At Omnifab, many of our mechanical manufacturing projects begin in our offices, where our mechanical engineers, designers, and industrial draftsmen develop concepts on computers.
Naturally, creating accurate and detailed technical plans and drawings requires specialized software tools.
In this article, discover the primary software our industrial design team uses to bring ideas to life.
Autodesk Inventor©
Inventor is a 3D CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software developed by California-based Autodesk, with its first version launched in 1999.
Since then, this technical drawing software has gained worldwide popularity and is now used across various industries, including:
- Automotive
- Architecture
- Construction
- Industrial design and prototyping
- Watchmaking
- Electrical engineering
- And many more!
Our industrial designers rely on Inventor daily for its advanced tools, enabling precise mechanical design, documentation, and product simulation.
Features That Simplify Machine and Part Design
Over the years, Inventor has become a benchmark for design capabilities, particularly in prototyping workshops. It enables users to create 3D renderings of components or equipment through various design approaches:
- Parametric design
- Direct design
- Freeform, rule-based design.
This software also includes integrated tools that make modeling certain elements easier, such as:
- Mechanical parts (such as gears)
- Tubing and piping systems (even featuring a fluid flow simulation module)
- Cable networks
- Molds for product manufacturing
- Sheet metal and flat patterns
- And more!
From Drawing to Reality Made Easy with Inventor
Mechanical parts designed with Inventor can then be manufactured quickly. Once the concepts are approved, they can be produced using 3D printers.
In some cases, our machinists can even export Inventor data directly to CNC machining equipment. The parts fabricated via CNC machining match the model developed by our engineers and draftsmen perfectly.
Rely on Our Industrial Designers
Autodesk AutoCAD©
AutoCAD is the most widely used CAD (Computer-Aided Drawing) software globally (Forbes, 2021). It is also a product developed by Autodesk, which released its first version in 1982.
Professionals across many fields rely on this multidisciplinary technical drawing software, including:
- Civil engineering
- Mapping and topography
- Architecture
- Urban planning
- Electronics and electrotechnics
- Industrial mechanics
- And many more.
At Omnifab, our industrial design department uses AutoCAD daily, particularly to develop manufacturing drawings and 2D or 3D plans for parts, machinery, systems, and facilities.
AutoCAD’s Evolution
Over the years, new automation capabilities have been added to the software, significantly speeding up tasks like drawing comparisons, object counting, and creating bill of materials, among others.
It’s also worth noting that AutoCAD can be enhanced by installing plugins, allowing users to add functions specifically tailored to their field.
The DWG Format
One of the reasons for AutoCAD’s global success is the popularity of the DWG format, which is the file extension used by the software.
These files are organized in layers, enabling users to manage multiple display settings to achieve the ideal view of a plan or drawing.
Let Our Technical Drawing Specialists Bring Your Vision to Life
In summary, the two industrial design software highlighted above play a significant role in our ability to execute a wide range of mechanical fabrication projects.
Thanks to the possibilities offered by Inventor and AutoCAD, we can document complex mechanical systems and even bring your vision of a part or machine to life, helping boost your productivity.
Contact us to learn more about our industrial design services.
