Manufacturing Toolbox

Autodesk Apps on the Chrome Web Store

Hopefully by now you are familiar with the great Mobile Apps and tools we have developed here at Autodesk that are available on the Apple and Android App stores. But, did you know that there are quite a few Autodesk Apps available directly through your Chrome browser via the Chrome Web Store.

So, how great is this?!? You can now run these Autodesk Apps right in Chrome. Once you add these Apps into Chrome, you can access them whenever you start a new tab.

Being able to run AutoCAD WS, Autodesk Homestyler, Autodesk 123D Chatch, Autodesk 123D Make and Autodesk ForceEffect directly from your brower is a very productive approach to design, visualize, create and simulate a huge variety things. I mean, here is a 123D Catch of my office assistant...he is pretty lazy, but is good company.

 

Hope you found this information helpful.

...now to see if my assistant can make a decent cup of coffee.

 

-lw

Autodesk Vault 2013: Personalize your Vault client launch

When you launch your stand alone Autodesk Vault client, you get this very helpful screen. 

It is nice intro to Vault, and contains a ton of great information. But I thought it would be nice to monkey with a good thing. I wanted to make this my own (mainly because a customer asked if they could). Wouldn't it be nice to load your company web page, maybe an internal Sharepoint site, etc? Well, sure enough. You can.

Before I show you what I did, I want to preface this with a few things. 1) I don't know HTML enough to save my life 2) this is what I ended up with after dinking around for 30 minutes or so.

So, do this at your own risk...and, I am really not sure if I am 'supposed' to highlight that you can do this.

First off, you need to find the HTML file that controls this page and make a copy of it. [I, of course, was too impatient and did not make a copy...so I had to email a co-worker for a copy of his. Thanks Jamie Scherer!] Here is the location of the file on your Vault Server.

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ADMS Professional 2013\Server\Web\Services\VaultHTML\index.html

I went ahead and opened the file in Notepad to edit.

Here is what it looks like by default...with the landing page URL highlighted.

[Note: how great is that 'I'm fired if I'm connected to the internet' line]

Here is what I changed mine to (yes, shameless self promotion of my blog).

So, I just changed the URL to my blog...and gutted the rest of the file. I am sure if you know HTML you could fully customize this bad boy. Alas, I do not.

Here is what mine ended up looking like when I launch the Vault stand alone client.

Now I get to see that handsome devil staring at me whenever I go into Vault.

Take a look for yourself. I am curious as to what things people who actually know HTML could do with this.

-lw

Autodesk Project Falcon - Now available inside of Autodesk Inventor 2013

Some time back, Project Falcon was introduced on Autodesk Labs. At the time it only worked as a plug in for Autodesk Alias. Over time, the Labs team has introduced a few enhancements to Project Falcon. They added a release with a stand alone version for both OSX and Windows...and, now the latest release, with integration directly into Autodesk Inventor 2013.

Right on the Project Falcon page on Autodesk Labs, you can find videos, documentation and the software itself.

 Last time I posted about Project Falcon, I channeled my respect for Thomas Magnum and took a look at the Ferrari 308 GTS. Since I couldn't find a free model of T.C.'s chopper (Hughes 500D), I decided another model from my youth would have to do.

So, I went on to GrabCAD.com and grabbed an X-Wing fighter. I wanted to have a goal...so, after thinking about it, I decided to see what kind of pressure was placed on R2D2 while in flight.

I did have to ignore a few facts about physics to do this with Project Falcon 1) space is a vacuum 2) Star Wars isn't real.

Let's get started!

Once installed, Project Falcon is easy to access right from the Environments tab on the Inventor ribbon toolbar.

Once you launch the Prjoct Falcon environment, it immediately begins anyalizing your model. Right from the ribbon toolbar, you can begin to dial in the simulation settings you want. 

 

After selecting a setting, an on screen dial appears on the bottom right of the Inventor window. This lets you directly change the settings while Project Falcon is running the simulation.

Since Project Falcon runs in near real time, you can rotate the model, adjust settings, etc. all on the fly and immediately see the impact on your simulation model.

Now, to the problem at hand: how much pressure is little R2 under out there while Luke is out flying around firing off proton torpedoes?

From my research, the X-Wing has a Class 1 hyperdrive. So, it should be able to go ~1050k/hr (I know, I thought it would be a lot faster than that too). Project Falcon let me go faster. I cranked it up to ~572m/s (about 2060k/hr)...you know, just to be sure.

Once the speed was where I wanted it, I simply pressed the Surface Pressure icon to see what R2D2 was dealing with.

Turns out, the little guy was fine all along! I was worried for nothing.

I am sure you could shoot a few holes in my assumptions and theory with this simulation...but, I did it all (and wrote this up) in less than 30 minutes. And, it was just a nice bit of fun over my lunch.

Regardless, go over to Autodesk Labs and download Project Falcon for yourself. It is a great up front Simulation tool that now runs right inside of your Inventor environment.

Here is a quick video too

 

 

...and if anyone has a good model of T.C.'s chopper, let me know.

 

-lw

Autodesk Exchange Apps Store

With the launch of the 2013 Autodesk products, came the addition of the Autodesk Exhange Apps Store. The Autodesk Exchange Apps Store is a platform for 3rd party developers (and Autodesk itself) to post productivity apps for your favorite Autodesk Product. Just like other App stores you may be familiar with, some of these Apps are free, and some require purchases.

[Note: since the Exchange Apps store was launched with Autodesk's 2013 products, the Apps you will find on the store will only work with 2013 Autodesk products]

To start, just select the ADSK product you are interested in (or access the appropriate apps store directly from your ADSK product).

 OR

Once in the Exchange Apps store of your choice, you can begin searching for tools based on Featured Apps, Category, Best Sellers, etc. One thing I noticed that is helpful to know. There is a Show All link on the landing page of all product Apps stores...just a bit hard to see.

As to not show bias, I will only show the results for Apps published by Autodesk (or to show extreme bias...depending on how you want to look at it). I wanted to highlight a few of the Exchange Apps that have downloaded and found useful.

On the Inventor Exchange Apps store, Autodesk has quite a few helpful apps available for free. I have found the Point Linker and ThreadModeler to be very handy.

I use Inventor Publisher a lot. As such, I have found the Common Symbols Gallery on the Inventor Publisher Apps store to be very useful. And has helped me more than I can count (as well as save me from, yet another, Google Image search).

Autodesk Vault also has some fantastic tools on the Vault Apps store. I have been using the Drawing Compare app for a little while now. And, have been very pleased with what it brings to the table.

But, my favorite Autodesk published App can be found on the Autodesk Simulation Exchange Apps page:The SimCFD Showcase Exporter. It is an App that takes some of your Autodesk SimCFD results and includes them into your Autodesk Showcase visualizations.

For good measure, here is a great video showing what the results can be when using the SimCFD Showcase Exporter. This video was made by Autodesk's own James Neville. 

 

I am curious to know if any of you have tried out the Autodesk Exchange Apps store...and what feedback you have on it.

-lw

Autodesk Partner Event - KETIV Autodesk Manufacturing Academy

If you want solid information, advanced training, and a venue to network with peers and Autodesk leaders in a convenient, compact event, your opportunity is just around the corner.

Each October, KETIV Technologies, Autodesk Platinum Tier VAR, sponsors KETIV Autodesk Manufacturing Academy, a full-day of training, information sharing, and networking. Now in its fifth year, the sessions will be held in Lake Oswego, Oregon on October 10 and on October 25 in Cerritos, California.

Last year, my colleague and AutoCAD Product Manager, Charlie Crocker, said about KETIV AMA, “I’m surprised by the number of people here and the level of engagement and enthusiasm…it’s like a mini-AU!”

What makes this event perfect for mechanical engineers and their managers is the quality of the content. We’re all bombarded with new information and demands for our attention, so it’s nice to invest time in something that’s been vetted and tailored for your needs. KETIV AMA has 12 sessions covering a broad variety of topics. And there’s also a track for decision makers and managers that covers real-world issues facing every business in our field.

There are many ways to learn more about KETIV AMA. You can see this year’s sessions and watch videos from last year’s sheet metal track. Hear what Charlie and others say about the event. And be sure to follow them on Facebook.

Autodesk Publisher 360 - Embed a Publisher file into a web page

Above is an example of embedding a .INSTRUCTION file from Publisher 360 into a webpage. Now you have the ability to share an iteractive set of intructions.

It is really easy to do via Autodesk 360. 

Then specify the size.

For the example above, I did edit the HTML code a wee bit to add the scroll bar since it is so small.

Above Example HTML code. Text in red is what I changed.

<iframe scrolling="yes" frameborder="0" hspace="0" src="https://360.autodesk.com/Public/Embed?hash=21345294488c452abb53f4e6278922ea" width="480" height="360" allowtransparency="true" style="border: medium none;"></iframe>

-lw

Autodesk Publisher 360 - Explain your products anytime and anywhere

Looks like this 360 stuff is around to stay here at Autodesk. In addition to Autodesk 360, PLM 360, SIM 360 and BIM 360, we now have Publisher 360. 

Publisher 360 is a Tech Preview you can find on Autodesk Labs. It is a TP that you have to sign up for to receive access. Worst case, take a look at this video to get a quick understanding of what Publisher 360 is all about. 

 [pay special attention to the email that is composed during the video...]

Against their better judgement, the Publisher 360 team decided to let me try it out. It couldn't have been easier...since it is tied to my Autodesk ID and Autodesk 360 account. I just had to go to the Publisher 360 page and sign in. 

Right off the bat, Publisher 360 is linked to your Autodesk 360 account. So, you can bring in any dwf, dwg, ipt or iam files you have in Autodesk 360.

A lot of the Inventor Publisher functionality you may be familiar with is built into Publisher 360. I was quickly able to add Snapshots and Storyboards along with Auto-exploding the model, changing Appearance Settings and reviewing the new Device Capacity Meter. This is really great stuff.

The files (.ipb) that you create in Publisher 360 can be saved directly in your Autodesk 360 account...and then shared with whomever you wish.

Once it is saved in Autodesk 360, you have the ability to access and edit it directly from within Autodesk 360.

What Publisher 360 creates today is a .INSTRUCTION file. you can share this file via Autodesk 360 for design reviews, collaboration sessions, etc.

Feel free to look at this one here. Example

 

Publisher 360 is easy to use, and pretty slick. I have ran it in IE, Chrome and Firefox...yeah, I like to nerd out on this stuff. Case in point: I verified that it doesn't work on the Chrome browser for iPad.

So, go sign up for the Publisher 360 Tech Preview, create some instructions and share them with your freinds, family and co-workers...I'd like to see them too.

 

-lw

 

Augmented Reality Plug-in for Autodesk Showcase 2013 - Because I want a car on my desk

A short time ago we [Autodesk] released the AR Plugin for Autodesk Showcase 2013 on Autodesk Labs. The labs site has a nice tutoral and video overview for installing and running the AR Plug-in. But, per usual, I wanted to give it a go myself. 

Once installed, the AR Plugin will have it's own AR Mode menu in Showcase.

I decided to go with a Showcase model I have used plenty in the past. [so far in the past, that I am pretty sure this product has been discontinued by Parker Hannifin]. This particular Showcase model has a variety of environments, alternatives, shots, etc.

A few quick things: you have to use an Environment, with an infinite background for the AR Plug-in to work.

Next, I wanted to assign multiple markers to my multiple model alternatives in Showcase. To do so, I used the  Object Browser [O] to specify which model I wanted associated with which AR Marker. The basic process is to 1] go to Marker Setup... 2] Select the '+' and pick a marker image (the AR Plug-in installs some very nice ones for you) 3] select Choose to assign the marker to the object.

After that is all done, simply repeat for any additional Objects and/or model alternatives you want to use with the AR Plugin. Once you complete all the Marker assignments, you simply have to enable AR Mode in Showcase.

AR Mode uses your webcam to set your Showcase environment. From there, I used the AR Markers that I printed off to bring my models to life on my desk.

Here is a quick video grab I did of my AR Mode session.

 

The possibilities are pretty endless...and pretty cool.

I highly recommend you go download the AR Plug-in for Autodesk Showcase and try it out for yourself. 

Side note: My 5 year old son thought this was the coolest thing ever. So, I had that going for me.

-lw

Autodesk Inventor Fusion 2013 available from Mac App Store

Autodesk Inventor Fusion technology for 3D CAD modeling is now available for download in the Mac App Store for the first time. Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac takes advantage of new OS X Mountain Lion capabilities to help increase productivity and transform how designers share designs and receive feedback, whether in face-to-face meetings or participating in social communities.

via autodeskmfg.typepad.com

Steve Bedder has a nice write up on Fusion for Mac now available on the Mac App Store.

Autodesk Project Simulus - Simulation for All

A couple of months ago we [Autodesk] released Project Simulus on Autodesk Labs. Project Simulus is free simulation technology for all, powered by Autodesk 360. That's right, we are giving anyone who wants it, a free Linear Static, Modal and Thermal simulation tool. There are some great videos out there to show you how to set up a simulation, simplify your model, edit your model, and interpret results in Project Simulus.

I wanted to walk you through some of the things I noticed when I first kicked the tires on Project Simulus.

First off, Simulus has a startup screen that lets you create a new study, open an existing simulation file, videos on using Simulus, etc. I threw caution to the wind and decided to bypass the tutorials and see what kind of damage I could do.

When starting a new study in Simulus, you get to set the default settings right out of the gate as you choose the type of simulation you are planning to run. I found this handy, since I had a model in mind I was planning on running a Linear Static Stress study on.

Right away I was prompted to choose a CAD model to simulate. Hey, Project Simulus is free...so, I don't want to hear any complaining about it's file import options. Plus, I use Autodesk Inventor...so, I think it has more than enough options.

Right away I thought the interface looked really familiar. Perhaps like Fusion or Fusion for Mac. And it has a bit of Fusion goodness under the hood (more on that later). There is the familiar ribbon toolbar along the top, along with the browser on the right side of the UI that is already listing out critical simulation criteria I need to define.

Like any curious tech-nerd, I immediately flipped through as many toolbars as I could to see what options I really had inside of Simulus. The ribbon switches between the Setup, Simplify, Idealize, Solid, Results and Compare tools. Right off, I was pretty excited to get to try some of these out. Fusion based simplification and modeling tools? In a free simulation tool? Yeah, I'm paying attention now.

Initially, I wanted to define some materials and set up a straight forward simulation. Right in the browser, you can simply select the Edit button to define your matierals. I, conveinently, brought in an Inventor assembly so all of my materials that were defined in my CAD system came directly into Simulus. If I wanted to, I could change any of them right in Simulus as well.

Check this out, by using the Simplify toolbar you can simply click the target symbols to include/exclude parts from the simulation. No more simulation specific assembly configurations/LODs/etc! You can also choose to Hide/Show the excluded components.

Oh, by the way, you can us some Fusion powered model editing to simplify your model too.

By simply using the icons on the Setup toolbar, I added Constraints and Loads as well as defined the Contacts between the components (you can define contact sets, or set a global default).

And here is where I was really curious. Solving. Lets see what this whole Autodesk 360 Cloud thing brings to the table.

3 minutes and 15 seconds later, I had some results. Project Simulus has some really nice ways of looking at your study results. from the standard stress plots and animation to automatically highlighting critical points of interest.

And a few of the other things that stuck out to me. You have access to the Marking Menus that you have come to know and love throughout the other Autodesk Products as well as the ability to leverage Autodesk 360 to Save, Solve and Share your simulation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to Autodesk Labs and give Project Simulus a whirl for yourself. 

 

-lw