It's here! It's here! - Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac

Ever since seeing it at AU2011 back in December, I/We/All of us have been waiting for Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac to be available. Today, I feel like Navin R. Johnson...Fusion for Mac is here! Fusion for Mac is here! 

First off, I am not 'Mr. Mac' by any means. I have a MacBook Pro...but, primarily run Windows7 via Boot Camp. Inventor Fusion for Mac is going to change my OSX usage for sure. I will take a few minutes to walk you through my delight(s) as I started using Fusion for Mac.

Right upon launching IFM (just made that acronym up...way easier to type than Inventor Fusion for Mac) you are asked to log into (or create) your Autodesk ID, then you see this welcome screen.

Despite my natural instincts, I did watch a couple of the 'Essential Skill Videos'...well worth the time. The other things I noticed right away was the direct links to Autodesk Exchange and Autodesk 360 (interesting huh?). With the Welcome Screen out of the way, I wanted to get a feel for all the functions, features and options I would be able to get my hands on with this release. To save you some time, here is an image with most of it laid out for you.

Lets do a quick review: Solids, Surfaces, Visualization, Parts and Assemblies...and, do you see the 360 integration? In case you missed it 'Insert from Autodesk 360' was on the Assemble menu.  This is good stuff here folks...good stuff indeed. And here is some more Autodesk 360 you will see in IFM.

All of the standard Inventor/Fusion interactions are there (or should I now call it Inventor Fusion for Windows, IFW for short). Middle mouse pans, SHIFT+Middle rotates, etc. Heads up UI and dynamic previews are agile and rockin'

Umm...but, there is some interaction that is different. And by 'different' I really mean 'f$#&ing cool'. Great example; when you are assembling components together, you just wiggle your cursor a bit around some geometry and it highlights it for selection and then animates when the assemble is OK'ed.

 

 

There are a few other subtle differences as well. The import file options are a bit different, and IFM has a new file extension.

And you have the ability to save directly to 360. Hello collaboritive design, am I right?

Throughout my 'test run' I opened some SAT, STP, Inventor (ipt & iam) and some old Fusion DWGs. All the files opened fine, and I even mixed them up into a crazy multi-CAD assembly (not that any of us work with multiple file formats...crazy, I know). Inventor Fusion for Mac is a feature rich and powerful design software...and pretty fun to use to boot. 

I did want to give one quick disclaimer: I did have spiky hair, was wearing my Warby Parker glasses, and had grown a 3-day beard when performing this 'test run'...I wasn't sure if it was a Mac requirement or not.

Go over to Autodesk Labs and try Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac for yourself...I double checked the system requirements, the beard is optional.

-lw

Comments

[PeterC]

Brilliant. I'm going to grow my beard whilst I wait for my ISP to roll-over my data allowance on the 24th so I can download it. (It's still reeling from downloading all the other 2013 products.)

It's not often anyone reviewing the current crop of CAD software is moved to calling it "f$#&ing cool". It must be good. Can't wait.