Autodesk launched SketchBook Ink yesterday, enabling artists to create stunning, high-resolution ink-style artwork, and export and print large, high-quality images right from the iPad. The SketchBook Ink addition to the SketchBook family increases the number of choices available to artists to express their creative visions in a digital environment.
SketchBook Ink is dedicated to pen-and-ink drawing. The inking behavior gives it a distinct feel but builds on the intuitive and familiar interface valued by SketchBook users worldwide. Unlike traditional vector drawing apps, SketchBook Ink enables users to produce very fine detail in their artwork, independent of resolution, building on the intuitive freehand-drawing Autodesk SketchBook Pro platform.
You can download SketchBook Ink from the Apple App Store on your mobile device or use the link below:
This week Autodesk announced that 123D Catch is now available for iPad on the App Store. This new free* app lets users take images from their iPad camera and upload them to the Autodesk cloud service that transforms the images into a 3D model.
Complementing the desktop and newly released online versions, the Autodesk 123D Catch app allows users to capture the world around them in 3D while on the go. Imagine the potential for photos of vacation memories, family or other mementos brought to life in 3D. Captures made in 123D Catch can also be used as the foundation for further 3D modeling, 3D animation, or used to create a 3D printed object.
Part of the 123D family of products, 123D Catch users can take advantage of a connected group of Autodesk software, fabrication services for 3D printing and laser cutting, and a community of like-minded individuals focused on 3D design and personal fabrication. The Autodesk 123D family provides users with the ability to capture, design and make their ideas, and connect with others for support or inspiration. Anyone can try Autodesk apps, services, and communities to experiment and experience the creative process.
Autodesk also introduced a new feature for 123D products called My Corner, which provides cloud storage for all 123D design projects while connecting 123D product workflows. This feature will enable users to share files between products—123D, 123D Catch, 123D Make, and 123D Sculpt— to explore their creative ideas, or even use that model to create a physical object through fabrication services. Users can also share their projects and explore other people’s creations from an online gallery that supplies an abundance of ideas for creative projects.
“The Autodesk family of 123D products breaks down barriers between the physical and digital, empowering users to customize the world around them,” said Samir Hanna, vice president, Consumer Products, Autodesk. “The launch of 123D Catch for iPad allows anyone to capture, explore, experiment and experience the 3D design and personal fabrication process.”
The latest AutoCAD® WS update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, as well as Android mobile devices. Extending the power of AutoCAD software beyond the desktop, AutoCAD WS 1.4 brings a host of highly requested new features to the popular mobile app, including the ability to view 3D drawings, and GPS integration for orienting yourself within a drawing and saving comments to geo locations. AutoCAD WS 1.4 also enables you to quickly send designs as PDF or DWF files to any email address right from your mobile device, and supports remote plotting using any web-connected HP ePrinter.
If you already have AutoCAD WS installed on your mobile device, visit the application area on your device to download the update.
If you don't yest have AutoCAD WS on your mobile device, visit the Apple App Store or Android Market or use the links below:
In November last year, Autodesk released a new simulation app for the iPad called ForceEffect, you might remember reading my blog post about it.
Last week, ForceEffect v2.0 was released to the Apple iTunes store for download and update with a number of new features added to the app. The new features include:
iPod Touch\iPhone Support
On-line Tutorials
Distributed Load
Set Weight
Construction Line
Autodesk Cloud Support
Break Element
The #1 customer request was for the addition to add a distributed load evenly across an existing element and the #2 request was support on the iPhone and iPod Touch devices. ForceEffect v2.0 adds both of the #1 and #2 customer requests!!
The on-line tutorials can be accessed directly from within ForceEffect v2.0 and include videos of how to use the app directly within the app itself - so no need to leave the app watch the videos and learn about it.
Having access to Autodesk Cloud documents directly from within ForceEffect v2.0 means you can save your studies to Autodesk Cloud and access them from your laptop or desktop and re-use the data in your design development using tools like Autodesk Inventor or AutoCAD Mechanical. Alternativley, you can open documents you have saved to Autodesk Could into ForceEffect v2.0 to carry out a structural study.
If you've not yet downloaded Autodesk ForceEffect, it's free and downloadable from the Apple iTunes Store:
This is the third part in a series of videos all about creating and sharing eco impact data such as end of life, CO2 footprint, energy usage etc that was created within Autodesk Inventor 2012 and then managed using Autodesk Vault Professional 2012.
In part one of the series, we looked at how we could create the eco impact data within Autodesk Inventor.
In part two, we looked at how the eco impact data we created in part one can be added to Autodesk Vault Professional and then managed with the documents and Bill of Materials of the product so that non-engineers can access and work with the data.
This final part shows how we can access all of the same eco impact data that is managed within Autodesk Vault Professional via the webclient and also a mobile device such as an Apple iPad (other mobile devices can also access the data):
So whats the point of this I hear you cry.....
As designers and engineers, we have a responsibility to think about material choices and regulatory compliance. We need to make sure that the products and solutions we design, engineer & manufacture are taking advantage of materials that can be recycled and to do this that we don't need our own personal power station to manufacture.
But more importantly, buyers, distributors and consumers are asking more questions about the products they buy, is it sustainable? is it recyclable? whats the CO2 footprint? what materials have been used? does it comply with regulations? - and all these need to be answered!
Using Eco Materials Advisor within Autodesk Inventor will give design engineers the ability to start the process of thinking about the eco impact of their designs much earlier. Once they have made decisions about the materials, manufacturing processes and finishes all of that eco impact data can then be shared and re-used by non-engineers without the need for them to do time consuming research.
The information is there for them, they can find exactly what they are looking for quickly and easily and then when asked those questions by distributors, consumers etc they have the data to hand, driven directly from the Digital Prototype.
Last week we released a free of charge iPad version of the book which give users a full-length interactive book which brings to life more than 20 compelling stories of design, from the creation of Avatar to pioneering works of architecture to the subtle art of creating video game experiences. With hundreds of stunning photos, more than 30 minutes of video and interviews, and interactive features, Imagine Design Create presents a deep, new look at the creative intersection of design and technology. Here's some shots I took of the app on my iPad...
To get hold of this new iPad app, just go to the app store on your iPad and search for 'autodesk' or 'imagine design create'. Alternatively you could use the link below....
Even working for Autodesk, I still get blown away with the technology our developers come up with and create......Autodesk ForceEffect is a tool that is released today and from the moment I first saw it, I fell in love with it. So what is it?
Autodesk ForceEffect is a new free app available for Apple iPad from the iTunes App Store that allows engineers to draw, constrain and simulate concepts using free body diagrams by simply tapping objects to select, move, rotate and scale. Real time solving capabilities provide immediate feedback on the performance of a design, enabling users to bring engineering to the point of the problem, whether they’re out in the field, at the office or in the class room.
It's so easy to create a free-body diagram using the tools available within the app to create dimensionally correct elements by sketching with your finger and snapping to other elements on the sketch. Then apply forces, unknown forces or moments and then add supports such as sliding pins, fixed pins, grounded, fixed or welded. Sketch geometry can be moved, re-sized, deleted and dimensions can be edited simply by tapping the dimension value and entering the size you require.
Applying a force value is determined by the length of the force arrow you insert, the longer the arrow, the higher the force. You can enter an exact force by tapping on the force label and entering the value into the box.
The app takes advantage of the usual Apple UI where you can use your fingers to zoom and pan around the canvas.
The glyph in the top right hand corner is the Degrees of Freedom indicator which highlights if the sketch is statically determinate, over constrained or under constrained. If it's red, it means the current sketch is unsolvable, if it's green it's statically determinate and solvable, if it's blue then it is over constrained.
Autodesk ForceEffect generates a report that can be printed, emailed or viewed using any Web browser. In addition, export capabilities enable easy workflow continuation in any CAD application by emailing and exporting the sketch to a DXF file that can be reused in tools like AutoCAD Mechanical and Autodesk Inventor.
One tip - if you want to set the units you work in, then just tap the 'gear' icon at the top right where you can select metric or imperial, as well as set the length units, force units and moment units.
As you can no doubt tell, I'm pretty excited about this app, I think it will be really useful for engineers to quickly start to get an idea of the forces involved in their designs. So enough of me waffling on about it, have a watch of it in action....
If you want to find out more about Autodesk ForceEffect and download it from the Apple App Store, please use the link below...
As you might have read recently, we have released an Android version of the popular Autodesk Inventor Publisher Mobile app. This new app allows Android users to work with interactive technical documentation for service, maintenence, assembly, disassembly etc.
The Inventor Publisher Mobile app has been available on the Appl iOS platfor for a while now and we have seen so fantastic use cases of how manufacturers are providing interactive documentation to customers via Inventor Publisher and the app.
With the release of the new Android version, I thought I would document the process of getting the app, installing it and using it.
Step 1: On your Android device, access the Android Market
Step 2: Use the Search tool and type in Autodesk to search for all Autodesk developed apps
Step 3: The search will list all of the Autodesk apps where you will see Inventor Publisher Viewer in the list. Just tap on the Inventor Publisher Viewer app in the list to get more information and the option to install.
Step 4: Tap on the install button to download and install Inventor Publisher Mobile. Download and installation time will vary depending on your device and internet connection
Step 5: Once the donwload and install has finished your Android device should notify you and you can access the Inventor Publisher Mobile app on your device
Step 6: After accepting the Terms of Use you will be presented with a list of sample files that you can load and use to see how the app works
Step 7: When you have a file loaded you can interact with it using the usual pinch, pull and tap finger controls. Moving one finger over the screen will rotate the model in the 3D, using two fingers across the screen will pan the model across the screen.
To use your own interactive technical documentation in Inventor Publisher Mobile all you need to do is publish the data from Autodesk Inventor Publisher. Just select the Mobile option from the list of output formats and follow the on-screen instructions to publish it directly to your Autodesk account which you can access from Inventor Publisher Mobile on your Android device.
For more details on Inventor Publisher Mobile for Android and to download it, please visit:
A few weeks ago Autodesk announced that AutoCAD WS is now available for mobile users on the Android platform. So, when my wife came home and announced she'd got a new mobile phone that had "this android thing on it" what do you think the first thing I did was?
Well the first thing I did was connect her new Samsung Galaxy Ace up to the home wi-fi, the second things was go straight to the Android Market app and searched for AutoCAD. Top of the list was AutoCAD WS so I hit the download button and away we went. A minute or so later and I had AutoCAD WS installed, had logged into my Autodesk ID account and was browsing some of the DWG drawings I had uploaded from AutoCAD Mechanical and Autodesk Inventor a few weeks earlier.
The AutoCAD Mechanical DWG files were uploaded using the tools directly within AutoCAD based applications whereas the Inventor DWG files were uploaded using the tools on autocadws.com.
The photo below is a drawing of a part created in Autodesk Inventor and then documented in a DWG format. The red-line mark-ups were added using AutoCAD WS, they were actually added using AutoCAD WS on the Apple iPad (they can also be created on the Android version) but it just shows that no matter whether you are using a desktop, laptop or mobile device, AutoCAD WS allows users on multiple platforms to share data and collaborate:
Accessing the review and editing tools using AutoCAD WS on the Android platform is very intuitive and straight forward. Just click on the tools that you want and interact with the drawing using your fingers:
For more information on AutoCAD WS for Android, click here....
To download AutoCAD WS for your Android device, click here....
This highly anticipated app is now available Autodesk Buzzsaw for iPad and iPhone has been released by Autodesk and is available, for free from the Apple App Store right now.
For those of you that might not have heard of Buzzsaw, it's an on-line project collaboration service that allows design engineers to share and manage data outside of the usual company network. There are two flavours of Buzzsaw, which have been around for a number of years:
Buzzsaw for those working in the architectural & construction industry
Streamline for those working in the mechanical\manufacturing industry
They both offer similar functionality, it's just that Streamline is focused more on working with 2D, 3D & non-CAD manufacturing\engineering data with Bills of Materials.
This new app from Autodesk for the iPad\iPhone allows users of both Streamline and Buzzsaw to collaborate using their mobile devices. Once installed you get the Buzzsaw icon added to your mobile device:
When you first load Buzzsaw you need to provide login details to a Buzzsaw OR Streamline site so you will need your username and password as well as the site name. It's also worth noting that you can add access to multiple Streamline\Buzzsaw sites:
Documents and folders are listed on the left hand side of the app window with the main right hand side showing information about the document you have selected and options to view and download:
With a DWF file selected you can view the file directly in the iPad app:
If it is a multi-page DWF file (as this one is) there are options for Previous and Next Page so you can cycle through the document:
With a DWG file selected you can choose to download file to your mobile device:
And how cool is this - you can chhose to open the DWG file directly into AutoCAD WS (if you have the app installed) so you can review and edit the DWG live:
If you want more information about Autodesk Streamline feel free to visit the product page on the Autodesk website:
