Design & Analysis Software News

February 14th, 2006 - Volume 2 Issue 2

One of the design software industry's most talked-about events, daratech's annual summit, takes place at the Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA, February 20 to 22. Participants will hear first-hand accounts of how leading companies have successfully implemented product lifecycle management (PLM). CEOs from such software pacesetters as UGS, Dassault, and MSC will discuss how PLM can boost competitiveness, and breakout sessions will feature demos of the latest software releases. For more information...

Give your team the project equivalent of a backstage pass. Adobe Acrobat 3D lets everyone with Adobe Reader® 7.0 review designs from any angle, anytime on virtually every platform. Insert complex CAD models into PDFs. Secure approvals with vendors and partners in hours, not days. And protect your comments on every page.

Trying to decide what CAD/CAM is right for you? Let Mastercam Selector help. Mastercam Selector steps you through a series of questions about your needs and provides recommendations.

Clean, edit, and convert legacy paper drawings. Use the GTXImage CAD™ Series for your design environment. This powerful, standalone product is the most efficient hybrid editing and raster to vector conversion solution available today.

The Made2Manage® Enterprise Business System is an easy-to-use, high-quality ERP solution designed to help small and midsize manufacturers achieve continuous business process improvements. The fully-integrated Made2Manage® application enables manufacturers to automate business processes from selling, engineering and design, to manufacturing and finance, and customer service and support.

"If you want to speed your design work, do more downloading instead of original 3-D modeling." That's the recommendation of industrial designer and columnist Mike Hudspeth in a recent article in Cadalyst. Already available on the Web is a rich design treasury of basic components that engineers can access. Example: SolidWorks 3D ContentCentral, powered by GlobalSpec, which offers millions of downloadable parts. Access the article here; follow this link to ContentCentral.

The just-released Version 34 of D-Cubed's constraint manager gives engineers a host of tools for many mechanical design applications. The software can position parts in assemblies, sketch routes in 3-D, modify the shape of 3-D parts, and simulate kinematic motion. The sketching function, for example, helps engineers create center lines in piping, wiring, and HVAC applications. For more information, look here.

At the March Westec show in Los Angeles, engineers will get the first peek at Version 7.8 of PartMaker, designed to enhance tool path generation for CNC mills, lathes, wireEDMs, and turn-mill centers. The software features improved functionality for its Surface Machining Wizard module and 3D machining simulation. A knowledge-based system, PartMaker remembers the tools, materials, and process information, so users don't need to reenter the same features for subsequent parts.

Engineers and industrial designers who need a fast printer to transform 3-D CAD drawings into detailed plastic prototypes should investigate the latest version of 3D System's InVision LD 3-D printer. About 30% faster than previous models, the printer can build complex geometrical shapes for concept modeling and idea sharing among team members. Product is priced at less than $23,000. For more details...

Outsourcing CAD services is not just about cost reduction. By providing the services of experienced, professional engineers, Green Point enables its customers to retain the use of expert manual resources on processes where attention to detail cannot be compromised. Customers attain optimal quality at a lower cost while also yielding the ability to scale operations on an "as-needed" basis.

Fast, powerful, and accurate design analysis within the same SolidWorks interface you already use every day... no wonder COSMOSWorks® is number one. COSMOSWorks® provides easy to use yet powerful design validation and optimization tools for designers and engineers alike.

acslXtreme® A modeling, execution, and analysis environment for continuous dynamic systems and processes. Simple to learn and easy to use, acslXtreme® provides an intuitive environment for users at all levels and is versatile and powerful enough to address the most challenging simulation problems.

Circuit designers using the popular Cadence Allegro package will now have a fast link to Flomerics' FLO/PCB thermal design software. A special interface in the new Version 3.0 release from Flomerics transfers information about the PCB's geometry and components. It then generates a thermal model with a few mouse clicks. Result: Engineers can spot and correct heat problems far earlier in the design process. Follow the link to get more information.

Want to get a taste of how FEA or CFD can enhance your design? You can take virtual tours of applications that involve these analysis software tools in such fields as aerospace, automotive, turbo machinery, and more on the ANSYS® Web site. Demos start with basic introductions by industry sector. Access the tours here.

To drive innovation and manage production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), Lockheed Aeronautics has chosen the CATIA 5 PLM solution from IBM and Dassault Systémes. The largest defense contract ever awarded by the Pentagon, the JSF is a multi-role stealth aircraft for the U.S. and its allies. Among many expected benefits, Catia V5 will deliver improved design-cycle efficiencies and long-term supplier and IT compatibility. Find more details here.

If you're a designer trying to comply with the EU's complex directives on hazardous substances (RoHS) and electrical wastes (WEEE), help is on the way. EMA Design Automation recently introduced an Engineering Data Management suite that gives companies detailed control over product design data and material content that falls within the scope of these environmental rules. The software both manages the data and generates needed documentation. To learn more...

PIPE-FLO Overtime, Engineered Software's newest release and an add-on to PIPE-FLO Professional can quickly simulate how your piping system will operate over a specified period of time. Specifically, Overtime turns the static PIPE-FLO model into a dynamic problem solving simulation tool.

CoCreate develops 3rd generation PLM software for companies that want to boost business with lean product development, fast design creation, and efficient knowledge re-use. Plus, CoCreate offers the highest performance collaboration technology on the market, so you can tie multiple sites and companies together into a single team.

Visit www.cocreate.com for more information.

Technical professionals who need to learn more about the fast-expanding field of nanotechnology can satisfy their curiosity by visiting "Nanopolis™," a Web site rich in news, research highlights, educational topics, downloads, CD-ROM previews, and much more. The site includes links to many of the leading companies and universities engaged in nanotechnology. Click to access. For more information on this subject, subscribe to GlobalSpec's eNewsletter, "Nano Technology."

Engineers with software skills who are interested in testing the job market might check out the Web site of a small Charlotte-based firm, CAD/CAM Recruiters, Inc. Led by President Bill Wright, the firm has been placing candidates in design, manufacturing, and marketing jobs for 25 years. The company also offers common-sense advice on such issues as interviewing and relocation questions.

Blogging is all the rage these days, and you can get a good sampling of bloggers in the CAD/CAM and engineering fields by visiting this Ten Links site. You'll find self-styled gurus on specific products, such as AutoCAD (see the Mad Cadder). And you can read comments on wide-ranging technical topics from respected CAD trainer and management expert Arnold Rowntree. Take a look at this blogger menu.

Feisty Paul Teutul Sr., star of the Discovery Channel's popular American Chopper, got a taste of what a 3-D CAD system could do for his custom motorcycle shop. Principal designer Paul Jr. and others at Orange County Choppers worked with SolidWorks development manager Chris Salmers to design critical parts, such as the aluminum swing arm that connects the rear wheel to the frame. As reported in Desktop Engineering, OCC was able to produce a custom bike in six months, using the software. Read the complete story.

Sponsored by the National Engineering Foundation, this special week is set aside every year to introduce school children and college students to a career in engineering. National Engineering Week is scheduled for February 19-25. This year's focus: Introduce a Girl to Engineering. Full details can be found here.

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