Welcome the new Autodesk Knowledge Network (AKN)!!!
In addition to accessing help and tutorials from within the Inventor product, you can also access them from the new Autodesk Knowledge Network. The AKN is a socially-enabled network of knowledge sharing that makes it fast and easy for you to find the information you are looking for. Access a broad range of knowledge to help you get the most out of your Autodesk products and services.
Find the information you need to learn and work with Inventor on Autodesk Knowledge Network.
Autodesk Application Manager keeps you current
You can easily stay current with the latest updates for your installed Autodesk 2015 applications and Suites. Application Manager actively surfaces alerts about new Service Packs and other important packages as they become available.
When you decide to apply an update, Application Manager seamlessly downloads the files from the cloud, and installs them on your machine.
For more information, open the Windows Taskbar in the lower right corner and right-click
. Select Open. In the Applications Manager dialog box, select Help.
Application Options dialog box is now resizable
Select any corner of the Application Options dialog box to resize.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/InventorLT-WhatsNew/images/GUID-2102C16D-50E4-4880-9CF2-8BA8810CC4BE.png)
Exciting workplane improvements make modeling easier
Take control of workplanes: You can now rename the workplane in the browser.
The name of the workplane now also displays in the graphics window.
Create midplane work planes from parallel or non parallel faces
Using Plane on the ribbon 3D Model tab, Work Features panel, you can create a midplane work plane between two parallel or non parallel faces in a part or assembly. In an assembly, it is required that the faces be on separate components. The resulting work plane is oriented to the coordinate system, and has the same outward normal of the first selected plane.
Enhancements to the ribbon
Simplification of the 3D Model and Sketch tabs
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3D Model and Sketch panels streamlined
Several commands were moved from a main panel to the subpanel, or to a drop-list on the panel. For example, in a part file (.ipt) the Modify panel on the 3D Model tab is now streamlined to display fewer commands by default. The other Modify commands are moved to a drop-down menu or to the Modify expanded panel:
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More panels hidden by default
Panels with less frequently used commands or commands with duplicate access points are hidden to optimize space in the workspace. You have more room to view and work with models. For example, on the 3D Model tab, the panels Primitives, Parameters, Measure, Plastic Part, Harness, iPart/iAssembly, Simulation, and Convert are now hidden by default.
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Access hidden panels using the new Show Panel icon
You can access hidden panels easily, and make hidden panels visible. Click Show Panel
, and then click the panel to expose on the active tab.
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Sketch tab always available
The Sketch tab is now always available on the ribbon in part (.ipt), assembly (.iam), and drawing (*.dwg/*.idw) files. Also, the Draw panel is renamed to Create when you are in Sketch mode in a Part (.ipt) file.
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New Button resize option provides more flexibility
Right-click a command in the ribbon to access Button resize. You can set buttons to display as large or standard. With this button size control and the ability to ungroup buttons or hide and rearrange panels, you can optimize the ribbon to the way you work.
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Access Help for customizing the ribbon
For help on the different ways to customize the display of the ribbon, press F1 as you pause the cursor over the new Show Panels icon.
New setting on Application Options – Hardware tab
The new setting, Conservative replaces the Compatibility setting on Application Options – Hardware tab - Conservative provides a scaled down experience of the Quality and Performance settings.
Autodesk 360 is now an installation option
Autodesk 360 lets you connect your Autodesk product with Autodesk 360 web services, and gives you the option to synchronize your online files with your local computer.
Autodesk 360 is now available as a shared component in the installer. It can be deselected to prevent its installation, or it can be installed in a disabled state, to be enabled later.
General Modeling Improvements
Performance Improvement in Wrap to Surface/Face
Dramatic performance improvements are made in Wrap to surface of Project Curve to Surface, and Wrap to Face of Emboss. In the following example of a custom spring, the sweep operation in Inventor 2015 is 50 times faster than in Inventor 2014 since Wrap to surface creates the custom helix curve as a lightweight, and yet more precise, curve. In this example, the file size is seven times smaller.
Modeling Robustness
The robustness of Shelling and Tapered Extrusions is improved. They now handle more complicated geometries. For example, in Inventor 2014, you can extrude the following profile with proper tangent constraints with a taper angle of up to only 27 degrees. In Inventor 2015, the taper angle can be anywhere from 0 through 90 degrees.