INVENTOR USAGE
As I am VERY old school - I've doing my 3D modeling with AutoCAD 2D. I am wanting to lean more toward Inventor, as my employer informed me he would set me up with it. I do structural design for a fire training company we use Connex containers with various props to aid in training firefighters. My questions - will Inventor generate a Bill of Material? when the 3D model is completed will it give us (2) things - the total weight and the center of weight?
Thank you, Thomas McGe
Accepted answer
The answer is yes.
But to do so, you must create assemblies with parts that have been previously assigned the corresponding material.
2 Other answers
All of the main 3D CAD modeling products will provide these functions. One small suggestion, though it may be something that is out of your control, the best thing to do when making a major CAD upgrade as your company is doing check out all the options and choices of software, see which will be best value for the money, who has best support and training as the complete package and what you get for the money is a big part of getting the new system up and running and earning its keep. Companies should treat CAD as they would any other major equipment purchase, say as buying a new mill or machining center.
you can create your bill of mterials from an assembly file (with parts and sub-assmblies)
the weight is taken from your model via the material definition of your parts (density)
the center of gravity (parts, assemblies) can be shown in your model and can also rbe included into the views of your drawing
