About Inventor:
Inventor is a great tool used to make 3D designs for the 3D printer. Inventor is also a program to create prototypes and allows you to accurately design an object to the correct size. It's basically a drafting software for 3D objects. There are many different project files; standard.ipt, standard.iam, standard.idw, and standard.ipn. Standadrd.ipt would be your part file and standard.iam is your assembly file. Standard.idw is your blue prints file and standard.ipn is your demonstration file. There are more files, but these are the only ones we would use in IDEA. Inventor has many different tools to help you create your design. You can use a line tool, to draw the design. If your design has rectangular parts, you can use the rectangle tool. The circle tool can be used to create circular parts. There is a great tool called dimensions, to help you create the dimensions of the parts and/or sides. Extrude is a tool that can be used after you click "Finish Sketch" and this tool can either create holes or expand the design. There are more tools, but these are the only ones we've used in IDEA.
Inventor is a great tool used to make 3D designs for the 3D printer. Inventor is also a program to create prototypes and allows you to accurately design an object to the correct size. It's basically a drafting software for 3D objects. There are many different project files; standard.ipt, standard.iam, standard.idw, and standard.ipn. Standadrd.ipt would be your part file and standard.iam is your assembly file. Standard.idw is your blue prints file and standard.ipn is your demonstration file. There are more files, but these are the only ones we would use in IDEA. Inventor has many different tools to help you create your design. You can use a line tool, to draw the design. If your design has rectangular parts, you can use the rectangle tool. The circle tool can be used to create circular parts. There is a great tool called dimensions, to help you create the dimensions of the parts and/or sides. Extrude is a tool that can be used after you click "Finish Sketch" and this tool can either create holes or expand the design. There are more tools, but these are the only ones we've used in IDEA.
Steps to creating a widget on inventor:
Step 1: Go into inventor, click on new in the left hand corner, and create a standard ipt. project
Step 2: Click on start sketch icon in left hand corner and select X-Y plane.
Step 3: Using line tool, draw the general shape of your widget.
Step 4: Using the dimension tool, put in the actual dimensions of your widget. Click on Finish Sketch when done.
Step 5: Click on Extrude, select the extrude out button and enter in the correct size, then press OK.
Step 6: Click on start new sketch and click on the side face. Create an outline of the area you want to fill on the widget, using the line tool, then press Finish Sketch when done.
Step 7: Click the Extrude button, select the extrude in button and enter in the correct size, then press OK.
Step 8: Start new sketch and click on the side face. Using the line tool, outline the area you want to create a hole in, enter correct dimensions, then press Finish Sketch.
Step 9: Use the Extrude button and select the extrude in option and enter the correct dimension of the hole (.325 inch) you would like, then press OK.
Step 10: Repeat on the other side, then you have finished your widget.
3D Printing process:
What I learned from Inventor and 3D printing:
I learned that Inventor is a great tool and easy to use when you know what you're doing. It's the main tool for using a 3 D printer successfully. 3D printing is great when you want to test a part or make something to test, quickly, without spending a lot of money. 3D printing can help when designing new inventions or when you need a quick short term fix. It isn't meant to be an actual object, it's meant for prototyping. Inventor and Makerbot work together to create your prototype.
I learned that Inventor is a great tool and easy to use when you know what you're doing. It's the main tool for using a 3 D printer successfully. 3D printing is great when you want to test a part or make something to test, quickly, without spending a lot of money. 3D printing can help when designing new inventions or when you need a quick short term fix. It isn't meant to be an actual object, it's meant for prototyping. Inventor and Makerbot work together to create your prototype.