Introduction:

-3D modeling is an essential part of many types of engineering jobs. The ability to
recreate an object as a scale 3D model is an important skill in engineering as well as many other
career fields. There are many different CAD software packages, however they are all similar in
the methods used to create the model. The software used in these instructions is Autodesk
Inventor 2010 Professional Suite. Although this is not the newest 2015 edition, it still
incorporates the same techniques, however the newer edition has some added features and a new
layout. Hopefully, the basic techniques learned in this tutorial can be carried over to other CAD
programs.
Objective:
-Create a to-scale computer model of an object using Autodesk inventor 2010.
First things first:
-These step-by-step instructions are best to be followed while at a computer, assuming
the software is already installed. The figures corresponding to each step are found below it.
Note: A computer mouse and keyboard is recommended for this tutorial.

Step 1: Once Autodesk Inventor 2010 is opened, make a new part by selecting New on the
toolbar, then select Standard.ipt.

Figure 1

Step 2: For this tutorial we are going to model a standard wooden pencil, an extremely important
part of making a scale model is to make accurate measurements of the object. Using a measuring
device, such as calipers or a ruler (preferably calipers for greater accuracy) measure all necessary
dimensions of the pencil.
Step 3: First we must create a 2-D sketch of the object we are modeling, under the sketch tab
select Polygon; a small window should come up, then type in 6.

Figure 2

Step 4: Select the origin of the graph (the red dot in the center of the screen) the cursor should
turn green, click on any point on the grid to create the hexagon. Then press Done on the
polygon menu.
Step 5: Select the dimension button, and then click on one side the hexagon and also click the
side directly across, you should see an edit dimension textbox (There will be a measurement
already there). Replace this measurement with your measured value (5/16) in fractional or
decimal form then press the green checkmark (the default units are inches).

Figure 3

Step 6: Press the Finish Sketch button (green checkmark) on the far right side of the sketch
ribbon. The grid should have disappeared and the ribbon should be under the model tab.

Step 7: To turn your 2-D sketch into a 3-D model, select Extrude under the model tab and an
Extrude menu should come up. Input your measured length (in inches), and select the second
option showing the extrusion going in the Z direction. Press OK.

Figure 4

Step 8: In order to change the view of the object, you can click and hold on the viewcube and
move around to pivot the object about its center (located in the top right of the model screen). If
you press the home icon (shown once you mouse over the viewcube), the view will be changed
to the default orthographic view. If you are using a mouse with a scroll wheel, you can hold the
shift key while pressing the scroll wheel and move the cursor to pivot the model.

Figure 5

Step 9: In order to help differentiate between the parts when making an assembly, you can
change the appearance, to do this click on the dropdown menu (shown in figure 6) and select
your color of choice.

Figure 6

Step 10: Because we are going to make an assembly of the individual parts (the body, the metal
piece, and the eraser), we must finalize and save this part. To do this, you must select the
dropdown menu in the upper left corner of the screen, then click save as, and save your part as
anything that would be easy to remember (Body for example).

Figure 7

Step 11: Next, we must start on the next part in the assembly, the metal piece that fits the eraser.
To begin, use the same procedure as in steps 1 and 2 by creating a new part and getting the
necessary measurements.

Step 12: Select Circle under the sketch ribbon and then starting at the origin, repeat the
procedure used in step 4 to draw two circles (as an end view of the metal piece).

Figure 8

Step 13: Next, edit the dimensions of the sketched circles, same as the earlier method; except
you must enter the diameters of the circles (I used 11/32 for inside diameter and 3/8 for the
outside diameter).
Note: Make sure that the diameter of the inner circle is larger than the diameter of the pencil
body so that the parts will fit together in the assembly.
Step 14: Click Finish Sketch, and extrude the drawing using the previous method shown in
step 7. Make sure you select the area between the two circles to extrude, and then enter your

measurement, then press OK.

Figure 9

Step 15: Once again, change the view if you would like (refer to step 8), and change the
appearance of the model to whichever color you wish (refer to step 9), and then save as
whichever name you would like. Note: the level of detail of the metal piece is sufficient for our
purpose; many engineering applications do not require drawings with minor details which do not
affect dimensions.
Step 16: Start a new part for the eraser using the same procedure as before; making a single
circle with the measured dimensions (I measured 5/16). Then click Finish Sketch.
Step 17: Like before, extrude the sketch to the measured length, and change the view and/or
change the appearance if so desired. It should end up looking similar to the figure.

Figure 10

Step 18: In order to give the eraser its rounded off edges, select Fillet from the ribbon under
the model tab, and click on either circular edge of the model, then change the radius to ~0.05in.
Then press OK.

Figure 11

Step 19: Next, Save the drawing as any name you like (for example, I used Eraser for ease of
distinguishing different parts).
Step 20: Once all three parts are made, the next step is putting them all together as an assembly.
To begin, open a new assembly by selecting Assembly under the New tab on the drop down
menu.

Figure 12

Step 21: Once your new assembly is opened, select the Place button under the Assembly tab. A
file browser window should come up, and depending on where you saved your parts, select the
folder they are in, and select the part. Press Open, and then click once anywhere to place them,
then press escape after one has been placed. Continue this process until all three parts have been
placed.

Figure 13

Step 22: Next step is to put the parts together, to do this I would first recommend adjusting the
view (see step 8) so that both the end of the pencil body and the metal piece are in the field of
view. Next click Constrain under the Assemble tab, and a menu will come up.
Step 23: First mouse over the metal piece, and click when a dashed line shows up (shown on
figure 14), secondly click the center of the end of the pencil body, then press OK.

Figure 14

Step 24: Rotate the eraser so that the back end of it is visible, to do this click on the Rotate
button (found next to the Constrain button) and once selected, click and hold the eraser while
slowly moving the mouse to position it so that the back is facing towards you. Then click
elsewhere to finish.

Figure 15

Step 25: Next, to attach the eraser to the pencil, select Constrain once again, select the angle
option, enter 180 deg, then click the flat end of the eraser, and then select the flat end of the
pencil. Doing this will align the axiss so that the eraser lines up with the end of the pencil body.

Figure 16

Step 26: Select Constrain once again, on the menu make sure the mate option is selected, and
mouse over the flat end of the eraser until a green center dot shows, and click. Next, mouse over
the end of the pencil until a dashed center line shows, and click it. The parts should be mated.

Figure 17

Step 27: Next, rearrange the eraser and metal piece by clicking and dragging in order to fit them
together to your liking. The model should end up looking a lot like a pencil.

Figure 18

Step 28: Save and rename the assembly using the same process as usual, and you are finished!

Step 29: Once you have a completed part or assembly, you may save it as a PDF so that people
without the CAD software may open and view the drawing. To do this, click on the upper-left
corner dropdown menu, mouse over Export, then click PDF and once again choose the
location and name to save the file as.

Figure 19

Step 30: To learn much more in-depth information, advanced techniques, and tutorials select the
Get Started tab, and there are many resources to further your mastery of Autodesk Inventor.

Figure 20