Autodesk Subscription software. Autodesk have recently produced a PDF to help step you through the process, so we thought it was worth a quick post:

Granta Design Release Eco Materials Adviser Full Version

Granta Design is delighted to announce the availability of Eco Materials Adviser Full Version.

Eco Materials Adviser is an easy-to-use, interactive tool within the Autodesk Inventor software. It enables engineers to make more sustainable design decisions by exposing information on environmental impact, cost, and performance to guide materials selection.

The Base Version is already available to you in Autodesk Inventor 2012. It allows you to interactively generate an eco impact analysis for an assembly of less than twenty parts. An easy-to-read dashboard display shows key indicators such as energy usage, CO2 footprint, water usage, compliance with RoHS legislation, and materials cost.

The Full Version extends the scope and depth of analyses. You can:

• Study assemblies of any size
• Access and apply Granta’s comprehensive database of around 3,000 materials
• Include the environmental impact of finishing processes
• Study the full product lifecycle, including transport and use phases

To find out more see the video below and/or visit Granta's website at http://inventor.grantadesign.com/e2/upgrade.asp: