It is Alive in the Lab

CAD Professor: Transforming a 2D Drawing to 3D CAD Data

Don't let your data sink down a black hole. Let it see the light of 3D.

Our old pal, Sunith Babu, has published an article on how you can convert 2D data to a 3D model using the 2D to 3D tool available on Autodesk Labs:

Transforming a 2D Drawing to 3D CAD Data

To enter the 3rd dimension yourself, you can get the tool from:

Free Download of 2D to 3D Tool for Inventor from Autodesk Labs site

Check it out.

2D to 3D for Inventor 2010 Now Available

Inventor Product Manager, Simon Bosley, provided me with an updated 2D to 3D Tool for Autodesk Inventor. I was happy to update the Autodesk Labs web site:

2D to 3D Tool for Inventor

The updated version adds installers that support the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Autodesk Inventor 2010. It continues to support Inventor 2009, 2008, and 11. Please download it, convert some 2D data to a 3D model, and let us know what you think: labs.iv.2dto3d@autodesk.com .

Keeping technology previews compatible with our most recent products is alive in the lab.

CAD Professor: 2D to 3D Simplified (labs.autodesk.com)

Our old friend, Sunith Babu, has written several articles for AUGI Magazine about Autodesk Labs. In addition he hosts a CAD Professor blog and has a posting on the 2D to 3D Tool for Inventor. Sunith spells it all out in:

2D to 3D Simplified (labs.autodesk.com)

Like David Hasselhof, this article was popular in Germany.

Check it out.

Shrinkwrap Add-in most popular in Belgian Inventor Poll

On the heels of my posting about what's available on the Autodesk Labs site for Autodesk Inventor users, my friend, Stefaan Boel, shared the results of a recent poll he conducted on the Belgian Inventor Wizard site. Stefaan posed the question:

What is important for you?

• Advanced Simulation
• Feature Recognition
• iMap
• Plastic Features
• Shrinkwrap
• 2D to 3D tool

The results were:

The Shrinkwrap Add-in for Inventor is the most popular. This is great feedback. Thanks for taking the poll and sharing the results.

What's on labs for the manufacturing industry?

A Mr. Richard Feder from Fort Lee, New Jersey emailed us:

Do you have a recent presentation of the latest stuff available on Labs for the manufacturing industry?

Inventor Product Manager, Sam Antos, provided the answer with a PowerPoint presentation. I have taken Sam's slides and fashioned them into a blog article.

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iMap for Inventor

• Skeletal iMap views to identify and modify complete assembly structure, including sub-assemblies
• Constraint iMap views to interactively investigate, create, and manipulate key relationships and constraints
• Navigate your Digital Prototypes!

// More iMap info

New User Interface

• Modern, ribbon-based UI for increased productivity, ease of use, and learnability
• Intuitive, task-based grouping of commands
• Customizable Quick Access Toolbar
• Document switching thumbnails
• Progressively detailed Tooltips

// More UI info

Advanced Simulation

• Key Plassotech capabilities that augment the Autodesk Digital Prototyping solution
• Part and Assemblies FEA and modal frequency analysis
• Parametric simulations and multi-criteria optimization
• Quickly set up simulation models that provide usable results

// More Advanced Simulation info

Shrinkwrap Add-in for Inventor

• Easily provide a single solid part as a substitute for a complex assembly
• IP protection for suppliers by quickly removing all internal components from an assembly
• Substantially less memory usage compared to the fully detailed assembly

// More Shrinkwrap info

Inventor Plastic Features

• Dedicated, purpose-built Inventor environment for designing complex plastic parts
• Automated creation of common technical plastic features
• Innovative Progressive Shelling technology for thin-walled plastic parts

// More Plastic Features info

ShareNow Add-in for Inventor

• One click publishing from Inventor to easily share designs with non-Inventor users
• Browser-based viewing without additional software
• Real-time and/or at-your-convenience collaboration including markup

// More ShareNow info

Also available on Autodesk Labs

• Enhanced JT Translator
• AliasStudio Direct Reader
• Feature Recognition
• 2D to 3D Tool
• Sustainable Materials Assistant
• English and French Inventor LT 2009



• XVL Translator (for Inventor 2008)
• Native Translators (for Inventor 2008)
• Frame Generator Customization (for Inventor 2008)

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Thanks Sam!

Enumerating the benefits of modeling software technologies for the manufacturing industry is alive in the lab.

Support for 64-bit for 2D to 3D Tool for Inventor Now Available

You asked for it. You got it. I seem to be saying that a lot lately. Autodesk Labs is happy to announce the availability of an update for the 2D to 3D Tool for Inventor:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/2d_to_3d_tool/

This update adds support for 64-bit. The installer has been updated to MSI installers for 32-bit and 64-bit applications. You select the one compatible for your application, unzip it from the ZIP file, and double-click it to run the install.

Expanding a technology preview to accommodate larger data sets is alive in the lab.

Updated Inventor 2D to 3D Tool Now Available

Inventor Product Manager, Simon Bosley, provided me with an updated 2D to 3D Tool for Autodesk Inventor. I was happy to update the Autodesk Labs web site:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/2d_to_3d_tool/

The updated version adds support for the 32-bit version of Autodesk Inventor 2009. It continues to support Inventor 2008 and Inventor 11. Please download it, convert some 2D data to a 3D model, and let us know what you think: labs.iv.2dto3d@autodesk.com.

Keeping technology previews compatible with our most recent products is alive in the lab.

Inventor 2D to 3D Tool Now Compatible with the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview

The 2D to 3D tool for Autodesk Inventor helps you create 3D models of parts that were designed in 2D. Yesterday we posted an updated version of the tool on Autodesk Labs. The new version is compatible with the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview. Getting to the third dimension is no longer limited to our Autodesk Inventor 2008 or R11 users.

Updating utilities so that a wider variety of mechanical designers can benefit is alive in the lab.

Avoid Combining 2D to 3D Tool for R11 with the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview

In addition to the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview itself, there are 3 other Inventor-related technology preview downloads available on Autodesk Labs. Originally these previews varied in how they apply to various releases of Inventor. Now most items are compatible:

Item	Autodesk Inventor 11 (original and DWF Extension)	Autodesk Inventor 2008 (Professional and Suite)	Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview
Translator Add-ins Technology Preview	not available	available for install	included with LT install
2D to 3D Tool Technology Preview	available for install	available for install	available for install
Feature Recognition Technology Preview	available for install	available for install	available for install

As mentioned in Combinations of Inventors, Translators, and LT, it is possible to install the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview on the same machine with Autodesk Inventor 11. For users who have machines that have both Autodesk Inventor 11 (original or DWF Extension) plus the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview, if you also install the 2D to 3D Tool, then Autodesk Inventor LT technology Preview will crash when opening any file. This issue has been verified by QA expert, Bob Van der Donck, and is under investigation. To affected users who brought this to our attention, we appreciate the feedback.