Can you directly obtain G-code from Inventor Pro 2012?

[Darren Collins]

There is software for both solidworks (solidcam) and inventor (inventorcam) that runs within the respected programs and helps you to generate g-code. However, even with these programs it will still take effort to generate the toolpaths and set the work offset etc. This software is not written by Autodesk and it costs several hundred dollars for each license. Here's price quote that I got from them.

$300 – SolidCAM/InventorCAM Base EDU
$400 - SolidCAM/InventorCAM Base EDU + HSM - (HSM gives the user more advanced functionality for machining true 3D organic surfaced models like injection mold parts)
$500 - SolidCAM/InventorCAM Base EDU + HSM + Simultaneous 5 Axes

Our team currently uses Inventor and Mastercam and it works just fine for us. That being said, we have considered trying out inventorcam because the toolpaths are linked to sketches and will automatically change with them. Mastercam Art does have the raster to vector ability as well. I hope this helps.