Each month Software Services 4 Education will showcase new innovative products or services from a range of suppliers and publishers.

 

Autodesk®Design Academy 2012 has arrived!

Autodesk® Design Academy 2012 offers Autodesk's widely used suite of 2D and 3D design and engineering software. It provides access to highly engaging, project-based online curricula, which help advance students' knowledge in key areas ranging from math and science to design basics, pre-architecture, pre-engineering, robotics, and sustainable design. With the software's design, visualization, and simulation capabilities, students can easily move between 2D and 3D design environments, and fully experience their creative ideas digitally.

The Autodesk Design Academy includes the following 2D and 3D design software products:

  • AutoCAD2012
  • AutoCAD Inventor Professional 2012
  • AutoCAD Mechanical 2012
  • AutoCAD Architecture 2012
  • AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012
  • Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2012
  • Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012
  • Vault (basic/free) 2012
  • Sketchbook Designer

Prices for Autodesk Design Academy 2012 are as follows and all available from Learning and Teaching Scotland

  • Autodesk Design Academy 2012 - 10 User Pack + 1 Year Subscription £240
  • Autodesk Design Academy 2012 - 25 User Pack + 1 Year Subscription £474
  • Autodesk Design Academy 2012 - 125 User Pack + 1 Year Subscription £1290


3DMadeEasy.com provides online training that supports and encourages the use of 3D modelling for students and teachers.

"Can't believe the things I have been trying to do for ages could take only minutes after watching your vid! Indie Mitchell, Lornshill Academy, Alloa"

Each of the 3DMadeEasy.com training titles is split into five different areas

Introductory Series- Working from a starting point of showing you how to start the software, the videos on this page will walk you through a carefully structured series of exercises which will give you an excellent grounding in the basics.

Spotlight on Skills- The exercises in this section are slightly longer and will introduce new tools, skills and concepts with each new task undertaken. You can either work through them in the given order, go straight to the one that looks like it can solve a specific problem or simply just catches your interest. Each exercise is supported by a video tutorial which will illustrate the task and walk you through its completion.

3 Minute Hot Tips- Every sketching tool and every modelling tool has a bit of hidden functionality or some hidden feature which would typically take you a long time to find. View these short videos to pick up some new information about each tool

Some Neat Tricks- There are a variety of skills and short cuts here which will allow you to work quicker and more effectively.

FAQ Video Vault- subscribers to the site are invited to ask for advice in solving various problems they have up against in their modelling. Feel free to watch any video responses which are much more conversational in tone to see if you can pick up on anything useful. Why not ask a question via email if you have an issue that is not covered here. CAUTION - given the nature of these videos, these videos go into a lot of detail, and, as a result can be lengthy. Plenty of gems of information can be picked up here.

To try out one of the sample tutorials click here.

Titles available in the series are

  • Autodesk AutoCAD Made Easy
  • Autodesk 3DS Max Made Easy
  • Autodesk Inventor Made Easy
  • Autodesk Revit Architecture Made Easy
  • Google Sketch Up

You can subscribe to any of the 3DMadeEasy.com titles, for as little

  • One title at £67.50
  • Two titles £112.50
  • Three titles £135
  • Four titles £160
  • Five titles £180