Monday, December 29, 2014

AutoForm Announces Training Seminars Program 2015

http://www.autoform.com
WOLLERAU, Switzerland, Dec 29, 2014 - AutoForm announces a full range of training seminars for 2015 to meet customers’ needs over the complete range of AutoForm software solutions – from product concept through process design and tryout to production tooling and process robustness.

Software training seminars are offered at two levels: basic and advanced. These seminars are useful to both beginners and experienced AutoForm users. AutoForm also offers customized software training seminars. In addition, AutoForm offers fundamental training seminars in sheet metal forming for part designers, tool makers and process/stamping/ manufacturing engineers.

AutoForm training seminars are carefully designed to help users leverage the significant advantages of AutoForm – ease-of-use, parametric integration and fast and reliable computation – to the best benefit in the above application areas.

Training seminars are held at AutoForm’s offices in the USA, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Japan, Korea as well as in other countries. Upon request, the seminars can also be held at customer sites.

For AutoForm Training Seminars: training dates, click here and for training registration, click here

For further information on AutoForm and its products, visit http://www.autoform.com.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

LK Systems Plug-in for MagiCAD, AutoCAD Available

http://www.magicad.com
TURKU, Finland, Dec 27, 2014 - LK Systems manifold selection plug-in available for AutoCAD 2010-2015 and MagiCAD 2014.4 or newer version. It makes easy to select and configure LK Systems manifolds into MagiCAD piping design projects.

Once user have selected and configured the products, s/he can import the manifolds with 3D geometry and all the relevant technical data directly into their MagiCAD project. 


To download LK Systems MagiCAD plug-in, click here.

LK Systems AB

LK Systems is one of the leading heating and plumbing suppliers in northern Europe, offering systems and products for underfloor heating, potable water, radiator heating and drains.

LK Systems has been supplying underfloor heating systems for over 30 years. During this time, the company has continuously developed their systems to make them easy to install, more comfortable, safe and economical.

LK Universal is a unique system both for heating and potable water applications. The system is based on LK Systems’ own PE-X pipes and PAL pipes and includes a comprehensive range of pipe fittings. For the Swedish market, LK Systems also offers prefabricated HVAC systems through a subsidiary company, LK 
Prefab AB. For more information, visit www.lksystems.se.

Tecknicam to Sell Vero SURFCAM in Argentina

http://www.verosoftware.com
CA, USA, Dec 27, 2014 - Surfcam, Inc., a division of Vero Software, has named Tecknicam, an authorized reseller, providing SURFCAM CAD/CAM sales and support to industrial and educational customers in Argentina.

“We are pleased to have Tecknicam join our growing worldwide SURFCAM Reseller Network,” says Surfcam General Manager Peter Marton. “Tecknicam, a young and vibrant company, brings a strong presence to the Argentina CAD/CAM market to provide future sales growth and the highest level of customer support to our customers.”

“After a thorough search of CAM software for our business, we have found Vero Software’s SURFCAM solution to be the perfect fit for our new company,” says Leonardo Heffner of Tecknicam. “We immediately saw the benefits of SURFCAM’s ease-of-use, SolidWorks associativity, and powerful functionality available from two through 5-axis CNC programming – all in one system. We are excited to bring the expertise of Tecknicam and SURFCAM software to machine shops and schools all over Argentina.”

For more information on Tecknicam, visit www.tecknicam.com.

About Surfcam, Inc.

SURFCAM is a powerful and affordable 3D Vero Software CAM solution that achieves the balance between feature sets and ease of use. SURFCAM products have been installed on more than 26,000 systems worldwide during the past 25 years. In that time, SURFCAM has grown to support 15 languages and has gained an outstanding reputation for training and providing the highest level of technical support to its customer base.

Vero Software is part of Hexagon (Nordic exchange: HEXA B; www.hexagon.com*), a leading global provider of design, measurement and visualisation technologies that enable customers to design, measure and position objects, and process and present data. For more information about Surfcam Inc., visit http://www.surfcam.com and on Vero Software, visit http://www.verosoftware.com.

Luxion KeyShot Integrates with 3D Systems Geomagic

https://www.keyshot.com
IRVINE, CA, USA, Dec 27, 2014 - Luxion, a leading developer of advanced rendering and lighting technology and maker of KeyShot, announced a partnership with 3D Systems that establishes KeyShot as the standard rendering solution included with many 3D Systems software products.


With simple creation of product visuals, Luxion rendering and animation software gives users of select 3D Systems Geomagic software the power to make stunning imagery of their designs. “We are re-imagining the engineer’s desktop with our complete line up of solutions for Scan-based Design, mechanical design and haptic-enabled freeform design,” said Calvin Hur, VP and GM of Geomagic Solutions at 3D Systems. “Engineers will love having KeyShot’s world-class rendering as part of their Geomagic software.”

Once a design has been rendered in KeyShot, users can export a full-color model directly to 3D Systems’ ProJet x60 line of Color Jet Printers, and print a photo-realistic 3D model of their design to share with colleagues and prospective customers.

“With 3D Systems’ seamless workflow from physical to digital to print creating product visuals can now easily be done throughout that entire process.” Says Claus Wann Jensen, CEO and Co-founder at Luxion. “When users need visual representations of their scan, design, modifications or 3D print, KeyShot provides the quality they expect.”

Pricing & Availability

‘KeyShot for Geomagic Design’ is currently available as a bundled option for users of Geomagic Design. An upgrade to ‘KeyShot HD for Geomagic Design’ is available for $199 through 3D Systems and certified resellers. Other products from 3D Systems will offer KeyShot in the future.

About Luxion

Luxion is a leading developer of advanced 3D rendering and lighting technology. KeyShot is the first real-time ray tracing application that uses a physically correct render engine based on scientific research in the areas of scientifically accurate material representation and global illumination. Addressing the visualization needs of designers, engineers, marketing professionals, photographers and CG specialists, KeyShot breaks down the complexity of creating photographic images and animations from 3D digital data. Luxion’s customer list includes many of the Fortune 1000 product manufacturers and major industrial design companies including Bose, Chrysler, Dell, Fossil, HP, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Procter & Gamble, and IDEO. For more information on KeyShot, visit www.keyshot.com or on Luxion, visit www.luxion.com.

Gstarsoft Releases GstarCAD 2015

http://www.gstarcad.net
SUZHOU, China, Dec 27, 2014 - Gstarsoft announces the release of official version of GstarCAD 2015. Now English Version is available for download, multiple languages versions will be launched shortly afterwards.

GstarCAD 2015 new features are meant to work simple and flawlessly. Pan, zoom in/out with GstarCAD 2015, users could have a more stable and faster designing experience. To raise your working efficiency, GstarCAD 2015 puts at your hands stunning new features and improvements to accomplish your design with least commands.

New features included in GstarCAD 2015:
  • Barcode & 2D Code - Barcode & 2D Code can be inserted to the drawings, accomplishing identification and correspondence between paper and electronic drawings.
  • .Net Framework Support - Based on the original API, GstarCAD 2015 support .net framework, there has been successful cases of .net application integration on GstarCAD 2015 now.
  • PDF Underlay - You can reference and place a PDF as underlay in drawing files the same as you do raster image files.
  • Cloud Storage - Upload, store and download drawing files to Dropbox is possible in GstarCAD 2015. Synchronize drawings between user's local directory and cloud storage lets project team and stakeholders work together efficiently.
  • Sheet Set Manager - With the Sheet Set Manager, you can manage drawings as sheet sets plus manage and edit data, automate drawing set up, provide easy access to department drawings, simplify publishing or printing of the entire design set.
  • User Interface Enhancement - GstarCAD 2015 user interface offers a new theme interface supplied by a customized ribbon with lighter icons, improving drawing space visualization. Users can link to GstarCAD mobile application through the new tab called (Applications).
  • Commands Enhancements - Commands like line, polyline, circle, rectangle, copy, and rotate have been enhanced through new options that help to cut-down repetitive task on basic operations.
Moreover, Gstarsoft provides 32-bit and 64-bit operating system for users to choose from. To know more about GstarCAD 2015, visit http://www.gstarcad.net/Gstarcad2015.

About Gstarsoft

Gstarsoft is the recognized leading provider of 2D/3D CAD software and solutions for the industries involving AEC, mechanical, manufacturing, electrical, GIS, survey and mapping, civil, etc. GstarCAD have focused on developing highly .dwg-compatible CAD platform for over 20 years. Versions in 14 different languages sell in over 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.gstarcad.net.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Autodesk Releases Backburner 2015 Windows Version for 3ds Max/Design

www.autodesk.com
Dec 23, 2014 - Autodesk releases a Windows standalone install version of the Backburner 2015 software for 3ds Max / 3ds Max Design 2015.

For more information and to download, click here.

Autodesk 3ds Max 2015 SP3 Available

www.autodesk.com
Dec 23, 2014 - Autodesk has released Autodesk 3ds Max 2015 Service Pack 3.0, which fixes or addresses a variety of issues.

For further information and to download, click here.

Friday, December 19, 2014

COMSOL Server Available to Run Simulation Apps

http://www.comsol.com
BURLINGTON, MA, USA, Dec 19, 2014 - COMSOL, Inc. is excited to announce the release of COMSOL Server, a new product developed specifically for running applications built with the Application Builder. Released earlier this year, the Application Builder allows COMSOL Multiphysics software users to build an intuitive interface around their COMSOL model that can be run by anyone - even those without prior simulation experience. COMSOL Server enables the distribution of applications, allowing design teams, production departments and others to share applications throughout an organization using a Windows-native client or web browser.


COMSOL Server allows users to run simulation apps built with the Application Builder and is the hub for controlling their deployment, distribution, and use.
Build and Run Simulation Applications

COMSOL Server is the engine for running COMSOL apps and the hub for controlling their deployment, distribution, and use. After creating an app with the Application Builder, the server provides engineers and researchers with a cost-effective solution for managing how the app is used, either within their organization or externally to a worldwide audience.

“COMSOL Server provides an environment for running applications created in the Application Builder that is easy to access and use,” says Svante Littmarck, President and CEO of the COMSOL Group. “Using the Application Builder and COMSOL Server together, an R&D engineer, for example, has the tools to create applications that will best serve their specific industry in a format that is easy to use, quick to implement, and can be scaled for global benefit.”

With COMSOL Server, applications can be run in a COMSOL Client for Windows or in Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and other major web browsers. COMSOL Server can be hosted in a corporate network or in the cloud.

Simulation apps can be distributed to colleagues and customers throughout an organization using COMSOL Server.

“COMSOL Server not only provides an effective way for engineers to distribute their applications, it also allows updates to be readily available to all users,” says Bjorn Sjodin, VP of Product Management at COMSOL, Inc. “Because applications are accessible through a web interface, as soon as a new version of an application is uploaded, app users will immediately have access to the latest version. Developers will also appreciate the fact that the applications can be password protected.”

About COMSOL

COMSOL provides simulation software for product design and research to technical enterprises, research labs, and universities through 21 offices and a distributor network throughout the world. Its flagship product, COMSOL Multiphysics and COMSOL Server, are software environments for modeling and simulating any physics-based system and for building applications. A particular strength is its ability to account for coupled or multiphysics phenomena. Add-on products expand the simulation platform for electrical, mechanical, fluid flow, and chemical applications. Interfacing tools enable the integration of COMSOL Multiphysics simulation with all major technical computing and CAD tools on the CAE market. For more information, visit http://www.comsol.com.

Russia's NIP-Informatica Integrates C3D Geometric Kernel into Techtran

http://www.ascon.net
MOSCOW, Russia, Dec 19, 2014 - C3D Labs is pleased to announce that Saint Petersburg-based NIP-Informatica has licensed the C3D geometric kernel. The kernel is being used to power Techtran, their software for designing CNC machine control programs. With C3D components built directly into the CAM system, users will now be able to import 3D models in various formats, view them, prepare blanks for turning CNCs from 3D models of future parts, and retrieve geometric data from 3D models.


Among developers of CAM systems, NIP-Informatics is now the third licensee of C3D. They join LO CNITI of Russia and Solar Tech of South Korea.

“Some time ago we began to notice that Techtran customers wanted to directly access 3D models created by other designers,” said Yuri Romanchenko, lead engineer at NIP-Informatica. “We thoroughly analyzed and considered many different modeling software packages on the market that were capable of importing data in popular 3D formats, and finally decided on the Russian system called C3D. Among its many powerful features, we especially have praise for its affordable price, time-proven quality, and direct support from the developers.”

“Collaboration between C3D Labs and NIP-Informatics dates back to 2013,” said Oleg Zykov, CEO of C3D Labs. “Now that the first version of the C3D-powered Techtran is almost ready, we can say for certain that this collaboration was a success. NIP-Informatica’s developers managed to familiarize themselves quickly with the API of our geometric kernel and then dramatically expanded the capabilities of their CAM system. We hope that the new Techtran release will meet customers' expectations fully and so be successful in the market.”

The new versions of Techtran for turning CNCs and milling CNCs are planned for release in early 2015.

About NIP-Informatic

Founded in 1990, NIP-Informatica is develops CAM software for CNC machines under the name TECHTRAN. Users of software products and solutions provided by NIP-Informatica include professional engineers, designers and technologists, architects and designers, electricians and hydraulics engineers, surveyors and geologists, geotechnical engineers designing infrastructure such as road networks, prospectors, engineering specialists in structural, foundations, and tunnels, and system administrators and project managers. More than 3,000 licenses of TECHTRAN software are currently used by more than 1,200 companies. For more information, visit www.nipinfor.ru/en/eabout.

For more information, about ascon and its products, visit http://www.ascon.net.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Delcam India to Present 2015 Product Family at IMTEX Bangalore

www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Dec 18, 2014 - Delcam India will demonstrate the latest versions of the company’s increasingly popular software PowerMILL, PowerSHAPE (including ToolMaker and Electrode), and FeatureCAM, during the IMTEX 2015 machine-tool exhibition to be held in Bangalore from 22nd to 28th January. Delcam will be located at Booth A-103, in Hall 3C.


There are a host of additions in the 2015 versions of these products including improvements to the Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy, improved collision checking to also cover near misses, and more efficient raster finishing in PowerMILL; improvements in direct modelling, surface modelling and reverse engineering, plus support for data from Creaform HandySCAN handheld scanners in PowerSHAPE Pro; and a range of enhancements in three-axis milling, two-axis and five-axis drilling, turning and turn-mill, and wire EDM in FeatureCAM.

In addition to this, the latest release of the PowerINSPECT inspection software has a new interface with new icons that make the software more intuitive and even more easier to use. Other enhancements in the new version include the ability to create compound items, and so speed up and simplify repetitive measurements, enhancements to the measurement dialogs and a further increase in the range of geometric features that can be inspected.

Specifically, high-efficiency machining using Delcam’s Vortex strategy will also be demonstrated at the Delcam booth, as well as at several machine tool partner booths. The Vortex area-clearance strategy produces safe toolpaths with a much deeper cut by using a controlled engagement angle that maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the whole toolpath. As a result, higher feed rates and material-removal rates are possible, making the cutting time shorter by as much as 70%. In addition, cutting is undertaken at a more consistent volume-removal rate and at a near constant feed rate, so extending tool life and protecting the machine.

Commenting on the participation, Delcam’s Managing Director for India & Middle East, Vineet Seth, said, "We are very happy to announce our participation at IMTEX 2015. IMTEX is an event that sees visitors from all domains in the industry and we are all geared up to showcase our latest updates and improvements in our software solutions. Thanks to our wide product portfolio, we have a solution for most complex manufacturing problems in aerospace, automotive, toolmaking, foundry & forging, medical & dental, footwear, woodworking and jewellery industry verticals.”

"Our offerings in the area of robotic machining will also be on display. The versatility of robotic machining has been attracting a lot of interest and IMTEX will be a good platform for our introduction to this technology,” continued Mr. Seth.

"We have a large customer base of over 2,500 customers in India using our solutions and we will be delighted to welcome them to our booth during their visit to the event. I am also particularly happy that we will be getting an opportunity to meet up with all our industry partners at the event, and will be able to share thoughts, ideas and mutual progress with them."

For more information, about Delcam and its products, visit www.delcam.com.

csimsoft Releases Mesh Generation Add-in for SpaceClaim 3D Modeler

http://www.csimsoft.com
AMERICAN FORK, UTAH, Dec 8, 2014 - csimsoft, a leading developer of simulation pre-processing tools for CFD and FEA, announced the release of its Trelis SpaceClaim Add-in 15.1, a mesh generation add-in for the popular 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. This version of 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.

The analysis is done using Fidesys LLC's CAE Fidesys, an easy-to-use tool for performing linear and nonlinear static and dynamic strength analysis of 2D and 3D solids, solving buckling and thermo-mechanical problems.

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.

MecSoft Releases Rhino3DPRINT 2015 for 3D Printing

http://www.mecsoft.com
IRVINE, CA, USA, Dec 18, 2014 - MecSoft Corporation, the developer of computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software solutions, has announced the release of a new product for the 3D printing industry, Rhino3DPRINT 2015.

In response to the current demand for 3D printing technology, MecSoft has introduced its new 3D print product as a fully integrated plug-in to the popular 3D CAD system, Rhinoceros 5.0. This new product offers efficient, easy and automatic tools for preparing 3D data that otherwise cannot be 3D printed. The seamless combination of Rhino’s powerful modeling and extensive file import functionality with Rhino3DPRINT’s data preparation tools enables the user to 3D print models from almost any input source and any major 3D format.

With this announcement, MecSoft positions itself as a forerunner of CAM companies to offer software solutions not only for the traditional Subtractive Manufacturing market but also for the emerging Additive Manufacturing market.

“With the launch of this new product, MecSoft is redefining CAM by offering solutions to target both Additive and Subtractive manufacturing”, stated Joe Anand, President and CEO of MecSoft Corporation.

“As we see both of these manufacturing technologies increasingly start to coexist in shops across the world, MecSoft is uniquely positioned to offer solutions to meet the requirements of such customers.”

About MecSoft Corporation

Headquartered in Irvine, California, MecSoft Corporation is a worldwide leader in providing Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software solutions, addressing both Additive and Subtractive manufacturing technologies, for the small to mid-market segments. These solutions include products VisualCAD/CAM, VisualCAM for SolidWorks, RhinoCAM, Rhino3DPRINT and VisualCAM for Geomagic. These software products deliver powerful, easy-to-use and affordable solutions for users in the custom manufacturing, rapid prototyping, rapid tooling, mold making, aerospace, automotive, tool & die, woodworking, and education industries. For more information, visit www.mecsoft.com or call 949-654-8163.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

ZW3D Announces 2014 Design Contest Winners

http://www.zwsoft.com
GUANGZHOU, China, Dec 17, 2014 - ZW3D, one of the world's leading suppliers of advanced CAD/CAM solutions for the manufacturing industry, announced the final results of the ZW3D Design Challenge 2014, a modeling contest for worldwide designers in a bid to promote, publicize and make creative thinking and innovation visible through 3D CAD modeling.

The Winning Prizes

The contest, which kicked off on October15, required contestants to use ZW3D CAD/CAM software to design and KeyShot to render appliances. Hundreds of stunning submissions were received, making it a tough choice for the judges from ZW3D Community, Luxion Inc. and ZWSOFT.

"The vast variety of entries continues to grow each year with original designs of both conventional and smart appliances, ranging from furniture, small appliances, kitchenware, etc.," said Coin Lin, Vice Director of ZW3D Overseas Business. “We are impressed with the collective creativity, ingenuity and design excellence from the community of loyal ZW3D users."

Winning entries were chosen based on a variety of factors, including model skills, originality, manufacturability and application of ZW3D’s features. Finally, 9 winners stood out from the rest and won big prizes like cash and ZW3D licenses.


The first prize went to Remus Pacis, the designer of Food Mixer. "This food mixer is very delicate and beautiful. It is wise to use top-down design modeling skill to create the product. And the parts and assembly were created with lots of ZW3D’s advanced functions, such as Morph, Ready Sketch, etc.," commented the judges from ZWSOFT.

"I'm very satisfied about the result of ZW3D and its surfacing and direct edit that really helps me to complete my entry for this contest," said Remus.

To appreciate and download other entries for free, click here.

About ZW3D CAD/CAM

ZW3D, an integrated CAD/CAM solution designed for the complete product development process, features the fastest kernel for Solid-surface Hybrid Modeling, non-solid mold parting and smart CNC Machining tactics from 2 axis to 5 axis. It brings customers endless benefits such as reduced costs, optimized design workflow and improved efficiency. For more information, visit http://www.zwsoft.com.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 SP2 Available

www.autodesk.com
Dec 10, 2014 - Autodesk has released Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 Service Pack 2.0, which fixes or addresses a variety of issues. 

For further information and to download, click here.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Delcam Releases PartMaker 2015

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Dec 9, 2014 - Delcam has released PartMaker 2015, the latest version of its PartMaker CAM software for programming CNC mills, lathes, wire EDM equipment, turn-mill centers and Swiss-type lathes. Major highlights of PartMaker 2015 include improved support for today’s latest breed of multi-tasking machine tools, such as vertical mill-turns, more powerful milling and turning functionality, and a unique approach to post processing for multi-axis turn-mill centers and Swiss-type lathes, among other productivity enhancements.


"The innovations in PartMaker 2015 include a unique blend of productivity enhancements that both new and existing users of the software are going to love, along with a host of utterly unique and innovative technology that can’t be found anywhere else,” claimed PartMaker Inc. President, Hanan Fishman. "PartMaker 2015 extends support of the product’s patented approach to programming multi-tasking machine tools to include today’s latest breed of multi-function machines, allowing our customers to stay on the leading edge of multi-task machining.”

PartMaker 2015 includes specialist support for a new breed of machine tools that has been growing steadily in popularity in recent years called vertical mill-turns. These machine tools provide the turning functionality typically found on a vertical-turret lathe with the milling capabilities of a five-axis vertical machining centre.

PartMaker 2015 also offers support for turret-based Swiss lathes with programmable B-axis live-tooling attachments, as well as more intuitive handing of angled live-tooling attachments.

Also headlining in PartMaker 2015 is a unique approach to post-processing for multi-tasking machine tools. This new approach includes a variety of improvements to the software’s post-processing technology, together with new software functionality to help guide users on how to take best advantage of the unique capabilities of their specific multi-tasking machine tools.

For details information of all the new features and functionality in PartMaker 2015, visit www.delcam.tv/pmk2015/lz/

For more information about Delcam and its products, visit http://www.delcam.com.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Autodesk A360 Team to be Available Worldwide on Dec 7

www.autodesk.com
LAS VEGAS, NV, USA, Dec 4, 2014 - Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) cloud-based tools like A360 and Fusion 360 empower designers and engineers to work in whole new ways and are reinventing the modern design and collaboration experience. At Autodesk University, the company announced that A360 Team will be available globally later this month.

The A360 dashboard gives users a view of recent activity streams for all active projects.

Yesterday’s means of collaboration are failing designers and engineers who require an entirely different scale of working together and sharing information. Enormous 3D model file sizes, data with a very high level of fidelity and precision and 3D visualization are just a few of Autodesk customers’ requirements. Reliance on email and traditional project management tools results in clunky workarounds and lost productivity.

Understanding the unique needs of designers and engineers, Autodesk pioneered A360—the first cloud collaboration tool geared for design and engineering projects. A360 Team is a modern tool for working together that breaks down silos, brings teams together across time and space, and enables data management to recede into the background and essentially be invisible to the people using it.

“The reality is that all projects — no matter what you are designing and making — are done in teams,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president of Information Modeling and Platform Products at Autodesk. “Nobody works on design projects in isolation. A360 easily connects project team members working together so naturally they don’t even have to think about it—it just happens.”

Connecting Projects, People, and Data

The future of working together with A360 is based on three guiding principles:
  • Simplicity: A360 removes the complexity of setting up teams, managing and working together on design and engineering projects. Team members can concentrate on core activities and not get caught up trying to understand different file formats, versions, and locations. Teams also have the confidence of having access to the right information, in the right format, at the right time.
  • Invisibility: When teams are working together on projects, they need to focus on the task at hand. A360 removes distractions by ensuring tedious tasks like version control “just happen.” It eliminates the constant frustration of moving between different tools, newsfeeds, platforms, screens, etc. - the collaboration experience becomes invisible within the tools you use day-to-day.
  • Integrated Platform: A360 also serves as an extensible collaboration platform for third parties to build integrated applications on top of as Autodesk has done with Fusion 360. Its APIs allow developers to seamlessly integrate a user’s context and role into a project. A360 puts the project, whether it’s one component of a large assembly or a sleek consumer product, at the center of it all to keep team members, clients and other stakeholders informed and involved throughout the entire design and fabrication process.
Form, Function, Fabricate: The Project is at the Center

Fusion 360–a cloud-based 3D CAD/CAM tool for product development--was the first Autodesk product to incorporate A360. Since its inception, Fusion 360 has included modern A360 collaboration capabilities that serve as a single space for people to work together.

In this modern way of working, traditional data management is no longer required. With Fusion 360, teams know they have the latest designs and the ability to roll back as needed, and sharing designs with key stakeholders is simple and intuitive. A breakthrough with this approach is that designers now have the ability to branch iterations of their work and merge it back in later if needed. This gives designers the ultimate flexibility, and was never possible with historical approaches to data management.

Reinventing Teamwork in the Cloud

A360 Team, which became commercially available in North America in September, already counts more than 60,000 users among the manufacturing and engineering industries.

“A360 has been a really accessible tool for us. Team members that were previously not involved in design are now coming on board and beginning to contribute to existing projects, taking on new initiatives and expanding our entire team’s skill set,” said Calvin Domenico III, president of DGF Technologies, a Massachusetts based consulting company who provides engineering services in a diverse range of specialties. “In addition, having an integrated CAD/CAM package with Fusion 360 that actually works well allows us to operate on a single platform and move quickly. And that's exactly what we need to be doing.”

A360 Team offers viewing for more than 100 2D and 3D design file formats within a Web browser without downloads or plug-ins. Its advanced search goes far beyond text search and lets users easily locate components embedded within models, assemblies and designs.

Meanwhile, the A360 mobile app enables users to view large 3D and 2D models, easily track what's happening on their project, and collaborate with other members of their team—virtually any data, anytime, anywhere, from any device.

Pricing and Availability

A360 Team will be available on the Autodesk store worldwide on December 7, 2014. Pricing may vary by country. For more information on A360, visit A360 home page.

About Autodesk

Autodesk helps people imagine, design and create a better world. Everyone--from design professionals, engineers and architects to digital artists, students and hobbyists—uses Autodesk software to unlock their creativity and solve important challenges. For more information, visit www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk Offers Design Software Free to Schools Worldwide

www.autodesk.com
LAS VEGAS, NV, USA, Dec 4, 2014 - Fulfilling its promise to expand access to its professional design software in education, Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) has made its industry-leading design, engineering and entertainment software free* to students, instructors and academic institutions worldwide.


Through this action, more than 680 million students and educators from over 800,000 secondary and post-secondary schools in 188 countries can take advantage of free access to Autodesk’s professional software and services for use in classrooms, labs, and at home.

“The way we make things is changing rapidly, and we need a workforce ready to design for new manufacturing and construction techniques. By providing free professional design tools to students, faculty members and academic institutions around the world, we’re helping get industry ready for the next phase,” said Carl Bass, CEO, Autodesk.

Following its announcement of free software for academic institutions in the United States earlier this year as part of President Obama’s ConnectED initiative, Autodesk has gradually expanded free access to its leading design software to academic institutions across Asia Pacific and Europe. The leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software is also helping schools move to the cloud by providing academic institutions with its full suite of next generation cloud-based design products, cloud services such as the A360 collaboration platform, as well as maintenance subscription for free.

From students as young as 13 years old leveraging Fusion 360 to conceptualize and 3D print prosthetic devices, to college teams developing environmentally sustainable homes using BIM 360 Glue, young talent are pushing the boundaries of design and innovation both inside and outside of the classroom using the same design software used by professionals every day.

“Our students are using Fusion 360 to design an Energy Scooter which we are bringing to market via Kickstarter, and they’re only in 8th grade! If we can help more classroom teachers incorporate learning through design in their curriculum, and technologies that engage students in problem-solving through engineering, students will see how math and science are springboards to careers as future innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Karen Kaun, Founder of Makeosity.

To facilitate the integration of design tools into curricula, Autodesk also offers free project-based learning content and resources including the Digital STEAM Workshop and Design Academy.

“Closing the digital gap in education starts by providing European schools with common access to the same advanced technology being used by industry professionals today. Autodesk’s pledge to provide our schools, students and teachers with free access to its professional 3D design software will enable educators to introduce design thinking into our classrooms; equip digital natives with the design tools to learn to solve real-world challenges in new creative ways; and prepare the next-generation workforce with the 21st century skills to meet industry demands and advance our economies,” said Neelie Kroes, former vice-president of the European Commission.

To learn more or to request free educational access to Autodesk software, visit http://www.autodesk.com/education.

About Autodesk

Autodesk helps people imagine, design and create a better world. Everyone—from design professionals, engineers and architects to digital artists, students and hobbyists—uses Autodesk software to unlock their creativity and solve important challenges. For more information, visit www.autodesk.com.
 
*Free Autodesk software and/or cloud-based services may only be used for educational purposes and are subject to acceptance of and compliance with the terms and conditions of the software license agreement or terms of service. Details and restrictions available at http://usa.autodesk.com/legal-notices-trademarks.

MSC Nastran, Patran 2014 Released for CAE

www.mscsoftware.com
NEWPORT BEACH, CA, Dec 4, 2014 - MSC Software Corporation, a global leader in helping product manufacturers to advance their engineering methods with simulation software and services, announced the new release of MSC Nastran 2014 and Patran 2014. MSC Nastran 2014 delivers significant enhancements to its groundbreaking solver embedded fatigue functionality as well as performance improvements and ease of use. Patran 2014 supports the new fatigue analysis capabilities and delivers improvements to nonlinear analysis support.

Release highlights of MSC Nastran: 

Linear Analysis
  • The highly popular external superelement (SE) capability of MSC Nastran has been enhanced providing users with the ability to rotate, move or mirror a primary external SE. This capability is designed to reduce the modeling effort for full vehicle analysis with duplicate assemblies like aircraft engines attached to wings, or landing gears attached to the fuselage.
  • New capability was added to activate and deactivate rigid elements in subcases and improve flexibility in defining combinations of load cases often used for safety related industries and airline certification.
Nastran Embedded Fatigue

Several enhancements have been implemented in this release to improve the efficiency and ease of use of MSC Nastran's award winning solver embedded fatigue capabilities. These include:
  • Support for seam and spot welds fatigue analysis making it easier to identify the critical welds in automobiles and other structures subjected to repeated loads.
  • Multi-axial assessment provides insight into validity of the standard stress-life or strain-life fatigue analysis.
  • Support for the industry standard remote parameter control (RPC) files helping engineers to drive the load history based upon measured data.
  • Improved performance with no loss in accuracy.
Advanced Nonlinear 

MSC Nastran 2014 provides robust contact capability for assembly modeling, which is often used to join discontinuous meshes or general contact including friction and heat transfer. It is no longer necessary to identify the master and slave body and reduce the dependency on the mesh size, leading to simplified set-up time. Solutions for complex problems such as eigenvalue extraction on pre-stressed bodies encountered in the wind turbine arena have also been improved.

Explicit Nonlinear

Explicit nonlinear analysis capabilities of MSC Nastran are often used to solve complex fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems, which require large computational resources. Defining the coupling surface between the fluid and the surface has been improved with the MSC Nastran 2014 release. The performance on multi-core configurations has been improved by a factor of two to allow more design studies.

Numerical Methods and High Performance Computing
  • MSC Nastran's nonlinear solution now utilizes the latest multi-core hardware to provide greater through-put. Wall-time can be reduced by as much as a factor of two.
  • Model frequency response analysis is improved with 3X faster performance in frequency computations for non-symmetric systems. This is particularly important for those in the automotive industry where the inclusion of tire rolling models results in non-symmetric models.
  • Exterior acoustics problems can be solved in a fraction of the time utilizing the parallel Krylov solver. The method is particularly effective for Frequency Response Analysis where wall clock time can be reduced by over 95%
Other enhancements include improvements to axisymmetric harmonic concentrated mass element, and new outputs for composite shell elements.

Patran 2014

The new release of Patran provides support for the new capabilities of MSC Nastran and MSC Fatigue. The CAD import / export capability has been significantly improved to support recent CAD systems and is 25% faster. The GUI drives the new MSC Nastran Embedded Fatigue capabilities. As model size increases to ensure greater fidelity of the model, Patran 2014 has been enhanced to provide faster visualization.

For more details about the new releases, watch the on-demand new release webinar at http://bit.ly/1tt82xr

About MSC Software

MSC Software is one of the ten original software companies and a global leader in helping product manufacturers to advance their engineering methods with simulation software and services. As a trusted partner, MSC Software helps companies improve quality, save time, and reduce costs associated with design and test of manufactured products. Academic institutions, researchers, and students employ MSC's technology to expand individual knowledge as well as expand the horizon of simulation. MSC Software employs 1,100 professionals in 20 countries. For additional information about MSC Software's products and services, visit www.mscsoftware.com.

Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 SP3 Available

http://www.delcam.com.
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Dec 3, 2014 - Delcam has released Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 Service Pack 3. Twelve bug fixes and features have been developed in this service pack

For new features and enhancements in Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 visit Learning Zone at http://LZ.delcamforsolidworks.com.

To download Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 SP3 (V21.3.0.25), visit http://updates.delcam.com.

(*Note: Log-in required!)

See Also:

Nov 11 - Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 SP2 Available
Oct 15 - Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 SP1 Available
Sep 26 - Delcam for SolidWorks 2015 Released

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Delcam PowerMILL 2015 SP7 Available

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Dec 3, 2014 - Delcam's PowerMILL 2015 Service Pack 7 is now available for download.

To know more about the new features and the enhancements included in PowerMILL 2015 SP7, click here.

To download this service pack, visit http://updates.delcam.com. (*Note: Log-in required!)

See Also:

Nov 11 - Delcam PowerMILL 2015 SP6 Available 

Delcam PowerSHAPE 2015 SP2 Available

http://www.delcam.com
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Dec 3, 2014 - Delcam's PowerSHAPE 2015 Service Pack 2 is now available for download.

To know more about the new features and the enhancements included in PowerSHAPE 2015 SP2, click here.

To download this service pack, visit http://updates.delcam.com. (*Note: Log-in required!)

See Also:

Nov 11 - Delcam PowerSHAPE 2015 SP1 Available  

Monday, December 1, 2014

Altair Launches HyperXtrude 2015 for Extrusion Simulation

http://www.altair.com
TROY, MI, USA, Dec 1, 2014 - Altair announced the launch of HyperXtrude 2015, a new version of the popular simulation tool for extrusion processes. For the first time, engineers on the shop floor may validate die designs using computer-aided engineering (CAE) techniques directly from computer-aided design (CAD) models. This change represents a significant workflow improvement.

Extrusion companies today must create a more extensive mix of complex profiles in a shorter period of time than ever before. At the same time, there is constant downward price pressure on production costs. With HyperXtrude 2015, engineers can analyze material flow and heat transfer inside a die during extrusion to validate die designs, reducing costly and time-consuming trials.

A completely new, intuitive interface distinguishes HyperXtrude 2015 from previous releases of the leading physics-based extrusion solver. HyperXtrude 2015 automates routine steps of the model building process with no compromise on accuracy or mesh quality, allowing die designers to perform simulation with very little time spent on learning or modeling the software. The setup of an analysis happens directly on the CAD model while the mesh and complex details stay hidden in the background. As a result, users without a finite element analysis background can use the tool to validate and optimize their die designs. For example, while experts may have spent two to four hours meshing a model with previous software tools, HyperXtrude 2015 allows the completion of pre-processing in just 15 minutes.

“HyperXtrude 2015 takes a giant leap forward, making CAE accessible to the engineer on the shop floor,” said Mahender Reddy, Development Director at Altair. “Our next-generation framework is much easier to use, allowing model setup in a CAD-like environment that is very easy to use. It bridges the gap between engineers, analysts, and manufacturing specialists, making communication among departments much more seamless.”

Employing CAE in the extrusion industry is a relatively recent trend. With the increased focus on aluminum and various polymer extrusions in the automotive and aerospace industries, the use of CAE has become a critical quality differentiator. Designers need to ensure that extruded parts exhibit the correct strength properties with no flaws or blemishes.

"CAE tools give us additional confidence in the design process," says Jeff Skinner, responsible for research and development at Thumb Tool and Engineering, a subsidiary of the Gemini Group. "When extruding materials, it is critical to avoid imperfections while meeting structural requirements. Our outputs undergo a very high level of scrutiny with respect to finish quality, and HyperXtrude helps us achieve that quality, every time."

HyperXtrude 2015 supports steady-state metal extrusion analysis and includes analysis of solid and hollow profiles, direct and indirect extrusion, and single and multi-hole dies. Imported CAD models can be oriented and positioned appropriately. A flow-volume creation feature enables the creation of flow volume (negative volume) from the die solids. Flow volume can be extracted from the die assembly with a mouse click. HyperXtrude 2015 also offers sketching capabilities, with tools that create points, lines, surfaces, solids and other geometric shapes from scratch.

Among the most helpful features of HyperXtrude 2015 are its powerful Simplify/Patch tools that allow users to clean up problem areas in the geometry of a model before running the analysis. These tools will remove imprints, rounds and fillets. They can be used to plug holes and pockets or create patches and bridges. Also available in this version are tools for measurement, mass calculation and support for different unit systems.

For more information or to attend the upcoming webinar on December 3, 2014, visit www.altairhyperworks.com/hyperxtrude_2015.

About Altair

Altair is focused on the development and broad application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance. Privately held with more than 2,300 employees, Altair is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA, and operates more than 40 offices throughout 22 countries. Today, Altair serves more than 5,000 corporate clients across broad industry segments. For more information, visit www.altair.com.