Design

AutoCAD 2018 and Inventor 2018 Released

This week, Autodesk has upgrades to both its AutoCAD and Inventor products, to the 2018 versions.

AutoCAD 2018 and AutoCAD LT now allows users to:

  • Use productivity tools to create and share drawings
  • Fix broken paths for externally referenced files.
  • Convert imported PDF geometry to text objects with a tool recognition tool
  • See improvements to open and save operations, especially for drawings that contain many annotative objects and viewports, thanks to an updated DWG format
  • See security and stability for 3D solid and surface through use of the newest geometric modeler

The tool also supports high-resolution monitors, at 4K, or around 4,000 pixels, or higher. It also includes a mobile app accessible to subscribers to any AutoCAD product.

Subscribers on the AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT 2017 subscription license or maintenance plan will get the updates, as they become available, within in the Autodesk Desktop App. Users accept the update to get the upgraded features.

Meanwhile, Inventor 2018 has been updated. Included  are improvements to the speed, and expanded interoperability.

Inventor 2018 introduces a series of new features and improvements to the mechanical design and 3D CAD software.

The product offers performance improvements for customers who need to open, update and navigate faster within their Inventor assemblies and drawings. Based on feedback from customers during the alpha and beta testing of Inventor 2018, users are seeing speed improvements between two- and ten-times faster, according to Loren Welch, inventor product manager.

“We have also seen customer demand for tighter integration between design and manufacturing, as well an industry push toward model based engineering, Welch added. “We added an entirely new set of functionality in the 2018 version by including integrated model-based design as part of every seat.”

Users will also be able to leverage MBD data for downstream use, such as tolerance analysis, and computer aided manufacturing use. Inventor 2018 allows for publishing 3D PDF and STEP AP242 of part files, with MBD and 3DA information included.

Autodesk is also taking its first steps in backwards compatibility between software versions with the AnyCAD feature, Welch added.

“The 2018 version will allow designers to use AnyCAD workflows to leverage 2018 parts and assemblies into Inventor 2017 designs,” he said. “This is great for supplier collaboration and organizations with divisions that need to upgrade to the latest version of Inventor before others.

“Customer-driven enhancements can be seen throughout Inventor 2018, with improved and streamlined core workflows and model interaction,” Welch added.

New capabilities are also included for customers who work with a variety of design data and formats, including more streamlined interoperability with BIM, Autodesk Revit and IFC formats.

Autodesk will continue to release expand on information about its two new design products in the coming days, according to the company.