How do Autodesk Inventor dimensions work?

Note on opening DWG files

If you do not require AutoCAD objects translated into Autodesk Inventor objects, you can directly open any AutoCAD DWG file in Autodesk Inventor. You can then view, plot, and measure the file contents. Objects display exactly as they do in AutoCAD. In addition, all the AutoCAD data is selectable for copying. You can open an AutoCAD DWG (.dwg) file in Autodesk Inventor, and then copy and paste AutoCAD entities into any Autodesk Inventor sketch.

AutoCAD dimensions enter as AutoCAD dimensions. In Autodesk Inventor, they can be viewed and plotted.

Note: Use the Dimension command to measure AutoCAD objects in Autodesk Inventor. However, AutoCAD dimensions in Autodesk Inventor are not associative. Any changes made to an AutoCAD dimension in Autodesk Inventor are not updated in the corresponding file in AutoCAD file.

For more information, see Working directly with DWG in

Autodesk Inventor has several types of dimensions that perform different functions:

Model dimensions

Control the size of features in parts and assemblies. You specify model dimensions as you design and build parts and assemblies. Each dimension can be a specific measurement or can be calculated based on its relationship to other dimensions in the model.

Model dimensions are also called driving dimensions. You can display model dimensions in a drawing.

Reference dimensions

Show the measurement of geometry in a part or assembly, but do not control size. These dimensions are calculated based on the relationship of the geometry to other geometry in the model.

Reference dimensions are also called driven dimensions.

Sketch dimensions

Control the size of geometry in a part or drawing sketch. Specify sketch dimensions as you create the sketch.

In a part or assembly, sketch dimensions are also model dimensions.

Drawing dimensions

Added to drawing views to document the design. Drawing dimensions do not control the size of geometry, but are associated with geometry and update when changes are made to the model.

The format of drawing dimensions is controlled by dimension styles and drafting standards in the drawing.