Inventor: Back to Basics

Inventor: Back to the Basics

Michael Davis – www.YourCad.Guru

PD15337 This class will be an introduction or reintroduction to Autodesk Inventor software.

It will also go into general detail about a lot of the common issues that come up on the
Inventor Forum. It is generally understood that there are more intermediate and advanced
Inventor sessions at Autodesk University; however, sometimes you need to go back to the
basics and introduce/reintroduce people to some of these features they might not or may
not know or understand—whether it's how to find them, or how to use them. This session
features Inventor Professional 2016 and 2017.

• Learning Objective 1: Gain a basic overview of the Home Page and Application
Options

• Learning Objective 2: Get a template overview of IPT, IAM, IPN, weldments, sheet
metal, styles manager, and IProperties/parameters.

• Learning Objective 3: Gain an overview of AnyCAD, iLogic, 3D PDF, and Screencast

• Learning Objective 4: Learn where to go for help: Knowledge Network, forums,

WikiHelp, blogs

About the Speaker(s)

Michael Davis is currently a Mechanical Design Engineer, and the owner of YourCad.guru.
He’s based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a remote office the Metro Detroit area of
Michigan. He provides design services, support, tips & tricks, and updates for various
Autodesk products. Michael has been working as a Mechanical Design Engineer for over 25
years, as well as being an Mechanical Design Engineer, he has also held the position of
Cad Manager where he has provided Cad support and mentoring to others. Michael has
been using Autodesk products for the mass majority of his careers and was a former
Autodesk support employee. He has been part of the Autodesk Expert Elite program for 2
years and helps on various Autodesk forums (in English and German) daily. This is
Michael’s second year speaking at AU.

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• Learning Objective 1: Gain a basic overview of the Home Page and

Application 0ptions

Inventor Home Page

What is the Homepage?

The home page is the centralized location for your given projects, templates, recently
opened document, and it has the ability to pin documents that are commonly used. From
here you can start a new file, change your template and open your most recently opened
files.

(If it’s still available)

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You have just about every option for starting or opening an Inventor file from the homepage.
You can pick from all of your templates from the New section.

From the Projects tab, we can pick a new IPJ project from the list of available Project files.

Note: Currently you cannot browse and add any new ipj’s or create a new one from the
Projects box.

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From the Shortcuts tab, you can create a shortcut to a work folder. When you click on the
shortcut folder you can open an existing file from that folder.

You can also pick from the drop down box and find the file you’d like to open.

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In this following image from the lower left area of the homepage, you can control how you
view your recently opened documents.

Your choices are: Project, File Types, Sort By and Date Modified

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From the viewing panel at the bottom you can see all of your recent or pin files.

In the next few images, you will see the different viewing options.

(Large)

(Small)

(List)

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Application Options

Application Options control your preferences for appearance, behaviors, and file locations in
your Inventor application.

You have a couple of ways to access the Application Options interface.

You can find it under the Tools Tab

Also under the File tab in Inventor 2017

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Under the Inventor Icon (application menu) in the left upper corner for Inventor 2016 and
prior versions of Inventor.

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General Tab Knowledge Network Link

Set your User

name here

Set your Font and

Font Height from
here

Tool Tips Timer

Notes:
You can save your Application options by Turn on and off your Homepage from
exporting them (saving ). You can then here. You can also set how many recent
import them each year your pc or to other documents (Inventor 2017 only) you
pc’s. see on it

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Save Tab Knowledge Network Link

Save time reminder notification.

This is the pop-up you’ll see while

working in a file.

Notes:

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File Tab Reference Knowledge Network Link

Standard Template
location
Design Data Locations
(including drawing
styles)

Sketch Symbol
Library location

Notes:

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Colors Tab Reference Knowledge Network Link

Choose here the

area you want to
change / adjust

Where you pick

your background
color, from the
Available Color Color Schemes
Schemes to be used
for backgrounds

Your chrome
image/reflection.
(Remember the
motorcycle man)

Where to set your

Ribbon Button
Icon look

Notes:

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Display Tab Knowledge Network Link

See page #14

View Cube
Settings

Steering Wheel
Settings

Notes:

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Display Tab Knowledge Network Link

Display Appearance Dialog Reference Knowledge Network Link

Set’s your Default 3d

model’s view setting

Where you set your

viewing mode. Either
Orthographic or
Perspective mode

Ground Shadows When

selected, displays model
ground shadows. Ground
Reflections When
Object Shadows When selected, displays
selected, displays model model ground
object shadows. reflections.

Ambient Shadows When Ground Plane When

selected, displays model selected, displays the
ambient shadows model ground plane.

Notes:

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Hardware Tab Knowledge Network Link

From this page you can set

your video cards
performance level.

You can also run a

diagnostic test on your
video card from here as
well.

Notes:

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Prompts Tab Knowledge Network Link

This tab is where you

control which prompts
to display

Notes:

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Drawings Tab Knowledge Network Link

Places Model
Dimensions in IDW
Views

Sets your Default 2d

dwg/idw type on the
Homepage. Not sure
why the default is
DWG

How the view is

justified in the IDW
view box

Notes:

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Notebook Tab Knowledge Network Link

This Tab is where you

set your preferences for
NoteBook

Notes:

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Sketch Tab Knowledge Network Link

Control settings for display,

creation, interference, relax
dragging and over-
constraint for sketch
constraints and dimension

When you make a

sketch and it rotates to
look at it.

Notes:

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Part Tab Knowledge Network Link

Sets the preference

for the planes that
sketches are started
on

Sets the color from

the base component
into the target part. If
unchecked, the
appearance is set to
default appearance of
the target part

Notes:

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Ifeature Tab Knowledge Network Link

Where your
Ifeatures and
IDE’s are stored

Where your sheet

metal punches and
IDE’s are stored

Notes:

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Assembly Tab Knowledge Network Link

Section all parts,

you’ll need this
checked if you section
Content Center Parts

Just as stated , Place

and ground first
component at origin.

Enable, or Disable
Express Mode
from here.

Notes:

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Content Center Tab Knowledge Network Link

This Tab is where

you set your
preferences for
Content Center

Notes:

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Below are the links to all of the Application Options Reference tabs on the
Autodesk Knowledge Network:

Application Options References

• General Tab Reference (Application Options)

Sets behavioral options for operations in the application.
• Save Tab Reference (Application Options)
Specifies whether changes warrant forced check-out and save in multi-user modes. Save
the file on close, and save the file when saving another file that references it.
• File Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the locations for files used for various functions.
• Colors Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the color scheme for the graphics window, appearance of the background, and optional
background image.
• Display Tab Reference (Application Options)
Controls settings for display of a model when you open it, or displays a new view on the
current model.
• Display Appearance Dialog Reference
Specifies how new document windows display the model.
• Hardware Tab Reference (Application Options)
These settings pertain to the graphical appearance and system performance.
• Prompts Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the responses to questions in several Inventor dialog boxes.
• Drawing Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the options for working with drawings.
• Notebook Tab Reference (Application Options)
Controls the display of design notes in the Engineer's Notebook.
• Sketch Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets preferences for sketching.
• Heads-Up Display (HUD) Settings Reference
Sets the options for the Dynamic Input Heads-Up Display (HUD).
• Part Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the defaults for creating new parts.
• iFeature Tab Reference (Application Options)
Specifies the location for iFeature (catalog) files and the viewer used to manage and view
the files.
• Assembly Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the preferences for working with assemblies.(not available in Inventor LT)
• Content Center Tab Reference (Application Options)
Sets the preferences for working with Content Center.(not available in Inventor LT)
• Line Weight Settings Reference (Application Options)
Sets the line weight display in drawings.
• File Open Options - IDW Drawings Reference

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Learning Objective 2: Get an overview of IPT, IAM, IPN, weldments, sheet

metal templates, styles manager and iProperties/parameters.

Autodesk Inventor has different file types based on what you’re doing within Inventor. For
example, when you create a part or component, it is stored with a file which is different than
when working with an assembly file. These file types are noticed and distinguished with the
help of the file extensions (e.g. *.ipt). There are six types of files that can be created with
Autodesk Inventor Professional:

1. Standard Part Files (.ipt);

2. Standard Assembly Files (iam);

3. Sheet metal Part Files (.ipt)

4. Weldment Assembly Files (.iam)

5. Presentation Files (.ipn)

6. Drawing Files (idw or dwg)

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Under the Projects Box, Folder Options templates you can see these templates

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Part File:

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Sheet Metal (part) File:

Sheet metal parts can be created from the New Templates options, or from the Convert to
Sheet metal function under part modeling.

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Assembly File

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Weldment Assembly File:

Weldment assemblies can be created from the New Templates option, or from the Convert
to Weldment via the Environment Tab.

Here you pick the

material you’ll be using
as for the Weldment
weld bead. This can be
changed later if needed

Type of BOM
Structure for
the weldment

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Weldment File:
Knowledge Network: Weldment environment

Default look of a weldment assembly.

Preparation: From here you can prep the parts/components.. This is where you might add a
chamfer to the plate.

Weldment Preparation

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Weldment File:

This is where you’ll add the weld to the model

Post Weld Machining

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Presentation File:
2016

2017

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Drawing File:

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Types of Drawing Files:

For drawings files, you have the option of Inventor IDW or DWG.

IPT version

DWG version

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Environments Tab:

http://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/features/simulation-
visualization/dynamic-simulation

http://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/features/simulation-visualization/stress-
analysis

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This is checked
Inventor Studio:
with a default
Install

Continues to
render/reiteration
till you stop it.

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Tube and Pipe

For more information on Tube and Pipe check out the following class online:

Images courtesy of Powell Fabrication & Manufacturing, Inc.

Notes:

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Assembly Representations
Assembly representations and configurations

View Rep

Positional
Representations

Level of Detail

Notes:

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Some Advantages of View representations

View Representations

Use View representations to control the display state of an assembly during

the design process:
• Turn component visibility on and off to simplify the current task.

• Assign a unique appearance to components. For example, a component

can be opaque gray in one view and transparent blue in another view.
• Create display configurations that contain the appropriate component
visibility, camera viewing angle, and zoom area to recall.
• Control sketch visibility of sketches controlled by the Object Visibility
command. (A view representation does not capture the visibility state of
sketches that are controlled in the browser.)
• Control work feature visibility.

• Save views of an assembly design in progress to preserve working

ideas.
• Create views that aid in documenting the assembly. For example, a view
with the cover turned off to see the components inside.
• Create unique views to filter the parts list in a drawing. For example, to
document an assembly procedure.
• Simplify the task of creating positional representations by turning off all
unnecessary components.
• Speed up drawing view creation by turning off components that are not
shown. For example, internal components.
• Prepare the assembly for the creation of a Level of Detail representation
before using the Copy to Level of Detail command.
• Prepare the assembly for creating a derived assembly by creating a view
representation that includes only the components required for the derive
process.

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Few examples of View representations

Default View Rep.

showing everything

Example of fasteners
only View Rep.

Example of wear
parts only View Rep.

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Positional Representations (examples)

Positional representations in assemblies

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Level of Detail aka: LOD

Level of Detail representations

Levels of Detail representations improve capacity and performance. They suppress

unneeded components or replace many parts with a single part representation to reduce
memory consumption and to simplify the modeling environment. LODs do not change the
model’s Bill of Materials.

Notes:

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Notes:

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Prior to creating the LOD and suppressing items:

Notes:

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After creating the LOD and suppressing items:

As you can see from these images,

by suppressing the Cam Lever and
Stop Block Cushion, the total block
count has decreased.

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Templates Pt. 2
Styles Manager

Notes:

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Right Mouse Button

(RMB) on a style to
create a new one

Notes:

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You can import and export all different types of Styles, making it easier to share them.
However if you set them up in your “Default Standard” in the templates, everyone will have
access to them in the IDW’s.

Right Mouse Button

(RMB) on style
you’d like to export

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How to change your sheet size:

Right Mouse Button

(RMB) on Sheet, Click
on Edit sheet

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To Create a Base View and Projected View

Use the Custom

View Orientation
option to create
a custom view.

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Drawing View

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Sketch Symbols

Sketch Symbols in drawings

AKN Sketch Symbols

You can insert symbols from the browser

Or from the Annotate tab, Insert sketch symbols

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Sketch Symbols / Symbols are predefined annotations, such as tables, surface finishes,
standard notes, datum’s.

Notes:

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iProperties Reference

iProperties Dialog Box

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iProperties General Tab

Notes:

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iProperties Summary Tab

Notes:

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iProperties Project Tab

Notes:

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iProperties Status Tab

Notes:

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iProperties Custom Tab

Notes:

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iProperties Save Tab

Notes:

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iProperties Physical Tab

Material

COG / Center of
Gravity location
Mass

Volume

Notes:

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Opening IProperties from Windows Explorer (Right Mouse Button)

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iProperties dialog box - Details tab

This tab shows check in and version information for the selected file. NOTE: You cannot
edit the information.

From Design Assistant, select an Autodesk Inventor file, right-click, and then select
iProperties from the menu. Click the Detail tab.

From Windows Explorer, select an Autodesk Inventor file, right-click, and then select
iProperties from the menu. Click the Detail tab.

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Parameters

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Parameters Example

Notes:

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• Learning Objective 3: Gain an overview of AnyCAD, iLogic, 3D PDF,

and Screencast

AnyCad

Prior to Inventor 2016, when you had a file from another supporting CAD applications, you’d
just translate it into Inventor and saved it as a related Inventor file. In 2016, Autodesk
introduced AnyCad, giving you the option to keep those types of files in their native format.
With 2017, keeping STEP files in their native format is also now possible.

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Options of Translation:

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iLogic

About Rules and Forms in iLogic

The ILogic browser can be found under the Manage tab.

Within the ILogic Browser, you have multiple tabs consisting of 2 Forms tabs and 2 Rules
Tab.

The Rules. tab lists all rules

stored in the document

The External Rules tab lists

all rules stored outside of
Inventor (ex. Hard Drive),
regardless of the open
document.
The Forms tab lists all forms
and buttons to trigger rules
The Global Forms tab lists all
stored in the current
forms and buttons to trigger
document
rules stored outside of
Inventor, regardless of the
open document

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Below are examples of the Form Tab (courtesy of Curtis W.)

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External Rules examples

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Screencast

What is Autodesk Screencast…

Well, it’s a simple FREE video recording program that Autodesk released in a few years
ago. They summed it up best with “A simple way to share what you know”

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast

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With that being said, you can see that it keeps all of your videos (Contributions) in a
controlled location for you.

You have various viewing options for these videos: Public, Private and Unlisted

Bonus: You aren’t limited to just Autodesk Products when creating Screencast
videos.

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3d PDF’s

To Export a Model to 3d PDF

3d PDF’s are a new feature that started with Inventor 2017.

Autodesk provides you with several templates to work with.

Blank
Blank - DVR Carousel
Sample Part Template
Sample Assembly Template

In order to modify and use the 3d PDS’ to their fullest potential you’ll
need the following additional programs: Adobe DC, NotePad (for
editing the JavaScript) and if needed Photoshop, or Paint./

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Example of an assembly file 3d PDF using View Reps

Full 3d PDF

Example of a View Rep

in a 3d PDF. This
example is showing
wear parts only.

Clicking on a
part/assembly in a 3d
model will highlight the
ipt/assembly in the parts
list

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• Learning Objective 4: Learn where to go for help: knowledge network,

forums, WikiHelp, blogs

Inventor Forum (English)

International Forums (All software’s)

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Autodesk Knowledge Network

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Support

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Blogs

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Twitter:
@AutodeskHelp

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Some additional sites, blogs, websites and information you might find useful:

Tips, Tricks, Support

www.yourcad.guru
https://cadtipstricks.wordpress.com/

Represent! With Level of Details or View Reps

http://blogs.autodesk.com/inventor/2016/08/23/represent-with-level-of-details-or-view-reps/

Anti-virus exception – Boost performance:

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Are-there-antivirus-
exclusions-I-can-implement-to-make-programs-run-better.html

Recommended settings:

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-
products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Recommending-settings-to-optimize-
performance-of-Inventor.html

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-
explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2014/ENU/Inventor/files/GUID-46E714D8-8D90-4D1D-BD6D-
8B30ABF78E50-htm.html

Working with large assemblies:

http://beinginventive.typepad.com/files/inventor-deep-dive---large-assembly-instructions.pdf

2017 Presentations Tutorial

http://blogs.autodesk.com/inventor/2016/05/10/inventor-2017-presentations-tutorial/

What’s New
2017
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-
explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-F772ABAD-C1CC-
4E59-9612-C5EEFC3BC3AD-htm.html

2016
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-
explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Inventor-WhatsNew/files/GUID-A4A21E04-2F90-4A76-
9C0D-28F61EEEDC93-htm.html

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