Inventor is a CAD (Computer Aided Design) software. You can create 3-D Models of almost anything you can think of. People use this all the time from large companies to schools. This is a really fun and easy to tool to use, they make it so anyone can learn it and be good at it.
Creating the Widget Step by Step
Step 1: Create a 1 in by 1 in square to use as your starting cube.
Step 2: Extrude the square out by 1in this is your base cube and will will cut thing out to create your widget.
Step 3: Create a second sketch that is a rectangle that is slightly longer the the 1in cube. Dimension the rectangle so that it is .75in from the top of the cube to the bottom of the rectangle.
Step 4: Extrude the sketch .75 in backwards so it cuts out part of the cube.
Step 5: Create a 3rd sketch that has a top part and bottom part in the middle of the cube. Both are .5in in length but the top part of the sketch in .5in down from the top of the cube and the bottom part of the sketch in .25 in high from the bottom of the cube.
Step 6: Extrude the two sketches different length. The top one will be 1in into the cube and the bottom part will be .25in into the cube so it cuts it away.
Step 7: The fourth and final sketch you will put 2 rectangle over the two pillars create them slightly bigger then the pillar to make it easier to use. Dimension the rectangles so it's .25in from the bottom of the rectangle to the top of the widget. Lastly put a line going trough the top left corner to the bottom of the rectangle on the right side and put a line going from the top right corner to the bottom of the rectangle on the left side.
Step 8: Extrude only left part of the rectangle of the left side and only the ride side of rectangle of the right side. Extrude the two side in .25in so it cuts it away. After you have finished the extrusion you widget is complete.
What I learned
This unit I learned how to use inventor. I had never used it before this and this was a fun and easy way to learn how to use inventor. I learned what some of the different tools in inventor are and how to navigate around it. I also learned about Makerbot and how to 3-D print. I always thought using a 3-D printer was going to be difficult in some ways but it was actually really easy and I enjoyed 3-D printing without the fear I was going to break something or mess it up.