AutoDesk

Inventor
Assignment 1
Extrusions
By: Mr. Gravitt
Autodesk Inventor Software Costs?
• Your teacher can give you access to a student
account for 1 Year. However…
 AutoDesk Inventor
PC System Requirements
It Basically, it needs a $1,000.00 + PC
• Windows 10 or preferably 11, 64BIT!!!
• Late model (fastest) Intel Core I5 or preferably
better CPU.
• 32GB RAM or preferably more.
• 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/S Bandwidth and DirectX 11
compliant Video Card or preferably better.
• Spacemouse is optional, but is really nice to have!!!
• Takes up over 50GB on HD, & an SSD is good idea!
If you also install Revit then the 2 of them will take
up 110GB of space.
• A large screen is nice.
• Keyboard & Mouse…
 Notes
• #‘ is feet & #” means inches.
• Hotkeys AKA Keyboard Shortcuts –
Hotkeys speed things up, once you
learn them, & they allow you to draw
way faster. However, they it takes
awhile to learn them all…
• See the next page for a full list
• Escape Key – unselects things.
• Hold the shift key – you can select
multiple things at once.
 The ESC Key
• You will use the ESC Key a whole bunch
with inventor!!!
• Use it to UNSELECT THINGS…
• Additionally, you can program a button on
space mouse to work as an ESC Key?
 Personally, I would never buy or use
something like this, but for some people
they might help them learn the keys?
Spacemouse
• OPTIONAL
• Entry level model
$150.
• 6 axis control
• 2 Programmable
buttons.

What is a 3D Mouse, why would you

use one, & how does it work?
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySLfuQc-j5U
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TBoQdE91CE
 Spacemouse
• Medium level model $280.
• 6 axis control
• Number of Programmable buttons.
 Spacemouse
• Top of the line model $400.
• 6 axis control
• Lots of Programmable buttons.
 Spacemouse
• Top of the line model $400.
• 8 axis control
• Lots of Programmable buttons.
 3Dconnexion Software
• This is the Software that
controls your 3D Mouse.
• If you close it your 3D
Mouse might mess up!
• If you 3D Mouse is acting
up, you may need to
Calibrate it.
• To Calibrate the 3D
Mouse Click on Settings.
3Dconnexion Software
• Buttons are
programmable
/
Customizable?
• To Calibrate
the mouse
click on
Advanced
Settings.
 3Dconnexion Software
• To Calibrate the Mouse Click On
Calibrate Button
Calibrating
• Don’t touch
the mouse
while it’s
Calibrating.
• Hopefully, that fixes it.
• If Not, you can also try Resetting All
Settings back to factory by click on
Restore Defaults Button?
• Once you Click OK & it will start the
Calibration Process.
Step 1.1 Open Up Autodesk Inventor Software

• Click On AutoDesk Inventor Icon on your desktop

or type it into search bar, then click on it.
Step 1.2
Log In to
Your
Account!
• A browser window should appear, enter
your email address & then click next.
• If you don’t have an account, then you
need to get the teacher to send you an
invitation email, so you can create an
education account.
Step 1.3 Log In to Your Account!

• Enter your password & click sign in.

Step 1.4 Log In to Your Account!

• Once Logged in click on “Go to Product”

• NOTE: leave the browser window open…
Step 1.5 Log In to Your Account!

• I’m Logged in as Mr. Gravitt

 Step 1.6 Your Account!

• I’m Logged in on an Unlocked PC, so it shows

me all of the latest documents that I had open.
 Step 2.1 Where/How to Save It
NOW PLEASE PAY ATTENTION
FOR YOUR SAKE!!!
Inventor really & I mean it REALLY cares where you
have all of your parts & assemblies!!!!!
1.Start a Folder, wherever your are going to save
(server, flash drive, &/or etc.) & Name the folder
2.Then you need to put all future folders, parts files,
&/or assemblies in that folder!
3.If you move a part file, assembly, folder &/or etc. it
will cause you to have a bunch of errors. They can
be fixed/updated, but it takes awhile to fix…
 Step 2.2 Open a Document
• 3 different
locations
where you
can either
start a new
document
&/or open an
existing
document.
Step 2.3 New…
• New 2D
drawing
• New 3D Part
• New
Assembly
• I’m clicking
on New Part.
 Step 2.4 New Part

• New 3D Part, “Named Part1 Temporarily”

• Click File then Save or just click Save Icon.
Saving Your Work
• You HAVE TO
SAVE all parts &
assemblies in
the same place.
If you move
them it’ll mess
things up!
• Click on File
• Click on Save As
 Step 2.5 New Part

• Make Sure that you are on the schools server

• New Folder, Named it Lesson 1 Extrusions.
 Step 2.6 New Part

• Clicked on the new folder, Lesson 1 Extrusions

• Named Part Lesson 1 Extrusions, then save.
 Step 2.7 New Part

• Now the part is named & saved where I

want it.
 Step 2.8 New Part

• Now the part is named & saved where I want

it.
 NOTE
• You will use the ESC Key a whole bunch
with inventor!!!
• Use it to UNSELECT THINGS…
• Additionally, you can program a button on
space mouse to work as an ESC Key?
 Step 3.1 VIEWS
• On the right hand side:
• There is a Cube that lets you
change views.
• There is a box that lets you
change views & View styles.
• You can use mouse, arrow
keys, two fingers on
touchscreen, Apple pen,
&/or spacemouse to move
views.
 Step 3.2 This is the Views Tab
at top of screen

• There are a bunch of visual styles to choose from.

Step 3.3 Realistic View
Step 3.4 Shaded
Step 3.5 Shaded with Edges
Step 3.6 Shaded with Hidden Edges
Step 3.7 Wireframe
Step 3.8 Wireframe with Hidden Edges
Step 3.9 Wireframe with Visible Edges Only
Step 3.10 Monochrome
Step 3.11 Watercolor
Step 3.12 Sketch Illustration
Step 3.13 Technical Illustration
 Step 4.1 New Part

• NEW PART HAS A BLANK SCREEN???

• Until you select “Start 2D Sketch.”
• Then the 3 starting
planes X, Y, & Z, Step 4.2 Planes
will appear on the
screen.
• Most software's let
you place up to 26
planes on a part.
• You can & should
• You can place many
name them when
additional planes in
you make them, so
any orientation in
you can keep track
space.
of them.
 Step 4.3
Planes

• I’m going to click on XZ Plane,

which will start a 2D Sketch on
that plane.
Step 5.1
Model
Window
Left Side
of
Screen
• It started a sketch, which appears on
the left as Sketch1.
• I also turned it TOP Up, it always
starts sketches on their side, don’t
know why it does that…
• On this CAD Step 5.2 Model Window
software it places
a whole lot of stuff
in the left browser
window!
• It organizes it into
groups that can
be collapsed &/or
opened.
• Click on the + or –
symbols to open
or collapse them.
Step 5.3 Model Window
Opened up you can see
what’s all inside:
•Views
•Planes
•Sketches
•Extrusions
•Parts
•Assemblies
•Constraints & etc…
 Step 6.1 Back to the 1st Sketch
• I clicked on “Sketch1” & Renamed it Base
Sketch.
 Step 6.2 Center Point Rectangle

• Clicking on Draw a Center Point Rectangle.

 Step 6.2 Drawing a Center Point
Rectangle

• On the ORIGIN, Drawing a center point rectangle.

 Step 6.3 Sizing it 12” X 12”

• Making it 12 inches X 12 inches.