ModernCAD
Field Notes
Dispatches from the frontier: what we tried, what broke, and what worked across Vault migrations, FEA work, and CAD automation projects in Australian manufacturing.
Inventor AIAn iLogic Configurator Built by AI – From Proof of Concept to Beta
"What can AI actually do inside our workflows?" A few months ago this was a proof of concept. Today we're in beta test mode – and one prompt turns into a working iLogic cabinet configurator.
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Inventor AIDesign, Draw, Export – One Prompt to Finished Deliverables
One prompt takes a steel mounting plate from nothing to deliverables: the modelled part, a fully dimensioned A3 drawing, and STEP and PDF exports. The MCP gives AI access – the pre-prompt makes it work.
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Inventor AI250+ AI Commands for Autodesk Inventor – Sheet Metal, Drawings & More
AI Controlling Autodesk Inventor Is No Longer a Concept. It’s Working. What we’ve built is not a demo. It’s not a toy. It’s a functioning Model Context…
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Inventor AIAI Controlling Autodesk Inventor – How MCP Makes It Possible
I’ve been building what I think is a world first… and it’s working. A powerful MCP server that enables any modern AI model to control Autodesk Inventor.…
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Case StudySimulating Drum Collapse with Explicit Dynamics in Autodesk Inventor Nastran
Engineering is not always about serious stuff. Recently, my client Vacvator, was having fun imploding oil drums with their powerful vacuum excavator. So, I…
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Case StudyFrom errors to excellence: upgrading Autodesk Vault
From errors to excellence: partnering with Pascal David to upgrade Vault for his client. The Challenge Pascal David, a highly experienced engineer based in…
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CAD AutomationHow to Write Dimensions to iProperties for All Assembly Parts in Autodesk Inventor Using iLogic
I recently received a question about retrieving part dimensions and writing them to iProperties for every component in an assembly. The task isn’t complex,…
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Case StudyEngineering control: rebuilding CAD automation for TNA
The Challenge TNA is one of Australia’s most successful global players known for food packaging and processing systems so effective that chances are the…
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Case StudyAutodesk Vault in the cloud: CAD collaboration reinvented for Gulf Conveyor Systems
The Challenge Gulf Conveyor Systems designs iron-ore chutes that take a daily beating from rocks the size of bowling balls. If the material trajectory is…
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Case StudyRoll X Manufacturing – Design Automation
The Challenge Anthony Harris needed an efficient way to generate custom parts lists under multiple views on technical drawings. Doing this manually was…
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Case StudyOrigin Energy: Autodesk Vault Data Transfer
Background Origin Energy is a leading company in energy exploration and production, power generation and retailing. It is one of the leading providers of…
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Case StudyBoral’s Data Transfer to Autodesk Vault
Background Boral Australia is the country’s largest construction materials and building products supplier with operations across all states and territories.…
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Autodesk VaultKey Steps for Successful Data Transfer to Autodesk Vault
A practical nine-step checklist for migrating CAD data into Autodesk Vault – from assessment and clean-up through testing, final transfer, and post-migration support.
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Autodesk VaultAutodesk Vault Systems Requirements: What systems does my business need to run Autodesk Vault effectively in 2024?
If your business is preparing to switch to Autodesk Vault in 2023 then it’s critical you have the right hardware to support its operation and guarantee the…
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CAD AutomationAutodesk Inventor iLogic using External DLLs
What is iLogic? Autodesk Inventor iLogic is designed to extend the computational capabilities within Inventor, allowing users to include rules and more…
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Autodesk VaultAutodesk Vault BackUp
What are the best options for successfully backing up Autodesk Vault? When using Autodesk Vault for storing and managing your engineering documentation,…
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Autodesk VaultAutodesk Vault Systems Requirements: secret formula
If your business is preparing to switch to Autodesk Vault in 2023 then you may be asking yourself about systems requirements for new software. It’s critical…
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Industry InsightsCAD and Product Design Trends 2023
Manufacturers of any product or service type are faced with the constant challenge of adapting to changes in technology. While it’s somewhat of a cliche to…
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Autodesk VaultWhat can Autodesk Vault do?
The biggest challenge for any modern engineering and manufacturing business that creates engineering designs using Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD is the…
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Autodesk VaultAutodesk Vault Basic or Professional?
Worrying about data management is not how designers and engineers want to spend their time? Not only can it affect creativity, productivity and product…
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Finite Element AnalysisGetting Confidence in FEA Design Optimisation
FEA Design Optimisation Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. Every engineer wants to make confident designs based on Finite Element…
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Finite Element AnalysisShell vs Solid Elements during FEA
Regardless of whether you’re at the beginning of your Finite Element Modelling journey or have more extensive experience in the field, you probably know…
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Finite Element AnalysisStatic Linear, Static Nonlinear or Explicit FEA: what and when?
Learn about different types of analysis: Static Linear FEA or Static Nonlinear FEA or Explicit FEA – what and when? To satisfy basic design criteria or make…
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