Autodesk has released Inventor 2017, a 3D modeling solution for manufacturing industry professionals.

Inventor 2017 is a software for designers and engineers that has been continuously updated to meet the growing needs of customers, with new features such as ▲professional-level design tools, ▲interoperability tools, and ▲enhanced communication tools.



Inventor 2017 was created with input from over 11,000 Inventor alpha and beta testers, as well as Autodesk's Inventor-focused online community, IdeaStation.

Inventor 2017's professional-level design tools support enhanced sketching, part modeling, assembly management, surface and sheet metal design to help users capture and develop ideas quickly and easily. Shape generator features such as symmetry and member size control have been added to help users research ultra-lightweight designs and improve product matching, helping to optimize performance from the early stages.

Additionally, the interoperability tool integrates all aspects of a project regardless of existing workspaces or software, allowing users to easily create non-native mechanical design data with extended AnyCAD functionality without translation.It integrates with Inventor models and includes associative connections to the industry-standard STEP format. It also offers improved data and process management, from mesh handling to Vault connectivity for customers using Inventor for factory design.

Enhanced communication tools enable sharing information with all project members, regardless of their role, company, location, or software package type. A360's Design Shares feature accelerates feedback and approvals for ongoing designs, and enhanced animation capabilities enable the application of assembly sequences and 3D PDF publishing to document designs.

Inventor 2017 offers a more streamlined edition for Inventor standalone product subscription customers. Starting today, Inventor Standard products are no longer offered as standalone subscriptions, but are integrated with Inventor Professional into a single subscription. New subscribers can now purchase Inventor Professional products at the same price as their existing Inventor Standard counterparts.

"The role of mechanical engineers in manufacturing is evolving," said Derek Cooper, Autodesk's Inventor Product Line Director. "Their roles are expanding beyond the design of complex mechanical systems to encompass all stages of the workflow, from finished product definition and design to product delivery. The latest version of Inventor delivers several new features to support this shift."