All parameters specified in Creo can be interactively linked with your simulation geometry which enables multiphysics simulations involving parametric sweeps and design optimization to sync up with the CAD program. The LiveLink for Creo includes all the capabilities of the Comsol CAD Import module and enables import and defeaturing of CAD files from all major CAD packages.

In addition, the Parasolid geometry kernel from Siemens PLM Software is now the default geometry kernel for those who use the CAD Import module and the LiveLink products for CAD. Parasolid enables the handling of more advanced geometry objects for any of the LiveLiink products, including versions for AutoCAD, Inventor, Creo Parametric, Pro/E, SolidWorks, and SpaceClaim.

Comsol

www.comsol.com

3D CAD Tips

The Penske Racing Team uses PTC’s design and development software in all aspects of race car design, engineering, testing, and manufacturing, which enables Penske Racing and the Penske Technology Group to develop everything from concept to manufacturing within one solution.  In addition, PTC design technology allows the team to design, prototype, and test in a virtual world which enables them to quickly produce parts in the constantly changing competitive racing environment.

PTC

www.ptc.com

3D CAD Tips

This latest version of Conduit supports a wide variety of desktop applications, including: NX, TeamCenter, ENOVIA/CATIA/DEMIA V5, Pro/ENGINEER, Maya, Blender Game Engine, Google Sketchup, Navisworks, Google Earth and VisIt. Conduit enables use of these desktop applications with 3D and high resolution displays and provides real-time viewing perspective for simpler reviews and faster data analysis. These benefits can reduce a product’s time to market, improve decision-making, let users see more details, and enable users to navigate through designs. With this impressive package of benefits, Conduit is especially useful for simulations, engineering design reviews, seismic interpretation, system analysis, architectural walk-throughs, and urban planning that fuses GIS data and 3D models such as buildings and infrastructure.

Conduit 3.0 also provides support for multiple users and motion capture capabilities. Developed in partnership with Haption, Conduit 3.0 enables a user to be “inside” a Dassault Systemes V5 avatar rather than “puppeteering” the human model from an outside perspective, as has been available in the past. “This new level of motion capture support will allow multiple participants in a shared virtual environment to collaborate and interact with their engineering designs, assemblies, and process simulations, all from the first person perspective,” said Julien Berta, Vice President of Innovation and Technology for Mechdyne’s Software Division.

Conduit’s new motion capture capability will enable multiple users a unique view of the virtual environment, each from their own perspective. This new feature will be especially helpful for situations like engineering designs, architectural walkthroughs, and urban planning.

Other features of Conduit 3.0 include a web-based launcher, immersive panels for interactions within a VR display, and VNC support for viewing of a desktop.

According to Matt Szymanski, Vice President of Products for Mechdyne’s Software Division, “One of the key advantages of Conduit is that it helps save time, reduce risk and eliminates dependencies because it enables users to work with their native applications and data. No time is wasted and data integrity isn’t jeopardized by porting to different formats. Instead, Conduit intercepts the data and redirects it to multi-channel and 3D displays.”

“Not only are Conduit users able to simply click a button and view their desktop visuals on any immersive display, but using Conduit 3.0 you can have more than one person interacting with the data. Also, the new motion capture capabilities enable multiple motion capture users to interact with the data, while other participants can watch from an out-of-body perspective and observe their performance,” said Szymanski.

Mechdyne Corporation
www.mechdyne.com 

3D CAD Tips

The first set of Creo apps are designed to optimize engineering, manufacturing, and service processes. Role-based packages are designed to help increase productivity for everyone from service planners, technical illustrators, and industrial designers to engineers who have historically driven product design processes using 3D direct or parametric modeling, while also benefiting CAD users in the extended enterprise.

Creo Sketch –for simple “freehand” drawing of ideas and design concepts in 2D

Creo Direct – for fast, flexible 3D geometry creation and editing using a direct modeling approach. Provides interoperability with Creo Parametric for greater design flexibility

Creo Simulate – delivers capabilities an analyst needs for structural and thermal simulation

Creo Schematics – for creating 2D routed systems diagrams for piping and cabling designs.

Creo Illustrate –for 3D technical illustrations, providing capabilities to communicate complex service and parts information, training, work instructions, etc. to improve product usability and performance graphically in 3D.

Creo View ECAD – for viewing, interrogating, and marking up electronic geometry

Creo View MCAD – for viewing, interrogating, and marking up mechanical geometry

Creo Layout – for capturing early concepts layouts in 2D that ultimately drive 3D design.

Availability

The majority of Creo1.0 apps are available now in ten languages. Creo Sketch and Creo Layout are planned to be available later in late July and late fall 2011 respectively.

PTC
www.ptc.com

3D CAD Tips

PTC

www.ptc.com

Real World Design Challenge

www.realworlddesignchallenge.org

3D CAD Tips

Windchill centrally manages all product deliverables including MCAD, ECAD, documentation, and service information. The product unifies its ECAD data management capabilities to offer a common user experience, consistent with its existing approach for MCAD data management.

When combined with Creo for 3D illustrated and animated service instructions and parts lists, and Arbortext for technical communications creation and delivery, Windchill supports a complete service information solution. The software supports business process optimization, most notably for Detailed Design, Variant Design and Generation, and Verification and Validation.

With Windchill 10.0, PTC’s Relex and Insight product lines have been rebranded as part of the Windchill product family to better reflect their availability as both a stand-alone offering as well as part of a comprehensive Windchill solution. 

Windchill Quality Solutions (including the former Relex products) help improve next-generation products, prevent repeat errors, and build reliability and risk management into the product development lifecycle. New offerings include solutions for CAPA (Corrective Action Preventive Action) to accelerate problem resolution through improved monitoring and root cause identification. 

Windchill Product Analytics (formerly InSight) provides early knowledge of product performance and includes new solutions for cost visibility and carbon footprint analysis. These enhancements bolster an already rich solution for materials and substance management, which includes reporting against compliance specifications such as REACH and RoHS. These solutions help companies understand environmental impacts and address potential points of failure before they occur. 

PTC

www.ptc.com

3D CAD Tips

Previously, only users of specialist 3D applications benefited from the intuitive, six degrees-of-freedom 3D navigation delivered by a 3Dconnexion 3D mouse. Now, the simple 3DxWare 10 interface allows users to assign keyboard strokes and traditional mouse or joystick movements in any combination to the 3D mouse. Tilt the controller cap to scroll a Web page, twist the cap to adjust the volume in iTunes, or use all six axes to pilot a helicopter in Battlefield Bad Company 2. The choice of application and assignment of the six axes and up to 31 function keys (depending on the 3D mouse model) is entirely up to the user.

Documents and Browsers: 3D mice now offer a compelling alternative to traditional mouse wheel navigation in documents, spreadsheets and Web pages. Gently tilt the 3D mouse cap to scroll the view up or down or twist the cap to zoom in and out.

Games: Most PC gamers rely on a combination of a traditional mouse and keyboard to control their character or camera view, but with 3DxWare 10 a 3D mouse can be used to deliver intuitive and comfortable control in games like The Sims^™ 3. It’s also possible for the 3D mouse to emulate a joystick or gamepad for a rich 3D experience in games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, Wings of Prey and Need for Speed.

Media Players: Controlling the volume, track selection or position is typically handled by the traditional mouse and keyboard shortcuts. With a 3D mouse, you can twist the cap to adjust the volume, tilt the cap sideways to fast forward and rewind, and tilt the cap forward or backward to move between tracks in your playlist. And if the user prefers other controls, they can easily customize the 3D mouse to best suit their needs.

3D Collaboration: 3DxWare 10 also provides a new feature for professional users by allowing multiple 3D mice to be used on one workstation. This innovative development enables easier viewing of 3D models in group design reviews or client presentations.

The 3DxWare 10 beta platform for PC and Mac is available for download at www.3dconnexion.com/anywhere and is compatible with 3Dconnexion’s current line of 3D mice, including the SpacePilot PRO (MSRP $399), SpaceExplorer™ (MSRP $299), SpaceNavigator (MSRP $99) and SpaceNavigator for Notebooks (MSRP $129).

3Dconnexion
www.3Dconnexion.com

3D CAD Tips

Aston Martin is the only manufacturer that produces a car to compete in every category of the FIA GT Championship sports car racing series. Models range from modified standard vehicles in the GT4, GT3 and GT2 classes – including the high-performance V12 – to the 6.0 litre 600 BHP DBR9 in the GT1 class and the Le Mans prototype LMP1 Aston Martin.

Aston Martin Racing has moved away from its previous third-party chassis strategy to develop its next generation LMP1 from scratch. This new racing vehicle is now being designed and engineered from the ground up using Creo Elements/Pro and Windchill to manage the development process. In addition to the designers, the purchasing department uses Windchill for its request for quotation process, enabling collaboration with suppliers.

PTC                              

www.ptc.com

3D CAD Tips

The devices unlock the power of 3D design applications by allowing you to interact naturally with 3D content as if they are holding the model or camera in their hand. Many of the world’s leading companies in industries from aerospace to automotive, consumer goods to electronics, and machine tools to game development, use 3Dconnexion 3D mice to boost productivity, efficiency and the comfort of their design teams.

To mark its “One Millionth 3D Mouse Milestone,” 3Dconnexion will host several activities throughout the next month, offering users the opportunity to win a 3D mouse. For more information, visit 3Dconnexion’s website, Facebook and Twitter.

The core technology inside all of 3Dconnexion’s 3D mice originates from the field of robotics and space exploration. In 1993, a 3D controller was used on the space shuttle Columbia, manipulating the first robotic arm in space, and was the launching point for a family of 3D mice that now help 3D professionals in hundreds of thousands of organizations to design, innovate and create some of the most well known products in the world.

3Dconnexion

www.3dconnexion.com

3D CAD Tips

The dates for the 2011 competitions have been set for April 2 (Bucharest, Romania); April 23 (Shanghai, China); and August 15 (Mumbai/Delhi, India).

In preparation for this year’s FRC and FTC seasons, PTC completed over 40 hands-on workshops for students, teachers, volunteers, and mentors to learn 3D design and collaboration technology. More than 800 teams have signed up for free PTC software, including Creo Elements/Pro, Mathcad, and Windchill. Students and teachers may download PTC software at www.ptc.com/go/softwareforfirst.

PTC also modeled the 2011 FTC and FRC Kit-of-Parts (KoP) in Creo Elements/Pro, which each team can use to speed the design of its robot. The KoP may be downloaded at www.ptc.com/go/firstkop.

FIRST and PTC invite interested parties who would like to participate in these international programs to contact Jordan Cox, PTC’s FIRST Program Manager, at jocox@ptc.com.

PTC

www.ptc.com

3D CAD Tips