[MetalShavings]

Do any of you more sophisticated Tormach owner/users work with the AutoCAD Inventor software as a part of your work flow?

I was just wondering because I'm presently searching for possible new candidates as a replacement for the TurboCAD software I'm using now.

I'd like to know how well it works with the SprutCAM software in converting my drawings to G-code.

Anyone have any hands-on experience with this software combination?

Thanks in advance.

MetalShavings

[TXFred]

I use Inventor at work, and I have Sprut at home, but I have not tried to combine the two yet. Mainly because I'm still learning SprutCAM.

I cannot forsee a problem, since Inventor can export to .iges format, and Sprut can import from .iges format.

I want to recommend that you look into Solidworks instead of Inventor. I've used both. They are similar enough that a user of one can quickly become familiar with the other. But where Solidworks shines is the user interface. Because of the way it is laid out, and the way it responds to what you're doing, it is much faster.

For instance, do you want to make two lines parallel? In Inventor, you have to scroll the sidebar to Constraints. Then click the Constraints flyout, read the tiny icons on the flyout and choose the Parallel constraint. Then click the two lines. As you do this, the flyout disappears, and the sidebar scrolls back to the top. One scroll, one click, eyestrain, three more clicks.

In Solidworks, you click the first line, hold CTRL, and click the second line. Solidworks automatically gives you the list of possible constraints on the sidebar, and you pick the one you want. Three intuitive mouse clicks and a single keyboard key.

This is just one example of the way Solidworks' user interface blows Inventor's away. And don't even get me started on the Ribbon that Autodesk used to replace the pulldown menus.

I can model a part in Solidworks 2x as fast as I can in Inventor, simply because Solidworks has a better interface. If you have the option, I suggest you try it out and see if it works for you.

Frederic

[dkaustin]

I use Inventor because it's what I have and am used to. If you have yet to acquire and learn a 3D modeler program, TXFred's comments are well worth considering.

But to answer your original question, I have found that Sprut and Inventor play very well together. The Sprut plug-in imports Inventor models with no problems that I have seen.

[MetalShavings]

Many thanks to both of you guys for the quick replies. I was afraid this post would become one of those that just gets viewed but not answered.

I was recently offered and exceptional deal on an unregistered copy of Inventor 2011. I'm presently using an older version of TurboCad but wanted something a little more advanced.

I have yet to deal with SprutCAM because I haven't yet ordered by Tormach mill. I just wanted to know if the two softwares would work well together. It appears that they will.

I suppose now it comes down to the Cost versus the learning curve with this Inventor Software. The cost to me will be almost free so I may as well go for it.

I'll look into the SolidWorks Software that was mentioned as well.

The class I'm starting in a couple of days will be using GibbCAM so I'm starting to get overwhelmed with all the selections. Nearly all of them have the same features or abilities. It's figuring out how to apply those features in the individual softwares that can get confusing.

Thanks again gentlemen.

MetalShavings

[TXFred]

It's hard to argue with Almost Free.

Frederic