Design & Engineering

Learn how to move data between AutoCAD and Inventor using imports, references, links, Desktop Connector, and Autodesk Forma. Discover the best workflows for maintaining design intent, reducing rework, and keeping teams connected. If you work across AutoCAD and Inventor, you already know the friction: a 2D layout lives in one tool, the 3D model lives…

Autodesk’s acquisition of select Klietsch technology and intellectual property (IP) adds specialized structural-steel detailing and fabrication capabilities, with the intent of extending Inventor and the Product Design & Manufacturing Collection (PDMC) into more automated design-to-fabrication workflows over time.  Designing complex structural steel assemblies requires more than creating the structure itself. Engineers and designers need to…

Discover how Autodesk Inventor supports industrial machinery design with advanced 3D modeling, large assembly management, automation, simulation, and manufacturing workflows. Whether you’re developing automated production equipment, conveyor systems, packaging machines, process equipment, material handling systems, agricultural machinery, or custom manufacturing solutions, engineers must balance mechanical performance, manufacturability, serviceability, and cost while coordinating thousands of interconnected…

Learn how Autodesk Inventor handles large assemblies and discover practical techniques to improve performance, reduce complexity, manage dependencies, and work more efficiently on complex product designs. As products become more sophisticated, engineering teams are being asked to manage increasingly complex assemblies. Industrial equipment, automation systems, heavy machinery, transportation products, and advanced manufacturing equipment can easily…

Learn how geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) works, where traditional 2D documentation can create challenges, and how Autodesk Inventor’s model-based definition (MBD) tools help connect design intent, manufacturing, and inspection through annotated 3D models. What is GD&T and why does it matter? For more than a century, manufacturers have relied on engineering drawings to communicate…

Design for assembly (DFA) simplifies product design to reduce manufacturing cost and speed up production. Learn key principles, benefits, and real-world best practices. What is design for assembly (DFA)? Design for assembly (DFA) is a product design approach that simplifies how parts are assembled by reducing part count, minimizing fasteners, and standardizing components. The goal…

Explore Autodesk Inventor subscription options, pricing, and features. Learn what you get, how it works, and start a free trial to test it on real engineering workflows. If you’re evaluating Autodesk Inventor, the real question isn’t just “What does it cost?” It’s: “Will this help me design faster, reduce errors, and get products to market…

Struggling with large CAD assemblies slowing you down? Learn how to manage complex industrial machinery designs, and why Autodesk Inventor is built for large-scale performance. Designing industrial machinery is one of the most demanding use cases in CAD. Assemblies don’t just grow, they scale. What starts as a manageable model quickly becomes a system of…

Learn how to manage late-stage design changes in Autodesk Inventor without disrupting workflows. Discover how PDM tools like Autodesk Vault keep revisions controlled, traceable, and aligned across engineering and manufacturing teams. Late-stage design changes are inevitable. A supplier issue, a manufacturability concern, or a last-minute requirement can force updates when a design is already close…

Learn what design intent means in CAD, why it matters for parametric modeling, and how Autodesk Inventor helps engineers build stable parts, assemblies, and configurable products that update predictably. A 3D model can be geometrically correct and still be a poor engineering asset. If a simple change causes sketches to flip, features to fail, assemblies…

Maintaining design intent in complex parametric assemblies is a challenge that compounds at each revision cycle. This article explores how Autodesk Inventor supports mechanical engineers and designers through structured feature relationships, iLogic-driven automation, and purpose-built tools for creating configurable, reusable components. A mechanical design may look perfect on screen, but it can still fail in…

See how model-based definition (MBD) in Autodesk Inventor improves manufacturing accuracy, quality, and collaboration, and when it’s worth adopting. For most manufacturing teams, the 3D model has been the real source of truth for years. The drawing just made it official. Model-based definition (MBD) changes that dynamic. Instead of translating the model into a drawing…