What is Autodesk Inventor and How Does it Work?

Autodesk Inventor is computer-aided design (CAD) software developed by Autodesk for 3D mechanical modeling, simulation, visualization and documentation. Inventor enables the integration of 2D and 3D data in a shared environment, creating a virtual representation of the final parts that allows users to verify the its form, fit and function before it is built. Autodesk Inventor includes parametric, direct editing and free-form modeling tools, as well as multi-CAD translation capabilities in its standard DWG (DraWinG) computer drawings. It uses ShapeManager, Autodesk’s proprietary geometric modeling core. This software competes directly with SolidWorks, Solid Edge and Creo.
It’s a powerful combination of parametric design capabilities: direct, freeform and rule-based. With this professional software, you get integrated tools for sheet metal, frame, tube, cable and harness design, layout, rendering, simulation, machine design and more. It also offers support for TrustedDWG® files and powerful model-based definition capabilities for embedding manufacturing information directly into the 3D model. It is widely used by mechanical engineers who need specialized, automated tools for design and manufacturing preparation.