Autodesk Inventor

{{Short description|3D mechanical CAD design software}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2015}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Autodesk Inventor

| author = Peter "de vlieg" stinissen

| developer = Autodesk

| released = {{Start date and age|1999}}

| latest release version = 2026

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|3|26}}

| operating system = Windows

| genre = Computer-aided design

| license = Proprietary

| website = {{URL|https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview}}

}}

Autodesk Inventor is a computer-aided design extension application for 3D mechanical design, simulation, visualization, and documentation developed by Autodesk.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/autodesk-university-2017-highlights-new-tech-38106|title=Autodesk University 2017 Highlights New Tech|access-date=2017-12-24}}

Features

Inventor allows analyzing 2D and 3D CAD models by creating a virtual representation of the final product in order to validate the form, fit, and functioning before it is built.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/inventor/create-and-remove-ole-links-inventor-files-35497|title=Create and Remove OLE Links in Inventor Files|access-date=2017-12-24}}

Autodesk Inventor supports parametric, direct edit, freeform modeling part modeling, and assembly modeling. It provides support for various CAD formats and standard DWG drawings. Autodesk also offers another 3D CAD/CAM software, Fusion.{{Cite book |last1=Munford |first1=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJ4tCwAAQBAJ&q=%22Autodesk+Inventor%22+-wikipedia |title=Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2016 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2016: Autodesk Official Press |last2=Normand |first2=Paul |date=2015-12-21 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-119-05987-5 |language=en|page=xxvii}}

Inventor uses ShapeManager, Autodesk's proprietary geometric modeling kernel.

The software can be licensed as a subscription or through pre-paid Flex Tokens (daily use, consumption-based). Autodesk Inventor Professional is also a part of a collection license Autodesk Product Design & Manufacturing Collection. Autodesk Inventor competes directly with SolidWorks, Solid Edge, and Creo.

Editions

The latest Autodesk Inventor product line includes the following software titles:{{Cite web|url=https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/features#whats-new|title=What's New in Inventor}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.autodesk.in/products/inventor/compare-products|title=Compare Inventor vs. Inventor LT | Autodesk}}

  • Autodesk Inventor LT 2021 (discontinued)
  • Autodesk Inventor Professional 2026

File formats

  • Exports:
  • .iam - Assembly file
  • .ipt - Part file
  • .idw, .dwg - Drawing file
  • .ipn - Presentation file
  • Imports:
  • Inventor imports most types of foreign CAD formats

Release dates and names

class="wikitable"
Version

! Internal number

! Code name

! Date of release

! What's New

1

| 1

| Mustang

| September 20, 1999

|

2

| 2

| Thunderbird

| March 1, 2000

|

3

| 3

| Camaro

| August 1, 2000

|

4

| 4

| Corvette

| December 1, 2000

|

5

| 5

| Durango

| September 17, 2001

|

5.3

| 5.3

| Prowler

| January 30, 2002

|

6

| 6

| Viper

| October 15, 2002

|

7

| 7

| Wrangler

| April 18, 2003

| New DWG Support for AutoCAD 2004, Autodesk Express Viewer Compatibility, Large-Assembly Design Performance

8

| 8

| Cherokee

| October 15, 2003

|

9

| 9

| Crossfire

| July 15, 2004

|

10

| 10

| Freestyle

| April 6, 2005

| Task Scheduler, Inventor Studio, Associative import of Mechanical Desktop data, Design Accelerators, Assembly constraints use colors to differentiate between the first and second constraint selection.

11

| 11

| Faraday

| April 6, 2006

|

2008

| 12

| Goddard

| April 11, 2007{{cite web|title=Autodesk Inventor 2008 Whats New|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/60817758/Autodesk-Inventor-2008-Whats-New|access-date=25 April 2018}}

|

2009

| 13

| Tesla

| April 16, 2008{{cite web|title=Autodesk Inventor 2009 – What Is New|url=http://mastergraphics.com/blog/autodesk-inventor-2009-whats-new/|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426012122/http://mastergraphics.com/blog/autodesk-inventor-2009-whats-new/|archive-date=26 April 2018|url-status=dead}}

| Frame Generator, Sheet Metal, skeletal modelling

2010

| 14

| Hopper

| February 27, 2009{{cite web|title=Autodesk Inventor 2010|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Inventor-Install/files/GUID-77B2232D-D9A3-4C0C-9C92-944A8E62D4C2-htm.html|access-date=25 April 2018}}

| The Ribbon, New FEA

2011

| 15

|Sikorsky

| March 26, 2010{{cite web|title=Autodesk Inventor Commercial - 2011 What's New|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/video/youtube/watch-v-OHG9GNnV5DM.html|access-date=25 April 2018}}

| Dynamic Input, Direct Manipulation, Assemble tool, Visualization, iCopy, iLogic

2012

| 16

| Brunel

| March 22, 2011{{cite web|title=Autodesk Inventor 2012|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Inventor-Install/files/GUID-D97A15B1-8BC8-4063-A8CF-3D65419D9055-htm.html|access-date=25 April 2018}}

| Provides easier ways to interact with 3D mechanical design data; new opportunities for sharing, accepting and updating CAD data regardless of source and complexity; and high-impact performance and productivity improvements for both users and IT departments

2013

| 17

| Goodyear

| March 27, 2012{{cite web|title=Autodesk Inventor 2013|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Inventor-Install/files/GUID-DA369E52-CCEF-43DE-AEBE-68ACDD353340-htm.html|access-date=25 April 2018}}

| Equation curves

2014

| 18

| Franklin

| March 27, 2013

{{cite press release

| last = Helm

| first = Clay

|title = Autodesk 2014 Design and Creation Suites Give Flexibility to Innovate More

| url = http://news.autodesk.com/press-release/autodesk-2014-design-and-creation-suites-give-flexibility-innovate-more

| location = San Francisco

| publisher = Autodesk, Inc.

| date = 2013-03-26

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131222015821/http://news.autodesk.com/press-release/autodesk-2014-design-and-creation-suites-give-flexibility-innovate-more

| archive-date = 2013-12-22

| access-date = 2016-11-11

}}

| Express mode, Connection, Symmetrical constraint, Slot geometry, Enhanced rectangle geometry, Thin wall FEA, Frame FEA, Assembly relationship folder

Mouseover grounded constraint visibility, Model & assembly simplification, Joint constraints.

2015

| 19

| Dyson

| March 28, 2014

{{cite press release

| last = Simoes

| first = Angela

|title = New Autodesk 2015 Design Suites Drive Unsurpassed Value for Subscribers

| url = http://news.autodesk.com/press-release/archived/new-autodesk-2015-design-suites-drive-unsurpassed-value-subscribers

| location = San Francisco

| publisher = Autodesk, Inc.

| date = 2014-03-27

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140330205653/http://news.autodesk.com/press-release/archived/new-autodesk-2015-design-suites-drive-unsurpassed-value-subscribers

| archive-date = 2014-03-30

| access-date = 2016-11-11

}}

| Freeform, Direct Edit

2016

| 20

| Shelby

| April 16, 2015

{{cite press release

| last = Simoes

| first = Angela

|title = Autodesk 2016 Design & Creation Suites Now Available

| url = http://news.autodesk.com/press-release/archived/autodesk-2016-design-creation-suites-now-available

| location = San Francisco

| publisher = Autodesk, Inc.

| date = 2015-04-13

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150416001453/http://news.autodesk.com/press-release/archived/autodesk-2016-design-creation-suites-now-available

| archive-date = 2015-04-16

| access-date = 2015-04-15

}}{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-A4A21E04-2F90-4A76-9C0D-28F61EEEDC93-htm.html|title=What's New in Autodesk 2016|website=Autodesk Knowledge Network|language=en-US|access-date=2022-11-14}}

| Multi-CAD, AutoCAD Electrical and Inventor Interoperability, Multi-thread support, Shape Generator, 3D Printing Environment, Graphics/Visualization/Studio Enhancements

2017

| 21

| Enzo

| March 28, 2016{{cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-F772ABAD-C1CC-4E59-9612-C5EEFC3BC3AD-htm.html|title=What's New in Autodesk Inventor 2017|access-date=25 April 2018}}

| Modeling enhancements, expanded AnyCAD support, 3D PDF export, enhanced presentation environment, guided tutorial authoring

2018

| 22

| Elon

| March 24, 2017{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-917AEB83-27BB-44BA-A809-44E0748A41AE-htm.html|title=What's New in Autodesk Inventor 2018|website=Autodesk Knowledge Network|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-19}}

| Model Based Definition, expanded AnyCAD support, large assembly performance improvements, simplification/shrinkwrap enhancements, multiple rules for sheet metal parts, mesh support in drawing views

2019

| 23

| Zora

| April 10, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-4FBBFD8B-4076-4A08-9CCF-71C4B3FF533E-htm.html|title=What's New in Autodesk Inventor 2019|website=Autodesk Knowledge Network|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-25}}

| Performance improvements, large assembly performance improvements, shared view collaboration, expanded hole command, iLogic enhancements, model-based definition, improved part modeling workflows, and sheet metal for manufacturing

2020

| 24

| Senna

| March 27, 2019{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-8126E8EE-422A-4DEF-9B14-513D87BD4122-htm.html|title=What's New in Autodesk Inventor 2020|website=Autodesk Knowledge Network|language=en-US|access-date=2022-11-14}}

| Overall GUI improvements

2021

| 25

| Ada

| March 31, 2020{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2021/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-AF86A180-1487-4FD3-A6A5-5D2180A778E5-htm.html|title=What's New in Inventor 2021|website=Autodesk Knowledge Network|language=en-US|access-date=2022-11-14}}

| New UI Panel, Large Assembly Performance Improvement, Modeling enhancements

2022

| 26

| Ren

| April 4, 2021{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-54921724-BD22-46C2-871F-688124D39EFD-htm.html|title=What's New in Autodesk 2022|website=Autodesk Knowledge Network|language=en-US|access-date=2022-11-14}}

| Model States, Performance, Revit and Fusion 360 interop

2023

| 27

|

| March 28, 2022{{Cite web|url=https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-CCB31B06-3153-4B0F-BB20-2152D6F2B1FC|title=What's New in Inventor 2023|language=en-US|access-date=2022-11-14}}

| Autodesk Inventor 2023 is packed with customer-driven updates and enhancements to help you speed up your design workflows, reduce repetitive tasks, and improve experiences so you can focus more time on design and innovation.

2024

| 28

|

| March 29, 2023{{Cite web|url=https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-A542F6DE-7FFC-4697-9565-0CB04CB8510B|title=What's New in Inventor 2024|language=en-US|access-date=2023-03-30}}

|

2025

| 29

|

| March 27, 2024{{Cite web|url=https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-79BEECAC-18E6-478A-8406-1DD581F620D6|title=What's New in Inventor 2025|language=en-US|access-date=2024-09-27}}

|Updates to part modeling, sheet metal, assembly modeling, drawings, and interoperability.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.autodesk.com/inventor/autodesk-inventor-whats-new-2025/|title=Autodesk Inventor 2025 What's New|date=27 March 2024 |language=en-US|access-date=2024-09-27}}

|

2026

| 30

|

| March 26, 2025{{Cite web|url=https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2026/ENU/?guid=INV-What-s-New-in-Inventor-2026|title=What's New in Inventor 2026|language=en-US|access-date=2025-03-26}}

|Updates to performance, part modeling, sheet metal, assembly mirroring, drawings, and interoperability.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.autodesk.com/inventor/autodesk-inventor-2026-whats-new/|title=Autodesk Inventor 2026 What's New|date=26 March 2025 |language=en-US|access-date=2025-03-26}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}