Translator Add-in for Autodesk Inventor 2008 expands capabilities

By David Schaeg,
MCAD Solutions Engineer
Hagerman & Company
St. Louis, MO

Would you like to incorporate 3D files from vendors or customers and spend less time recreating their models? Use the Translator Add-in for Autodesk Inventor 2008, to quickly expand the ability to open these files, utilize the models, and keep focused on designing your products.

The translator add-in is available as a separate free download from Autodesk Labs at http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/translator_add-ins_for_autodesk_/translatordownloadform/

Parasolid, UG-NX™, SolidWorks, Pro/ENGINEER and GRANITE
With this technology preview, you can streamline projects that require opening files from vendors or customers in native formats. You can easily exchange data between Autodesk Inventor, UGS, SolidWorks® and Pro/ENGINEER® by: importing and exporting Parasolid®, importing UG-NX™, importing SolidWorks, importing and exporting GRANITE, and importing Pro/E directly with Inventor.

Supported File Versions:

Once installed, Add or Remove Programs (with Show updates ON) will reflect your change:

Now start Inventor 2008. The Open dialog allows the following Files of type:

Two common native file types that can be opened are Pro/ENGINEER and SolidWorks.

 

Highlight a file (single left mouse click). Now, “Options” is available.

Options can allow the automatic save of Inventor Parts and Assembly files while opening these. Yes, that’s correct – after this save, the Parts and Assemblies are translated into native Inventor files!

Here are examples of the both Option dialogs and settings available:

 

Two other common file types that can be opened are the STEP and the IGES format. Options here can also allow the automatic save of Inventor Part and Inventor Assembly files while opening. Settings with these files allow the flexibility to specify what data to import (Solids, surfaces, wires, and points), and data Grouping. Here are all settings and their descriptions:

 

To summarize any remaining questions about the Translator Add-in for Autodesk Inventor 2008, here’s a great reference:

 

After installing the Translator Add-in for Autodesk Inventor 2008, you will quickly expand the ability to incorporate files from vendors and customers. Thus, spending little time recreating their models keeps you focused on designing your products. For more information - visit Autodesk Labs (http://labs.autodesk.com), a site that provides free, early access to prototypes, experimental and beta applications and technologies.