Committed to his Craft: Autodesk Inventor LT User Discovers Benefits of 3D
Autodesk recently sat down with Dustin Osburn, a draftsman with Kansas-based Cobalt Boats, to talk about his recent experience working with the new software Autodesk Inventor LT. The software helps manufacturers create, share, and edit 3D part designs and DWG drawings to satisfy customer and supplier requirements in today’s complex global supply chain.
Q: Tell us about Cobalt Boats and your position there.
A: Since 1968 Cobalt Boats has been designing and building high-end luxury boats here in Kansas. Cobalt crafts virtually the entire boat: from metalwork to upholstery, from electrical systems to canvas tops. We are consistently ahead of the pack in terms of quality and sales.
I work in the engineering department, documenting and developing new models with the R&D department. I’ve been here for three years. My function is CAD work and part documentation and design, focusing on providing comprehensive documentation for new models. My background is interesting in that I used to be in IT and this is my first non-IT job. I’ve worked for an online gaming company as well as helped my dad set up a computer store. When it comes to my design background, I am self-taught.
Q: Tell us a little about the design team at Cobalt Boats.
A: There are seven people on the design team. Recently the design and manufacturing group split into two teams. Our goal is to be consistently striving for top quality and making great watercraft even greater. We are always looking for new ways to innovate and push designs to the next level. We are primarily using AutoCAD 2008.
Q: You recently downloaded the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview. What has your experience with it been like so far?
A: I had been experimenting with 3D a little and decided to download the software to find out more about it. I basically started playing around with it, modeling prototype parts. This has been my first real experience with 3D and I was pleased with how easy it was to pick up. The controls are very intuitive. I can already see that working in 3D provides more accurate representations of what we build, definitely better than 2D in that sense. Most of our team wants to go to 3D, so now we are working on plans to explore the cost and training time needed to incorporate it. I’d love to see us have at least a couple seats of Autodesk Inventor LT.
Q: How would working in 3D, using Autodesk Inventor LT, improve your workflow?
A: We do our own metal fabrication for different parts as well as a lot of our woodwork, and it’s hard to visualize these off a flat 2D print. We could take 2D parts and have little 3D models of them sitting somewhere so we can see what something looks like and to see if it would fit the application. I’ve actually been sneaking 3D models into my drawings. I think by throwing a 3D assembled view on there, it gives a better representation of what it’s actually going to look like.
Q: What advice would you give to new 3D users looking to try Autodesk Inventor LT?
A: Be adventurous and try new things. Be like a kid with building blocks and just start drawing shapes. Also, don’t be afraid to look at the Help menu. I have found that everything can be answered using the Help features. Some people will catch on to 3D more quickly than others, but keep on pushing it. 3D is the future of drafting. We’re excited about it catching on here and I know it will take off.