Archive for the ‘CAD Software’ Category
Creative Design Software for CNC
Creative Design Software for CNC
There are two main ones in my mind. Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw. People will tell you one is the best. I will tell you both are good. My advice is to try them both and see which one you feel comfortable with.
I naturally gravitate to Adobe Illustrator. It is only because I use other Adobe Products and like to keep all this stuff in the same family. I do that for common look and feel as I switch back and forth.
It seems to me more people use Corel Draw for plasma. This is just an observation and I don’t have any facts to back it up. The reason I think this happened is that a few of the early adoptors of CNC Plasma started with Corel and then recommended it. Both software packages work great and they have many of the same features.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Free Software for this type of work. Have you ever heard the saying, “you get what you pay for.” If you are old enough, you know this is a true statement. I would suggest you download a few of these and play around with them. It can’t hurt and it will probably make you feel better when you actually buy Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw.
What is your Vector, Victor?
You are about to learn something very important. There are two main types of images in the world, Vector and Raster? What is the difference you ask? I know you know, but you never put a name to it.
A raster image is made up of pixels of color. When you expand or scale a raster image to make it larger, the image pixelates and turns very grainy. You can now see each pixel in a larger form then it was intended. If you have never done this, go to the web, download an image, then expand it. You will get the drift. Web Raster Images almost always pixelate because they are saved at very low resolutions so the Web Page loads faster.
A vector image is made up of lines and control points. Think of a company’s “Logo.” These lines are drawn using math. Now think back to your Geometry class and all those graphs you made. Circles, ellipses and parabolas were the norm. That is what a vector line in a Design Software consists of. When you “Scale” the vector image, it maintains its integrity. Why? The math can adjust as the image is scaled. The image is perfectly clear whether it is on a postage stamp or on the side of a barn.
Vector control points help you out quite a bit as well. You get to reshape the image quickly and easily. For example, say you are making a wooden sign for a friend on your CNC Wood Router. And, you want to make one letter in a line of text a little larger than the rest. You really want to make it pop out as the first letter in the line. With control points it is easy. You just select that letter and “Scale” it to a larger size. Done.
Vectors are what we want to use in CNC. Think about it. Maybe you want to resize a part or that cowboy on a horse. With vectors, it is simple.
Vector Images:
Are described with math
Do not loose resolution when scaled
Are generally made up with lines
Are CNC friendly
Raster Images:
Consist of Pixels of color
Pixelate when enlarged
Are Not CNC friendly
Raster to Vector Software
I won’t say a lot about this right now because it is beyond the basics of CNC. But, there are programs out there that convert Raster Images to Vector Images. Some are better, some are worse. You would want to do this if you wanted to take a photo of something, like a person’s face, and then convert it into vector lines. At that point, you could edit the lines up and route the face into wood or cut it out of steel.
File Types You Will Deal With
There is something about CNC and converting files back and forth. You will have to export and import multiple file types. Most programs handle this so you shouldn’t worry. What you will have to worry about is getting these converted over with the right extension so the next software package can read it.
Every CNC setup is different and you should take notes about your set up. Keep a log of the different file types and what works with your setup. This will become apparent soon enough.
Examples of Different File Types
.ai – Adobe Illustrator Artwork (AI) is a proprietary file format developed by Adobe Systems for representing single-page vector-based drawings in either the EPS or PDF formats. The .ai filename extension is used by Adobe Illustrator.
.eps – Encapsulated PostScript, or EPS, is a DSC-conforming PostScript document with additional restrictions intended to make EPS files usable as a graphics file format.
.hpgl – HPGL, sometimes hyphenated as HP-GL, is the primary printer control language used by Hewlett-Packard plotters. The name is a set of initials for Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language. It later became a standard for almost all plotters.
.dxf – AutoCAD DXF (Drawing Interchange Format, or Drawing Exchange Format) is a CAD data file format, developed by Autodesk as their solution for enabling data between AutoCAD and other programs.
.dwg – DWG ("drawing") is a format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and BIM metadata, it is the internal format for the AutoCAD Computer Aided Design package.
.3dm – The main file format of Rhino3D is called 3dm. It is very useful especially for the exchange of NURBS geometry because it is released as an Open Source Toolkit called openNURBS, which is provided by the developers of Rhino3D.
What do I really need to know?
First, stay away from raster images. Next, stick with vector images. When you stay with vector images, virtually everything can get converted somehow and some way into the file format you want it in. Why, you ask? It is being described by math, not bits of color.
Originally posted 2007-11-10 03:43:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Free 2D/3D CAD Software
Free 2D/3D CAD software for Linux® and Windows® – Latest Release |
| IT, New Media & Software |
Press release from: CAD Schroer GmbH  |
| (openPR) – CAD Schroer Announces Latest Release of MEDUSA4® Personal, the FREE 2D/3D Design Automation Suite
Now with Sheet Metal Design – Available on Windows® and Linux® Moers, Germany – 16 January 2008: CAD Schroer Group (CSG), the global engineering solutions provider, today announced the latest release of its free personal use version of the powerful MEDUSA4 design automation suite, available for Windows® and six different Linux® distributions. The industry-proven 2D/3D CAD solution now also includes a Sheet Metal Design module, and many additional enhancements. CAD Schroer, long serious about offering engineering solutions that support flexible systems strategies, released the commercial version of MEDUSA4 3.0.1 in Autumn 2007. Now MEDUSA4 Personal users can benefit from additional functionality, and support for the current versions of the following Linux distributions: CentOS, Fedora, Mandriva, RedHat, SuSE and Ubuntu . “MEDUSA4 Personal offers almost all of the functionality available in our most advanced MEDUSA4 package, including basic 3D (sheet-based modeling), parametrics, and all of MEDUSA4’s drafting power tools, like SMART Edit (“parametrics on demand”), and hidden line removal,” explains MEDUSA4 Product Line Manager Mark Simpson. “Now users can also try our simple and powerful integrated Sheet Metal Design module.” Enhancements on the drafting side include full TrueType/operating system font and Unicode (multi-language) support, easier top-down and bottom-up design, a new parts balloon tool and parts list table, and even more intelligence in the SMART Edit tool. MEDUSA4 Personal is expressly restricted to non-commercial use. Small technical differences from the commercial version include a different sheet format, watermarked print output, and the ability to import from, but not export to, DXF/DWG format. The commercial version is highly customisable, while MEDUSA4 Personal is not. “Since the day of its first release, MEDUSA4 Personal has been met with great enthusiasm. Home users seem to have a keen interest in deploying professional CAD software, and the latest version, with all the additional functionality of the professional 3.0 release, makes it an even more attractive system. As a result we are extremely confident that MEDUSA4 will keep climbing the ranks in terms of significance and value as perceived by designers in the private as well as professional spheres.” says Michael Schroer, Founding Director of CSG, whose success has been built on long-term customer relationships, and a firm “by engineers for engineers” approach to software development. To find out more, or download MEDUSA4 Personal, please visit the Products page at www.cad-schroer.com Contact Information Website: www.cad-schroer.com Telephone:
Michael Schroer About CAD Schroer CAD Schroer Group (CSG) is a global software development company and engineering solutions provider, headquartered in Moers, near Duesseldorf, Germany. The company has offices throughout Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and independent subsidiaries in France, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Its products are sold direct and through an extensive, customer-focused partner network in countries throughout the globe. CSG’s product suites include the 2D/3D design automation solution MEDUSA4™ as well as STHENO/PRO™, a professional drafting plug-in for Pro/ENGINEER® users. Both systems come with a number of user-specific add-on modules offering efficiency gains for the most diverse areas of product and plant design and development. CAD Schroer also offers extensive consultancy, training and software development services. CAD Schroer’s aim is to provide customers with the best possible solutions for design engineers and the engineering process, as well as to support its clients’ strategic goals. The company’s own technical and engineering background, and its emphasis on close working relationships with customers worldwide, have fostered a “by engineers for engineers” approach to software development – always keeping abreast of the latest demands placed on engineers by modern product development processes in a highly competitive market space. To find out more, please visit our website. |
Originally posted 2008-01-10 23:34:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
CADDIT Australia to Sell TransMagic 3D CAD Translators
SYDNEY, Australia, Feb 8, 2008 – CADDIT announced a new partnership to distribute 3D translation technology for TransMagic, Inc. CADDIT is now the national distributor for all TransMagic “plug-in”, desktop and workgroup solutions for CAD viewing, markup and translation. The agreement between TransMagic, Inc and CADDIT Pty Ltd benefits Australian companies that receive CAD files from different systems, but lack either the licenses or expertise “in house” to reliably read them all.
TransMagic, Inc. writes some of the world’s best 3D CAD translation software, that is, software that can both view and convert files from one CAD format to another. The TransMagic team is widely respected around the world. They are certified partners with many of the world’s most important CAD companies, like Autodesk, SolidWorks and Dassault Systemes. Australian business can now use the new TransMagic translation tools to easily and reliably read data from typically expensive systems like Dassault’s “CATIA” PLM software suite, Unigraphics 3D CAD, Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor and many others.
TransMagic’s easy-to-use, standalone interface does not require any CAD software. All of TransMagic’s Desktop Suites offer 3D CAD file translation, geometry repair, file viewing, redline, cross-section, part volume, mass properties, measurement and collaboration functionality. Parts can also be exported from assemblies for use in any other 3D application. TransMagic ADVANTAGE includes a complete set of geometry and surface Repair tools. For a complete solid-to-solid interoperability solution, the MagicSURFACE features can quickly resurface openings or cover holes with appropriate levels of continuity.
“We are very pleased to be selected to distribute this product in Australia”, said Ben Decker, CADDIT’s business director. “It isn’t just small machine shops and engineering consultants that need software like this. Many large companies prefer the simple interface and low cost, when compared with the overhead of purchasing multiple CAD systems.” TransMagic customers include well-known industry names like Mitsubishi, Caterpillar, Boeing, General Electric and Sony. Nevertheless, CADDIT is working to make the software affordable even for small business doing serious design work. “There are several different modules and configurations we are packaging. The base ELEMENT suite will be priced less than half what most mid-range CAD systems cost.”
“Modern manufacturing companies are faced with complex CAD data exchange problems on a daily basis,” stated Todd Re ade, President of TransMagic, Inc. “CADDIT has shown an exceptional understanding of how to solve these problems using TransMagic products. Australian manufacturing companies have a valuable resource in CADDIT.”
About CADDIT
CADDIT Pty Ltd, an Australian owned company, began marketing TransMagic to Australia in 2007. They provide their own level of technical support for this and many other CAD CAM CAE products. Their head office is located in the Liverpool Fairfax Building in western Sydney. For more information visit at http://www.caddit.net.
About TransMagic, Inc.
TransMagic, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer of 3D CAD translation software products. They are based in Westminster, Colorado, USA and can be contacted via their website at http://www.transmagic.com.
Originally posted 2008-02-12 01:18:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
CAD Software offers seamless DWG compatibility
ZWCAD Version 2008 ReleasedDWG-based 2D/3D CAD tool offers advanced technology at an affordable price New York, January 22, 2008 – ZWSOFT, developers of advanced CAD tools, today announced the release of its latest signature 2D/3D package, ZWCAD 2008. The new version provides updated features for improved flexibility and efficiency, greatly enhanced speed, as well as seamless DWG compatibility. This comprehensive CAD system represents a perfect low-cost alternative to AutoCAD®. Users can open, edit and save DWG/DXF files created in AutoCAD (2.5-2008), without the need for manual import or export operations. Likewise, this automation also enables users of AutoCAD to open files created in ZWCAD. The 2008 version delivers a host of improved functionality. What’s new includes: Speed o Speed of Open function has been increased about 30%. Brand-new Algorithm for Efficient Hatch Boundary Search Design Center Quick Calculator Other major enhancements in the new version include Merge Print (mprint), Attribute Extraction, Block Extraction, and Dimension Replace. Designers, engineers, and architects can discover the improved power and function of ZWCAD 2008 by downloading a free trial of the application at www.zwcad.org. ZWCAD 2008 runs on Windows 2008, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. ZWCAD costs only a fraction of AutoCAD, while offering similar functionality and full DWG compatibility. Today, more than 60,000 customers around in 60 countries choose ZWCAD to reduce their CAD budget and increase their design productivity. ZWCAD customers include many Fortune 500 companies such as Honda, Alcatel-Lucent, CIMS, GP, THORN, GE , among others. For more information about ZWCAD 2008, please visit, www.zwcad.org About ZWCAD ZWSOFT ZWCAD Software Co., Ltd is committed to providing the most reliable and outstanding CAD solutions for users. The products meet the needs of broad-based target groups of 2D/3D design industry, including architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), mechanics, manufacture, electronics etc. and anyone who creates or uses CAD drawings. ZWSOFT has advanced technology collaborations with many worldwide well-known organizations. It is a commercial and board member of the ITC (IntelliCAD Technology Consortium) and the founding member of ODA (Open Design Alliance). Furthermore, it partners with Microsoft, Intel, Spatial and some other university research institutes to provide the customer with the best products- easy to use, affordable and productive. Founded in 1998, ZWSOFT is located in Guangzhou, China. Today, it employs more than 250 staff and closely supported by a highly skilled network of strategic partners, distributors and resellers. The product ZWCAD is a reliable DWG compatible CAD for 2D/3D design which enables our customers to maximize the returns on the investment in CAD software. With its quality product and excellent service, ZWCAD fast became the leading brand in China CAD industry and now compete successfully in over 60 countries, with 60 000 users throughout the world. It is not only welcomed among SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) and the individuals, but also get a high reputation in a large number of the world famous corporations including Honda, Alcatel-Lucent, CIMS, GP, THORN, and GE. Contact: |
| Contacts:
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Company Information: Name: ZwCAD, Inc. Address: Rm.508, No. 886, Tianhe North Rd. City: Guangzhou ZIP: 510635 Country: China Phone: 86-20–38259726 FAX: 86-20–38288676 http://www.zwcad.org |
Originally posted 2008-02-12 17:06:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
SYCODE Introduces CAD Data Exchange Add-Ins
Tuesday, January 22, 2008: SYCODE, a developer of software solutions for computer aided design (CAD) industry, has launched seven CAD file import and export add-ins for Inventor. The Inventor model is a 3D digital prototype that enables users to validate design and engineering data as they work, minimise the need for physical prototypes and reduce costly engineering changes discovered after the design is sent to manufacturing.
The import add-ins are as follows: STL Import for Inventor — Stereolithography STL file import add-in; 3DS Import for Inventor — 3D Studio 3DS file import add-in; 3DM Import for Inventor – Rhinoceros/OpenNURBS 3DM file import add-in; and OBJ Import for Inventor — Wavefront OBJ file import add-in.
The export add-ins are as follows: 3DS Export for Inventor — 3D Studio 3DS file export add-in; 3DM Export for Inventor — Rhinoceros/OpenNURBS 3DM file export add-in; and OBJ Export for Inventor — Wavefront file export add-in.
"Autodesk Inventor is being widely used the world over for 3D solid modelling,” stated Deelip Menezes, owner, SYCODE. “These seven CAD data exchange add-ins are our contribution towards helping Inventor fit into the 3D design workflows of Autodesk customers. With the launch of these add-ins, SYCODE now offers more than 100 products (standalone and plug-ins), 101 to be precise.”
The add-ins are priced at €195 each and are available as fully functional 10 day/run trials.
Originally posted 2008-01-23 14:58:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
SURFCAM Velocity Powered By TrueMill To Be Seen Live At Pacific Coast Machine Expo
Santa Clara, CA – Tangent Concepts, a certified west coast dealer for SURFCAM Velocity Powered by TrueMill, announced that TrueMill inside of SURFCAM Velocity will be demonstrated with live machining throughout the Pacific Coast Machine Expo 2007 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA, November 13-15 (booth number 1404).
Come see with your own eyes!
In the 20+ years since CAD/CAM existed, there have been significant advances in machine tools, cutting tools and other manufacturing components to machine faster and increase productivity. However, there has been minimal to no improvement in the CAM software to enable these components to machine to their potential. TrueMill, the patent-pending technology in SURFCAM Velocity, solves this problem by maintaining a consistent and predictable load on the cutter.
As a result:
- Increased milling output; TrueMill unlocks the potential of your existing equipment enabling faster and deeper machining with less effort. This maximizes material removal rates which reduces cycle times by a minimum of 30-70%.
- Extends the life of your cutting tools by 2x-4x.
- Reduces stress on your all other manufacturing components; machine, spindle, the vice, fixtures etc…
- Higher quality parts due to more efficient removal of material.
Walter Romanenko, President of Tangent Concepts says; “I just sold TrueMill to a customer who got his return on investment in less than a day. I would like to invite ALL who are serious about their business to stop by our booth, number “1404” and the Western Machine booth number, “830” to really see how speed, and performance can make you a winner.”
For more information on SURFCAM Velocity, TrueMill and other Surfware products visit www.tangentconcepts.com. See you at the show, booth number 1404.
About Tangent Concepts
Tangent Concepts Inc., a Service/Product Company focuses on CAD/CAM product sales, web based support, free training, and regular productivity seminars. Unlike dealers who sell a variety of products along with software, Tangent Concepts specializes in software for manufacturing only. Our program features on-staff technical experts . We have been a leading SURFCAM dealer since 1989. We know both SURFCAM and machining so we can help your programmers solve CAD/CAM application problems.
About Surfware, Inc.
Surfware, Inc., the developer of SURFCAM Velocity CAD/CAM systems, provides optimal solutions for today’s design through manufacturing challenges. Surfware’s TrueMill technology (patent pending) is the only toolpath engine that intelligently manages tool load to significantly boost productivity and extend cutting tool life for all materials, including tool steels, aluminum, titanium, even exotics. SURFCAM Velocity is used globally for CNC programming of 2- through 5-axis mills, lathes, Wire-EDM, and multi-tasking machines. Leaders in the aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, industrial equipment and medical industries depend on SURFCAM Velocity to manufacture with automation, speed and precision.
SOURCE: Surfware Inc.
Originally posted 2007-11-18 16:02:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
How to Make Manufacturing Process More Effective?
Making errors in manufacturing process can be a disaster to a factory. Substantial re-work will increase the cost and that can kill your factory, especially for small factory. To avoid making fatal errors, manufacturers should construct a conceptual design. The most effective way to construct a conceptual design is rapid prototyping (RP). This method allows you to build a prototype with minimal cost in a short time period. Unluckily, there is only 10% small companies have adopted rapid prototyping (RP). The following presents advantages of adoption of RP in depth.
What is RP?
RP makes virtual designs from CAD software, processes them by transforming them into cross sections, still virtual, and then forms or manufactures each cross section in physical space, one after the next until the model is finished. The appearance of prototypes is almost identical to the actual product.
Stereolithography is one of the more commonly used RP technologies. It is considered to provide high accuracy and good surface finish. It involves building plastic parts a layer at a time by tracing a laser beam on the surface of a vat of liquid photo-polymer. The photopolymer is solidified by the laser light. Once one layer is completely traced, it is lowered a small distance into the liquid and a subsequent layer is traced, adhering to the previous layer.
Benefits of RP
1. Time Reduction
In most cases, firms using RP technologies have gained time reductions in the production of prototype tooling and parts.
The figures for time reductions on prototyping vary greatly, ranging from 60 to 90%. On the whole this range is likely to be realistic given that the estimation of time savings, when compared to the conventional methods of prototyping, is a fairly straightforward matter.
2. Cost Reduction RP allows firms to identify mistakes before commitments are made to expensive tooling, machines, and large scale manufacturing process. It is widely known that correcting errors at initial stage is much cost effective than correcting errors at later stages.
3. Innovation For the reasons of short production cycle and relatively low cost, some firms are using RP in more innovative ways. Some examples include:
- Development of new analysis and testing procedures – Manufacturing conceptual design of production tooling – Improving communications across product divisions – Supporting customised manufacturing
Conclusion: RP provides designers, model makers, manufacturers and others with highly accurate prototype parts. Rapid prototype turnaround time is a proven way to reduce time to market. It can even reduce direct development costs.
The only drawback is the initial high capital investment for RP machines. One of the ways to eliminate this disadvantage is to employ a RP manufacturing service provider.
About the Author
Written by: Star Prototype China Limited, a rapid prototyping manufacturer offers high quality but low cost rapid prototype production. It provides a SLA prototyping and CNC prototyping
Originally posted 2007-11-08 10:18:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
CAD News – Nov 07
SpaceClaim Professional 2007+ Extends CAD Interoperability
CONCORD, Mass: SpaceClaim Corp., the leading provider of CAD-neutral modification solutions for the extended product development team, today announced the newest release of its flagship product, SpaceClaim Professional 2007+. The software delivers advanced file open and modification capabilities for concept design, engineering analysis and manufacturing to directly contribute their expertise…
PTC Launches Its "Redefining Innovation" Design Contest
NEEDHAM, Mass.: PTC (Nasdaq: PMTC), the Product Development Company(R), today launched its Redefining Innovation design contest and has partnered with Manufacturing Business Technology to showcase the contest’s winning designs. The contest will highlight ground breaking product designs that push the boundaries of innovation.
IIT-M to set up Rs 100 crore advanced manufacturing centre
Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M), is planning to set up a centre for advanced manufacturing and has been endowed with a grant of Rs.100 crore from the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) for the purpose. IIT-M director, M.S.Ananth said that the centre…
Invention Machine Launches Goldfire 4.5
BOSTON: Invention Machine, a leading provider of innovation software, today announced the availability of Invention Machine Goldfire(TM) 4.5 with expanded risk analysis functionality designed to identify and eliminate risks associated with new product development, thereby significantly reducing time to market. The company also announced that it has added dozens of…
Originally posted 2007-11-08 10:20:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
New G-Code Standard?
Here is a recent article from Mechanical Engineering magazine.
CNC Machines of the future will be able to read CAD and CAM files directly. Interesting. I can’t wait to see the code and how they will accomplish this.
"Modern-day computer numerically controlled machines are no longer modern enough. The 50-year-old G and M codes that drive those machines can’t transfer valuable geometric information from CAD and CAM systems, according to a group of experts who are advocating for widespread use of the recently approved STEP-NC standard. With the new standard, CAD and CAM applications have the capability to send product information to CNC machines.
But getting equipment and software suppliers on board with the new standard might take a while, the experts add. Still, if universally adopted, the standard could make subcontracting of machining across many manufacturing industries much easier.
Today’s global engineering companies commonly pass CAD files back and forth. There are a number of ways for suppliers to translate their own CAD files into a format that original equipment manufacturers can read. Although the system is not always effective, suppliers and OEMs can almost get by. But engineering organizations can sometimes perceive CNC machines as the weak link that holds back a data stream that flows seamlessly from design to manufacturing, said Xun Xu, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
Now comes STEP-NC, the machine-language standard first published by the International Organization for Standardization in 2003. Ten years in the making, STEP-NC includes tolerance and process planning capabilities that G and M codes can’t accommodate, Xu said. He’s looking at how STEP-NC can be adapted to all machining environments.
With the standard, a cutting tool is driven by geometric representation of the part to be made, said Martin Hardwick, president of STEP Tools Inc. of Troy, N.Y. His company sells software libraries that help companies write STEP-translation programs. It now sells similar tools for STEP-NC applications.
Just as STEP has standardized the description of product data, allowing it to be passed with translation between varied CAD and CAM systems, STEP-NC is expected to streamline the passing of vital product data as well as geometric information across a global manufacturing chain, Xu said.
With STEP-NC, a machine tool can receive a file with extended product data, know what it means, and proceed to mill the piece without any more instructions. No more programming the machine tool for each job.
"Really, today, the guy on the CAM system generates codes for one specific CNC machine in his plant that he understands well," Hardwick said. "With geometric representation that machining program could be sent anywhere in the world and they could make it on their machine."
In terms of interoperability, the new standard promises to do for CNC tools what STEP and IGES have done for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, Hardwick said.
The ISO standard STEP, which stands for the "standard for the exchange of product model data," allows all CAD and CAM systems to exchange information, regardless of file format. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology has a standard called initial graphics exchange specification—usually shortened to IGES—which also functions as a translator.
According to Hardwick, machine shops using the STEP-NC standard could reduce setup times by as much as 35 percent by seamlessly reading the 3-D product geometry and manufacturing instructions supplied by their customers. Original equipment manufacturers could reduce the time they spend preparing data for suppliers by 75 percent because they could share the design and manufacturing data straight from their databases.
A STEP-NC converted CAD file can whiz via Internet from a New York OEM to a California machine shop, which can then immediately start milling the part, Hard- wick said.
Adoption Obstacles
Given all these benefits, manufacturers and vendors should be lining up for STEP-NC, right? Not yet. Experts generally agree adoption isn’t around the corner. It will happen eventually, although no one can yet say how long it will take.
Hardwick expects adoption of STEP-NC to mirror that of STEP, which users have been slow to accept. STEP for CAD became an ISO standard in 1995. Three years later, the large manufacturers—the early adopters, who saw the business case for STEP—began using the standard.
"In 2001 other enterprises started using it, and in 2003 all the complaints and whining disappeared as people realized what it did," Hardwick said. "There’s a tremendous amount of resistance when these standards come out."
But more than users’ reluctance holds back full-fledged adoption. CAM vendors will need to add system interfaces that write STEP-NC data while CNC machine makers will have to add interfaces to read data. Without significant customer demand for STEP-NC, vendors are hesitant to make the necessary investment in their systems, said John Callen, vice president of marketing at Gibbs and Associates of Moorpark, Calif., which sells CAM and NC programming software. Callen has partic-ipated in the STEP standards community and was a member of the STEP-NC industry review board for STEP Tools.
Vendors could also start making CNC machine tools that could read STEP-NC files. But the manufacturing world isn’t exactly clamoring for those machines, so companies haven’t stepped up to produce them.
"The audience that STEP-NC addresses is extremely conservative," Callen said. "Manufacturers say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. If they’ve got a system that works, they’re not interested in jeopardizing that.
"A lot of them have spent years getting their operating procedures to the point they’re fairly canned," he added. "Introduce STEP-NC and that throws a significant wrench in the works that they have to modify their system around. Most manufacturers will go, ‘I want to do this why?’ "
Gibbs and Associates’ customers aren’t yet asking for systems that can output to the new STEP-NC format, he added. When they do, Gibbs will provide them.
For his part, Hardwick thinks more companies will create their own postprocessors, based on STEP-NC libraries like those his company provides. These types of postprocessors offer a STEP-NC interface between CAM and CNC systems.
So STEP-NC proponents must lead the way by making the business case for the CNC standard. Boeing has taken a point position here, Callen said. Representatives from the aircraft company have been part of STEP-NC deliberations and recent prototype demonstrations.
An aircraft manufacturer has been particularly interested in a CNC-language standard because its CAM systems generate APT CL language, an intermediate file format that—when sent through a postprocessor—automatically generates machine-specific G codes, Callen said.
STEP-NC files could include information that APT CL files can’t handle, such as part-model geometry, part dimensions, and tolerances, as well as machine probing commands. The manufacturer would like to work with the new standard on the company’s next-generation aircraft.
Still Lost in Translation?
Should STEP-NC follow STEP’s customer acceptance model as Hardwick predicts, it will likely face some adoption impediments along the way.
OEMs, well aware of STEP’s limitations, don’t make widespread STEP use easy, Callen said.
"In our industry, we see a lot of doublespeak when it comes to using STEP," he said.
A number of big players give lip service to STEP, he said. They agree the translation standard can be used to pass information from supplier to OEM. But, in reality, these large manufacturers require that suppliers use the same CAD system the OEM uses to avoid loss of data during translation.
"They’re saying one thing and requiring something entirely different," Callen said. "Many say something about STEP in the contract, but suppliers are encouraged to adopt the same CAD system the OEM uses."
So STEP itself still isn’t an optimal interoperability format and that’ll likely be the case with STEP-NC, said Ken Tashiro, vice president and chief operating officer at Elysium Inc. of Southfield, Mich. The company sells CAD translators that Tashiro said can ease the headache that engineers face when translating STEP or IGES files.
The STEP and IGES translation programs have the same problems as human translators. Sometimes, there just isn’t a one-to-one correlation between words or, in the case of CAD systems, pieces of product data, like geometry features or attributes.
And there’s another issue as well. IGES and STEP standards have to evolve as fast as today’s engineering technologies are evolving. And a slow-moving standards committee can’t keep up.
Specialized translators like the ones Elysium makes are specifically written to translate files from one brand of software to another such as, say, UGS to Catia. Engineers who rely only on STEP or IGES as their translation tool of choice rather than on specialized translators can lose data in the translation process, Tashiro said.
Translators like Elysium’s have been programmed to understand the characteristics of each of the supported CAD systems, keep on top of them, and make the required adjustments and corrections required for any data conversion, Tashiro said.
Elysium’s STEP product is based on STEP tools.
"STEP Tools tells us how to build something, so we conform with STEP, and we add our own spice," Tashiro said. "If we know that some CAD format has something weird, like it calls a cylinder a truncated cone, but every other format calls it a cylinder, we know we should pop it into STEP as a cylinder."
Down the line, Tashiro expects to see specialized STEP-NC readers similar to the enhanced translators his company provides.
For his part, Xu is working to develop portable STEP-NC data that can be adapted to different machining environments. The key to this is to capture the information about machining tasks unambiguously and leave the decision on machining methods until the last moment when a machine tool is chosen.
So why don’t software vendors get together and agree upon standard language? That way, a fillet would be a fillet— whatever CAD system it originated in, whatever CNC machine eventually machines the part.
The answer is easy, Tashiro said. For competitive reasons, vendors simply aren’t willing to reveal their algorithms. That makes it impossible to transfer both files and codes among unlike systems without the use of a translator, whether STEP, or a spiced-up STEP.
Hardwick is hopeful that when manufacturers see STEP-NC in action, they’ll get behind the new stan-dard. Next month in Dallas, STEP Tools will help to demonstrate the new standard for participants from Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Sandvik, among others.
"It’ll be a fairly big demonstration to show the CAD/CAM vendors and hardware control vendors that all these people are interested in doing STEP-NC and to get them to move forward," Hardwick said. "But we still need to put forth more effort and get more vendors jumping in."
The road toward STEP-NC has been long and often filled with setbacks. But Callen said he hopes talk of the newly approved standard sparks user interest.
"We’re getting there," he said. "We need to keep it in perspective, though. But I don’t want to lose sight of the real benefits of STEP-NC and what it’s done as far as making people aware of the type of product infor- mation that’s required for next-generation manufacturing systems." "
Check out a link to the article right here:
http://www.memagazine.org/contents/current/features/beyond/beyond.html
Originally posted 2007-11-11 17:32:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Posted in CAD, CAD Files, CAD Software, CAD-CAM, CAM, CAM Software, CNC, CNC Control Software, CNC Controller | 
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SolidProfessor Releases Advanced Surfacing For SolidWorks
SolidProfessor Releases Advanced Surfacing For SolidWorks 2008
SAN DIEGO, California – SolidProfessor, a SolidWorks Solution Partner, announced the release of its self-paced multimedia course on Advanced Surfacing for SolidWorks 2008.Advanced Surfacing 2008 teaches users how to apply surfacing tools as well as solid modeling and sketching techniques to achieve complex, free-form shapes. The course steps the…
Originally posted 2007-11-04 10:19:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter