
It’s also worth noting that by using a panel approach, Autodesk is also making these operations more flexible in their use – for example, with a panelised command, you’re now able to switch between the sketch and the feature without having to exit the operation first.įinally, in terms of user interface and usability, this release sees the addition of improved support for multiple monitor set-ups. This has been a popular update in many major systems in the last year and, rather than sweeping a 2D profile along a path, allows you to sweep a 3D geometric form to create the sweep.Īt first glance, the differences here may seem a little esoteric, but when you think about modelling up complex linear/rotary mechanisms, where maintaining the form you need with a simple sketch isn’t going to work, then having a 3D form driving feature creation will pay dividends in terms of getting the functionality you want.

While this work is being done, there’s also the opportunity to add in new functionality, such as the sweep operation now getting the ability to sweep a solid along a path. This is in addition to work already done on the hole command in 2019. While not every aspect of Inventor has been tackled yet, you’ll see improvements to the most commonly used operations, including extrude, revolve and sweep. The goal here is to present all options and variables in a single, easy-tounderstand space. In addition, work that began during the 2019 release cycle to modernise core commands and move them into a single panel continues in this latest update.

If software is too dark, the same holds true.īecause of this, Autodesk Inventor 2020’s introduction of a new ‘light theme’ will prove useful to many, as will the refresh of most of the icons in the system.

If lighting isn’t great, the screen is hard to see.

To understand why, we first need to bear in mind that today’s user environments are very different from how they were when Inventor was first released, almost two decades ago.īack then, the desktop was king and designers and engineers didn’t expect mobility from their computing.įast-forward to today, and the mobile workstation is a big part of the picture and software is used in a wide variety of locations, environments and lighting conditions. While I realise that icon redesigns may not be the most enthralling of subjects, in this case, it seems perfectly valid.
