The Dan Miles Idea Factory

Import UG and Parasolid Files into Inventor

This past week Autodesk has released a new technology preview add-in for Autodesk Inventor on their "Labs" site.  This new add-in will allow you to import Parasolid verion 9-18 files and UG-NX version 3 & 4 files into Autodesk Inventor.  This new add-in is only for Autodesk Inventor 2008.  Basically this allows you to import these files as dump solids without features almost like a STEP file.  The good part is you don't need to create the STEP file.  I think this is a well needed feature for some users and glad Autodesk as able to come out with this.  You can downloaded the add-in at the Autodesk labs website

http://labs.autodesk.com/

Also if you need to import or export other file formats that are not included the TransMagic product works great.  (www.transmagic.com)

Dan

Inventor 2008 - Copy Object

One of my favorite new features within Autodesk Inventor 2008 is the new "Copy Object" tool.  This new tool can be found in the Part features panel bar within IPT and IAM files.  You can use this new feature to copy objects (Surfaces for example) from one part to another while keeping the associatively if you like.  The best example I could provide is that you imported maybe a surface model of a car part.  Then you wanted to copy some of the surfaces into some part touching NC block components to cut them.  I think this is one of the best new features in 2008 so take a look at it when you have time.  Also feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Dan

Travels - First India Trip

One of the reasons for me not posting much this past month is that I have been on the road all over the place.  At the early part of March I made my first trip over to India to visit our INCAT offices.  The trip getting there and coming back was just nuts.  (Over 30 hours of travels each way)  Then to top it off I went to Vegas the week after for the Autodesk One Team conferance.  I uploaded a few pictures to my photo album from India.  I will try to post more on this trip later because it was very interesting.

Dan

Batch Plot for Vault and Productstream

We posted the INCAT Autodesk Data Management Batch Plot freeware program to the INCAT Labs website the other week if you are interested.  You can download and use the program for free.  The batch plot will allow you to batch print DWF, DWG, and IDW files from Autodesk Vault 5 or Autodesk Productstream 5. 

INCAT Labs Website

We are currently working a newer version that will also support the Autodesk 2008 products so if you have any wish list items please send me an email.

Dan Miles

dmiles@incat.com