Archive for the ‘Computer Aided Design’ Category

January 28, 2008 — The latest version V16, under the slogan of ‘Twice the power of V8’, includes a raft of new features aimed at providing enhanced functionality for interactive tasked and further automation for users looking for semi or completely unmanned solutions. JETCAM will also be increasing the number of end user releases in 2008, ensuring that customers can immediately take advantage of each new feature as soon as it is available.

JETCAM Expert V16’s sequencing routines have been optimised to further improve the cutting path which can considerably reduce the overall cutting time of complex nests. A new reporting engine has also been included to provide comprehensive and customisable reports. A report designer is included, where users can simply drag and drop the required fields or tables of information onto the page. Single component or complete nest images can also be added. Reports of any size or format can be generated, including labels for single label printers.

Further development specific to punching machines has also been announced. Automatic tooling placement logic has been further optimised, providing users of punching machines with the same level of automation as profiling machines. Tools are automatically placed on the component based on highly configurable parameters. This information is then carried through to all related nests – if the component is updated then this is automatically reflected on the nest. ‘Tool teach mode’ further enhances the automatic tooling facilities by allowing JETCAM to ‘learn’ a user’s preferred method of tooling a particular contour.

JETCAM’s free form high performance nesting module (FFHPN) for V16 has also undergone further development, with the latest release offering even greater efficiencies. With metal prices increasing even a 1% material saving can quickly mount up to a considerable amount. JETCAM is also offering prospective customers a free ‘nesting benchmark comparison’ whereby they will compare a user’s existing nests with one created through FFHPN.

Commented Mike Weber, Managing Director JETCAM International s.a.r.l.; “These features in Release V16, when combined allow a JETCAM Expert system to rapidly become self-sufficient. It intelligently and accurately applies logic so that the whole CAM process can become truly hands-off, especially when JETCAM’s Remote Control Processing (RCP) system is employed. With our knowledge of the complexities of today’s powerful CNC machines this frees the operator for other tasks, maximises machine runtime and reduces material waste. For any size of organisation this level of automation has to be their goal to remain competitive in today’s climate of cost reductions. Companies employing manufacturing efficiency methodologies such as ‘Six Sigma’ will benefit from a system that provides a data-driven approaches to problem solving with a focus on customer impact. Any business purchase has to be justified by return on investment, and JETCAM continues to deliver this in three key areas: material utilisation, machine cycle time and programming time.”

V16 will be available for download from the JETCAM.com web site in February 2008. Existing customers under maintenance will be able to download the software immediately at no cost. Customers out of maintenance need only to purchase a maintenance contract to gain access to the latest features – there is no additional upgrade price to pay.

For more information please contact Martin Bailey at Email Contact. Product box shots and company logos are available for immediate download from www.jetcam.com/logos.htm.

Contact information:

JETCAM International
Terrasses du Port
2 Avenue des Ligures
MC98000
Monaco

Tel : +44 870 760 6469

Web: www.jetcam.com

E-mail: Email Contact

Southfield, MICHIGAN, February 6, 2008: Planit announced today that it will demonstrate the latest releases of Edgecam and Radan in booth 3076 at the WESTEC Advanced Productivity Exposition, taking place on March 31 – April 3, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California. This premier event presents manufacturing & metalworking technologies used in the production of world-class products. WESTEC is expected to attract manufacturing professionals ranging from company executives to production engineers.

Edgecam will demonstrate Version 12 of its market-leading CAM system for solids based manufacturing, which expands on its 5-axis machining capabilities and delivers improved CAD data management, faster toolpath generation and new options for hole cycle optimization. Edgecam Version 12 extends the range of 5-axis machine tool support to include head/table configurations for both simultaneous and positional work. This is supported by full machine simulation to aid visualization of the machining process and verify work setup. The complete machine can be displayed, including all table/head and tool movements, helping to ensure safe operation and process optimization.

Radan will demonstrate the newly released version of its industry leading CAD/CAM software for sheet metal applications. Radan 08 delivers improved processing times, enhanced 3D import capabilities and significant nesting improvements. Radan will also demonstrate advancements to RadbendCNC, its off-line press brake programming package.

Education and training are critical to production and cost efficiency. The WESTEC conference includes SME-sponsored technical programming addressing advanced manufacturing technologies and processes. WESTEC is co-sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), and the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA).

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About Planit
Planit is the world’s largest supplier of design and manufacturing software for the engineering, woodworking and stone-cutting industries, with more than 85,000 industrial seats installed at thousands of customer sites around the globe. The company’s Alphacam, Cabinet Vision, Cabnetware, Edgecam, Jobshop and Radan solutions are best-in-class within their respective markets, providing customers with products and services to improve the productivity of their machine tools, shorten design and manufacturing time, optimize material usage, and deliver high quality goods and services to their customers. For additional information, visit www.planit.com.

About SME:
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world’s leading professional society supporting manufacturing education. Through its member programs, publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than half a million manufacturing practitioners and executives annually. The Society has members in more than 70 countries and is supported by a network of hundreds of technical communities and chapters worldwide.

Contact: Jane Briscoe
Telephone: 651-982-0100 ext. 5515
Emai: Email Contact        

Planit Solutions Inc.
25 North Lake Street
Forest Lake, MN 55025

Want to know exactly how a human will interact with your product? The category of digital human modeling software is fast becoming an important tool for engineers to proactively analyze the human fit of their product or workplace before it is built.

NexGen Ergonomics of Montreal, has just released the first update to its HumanCAD digital modeling software since it was released last March. HumanCAD is a unified human modeling software architecture with a more intuitive interface, a plugin system for importing and exporting files with the major CAD tools along with new inverse kinematics.

The new release features the ErgoTools modules, which includes the HumanCAD 3D static biomechanical model as well as interfaces to the University of Michigan 3DSSPP and the 1991 NIOSH lifting equation. Other new features include new camera management that allows for the creation of custom viewpoints and cameras, a new library of hand postures and a variety of bug fixes and enhancements. With this release, HumanCAD also now runs natively on Mac OS X, on both Intel and PowerPC architectures.

SolidCAM to Exhibit its latest version at SolidWorks World 2008

2008-01-18 17:36:29 -

January 18, 2008 – SolidCAM, the leading and fast growing supplier of integrated CAM software solutions for the manufacturing industry, today announced it will exhibit at SolidWorks World 2008, one of the world’s largest annual 3D CAD events. This in-ternational user conference and exposition takes place in the San Diego, CA, Conven-tion Center January 20 – 23, 2008.

SolidCAM will demonstrate the new version SolidCAM2008 R12, which is Gold-certified for SolidWorks®2008 at Booth # 632. The single-window user interface and the full as-sociativity between the CAD model and NC tool path guarantee a short learning curve and an efficient data flow from the 3D design model to the machined part. The new version provides a complete manufacturing solution with enhanced user friendliness, more automation features and additional CAM functions. SolidCAM2008 R12 supplies improvements for all Milling applications, including interactive and automated 2.5D Mill-ing, High-Speed Machining, Indexial and Simultaneous 5-axis Machining. Also, users will benefit from new features for the Mill-Turn, which includes support up to 5-axes (XYZCB) and back spindle operations.

SolidCAM is also presenting at the Certified Partner Theater on Tuesday, Jan 22nd at 4 p.m. Mr. Bede Kortegast, SolidCAM’s VP of sales for North America, will demonstrate the latest innovations in SolidCAM2008 R12.
Today, SolidWorks and SolidCAM look back to a successful 5-year partnership, which started in the year 2003 with the Gold certification and the Bundle agreement. Emil Somekh, founder and Managing Director of SolidCAM, states: ‘As a Gold-certified part-ner of SolidWorks, we have always been committed to single-window integration and full associativity with SolidWorks – in our view the best solution to streamline the entire manufacturing process which results in reduced costs and shorter lead times.- He continues: ‘In the past 5 years, we succeeded together with SolidWorks to win several thousand new customers, which benefited from the combined solution Solid-Works+SolidCAM. In the next years, we will continue to strengthen our leadership in In-tegrated CAM.-

About SolidCAM

Founded in 1984 by its Managing director Dr. Emil Somekh, SolidCAM provides manu-facturing customers with a full suite of CAM software modules for 2.5D and 3D Milling, High-Speed Machining, Multi-sided Indexial 4/5 axes Milling, Simultaneous 5 axes Mill-ing, Turning, Turn-Mill up to 5-axes and WireEDM. SolidCAM has the Certified Gold-product status from SolidWorks and provides seamless, single-window integration and full associativity to the SolidWorks design model including parts, assemblies and con-figurations. SolidCAM has today more than 12,000 seats installed. SolidCAM is sold by a worldwide reseller network in 46 countries. SolidCAM is used in the mechanical manufacturing, electronics, medical, consumer products, machine design, automotive and aerospace industries, in mold, tool and die and rapid prototyping shops. SolidCAM has been on a very rapid growth path since it implemented the SolidWorks integration strategy with high annual growth rates of more than 30%. For the latest information, visit the company’s website www.solidcam.com

For more information about SolidCAM visit:
www.solidcam.com

Press Contact
Rachael Dalton-Taggart
Strategic Reach PR
Tel: (303) 487-7406
Email: Rachael@strategicreachpr.com

Milling machine for Tough Applications

Automotive parts subject to high loads, such as drive shafts, gear wheels, and cardan joints, are formed using special tools. Besides having to meet increasingly demanding quality requirements, component manufacturers have to pay particular attention to the cost of the manufacturing process as a whole.

Eleven partners working together in the European Union (EU) project, HardPrecision, have developed a five-axis milling machine for high-precision hard machining. The results were presented at the Euromold 2007 fair, which took place in Frankfurt, Germany.

"Automotive parts, for instance, and the cold-working tools used to shape them, are expected to last for increasingly longer. For this reason, they are made out of extremely hard, high-strength materials, but this also means that they are more difficult to machine.

It is a major challenge for the European tooling and mould-making industry, because the parts have to be manufactured to a high standard of quality, without driving up costs,“ says Kristian Amtz, of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology, in Aaachen.

In current practice, the process chain in tooling and mould-making involves milling, hardening, surface treatment by spark erosion and, often, final finishing by hand. In the EU’s HardPrecision project, the Fraunhofer specialists teamed up with ten European partners to develop an improved machine for high-precision, five-axis hard milling.

The industrial partners included component manufacturers, such as Hemtech Machine Tools, of the Netherlands, System 3R AB, of Sweden, and Walter Dittel, of Germany, and also end-users, such as Hirschvogle Umformtechnik, Moldit SA, of Portugal, and Norma, of the Netherlands.

On the scientific side, the Fraunhofer researchers were supported by the Research Centre for Manufacturing Technology, at the University of Prague, in the Czech Republic.

"One of the chief objectives was to reduce the process cycle for the tools,“ Amtz explains.

To do so, the researchers undertook a detailed study of the whole milling process – starting with Cam and NC technologies, and continuing with machine tools and tool coatings through to process monitoring.

"In HardPrecision, we took a broad view of the whole process chain. Our partners told us which materials they intended to work with in future. These comprised mainly conventional and powder-metallurgical cold-work and high-speed steels,“ Amtz relates.

To optimise the entire seqsuence of proces steps, the scientists defined a number of separate work packages. This meant, for instance, having to reconfigure the process technology, given that one of the key questions addressed by the project was: What is the most cost-effective way of obtaining the necessary tool geometry?

"The modern trend in manufacturing is to use a single forming process to produce increasingly complex shapes, for instance, highly loaded steering system componets. As a conequence, toolmakers are also having to deal with highly complex shapes. This, in turn, increases the complexity of the necessary machining tools and the design of the individual milling paths," says Amtz.

The solution found by the researchers was to adapt the machine to the new requirements by developing an optimised prototype with all-hydrostatic bearings. The improvements they implemented included the integration of lightweight structures and optimising the coordination between the machine and the control system.

SYCODE Offers Import/Export Add-Ins for SpaceClaim

PANAJI, GOA, India, Jan 14, 2008 – SYCODE today launched nine CAD file import and export add-ins for SpaceClaim.

"SpaceClaim is all set to revolutionize the way we think about CAD software”, explains Deelip Menezes, owner of SYCODE. “And we want to be part of that revolution. At SYCODE, we firmly believe that SpaceClaim Professional 2007+ is CAD 2.0 – the next generation of CAD software. Over the past few months SpaceClaim Corporation has made significant changes to their software and their business model, something, we believe, will work in their favor and increase their footprint in the CAD software market. SpaceClaim, the company and the software, is all about openness and simplicity, both of which form an integral part of what SYCODE has continuously strived to achieve. These data exchange add-ins are our contribution towards enhancing SpaceClaim to fit into a CAD users workflow.”

The import add-ins are: (1) STL Import for SpaceClaim – Stereolithography STL file import add-in (2) 3DS Import for SpaceClaim – 3D Studio 3DS file import add-in (3) 3DM Import for SpaceClaim – Rhinoceros/OpenNURBS 3DM file import add-in (4) OBJ Import for SpaceClaim – Wavefront OBJ file import add-in

The export add-ins are: (1) DWG Export for SpaceClaim – AutoCAD DWG file export add-in (2) DXF Export for SpaceClaim – AutoCAD DXF file export add-in (3) 3DS Export for SpaceClaim – 3D Studio 3DS file export add-in (4) 3DM Export for SpaceClaim – Rhinoceros/OpenNURBS 3DM file export add-in (5) OBJ Export for SpaceClaim – Wavefront file export add-in

The add-ins are priced at 195 EUR each and are available as fully functional 10 day/run trials. The software comes with detailed documentation in the form of a compiled HTML help file which contains a step-by-step tutorial to get the end user started in the shortest possible time.

Detailed information about these add-ins and trial downloads can be found at http://www.sycode.com/products/index.htm. 

About SpaceClaim

SpaceClaim Corporation is a privately held company which provides a breakthrough 3D design solution that enhances engineers’ and designers’ productivity by empowering them to create, contribute to, and share designs in a 3D digital form. Their flagship product, SpaceClaim Professional 2007+ puts intuitive 3D at the fingertips of engineers and is ideal to quickly develop new concepts, modify designs for review, improve manufacturing, and faster analysis, or reuse designs for faster-time-to-market.

About SYCODE

SYCODE develops cutting-edge software solutions for Computer Aided Design (CAD). These solutions are in the form of standalone applications or plug-ins that work inside major CAD systems such as AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk 3D Studio MAX, Autodesk VIZ, Autodesk Maya, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, SpaceClaim, Rhinoceros, Alibre Design, IntelliCAD, etc.

SYCODE also designs, develops and implements customized software solutions for companies worldwide. The customized solution may be a standalone application working closely with the client’s existing CAD application or a plug-in to the CAD application.

Yacht Makers Cruise With 3D CAD

Who’s in the market for a $35 million, 164-ft super yacht? It used to be only a handful of the super rich and they were willing to wait years for skilled craftsmen to turn out highly custom boat designs.

Today, thanks to a surge in demand for luxury megayachts, a five-year delay to cover the design-to-delivery cycle doesn’t cut it. That’s why a number of high-end yacht builders are transforming the way they engineer vessels, leveraging 3D CAD tools and high-end Computer Numerical Control machines to create a more production-style environment. With these new engineering practices in place, high-end yachts are now sailing off the line in a scant 18 months or less, even with a moderate degree of customization, and quality has improved as boat builders are able to repeat their complex designs on a more consistent basis.

Prior to 3D CAD models, 2-D drawings and human craftsmanship commandeered high-end yacht design. Designers created the complex shapes for the boat — everything from the hull to the interior cabinetry — in 2D drawings. Next, highly skilled loftsman and other craftsman would leverage their years of boat-building expertise to “fill in the gaps” and make the appropriate modifications that would make the 2D drawings spring to life as an intricate boat design. The problem was design elements often got lost in the translation and there was no guarantee the same design would actually yield an identical boat when orchestrated by different loftsman.

“The loftsman at the boat yard would have to reconstruct all the information in such a way that they could build the boat,” says Scott Davidson, product manager at Robert McNeel & Assoc., the Seattle-based maker of the Rhino freeform 3D modeling software used extensively by yacht makers. “In that translation, however, information is lost putting limits on what you can do. You’re limited in how you build things, you’re limited in terms of what shapes you can do and you limit the repeatability of the project.”

A 3D Blueprint

The combination of 3D modelers like Rhino and sophisticated CNC machinery is rapidly altering the boat-building landscape. Instead of one-off, custom designs that are individually hand-cut and built-to-order on the shop floor, 3D models provide a mathematically accurate blueprint for the base model of the boat, which is fed to large-scale CNC machines that cut each component with a high-degree of precision. Yacht manufacturers can then add customer-specified options and preferences to the base model assembly just prior to delivery instead of building each individual vessel to specification from scratch. As a result, the 3D CAD/CAM-driven approach has bolstered design consistency for yacht makers and paved the way for a production-style environment that shortens lead times and boosts their ability to produce multiple vessels.

That’s certainly the case at Westport Shipyard, the second largest manufacturer of composite motoryachts in the U.S., with models ranging from 98 to 164 ft. In 2003, Westport shelved its 2-D CAD tools for SolidWorks’ 3D CAD software as part of its strategy to move to a production environment. 2-D design methods were limited in that they demanded a parallel design architecture and there were often interferences when integrating additional systems, which required a great deal of rework in the field, according to Jack Sanford, Westport’s application engineer. “2D comes up short when you’re delivering to the shop floor exactly what you want to build so there’s lots of room for interpretation,” Sanford says. “There was always something left out of the equation so you’d have to get on the boat and decide how to custom fit pieces and trim. It’s simple to do that when you’re building a house where everything is linear and rectangular, but with a boat, everything has shape.”

Westport embarked on its 3D journey with the development of its 164-ft luxury model, which has more than 30,000 components in the boat structure alone and would require over 250,000 to 300,000 man-hours to build. The original intent was to design all of the interior woodwork in SolidWorks — cabinetry, the walls, the ceiling and anything else that was constructed of wood in the boat after the fiberglass frame — the goal being to more efficiently reproduce the boat over and over again while reducing the amount of man hours for production.

With its older 2D-based processes, Westport’s first production boat was a prototype, but also a deliverable. Armed with incomplete 2D data, Westport crew members would physically have to adjust designs to fit, which meant there could be different interpretations from crew to crew and boat to boat. Moreover, on a boat this size, design changes occur dynamically depending on which system crew is up first. For instance, the electrical team is impacted by where the plumbing team puts in their systems and vice versa. “With a partial amount of information, everyone was scrambling to refit around who was there first so there were constant modifications that deterred repeatability,” Sanford says. “The next boat was built differently and so on and so on.”

That’s not the case with a 3D model, which has robust large assembly capabilities, allowing Westport designers to resolve fit and interference issues prior to production. The software, coupled with CNC automation for all cabinetry, interior joinery and other select systems, has enabled Westport to reduce its customer delivery times by 75 percent, down to 18 months from five years. It’s also reduced production time and decreased Westport’s reliance on skilled labor.

SolidWorks’ eDrawings 3D viewer has also helped Westport improve quality and reduce errors. The boat maker’s cabinet shop uses eDrawings files and the tool’s redlining capability to communicate details and changes amongst the internal team and with suppliers. In addition, interior designers tap eDrawings to help clients more fully visualize rooms, including materials selections and finish options, as opposed to providing a limited look with 2D drawings.

Moving forward, Sanford expects Westport to broaden the role of 3D as the platform for building all systems, including the fuel tanks. While some of these systems are currently built in other design tools, Sanborn says Westport will eventually move to a single CAD system to eliminate much of the conversion efforts that regularly occur.

While the move to 3D has increased the amount of design time, Sanford says the payoff is tenfold, particularly at the production floor level. “We’ve got hundreds of people now assembling, not trying to decide what they need to do,” he says. “It’s improved our design and reduced the amount of time to get things done. We know exactly what we’re building every time.”

Sabre Yachts, a maker of high-end, Down East-style powerboats and sailboats, has also embraced 3D CAD in its quest for design repeatability. The company employs Solid Edge from Siemens PLM Software for its interior joinery along with Rhino and the MultiSurf 3D surface modeler for boat components that require more curvature and shape. As a production-style boat maker, Sabre makes a base boat, which can then be customized with options based on customers’ requirements. While the options were possible with a 2D design approach, 3D tools like Solid Edge make the process faster and more repeatable, according to Paul Naughton, product engineer for the South Casco, ME, company.

“We put out a standard set of specifications, but what we can excel at with 3D is making changes quicker and faster to accommodate customers,” he says. Sabre also spends less time building something once and then building it again. “Now we put forethought into the design so the option has less impact on the production line than it did before.”

It’s a similar story at The Hinckley Co., another production-style boat maker, which builds between 60 to 80 boats on an annual basis. While there is a base Hinckley design for each model, a good 10 percent of a boat is custom tailored to individual customer’s preference so repeatability, even with options, is critical. “Anything from the engine package to a custom rail to electrically actuated transom steps can be specified,” says Burr Shaw, Hinckley’s engineering director. “If it’s at all possible to accommodate a customer’s request, we’re going to do so. We don’t say no to anything.”

Using Solid Edge, Hinckley is able to produce those one-off options in a much shorter period, Shaw says. In addition, 3D models and CNC machinery enable the company to create a boat’s interior on the production floor as prefab assemblies as opposed to building the cabinetry and joinery in the boat like it used to do. “Now things can only go together one way,” Shaw says. “All the mounting surfaces are molded in, critical dimensions are controlled and variability is limited, not to mention, it’s more obvious if something goes wrong.”

Likewise, the software has helped Hinckley optimize interior configurations on boats, making more effective use of limited cabin space on its 29- to 55-ft models to accommodate components like fuel tanks, machinery and additional cabinetry below deck. Prior to using Solid Edge, Hinckley engineers would design for the unknown, leaving clearances to accommodate possible interferences with parts and assemblies. While that approach addressed some of the limitations of 2D, it didn’t do much to help Hinckley engineers maximize interior space. “With a highly accurate model and tooling, we don’t need to design for adjustability,” Shaw says. “We’re able to more closely dial in our tolerances so not only can we be more efficient in assembly, our designers are a lot finer — hatches and lids work together more smoothly and we fit more into the same space.”

Case in point: Hinckley’s new T38R Convertible boat, which features a new hydraulic, stainless-steel convertible top, which folds away with the push of a button much like a convertible car top. Shaw maintains such a design wouldn’t have been possible with the limited information served up by 2D CAD packages. “The tolerances are very tight,” he says. “The top is over 500 pounds and it changes shape as it moves. It had to be done in 3D to get the tolerances just so.”

In the end, it’s the transition to 3D and all that comes with it that’s playing a key role in high-end yacht makers’ transition to a production environment. “That’s the magic with Hinckley,” says Rick Loring, president of LMGi, a value-added reseller and consulting company that worked with Sabre and Hinckley on their Solid Edge implementations. “You can’t get to higher production with the same level of craftsmanship without doing something like this.”

Low-cost 3D CAD is easier to use

Spaceclaim Corporation is releasing Spaceclaim LT (EUR470, $695) and LTX (EUR605, $895) 3D design products and, in the process, says that it has established state-of-the-art solid modelling as a companion to existing design workflow.

The company states that, for the first time, anybody can work in 3D without the hindrances of the traditional CAD learning curve and associated CAD costs.

Spaceclaim LT and LTX are targeted at designers, engineers and architects who already have efficient and cost-effective 2D tools, as well as hobbyists who would take advantage of affordable 3D design software. Spaceclaim’s general-purpose solid modelling adds value to existing processes, enabling customers to combine 2D and 3D techniques to enhance the vast breadth of use cases where 2D tools flourish.

Spaceclaim LT and LTX feature the ability to: quickly create 3D solid models; open, edit and document 3D solid models from colleagues, suppliers, and customers; and bring 2D drawings into 3D to improve communication and accuracy.

The two CAD packages leverage the identical software architecture and technology of the company’s flagship design system, Spaceclaim Professional 2007+, providing users with a solid modelling environment with a modern user interface.

Unlike traditional history-based modellers that require operators to be trained in feature programming, Spaceclaim is said to deliver a radical new paradigm for creating 3D solid models. Spaceclaim models can easily be moved into popular 2D and 3D packages, where they can be further documented, manipulated, and rendered.

Mike Payne, Spaceclaim’s chief executive officer, comments: “Spaceclaim is accessible to all designers, regardless of their trade, while traditional solid modelling systems tend to require dedicated operators running domain-specific, vertical applications. We are making 3D as straightforward to use as 2D and therefore we expect it to become as ubiquitous.”

The main differences between Spaceclaim’s products are import and export capabilities, as well as some options and services that are available with Spaceclaim Professional 2007+. Spaceclaim LT provides import of Step, Iges, DXF, DWG, BMP, JPG and PNG file formats and export of DXF, DWG, XAML, STL, VRML, BMP, JPG and PNG file formats. Spaceclaim LTX provides these capabilities as well as export of Step and Iges files for use in other 3D systems.

Spaceclaim LT and LTX customers can reclaim 50 per cent of the cost of Spaceclaim LT or LTX when purchasing Spaceclaim Professional 2007+ within six months. Spaceclaim 2007+ includes a range of modules such as 3D data exchange (including Rhino and other popular mechanical CAD formats), Catia, JT Open, sheet metal, Traceparts standard parts library, Ecad and Ansys integration.

Available immediately, Spaceclaim LT and LTX are offered in English, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Traditional and Simplified Chinese languages. They can be purchased online through Spaceclaim and its network of resellers. Regional pricing is available online.

Spaceclaim LT and LTX

Sheet metal fabrication and engineering company reports that the latest CAD/CAM systems have reduced job times from 4h to 30min and improved accuracy and efficiency

Glenrothes, UK-based Fife Fabrications (FiFab), which produces precision sheet metalwork, electro-mechanical assemblies and engineered components, is using Radan and Edgecam software systems to provide continuous improvement in its manufacturing capability. FiFab’s expertise extends throughout the product development cycle from concept design, prototype, trial and evaluation to manufacture.

The company provides its customers with a ‘concept to component’ solution, for low volume specialist and high volume fabrication.

The Edgecam system is a recent purchase, while Radan software was first installed in 1990 to replace an old DOS-based system.

Radan was determined to be the best solution to meet FiFab’s requirements for an advanced CAD/CAM package with a wealth of functionality that would allow a seamless transition between CAD and machining.

* CAD to NC progams – Radraft solves the problems associated with less than ideal geometry from imported CAD files, with powerful manipulation tools that convert it into fully defined machining programs.

The software examines the line and arc geometry and corrects problems such as gaps in profiles invisible to the naked eye but sufficient to stop a profiling machine.

This functionality is key to FiFab responding to customer requirements quickly and cost effectively, said Radan to manufacturingtalk.com.

The company’s impressive machine set-up includes two Trumpf TC500 CNC punch presses, plus CNC lathes, vertical machining centres and a Trumpf TLC L2530 laser profiling machine.

Supported by the advanced features of Radan’s Radpunch system, FiFab has tremendous flexibility and capability to consistently improve quality and service across the whole operation.

Engineering manager at FiFab.

Dougie Smith, said: ‘Our continuous improvement systems, key performance indicators, dedication to lean manufacturing and total quality management focuses the attention of the entire workforce on the need to maintain the highest possible standards of excellence’.

He explained: ‘Radpunch speeds up the process from start up engineering through to punching and improves our efficiency and accuracy.

We have increased output dramatically typically, a job that used to take us four hours is now completed in just 30 minutes’.

RadbendCNC has proved invaluable in allowing FiFab to import customer models of sheet metal parts and assemblies and unfold them accurately.

Offline programming and simulation improves first off reliability while the collision detection feature greatly reduces expensive errors.

Smith added: ‘With many of our customers involved in high tech industries such as aerospace, telecoms and medical equipment, Radan gives us the flexibility and reliability to provide innovative solutions for a broad range of requirements.

Furthermore, working with expensive materials such as aerospace-grade titanium, our ability to maximise material utilisation and automate nesting allows us to streamline production and keep our costs down – savings we can then pass on to the customer’.

Radan said that Radview enables the drawings to be viewed by the quality and production departments, saving time and improving efficiency throughout the business by allowing feedback from users and increasing overall control.

Continuous investment in world-class equipment has resulted in FiFab’s steady business growth, allowing this progressive company to compete successfully against low cost manufacturers in the Far East.

This forward-looking attitude led to the more recent purchase of Edgecam’s system for NC part programming, based on the positive experience with Radan software, service and support.

This installation was key to FiFab extending its precision machining capability to meet the exacting demands of customers in the hydraulics, telecoms, oil, aerospace and defence markets.

‘Edgecam allows us to make 3D models and tool up our lathes and milling machines,’ said Smith.

‘We chose this package following endorsements from other users, which were verified by demonstrations of its 3D modelling capability.

The process is faster and more accurate and quite simply the best tool to enable the engineering manager to do his job’.

Smith said: ‘We employ a rigorous training programme to ensure our workforce is experienced in every aspect of programming our CNC turning and machining centres.

With the support of advanced software systems such as Edgecam and Radan, we can ensure that our commitments to customers are met every time’.

* About Fife Fabrications – established in 1972, the company is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of sheet metalwork, electro-mechanical assemblies and precision machined components.

FiFab has invested heavily in state of the art plant and employee development, which give added value to customers working in industry sectors including instrumentation, power generation, defence, telecoms and the security and ATM markets within the UK, Germany and the USA.

* About Radan – Radan is the most powerful sheet metal CAD/CAM software in the world, helping customers increase their material utilisation and reduce inventory and offers a significant return on investment.

Radan is a principal brand of the Planit Group recently ranked by CIMdata as the worl’’s fastest growing CAM vendor, with most industrial users.

* About Edgecam – Edgecam, a market leading computer aided manufacturing (CAM) system for NC part programming, offers a complete solution for milling, turning and mill/turn programming with unparalleled ease of use and sophisticated toolpath generation.

Edgecam is a principal brand of the Planit group recently ranked by CIMdata as the world’s fastest growing CAM vendor, with most industrial users.

* About Planit – Planit is a global supplier of design and manufacturing software for the engineering, woodworking and stone industries.

The company provides its customers with products and services that enable them to improve the productivity of their machine tools, shorten design and manufacturing time, optimise material usage and deliver high quality goods and services to their customers.

Planit’s solutions are best-in-class within their respective markets and are integral to the success of thousands of companies of every size around the globe.

A/CAD Viewer Available as Free Public Beta

NOVATO, Calif., Jan. 15, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) — IMSI/Design, the global leader in retail CAD, announced that it is releasing a public beta of its new A/CAD Viewer for both the Apple(r) Mac OS(r) (Nasdaq:AAPL) and Microsoft(r) Windows(r) (Nasdaq:MSFT) operating systems.

A/CAD Viewer lets Mac(r) and PC users view .DWG files like those created by Autodesk(r) AutoCAD(r), AutoCAD LT (Nasdaq:ADSK) and other standard CAD applications. Users have full control over the visibility of layers, line styles, and line weights. Both 2D and 3D navigation is easy with familiar zoom, pan, and walkthrough controls.

"Macintosh is exploding in popularity, yet there are virtually no AutoCAD-oriented tools for the platform," stated Bob Mayer, Chief Operating Officer for IMSI/Design. "We think A/CAD Viewer will quickly become a must-have utility for Mac CAD users. It’s easy-to-use and very powerful."

3D display is enhanced with support for multiple rendering styles, including wireframe, hidden line, conceptual, and low resolution realistic. Models can be viewed in parallel projection or perspective. A large set of standard isometric and diametric views quickly orient the drawing to necessary points of view.

In addition, users can perform elementary data take-off with A/CAD Viewer’s robust set of measuring tools, including length, consecutive length, area, radius, and diameter. A comprehensive set of familiar snap tools make measurement precise and effortless. A properties palette allows the capture of information about any selected object. And details such as line style, or line weight, hatch pattern, or color can be extracted with ease.

The A/CAD Viewer supports OS X 10.4 and 10.5 for the Macintosh(r) and Microsoft Windows XP and Vista for the PC.

For more information, please visit www.IDX-Design.com or visit our booth No. 2611 at MacWorld for a demonstration.

About IMSI/Design

IMSI/Design is the global leader in retail CAD (Computer Aided Design). IMSI/Design products include the award-winning TurboCAD(r), DesignCAD, and FloorPlan(r) families of precision design applications. Please visit www.IMSIdesign.com or www.IDX-Design.com for more information.

(c) 2007 IMSI/Design, LLC. All rights reserved. IMSI/Design(r) and A/CAD are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of IMSI/Design, LLC. All other identifiable marks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: IMSI/Design
         Lindsay Mayfield
         415.878.4027
         pr(at)imsidesign.com