Do we need Autodesk Vault when we use Inventor?

Many companies working on engineering design in Autodesk Inventor sooner or later ask:

‍Do we really need Autodesk Vault when we already use Inventor?

Inventor is a powerful design tool, but managing design data over time is a different kind of challenge. As the number of models, assemblies and drawings grows, it becomes important to maintain control over versions, revisions and relationships between files.

This is precisely what Vault is designed to address.

Inventor creates design data, Vault manages it

Autodesk Inventor is designed to create design data, while Autodesk Vault is designed to manage and control it.

Inventor is an advanced CAD tool for mechanical design. It is used to create component models, assemblies and drawings that together describe the product to be manufactured.

Once the design data has been created, however, a new set of challenges arises:

• Which version of the model is current?
• Which drawings belong to which revision?
• What happens if two people make changes to the same file?
• How do you find an earlier design solution?

These issues are not about design, but about control over design data. This is precisely what Vault is designed to handle.

What Vault actually does

Autodesk Vault is a PDM (Product Data Management) system developed specifically to manage CAD data.

Vault integrates directly with Inventor and provides features including:

Version control
All changes are saved automatically, so you can always return to earlier versions.

Check-in and check-out
Files are locked while being edited, preventing multiple people from overwriting each other’s work.

File reference management
Assemblies, drawings and components remain correctly linked.

Revision control
You can control which versions are approved for production.

Efficient data retrieval
Files can be searched for using properties and metadata, not just file names.

The result is better control over design data throughout the product’s lifetime.

Why even small design teams should use Vault

It is easy to assume that a PDM system only becomes necessary when many design engineers work simultaneously. In practice, we see that even companies with one or two designers benefit greatly from Vault.

The reasons include the following.

Version control over time
Even a single design engineer makes many changes during a project. Vault ensures that all versions are saved and can be traced.

Reliable management of complex products
Products often consist of many interconnected files. Vault ensures that references between models and drawings are always correct.

Reduced risk of production errors
Without revision control, it can be unclear which drawing or model is current.

A sound structure from the start
Many companies only introduce PDM when problems arise. At that point, they often have to clean up years of unstructured file management. Using Vault early establishes a sound structure from the start.

Safeguarding the company’s most important data
Design data often represents significant investments in time and expertise. Vault ensures that this data is stored and can be retrieved in a controlled manner.

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Inventor and Vault complement each other

Using Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Vault together provides a more robust foundation for product development.

Inventor is used to create and develop the design, while Vault provides structure, version control and traceability for the design data.

For many companies, Vault therefore becomes a natural and important part of the infrastructure supporting their design work.