Autodesk Inventor Extensions Developed by Micrographics

Extend the capabilities of Autodesk Inventor with a range of purpose-built applications by Micrographics.

Applications

BOM Tools Pro

BOM Tools for Inventor is used to export Autodesk Inventor’s Bill of Materials to Excel, including each part’s thumbnail or image as listed in the BOM. Other properties like Part Number, Description, and Material etc. are also included and exported to the Excel file. Custom iProperty data can be exported along with a host of other non-standard properties listed below:

  • Bounding Box size information
  • Quantity (GA Total) – The total overall Qty of the item, used in the main assembly
  • Number of Sheet Metal Bends – useful for costing/timing calculations
  • Sheet Metal cut length – useful for costing/timing calculations
  • Sheet Metal Area
  • Sheet Metal Length & Width
  • Sheet Metal Thickness
  • Surface Area
  • Volume
  • Mass
  • Material
BOM Tools Pro - Overview (video: 6:40 min.)
An Excel file template can be specified so that the Inventor design data is exported directly onto your template. BOM Tools is a great tool to use with Inventor, for downstream processing / costing purposes.

DXF Exporter

“DXF Exporter” for “Autodesk Inventor” is a sheet metal processing application for Inventor. Its main function is to scan, detect and batch export all sheet metal part flat patterns in the specified assembly. Sheet metal flat patterns are exported to the DXF format. Sheet metal model info can also be exported to STEP format and support both the Folded and Flat pattern model information.

Before exporting you can use the grid to find and filter the components to get an exact list of items to export.

iProperties like Part Number, Description, Material, Qty, Thickness etc. can be exported as text inside the DXF file or as part of the filename. A PDF file with bend instructions can automatically be generated containing a snapshot of the flat pattern with bend information. On page two of the PDF, a view of the folded model can be included.

DXF Exporter makes processing your design for CNC cutting easy.

DXF Exporter for Inventor - Overview (video: 7:44 min.)

AutoDraw

With AutoDRAW you can automatically create drawings for Autodesk Inventor parts and assemblies based on predefined view layouts. You can set up any number of View Layouts and they can be assigned to different model types or categories so that the drawings are created specifically the way you want.

AutoDRAW is not just a drawing creator but its also a drawing manager. Once you have scanned the assembly, it will be clear to you which models do not have drawings created yet or if the existing drawings are outdated. From there you can generate / update the drawings easily. AutoDRAW also has the ability to insert QR codes onto your drawings. You can configure the content of the QR codes. Reference tables are also useful to add to your model drawings as it makes it clear where the model is used or referenced. Very useful for tracking and tracing. Once everything is ready AutoDRAW can help process the design by exporting or printing your files.

As part of the Post-Processing functions built into AutoDRAW, you can export models and drawings to the following formats: PDF (individual or combined into one PDF), DWG, DXF, STEP and DWFx. Before exporting you have full control over file naming and various properties can be used to automatically name the exported files as they are created. 

AutoDRAW can now also create a single Sheet Metal flat pattern drawing for CNC / cutting processes.

AutoDraw - Overview (video: 11:29 min.)

Duct Pro

Duct Pro is an add-on application for Autodesk Inventor. It automates the creation of standard Sheet Metal duct components like “Square to Round”, “Lobster Bend”, “Y-Transition”, “Branch” components and so many more. It assists the designer to put complex “heavy gauge” sheet metal duct assemblies together in less time.

All Duct Pro models have flat patterns which can be exported in batch to save even more time with processing the designs. DXF Exporter for Inventor can be used with your Duct Pro assemblies for this purpose.

Duct Pro V6 - Getting Started (video: 10:31 min.)

InventorBench HD

InventorBench HD is the new version of the previous, very popular, benchmark application for Inventor. As with the previous version, this application runs a bunch of benchmark tests on your system using Inventor. The tests include sketching, part modelling, assembly modelling, drawing creation, animation, graphics tests, file export tests of PDF and STEP files.

In the end, you are presented with a results page and a score of how well your PC did. This will give you a very good indication of how fast your PC is using Autodesk Inventor. You can also upload your results to an online leader board to see how well you did against other people/systems around the world.

InventorBench HD Overview (video: 2:25 min.)

Tab and Slot

The “Tab and Slot” preview for Autodesk Inventor is an add-in that allows for easy tab and slot creation on plate and tube models. Any uniformly thick parts can be used to create tabs and slots for.

Further to that, “centre drilled” and “coincident” or “dog-bone” recess fillets can be added automatically to the Tabs or Slots or both. The Tab and Slot features are created as legitimate part features and can be modified or deleted as if it was created manually. The add-in supports Metric (mm) and Imperial (inch) units.

Tab and Slot for Inventor Preview (video: 7:31 min.)

Nest 1D

Nest 1D is a one-dimensional cut optimiser used to optimise beam or extrusion cutting sequences to ensure that the least amount of material is wasted. Any uniform profile material cutting can be analysed with Nest 1D. Any material which comes in standard lengths or rolls like Rods, Beams, Tubes, Bars or any other uniform profile material lengths can be optimised with Nest 1D

Ease of use:

Nest 1D has an intuitive user interface which makes it easy to use and the optimisation is very fast and efficient even with thousands of items to calculate.

Once the optimisation has been done a report can be exported as Excel file for printing, distribution of further work. The report includes cutting instructions per stock length and also a total stock required area for costing or ordering purposes.

CAD Integration and Data Entry:

Besides being able to enter data manually into Nest 1D or reading in data from and Excel file, Nest 1D can also pull data directly from Inventor’s Parts Only BOM. This speeds up the process dramatically and also avoids any finger trouble with data entry. More CAD integration to be added soon.
DataX logo

Data-X

Data-X is a Vault add-in that works with Vault Workgroup and Vault Professional. Data-X automates file exporting tasks and can export various file formats as listed below:

Parts:
STEP
DWFx
DXF of sheet metal flat pattern

Assemblies:
STEP
DWFx

Drawings:
DWFx
PDF
DWG
Tiff
Thumbnail Image

Files can be set to process on any file or item lifecycle change. For instance, jobs can be triggered by implementing a custom job in your Vault Lifecycle definition to start the processing of the files on the “Release to Manufacture” state change.

STEP and DXF files can automatically be uploaded back into your Vault by Data-X.

File naming can be configured to include iProperties, Custom iProperties, Parameters and Free Text.

Email notifications can be configured to be routed through your email system.

File Export Options:

File Naming Options:

Email Configuration:

File Export Options:

File Naming Options:

Email Configuration:

Modular Aluminium
Extrusion Library

The Modular Assembly Technology extrusion library has been compiled to be used with Inventor’s Content Centre as well as Inventor’s Frame Generator design tool. Inventor’s Content Centre does not contain any aluminium extrusion profiles by default, so this is a necessary add-on if you use the Modular Assembly Technology extrusion system for design and manufacturing. Each section has its own unique Stock No, Part No and File Name, all automatically generated and mapped to the parts iProperties for use in BOM tables and Parts Lists. This makes the steel sections easily identifiable within the Inventor part/assembly environment as well as in parts lists on Inventor drawing documentation.

SANS Steel Library

The SABS / SANS Structural Steel Library for Inventor was created consisting of all the steel sections used in South Africa, available from local steel suppliers and listed by SABS / SANS. The library integrates with Inventor and components can be placed using the Content Centre or Frame Generator.

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