Saturday, February 14, 2015

Pointwise V17.3 R1 Features Overset Grid Assembly Integration

http://www.pointwise.com
FORT WORTH, TX, USA, Feb 14, 2015 - Pointwise announces the latest release of its computational fluid dynamics (CFD) meshing software, Pointwise Version 17.3 R1, featuring direct integration with overset grid assembly (OGA) software.

“The integration of grid generation and overset grid assembly represents a vast improvement over the hodge-podge of disparate tools typically employed by practitioners of overset CFD,” said Nick Wyman, Pointwise director of applied research. "What we are releasing today for production use is the result of a multi-year research effort Pointwise conducted with funding from the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Air Force Materiel Command. That research was followed by a full year of fine-tuning in preparation for release to all our customers.”

 
The new overset Examine diagnostic shows fringe/donor volume ratio in this example of an aircraft wing.

Overset gridding is a technique that avoids the topological complexity of generating abutting, point-to-point connected, multi-block grids by allowing the component grid blocks to overlap. The price paid for that flexibility is the need to ensure a sufficient degree of overlap so the CFD solver can accurately share data between the component grids. The overlap is computed using overset grid assembly software. Users of OGA software typically rely on a circuitous collection of home-grown tools that are patched together. By integrating OGA (in the form of the PEGASUS and Suggar++ software packages) with Pointwise, the entire process is made more efficient.

“Pointwise has been a proud, long-time sponsor of and participant in the bi-annual Overset Grid Symposium,” said John Chawner, Pointwise's president. “This release of Pointwise helps us continue our integral relationship with that community.”

Other features in Pointwise Version 17.3 R1 include improved support for PLOT3D, ANSYS Fluent, STL, and NX files, a more robust T-Rex, anisotropic tetrahedral extrusion, hybrid mesher, and several user experience enhancements.

About Pointwise, Inc.

Pointwise, Inc. is solving the top problem facing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) today – reliably generating high-fidelity meshes. The company's Pointwise software generates structured, unstructured and hybrid meshes; interfaces with CFD solvers, such as ANSYS FLUENT, STAR-CCM+, ANSYS CFX, OpenFOAM, and SU2 as well as many neutral formats, such as CGNS; runs on Windows (Intel and AMD), Linux (Intel and AMD), and Mac, and has a scripting language, Glyph, that can automate CFD meshing. Large manufacturing firms and research organizations worldwide rely on Pointwise as their complete CFD preprocessing solution. For more information, visit http://www.pointwise.com.

Delcam Releases PowerINSPECT 2015

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Feb 14, 2015 - Delcam has released the 2015 version of its PowerINSPECT inspection system, the world’s leading hardware-independent metrology software. The new version includes automatic collision avoidance, faster import of large CAD files, quicker preparation of longer inspection reports, and improved display of results from point-cloud data, plus many other customer-requested enhancements. 

PowerINSPECT has included collision detection for many years to warn the user when there was a possibility of any collision between the probe and the item being inspected. Until now, the user then had to make the required changes to the probe path to avoid the collision.

With PowerINSPECT 2015, the software adjusts the probe path automatically if a direct move between inspection features could produce a collision. The software will calculate a new motion path that avoids the obstacle, typically by moving up and over the obstruction or around it.

Collision avoidance is carried out when the initial probe path is generated, when the sequence of measurements is re-ordered, and when features are added or removed. As well as preventing collisions, automatic collision checking will save significant programming time, especially when inspecting more complex items.

The user still has the option to override the path produced by the software. This might be required if any accessories not modelled in the CAD data are present, for example, any clamps or fixtures being used to hold the part.

A number of improvements to PowerINSPECT 2015 have made both data import and report generation much faster. The differences will be particularly apparent when reading large CAD models, such as a complete car body, and when producing longer reports with more graphical images.

Another improvement in reporting gives users much greater control over the contents of any report. For example, it is easier to produce a summary of the complete set of results as a management report. Similarly, a more concise report can be produced when greater detail is not needed, for example, when all the results are well within the expected tolerances.

The 2015 release also offers improved display of results from point-cloud data, including a better shaded display of the ‘color map’, complete with the colored scale of the tolerances. As well as making the results simpler to understand, the new format is more consistent with the reports produced by PowerINSPECT from data from other types of measurements. This makes it easier to compare the results from different devices or measurement methods.

A number of other usability enhancements have been included. The representation of changes to the probe or to the probing parameters is now clearer and easier to understand. These improvements will be especially useful when creating longer inspection sequences for CNC coordinate-measuring machines and for on-machine verification. They will also make it easier for CMM operators to follow measurement sequences developed by another user, for example, when the inspection routine is created by the company’s metrology expert but then carried out by less experienced users.

Another usability enhancement is the addition of scale-model inspection. In this mode, the measurements from a scale model, such as a half-scale car, are displayed as though they were the results from the full-size item. This makes the reports easier to understand at first view and makes it quicker to exchange digital measurements with the CAD system as there is no need to compensate for the scaling in the model.

It has also been made easier to handle more complex CAD data structures, with data split over a series of levels. In particular, it is easier to match the CAD view to an item contained within a history tree.

Finally, a new intersection item has been added to the range of geometry that can be measured with PowerINSPECT; the intersection between a sphere and either a cone or a cylinder. This option will be useful when measuring ducting and pipework.
 
For further information, visit www.delcam.tv/pi2015/lz/en/index.asp.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Plastic Packaging Manufacturer Technopakas Selects ZW3D

http://www.zwsoft.com
GUANGZHOU, China, Feb 12, 2015 - ZW3D, one of the world's leading suppliers of advanced CAD/CAM solutions for the manufacturing industry, announced that it has been selected by Technopakas , the most efficient plastic packaging manufacturer in the Baltic region.

Established in 1993, Technopakas now is one of the biggest manufacturers of plastic packaging in Eastern Europe. It specializes in the manufacturing of plastic packaging for food and non-food industries: inserts and trays for sweets and chocolate, disposable dishes and containers for food products - cakes, salads and other boxes from PET, BOPS, PS, PP films.

The Need

Technopakas’s mission is to provide efficient personalized services and flexibility to customer, while consistently delivering quality and unique products in time. As the business expands, Technopakas encountered difficulties in product design when traditional 2D software was unable to meet the growing requirements and their supplementary 3D CAD system failed to create aesthetic designs. Thus, they needed a more sophisticated 3D solution with powerful data exchange capabilities to optimize product design and production efficiency.

The Solution

After careful consideration and in-depth research, Technopakas chose ZW3D for its powerful functionalities in flexible modeling leveraging the existing 2D and 3D data.

With the embedded file translator, Technopakas can handle various data from their clients. They receive 2D drawings or requirement documents from clients and use ZW3D to convert the 2D DWG data to 3D models.

Then, ZW3D’s solid-surface hybrid modeling technology, offered by the unique Overdrive­TM kernel to support all functions workable on both solids and surfaces, allows them to flexibly design stylish and customized packages with less time.

About Technopakas

Technopakas, who has the capability to produce individual packaging projects, owns a molding company which provides them with molds for their thermoforming equipment. Technopakas can produce up to 100 million packaging items every month. For more information, visit http://www.technopakas.lt/en/.

About ZW3D CAD/CAM

ZW3D is cost-effective CAD/CAM software for 3D modeling, mold design, and machining, which takes engineers from concept to finished product in one easy-to-use, single collaborative environment. For more information, visit http://www.zwsoft.com/ZW3D/.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

IMAGINiT Launches FM, BIM Connection Service for AEC

http://www.imaginit.com/
BALTIMORE, MD, USA, Feb 5, 2015 - Rand Worldwide (OTCBB: RWWI), a global leader in providing technology solutions to organizations with engineering design and information technology requirements, announced that its IMAGINiT Technologies and Rand Facilities Management divisions are now united under the IMAGINiT Technologies brand. The first service borne from this new collaboration, the FM and BIM Connection Service, enables AEC firms to demonstrate the value of extending the rich data within the building information model (BIM) into the facilities management phase of the building lifecycle.

“Building lifecycle management is a hot topic today resonating with both construction firms and owners,” said Joe Eichenseer, director of technical resources for the newly created Building Lifecycle Solutions team at IMAGINiT Technologies. “There is a wealth of rich information created when a building is designed, or a renovation is undertaken. Being able to effectively manage the flow of building information from concept to maintenance to tear-down is the next step in the evolution of BIM, and we are ready to support our clients across all parts of the equation.”

“We constantly evaluate our business to identify ways in which we can better align with the evolving needs of our clients, helping them to address shifts and trends in the industry,” says Tim Johnson, senior vice president, IMAGINiT Technologies. “Today we see the need for building owners and architects to connect and share the powerful building information model data that was leveraged during the design and construction phase of their project. With our AEC and FM experts now aligned under the IMAGINiT division, together they have created an offering that meets this challenge. The new service allows facility owners and managers to harness data from a model created with Autodesk Revit software to effectively connect it with data in a facilities management system allowing them to more efficiently manage details such as space and assets.”

With research from the Construction Owners Association of America showing that 70 percent of respondents intend to be using BIM data for facilities management within the next three years, AEC firms and facilities mangers will increasingly require technology and services to facilitate the flow of data between AEC firms and facilities management staff. IMAGINiT’s Building Lifecycle Solutions team – with experts in BIM and Facilities Management – are poised to help clients achieve real solutions to achieving a ‘one model’ method for a building’s life.

Bridging the Gap Between BIM and Facilities Management 

IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service breaks down the barriers between BIM and facilities management by sharing the BIM data in an integrated workplace management system, ARCHIBUS. Rather than trying to manage building operations using CAD files, now FM teams can easily and efficiently manage space, assets, personnel and all maintenance directly within ARCHIBUS.

How it Works

AEC firms can now demonstrate to owners how facility managers can extend the value of BIM throughout the building’s lifecycle. IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service allows AEC firms and facility owners to experience the benefits of leveraging BIM data within ARCHIBUS. IMAGINiT provides 1:1 virtual training on how this can be done so that AEC firms can effectively highlight the value they’re providing their customer. IMAGINiT also transfers all the data from the BIM into ARCHIBUS and hosts the software for 90 days so teams simply have to log in to start using the rich data.

Learn More About IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service
To learn more about IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service and how it helps AEC firms better serve their building owner clients, contact IMAGINiT Technologies at 1-800-356-9050 or visit www.imaginit.com/FMandBIM.

IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service will also be showcased during IMAGINiT’s eight-city Building Lifecycle Trends Workshop. This moderated, in-person workshop allows owners, architects, engineers and contractors to talk about how best to leverage the data created during a project from beginning to end. Register now for the following locations:
  • Baltimore, MD – March 24, 2015
  • Boston, MA – March 26, 2015
  • Calgary, AB – March 12, 2015
  • Dallas, TX – March 18, 2015
  • New York, NY – March 25, 2015
  • Seattle, WA – March 18, 2015
  • Toronto, ON – March 13, 2015
For more information on the Building Lifecycle Trends Workshop contact IMAGINiT Technologies at 1-800-356-9050.

About IMAGINiT Technologies

IMAGINiT Technologies, a division of Rand Worldwide, advances the way architects and engineers design, develop, and manage projects. Customers of this leading professional services and technology company include organizations in the building, infrastructure, manufacturing and facilities management industries. Fortune 500 and Engineering News Record’s Top 100 organizations work with IMAGINiT Technologies to gain competitive advantages through expert technology consulting, implementation, training, and support services. As one of the world’s largest integrators of Autodesk 3D design and engineering software, the team leverages unrivalled industry experience to design systems that accelerate innovation while improving project quality and profitability. For more information, visit http://www.imaginit.com.

OPEN MIND AG Releases hyperMILL ShopViewer

http://www.openmind-tech.com/en
WESSLING, Germany, Feb 5, 2015 - OPEN MIND Technologies AG has released hyperMILL ShopViewer, a proprietary visualization solution for the workshop. It provides machine operators with a complete overview of the upcoming NC program right through to simulation and ensures that only safe, checked NC programs run on the machine.

hyperMILL ShopViewer makes it possible to examine manufacturing processes directly next to the machine.

Although the digital process chain from design through NC programming already exists in many companies, there is often a break in the chain when it comes to the production environment. The actual programs are forwarded to the controller via the network, but the associated information is not normally transferred. The machine operator can usually only take advantage of static aids like drawings, tool reports, screenshots, PDFs etc. It is a different picture with a viewing system. Here, the system provides the specialist operating the machine with all of the information related to manufacturing data, as well as geometry and component structure. hyperMILL ShopViewer makes it possible to view and examine data from hyperMILL and hyperCAD-S in more detail directly next to the machine. “The viewer typically allows the machine operator to view everything but not modify anything,” explains Wolfgang Weiss, product manager for CAD at OPEN MIND.

hyperMILL ShopViewer was developed specifically to the requirements of hyperMILL users. The information visible on the hyperMILL ShopViewer workspace includes:
  • 3D model with the ability to measure features
  • CAM program
  • 3D clamping plans
  • Tool data
This way, the machine operator can simulate the actual manufacturing process and gain a better understanding of the milling process in the machine. The hyperMILL operating concept allows users to work in their usual interface, which enables them to reach their goals quickly. “hyperMILL ShopViewer features an uncluttered interface, where the user can only see what he or she needs at any given time,” says Wolfgang Weiss. 

For more information, about OPEN MIND Technologies AG and its products, visit http://www.openmind-tech.com.

Belarus's Ekaterina Gapeeva Wins Delcam CRISPIN Footwear Design Contest

www.delcam-crispin.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Feb 5, 2015 - Delcam CRISPIN in partnership with 3DSHOES.com has chosen the winner of its Global Footwear Design Competition. Ekaterina Gapeeva, a shoe designer from Minsk in Belarus, was chosen as the overall winner from the many entries, based on her design’s creative flair, commercial potential and impressive use of Delcam CRISPIN’s ShoeMaker software, the package used to create all of the entries.


Ekaterina’s design will now be 3D printed and showcased on Delcam CRISPIN’s stand, A36 in Hall 14 at the SIMAC exhibition taking place in Milan between 25th and 27th February. She will join the Delcam CRISPIN staff at the exhibition.

Ekaterina was delighted to win the competition, saying "My design was inspired by collections of Giuseppe Zanotti, Valentino, Stella Jean, Gucci and Chanel. I tried to express the natural beauty and loftiness of birds, with a combination of a feather’s thin quill and broad vane. It reminds me of a peacock or fire bird. I only started to use the Delcam CRISPIN software four months ago and found design process in full 3D very exciting. I believe that it will change not only Belarusian but the whole world’s shoe industry.”

Natacha Alpert, a consultant from MIRAS 3D, was on the judging panel. She said: "This design has very interesting attention to detail in the upper design that makes it unique,” while fellow judge and independent footwear design expert, Rob Major added: "Ekaterina’s design is superb.”

Other judges on the panel included Katrien Herdewyn, from 3DSHOES.com; Bryan Oknyansky, Founder and Designer at Shoes By Bryan; Bill Decker, a Director of the 3D Printing Channel; Lucy Beard, CEO & Founder, of Feetz.Co; Michele Badia, 3D Print Product Designer at My Mini Factory; and Winde Rienstra, Owner of Winde Rienstra.

Competition entries were submitted from both students and industry professionals. All the designers used Delcam CRISPIN’s ShoeMaker 3D design software to design the upper and sole of a shoe. Once these were designed, they were rendered using Keyshot 3D rendering software, which is integrated into ShoeMaker.

Delcam CRISPIN is the world’s largest supplier of CADCAM software to the footwear industry. It is the only supplier able to provide a complete solution for the 3D design and manufacture of lasts, uppers and soles.

The winning entries can be seen on the Delcam CRISPIN website at www.delcam-crispin.com/competitions/index.asp.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Delcam Appoints Pete Baxter as VP, Delcam Ltd

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Feb 4, 2015 - Manufacturing software developer Delcam announces that Pete Baxter has been appointed to lead Delcam in the new role of Vice President. Pete joins Delcam from its parent company, Autodesk, Inc, where he was a Vice President of Sales and served as the country manager for Autodesk in the United Kingdom.

"I’m thrilled to announce the appointment of Pete Baxter as Vice President, Delcam Ltd.,” said Buzz Kross, Autodesk senior vice president, Design, Lifecycle and Simulation. "In his new role, Pete will be responsible for managing the global Delcam business, and for leading the company in the next stage of its growth. Pete brings to Delcam extensive leadership experience and knowledge that will be critical in helping Delcam develop closer connections to Autodesk, to the benefit of both organizations and our customers.”

"I am delighted to be joining Delcam, and helping create the next generation of manufacturing software,” said Pete Baxter, Vice President, Delcam, Ltd. "The company has an unrivalled reputation for the support and industry-leading products it offers to manufacturing companies around the world. I look forward to working with Delcam’s staff and reseller channel to accelerate the growth of the business and to deliver an even better manufacturing experience to our customers.”

Pete joined Autodesk in 2004, most recently serving as a Vice President in the Autodesk Worldwide Sales organization. Prior to that, he held a number of other sales and management roles, including head of sales for Northern Europe, where he was responsible for sales across the Manufacturing, AEC, Media and Entertainment industries. Previously, Pete held management positions at companies including Revit Technology Corporation, Bentley Systems and PTC.
For more information, visit http://www.delcam.com.

Dassault ENOVIA VPM V1 R6 PTF35 Program Directory Available

http://www.3ds.com
Feb 4, 2015 - Dassault ENOVIA VPM Version 1 Release 6 PTF35 program directory is now available online.


Note: *DS Passport (Sign up) required!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

csimsoft Releases Trelis SpaceClaim Add-in

www.csimsoft.com
AMERICAN FORK, UTAH, USA, Feb 3, 2015 - csimsoft, a leading developer of simulation pre-processing tools for CFD and FEA, announced the release of the Trelis SpaceClaim Add-in, a mesh generation add-in for the popular ANSYS SpaceClaim 3D modeling software that allows designers to quickly create new designs and automatically mesh their design iterations for FEA and CFD analysis.

The SpaceClaim add-in includes Trelis Lite 15.1, a lite version of csimsoft's popular Trelis geometry preparation and mesh generation software. Trelis Lite produces high-quality triangle and tetrahedral meshes using MeshGems™ from Distene, the recognized world leader in triangle and tetrahedral meshing technologies. Trelis Lite contains support for assessing mesh quality and establishing boundary conditions, material properties, and other parameters necessary for analysis. The mesh can be exported for analysis in various solver formats.

Trelis is based on time-proven technology developed for more than two decades in conjunction with Sandia National Laboratories. Trelis provides users with powerful meshing tools that specifically meet their pre-processing needs through robust geometry preparation and high-quality mesh generation for FEA and CFD analysis.

About csimsoft

csimsoft is a globally recognized developer of engineering simulation solutions for computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis. Having pioneered mesh creation algorithms in the late 1980s, csimsoft now provides end users and OEM partners with high-end geometry preparation and mesh generation solutions to many of the largest commercial and academic institutions worldwide. csimsoft is headquartered in American Fork, Utah. For more information, visit www.csimsoft.com.

Author Malcom Gladwell to Speak At PTC Live Global 2015

http://www.ptc.com
NEEDHAM, MA, USA, Feb 3, 2015 - A smart, connected world mandates that manufacturers must transform their businesses by challenging traditional assumptions. PTC (Nasdaq: PTC), announced that Malcom Gladwell, New York Times bestselling author of Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, David and Goliath, and one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, will draw from concepts previously explored in his writings and experiences to inspire the PTC Live Global audience to consider the unconventional and act with a sense of urgency in this fast-paced Internet of Things (IoT) world.

PTC Live Global will offer keynotes, industry insights perspectives, product roadmaps and demos, customer case studies and training opportunities for those who want to create value in a smart, connected world. The conference will offer attendees the opportunity to network with thousands of their peers and understand the advancements in the broad expanse of PTC technology, from CAD and PLM to Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) and Application Lifecycle Management software and solutions. There will be many opportunities to learn more about smart, connected products, their role in the IoT era and what companies can do to take advantage of what’s being called “the most disruptive technology of our time.”

With the rise of the Internet of Things, technology is being used to drive massive innovation in product and service value creation,” said Jim Heppelmann, CEO, PTC. “PTC Live Global will highlight and educate attendees about the incredible new value opportunities for those who create, operate and service products for today’s smart, connected world. I believe this will be an inspiring conference, with actionable ideas that people can implement. Our goal is to show people how they can move toward this exciting future.”

Registration for PTC Live Global 2015 now open. To register, click here

About PTC

PTC (Nasdaq: PTC) enables manufacturers to achieve sustained product and service advantage. The company's technology solutions transform the way products are created, operated, and serviced across the entire product lifecycle – from conception and design to sourcing and service. Founded in 1985, PTC employs over 6,000 professionals serving more than 28,000 businesses in rapidly evolving, globally distributed manufacturing industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ptc.com.

PTC Commends Michael Porter for 20 Years of Service to Board

http://www.ptc.com
NEEDHAM, MA, USA, Feb 3, 2015 - PTC (Nasdaq: PTC) announced that Harvard Business School Professor Michael E. Porter will transition off its board of directors when his term expires at the company’s 2015 annual meeting in March. A professor at Harvard Business School since 1973 and a Harvard University Professor since 2001, Porter has served as a member of PTC’s board of directors for 20 years. Prof. Porter will continue to serve as a strategy adviser to the company, and will continue to collaborate closely with PTC president and CEO Jim Heppelmann in thought leadership on the impact of the rise of smart, connected products on competition and strategy.

In November, 2014 Prof. Porter co-authored with Heppelmann a seminal piece in the Harvard Business Review defining the strategic business implications of the rise of smart, connected products and the Internet of Things (IoT). This deeply thought provoking article argues that smart, connected products are disrupting value chains, transforming competition, and forcing companies to rethink everything they do. The article has already been published in more than 11 languages and 14 countries around the world and even served as a platform for discussion at the recent 2015 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“It has been my distinct pleasure to serve on the PTC board and to help guide the company through two decades of growth, innovation and transformation,” said Porter. “As the world’s products become ever smarter and more connected, PTC has created a unique position in this field, and set itself up for sustainable competitive advantage. I look forward to continuing to help the Company maximize this advantage in an advisory capacity.”

Prof. Porter was first elected to PTC’s board in 1995. He most recently served as chairman of the board’s Corporate Development Committee.

“It has been my great privilege to work with Michael over these past many years and especially to co-author the recent HBR article on smart, connected products,” said Heppelmann. “As a world leader in understanding what drives business competition, growth and success, he is second to none. His impact on PTC’s strategy cannot be overstated and will be felt for many years to come. We are grateful for the tremendous contribution he has made to PTC’s success over the past two decades and we look forward to continuing to work with him in his role as strategy adviser.”

About PTC

PTC (Nasdaq: PTC) enables manufacturers to achieve sustained product and service advantage. The company's technology solutions transform the way products are created, operated, and serviced across the entire product lifecycle – from conception and design to sourcing and service. Founded in 1985, PTC employs over 6,000 professionals serving more than 28,000 businesses in rapidly evolving, globally distributed manufacturing industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ptc.com.

C3D Labs Introduces C3D Geometric Kernel V16

www.c3dlabs.com
MOSCOW, Russia, Feb 3, 2015 - C3D Labs is pleased to introduce C3D V16, the latest update of its professional toolset for developing engineering software. V16 extends the capabilities of C3D for creating sophisticated geometric shapes, matures its 2D/3D design functions, and adds powerful features for constructing solids composed of sheet metal.

Most of the improvements made to C3D V16 were requested by customers, fifteen as of now. Overall, the latest release of C3D features more than 100 improvements to the kernel's functionality.

What’s New in C3D V16 ?

For this release, the C3D development team focused on improved the sectioning and cutting processes, adding efficient parallel calculations within the kernel, and on securing threads for binding multiple surfaces. The geometric solver now boasts clustering, journaling, dragging, and reflection symmetry for 3D shapes, as well as advanced options for building parameterized splines. In addition, there are major changes to 2D Boolean operations.

The updated C3D converter imports data in STL and VRML formats, passes attributes during conversion, and adjusts the accuracy of exported STL models. Thanks to optimized multi-threading, data are now processed much faster during the importing of 3D models.

To improve the quality of software products, C3D Labs has extended its reference database to 350,000 3D models, and increased the total number of Boolean operations being tested daily to several million. The lab implemented support for Clang 3.5 and Visual Studio 2013 compilers, the latest C# programming language, an extended list of supported Linux builds, updated test applications for Linux, and a newly illustrated user manual.

C3D Modeler Enhancements

Among the new capabilities of C3D Modeler V16, the following are perhaps of greatest interest to customers:
  • In kinematic operations, the elements of solids are cloned for a variety of positions relative to the guide path.
  • Threads can now be adjusted according to the initial position and length of the hole in which it is rendered.
  • Building shell rings by individual sketches with irregular faces is now performed using the constant bend radius. Building conical polygons through sheet metal bends is now performed through segmentation of the support arches.
  • When building sheet metal bodies, the closure of angles is now rendered through the rotary processing of the target area. Users can set different lengths to the left and to the right of the bending extension.
  • Edge fillets are created more efficiently, with dramatically fewer inaccuracies and with no building limitations, as compared to the previous versions of C3D.
  • The thickness of surfaces can be based on singular (polar) points.
  • The tangent line junctions of surfaces built from a web of curves are rendered more smoothly.
C3D Solver Enhancements

The C3D Solver adds a new geometric object called the “cluster.” Essentially, a cluster is a solid body with its own constraint system. Clustering is useful for arranging geometric models against a hierarchy of nested sub-assemblies. In this use case, designers can now employ the same solver instance for an entire assembly. This saves computing resources and speeds up calculations when modifying 3D models.

To facilitate the development of applications, C3D Labs has implemented journaling of all API calls in the 2D solver. All details regarding interactions of the C3D Solver are recorded automatically to file. This allows remote debugging of bugs that are reported by customers, and is especially useful because the same environment in which they use the kernel is not needed by developers.

For assemblies in which some objects are a full or partial mirrored reflection of others, C3D Solver has a new type of geometric constraint for 3D shapes: reflection symmetry. Reflection symmetry can be applied to any geometric object, such as curves on pairs of bodies or external facets.

C3D extends the number of functions used in building parameterized splines in V16. These include the following: a new dragging function; a new interpolated spline function with any type of constraint (such as those available for the ordinary NURBS curves); a new function for recognizing the types of conic sections defined as NURBS curves; and a new constraint for defining spline configurations through its points with fixed coordinates, as well as through vectors of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd derivatives at points with the specified parameters.

C3D Converter Enhancements

The updated C3D converter adjusts the accuracy of exported STL models by three triangulation parameters. These are the maximum deflection, the maximum pivot angle of a normal curve (or surface), and the maximum length of a triangle side.

The update imports polygon models in STL and VRML formats. As well, the software now transfers attributes of items being exported, such as name, designation, and owner.

Thanks to the improved multi-threading capability, C3D V16 converts data much faster when importing models. For instance, it is 1.7 times faster for Parasolid files (x_t, x_b) and 2.2 times faster for STEP files.

About C3D

Existing customers are encouraged to download the updated kernel today. To learn more about the C3D geometric kernel, go to c3dlabs.com/en/products/c3d-kernel/

To submit your request for a C3D V16 evaluation version, register at c3dlabs.com/en/evaluation/

About C3D Labs

C3D Labs specializes in the technologically intensive market of CAD components. The company develops and markets the C3D geometric modeling kernel, which is used by developers of CAD systems and educational institutions. In 2013, C3D Labs became a resident of Skolkovo, Russia's state development office park.

For more information about C3D, visit www.c3dlabs.com/en

Monday, February 2, 2015

Delcam Launches OrthoMODEL 2015 for Custom Orthotic Insoles

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Feb 2, 2015 - Delcam has launched the 2015 version of its OrthoMODEL software for the design of custom orthotic insoles. The new release includes the ability to design three-quarter-length rigid orthotics and an extended range of corrections for rigid orthotics, plus other enhancements. 


OrthoMODEL offers ‘real-time design’ of both accommodative orthotics, ideal for patients with diabetes and for those requiring comfort insoles, and corrective orthotics, to address problems with the patient’s foot orientation and gait cycle.

The software has a direct interface to Delcam’s iQube range of scanners, all of which are able to scan the patient’s foot, foam boxes or casts. As an open system, OrthoMODEL can also import scan data from most other systems as well as create NC code for orthotics generated in other CAD systems.

The main addition to the 2015 release is the new option to create three-quarter-length rigid orthotics. The new style can be selected from the existing menu of orthotic types, with the same options to specify the size and width required for the patient.

The range of corrections that can be made to rigid devices has been extended in OrthoMODEL. Options available to be added now include extrinsic and intrinsic forefoot and rearfoot posts, as well as heel lifts and raises.

In addition, all rigid orthotics can now be designed with constant thickness across their width, even in areas with steep walls, thereby maintaining rigidity.

Other enhancements in OrthoMODEL 2015 include support for orthotics with flat heels, dynamic reporting of the pad height as a pad is adjusted, and an easier method to set up a new library of orthotics with improved error reporting if details are entered incorrectly.

As with all of Delcam’s products for the orthotics industry, the new software has been developed in association with Delcam customers from laboratories, podiatrists and orthotists around the world, coupled with Delcam’s knowledge of footwear design and manufacture gained from its relationships with leading brands.

For further details, visit lz.orthotics- cadcam.com.

Delcam Offers ArtCAM Express 2015 for $149

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Feb 2, 2015 - Delcam has added more powerful tools for the editing of vectors to its ArtCAM Express program and made the software capable of creating more complex 3D designs. The price of this entry-level version of the company’s ArtCAM artistic CAD/CAM system, which is designed for hobbyists and users new to CNC machining, remains at US $149, £99 or 125 Euros.


ArtCAM Express 2015 offers 2D drawing, over 600 free pieces of relief clip-art, and 2D and standard 3D machining functions. It provides an ideal introduction to computer-based manufacturing for companies and hobbyists involved in engraving, routing and sign-making, or other areas of decorative metalworking and woodworking. A range of modules are available to add extra design and machining functionality.

The 2015 release of ArtCAM Express allows faster creation of designs by including new tools to speed up the editing of vectors. Selection of vectors has been made easier and quicker. Simply, dragging the mouse across any area of a model now selects all the vectors either completely or partially within that area. Selection can also be made of a set of nodes, either from a single vector or from a group of vectors. Once selected, the group of vectors or the set of nodes can be edited simultaneously in either the 2D or the 3D view.

Movement of relief clipart and vectors has been made simpler and more accurate with the ability to specify the exact distance to be moved, as well as being able to move items by eye.

The ability to create and edit text has been extended so that text can be written in the 3D view. New options include writing text on a curve, as well as rotating, scaling and angling text after creation.

CNC machining is often easier if all the vectors are in either the clockwise or anticlockwise direction. ArtCAM Express can now identify all vectors created in one direction automatically, rather than having to check each vector in turn.

While ArtCAM Express does not contain any 3D design tools, users can create 3D designs for machining by importing 3D models or by using the clipart reliefs included with the software. To enable more complex 3D designs to be created, a new combine/replace mode has been added allowing reliefs to be overlapped and intersected.

For more information, visit www.artcam.com/express