What are Inventor users saying about the software?

Inventor is Decent

Why I use Inventor in my daily work

I started using inventor 15 years ago at university and although the software has grown a lot, its use is still just as easy, of course with certain improvements and additions that must be learned with each new version. Although inventor generates high-quality blueprints, many times the drawing standards of each country or region are not met, so I usually edit the drawings in AutoCAD before presenting them

Pros

It is very easy to learn, it is a very intuitive software and you can start designing pieces from the first time you use it. Being Autodesk software, it is compatible with other important software such as AutoCAD or Fusion 360. It has a large number of libraries, so it is not necessary to draw standardized parts

Cons

This is very powerful software, so it requires a high-end computer, so the initial investment is somewhat expensive and the more elements an assembly has, the more RAM memory it will need, which can easily reach 64 or 128 GB.

Inventor is Decent

I feel 80% is enjoyable. I can build structures or components. It’s getting better every time, the other 20% is just basic frustration not being able to mirror components in assemblies and keep them linked, and not being able to copy mates on assemblies is just a big time waster.

Pros

I love the rendering and Frame generator! Frame Generator is freaking Awsome! Literally allows you to build a complex frame out of a sketch or a simple extrusion. The frame members can be trimmed and you can create your own profiles! Also ipart creation make things easy.

Cons

This is a real great software, but I must be honest at 2 Major weak points that are deal breakers for me and maybe others. There is no “copy with mates” like others softwares have. So if you insert 100 Identical components, it’s gonna take you forever to constrain them in your assembly. Also there is no assembly mirror that associative! You have to use pattern, if you can! These are basic standards in even older softwares! How can Inventor not have these Basic staples! Weak points for sure.

Frequent crashes, printer problems, network headaches, too expensive, funcionality middle grade.

A number of irritating problems functionally have prevented us from integrating Inventor fully into our systems. We used it mainly for R&D, in which we find it usable with some features earning a 'good' and even a 'very good'. Inventor and Networks are not good bedfellows, however, and why must the damn Downloading and Licensing be such a theater?

Pros

Once you get used to using it, it is generally a good 3D creator and the standard libraries provide a relatively wide selection of parts. 2D operations are sufficient for sketches and model work. Large assemblies and projects are usually no great problem. Many early problems have been solved and local network use has improved.

Cons

Continual crashes, printer problems at almost every update (Inventor and Windows), networks, both local and external, with the usual Autodesk problems (We are Inventor users since version R3), bloatware starting to creep in, and too expensive.

An alternative to Solid Works

All in all, it is a wonderful program.

Pros

The best thing about Inventor is the numerous modeling and analytical tools that are available for users. Unlike other modeling programs which offer a limited range of tools, Autodesk Inventor gives users everything including a built-in stress simulator.

Cons

The biggest downside of Inventor currently is that it is outdated compared to other programs and much more difficult to use. For instance, in rival programs, it takes much less time to create a simple 3D shape compared to Inventor. This is down to the fact that in Inventor, everything is manually done.

Basically the best software to design mechanical parts.

In general I always use this software to design any part, running the stress simulation.

Pros

You can start form 0 and perform a very specialized analysis for any part. Very organized to go from a point, line, sketch, solid and assembly.

Cons

How the constraints can be easily affected and the whole model ruined. Very complex to repair this.

A very good solid modeling and simulation choice

The annual subscription is a good value for the money

Pros

The subscription-based price model and great customer support. Much better than Solidworks in this regard.

Cons

Hole feature does not have the robustness of SolidWorks. It is not possible to mate to planes and other non-model features.

3D Modeling Awesome

Inventor allows me to do my job, mechanical engineering, I use it daily to design, analyze and draw components we make.

Pros

Inventor is used in everything we do. We need to accurately model things in 3d and create the fabrication and shop drawings. Since it is an Autodesk product it integrates easily with our use of AutoCAD too, with easy output to 2D cad formats as well.

Cons

It can be challenging to learn at first but it is easy if you know another 3D modeling program. The one thing I think the competition does better is exploded views, I dislike the exploded view functionality.

Best modelling sodtware

Inventor is very helpful for my business as I want to create the solid models of my new product ideas. Inventor allowa me to modell those ideas with perfect finishing. I can use these modells to express my ideas to my workers and customers. Though there are many modelling softwares, surface finishing in Inventor is exceptional. The modells look very attractive, colourful and realistic. I recommend Inventor for any solid modelling purpose.

Pros

Finishing Tools User interface Reliability

Cons

Nothing. This is the best modelling software with best finished look of the models.

Very powerful for "Free" software.

After students learn the basics of software they become very proficient users and have a head start in most college classes.

Pros

Very powerful program and most universities and companies in field have heard of.

Cons

Step by step tutorials could be better. Premade projects are difficult to introduce to beginner students. Having to send all part files with assembly makes sharing assemblies between teacher and students very difficult.

Great software with amazing help tools

Pros

The software is very user friendly and there is a ton of learning resources available for it online. I found drawing 3D objects much simpler in this software.

Cons

I found it hard to create animations using this software

Basically Required for PLTW's IED

Inventor is meant to be used to design parts of a mechanical machine. It is really good at that and not much else. It makes parts, assemblies, and drawings well. While it has animation tools, they're not great. Because of the detail and accuracy in the renderings, it goes through a lot more RAM, but makes great images and working drawings.

Pros

Inventor is good if you are rendering parts to a small product. You would not want to design a house or perform city planning on it. It is also not meant for animation, so being good at Inventor probably wouldn't get you a job with Pixar or Dreamworks. If, on the other hand, you want to 3D a missing keyboard key or the insert to your tape dispenser, then Inventor is for you. I am an engineering teacher and my students use this program for the entire second-half of the school year. I have a feeling that students using Inventor in their Introduction to Engineering Design class is a huge majority of where Autodesk Inventor is used. Inventor is very good at turning a part file into both assembiles and working drawings. The images it makes is just as good as anything you would find in IKEA assembly instructions. This works out well because I tell my students that by the end of the class I teach, they will be able to create an assembly instruction book that is just as good as anything IKEA would give their customers.

Cons

I already know that I don't use even a small fraction of what Inventor is capable of and that I can only review the limited number of tools I have used. But, based on what I have used Inventor for during the better part of a decade... Google SketchUp doesn't require that you place a sketch, then draw, and then extrude the sketch, and it works just fine. Inventor works fine for small simple projects, but it's slow-going to make something in it. Because it uses true curves, Inventor uses a lot of RAM and can crash when you are assembling complicated parts. It won't curve labels in 2 directions, it doesn't have a parabola, catenary, or hyperbola tools. I have struggled a lot with making their parts semitransparent like being able to see a ship inside of a bottle.

Inventor...only 10 years behind

Pros

I like that it's fairly quick to rebuild parts after changing a feature early on in the tree. I like the view cube in the upper right hand corner, very easy to reorient the view any way I want. The measure tool is very useful and easy to use. I really like how easy it is to start and orient a sketch, super simple and intuitive. The hole tool is nice and easy to use, good GUI.

Cons

I don't like: 1. I can't measure between the edges of sketched circles without putting points there to measure from. Why shouldn't I be able to measure the web thickness or specify that as my measurable value? If that's something that's a CTC on my print, then let me spec it, don't tell me it's not "good engineering". 2. Why can't I split/trim projected geometry? You make me import it as a line, so let me trim it like one. 3. When using a feature in a subsequent sketch, why does it make me import that line geometry into my current sketch? Just reference it. 4. If I add a constraint, why not tell me what conflicts and let me delete the conflicting constraint (a la Creo). It's great that you tell me it's overconstraining it, but tell me what the conflicts are. 5. Why do I have to edit a sketch/feature to edit a dimension? I've been able to double click a dimension and edit that dimension in SW and Creo for years. 6. Why do I have to go into the View tab to change the visual style? Make that a floating toolbar in the viewable area (a la Creo). 7. Why don't all circular features, i.e. circles, holes, etc., automatically have an axis that's accessible to later features? It's dumb that I have to insert them...

It is a 3D solid parametric modeling program produced by the software company Autodesk

In my case being a professional of iNGENIERIA IS OF GREAT BENEFIT BECAUSE Inventor is updated (with the help of users in Inventor Ideas) and improves with each new version It keeps the user competitive by accessing our latest innovations at the time they are available, along with the previous versions you need Configure your products more easily with new functions for assemblies and autocomplete in the rules editor. Work with data from any 3D CAD system while maintaining an associative link

Pros

It has many tools that are very useful not only in the mechanical area, but also in the design of circuits, in the design of pipelines, etc., that's why I like SW. However, what I like about inventor is that besides being a program where you can make designs (CAD), you can also manufacture them (CAM) and do not need an interface like solidworks to recognize it in a cnc. Moldflow analysis: because it shows the quality of the pieces during the preliminary design phases and avoids the problems of higher level. Family mold: this allows the administration of family molds. You can alternate between several charged plastic parts to complete the partition plane design of each core and cavity assembly. Feed channel and injection point: provides the means to specify the type and location of the injection points, and allows to define the characteristics of shape, size and sketch of the feed channel. Cooling channel: improves the efficiency of the mold design and simplifies the process of creating complex cooling channels. Core and cavity design: solves the complex problems of defining the partition plane. The combination of these functions allows the closing of the separation, in addition to the automatic creation of revisions of holes and partition surfaces. Standard component library and tools: supports a wide range of components from commercial catalog libraries and a component utility to create custom parts. Automation of the drawing: the automation of the 2D drawing

Cons

Java does not generate code for further deeper developments. It does not handle much flexibility like code does in Java It only works with an Internet connection and it is a great disadvantage when you signal it is bad at home or work It can only be developed for Android The program has a high cost, due to its license. Knowing how to fully use the software requires a lot of time since there are many functions, and even that they are of little application, since they are very specific. It requires a powerful computer to work with processing speed, and a high space on the hard drive

Inventor for Millwork and Tradeshow Documents

Inventor is a great tool and easy to learn and be productive with. It is not a direct solution for any specific trade other than Sheet Metal, but can be tailored to fit.

Pros

Inventor is very easy to use to create realistic, solid designs for cabinetry and millwork. I have tailored the software to streamline my creation of repetitive tasks, and it allows me to effectively document my designs quickly and easily. The software allows you to design and see where problems are in real time. My absolute favorite thing is that the drawings created, are always 100% exactly what you've modeled. It is impossible to have a view that does not dimensionally match another view. My experience with CAD systems in the past, is when drawings get revised, if not checked carefully, views can get out of sync with each other and when something is manufactured, the fabricator undoubtedly will ALWAYS pick the incorrect view as the one to follow. Inventor completely eliminates this problem. Last but not least, is that after being an Engineer / Drafter / Project Manager for almost 30 years, learning and using inventor has made designing and drafting fun for me again.

Cons

If there's anything I dislike, is that the software could be more cabinet and millwork friendly without having to purchase an add-on. The drawing sizes and model file sizes can get very large, in some cases I have drawings over 200mb, which can be painfully slow when loading over a network

Excellent capability, decent learning curve for existing CAD/CAM users

Being able to flexibly work on design projects for work, hobbies, and STEM Education and Outreach work is incredibly nice, and linking this capability to much more accessible maker tech really opens new doors for rapid prototyping.

Pros

Really powerful software, surprisingly resource efficient for use on laptops, and the de facto standard for many uses. With a dedicated CAD rig (or repurposed gaming PC), performance even when dealing with large and complex models is excellent. The design and portability is really quite good, and when coupled with access to CNC machinery and 3D printing capability makes the prototyping process incredibly quick. Currently experimenting with amateur photogrammetry for metrology and rapid design capability (converting clay models or plastic-printing pens), and the toolset is powerful enough to leverage those capabilities quite well. Easy enough to use that high school students can tap many of the advanced capabilities with even limited background.

Cons

For myself as an old school Autodesk user the added capability is impressive, although the UI updates feel a lot like contemporary changes that fixed things which weren't broken in the first place. The biggest headache I have right now is that the install is tedious to reroute, particularly when repurposing existing computers for STEM outreach projects, anything other than the default installation is hard, and often inconsistent. Interfacing with open source tools is actually quite good, but innate support for that is unsurprisingly limited. Still, a really minor complaint, as properly packaged for export files are handled really well with existing CAM workflow and automation in slicing tools for experienced additive manufacturers.

Inventor Review

It's great. We have been using it on a daily basis for years now, not only for components design and manufacturing drawings but also for layouts, general arrangments, and plant layouts. It becomes easy to integrate scanned areas and easier to show end customers what they could expect.

Pros

Autodesk Inventor is the best tool in the market for 3D manufacturing design. The components library is huge with basically all the important vendors being part of it. The setups are easy, and the collaboration between workers is great and very functional. The BOM works perfectly and integrates with other pieces of software within the company.

Cons

It is an expensive piece of software. It could have an entry version as the AutoCAD 2D has the LT version. I understand that it also requires some bulk hardware to run it nicely, and this is part of modeling in 3D.

Inventor 2018 Experience

Overall it's been a positive experience. I will admit I came to Inventor late having stared with competitor products nearly 15 years ago but once you learn the syntax of how the everything is set up it is a smooth transition.

Pros

The software is easy to use and flows fairly well. The real beauty, especially from a hiring standpoint, is that it works very similar to competition so if you know one package you can quickly pick up on this one. the other thing I really like is the Vault that is included. The ability to work locally, but keep everything stored on a server, makes working with larger models much faster. It also allows a team to work together while keeping files safes and tracking revisions and changes.

Cons

Ever since the first time I used the software my main criticism has always been the inability to select a midpoint of a sketch. This drives me mad and many of us have found complex workarounds to what should be a simple problem. I will also say that setting up mates in an assembly is not always that intuitive. It's great to have many different options but when %100 of the time I only use this specific one it would be great if it would learn that, or allow me to change the default.

Very helpful tool to model components and help visualize real world assemblies.

AutoDesk included a modelling and drawing software, as well as a simulation aspect. We use other softwares for other applications so this is the extent of my knowledge with autocad.

Pros

I have used this product for over 3 years now and couldn't be more satisfied with the product. My team and I use Inventor to model assemblies to be used in real life to help us visualize any potential flaws regarding manufacturing and assembly. The gear tool has allowed us to construct complex gear trains within minutes and simulating the motion has never been easier. To add to that, being able to visualize the motion of the gears through simulation has helped us fix several overlooked flaws in the design, including improper teeth meshing distance and collision with the frame.

Cons

My one complaint with AutoDesk is the pack and go feature. Once, I used it to export my assembly and various part files into a compressed zip file, checking all the correct boxes, and my zip folder was later corrupted. It has only happened once but it cost me a lot of time. It could have been a user error on my part but I have packed and gone since and it has worked fine every other time.

Excellent mechanical design software, extremely efficient and practical.

It has allowed me to quickly design metal structures in 3D from your library, which has saved me time, in addition to an impeccable finish. Therefore, I consider that it has given effectiveness to my work and my professional life.

Pros

Mainly it has allowed me to design pieces, machineries, structures and endless figures, creating parameters that streamline the assembly of the models that I have created, since it has a complete library of structural elements that facilitate the task of designing from the elements of the library and can easily be modeled, it is also very easy to create parametric drawings without the need of being an expert in the software, therefore its ease of use unlike other similar packages places it among my favorites when creating my digital prototypes. On the other hand, this software can design metal sheets that meet the most stringent quality standards. I find it interesting that it allows you to create 3D models from DWG files directly from Inventor. In addition to all the advantages I have mentioned, it allows you to export 3D designs to PDF formats, which facilitates printing and displaying them on any computer.

Cons

The main disadvantage that I find to this software is that it requires a very powerful equipment and with certain specific characteristics to be able to use it, since in a conventional machine its use is impossible.

Great software, unmatched design automation!

Model MASSIVE assemblies on not very powerful computers, design and process automation with iLogic.

Pros

If you have massive assemblies and love to automate processes, inventor is the ticket! This software runs well on computers that would barely be able to open SolidWorks. Huge assemblies (30,000 parts) open and are easily worked on. I can't imagine doing anything if this magnitude in any other software. I regularly use Solidworks, inventor and Pro-E (Creo), and inventor is my go to software for large machines. It's the best feature is iLogic which is a user-friendly programming interface to help you automate simple or complex tasks to save time and reduce errors. It is very similar to Visual Basic for applications, but you do not need to be a programmer to figure this out!

Cons

There is no global sheet scale in drawings and therefor no way to link a view scale to the title block in a drawing. It must be filled out manually.

Solid 3d CAD platform with an entourage of compatible software

We left Pro/E Wildfire 4.0 in 2013 as Creo originally wasn't all that stellar. We switched to Inventor and all-in-all have been pretty satisfied. Performance was an issue early on, but this has been addressed with multi-core support.

Pros

That drawings are DWG file formats, so no conversions necessary to open in AutoCAD. The ability to customize with marking menus, keyboard shortcuts, rearranging ribbons, and macros with VBA.

Cons

It acts up sometimes with sketch references (even when limited to one part), but there has been continuous improvements in this area. Edits to parts can take time as the workflow is to either open part up and make changes, or edit in place but still open up feature to make changes. However, I created a VBA form and macro that allows me to see relative parameters to a feature to make quick changes at the assembly level. Multi-core support took too long to be offered, but thankfully it now is utilized.

Inventor 19

My experience with Inventor has been very good from a modeling perspective. I have not found anything our company designs that could not model.

Pros

Inventor is easy to use with plenty of modeling power to do most any job a company has. I have not found any parts our company uses that Inventor could not model quickly and accurately.

Cons

Random crashes doing normal activities. Some functionality can be a little difficult to figure out why the feature fails to modify. Especially when you can create the feature from scratch successfully. Seems to be missing some functionality I was used to with SolidWorks especially in the assembly constraints but that may be due to lack of training. BOM control can be tricky I found out recently. Again this may be caused by a lack of training.

Reduces electro-mechanical system design

It has helped to collaborate with the engineering teams effectively in the system design process. For more complicated systems that have inter-dependency on mechanical and electrical domains, it has helped.

Pros

Autodesk Inventor integrates really well with other Autodesk products that provide collaboration to a deeper extent between various engineering disciplines that include mechanical, electrical and civil. Whenever a mechanical assembly is updated it automatically notifies and updates the electrical wiring. Autodesk rendering of the assembly and components helps to visualize things effectively.

Cons

The user interface is not friendly as compared to Solidworks. The amount of time taken to design a mechanical part in Solidworks is much faster compared to Autodesk Inventor.

My love for Autodesk Inventor

Most of my CAD designs are done in Autodesk Inventor and I've become so comfortable with it. The data management in Inventor is just top notch with easy switching from one project to the other without crash.

Pros

The fact that Inventor is easy to use is a huge plus. As compared to other 3D modeling softwares available in the market, Autodesk Inventor is relatively one of the easiest to navigate with beautiful and simple interface, as well as huge support from Autodesk Forum and way cheaper than most of it's competitions.

Cons

I think rendering is one part that should be worked on. More IBL environments could be added and better material texture. Surface modelling could be better and as well, sculpting (form).