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Software

Autodesk Inventor

Mechanical 3D design for equipment, skids and machinery.

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Quick answer

Structural Engineering Services supports Autodesk Inventor projects worldwide with autodesk inventor 3d design, skid package design, static equipment design, lifting & rigging calculations — delivered by senior engineers on licensed software to international codes.

Publisher
Autodesk
Discipline
Mechanical 3D design for equipment & skids
Licensing
Commercial seats, in-house only

Capability at a glance

Our Autodesk Inventor bench strength

Every figure below is what we run in production — licensed seats, supported versions and the scale we deliver at, so you can size us against your package before you enquire.

10

Licensed seats

Inventor Professional with Vault revision control

2019–2025

Versions supported

Delivered native or as STEP for any platform

5,000 parts

Largest assembly

Multi-skid package with vendor equipment included

ASME Y14.5

Drawing standard

Or ISO 1101 — whichever your shop works to

2–4 wks

Typical skid package

Model, drawings, flat patterns and BOM

Deliverables

What we produce in Autodesk Inventor

Inventor is where equipment becomes manufacturable: parametric parts, a frame that welds up square, flat patterns the laser can cut and drawings with tolerances the machine shop can hold.

Scope your deliverables

Parametric parts & assemblies

Fully constrained models driven by key dimensions, so a change in duty or envelope propagates through the package instead of restarting it.

Skid frames & weldments

Frame Generator structures with end treatments, weld preparation, weld symbols and a cut list the shop can order from.

Manufacturing drawings with GD&T

Part and assembly drawings dimensioned to ASME Y14.5 or ISO 1101, with datums, tolerances and surface finish called out properly.

Sheet-metal flat patterns

Unfolded flat patterns with correct bend allowance, exported as DXF for laser, plasma and turret punch.

BOM & parts lists

Structured bill of materials with purchased items, vendor references and weights, exported to Excel or your ERP for procurement.

Interference, mass & lifting checks

Clash and motion checks, mass properties and centre of gravity, plus lifting lug and transport frame verification.

Interoperability

Autodesk Inventor file formats we work with

Mechanical packages are assembled from vendor models in half a dozen formats. Inventor's AnyCAD reading keeps those associative instead of frozen, and exports cleanly to plant and analysis tools.

Native formats.ipt parts.iam assemblies.idw / .dwg drawings
Autodesk Inventor import and export formats and how we use them
FormatDirectionHow we use it
STEP / IGES / SAT / JTBoth waysNeutral geometry in from vendors and out to fabricators and clients on any CAD platform.
SolidWorks / Creo / CATIAWe importAnyCAD reads native third-party CAD associatively, so a vendor revision updates inside the assembly.
DWG / DXFBoth waysLayout references in; drawings and sheet-metal flat patterns out for cutting.
NWCWe deliverPublished to Navisworks so the skid federates with plant structure and piping.
Geometry to ANSYSWe deliverClean solid geometry handed to FEA for lifting lugs, brackets and pressure parts.
STL / 3MFWe deliverPrototype and visualisation output for additive manufacturing and mock-ups.
Excel BOMWe deliverStructured parts list with vendor data pushed into procurement and ERP.

Working in a format that is not listed? Send a sample file with your enquiry — we confirm every exchange route before kick-off rather than discovering it at issue.

How we work

Our Autodesk Inventor workflow

Our process is built around catching problems before they reach your reviewer, so the checking stages are fixed, not optional.

  1. 1

    Requirements & envelope

    Duty, footprint, transport limits, access, maintenance clearances and the applicable mechanical standards are fixed before modelling.

  2. 2

    Layout skeleton

    A skeleton sketch or layout part drives equipment positions and connection points, so the assembly stays controllable as it grows.

  3. 3

    Part & assembly modelling

    Parts modelled parametrically with the manufacturing method in mind — machined, folded, cast or welded — and constrained in the assembly.

  4. 4

    Frame, weldments & tubing

    Skid frame generated, weldments prepared, and tubing and small-bore piping routed with real fittings and bend radii.

  5. 5

    Interference & mass review

    Quality gate

    Full clash check, motion study on moving parts, and mass and CG verified against lifting, transport and foundation assumptions.

  6. 6

    Drawings & flat patterns

    Drawings produced with GD&T, weld symbols and finish notes; flat patterns exported as DXF for cutting.

  7. 7

    BOM release

    Structured BOM issued under revision control, long-lead items flagged and vendor data packaged for procurement.

One stage is a formal quality gate — work does not move forward until a senior engineer signs it off, which is why revisions after issue stay rare.

Choosing a platform

When Autodesk Inventor is the right choice

Most enquiries arrive naming a tool. Sometimes it is the right one; sometimes another package in our stack gets you there faster and cheaper. Here is how we decide.

Choose Autodesk Inventor when

  • The package is machinery or equipment — skids, filtration units, agitators, conveyors, material handling or custom rigs.
  • Fabrication needs tight tolerances, GD&T, machined features and sheet-metal flat patterns.
  • A configurable product family would benefit from parametric or iLogic-driven variants.
  • Vendor models arrive in mixed CAD formats and must live together in one controlled assembly.

We would use something else when

Tekla StructuresBetter when the scope is structural steel by the tonne, where numbering, NC output and BOQ matter more than GD&T.CADWorxBetter when the piping is spec-driven plant pipework needing isometrics and MTO rather than modelled tubing.ANSYS MechanicalBetter when the component needs a real stress assessment — fatigue, non-linear contact or buckling.

Still unsure? Send the drawings and the deliverable you need — we will tell you which platform we would run it on, and why, before quoting.

Relevant services

Our Autodesk Inventor services

Autodesk Inventor 3D Design

Autodesk Inventor 3D Design

Modeling machines, equipment and skids in Inventor with fabrication drawings.

Explore
Skid Package Design

Skid Package Design

Engineering complete modular skids — vessels, piping, structure, lifting and foundations.

Explore
Static Equipment Design

Static Equipment Design

Delivering design and analysis for the full range of static process equipment.

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Lifting & Rigging Calculations

Lifting & Rigging Calculations

Calculating lifting lug, spreader and package lifting loads for safe installation.

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Directory

Autodesk Inventor work by market

Pick the market your project is built in. Every page sets out the governing codes, units and delivery window we work to there.

8 markets

Most requested markets

8

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