Drawing Generation with Design Automation

Generate 2D drawings from 3D models using the Design Automation API.

Workflow Overview

Input

3D Model Inventor/

Design

App Bundle Drawing Plugin

GenerateDrawing

Execute

Processing

Load Model

Apply Template

Generate Views

Add Annotations

Output

2D Drawing .idw/./.pdf

Input→DA Setup→Process→Output

CLI Approach

Step 1: List Available Engines

# List Inventor engines
raps da engine list | grep -i inventor

# Output example:
# Autodesk.Inventor+2024
# Autodesk.Inventor+2023

Step 2: Create App Bundle

# Package your drawing generation plugin
cd ./drawing-plugin
zip -r ../DrawingGenerator.zip ./*

# Upload app bundle
raps da appbundle create \
  --id "DrawingGenerator" \
  --engine "Autodesk.Inventor+2024" \
  --file ../DrawingGenerator.zip

# Create alias
raps da appbundle alias create DrawingGenerator prod 1

Step 3: Create Activity

# Create activity definition
raps da activity create \
  --id "GenerateDrawing" \
  --engine "Autodesk.Inventor+2024" \
  --appbundle "your-nickname.DrawingGenerator+prod" \
  --command '$(engine.path)/InventorCoreConsole.exe /i $(args[inputFile].path) /al $(appbundles[DrawingGenerator].path) /s $(settings[script].path)'

# Create alias
raps da activity alias create GenerateDrawing prod 1

Step 4: Submit Work Item

# Generate signed URL for input
INPUT_URL=$(raps object signed-url cad-library assembly.iam --minutes 60)

# Create output location
OUTPUT_BUCKET="drawing-output"
raps bucket create --key "$OUTPUT_BUCKET" --policy transient --region US

# Submit work item
WORK_ITEM=$(raps da workitem create \
  --activity "your-nickname.GenerateDrawing+prod" \
  --input-name "inputFile" \
  --input-url "$INPUT_URL" \
  --output-name "outputDrawing" \
  --output-url "$(raps object signed-url $OUTPUT_BUCKET output.idw --minutes 60 --write)" \
  --output json)

WORK_ID=$(echo "$WORK_ITEM" | jq -r '.id')
echo "Work Item ID: $WORK_ID"

Step 5: Monitor Progress

# Wait for completion
raps da workitem status "$WORK_ID" --wait

# Check final status
raps da workitem status "$WORK_ID" --output json | jq '.status'

CI/CD Pipeline

# .github/workflows/drawing-generation.yml
name: Drawing Generation Pipeline

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      model:
        description: 'Model file path in bucket'
        required: true
      template:
        description: 'Drawing template name'
        default: 'standard'

env:
  ACTIVITY: ${{ secrets.DA_NICKNAME }}.GenerateDrawing+prod

jobs:
  generate-drawing:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Install RAPS
        run: cargo install raps

      - name: Generate drawing
        env:
          APS_CLIENT_ID: ${{ secrets.APS_CLIENT_ID }}
          APS_CLIENT_SECRET: ${{ secrets.APS_CLIENT_SECRET }}
        run: |
          # Get signed URLs
          INPUT_URL=$(raps object signed-url cad-library "${{ inputs.model }}" --minutes 120)
          OUTPUT_BUCKET="drawings-$(date +%Y%m%d)"
          raps bucket create --key "$OUTPUT_BUCKET" --policy transient --region US 2>/dev/null || true

          OUTPUT_NAME=$(basename "${{ inputs.model }}" | sed 's/\.[^.]*$/.idw/')
          OUTPUT_URL=$(raps object signed-url "$OUTPUT_BUCKET" "$OUTPUT_NAME" --minutes 120 --write)

          # Submit work item
          WORK_ID=$(raps da workitem create \
            --activity "$ACTIVITY" \
            --input-name "inputFile" \
            --input-url "$INPUT_URL" \
            --output-name "outputDrawing" \
            --output-url "$OUTPUT_URL" \
            --output json | jq -r '.id')

          echo "WORK_ID=$WORK_ID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
          echo "OUTPUT_BUCKET=$OUTPUT_BUCKET" >> $GITHUB_ENV
          echo "OUTPUT_NAME=$OUTPUT_NAME" >> $GITHUB_ENV

      - name: Wait for completion
        env:
          APS_CLIENT_ID: ${{ secrets.APS_CLIENT_ID }}
          APS_CLIENT_SECRET: ${{ secrets.APS_CLIENT_SECRET }}
        run: |
          raps da workitem status "$WORK_ID" --wait

          STATUS=$(raps da workitem status "$WORK_ID" --output json | jq -r '.status')

          if [ "$STATUS" != "success" ]; then
            echo "Work item failed with status: $STATUS"
            raps da workitem report "$WORK_ID"
            exit 1
          fi

      - name: Download result
        env:
          APS_CLIENT_ID: ${{ secrets.APS_CLIENT_ID }}
          APS_CLIENT_SECRET: ${{ secrets.APS_CLIENT_SECRET }}
        run: |
          mkdir -p ./drawings
          raps object download "$OUTPUT_BUCKET" "$OUTPUT_NAME" --output ./drawings/

      - name: Upload artifact
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: generated-drawing
          path: ./drawings/

Pipeline Flow

Manual Trigger

model + template inputs

→

Setup

Generate signed URLs

Create output

→

Design Automation

Submit work item

Wait for completion

→

Output

Download drawing

Upload

MCP Integration

Generate Single Drawing

User: "Generate a 2D drawing from the gearbox assembly"

User

AI Assistant

Design Automation

User

Generate drawing from gearbox.iam

aps_object_signed_url(input)

MCP

Input URL

aps_da_workitem_create(activity, input, output)

MCP

Submit work item

Work item ID

loop: Wait for completion

aps_da_workitem_status(id)

MCP

Check status

Drawing generated successfully

AI Response:

Generated 2D drawing from gearbox.iam:

Output file: gearbox.idw (2.4 MB)

Views generated: 4 (Front, Top, Right, Isometric)

Processing time: 45 seconds

Download: gearbox.idw

Batch Drawing Generation

User: "Generate drawings for all assemblies in the release folder"