Between the Lines

Create 3D Models in Autodesk 123D Catch

When using the free Autodesk 123D Catch to convert photos taken with your digital camera to a 3D textured mesh there are some tips to getting the best resulting model.

Here is a great video explaining how to best capture a scene or objects in 3D.

Autodesk University 2012 - Submit Class Proposals

Autodesk University 2012 is now only 214 days away but if you want to be considered as a Autodesk University 2012 presenter/speaker you better get busy as there are only 25 days remaining until the deadline to have submitted your class proposals.

Being a speaker/presenter at Autodesk University is an amazing experience and opportunity to show and share your knowledge and get recognition from your peers at the largest Autodesk event in the world. Being a speaker at Autodesk University is also an excellent way to get to AU when budgets are tight as you can receive speaker honoraria that can reduce or even pay for your Autodesk University attendance and travel depending on how many classes you get selected.

The Class Proposals are really quite simple and easy compared to your class materials required later in the year if selected.

Submit Proposals Started April 24, 2012

• Submission Deadline: May 22, 2012
• Classes Selected & Speaker Notified: June 27, 2012

Resources for AU Class Submissions:

• Visit the Call for Proposals website
• Review the AU 2012 Proposal Checklist.
• 10 tips that can help you write a winning AU 2012 class proposal.

Happy Birthday Autodesk

Today is technically our birthday but we're celebrating throughout the year. It was on April 26th 1982 when a group of innovative and hardworking entrepreneurs formally incorporated as Autodesk, Inc. Yes Autodesk was a startup company 30 years ago and has grown considerably from a handful of employees meeting in a founders living room to over 7500 employees today spread around the world and over 100 products and millions of customers.

Here's to the next 30 years!

Google Drive Features Autodesk’s AutoCAD WS & Pixlr as Native Apps

It was only recently that the impending and anxiously awaited product Sketchbook Ink was shown live at the Apple main stage launch for the iPad 3. Now both Pixlr and AutoCAD WS are basking in the limelight glow of the Google Drive launch.

Upon installation of Google Drive from http://drive.google.com (getting 5Gig free space) I noticed AutoCAD WS was suggested to me as a “managed App” since apparently I had some DWG and DXF files in my Google Docs folder it migrated automatically or perhaps it was because AutoCAD WS was in my Chrome extensions but now a default native Drive app. Now AutoCAD WS will be my default viewer and editor within the Google Drive storage for DWG files.

For images it offered Autodesk’s Pixlr available natively in the Google Drive Apps. Now I can view and edit images from within my Google Drive on the web or desktop. http://autode.sk/JvDmJj

View of my Google Drive Folder with DWG files and then selecting one and it opens in AutoCAD WS ready for viewing mark up or editing.

And choosing the Pixlr Editor in Google Drive I get what looks like Photoshop with many powerful; features all without installing anything just accessing my Google Drive.

Pretty nice initial offering for cloud storage from Google that combines many apps to choose from including the Autodesk ones like AutoCAD WS and Pixlr.

Cheers,
Shaan

Visit the Autodesk Gallery at One Market in San Francisco

With the summer travel season rapidly approaching for those in the Northern hemisphere I wanted to point out a free and great place to visit if your travel plans bring you to San Francisco California. There are a wide variety of exhibits in the gallery as well as an amazing view out the windows looking towards the San Francisco Ferry Terminal Building and San Francisco Bay Bridge.

The Autodesk Gallery is open to the public every Wednesday from 12-5 p.m, with a guided tour from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

While there you can create a 3D textured model of your own head. With the very latest 123D Catch custom Photo Booth there are 24 DSLR cameras arranged in a booth with several large LED light units. You enter you email address then proceed to sit in the booth and align your head using the interactive feedback provided by a Kinect and then when your head ins in the right spot all the cameras fire at once. In a few minutes you are emailed links to download the model of your head. You can also just have someone take a series of digital photos of your head and submit them to 123D Catch to get your own head model without this fancy photo booth.

Check out the Autodesk Gallery at One Market website for the very latest on exhibits and information: http://www.autodesk.com/thegallery

If you are on Twitter you can follow the Autodesk Gallery http://twitter.com/autodeskgallery

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk DWG TrueView 2013 Available for Free Download

Autodesk DWG TrueView 2013, the 100% Autodesk DWG viewer build on the same codebase as AutoCAD is now ready for download. Read DWG files from AutoCAD version 2.1 in the early 1980’s to the recent AutoCAD 2013 DWG format, plot drawings, measure, and more.

With the free Autodesk DWG TrueView 2013 you can:

• Open and view DWG and DXF files
• Obtain geometric information from drawings such as distance, mass, and volume
• Plot DWG files to a plotter
• Create DWF, DWFx, PDF, JPG, and PNG files from DWG files
• Publish sets of drawings or sheets to a plotter, or DWF, DWFx, and PDF files
• Convert DWG files forward and backward with versions as early as AutoCAD Release 14

Go get Autodesk DWG TrueView http://www.autodesk.com/dwgtrueview

Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac Released on Autodesk Labs

Many have been waiting to get their hands on a Mac version of Autodesk Inventor Fusion since the news started circulating with MacRumors publishing an article from Macworld 2012 in January where Autodesk’s Inventor Fusion maestro Kevin Schneider discussed and showed that Autodesk Inventor Fusion was indeed coming to the Mac platform. Macworld 2012: Autodesk Inventor Fusion for Mac Coming

Autodesk Inventor Fusion is a 3D direct modeling solution that provides a full design modeling environment from 2D sketching with geometric constraints up to the creation and modifying of 3D solids. You can easily import many file formats such as DWG, SAT, STEP, as well as Autodesk Inventor parts and assembly files and modify the solids with simple press pull operations to explore different design options fast and easy. The Windows version of Autodesk Inventor Fusion is now included with several shipping Autodesk products including AutoCAD 2013 and several Autodesk Suites after going from technology preview and several iterations on Autodesk Labs and now the Inventor Fusion for Mac version starts the journey.

Check out the YouTube video of Autodesk Technical Evangelist Rob Cohee and Senior Product Line Manager Kevin Schneider discussing Inventor Fusion (aka “Sexy Technology”):  Autodesk Digital Prototyping 2012 - Inventor Fusion

The time has come and you can now download your free technology preview of Inventor Fusion for Mac just make certain to review the system requirements and please provide us feedback on your experience to labs.iv.fusion@autodesk.com.

It is not only simple to use but simple to install with a single DMG file download then drag and drop to the apps icon and voilà you are ready to go.

There is a familiar Welcome Screen with essential skills video links.

Need more help, just check out the Inventor Fusion Technology for Mac – WikiHelp

You can the use simple 2D sketches using many of the familiar methods like circle rectangle trim etc. to build 3D geometry using extrude loft and other 3D methods with preview before committing.

And easily modify existing 3D parts and assemblies.

Download Inventor Fusion for Mac Now

FYI: BOTH Windows and Mac versions of Inventor Fusion are available on the download page after completing the short and pain free Autodesk Labs web form.

For More Info:
Autodesk Labs Inventor Fusion Technology Preview
Autodesk Inventor Fusion Facebook

Simplify Your Inventor Models for use in Revit

Keep Inventor Solids Simple (KISS) when exporting.

This new & free technology preview for Autodesk Inventor 2013 named Inventor Simplification has just been posted on Autodesk Labs allowing you to reduce models, include or exclude parts and remove IP before exporting for use in a Revit BIM model using the .adsk file format. In the past there has been the shrink wrap feature but that has now been expanded with more abilities to control what is exported.

For example you may have a large assembly of a elevator (a lift for my friends outside the US) and do not need to send the new elevator mechanical design to be used the in Revit model the architect is building. You could shrink-wrap, fill holes, and export only the minimum parts required of the elevator in the Revit model. You could also be exporting a crane or cooling tower design for use in a large Revit BIM model as seen below. For a BIM model all the gears, motors and other contents inside a crane.

 

If you are exporting your mechanical designs for use in BIM models you should definitely check this technology preview out.You can also export out the models as DWG or SAT for use in other applications.

Inventor Simplification for Autodesk Inventor 2013
http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/inventor_simplification/

Free Autodesk App To Simulate Design –The New Napkin to Explore Mechanical Design Concepts

Autodesk® ForceEffect Motion was just released free to the Apple App store.

http://bit.ly/IDeDP2

This is a great mobile tool for anyone exploring early design concepts from students to professionals. Bring in a picture and then use that as the design concept to explore the mechanical design and simulation. It is a also really fun to explore how things work, yes I said engineering can be fun.

This is the new napkin in early concept design!

Take a tour of ForceEffect Motion: http://bit.ly/J5swV1

Check out the Theo Jansen walking device: http://bit.ly/HFU7hQ

Developing mechanical systems with moving parts is now easier and ever with Autodesk® ForceEffect Motion™. ForceEffect Motion™ brings engineering to the point of the problem with a mobile engineering app for simulating design concepts in the field, in the office or in the classroom. This purpose built tool allows users to develop functional moving mechanical systems right on their mobile devices. Unlike the traditional approach of using paper, pencil, and a calculator to develop equations for design options, ForceEffect Motion™ does all the simulation and engineering calculations for you right on your mobile device, enabling you to quickly and easily simulate design options during the concept phase to determine the viability of a design.

The Autodesk ForceEffect Motion engineering app is perfect for developing mechanical systems with moving parts upfront in the in the design process, some of the features include:

• Create functional mechanical joints (welded, pinned, sliding, collar, crossing)
• Create supports (fixed pin, grounded, sliding collar)
  
• Mechanism animation and functional drag
• Analyze positional data by adding trace points (trace path, velocity vectors)
• Interactive graphing of trace points (velocity, displacement, acceleration)
• Create Actuators (motors, linear)
• Results reporting with picture, animation, graph and graph data table
• and more…

Official Press Release: Freedom to Test Impact of Motion Behavior on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

Have an iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad, check this free app out today.
http://bit.ly/IDeDP2

Autodesk University 2012 – In 229 Days

Autodesk University 2012 is now only 229 days away but if you want to be considered as a Autodesk University 2012 presenter/speaker you better get busy. The official call for submissions for has been made and those submissions are set to be submitted starting in 2 weeks and the deadline is May 22, 2012. 

Being a speaker/presenter at Autodesk University is an amazing experience and opportunity to show and share your knowledge and get recognition from your peers at the largest Autodesk event in the world. Thousands of class proposals will be submitted but only a portion can be selected so be sure to put effort into your proposals including a catchy title and fresh powerful topics that will appeal to fellow Autodesk customers.

Dates for submitting your AU 2012 Class Proposals:

• Submit Proposals Starting April 24, 2012
• Submission Deadline: May 22, 2012
• Classes Selected & Speaker Notified: June 27, 2012

Resources for AU Class Submissions:

• Visit the Call for Proposals website
• Review the AU 2012 Proposal Checklist.
• 10 tips that can help you write a winning AU 2012 class proposal. 

Autodesk University 2012 Date & Location:
November 27–29, 2012
Mandalay Bay Hotel
Las Vegas, Nevada USA

Hope to see you at AU 2012!
-Shaan

Developers - Join us at Camp this Summer!

Announcement from our Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) Team for those that develop for the Autodesk platforms, products, and technologies whether you are an ADN member or not.

Announcing Autodesk AEC DevCamp (June 6-7) and Manufacturing DevCamp (June 13-14)!

Register by April 30^th to get the $100 early bird discount!

DevCamps are held every other year where software developers like you can learn to get the most from your time and effort working with Autodesk platform technologies.  The two industry specific Developer Camps include several tracks catering to the learning needs of beginner and expert software developers – as well as a business track for start-ups looking to develop and leverage their relationship with Autodesk.  Come to Camp and get two days of face to face learning and help from Autodesk software engineers – the same Autodesk software engineers developing and supporting the Autodesk technology you work with every day. 

You can also join us for a third day at  “DevLab” where you can work on your hardest coding challenges with an Autodesk software engineer looking over your shoulder giving you immediate help and advice.  Bring your laptop and work on your code as you’d normally do in your own office – the difference is that you have a team of DevTech experts (the same people who answer your questions through DevHelp Online) available to review your code if you’d like, answer your questions, and make suggestions. 

Cloud and Mobile Classes

New for this year’s DevCamps are several classes on helping you get started developing apps based on Cloud and Mobile technologies.  Learn how to build your first Cloud app integrated with your favorite Autodesk product – and how you can make it available “everywhere” through browser and mobile user interfaces.  Have you been considering building your first app for the iPhone, iPad or Android device but holding back because of fear of lost hours thrashing while learning the new technology?  DevCamp includes classes that will show you how to quickly and easily create your first “Hello World” app for iOS and Android - with a design and graphics twist.

AEC DevCamp, June 6-7 (outside of Boston)

You can attend beginner and expert classes on developing solutions with Autodesk® Revit® (all flavors including Server), AutoCAD® Civil 3D®, Autodesk® Infrastructure Map Server, Autodesk® Vault, Autodesk BIM 360, Autodesk Project Vasari, Autodesk® Green Building Studio®, Autodesk® Navisworks®, and several more Autodesk AEC technologies.  Hear from Autodesk’s AEC Leadership including Vice President Jim Lynch.  Learn firsthand about developing a new Cloud based business leveraging Autodesk technologies from the Co-Founder of Horizontal Systems (recently acquired by Autodesk) Jordan Brandt. 

Complete list of classes being offered at AEC DevCamp found here.
Register to attend the AEC DevCamp here. 
Optional AEC DevLab, June 8, requires a separate registration here

Manufacturing DevCamp, June 13-14 (in Portland)

You can attend beginner and expert classes on developing solutions with Autodesk® Inventor® (including Inventor ETO), Autodesk® Vault, Autodesk® Navisworks, Autodesk PLM 360, and several more Autodesk manufacturing technologies.  Hear from Autodesk’s Manufacturing Leadership including Executive Vice President Robert “Buzz” Kross.  Learn about new technologies Autodesk is working on from the head of our “Fusion” Product Management Team Kevin Schneider. 

Complete list of classes being offered at MFG DevCamp found here.
Register to attend Manufacturing DevCamp here. 
Optional MFG DevLab June 15, requires a separate registration here

Customization Sync in AutoCAD 2013

I wanted to share a link to a nice blog post by Kate Morrical on the benefits of Autodesk 360 to customization with AutoCAD 2013. Your customization can follow you to different machines and locations.

Customization Sync in AutoCAD 2013
http://bit.ly/IBL0w3

Free Autodesk Software Assistance for Displaced Professionals

If you or someone you know is currently a veteran or unemployed there is an option to keep your design skills sharp or even learn new skills using over 30 Autodesk products like AutoCAD,  Revit, or Inventor for free.

Tools for Displaced Professionals http://autode.sk/nAaPfF

You can also checkout the technology previews on Autodesk Labs as a way to keep on the latest technology trends from Autodesk.

I do hope you take this opportunity and land that perfect position.

Shaan

Try AutoCAD LT 2013 without Downloading or Installing!

Some great news (as usual) was found in the April Edition of Autodesk Labs Innovation Edge newsletter. http://labs.blogs.com/apr2012/innovation_edge.htm

 

 

You can try the brand spanking new AutoCAD LT 2013 Online Trial without having to download or installing anything. No, this is not a late April Fools joke. The AutoCAD LT 2013 is running on our servers allowing you a fast, free, and effortless way to check out the new release. You may only see the download trial option if the online trial is too popular or your connection is not fast enough.

You should Subscribe to Innovation Edge and stay on top of all the latest in technology from Autodesk Labs.

Cheers,
Shaan

Flight Training This Week

This week I spent the beginning in San Francisco getting some formal training to be a safe and skilled Octo-Copter pilot. I am a designated tandem pilot for the Octo-Copter for some research projects and need to have my skills and training near levels of our veteran pilot Gonzalo Martinez.

The Octo-Copter is a large 8 rotor unmanned aerial drone from which we can mount a 2kg payload of cameras to capture video and photos to create 3D terrain using 123D Catch (Aerial Capture of 3D Geometry) and other methods. After testing many copters we found this one to be the most stable and powerful to carry payloads of equipment and not worry about them being destroyed or the video being unstable.

We have some pretty existing research project's going on this year with aerial capture of imagery in remote places where a telescopic camera boom or manned aerial aircraft are impossible logistically or cost prohibitive. We can be on scene with a small case of equipment and be in the air in a couple hours and fly up to 3500 meters capturing photo and video imagery in very high resolution. The possibilities are really quite endless from capturing terrain and objects in 3D textured models to searching for things on the ground that might not be seen from the ground.

Some images from the air above Autodesk San Rafael HQ.

Here are photos from the flight training which also includes a realistic simulator I need to drill on daily now.

The batteries for the Octo-Copter are big lithium batteries and not allowed to be in checked luggage, But I am not too keen on how these will look in my carry-on luggage to a inspector especially overseas. They would look even worse if I carried them in my travel jacket vest pockets. I will need plenty of documentation showing what they are before I get thrown in a security room.

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk Inventor Team Needs Your Feedback

The Autodesk Inventor Team is looking for feedback on Ease of Assembly. We’ll leave this survey open for response until Sunday, April 15^th.

The Autodesk Inventor product team is committed to delivering the best product experience and value for you and your company. We are conducting a survey to determine how easy and efficient tools are in Inventor to place and position components in their desired location. 

Your answers to this 10 minute survey will help us understand what matters most to you and guide our efforts to continuously improve the Inventor user experience. 

We want Inventor to be the best product possible.

Please let us know what matters most to you.  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/easeofassemble

Remember this survey is only open until April 15th so take just a minute and complete it.

Tips and Trick for AutoCAD 2013 - Content Explorer and Autodesk 360

Guest posting by AutoCAD QA Team member Rohit Arora on the AutoCAD 2013 Content Explorer and Autodesk 360, a pact made in heavens (Cloud actually)!

In this “Tips and Tricks” write-up, I’m going to show the self-professed ‘Hackers and Tinkerers’ out there, the benefits of the newly released Autodesk 360 Sync service in AutoCAD 2013, when used in conjunction with the ‘Content Explorer’. Although the ‘Content Explorer’ was released last year, some people may not have taken a serious look at it. Well, after reading this tip, you may want to leverage these two features for your workflow.

Steps:

1. In order to use this tip, please ensure you have an Autodesk login. Then sign in (or register) by clicking on the ‘Sign In’ button, on the top right corner in AutoCAD.

·

2. Now open ‘Content Explorer’ by clicking on Explore button under Plugin Ribbon tab or type CONTENTEXPLORER at command prompt. By default you should see two local folders listed under ‘Content Service (Localhost)’: Downloaded Content & Sample. Here, you could also search for content on the Autodesk’s Seek service.

3. Type ONLINEFOLDER in the Command line. If you are successfully logged to Autodesk 360, you should get result as a folder path:

· C:\Users\<user login id>\AppData\Local\Autodesk\Autodesk Sync\Cloud\<login.name>

4. Copy-clip this path, shown within quotes, from the Command line editor.

5. In the Content Explorer palette, click on “Add Watched Folder…” button at the bottom.

·

6. Under ‘Select Watched Folder’, click on any of the presented folders, say Documents, click OK.

·

7. In the next window ‘Edit Watched Folder’, you can edit the Local Path and paste the Autodesk Sync folder you had copied in Step 4. Add a Description and click OK to exit.

·

8. Now in Content Explorer palette, you should see a new folder named as your login for Autodesk 360 service. (e.g. ‘john.doe’). Done!

9. Now you have access to all the goodness of Drawings and Entities inside the drawings from within Content Explorer, all indexed and searchable!! Whoa!

·

10. Doing this allows you to drop Blocks/Layers/Dim-Styles, etc. from your Autodesk 360 drawings into your current drawing. Since all your content is synced to the Autodesk 360 documents, it’s always ready for sharing and collaboration. Off course, if you log out, then you lose this ability, so don’t!

11. So here are a few pointers: Store your office’s CAD standards, Block library or drawing templates in Autodesk 360, and use them anywhere, anytime; all indexed and searchable. If you explore further, Autodesk 360 allows you to access all (drawing) files via the web, and mobile devices using AutoCAD WS.

Best of Luck!

About the author: An architect turned technology professional; Rohit brings in 15 plus years of experience as an AutoCAD user, and the expertise of a CAD and IT Manager to Autodesk, while currently working as the AutoCAD Software QA Engineer.

Thank you for the guest post Rohit.

3D Print Your Autodesk Products as a DVD

Last week while working in the San Francisco Autodesk offices I ran across an interesting research project that is being conducted by a special team of combined operations and a 3D printing team.

In the past Autodesk had physical media for delivery of software like floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD, and USB media. Then we had the instantly gratifying electronic downloads of the software, but that was electronic and nothing you could place on your shelf unless you waited a week or more to receive the physical shipment from your friendly delivery person.

Many wanted instant software in a physical form and that customer request is at the core of this research.

Now with the more accessibility to 3D printers people can download the STL file of a product DVD and 3D print it and have a physical copy of the product media. A side benefit is that the STL image is smaller in the downloaded file size than the entire electronic download of the product in bits and bytes. From what I know about the technology is that it is similar to the heat pressed DVD which is a master negative mold pressed into polycarbonate not the burned DVD you create from your laptop. So they take a base DVD and add the digital copy of the data as it is used for DVD media masters but instead of pressing them print them on a 3D printer to ABS material. If the research goes well this could be another option for Autodesk customers.

Here is a preview of the STL format DVD media before 3D printing.

Pretty interesting, and might satisfy everyone that have requested instant software delivery as well as those that want the physical media. You could even 3D print a DVD case if you wanted the entire package.

Here is the new Autodesk Product Design Suite 2013 in an STL file as a 30 day trial version. Download ADSK-ProdDesSuite-DVD-DigiDelivery

I will keep everyone posted on the progress of this research, but would you 3D print your DVD?

 

UPDATE:
Happy April Fools Day Everyone! This was only a fun post and not a real research project. –Shaan