Book Review: Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2012 By Curtis Waguespack
Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Autodesk Inventor LT 2012
An Autodesk Certified Official Training Guide
By Curtis Waguespack
[Edit: follow this link To find out about Mastering Inventor 2016]
Just feeling the weight of this book lets you know it’s serious! ‘Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012’ by Curtis Waguespack is a welcome update to the ‘Mastering Inventor’ series published by Sybex.
Whether you are brand new to Inventor, an advanced user or a CAD instructor looking for material there is something here for you. Mastering Inventor takes you from the basic principles of 3D parametric design to advanced subjects such as Stress analysis and iLogic.
This comprehensive tome features tutorials on Inventor’s Design Accelerators (Bolted Connections, Frame Generator etc) Sheet Metal, Weldments, Plastic design and Routed systems. There are also tutorials on more mundane (but still important!) subjects such as Data Management and File Exchange.
If you are an intermediate user looking for that extra edge then there are some ‘must read’ chapters in this Book for you on Assembly Modelling techniques, Functional Design and Large Assembly management.
Sybex have provided a full set of tutorial files to compliment this book. I recommend that you download and refer to the tutorial files as you go along because the images in this book are black and white and rather sparse.
This book is large, heavy and comprehensive. There is an awful lot in this book that won’t relate to Inventor LT. If you are stuck with learning Inventor LT you might find this book a bit overwhelming.
What this book is not…
The Mastering Autodesk Inventor series of books are a great source of reference, but they are no substitute for classroom training. You may find a training session with your local College, AUGI chapter or Autodesk reseller to be a good way to start learning Autodesk Inventor.
Once you have the basics, ‘Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2012’ could provide you with the continued support that you need to truly Master Autodesk Inventor 2012.
About the Author
Curtis Waguespack is an Inventor Certified Expert and an Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert who has trained, consulted, and supported manufacturing and design firms in industries ranging from aerospace to consumer products to industrial machinery.
Curtis uses Inventor daily in a real-world design environment, where he works on new designs and maintains existing design documentation in stride.
Using Inventor to design and properly document construction equipment, industrial machinery, food service equipment, and electronic devices has given him a broad and deep understanding of how Inventor is used in real-world environments across different industries.
You can read more from Curtis Waguespack (and pick up some excellent iLogic programming tips on the way) at http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/
Win a free copy of Mastering Inventor 2012!
Disclosure: Curtis Waguespack provided me with a complimentary copy of Mastering Inventor 2012 to read for this. review. Would you like to have it?
All you need to do is leave a comment before 12:00 March 16th 2012 (UTC +0) to be entered into a free random prize draw for my copy of Mastering Inventor. I will be posting it to you at my own expense, so I hope you don’t live in Australia ;)
Why not tell us a little about how you use Autodesk Inventor in your company.
[Edit] The competition is now closed – thanks very much to everyone that entered. The winner is FELIX. The book will be winging it’s way to you just as soon as I can get to a post office :)
– Paul Munford-
OMG!
Thank you CAD Setter Out elves!
and, of course, thank you Paul!
For sure I will lend the book to my friends.
Keep it up!
WTG Felix. Congratulations.
…And the winner is…
FELIX!
Thanks very much to my CAD Setter Out elves who helped me with the draw :)
Congrats Felix!
Keep that book moving around though, hehe!
Well done Paul, nice competition.
Comments are now closed: Thanks very much to everyone that entered the competition to win ‘mastering Inventor’.
I will pick someone from the comments at random over the weekend and get back to you all on Monday!
-Paul-
Currently working with other Autodesk packages (i.e 3ds Max) but would love to venture into other areas such as this!
Count me in!
If I don’t win I can probably convince the boss that we need a copy of this.
:)
I loved the review. It was imformative and filled eith great information on what the book has to offer.
Decent book to kill my jelousy for people who already mastered the AutoDesk Inventor because i would soon become a master as well…great book, cant wait to lay my hands on it
Paul,
nice review.
We use Inventor mostly for product development/workshop documentation for quick development of small to medium assemblies in the marine industry. It was but a natural decision going from Autocad, which lately with the introduction of NURBS delights me over and over again.
p.s. I live in Croatia/Europe, so I’ll understand if you back up on the postage promise ;)
Hi Luka,
I still use AutoCAD for simple 2D detailing, but I moved away from 3D AutoCAD because I couldn’t get decent shop drawings out of my 3D models. It’s interesting to see the new Inventor like layout tools that are coming into AutoCAD. That might make some of AutoCAD’s surfacing tools worth exploring to me!
I hope to be lucky and not have to wait for shipping from Amazon.
After some years I need to upgrade the use of Inventor.
Regards,
Assis
PS I do live in Australia but am more than happy to pay postage!
Hi Paul,
Great review, I bought the Mastering Inventor for 2008 after I first did my inventor certified training, and it was an invaluable reference working in a design office where I was (initially) the only one on Inventor. So much has been added and improved since and I have been looking forward to this release!
Regards, Mick
…and the original book was written by multiple authors! Curtis is now compiling the whole thing by himself, whilst holding down the day job. That shows some dedication.
Great to hear from you Mick.
Looks a great book, been a while since I was in the classroom, was taught on Inventor but only have LT now.
Hi Richard,
That’s a real shame, the strong point of Inventor for me is the ability to auto-generate cutting tickets. No-one likes booking up!
We use Inventor in product development, plan submission, concept documentation, web store population, Training, cost analysis, sales presentation at Agg shows and to keep Larry motivated. It serves to substantiate the scope of our work and aids in building morale. The guys are saying, “WOW! we’re doing something!”. There’s something special about seeing your name in print on an actual, official and high tech document. It’s like a permanent pat on the back. “I did that”.
Tony
Had a beginners course in inventor a while ago, really enjoyed it!
Would be great to win the book so i can learn more about inventor.
cheers,
T
This book would be great for you Tommy.
It would probably be a bit daunting to a newbie, but if you already know your way around there is a lot in here for you to get into!
Count me in!
Well, I don’t have a company (yet), but I use Inventor for.. Inventing! I think it’s the best way to test ideas. Rather than spending money on materials, parts etc. you can model it in inventor and see if the idea is valid and if the product behaves the way it’s supposed to.
Thanks for making the prize draw!
Regards,
Petrikas
Thanks Mindaugas.
For any one who hasn’t been following Mindaugas’s progress with his kit car model, read this introduction from Steve Bedder…
http://autodeskmfg.typepad.com/blog/2012/02/autodesk-inventor-user-spotlight-mindaugas-petrikas.html
Mindaugas is a clever chap!
Well, I’ll try…
I usually use Inventor to design and check new elements, mainly at the renewable energy bussiness.
Also we make below the hook lifting devices, support frames (frame generator rules!), …
Really we use Inventor for almost everything!
PS. I don’t live in Australia, if that matters. :P
Hi Felix, are you using the Eco materials advisor? If so – what do you make of it?
(P.S. Oh good!)
Forgive me, but I don’t use the Eco materials.
Most of the items are made of steel or aluminum.
Petrikas, you don’t seem to need the book. lol
Hi Paul,
Good review!
If I don’t win the book, I will buy the book.
Oops… I’d better not said that ;-)
Best regards,
Lambertus
Lol – Cheers Lambertus :)