Model Simplification for Autodesk® Inventor®
Autodesk ConsultingModel Simplification for Autodesk® Inventor®
Autodesk ConsultingModel Simplification for Autodesk® Inventor® is a plugin that creates lightweight representations of equipment models, helping teams improve performance in 3D layout and coordination workflows.
Free
Autodesk products
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Available with a Workflow Advisory subscription. Contact wa-support@autodesk.com for subscription details and access.
Model Simplification for Autodesk® Inventor® helps teams prepare detailed equipment models for use in 3D factory layouts and federated coordination environments. The plugin automates model lightweighting to reduce geometric complexity and the manual effort required to prepare manufacturing-level models for downstream use.
Key capabilities include:
- Create simplified model states from detailed source models.
- Generate bounding-box or cylindrical envelope representations.
- Simplify part geometry for lower-detail use.
- Suppress small assembly components.
- Apply low-detail model states across the assembly hierarchy.
- Maintain high- and low-detail representations from a single source model.
By automating repetitive simplification tasks, Model Simplification helps teams reduce model complexity and file size while preparing lighter representations for downstream layout and coordination workflows.
Typical results: Depending on model complexity and configuration, testing has demonstrated more than a 10× reduction in face count and up to a 74% reduction in file size.
Details
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What else should I know about this product?
Common issues and resolutions
IssueCauseResolution Simplification panel does not appear Add-in not loaded or Inventor not restarted Open Add-In Manager, enable Component Simplification Addin, restart Inventor All parts suppressed in low LOD Remove Parts Size too large Reduce the value in Create Assembly Model States and run again Simplify Parts produces empty geometry Simplify Parts settings too aggressive Reduce hole, fillet, chamfer, pocket, tunnel, and emboss removal thresholds Bounding boxes missing for slender parts Aspect Ratio Threshold too high Lower the threshold in Create Part Model States Linked model states do not update Model state missing in a referenced file Re-run part and assembly model states for affected components Inventor becomes unresponsive on large assemblies Processing many parts locally Process one subassembly at a time, or simplify fewer parts per run Your subscription has expired WA entitlement check failed Renew your Workflow Advisory subscription or contact supportIs there additional support information provided?
Use Create Part Model States to simplify each referenced part in the active assembly. The command creates a new model state (typically named Low) with bounding-box or cylindrical envelope geometry, or with simplified solids from Simplify Parts.
When to use this command
Run this command when you need to reduce part-level detail before creating assembly model states.
Procedure
1. Open the Part Simplification dialog
On the Simplification panel, click Create Part Model States.
2. Set the model state name
Confirm Model State Name is set to the name you want for the simplified representation (for example, Low).
Link Model States
Use Link Model States to activate a named model state across all occurrences in the active assembly and referenced subassemblies. This command ensures that switching the top-level model state propagates the correct LOD throughout the entire model hierarchy.
When to use this command
Run this command as the final step in the simplification workflow, after both part and assembly model states have been created.
Procedure
1. Open the Link Model States dialog
On the Simplification panel, click Link Model States.
2. Select the model state to link
In the Select model state to activate list, choose the model state to link (for example, Low).
3. Run the command
Click OK. The add-in iterates through all occurrences in the active assembly and referenced subassemblies. For each occurrence, if the selected model state exists, it is set as the active state.
When linking completes, a summary dialog displays:
- Initial face count (before linking)
- Final face count (after linking)
- Reduction percentage
For more information please review this Helper Page
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