Import Mechanical Desktop 2009 Files to Inventor 2018

This blog describes how to import Mechanical Desktop 2009 files into Inventor 2018 IPT, IAM and IDW files on Windows 7. The workflow provided is a best effort without official support from Autodesk.

Inventor 2018 will be the last release where MDT translation will be possible. If MDT data needs to be translated in the future, we recommend translating it into Inventor format using Inventor 2018.

Solution:

The last release of Autodesk Mechanical Desktop was Mechanical Desktop 2009, which was supported through Inventor 2012. Mechanical Desktop 2009 was supported on Windows XP and Windows Vista. The Mechanical desktop installer does not block Windows 7 or Windows 10 installations, however only the Windows 7 x64 workflow below has been tested.

Inventor 2018 will be the last release that will unofficially supports this workflow. Future releases of Inventor will not contain the Mechanical Desktop translator. If you need to open/import legacy Mechanical Desktop files to a future version of Inventor, you’ll need to open or import in Inventor 2018 first, and then migrate the Inventor files to the current release.

Installation:

• Prepare a clean Windows 7 SP1 x64 system. We recommend using a virtual machine to isolate MDT from production software, since it has known security issues.
• Change Windows UAC setting to “Never Notify”. Reboot if prompted.
• Download and install the VS2005 x86 redistributable 8.0.56336 from the Microsoft site.

Note: This must be done before installing either Inventor or MDT.

• Install Autodesk Inventor 2018
• Download and unzip MDT 2009 Installer for Inventor 2018.zip.
• Double click on Inventor2009.reg in the MDT 2009 Installer\MDT folder. This registry change allows MDT to be installed without Inventor 2009 being present by creating [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\Inventor\RegistryVersion13.0] “ProductEdition”=”INVBUN”.
• Run Setup.exe from the MDT 2009 Installer\MDT folder. The MDT setup screen should appear.
• Select “Install Products”
• Select “Autodesk Mechanical Desktop 2009”
• Product and User Information: Enter “000-00000000” for the serial number.
• Click “Next” and “Install”

To import Mechanical Desktop files

• Start Inventor 2018
• File->Open; Select a Mechanical Desktop file.
• Press Options…
• Set “File Open Options” to “Import”.
• Click “OK” and Press “Open” in the File Dialog”.
• Press “Open” in the File Dialog”.
• The DWF/DWG File Wizard comes up; Click Next.
• A preview appears; Select “Parts and Assemblies” and “All Layouts”; Click Next.
• Review the Import Options and click “Finish”.
• Save the imported documents as Inventor IPT, IAM and IDW files.

Issues:

Inventor Displays “ Mechanical Desktop Part/Assembly translator not registered. ”This is caused by a missing VS2005 x86 redistributable during the Inventor installation.

• If you install the VC runtime after Inventor has been installed, run the following from a Windows CMD prompt: “Inventor /install”.
• The MDT translator registration uses this registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0F28DB9E-0F3C-447f-AB03-BA982EF3573E}\InprocServer32

MDT License

This workflow allows a 30-day trial use of MDT 2009. Contact Autodesk Product Support if you have lost your original MDT license and need more than 30 days.

If you are experiencing any errors after following the steps above, please do not hesitate to contact our Technical Support Team here.