Overview of 3D Parametric

CAD:
Applications in MAE 3
Dor Ashur
Dr. Nathan Delson

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Lecture Overview
Inventor Basics
Advantages of Solid Modeling (3D CAD)

Great Visualization
Automatic and updating drawings
Model is parametric
Rapid Prototyping
3D Analysis

Why 3D CAD is more difficult to learn

Use of Autodesk Inventor in MAE3
Inventor tutorial
9 Sections meet in Computer lab during week 5

This is NOT 3D CAD !

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Inventor Basics:
File Types

Sketch

Assembly: .iam

Part: .ipt

Drawing: .idw

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Advantage of Solid Modeling:

Great Visualization

Helps to communicate concepts and sell ideas

Good for risk reduction

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Advantage of Solid Modeling:

Model is Parametric
Autocad: Initial input defines distances
Inventor: A changeable parameter defines the
position and length of each point

Parts do not have to be redrawn when a design

variable is changed late in the design process.

Automatically updating models make it easy to

create and compare several different
configurations.

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Advantage of Solid Modeling:

Automatic and updating drawings

Any changes made to the 3D model automatically are

updated in the projections

Changing an object to the left automatically

updates all objects to the right

Sketch

Assembly: .iam

Part: .ipt

Drawing: .idw

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Advantages of Solid Modeling:

3D Rapid Prototyping

3D CAD files can be emailed to 3D rapid prototyping

facilities, who will then mail back a plastic part
Yes, model yourself and your personal action figure may
soon arrive at your door!!!

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Advantage of Solid Modeling:

Integrated with 3D Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) which analyzes stress in

parts is taught in MAE150 and MAE133.
Interference between parts can also be calculated.

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Advantages of Solid Modeling:

Great Visualization
Automatic and updating drawings
Model is parametric
Rapid Prototyping
3D Analysis

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Why Learning 3D CAD is Harder

than 2D CAD?
3D Solid modeling requires a different
way of thinking:
The mouse and screen are in 2D

yet every point, line, and plane in a solid model requires

both x, y, and z information

Effective parametric modeling requires the user to to

anticipate what changes might occur
A 3d model must be made of closed sketches,

so the computer can tell the inside from the outside of a

model.

With practice, 3D CAD becomes more intuitive and

powerful than 2D CAD

Which CAD Package is Best?

CAD companies change constantly

A new great product may be out of the market place 5

years down the road.

Inventor, SolidWorks and ProE all use the

same approach but have slightly different
user interfaces.

All three are available in the computer labs if you want to

check them out
Only Inventor will be taught and used in this class.

Learning to use a 3D parametric model now,

will allow you to pick up another package
quickly.

Basics

Advantages

Difficulties

Inventor in MAE 3

Inventor Tutorial

Use of Autodesk Inventor in MAE3

Creating a single part (week 5)

Assemblies (week 6)

Animations (week 8)
Each team will make a full Inventor model of their
robot and make an animation of the robot in action!!
See Fall quarters competition for animation
examples.

Short Tutorial:
Getting Started